What is a Real Friend?

I find it ironic that I am learning more about friends as I watch my daughter navigate her way through the trials of girl friendships. Oh yes, there is drama. It changes second by second. I do take comfort in the fact that we are both equally shocked when our expectation is crushed. We both have a basic expectation that a true friend would never be mean. What is "being mean"? Saying, doing or acting in any way that causes pain with intention. If someone hurts you intentionally. That is mean. A friend also has your back. If you are being hurt by someone a real friend doesn't watch. They come to your assistance, or at least by your side. I have to ask myself are these expectations too high or do I not have as many friends as I thought??????

BLAST FROM THE PAST - Let me hear aobut yours!

Does facebook make it easy to rewind the clock? Go back in time? I know that I have found some friends that I have often wondered about over the years. Thanks to some creative liberties with my name, I am not that easily found. I wonder who would have looked for me if any one? Would I have wanted to be found? Does this mean our past never stays in the past? I'd love to hear your stories about finding an old friend or being found!

HOW HARD IS IT, REALLY?

It has been on my "to do list" for months and yet I am just now getting around to posting. Why is it that hard? I can't find 15 minutes in the day to sit down and empty a thought or two out of my crowded brain? There are people out there who blog two or three times a day... How come they can but I can't? Maybe it's just about how bad I want to do it? I think it's time for another list. Yes, that's right another list. I'll make a list of the things on my list that never get done. Wait, doesn't that list already exist? Ugh!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Starting the new year off right with a first posting of the year 2010! I always reflect on the new year's eves of the past and I have had some fun times! I'll never forget the year I was at a party with my L on the forehead Loser Boyfriend. I paid for the night ... including a limo only to have his sloppiness check out the other chicks in the club. So I did what I could do...busted a move on the dance floor and partied hard. Luckily I had friends with me who had my back. Still, they couldn't help much when the tank reached full on the fuzzy navels! In the crowded bathroom with a line out the door, I grabbed an abandoned party hat to catch my overindulgence. Yep, I lost it right into the hat. No one was the wiser. I splashed some water on my face, rinsed my mouth and went back to the party. On the way back out the door, I heard another party girl say "ooooh look! a party hat! as she put it on her head". Oooops! My bad. What was your fondest New Year's Eve memory? (i am not implying that i had a fond memory of that poor unfortunate girl's mishap with the party hat...it's just a memory that stands out among the blurred memories associated with parties in general!

I love it when....

I find a book that I just can't put down! I started reading Beneath A Marble Sky early in the week and finished it last night. I was drawn into the story quickly and found myself looking forward to the moment when the world would stop long enough for me to grab it and go back to the building of the Taj Mahal and the story of a family and the rise and fall of their empire. What I loved most about this book was the classic good versus evil tale that had you rooting for the underdog. I also really loved the premise under which the story unfolds. Having the "grandmother" relay the story to her granddaughters was just one of the little details that made this book so incredible to me! I found myself like her granddaughters, waiting for the next scene on the edge of my seat..begging for more!

11 Years And Counting

It's been 11 years now since I became a wife. We are on vacation at an RV resort enjoying the 4 children we've created in 11 years! Life really is good and I am grateful.

Do You Remember the Time?

I can't help but feel old right now! First, the passing of one of our own idols, Michael Jackson. Everywhere we went at the Mall of America, they had a TV on playing the memorial service. Although I couldn't not hear what they were saying, I was still moved to tears - right there in the food court! When we got home later that day, I watched more of it as it was replayed over and over on just about every channel. Then, I really started to cry! It was a moving tribute and I felt so sorry for his children.

Then as we go to the Jonas Brothers concert my urge to dance and lose myself in the music was over-ruled by my mother status. The sparkly hat that put on which actually belonged to my daughter was taken off as we were leaving the hotel room. A sudden feeling of being ridiculous came over me. There was a time when I would have put everything sparkly on that I could!

As I sat and watched here soak it all up, I was reminded of how much I have always loved the live performances like this. I would stand occasionally and join her in the sing-along songs that I knew the words to (well, most of the words). I recalled my own experiences going to concerts and considered myself really blessed to have been exposed to so many. It is a moving experience (even if you aren't moving as much as you used to!)

No Scale!?

So we are in Minneapolis and having a great time! I am *trying* to be mindful of my goals and have found it very difficult to be without a scale to check-in on my weight! I am curious to see what it says when we return. I haven't been snacking at all and we have had to do some walking for most of our meals which I have been very thoughtful about what I'm ordering. I have been sticking with my push-ups and sit-ups each day and manage to get them both in before bed time!

The hotel has a fitness room with great cardio equipment so I have been able to squeeze in at least an hour of sweating a day. Today, I mixed it up a little and ran for about 20 minutes of my 60 on the treadmill. I also haven't had diet coke at my finger tips all day long so it's made my goal of rehabbing the diet coke outta my life, a little more realistic!

One of the most enjoyable things I have seen is the statue of Mary Tyler Moore. I loved that show (I think that I watched reruns of it after it was off the air). But I loved her independence and spirit. Another thing I like here is that I don't HAVE to have a car! We have walked mostly everywhere and the public transportation to further away places (like the Mall of America and the airport) is a breeze! In reading vairous tourist literature, I have found that there's a lot to see and do here in Minneapolis. Who knew?

Exercising While Traveling

This should be an interesting week as I attempt to travel and keep my exercise routine! I have checked the hotel in advance and confirmed that they have a fitness center that is equipped with cardio equipment which should be a good start. I am motivated so let's see if I make this happen!

Count down begins

It's time to start counting down the days to bali. departure is september 29 and i have lots to do before then. the first thing on my list is to get rid of the pounds that seemed to sneak up on me...around the holidays, and around my waist!

88 days is about what i have. wonder what i can get done in 88 days. first goal is to lose weight on a trip to minneapolis. hey, i did it before, i can do it again!

The push-up / sit-up Experiment

I was told once by an instructor that if you just add 20 situps and 20 pushups each day, you will see a big difference in muscle tone. So, being somewhat of an over achiever... I have decided to add 100 situps and 50 pushups each day. We'll see how that comes out.. maybe in 30 days, I'll post some photos? Or, maybe, I'll just report the results via TEXT!

It's a Shoe Thing

When it comes to shoes, some people may think that I have a bit of a problem. I mean, it usually is among the top 3 things I checkout when I meet someone new... eyes, smile, shoes. In that order. In fact, when I took my daughter to see Kellie Pickler and Taylor Swift, I was delighted when I realized I could zoom my camera in and get a shot of these AMAZING peep-toe, platform, sparkly numbers on the bottom of Kellie's skinny jeans! Now, I liked the concert, they were both amazing. But those shoes.....!!!!

Maybe it's not so BAD after all?

As a mother, I find myself wanting to protect my children from what might be considered "pop culture". I know people who don't allow their children to watch television at all, I also know families who send their children to schools that don't allow "character" clothing like spiderman, and such.

However, I have been thinking about the passing of two Pop Culture Icons, Farrah and Michael. As I watch the countless people around the world express their sadness at the loss of these two "characters".. I can't help but wonder... what's so bad about it. I mean, I feel more connected now as I share in the memories of these two personas in my own life with others around me. It feels uniting. I am glad I knew their music/shows. I am glad i have a memory of it.

In the distant future, (I will make it sound like it is light years away) my own children will witness the loss of an image responsible for a memory that I didn't deprive them from creating. (if my children should ever read this post, please allow me to state that none of this applies to the mindless, crude yellow square guy in the pineapple)

The Thriller is Gone....The Angel is in Heaven... and a Duo Reunited.

They say it happens in 3's. First it was Johnny's sidekick, Ed and then today, we knew the end was near for our fair-haired Farrah and we were stunned when Michael Jackson came to his end, just when he was working toward a new beginning. These are the times when we feel our own age. When our idols begin to fall, we know that we are now getting closer to the edge.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Thinking of heading out for a massage or maybe a facial today! It's always funny that by the time my birthday comes, I'm exhausted from Shelby's! hahahaha! The best birthday I had was when I brought my baby girl home from the hospital! Second best? The party that my boss at the time threw for me at a local hangout! They had a band and I had about 10 too many margaritas! Fun times.

Don't Drink the Water... Booze?

I was sad to hear that there were people who became ill (or even died?) after drinking contaminated alcohol in BALI! Guess I'll have to drink the water? or BYOB? Will they let us bring that on the plane under these circumstances?

Time to Sign Up!

It's time to get the paperwork rolling for the adventure to Bali! Here I go! I think I can...I think I can! It still seems a long way away...but i know it is going to sneak up on me fast! Oh the lists I have to start making!

SHOULD I BE SCARED?

Okay, I must say that having already been a globe trotter...... I did, afterall, go all the way over to GREECE!... I find it hard to believe that I am wondering if I really should venture out to Bali? I mean this Swine Flu thing is more than a little bit scary! Will it be over by then? There's also this caution about traveling to that part of the country for safety reasons. I'll change my mind a million times between now and the time the plane departs. So, should I be scared? Should I just wait it out and see if by then, by some miracle, we have forgotten all about the swine flu and moved on?

Should I stay or should I go now?

So, do I really think I can leave the country again? If I do this trip to BALI, then it would be the third contintent I have been on! Wouldn't that be awesome? I really feel like I HAVE to go... who could pass up this chance? There are other places I would like to see.... maybe they'll be on the list some day, too. Italy, France and Australia to name a few. The hotel is amazing... Check it out!

Off to Bali?

Looks like the next adventure out of the country for me could be a trip to Bali! Don't know much about it yet but from what i can see at http://www.ritzcarlton.com/, it's going to be a tropical paradise! Here we go again!