I think some of the best things in life are surprises — don’t you think? Sometimes we have either high or low expectations… and I’ve realized that when I have high expectations, I end up disappointed but when I have low expectations, I end up having a really great time! Moral of the story: set the bar low in life! Haha, just kidding but let me elaborate.
This Thanksgiving, I didn’t have major plans. I was excited to be spending it for the first time ever with Tyler, but I still didn’t know where we would go for the holidays — if we would even get invited anywhere or if we would end up with a tiny dinner for two. But a few weeks before the holiday, I got invited to a couple of places and that made me so happy! Still, I knew it would be low-key. I was looking forward to it, but I knew the gathering would be smaller and so I assumed that it would be lower energy.
But, just like most instances when I’ve had lower expectations, life showed up and threw confetti in my face! I ended up having a wonderful holiday! When all was said and done, we were warm inside (glowing!) even if it was snowing like crazy outside.
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| Being from California, I haven’t had many Thanksgivings with snow on the ground! |
“Mainstreaming” Thanksgiving
I spent most of it at my friend Rachel’s house. We always joke about how she had a “Puritan upbringing” with very strict rules and standards for behavior. This year, she wanted a more “mainstream” Thanksgiving and that we had indeed. All of us there knew Rachel in different ways — her roommate and college sorority sister, her ex-boyfriend from way back in the day and his brother — and it truly was a diverse and offbeat Thanksgiving. I had my guard up at first, but as the food came together and the mulled wine I brought set in, our walls came tumbling down and we all had a lot of fun.
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| With Tyler and Rachel |
Forget about BYOB… BYOM!
The food was really delicious! Rachel went out of her way to make a vegetarian-friendly meal. We all joked that it was BYOM — bring your own meat! And Tyler and Rachel’s ex-boyfriend did indeed — I heard they did a good job with the turkey they brought.
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| Tyler’s successful mini-Turkey |
I can’t comment on that, but all of the food was really great — and I am so proud to say that Tyler’s Mac-N-Cheese was BANGIN’! Seriously, we all just scarfed that down! We did it a little differently this time — he made a really great alfredo sauce that he mixed in with the noodles, then we topped it with sharp cheddar cheese and crumbled crackers on top before baking it. The texture and the flavor was WONDERFUL! You better believe we totally hoarded the leftovers on that one! We changed the holiday to Thankstaking after one bite of that!
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| Yum, yum, and more yum — Mac-N-Cheese and the Green Bean Casserole |
As I mentioned before, I decided to make something. I made a green bean casserole — and it was my first ever! I’m not really a cook at all, so I was glad with how it came out. I just followed the recipe but I think if I did it again, I would do it differently than how Campbell’s suggests. It was good but next to that Mac-N-Cheese, well, it just didn’t compare, haha! (See how I’m totally getting competitive about what Tyler and I made? Next year, I shall be victorious!)
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| Thankful for good food! |
After dinner and fun conversation at Rachel’s (which included some “Family Feud” episodes, haha), Tyler and I stopped by my friend Shauna’s house on the way back home. (You might remember Shauna from a wedding post I made earlier in the fall.) She had a full house for Thanksgiving, though people were beginning to head out by the time we arrived, but we had a great time hanging out with her and her husband (still not used to saying that — exciting!).
I always love visiting Shauna’s house because it’s so homey and well-decorated and I always think, “Man, I want my place to look and feel like this!” I’m so inspired to nest! (Though I am very hesitant to buy things or decorate because I always feel like I might up and leave at any given moment. Oh, the joys of having a nomadic heart.)
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| Shauna and me |
Reinvigorated & Renewed
Anyway, it was fun to laugh and spend time with my close friends. It had been way too long! I often times lament about my midwestern life, but it’s moments like Thanksgiving that really remind me how special it is to be 90 minutes away from some of my closest friends, instead of an airplane ride. I always complain and rarely make the drive, but with some planning, we honestly could spend way more time together — and that’s what I hope to do in 2014.
But really, I’m so happy about Thanksgiving. Being around my friends really reinvigorated and renewed my spirit. And, honestly, this weekend really has changed things for me in terms of… settling down a little bit. I still want to prioritize travel, but I made a pretty big decision: I only want to move from here if a great opportunity comes along. Lately, I’ve been thinking about moving again — dreaming of those places where the grass is greener, you know? But I realized this weekend that I am in a place in my life — finally — where I am happy with where I am in my path. And not what it means for the future, but what it actually is.
And by letting go of moving, I can concentrate my energy on other things… like investing in the place where I am. It’s a relief, to be honest, because when you think the grass is always greener some place else, it’s like you’re holding your breath — you’re waiting for your life to start some other place. Instead of socializing and making new friends or getting involved with the community, I’ve shut myself off to it because I didn’t want any attachments (my rationale: I’m getting out of here as soon as I can, so what’s the point?).
But my life is showing me more and more that you have to remember to live today — planning for the future is great, but not if it means you stop living in the here and now.
My life is also showing me that it’s rare that you just show up somewhere and everything is perfect — that you have an amazing circle of friends, live in a safe community, are surrounded by like-valued individuals, have an amazing job, have a great apartment for a great price, have a ton of interesting things available to do, etc. It’s not impossible, but instead of waiting for life to deliver you want you want in a perfect package, you can go out there in DIY it, you know? Put some time and effort into nurturing the things you want, rather than dreaming about where it “already” exists. I think at some level, I’ve always understood that, but it used to come naturally. Now, at this stage of my life, I must make more of a conscious effort to do it.
Anyway, how was your Thanksgiving (if you celebrate)? What did you do and where did you go? How many helpings did you have? And have you enjoyed leftovers yet? (Those are my favorite! Ours are all gone already, though!)