New Year = New Me!

As 2008 slowly creeps to an end, I would like to wish everyone a wonderful, safe, and healthy New Year! I'm planning on spending the next few days re-evaluating my life, health, and relationships to start 2009 moving in a positive direction. Please come in and share your new years resolutions and discoveries! I'm very excited to start with a clean slate in less than 24 hours! I want to make sure that what goes on my newly clean slate is nothing less than fabulous! I'll be back in later to share what I have come up with.

Christmas snip

"What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace." ~ Agnes M. Pharo

More Holiday Cheer!

Now that I've gotten the hang of this You Tube sharing thing, I thought I'd share with you another of my fav holiday tunes that is not one of the "norm". I hope you enjoy!

Four things you cannot recover

I received this from a fabulous friend...and I thought I'd share it with you!

The stone...after the throw!
The word...after it's said!
The occasion...after the loss!
The time...after it's gone!

Did anyone ever tell you just how special you are.

The light that you emit might even light a star.

Did anyone ever tell you how important you make others feel.

Somebody out here is smiling, because of something you said, or something you did!

Did anyone ever tell you that many times when they were sad, your e-mail made them smile. In fact, it made them glad.

Did anyone ever tell you just how much they like you. Well, my dearest friend, today I am telling you.

I believe that without a friend you are missing out on a lot!

Have a nice day, and I'm glad we are friends!!!

More Seussism

"Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!” ~ Dr. Seuss

Fun Christmas Quote

"Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more." ~ Dr. Seuss

Computer Novice Apologies

Darn, drat, and I'll be a monkey's uncle....I really wanted my YouTube video to come up on the post, but it's only the link. Phooey! Well, enjoy the link! And if any of you are technically more advanced than I (which would be any of you!!!) please send me a line as to how to upload those videos to your blog!

Edit: Thanks to my tech savy buddy...Alison at Globetrottingcacti - I've gotten the video up and running! Hurray! I might just go and find some more fav. holiday songs!

Holiday Cheer

I've been in a "holiday funk" and haven't quite been able to pull myself out of it. Perhaps its the full calendar that I've had from Thanksgiving through tomorrow. I'm hoping that after tomorrows function, I'll be able to breath easy and set my focus on the upcoming holiday.

So....to spread some cheer, I thought I'd post some of my favorite holiday songs that you'd not normally have in your CD library. Hey, let me know what your favorite non-traditional holiday songs are...as long as it's not "Grandma got run over by a reindeer"!

Give Thanks!

"Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way" ~ Native American saying

Remember to BREATH

Have you ever had those mornings, where things seem good at the start, but progress downward quickly? That was my morning this morning.

I had some lab samples that needed to be dropped off at the lab (another blog…..maybe) and this morning was rolling around nicely, I thought I could just drop it off on my way to work. I headed out the door around 7:05, got in the car and noticed that I didn’t have much gas, so I nixed the lab idea (which was out of my way, anyways) and decided to go to Starbucks for a Grande latte and their sausage/egg mcmuffin thingy instead (since I hadn’t had breakfast yet, and I wasn’t going to the lab anyways). NOTE: I need to be at work at 8am, and my drive is about 45 min. I get my order in, chat with my friendly barista, get my latte and…wait, where’s my mcmuffin thingy? So I mention to my friendly cashier that I hadn’t received my mcmuffin thingy…”oopps, so sorry, it’ll be just a minute” as she puts it in the super zapper. Zap it goes and I’m happily on my way down the freeway the 25 miles to my work when my FUEL light goes on. Now I don’t know about you, but I have few phobias, but running out of gas is a BIGGIE for me. Just ask my husband, I relentlessly ask for reassurance when we go on road trips that there is enough gas, we'll be gassing up soon, ect… (long story on the cause of this one). Anyhooo, so I figure I can stop on my way to get gas, thinking ahead of the exits and planning on the one to get off that I KNOW there’s a station at. At this point I’m perspiring a bit – panic tends to do that to a person, but manage to get off the freeway and locate my savior – the Chevron Station. Yippee, I made it! I pull into the driveway to find it being blocked by the tanker truck filling it up. I now need to do a 9 point turn to maneuver my big monster of car around to get myself out of this pickle I’m now in and around to another entrance way. So I manage this in only 5 points (quite proud of my maneuvering skills at this point) and am now being blocked by another car trying to enter this entrance that I’m trying to exit – (blood pressure starting to rise….) I’m now jumping the curb to let this idiot special person onto the driveway. I find another entrance, pull up to a pump and swipe my card (it’s now 7:57am and I realize that my cell phone is dead…thank you son for taking my phone off the charger Saturday before it was charged(yet another story). Misread – please swipe card again. WTF! Do we not know that we are in a hurry? So I swipe again, and again …please see attendant. Off I storm into the minimart to see the cashier. So we do the swipy thing another ½ dozen times, when she decides that that pump is not functioning correctly. HOLY MOTHER OF ….. (I don’t know…don’t swear, so don’t know what to put in the ……)*** BREATH *** Wait…there’s an empty pump behind me, I can just back up….wait no, someone just pulled in behind me. I’ll need to pull around to where Mr. Tanker -truck is and use one of those pumps (which of course I’ll need to use my now infamous maneuvering skills) to get into and out of this space. *** AHHHH, BREATH *** as the gurgle of gas fills my empty tummy of a gas tank. Knowing that I’m already 10 minutes late to work, with no phone to call them, I only fill the tank ½ ways and maneuver my way back out of the Chevron parking lot and back onto the freeway. ***AHHH, BREATH (with the help of Enya)****** The remaining 10 minute drive I Breathed and was thankful that 1) I had breakfast, 2) that I had enough gas to get myself to work and home, 3) that I had a job to get myself to, 4) that I can BREATH and LAUGH!!! What simple plans I had, my, how they snowballed into an interesting morning!

I realized that I have grown…I would have let those series of events ruin my day. My entire DAY! But even during the frustration of the morning, I found myself laughing at my circumstances, knowing that that darn “Murphy” of “Murphy’s Law” was having a field day with me…I was long overdue!

Quote for the day

"Time is free, but it is priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it." - Harvey McKay.

How are you going to spend your time this weekend? I'm planning on spending mine wisely...say, getting myself geared up for the holidays!

A great recipe to live by

I received this from my lovely sister ~ I thought I'd share it with you!

1) Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate antidepressant.
2) Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about what is going on in you life.
3) When you wake up in the morning, complete the following statement: “My purpose is to ____________ today. I am thankful for _______.”
4) Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
5) Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.
6) Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7) Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
8) Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge care.
9) Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
10) Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
11) Don’t take yourself seriously. No one else does.
12) You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
13) Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
14) Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
15) No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
16) Frame every so-called disaster with these words: “In five years, will this matter?”
17) Forgive everyone for everything.
18) What other people think of you is none of your business.
19) God heals everything – but you have to ask him.
20) However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
21) Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!
22) Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
23) Each night before you go to bed, complete the following statement: “I am thankful for _________. Today I accomplished ____________.”{
24) Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
25) When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings. You’ll be smiling before you know it.

To tat or not to tat ~ that is the question

My daughter and I were talking a few weeks ago about tattoos. She has informed me that on her 18th birthday (just a few weeks away) she’s getting a tattoo along with her best friend, taunting me to get one as well. Now, I have nothing against tattoos…they can be beautiful and have great meaning! But I knowing myself as I am daily trying to do….I realize that I am wwwaaayyyy to fickle for such things.

My previous “pooh pooh” against a tattoo was the “I don’t want to be a grandma with a butterfly tattoo on my boob that’s now flown down to my belly.” I’ve come to realize that that’s not the issue at all.

My problem is that I know that even if I find an image that resonates in me all the way to my toes – that I fall head-over-heals for tomorrow, it will not hold the same meaning for me in 20, 10, even 5 years from now. I’m changing, ever evolving and my tastes, philosophies, beliefs are changing as well. Sure, there are those that believe that a tattoo would be a great reminder of where you are at this moment of your life…I guess I’m just not one of them. It’s so permanent! Yeah, you can get it lazered off if you really want to…but why do it in the first place?

But as I said earlier…I am ever changing and evolving – so who knows maybe for my birthday (next month!) I may opt for a hawk in full flight across my chest (but more likely, a cute ladybug on my hip) or like the guy on top – washing instructions! Ha!

What are your feelings on tattoos?

Go Vote!

It doesn't matter to me who you vote for ... just get out there and vote!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween my lil punkinheads!

Has the universe hiccupped?

It seems to me that there’s a strange phenomenon going on. Perhaps it’s the new moon, planetary alignment…I don’t know. But seriously, something’s going on!

I have burnt myself so many times this week – it’s not funny anymore! And I mean literally burnt. I burnt my wrist from my sauté pan so bad that my old stand by of cold water, ice and lavender essential oil still didn’t ease the pain (this was Monday). Then I burnt my tongue on hot stew – but thankfully that has fared much better than my wrist. Then last night I burnt my hand while popping popcorn. My hubby is about to ban me from the kitchen (which may be a positive thing – but the potential is that we just would starve) No, really….weird, weird week….kinda leaving me scratching my head in bewilderment!

Any daffy things happening to you?

Guiltless Pleasure

If you know me, you know that I love to cook. It is a vehicle to show my love and endearment to you. You know the saying "made with love." We'll I've got my favorite Food Network shows Tivo'd for the week With the World Series going on and the College and Professional Football games taking up my precious TV time... I'm like a mama bear when it comes to my Tivo time with my cooking shows.

My normal shows are Barefoot Contessa (Ina never steers me wrong) and Robin Miller with her multi meal planning. But then I came across a new show that made me say "wow"! The host is Anne Burrell and she rocks! I was totally entertained with her show, and her food looks awesome. I tried the butternut stew and got rave reviews from the family! I would love to just hang out in Anne's kitchen one day - she's my type of gal!

What is a guiltless pleasure of yours?

Colored Pencil

"Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling." G.K. Charleston

Perspective

"Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful." ~ Buddha

A little about moi ~

This bloggieville is an amazing space! I've found dozens of amazing, inspiring people out there. People that I think are my people, meaning that if we were to meet on the street...it would be instant friends! So I thought I'd put out a little about me - being that there's so much of you that's been shared (thank you)!
1) Are you currently in a serious relationship? Why, yes! Oct. 28 will be 19 years of marriage - whooot!
2) What was your dream growing up? I wanted to be a dentist, a Flight attendant and live an eternal barbie life.
3) What talent do you wish you had? I wish I could sing - granted I can sing, it just sounds bad
4) If I bought you a drink what would it be? Ice tea
5) Favorite vegetable? Yes, I'll take them all
6) What was the last book you read?eat, pray, love
7) What zodiac sign are you?Sagittarius
8) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? just ears pierce (2 on left ear, 1 on right)
9) Worst Habit? Embarrassed to admit, but I bite my toenails (eeek!)
10) If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride? Funny you should ask, you see there's the story about Marien....
11) What is your favorite sport? soccer
12) Do you have a negative or optimistic attitude? I'm negatively optimistic, or is it optimistically negative? Naw, I'm pretty much a glass 1/2 full kinda gal, and when I'm not, it doesn't take me long to get there.
13) What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me? well, that really depends who you are - we'd probably try jumping up & down to make the elevator go - there'd be giggles and singing for sure!
14) Worst thing to ever happen to you? Hard to answer, but I wouldn't trade anything, those things have made me who I am .
15) Tell me one weird fact about you. I love the smell of skunk !?!?!
16) Do you have any pets? My lovely Chloe dog
17) What if i showed up at your house unexpectedly? Why are you still at my door - come on in!
18) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be? Thicker hair
19) Would you be my crime partner or my conscience? Depends on the crime
20) What color of eyes do you have? hazel (blue/green)
21) Ever been arrested? Ha! (no)
22) Bottle or can soda? bottle
23) If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it? Pay off our dept :(
27) What's your favorite place to hang at? Don't have one
28) Do you believe in ghosts? I don't don't believe in ghosts - if that makes any sense!
29) Favorite thing to do in your spare time? Cook
30) Do you swear a lot? Nope
31) Biggest pet peeve? Eating w/mouth open
32) In one word, how would you describe yourself? optimistic
33) Do you believe/appreciate romance? Hello, going on 20 years of the big M - what do you think?
35) Do you believe in God? YESSSS!

Dirty Dozen

Top Foods to choose Organic

Here's a listing of the 12 top foods to choose organic due to their high contamination of pesticides and chemicals (even after washing and peeling). Chemical pesticides are known to cause cancer, birth defects, nervous system and brain damage, and development problems in children.

1. Meat: beef, pork, and poultry. The EPA reports that meat is contaminated with higher levels of pesticides than any plant food. Many chemical pesticides are fat-soluble and accumulate in fatty tissue of animals.


2. Dairy: milk, cheese and butter. For similar reasons to meat. Also growth hormones and antibiotics are invariabley found in commercial milk products and are a serious health concern.


3. Strawberries. Strawberries are the most heavily dosed crops with pesticides in America.


4. Apples. Apples are almost as contaminated with pesticides as strawberries. Peeling non-organic apples reduces these chemicals, but does not eliminate the danger.


5. Tomatoes. More than 30 pesticides are standard to spray on conventionally grown tomatoes. Their thin skin does not protect the meat from the chemicals.


6. Potatoes. One of the most popular vegies is also among the most laden with pesticides. Fungicides added to the soil is another reason to go organic.


7. Spinach (and other greens including lettuce). Spinach was found by the FDA to be one of the most frequently contaminated crops with some of the most potent pesticides used on food.


8. Coffee. Most coffee is grown in countries where there are little to no standards or regulations for chemicals. Purchasing "Fair Trade" is further assurance that the coffee is free of pestisides as well as supports farms and workers with more equanimity and reward.


9. Peaches and Nectarines. As in tomatoes, 45 different pesticides are routinely applied to these fruits . The thin skin does not protect the fruit from these poisons.


10. Grapes. (especially imported). Because they are delicate, grapes are sprayed several times during the different growth stages. The thin skin does not offer much protection from these poisons. Several of the most poisonous pesticides banned in the U.S. are still used on grapes grown abroad.


11. Celery. At least 29 different chemicals are applied the celery as it grows. It cannot be washed off because celery doesn't have any protective skin.


12. Bell Peppers (Red & Green). As with other thin skinned fruits & veggies - it offers no real protection from the poisons.

This list was complied by Renee Loux. There is a plethora of information at her site: Renee Loux

I WON! I WON!

I'm not one to win anything, but this past week I was on uberkool erica's blog and entered her "where am I" contest - and what do you know? I WON! Looky and see what I won! An adorable print of "live your poem"! Go check her stuff out - she's hip, kool and way talented!

My wish for you

My wish for my daughter -

• That you never loose your sense of adventure
• That you never loose your zest for life
• That your dreams come true - don't stop dreaming
• That your happiness far outweighs your sorrows
• That you laugh daily
• That you surround yourself with friends that support you and encourage you to grow
• That you find love

Manifesto

I've been seeking clarity lately...been in such a fog for such a long time. Good news is that I finally realize that I'm in a fog! Perhaps I'm on the right road now?!?! Anyhoo, I've been reading a lot of books/blogs on creativity and being true to yourself. One of my faves is Kimberly Wilson aka hiptranquilchic. She has opened up a whole new world for me - and one such tidbit shared is this Manifesto from Z.B.A.

1. It's okay not to know. It's okay to be vulnerable. No one has all the answers. We value and learn from the questions and the asking.
2. We are learning to appreciate the mystery and sacredness of our lives and the mystery and sacredness of life.
3. Life is short. There is no escape from old age, sickness, and death. Death is a great teacher. Recognizing the shortness of our lives provides motivation to live fully in each day and in each moment.
4. We understand the importance of taking regular quite time for ourselves. Through reflection and by slowing down we develop an appreciation for life and we increase our capacity for understanding.
5. We are learning to trust our inner wisdom. Our bodies and minds are amazing, unexplainable, and unfathomable.
6. It's okay to be uneasy, to be uncomfortable, to grieve, to feel pain. Recognizing when something is off, feeling the depth of loss, experiencing pain, is the first step toward change and growth.
7. Practice active listening - listening deeply to yourself and to others. Listen to others without formulating your own ideas. Listen to yourself before speaking.
8. We all seek balance in our lives - balancing work and family, balancing our inner and outer lives, balancing what we want to do and what we must do.
9. We are learning that we can be fully ourselves in all situations - at work, as parents, as children, as friends, as lovers.
10. Being ourselves at work is vital to our health and happiness. Our time is too valuable to sell, at any price.
11. Each moment is precious. In every moment we have an opportunity to discover, to grow, to speak the truth.
12. Each moment is ordinary. In every moment we can realize we are fine, just as we are. Nothing else is needed.
13. We appreciate what is paradoxical. What may at first seem contradictory or beyond our understanding may be true. After all, who is it that is breathing? Who is it that dreams? How is it that these hands effortlessly glide along this keyboard?
14. Age is a state of mind. We have the opportunity to grow to be more like ourselves every day.
15. Developing intimate relationships is a vital part of our lives and our development. Intimacy requires openness, honesty, and vulnerability.
16. Real, honest open communication is highly valued - and takes real skill and effort.
17. When we slow down and learn to trust ourselves, joy arises naturally.
18. When we slow down and learn to trust ourselves, creativity arises naturally.
19. Self-knowledge and understanding require persistence and perseverance. Developing awareness and balance is an ongoing, unending process.
20. Self-knowledge and understanding require discipline. Whatever path we take requires structure, guidelines, and feedback.
21. Self-knowledge and understanding require courage.
22. Diversity is essential. Ourdifferences enrich ourlives. There is no "other," just as our right hand is not a stranger to our left hand.
23. A simplerule to follow is do good, avoid harm. Of course, this is not simple or easy.
24. There are many paths and many practices toward developing awareness and personal growth.
25. Our everyday lives and activities provide fertile ground for developing growth and understanding.
26. We can learn to appreciate the gifts we've received from our parents and to forgive them. We understand on a deep level all we have received from the generations that have come before us.
27. We feel a deep responsibility for our children and for the generations that will come after us.
28. We can all act as change agents. We can choose to take action in improving and healing our environment and our society. There is no shortage of issues to address, of healing to take place.
29. We are all change agents on a personal level - we either create healing amongst those we live and work with or we create stress.
30. We can choose to act as change agents in relation to our communities.
31. We can choose to act as change agents in relation to our society or on a global level.
32. Everything we hold as dear will one day change and disappear. Every business that now exists will one day cease. Every person now alive will one day die.
33. At a deep level, we realize that we are neither in control nor not in control Our task is to paddle to boar, with awareness and integrity. The flow of the river is outside our doing.
34. We all have the power to find peace and happiness in the midst of change and impermanence.
35. We have the power to heal ourselves, our communities, and our planet.

Whew! That was a doozy! I'm still trying to wrap my mind/emotions/spirit around these points, but they ring true to my deepest desires of where I want to be within myself.

Pie

I had my BFF and her family over for dinner last Friday and I decided to try my hand at making an apple pie. It had been a long time since my previous attempts, which were all a complete failure. Who would have thought that pie making was such a daunting task? Though it’s not so much the pie making, but the pie crust that leads most to the refrigerator section of the grocery store for the quick piecrust-in-the-box version.

Well, Friday I decided to roll up my sleeves and try to create a somewhat decent pie crust. What came out was beautiful, I mean beautiful!

After many previously disastrous attempts with crusts, I decided to try Ina Gartens recipe, which conveniently enough gets prepared in the food processor…sounds good to me! The end result was a wonderfully supple pie crust dough that cooks up exquisitely. My pie came out so pretty that I had to take a picture of it! Of course the pie didn’t last long, with scoops of vanilla ice cream – it was fully consumed that evening.

A Poem to Ponder

I have recently come across this poem and it challenges me to the core - I hope it serves as an inspiration to you as well!

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.


Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people
won't feel insecure about you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

So as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence
automatically liberates others.


by Marianne Williamson

Summer Salads

This time of year brings about an abundance of tomatoes in my garden. Thankfully, most of my family and myself love tomatoes. One of my favorite things to do with tomatoes came from my trip to Greece in 2006. We consumed Greek salad daily, maybe even twice a day, and I loved it! It is the most refreshing salad on a hot summer day. My recipe is simple...I don't even measure! Equal parts quartered tomatoes and sliced cucumber. A nice collection of red onion (depending on how much you like onion), Kalamata olives, a sprinkle of capers, a drizzle of olive oil and red wine vinegar, goat or sheep's milk feta on top (a must - cow's milk feta tastes bad!) and a sprinkle of oregano (preferable fresh, but dried is just as good) I also like to sprinkle a little kosher salt and freshly ground pepper on mine. If I had to, I could live on this!

What type of foods do you crave when the heat turns up?

Beading gone wild!

I've been participating in an on-line creativity circle through Hip Tranquil Chick. One of my new endeavors is to start beading. Well, I took the Beading 101 class through Beadology here in Huntington Beach. Needless to say, I had a blast! Thankfully I was the only student, so I was able to ask all types of questions of my teacher, Erin. I finished my first necklace and was really happy with the results! I came home and tried my luck with matching earrings. Pleased again with the results! Well, the beading bug is still bitting, so last night I worked on necklace & earrings part deux! I'm turning into a lean mean beading machine!

Buzzing Bush

While in my garden weeding the other day, I heard a mesmerizing buzzing sound. Not just a faint buzz, but an overwhelming, all encompassing buzz. Lo and behold, my African Basil Bush (it's actually not suppose to be a bush, but it doesn't need to know that!) was entertaining and entire swarm of bees! They were humming along joyfully amongst the basil blooms! I was grateful to share my morning and garden with these lovely creatures. And I felt a sense of pride that I was supporting bees.

Viva la Carnival!

In my quest for creativity, I have enrolled in an online “Creativity Circle” thru a really fun site www.hiptranquilchick.com. We are assigned bi-weekly readings from “Artists Way” by Julia Cameron, “12 Secrets of highly creative women” by Gail McMeekin, and “Hip Tranquil Chick” by Kimberly Wilson. In my readings last night from “Artists Way” the author suggests that in areas for guidance, if we ask our selves or our God for answers in the evening before bed, we should listen for answers in the morning. For fun, I gave it a try – thinking how wonderful and simple this would be, waking up from a restful slumber with all my questions answered, what should I do with my life, what creative works are within me and by what means do I release them. I could almost taste the clarity! What I received instead was a big surprise!

The only clarity I had was the grand, vividly colorful carnival that I attended in my dream. There was a swarm of activity. I remember a swimming pool with people dancing around – almost like a music video. There were different booths of arts, crafts, tattoos, piercings, etc. At the piercings booth I confronted a young girl who had a piercing, that there are numerous hazards to piercings such as infection, crooked holes, etc, etc, etc.

I participated in a lottery type drawing where the tickets were not scratch off, but opening up a tissue type of contraption – like the tissue bells for weddings. While I was figuring out my tickets, someone knocked into me sending all of my belongings flying. While frantically trying to gather all of my belongings, I find other paper tissue things that I picked up as well. As we were leaving the carnival, I noticed that my tickets were not with the papers – I was frantic! I rushed back towards the carnival, but notice that the carnival had closed and all of the carnival workers were dancing their way out of the carnival. My tickets were long gone by that point. Then I woke up.

So am I destined to be a carnie? (Not that there is anything wrong with that) I highly doubt it though, I think it was a combination of “Ella Enchanted” and Celine Dion in concert that I watched last night, as well as a conversation I had with my teenage daughter yesterday that had accompanied a girlfriend to who was getting her belly pierced. My mind is a wild and crazy place to be!

I must begin by formally apologizing for my lack of - say... eloquence in my writing. I am not a writer, blogger, novelist, etc.... by a long shot! But I do desire to put out "there" my travels. Mostly for myself, but if you happen to come along, hey, your always welcome - enjoy the ride! I will return this weekend for a history and where this all may be heading. I'll see you soon! TTFN