For Jen

Because you made me a little homesick for late nineties Cedar City thursday nights.

1. Christian Bale
2. Jason Bateman
3. Robert Downey Jr.
4. Kyle Chandler
5. Matthew Fox

If it ain't broke

I've said before that I enjoyed every single run on the beach during my time in Huntington and that's true. I don't think I ever took the perfect combination of weather and scenery for granted. But there is a special kind of gratitude that comes during a great outside run when you live in a place with really sketchy weather. It's been raining more then it's been shining in these parts lately.

Last night it was pretty much perfect though so I took advantage and headed out for a nice city run. There was a Sox game last night and between that and the break in the rain, the place was crawling with people. I used my summer playlist instead of my workout playlist which is always a good way to trick myself into thinking I am playing and not exercising.

My current plant based diet isn't exactly the sort you will find in any sort of training book so I didn't have quite the same kind of energy I usually do (although I have to say that otherwise, this cleanse is making me feel great!) but it was still quite a spectacular run. I went back and forth across the Mass Ave Bridge which is just about one of my favorite things to do in this city. On a bike, in a car, walking, running, in a boat-the Boston skyline as you come towards it will make your heart grow three sizes. I just love it.

I was at a baby shower this weekend and some of my married friends were venting about the sort of transient nature of a lot of people our age and how it keeps us from really getting involved in the place we actually ARE. I don't want to be one of those guys. Still figuring out what that means in terms of action but I'm working on it. In the meantime, warm summer nights are reason enough to appreciate the now don't you think?

New Edition

I've given in to a bit of "blog flair". I hope it doesn't bring me one step closer to this crazy world, but I've decided that if you know me at all, you know that I'm pretty much a musicaholic.

So I added a music player down there at the bottom. It's not on autostart so it won't assault you unless you want it to. Just thought the place could use a little atmosphere.

If I were you, I would go down and listen to that Griffin House song because it's awfully sweet.

Sunny Day

There are several reasons that Sundays are awesome but two of them are:

1. I get to spend the first half of the day all dressed up and cute which is one of my favorite things.

2. Then I get to come home and spend the rest of the day in whatever ridiculously comfortable thing I want. Yoga pants, pajamas, hoodies, t-shirts-anything you would wear to doze on the couch while watching "Ghostbusters" for the first time in about ten years.

awesome.

weak

How LONG was this week? It feels like about a hundred years. My roommate and I are doing this cleanse thing inspired by my sister and although I actually feel really good after giving up pretty much every food or drink I like to put in my body at once, it also seems like time was taking it's sweet time this week.

But it's Friday, it's almost 3 and there's a party tonight. And I found this on YouTube:

I can't possibly overstate my love for nineties R&B/hip hop. I don't know that Zhane had any huge hits but I always thought their songs were so perfectly smooth. If you've gotten a mix CD from me in the last four years there is a good chance I put "Mr. DJ" on it.

Tear

I have really nice friends. And really extra nice blog readers.
Thanks for the kind words.

So for your Monday afternoon listening pleasure...

I downloaded a bunch of Hall and Oates this weekend after Dainon posted the "Rich Girl" video on his blog.
These days if I'm not listening to Fleet Foxes or Bon Iver I am probably enjoying something older than I am.

singles

I'm starting this post with a professional brag because I'm concerned that it's going to go downhill from there. I am always hesitant to blog about being single, and especially wary of posting about the pitfalls of LDS female singleness because it can so quickly sound either bitter or pathetic, neither of which are appealing to me. But I feel like there is some significance to my sister-in-law giving birth to the first grandchild in our family on the very day I had a fairly big career event so I'm going for it.

So Tuesday was the Press Opening of our store in SoHo. Our store on Spring Street in New York City right across from the Chanel store in one of the trendiest shopping neighborhoods in one of the most important cities in the world. Yep, kind of a big deal. And we had a party with all sorts of fancy people from the fashion world. I flew to the party in a private plane with my boss, the President of the North American Headquarters, and the Chief Product Officer of our parent company, all of whom raved on their way home about the store and the party and the brand in general. We took this flea market a few spots down from the store

and we did this.

It was awesome and my boss was genuinely thrilled. A month ago I was convinced that this job was way out of my league but Tuesday night I started thinking maybe I really am in the right place.

A few funny things happened that day though. My coworker and I were getting out of a cab and walking up to the party site when a woman on the street called my name. It turns out it was an old friend from back in my RYKA days. She helped us put together our sponsorship of the Avon Walks for Breast Cancer and is a total tiger. She was a sports agent for a long time and represented some major athletes, then she got into sponsorship negotiations for a big company I always thought I wanted to work for and eventually started her own consulting company which is when I met her. I was a little scared of her at first but as we got to be friends I loved picking her brain about just about everything. She is almost 10 years older then me and one day we were sitting at the Avon Walk in San Francisco, talking about her upcoming wedding. She looked at me and said, "if there is one thing I say that I want you to listen to it's this-don't get so caught up in all this career stuff that you wake up one day and realize that you forgot all about kids and a husband. I'm 37 years old and it almost happened to me." I had almost learned to tune out such talk at church because when people there say it they mean, "careers are for girls who can't get married and don't you really want to be a mom anyway?" But it sort of shook me when Katie said it. She had a really great life at the time and it was nice but also a little scary to hear someone without the same kind of religious and cultural pressure as I have sound so insistent that I not "miss out." We talked and caught up for a few minutes and she pulled her iPhone out and showed me adorable pictures of Brooke and Bass, her two kiddies who were pretty much the adorable little upper east side darlings I would expect her to have. She's still a break-neck paced New Yorker but standing there holding hands with her tall, good-looking ex-football player of a husband, she looked about as happy and balanced as I have ever seen her. I'm thrilled she found someone who could see that inside the fierceness that makes her fantastic at her job, there is a really good mommy too. Later that night came the phone call that little Morgan had at last arrived and I couldn't help thinking that the universe has an interesting way of reminding me of things I ALREADY KNOW.

So onto a comment that a dear and well-meaning but momentarily insensitive friend made the other day about why he and I could never date, "I just can't see you settling down because you are fine on your own." My eloquent answer was to burst into tears and ask him if he could possibly be serious. What exactly is the alternative? Be a sad mess until a man comes along to rescue you? Sit in your house and knit baby clothes in the hopes that one day you'll have someone to put them in? Do men want women who NEED them or women who are leading fulfilling lives alone but really WANT a man in it? It was so disappointing to me that here in 2008, a boy would really think that because I am successful and independent and financially secure, that somehow I've chosen that over getting married.

Here's what I've chosen to do with my life. To do my best at everything-school, church, job, being a friend/sister/daughter/citizen-and to use God's help and my own sense to try to make good decisions. That's it. And this place that I'm in? This single and childless career place? I firmly believe it's exactly where I am supposed to be. It's not a plan B. It's not a fall back position. That doesn't mean it's always easy or that it always makes sense to me. It doesn't mean that I wasn't a little jealous when my brother fourth in line got to have the first kid. Some days I drive myself almost insane with worry that I will be alone forever, and while I have friends who have made peace with that, right now I sort of refuse to. Being single is a bit of a tight rope. You absolutely do not want to be ungrateful for the fabulous life you have but you still have to be honest with and take care of the part of you that does hope you get to have a family someday. Standing on that curb in New York listening to my sister give me the stats on Morgan that was clearer then ever. The Tretorn store will not be spending Christmas with me in the nursing home now will it? At the same time, learning to find joy and fulfillment in your life on your own is a valuable skill as well. I have watched too many people be disappointed by marriages/kids/jobs/etc to think that you reach a point where you are totally safe from ever being lonely again.

This is turning out to be less of a post and more of a self-directed pep talk but I think I'll post it anyway. I don't have solutions or answers, I'm not sure anyone does. The single game is a funny one though isn't it?

Wipe Out

Someone should tell this little night owl that she is not in fact the 19 year old she thinks she is. I went to a midnight showing of The Dark Knight last night. I was cranky for no good reason all day yesterday and considered just bailing on the movie. Even bleary eyed and perplexingly immune to the effects of carbonated caffeine, I'm really glad I pushed through the grouchiness. A solidly fantastic movie. Also a bit draining though-at one point in the middle I found myself thinking "wait is Batman going to lose? I think evil might actually triumph here."

I got home last night and made the fatal bedtime error of checking my email so of course I ended up in gchat conversations with far flung friends way way WAY past when I really should have been asleep. You ought not to hear birds chirping when you are setting your alarm.

So today I feel a bit like I was hit by a train. But let's see, what happened this week? Oh that's right, I got my first real chance to shine at my new job and actually pulled it out and our family got it's first every nephew. It might have been a slightly emotionally taxing few days. It's nice to go into the weekend knowing my boss left on vacation a very happy man and that I'm only weeks away from meeting the little squidlet.

Go see The Dark Knight.

Mouthful

I have a lot to say but no time to write it all down. Bummer.

Here's what I've been listening to all afternoon while I'm writing reasons Nordstrom really ought to sell our women's line.



The Dark Knight at midnight people. I can't wait.

MWC

I talked to my brother this morning and the kid got a name...Morgan William Clifford.

So now I can say, "hey I got a pair of baby Tretorn's for Morgan," or "don't you think Morgan needs a tiny little Red Sox tee?", or "um, Emily, my turn to hold Morgan."

Morgan morgan morgan. Christopher and Tasha and Morgan. My good gosh I love this little creature more every single second.

He's cute right? I love his little open eye. And his little birdie finger like his daddy thinks is so funny.


I get to meet him in three weeks and I just can't wait!

Oh Baby!

We got him!!!!


Today at 4:00, my little nephew arrived in Salt Lake. He might look like a squishy baby face to you but to me he's probably the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life.

I was sitting on a curb outside a really great party in New York when I got the news and not even my boss toasting our success from the plane he chartered to get us there tonight could come close to feeling as good.

I have more to say and will post pictures when I have some but for now, here is my sister's illustrated story of the day.

I love him so much it's not even fair.

The World

Everything is weird today. I have felt one step off ever since I got up this morning.

I think it's because my sister-in-law has an appointment to get induced tomorrow so no matter what else happens, in 24 hours we'll have a completely new person in our family.

I'm going to New York tomorrow for the Press Opening of our store. Still working on my Spain post...

A story

Once upon a time a mutual friend introduced me to a boy named Keith. The first time we talked on the phone we chatted for two and a half hours. The first time we hung out in person he met me on a skateboard and asked if he could listen to my Justin Timberlake CD. He lived in Los Angeles and we would spend sort of a stupid amount of time Instant Messaging when both of us probably should have been working. He quickly became one of my favorite people and dearest friends. I have a great story you don't want to hear about a hotel room and toenail that had to be pulled off but you get the idea. I love this boy.

He just called to say he's gettin' hitched. I was really hoping the phone was ringing because there was a nephew but this was the very best alternative.

I am delighted to offer a HUGE blog congrats to Keith and Leslie.

In their honor, here is that classic Postal Service song "Such Great Heights". Keith and I got to see them in San Diego at the very first performance of their very first tour and it was pretty much magical.



Great show, great song, great couple.

Island

So today I'm daydreaming a little bit about some kind of island vacation when the weather here gets unbearable. New Englanders always say you have to plan a trip somewhere sunny in February or you'll go crazy.

For now though, I am planning on a nice run and early bedtime tonight and some kayaking/bike riding on the Charles until an afternoon BBQ and dancing with the girls tomorrow night.

This song is probably responsible for most of the day's dreaming...

Maturity

Last night we went to dinner and ended up $20.00 over on our bill + tip which makes me think I am going out with the right people. So instead of breaking the twenty and giving everyone two bucks back we walked right over to Ben and Jerry's and asked what they could do for $20.

The guy behind the counter seemed to sense we were out for adventure so he hooked us up with a partial Vermonster.


And I'm happy to say we made fairly quick work of the thing much to the entertainment of everyone in the Garage at Harvard Square.


This is my favorite of the night and the unfortunate red eye really only proves how maniacal the whole thing was.


I love summer so much that yeah, I totally want to marry it.

If you want to say yes

So I still don't have a nephew. I can't remember the last time I was so anxiously awaiting someting. Everytime I see and email or a text or get a call from anyone in my family I practically jump out of my skin. I just can't wait for this kid.

My sister made a CD for his baby shower that I'm listening to over and over today. Here's one of my favorites



I never get tired of Cat Stevens. But I'm tired of WAITING! COME ON LITTLE LARRYBIRD!

At Least I Know I'm Free

I had really good intentions to write about Barcelona last night and then I ended up blowing off life and going to see my friends Carrie and Bill at their Rhode Island beach house instead. We ate ice cream cones outside and looked for sea glass and went for a fantastic five miler through Goddard State Park this morning followed by blueberry pancakes at the local diner. Carrie and Bill always treat me like a favorite niece and their house is lovely and peaceful so it was a nice way to come down from an intense week and the jet lag that came with it. Plus this girl is always happier when there is sand between my toes.


Driving down to RI I listed to that Bon Iver CD I've been yapping about for months now. There is something so intimate about this album and I feel like you can sort of project whatever you need to onto the melodies and the lyrics. It's helped me be sad, homesick, calm, hopeful-it's been a good chameleon for me in a time when I don't feel the same thing for more then about a day at a time. Here is my current favorite...


It's back to the office tomorrow and hopefully back to some good blogging!

Scorecard

Spanish men-yes
Warm balmy weather-yes
Late sunsets-yes
Gaudi-yes
Next to no jet lag-YES!
Not getting started until about 10 in the morning-yes
Dinners that start at nine and go until midnight-oh yes
Nine hours at a trade show-actually not so bad
The Juicy Couture booth-as bad as you think

A wee bit sad to be missing the 4th of July back in the States tomorrow but this trip has been pretty fantastical.