Category Archives: friends

I’ve Gone Blog Wild!

What’s not to love right?  You get to babble on about whatever topic happens to be on your mind, or you get to profess to being an expert at something, anything and people read it.  On a good day, people even comment on what you’ve written.  Sadly, those days seem to be too far and few for my tastes, but hopefully moving to this new URL will help give me a jump.  I promise, I don’t bite and I won’t invalidate your thoughts – I’m good like that.  Honest.

Thanks to Andy Wibbles and his book, Blog Wild, I’m learning so much more about the blogosphere.  More importantly, I’m learning how to use a blog to enhance your business (more on that another day).  But better still, I’m learning that you can use a blog as your business site instead of designing a full on website.  This has me very intrigued, let me tell you.  This is definitely something I’ll be exploring in more detail over the next couple of weeks.

Not only do I enjoy writing blogs, but I also enjoy reading blogs.  I love poking around from blog to blog and having that voyeuristic peek into someone else’s life.  I haven’t gotten around to updating my blog links yet (though it’s on my list of things to do and will hopefully be done before this goes live), so until then, I thought you might like to check out a couple of my favorite blogs to frequent.

CityView – a friend of mine writes this blog.  She’s super busy starting up her own photography business and might not update as much as some folks prefer, but who cares.  She’s a talented photographer and she has a lot of whimsy in her photos.  She also shares some fun sites from around the web.

How About Orange – speaking of sites that CityView likes to share…she led me to this crafty gal.  Check out the post around her condo, she’s got some style.  She tends to kill her plants, but that doesn’t stop her from trying again with a new batch.  For that inner CraftyGrrl you’re hoping to embrace, she’s got quite a few fun tutorials on her site as well (just in time for the holiday season *hinthint*)

Mighty Gal –  I’ve been a fan of her Mighty Goods site with all the fun gadgets and what not.  But I have to say, I like reading about the day to day stuff.  And for those of you that seem to hit the occasional brain-fart when trying to come up with a blog topic or something fun to write about, check out her No One Cares What You Had for Lunch: 100 Ideas for your Blog.  It’s just got enough to spark those writing cells up again.

ljcblog –  yet another crafty gal.  Though this one loves food – especially fun foods – and travels a lot.  She’s always got a fun story, a new product or some great photos to share.

Mom-101 – I found this blog just a month or so ago when researching the recent Blogher conference.  While mommy blogs typical aren’t my thing (child-free here), she’s got a wealth of knowledge on a variety of topics.  She’s really knows a lot about the blogging world.  And you know what?  She makes being a mom sound fun (sometimes exhausting, but rewarding and fun).

Snarkspot – What’s not to love, it’s Jennifer Weiner?!?  She sounds like everyone’s best friend and her day to day stories just crack me up.  Even if I didn’t love her books, I’d have to love her blog.

Crazy Aunt Purl – I’ve been linking my site’s blog to her for quite some time now, but only recently have I started to read it myself.  I don’t know what I like more, that she can make sitting in traffic on the 101 funny or that she’s crafty?  I’m bound and determined to learn how to knit, so you never know, I just might see her at the next Stitch & Bitch (she’s a local, Valley girl).  Speaking of being local, she’s got a new book out and will be at the Grove Thursday, Oct 11th.  I’m hoping to stop buy and get a couple books signed (hoping to do a giveaway on our site).

This is by no means my definitive list – I keep changing things up – but it’s a good list to get you started.  Hope you enjoy these blogs as much as I do.

This is the Life

Ah. Hanging out on the beach. Taking pictures. Sitting poolside. Catching up with old friends. Reading good ‘ol girlie magazines. Truly, this is the life. I think that the only thing that could make this better was if my good friend would partake in some poolside adult beverages with me. A cold glass of wine, or a fruity cosmo would really hit the spot.

Really though, if I couldn’t get her to drink after nearly two years in Junior League (the wine with everything group), then I doubt I can convince her to try it now while we’re catching up. But hey, we’re still having fun and that’s what matters. And since I don’t think I’ll be heading out to SXSW in March, it might be a while until we meet up again.

So here’s to friendship and a night away without our men!

Singing Waiters? Could be Fun.

It sounded like a good idea at the time. In fact, I even enjoyed the first couple rounds of happy birthday (especially how they changed up the song for different tables). I even considered bringing my friend to Miceli’s for her birthday in a couple weeks. It could be fun, right?

Once they sat down and the piano and drums and starting singing show tunes, well, that was just a bit much for my tastes. And when our waiter wasn’t around to bring out our food while it was still hot because he was singing. Or when he brought out our salads after our entrees. Or how the music was so loud that we couldn’t even talk to each other. Well, let’s just say that it quickly stopped being fun.

Maybe I just don’t get it, but if you’ve got two locations and you brag that you’ve been in business since 1949, why does the food suck? It’s kind of hard to mess up Italian food. But when you charge the prices that you charge, and you brag about your history, is it just too much to ask for food that tastes good. Or service that doesn’t kinda suck? Maybe add on some extra busers or runners so the food actually arrives hot and the entire table isn’t left with empty glasses. Maybe apologize and offer up a free round of coffee or something when you deliver three late salads.

Next time, I say we head out to one of Mario Batali’s places instead. It might be loud, but I hear it’s good. And they don’t have singing waiters.

Lather. Rinse. Repeat

Oprah must be running repeats of the Secret or something as I’m getting most of my visitors from “Oprah” or “100 Day Challenge” search terms. I wish I had a better tracker so I could get more information, but oh well. Something to work on, right?

Happy Weekend Everyone! And please, feel free to say Hiya!. I don’t bite. And I’m pretty cool chick if I do say so myself 😉

Practicing Gratitude

After having spent a wonderful, if not hot, extended weekend with the hubby, I’m thinking it’s time to show some gratitude (and maybe a little meditation later).

* I am so happy and grateful for my awesome husband and boys. They may sometimes seem to drive me crazy, but really, they’re the best.

* I am so happy and grateful for the change in the weather. Over the next couple days, it will be 10-20 degrees cooler!! I’m SO happy ’bout that. And of course, I’m thrilled to be sleeping in something cooler than 85 in the bedroom.

* I’m so happy and grateful for my work and my upcoming endeavors. Things are really moving along and I’m loving it!

* I’m so happy and grateful for my friends. I love being able to visit with them or being able to just pick up the phone to chat. It’s great knowing that we’re each others’ support systems. It’s good to know where to turn when you need support.

* I’m so happy and grateful that things are financially going along well. Of course, I’m open to anything that the Universe wishes to provide us with, knowing it’s for the good of all involved.

* I’m also so happy and grateful for the killer bargains I’ve gotten over the past couple of days. So much so that I just had to share them with others.

* Overall, I’m just so happy and grateful to just Be.

Sometimes You Just Need to Show Up

Nothing merely shows up in your experience. You attract it – all of it. No exceptions.*

With that, let me just say that I’m attracting two marvelous things…

A new home – THE new home, complete with separate office in the backyard. To help ease the manifestation process and visualization along, I took a photo – complete with my car parked in the drive, of course. It’s a step up from parking spaces and flowers. But I know it will be done.

A new career – Now that my site pretty much trucks along of it’s own accord, I’d like to get back to working. So I met with a friend for dinner and she gave me just the nudge and confirmation that I needed. Talk about gratitude and being open to what life throws your way. I can’t wait to see where this ride takes me!

*Law of Attraction: The Basics of the Teachings of Abraham by Esther & Jerry Hicks

Pay it Forward

I will send a gift to the first THREE anyone who leave a comment here requesting to join this PIF exchange. You will receive it within 365 days (actually probably less than that). The only thing you have to do in return is “pay it forward” by making a similar agreement on your blog.

The “gift” you send doesn’t have to be handmade, but it can be – it can be something written, something drawn or designed, something that reminded me of you, icons, photos, goodies, whatever.

Just so you now that you’ll be safe, I highly doubt that I’d “write” something for you, so no poetry or fanfic sort of stuff. Nor will I serenade you with song, but that’s just me.

Just make sure you comment with a legit email account (which I believe is the only way you can comment) and I’ll contact you for an address. What a great way for strangers and lurkers to come out of the closet and let me get to know you.

I Want to be Samantha Brown When I Grow Up

She travels the world. She stays at the best hotels. She knows Walt Disney resorts like the back of her hand. She’s got the world’s best job. What’s not to love? Who wouldn’t want to be her best friend? Or better yet, who wouldn’t want to be her? Samantha Brown rocks, I tell ya.

I first became aware of her when I lived with my roommate. We’d pretty regularly hunker down and watch the Travel Channel for hours on end. But to be honest, I haven’t watched her in a few years. But I’m making up for lost time now (and as a side note, I don’t know what I ever did before the almighty DVR came into my life!) I’ve been recording her Latin America shows, but I’ve yet to sit down and watch any.

Instead, I’ve been watching her Passport to Europe shows. And of course, I’ve found a gazillion places that I just need to visit. For example, when we get to Spain (and dammit, we will get to Spain!) I now know that I will need to visit Valencia along with visiting my friend in Madrid, heading over to Barcelona and of course, Mallorca. Don’t even get me started on France and the UK. Hell, even Helsinki looks like fun.

All she needs to do now is do a series on spas and I’ll be lost. Or maybe I’ll just start stalking her so I can be her new best friend. Really, I think we have a lot in common. And now you can even take her on the road with you when you’re out traveling. Sounds like a plan to me.

Better Late than Never – Thursday Thirteen: Friends & Gratitude

Today is Thursday and that typically means that I should be doing a Thursday Thirteen, but I decided late last night to skip it this week. Instead, I was going to write up a poignant post on friendship. But you know, just now as I started writing this, I figured I’d combine the both. So here we go…thirteen reasons I’m grateful for my friends…

1. filled our freezer with food when my father-in-law (FIL) passed away
2. sent donations to the American Cancer Society in my FIL’s name
3. drove an hour+ to attend my FIL’s funeral, burial and wake, all during a visit with family to be by my side
4. allowed me to live rent-free for a month
5. let me move in with her when I was at a financial low point
6. bought me my favorite WW-friendly, ice cream from Baskin Robbins
7. hosted a full on dinner party for me, my hubby and my two other friends when we were back in Albuquerque visiting
8. passed along baby clothes that they no longer needed so I could pass them on to my sister-in-law since she didn’t have local friends of family to pass things on to her
9. sent me a priority envelop stuffed full of convention freebies and deluxe hotel toiletries (more than once!)
10. snuck home a piece of chocolate cake, squished into a pilfered coffee cup from a work function
11. convinced me to fly to LA and attend a Memorial Day party where I wound up meeting my husband
12. shared a vacation rental (not once, but twice) and opened their home to us – even though some folks may think it’s weird that we’re such good friends with my hubby’s ex
13. were there to support me financially, emotionally, lovingly during any one time or another

I could go on and on, but really, I’m just so grateful for my friends and would do anything for them (and they know it!)