How You Doin' 2010?!

... spoken in my best Joey voice!

Well, we've said: Peace Out 2009 and it's time to say, Hello to 2010! Two thousand and nine wasn't the best year ever, but I did learn some very valuable lessons. In the words of Rhianna- Live your life, heeeeyyyyayyyaaaa. Cough.

We've all got that "live life to the fullest" mentality lately. None of us want to let one little second go by. I think this is a pretty great way to trot through life with if you're willing to be realistic. I can't tell you how many boys I've dated or chicks I've run into that feel that "living your life to the fullest" means you can't plan anything. Um... how do you have goals if you don't *plan* anything? No, I have no flipping clue what tomorrow or next weekend will bring me, if it brings me anywhere, but I can certainly plan a spa weekend away with my girlfriends. Don't be ridiculous people! I can understand not wanting to plan a trip to Europe 4 years from now with your new girlfriend, but plans for next weekend look pretty safe, Dude. Let's not confuse being a commit-a-phobic with someone who is trying to live their life out right.

Okay, Okay! ....stepping off and backing away from my soap box...

I try to live my life like Linus on the Peanuts Gang. He's an inspiring little thing. He's got no problem being insightful and truly enjoying his life. He's always confident, driven, and got an answer- if not- he finds one. And he's probably a damn good snuggler with that blanket. Just sayin'. With that said I've made a list of things I hope to aim for and accomplish in 2010! Call them goals, call them dreams, call them resolutions, or call it a bucket list. I'm already in full swing!

1) Make my bed everyday. This is harder than I thought. My friend, Suzanne, always makes her damn bed. I can't tell you how awesome it is to climb into tight sheets. GREAT Resolution.

2) Buy a house in 2010! I'm already off and running on this one. I've gotten pre-approved, various agents helping me, and lots of houses to do "drive bys" with. It's both exciting and scary. It's probably about time I officially make Charleston my home. Perhaps I'll allow myself to drop a few "y'alls" every now and then!

3) Private Practice. Not the TV show. I've decided that someday I'd like to have my own practice. Now I'm not saying tomorrow, but in the future somewhere. If you know me personally, you know I don't like to get bossed around nor do I love rules. Doing my own thang is right up my alley!

4) Bust out my painting skills. I've started to dive into acrylic painting and I'd really like to branch out with that.

5) Expand my photography hobby. I've just purchased a badass camera, Canon T1i Rebel. That doesn't include all the lenses, software, books, and tripod I've recently collected. Move the F over Ashton Kutcher.

6) Last year I worked towards expanding my taste buds. In the past year I've eaten some AMAZING dishes. Not gonna lie- I had my napkin ready to eject some questionable meals but I was always pleasantly surprised. I plan on expanding my cooking skills with these yummy excursions. I love to cook but would like to see more adventure in my frying pan!

7) No Maybes. I repeat- NO MAYBES! This is something I started towards the end of 2009. No Fucking Maybes. My poor friend Allison has to hear me say this all the time. I am NOT. Will NOT. Choose NOT to pursue anything that is a "maybe." That goes for a house purchase. Car purchase. Job choice. And especially when it comes to MEN. (Although if you could purchase those it might be easier!) So, Goodbye Mr. Maybe. Hello, Awesome Job. Nice to meet ya Perfect House!

8) Travel. Travel. Travel. I've started this interest in traveling about a year ago and have really started to buckle down and try to plan out a few trips. Barcelona, Tuscany, Rome, Madrid, Paris, Greek Isles, London, Dublin, Australia, New Zealand, and Vegas. Haha. I have a pretty significant list for both abroad and national trips. Thanks to a friend, Boyd, I have a book of 1000 Places to Visit before you Die. Who's coming with me?!

9) Explore my own backyard. There is so much to do where I live! I've lived here 3 years and I've still yet to see everything! I've always been one of those people who wanted to soak up everything. I always want to know everything about everyone and every place. Any chance to soak up more of where I call home sounds good to me!

10) Chop. Chop. Chop!! I'm donating my hair for Valentine's Day. VDay (or D-Day to some) isn't just for couples. It's a day to show love to everyone! So, I've been growing out my hair since August in hopes of Donating it to a charity that will turn it into a wig for a Cancer Patient. I've yet to pick which Charity I want to donate to, which could mean I have to wait longer to donate depending on length requirements. But I tell myself I'm doing it "for Valentine's Day."

My New Year's Resolution: To make a new resolution or change with every significant event that occurs. As you know, last year was quite an emotional year. Looking back- I wish I had done something for myself after each event.

I want the hard times I face to inspire me to grow more and help me to appreciate the few seconds of Life I have left. In the big picture, all we've got are just a few moments together. So, toss out your "maybes" and start laughing and smiling more. Get out there. Go on!

"Everybody is just a stranger.

But that's the danger in going my own way.

I guess that's the price I'm going to pay, everyday.

Still everything happens for a reason. It's no reason not to ask myself:

Am I living it right?!"

- "Why Georgia?" John Mayer

Cool Facts about My Blogging

While you're waiting...

You know it's almost been a year since I've been blogging. I don't need to post a blog that reflects the year as I've done so with my Peace Out 2009 blog. But, I will write a little "cool facts" blog!

You may not know this but I can't blog without a song that inspires me. I could be writing about the happiest moment of my life- but I can't write about that until I'm inspired to. I generally put that song on repeat and listen to it while I write. This is why you'll see quotes at the top or bottom of a blog. A perfect example is the blog I plan to write with my 2010 goals and dreams. Well it's January 9th and I still haven't started yet. It just needs to be right.

Did you know I have 16 potential blogs saved? I don't post everything. Imagine if I did? You'd stop reading! Some of it is a bit too harsh for some eyes to read. I use writing as a form of therapy. I've got no issues pouring out my soul but I do have to censor my posts for those hearts that are a bit more vulnerable.

Out of those 16 blog potentials, 7 of them are work/therapy related. I will never write about a specific client but perhaps different therapies I've found to work. Why have I yet to post these? Well because the population that reads my blogs are those who have personally crossed paths with me, not professionally. I figure someday I can start posting them.

I do about 98% of my writing after midnight. If you went to graduate school with me you'll probably know better than most that my best work comes from late night hours. I'd start a report, project, presentation, or studying for finals Midnight the night before. Go ahead- ask the girls if they liked my presentations!

I also haven't written a blog without Nova by my side. Including this one. That's just a fun fact. I can't say she's the driving force behind any blog, but she is the source of comfort for some of those more emotional pieces.

Finally- An inspirational song. "Why Georgia Why" By John Mayer. For those of you who don't know- I picked up and moved to Georgia to pursue a dream. That dream somehow landed me in Charleston, SC. The rest is history. Life just makes sense here. Every time I hear this song I feel alive, I feel inspired. I think of that chance I took and all the smiles I've had from the day I took off on this journey.

And we're off!

Black? Red? Pink? Nude? Nope- NAKED!

If you're on the world wide Internets and have indulged in Facebook today, I'm sure you wondered why there was a giant color wheel all over status central. Well Boys- you weren't alone. Girls who weren't clued in wanted to know too!

Messages spread like mad to the female Facebook population about posting their bra color. The task: Just post the color. No explanation needed. Why? To support Breast Cancer and perhaps raise some eyebrows in hopes of increasing awareness. Simple enough, right?!

While you were wondering what the Hell your girlfriend was talking about when she put up white and in-training- I was reading an array of status updates. First and foremost- 85% of you ladies are wearing nude bras. I'm shocked about that actually. Secondly- some of you girls need to sweeten it up for your men... just saying.

What was that you asked? What was I wearing? While I will buy anything in black, and force myself to wear nude every now and then, and while I love love love my reds- I posted the word: Naked. If you're an avid reader you'll know that I was cut open on November 2, 2009 to extract a 7mm "pea of doom" as I've recently dubbed the little asshole. On November 12, 2009 I got my results back. Benign. Unfortunately, I'll fall into the "naked" status until my ::hopefully:: last post operation appointment at the end of February. It seems that like EVERYTHING that ends up cutting me open, both figuratively and literally, I take a while to heal. Since the wound is still fresh in my heart and in my head- I wasn't about to hold back and be shy about posting "naked" to show my feelings and unconditional support.

I'd like to thank all the women who posted- even if it was just to make your boyfriend wonder what you were up to. I'd like to thank the men who let it drive them crazy and who then retaliated and posted their boxer colors. You at least made me laugh.

But... I'd like to ask all the women who made a big stink out of it to wake the Hell up! Yes, it was a forward act of awareness. But you girls, especially northern girls, are used to the brash and the blunt lifestyle. You've got no gripes dropping the "C-Bomb" when your best friend pisses you off. You've never cared who you've offended when you walked into a room of your friends and said "what's up whores?" But posting a simple color is somehow offensive? Weird. Especially since those that were posting were doing so in support for something that can claim us all. How dare we do such a thing!!!

Well snobby girls- stuff your bras with this: 4 days after I found out my tumor was benign I came across this article: Mammogram Age Pushed Back to 50. Excuse me? With all of the mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, cousins, and best friends dying of Breast Cancer you want to PUSH BACK mammogram testing? Oh... I'm sorry- you didn't know they were going to do this? Oh... so you weren't AWARE that they were planning on pushing back testing by 10 years. I'm not a rocket scientist but it doesn't take a flipping genius to know how long 10 years is. I had my lump-tastic experience at 27 years old. So you're saying you think I should wait until I'm 50 to take see if I'm lump free? I didn't invent the Internet but are you saying women aren't being attacked by breast cancer until the age of 50? I'm sure my friend Google would disagree.

Here's the deal: I've got views just like the rest of us. Maybe this is just one of them. But I've also got this thing called a backbone and I'd do whatever it takes to support a cause that means a lot to me. No one says you have to post a color to show your support. I agree that it's not for everyone. But you sure as Hell shouldn't run your mouth with negative comments about those who did want to show support that way. So you'll shake what your mama gave ya in your "Feel Your Boobies" skin tight t-shirt but gasp in horror at the post: pink with black polka dots?? Really?! Move over, Bitches- we ain't got time for hypocrites like YOU. We've got a race to win...