New Years Day 2014

I get a text from my friend Fatima a few days before.
I believe she was wondering - now which of my friends would be nutty enough to do this with me?  Ding Ding!  Jami of course!

"You want to come check out this Surf City Splash?  It's HB's version of the Polar Plunge"
"I'm in!  Are there costumes?"
"Costumes?  I guess.  I do have a USC Band Trojan Helmet."
"Awesome.  I have a couple of boxes of costumes, I'll find something."
That is something close to what our text message convo was.

I signed up online - a $20 fee that benefits the Surf Museum.   I dig through my costume box wondering what would be ok to run into the ocean wearing and decide on a neon green tu-tu, some new wacky Xmas socks from my sis in law, some green beads and a tiara.

To explain to those who have no idea what I'm talking about - I have heard of this Polar Plunge thing.  I have also thought  - who in their right mind would purposefully run into the freezing cold ocean in January!!!  Well when you are in a new place as I am now you'll try almost anything once!  I love the word adventure and that's exactly what this was.

The idea behind it is you run into the ocean and wash off the old year and are fresh and clean for the new year.  I don't know how clean we got in the waters of HB but hey - it's the idea right?

I had a wonderful NYE with one of my besties but was in bed by 12:30 knowing I had to be up bright and early to meet my friend down at the beach.  Check in was at 10am to be followed by a pancake breakfast, a costume contest and the Plunge at noon.

I headed down early not sure of the crowds and barely made it through the ridiculous fog.  I parked pretty close in the residential area and sat in my car for a moment wondering why the hell I was doing this.  It was freezing outside, you can't see 3 feet in front of you, it's early and the world isn't awake.  Grumbling to myself I headed over to the area where it was supposed to be and curled up against a wall, freezing, waiting for Fatima.  The sun was trying to break through but it wasn't looking good. I started thinking, well maybe I"ll just dip my feet in.  Just a symbolic dunk.

Fatima arrived and we watched the set up happen and the cluster fuck begin.  Oh. My. Lord.  These folks did not know what the hell they were doing.  When they finally got going and we were given our 2 tiny pancakes, 2 sausages and nasty orange juice (Where the hell is the coffee!) we sat at long tables with syrup on them.  People were now arriving, some in costume, most annoyed.  As we forced down the food we looked at each other and wondered if this was such a good idea.  "Well it's an adventure!" Fatima said laughing. 
Lord.
Since we had a little time, we headed to Starbucks to get some warmth in our bodies and then watched as more people arrived.  The sun was now winning the battle with the fog which thrilled me to no end.  About 11 or so we headed over to Fatima's truck and got ourselves dressed.  Photo op!

We headed back over and of course Fatima and her friggin 6 pack (Do you see her abs!  Jesus!) were a hit.  They started doing the costume contest and I kept hollering at her to get in there.  She was protesting but did take part.  Well guess what - SHE WON! Ha ha ha!  They gave out a few different prizes but she won one of them.  We died laughing but then she looked in the envelope and there was a $50!  Holy shit!  If I had known I would have put more effort in!  (Although how many people do you know happen to have tu-tu's and tiaras just lying around....).  Fatima said we would share it since the costumes were my idea an I nagged her to be in the contest so I suggested lunch after.

Here was some of the other kids:

As we headed down to the spot for the plunge the excitement started to build.  The messy breakfast and chaotic check in was forgotten as we all started to get ready.  I would say there was maybe 100 or so folks doing this.  The sun was now totally out.  It wasn't hot but it was warm enough for me not to cry.
We got our before shot and I tried to catch some of the action around us.
They had us all bunch up behind a sign and the guy started pumping us up from the lifeguard jeep.

The guys pumped us up and counted down.  I don't know why but I was so excited!!!  When he said go - we all shot out into the ocean, screaming and laughing!  Fatima and I both were thrilled!

We got our in the water shots which I think came out awesome! One of them is actually my new profile of course!

A bunch of people were watching from the pier:

We got a few aftermath shots as well:

I was surprised that the water wasn't actually as cold as I thought it was going to be.  I couldn't feel my feet for the first few minutes but then I acclimated.  I wouldn't stay in any longer than we did of course.  Fatima didn't dunk due to the helmet but I went all in.  If I'm gonna do it - well I'm gonna damn well do it!  We got out, dried off, headed to the truck to change into dry clothes and spent our winnings at Ra Sushi for lunch.

I felt really good that I actually did something wacky like this to kick off the new year.  I'm all about new experiences no matter how random they sound!  If it's not freezing cold outside I would totally do this again!

Talk about the perfect New Year's Day! 

2013 Recap!

2014 is here!

Time for my 2013 recap blog!

I’ll briefly recap the year, since I know I try to blog a little more often about events so I can remember them.  Hell I go back and skim them so I can recap here! 

The year began with me easing back into my normal active life.  I did cancel my Fitness 19 membership.  I just figured there was no point in trying to get over the mental block I had going back there.  Everyone I talked to understood.  I started back up Boxing Burn and have been regular there ever since.   I also took a Barre class as well!!  Feels great!  

The year also began with me adjusting to life in my new pad.  I’m still here!  It’s a bit of a broke down mess now that I’ve been here a year and really got to experience the ups and downs but I don’t mind it.  I adjust and the girls seem content.  

February brought a wonderful birthday of friends freezing out on the deck to celebrate me!  Saw Wicked.  Got lots of great presies.

This year brought me my 1^st race back.  Warrior Dash was much more emotional than I was prepared for

and totally awesome.  Following that I’ve done: ROC Race in Del Mar, Bubble Run, Color Run, 4^th of July 5K, ROC Race in Irvine, Drenched Run, Rugged Maniac, Race for the Rescues and the Stache Dash.  RAD!

I also have really expanded my mindfulness and meditation.  I did a few meditation challenges which I really dug and I now am trying to keep a regular routine of 5 minutes of mindfulness before I leave in the morning and 10-20 minutes of a meditation at night before bed.  I feel I am really improving here and am noticing little differences.  I want to get deeper into this and learn more.  Definitely on the agenda for this year.

The year had a few great musical interludes – The Doheny Blues Festival was its best yet.  We saw Tower of Power in January and I saw John Mayer and The Aggrolites this summer.  The PSO did Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon.  I saw the Post Mortem Alice Burlesque.  All great shows!

I had much loss this year as well.  My dear friend Stephen Ludwig.  An old co-worker of mine who was a delight named Kyle Daniels.  A childhood friend of mine John Brauning whom we called Little John.  And of course my Papa.  My Papa whom I love so much my heart bursts every time I think of him.  He has spent the last 3 years on such an awful downward spiral and then this last year – the year I write about – was his worst.  I’m still having a tough time with this, but I do know he is at peace.

This year also brought the 1 year anniversary of my hemorrhage.  An anniversary I wasn’t expecting to be so emotional and over whelming. Also so friggin awesome the amount of support that is rallied around me.

I had some successes at work.  Winning a few awards.  Enjoying Staff Summit.  Making new friends and still being so thrilled I’m at a job I don’t despise!

I’ve been missing theatre, but writing more.  I started a craft night that a bunch of girls have jumped on board with and it’s still going!  I did get onstage for one night again for the Adolt’s Only Christmas Pageant and had a blast!  I was also hilarious! 

Prop 8 was smashed as well as DOMA!  

It was another year of weddings!  My dear friend and co-worker Michele married Chuck.  This man loves her so much and I couldn’t be happier for her!  Terri and I had an amazing weekend out in Palm Springs not only celebrating the union of Sean and Dea but partying with so many old friends.  It was truly one of my favorite weekends of the year!  Then of course actually throwing my first wedding for my boys Dave and Pete who can finally after 19 years officially tie the knot.  The wedding was glorious and I am so happy for them!!

Had some great Halloween fun with Jay at Haunt and friends at LA Haunted Hayride and Bistro Halloween Party.

Christmas was lovely and NYE was lovely.  I rang in the New Year with one of my besties who always has a NYE party.  They are Scottish and always do this cool tradition called First Foot In.  A few minutes before midnight all the men go outside and at midnight they knock on the door, we let them in and someone else opens the back door to let the old year out.  The men come in carrying wood, booze and bread.  It's so friggin cool!  Liz and Susan also always have a ridiculous amount of food and Liz piles me with it when I try to leave.  They are my other family and I love them so!

So there it is – 2013 in a nutshell.

When I think back on this year I look at it as a year of growth.  Of spiritual understanding.  Of accepting things about myself.  The good and the bad.  Of letting things go.  Of not worrying about pleasing everyone or what people think.  Of eliminating the bad people out of my life and dedicating more time to the ones that matter.  Of practicing more random acts of kindness and practicing compassion.  I’ve become more analytical about the way I feel but it’s good.  I’m constantly trying to better myself.  I’m in a new place and it’s a trip.  I work out now to be strong and healthy, not worry about how I look.  I eat healthy to feel good not to lose weight.  I drink less to not lose my time to headaches and exhaustion.  I sleep more for those same reasons.  I try to write and create and stay active. 

There are things I’m scared of.  I’m scared to set up my appointment this month for my MRI.  I’m scared that I will never actually meet a man to share my life with.  I’m scared I won’t be able to financially get on track.  I’m scared to lose someone I love again like Papa.  But these fears don’t control me or over whelm me.  I take them in stride and don’t dwell on them.

I’m happy.  I’m in a good place.  I find it’s so much easier now to just be.  To live in the moment.  To enjoy life each day and find beautiful things in each day.  I feel like I used to dread new years and worry about what was coming.  I used to always seem to think the prior year was so bad.  Yes, last year had it’s really down moments but it was a good year.  I focus on the positive now.  The good.

I don’t make resolutions but I do hope for new adventures this year.  New friends.  Yes, a man of course!  I plan on doing some more races and crafts and playing in the kitchen.  I hope to get onstage again.   I’m just excited.  I’m going into 2014 with a smile!

Happy New Year everyone!

Wrapping up 2013...

This last part of 2013 has been a bit of a fog.  Losing my Papa was of course an extremely hard hit and I’m working on resurfacing and readjusting to life without him.  It’s a bit of a struggle with my grandma, but we’re figuring it out day by day.

So now that I’m emerging again, I wanted to capture the last bit of 2013 before it’s time for the entire year wrap up!  There was my last race of the year in there, Christmas, more crafts and vacation.

Let’s start with the race.  I signed up at the last minute for the Stache Dash.  D and Holly were doing it and I thought it would be a nice workout and the price was quite low.  Plus it supports a good cause – Movember.  Our team was called Selleck Envy and D made fabulous T-shirts for us and got us mustache tattoos.  Here are the pre-race shots:

When we arrived it was a small set up in Costa Mesa at Fairview Park.  I’m finding I enjoy these little community 5K’s almost as much as the obstacle courses.  The people are super friendly and the Movember Organization really went all out!  The race opened with this guy playing the National Anthem Jimi Hendrix style!  So rad!!!

 Then we were off.  I actually jogged longer than I usually do since we were so smooshed at the beginning.  I had my iPod and was listening to Dropkick Murphys to keep my Irish Punk pace.  I fell into my power walk stride and off I went.  The course was nice.  I mean it’s Fairview Park.  You can’t really go wrong.  It was a beautiful warm sunny day and I loved the whole thing.  

 I finished in 37 minutes.  That’s right kids – I walk fast!  I also found out later I was only 2 minutes behind D and Holly.  As I made my way to the bananas and water Shane popped up.  He arrived later to cheer us on.  So rad!    We took our post-race pics:

Then I wandered around and got all my free goodies.  Much more than the last few obstacle courses by the way!  They had a mustache contest which was hilarious and then wrapped things up. 

 I would totally do this one again!



Next up is my Reindeer Wine Cork Craft.  Julie has yet to make a craft night so I asked if she just wanted to make a plan and do our own.  We did just that.  It was a lovely afternoon with her and the kids.  She had it all set up in her living room and her man manages a restaurant so he supplied us with more than enough corks.  We had some nice one on one convo and one of her kiddies wanted to help me out.

We found a few different ways to make these so we both tried different ones.  I was really happy with how they turned out! 

The next craft was the Ornament Night my mom had planned.  Of course everything had gotten a bit out of whack after everything that happened but one night mom was determined to do something fun so we went at it.  She had got glass ornaments, stickers, and glitter.  Julie had told me about the crayon melting one so we got crayons as well.  The glitter wasn’t the right glitter so those ornaments didn’t turn out too well.  The crayon ones were rad.  You cut off a couple of pieces of crayon – no more than two colors we found out works best – and drop them in the ornaments.  Then you blow dry them.  I found tongs works best as not to burn yourself and the easiest to move the ornament around as they melt.  It was a bit of a challenge but I really like the way they turned out!

We did have Thanksgiving.  I won’t go too much into it because it wasn’t that great.  It was so soon after Papa passed, and there was a lot of family drama going on.  Sadly we have found out that we have some greedy family members that don’t give a fuck and it’s breaking our hearts.  But, mom pulled together and made a turkey and we had a very odd uncomfortable lunch at gramma’s.  Afterwards, Shane, D, myself and D’s dad who was in town headed over to my dad’s house.  He and Lori made steak and had wine so it was a nice change and vent session that evening.

Christmas though was awesome!  We weren’t quite sure what we were going to do, but after some discussion thought it best to get gramma out of the house.  Since mom is having some issues with the folks living with her right now, she didn’t decorate.  My place is too small so I asked Shane/D to host which they did.  D had a really cool silver tree and nice set up.  We did a serve yourself brunch and Terri joined us as well.  It was so nice and so mellow and so great to all be together!  Dad and Lori came and we all exchanged gifts.  Shane and D made some amazing presents and one of mine was this wine rack!  D etched the glasses as well with my initials.  

Terri made me a Mandala which set me into tears, and Shane and D also made me coasters with pictures of Papa that made me cry.  

 Dad brought me out of the emotional presies with my new hot pink lava lamp!!!!  I’ve always wanted one!  
I made a few crafts myself:

 Gramma made it till the afternoon then mom took her home.  Dad, Lori, Shane, D, Terri and I then played Christmas Trivia and the Heads Up phone game that had us laughing in hysterics.  Below is one of the best videos ever!

 Christmas was just perfect this year.  I’m so happy we pulled together and even though it was of course emotional at times we had a lovely time.

There was also a baby shower in there.  My friend Charis up in Whitter.  It was a really sweet shower and one of the things we did I thought was so cute, was we each got a letter and had to draw or write things that started with that letter.  The sister is then going to make an alphabet book with it!
I got U:

 The view from the gal's house was spectacular and I got a shot of Charis and another mama to be!

One last mention, my friend Susan and I chose a night and walked my neighborhood to look at lights.  We wanted to hit Pine Street of course which always goes all out.  So she showed up, we filled a water bottle full of wine and had an evening full of laughs and beautiful lights! 

 I’m looking forward to NYE this year since I was just unpacking alone last year.  I plan on going to a friend’s house.  I also may do this Surf City Splash event that sounds like a hoot on New Year’s Day. 

My next blog will probably be next year!  Happy New Year my readers!!!