What a difference a year makes…

In the past year I have seen families destroyed, people torn down for their beliefs and lifestyle choices, people degraded, mistreated and outcast for nothing other than being true to themselves. I have seen people band together to lift each other up in times of need. I have seen outpourings of love, support and unconditional acceptance of others. I have seen friendships forged, love found, lives lost and lives welcomed into the world. I have seen bodies ravaged by drug abuse, I have seen children succeed, businesses fail, and the first african american elected to office.

During my travels today,  the hope of the new year was buzzing around me like angry bees. Everyone I came across was resolving to do something BETTER in 2009. It dawned on me that MAYBE they don’t get it…maybe they don’t realize that they don’t get to wipe their slate  clean when the clock tolls midnight on December 31st;  there are no “do overs”. You can’t take back those angry words, you can’t undo hurt or pain you may have inflicted on others. No resolution or “changing of the guard” will magically make it go away.  How you choose to live and behave today has a DIRECT effect on how you are perceived tomorrow.

How are you living your life? Are you grateful for the people around you that lift you up and support you no matter what? Do you always treat others the way that you want to be treated? Are you using patience? Are you tolerant? When you look in the mirror, take a long hard look and inventory. Are you the type of friend that you would want to have? If the answer is yes, then I applaud you; but, if not, make the changes necessary to be that person. This life is too short to walk around angry, entitled, etc. Brush the dirt of your shoulder, make your amends and strive to live your life the way you would want to be remembered.

I want to take this time to thank you, my friends, for being part of my life, lifting me up and always giving me a reason to strive to be a better person tomorrow than I am today. Without each and every one of you, I may not have come out the otherside of 2008 unscathed. I appreciate you for who you are, who you are to become and who you are to me. I cherish you and am so thankful that you are in my life. The journey wouldn’t be the same without you.

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What have YOU done?

This one is simple… the items in BOLD I have accomplished; the items in italics are still on the list. The ones that I’ve crossed out…well, that ain’t happening in THIS or any other lifetime

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee Jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon (okay I didn’t ACTUALLY run..but I have done Bay to Breakers twice)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (does the Venitian in Vegas count? LOL)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (a bay cruise on a dinner yacht and a San Diego Bay cruise on the USS Ronald Reagan)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris (does the Eiffel in Vegas count?)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit (I’m not named, personally, but I’m involved)
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

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Going for broke? I’m way PAST going…

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Don’t You Remember

1. Where do you hope to be 10 years from now?

Financially secure

2. What is your biggest fear in life?

Dying alone

3. Who are your five closest friends?

All of them.

4. If you could go out and buy one thing today, price is no matter, what would it be?

5. What is your favorite color, and why?

6. If you could be written into the history books, who would you be, what would you have done, and what period of history would you have lived in?

Pandora, cause I want to know what’s in the box

7. If someone named a cocktail after you, what would it be called and what would it taste like?

JENILICIOUS and it would sweet & sassy with a vicious bite that’ll knock you on your ass

8. What song do you think describes YOU?

9. If I came to your town to visit, where would you take me and what
would we do?

We would go to San Francisco and I would show you all the wonderful sights, coit tower, broadway, Chinatown, japan town, the height, Pier 39, Ghiradelli Square, Baker Beach, the Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge, Golden Gate Park…

RULES:
1. Put Your iTunes, Windows Media Player, ETC on Shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.
4. Put any comments in brackets after the song name.
5.Put this on your blog/journal.

1.If someone says, “Is this okay?” You say?

Teach you a Lesson – Robin Thicke

2.How would you describe yourself?

Hero (Mariah Carey)

3.What do you like in a guy?

The Truth (Pharoahe Monche)

4.How do you feel today?

In my mind (Heather Headley)

5.What is your life’s purpose?

Is it Possible (Raheem Devaughn)

6.What is your motto?

What it’s like (Everlast)

7.What do your friends think of you?

Superstar (Usher)

8.What do you think of your parents?

I Will Always Love you (Whitney Houston)

9.What do you think about very often?

Flashing Lights (Kanye West)

10.What is 2 + 2?

The Last Time (Rhianna)

11.What do you think of your best friend?

Let’s Get Blown (Raheem Devaughn)

12.What do you think of the person you like?

I Want You (Common)

13.What is your life story?

Fighter (Christina Aguilera)

14.What do you want to be when you grow up?

For the Nasty (Tribe Called Quest)

15.What do you think of when you see the person you like?

Nice and Slow (Usher)

16.What will you dance to at your wedding?

More and More (Brian McKnight)

17.What will they play at your funeral?

Let it Go (Keyshia Cole)

18.What is your hobby/interest?

Uhh Ahhh Uhhh (Boys II Men)

19.What is your biggest fear?

In Too Deep (Phil Collins)

20.What is your biggest secret?

Right Here (Staind)

21.What do you think of your friends?

Diary (Alicia Keys)

22.What will you post this as?

Don’t you remember (Luther Vandross)

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