Day 59: Daddio

My dad is the one person in my life I always try to impress, and, usually, the ones we try to impress don't even see it at times. I am most like him considering my personality and I look like him from my nose up, and neck down. (except a female version)

Yesterday, I went to a friend/co-worker's house to pay my respects because her father just passed away in Russia. It's always an awkward situation when you show up to pay your respects for someone's death, but she has a 4 year-old daughter, named Inga, who made the experience a lot better than usual. As I sat there listening to her talk about her dad and his personality, I thought about how important a dad is in the house. A dad's presence is, at times, overlooked because most of them are quiet and to themselves, but when that presence is gone, the house feels unstable. They, somehow, hold the house up and give it stability.

My dad has been out of town for work, for two weeks now, and he's, finally, coming back today. I can't wait to see him. We've been talking to him through Skype for the past two weeks and I hate doing that. It was so nerve wrecking to hear his voice in the house from the other room, and to see his face through the screen and not be able to touch him. I think my mom felt the same way because every time we'd say "bye" and he'd turn his Skype off, she'd look at us and say, "what happened, it turned off?" with a clueless look on her face. So, she'd get up and go to her room quietly for a while to get over the whole experience.

All my respects to who ever has lost a dad in their life...

The picture above is my dad making a toast at my engagement party. It was a special moment. He said (in Armenian) "You know you have found the right person, when you can feel like you're always together, while worlds apart."

Tip of the Day: Think about the importance of you dad in your life and try to show him in some way how important he is to you.

“Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad”

http://thinkexist.com/quotation/any_man_can_be_a_father-but_it_takes_a_special/195670.html

Day 58: Gina Lolobrigida

Gina Lolobrigida is the blue and gold macaw we have at home. (I feel like I'm in third grade writing about my pet) She's a character...Sadly, last night at 3am, she was attacked by some coyotes or raccoons in the backyard. We normally have her in her cage, but, she unlocks the lock with her beak and gets out whenever she pleases...
She's a good parrot, but no one in the family seems to like her because she talks back and makes loud, obnoxious noises. But... last night, everyone in the family was wide awake at 3am, worried about her, as she made the most noise she's ever made. It was a scary experience because we didn't know what was wrong with her, (her wing...leg...eye...) we couldn't figure it out. I just held her and tried to calm her down a bit. As she bit my hand and arm from the terror she was going through, I grabbed her tighter as we washed her wounds with alcohol and applied Neosporin. I stayed with her last night, and, now, she's doing better, besides the fact that she jumps everytime there's a certain noise or movement. We should probably take her to a witchdoctor (Horrom), but I think she'll be fine.
So, that being last night... Today, all the "Sunday" drivers were out! And they weren't just women. It was a terrible driving day for me. To make it worse, on a 50mph street, a dog ran in the middle of the street and caused the biggest accident in my rear view mirror. I missed it by a few feet, pulling my car to the side of opposing traffic, but I watched as three cars collided in my rear view mirror, as I squirmed and tried to pay attention to my driving. To say the least, animals have caused drama in my life recently.
So... please...

Tip of the Day: Pets are one of the pleasures in life that are taken for granted. They are apart of nature that responds to us as humans and make us feel humane. If you have a pet, pay attention to it as though it were your kid running around. Just because they can't talk and won't cry all the time doesn't mean they're not just as important. If you don't have a pet, having one is a lot of responsibility, so don't get one if you're not up for what it takes.

"There is no pyschiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face." - Ben Williams

Day 57

Tulips...

So, I'm still going through the aftermath of the opening on Saturday, trying to get things organized and in place. I, finally, have most things in order, but my car is still packed with my stuff that I don't have space for at the gallery right now.

Throughout the work, cleaning up, and some confusion with my paper work in the business of art, the tulips on my desk make me feel so much better...

Not all flowers have this effect on me, but these white tulips seem to make the day so much brighter. I think it's their character. They seem more alive when they shift their heads towards the light and open and close their petals. It's extremely fascinating to me.

I realized a few guys walking back and forth by the gallery today, in a weird, suspicious way. It made me feel kind of helpless, so I located the panic button on my alarm and stood there waiting to push it. I stepped outside for a second and realized they were standing on the sidewalk watching me, so I came in, closed the door, and locked it. And, that was the end of that.

But to my surprise, an hour later, some man came in claiming to be a security guard, selling pepper spray for self defense. So, I bought one, finally, and now, I feel better having that and my tulips on my desk.

Tip of the Day: Find the flower that makes you feel better, buy it, and place it where you spend most of your time. It's kind of cheesy, but try it and see how it changes the atmosphere. (I'm not going to be cheesier and find a quote on flowers, you already get the point...)

Day 56: Be Proud

So, the show turned out really well last night. The gallery was packed with bodies at 6:30pm and they came non-stop from then on. I had so much fun being there watching other people get recognized for their work. It was really nice...especially the 18 cups of Chardonnay I had.

I was standing there in the middle of a crowded room, trying to fit in with the crowd, when, for a second, I stopped, looked around, and realized that I was responsible for what was going on. There were so many creative minds and interested viewers that had shown up to support these two artists...it was kind of overwhelming. As I stood there thinking about it, I realized that the best part of the whole night was having one of the girl's parents show up. Her family showed up with candy and flowers, and their expressions were priceless as they looked at their daughter's work on the walls of the gallery. They were extremely proud and it showed up on their faces. Even the grandma was an interesting character, and having them there was the best part of the night, for me anyway.

By the end of the night, we had sold a notecard, and one egg, which was better than I had expected. It's very difficult to get actual buyers to show up to these events, so one purchase made my night.

I would like to congratulate both girls and let them know that they were the stars last night, and it was well deserved! The hard work pays off, so keep it up and the rest will come in time...

I kind of lied when I said that was the best part of the night for me. A better part was when I got home, tired, took my heels off and sat on my bed exhausted...my mom came into my room, kissed me, and said, "I'm so proud of you...good job, my girl, my girl!" with the biggest smile on her face. I responded by brushing her off like it wasn't a big deal, but it was the best(est) part of my night!

Tip of the Day: Show or tell someone you're proud of them. It means a lot to feel that. We, ourselves, work hard and don't feel like we get anywhere or do too much, but when someone tells us we're doing a good job, it means the world!

"If you've earned a position, be proud of it. Don't hide it. I want to be recognized. When I hear people say, 'There's Joan Crawford!' I turn around and say, 'Hi! how are you!'" - Joan Crawford

Day 55: Sold

Today is finally show day! I just finished everything, and, now, I need to go get ready for it. It's days like these when I wonder why I ever started this project... I'm sitting here in the middle of an empty gallery typing, with so much to do still, but I'm pretty calm. I still have a few hours, so, I should be okay.

The good news is I sold this piece, already, before the opening, which is such a good sign. Now, I regret not making commission on these girls, but it's all good, I enjoy this and the money will come later. So, good luck to the girls and if you can't make it to the opening, come by after midnight, we'll be having breakfast at the 24 hour Denny's across the street...

Everyone is welcome!

Tip of the Day: When you work so hard for something, don't ever regret doing too much for other people. At the end, you do it because it makes you happy.

"Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within. It is not what we see and touch or that which others do for us which makes us happy; it is that which we think and feel and do, first for the other fellow and then for ourselves." Helen Keller

Day 54: Stay on Top of Your Game

Tomorrow is opening night for the Two Artists, One Style show at the gallery... I'm still here setting up and cleaning. The reason why I'm still here is because I was caught up, all day, doing work for somebody that asked me to, last minute. I spent half the day doing other things when I could've been here setting up and getting ready for the show. But, it's almost 12am, my post is due, I'm tired, sleepy, and I wish I had most of this stuff done already. The reason why her shit was last minute is because she is not organized at all and seems to get everything done last minute or until she gets shit for it. I might sound a bit mad, but not mad, just tired. Anyway, looking at the brighter side, the show is slowly coming together... hope to see most of you guys there!

Tip of the Day: Try to be organized and stay on top of your game, especially if your work or duties affect other people's work and duties. Just stay on top of your shit and try not to lose track of what needs to get done. Write out your tasks if you have to, just find a way that helps you stay on track.

“Whenever I found out anything remarkable, I have thought it my duty to put down my discovery on paper, so that all ingenious people might be informed thereof.”

Antonie van Leeuwenhoek

Day 53: I should have one of these by now...?

The other day my cousin and I were looking through a local photograpeher's website. We were going through his galleries, and came to so many different people from high school that had used him for their weddings, baby's Christianing, baby's first brithday, and etc. So we started talking about how weird it was to see these people and the type of lives they led now. We were thinking that maybe we needed to get a move on it and get going with what was going on in our lives...

To make it worse, I saw an old acquaintance from high school today. We had Ceramics class together and I believe she's about 2 years younger than me, if not 1 year. We began talking to each other about what we were doing. I asked her, "So, what are you up to?" She answered, "Oh, I'm married, and I have two boys, one is 2 years old, and the other is 6 months old." I just looked at her in shock... looked down at her and said, "you look great for having two kids!" Apparently, she still looked like a junior in high school, and being the cute girl she was she said, "ya, I gained weight with my first one, you know, cuz it was so much fun eating everything... but, I learned my lesson, so I kept it down on my second one," with a smile on her face. So, it was really nice to see her and catch up. I just wish I could remember her name... I tried to keep from saying her name throughout our conversation, and, obviously, I was too embarassed to ask her what it was. Anyway, seeing her made me realize our lives and how different each person's life timeline can be...

Tip of the Day: Never measure your years and experience with someone else. We all have our own timelines, so don't ever feel like you're ahead or behind of somebody. Just be happy about where you are right now and stay in the moment because you never know what's ahead tomorrow...

"The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are." - Joseph Campbell

Day 52: Pieces of a Puzzle

I saw 6 more cars get pulled over today on the 2 freeway...

It seems that every time I write about relationships or anything that has to do with them, I get feedback from you guys. It's really interesting how people respond to talk about relationships. The five days around Valentine's Day is when I got the most out of you guys.

Honestly, lately, I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed with the relationships in my life. The least pressure I've felt is, actually, from my relationship with my fiance. (Very odd how that happens) But, I'm not writing about relationships today to get your feedback because at this point, I'm not going to worry about that. Right now, I just need to express the thoughts that have been going through my head today, which are the different ways I look at each relationship in my life.

Each person in my life has a different perspective of me... I'm either someone's daughter, sister, fiance, cousin, girlfriend, acquaintance, good friend, ex-girlfriend, old friend, co-worker, etc. (hopefully, no one thinks of me as an enemy, so no mention of negative perspectives) Each one of these people has a different view of me and who I am. Each person identifies me and sums me up with their personal life experiences at hand. We, as people, can't identify others and our relationships without considering our own life experiences and teachings in mind.

Sometimes, we care for and admire someone and we want it back in return, but, it's probably not going to happen because that person is someone other than you. They had a different life, different experiences, and a whole set of different ideas. So, they probably can't see you in the way you would like to be seen, ever. Sometimes, you have to give it up and accept the fact that we're all different, no matter how much we have in common.

I've been thinking about marriage (when it works out), it's because those two people have had similar lives and experiences to begin with, or have grown up together is some sort of way, so understanding each other is easier, which helps in the process of a growing and lasting relationship. The same reason goes for understanding siblings and parents. We tend to forgive and let our family off the hook easier than a friend or acquaintance in sour situations.

People that grow up on the streets, turn out to be rough and angry. Spoiled kids grow up and never understand the value of work. We are who we are because of the life we have lived up until today and our future will determine the people we will become...

Tip of the Day: Life can get confusing at times with all the relationships we have to balance in our daily lives. When you're confused about a certain relationship/person, and you're thinking "What the .... !" try to understand where they come from, how they've lived, what they've been through, and who they are before you put them into perspective. Once you think about it a bit, what they did or said doesn't seem so out of hand and outrageous anymore. Anything anybody does or says is because they want to be loved, anyway.

"People may be said to resemble not the bricks of which a house is built, but the pieces of a picture puzzle, each differing in shape, but matching the rest, and thus bringing out the picture." Felix Adler

Day 51: Don't Be A Flake Snowflake!

In the last couple of days, I have probably seen about 8 cars get pulled over by a cop, so, cops are on a roll... be careful.

On a more exciting topic, our show is in 4 days, so the gallery looks like crap right now due to the transformation we have to go through to display the work. I'm very excited for the two girls who are going to be showing their work. It feels very nerve-wrecking and good to show your work to the public. I'm just glad it's not my personal show because that gets kind of scary. This time, I can just sit back and take care of the technical stuff while the girls suffer through the anxiety...

As I've been trying to run a gallery, I've realized that dealing with people is very difficult at times. (No offense girls... I mean overall) It's hard to keep the communication going and do things in the way that'll keep everybody happy. I've had moments of confusion and anxiety, but it all turns out okay until somebody doesn't do what they said they'd do.

When I was a few years younger, flaking on people was easier and I could do it without feeling bad, but, now, it's really one of my pet peeves. There may be a couple of readers that might think I'm pointing a finger, but I promise this post is not meant for anybody. It's just something I figured out lately. Flaking out on someone might be okay for you because it gets you off the hook, but it sucks to be flaked out on. It's not only flaking out on someone, but if there is an event you wanted to attend, attend it. Don't flake out on anything because you might not ever get the chance to do it again.

Tip of the Day: Be aware of the promises that come out of your mouth. If you plan something, go through with it. Most of the time, when we do show up to that certain thing we were thinking of flaking out on, we're glad we showed up. So, show up and enjoy all the experiences life offers you.

“We hurry through the so-called boring things in order to attend to that which we deem more important, interesting. Perhaps the final freedom will be a recognition that everything in every moment is 'essential' and that nothing at all is 'important.'”

http://thinkexist.com/quotation/we_hurry_through_the_so-called_boring_things_in/8939.html

(This post reminded me of a Head & Shoulders commercial)

Day 50: Consideration

I only have a few minutes to post today's blog according to the different time settings around the house. According to my laptop, I'm already late, but I'm going to go with the oven clock since it's giving me about 10 minutes...

8 minutes... so, today was a good day. I had lunch with some of the funnest chicks around, lunch at Costco...if you haven't tried, please do, it's awesome! You know you can get a hot dog with a free drink for a $1.50! I think that's amazing considering today's prices on everything. So, what else...

5 minutes... I also realized how lucky I am to be out of the dating game these days. The dating world is cruel and hard. I'm not hard enough for what's going on out there... Everyone wants to meet that one person they're going to end up with, and if that's not the case, no feelings are considered at all. Each person thinks about themselves first and how to feel comfortable with their lifestyle. The consideration of other people's feelings is getting lost out there and that's not a good thing.

2 minutes...

Tip of the Day: If you're in a relationship, dating, or just in your daily life, try to consider other people's feelings, even if you feel like they're a waste of your time. It doesn't take much to treat people the way you'd like to be treated...

"Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights. " John Wooden

Day 48: Yard Sale

If you've been following my blog, on Day 15, I mentioned a garage sale that wasn't going to take place. Well, to my surprise, it took place today!

So, we've been hanging out in the yard today. It was kind of fun. We put the stuff out at 9 in the morning, and left it out until about 6pm. The stuff we were selling was somewhat decent, but we gave half of it away with a purchase. Around 10am, we put out some Starbucks coffee and cookies for the customers. It was a top notch yard sale, if I may add. We greeted all the customers and, even, drove one of them home with her purchases. We had stuff from Escalade tires to a George Foreman Grill.

All in all, it was a pretty decent turn out, considering the fact that a competition yard sale, a couple of blocks away, had (literally) turned our signs upside down, pointing the arrows the wrong way, and taped their address on top of our signs. I thought that was pretty cruel, but it didn't ruin the fun of the event. We had an ipod player outside with music playing, and I had an old Dance Dance Revolution mat that we started to fool around with. We played human DDR for about an hour, which attracted most of the attention on the block.

Hooray to the yard sale that actually took place... and made us $390 in the end.

Tip of the Day: If you've been wanting to do something and have been putting if off, schedule the day it will happen. Give yourself a deadline and do it! The turn out might be better than you expected.

"A deadline is negative inspiration. Still, it's better than no inspiration at all." Rita Mae Brown

Day 47: Fall Confidently

It's Saturday night and I'm at the gallery working on some things. I needed a card holder outside for the postcards... and I put one up today. Actually, I looked everywhere for a decent looking one and didn't come across one that I liked. So, I went to Michaels, bought the pieces separately, put it together, and spray painted it white. Going through that whole process was a cinch, until I got to the part where I had to nail it to the wall outside the gallery. I began by nailing the 4" nail onto the wall, just to poke a hole in the wall for convenience. So, as I hammered the nail in there, it went in all the way, ("that's what she said!" sorry...I've been looking for the best moment to use that phrase for 3 years now) but I didn't realize how hard it was going to be to pull it back out. Well, to begin with, I wasn't using a hammer, I was using an adjustable clamping (thing a majig) tool. So I nailed it in, then, as I held the nail with the tool, I pulled back on the thing as hard as I could. A couple of minutes into it, my weight was hanging on that nail and I was pulling on it like my life depended on it. So, guess what, the nail finally decided to budge and fly out as it sent me flying backwards towards the tree behind me. I'm OK now! The important thing is that my box of postcards is up, it looks great, and my fiance can't take the credit for it...

Tip of the Day: Try something that you wouldn't usually do, even if you're totally oblivious of the idea and process. It can't be rocket science! If you're a woman, try something that you would usually ask a man to do and do it confidently (even if you end up on your ass). If you're a man, try something that a woman usually does. Try taking your plate of food to the kitchen, (you don't have to wash it), or try putting your clothes in the laundry, (and not your bedroom floor).

"The notion of a universality of human experience is a confidence trick and the notion of a universality of female experience is a clever confidence trick." - Angela Carter

Day 46: A Business Woman

So, as I posted yesterday, the opening for Two Artists, One Style has been printed in the Foothills Newspaper... Since, we have a very small community up here (of normal people), I befriended the editor of the paper, kinda, so it's good to have that connection. We're also going to be printed in the Voice of the Village paper, which is a new newspaper around here. It's really exciting to be in print, officially.

I went by the car wash today, and I sat in the area where you wait for your car, and I noticed everybody sitting across from me was reading the paper. The article was printed in the back of the paper, so it was visible to me, but who knows how many readers actually read the back of the paper? Honestly, it doesn't matter how many people read the thing. I'm just excited to be printed on something and referred to as a business. It makes me kinda official, as a business woman. (Really, Iren???)

Tip of the Day: There's nothing you can't achieve if you try hard enough. There's always a way to find that person or connection that can help you do what you need to do. Nobody is out of reach, no matter how far you think they are.

"I used to feel so alone in the city. All those gazillions of people and then me, on the outside. Because how do you meet a new person? I was very stumped by this for many years. And then I realized, you just say, "Hi." They may ignore you. Or you may marry them. And that possibility is worth that one word." ~ Augusten Burroughs

Modest Fly Art Gallery is in the Foothill Paper!!!

We have been featured in the Foothill Paper for the opening next Saturday!

The article talks about the two artists being featured:

Ani Gevorgian & Larisa Safaryan

Day 45: Court Day

I've had a really long day... the highlight of my day was being at the Glendale Courthouse for 3 hours. Last year in the Summer, I had gotten a couple of tickets, and had been irresponsible enough to not appear on the court dates. So, this year, I'm paying for them, with my time and money. I had a court date today, but didn't know which ticket it was for, exactly. So, I showed up to court wondering what the outcome would be. This was the first out of 3 court appearances, in my life, that I actually enjoyed. Maybe, I enjoyed it because it was the Glendale Courthouse and there were so many interesting cases...
There was one guy that was there for 2 tickets, each ticket having its own long list of violations. The judge was my most absolute favorite. He looked like Santa in a judge's robe, cracking jokes and being nice. (As shown in the sketch I did of him, above) He acted like Santa speaking to his elves.
So this Armenian guy stood in front of the judge, as his violations were read to him. Then, the judge looked up and said, "amplified speakers within 50 feet? How do you plead?" The guy looked up and said, "oh, ya, I was checking the sound system of the car, sir... guilty..." as he put his head down. Then, the judge said, "ok, well, how about the tinted windows... do you have the vehicle here for proof of a fix it?" He replied, "oh, no the car is at the body shop right now, and the lease is going to be up in two months, so I won't be able to show any proof, but I swear the tints have been fixed." (So, you can imagine why court was the highlight of my day today)
There was another case of a Hispanic lady who was being translated to. She was there to get traffic school and community service because she couldn't afford her ticket. The judge dismissed one of her violations and then, said "but, there is a $25 dismissal fee, so, $25 dismissal fee, $35 processing fee, $64 community service, and $225... that brings you to...." (giving her the total) As I sat there listening to the translator give her the numbers in Spanish, I thought, well...why not pay the ticket and get it over with?
Fees these days are ridiculous! Everything has a fee of some kind. After hearing all the different fees that just the court has, I realized that we should try to waive fees as much as we can, at anytime. Fees are just an excuse to make money on the side for anyone who carries them, but, when added up, that's where they make all their money.
As my turn came up, I found out that I was there for a speeding ticket and failure to appear. So, my load was heavy. I pleaded guilty for the speeding ticket, and looked up at the judge as he asked me, "so, give me your story, why weren't you at court when you were supposed to be?" As I thought of a good enough reason to give him... (for being such an irresponsible idiot) I explained to him about how I was going through the process of an address change, and hadn't received the paper work. (It wasn't all a lie, I just got a bit creative with it) So, he waived a few fees and gave me my total and two months to pay.

Tip of the Day: Don't settle for fees. Try to get them waived as much as possible. From personal experience, if you try hard enough, they will waive your fee, just to get rid of you, so don't give up.

Day 44: Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I had no idea today was St. Patrick's Day, until 2 hours ago, when a guy walked by the gallery wearing a green and white (Cat in the Hat) striped hat, and swaying from side to side, with a weird smirk on his face. I looked up at him, then, kind of brushed it off (because there are so many weirdos that walk past here), and went back to work. Then, I looked up at my calendar and realized... oh...that's why!!!

I went online to research St. Patrick's Day just to learn about more about it. I found it funny that it started out as a religious Catholic holiday, and, now, is a celebration of Irish Culture, and they celebrate it by drinking throughout the day. So, as I read more about it trying to expose myself to Irish culture, I found something more interesting on my facebook page...

Earlier today, I had posted up a link to my new illustration website, and one of my friends from high school had posted it up on his page with the caption at the top reading "A Great Artist/Friend." I just stared at it thinking, no, it can't be right, I mean, that's so nice of him... I didn't comment on it for a few minutes because I had no idea what to say. Then, I commented telling him that it made me smile and thanking him, but, really, I was thinking about how I would write about him in my post today.

He reads my blog, so, I would like to say that, "Roman, that was so awesome of you to do that... it really did make me smile. I hope that you feel what I felt, at that moment, one day. It's nice to get that admiration and support from any friend, and, today, has been special for me because of your kindness and attention. I'm not going to get too mushy doing this, but I hope you know what you did! You were modest today and you turned your spotlight on someone else. thanks!" :)

Sometimes, in my daily life, I realize that I pay attention to things that don't matter sometimes, and don't give any attention to things that do matter. As days pass, I realize and am aware of the things that need attention in my life. Getting attention like this, makes me want to be aware of my own actions, so thank you for keeping me on track.

Today, on St. Patty's Day, Roman, go out and celebrate like an Irish and drink up buddy. You've been good for it!

Tip of the Day: Make someone else's success and progression your project and be modest about it. That person will always remember your help and be glad of your assistance and proactive friendship. In return, you'll feel so good about what you did for them.

Selfless service alone gives the needed strength and courage to awaken the sleeping humanity in one's heart.”

- Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Two Artists, One Style

The posters are up so there is no turning back now! Ani & Larisa, they look awesome girls... can't wait for opening day!

March 27th, 2010 6pm-12am

Day 43

Today has not been one of my better days. It's been a whole lot of running around and a lot of confusion in my head. It's one of those days that is extremely difficult to brush off the negative thoughts. I've been moody almost all day, and, now, all I can think about is a glass of wine. I dropped by a few stores to exchange some things. I went by Office Depot and a couple of coffee shops to put up some postcards for the show next week, and, honestly, the customer service didn't make my day any better. I was about to smack the girl behind the Office Depot cashier counter with my pack of push pins when she yelled, "Nnnneeexxxtt!" and the lady she was helping was still standing in front of her. I just walked up to her and thought "seriously," but my face probably said the same thing, because she wasn't smiling at me.

I had an exchange, so she took what I was returning and (literally) threw it in the cart behind her... I just looked at her face wondering if I should feel insulted. Then, I thought, well, I would probably feel like that working there too, but that's not an excuse. I served ice cream at Baskin Robbins for 5 years, but I was there because I enjoyed it at that time in my life. That position wasn't something I wanted to tell the world about, but it was my job, and I had to do it right. So, Anet, (that was her name) if you're a reader, (which I doubt) I would just like to say that you made my day worse by your services, and that I think you should probably find something that makes you happier. Maybe, Baskin Robbins, Cold Stone (they sing for tips), or JoAnns Fabrics (they're hiring, but if you're crafty)... but, seriously... have some Nutella!

Tip of the Day: If you have a job that deals with people interaction, make sure you're aware of your attitude. Try to enjoy what you're doing, even if it's not what you want to do right now. Don't spend your time making yourself miserable and, even worse, making other people miserable.

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.” Charles R. Swindoll

This digital invite personalized with Smilebox

Day 42: The Hour of Comfort

It's funny how a difference of an hour in the day can screw up your body's time clock. Waking up this morning was not a Folgers commercial, and to top it off, I've been dazed all day. When I feel this way, the only thing that makes me feel better is I Love Lucy. Watching her makes me feel at comfort, and at ease with myself. If I was anywhere in the world feeling homesick, Lucy is the only thing that would make me feel at home. I'm not a crazy, obsessed fan of hers that has all her licensed material, but I do have the I Love Lucy DVD collection. The closest I came to her is dressing up like her on Halloween one year... and that was close enough, I think.

Tip of the Day: Find out that one thing that makes you comfortable and go back to it when you have to. With all the changes going on in our lives, we can go back to that one thing that takes us back to the same place and time, and makes us feel like a day hasn't passed.

"But you've got to have money for comfort, which obviously doesn't matter as much when you're young, but even so. I always like to bloody eat well and be warm. Have a drink when I want it."

- Jeffrey Bernard

Day 41: Super Mario

Today, I played Rockband and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.

Earlier today, I was telling Armen how lame it is that he plays this race car video game of his. Every Sunday, it is my duty to make sure that he doesn't turn the Playstation on, but today, I told him he could have two hours of play. Then, tonight, I participated in some game playing myself, with a few people. It was my first time playing those games; I was extremely lost in the game, the control, buttons, and everything going on with the double screen, but it didn't stop me from getting into it and trying it out.

Last Sunday I asked Armen why/how he could play for that long. I said, "How can you just sit there for hours, and play that stupid thing, knowing that you're wasting your time?" He just replied, very calmly, "It takes my mind off of things." I didn't understand what he was talking about, until today. During the time that we spend paying attention to what's going on in this whole other world, we forget about ourselves, our surroundings, our problems, and our lives. We become the player in the game, and nothing else really matters. It's just like being at a casino and gambling for hours, but the better choice of the two, in any case.

I have a Super Nintendo at home, but I don't bring it down from the storage because I know what it'll do to me. Mario is the one game I've been attached to as a kid, so I'd rather not see him for now. I'd rather stick to this occasional, social game playing than get stuck on trying to save the princess from all the castles.

Tip of the Day: Spend some time playing video games, but not too much time. You'll notice that it's nice to find your inner child once in a while and forget about adulthood.

"The things which the child loves remains in the domain of the heart until old age. The most beautiful thing in life is that our souls remaining over the places where we once enjoyed ourselves." Kahlil Gibran

Day 40: The Last Hello

Today is Day 40! So, today is our Karasunk (which means 40th day in Armenian). I researched the significance of 40 days and here is what I got:

It is remarkabe that the time track of a cycle fo 40 days can be used to almost perfectly measure and meter out the rate of each passing solar year.

There are a lot of things that are significant about 40 days having to do with religion, astronomy, etc. So, today is supposed to be special...

It's a Saturday night, and I just helped my 15 year old cousin get ready for a party (kick-back is what they call it these days. In our days, it was a get-together...) I dressed her and put her makeup on, but made sure she was covered up and wearing a jacket. She looked sophisticatively good. Hot enough to be stared at, but not hot enough to be poked at. Getting her ready reminded me of my teenage years and how exciting it was to get ready for a party, show up with butterflies in your stomach, and slow dance with that guy you thought would never ask. Then...I ordered some pizza, which got here just 5 minutes ago, and I sit here trying to make it a significant 40th day post.

I did do something significant today... I engaged myself into another religion, language, and feeling. I was listening to this slow Persian love song earlier. The music and melody of the song is beautiful, but I don't understand a word of it. I sat down with a family friend and had her translate the entire song for me as I wrote the words down. The song can be found on youtube at:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5mY_T4LjWKU

I would also love to share the lyrics with you guys because they are so beautifully written. The sentences might sound a bit awkward because they have been translated just as they are, but, you can still understand the meaning. Here it is:

The Last Hello

Hello, my love's sad and lonely sunset,

Hello, my loving day's sunrise that's going for good,

Hello, moments of separating sorrow,

Goodbye to my light night's lyrics,

Goodbye to my light night's lyrics,

Goodbye my love story,

Goodbye to love's bright blue sky,

Goodbye to the smell of love in the air at nights,

Goodbye to my forever mate,

Goodbye to the fire I loved that burned in my heart,

You are without me, but you will never be lonely,

I will leave you in the hands of tired and broken hearts,

I leave you with the shadow of the dreamy light of the moon,

I leave you with the bed of the ocean,

If I stay awake at nights,

I leave you with the next bright dreamy day to come,

I leave you to the night, so the night doesn't burn out,

I gift you to my heart, so it doesn't die,

If the fountain of words doesn't dry out of sadness,

If life doesn't take my voice away,

Goodbye to the good and existence of my heart,

Goodbye to my life's support, shade, and safety,

If you left green and I stay yellow,

It's my time to say Goodbye to Spring forever,

and I stay Fall forever.

There they are... the words any girl would want to receive in a letter.

Tip of the Day: Expose yourself to a different language at times. Try to respect and understand where others come from and how they express themselves in the language of music because music is a universal language.

Day 39

I have 20 more minutes to tell you guys about something so wise in my day...and...I'm blank. Honestly, I just want to go to bed. I don't really feel like being positive and smart right now, I'd rather be in bed. Hey, that could be a bumper sticker!

15 more minutes... I just got home from Johnny Rockets and it was so good to eat a burger with fries. I enjoyed every minute and I enjoyed every last bite, which I already regret. I was at the Johnny Rockets at One Colorado in Pasadena by Crate and Barrel and just to give away a little secret...if you go to Sushi Roku after you're done eating, and you parked at the big parking lots on Green Street, they'll validate your parking ticket. Just walk in and say, "Hi, I ate here earlier, and I forgot to get validation..." with a smile on your face. I know, I did that today. It was not good to lie, but it was kind of fun. The hostess just looked over at me, smiled and said, "oh, sure hun, here you go" while putting my ticket through the machine.

I also went to a small gallery reception in La Canada tonight. They had the work of 3 young girls up. Each painting was selling for $40 and each one was a representation of Spring for each artist. They were interesting to see, but I was most happy to see and meet the young girls. They were so excited to be there, displaying their work. I thought it was great experience for them and I wanted to show up to support the gallery. I talked to a few people and while I was at it, I promoted our opening on the 27th of this month. I gave them my postcards, and to my surprise, they all seemed so excited about it. So, I gave support, to receive support.

Having been to Michaels and JoAnns Fabrics a zillion times this week, I was trying to find something to do on a Friday night that wasn't creative. So, I supported and role played, and. now, I wouldn't mind some wine to knock me out.

5 minutes left...

Tip of the Day: Try to be a bit spontaneous at times. It'll help you step out of the norm. Especially, if you're on a daily routine schedule. Get out and change the air a bit and act unlike yourself at times. It'll make you a more exciting person and funner to be around. (I just looked up the word "funner," it doesn't exist, but you get it) And... I know some of you might be thinking, wow, Iren, you lied and supported, that's so spontaneous! I know, I know... might not be so spontaneous, but what the f*** did you do today? (I wrote that because I remembered the movie Wanted) Sorry for the quirkiness, I'm going to go now, before I type up any more weird shit. :)

Day 38: Love at Denny's

I seem to be at Denny's a lot these days. If you ever need to find me, go to Denny's. If I was smart, I would've bought stock in Denny's...but, I use their booths more than their food anyway. My sister and I go out to eat at least once a week together, just to catch up. So, we were at (guess where) today. We sat there for a while and looked at each other because neither one of use felt like talking. Then, the mozzarella sticks came along...which brought us together. I don't know if it was the cheese or the marinera sauce, but we began to talk...
Our conversation ended up being about marriage love and teenage love and the difference in them. As we get older, the exciting feelings of love fade somehow. The butterflies, heart flutters, anxiousness, etc. seem to go away. Then, we stop to wonder if it's really love... so, is it? If it is, where did the excitement go? And, if not, then, why do I seem content with my relationship?
Sometimes, I wonder about how personal I get in these posts, all of the readers, and, how, in a few months, you'll know me better than I know myself, but, I don't mind. I enjoy doing this, even if it means being public about some personal things.
So... moving on...it's funny, because I came across an email I received years back from an old friend (who is a reader and she might remember this one). I had read this email and had loved the writing, so I had saved it. I read it again today, and wanted to share it with you guys. It was actually the first, ever, saved email in my yahoo account, which I've had for as far back as I can remember. So, since I am only 25 years old, engaged, and not married, yet, I will leave this one up to the Doctor who wrote this. He wrote:

Every relationship has a cycle. In the beginning, you fell in love with your spouse. You anticipated their call, wanted their touch, and loved their idiosyncrasies. Falling in love with your spouse wasn't hard. In fact, it was a completely natural and spontaneous experience. You didn't have to do anything. That's why it's called "falling" in love... because it's happening TO YOU.

People in love sometimes say, "I was swept off my feet." Think about the imagery of that expression. It implies that you were just standing there;doing nothing, and then something came along and happened TO YOU. Falling in love is easy. It's a passive and spontaneous experience.

But, after a few years of marriage, the euphoria of love fades. It's the natural cycle of EVERY relationship. Slowly but surely, phone calls become a bother (if they come at all), touch is not always welcome (when it happens), and your spouse's idiosyncrasies, instead of being cute, drive you nuts.

The symptoms of this stage vary with every relationship, but if you think about your marriage, you will notice a dramatic difference between the initial stage when you were in love and a much duller or even subsequent stage.

At this point, you and/or your spouse might start asking, "Did I marry the right person?" And as you and your spouse reflect on the euphoria of the love you once had, you may begin to desire that experience with someone else. This is when marriages breakdown. People blame their spouse for unhappiness and look outside their marriage for fulfillment.

Extramarital fulfillment comes in all shapes and sizes. Infidelity is the most obvious. But, sometimes, people turn to work, church, a hobby, a friendship, excessive TV, or abusive substances.

But the answer to this dilemma does not lie outside your marriage. It lies within it. I'm not saying that you couldn't fall in love with someone else. You could. And TEMPORARILY you'd feel better. But, you'd be in the same situation a few years later. Because (pay attention closely) THE KEY TO SUCCEEDING IN A MARRIAGE IS NOT FINDING THE RIGHT PERSON;IT'S LEARNING TO LOVE THE PERSON YOU FOUND.

Sustaining love is not a passive or spontaneous experience. It'll never just happen TO YOU. You can't find lasting love, you have to "make" it day in and day out. That's why we have the expression, "The Labor of Love," because it takes time, effort, and energy. And most importantly, it takes WISDOM. You have to know WHAT TO DO to make your marriage work.

Make no mistake about it. Love is not a mystery. There are certain things you can do to succeed with your marriage. Just as there are physical laws of the universe (such as gravity), there are also laws for relationships. Just as the the right diet and exercise program makes you physically stronger, certain habits in you relationship will make your marriage stronger. It's a direct cause and effect. If you know and apply the laws, the results are predictable...you can "make" love.

Love in marriage is indeed a "decision" not just a feeling.

Dr. PK

So... there...he said it all.
Tip of the Day: If you're not in a relationship, it's good to know all this before you get into one. If you are in a relationship, I hope you're in the beginning stages because that's where all the kissing happens. (just kidding) If you are in a relationship, just make sure you're happy with where you are in the realtionship. If you're not happy, think long and hard, because you probably know what to do to fix it. All I can say is: Know what you have before it's gone.

Day 37: You are a Snowflake

Today, I want to talk about self-esteem. Yesterday, I went to the mall with my 15 year old cousin. I hadn't seen her in a while, so we decided to go shopping. She started telling me about what's going on at school and about some things that were bugging her. Being the 25 year-old donkey (esh in Armenian) I am, I should've given her some advice on self-esteem and all that, but, it was the wrong day. My self-esteem wasn't at its best at that moment, so I just listened. Now, I think I should've said something. My advice might have helped her make a certain decision or act differently towards the situation. Feeling low self-esteem is the worst thing, always, especially when someone else needs you.

Yesterday, I had lunch at Denny's with that friend I told you guys about in yesterday's post. During lunch, she was telling me about her personal life and some stuff that was bothering her. We sat there talking, for about an hour, as a big bellied, gray-bearded, old man in a black leather jacket turned to her and said, "Don't ever let anyone take your self-esteem, it's all you've got." He started to tell us about his wife and how she had given him an ultimatum after 40 years. He was a Harley Davidson rider, part of a certain gang, here in Tujunga (they're very common) and his wife had said, "Either me, or the bike?" So, he had said to her, "Get up, go home, and pack your shit up, you better not be there when I get home." He said, "It's not that I'd rather have my bike than her, but no one gives me an ultimatum. If she has a problem, she should talk to me about it." He looked over at my friend and said, "You are a snowflake, I am a snowflake, and there's only one of each of us." I thought, wow...such a hard looking, Harley rider talking about snowflakes...now, I've seen it all!

So, no matter what's going on in your life, make sure you're not too hard on yourself. Make sure you keep your self-esteem and dignity. Sometimes, when we care so much about others, we let go of ourselves, but, always try to put "you" first, before everything else because that thing that makes you feel so bad about yourself might not be that important. But you, you have to look at yourself, everyday, for the rest of your life.

Ever since I started art school, at the age of 8, my art teacher would always tell me to place a mirror in front of me, and draw myself. I've always been made fun of for my self-portraits by my friends from art school because I always seemed to be drawing myself. It's been a joke ever since, even though I was always asked to do it. Over the years, I feel like doing that has helped me with my self-esteem. It's not just about what I look like, but I feel like I've become more aware of who I am and how I perceive myself. Obviously, I still have self-esteem troubles, but that's been a way of telling myself that I exist as an individual.

Tip of the Day: If your self-esteem has always been at a good point, try to keep it that way and don't let anyone tell you any different. Most of us, have troubles with it, sometimes. If you do, try to do things that make you feel good about yourself and try to remember that "you are a snowflake!"

Here is one of my favorite quotes:

“Go out in the world and work like money doesn't matter, Sing as if no one is listening, Love as if you have never been hurt, and Dance as if no one is watching”

http://thinkexist.com/quotations/self-esteem/3.html

Day 36: K.I.T

by Ione Citrin

Today is a lovely day! It's been windy, but nice, finally. I had lunch with an old friend from school and it was really nice to catch up. I had lost her number with my old phone, so it was a real surprise hearing from her today. She called me because she had referred me to a client of her's for a children's book, so I made sure I saved her number somewhere other than my phone. I was really happy to talk to her, not only because of the referral, but, because I hadn't seen or talked to her in almost two years.

With all the technology and gadgets these days, no one uses actual paper that much anymore, but, it's really smart to have a hard copy of anything. Keep your old address book and any contact information you have on paper, because you never know, something might just come up. Try to keep in touch with people and make sure you're able to connect with them if needed.

That's the positive genius of Facebook these days, because almost everybody has a Facebook account, but, almost everybody!

Tip of the Day: Call someone you haven't spoken to in a long time, tell them you were just thinking about them and wanted to know how they were doing.

I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read and all the friends I want to see. ~John Burroughs

Day 35: Happy Women's Day!

First off, Happy Birthday Momma! My mom is turning "29" today... This year, I haven't bought her a birthday card, so, I'm going to make this her birthday card. She is a daily reader, and for those who haven't met my mom, her name is Shakeh and she is half my size. She is very petite, extremely kind, and always young at heart.

Dear Momma,

Happy Birthday to you! I just want you to know that I am who I am because of you. I see myself becoming more like you everyday, and, you know what, I don't mind it. On this day, I wish you all the good things in life, but, most of all, I wish some things for myself. I wish I grow up to be who you are in life, love, and everything else Earth consists of. I wish I can become a third of the mother you have been to me and I wish that I can look like you at 29.

Thanks Momma, love you always and forever,

Iren

Today is also International Women's Day, so Happy Women's Day to all you women!

I did some research and found out that the day is an official holiday in Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Burkina, Faso, Cambodia, China, Croatia, Cuba, Georgia, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Madagascar, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal, Russia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uganda, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Zambia. On this day it is customary for men to give the women in their lives - mothers, wives, girlfriends, daughters, colleagues, etc - flowers and small gifts.

Tip of the Day: Show a woman in your life you appreciate them in some way. Wish a random woman a Happy Woman's Day and if you're a woman, Enjoy your day and know that you are appreciated today!

“You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her”

http://thinkexist.com/quotation/you_don-t_love_a_woman_because_she_is_beautiful/169855.html

Day 34: Get Well Santos

I am sitting here watching the Oscars and I'm trying to summarize, in my head, the events that took place today. I decided to go hiking again, and it was really nice because the weather was great. It wasn't too hot and it wasn't too cold. It was a few of us that got together at around noon time and started going up the hill.

Normally, on every other hiking day, we reach the top of the second hill and turn around to come back down, but, today, we were motivated enough to get to the top of the last hill where the towers were. As we walked up the last hill, I was tired by now, but still going at a good pace. There was Rocky Balboa music playing on someone's iphone (it was playing as a joke) as I got up to the top, and felt proud to be done, finally. Today, was a physical success.

So, we got to the top and started walking to the towers where Burbank, Downtown LA, Glendale, and even Catalina Island can be seen on a clear day. Today, there was no Catalina Island because it was cloudy, but everything else was almost there. We sat there for a while to rest a bit, then, got up to start walking down the trail.

As we started walking down, we noticed a man sitting on the ground and a woman standing above him. There was a mountain bike laying down next to them and they both seemed a bit confused. As we got closer, I realized the man's face was covered in blood and figured that he had probably fallen off his bike. As we got a bit closer, I realized his teeth were missing and it was, basically, a "hot mess" of a situation. He was hurt bad, so we offered him a towel and some water. We had a couple of phones with us, so we asked if he wanted us to call the ambulance and he kept replying, "no, no ambulance, I'm okay..." but, everytime he tried getting up, he would have to sit back down because of his dizziness. He had hit his head and who knew what was going on internally? We convinced him to get up as we helped him walk, slowly, down the trail to see how far down we could get him. I grabbed his mountain bike and started rolling it down the trail beside me trying to keep up with it. We made it, for about 10 minutes, trying to get him down, but, guess what happened next? It started raining really hard, so we had to get him to sit down and put a cover over him. Then, guess what? Hail! Yes, it started hailing, while I tried to push this heavy ass bike, that had gotten screwed up from the fall, down this bumpy trail.

Well, it was a nice day, until, then. I was wearing shorts and a top with sneakers. So, by now, I was soaked and skipping down the trail with this bike, while the hail felt like needles on my neck, ears, and legs. Believe it or not, I was excited. The whole experience was exciting, but cold. So. cold. I don't remember ever being that cold, not even in snow. My legs were numb, so no feeling there, but the stinging of the hail on my ears were the worst. I looked back to see everybody else trying to walk down the trail, while making the best of this situation, as I began to laugh. It was awesome and so much fun!

We walked down 10 more minutes and realized that the injured man was not feeling so well, so his wife asked us to call the ambulance. As a word of advice, up there, the only company that had reception was Verizon. So, thank you Verizon!

We called the ambulance and stood there waiting for them. To my surprise, they had sent out a helicopter. As the helicopter neared, the wind from the propellers was unimaginable. It's different watching it in a movie. It's so awesome up close. A man hung from a cable as he was lowered down. He checked the injured man's condition and told us that they had to carry him out to the hospital. So, they lowered a gurney, and another man, as they prepped him, and sent him up to the helicopter. I stood there, holding the bike, shivvering from the cold, but all the while thinking about how cool this was.

The injured man's name was Santos and he was taken by helicopter to the hospital. His wife and the bike were also transported down the trail by truck. After they were taken, we began to run down the trail trying to move our muscles to get warm again. By now, the rain had stopped and the sun was peaking through the clouds.

We got to the bottom of the hill and met Santos's wife again. She looked at us, grabbed my hand, put her head on my shoulder, and said, "thank you so much," with tears in her eyes. (I promise I didn't overexaggerate the tears in her eyes) I just stood there and said, "It's okay, you're welcome, he's going to be fine, don't worry, we're just glad we were up there to help you. You must have helped someone else out to be so lucky!" She smiled and asked, "Can I give you a hug?" I answered, "of course, each one of us, one by one." She began to give all of us a hug, and when she hugged me, she really hugged me. It was the most genuine hug I had ever received. It was also an unforgettable experience and the look on that woman's face made it all worth while.

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give" - Winston Churchill

Tip of the Day: Try to help someone when they're in need. Don't wait for them to ask for your help. This kind of act of kindness makes you feel like you're place here on Earth is full of purpose.

Day 33: Maybe next time

Hi people! Just for your info., yesterday, I posted "tip of half the day" because I thought I'd have time to come back and give you more, but I didn't make it, sorry. To make up for it, today will be better, I promise. But, seriously, please watch out for women drivers, especially in the rain. So, the painting at the top is a recent one I did for a magazine cover competition. I attended an art selling workshop this morning. It was a 6 hour long workshop on how to speak about your art, which I suck at. (I couldn't be worse at something.) We were supposed to take an art piece with us, so this was the piece I had taken with me. It was wrapped in white paper, so no one got to see it when I took it in.

I sat through the first hour of the workshop, and just for your information, I hate public speaking. I got a bit better at it as I grew up, but my heart still pounds as if my life depended on the self introduction I gave to 15 other artists who could, really, care less about what I have to say. So, after the first hour of lecture, we had to introduce ourselves, and I did fine, except, when I said, "that's it!" at the end of my intro, which is the lamest and most unprofessional thing to do. After that, I sat down and decided I wasn't going to talk anymore, but I knew we had some kind of activity coming up later...

For the last two hours of the workshop, we had to stand up in front of everybody and sell our piece to a potential buyer, which I should practice, since I have a gallery of my own. I sat there listening to the first few people, while freaking out about what the heck I was going to say about my piece. As each person went up, I realized that not everybody brought an art piece, and not everybody was presenting, so, I was going to act like I didn't take one in. I knew it was a bad idea because I'm a firm believer of doing things that make you uncomfortable. Purposely, putting yourself in an uncomfortable situation, will, most of the time, have a good outcome. So...I thought "well, Iren, get up, pick up the piece, and start talking, and later, you can blog about it letting everyone know how brave you were today, and that they should also be brave about certain situations they fear." I got so excited thinking about today's post and how good it was going to be, until...the lady leading the workshop said, "ok, well, if that's it, then, we're going to go ahead and move on." Right then, I kicked myself in the ass (in my head because it's physically impossible) and as I was about to get up to speak, she started another subject and moved on...

I bet you're thinking awwww... how sad, right? Well, it kind of was, because I failed today, but at least I know I failed. I am admitting, I failed today, and I am telling you guys about my failure, which is not easy, but I'm being honest. I wish I could say that today I overcame my fear of public speaking and I am great, but I'm human and shit happens!

Here is a quote I heard at the workshop today:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We are born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Marianne Williamson

Tip of the Day: Confront what makes you feel uncomfortable, even if you fail. Maybe, you'll overcome the second, third, or tenth time around, but be aware of what makes you uncomfortable. Uncomfortable situations can bring about great opportunities, so go ahead and be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous!

I hope I can come back sometime this year to give you a similar experience I didn't fail at, but succeeded in. I'm sure I will.

Day 32

To start off my post...today, I have officially decided that it is a bad idea for women to drive at all. They should all be cleared off the streets, and I say this confidently, because I am a woman, also, (duh) and not the best driver, but one of the better ones. In all aspects of it, I wouldn't mind being driven around all the time, if we were banned from the streets. I say this due to the number of times I almost got into accidents today, and they were all women drivers.

Tip of half the day: Beware of women on the streets, even if they're pedestrians. Seriously... if you don't believe me, check this site out:

http://www.avolites.org.uk/jokes/women-drivers.htm