Day 180: Coolant Level Low

So... every once in a while (about twice a week) the coolant level of my car goes down and the warning light goes off... what I do is, I carry around a big jug of water, in the trunk, in case it happens to surprise me sometimes...

The light went off yesterday, and, I hadn't had time to fill it up until today... I parked the car in front of the gallery and popped the hood open and let the coolant top cool down a bit... the car had been on for a while, so the coolant was bubbling from the heat and pouring out...

Due to Armen's knowledge of Auto mechanics, I know a bit about this stuff. He always involves me when trying to fix a part of a car. So, by now, I know how to change a tire, change oil, close a hole in the tire, check my oil, fill my washers, and check on my coolant level.

This knowledge is good to have because it does come into good use when he's out of town, and, I feel like I'm not totally lost when something goes wrong, but in any case, it's always good to have Triple AAA, from personal experience.

Anyway, so I stood there waiting on the coolant to cool down. As I watched it bubble and leak down on the ground, a Hispanic man made a U-turn and parked his car in front of mine. He got out, walked towards me and said, "You okay?" Now, you may be thinking, "Ya, probably a pervert..." right? Well, no, I wouldn't say he was the "pervert" type... First off, I looked like crap, physically, and, second, he looked like he was actually concerned. So, I said, "Ya, I'm just waiting on the coolant to cool down so I can pour some water in it... it's just low..." He said, "Oh, ok, let me check..." as he tried pouring water down the pipe, then, started the car to check the warning lights. Then, he said, "Yes, just wait about 10 minutes... then, it should be okay..." as I replied, "Thanks, thank you so much..." smiling.

Then, he was gone...

Tip of the Day: If you see someone on the road, looking like they're in need of help, and, you have the ability to help, try to... (unless, you're in the middle of Utah and it looks like a movie scene from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre)

Day 179: Be at Your Best & Use Your Best

Why is it that when we have something that's expensive, we tend to put it aside for a special occasion? Why not have "today" be the special occasion?

I'm not known to take care of my possessions the right way. Usually, my mom and sister have to follow me around the house, or... remind me to not put my cream bag on the floor. Normally, I use the Michael Kors, Louis Vuitton, and $5 Fashion Gal wallet with the same respect... I use it. It doesn't make sense to have something, in your possession, and not use it... not using it is like not having it, and, even worse, it's not enjoying it. What are you waiting for? Today is not going to come back, and, you're never going to be right here, and be who you are right now, ever again... not even when that special occasion comes up...

Tip of the Day: Using your most prized possessions will make your everyday feel like a special occasion. So, take out your most prized and expensive jewelry, bag, shoes, etc. and make the best of today.

Day 178: Hasmik

As usual... I was at the gallery this morning and someone interesting walked in...

Her name was Hasmik... she looked about 96 years old, slight hunchback, white hair, years of age on her face, very short, but well dressed, and carrying two heavy, plastic bags of groceries. She passed by slowly... stopped by the window... it looked as though she was kneeling down, but when she walked in, I realized that was her posture. She walked towards me... and said, "Hello, are you Armenian?" as she tried smiling through her wrinkles... I smiled back and said (in Armenian) "yes, I am..." She came towards me and brought her face very close to mine and said, "What is this place?" I answered "it's an art gallery where we show different kinds of art..."

"Oh, an art gallery" she said, as she took a step back. "Is this your work? I thought you sell curtains here, because I saw the curtains first..." I replied, "No, no curtains..." as I laughed. "This is not my work, it's a photographer's work... but, I draw here too..." She looked down at me and said, "Oh, you draw?... that's good... my name is Hasmik... how old are you?" I answered, "I'm 25..." looking surprised, she said, "and you're not married?" I smiled and answered, "Engaged... " She nodded her head and said, "Is he Persian Armenian?" I replied, "yes, he is... but, most important, he's a good guy..." she nodded her head and said, "yes, you're a smart girl... as long as he's a good guy, it doesn't matter... well... I don't want to be a bother, so, I'm going to go... I had a good painting, but I don't have it anymore... my daughter took it!" as she made a frowning face and started walking towards the door. "I could've brought it here to show you, but I don't have it anymore... she took it... she was going to take it when I died, so, she decided to take it earlier..." and, then... she was gone... she just walked out like she had never walked in... carrying her bags, hunched... I just looked at her walk away and thought, "Bye Hasmik..."

Tip of the Day: Listen to people talk, even if they sound a bit odd... sometimes, people just want to be heard.

Day 177: Baby Boom

This morning I woke up to a baby announcement... and, it made my day! First off, Congratulations to the pregnant lady!

It seems like everyone's either pregnant these days or getting pregnant... another Baby Boom? (maybe, due to all the layoffs this year...)

Yesterday, I visited a friend of mine who's also 7 months pregnant with a baby girl. She's getting ready for a baby shower soon and was telling me about how much there is to do before the baby arrives. She was telling me about baby soap, baby laundry machine, baby detergent, and everything and anything that comes "baby." Personally, I think all a baby needs is (corny enough...) "love" to be able to grow up happy. No matter what brand their clothes or detergent, it's not going to matter...

There's a movie out called "Babies" and it's about 4 different babies being born in 4 different parts of the world. (US, Tokyo, Namibia, and Mongolia) If you have time, watch the trailer on Youtube because it's really interesting to see how each baby grows up in their own environment. The point of the movie is that all a baby needs is love... all anybody needs is love...

Tip of the Day: If you've had a baby, you already know how priceless a baby is... If you're pregnant, congrats to you... you're experiencing something so amazing, but, try not to worry about all the extra materials that are not going to matter in the end... If you haven't had a baby and are not pregnant... enjoy these times of doing things for yourself... Overall, everything we experience and will experience has its time... so, enjoy "right now," baby or not.

Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking outside your body.
Elizabeth Stone

Day 176: I'm just jokin'

So, they say 50% of a joke comes from the truth... right? I think so...

Not all jokes are mostly true, but the idea comes from somewhere, so, maybe, it's 50% at times, and, other times, it's less, like 40...or 30... or even 5%...

There are some truth to jokes, but, there should never be any hard feelings when it comes to joking around. We are all human... we all have human filters in our heads that keep us from being 100% honest all of the time. If we were always honest, we wouldn't have any friends... We'd drive them all away with our negative perceptions of them, which we all have of everybody, naturally.

Jokes give us some room to be honest, but it makes it light hearted. I think we should all make jokes and, at the same time, be able to take them as well. We all have our own positives and negatives, and, being honest only makes the honest person look mean and hurtful. No body wants to hear their negative traits and be analyzed... no body's perfect, so... if you don't have anything nice to say, keep it to yourself. Telling a person what you think of them is not going to change them... it'll only hurt them, but, slightly, mentioning it in a joke should be okay, depending on your relationship with that person. Jokes are always good... they make us laugh and laughter is one of the best parts of being human.

Tip of the Day: Be aware of your words when joking around so that you don't hurt someone's feeling when trying to be funny, and, when someone makes a joke about you, just laugh it off and take it in lightly.

"When people are laughing, they're generally not killing each other." Allan Alda

Day 175: Sun Country Airlines

Everyday, I look forward to these 20 minutes... these 20 minutes when I collect my thoughts and type them out... good or bad, long or short, right or wrong... once it's published, it's public!

Tonight, I remembered something my dad once said, "You know you have found the right person when you feel like you're together, when worlds apart..." I posted about that on Day 59, which was 116 days ago....

Armen had to fly somewhere tonight, for work... I just got back from dropping him off at the airport, and, now, I feel like I have to highlight my dad's words, in my head, to feel better about this moment. It's easier said than done, dad... that, I could say for sure...

I realized how weird of a place the airport actually is... it's not, physically, the coziest place of all, but, it's such a warm place. People are always hugging and kissing each other, no matter if they're saying hello or goodbye. It either brings people together or pulls them apart, but, it's the only place that keeps the whole world connected. Without it, we would never be able to see the world from above or get to our destinations.

Tonight, the airport pulled me and Armen apart for a period of time, but, it'll be the same place that'll bring us together again... even though, we are together...

Tip of the Day: It's okay to be apart from the people in your life, sometimes. Having that time apart makes you realize how good it is when you're together.

Day 174: Slow Dance

I never really know what to do on Sundays... working doesn't work... relaxing doesn't work... so, nothing really gets done on Sundays. Normally, I just hang around, confused, until something comes up...

Today, was a long Sunday... seems like I've been up for 24 hours, but, it has only been 16...

Besides, hanging out by the pool, having dinner at two different places, and watching a movie at the theaters, I've haven't done much else... except... slow dance...

This might be a bit weird, but Armen and I dance sometimes... it doesn't matter when or where, usually in the house, during the day, but, we dance sometimes, randomly. It happens when our favorite song comes on, or, when I need to spend some time with him for a few minutes after a busy day. So, this happens rarely, but, it happens.

From all of today's activities, that's what I remember most... anytime we dance, when we dance, I forget about everything else for a couple of minutes... it feels like a power nap, kind of.

My forgetful grandma was at our house today... and, I heard Armen calling my name. Usually, he makes conversation with her when she's around. I think he may be the only one making conversation with her at times. So, I went to see what he was saying, and, he said, "Come, come, your grandma wants us to dance..." while he smiled and looked at my grandma, as he put a song on, getting ready to dance... I looked at my grandma, smiled, and then, looked over at Armen, looking confused. Then, he said to my grandma, "Don't you wanna see us dance? Didn't you ask us to dance?" She looked at him looking lost and confused and shrugged her shoulders. She had no idea what he was talking about... then, she said, "sure, go ahead and dance..." She sat there and watched us dance... It felt a bit awkward, but, like I said, I forgot she was there at all. As soon as the song was over, Armen said, "See, we did it! You wanted us to dance, and, we danced..." as she looked at us smiled, she nodded her head giving her approval.

I can remember every slow dance in my life being special in its own way... every single one had its own moment and personal significance... and, my grandma made today's dance special.

Tip of the Day: Take the time to slow dance, sometimes... Slow dancing is a great part of life's experiences that can go unnoticed, unfortunately...

Day 173: Good Night, Me

I'm a bit blank tonight... I would like to talk about the car accident my cousin was involved in last night with a drunk driver... or... about the sweet 16 kick-back (which we called a "get-together" in the 90's) I had to chaperone tonight... but, I'd rather be honest and say that I am so sleepy right now that it's hard to put my thoughts together at all. So, since, I need my sleep for my attitude, beauty, and energy tomorrow, I'd like to say, "Good night, sweet dreams...good night, sweet dreams, and...good night, sweet dreams." ;)

Tip of the Day: Try to get at least 7 hours of sleep every night, if not 8. Getting the right amount of sleep per night makes a big difference in your day, everyday.

Day 172: Cheeeeese!!!

The other day, I read: "Women who tend to show their teeth while smiling for the camera are more likely to develop successful long-term relationships."

Today, I went to dinner with my mom and my aunt... (Yes, they are the two wacky looking ones right above....)

We sat down at our booth and ordered a couple of Margaritas and Sangria. Since, it was a Friday night, we felt the need to live on the edge a bit... I took out my phone and asked them to smile for the camera. As they got closer and looked over at me, they tried to give me a smile... and, these days, since we can see our pictures digitally, of course they wanted to see it. I passed my phone over to them as my mom squinted her eyes so that she could be able to see at all, and my aunt looked at herself and made a grunting sound... I started to laugh at them as I watched them... then, I said, "Here... lemme take another one..." as I took my phone back. I took a couple more of them and passed it back to them... My aunt looked at the pictures as she said, "Why do we look so old? Hold on... let me take my glasses off my head... " My mom looked at her and said, "Ya, you should... I think I'm gonna open my eyes a bit wider..." So, as you can imagine, they took a couple more pictures, then, asked to look at it again. They still weren't happy with it. Then, my aunt handed my phone back to me and said, "Here take another one... let's slap ourselves a little so we can get some color in our cheeks!" while she smacked her face lightly. My mom looked at her, started laughing and said, "Ya, maybe I should pull my face back a bit..." as she started pulling on her cheeks and forehead... While this was happening, I sat there laughing as I remembered an I Love Lucy episode I love...

It was a Kodest moment (the combination of Kodak & Modest) and I captured it...

Tip of the Day: When taking pictures, always try to give the camera your best smile. You're most photogenic when you're smile is most genuine.

Vote for Me!!!

Ok, so I need your help a bit... I've entered a competition and it takes votes form the public for me to be able to stick it out until the finals. So, please go to: http://www.eerren.3rdward.com/

and rate my work! You can be totally honest because the votes are anonomous. Thank you so much for your help in this! Oh, and if I win this, I get to go to New York City for 3 months, get $5,000, and get my own show over there! (Which, would make this blog so much more interesting for you guys...) So, if you can share this via anything, please do! Thanks guys!

Day 171: Personal Space

I think we might have all experienced someone visiting or living with us temporarily sometime in our lives...

It's difficult to share personal space... It might be one of most difficult life experiences to deal with at times. It can get crowded, noisy, annoying, and, at times, unbearable... but, I have to say I've realized that the more people in a home, the happier the home...

My house is full of people and, sometimes, I feel like going into my room, slamming the door, getting under my covers, and digesting a whole bottle of wine, right before I pass out...

There's never any toilet paper, the laundy's always full, and there are more shoes lining the entrance of the house than a Payless sales rack, but, I have to say, when I think back to the last few months... I remember the times we all spent together when we got home at nights. I may not show it all the time, but it's nice to have a full house... it gives our home life and our life a home...

Tip of the Day: If you're experiencing someone living in your personal space, try to think about all the good things they bring into the house, and, realize that all the extra stuff are just extra stuff... they don't measure up to all the good.

Day 170: Emotional

So here is the thing about women... we're emotional, we get involved, we exaggerate situations, we're emotional, we feel too much, we're emotional, we get involved, oh, and, did I mention we're very emotional...

Sometimes, I wish I could dust off some things in life, but, it doesn't work that way. Women are built differently and men, well, men, most of them, are so good at not being emotional and not getting involved that it seems like they don't give a shit about anything. Somehow, in the beginning, we, women, got all the feelings that were being passed out, and they ran out for 98% of the men in the world.

Every single person, male of female, goes through stages and patches in life, but, no matter what part of life, women seem to use their heart for everything that comes their way. We're so weird that, sometimes, we feel like crying when nothing is wrong. It just makes us feel better...

Tip of the Day: So girls, and some boys, emotions are good... without them, we'd be... everything we're not, but, it's important to be aware of how much emotional energy we're putting into something that doesn't need or deserve our inner strength.

"Feelings are much like waves, we can't stop them from coming but we can choose which one to surf." Jonatan Martensson

Day 169: Good People

Lately, I feel like I should be cautious about repeating my tips... I've been thinking about it, and, 168 tips are a lot of tips to remember. So, I apologize if any of it ever sounds repetitive, but, I have no control over it anymore. It just comes out of me once I'm in front of the computer...

Looking back, it seems like I'm a "know it all," except for a few posts, but, honestly, that's not it at all... I actually started this blog project because I wanted to help myself do something good with myself. It was a personal decision that has confidential reasoning behind it... but, it doesn't matter why I'm here. The important things is that I'm here for the good...

This morning I received an email from Jaycee and his wife... he mentioned that they were so thankful for the gift and that we were so nice even thought we had known them for such a short time. He said that it was extremely refreshing to meet new people, good people... I read the email and thought about "good people" for a while...

The world is so crazy and confusing these days that most people don't trust anyone anymore. People live their lives being cautious and afraid of anything unfamiliar. There can be no blame placed upon those people because the world is a crazy place and our experiences and situations lead us to be that way. It's hard to be "good people" because it's hard to find "good people," but, we're all here now, so... why not make the best of it...

Tip of the Day: Try to have an open heart when it comes to everything in your life, no matter what the situation might have been or is. Not trusting or being negative towards people around you will only make your life harder to live... I say, "Live by the golden rule..."

This if known as the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." (Matthew 7:12, Matthew 22:39, Luke 6:31)

Day 168: Home Sweet Home

I'm home... and, it feels so nice to be home. They really nailed it when they said, "There's no place like home." No matter where you travel in the world, it feels like you can't find your place, until you get back home.

I got a lot of rest this weekend, but I didn't feel rested until... just now. As I sit here, on my bed, with my laptop, everyone in the house has gone to bed... I can just hear their breath in the house and feel the peace of their sleep. (oh, and I can hear my sister's t.v. in her room, and the noise of the AC that's on in the garage, but, I try to tune those sounds out...)

I can't imagine a home without this moment... this is when everyone calms down, relaxes, and shuts down after their long day of what ever it may have been... this moment is priceless.

When I was in my early teenage years, I'd like to sleep over at my friend's house. It was fun getting into our pajamas, staying up late and talking, spilling our guts out about every single secret we had, then, falling asleep... but, in case I woke up during the night, I'd feel, kind of, lost... and, now that I think about it, it was because that silence in the house was not my own, and, I felt out of my place. Then, I'd wake up in the morning having forgotten where I was, which would, then, take me about 10 seconds to process, but, overall, I wouldn't change those sleepovers for anything.

Today, when my sister got home from work, she started kissing me, like usual, but, worse because she hadn't seen me for 48 hours... As she kept hugging and kissing me, she said, "The house is so empty without you... I don't know what I'm gonna do when you get married and move out..." with a whining voice. I just looked at her, laughed, and said, "You're crazy!" I really didn't think she was crazy for saying that... I do think it's crazy that we have to leave our home, once we're a certain age. If it's getting married, moving away to school, or traveling, it's a hard part of life to leave the breathing silence in your home, that's been there for so long, and try to make your own silence in your own home...

Tip of the Day: Listen to the silence at nights when everyone's sleeping... it's the time of the day when everyone is at peace. If you're experiencing the part of life when you have to create your own silence in your own home, don't be afraid...

"There are times to cultivate and create, when you nurture your world and give birth to new ideas and ventures. There are times of flourishing and abundance when life feels in full bloom, energized and expanding. And there are times of fruition when things come to an end. They have reached their climax and must be harvested beofre they begin to fade. And, finally, of course, there are times that are cold, and cutting, and empty, times when the spring of new beginnings seems like a distant dream. Those rhythms in life are natural events. They weave into one another as day follows night, bringing, not messages of hope and fear, but messages of how things are. " Chogyam Trungpa

Day 167: Happy Birthday Jaycee

Today it was Jaycee's birthday... he was one of the people we met onboard...
We celebrated his birthday and bought him a gift, even though we've known him for about 2 hours...
He was so happy to be having dinner with a group of people that were wishing him good birthday wishes, and he was so surprised to be getting a present.
The cruise crew takes pictures of you almost everywhere, in every corner of the cruise... when you eat, sleep, drink, go to the bathroom, walk, swim... there's someone there to take a picture of you at all times. So, they take these pictures and post them up hoping you'll pass by, see your picture, and pay $12 for it... Jaycee and his wife had taken a picture together, and we saw it posted up, so, we bought it and had it framed for them. He had a great birthday dinner, but, the best part was that our gift made him smile on his birthday...

Tip of the Day: Do something unexpectedly nice for someone... even if you don't know them that well... it will make them smile.

Day 166: Waher or baher?

I've been tryin to speak Spanish today... due to the fact that we're in Mexico...
I'm not bad, actually, but, I can't say I'm fluent...
Today, I tried to communicate with the Mexicans in Mexico... it was interesting, if I may add...
It reminded me of a funny thing that happened the other day... in L.A., ironically...
My uncle's family and my family went to dinner at El Cholo Restaurant in Pasadena... it's a Mexican restaurant that has the only decent guacamole around these days... Our place used to be Acapulco until they started screwing up the quality of their food. So, we all decided to meet up at 7:30p.m. for dinner... we met up, and sat at our table... the waiter came by and took our orders for our drinks... my uncle ordered a couple of pitchers of Margaritas and said to the waiter, "Can we, please, have glass of water for everybody?" and the waiter replied, "Of course, sir..." as he smiled and walked off to bring our water. After about 10 minutes, the waiter brought over a couple of small dishes of sliced butter... we just stared at the butter, (which was such an awkard plate to get at a Mexican restaurant) as my aunt asked, "What we gonna have with the butter?" looking at the waiter curiously. The waiter looked down at the butter and said, "I bring you tortilla!" smiling. As everyone went back to eating tortilla chips, we thought it was a new thing the restaurant was doing... 5 minutes later, the waiter came back with four plates of hot, covered tortillas... and, as Armenians usually do, we started eating the tortillas and butter as we do bread and cheese. Then, after about 10 minutes, and 1 1/2 of the pitchers of margaritas gone, my uncle realized the waiter hadn't brought out the water... so, when the waiter came back, he said, "Man, what happen to the water I ask for?" as he smiled. The waiter replied, "waher!!! I bring you baher!!!"
So, as you can imagine, we laughed at the whole thing for a while before we got our glasses of water... it was a funny situation that wouldn't have happened if we were all speaking the same language.

Tip of the Day: Have some interest in other languages... Just try to communicate with what you know because the only way you will get any better and familiarize yourself is making a fool of yourself at first, and, that's okay when it comes to learning a language.

Day 165: Motion Sickness

I feel a little drunk... but, it's not because I had alcohol, it's motion sickness. I actually feel more stable when I drink... I am enjoying myself on a cruise ship and will be for the next couple of days. Posting the next two days is going to cost me $20 each day because we're on international waters, so, I hope it'll be worth it...
I thought being here was going to be nice and relaxing but, a lot of people come on these big iron vessels to drink and party, surprisingly. There's absolutely no one at the internet station... the casino's full, the bars are full, and the people are loud. It's kind of like a portable Vegas here...
We showed up to dinner thinking we'd be having a nice, quiet dinner until we realized we were sharing the dinner table with 6 other strangers... I was a bit weirded out in the beginning, but, we all became really good friends by the time the entree came out... Now, I'm looking forward to tomorrow night's dinner...

Tip of the Day: Meet new people when ever you get a chance. You never know who you might end up at the dinner table with... and... most of the time, people are interesting.

I apologize I don't have an image tonight... this computer setting is weird and it doesn't allow me to post a picture, but, imagine me sitting in an empty area with computers, and, the dark, big, open sea right outside the window...

Day 164: Innocence

We are considered innocent when we are born...
I wouldn't take back anything I've done until today... bad decisions... mistakes... bad feelings...

I think those things make us human, and if that means we're not innocent, then, I'd rather be what ever that is...

I believe that we are innocent, no matter what we do, at any age...unless, we have bad intentions. If we live our lives with good intentions, then, we are innocent... Sometimes, things happen to us... sometimes, we have no control, and, sometimes, we choose those things but,

since we are born innocent, we are born into our families and surroundings, innocently. We don't have a choice about any of those things when we're born. Then, we grow to be the people we are because of those things, so, why are we not innocent when it comes to the things we do and are capable of later on in life. Everything was handed to us in the beginning, and we do as best as we can with it.

We are considered innocent when we're born... when we go through Christianing... when we get married... when we go to confession... and, when we die... so, when is it that we're not innocent?

Tip of the Day: Try not to feel at fault for the mistakes and wrong choices you've made in life... It doesn't mean you're not innocent... your innocence is your basic foundation and it brought you to that, so, be confident about the person you are.

Day 163: Teenager

Marilyn Monroe as a teenager...

My 16 year-old cousin is on the phone, and... it is past midnight... I just realized that I have forgotten what it was like to be a teenager...

I used to have a "cordless" phone in my room, right above my bed, at her age... It was one of those transparent ones that came in different colors. I had a blue one... and, at nights, I'd hide it under my covers, put the ringer on mute, and try to hide the flashing lights on it when it rang... and, when I'd put it on my ear, trying to whisper so that I wouldn't wake anyone up, I'd hope no one else would pick up the other phone in the house and hear my conversation. During the conversation, if I'd hear a clicking noise, I'd press the "flash" button to make sure no one was listening in...

I remember when something would go wrong, or I'd get caught doing something, I'd think to myself, "Haven't they been through these things? Doesn't she know what I'm capable of at this age?"

Now, I realize that... we forget...

I haven't even had kids yet, and, I've forgotten. By the time I have kids, and, they become teenagers, I'm going to have to give myself a dose of sleep medicine to keep from being an annoying mom. I'm going to have to recollect all my teenage memories and save them for later, for when they'll come in handy.

Tip of the Day: If you deal with a teenager, and, you're not one yourself, try to remember what you did and were capable of in those years, and, try to understand. If you don't deal with one, you will someday, and... if you are a teenager, these are some of the best years of your life, so, don't think about getting older and how good it'll be... If you can get away with anything, it's in your teenage years...

Day 162: Awkward...

We are faced with awkward situations in life, and, in those moments, we experience what being an emotional human being is really like...

We go through life feeling different emotions at different times, but, as soon as we come face to face with the actual reality of our situations, (an argument, tragedy, fear, etc.) we freeze in the moment. Sometimes, we can play that moment back in our heads in slow motion as though it was, actually, in slow motion when it happened.

These certain situations in life give us the experience we need in life to move forward and be better.

Today I rode rollerblades... after about 15 years... it was much harder than I remember... I fell a couple of times... Besides experiencing those rollers on my feet again, I came across a couple of awkwards situations...

Tip of the Day: The awkwards moments we live through and, sometimes, struggle with are the ones that will make us better and stronger... They're much more effective than our physical falls.

Day 161: Good night, sweet dreams...

If you can believe it, I don't have much to say tonight...

When my sister and I were kids, we shared a bedroom... we'd talk and laugh when we got into our beds until my mom would come back into the room and whisper cuss words telling us to keep quiet and that they were trying to sleep. We'd giggle after she left the room, then, we'd say good night to each before we'd turn around and, finally, go to sleep. The significance of the part we'd say good night was that we'd say it "3" times and no less... We'd have to say, "Good night, sweet dreams... good night, sweet dreams... good night, sweet dreams..." to each other, then, it was okay to fall asleep. I also remember having to say good night to my parents every night before going to bed. I'd make the effort to find them, wherever they might have been in the house at that time, to say good night and give each of them a kiss. Back then, good night meant something... that's how we'd end our day, which made it a happy ending every night...

I'd like to say good night to everyone and sweet dreams to you...

Tip of the Day: Say good night to those around you before you go to bed... it, somehow, makes your day more meaningful.

Day 160: A Walk to Remember...

Today is Day 160... that means I, only, have 205 days to go... seems to be going by so fast. I wonder how different life will be on Day 365? It seems like 205 days are so many days, but, it'll probably fly by so quickly, I'll want to do this for another year... Hey... maybe, you can never tell...

It's funny how minutes, hours, and days go by... Some of us can't wait for the day to be over... some of us can't wait for a certain event 2 months from now... and, some, of us are already planning on what to wear tomorrow...

We live each day according to our plans, and, when we reach a certain point, we look back and realize that a few, or many, years have passed...

If you're about my age, just think about how many years it has been since high school, and you'll catch my drift... And,.. it's interesting how when we try to think back, we can think back to big events in our lives. We all remember where we were on 9/11, so just think about how many years it has been since then...

Today was, kind of, a big event for me... It was actually just another Sunday, until, around 9:30p.m. I stepped outside to take the trash out... I saw a lady walking two of her small, white puppies... I dumped the trash as I started walking back to the house when I heard a woman screaming, "Stop, stop, no, no, no!" It sounded like she was being attacked. So, I stood there listening, waiting to hear laughter, hoping someone was playing a prank... but, there was no laughter...

I started walking towards the screaming voice as the neighbor across the street also went running. I walked faster, hesistant about what I was about to see. Then, I realized a puppy had been run over on the street, and the owner was the lady screaming... As I walked towards the scene, a Jeep drove off as though it was running from the Police. She just sat there on her knees, with her back towards the, now dead, puppy, on the concrete floor, crying. The man that had run to her was her husband, and, he just stood there staring at the puppy...

I walked over and picked up her other puppy, that was running around ballistically, and just stood there petting it. After about 5 minutes, I walked over to her and patted her shoulder as I thought about what would be the best thing to say at that point... I just said, "It'll be okay..."

I was confused about the way I was supposed to react to this sort of situation, so, I just stayed quiet until the husband took the puppy's covered body... I helped her up and walked her home...

She was pretty sad, and, I will remember today, Day 160, because of her cry and sadness... but, it's okay... I will also remember yesterday, Day 159, because I was so happy to see a beautiful bride walk down the aisle...

Tip of the Day: We remember each big event for a reason, sad or happy, it's all apart of life, and, life, goes by so quickly, that it's best to live each moment fully and pay more attention to today than your plans for tomorrow.

Day 159: Dance, dance, dance...

Today's late post is later than yesterday's late post... We had a wedding tonight and I am exhausted from dancing my ass off on the dance floor... I must have been dancing for 6 straight hours, with minor breaks in between.

My cousin and her, now husband, got married, today, after 7 or 8 years of dating. I'd like to wish them nothing but happiness in their life together. I hope they achieve all of their goals in life and always stand by each other just as they did at the altar today. My best love and best wishes to you with today's blog dedicated to your union...

Even though I can't keep my eyes open to do this the right way, I'm glad I danced as much as I did. I don't know what I would've done if weddings didn't consist of music and dancing...

Tip of the Day: When attending an event, try to participate in the dancing. If it takes a couple of shots or glasses, take them, because once you're loose and on the dance floor, fun comes your way automatically.

Day 158: Two Sides...

I apologize for the, really, late post tonight... We're getting ready for a big event tomorrow, so, it's been busy around here...

With everything going on in life, most of us, still find time to gossip. Each and every one of us has done our share of gossip. Each and every one of us has been involoved in some kind of situation where we've been the cause of a gossip situation, been apart of it, or have witnessed it..

Most of the time, as a witness, the best thing to do is listen. There's never a good reason to agree and make the situation worse, unless you're involved. The reason why women, and some men, gossip is because they feel the need to get it out. So, just let them get it out, and, don't add to it, for your own sake, because, tomorrow, they might feel better about the situation, and then, you end up looking like the ass...

If you are the cause of a gossip situation most of the time, the best thing to do is try to mind your own business. There's no need to have an opinion about everything, or express them all the time.

Gossip is normally not good... Most of the time, women do it, because, I think, it must be in Estrogen. It's the only explanation to this sickness that overcomes us... Due to the emotional beings we are, we feel the need to express our emotions in any way we can, and, that's when all kinds of problems arise.

No matter what we may be feeling about a certain situation at one point, we tend to change our minds quite quickly... so, sleeping on it would be your best bet...

Tip of the Day: Try to always remember to keep unnecessary thoughts to yourself by filtering what goes through your mind and out your mouth. If you witness a gossip situation, just try to remember that there's always two sides to any story. Every one thinks they're right in their own way, so, give people a chance to explain.

"So live that you would not mind selling your pet parrot to the town gossip." - Will Rogers

Day 157: I Got Nothin' Left...

Sometimes, I wonder if we all live to please others... I know not everybody does, because if we did, the world would be a perfect place... but, sometimes, I think we should...

Most people live to please themselves and their closest family members, some, live to please, only, themselves, and some, try to please everybody, and, end up disappointing their families...

The ones who try to please everybody normally end up with nothing left to give...

It's hard to say which one is the best way to go... Personally, I think that helping anyone when you are able to, is best, and, if pleasing others makes you feel content with yourself, then, that's who you are.

If you're the type who is mostly aware of the important people around you, you're going in the right direction, but you, still, may need to look a little further than what's right in front of you...

I hope you're not the type who only lives for yourself... nobody only lives for themselves. People who only live for themselves are the reason for everything wrong in the world...

The important thing, besides trying to help others, is to pay attention to the people helping you... most of the time, they go unnoticed, and, that's when the edges of every situation become ridged... If we pay attention to the ones helping us, and, help them when they're in need, then, most of the time, we'd all be satisfied with each other, I think...

Tip of the Day: Trying to please everyone is not what you need to do, but, help as many as you can, even if they don't look your way at times... and, when you're tired of giving, just, let it go, and, move on...

"Caring about people gives your soul food, and, without a fulfilled soul, you'd be an empty birdcage with no beauty and life to offer."

Day 156: Everyday...

I just sat down with a glass of White Zinfandel, and, I was gathering my thoughts...

Then... I read a comment posted yesterday... to the anonymous person who wrote that, Thank you... thank you for reassuring me about this craziness I've committed myself to... at this moment, it was needed... thanks again for your sincere thoughts... Every once in a while I feel like it's pointless, but, today, I woke up with a great comment, and, now, I'll be going to sleep with a great comment. I was fishing for your thoughts for a long time, and, now, I'm feeling reassured about this once again. So, in as many ways as I can say it, Thank you!

I woke up this morning to a comment from one of my readers saying that I had made them laugh out loud... that is a success, if I may add. Making someone laugh out loud is not easy... I, very rarely. laugh out loud, even when watching comedy movies. There are only a few movies that have those certain parts that can make me laugh out loud, but to make someone laugh while reading a story is a big deal to me... So, as you can imagine, after reading that comment, I started my day off with loud music playing in the house at 9AM. I walked over to the Ipod player, half asleep, and turned the music on, without thinking that someone might still be sleeping. My whole day turned out to be a positive one...

As I was about to have a mood change, feeling tired, pouring a glass of White Zinfandel, thinking about all the things I need to get done, I came across the other comment that will help me fall asleep with a smile on my face. It mentioned that it takes a lot of bravery to do this, and, honestly, it does... I have to edit my thoughts, feelings, and life situations, at times, to do this. Sometimes, I feel exposed, like I have no privacy...

Sometimes, I go places and start conversations with people, and, as I try explaining something, they say, "Ya, I know, I read it in your blog..." then, I feel like my actual self has nothing to offer anymore, and, sometimes, I feel like the whole world knows me, in an inappropriate way... but, with all these feelings that come and go, I'd like to say that I'm very happy that I've chosen to do this. I'm glad I can give people something good to look forward to in their day... I'm glad I can entertain, fulfill, and give all of what I have to offer. I'm 156 days in, and I'm 156 times smarter and better than when I started. I teach myself as I give these tips out... they are what I learn from my everyday, that I share with you... It's just the way I look at my life, and sharing it with you makes me feel important enough to be here, so, thank you again for being here with me...

Tip of the Day: Have a diary or journal of some kind and write/draw in it... you don't have to share it with anybody, but, do it for yourself... record some of the most important things in your life, and you'll see how you can learn from yourself... You can learn more from yourself than anyone else... and, you'll have something to look back at later.

Day 155: Got My Numbers Back...

Ok, so the table number you see in the picture above were the type of table numbers that were used at Armen's party... (if you don't already know by now...) I bought the pieces, spray painted them, and put them together... We had 10 tables, so... 10 spray painted numbers... 10 wire hangers... 10 gold ribbons... and... 2 spray cans... oh, and a pair of spray paint destructed lungs...
But, the outcome was worth it... I thought they looked good. I am not blabbing away about unnecessary table numbers... here is the story behind them...
So, since I made them, I gave them to the flower lady to set up on the day of the event... and, honestly, after that day, I had no other use for them, so, I packed them away with the rest of the flower lady's stuff, and, decided to give them to her to use for the events she'll be working on in the future...
That's nice, right? Well, listen to this... I had to drop the stuff off to her today, but I picked up my mom beforehand, then, drove to flower shop. I got there, but the flower lady wasn't there yet, so I texted her letting her know that I'd be leaving the stuff by the door for her... As I set the stuff by the door, my mom opened the passenger door and started asking me questions about leaving it there and what I was actually leaving for her... I, kind of, ignored her, and told her that leaving it there would be fine, "Don't worry mom, it'll be fine..." So, I sat in the car and started driving... she looked over at me and said, "What was in that blue IKEA bag?" as if she knew what I was giving away... I answered, "the table numbers..." hoping she would say, "OK" and get over it. She heard my reply and opened the door to the car, while the car was in drive... She started cussing at me in Armenian and jumped out of the car as she started walking back to the flower shop to get the numbers back. (as if she was going to use it for her wedding the next day...) I just looked at her in shock and put the car in reverse following her... I started laughing as I pulled the passenger window down and heard that she was still cussing at me... she looked over at me going in reverse and started to laugh as well... it was the funniest scene I had been apart of in a long time... The funniest part was that, as I was in reverse, I realized that the flower lady was coming towards my car wanting to say "Hello." I turned and watched my mom as she went towards the flower shop entrance, grabbed the IKEA bag, and started walking back towards the car... and, to take the attention away from her, I got out of the car, and began to make conversation with the flower lady, who, I think, hardly noticed we had just taken her numbers back from her...
As we sat back in the car, I started to explain to my mom that the flower lady could've used that, and, now, we have to store in the garage and waste extra space. She replied, "No, I don't understand how you spend so much of your time making things, and, you can, so easily, just give it away like that... it doesn't make any sense to me." I said, "Mom, we're not gonna use it! What are you gonna do with it?" She replied, "I'm going to use it..." with a stubborn look on her face... "I'm going to... going to ... hang in on my ears... it's none of your business what I do with it!" I just looked at her, looked in the backseat at the blue bag, and, started to laugh at the whole situation. It was pretty funny...
20 minutes ago, I was sitting here, thinking about posting, and, she came into the room wanting a hug... as she hugged me, I asked, "You okay with me writing about you today?" She said, "About what?" I replied, "About the numbers today..." as I laughed, and, she smiled, as she answered, "You can write about it, but make sure you write it the right way... let them know that I didn't let you drop that stuff off because it was your hard work, and, not because I didn't want you to give it to someone else. Give your own work value, or else, nobody else will!"

Tip of the Day: Value yourself and what you do, or else, nobody else will. Giving your talents and abilities away for free will make them seem like they're worth nothing...

So... we got our numbers back, and, they're sitting on the garage floor... in the same blue IKEA bag, which is where they'll stay until... my mom decides when she can let them go...

Day 154: Nights

I read in a comment, the other day, that someone was waiting for my post... so, I apologize for these late posts, sometimes. It's just that I need to be in a certain state of mind to do this, so, most of the time, it's easier at nights...

I don't know what it is about nights that makes our feelings stronger... No matter what our life is like, at night, our emotions are stronger. If we miss someone, we miss them more at nights; If we love someone, we seem to love them more at nights; If we feel sad, it's much sadder at nights... and, if we're happy, we smile while sleeping...

We go through our days not realizing how the sun comes up and goes down, because we're so used to it, but, imagine if the sun never went down... we'd be less emotional human beings, I think. We'd go on with life working, reading tabloid magazines, sitting in traffic, and not feeling the actual calmness the darkness usually brings us...

Tonight, I feel really calm, along with many other personal emotions, but, mostly calmness...

Tip of the Day: Don't take nights for granted... look up at the moon and stars sometimes and take it in. Let yourself feel whatever it is that you feel, because you'll never feel the exact same way on another night.

"Night, the beloved. Night, when words fade and things come alive. When the destructive analysis of day is done, and all that is truly important becomes whole and sound again. When man reassembles his fragmentary self and grows with the calm of the tree." Antoine de Saint

Day 153: Independence

Four words: Six Flags, adrenaline, fireworks, independence...

Now, you know how I spent my 4th of July...

Tip of the Day: Visit a theme park and ride the fastest, scariest rides... An adrenaline rush is one of the most priceless feelings we have as humans, and because we are independent, we should have as many of these priceless feelings as possible...

Day 152: Surprise Success

As you can see, the party went well...

Before we left the house, Armen was wearing his suit, which was a new birthday gift, and, he realized his pants were too tight... I asked him if he wanted to wear his old one so he could be more comfortable, and, he replied, "No, it's okay... We're just gonna go for a bit, sit down, and come home, it's okay..." Then, I said to him, "You sure? You should probably change..." trying not to sound too persistent. But, he said, "No, I don't wanna change..." So, I said, "Okay, fine... if you're sure..."

We drove to the restaurant, while I was texting my sister to let her know we'd be there soon... We pulled into the parking lot, parked the car, while my heart beat faster than it ever had before... As we walked towards the restaurant, he saw my dad's Mini Cooper parked there, and said, "Isn't that your dad's car?" I looked over at the car, thought "Oh SHIT!... then, tried to act normal as I said, "I dunno, why would he be here?..." while I shrugged my shoulders and continued to walk towards the restaurant...

I had told him we were going to an Engagement party, so as we walked up to the door, it was quiet and he saw people standing up, taking pictures, but he didn't pay attention to their faces... and, he said, "I think we're gonna walk in on the priest talking, you think we should go in now?" I laughed as he opened the door for me, (which happens very rarely) and walked in feeling relieved that I had, finally, gotten him there...

So, the night was great, with a few toasts, prizes, food, and dancing...

When hosting a party, you don't realize how the night goes by so fast and what actually went on during the party, but, looking at the pictures, I realized that... everything, somehow, comes together at the end...

Tip of the Day: When planning an event, you feel overwhelmed, just tell yourself it'll, somehow, come together...

If any of my readers attended the party last night, I'd like to Thank You for being apart of Surprise Success! We couldn't have done it without you! Thank You so much!!!

Day 151: Surprise!!!

So... I'm going to risk this and announce that, tonight, we're having a 30th Surprise party for Armen! I just got home from the restaurant, and, I sit here, with my hair and makeup done, on my bed, waiting for him to get home, get dressed, and be surprised... I'm nervous... but, here's a secret, I had a Leech Martini at the restaurant, and, I feel so much better now...
I hope he doesn't suspect anything... From personal experience, when having a surprise party for anyone... in the planning stages, weird situations arise where you think they might know, but, usually, they have no idea... So, I'm going to go with that thought and say that he probably has no idea... I'll, definitely, let you guys know how it goes... this is my first time escorting a "surprisee," so, I think I might need another Martini right about now...

Tip of the Day: Plan or be apart of some kind of a surprise for someone... it's an amazing feeling when you realize how much you can do for somebody without them knowing...

I hope he's doesn't get to read this before 8:30pm...

Day 150: Rest...

I am so overwhelmed with all that's going on in my head right now, I feel like I've run out of ideas and subject matter to talk about... I normally don't have to think about writing about a certain subject, but, today, I can't think of anything because I am, physically and mentally, so tired...

I am getting ready for something that you guys will soon find out about... I have to stop thinking about what I might have forgotten and sleep... Even as I type this, I'm thinking about what I need to get done... it's a horrible feeling. I need to relax my mind, and, let it go...

Tip of the Day: If you're feeling overwhelmed, get some rest... it'll do you some good. If you're not feeling overwhelmed, try working a bit harder, and, when you're tired, it feels so nice to, finally, rest.

The number 3 at the top is a hint of what's coming up soon...