LameSauce

This blog should be title, the blog I have been meaning to write for a month.

2009 started at one of the lower points in my life.  I was a year off of a failed attempt at hitchhiking across America, I was 25 and living in my parents house, and after a little over 6 months looking actively for a job the only thing I could land was an assistant managers job at Captain D’s.  So the beginning of the year I was doing a lot of looking at things to come and trying to decide who I really wanted to be.

I had been dating a girl for about 5 years at this point and we had always said when she got done with school we would be getting married.  She was set to graduate with her doctorate in physical therapy in August; but in classic Phil I still wasn’t sure.

For Jenn’s birthday I wanted to take her out for a very nice date, because it was the first time since we had been dating that I had any kind of real money.  I took Jenn out for an incredible dinner (Jeff Ruby Steak House http://www.jeffruby.com/) and to see the Musical Wicked.  This was the first night I really remember putting a lot of thought into engagement.  Jenn looked beautiful (even though the power was out and we had to get ready at a friends house); the night was as nearly perfect as I could imagine.

Over the next few months I was working 50-60 hr weeks at the D’s with not much time for anything else.  I finally saved up enough money and went to the jewelry store and picked out a ring.  It was a big deal.  I slowly paid the ring off while trying to plan the big day.  Once the ring was paid for and in my possession I began planning the day.  On April 25th I took Jenn to Red River Gorge for some hiking.  I had recently purchased a new camera so we went under the guise of a photo journey.  After a few hours of hiking around we went out to a lookout point and I asked an older couple if they would take my camera and start taking pictures.  I then got down on one knee and Jenn said yes.

Dropping the knee @ Red River Gorge

The months that followed involved Jenn being far away in Chicago on an internship.  The only truly notable event happened on Mothers Day.  I was at work closing the restaurant when (due to my ignorance in using the backdoor after dark) a masked gunman bursted through the door behind me and I took the gun from him and chased him away.

The Proof

In August I bought my first new car.  I purchased a Scion xd, by cashing in my clunker (96 Ford Explorer).

Ma Scion xD

As I write this I realize last year was kinda boring……

Oh well, in early october Jenn and I traveled to Manning SC where she had an interview.  During our 8 hr drive she got a phone call from a hospital she had had an internship at the previous year in Charleston offering her a job.  We had a large decision to make only about 30 minutes between her interview in Manning and when we need to let Roper in Charleston know.  So she decided to go with Charleston.  Neither of us were very excited about living in Manning and we had quite a few friends in Charleston, so it was a no brainer after a few minutes of discussion.

The Wife Celebrating Her Decision

In November I got married and went on a cruise.  It was kinda awesome, rode a dolphin and climb a mayan temple.

My Wedding Day

Our Boat

The Dock in Cozumel Mexico

A kid riding a dolphin. I couldn't take my camera near the water and buying pics was stupid expensive; so no pics of us, but I did take this one, and I like it

Following the wife up Xunantanic

Looking Down From the Top

Looking into Guatemala from the Top of Xunantanich

We then immediately moved to Summerville Sc where we live now.  Jenn is a doctor and for the moment I am a stay at home husband.  I am trying to find a job in the design/production field, or possibly get work as a freelancer.  The weather here is incredible; for now (not looking forward to summer)

Well that is pretty much my last year.  But I am still very much looking to the future.  Moving to a new place with mostly people who don’t know me is exciting.  We can be whoever we want for the most part.  I have spent quite a bit of time trying to figure out who that is, and have made some resolutions.

1. I wanna lose weight.  At my wedding I was the fattest I have ever been. Approx. 205 lbs, which is a lot for a 5′6″ guy.
2. I wanna be more structured.  My wife is the most structured person I know, and as much as it drives me insane, I envy it.
3. I wanna be more motivated.  I just want to have the desire to accomplish things, cause I currently don’t.
4. I wanna read more.  This is a big one for me cause I used to read a lot.  I don’t remember the last time I read a book.  Like a whole book.  I wanna start reading a book a week, if not more.
5. I wanna be less selfish and conceded.  This is probably more of an in my head thing, cause I don’t let it out much.  But I am a jerk.  For those of you who know me, you just said something along the lines of “No, crap!” But really, I’m a super jerk.  Take the jerk I am on the outside and multiply that exponentially.  I just think mean things sometimes, and I need to stop.
6. I wanna be more social.  I am kinda an awkward guy.  I need to either stop that, or embrace it cause it holds me back a lot.
7. I wanna daily love my wife more.
8. I wanna learn something new about and fall more in love with my God daily.
9. I wanna discover nature more/take more pictures.
10. I wanna spend less time on the internet. !!!!!