I’m really looking forward to the new year. 2010… it has such a nice ring to it. A new decade. I’ve read in a couple magazines now not to make New Year’s Resolutions, because no one ever keeps them, etc. But I have all these ideas for 2010: Take a picture every day to document the year. Switch up my wardrobe a bit. No impulse buying. Cut coupons & use them. Shop around for the best prices on as much as possible. Exercise. Get my a1c down. Live a healthier lifestyle. Spend more time outside. Keep up this blog. Read a lot. Watch less TV. Recycle more. I like proving people wrong, so I’d like to think I will make these resolutions and stick to them, just because no one else ever sticks to theirs.

2009 has been a very difficult year. The death of my “2nd mother” and my grandfather, Jason losing his job right before my birthday, Jason’s family dog getting euthanized, myself realizing that I am not happy with my college major (again!). It’s had it’s high points, but all in all has been one of the hardest years of my life, and I’m not disappointed to see it go. I have all these wishes and dreams and hopes for 2010… I don’t want to jinx it, but I hope it’s so much better than ‘09.

No plans for New Year’s yet. I was kind of hoping to go to this big celebration at Embassy Suites in downtown Des Moines, but it’s $300 and we don’t really have that kind of money, especially to blow on one night. Our friends that will be in town don’t want to have or attend a big party; it seems kind of sad to ring in a new decade at home watching the ball drop on TV though. I guess we’ll see what happens. Hopefully something epic!

I got a lot to be thankful for this year. I am not cured of Vaginismus, but I am at a point that is tolerable. I hope that my next goal is achievable. My goal is for no pain during sex and no pelvic floor pain from spasms.

I still can’t believe the progress I’ve made. I scheduled a GYN appointment. I got the best Christmas gift early!

While I still have a week left in the year 2009, I find its prime time for me to start thinking of my “resolutions”—or lack thereof. See like most folks I have a hard time actually STICKING to a list. But I’m telling myself that “Hey Sasha, this year will be different. You will accomplish most, if not all, of your list”.

 Yeah that’s what I’m telling myself.

I really got inspired, while reading one of many other blogs I peruse throughout the week. On Sincerely Jess’s blog, she created a list of 101 things to do last January and while it’s not a traditional Resolution List, I found it inspiring and intriguing. Now, 101 things might not come to mind for me, so maybe I’ll start with 10 things to accomplish in 2010.

Well now that I’ve outlined the fact that I will come up with 10 things, and put pressure on myself by publishing this, I must now go and spend the next 6 days figuring out what those 10 things are. Then I will come back here with the finished results.

So V&M lovers, what are your hopes and dreams for 2010? Will you even make a “resolution list” And what is a possible new name that we can call our lists, since most people never stick to their “resolutions”?

I wanna hear your thoughts peeps! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Christmas time, already.. again? Twenty years ago I would have been ecstatic by the thought of it. Now, it’s just another day filled with loneliness and depression. Well, for somewhat as sad as I am I sure do hide it well. I suppose that I’m just used to feeling this way every year. Even though I’ve had to sacrifice a life commitment with someone, I’m glad to be back with my family. If I didn’t have them, I’d be lost. It’s not that we spend much time together but it’s nice to have them close by (in the adjacent rooms). They’re always in-and-out of the living room, coming up with just about any excuse to talk to me. It’s sweet. The most attention that I’d get in Oregon was nagging and constantly being put down because I wasn’t good enough. Herrmm.. Anyway, I’m looking forward to the next year, in hopes that things will look up. I hate getting older but I’m going to set a massive amount of goals for myself this time around. 2010.. HERE I COME!

I am happy to join with you today in what is called the “tennis dream”. A dream that at one day we will use our youth to demonstrate our strength as a tennis nation. A dream that at one day we will be able to nurture these tennis talents. A dream that at one day we will focus on talent and not on ranking.  

We Are The World

We are the children…

Sending Christmas wishes to all. Peace on Earth, Good will to humans.

Osho Zen’s commentary on this wreath of humanity dancing is a lovely wish for us each to celebrate love in all its colors and flavors. Whatever spiritual path you follow, may the true meaning of Christmas be with you as you walk this holiday season.

Blessings, Peace and Love! or, in other words:

Feliz Navidad ♦ Merry Christmas ♦ Joyeux Noel ♦ Natale allegro ♦ Boas Festas ♦ Glaedilig Jul ♦ Hauskaa Joulua!…

In a few days one of the most peculiar years will end…my three years work with the company i helped build will end…my struggle to have my own business will end as i decided that i am no longer capable of maintaining a business of my own…the strong attachment towards people i worked with will end…the comfort of the office i hand picked every single item in, will end…the after hours work…the weekend work…the continuous thinking about work…the power that helped me maintain sanity through out the hardship of divorce, single parenting and emotional emptiness will end.

A new year will start with new hopes…hopes of stability is what i think of…a stable life…love life, career and happy kids are my wishes for the next year.

I pray to Allah the mighty to grant me some stability…ya rab!

It was a crowded year…with changes…ups and downs…great surprises and lots of disappointment…but it was a needed chaos maybe necessary for the new phase in my life to start…i am looking at it in a positive way…i am trying to be cheerful as i realize nothing is exactly how it seems.

I guess it was like having to go thorough a painful surgery to cure or have a new functioning way of life.

Well…i wish for the best and i am satisfied for whatever Allah brings but i guess only time will tell how are things gonna end up.

I have to thank god for the great support system that has been helping me stay focused and away from depression through a very difficult past three weeks.

I have to thank god for the great love, family and friendship i have…people, you know who u are….thank you.

I wish the best career, love, peace of mind, happiness, blessings and mercy of Allah, wealth and health to everyone everywhere…especially my dear beloved ones…blogger i am proud to have gained their friendships, especially: fadi the brother i wish i had and the friend i was blessed to know over the years and his dear family…Goog, the younger wise brother that always makes me smile…Sharifo, the magnificent ba6a6a that maintains wa5adan elbal even at war time with pride and an amazing sense of humor…Karin, the devoted worrier for justice who doesn’t seem to cool her cause down.

I wish the previous and more to my best friend…the proud tender strong lady who takes understanding to a level most people don’t know of…the sensitive most smart woman i have ever known…the righteous down to earth girl who i have a blast even if i  hang with her for a few minutes…she has been a blessing…how respectful, fun and reliable she is…my best friend Insomniac.

I wish the previous and more…i hope to give all i am capable of to “A”…the most fun at heart person i have ever known…the man who had strength beyond belief in the hardest times…who knows how to make a woman fulfilled and happy without saying a word…the man who knows how to give…who is the proudest of all yet the most simple…who wouldn’t stop at any limit to commit and give….who knows how to be a father without having children…who knows how to be a best friend, a son, a husband, a lover and a dad all at the same time…who is never to proud to say I’m sorry and mend what is broken…who never gives up…who is courageous beyond expression…

I wish all the best of all kinds of every blessings to my lovely kids…my mad mom (hahaha kidding)…everyone i love…to my dear therapist who i fail to describe how amazing she is…how extraordinarily glorious she is…how extremely intelligent she is…how she sets the BEST example as a human and as a woman every day in her life…may Allah bless her and rewards her for all the giving she shares.

I am sorry if i ever failed to meet any one’s expectations…I am sorry if my blue posts made anyone yesebely meet teet …i am sorry if i ever offended anyone…harmed anyone.

I forgive everyone…I wish the best to everyone…May allah grant us all every wish we need

The first of Thursday’s flights due in to City of Derry airport is estimated to arrived just 10 minutes late…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: singapore airport. The blog is also related to: flight airport.

The first of Thursday’s flights due in to City of Derry airport is estimated to arrived just 10 minutes late…. From BBC News. Full story

This site may contain information about: oklahoma city. The blog is also related to: cities of.

Click to enlarge and read. Image is free printable coloring page from:

http://www.cdenterprises.com

May your Holidays be filled with warmth and laughter.

1. A smile on a child`s face.

Isn`t she a sweetie ? <3

2. Listening to music.

It calms me when I`m nervous and makes me happy when I`m sad… :”>

3.  Photos and cameras.

Yeah, polaroids especially. <3

4. Summer.

5.  Fluffy toys. <3

6. Kittnes. <3

7. Sweet winter memories…

8.  Crazy hair.

9. The presents from The Secret Santa.

10. Friends.

Love,

Alexa.

Every year as Christmas approaches I find myself doing a lot of reflecting.  It’s hard not to do, as Christmas brings both the end of one year, and the beginning of the next.

There are always hopes.  For example, last year Christmas looked like this:

Remember? I just showed you this last week!

While looking ahead last year, I was hoping this year we would see a change.  And we did.

This year she wouldn't even sit on his lap.

I suppose there is always next year.  (You know, when I will have two who are terrified by Santa Clause.)

I accomplished my main goal last year: to get pregnant.  I was fortunate enough that it happened super fast and was blessed a thousand fold with my beautiful Maya.  It may seem like an odd resolution, but I don’t think one can achieve anything greater.

Maya Grace Courtesy Bella Lucia Photography

Now I am looking ahead to the hopes I have for next year.  ’07 brought a baby, ‘08 brought a marathon.  ’09 brought another baby, so it looks like I better dust off my running shoes.  When I get in marathon mode it is a HUGE part of my life.  I look forward to sharing my ups and downs in marathon training in the year to come.

I can't believe I am going to do this to myself again!

My other big goal is in this blog.  I am really planning on pouring even more of myself into it, which can result in benefits for you!  Already lined up for 2010: a collaboration with the hilarious Kisha Floren, and tips on how to get great photos of kids of all ages from my dear friend and AMAZING photographer Kellene Maynard of Bella Lucia Photography.  I will also be making some technical changes that will hopefully make your experience here better.  But possibly most exciting of all?  THERE WILL BE GIVEAWAYS!!! (Who doesn’t like free stuff?)

To make sure that you are staying on top of what’s happening at Typing One Handed, make sure you can easily stay in contact.  Follow me on Twitter (@kellyjorichards) or subscribe to Typing One Handed by entering your email address in the space provided on the right (I promise you will only get mail from this blog, and your address is not shared).

I am looking forward to seeing what 2010 will bring.  I hope you are too.

Happiness is: Prickles and Goo

Once again I can’t help but be motivated by Lisis at A Quest For Balance (link below) to write this article about “prickles and goo”.

http://www.questforbalance.com/

For anyone stumbling here by fate, luck, or dizziness, I’d recommend first reading the “Passion Paradox” at A Quest For Balance….followed by “Inspiration from T. Alan Armstrong” at the same site. At this latter post you can watch the “prickles and goo” video to prepare yourself for what’s here. Done? Great. Let’s carry on.

First Things First

Before I get all mired in goo and prickles, I’d like to point out something about the Great Passion Debate. Just so we’re on the same page, I’ll summarize it. In a nutshell it’s all about the question “How do we find our Passion in Life and put it to work?”. It’s fair to say this question has caused a lot of headaches and fuzzy blue spots before the eyes over the Ages.

Self-Help Doesn’t Help

What I’d like to point out is this. As we speak there is a humongous self-help industry dedicated to helping us answer this question….and has been for many generations. But it doesn’t help. Thousands of gurus write hundreds of books every year with ever-newer answers to this question. Still doesn’t help. Don’t believe it? Ask a few million readers of these helpful works if they know why they’re here. You’ll be lucky to find one. Does that strike you as odd? No? That’s O.K., but keep in mind, many of these gurus and bloggers and authors have actually found their Passion and put it to work. They’ve been to the promised land themselves and drawn up maps you and I can follow to get there. So how come you or I can’t just take their hands and go find our Passions and put the doggone things to work? Good question.

Everyone’s Passion is Different

Understanding why we can’t follow somebody else to our Passion is easy. It’s because we’re all absolutely and completely unique. Unique means there never was another us and never will be. The mold was created for our birth and broken when we took our first breath. Certainly there is a map I can follow to my Passion, but it’s no good for you. For you to follow this map, you’d have to be me. That seems to make sense, but it’s a bit depressing if you think about it. Why? It sure looks like nobody….ever…..can help us find what we’re looking for in life. Imagine being lost in the wilderness for instance, and knowing nobody is ever going to come find you. You’ll have to find the way out yourself…..or die lost. Sounds a bit scary doesn’t it? Yes it does, but here’s where the prickles and goo come in.

Uniqueness is Like Prickles and Goo

Uniqueness means you and I are one-of-a-kind of course. But it means more than that. It means, like Lisis said in her post, you and I are…..the same but different. And….”the same but different”…. is just another way of saying you and I aren’t actually separate. You and I aren’t like a gooey guy staring at a prickly gal across the room. We’re actually different parts of One whole…..parts of each other. Just like prickles splattered together with goo. I know it doesn’t seem like it to you. But it is the truth. And prickles and goo are the key to finding your Passion in life as well.

Uniqueness is the Key to Passion

Here’s why prickles and goo can help you. First you have to know this. Your passion is hiding inside you and it’s afraid to come out. Why? Because your Passion is your heart and soul and you don’t want to risk putting that most valued possession out on the table for all to see. Why? If you “come out”, in today’s world every man, woman, and child will score you. Should you be biggest or best, you’ll pass. You’ll be a “winner”. But if you’re like me, you won’t be at the top of any heap. Then what? You’ll be called a “loser/failure/has-been or also-ran”. Sounds good? No? That’s why your Passion and mine stays hidden in its shell. On the other hand, if you can see something simple, your Passion will come out and meet the world. What simple thing am I talking about. You and those folks scoring you are really one big mess of prickles and goo.

How to Let Your Passion Out

How does that work? It’s easy really. If you and I and everyone were different parts of one whole……nobody can be worth less than anybody else. To see how crazy that would be, think like this. Ask yourself a simple question. This one. Is the life of a rabbit’s tail worth less than the life of his ears? Uh….it CAN’T be….because there’s only One Life there…..and it’s Mr. Bunny’s. Same with your life. The truth is, there’s only One life we all share.

BINGO

And so. Imagine your poor Passionate soul was terrified to come out of its shell….because it didn’t want to be judged worthless. Then…….suddenly…your soul realized it was just plain impossible it could be worth less than any soul. Because there’s only One soul we all share. Then what? Like I said above. BINGO. There is no fear. I don’t mean that silly NO FEAR like you see on Tee-shirts either. I mean your soul isn’t afraid to venture out. Your Passion is now ready to flow back into your life. And that Passion is what you’ll want to do with your life too. It’s there to help you grow as a Human Being until you blossom. But don’t forget. You gotta see we’re all prickles and goo.

Seeking to exist

In the hearts of others

Fathers, Mothers

Brothers, Lovers

Can’t you see me?

Open and free

Maybe you don’t? or won’t?

Or do and flee.

Crushed and small

I build up the wall

of shattered hopes

and broken dreams.

I wrap myself around the seams.

Inside it’s safe and very sure

By myself I will endure

Needing no one

That’s the cure.

Occasionally, beset by yearning

I forget all of the learning

Reaching out to broken souls

I recognize all of your holes.

Passion sparks, eager for the call

Deep into your abyss I fall

I aim to change

And fill it all.

Retreat! Retreat!

Why all this bleeding?

The warning bells I wasn’t heeding.

The needs I swore to not be needing.

Real or imagined

never matters.

Wounds re-open,

pain batters.

Looking about to cast the blame.

A life that’s made up of remains,

Or God for longing I cannot tame.

I love this season and it’s a riot of colors. Green and red are everywhere. Smells of Christmas are in the air. People are focused. The human higher order is at its zenith. 

Love is shared with the many and the few. People love well, eat well and dress well that find it a struggle the rest of the year.

Christmas is the season of hope and prayers. I hope you are surrounded with so much love that you are thankful for the gift of your life praying for yourself, your family, and the world community. 

We do it by giving away the love we need. We do it by reaching out through gifts of love to others different from us. People love themselves, their family, and friends. Those of us that aspire to be great lovers of people will not stop there. We will love others trough making new friends and building new relationships with others different from ourselves. 

We are each other’s gift of love through share sowing and reaping. What we sow together, we’ll grow together. 

We will get all the love we want when we give away all the love we need. So, let’s get busy getting our love on. Loving begins with us. It begins with our giving our love away to the many that need to be loved. 

There is much work for us to do and much for us to pray about this holiday season. We live in another season, that of wars and rumors of war. Pray for the nation. Pray for the leadership. Pray for the men and women of the armed forces. Pray with love in your heart for you have been told is the enemy. They are people with families, too. 

As you are loved and blessed this holy holiday season, maker sure you are a living loving blessing to someone or a number of some ones who need to be loved and blessed by you. 

Keepin’ up the holiday love in Arizona!

Oscar Crawford

Follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/oscarcrawford

Visit my holiday decorated website at http://oscarcrawofrd.8m.com

Email me at crawfordanddienst@hotmail.com