Happy Half New Year's Eve

I don't know about you, but I'm ready to renew my New Year's resolutions and rock the rest of the year. 

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Brain Switch

Have you ever thought about something one way for a very long time, and then changed your mind?
Earlier this week, I read this post on Seth's blog.
I read his blog daily, but the last line stayed with me all week, "The big work is available to you as soon as you decide to do it."
That's what I'm doing. I'm deciding to do the big work.

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Florida

A few things about my visit to the Sunshine State:
1. After staying up all night, my mom picked me up in a limo and we drank champagne at 4 in the morning on our way to the airport, like rock stars.
2. SFO is surprisingly busy at 5 a.m.
3. Florida is green.
4. I don't really mind humidity, at least not the way everyone else minds humidity.
5. But I really, really do mind the crazy scary wildlife that thrives in humid, lush climates. Like the fire ants that covered my right foot while I innocently stood in my sister's yard. My reaction was to scream and shake my leg. My sister told me to stand still and then she wiped the ants off me with her bare hands. After that, I felt like I was in a horror movie every time I stepped outside.
6. Did you hear about Tropical Storm Debby? We did on every news channel and every non-news channel. And then there was the tornado warning in our county, and an actual tornado that touched down 20 miles north of us. My mom studied the hotel evacuation plan and was ready to jump into the bathtub with blankets.
7. All in all, Florida is not my favorite place in the world, but it is home to some of my favorite people.

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Away Again

In about 5 hours, I'll be headed to the airport. The plane leaves at 6 a.m. and will take me and my mom to Florida. John joked that I should fire my travel agent. (My dad's the one who booked the tickets.) But how could I resist a few more days of family time?

Update: It's 3:50 a.m. on Thursday. I decided to skip sleep altogether. Instead, I packed, folded laundry, went through mail and sent out a couple emails. I've already found a mistake. Somehow, I accidentally put away a dirty bath towel. I whispered to John about it as we said our sleepy head goodbyes. I'm leaving it up to him to figure out which towel doesn't belong with the clean ones because I have no idea. All I can say is God bless the sleep deprived.

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Twister

I feel like my own private tornado. Whirling all about, touching down here and then there.

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Highlights

I'm thinking of my day and what made it the best. Today it was an insightful conversation with a friend (because my friends are smarter than they know) and dinner with my sister and making Dylan laugh. Obviously, the best of each day is different, but I find it's always about connecting.

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Summer Vacation

During the last 12 days:

• We spent 5 days in Reno. I wouldn't recommend Reno as a destination. But while we were there, we managed to walk through the casinos, drink a beer at a microbrewery, do a shot with each of our two nephews, eat at a buffet, play $1 each on a slot machine, and attend a Reno chapel wedding. 
• With my mom's help, I made arguably the most beautiful diaper cake I've ever created.
• After we returned to San Jose, my sister Nicole, her husband Cliff and 19-month-old Dylan visited from Florida. Plus, my aunt Gloria, uncle Archie and cousin Lindsey visited from Washington. 
• My mom, Nicole and I got our nails done and went to lunch.
• I bought a new purse. It's pink, and I love it.
• Dylan got his first haircut, and I colored the gray out of mine.
• We celebrated my grandfather's 93rd birthday and tried to convince him that he is really 39. 
• I made three trips to Michael's. Two of them on the same day.
• I went bowling with my cousins and scored a 40 on my first game and a 97 on my second. I also managed to throw the ball down the lane before the machine had a chance to reset. 
• My mom and I threw my sister a baby shower. (Baby Cecilia Kay is expected to arrive mid-August.)
• My brother Joseph announced he was hired by the Melbourne Fire Department. (A job he worked very hard to get.) 
• We celebrated Father's Day with my family. My brother Jimmy gave my dad an underwear repair kit.

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Away

We ran away to Reno. Our nephew and niece-to-be (the adorable couple with the one-of-a-kind zombie proposal) are getting married here Saturday. In the meantime, we'll be exploring the "Biggest Little City in the World."

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Newsworthy

The 11 o'clock news just aired a story about a deer in Berkeley who is attacking dogs to protect her fawn. Clearly, this is important to the people living in this particular neighborhood. But honestly, I think the reporters just wanted a chance to call a female "hormonal" on the news and get away with it.

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30 + 5

The correct answer is 35. But don't be alarmed.
When my young friend Ben heard which birthday I was celebrating, he told his mom, "Oh! She's still got some time!"
I like how Ben thinks.
There is still time for everything.
By the way, when I have a birthday, so does my blog.
Today, Windshield Rosary is 5.

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Party Hats Required

Birthdays are fancy, whether we want them to be or not.
And isn't that lovely.

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The Honest Truth

This world is cold and dark, and it's hard to remember that it's not a matter of deserving love.
It's not a matter of being good enough. We don't have to earn it.
It's what we were made for.
And if I could tell you anything right now, it would be this ~ you are loved, loved, loved. And there's not a damn thing you can do about it.

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How Do You Spell Love?

This week, I spell love: J-o-h-n & F-r-i-e-n-d-s.

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