You're waking up

a side of me I've never known

And I've never felt

so invincible

What took you so far away?

ASHLEY, COMMANDING OFFICER.

...had a wonderful weekend of well deserved rest and relaxation. It was a great weekend filled with friends, fair food, fun, drankin' and Insanity (so maybe the Insanity wasn't so fun). It was good catching up with my peeps, old and new.

...and I introduced Christal to the wonders of Waffle House. Drunk (Tipsy) Waffle House. It all really reminded me of college. Well, the part of college that involved me having a social life...so I'll amend that to it reminded me of my first two years of college.

...and I ate tons of fried goodness at the fair. NOM. It was great to be apart of Colin's first fair experience. Oyeah, it was also fun to eat...and eat...and eat. And eat. Here's just a snippet of "Colin's Fair Experience."

I also like the fair for another reason. I love to people watch. I don't generally like crowds and they usually make me crazy anxious. However, when it comes to watching the population of South Carolina stuff their faces and other such shenanigans I'm automatically drawn in. Now, I realize that I probably look NO different then said people...but it makes me thankful for a lot of things in my life. I'm so judgey.

This week has also been good for other things. I've learned a lot about what it means to "love someone through it." I've also learned what it means to give "tough love." Two expressions that I'm not particularly fond of, because I don't ever think you should have to be in a crossroads in a relationship that brings you to that point. However, I'm learning and feeling my way through a difficult situation. I'm trying to work on how I handle things, and this means that I have to keep my opinions to myself, which is VERY difficult. Not that my opinions are going to change, I just have to keep them to myself. I wear myself down with people, generally. I want so hard for them to change the things in their lives that cause them to fail. I have to learn that I can't make people WANT to change. People have to want to change themselves. I wish I had two magic mirrors. One mirror would show someone what their lives could be, and the other what their lives will be.

I just have to remember that, "the one who angers you, controls you."

So, though not particularly religious, I have been reciting the serenity prayer a lot more often this week than I have my ENTIRE life. Some relationships you don't want to end, no matter how much a person hurts you...so you have to learn "to love them through it" without getting yourself hurt more in the process. This, I am learning, is very difficult. Very difficult, indeed. [Insert epic Dumbledore quote]

TOMATO, THE HUBS.

Three days ago we passed the 5 month mark. My husband has been gone 5 months. 5 months.

Keep holding on Ashley, keep holding on.

ZERO, THE DRAGON.

...has learned some annoying bad habits...and has relearned past phased out ones. He's digging. Not intentionally, mind you. He's doing it because he's bored. He's trying to throw the frisbee to himself and is, in turn, digging a massive hole. I covered it up.

He's also begging. Religiously begging, like he's been starved. That dog is not starved.

We are going to have to change this, quickly. Expediently. Like, yesterday.

A Fun New Thing!

So, I have been informed by several people that I have several "ashley-isms" and key words/phrases. I have been asked to publish a dictionary of sorts to document these bits of word use.

Here goes. I think I'll do one a post, until I run out. How very pretentious of me.

The Dictionary of Ashley

Epic (adj): Probably the word I use THE most. It means awesome, absolutely effing awesome. It can also be used more nonchalantly.

Example:

Jane: "I went skydiving and the parachute didn't deploy. I survived!"

Me: "Epic."

Song of the Day:

Chemistry of a Car Crash by Shiny Toy Guns