Revelations in my Monday jeans

Happy Monday friends. The weekend, as always, went by way too quickly, but it was restful and satisfying. It was one of those weekends I felt apart of my town. I often spend my time driving in a triangle around the heart of Nashville but rarely experiencing the pulse where the energy and excitement I fell in love with beats. So, this weekend we revived our relationship with music city, spending time at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts downtown for the Experience Egypt exhibit (so sophisticated, I know), walking in and out of the Broadway honky tonks (not as sophisticated - noted) and finishing the day with a long crab leg dinner at Joe's Crab Shack on 2nd. It was the perfect Saturday with W and friends and was just what I needed to kick my PCD (post Christmas depression) and remind myself that life can still be magical even in the aftermath of the most wonderful time of the year (yes, you can always count of me for a sprinkle of drama).

Weekend revelations:

Oh my naive smile.

1. Eating crab legs is like giving birth to your food: Okay fine - I have never given birth, but I can imagine the similarities are uncanny. I did not anticipate (nor appreciate) that such an expensive meal would rival my boot camp class in effort just to consume. Post-consumption, I determined the amount of work it takes to crack and manuerver the meat out of the thin crevices of this sea creature (which is an art) compared to the amount of actual meaty satisfaction - not equivalent. And unlike celery, the calories it took to get the buttery meat from crab to tongue, also not equivalent. So next time, I may just get a burger and wear a "save the crabs and yourself" t-shirt. It was definitely fun to learn a new skill, but come the end of it, my little fingers wept. Note to self - next time, pay W to prepare my meat for me like a parent would a child.

2. I refuse to treat life like an over-ordered Thai Chopped Chicken Salad (TCCS): Last year, when Panera came out with the delicious and low calorie TCCS, I went on a bit of a binge. To every friend that wanted to grab a bite my immediate suggestion was Panera (despite the unique restaurants Nashville has to offer). While my rewards card was busting out free pastries left and right, my effort to be cheap and healthy led me to a TCCS overdose. Something that was good for me - that I loved and craved so much - suddenly made my stomach turn to think about. However, after taking a two month TCCS sabbatical, I came back to the dish last night, and it was like a brand new delicious experience.

I shall ration and treasure you, true friend.

While this sounds like a pointless anecdote, it actually speaks a lot to something I am working on this year - trying new things and finding balance in my experiences. I find we fall into daily habits once comfortable and settled, be it of restaurants, groups of friends, and other elements of routine, that can keep us from a fresh focus. Pushing yourself outside of the mundane and appreciating the newness of a moment is crucial to making it count. Try something new, spend time with someone outside of your immediate circle, allocate space where it is needed and listen to your own wants and needs. I think in doing so, we will find the kind of well-rounded experience we all truly crave from life. And after some time, that thing or experience you have had too much of, will suddenly taste new again.

Little non-biting sweetie.

3. Hamster enthusiasts exist, and they exist at the Brentwood Petco: Ginny and I had an awesome lunch on Saturday afternoon at First Watch in Brentwood (you must check it out!) and after, made our way to the Petco to get the girls a new hamster (not to be confused with a rat)! Who knew there were so many different breeds, sizes, activity levels, and biting potential to the hamster family?  Well, just ask the most heart-felt hamster expert on the block. What a precious guy - talking about hamsters like I talk about cheese. To each their own my friends.... to each their own. Rosie the robo-hamster now has a happy home the little ones are thrilled. 

4. My Monday jeans will never go out of style: Due to the crab legs, rediscovery of the TCCS, lunch outings and the homemade biscuits and gravy chef W made for brunch on Sunday, I am wearing my Monday jeans - the absolute opposite of my skinny jeans. Basically the words "Monday" and "Fat" are interchangeable. Much like sisterhood of the traveling pants, these jeans morph to my many sizes. Fresh out of the wash they are booty favoring, but after a few hours (or a few meals) they grow with me. And I love them. While I will never purchase pajama-jeans out of principal, this pair is the closest item to it and with the rain (predicted to fall through Thursday - womp city) and the standard Monday morning bloat, my Monday jeans are a warm hug instead of a suffocating reminder of my lack of culinary self-control.

So to recap - stretch before ordering crab legs, mix things up in your life (and Panera purchases), appreciate a hamster and put on your Monday jeans.

Because its Monday folks. And Monday's don't suck as much if your pants fit.