February 29th on February 18th

February 29th. I have always been fascinated by February 29th. I am sure that my curiosity is no different than others. One particularly important (at least in my mind) is when do those born on February 29th celebrate their birthdays???

Regardless of if they chose to celebrate on February 28th, or March 1st, in 2008 I discovered (too late) that some choose to celebrate February 29th by doing particular items on the 29th. A list of 29 things to be more precise. I loved the idea!

One small loop hole- February 29th is in the middle of the week. Not on a day I'm planning to take off work, so me and my mind came up with another idea. In honor of February 29th, why not do 29 things on a Saturday instead? Armed with a friend, that exactly what I did...Today!

The preparation did not take too long (I got set up last night), and the festivities began today at 11 am, and did not finish until about 9:30 pm.

You may be asking yourself, What did they do? (Go ahead, and ask yourself.)
Well....... (not inclusive list but here are a few:)

• Make a personalized t-shirt (check)
• Completed your 2012 to-do list (check)
• Memorize a new verse (check)
• Go for a walk (check, check- 4 miles)
• Create and mail a letter to a friend)
• Find three new ways to "Go Green." (check)
• Find the perfect lipstick (check)
• Watch the sunset (check)
• Eat chocolate (check)
• Read a chapter from a book (check)
• Take 29 pictures (check)
• Play a card game (check)
• Eat something delicious (check-----however, I am still on the quest for something oober delicious. We tried, and didn't quite accomplish what we were looking for. We had some very close. What would you consider delicious?!)

In addition, the majority of the pictures were taken on a good ole disposable camera- for fun. Now- we have to wait to see!

Nothing like livin' the good life!

Just a Moment, Please....

There are moments. Like this one.....

....When I am sitting in my comfy place, on my couch, or propped up in my bed....

....After I have just read a beautiful, or funny, or melancholy story....

....When my Charlie Brown-esque Christmas Tree isn't lit
(because, well, I have to redo the lights so that the plug-in
is not buried somewhere in the middle of the tree)....

....When I'm contemplating packing my bags for a trip to see
My Melissa, two weeks before I have to leave....

....When my face is hurting because I've been laughing....

....When I'm wearing my Goodwin t-shirt, and I'm reminded that I have friends, wonderful, best of the best friends, nestled in various places around the country....

....When the day I've been waiting for arrives.....

....When events are planned....

....I'm in the middle of a messy, creative project....

....I'm talking to Blanche....

....When fun secrets are in the air, along
with a bit of mystery and wonder....

....When I hear my favorite song on the radio....

....After a phone call....

....Looking through pictures....

....I just ignore the fear and take the jump....

....I have put pen to paper (or electronic ink? to screen?)....

....because it involves more laughing, and talking, and singing,

and dancing,
twirling, and LIVING....

....that I am reminded that I am so very, very blessed. And that life is good. And that God is great. And that it's not over. And that each day is a new chance to be more fabulous, and more amazing....

....when I make a choice to be happy, and at peace....

Lookin' forward to the journey- how about you come along?
“A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.” ~ Jean de La Fontaine

Gray

I am about to be honest...
Generally I like to think of myself as an honest person, but this time I'm about to be painful OPEN and honest. Open being the operative word.

For over the last year and a half I have been dating someone. I do not tend to go too personal on here, because it's public, and my life is not. Recently, we broke up. For me, in that moment, life suddenly became shades of gray. I found that I had, within that time period of being an "us", forgotten all about the "me." It is difficult to remember what that is like. There are so many things that I enjoy doing, but I've forgotten all about them. There are so many things that I complete and I realize I'm waiting for someone on the other end to applaud for me and cheer for me. Now there is no applause or cheering. It's just my face and my voice. Quite honestly, it made me want to stop doing anything I've ever done and sit in a room with the lights off, in silence, shutting out the world.

The problem is, life doesn't stop. The world keeps rotating, and while I'm just sitting, life continues to happen all around me. People are LIVING. But I am not. Why am I writing all this? I don't really know. I have always found that writing is cathartic. Somehow putting pen to paper (or whatever you call when you are typing) puts things in order and sets things right. I need to be set right. For right now, I don't have much more to say. I'm sure I will be back, but for now I am going to be working on Me.

Always,