June, Why You Go So Fast?

The Reverb Broads June edition had that mellow, laid back vibe of summer, didn't it? We wrote a bit, here and there, but nothing with the intensity and focus of December. I think that's ok. It's hot, really hot, and who can focus when it's 105 outside? So I'm wrapping up those last few questions and I'm anxious to get on to blogging about our trips to Chicago and Omaha, the Cake concert we went to in May, upcoming Avett Brothers concert later this month, and a whole slew of other topics I've been ruminating on. Reverb Broads helped me get my writing mojo back, so thanks, ladies!

June 26
What is your relationship with water? (thunderstorms, lakes, rivers, swimming, boating, sprinklers, etc.) Is it good or bad? What do you think caused this?
Amy

I love water. I grew up around my grandparent's pool and summer is permanently linked to that smell of chlorine and Banana Boat coconut sunscreen, hot dogs grilling and the giddy anticipation of jumping off the diving board into that cool blue deep end. The worst summer was when I broke my arm during the spring of 1st grade and had to keep my arm wrapped in a trash bag on the side of the pool while my family frolicked in the water. I remember sitting there watching, sitting on the steps of the pool, water up to my waist, seething with jealousy as my brother splashed me and giggled.

I love vacationing near the water as much as possible, you know, since we're landlocked a bit here in Missouri. For our trip to Maine in September, we've rented a little cottage right on the water, lobster boats will wake us in the morning and we even have our own little sliver of rocky beach at low tide. I mean sliver, but it's ours for the whole week.

June 27
When was the last time you got into a heated argument? What's your conflict style? Avoid, attack, win at all costs, there are no winners?
Kassie

I don't get in many heated arguments. This doesn't mean I don't get riled up easily. I do. Especially around politics or social issues. My voice gets loudish. My face turns red. I like disagreeing, but I don't get in real arguments very often. I'm more of a banter/bickerer than arguer. I was raised that way. My grandfather loved to instigate arguments with me when I was a teenager and then help me figure out how to refute his point and support my own. He was very good at it and helped me develop my verbal skills a bit and develop a thicker skin. And our political differences, he was a staunch Republican and I'm a socially liberal bleeding heart Democrat, made for great debates, until I once told him I wouldn't vote for Bob Dole because he was too old. When Bob Dole and my grandfather were basically the same age. Oops. But I don't shy away from conflict. Because I know how to apologize. Because it took about two weeks and ten apologies before my grandfather forgave me.

June 28

Keep It Real Campaign: Each of us has been personally impacted by photoshopped beauty. Whether it’s through actually consuming the content in these magazines ourselves, or knowing the influence it has over a loved one, we all have a wake-up call to give the industry. Use your voice and write down why you want the industry to “keep it real” in magazines, then:
Post it on your blog and on our Facebook event wall so we can share it!
Tweet it to the magazines and post the link on their Facebook pages!
Keep It Real

I love this campaign so much I'm going to save this question for a full blog post of its own. It deserves more attention than this.

June 29
A picture is worth a thousand words - pick a photo, any photo, that you’ve taken, and describe what we’re seeing as if we don’t know you. What were you trying to take a picture of? How did you end up getting the picture? Did you use any editing effects on the picture? Why did you choose this perspective? etc.
Kristen

I took this photo on our vacation last June. We spent a few days in San Francisco, with all the hustle and bustle and art and quirk and shopping and chaos, and then for the last few days of the trip we headed down the coast to Pacific Grove and Santa Cruz. This photo was taken with my iPhone on the beach, just a few blocks from the lodge where we stayed. It was empty and chilly and exactly the relaxing, mellow time we were looking for. We walked along the water and then were headed back to the lodge, up this sandy little path. I used Instagram's Lomo-Fi filter to punch up the contrast and color in this shot, but I love just staring at this photo and thinking about walking down that little path to the water again someday. I love the way the two rocks frame the path and then all the lush beach foliage that surrounds it, with the haze of dusk hiding the ocean just over those rocks in the distance.

June 30
Progress report: What was your "one word" for 2012? How are you living it today?
Amy

For 2012, I chose the word "edit." I wanted to edit four main things: the draft of my first novel that I wrote part of for NaNoWriMo in late 2010 and promptly ignored all last year, my food choices and and rewrite my exercise routine so that it is more fun and less rigid, and I want to edit our house and clear out some of the clutter and wrap up some projects. Finally, I want to edit the way that I've spent some of my volunteer time.

Progress report in two words: baby steps. So far I've done a small amount of editing. I've lost about 22 pounds this year. I've eaten healthier, added a Zumba class, taken up Saturday early morning walks with my friend Wendy, and I feel good. After hitting a plateau and falling off the health wagon a bit in May/June, I'm back. We've cleaned house a bit, reorganized the basement, but there's always more to do. I've joined the membership committee for a professional association that I'm a member of, so I've done a bit of volunteering there, but I still need to look for something that really gets me excited. And that novel? I've read over it a couple of times. But it just sits there. Neglected. I've focused on the weight loss and health this year and less on the novel, or frankly any writing at all. But I've got this sudden burst of energy and inspiration lately. Now it's time for both.