lifeinflux

Onward and upward

// August 12th, 2009 // 5 Comments » // Life

I’ve spent the last two weeks living in my head quite a bit, working on my list of 100 things that make me happy. I also spent some time traveling down South, reconnecting with wonderful friends, and getting to know my new nephew. As I’ve worked on my list of 100 things, I decided to write down only those items, occasions, or happenings that truly make me happy as opposed to simply listing things that don’t make me unhappy. A few of the entries concern individuals who are no longer in my life. I came to the realization that, for myriad reasons,  I’ve pushed away a lot of people who truly made me happy or whose company, both online and/or in real life, I’ve truly enjoyed while spending a lot of energy and time on people of whom, ultimately, I’m not particularly fond or who bring such drama and negativity into my life – either on their own or through the negative people with whom they associate, that I’m left feeling upset, confused, and occasionally hurt by the stress and the noise.  I have long arms – I can stab myself in the back, thank you very much.   Luckily, I have some great friends who hang in there with me. I also recognize that I’ve let go of a lot of activities that define me, as well… me. For the first time in a long time, I feel emotionally and physically ready to make some good decisions to get me back on track.
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Invasion

// July 29th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Life

On Sunday night, my friend Angela came into town from the Bay Area via Philadelphia. Being from the Bay Area, she has that semi-punk, I’m cooler than you San Francisco vibe thing going on. Angela is truly a citizen of the world having lived in Colombia, Spain, and England to name a few. She claimed that title years before Angelina Jolie borrowed the phrase as her own. Every time I hear her say it, my immediate thought is “Nope, Angela claimed that title years ago and you can’t have it!” Once Angela adopts a few kids and lives in Africa, I’ll try to copyright the moniker “Citizen of World” for her. Until then, she may have some stiff competition. But I digress. Yesterday, our friend Bert from Belgium came into town. My place is essentially their jet lag recovery home away from home before they venture south to Florida. Bert from Belgium brought over waffles, four kinds actually. And no these are not your standard waffle iron waffles either. These are amazing cookie-life, waffle-shaped yumminess in different flavors and different sizes. They will completely change your American point of view about what a waffle is and isn’t and you’ll realize that American waffles just have not reached their full potential. The so-called Belgian waffles we eat here have nothing on the real thing, baby.

Bert also brought over amazing bitter dark chocolate infused with whiskey, cigar smoke and who knows what else. Angela and I proceeded to eat our way through an entire box, pausing on occasion to make sure that we were sharing nicely. Today, I returned the favor by taking Bert to an Einstein’s Bagel, a 7-Eleven, a smoothie shop and a Jerry’s Subs whereupon he purchased and consumed some good ol’ American crap food. To each their own, right?
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