so long sweet summer

Do you think it will last?

I have asked this question approximately 37 times since Sunday, when fall decided to take over Atlanta.

And the answers I have gotten have been a wide variety of yes, no and maybe. All leading to me to the conclusion that no one knows, but everyone hopes, that this early autumn is here to stay.

The air is crisp, the skies are blue, the temperatures are in the 80s.

I'm, of course, always down for an Indian Summer, but also can't get enough of this weather. Last week I was feeling burned out on running, but this week, all I want to do is throw on my runners and get outside. And dine al fresco. And sleep with my windows open. And make s'mores.

Ah!

I hope you're having a great week, and getting outside a whole lot.

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cocktail parties and lateness.

I like to think of blogs as one big cocktail party. It's this happy place where everyone shares their wins - their party lines. You don't go to a cocktail party to tell people about how you've failed; you have your pitch ready. Your one liners that give people just enough information when they ask about your relationships and job. Just enough for them to nod and smile, and give a positive comment.

Well. This is very unpartyish of me, but here we go.

{and I'm super embarrassed to admit this. but I'm doing it}

I am always late. With the exception of work. And workout classes. But when it comes to social events, bible study, etc., I am always a few minutes behind. And I hate, hate it. And people say that it means you don't value other people's time. But that is not true! I really do value people's time - very much.

The trouble is, though, that I always overestimate myself. I always think that if I have five extra minutes, I can unload the dishwasher and throw together my lunch for the next day. Or if I have 45 minutes before a meeting, of course I can get in a quick run and shower.

And (this is where the shame comes in), last weekend I had a meeting for a charity, which began at 2 p.m. When I showed up at 2.10, our chair said, Whitney is always late. Just fashionably 10 minutes behind.

I was so embarrassed. I still am. And am 90 percent unsure as to why I am admitting this in writing. In public. (I should just get a diary.)

But there is 10 percent of me that knows why: I have to get better. I have to be punctual because being late is rude. Even if I do value people's time, it still indicates that I do not. And that is rude.

So this is my new year's resolution for 26, and I need people to hold me accountable. It's high time that shape up and make being on time a priority. Thought Catalog recommends leaving 15 minutes earlier than you need to for everything, which sounds like scary, scary time loss in my opinion, but I am going to commit to doing it. Because while I may lose 15 minutes of my time, I'll be giving others back those 10 minutes I'm always late. And I'm hoping this will prove that not only do I value their time, but I value them too. And that's far more important than an empty dishwasher.

PS: Does this constitute buying a new watch?
PPS: This is too inapprops for the blog, but still funny.

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Onward Warrior

Courtney and I have this theory that we can always tell when someone was a cross country runner because they say hi to other people while running. And sometimes, on particularly brutal days (i.e. when it's really hot, really cold, stormy...), they'll say things like: good job! keep going!

After so many years of running for a team sport, it's engrained in us.

But on Sunday, our theory went to pot.

Atlanta recently opened the part of the BeltLine that connects Midtown, the Highlands and Inman Park. The combination of the absolutely perfect weather, as well as Atlantans having a clear yearning for the safe, traffic-free path, left the BeltLine absolutely packed with happy people. Runners, walkers, bikers, bladers (lie. I was the only one on rollerblades), were filled with very evident joy. People were saying hello, smiling, jumping...! I almost danced to my music, and I think if I had taken the leap, others would have followed suit. It was a path of pure joy.

One business even put out a sign that says, "Onward Warrior" pointing to the path. I obviously loved this, because it made me feel like we really were a team. Team BeltLine.

I'm so excited about the path being right by my house, and am crossing my fingers big time that they continue to grow it. That way Team BeltLine can cruise allll around the city.

PS: I know the picture makes the path look awkwardly empty, but I was just around a little bend. I swear I'm not lying like when I tried to tell you other people still rollerblade...

yaaay birthday

Whoeee. What a happy week last week was. Thank you so (so, so, sssoo) much to everyone who made my birthday amazing. I felt so overwhelmingly loved. It makes my heart full just thinking about it.

I don't want to call any individual activity out, for fear of making one seem less special to me - because I really just loved everything that has transpired during the last week. 

So I will just leave it at that. That I can't even really explain how grateful I am, but I am 100 percent positive that birthdays have to be one of the happiest days ever.
 
I hope you had a wonderful September Five, too. Thank you again for the sweet loving. I love you all :)