Simple Pleasures

- Riding my bike to Trader Joe's
- SoCal in the summer time
- Playing football with Chaka
- Trying a new recipe
- Fresh-squeezed Watermelon and lime juice

Like Nina Simone sang...

"Its a new dawn, its a new day, its a new life...And I'm feelin' good!"

Riddle me this: Why, all of a sudden, is everyone else singing this song (by everyone I mean Michael Buble and Jennifer Hudson). It turns me off a bit that Jennifer Hudson is singing it on a Weight Watchers commercial but I guess that's a different topic, so I digress.

What I always loved about the new year is that it feels like a new opportunity, but the truth is that new opportunities are always around the corner anytime of the year. What makes the Julian Calendar so special that I follow it so precisely in everything I do or plan? I think planning this way is limited and has limited my thinking for a good 20 years of my life.

Moreover henceforth therewithto (that's some of that fancy old English for you), I will no longer be a slave to standard calendar practices. I will make resolutions all year round and celebrate the only REAL holiday...my birthday, with gusto and a jovial attitude every year no matter how old my government ID tells me I am. I will play tennis in the Winter and drink hot cocoa in the Summer. I will wear hot pink in the Fall and eat pumpkin pie in the Spring. I will punctuate my slang properly and I will write in complete sentences (I don't know that this last one has anything to do with the calendar).

All I'm saying is every day is a playground. Enjoy what you do, how you live and who you are around as much as possible; and if you don't like it, don't wait until January 1 or the next Monday or the first of the month to change what you don't like. Maybe one day you can be as happy as this guy:

How sweet it was...

I am amazed at how quickly 2010 came and went. I'm generally a big promoter of moving up and on and getting my resolutions ready for the next year, but 2010 was so full of things I thought I would reflect on all that went down.

Let Downs :/

• Didn't go to Macchu Picchu
• Had to get rid of Saabi
• Gained 20 lbs. (yea! I know, scary) - I already have the resolution for this one
• Lazied on tennis after August
• Didn't take the GMAT....again
• Didn't run more races

Achievements :)

• Saw my first live Celtics game at TD Garden in Boston
• Participated in my first season of mixed doubles
• Won a tennis tournament (Calabassas Country Club)
• Pueblo Ingles teens 2010
• Traveled through Spain, France, Turkey and Germany with my love
• Got a new car
• Attended my first PRSA International Conference
• Filed my taxes on time
• Ran in 2 10K's
• Adopted my adorable Chaka
• Celebrated the last birthday of my 20's
• Kicked Coffee (I like to celebrate the small victories too)
• Got engaged to be married
• Began planning my wedding
• Became a chocolatier

Overall it has been a pretty stellar year. I can't wait to see what happens in 2011, I already know of a couple pretty important milestones that will take place. It should be interesting. I will get on the 'list' of resolutions that I have...However, today (while in the gym), I realized that sometimes my over planning is self defeating and I should continue to follow the one motto that I have always loved "Just do it!"

Good luck on your resolutions and Happy Holidays!

Curveballs and Decisions

Some things that come around, you would never expect to happen to you in a million years. The only thing that you can do is to have confidence in yourself to overcome those strange curveballs in life that may come your way. The real outcome is the way to handle, deal and overcome every situation. Most people end up cracking at the thought of something 'out of the normal' happening to them. As long as you have confidence in yourself and think things through (or maybe not think things through sometimes) then decision making is much easier. It is not about making the best of what you have...It is about making what you have, the best!

Although I love the idea of destiny, luck and fate; nothing comes to you unless you make it happen. I think that's why people often make fun of or reject the 'I can't', because it just doesn't make sense most times. There is a way to do and figure out everything that life throws you and all you can do is your best to make the right decisions for yourself, despite what others may think or say. No I had no major decisions to make, but a lot to think about. When it comes down to it, you can only look within yourself to find answers that you need.

Keep your head clear and march forth my friends!