Random thoughts....

It's been a long couple of weeks.

Death in the family.
Airport Sleepover.
Softball Game.
Realizations - on oh so many things.
              sports and playing
               men ... where the hell are they?
                family
                living situation  - has to change
Insurance - glad I have it but tired of talking about it.


So much to talk about I think I'm just going to type and see what comes out.

My Uncle died last week.

He was a great man and he touched a lot of people. That was oh so evident by the outpouring of support for our family and more specifically his wife. My mom and I flew up and were planning on getting in quick and getting out quick. You know, stay above the craziness that comes when you get together with family who you only see at these awful occasions.  You know nothing went according to plan on that one right?!  Mom and I had all kinds of fun getting back from Chicago... #airportsleepover.

I played in my first softball game since wrist surgery. Felt okay but not great. Still going to play though. Wondering if it was painful due to the therapy on Tuesday...bad choice on my part. My team is a group of peeps from work and it's a lot of fun. Going to continue to be a good one I can tell. If i can keep my wrist in check, this could be good fun and some occasional exercise. I'm waiting on kickball. Never playing in a league before but I think I should be good at it.  i play/played soccer for goodnes sake!  We'll have to see when all of that goes down.

What's next on my outline of thoughts? Lol.

Oh yeah... playing sports. I think I would like to stop playing soccer. That time of my life has passed I think andI would just like to work out and take up a new hobby. I will always be passionate about watching and even playing it.  I think I'm well beyond wanting to play, I will miss it but I think I should be fine. New things are on the horizon... all across the board.


Speaking of new... the next stop on the mental anguish circuit.
Men - still seems to get my heart in crazy situations.  Knight in shining armor...not looking for him... normal guy with a heart, a good job, and good communication skills...DEFINITELY looking for him.
Moved on officially from someone or something that was not a healthy situation. Feels good to be free of that emotional baggage...at least I think  I'm free of it.  It's amazing how i can get my heart tangled up so badly in such a short time.  Hmph.... working on not worrying about all of this. Hate to be part of a cliche but dang it i'm not getting any younger!

I love my family and hope to have one of my own someday but i also need a bit more space. I enjoyed my time away on the ship and the independence that i had.   Hope to move into my own space by the end of this year. Am I behind the 8 ball, yes. I think I have allowed many. many things to get in my way  and I'm done with that now. Working on my loans and any outstanding credit that I have to get that credit score up and get a move on! Yeah buddy! I don't need a lot... a small space to call my own and relax.  Could be lookin' up.

I've re-lived the wreck again for the insurance companies and now I'm trying to put it behind me.

Well, that's enough of my spiel and I'm out!

#dosomethinggood

-ash

And so it goes....

March 2, 2013...

Hotel 3 in 4 days.  Business trip 3 in 4 weeks. A lot of traveling for me this February. It's been an eventful few work days and a relaxing vacation day thus far. I started out my work trip at the Hilton Garden Inn Houston Northwest and I was lucky enough to stay at La Toretta Resort & Spa last night and was also fortunate enough to see an old friend Jason for some dinner and chatting. We went to a place called COTTONWOOD. If you live in Houston, go check it out ( 610 and N. Shepherd). It waspacked when I got there and sits a  right off of some live train tracks... food was good, the company was good and the ambiance was pretty good too. My vodka /cran was a bit high for my liking $10 but it was a good stiff drink.  Man was that drink needed after my horrowing drive down from Conroe.
Everyone knows that I've been a bit jumpy behind the wheel these days since the accident in October. I'm working on it but I flinch at the smallest things now and I hate being near the wall. It hurts me to say that driving is not as fun as it used ot be. I was the carefree person who would jump in the car to clear my head. Now unless I'm on the open road and there is no traffic, I'd really rather skip it.  I'm going to go talk to someone ( a professional) about my issues with driving/riding now. I want to be able to enjoy a car ride again and not cringe when my mom gets the keys to drive. If i could just get the visual of the wreck out of my mind I would be in a great place. Every time I am in the car, I see us about to hit the back of that expedition and see us still going after hitting and being hit I think of what could have been if we had flipped or if we were 100 yards furrther or even a bit farther than that with the wire medians. I know I should let it go and believe me I have tried. I just can't seem to kick the visual and the event.  It has truly affected me and what I want to do. I truly go after the things that I want and try extremely hard not to let a moment go by that I don't take it in and realize each moment is not promised.  "Live the life you imagined."

I went to the rodeo today... lots of cowboy hats and boots! Quite the experience and a good time for sure.
 Now I'm in the Marriott Medical Center and I'm watching the game I was going to attend on tv. Thinking about going to work out, may go for a swim. Who know, may just call room service and enjoy solitude and rest. 

Can you believe it's been 1 year since I joined ATI (Feb 28, 2012)?  I can't either. It's been quite a ride thus far. Great friendships made and great time had. Here's to at least another year of adventure! (we go year by year people...don't judge and if you do... don't do it outwardly)

And now to move on to my single girls rant...

Still looking for Mr. Right... he is not here as far as I can tell. Sometimes I feel like I must be asking for a nobel peace prize winner or something. I don't need the knight in shining armor or the rich man. I need someone who can/will take care of me in times of need and cheer me up when I am sad.. Someone who understands that I am a strong woman who is extremely opinionated and knows when to put me in my place. I need a friend, a partner...someone who will make me laugh and will travel the world with me. I'm looking for someone who is not afraid to love me for me. The crazy, emotional and family oriented person that I am.   Love me or let me go mister... let me be with someone who wants to be with me. I deserve it and I want it sooner rather than later. God has a plan and I am working on my patience, but I do believe he has a plan.

Love and blessings to all.

-Ash

SMU Black Alumni

I'm excited to have this event. We've been planning for what seems like forever to get this event going. I'm quoted in this article which is pretty cool when I think about it. Check it out and come on out to the event on Saturday if you feel the need to support!


SMU Black Alumni gather to honor history makers - News - Daily Campus - Southern Methodist University

It's been a good January.

January shmanuary!

“I was a little excited but mostly blorft. "Blorft" is an adjective I just made up that means 'Completely overwhelmed but proceeding as if everything is fine and reacting to the stress with the torpor of a possum.' I have been blorft every day for the past seven years.” 
― Tina Fey, Bossypants


SOOOOOO... THE START OF THE YEAR HAS BEEN A SPECIAL ONE!!
I have made a pact with myself to get healthier. I'm not calling it a new year's resolution because I am NOT going to stop walking or running on the path that I have chosen for this year.  In the 30 days so far in this month I have worked out i think 20 of those.  I have been challenged by a person I know at my Y who seems to think that I am not committed to working hard and that i don't realize the potential I have. I beg to differ. I am committed and I want to be challenged. I want to be better all around, look better, feel better, the whole 9 yards. I think if anything, I'm scared that I am going to want so much out of this change and my body will not be able to handle the constant pressure. All of those surgeries feel like they have taken a toll on me and my ability to work hard and play hard. I can't seem to lost this freakin' weight no matter what I do.  I need someone to push me and keep me focused on what my end goal is. I would like to get back to that 165/170 LB. marker that I used to be at. I want to try yoga, I want to try kick boxing... I want to try a lot but haven't found the time or maybe I haven't made the time to work these things into my day to day schedule. I've started doing a daily challenge and it really has been great. It has made me think about what I am doing to continue on my journey and make it worth while.

Now more than ever do I realize that I will never be content with a sedentary life, that I will always be haunted by thoughts of a sun-drenched elsewhere.” 
― Isabelle Eberhardt

In January I have been a number of places. I started the year off in Miami (Hollywood Beach to be precise) then I ended up in Indianapolis.  It seems like i have been many more places but it reality only these 2. Miami was beautiful and the weather was amazing... too bad I didn't have a week to just sit, that would have been so so lovely. In Indianapolis the weather was cold and not as fun as Miami but it was  a good time nonetheless. I was able to catch up with a bunch of Region III/ NTX people and it was a small bit of fun.  Gotta love the peeps from that time in my life. I miss it, but things are good where I am and with the groups that I work with now.

What's the saying? The grass is always greener on the other side....

I think my grass is pretty green on the professional side. I'd like to see what the grass looks like on the personal side of the hill.

Happiness with me equals happiness for me.

Have a great night!

- ash

luck be a lady tonight

Man oh man has it been a crazy month of November ... and beginning of December.

Work has been CRAZY to the CRAZY!  I've been in Charleston, SC; Anaheim, Ca; and now I am in  Birmingham, Al.

Work is good... lucky to have a job.

@Texash81

So, my mom just really joined Twitter for the first time, SHow her some love people, follow her on Twitter @McHam1946!  This is so much fun.
I just got back from the NSCAA convention where we made good progress on work and for sure had a fun time when not at work!  I got to catch up with a ton of people from my soccer past while there and was able to laugh a lot this past weekend.
Had the first official Black Daisy soccer practice today at Inwood and I think I did well considering. I know I have a long, long, long way to go! I'm getting stronger and i am SERIOUSLY committed to being stronger and more fit.

Here is my goal...

Workout each day.
Watch what i eat.
           Portions and content.
Smile more.
Stress out less.
Eat breakfast every day.
Love me some me!

Live the life I've imagined.


Follow me on Twitter @Texash81

“You Were Given This Life Because You Are Strong Enough To Live it.”

I know I say I am going to do better each and every time but I really will start to do better with my blog. I swear it to you! I am in a place where I feel like i have a lot to say. Let's play catch up one last time and then I promise to keep you up to date at least once per week, deal?!

I recently had my 31st birthday... I was in Charleston and actually had a pretty good day... ended my birthday with a new phone on a historical naval destroyer the USS Yorktown. I had a great time working which we all know I DON'T DO on my birthday. I generally am on vacation even if only for the day. It's not where I am but that i am doing only what I want to be doing and not what I am supposed to be doing or am required to be doing. Anyway, it was a pretty good day, we were past some of the big craziness that comes with getting 8 college basketball teams settles  and were getting more into the groove with them. We had already set some boundaries with some of the contacts and where all enjoying the slight chill in the air.  I was with a Mizzou Tiger and one of those crazy Red Raiders from Tech. Thanks to them and the amazing people I work with ( I mean it, I'm not just writing this b/c they could read this... they really are amazing!), I got to sleep in, had cookie cake, cake, got some funny cards and even got a car... a red convertible.  It was a surprise so I was NOT expecting it at all.

I'll post pictures soon so you can all see my sweet new ride!

Did I mention I was gone for 15 days straight!! 

Crazy is what that sounds like now. Oh well, we have hit the ground running and it is going to be a bit crazytime from  here on out. University of Colorado won that tournament and i learned a lot about the Collegiate side of our business and still am as I sort through some of the special that I encountered there. I have a new found respect for the people in the Collegiate pod and their handling of things on the fly and with a smile no less.

After Charleston which might I add was COLD and RAINY... i flew off to sunny Anaheim at the crack of dawn in the morning. I mean the airport wasn't even open when i first got there!!  Dropped the car off at the rental place and went on with my day. I then got to stop in my home city but not actually get to go home between events. Is it bad that I was hoping for some sort of delay or cancellation so that i could get back to my house?! I don't feel bad about that either. California was great though. I kept up with one of our clients who was traveling the country just the same as me. Good times with good people. MTMs, CTJs...BWs... all sorts of fun to be had and remembered just keeping it 100 with ya, lol.

My Cali ride was a bit tardy in the pick up and then she passed me!! She was a bit flustered, but she eventually got me. I couldn't be mad b/c we had done the same thing to the Red raider!  MEALS, MEALS and more MEALS are on my agenda these days.  I had a blast with the people at both tournaments and look forward to the possibility of working with them again in the future.

Alright, i'm extremely tired but I wanted to catch you up as soon as I could.
I leave you with one of my new favorite quotes.

Remember this quote: “You Were Given This Life Because You Are Strong Enough To Live it.”

Friends are integral to the fabric of life.

A friendship can weather most things and thrive in thin soil; but it needs a little mulch of letters and phone calls and small, silly presents every so often - just to save it from drying out completely. 
Pam Brown 


It was a great night of catching up with the ladies.   I can't recall the last time that Claudine, Daja and I got together.  It was a great night of reminiscing about old times and new times to come. 

Thanks for checking on me and thanks for being there even when you aren't there.I feel a road trip coming on sometime...maybe after the week I had last week ...a  plane trip?! We need to do a girls weekend ladies.   Summer time ...next July maybe for an early birthday present?