Catholic Guilt

Matter of Trust

The recent oil spill in the Gulf Coast is making the news daily, if you aren't following it, please do.  It's absolutely devastating.  Sometimes we feel powerless when we hear such things, we want to somehow help, but how, how can we help something like an oil spill projected of spewing over 200,000 gallons of crude oil into the ocean?  Well, we can't stop the spill, but we can make a small difference.  Watch this video, you'll see what I mean.

Matter of Trust - visit their website, you can help. 

Also, it appears Governor Swarzenegger is no longer backing a plan to drill off the coast of beautiful Santa Barbara.  A sigh of relief for those of us who care about our beaches, and wish to protect our environment.

Sunshine and rain...

I awoke yesterday morning to the sweet scent of the most beautiful white and green bouquet of flowers which was hand delivered to me over the weekend by a special boy...

{sunshine}...

 

 

...and was later greeted with rain as I awaited the trolley on the way to the office in the big city...

{rain}...

The day came to a close in the city with drinks, tapas and the sweetest company a girl could ask for.  My date selected the perfect location with the most amazing views...

 

 

 I am such a lucky girl.

A week in the life of me...

Sitting at my desk this afternoon, a rare opportunity for me, looking out at my tiny garden thoughts came to mind of the last week which so quickly came and went...

The BFF started a fantastic new Meetup.com group for Singles who love to dine.  I must say, food tastes better in wonderful company.  On Tuesday, a group of us visited this wonderful sushi restaurant in Berkley.  Even on a Tuesday night, it was very busy - a testament to the quality of their food.  Yes, that interesting piece at the top of the picture is an acquired taste which I love, sea urchin.  Don't judge me because I eat raw fish, I'm from an island.  So there.

I was hoping to get out to Shelby's studio for some much needed yoga but my cold is still lingering.  The coughing would have ruined the experience for me and those near me, so I pouted a bit - ok alot and stayed home.

Later in the week Patrick and I found our way downtown and just had to molest fondle the new iPad.  I would normally trade my first born for a new Apple gadget (remember the first Nano?  I was there!  Or the iPhone?  Yep, there again), yes I'm a fan - but I must say, I'm not too impressed with the iPad.  It feels like a really large iPhone in my opinion.  I'm thinking if it was more like a netbook (a mini laptop), I'd have been more impressed.  But I still reserve the right to sacrifice my newborn for future Apple products - just sayin'.

And of course once the weekend rolls around it's time for more fun with friends at Bings (ok, more like a hot date - shhhhhh) and some dancing.  Who can resist a fruity little beverage with dry ice drama?  Not me! 

Next weekend, maybe we'll get out to watch Diamond Dave at the local dive.  You have got to check him out - it's a real treat.

Stay tuned for more of my crazy life next week and if someone is translating this for my mom - please omit the partying, drinking, tidbit about the newborn, hot date...actually, tell her my blog is down, it'll save save us both alot of grief.

"Wrong Baby Wrong"

Martina McBride and I go way back - to the 90's when I discovered my love for country music and cowboys.  I blame my neighbor down the road, he looked real good in a pair of Wranglers and a cowboy hat.  I was a budding teenager with hormones, don't judge me. 

If it weren't for heartache, what would our beloved song writers and singers sing about?  I love the lyrics to this song.

Wrong baby wrong baby wrong
It ain't the end of the world
Don't you worry pretty girl
Cause now that he's gone baby gone baby gone
You got nothing to lose
Count the minutes if you want to
It won't be long baby long baby long
'Til you find somebody new

Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That's what we all do
But if you think you'll never move on you're wrong baby

Cry baby cry baby cry
Go on and let it all out
I ain't leavin' you now
And we can fly baby fly baby fly
Let's share a bottle of wine
We can laugh about the good times
And you'll know why baby why baby why
It's gonna be alright

Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That's what we all do
But if you think you'll never move on you're wrong baby wrong

Oh you ain't gone
baby wrong baby wrong
There's nothing wrong with movin on
When you know he's good and gone

Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That's what we all do

Come on now
Everyone falls down
Everyone crawls now and then
Then they get up again
You cry if you want to
That's what we all do
But if you think you'll never move on you're wrong baby wrong
You're wrong baby wrong
Wrong baby wrong baby wrong

Move over Easter Bunny...Hello Easter Goats

I hope your Easter was filled with family and friends and you got your fill of candy and Easter eggs.  As I mentioned in my prior post, my crazy life continues and I spent some time with friends, some of whom have goats...goats dyed pretty Easter colors. 

There were pink goats, lavender goats - those were the girl goats.

And there were blue goats and yellow goats - those are the boy goats.

I assure you, this is not an April Fool's Day joke and I did not use Photoshop to augment these photos, they are straight from my cellphone. 

Disclaimer:  Goats were not harmed in the making of Easter Goats - they were dyed with all natural vegetable dyes.  Case we're in California, afterall.

Happy Easter!

My Crazy Carousel Life...

I feel like a child, clenching onto cotton candy with sticky fingers and sweet lips; standing dangerously close to the round world filled with music, animals and lights. It spins before me.  Round and round it goes.  My pulse quickens as I watch eager, waiting.  

  
 

I reach out and take hold of this magical place, my pink ballerina slipper touches down and I float beside a painted horse.  He smiles and winks at me.  I dance around, smiling and laughing.  I'm filled with joy and happiness.  I see old friends, new friends and strangers smiling at me.  I feel social for the first time in years.  I am as carefree as these painted creatures which I ride...up and down...round and round.

  

I get off to return to my normal routine, but those pretty lights seduce me once again, the music enchants and those wild and crazy animals beckon me.  So I climb on because this is my happy place.  I deserve this...  You deserve this...  Ride the carousel, let your hair down - life is too short not to.

  

The best camera...

...is the one that's with you - according to Chase Jarvis, who's only one of the top photographer's in the world.  I don't know about you but I don't carry my Cannon DSLR with me when I'm out and about which is usually when photo opps happen.  However, I never leave home without my iPhone, because otherwise I'd have withdrawls and t wouldn't be pretty.  So when I discovered this amazing new iPhone app by Chase, I had to try it out.  And guess what...I love it!  Here's why...

 

 This photo is taken from my recent visit the Western store on a hunt for boots - cause everyone's wearing them these days and you can take girl off the farm but you can't take the farm out of the girl.  

 

And with a few little clicks of the app...behold.  Not bad for an iPhone.   

 

And another click or two and ... behold, vintage boots. 

 Wow, this kinda makes me look like I know what I'm doing behind the camera, doesn't it?  Shhh...don't disagree and ruin my happy moment.  Thank you.

Warrenton Antique Week and Chicken Craziness...

I was recently drooling over the talented Heather Bailey's new chicken coup because in case you don't know despite my many mentions that I was raised on a farm, I soooo want my very own chicken coup and one day, I shall prevail and I too will raise chickens like Miss Martha.  I'm very sorry if I somehow ruined the illusion you have of me from a chic and urban city gal in power suits and Louis Vuitton brief case to a torn overall wearin' chicken manure shoveling crazy farm chic.  Now, you know that underneath my prim and proper appearance lies that farm chic you will never be able to look at me the same again.  You're welcome.  

Well now that I've digressed, while on Heather's blog I realized that the Warrenton Antique week in Texas is coming up.  For the last three years since discovering the event (again blaming Heather for this), I've wanted to go but of course I don't remember how badly I want to go until it's like a couple weeks away and it's a little too late to go.  It's happening the last weekend of March and while I do have family living near Dallas now, it's just not very convenient at the moment.  However, I'm making plans to attend the Fall faire for sure!  

 The Gypsy Chics of Junk Gypsy

I'm a huge fan of Junk Gypsy and secretly desire that fabulous style of theirs - one day I tell ya, one day I'll have the courage to wear torn jeans, vintage cowboy boots, a white wife beater - erm, husband beater with a leopard print bra and I will rock the look.  Ok, so I'm a bit classier than that image, thankyouverymuch.  

So who's comin' with me to Texas in the Fall!?  I say we get a group of us wild crazy California chics together and plan a road trip!

Namaste...

{Photo from my trip to the San Francisco Japanese Tea Garden last year}

Having grown up in a culture where things such as yoga and meditation aren't prevalent, I never thought I'd be so into something I had no exposure to for the *ahem* 29 years of my life.  But I find myself mesmerized with this thing my darling friend Bella calls yoga.  

I do admit I was drawn to it mostly because Miss Bella is the sweetest, most positive soul on this Earth who has the most amazing posture and grace.  She is always so calm and simply radiates.  So one day when I asked her how she got such amazing posture she said, "yoga!"  Well, Miss Bella is not just any yogi, she's a body worker who also teaches teachers who teach yoga.  So one could say she knows a thing or two about this stuff.

Miss Bella invited me to a yoga bootcamp last weekend and I must admit, being a beginner...ok strike that, being someone who's never attended a yoga class I was a whole lot nervous.  But she reassured me I'd be fine.  Being as I trust her completely, I agreed and showed up with yoga mat and yoga blocks (I didn't even know such a thing existed) in tow.  Well, let's just say Bella put me through my paces, but I obviously enjoyed myself enough to go back today for more of that bendy, stretchy stuff.

I had a back injury when I was 18 which if I'm not careful, causes regular backpain I've learned to avoid.  Mostly by not doing anything too strenuous or through muscle relaxers. I tend to baby my back and as a result I'm the least flexible person I know.  Well, with the help of dear Miss Bella, that is changing!  

Today, I woke up as usual, with a little bit of back discomfort, and stiffness.  Usually it goes away within 30 minutes or so of moving around, but the fact I notice it every morning bothers me.  I made some tea, quickly walked the doggie and headed to Los Gatos to Bella's studio for my Yin yoga lesson.  Yin yoga is a mild form of yoga that is used to stretch the connective tissue.  It helps to, as Miss Bella explained it, elongate the muscles which due to my desk job, seem to be well...not so elongated hence my lack of flexibility.

Engraved Pebbles on Etsy

It's always a treat to see the pretty Bella and even more of a treat to listen to her.  She has a soothing voice that can put me to sleep.  But sleep I did not, instead I stretched to my hearts content.  I even assumed a position I'd not been able to do in YEARS!  You know the one, when you lie on your back and put your legs over your head when you're a kid because you think it's the funnest thing ever - when the lights are out and the Ninento isn't working that is.  Uh huh, this not-so-flexible gal plowed!  That's what the position is called "plow".  Granted I didn't do it perfectly but I did it!  And I'm going to practice it until I can do it! I wanna make my teacher proud.

Not only am I enjoying the benefits of flexibility, but with yoga comes meditation.  I'm learning to be in the present, calm and center myself and become less reactive.  Less reactive is a good thing for this type-A girl of Latin decent.  All I do is react!  But meditation teaches you to not react to such things as an itchy nose, and not fidget which comes in handy when I feel the sudden need to express myself in a not so pleasant manner when someone annoys me.

In short...welcome to my evolution.  

Namaste 

Who knew...

...that seaweed salad could taste so good.  It was so worth walking a mile in heels to satiate my craving.  Mmmmmm...

After two servings of this awesome sea goodness, I can say I'm good for a while.  Otherwise, I risk becoming the swamp creature.