One Month
I think I'm seeing things.Words from a man of pictures.Filed under: LifeOne Month
Photo: The first photo of Stacy and me together. Snapped on Dec. 21, 2005 - one week after our first date.
With 31 days of singlehood left, I find myself thinking about weird things. Not about bachelor-party-ish things, but about obscure things like jazz music and photographer organization memberships. When I'm not in my cubicle, I'm still playing Wii and taking pictures. I'm not morphing into an obsessed groomzilla. I'm just John.
Call me naive or ostentatious, but I honestly feel like I'm half-ways ready for marriage. I've done my homework (12 hours of marriage counseling and additional hours of reading articles like this one) - and becoming one with my other half doesn't scare me. It quite literally completes me. Pardon the flowery language, but my forthcoming unity with Stacy gives me certitude and confidence in my life's purpose. It feels right.
I rode the real emotional roller coaster back when I proposed to her. In those days, I was still waiting for the fog to lift. I didn't know exactly what I was getting into, but that's part of the rush. To put it in practical terms, I just knew that I had to move things along. It was quite obvious that we were meant to be together. God put it right in front of me and I liked it, so I put a ring on it. I was ready to commit myself to this girl and this future.
Now that most of the wedding plans are in place, I'm feeling very well. We've got a great list of vendors lined up to serve us and our guests. Although we've got a couple phone calls to make, the plans are all done. Things are falling in place, but these 'things' are only temporary, largely ceremonious things. August 14 is going to be a great day, but it's the subsequent lifetime with Stacy that I anticipate the most.
For those of you who will take the time to join us on our wedding day, I want to thank you in advance. No matter how many thousands of dollars we may drop on photographers, catering, dresses, tux rentals, cake, booze and music, your kindness and support are really what will make the day special for us.
See you in one month!
John
Five simple things that always make me feel goodThis summer, another string of events, appointments, holidays and to-dos has pushed me to the limits of my wits. Don’t get me wrong – I love being busy. Work has resulted in more work, and now I’m preparing for my own wedding and subsequent transition to living with my beautiful bride. Things are crazy. Thus, I’ve recently found refuge in simple things which often go unappreciated. Some of these might seem obvious, but I thought I’d give my own perspective on these methods: 1. Water: Especially in summer, one needs to remain hydrated. Duh, right? Well, after suffering many throbbing headaches and subsequent spells of grumpiness, I realized what was going on. The caffeine in my daily gallon (actually ~20 oz.) of coffee was taking a toll on my hydration. My health-minded coworker said that the average humanoid needs 64 oz. of H2O every day. That’s half a gallon. So, I dug out my 32 oz. orange Nalgene (neatly customized with a white Apple logo) and started filling it at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. every day. I felt better on the first day.
2. Words: Yes, it’s an obtuse and slightly cliché thought, but I believe words help me cope with life. Whether its perusing my blog subscriptions on Google Reader, writing marketing materials at my day job, taking a quick adventure into the New Testament, talking with Stacy on the phone or listening to my iPod – words make me feel better. Communication is always good.
3. Sweating: I’m a large person, and I don’t eat as well as I should. (By the way, I’ve come to the conclusion that anything is bad for you in some way.) Thus, I’ve been taking daily 15-minute jogs through my neighborhood. It doesn’t take much for me to work up a sweat, and it makes me feel like I’m getting the “bad stuff” out of myself. After two weeks, I’ve lost about 5 lbs. It might not seem like an amazing feat, but it’s a great way to break up a day of computer jockeying. If I’m feeling a lack of motivation to get my butt outside, I go on Facebook and click through pictures which feature my ever-present double chin and man boobs. These are my enemies. The urge to conquer them never fails to get me out the door.
4. Family: Just like any good self-respecting South Dakotan, I take pride in and respect family traditions. My family is every bit as imperfect as yours, but even with thousands of miles between us, we never hesitate at the opportunity to spend time with one another. Even if it’s just a simple phone call or a “Hey, what’s up?” on Facebook chat – I always feel better after spending a few minutes with a relative. This year, Stacy and I will graft a new branch to the Nelson family tree. I’m pretty sure it’ll be the best feeling in the world.
5. Bananas: If I can give one piece of advice to anybody who wants to feel better a.s.a.p., I’d tell them to put down the nachos (and the accompanying Mt. Dew) and reach for a good ‘ole banana. They’re cheap, they’re portable, they're sugary (in a good way) and they’re just plain good for you. I keep a bunch conveniently-placed on my kitchen counter so I can grab one on the way to work. They’re full of potassium (which helps you with # 1 and #3), they’re scientifically proven to reduce stress and they’re an easy way to suppress a stomach’s mid-morning/afternoon growl.
Next time you’re feeling like crap in your cubicle, try one of the above. I’m sure it’ll get your mental, emotional and physical health back on the right track.
Do you have a special feel-good tip? Please, please, please share it in the comments below. Thanks! Taking InventoryIn the middle of my freshman year of college, I spent two weeks taking inventory for a hardware store. Each day from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., I did nothing but scan bar codes and count screws, lawn mowers and everything in between. I wasn’t sure why someone would subject a human to such a mind-numbing activity, but I was getting paid well, so I didn’t complain. After reading David Allen’s Getting Things Done, I’ve learned that taking inventory is also a good practice for personal life. According to Allen, knowing exactly what's in front of you helps you function with less anxiety. Allen's big secret to stress-free productivity? Make a list of your “things” and check it often. That’s it. The rest is human instinct. If we write things down and keep them handy, we’re more likely to actually do them. Who’d a thunk it? Allen’s version of “taking inventory” involves writing down the projects or goals you’re working on and keeping track of the next observable action necessary to complete the task. This way, you don’t have to spend time finding your place when you come back to the task. I like this concept because anxiety does not motivate me. I don't need anxiety to get the wheels turning. My big-boned genealogy has already given me a good shot at getting heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Instead of obsessing and stressing over our actual tasks, we should spend more time doing them. Guess what: It feels good to do things. That hardware store knows what they have on-hand, but it isn’t the most successful business in town. Why? Because most of their inventory sits on the shelves and collects dust. So, I encourage you to dust off those goals and ideas. List it all out. You’ll be surprised not only at how quickly the list goes, but also at how good you feel while you’re getting things done. --- (Photo courtesy of 123rf.com)
Where I'm GoingI've lived in Brookings since Sept. 3, 2004. For those of you who are as bad at math as I am - that's five years and 9 months. A total of 2,115 days. Two dorm rooms, two town homes and one apartment.
On that first day, I hugged my teary-eyed parents in an SDSU parking lot and opened a new chapter in my life.
While living in "B-Town," I've:
This town means a lot to me. In fact, I promised my life to my woman on the steps of the most recognizable edifice in this city. (By the way - she said "yes.")
In two months, that chapter will end as I marry my best friend and move on to bigger and better things in Sioux Falls. It's a step that several of my friends have made in the past few years, and one that I anticipate with faith. There's a lot to worry about (including an unfamiliar, super-saturated photography market and a 50-minute commute on three days every week), but I'll make the jump with my head up and with my thoughts on good things.
My checklist for moving to Sioux Falls:
Photo: The southward lane of 22nd Avenue as seen from 6th Street in Brookings, S.D. (c)John Nelson 2006
Easily EntertainedA while ago, Stacy (my soon-to-be-wife) and I visited Custer State Park. It was great. It was one of the best vacations ever. Blah, blah, blah. Did I want to snap some gorgeous landscape photos? Nah. Did I want to see the majestic buffalo in their native habitat? Nope. Was I seeking to re-ignite my South Dakotan pride? Not really. I looked past all of those (appreciation-deserving) things to find the scruffy, tourist-food-eating, man-transplanted donkeys. That's just how I roll. Like many of my comrades, I find myself awkwardly trying to fit myself to my cubicle-based job. It sucks the personality out of me and quite literally turns me into a small part of a very large and un-personable machine. It's a bigger problem than I make it out to be, but this is where I'm at. Is it where I want to be for the rest of my life? Of course not. You probably know me as a goofy-looking photographer, or something of the like. You know the "me" in the photo above. In reality, I'm a 24-year-old who works at a grey-walled desk on the weekdays. Only on the evenings and weekends am I the person you know. Only away from that cubicle do I get to interact with and enjoy the people who matter to me. Only on the evenings and weekends am I the person I 100% want to be. But hey, it's 2010, and I've gotta pay doze bills. I have problems, but who doesn't? This blog is gonna help me keep that introspective life stress at bay. S'gonna help me keep things real. Also, I know a few wonderful people who use writing to cope with their problems, to share themselves with the world. They impress me. They influence me. They make me feel... I'm not sure what it makes me feel, but I just like how it makes me feel - how their words move me. These people might not know it, but they mean a lot to me, and I'm just trying to repay the favor. I'm also trying to remind people to appreciate the donkeys in their lives. ----- I've got lots of blog post topics to try in the next few days, but I want you to let me know if there's anything you'd like me to shed some light on for you. Thanks for stopping by! Photo: Yours truly with the wild donkeys at Custer State Park near Custer, S.D. Shot by Stacy. Back on My Path
It wasn't the first time I'd escaped the present, but this time I saw where I was going. There's a path here and I'm going to write my way onto it. I finally motivated myself to value having a blog again.
I know. "Riiight. How many times have I heard this before?" [eye roll]
Where does it go?
I'm not sure, but the journey is the destination. Chances are, if you're reading this, you've got a good handle on how blogs work. This is my brain in words. This is me. Vulnerable me.
Who's it for?
You. Your friends. Desperate twenty-something, observant, open-minded, thoughtful people. This is me reaching out. Not taking, but giving. Providing, then observing, then providing. A transaction of necessities and frivolities. (I couldn't think of a better word than "frivolities." My bad.)
What am I here to blab about?
Things on our minds. Things that matter. Things that excite, entertain, educate and encourage.
It doesn't appear so, but (just like you) I have several ideas tumbling around in my brainage. Mostly about marketing, interwebbage and photography. (I know. Original, right?)
Why should you read this blog?
Because I'm a goofy-looking, quarter-life-crisis-experiencing, Twins-loving, tech-watching, business-hustling photog in South Dakota. You care about what I have to say because you can relate to me in one way or another.
Because I write with words you can understand.
Because I like helping people.
Because I see things differently.
For those of you who hate reading long blog posts (like me) - fear not. Luckily my brain can't stay still longer than it will take you to read most of my posts. (This post = five sessions of writing, four Weezer albums and about twenty gallons of coffee.)
Bonus: since I'm taking time to tap the shutter, I will also provide a plethora of pretty pictures herein.
I hope you come back, and I hope you get as much as I try to give. (Photo: Sunset on Moose Lake, Manitoba. (c)John Nelson 2010)
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