We Don't Have To Explain Ourselves to Anyone

Awesome Comments becomes Awesome Quotes:  The thing is, it actually is too early to know whether you have made a mistake or not. And you know what? Worse case scenerio and it is, so what? You have still had an adventure.

In your heart of hearts though, you know whatever happens you have done the right thing for you now. And that's all that matters. The little niggly voice in your head is fear of the unknown and we all have that. Only listen to it when you really really have to...

Part One

In a week, I will be another year older.  In life though, I'm still trying to figure it all out... 

Last night I was talking to someone and they made a sarcastic remark... about how I had had an "Epiphany" and left for New York.  I felt my stomach tighten and I felt judged.  I did not have an epiphany!  

Except that I did have an epiphany... of sorts.  But the word or maybe the use of the word... knowing it was subtly being used against me or that I was being made fun of... hurt.  Maybe I have a negative connotation with the word - where it means someone going crazy religious, selling all their wares and roaming ashrams and yoga retreats, looking outwardly to fill their starving soul.  Maybe I thought about when my Mom had her nervous breakdown after my cousin's trial and even in her and excuse my language, bat shit crazy state, still knew to warn us, her kids, not to say she had had ANY sort of epiphany.

(I guess having any kind of epiphanies or religious sightings is on the check list to get you to the head of the line for a 5150 - pronto.)

I think it was more, this phone call, the idea of being made fun of... though in some ways, I doubt I was being made fun of.  I think I might have taken something said, somewhat innocently and blown it out of proportion.  But I've let it sit there and I've let it fester.  And I do feel a bit judged about picking up and moving across country and trying to start my life over but maybe the person REALLY judging me is...

... well... me.

Maybe I'm scared this is all rash and crazy (though, I swear, it does not feel rash and crazy... it feels good and right.)

Maybe I don't like feeling misunderstood.  I lined up the facts, I weighed them... I was unhappy in L.A.  I had a yearning to move to NYC but I ignored it for years.  I had a terrible accident and spent A LOT of time in bed... was it an epiphany?  I don't know.  But I could not ignore the thoughts that kept coming to me.

I am not happy.

I don't like the lifestyle here.

People care too much about money and status.

I miss my family.

I'm only here to make money.  Is that all that is important?

Maybe there are OTHER things I love to do but I am keeping the wall up and ignoring them because I am too scared of change.

I don't know, maybe that was an epiphany.  I guess I have to be okay with that, even if someone seems to be throwing the word in my face with their own sarcastic eye roll.  The person is younger than me.  For them, a place like L.A. holds so much more allure and promise.  I have grown out of that - I thank the accident sometimes because without it, I was on another five year plan to stay there and now I get to START my life over NOW, instead of five years from now.

I can get hung up on defending myself or I can just accept me leaving might look like a whole lot of different things to different people and I have to be okay about not be able to control their interpretation of my move... or life change or... oh, god, epiphany.

We Don't Have To Explain Ourselves to Anyone

Adventure Bowl Join A "Meet-Up"

This Week's ADVENTURE BOWL is "Join A Meet Up." I'm so excited because it's a really perfect thing for a person to do who has just moved to a new city.  Do you know what "Meet Ups" are?  They are fun activities planned around YOUR favorite things to do and they are all listed on Meetup.com.  You go to a meet up and instantly have something to talk about with the people you meet because you now have one common interest.

For instance, when I pulled, "Join a Meet Up" I thought about things I like:  Pugs - yes there's a Meet Up for that, Saturday mornings at the park;  Crafting, like making t-shirts or jewelry - yes there's a meet up for that but less chance of boys going; Yoga - with my back injury, not quite ready for that; Digital photography - DING!  DING!  DING!  we have a winner!

I just took the money I saved my sneaking out a week early on my sublet (I told you the couple, only together for THREE WEEKS was fighting all the time?) and put it towards a nice camera.  Now I just have to figure out how to use the camera!

The meet up I'm going to is at the Central Park Zoo in NYC and there are 115 people going!  I'm really excited and yes, a little nervous.  I get shy around new people but I'M THROWING MYSELF IN THERE!

And I hope you do to!  YOUR CHALLENGE:  Join a Meet Up.  Even if you can't go to one of the activities UNTIL after the holidays.  This is YOUR FIRST ADVENTURE!  I hope you feel giddy and excited.  It really becomes life changing to DARE yourself to do things you NEVER dreamed you would.

And this is a perfect, "Dip your toe into "Adventure Bowling" because you can join with a friend if you want.  Now, if you don't have Meet ups around you, try and find an equivalent adventure -  just try SOMETHING NEW!  A yoga class is doing a demo, a wine bar is having a free tasting, go to a nice hotel and take in the Christmas decorations, maybe a store like "JoAnne's" is having a craft night.  

Part of your new life as an Adventurer is not taking "No" for an answer.  So even if there are not Meet Ups in your town, there is no giving up!  Another idea:  host a mini Meet Up at your place!  Go to Etsy or Martha Stewart's website, find an easy craft to make and have the girls over for cider.  See?  DONE!

I want everybody to report back!  What's the new activity YOU want to try in 2011?

*******

Adventure Bowl
Join A "Meet-Up"

Big Announcement In 2011, We're Going Interactive! Join me on My ADVENTURES!

I needed a little nudge from one of our readers, Stephanie who asked, "Why can't we come along with you on one of your adventures?"  When I dreamed up the Adventure Bowl, I could have never IMAGINED I would get such incredible feedback and people would respond so positively as I dared myself to do one spontaneous, fun, daring and OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE adventure a week as a way to "get back to my old self" after I life had taken some hard and unexpected turns.

But it always seems to be the blog post you all respond to and love the most.  The reason I have not wanted to ask readers to join me before this was 2 fold:  One, it takes A LOT of time to write the blog and respond to people's comments and when you see I have not posted in a while it's because I am secretly in despair that I owe so many sweet commenters comments back on their blogs.  Two, I didn't know how to do it and DO IT PERFECTLY.

Now that I'm growing up (LOL) I am backing off the idea of PERFECTION in a big way.  I'm going easy on myself.  This may work, it may not work.  Let's just try it and be imperfect together!

But to address those 2 fold concerns - 1)  I want everyone to know, I ALWAYS, ALWAYS read your comments, I love them and I feel like they push me on.  Especially when I lost my great uncle this year, when I found out my cousin had brain cancer, even as I nervously needed a nudge to do the Adventure, "Ask A Boy Out on A Date."

But I would LOVE, LOVE you to also join us on Facebook where it is easier for me to interact with other readers/adventurers/dear friends.  So yes, keep commenting!  I love it.  But in order to undertake this new phase, please join us for discussion and fun on Facebook, too!

Also, I will only post on the blog announcing the Adventure and then following up with Updates on how it is going.  I think if there is less to write, there will be more time for living and adventure and I won't feel like I am overwhelmed.  (I hope you understand :)

I will always post when a new blog post is up on Facebook and Twitter (link to come soon!).

BUT NOW FOR THE FUN PART:

YOU are invited to JOIN ME ON MY ADVENTURES!  And here's how:

Every week I will pull and Adventure.  For instance, before Thanksgiving, I pulled, "Ask a Boy Out on A Date."  Now, every one of you can't neccesarily do that adventure... your boyfriend or husband might be offended.  LOL!  But, I did, on Facebook challenge everyone to "come" on the adventure with me.

Here's what I wrote:  "SINGLE LADIES: Ask a guy out today :) You can do it! NON-SINGLES: Do something you thought you'd never do, that makes you nervous but YOU KNOW is ultimately rewarding ;)"

So, from now on, when I pick an Adventure, I will challenge you to do something very close to my adventure or IN THE SPIRIT of my Adventure.

In six months OR LESS :) hopefully, we will graduate to everyone having their own Adventure Bowls.

The MOST IMPORTANT part of this is to know it really does CHANGE your life.  And I am hoping that by you participating and posting ideas/thoughts/feedback on Facebook, you will change others lives.

Who's game?  ;)  

Because I just pulled:  "Join a Meet-up" this morning!  I DARE YOU!

xoxoxoox

******

Big Announcement
In 2011, We're Going Interactive! Join me on My ADVENTURES!

Adventure Bowl "Ask A Boy Out On A Date"

You're kidding me, right?  I CAN'T do that.  I'm shy... I'm not good with rejection... I need a week not a DAY to do this.

Ugh... okay, okay... here I go.  (Wait... where do I go?  LOL)

(UPDATES COMING... Humiliation, too, I'm sure :)

UPDATE:  FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19

I did it!!!  Okay, here's how it ALL went down.  I went to the gym, the hardware store and this really busy restaurant for lunch where I know all the guys (and girls) in the neighborhood go for lunch.  Nothing.  I mean, yes, boys a plenty in most cases just no opportunity-- okay, maybe there was and I was just - I am so out of practice.

If you're out of practice, the hardware store is a great place to go P.S. (like a Home Depot) but all these stores in NYC are little with skinny aisles and after asking one of two guys there opinion on wood glue the opener said to me, "I told you five times which one to buy!"

Uh.  Embarrassing.  And I wish I could have grabbed him by the collar and said, "Listen!  I am on an adventure and I HAVE TO ASK A GUY ON A DATE BY TONIGHT!  Guys come here!  Stop ruining it!  Let me ask whoever I want about this damn wood glue!"

Instead I just bought the wood glue and left.

I don't have any wood to glue, either.

Now it's 6pm.  I know I can take the easy way out.  Go to the bar, have a few drinks... ask someone out.  Only, I don't want to be that desperate girl in the bar and I DON'T want liquid courage to do this adventure.

So...

I take an ad out on Craigslist.  yeah, that's right, I did.

I'm going to post it late here in another UPDATE and then let you know how my VERY AWESOME DATE went LAST NIGHT!

UPDATE NOVEMBER 23

So, that's right, I asked a guy... or many guys for that matter, OUT ON CRAIGSLIST.  LOL.  I took out an ad in the personal section that went a little like this:

Hi, I am looking for a fun, upbeat, spontaneous guy to ask out on a date.  I challenged myself to ask a guy out today and let's just say, the plan went south.  I am new to NYC and think it would be fun to hang out and have a drink with someone who feels like taking a chance on someone he's never met before.  A little about me - funny or so I'm told, 5'5, wavy (crazy) hair, loves to read, explore the city and try new things.  If a date with me sounds like something you might be interested, send me your picture (no penises please!  I already know what one looks like) and tell me a bit about yourself!   I will do the same.   Best, K

And then, there he was, maybe an hour later.  Cute... in the way I find guys cute... tall, mop tops, that kind of "I look like I rolled out of bed but it's really that I've been so busy being up to something else" look that I like...  a little offbeat... jeans and t-shirt guy.  Dark hair, curly wavy and blue eyes.  Swoon.

There was something about his face that was kind... that told me he probably wouldn't stuff me in a suitcase and put me in the Hudson.  We did the email dance for quite a bit and then we met at a bar/restaurant near me.  Laughed a lot.  Drank a little more to ease the nerves.  Split a burger (cute) and just had really fun, sweet conversation.

I was kind of beaming ear to ear in that way you really shouldn't on a first date.  It was just, I could not believe that not only had I done the ADVENTURE but it had turned out THIS GOOD.

That's the point of all this - to DO SOMETHING YOU THINK YOU CANNOT DO and then see, it's REALLY not that hard.  And then wonder, "What else have I been putting off that I thought I couldn't do?  Maybe now I can do that, too!"

Yes, there was kissing.  It was nice.  He is so sweet.  We've been out a few more times.  We'll see what happens but for now... I can't believe this is my life :)  That the girl who once couldn't get out of bed now is doing so many things to make sure she never gets back in there.

*****

*****

Adventure Bowl
"Ask A Boy Out On A Date"

Let's Talk About Sex The Condom Aisle, Embarrassment for Miles

They were painting my apartment and I was staying at a friend's.  She had one rule:  "DO NOT GO THROUGH MY DRAWERS!"  Okay, easy enough... I'm not a snoop... I mean, unless I like you, then you should not leave me alone in your apartment.  But that's a given, right?  ;)

So one day, I am working on my computer and I need to write directions down.  I open the bedside table instinctually.   That's where I (LAME PERSON OF THE UNIVERSE) keep my pens.  Instead, there are  drawer full of condoms.  And not just one brand... like LOTS OF BRANDS.  Like, does this girl work for a condom company????

And a note resting on them:  "Get your own."  Get your own.  What?  Do I need my own?  Is this something I am supposed to be "outfitted with?"   Get your own.  Pots, pans, toothbrush, body scrub, CONDOMS!!!!

Curse me for being naive.  Curse me for only, mostly, okay, all the time, sleeping with guys I really, really liked so there was some kind of discussion of sex and protection and even the one time, I was with someone and we decided before the date where I really thought it would happen, like ten dates and not eight, we had the most fun, red in our cheeks, racing through the aisles of Rite Aide to get what we needed.

And we giggled like kids, like kids who knew and liked each other and the night felt earned and it didn't have to mean love but it was fun for it to be unexpected and not PLANNED on.  Not saying, "No, it's cool, my Brinks truck of condoms already made it's delivery - down a chute and into my bedside table."

NOT THAT I'M JUDGING.  I am not.  

I went on a date the other night.  A first date.   It was awesome.  It was awesome in that, after having 2 weeks of NY men tell me I'm attractive or beautiful or cute, I showed up with no make-up and little care to how my hair looked.  (His idea for a last minute date).  But still on my mind is:  am I supposed to be prepared if SOMETHING (le sex) is going to happen?  What does that say about me?

I told a guy friend about the condom drawer, he nodded knowingly and said, "Ah, New York girls."  Oh, so this was normal.  For New York girls.  I'm a New York girl.  Should I be THAT girl?

I have never bought condoms in my life.  Weirdly, proud of that fact.  It's not something (le sex) that I thought I had to be prepared for - it never has just "sprung" out at me.  It's not like having an earthquake kit... there's time, right?  But there I was.  

In the Rite Aid "condom" aisle.  They were buy 1, get one 1/2 off.  The bargain shopper in me was whispering in my ear:  "You can't get a deal like this!  Buy... stock up!  It's mix and match!  It's ribbed for your pleasure!"

And I just stood there.  Lubricant?  I don't think I need that.  Fire & Ice... that seems like it would hurt, right?  Are they for older people?  Like "Icy Hot?"  Ribbed.  Really?  Now I could see the pharmacists staring at me.  This is so embarrassing.  

I don't even know if I have my Rite Aid card with me.  

What if they are like, going to make me pay full price but I don't want to pay full price because I DON'T EVEN WANT THESE THINGS IN MY DRAWER anyway.  And then I leave and they all talk about me.  "Too cheap to pay full price for her condoms."  "Sure ran out of here with that Kit Kat real fast."

And then I'm hit by a car and on my gravestone it reads, "Too cheap to pay for full price condoms."  And my mother is crying and wearing that Jackie O. style grieving lace over her Jackie O. pill box hat but it's not because she's sad that I am dead it's because she's ASHAMED to have a daughter that buys her own condoms.  Why else would she hide her face, right?

I leave Rite Aid.  THIS IS NOT ME.  I mean, I want to be new and different and I want to be a NEW YORK girl but I am not QUITE ready to be that New York girl.  I have a date this Wednesday and Thursday.  That is already so "new me" that I don't need to be any other kind of "new" right now.

Any ladies been there?  In the aisle?  Packs in hand?  LOL, I want to hear :)

***

Let's Talk About Sex
The Condom Aisle, Embarrassment for Miles

Adventure Bowl Part 2 Just What Exactly Did I Do To Help Me Start The Life I've Always Wanted?

I will write what I did. It's pretty exciting. It's not ONLY exciting, but it is something ANYONE could do. But I want to tell you the whole story and the whole story is long and the whole story being long, is what often keeps me from putting my butt in a chair and writing about it. And I miss you guys!

So just give me a few days. Yes, I have said that before. But I am hoping once I move this blog over to TUMBLR which supports a format with lots of pictures, videos and short essays, I will be able to keep you up so much easier. I promise.

Keeping up with you all is so important to me. Do not take my absence as anything else but being crazed :)  It's taken me YEARS to get to this good place - emotionally and physically - to a place of not being scared and immobile all the time and I want you guys and gals to feel the rewards. Maybe see (as I'm seeing), CHANGE is not so hard. The biggest roadblock is mental - the games we play in our head, the jibber jabbering we do to talk us out of our loves, dreams, aspirations.

But I don't want to make this post heavy, what I've most wanted to say is just how much fun I'm having in New York.  Okay, so let me tell you about my time in here (all three weeks of it!):

1) Eating way too many bagels! Why do they have to make them sooooo good? I like an Everything with scallion cream cheese and the bagel is sprinkled with a salt-like-substance that I am sure is CRACK! "Bagel World," that's my fav. Then "Smooch" for coffee. Then realizing I will be broke with a huge bagel butt if I keep this up too much longer.

2) The first 2 weeks I lived in a twin bunk bed - top bunk! You can have no shame nor be a diva when you are starting your life over! It made me think of college because I was living with a couple - which meant leaving a lot so they could have "alone time," wink, wink - sex ;)

3) Exploring. Within a week I was known for my legendary 6 hour walks. (The blisters were THE GROSSEST things I had ever seen - like some "Discovery Channel - Medical Abnormalities!" craziness). I would put every thing (hat, sweaters, umbrella, snack) in a back pack and just roam. Now a lot of this was apartment hunting mixed in with personal stubbornness of not wanting to ask for directions. But I love it!  Walking is the best.  Seeing everything seems so new.

4) Kissed a boy a week and 2 days in

5) First week, gallery openings, wine tasting, a party at a vinyl records store, Happy Hour drinks with people I've never met before. Who am I?

6) Grateful feelings that now that I am not fighting so hard (as I was in LA) to make things work MY WAY, that doors are opening here, people are coming into my life, like literally, in the strangest ways. My two new roomies (until I end up in my place Nov. 6) are like best friends; I randomly met someone - she had a loft to rent to me $300 under market value a month; I was lost in Brooklyn, I met a guy who said he was a web site designer - wait, that's exactly what I needed for my new venture! Hanging out in the lobby of my building so my roomies could spend some time... meet some Pratt (design) students who also want to help me with my new venture. Who's life is this?  (Hmmm.... no regrets, but maybe I should have "let go" sooner.)

7) Went on a date with an absolute hottie. I'm going through an identity crisis here. In L.A. I never got asked out. But then again, I don't walk past 200 people a day like you do in NYC. Men here tell you you are "pretty" or "gorgeous." It throws me. Trying to believe it.

8) The crunch of the beautiful fall leaves. Sorry beautiful leaves... I took your bright yellow, golden and orange for granted when I used to live here as a girl. I love your smell. The sound of you beneath my feet. I feel like I am home.

Yesterday was the five year anniversary of my cousin's murder. I started this blog two years after his death when I was so thoroughly depressed that I didn't think I would EVER get out of. I felt lost inside. I felt so sad that I felt cloaked in it as if... it was-- that there was no where out.

I challenged myself - one Adventure a week to get my life back. I did that before his 2nd anniversary - the idea was to respect his memory but living the life he would want me to live. And now, it strikes me PROFOUNDLY that I would make this NEW DARING exciting, life fulfilling dream move before meeting his anniversary again.

I hope you can see me up there, D. I feel you down here, by my side... walking down the cobble stone streets and stomping through the leaves with me. Thank you for helping me look in... to listen, to hear and to act, no matter how scary it felt sometime.

xoxoxox

*****

Adventure Bowl Part 2
Just What Exactly Did I Do To Help Me Start The Life I've Always Wanted?

Adventure Bowl Start doing one thing that is going to lead you to the life you always wanted

This is my new loft in New York!  The former tenant's things are still there but I LOVE IT!  And I love that she is leaving me "good artist energy."  :)

ADVENTURE BOWL is back and more exciting than ever because the last series of ADVENTURES lead me to pack up all my stuff in Los Angeles and move here to NYC.

I currently live in a closet (no, I'm not kidding, I will upload photos later!  LOL) with an awesome young couple in the most exciting city in the world.  In a week and a day, I have been to the Brooklyn Bridge Park, spent three days walking for 6 hours looking for apartments, gone out two nights to a bar/restaurant and made new friends.  Also, went to an art opening, a party at a vinyl records store, RENTED MY OWN APARTMENT!!!!  And... the best, kissed a VERY cute boy.

But now... it's time for a new adventure bowl.  This one I picked TODAY.  I think I know what it means... I think I know what I have to do... I'm going into Soho this afternoon.  I will update all weekend...

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and new beginnings.

****

Adventure Bowl
Start doing one thing that is going to lead you to the life you always wanted

Finally Arrived in NYC!

"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams."

Ashley Smith

Cooper & Ruby enjoy the view and can't wait until their Mom gets a new camera...

What a crazy trip, two dogs, three huge suitcases but I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER.  Walked Brooklyn Bridget Park and sighed, "Why didn't I do this before?"

But no regrets.  I don't have internet yet but ducked into a cafe to say hi!

Here are some photos - I'll have a digital camera in a few days!

ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!

Finally Arrived in NYC!

Guess Who's Moving To NYC?

Me!

I guess these adventures do work.   This was the question I asked my self months ago:  "Could I do little dares, adventures... and THAT putting me in my most happy frame of mind, make the scariest decision of my life - to leave the comfort of Los Angeles for the ultimate adventure - a move to New York City.

The answer is YES.

I just booked my ticket this past Tuesday.

I leave this Tuesday.

Can you believe it?  I hardly can. :)  Yet, I feel so insanely happy, excited, peaceful, certain, hopeful, ready, surprised by my spontanaity.

I keep hearing, "Yes, yes, yes!"

I know I owe you all a blog that explains how this all came to be.

It will be up on Wednesday - it's 24/7 packing until Tuesday!  

I'm sorry I have been so absent but I love you all and I am going to get a digital camera so I can share my new life in New York with you :)

Yes.  Yes.  Yes.

****

Guess Who's Moving To NYC?

Where I Will Now Lead My Life According To The Advice on A Beer Coaster

Over the years... I've gotten a lot of advice.  Of all of it, 3 things stick with me:  A boyfriend telling me I was too nice and available.  God that stung.  It stung up until the day when I realized it was totally and completely true and instead of being wounded by it, I could use it for my benefit.  To fight crime.  No, I'm kidding.  To not be a doormat.  

#2 When this awesome writer J gave advice about being a Hollywood writer (BUT I also APPLY this to LIFE and DATING:  "Never get bitter."  That is the death knell for anyone.  I meet a lot of bitter people out here, so angry for what they don't have that they can't see THEY HAVE EVERY THING.   Men and women friends who are still licking the wounds of past relationships.  (Is there someone you can't get over?  I am an expert in getting people over other people, so let me know in the comments section and I will DAZZLE you with my skills.)

#3 The other bit of advice came... maybe last Christmas.  I was sitting with my cousin M and sister E.  Matt lost his brother... that's the cousin I often refer to.  He also, a year later, lost his best friend.  However, the pulling himself up and dusting himself off, of embracing life and not dwelling in the past IMPRESSES ME of EPIC PROPORTIONS.  EPIC.

He is a great example to me.  After my cousin died he quit his save, cubicle job and said "F this, I'm going to live the life of my dreams."  Maybe he didn't exactly say that, I wasn't there.  I can only guess.

Then there's my sister who I love and I'm afraid of too.  In a funny way.  Because she has a "roar" like no one I have ever seen.  We went to see Cypress Hill (they were opening for the Foos and we wanted to be up front) at this outdoor fest and she saved me from being crushed.  I can just see me falling and about to be crushed and all of a sudden, instead of being 110 pounds, she's like The Hulk, reaching down and yanking me out of abyss.  

She does not take any shit.  She knows where she is going and she doesn't need to turn it over 5,000 different ways, I do.  Does anyone want to go to Thailand?  No?  She goes by herself.   She is NOT a people pleaser.  She will give you THE PEP TALK OF YOUR LIFE but it will contain a lot of profanity and if you don't listen to her very sound advice, she will, when you ask for another pep talk 6 months later, stare at you... through you... until you are running down the street ready to jump in front of oncoming traffic rather than face her wrath.

So these two, my cousin, my sister and I are drinking pitchers of Budweiser and by the time we get to the 6th one, I say:  "Do you guys have any advice for me?  Like your lives are awesome and I just wonder if looking at mine from the outside, maybe you have some advice.

They looked at each other.  They are very close.  I know what they're thinking.  "We could tell you, but we're having fun right now.  And you crying after we tell you everything you are doing wrong, is going to make this LESS of a good time."  

P.S. I read minds.

But I lured them into it.  "Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaase."  I knew they were sufficiently softened up by the 6th pitch of beer.  When my sister started stealing the glasses we were drinking out of, I knew to go in for the kill.  (My sister and I like to steal or get into general mischief making if we are drinking).

So there they were... rattling off advice so fast that I was like, "Wait, wait, I have to write it down!"  So I grabbed some beer coasters and I did just that.  When I got back to LA I stuffed them in my lingiere drawer and just found them.  When I found them, I was gasping and laughing at the same time.  

These coasters.  That night.  Had I lived up to any of it?

HERE WE GO:

0)  (Yes, it starts with zero because later, they decided that there was something more import than 1)  "Money is gay."  My cousin said that.  I think he means, Money is "out" like caring about who is gay or not is "out".  I know, it's confusing.  But what he was trying to say is stop doing things for money and living in financial worry like a hostage instead of pursuing the life YOU WANT.

Score of how I'm doing this:  Hmmm... a 4 but I'm going to try harder.

1)  YOU HAVE TALENT and then in parentheses  it says "36 point font, all caps" - which is sweet, they said that not me.  They want me to believe that.

Score of how I'm doing this:  2... Man, I wish I found these coasters waaaaaaaaaaay before this

2) Stop living in the past.  Yes, they are aware that I relive too many of the nightmares, people in our family dying, getting sick.  But I think I'm doing better with this.  When I was out on that Jet Ski with 2nd best friend, I did this thing that I was too afraid to mention, lest I be thought of as utter

Where I Will Now Lead My Life According To The Advice on A Beer Coaster

Adventure Bowl UPDATED With Sordid, Embarrassing Details Of Getting "Down There" Waxed

Scroll down :) The UPDATE is in purple, below

Good Lord, I cannot believe this was EVEN in the Adventure Bowl.  I am so embarrassed.   No, seriously... I know some people think this is "no big thing."  But for me, I am having a case of the "throw ups" right now thinking about it.

They make you put your legs over your head!  They come at you with hot wax.  Can you get some sort of airborne VD from doing this?  Ugh.  I would have killed to pick sky diving over this.  The ripping and the screaming... I can only imagine THERE WILL BE RIPPING AND SCREAMING!  

I'm just not big on... having "it," you know, my lady bits out there for someone to see.  I cringe at the gynecologist.  My gynecologist once even complimented my vagina in front of an intern and I swear I wanted to run in front of a truck from embarrassment.  

I know that's why I put this in the Adventure Bowl.  Because it is OVERLY WEIRD to be this concerned about getting your "ya know" waxed.  It is.  This is something, we do for ourselves... like a pedicure.  Right?  Right?  (smaller voice)  Right?

So should I prepare in any way?  Should I have a glass of wine?  I would like anesthesia, I will tell you that!  They should provide anesthesia the first time.  And all times after that.

Okay, today is the day I will take my waxing virginity.  If you have any advice or a funny story leave it in the comments.  In the meantime, I will be packing a bag of ice and a bottle of screw top wine. 

UPDATES START HERE:

What is going on with you ladies?  Why did each and every one of you NOT fly immediately fly to Los Angeles to save me from the CRAZY pain that is having your, um, you know AREA waxed????  I would have flown to you.  I would have have chained you to a very HEAVY piece of furniture or better, nailed you by your outfit to the floor.

They yanked EVERYTHING off.  Everything!  And while, I kind of love it... I'm not going to lie, it hurt only 2nd to having my shoulder dislocated.  Maybe not even 2nd, maybe 1st!  Because at least with the shoulder, I was in an ambulance and then soon after they shoved that shoulder back in at the hospital - THERE WERE COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF DRUGS.  (And a set of free slippers).

Okay, I'm not going to get graphic (yes I am).  But stuff is fragile down there.  And pouring hot wax all over it and then yanking, the yanking!  Good Lord.  It never stops.  They just keep going, even if you are SCREAMING.  

And there were tears because IT HURT.   But the waxer don't stop.  She just keeps going.  Like they're torturing a POW or something.  Yes, I saw her wry smile.  This was making her day.  She loved me wriggling around all helpless and trying to get away from her.

"You can stop if you like."  No, I would not like.  I mean, I would but I can't think of anything worse than this job only half way done.  And also it was that challenge, like I was a big baby (which I was) and if I'm challenged on something, I can't back down.

My pep talk to myself:  "Okay, Loser, man up.  You got staples in your head with no anesthesia but you can't even-- (YANK!)  Owwwwwwwwwww."  (Tears).

And the worst part... we're supposed to tip these people.  With money.   

So for any of you going to do this, drink a lot of wine, don't wear jeans and know that I'm very "anti-pain" so don't let my experience deter you in any way.   Because you will look pretty and feel sexy in the end.  

But you might also have nightmares for years.  LOL 

****

Adventure Bowl
UPDATED With Sordid, Embarrassing Details Of Getting "Down There" Waxed

Where a Quote From Ernest Hemingway Blows Me Away

"Never mistake motion for action."  Ernest Hemingway  

Wow.  Here's what I wrote on my Facebook for 100 Days in Bed...  

"Whoa... this is me, I think I will blog about it tonight. I AM moving but am I getting enough done? No. The chaos (distracting myself with ridiculous errands and list making, etc.) serves me because I am in "big decision making" time and I'm scared. But if I'm frantically busy with nonsense then I won't HAVE to concentrate the "real" and "necessary." So... I will put up a post later about this. Anyone feel the same?

Do you distract yourself with busy work as a way to push the bigger decisions out of your mind?"

Part 2

So here I am.  Very aware that in order not to focus on things that would be BIG LIFE DECISIONS, I distract myself with things are not as equally as important in the moment.  I want to go live in New York for a bit of time to see if that is where I would like to live.

The idea was to be there by Sept. 15.  Then I got a big meeting.  The date September 13.  Hmmm.  I mean, I can't put off meetings that are about my lively hood but I wonder... what will come up next?  Another meeting, another series of meetings?  In getting ready for these meetings, I often do 40 - 60 hours of preparation to pitch a show.  

But it began to dawn on me, I could, by that time, be very deep into writing the script and have that handed out.  Is that the better decision?  Will I make that decision?  When?

Because I know what's going to come, "Can we move the meeting?"  Or "We like it, can you come back the 1st of October and we'll discuss it at length?"

For me, writing is my love and that's what I want to do.  But I don't love this city.  I'm quite bored with it.  Bored sounds so arrogant... "This city bores me."  No... it's just that I KNOW BETTER now.  There is a bigger life out there for me than just sitting around and talking about TV show ratings, what the Networks are "looking for."

Now, I've tried to infuse my life with things that are greater than me.  Donating blood and getting tested for being a donor for a bone marrow transplant.  Then I got involved with promoting an organization that helps kids with severe burns go to camp.  I'm "Love Bombing" people.  Have you heard of that?  Check out their website.

So I am trying to counteract the things I don't like about this city by doing things that I think separate me from LA.

But still, I'm off track... I know what decision I have to make - "motion is not action."   I did not know that.   Man, have I been fooling myself.  Redoing my bedroom and living room and taking pics in hope someone will sublet STILL does not get me to New York.  It's all this movement "Move the couch this way, should I get more plants, you this couch makes the living room look so much bigger..."

It's all meaningless until I say, "I'm going" and if meetings come up, I fly back for them.

My sister is in New York.  I'm certain that she has flown to Vegas and bet against me.  She knows I put work first, myself second.  She listens to my "plans" and just says, "yeah" and "that's nice."  She doesn't think I'm coming.

I WANT TO.  I just have to stop the nonsense and the distractions and MAKE A REALLY DECISION WITH A REAL DATE.  

Fear, change, out of my element, leaving my friends, finding out that moving to a new city is still not the answer, confusion, excitement, don't want to have any regrets...

 

Have any of you made big life changing decisions?  How was it?  Is all my hand wringing normal?  What do you do when you need to make a big decision?  xoxoxo

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Where a Quote From Ernest Hemingway Blows Me Away

Sort of ;) Wordless Wednesday

"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens." - Carl Jung

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Sort of ;)
Wordless Wednesday

"If You Look At Me Like I'm Fat I'm Going To Kick You In The _____"

Any big butted girls out there? Oh, there you are reading this, arm in the air? No, no, put the cream cheese bagel down and let's have a soul to soul.

I was rereading some old blog posts and much to my... kind of horror/shock, there is A LOT of anger about diets, dieting and well, my mother the Olympic champion dieter/denier of food who somehow has always stayed the same teeny-tiny size.

Must be all that dieting advice and mailing jump ropes to her daughters that burns off those unwanted calories! (See ANGER. There is is again!)

I don't know what I gained when I was going through the worst turmoil ever and isn't that when we gain it? TV and movies tell us we hole up with a carton of ice cream and never ending pizza delivery and sit around in our eating pants. (Okay, I did sit around in my eating pants, i.e., I don't think I wore anything but sweat pants for two years).

For me, it was not that reckless. I just ate things that I call "slow down" food, you know, food that slows you down, gives you no energy, goes directly to your buttocks but you can't really tell 'cause you're wearing "eating pants" the great denier of weight gain! Sometimes it was bagels and cream cheese and maybe I'll have pasta for dinner. I just didn't care. A pastry from 7-11 was about as fancy as going to Paris' Café des Deux Magots because hey, I GOT OUT OF BED. It was monumental! But not the right thing to eat...

Not if you are going to lead the sedentary lifestyle of a hibernating bear. Which I was. And very well, by the way. If Kennedy Center Honors had an award for "Excellence While Lying in Bed" then certainly, I would be front and center, flanked by fellow honorees Chita Rivera and James Earl Jones. Though, instead of evening wear, I would be donning a Snuggie as this is already way past my bed time.

I am about to share some deep truth with you now. Thirty pounds, that's all I wanted off. I think I might have lost 10 or 12 or 15 at some point, but after I fell down the hill and busted up my shoulder... I didn't care. It was back to bed for me. Not caring, not eating right, certainly not exercising. And being in a brace, in a hospital gown that I could not get out of because said brace was strapped OVER it for three weeks and just all in all hopped up on happy pills made me not care what I was eating.

I was, in fact, just eating whatever neighbors and friends brought to my door. Someone brought a cake. What??? But kind of brilliant. I had cake for lunch for about ten days. (Yes, I know, I'm ridiculous!)

So what made it all click? What was the turning point? How did I lose thirty pounds? Why am I procrastinating telling you when I turned a corner and "got it" and started eating right and going back to the gym?

Because I wish it came from me. Some inner fire from me to be healthy to want to be strong to love myself more. Or even Oprah, it could have come from Oprah and I would be walking tall instead of feeling ashamed and a bit like a cliche.

It was because I saw my ex. Bumped into him. And he was kind and gracious and sweet and very worried about my fall. He didn't look at me like I was hideous. That might be because, I had a feeling I might see him and emailed him, "Listen, I've gained a lot of weight since I last saw you and if you look at me like I'm fat, I'm going to kick you in the balls."

Really. I sent that email. That's me, using my humor to get out of something I thought would be deeply humiliating. Only I can confess to you guys how I tried to cover up my "fattage" with some kind of voluminous cardigan and a spray tan and maybe if the boobs are up and out, he won't notice so much.

Honestly: I don't want him back, I don't. I broke up with him and all those reasons are never going to change. But seeing him symbolized my deep desire to stay away from people I hadn't seen in a while because of having grown an extra ass. And not only that, but I want to date and makeout with someone and have them find me attractive as I want to find them attractive.

So maybe this all this started four or five months ago. I thought about calling this piece: "Why Diets Suck." Because I truly believe they do. I believe diets are so wrong and so self-punishing and so restrictive that I, me, you, someone we know, only needs to be on one for 3 days before she's hoarding "Ding Dongs" in the bathroom.

What I did... I started making breakfast, that sets off the whole day. If I eat breakfast, I eat less all day. I like eggs. I started adding veggies with everything. The more veggies you eat the fuller you are. So in the morning it wasn't just eggs, it was eggs & spinach or eggs & broccoli. Lunch was just more of the same, trying to make choices that are right and if they are not right, eat half and then have the other half vegetables or fruit (carrots, carrots with hummus, apples, apples with peanut butter, salad, sauteed anything green with garlic).

Dinner - I became a world renowned Michelin 4 star soup maker. Bulked it up with greens. Yum. My sister called my soup, "Life Altering Soup" as in "Can you make some of that "Life Altering Soup?" And this was all just trial and error and having fun with food and could I make lasagna with no pasta and have it be amazing?

Why YES, YES I could.

And the gym, you must move. Though I did not move a lot. Sometimes just 2x a week. I need to start kicking that up a bit. For the jiggly bits.

And it's not like I did not fail sometimes -- fail being a word I hate... let me rephrase, it's not like I was perfect. I had the egg rolls and Mmmm, pizza out with friends and oh my God, how I die for a margarita... or three, and with chips and salsa! Yes! Yes! I don't say no a lot. I just jump back on the next day and say Yes to more of the right things. When you are not beating yourself up, in diets and in life, YOU GET A LOT DONE.

If you have specific questions, ask in the comments section. I want to help if I can. The point is, when I noticed the older posts, I could not believe my anger and I could not believe the amount of blame I was laying or lying at someone else's feet. "You are to blame!"

No, I am to blame. The other thing I want to say is, if you have weight to lose, be kind to yourself. I have never been kind to myself but I am going to start today. If you aren't kind, believe me, you won't be able to let go of things and one of those things is your weight.

So, just know... you can do this, you can do anything you want. I refused to think of it as 30 pounds because it was too overwhelming and probably why I kept putting off starting. I decided to think of it as 5 pounds at a time. That's all. Hmmm, maybe I was kinder to myself than I thought.

There's a lot of, I don't know... shame in talking about weight gain. For me anyway. Because I sort of perceive it as being weak. But I'm just going to see that feeling and let it go. There, it's gone. I am on the right path. The adventures and being happier, I truly believe put me on that path. Yes, seeing an ex, ignited the flame, but being happier is what's kept me on the right path.

How much do you have to lose? What holds you back? And certainly, if you have a success story, I'd love to hear it!


***

"If You Look At Me Like I'm Fat I'm Going To Kick You In The _____"

Adventure Bowl Change Somebody's Life

UPDATE 1: I know a lot of people don't read on the weekends but I will update this post tomorrow after the testing. Wish me luck!

UPDATE 2, Sunday: I am still speechless. Yesterday was amazing. Why did I wait so long? Why did I fear so much? I will write this as a full post tonight. THANK YOU everyone for your kind, supportive comments. You were deeply part of this Adventure.

Long but worth it. Money back guarantee.

First, I have to thank everyone who left comments with suggestions about how to change someone's life here, twitter or DMs. Thank you. The biggest theme was: give your time, you can do something small and it will make a difference.

I believe that. I know that. I practice that.

I donate magazines to a dialysis center (inspired by my Dad), clothes to the Downtown Women's shelter, food to the homeless. Save all my cans and bottles for that one guy who says "Hello" to me every night as I walk the dogs. He breaks my heart with his 8 year old son helping him. Care packages to a young girl fighting brain cancer.

I have so much.

But there is more to give.

The point of this Adventure Bowl is to do things that push me past my fears. Okay... what fears do I have? Commitment. Yes. That. It's why I never wanted to sign up to be a "Big Sister," even though I really freakin' wanna be a big sister. What if I'm not good enough? What if the girl is like, "You? But you're a mess?" That would be bad. And the whole commitment thing. Yeah.

Fear of seeing grief and pain up close which is why I have never worked with kids in hospitals. Listen, I don't like admitting this stuff. I have flaws, I am so flawed it's ridiculous. Oh, the things I could admit...

When my Dad was sick and my Dad was going to die if he did not get a kidney transplant and my Mom called his sisters and asked if they would be tested and they never called her back and she had no choice and it broke her heart--

To ask her kids to get tested. See if we would be a match for my Dad. I sat there that day in a Boston hospital and I listened to the doctor as he explained the process and looked over at my younger sister who seemed to be very involved with inspecting her nails. Their growth? Their cuticles?

They seemed of grave importance.

When he left I said to her, "Are you paying attention? Are you listening to what he is saying?" (Him of wanting to saw one of us open, root around and take one of our ORGANS). Yes she said. "I hope so. And God, I hope it's you." That's what I said.

I said it because I didn't want it to be me.

I was young. Younger. I was scared. I had already lived through his heart transplant and I did not want to see this. If I was not a part of it... I would not have to see it. Or feel it. Flawed. Bad daughter. Terrible sister.

Of course it was me. Have I ever mentioned this? Yes, they took that kidney out of me and yes, they sawed me in half and this was no laproscopic thing like they can do now.

If I am with someone new and they are kissing me and perhaps putting their hand on my back, and they can feel it or feel the ribs that are missing and ask, what's that about, "knife fight" I will say.

So here we are or were, yesterday and I pull, "Change Somebody's Life" from the bowl and I am scared by how vast and vague and slightly fantastical this is and "what will I do and what can I do? And I'd like it to also jive with something I have wanted to do but been to afraid to do.

I have always wanted to be a Bone Marrow Donor.

Because every hour, minute, second leading up to the kidney transplant, I was so f'ing scared. All the focus is on the person receiving the organ - AS IT SHOULD BE. But, if anyone had told me many, many weeks later, perhaps longer, that I would feel awesome for doing it... I would be back to my normal routine -- I would have never feared it. I would have gone into that surgery with a pure heart, instead of a fearful heart.

So... the bone marrow thing. It just... seeing my Dad get to be alive and seeing how... just how... what seemed so frightening (the transplant) was ultimately, the thing I am most proud of. It's shaped me as a person in ways, probably ways I don't even know. Because my testing phase was very long and arduous so I met a lot of people waiting for transplants.

Your heart breaks for them but opens too. You feel more compassionate. You vow to live your life differently - you are not hooked up to machines, your activities and abilities to do things are not limited. You are not going to treatment alone, you have love all around you.

I've been circling the bone marrow thing for a while but the fear would come in. Excuses: you have to drop everything if you are a match and do it, how would I do my job? Can I get a leave of absence? They might fire me. I hear it hurts.

All BS. So much BS. Fear buried in excuses.

But I've grown up though I don't know when that happened. I don't know when I changed but somehow I just did.

So I picked, "Change Somebody's Life" and now on Saturday, I go for the testing for the Bone Marrow thing.

Yesterday, someone changed my life because of an email they sent me. So yes, you can do the smallest of things to change someone's life. Do not let this post be an indictment of the little things. For they are awesome.

But this thing... this is the thing, I just had to do.

Of course, it always means so much when you repost this to Facebook or Twitter. Organ donation is a big passion of mine and my family and you never know who it might help. Thanks so much :)

***

Adventure Bowl
Change Somebody's Life

TODAY'S ADVENTURE BOWL HELP!

UPDATE, PT. 3: Super giggly and excited to write today's post. It will be up in a bit.

UPDATE: Okay, I did it... there's part of it I still have to do Saturday but I will write all about it TOMORROW. I'm really psyched and really tired but this ONE HAS BEEN MY FAVORITE!!!


UPDATE: I cannot believe the amazing, caring, sweet suggestions people have put here, Facebook & Twitter! I am zeroing in on something pretty big... but weighing a lot of things so please Tweet or post on your Facebook and let's get people inspired to help others!

I picked "Change Somebody's Life." The deal is... I'm supposed to do whatever I pick, that day, TODAY, no backing out or excuses BUT this is a crazy tall order.

I WILL DO IT, I just want to do it right.

I'm like freaking out of nervousness but also excited at the same time!

Any suggestions?

I am on a budget so... keep that in mind! I'll check back in later, going to do some research.

***

TODAY'S ADVENTURE BOWL
HELP!

My Life In Hollywood Where I Spend A Lot of Time Crawling on the Floor & Jumping Through Glass Windows

First, let me tell you this. Pep talks work. Did you read, "The MOST AWESOME Pep Talk of OUR LIVES?" Yeah, I did. Because I wrote it. And then, I did it. I gave myself the pep talk I wrote as I was driving to a Big Time Hollywood Fancy Type Meeting the other day

It went like this: "Girl, look at you. Your hair is looking fly today. I know your feeling nervous about a big meeting coming up because this is the company you WANT to be in business with but think about it like this: THEY SHOULD BE NERVOUS about you. You're going in there with something really great and if they don't like it, three companies already want to meet with you about it. Your worth is not measured by whether a project sells or not. And PS, pivot when you walk and know your talent is carved by diamonds. Sparkle out!"

And I was in the car, sweating through my outfit because it was so god damn hot and why does this air conditioner NOT work when I paid $700 for it to work and then it only worked for 2 months A YEAR AGO and I want to go back to the mechanic but I'm being pulled in 100 directions and god dammit it's hot and maybe if my hair wasn't like a sweater on my head (it is so, so much hair) I wouldn't be stroking out but it looks really cute when it's down so-- okay, okay, SHUT UP... focus FOCUS PEP TALK!

And I felt a little stupid but I kept thinking about this writer, he had all the success in the world except for dating so he started, ya know, poking around the inter webs for dates. Friends were making fun of him for online dating because he was a Big Time Hollywood Writer and I guess when you're a BTHW, women come to you via shipping containers and you just pick them up in you BTHW car down at the docks.

Sometimes, they are flown in by helicopter. They dangle from grappling hooks from said helicopter and are dispatched into your pool.

But he had grown tired of this or it was not working and so he said, regarding meeting someone online: "Things have gone way wronger when I’ve approached things more sensibly and conventionally."

And my mind was like, yeah, yeah. In my career I've been so nice and practical and sweet and not wanting to bother anyone or ask for a favor or rattle any cages. And when you kind of crawl on your belly with a project you worked really hard on and you look up at THEM, THEM WHO MAKE THE DECISIONS* while you're getting burn marks on your belly from the floor, you do not come from a place of power.

Nor do you instill ANY kind of confidence in them, when you are looking at them with needy, pleading eyes.

They need to know - you can do this. You can rock this out. You can write the shit outta this. Their hands will burn when they are reading the copy of the magnificence that you turn in.

So I worked my ass off on this one particular piece that I was bringing to the meeting. I really, really... it's like you get to a place where, you love it and you hope they love it. I gave myself that pep talk on the way over.

The point was in giving myself THE PEP TALK was, listen, they can not buy it for a host a reasons: they already have an idea like that, they already tried an idea like that, that idea is not exciting them - and that's cool. But you don't want it to be:

Executive to my Agent: "We really loved her idea. I mean... what we could make out of it. She started shaking two minutes in... yeah, then there was crying and she started dabbing her forehead sweat with the pitch and then she couldn't read her pitch because it was smeared with ink so she said she was going to print another copy of it and then I heard a loud noise and my assistant told me she crashed a chair through the window, dove out and hooped into her car and squealed away. So... we're going to pass on the idea. (long beat) And she should really pay for that window."

So, I don't know the answer, but because of my pep talk I don't have to worry that I would be the cause of my own failure. If the project doesn't go, I don't think it will have anything to do with me. I showed passion and preparation and for that, I am proud. I've come a long way.

Not only that. But the executive whom I met with gave me this awesome feedback. I'm going to talk about that in a little bit. Right now, I have to marvel at the me who is the changing me.


*Me being fully aware that THEM is not grammatical and not giving a shizzz

If you love this, please post on your Facebook or Twitter. I am really high on Pep Talks and wish that people would recognize they are as important as flu shots and sensible shoes.

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My Life In Hollywood
Where I Spend A Lot of Time Crawling on the Floor & Jumping Through Glass Windows

The MOST AWESOME Pep Talk of OUR LIVES!

I'm about to dump some sparkle on you people. With my awesome sparkle gun.

This is something I wanted to write when I was back East. Somehow I was amazed to be between the beginning of life and the end of it. My nephews, God they are gems. I would lay with them at night and tell them stories about 94 foot crabs that emerged from the ocean and were coming to seek vengeance on said nephews for burying them in the sand.

Instead of being afraid of this genius horror story, they expressed doubt. The doubt of a 94 foot crab going unnoticed while it terrorized a neighborhood. "Auntie, I don't get how someone wouldn't see the crab and call the police. Your story does not make sense." And I'm all like, "It's a bedtime story! Dear Lord! Here's the deal, the neighbors have "Lazy American" syndrome, they have all eaten Pasta Alfredo and passed out in front of their TVs....

Okay, let's get back to the part where the killer crab crushes you in his claw."

Man, I love being an aunt. With them, I was feeling like... they're so lucky, they can be ANYTHING they want to be. Your only job in life is to make your kid feel LIKE SHE/HE CAN DO ANYTHING. I never got that in my family but my Mom was kinda busy raising three kids while her husband was dying of congestive heart failure.

So I'll give her a pass. Because while back East, I figured out how to give myself awesome peps talks. (That's coming up, it's down there in BOLD.)

The point is... I will be in my nephews corner and I will be pep talking the shizzzzzz outta these kids. That's the deal. I'm there for them. For life. Assuaging every doubt and fear they could ever have.

I want them to not make the same mistakes as me. 1) Not traveling like I said I would. 2) Taking jobs out of fear - in my case it was financial fear ingrained in me since child hood 3) Working so hard that I missed out on life and reneged on promises - I've missed dates, family vacations, hanging out with friends, vacations with boyfriends, birthday parties, regular parties, going to see bands, JET SKIING. Oh, and when Jeffrey Dean Morgan asked me to lunch at Fed Ex Kinkos, I said no... I was working. (I know, I know!)

I don't want my nephews to miss out on life's joys like I did.

4) Spending too much time getting over relationships. So stupid. How can you (me) like anyone who doesn't like you (me) back? Why miss that person? My friend once said, "Your ex-boyfriend is thinking about you as much as you are thinking about your last boyfriend." "But I'm not thinking about him." "EXACTLY." 5) Mourning my cousin too much. The one who passed away when I was 14. It's like, I've let sadness coarse through me and I will not lie, it's certainly done more harm than good. It makes you not want to get close to people. I can remember a guy friend saying to me at 22, "You make loving you very difficult."

That was not my intention. I just never wanted anything to happen to him and not have pre-protected myself.

When you think of everything you (me) did wrong you (me) feel kind of melancholy like "Man, I kind of suck."

But then I went to visit my Uncle. This was someone at the end of their life. He was in a hospital bed in his home. He said to me, "I would very much like to go home right now." That's when I cried. That's when I felt... not like the self that walked through the door.

The self that thought only little kids have their lives ahead of them and only they CAN DO ANYTHING THEY WANT TO. I can, we all can. I have many, many, many years ahead of me. I mean, this should be very obvious but somehow I felt like it was deeply profound.

This is the sparkle people. Maybe you already know this. Then you are awesome. But now I see, I just have to change the things that I thought I had no time to change. The pep talks I give my nephews... I can give to myself. None of us is in a state they can't get out of. It takes work. It takes being "Queen of the Bounce Back."

That's when you shrug off things that are not worth it. What is your fear, insecurity, grief, disappointments, tendency to beat yourself up, having regrets about men/career - what is that giving you back?

Maybe it's making you so frickin' weighed down, you can't make a move. Maybe that's where you feel safest.

So here's what I believe: You can just quit all the behaviors you dislike, that are not working, that will make you have regrets in the future. First, you have to write them all down. Then a plan on how you can realistically change them. (I'll be doing mine for the list above.)

And that is the awesome pep talk. That you can give yourself your own PEP TALK.

For today, mine would be: "Girl, look at you. Your hair is looking fly today. I know your feeling nervous about a big meeting coming up because this is the company you WANT to be in business with but think about it like this: THEY SHOULD BE NERVOUS about you. You're going in there with something really great and if they don't like it, three companies already want to meet with you about it. Your worth is not measured by whether a project sells or not. And PS, pivot when you walk and know your talent is carved by diamonds. Sparkle out!"

Still having trouble? Okay, think of someone you love and would do anything for - now think of yourself that way. Now give yourself the pep talk like you love yourself like you love that other person.

Is this not mind blowing?

Sorry, I'm HIGH on the sparkle.

Okay, I want to hear, even anonymously, THE PEP TALK you would give yourself RIGHT NOW today. Put it in the comments section, beautifuls.

And if you like this post or think it will help someone, please link it to Twitter or Facebook. xoxoxo


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The MOST AWESOME Pep Talk of OUR LIVES!

Thank you, Beautiful Ones

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”


The quote above really touched me, I need to be wrapped up in a sense of gratitude. And this did it for me. I hope it's meaningful for you too.

Those of you who reached out and were amazingly sweet to express your condolences about my Uncle mean so much to me.

I will return blogging next week and dive right back into that Adventure Bowl. I can't wait! I need it so bad.

But I wanted to at least reach out and say "hi" and love to you all. xoxoxoxox

Thank you, Beautiful Ones

If I Had A Super Power...

Perhaps they are not the stars, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones pours through and shines down upon us to let us know they are happy. ~Author Unknown


My Uncle passed away and I did the thing I do when something sad happens and I feel sad but I can't go there because to go there, to feel what I would have to feel, I just know I can't. I'm don't think I'm strong enough. So I shut down. I push it out of my mind.

He did not die and he is not gone.

My Mom and Dad both got on the phone. FYI, when my Dad calls me, it's bad news. He never calls. He loves me, but I call him. We have a lot of laughs. But the laughs would not be happening unless I called him. Unless I flew home. Unless I said, "Let's go to the bar tonight."

I do not mind. This is how we are.

I answered the phone.
Me: Hello?
Dad: Hey, Kay.
Me: Hey
Dad: What's wrong? You sound upset.
Me: I'm just scared that every time you call that you're going to tell me that Uncle died.
Dad: Oh... (long pause) Well, he did die.

And I am not trying to be flip in recounting this conversation. In fact, it makes me love my Dad more that he hoped to lure me in and distract me with day to day chit chat and how is the weather out there and then, you know, slip that thing in about my Uncle.

I started crying and I would guess my Dad has heard me cry three times in my life... though I can't name them except for the time he called me to tell me my cousin was murdered. And I know he can't take it, to hear me cry, and that comes from only a good place. A place of love. It makes him too sad.

We are family that has had so much sadness. And we have had enough. So now we block it, with a shield. Like Super Heroes.

So I expected him to do one of two things... hand the phone to my Mom which is his most famous move or to intellectualize the situation.

This is a tried and true measure for an emotional avoider and I could call up the Learning Annex and tour the country doing speaking engagements on it. I learned it from the best. The two of them.

So I thought he'd say, "He's in a better place. He was suffering. You don't want him to suffer anymore, do you?"

Then the burden falls on me... I don't want to let someone suffer! That is wrong! That is bad! I want him to unsuffer! So yes! I am now not only unsad, I am joyous! What a marvelous thing to have happened! This death to me is by-gones!

Thank you! And Good night!

But instead my Dad lowered his voice and said, "I know you are sad. But I want you to know I'm really proud of you. How you went to visit your uncle and held his hand for so long last week. How scared you were that you would fall apart but you didn't. And even though he was having those delusions, remember how Auntie said he knew it was you? How he made that joke, "You've told me 6,000 times Kayla is here." You are a good person, you let him know that you loved him and you were so strong. So, I know you are sad. But remember, you are strong, too."

He stunned me. He made me speechless. He took everything that was sad and for that moment, made it okay.

My mom of course got on the phone and said, "Why are you crying? We expected this. You don't want him to suffer anymore, do you?"

I was too proud of my father to be mad at my mother.

Life is funny. I wish there was a button you could push on someone that, as they are relaying a story or information, (say, my Dad calling me to tell me about my Uncle), every bit of back story about their life would spit out like a fortune. For my Dad, I know it's, "I have not been able to protect you enough from sad things... when I hear you cry, it makes me feel like... I'm not a good father. I didn't have a father so... I'm just trying to do the best I can."

If I had one Super Power, it would be just to know. Just what is filed deeply within you as you are telling me what you are telling me? With my mother it's, "I haven't even faced my own mother's death over 40 years ago, how can I possibly handle this?" I think it would help us be more compassionate in the world.

Maybe instead of a button... knowing that science may be years and years and forever ever away from us, we should just have compassion for each other that there is more to the story if someone is upset by something you decided they should not be upset by.

For me, if you pushed my button, yes, I'm crying for myself, but also my aunt who loved him so immeaurably that you could feel a light radiate in the room when she walked in and his eyes would meet hers, I am thinking that to come from a big Italian family, that I will lose so many more people that I love, I am crying because I wish I lived on East Coast and could have been closer to him, a grandfather figure after losing my own at 19, I wish I had my life sorted out, I wish I was ready to move to New York... even part time, so I could be close to every one I love, I wish I didn't miss my cousin so much, I wish I didn't think about my own father's mortality... I wish, I wish, I wish. I wish there was one person that I could talk to about all this... who I would feel like I was not burdening, that I felt like I could trust, that wouldn't just be using their back story to shape my future story.

So I feel a little lost. I miss my Uncle. I do. But all these other things are so profoundly swirling around my head.

Dad: "So, I know you are sad. But remember, you are strong, too."


PS, a lot of you have emailed or left comments of such sweet concern. I am a World Champion Bouncer Backer. Seriously, I think I am in a book or something. So... don't worry, I'll be okay.

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If I Had A Super Power...