Last year's Birthday

Last year, I was reflecting back on my life, and made a very impulsive decision to treat myself to something on my birthday.  So, I looked at my vision board.  Vision boards are boards that you create, filling it with pictures and things of dreams you have for your life. The idea is that you draw them to you via the Law of Attraction, something I truly believe in.  I made this board almost two years ago, and looked at it...on my board are things like Grammy Awards, a home of my dreams, a new car, a woman with a great body and all sorts of places I dream of visiting, including Italy, Spain, Ireland, Alaska (yea, Alaska!) and Sedona, Arizona - otherwise known as Red Rock Country. Because the mountains and landscape are so rich in iron, they are red in color, with the intensity of red like bricks!  Everytime I looked at the picture on my board, I thought to myself:  there's no way in the world something so beautiful could be here. 

I got tired of dreaming and wondering...so a couple of weeks before my birthday, I looked on the internet, bravely booked a flight to Phoenix, reserved a rental car...and days before my 41st birthday, I took myself on a three day vacation.  BY MYSELF!!!  I knew the second I clicked "book flight" it was the right thing.  Three days before my birthday, there I was on a flight to Phoenix...I was seated in the middle and the man to my left and woman to my right told me all about Sedona and what to do, where to go.

I landed in Phoenix - 95 degrees!  Woohoo...rented a gorgeous car, in red of course, and drove an hour and a half from Phoenix to Sedona.  Thanks to my GPS, it was so easy.  The weather was truly gorgeous..no humidity and the sun just shining.  The speed limit on the highway was 75mph!  Yes!!  I put my ipod in the car, and played the soundtrack to Slumdog Millionaire - the song, Jai Ho...my favorite. It means Victory!!!  I went up the mountains, and the view was incredible.  I sang, I thought about how just a few hours ago, I was in New Jersey...lol.  Oh hour and 25 min later, I was wondering where this Red Rock place was...I was sad I hadn't seen it.  And just as I was thinking it was not existent, I saw it.  Turned the corner...RED ROCKS, no - RED MOUNTAINS!  Everywhere!!  It was beautiful. I wanted to pull over, but there were signs everywhere stating, pulling over not allowed.  Guess I wasn't the first person.

In those 3 days, I went to the BEST restaurant in my lifetime, took a hiking trip with a medicine woman, saw hawks, went hiking, saw a church that will bring tears to anyone's eyes, bought lots of Native American stuff (my favorite things next to angels), went for a spiritual reading, even went karaoke singing (I know, you think it's cheating but I sang "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood & "Falling by Alicia Keys", and never wanted to come home. 

When I returned on my birthday, my mother threw me an intimate party with my family and that evening, my friends mustered up the courage to take me to a country western bar, Colorado Cafe, and tood me line dancing...even rode a mechanical bull!  It was truly the BEST!  Why?  Because I didn't cry, "poor me, no one will take me anywhere..." I took charge and was daring.  Also because I tried something new, and when I tell you we laughed so hard we cried, it was all worth it.  I got on  that mechanical bull first...and I was so proud of myself. It gave me a sense of courage and I don't regret it at all.

So this Sunday is my birthday...I have to work so I am a bit limited to what I can do...but I will make my birthday the day I have a bit more free time, lol.  This year, I think I want to go on a hot air balloon ride OR make out with a man with an English accent !!!!   Okay, okay, I'll do the hot air balloon ride!  I notice I am happiest when I am a little daring, not stupid, just daring.  So if you have any ideas, let me know...'cause to be honest, I am a little sad about turning 42. Nothing wrong with it, and I surely dont' feel old, but my God, everyone in this busineess, seems to think so.  Ladies, Gentlemen, here's to not being afraid of trying something different. Here's to trying something new!! Screw 42!! LOL                

Two Dates in Less Than a Week!

So my date on Sunday night, I believe, was a success!  My date, I'll call him, Joe, showed up exactly 8:00pm, on the dot-good sign of general respect of people's time!  We got to the restaurant, where he showed all the signs of a gentleman:  opened the door, pulled up the chair for me, etc. The conversation was good and I noticed a bit of shyness on his part.  Eye contact is something I look for in the very first conversation.  If the windows are truly the eyes of the soul, I need to look into the soul.  If you can't show eye contact, either you are really nervous, or you are hiding something.  Everything was going great until...lol.

He received a call (he did apologize and explained he had to take the call), and within 15 minutes we were joined on our first date by a co-worker.  Huh?  I didn't mind partly because I can tell a lot by the friends' company they keep and partly because we'd already had the main course and just finished dessert.  But how could the night possibly end in a romantic way? LOL.  Well, I did appreciate the conversation.  I still walked away hoping for date number two, and he had a very sweet friend.  We shall see.

My second date this week was with my gorgeous 4 year old niece, who I endearingly call my Bug-a-Boo.  I picked her up for a day with Titi Judy (Auntie Judy). We drove from upstate New York and had brunch with my friend, Lee.  Remember him?  LOL. We've surprisingly become friends and I truly enjoy his company, conversation and his unspoken charm.  Okay, yes I admit it.  I find him to be allurningly attractive.  No, nothing's happened...yet. LOL.  Okay, back to my niece.

We sang her favorite song in the car, Jai-Ho, the theme song from Slum-Dog Millionaire....Twelve times!  She thinks I am the funniest girl in the world.  We got to the house and she played with my cats, discovered that they can give you one mean scratch, and we played 3 games of Candyland.  We got into our pajamas and I read her 2 books: Dora and Fancy Nancy.  Our fun was turned into drama when at midnight, she threw up and came down with a fever of 102.9.  As I cleaned up aftter her, changed the sheets, gave her tylenol and tucked her in, this is what she said to me:  "Titi.  You are so pretty.  And I love you.  You know how much I love you, titi?"  "How much?"  I ask with a smile.  "I love you all the way to Africa, back to Puerto Rico and all the way to the heavens."  Then she kissed me and fell fast asleep.            

 It was the end of a perfect date...and that is the kind of date I'll take anyday - because with her, she thinks I'm perfect!