Some very, very exciting news

After little thought, serious consideration, and a few seeds planted- I have finally combined forces with a blogging buddy! TwoWalksOneAve.blogspot.com is the new blog me and my friend Kat have finally started. Most of the posts on here will appear on there, but with our blogs combined- we hope to offer a fresh perspective to one another and those reading. Updated constantly with crazy, exciting, and hopefully mostly insightful happenings of our lives- she will be reporting from Ave A and myself from Columbus Ave. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride :)
xoxo AA

Sun and Fun!

This past weekend, 2 couples, a cooler full of sandwiches, and a collection of solid beats...made their way down to Ocean City, MD. I had been to the Jersey Shore before with my family a few years ago and was expecting the same sort of environment in Ocean City. Though they are definitely 2 different cities- they did share a myriad of similarities: beach, sandy motel rooms, fresh seafood restaurants galore, and cheesy fun activity centers like mega mini golf complete with go kart racing. Beach towns being one of my favorite scenes- I took right to the environment. I am not writing this post to bore you with the nitty gritty details of the trip (I consider those mostly private trip between my fellow travelers and I on this occasion) but I am writing to share something I learned. Many times, with life in the big city, we get used to the grind of getting up, fixing our hair, makeup, and outfits to perfection because well, that is what is acceptable in our society (especially if you are showing up to a paying job). But sometimes, when you let your hair down, leave the makeup bag behind and just go with the flow- you learn to experience the things and people around you on a  different level and generally in a worry free environment. I am not saying to completely let yourself go and dress like a bum everyday for work but what I am saying is that the beauty that can be found in simplicity is something that might not be discovered otherwise. So every once in a while, sit back, throw on comfy outfit, put your hair up- and genuinely just focus on the time you have with those around you- you won't get that moment back :)
xoxo AA

Saddle Up!

Bless my lucky stars y'all! Kidding- but seriously, a few weekends ago I was fortunate enough to make a long weekend trip down to the Lone Star State...Texas that is- to visit my man and uniform and his family. Told by my hosts to 'leave my NYC stuff behind' I showed up at the Dallas-Fortworth airport in nothing more than my Yankees hat and little city dress. Being an east coaster and never having adventured to TX before (there was a brief 2 years of my life that I did live in CO but that is a moot point here) I was not sure what to expect. I had been warned that heat was the 1st difference I would notice but instead, it was the instant sense of calmness and charm. There was something in the air (and I am not referring to the humidity) that just felt safe and sound- like I was home. Staying at my man's awesome childhood ranch style home I felt instantly welcomed. A quick game of Banana Grams (do I need to tell you who reigned victor?) and we were out the door on our way to TX BBQ. People...when I tell you that I actually fell in love with food on this trip...take me seriously. Brisket and chicken were my main weapons of choice followed by sides of dirty rice and baked beans. I think I nearly blacked out at the dinner table due to the high levels of bliss I experienced with each bite. As I sat in this feed store turned restaurant, I again felt a sense of happiness and community in the air. Day 2: we were off to the range for some shooting. Let me just quickly set the scene for you here- the only experience I have with the idea of shooting is from the movies/video games. Meaning shot outs, assassins, and thugs. You can imagine the sheer terror I was experience inside (whilst holding it together like a lady on the outside of course) when we arrived at the range. To my complete and utter shock, this was nothing like the movies. Rather, shooting is a sport! And a sport to be taken very seriously. After dabbling with a riffle among the many Texan men that were out for their Saturday morning shooting sessions, I decided to try out the civilian version of an M-16 (to my knowledge, what our troops take with them overseas). Sheer terror washed over me as I was knocked completely out of my comfort zone by this overpowering weapon. I decided to stick with my riffle. After lunch under cover from the sun, I took few shots with the handgun and we called it a day. All in all not only did I have a good time but it was a successful trip- I completely got over my fears and came to the realize that shooting is actually a sport in many places. Day 3: this might have been my favorite experience of the trip- country line dancing! Myself, my man, his sis and bro headed out to BILLY BOB'S (yes that is a real place, and I know what you're thinking...it sounds awesome...it was awesome). When we pulled up I noticed the fresh stench of cow poop. Reason being is that not only is Billy Bob's a great place to get your country line dancing on, but also has a rodeo inside where professional bull riders attempt to wrestle and ride bulls. We missed  the show (but not the poop) and headed straight for the dance floor. Again, country line dancing is almost like a competitive sport. Or at least it should be because it is certainly a lot more difficult than it appears. After a few quick lessons from my man's bro and sis, we hit the floor. One quick item to note, instead of a glowing disco ball, there was a glowing saddle (how cool!!) hanging above the dance floor. With some trial and error runs, we finally got the hang of it. I looked around and again felt a sense of security and bliss in the air. Something that seems so simple as dancing around a floor had brought a huge group of people together (very accepting crowd I might add) to just dance and have a genuinely great time. Needless to say, I had a great time in TX. Besides the food, the guns, and dancing, it was the people and hospitality that I enjoyed the most. There is something to be said for simplicity or change of pace that can clear your mind and give you a fresh perspective on the world around you. To see folks truly live out a sort of 'life is great' motto through their actions made my trip all the more special. So thank you to my wonderful hosts- for welcoming me into your home with open arms and for showing me a great time! This city girl might just have a little country in her y'all! Just kidding? ;)
xoxo AA

I love to see you go but I hate to watch you leave

Ok post #1 of the catch up. As most of you know at this point, my little brother left for Marine Corp Boot Camp on June 17th (yes I have been drafting this post for that long lol). Since that time, I have given much thought to the subject of 'leaving.' Many times, people come in and our of our lives- but it is when we have to say goodbye or 'see you later' to family or loved ones that the struggle seems appears. Especially in my case, there is something about seeing a younger sibling leave that is more unsettling than anything else. And in the same vain, seeing senior family members at a moment of weakness also leaves a not-so-great feeling. But there is something to recognize here that I have finally realized- when we say goodbye for now, we are essentially forced to turn to others. Though we know we will see the person again who is departing, this sort of leaving allows us to renew and replenish the relationships we have with others around us. Since my brother has left, we have formed a little community, a sort of supportive camp if you will here at home base. From Facebook and Tumblr updates to hand written letters everyday- myself, my family, and my brother's friends (many of which him and I would both agree are more like family) have come together to make sure that we are showing Mike as much love and support as possible. All because of this one kid (who I am sure had no idea how much he meant to so many people before he shipped out) we have all united as one in his cause. The point here is not whether or not I miss him because that is of course a no-brainer. But, now that we have all settled into the idea of him being gone for a bit and he has gotten over the hump-  I am able to view the situation a bit more clearly. I can see that Mike leaving is great for him because he is experiencing something that is going to make him into the man that he will most likely be like for the rest of his life. And it is also great for all of us- it brought a community of somewhat strangers and a family of individuals together. I also know that by only being able to write my brother our bond is growing stronger as siblings because we are depending upon one another in ways which we have never before. In the end, am thankful for the change because it has certainly shown me how truly grateful and proud I am of this kid.
This one is for you brobro bear :)
xoxo AA

Hello World!

I have missed you! It has been just about a month since my last post and in that short (long?) amount of time- a lot has happened in my life in the big city. Most of the fun and time away has been experienced outside the city; each adventure which I will be sure to share in separate blog posts following this one. But after a month of great travels, hard goodbyes, and experiences that enabled me to learn more about myself and those that I love- I am glad to be back writing. If I am going to be totally honest, I have been cheating on this blog with another blog I started for my little brother the day he left for Marine Corp boot camp. If you want to check it out and read more (mainly pictures, and short text blurbs) click here: http://aalimo29.tumblr.com/ . On top of my daily posts there, I have made every effort to hand write my brother a letter everyday. I promise these are not excuses for my neglect to this blog- but sometimes I don't have enough words to write that much content in a day! I also definitely have to write a quick little update on how my new job in the big city has been going :) If you're still reading- thanks so much for your support! And if not, that's OK too because this blog has provided me with not only a public diary of the wonderful things I am so blessed to experience in my life but also a place to figure things out just by writing them down :)
Posts to come!
xoxo AA