Tuesday, December 31, 2013

END OF AN ERA

Well... okay. Not an era. But certainly the end of a year. 2013 to be exact. Which I have to say was a year way better than the year before. Thank God. And... a year which I hope will not even compare to the one that's coming up. For I sorta have high hopes for 2014. I know... I'm such an optimist. Or a fool. I'm not sure which one just yet. But in any case...

I am trying to figure out what was the best thing that happened in 2013 and I always keep coming back to the times that I spent with my kid. I always love being with him for he makes me so very happy with his humor and smile and even his crapola. So basically if being with him was the best of the year, then I'd almost have to say I guess everything else was pretty much secondary and thus in that tier, probably equal in the enjoyment department.

I do remember, with major happiness I might add, the night I went to a new Italian restaurant about a half hour away from here. Nothing fancy but OMG. The food I had there was just unf'ingbelievable. Seriously... my taste buds were doing a dance all OVER the place. That was definitely a red letter evening.

I also have to say the most recent thrill was creating all my new necklaces for even as they were being made, I was in my glory as I laid out each bead, knowing that in the end it was going to be a knockout.

I was also tap dancing all over the place on the day my Medicare kicked in. Man... just the thought of not having to shell out over $1000 a month put my delight barometer way up in the clouds. I'm telling you... Medicare is one of the all time best inventions ever.

Oh yeah... I also have to say that the first time I heard Robin Thicke sing Blurred Lines I thought I died and went to heaven. I mean it. I was in the car and I could hardly get out because I transfixed to the lyrics and music. Needless to say one of the WORST moments of the year was when stupid ass Miley Cyrus totally screwed up Robin's performance with her utterly disgusting looking tongue but that's another story altogether.

Another thing that stands out in my mind was when I was in Ft. Lauderdale at the beginning of the year and I got to spend so much time with my niece, Laura. Besides... anyone who is so willing to take me out for a hot pastrami sandwich any time I want, is definitely someone you just gotta love forever.

Anyway.... as I said... 2013 was pretty much a decent year. But I am totally hoping 2014 surpasses it by leaps and bounds. I also hope I score big on any one of the major upcoming Power Ball Lotteries. Whoa. Would THAT ever make it bonus year. But most importantly...


I just hope my health remains good. And I hope yours does as well. I hope we all have a safe, loving, hell of a great New Year. I don't know about you... but me?? Holy Shit. I so deserve it. 

Saturday, December 28, 2013

I'M AN ADDICT

Holy ba holy. I can't believe how little time I've had to write a blog lately. I feel totally overwhelmed trying to be sure every little detail in my stupid little life is running like clockwork, thus by the time I get to vegging out, with time enough for writing this blog, I'm just way too damn exhausted.

Of course having to deal with an Achilles Tendonitis for a week didn't help. Nor did my being afraid that the Health Department might come and condemn my house the following week, since I had given my total attention to nothing else but to making at least a dozen of the absolutely most stunning necklaces you ever saw. I was obsessed! Nor did it help that I had been sick with swollen glands, chest and head congestion for yet another week after that. Geez... I must have slept for DAYS until I felt somewhat normal again. Factor in trying to keep the rest my regular life in order and boom. Who has time to blog? Anyway...

The part that I'll concentrate on today is: MY NEW ADDICTION. It's totally shameful, too. I can not beLIEVE how this has taken over my life but I have to tell you... am loving every minute of it.

After years of seeing thousands of necklaces that Claudia creates with beautiful beads, findings, etc.... something in me just sprang right smack up into my head out of nowhere and said: GO BUY BEADS AND IMMEDIATELY BEGIN MAKING NECKLACES... AND MAKE THEM ALONG THE LINES OF IRIS APFEL'S LOOK. As in: big, chunky and LONG. EXCEPT MAKE YOURS WITH JUST A LITTLE BLING.

Next thing you know... I'm at the bead store, spending more money on any one hobby than I ever have for 12 other hobbies, combined. I'm telling you... hundreds of dollars! Over and over again; even with the 40% discounts, I might add. That's the price of addiction, I guess. On the other hand, look how much I'm saving by not having to go to Jewelry Making Rehab. 

Because... for all those hundreds, I now have necklaces that could easily bring in MAJOR bucks were I to ever sell them. Which of course I never would. Besides, these creations conSUMED me for at LEAST a week straight at first and even now as we speak... my entire dining room table is totally covered with my beading supplies. That first week has now grown into almost four I'll bet but man, what stunning necklaces I have. And what pretty ones yet to be made.

I can't believe how beautifully they turned out nor can I believe how happily I can sit making these necklaces while also happily listening to my Kindle read every great book I've ever wanted to hear, for hours and hours. It's total heaven. In the meantime, you need to check out the pictures below to get an idea of how they turned out. Granted... the pictures don't even beGIN to do justice to what the necklaces look like in person but you'll get the idea nonetheless. 

I have even worn some twice already and have gotten totally rave reviews each time. Claudia makes much more refined looking necklaces. I make far more bolder looks. Especially since I wear at least two, maybe three at a time. They completely knock my fucking socks off.

Plus.. this little multimillion dollar hobby is just soooo relaxing. And fun. And creative. And totally fits into my love for instant gratification. Seriously. Who could ask for more? Check out the necklaces down below.


In the meantime... yippee. I'm finally back to the real world, feeling as chipper as ever, enjoying fun celebrations for the Holidays. Oh yeah... Merry Christmas everyone. Hopefully you got presents as fantastic as the ones below. Although I can hardly imagine it.












Thursday, December 19, 2013

THANKS BUT NO THANKS



I'm a pretty spiritual kinda gal. But George W. Bush would totally hate me. Although I hate him more, but who cares. Anyway... my sort of spirituality is that where I feel tremendous gratitude for the life I've been given and the hopes that I approach mankind with graciousness and compassion. George's on the other hand, is the kind of spirituality where he was supposedly in church one Sunday morning, grappling with the decision of whether or not to run for President... and boom. God magically, specifically, directly speaks to him and supposedly says: YEAH, GEORGE. YOU KNOW WHAT? THE COUNTRY ABSOLUTELY NEEDS YOU TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT. Boom. Done deal. He's gonna run. Well, God said SOMEthing along those lines anyway. Can you f'ing believe it??

Which to me is a perfect definition of who exactly should NEVER run for the highest office in the land. Really, George? God's voice came into church and sent a message just to you, telling you to go for it? Oh man. I can't even stomach the thought. You don't believe me? Here... read a couple of paragraphs of this article and figure it out for yourself. I'm telling you... it's true. Bush really does think God was speaking to him as if in a vision or something. Frankly, I myself say it must have been an after effect of LSD from years past. But whatever. Anyway... check out this link:

God Speaks to Georgie

I take prayer pretty seriously. And very personally. I have no clue whether or not there really IS a God-like figure up there listening to my prayers, but I sorta hope so given I say two personal prayers everytime I do my yoga session. I begin with a prayer to God, and then about half way through I say yet another. Which is exactly why I almost freaked when I saw this license plate a couple of months ago. The one up above there, in the picture I captured a couple of months ago.

Talk about my never doubting whether or not I live in the Bible Belt. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? SOME GUY IS ACTUALLY DIRECTING ME TO PRAY FOR HIM?? AND THEN PRAY FOR MYSELF, TOO?? Jesus. Since when do we go around telling strangers like me, to pray for them when I have no clue who the hell the guy is nor if he even deserves my blessing. Plus... HE PUTS THIS ON HIS LICENSE PLATE?? Whoa. The prisoner who made THIS plate must have felt some sort of redemption 1-2-3. I was totally shocked when I saw this. I still am, actually.

So shocked in fact that you have no idea what I had to go through to get a picture of this deal. Don't even ask. It was crazy. First I had to keep driving my car while reaching over, digging deep into my purse, feeling all around to grab my camera, all the while trying to keep up with the guy in traffic and then, only due to a stroke of luck.. or God's will maybe??... did we finally come to a stop light. And bingo. My chance to begin snapping away occurred! I must admit however, I probably said THANK GOD at that moment, but in truth I wasn't really thanking THE God. If anything... at the very least... I decided THAT ALONE was probably my prayer for the guy who's telling me to pray. THANK YOU GOD FOR LETTING ME GET A PICTURE OF THIS STUPID ASS LICENSE PLATE.

To my way of thinking... this kind of directive on a car is like me walking into the DMV and asking for a specialized plate (which I did do, btw but that's a whole other story altogether) and telling them to please make it say: SND $$ BOX 240. Can you imagine?? Man, would I ever love to do that. YIPPEE. I'D BECOME RICH!

In the meantime, I definitely take offense at people on the roads that I don't even know telling me I should pray for them. Uh... thanks but no thanks. WHO NEEDS YOU TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO?? I'LL PRAY FOR THE FOLKS WHOM I SPECIFICALLY WANT TO PRAY FOR! More importantly... I'd like to know exactly what this guy ever did to need so many damn prayers, in the first place. For all I know he could be sporting a freakin' stolen car!

So the bottom line here is: I guess this guy is living the life of Riley. No wonder. THE ENTIRE CITY IS PRAYING FOR HIM. Now granted... something really horrible could be happening in his life and he needs support but STILL. On a license plate?? Besides that... I'm supposed to pray for myself too?? As if I'm in need of some sort of forgiveness? Lordy Lordy. The Messiah better show up real soon because I'm beginning to think the entire Evangelicals are totally turning loony and are headed way off the deep end but FAST. And don't think for one minute this guy ISN'T an Evangelical. Remember: I'm in the Bible Belt.


Oh yeah... don't even get me started on this car being a Jaguar. I was behind Billy Graham?? Franklin Graham?? Any of the Grahams?? They DO live in Western NC, you know.