Operation Charlotte

365 days of blue lollipop road; day 30

1.30.14

Weirdo alert!

Sometimes I eat bowls of corn for a snack. My boyfriend likes to tease me about this, so he will really get a kick out of today’s BLR:

(Hold the phones; did I just admit that I have a boyfriend?! I think a pig just flew by, and my throat is closing up a little…)

KIDDING! He is totally awesome. (And now he’ll be teasing me about the above line and the corn. I love it.)

Anyway, back to business:

Afternoon sit on the floor to read and work because the sun is streaming in and it feels warm like clothes fresh out of the dryer time today, included a snack of corn. I didn’t eat the kernels that quickly became pasted onto the back cover of the magazine, but the rest of the bowl sure was delicious!

Now I’m wondering what unusual food habits/cravings you all out there might have…

This is my Blue Lollipop Road. Wanna show me yours?

#BLR365 #ShowMeYours #SnackTime

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365 days of blue lollipop road; day 29

1.29.14

It’s SnOMG in the south! Charlotte rarely gets the white stuff, so naturally this one little inch that came last night:

…has set The Queen City into a tizzy; School, work, and sport cancelled, milk and bread flying off the store shelves. (All that kind of stuff that Vermonters think is really funny when they live in places like North Carolina during the winter.)

I “made” the above BLR on my balcony with a spatula (#AlternativeArtTools) and then of course stood inside to take the photo. I said I was from Vermont, not that I actually like the snow, people! My apartment heat is currently set at 74 degrees. That’s the kind of temperature I’m talking about on January 29th:)

This is what my road looks like today. What’s happening on yours?

#BLR365 #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad #SnowDay #SendMeToTheTropics

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365 days of blue lollipop road; day 24

1.24.13

Mexican Fiesta indeed!

Oh I wish I was on a beach in Mexico right now. Brrr!!! Since when did North Carolina adopt Vermont winter weather?! I guess for now eating Mexican food is what will have to keep me warm. Don’t tell anyone, but this was basket and bowl of chips & salsa # 2 for me and my friend. (#ReasonsWhyIGetUpExtraEarlyToRunInThePolarVortex.)

Mmmm…chips and  fresh salsa…and pretending I’m in a Corona commercial (this one cracks me up) as I sip…

Ok, back to business:

I’ve just gotten a couple really cool submissions from a few cutie & creative kids in Louisiana that I’ll post this weekend. Send me your submissions: Diane(@)bluelollipoproad.com

This is what my road looks like today. What’s happening on yours?

#BLR365 #LifeOnTheBlueLollipopRoad #TGIF

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dance like nobody’s watching

Starbucks happens to be my office today (Don’t judge- I support the local man anytime I can, but certain Starbucks locations are huge/busy/buzzing and let’s face it- just work for feeding off energy to knock out a big to-do list occasionally.) The guy sitting next to me in a big comfy leather chair is jamming out. I’m talking bopping, weaving, smiling like Ray Charles during one of his favorite performances.

Awesome.

Oh the pleasure in seeing someone just feeling it and do their thing in a happy place like nothing else in the world matters other than enjoying the moment.

Go you, my coffee-sipping neighbor! You’re  making me smile big time.

Where do you dance like nobody’s watching?

#CoffeeTime #OperationCharlotte #TheWorldIsMyOffice

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on this day last year…

…I took these photos:

Fall trees in Middleburg, VA

Fall trees in Middleburg, VA

I run a lot in the morning and have for years. Last fall, I ran and drove but this gorgeous scene daily. Love this set of trees.

This morning like many, as I beat feet in a different place observing my surroundings with my mind swirling in a million directions as usual, I thought of where I was one year ago today and what’s happened since. Lot’s of growth and change. A few things that will always remain the same; A huge appreciation for nature, being thankful I have healthy legs to still run regularly, and a curiosity, anticipation, and excitement for whatever is next to come.

A very odd, unexpected, monumental life paradigm shift has happened to me during this past year- especially in the last few months. I am a control freak who feels out of control, I am a normally comfortable in my own skin girl who’s feeling wildly uncomfortable, and it generally feels like an alien has invaded my body. (So much for trying to be the never faltering, I’ve got this- I don’t need anyone, total badass I try to play on TV!) I’m being forcefully reminded once again:

1.) No one can control everything.

2.) Good and necessary growth is impossible unless you feel wildly uncomfortable at times.

3.) We can’t fight nature, so we may as well embrace it.

As I reflect on a year that seems worlds away from any other I’ve had, I’m trying to keep the parts of myself I know should stay forever, and I’m doing my best to leave behind the ones I probably should’ve let the death-grip go on, long ago.

Here’s to staying true to your old self while growing into your new.

Where were you one year ago today?

#FallColors #Running #NewBeginnings #OperationCharlotte

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sunrise clouds

I left for a day trip out of Charlotte on a warm weekend morning a couple weeks ago, when I walked out of my apartment, I looked up and saw this beautiful sunrise sky:

Sunrise clouds in Charlotte

And this is what I saw as I drove out of the city:

Sunrise clouds in Charlotte

Ahhh…

As I woke up today feeling the first real fall chill with my windows open, I couldn’t help but think how I am not ready for cold weather! Good thing I have this French Press Coffee I’m sipping and images like these to keep me warm and cozy.

#What makes you feel warm and cozy?

#Sunrise #MorningSky #OperationCharlotte

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the sweaty misfit

I just had a thought:

Maybe most personal and world problems would be solved if everyone just exercised more.

Yours truly (known currently as fish out of water Diane) just spent the last 3 hours sweatin’ it out. As I woke up this morning again with my now daily “What the hell am I doing here?!/Why am I doing this again?!” first thoughts of the day, I jumped out of bed, strapped on my running shoes- and 5 miles I went. I got home in perfect time to speed-race to the gym for a booty shake till you drop Zumba class. By 10:46am I had sweat enough in the humidity of the southern morning to almost shut up that constant reel of second guessing my latest “move.” (Almost.)

I suppose whether this Nesting Nomad/Operation Charlotte thing lasts another 7 days or 7 months- at least I’ll be ripped by the end of it. Between my usually hearty I love food so much- especially chocolate, so can I please stuff my face every second possible with Oreos and Nutella appetite being squashed by the stress of forcing myself to try the average American life, and the fact that I’m attempting the “healthiest” way I know to manage anger, frustration, disappointment, and general ickiness (by running my ass off 30-50 miles a week and going to the gym for every aerobics-esque dance class that’s on the schedule)- I might be able to give one of those Olympic training hopefuls a run for their money pretty soon.

So there’s that.

In all reality, 2 days from now I could be singing a song of pure bliss in my off the road life. I could be writing here about how I’ve totally changed, about how I never want to sleep on another couch, in another guest bed, or in my car again. I could fall truly, madly, deeply in love with some spectacular company that has stellar, upstanding staff, pays me well and is all about being socially responsible. (Where are those companies again?) Perhaps just by chance and luck, I’ll meet a guy who makes me want to settle right into a perfect little life that includes spending Saturdays at Home Depot and “cutting the lawn.”

(Yeah, I’m highly doubting all of the above and laughing really hard too.) But! I thought it was a good idea to try the other side of life that I haven’t in the past several years- so here I am dripping sweat, and trying very hard to be “into” this experiment as I scratch my head wondering why in the bleep I really thought this all was a good idea.

At least exercising makes me feel better.

Don’t get me wrong, an amazing home base place, a job that makes me want to jump out of bed in the morning (or at least get out of bed in the morning), and a partner in crime who’s intelligent, experienced, honest and fun, and who thinks my bumps and bruises are beautiful are all fantastic sounding things I’d love to have. The catch is, balance, routine and that everyday comfort package must include some level of butterfly/fire in my belly/excited feelings on a regular basis- or I am simply not interested.

Unrealistic? You may think so- I don’t. Picky? Nope. I just know what I want.

#NestingNomad #OperationCharlotte #HappyAsAMisfit #HoldingOutForTheGoodStuff

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