30 Days of Gratitude / Compliments - Day 4

Day 4 goes out to my sister, Penny. You are the best sister and friend a girl could ask for. You're an amazing mother and wife and I feel so blessed to have you in my life. You're always there to offer words of comfort and encouragement. I love that we have sister secrets, laugh like hyenas at some of the dumbest stuff, have a mild obsession with all things British, and work together to complete the People Puzzler. Like our mother, you love unconditionally and are always there to support others when they're having a tough time. You have created a beautiful life for yourself and I'm so proud to be part of it. I don't say it enough, but I love you. (And I can't wait to see you!)

30 Days of Gratitude / Compliments - Day 3

I know, I know - I'm a few days behind on this gratitude / compliment project. Thanks to the SC pollen and Benadryl, I've been falling asleep before being able get online and post. Now it's Sat morning and I'm catching up...love the weekends! Day 3. I am thankful for my beautiful, kind and loving mother. There are many mothers out there, but this one is mine. If given the choice to choose any mother in the world, I would choose mine. She loves unconditionally, is always there to listen, and offers support and guidance. Years ago when I was going through chemo, she would always ask about how treatment was going, how I was feeling (you know - the usual worried Mom stuff), etc...yet, when I asked her to talk to me about anything else because it seemed every conversation was about chemo / my health, etc - she obliged. I know this could not have been easy for her, yet she did it because it was what I needed. I have never doubted for one second her love and support for me. She chased away the 'monsters', protected me from E.T., rubbed my belly and/or back when I didn't feel well and made sure to say "I love you" every day. She is an exceptional woman and my only regret is not realizing this when I was younger. She's one of my best friends, and I cherish the memories we've made as adults. No matter how many years pass, I will always need and want my mother's love and advice, and I'm lucky enough to know she will provide that. For these reasons, and so many more, thank you, Mom, for being the best Mom in the world. I love you!

30 Days of Compliments / Gratitude - Day 2

Thank you to the person driving in front of me on the on the I-26 who posses mongoose like reflexes. You swerved to the left, toward the barrier, in order to avoid a collision with the officer in an SVU in front of you. This could have been a nasty 4 car pile up, with me as the caboose. Because of your quick thinking, I was able to avoid running into the back end of your car, which undoubtedly would have caused our Tuesday afternoon commute to become even more arduous than usual. You are one of the few drivers I've seen here who actually seem to have taken and passed drivers ed, and for that, kind stranger, I thank you.

30 Days of Compliments / Gratitude - Day 1

I was on Facebook earlier this evening and noticed a few friends had shared a post of thanks or a post complimenting someone. I, too, had received an 'invitation' to spread the love, so to say. Normally, this is something I would journal and keep private, but in this instance, it seems right to put it out there in the world. Mind you, I'm sharing this on my blog and not Facebook for a reason. Those who know about this (awesome) blog and check it will see it. Those who don't...well, they're missing out, aren't they? ;) Day 1. I am so thankful for the family I have been blessed with. I suppose this means I'm mostly thankful to God (or, whomever you believe in - everyone is different, and some don't believe in anyone. That's cool, too.). Without God, I would not have been born into the family I have, and would not have the family I have chosen. Now, I don't want to get all churchy and religious, but I do have my beliefs and yeah, I believe in God. Without Him, I wouldn't be here, so yeah, in my opinion He is pretty freakin' awesome. I love my family more than words can express and thank God every day for them. Mucho compliments to the big guy upstairs!

Thank You

Thank you, Daytona Beach, for (apparently) holding a Jersey Shore audition the weekend I was there. I have never seen so many oiled up guys wearing wife beaters and knee-length jorts (jean shorts), posing near the ocean. Should anyone want to revisit the 80’s (granted, they were awesome), book a ticket to Daytona Beach!

New Year, New Location

Yes, I realize its been an entire 6 months since my last post and also acknowledge the fact that does not at all comply with the list of things I hoped to accomplish in 2010. Since it's a new year, I'm going to try and keep up this time. I mean, jeez, it's hard work and time consuming moving 5000 miles from the middle of the Pacific to the east coast! And now that we're all settled in SC, I have the glorious task of finding a job, which, you may know firsthand how much that sucks. I challenge anyone to tell me it's not a full-time job looking for a full-time job. If it isn't, then you're either really, really lucky, or you take a paper to the bar and "job hunt" right up on your bar stool while chatting with the bartender. Granted, that's not a bad idea, but I suspect it'll take a lot longer to secure an interview by using this method.

And on that note (the one that I've returned to blogging about all my latest adventures and mishaps in SC) I need to get back to my job search. Sadly, I've willed a great paying job to come to me, but apparently none have learned that nifty trick just yet. Stay tuned....

Dear Rude Traveler...

I know that traveling isn’t always so much fun these days. Everyone seems to be in a bad mood – the ticketing agents, TSA agents, the travelers and the flight attendants (as we know from the Jet Blue turd who’s now making mad cash telling his story – which, is so ridiculous). Last weekend, Joe and I were flying back home to Hawaii from NH and had to connect through Boston, which is where I encountered one of those not-so-elusive "it's all about me" traveler.

And on this note – to the man who cut in front of Joe and then, not only, proceeded to cut in front of me but SLAM his backpack into me, I have this to say. YOU are an a-hole. You’re a 100%, probably corn-hole, fed jerk. You better count your lucky stars that I didn’t go up one side of you and down the other for how you so carelessly slammed your body and your backpack into other (calm and patient) passengers waiting in line for boarding group 1. It was completely unacceptable to me when you cut in front of my boyfriend to hurry yourself to the front of the line. Seriously dude? You were in boarding group 1 – it doesn’t get much better than that.

Then when you cut in front of me, AND slammed into me with your huge bag, it caused a reaction in me that nothing else ever has. It was like a matador waiving a huge red flag in front of bull’s eyes. When you rudely slammed into me and kept on walking, I only saw rage and fury. I didn’t even know what I was doing when I bolted off Joe’s side and ran up to you, grabbing your arm and confronting you. I don’t remember anything going through my mind at all – it was just a flash of red and then me grabbing your arm. Be thankful I grabbed you in front of two gate agents & realized in an instant they had the power to keep me from boarding the plane, should I get too loud in confronting you.

In fact, I’m sure that I moved so fast, Joe was probably wondering what happened to me. You should be especially thankful that I had enough self-control and did not unleash the tirade of a decade that would have made Mel Gibson blush. And believe me, I could have, and wanted to. You better be thankful that I desperately wanted to get back to 86 degrees weather, sunshine and beaches; otherwise you’d still be in Mass General recuperating from a torn rectum.

So, next time you think it’s a good idea to go around pushing people out of your way like a bull in a china shop without so much as an “excuse me” you should really think twice, because next time the person might not let your rude self go with just a terse “Jerk”. Next time, you might actually get yanked back by your geek pack and given a talking to by a man, and not some 5’3” woman who feels pity for your sorry self. And by the way – we were also in Boarding Group 1, but we weren’t pushing people out of the way to get on the plane. If you’re at the gate and paying attention, you’re going to get on the plane. There is no reason to be and no excuse for being….a jerk.