Will 2B King

Do you like meat? Yes, sometimes. it seems to be getting a pretty bad rap lately.  So many documentaries, methane gases, cruelty issues, blood and guts. Basically, the world feels like it's turning its back on red meat in many ways.  Oh, wait a minute. We are at the Elks in this picture. Forget everything you just read because it's Cook Your Own Steak Night at the 322 Lodge.   Cowboy cuts, big 'ole slabs of American grown moo-cow. That's Will holding two giant margaritas.  No holding back.  We eat veggie burgers, protein shakes, almond milk smoothies and caffeine-free drinks most of the time in our lives.  Then you know what happens next?  Burn all that shit to the ground by eating a fat steak and 16 ounces of sweet tequila bliss.  Balance.

Measure Twice, Cut Once You know those intense chores that you know are going to take a long-ass time because there are so many steps and coordination, that you put it off for months and don't do it? Well, we have a patio set with cushions, and the covers had progressively decayed to the point that no one wanted to sit on them, except Frida of course.  In comes Will to help out.  Never done a sewing project before, new spring chicken, and he is going to do all the measuring and cutting of the fabric. No Big Deal. I was stationed at the sewing machine so that we could get the project done quicker.  Will measured and cut all the fabric and he wasn't even wearing a shirt.  No shirt!  You'd think I would be too distracted to get any sewing done, and I admit that did slow me down.   This list of things Will can do just keeps growing.  I hope that NASA isn't reading this blog and realizing that they should come to sweep him up, give him...

So Mavericks goes to Dog School now. He's officially all growed up!  Yes, I know that's not grammatically correct and I am currently ignoring the red underline, thanks for your concern. Mavs ad Will OWNED the Agility class that they enrolled in last month. I know I am biased when it comes to dog love, but this boy was King Dog of the class. Because Will loves Mavericks so much, he got him this class for his 6th birthday.  Maybe not as exciting as a steak in his bowl, but longer-lasting over time.   Mavericks mastered jumps, ramps, weave and of course the tunnel.  He showed us that he truly is a smart animal, (eating poop had us a little shaken on that one) and that he can listen to instruction, follow hand signals, and maintain focus over a long hour of instruction. Mavs and Will later relaxed and enjoyed some Agility AKC Championships via YouTube on the couch afterward, just for inspiration.  Well-balanced, dog life.

Is it possible we haven't touched on bikes yet on this blog?  It's not true, is it? Will and Miles after a muddy SRAM Brah Birthday Ride In this day and age, mountain bikes, or as I like to refer to them, salaries with wheels, are meant to be out in the rough getting pushed to their limits!   I have only caught a glimpse of the mud and sweat and dirt.  Only a whisper about the breakdowns, flats and jammed up components on these works of art.  Will knows the value of any possession is only what you can get out of it.  Things aren't meant to be put on the shelves and admired. So you go get it, Will, ride that muddy trail, and show it who's jefe.

                         At the Getty Museum and Hearst Castle, models watch out!  So, the first thing the reader might pick up on here is a theme of art love.    I won't pause here to point out the general coincidences and commonalities of these two photos, but I will note the definitive joy present on Will's face. Neither of these poses was coached or constructed by the photographer, which clearly shows Will's acute appreciation and ability to express himself creatively.  Talk about a well-rounded guy.    

Everyone, Come Over Here, and See How Good I Look Will King gets dressed up sometimes, hell, we all do, for the right reasons.  Will has an easy time looking good because he sticks to a few simple rules.  Here they are but you can't copycat them, okay?   1.  Follow rules and break them at the same time.  Put simple color palate together, black, navy, white.  Break the rules, by making Converse All-Stars your formal dress shoes.   2. It's all about confidence.  Wearing a smile and personal knowledge that you are clean, fresh and owning it is much more important than how much you spent on a shirt.  A lot of people in this world struggle with this one.  I think that's because money is synonymized with success.  Okay already forget the psych analysis. 3. He brings a cute date with him.  Peace!

My Husband Crushes it in Denim Shirts This is a picture from our wedding reception dinner at Bridget Ready's home.  When I think back on this day, I am grounded mostly by the overwhelming feelings of confidence and excitement that I have inside me, then and now, surrounding our marriage. Will has been the foundation that I had never known could exist before, in another person.  The commitment he has shown for our relationship, his friends, work, family, is incredible and constant. And he crushes it in denim shirts. This day marks his 36th trip around the sun and with it, just like every year in all of our lives, comes another layer of strength and integrity built by what he does, how he acts, and what he stands for.  He doesn't speak poorly of others, he sees the good side of situations that are downright bad. I love you so very much Will2bKING. Your forever wife, Emily

Mathematical and into Nature Will King has been a mechanical engineer since 2006 and he works for a really bitchin company called SRAM.  He designs tests and produces a variety of sophisticated systems for bicycles.  I don't have the privilege of knowing ALL the ins and outs of his workday, but when I do learn about the difference his work makes in the world, I get clued in on the level of pride, distinguished honor, and value that he possesses as a vital part of this industry. This post is sounding more like an acceptance speech for someone who is not me, so... I wanted to write about Will's work because it is a fulfilling and powerful part of who he is.  Sometimes work can be, well, not our highest source of motivation, and, for all of us, we know this, and Will is no exception.  The difference for him is that he keeps at it and sees the good in the big picture, and that doesn't stop him from giving his time every day.

Disclaimer: This picture is of an early lunch Will2bKing loves breakfast more than the average person if the average person is claiming to truly love breakfast.  The joy that a fried egg and a sizzling piece of bacon bring to this man can stop wars from happening. "I've never had a problem with leftover potatoes," says Will King to me one evening, and of course I thought, well, why wouldn't he, after all, leftover potatoes make the finest hash browns because they don't take as long to cook. One of my favorite parts of any weekend, being with Will, is after getting back from an early bike ride, surfing, jogging, what have you, and then getting going on a killer breakfast.  We work together in the King's Royal Kitchen on any number of quality treats. Here is a list of favorites: GF Waffles (banana optional) Chilaquiles Quiche GF Pancakes and Veggie Sausage (which they don't have at Costco anymore, inhumane) Bacon cooked on panini setting on ...

Color Coordination provided by... Mavericks is Will2bKing's 2bDog.  He is a 5-year-old Border Collie Aussie mix.  He's pretty much a badass but loves a good cuddle.  I like referring to these two as a duo strictly because they are more alike than either of them are aware of.  They both like extreme sports, a good TV show, (even they both will fall asleep after about 10 minutes in), and they are both wise in how they treat others. Will will tell you that he trained Mavericks to be protective of the house and yard, always kind to kids and adults.  This means barking a lot combined with not barking, which you can imagine, is tricky to balance.  I am always amazed at the communication that I see taking place between them.  Tone of voice means a lot to dogs, but here it is only a layer among many. Mavericks and Will have a deep understanding of each other in terms of mood, energy, and other subtle vibrations that connect them uniquely and forever. ...

Doesn't feel like work In case you aren't sure or not catching on, HD here is referring to the Home Depot.   We spend a fair amount of time at this location, and it's because we love to make our house more awesome all the time.  Am I advocating for the Home Depot as an amazing place to shop, and therefore telling you to stop whatever it is you're doing right now and go spackle a hole in the wall? No.  The store is what you make of it.    It's fun going there with Will because he is so driven by intention mixed with classy organization. He will always have a list, a physical, paper list, of the items that are necessary to purchase.  Not simple notes, either. The list is going to have measurements, specific dimension, and hell it might even be categorized by store department, just to save time. Again, back to the projects, oh how we can nail a project.  On this day we were getting supplies to build a fence around the front yard....

When the sun's out, you know what they say Will King is notorious for being active and always bringing the right stuff when it comes to a trip, and camping is included in this.  This trip we drug up a large, yet ironically short, electric motorboat that belongs to my brother, Trevor.  The battery it turns out was the Achilles heel on this day, as the boat went bouncing on the waves of the reservoir for maybe 7 minutes tops.  Was it fun though? Incredibly, since the dogs didn't really know what to make of the situation.   I love how Will has the foresight to bring cool stuff on trips even though they might only be entertaining for a matter of minutes. It's the spirit behind the act that really brings it to life.

Will King loves Wintertime Activities This image is from this last winter when we drove up to the mountain in search of a blizzard. Will King is naturally attracted to blizzards and icy road conditions by a super high-frequency magnetic signal called danger icing.  It's real, you can look it up.  Everything on the internet is real, right? So we went up to the higher elevation and brought the dogs. Frida was way more into it than Mavs, since she has a thicker coat and basically has never not liked anything she has done ever in her life so long as she was invited there by humans who own a car.  Mavericks wore the booties, and Emily wore a thick pair of.. well everything. We got around and ski / snow-shoed around for about an hour.  Truthfully it was peaceful. The highlight for Will was finding a little ski hill. I love how he knows which part to ski down and not get maimed or injured.  The things that could be under the snow, just lurking there, right? ...

This is the first post in Will2bKing's online blog.   Happy Birthday, Will! Will is turning 36. I want to share that the world is a better place because he is in it. I will be adding posts about his amazing way of living the will2b lifestyle.  He is strong, confident and balanced in all he does. Will can teach you a lot about how to wake up each day with a sense of humor, a love for the outdoors, all God's creatures, and the fun that there is to be had if we only go and reach for it.  Thanks, Will.  You inspire me every day. ~Your wife, Emily