Set me free why don't you babe...

So I'm doing it.  I'm finally going to be able to check it off my "Live What You Love List!"  I'm moving to New York.  You might be wondering if I have a ton of friends there awaiting my arrival...nope.  Or maybe you're thinking I have a great job opportunity that I just can't pass up...nope again.  I just want to do it...so I'm doing it!  I mean I'm about to turn 31!  THIRTY ONE!  It's embarrassing but at the same time liberating!  Thank heavens 30 is almost outta here.  Being 30 years old is that unspoken deadline we all know about.  Of course I thought it 'all' would happen by the time I left my twenties.  And by 'all', I mean: marriage, kids, career, life, etc. etc.  Yeah well surprise surprise - I can't check one of those things off my list.
But this is where the freedom rolls in.  I'm done!  I can let it all go!  I have been set free by the death trap of dread and can finally go back to living my life.  I mean I remember last year at about this time.  The optimist in me thought maybe- just maybe with only days left before I reached 30 -I'd be united with the man of my dreams and we'd elope with only moments to spare before the big 3-0 was imprinted on my life forever.
Hogwash!  Enough of that idealism crap.  I'm opening my eyes to a sweet dose of reality and I'm in love!  I'm not bitter.  There's not a bitter bone in my body.  I don't feel entitled.  I'm a good girl and my good things will come to me when the time is right.  I'm just perfect.  I'm perfectly happy.
So the conclusion is...what a perfect time to begin the next adventure!  31 never looked so good!!  I can hardly wait.

Beauty is in the EYE of the beholder?...hope not!

     Aghhhh!!  I think I might cry...I think I'm getting a lazy eye! No offense to those of you born with such additions of 'character' - but my eye seems to be a taking on this new trait 3o years in.  Pretty easy to NOT be ok with that.

     Am I just noticing it because I'm still experiencing jet lag from my trip overseas?  Is it the Botox?  Have those expensive little toxins found their way down to my lids  in an attempt to teach me a lesson on frugality and accepting the affects of aging? Is it my subconscious trying to tell me to look at life with only 'one eye open' cause it just looks better that way?  Whatever it is - I hate it!

     Like I don't already have enough to worry about as far as what I see in the mirror.  My poor eyebrows are as sparse as they come.  But I will say that defect -  I'm pretty sure is my mom's fault.  When I had to wear a patch (yes...an EYE patch like a freakin' pirate....arghhh!... and I was chubby...and I had freckles!!!) because of my astigmatism it was actually on the WRONG eye for 6 months before it got switched to the correct eye.  (How that went on for so long I'll never know!)  So BOTH eyebrows had the opportunity to experience the 'quick' (it hurts less...ummm..actually NO it doesn't!) rip of tape that took half my brow with it.  So about 5 years ago in an attempt (again following sweet Mammie's advice) to help the brows out I got them tattooed on.  Yeah it looked great...until the tattoo turned orange!!!  You probably think I'm the only one that noticed the discoloration...wrong!  People...many people, have actually asked me why I color my eyebrows in with an orange pen.  I'll admit it's one of the few times my face reddens with embarrassment!

   Then I've got all these pre-cancer spots dotting up my face.  Gotta admit I love a homemade beauty mark...but these things ain't pretty.  Especially when I orange tan - that just brightens 'em up a notch!  I've already had one Basal Cell removed and was left a lovely scar on my nose.  The dermatologist actually wanted to remove another potential Basal Cell on the tip of my nose with another Moh's surgery.  I through defiant tears said, "No - wait till I'm freaking married.  Then scar me up all you want.  Not doing it now!"  I love my mom and all...but she sure screwed me when it came to inheriting her fair skin.

  With a birthday around the corner I'm beginning to wonder how one learns to 'age gracefully.'  Is there really such a thing? My eyeball with a mind of it's own thinks not.

PS: If you happen to ever watch this phenomenon momentarily transform my face...please don't stare.  Just pray for me.  Pray.
 

Bullcrap!

We saw a few good hits while we psyched ourselves up to join in the fun

So pretend you see us in the middle of this crowd prancing around like we weren't scared of a thing...cause we were there!!

I’m all about checking items off of my “LIVE WHAT YOU LOVE LIST” – but at 5am this morning I was over running with the bulls.  After a night of cleaning up my mom’s barf (I swear I was in as much sympathetic pain as she was) I just wanted one moment to sleep without someone on top of me or hearing babies screaming/joyfully playing.
    But Micah was insistent that we were going so Lindsey, he, and I left for the hour-long ride to Pamplona to run from some bulls.  I of course brought my makeup bag because if there was one more picture that needed deleting from this trip I would cry.  But before I knew it we were parked (I swear like 20 miles away from the party…had Lindsey been driving we would have parked up close and personal no doubt…she’s got a gift.) and outta there.  I caught a reflection of myself and the only word that came to mind was, “FUGLY!” –  (natural beauty is something I know NOTHING about).  And then to make matters worse – somebody forgot to tell me that you were supposed to wear all white and the red scarf thingy.  Ohh I was raging!  I stuck out like a sore swollen thumb in my purple Free City sweatpants and American Apparel V-neck.  But at least I had tennis shoes on!  Lindsey was wearing flip-flops…SICK!!!
    Eventually we found where all the action was.  And can I just give the Spaniards a shoutout??  I don’t think I’ve ever seen more good-looking men in my life!  My staring was at an all time high!  It was a brunette lovers paradise!  However it was very confusing to find out where the real deal was because the entire city looked like the center of it all.  I have never seen so many drunken people passed out sleeping literally every place you looked and trash covering every inch of ground.  It was an incredible sight!  Everyone’s white outfits were purple wine stained on top and grodey mud and crap stained on the bottom.  We thought we might have missed the celebration.
    We got to the packed streets and soon found it impossible to get anywhere to watch the bulls run by.  We ended up going down an alley and shoved our way towards the gate.  I was looking through some gap between people that was probably the size of my fist.  I look down and see Lindsey crouching for a better view and wondered if she was aware of the unfamiliar rear end that was resting on her forehead!  I’d hear the people scream and assume the bulls and people running for their lives were in view – but I didn’t see a thing.  In hoping for better results I tried climbing up a gate – but in my efforts all I got were a bunch more NOT SO ACCIDENTAL boob grazes!  I mean imagine if I had looked cute??!!  I surely would have walked away pregnant.  This one guy thought he and I were freaking on the dance floor and my grossed out look did not persuade him to stop.  So while demanding in my most disgusted voice, “Stop it – you’re nasty and YUCK” I pushed him away with all of my strength.  On the 4th shove I finally used my knee to help me out a little.  With a smirk as if we’d just had a great flirtatious exchange - he finally backed away.  Up I climbed…and it was over!  I had not seen one stinking bull pass!!!  I was sooo bummed!!!
    The 3 of us reunited in the aftermath of the chase and walked in awe at our surroundings.  How was I going to be able to check ‘running with the bulls’ off my list when I never even saw one.  We had to find another way!  We made our way towards the arena but weren’t sure who was allowed in etc.  Obviously we hadn’t prepared ourselves as far as knowing what to do or where to go really.  But Lindsey and I are never ones to give up easily. 
    We saw a huge crowd of people rushing inside the arena so we joined them.  It seems that anyone can go in there – the place was packed.  Pretty much glued to sweaty strangers we watched individual bulls be let into the arena to charge at adrenaline junkies crowding the arena floor. “Toro! Toro!”  Is what they were yelling apparently.  I thought they were yelling, “Oh no, Oh no!” as the bull would charge towards a new victim.  They weren’t…just me.
    It was insane to watch.  Nobody that I saw got seriously injured – but I saw plenty of close calls.  The crowd would cheer and chant in unison when a crazy man would grab the tail of the bull – or purely by luck be able to dodge the predator!  Guys would get knocked out of the way and get up laughing wanting more.  The scary part was the bull would charge one way and then he’d do this amazing pivot thing and go a completely new direction before any victim knew what was coming.  It was a rush just watching it.  I think I saw 2 other girls out there on the arena floor…Lindsey and I decided to make it 4!
    We made our way to the outer part of the stage seating that encircled the inner arena and jumped down.  Then I moved some guys outta the way and lifted my leg over the guardrail. (I ain’t the most agile and flexible gal you ever met!)  Lindsey was right next to me doing the same thing.  I think we both wanted to be the first in the arena so we could impress the other.  The men standing on the outsides of the guardrail were looking at us like we were out of our minds.  I yelled “Help me over, I gotta get in there!”  They were like, “You’re going in there?  You’re crazy!”  I grinned from ear to ear and said, “Oh yeah…watch this!”
    Well this one time my talk may have been slightly bigger than my action.  But I was in there.  I probably didn’t go more than 15 feet towards the middle though.  However – do not be fooled…that was still very intense!  Especially when they’d let a fresh new bull in!  The animal would buck around doing anything far from guessable.  They’d rush the sides and then dart towards the middle.  When it was not too close to me I’d run out and do a little show off dance like I was braver than Wonder Woman.  My little group of spectators loved it. 
But one time when I was acting all tough off the sidewall ledge, I saw the bull coming straight my way.  I freaked out and tried to jump up on the ledge but it’s really hard to jump on it if your hand doesn’t have a place to hold onto the rail.  So I was grabbing at some man’s shirt and pulling myself upward yelling, “Ouch Ouch!”  When the bull gratefully chose a new direction of target the man started laughing at my screaming “ouch” when the bull didn’t even come close to touching me.  I said, “Oh yeah…well a lotta help you are!  You were about to climb up and over the rail -leaving me to die!  You’re supposed to save me.”  He laughed and offered his rolled up newspaper as a replacement of protection.  I told him he was more scared than a girl and jumped off the ledge prancing about to taunt the bull once again!
Lindsey and I stayed relatively close together (she claims she went closer to the bull than I) in the arena with wussy Micah up in the stands.  Who apparently had a great call from nature and never even saw (nor took a picture…but it’s ok cause of my fugliness) us in the arena.  Lindsey was fuming that he thought a trip to the men's room was more important than documenting our bravery.  He claims he didn't think we'd actually go in...ummm...does he not know us??? Of course we'd find a way in...DUH!!  We may not have proof...but Linds and I know we were there!

…Run with the Bulls…CHECK(-ish)!

PS: I was recapping it all to my mom and when I told her I kept getting felt up she said, “Man that sounds fun.  I haven’t been felt up in a long time!”  Love her.

Beynac..Oui...Oui!!

France is a lovely place...especially when you're living next to a castle!  This place is so picturesque - I'm in awe everywhere I turn.  I took a walk on my own tonight through our little town.  Other than getting attacked by two crazy dogs (and they were tiny...but scared me half to death as I screeched for help from above) it was like it was out of the movies.  We are staying here for like a week or so in this cottage and other then the occassional nasty spider it's a dream come true!

We cannoed down the Dordogne river.  Calin was my partner...but she was a bit lazy (bless her heart).  At the halfway point I was SOO over it!  We could not for the life of us get the hang of how to steer ourselves.  Finally some French man asked us if we were trying to go from bank to bank...ummm NO we are not trying to we just happen to be moronic Americans!  He helped us out a bit and that lasted about 2 seconds.  Lindsey and I obviously had an all out water war...glad to say I drenched her!

On one of our adventures out we came across this town that was celebrating it's 30th year as the Festival of the Bees.  They had covered the town in plastic flowers.  I literally gasped when I looked above me and saw all the colors covering the sky.  We felt pretty lucky on our hunt for the real deal French experience!