Show us a picture of where you'd like to live and tell us why you want to live there.
Submitted by Warhead.
Each time I visit, the sea greets me, as beautiful as ever, but no amount of emotion or blue deep water fills me with as much nostalgia and affection as my grandmother does, standing in the door, with the light of the open air and blue water spilling out behind her. We always hug first, before anything else occurs, and look into each other's eyes. I always marvel at how blue her eyes are, how they are so warm with love, life and the sea. It's as if life here has colored them the vibrant blue they are, and I often like to think when I leave, that I borrow the color in my own eyes, too.
My most happy memories are here. When I am sad, my mind drifts in spirit until I can envision this home away from home in my mind's eye. And when I can, during times of hardship, I come back here and I stare out large panoramic windows and watch the way the sea moves, soaking up the blue, committing the color to my eyes and min, watch the seabirds skim the surface and the salmon jump, and the passing ships.
To me, there is no greater comfort as this place, save the arms of my husband and the smile of my son. It is here, or somewhere near, or like it (as long as I'm near the ocean), where I hope to one day permanently lodge myself and live out my days in perfect peace.
I just want to congratulate my friend Teri, her husband Troy, and their two sons Austin and Cody on the birth of a brand new and healthy baby boy, born today, named Dillan Avery.
Teri, as soon as you get home and can sit properly, we're all expecting pictures of the little one! Better yet, you rest, lay down with the baby and have Troy post the pictures!
So damn happy for ya!
Audio: It's dedication time. What song are you sending out, and who is it dedicated to?
Sorry it cuts off short. I couldn't find a better version.
She's a fighter.
Always believe in yourself and your dreams.
Never be afraid of what's out there. Never underestimate your potential.
The fun hasn't stopped! I love my best friend!
Christina, plus Matthew and I went out for drinks tonight! We dropped our darling baby William off at the mother-in-law's so we could have some adult fun this time. Last night at Chuck. E. Cheese was great but this was great on a whole different level. I haven't let loose and had this much fun in ... like ... forever!
Christina says I'm a "cute" drunk. I don't know. Matthew says my IQ drops off by at least 20 points. He's probably closer. Either way, whether I'm dumb drunk or cute drunk, I had fun with my best friend at a downtown Sacramento pub tonight. Bless Matthew's heart for putting up with us, especially me, the lightweight.
Eventually, Christina ended up saying, "I'm sorry, I've gone into skull mode" as we were standing in line for 300 at the IMAX as she started pointing to her body, naming off various skeletal terminologies. I don't know what skull mode is but it was funny. When we sat down in our seats, I was so amazed by the sheer size of the 6 story tall, 8 story wide screen I gasped, in a sexy, drunk voice "it's so big" which caused everyone around us to laugh.
Fun night, probably one of the most memorable nights I've ever had. I had a blast. Now, I've got to be up in 5 hours to pick Gary up from the airport! I'm going to be so tired but its all worth it! I can't wait to meet him! Woohoo!
How do we celebrate when my best friend, Christina (the one I grew up with and went to school with) comes for a visit? We go to Chuck E. Cheese's!
We eat pizza. We win 455 tickets. We claim a rubber grasshopper, ball and flashing seizure making toy as prizes! We take pictures. We have a blast.
Woohoo!
I wrote a post a few weeks ago about the frustrations with my weight. This has been a very sensitive and on-going issue with me. I've struggled all my life to maintain a healthy weight. I've got a super-slow metabolism and I battle depression, which makes me want food to self-medicate. Next to fighting depression itself and learning to believe in myself, my weight struggle has been one of the most difficult fights of my life.
Well, since I wrote this post a few weeks back I've been doing something about it.
I took all the advice I had been given to heart. I've cut calories and certain foods from my diet. I've supplemented with vitamins and well balanced meals. I've been going on long walks every day. I've kept it up now for a good solid 2 weeks and I've lost 5 pounds!
Sometimes the scale fluctuates day to day, depending on what I eat and drink, but even Cate mentioned (when she was here) that she thought I looked like I'd lost weight. My pants are looser and my boobs even feel smaller! They are still too big though. However, they aren't overflowing out of my bras and that makes me so happy.
I feel great. So, I just want to thank all the people (especially Jodi) who left me comments on the post I wrote, Diary of a Blond MarshMellow, because the kind words of care and advice I received encouraged me, giving me the boost I needed, and I'm not going to give up until I reach my goal!
I snapped the following pictures at the perfect time of day. There was lovely light from the setting sun and hardly any kids to clutter up the images. I even took a spin after my photo shoot was finished and I had about 50 good pictures. Whenever I'm in a big city, I look for a historic carousel. You can usually find one in any major city. San Francisco has a few, so I'm told. The next time I am there, I've heard there are two lovely carousels, at Golden Gate Park and one at The San Francisco Zoo, which I plan to visit.
Carousels are now made from fiberglass. Before that, in the mid-1900's, they were made from carving machines. Before that, late 1800's and early 1900's was when they were real works of art, hard carved, by true masters, who could capture the beauty of the equine essence, with expressions of fear, pain, nobility and freedom that seemed almost, human. These carvers, from long ago, who's art has been lost except in small circles of admirers today, could also capture the spirit of an animal, such as a cat, frog, lion or seahorse that seemed to spark the imagination of the young rider and the inner youth of the responsible, proud parent standing at the circular white fence.
To me, the fiberglass horses, seen at most state and county fairs, don't hold a candle to the horses carved from wood, by someone's dedicated hand. The carver, from a hundred years ago or longer, had his own style, which was unique and varied greatly, from machine to machine. There are some historic, (hand carved and machine carved) carousels left in America and in Europe where the horses are preserved through constant restoration, but on the contrary, constant wear and tear by young riders may be their ultimate undoing.
What's the
lastbest compliment you gave and/or received?
Submitted by MalieKai.I get a lot of compliments and I give a lot of compliments. How about instead, what's the best compliment you've been given?
Cate wrote this for me when I was working for Starbucks, tired and frustrated and needing a change in my life. It was the best compliment, gift from a friend, and piece of understanding I've ever received.
The Real Siren:
She stares at the sugar, sticky walls
Feet, stuck to the groundThe coffee bean, stuck to her skin
There's a life outside these milk streaked panes
A bottomless cocktail of possibilitiesThe apron hides her pain
Her smile, covers her rageThe sugar, the breve, the espresso...
It pumps in the vain.And the repetitive demands pump in her ear
Her sleep, her stillness
Her bliss, and her heart, seem years away10 minutes, then 30, then 10 more, then home
She gets the sighs and the stares,
and the "it's not hot enough" glaresA double shot of decaf, her only defense
She's a number, and a paycheck
But Princess Bride outside these doors
She is herself, outside these doors
Outside this house of the Siren
SHE is the museTo husband, and son
In her world of immortal beauty and grace
She lives, She breathes, She THRIVES...
Full Caf, Extra Hot, and Extra Sweet.
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