JayZ wasn't lying!

I did it...I finally up and moved to New York City.  I can hardly believe it myself.  With my postponed arrival date I was beginning to go crazy at home.  The excitement had long worn off!  Last week I was a bundle of anxious nerves and emotions...crying at any thought of my unknown future.  But I'm so proud of myself...day one in NYC was a dry one as far as my tear ducts are concerned!

I took the red eye last night...along with an Ambien.  When I woke up I was across the country and had remnants of snacks I don't recall eating all over me.  I also had the contact info of the daughter of the lady I was sitting next to.  I'm not really sure how and why that came into my possession?!  I'm just crossing my fingers it wasn't because I agreed to some weird set up or something!  (I'm also crossing my toes, and hoping I didn't offer up my own contact info!)

The weather has already turned pretty brisk here so I borrowed my friends down parka and headed out trying to act like a local.  I looked more loca than local.  I got more than one comment similar to this, "Ha! Yeah - you already broke out the big coat.  I guess you're really cold.  Ha!" - I couldn't help but laugh at myself.  And then as I sat attempting to understand the lame compass on my Iphone and which direction it was trying to tell me I was going - I had a few nice gents offer their help.  I'll have to say that New Yorkers get a bad rap...they've been nothing but helpful to me since the moment I got here.  Wait...I take it back...sort of.  While I was waiting for the subway and thinking about all the great things I'm going to accomplish here I heard the loudest, longest, and most disgusting burp from across the platform.  Without even a thought about ignoring the nastiness like everyone else did -I all of a sudden heard a gasp coming from my own mouth practically as loud as the burper!  I think more people looked at me then they did him.  I can't help it...mama raised me right!


I gotta admit...I think I'm in love.  I'll even take all the grody behavior!  I've got to find some housing, some clients, and other things...but I did officially make my first NYC friend.  Things are off to a great start!

The Plan

So I've busily been tying up all my loose ends here in California.  I even packed up all my skinny goal clothes and told myself I can bring them back out when I'm actually close to reaching 118lbs! (Hey be proud of me...I finally upped the goal from 105)  I feel like I really am going to be able to achieve this realistic approach to life and be successful at it.
So here's the plan.  I'm going to head off to the Big Apple and start up my lashing business there.  Everyone needs lashes right?  If I really work hard I know I can do it.  I've got a few months of savings to get by on and I figure I'll give myself till December to make it work.  And if I can't get it together financially...then I come back home.  No biggie.  I give it an honest shot and see what comes.
My poor mother, I'm sure I've sent her to bed yet again.  She's trying her best to be supportive and happy for me.  I knew she had some opinions dying to come out as she nodded with a forced smile of support.  "If you come back - you're going to get your teaching credential."  Oh bless her...I might be her most obedient child yet oddly the child she spends the most time on her knees for.  I don't know why.  I always tell her not to worry, it'll all turn out just fine.  I think if I'm not worried about my life, then she sure shouldn't be.  It's gotten really bad though.  Every now and again I'll have a rough day and need to talk it out with an unwelcome tear or two.  I only use my mom as a sounding board as a last resort.  My tears put her to bed for at least a week after she consoles me.  It's all too much for her.  Like I said...bless her heart.
Knowing that I've worked really hard for the past year and half building up Fabulash, I decided I would fly home every month or so to service my clients.  If New York ends up being a bust I don't want to come back and start from scratch again!  There are a whole lot of unknowns...but I can hardly wait!

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.

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.

All That Jazzzz

Man...it's just soo easy to get soo into it!
Feel free to call me if you wanna have a jam sess.

In case you didn't know I have a new hobby. I'm officially a Harmonica Playa'! (Not 'player' cause it's more ghetto than the typical - I really funk it up.) I stole my nephew's harmonica the other day and have taken many online lessons and from what the lessons say...I'm now a professional. Apparently once you've practiced a song 50 times you are then ready to preform it publicly. So I guess I'm ready to show you all - but I might play it a couple more times before I share my skills with the world. But be on alert...it's commin! My first piece is, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." I think I chose these lovely lyrical lines because the tune brings back fond memories. I use to sing it as, "She's got the whole world in her pants" as a tribute to Lindsey's 'Thunder Thigh' days.
I've got more to come. But unfortunately I won't be asked to do a solo in church any time soon...I guess Harmonica Playin' isn't approved in the Church Handbook - wonder if I can appeal that?!

p.s.: I am available for summer bonfires! Although I'm sure space is limited...(I'm pretty sure my skillz are going to be in high demand!)

G-L-E-E

Married with Child....

GLEE...it's what I do

The cast...I'm the girl in the pink sweater (at least I pretend in front of the mirror I am!)

When I grow up....

Well here's the thing. I'm kinda all grown up now. But that doesn't mean I haven't accomplished all that I was born to do. (Obviously!) Our final school spirit day was themed so that we were to dress up as what we wanted to be when we grew up. Of course I had to join in the fun. So with my belly busting and my ring finger blinging...I was a hit and possibly a hoot at school!

But the real truth is I would have dressed up as something else if I could've figured out what to wear to represent such an occupation. An official GLEE CLUB member. Or maybe even the leader of such a group. I watched the new pilot for the show on Fox coming in the fall. I am officially obsessed. I'm talking - I can't get the vision of myself in a Glee club out of my head. I'm serious about starting one up. I originally wanted to join one...but then thought of tryouts and my failing miserably in them. I can't sing - we all know that by now. But I'm not going to let some know it all tell me I can't belt my ballads just cause I hit a wrong note or two! (or 3 or 4 or ....)

So if any of you know anything about GLEE clubs and have advice or recommendations...I'm all ears. The music is in me. I was born to do this. The world is my stage...and that means you're are my audience. I'm lookin' for a standing ovation!!!