Sweetest Things of 2008 according to Me

2008 represented living the way I want to live without any apologies....

Lifestyle Changes:

• Going Vegetarian/Vegan-ish. I feel good - better than ever. It is certainly an addictive lifestyle.
• Becoming n NWA Worldperks Silver Elite member. Upgrade Me.
• Finding a Dog Sitter. Last year, I struggled with travel due to lack of places to put my dog while I was gone. My dog sitter/good friend has relieved that anxiety and stress.
  

Books:

• Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin
• The One Hundred by Nina Garcia
• A New Earth by Ekhart Tolle
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
  

Movies:

• Slumdog Millionaire best movie ever.
• Sex & The City The Movie
  

Trips Taken:

• Maui, Hawaii
• STVI
  

Hotel Stays:

• W Hotel Chicago, IL & Minneapolis, MN there is no place like home. the W should be my home.
• ::Night Hotel NY ::
• Ritz Carlton Kapalua
• Blackhawk Hotel Cedar Rapids, IA very unique hotel in the middle of nowhere Cedar Rapids. every room is different - you choose your room from a list online

Restaurants:

• Ecopolitan - Minneapolis, MN vegan.
• Mafolie - STVI best grouper ever
• Scalintella - Manhattan, NY
• Japonais - Chicago, IL best sushi ever
• Acadia - Minneapolis, MN black bean buger. mmm
  

Nights:

• @ Hard Rock Cafe Maui w/Marty Dread i remember dancing the night away....
• @ Dakota Jazz Club w/ Amel Larrieux in Minneapolis this accounted for two nights. back-to-back
• in New York on Broadway w/Chicago best show yet.
• My Golden Birthday
• NYE @ The W Hotel Minneapolis *smiles*
  

Purchases:

• Furniture from Room & Board
• the '05 Acura TL
• Marciano Jacket
• the iPhone. the ONLY thing I am not sold on with this phone is the fact that you can not text & drive. I KNOW! Not Safe. BUT with the Blackberry, I could text by feeling the keypad - without using my eyes....
• Shuella. Talk about saving lives... the lives of my Stilettos!
• Big Soft Fuzzy Grey Blanket

Discoveries:

• Lemonade Flavored Toothpaste did I ever mention that anything mint or cinnamon gag me?
• Blogspot
• That I am moving back to Chicago
  






"If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right, you'll probably never do much of anything."

gone home

Fort Wayne. "Home." not 'home' to me, rather 'home' to my family.
nothing fancy about this place... besides my mothers car and the piano player at Von Maur.

i grew up here. from the age of 6 to the age of 21.

everyone moves so slow. nothing changes. everything stays the same. upon entering the Fort, i am perceived as the same person i was 5-10-15 years ago. a flawed teenager. that could not smoke a cigarette, dropped out of high school for a month, and dated all of the wrong guys. i will also always and forever be labeled as bric's ex-girlfriend.

i see the same people, shopping the same stores, at the same mall- all of the people slightly pudgier than in the past. i take a double glances as if trying to remember what interaction (if any) i had with these familiar-looking people.

i shop with my mother -giving her the opportunity to show off the daughter that she seems so proud of, that she is proud to have be-friended. she trots me in the bank, the nail shop, the coffee shop - these places that she visits frequently. she takes the opportunity to introduce me to the bank teller, the barista, the manicurist, the chinese lady. she receives plenty of compliments - she thrives off compliments.

i am reminded of the distance between my mother and i when her husband refuses to show his face the entire 36 hours i visit their home. he keeps himself locked in the bedroom. my mother takes him a plate full of food... and returns with an empty plate.

pops. he's a good guy. a man of honesty. messy, yet systematic. he appreciates the simpler things in life. he provides highly intellectual conversation during road trips to grandpa's place. content included: Colorado Snow Tire Chains Laws, Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar, ”Santa Baby” by Taylor Swift, Sunflowers grown in Colorado, The rice production in Sacramento, & ”a 40 Caliber Glock.

both of my parents homes are still filled with gifts that i have given them in prior years: elephant candles, picture frames, angel ornaments, george foreman grills, and spoon rests. both of their refrigerators are still filled with diet cokes. pops still keeps 24 packs of sams choice water from wal-mart... for me.

Fort Wayne is a dark place, one that i do not associate with positive happenings. the young boys carry guns and weapons... while at work... while at the club... while holding their babies. my brother, being one of these boys has become a product of his environment. he is impossible, stubborn, a heavily-opinionated jesus-worshiping republican.

On Sunday, I will leave Fort Wayne via the "Fort Wayne International Airport." And I will not be back for another year.

there is no place like home... right?

Tis The Season - Part 2

Naturally, when I went to start my car this morning, it would not start. Remember how I just purchased it, AND I park in the garage? No one / no car is immune - not even the Acura.

Whatev.

Instead of working, I was confined to my condo with unpacking, re-packing, and gift wrapping to handle.

I am headed 'home' to Fort Wayne, Indiana tomorrow for the first time in one year. I only go 'home' once a year for various reasons including: airfare, driving time, lack of interest, my busy work schedule, AND I live in the middle of BFE with no outlet to the outside world (not really, but it feels that way sometimes.)

I went back to Fort Wayne last year, and the trip turned in to a complete disaster. Flights were cancelled, luggage was lost, I was trapped in an undesirable location: The Airport (for hours and hours and hours.)

I got a phone call from pops this morning only to find out he has been without power since Friday afternoon- him and 50,000 + other people in Fort Wayne!

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - December 2008 Ice
Storm Update: 3:00 PM, 12/21/2008

Indiana Michigan Power continues to make progress on restoring
power despite hazardous weather conditions.

However, some customers
are experiencing repeated service interruptions today as a result of strong
winds in the area. I&M is advising customers to ensure alternate living
arrangements either through American Red Cross shelters (listed below) or with
family and friends, if they are in need of housing.

Weather forecasts for the remainder of today and
into the evening call for sustained winds of 20 -25 mph with gusts up to 40
mph.

As of 3 p.m. Sunday, about 54,400
I&M customers are awaiting restoration of electric service, primarily in the
Fort Wayne area.

I&M has brought in more
than 1,200 additional personnel to restore power to the Fort Wayne region and is
expecting more assistance to arrive today.

Property owners must make sure that the service entrance attached
to their structure is prepared to be reenergized.

I have spent the last 2 weekends in airports that are notorious for flight delays and cancellations. Out of the 4 flights I had scheduled, only one was cancelled and I was able to hop an earlier flight out that day (not without DRAMA.) My flight tomorrow with mark my 5th & 6th flight out of Minnesota in the dead of winter. Remember: Traveling is not always glamorous.... especially when 50,000 + people are without power in -2 temperatures, and another ice storm is anticipated at your final destination.

So, tomorrow marks the day for Crista's Holiday Adventure 2008.

Jet Setter

Fact: I travel much more often than the average person.

Myth: I live a secret life while away from home.

Most people get very excited when it comes to taking a trip far away from home.

An airplane ride is a big deal, and is booked several months in advance. A 6 hour road trip is thoroughly planned. Days and days are spent laying out the items being considered for packing. Money for the big trip is saved for months and months. Numerous thoughts & images of the mysterious destination flood the mind. The trip's itinereary is carefully thought through, only after reading numerous online reviews.

My traveling experience is slightly different. MOST of the time, I am on the road for some type of work event, being a Hair Show, Meeting, or simply to visit salons in markets outside of the Twin Cities. My boss lives in a different state than myself, I have a home office, and am only accompanied by one other co-worker in the Twin Cities. The only way to connect with my co-workers is through travel. Pack the bags, hop a plane, meet up with them in a new city. We have become so accustomed to traveling, we have learned to navigate through any city, and make whatever city we are in 'our life' for that period of time.

When I am on the road, the activities I involve myself are similar to those of the average working-class american: Shower, Iron, Makeup. Breakfast. Coffee. Text friends. Meeting. Work. Lunch. Text. Happy Hour. More Work. Dinner. Text more friends. Hit the streets. OR lay in bed, remote in hand, blogging. There is a slight chance, that I may have FREE TIME in the evening after work to meet up with a friend or two local to the city I am visiting. A slight chance.

Often times, I share a room with a co-worker of mine, have no privacy, no alone time, and am caught up in the presence of people that I do not see often. Catching up on the 411 is an obligation. Did I mention that I rarely see the outside of the hotel?

Being away from home for 10+ days, booking a flight less than 3 days in advance, blowing off a flight, navigating large airports, losing my luggage for 2+ days, being caught alone in cities overnight due to bad weather, hopping in random cabs, making friends with cabbies, staying the night in hotels ranging from boutique to Marriot to Days Inn, hopping a flight to New York, or catching a plane jumper from the islands to San Juan are all daily activities for me.

People often associate my traveling with this sort of 'mysterious life' I live. It is hard for them to visualize exactly what it is that I am doing while I am off in what seems like some luxurious place where I have tons of free time to explore the city, meet people, and add names to the list of people I have screwed.

I can remember back to the very first vacation I took with friends-no parents involved. We stayed in a condo on Treasure Island, and spent our evenings running the streets of Ybor City. As we were preparing for our trip, people kept saying to just be careful. "Be careful.... just.. be safe..." was said in the most solemn of voices. People assumed we were going to Tampa to meet guys and get laid. I was taken aback by these ridiculous assumptions. We were headed to Tampa simply because we were offered a condo at an amazing price. Our agenda was sun-bathing, wave crashing, and drinking at the bar. We had no idea Ybor City even existed. We found it though... and this pretty much sums up our time spent there:

We never did shack up with any guys... and that was never our intention.

Fact: I am able to travel more often for leisure due to Miles earned while flying across the country for my job.

Fact: I DO get to see some cool ish and I DO visit some beautiful places.

Fact: I do NOT enjoy living out of a bag.

Fact: Clothing gets lost, shoes get damaged, and luggage gets torn while en route.

Fact: I am in and out of a buttload of Public Restrooms

Fact: Hotel Food disgusts me. (i would much prefer a home cooked vegan meal)

Fact: Staying home is a small luxury. (as far as I'm concerned)

everything you say can & will be used against you.

Very early in my career, I learned that everything you say will eventually be repeated - and you must be 100% comfortable with every word that leaves your mouth. If you choose to talk negatively about someone behind their back, eventually that person will get word of what you have said.

Everything you say can and will be used against you.

I can remember the exact moment that I realized ALL of the gossip I was spreading, all of the rumors, and hate messages I was throwing around WAS being repeated - repeated back to the people I was gossiping about!

(Why, for so long, did I think the rumors I was spreading would stay only with the one person I told them to??)

Travel Back In Time about 6 years:

Waaaaaay back in the day ;) I was working at a salon in Indiana. The salon was busy, I worked with my friends, and knew most of the guests that entered the salon. I viewed most of my guests as friends, not just paying clients.

One of my guests (we will leave her name out of the blog for obvious reasons,) would come to the salon every 4-6 weeks faitfully for a cut & color. She brought her 13 year old daughter to the salon for cuts & color as well. They became good $$ customers of mine.

I remember before I knew her well, SHE would always make comments about working at night and being exhausted during day time hours. Eventually she pushed me to ask a simple question: "Oh, you work at night? What do you do?"

She was a stripper. A 44 year old stripper with a 13 year old daughter. And a dramatic love life. Oh, and flourescent green fingernails. A stripper that thought I was pretty which probably meant I had a good looking father. She wanted to know more about my dad.

Whoa. (i know!) A stripper step-mom?!?!?!

Each time she was in the salon, she would ask to see pictures of my dad. Each time she was in the salon I would tell her "Maybe next time." Of course this was always mixed among her stories of lost love, broken hearts, rich guys, boyfriend #1, and boyfriend #2. I could never focus on her stories of broken romance, instead my mind would race a hundred miles a minute - wondering if her 13 year old daughter watched her walk out of the house at night in fishnet stockings, lacy thongs, and stripper shoes!! AND I wondered what her daughter thought of those loooong green fingernails... and the playboy bunny imprinted on her thigh, and the fake tan! AND I could just not visualize thhose 44 year old saggy boobs jiggling around in anyone's face... for $$$!!

Nothing against strippers. I'm just sayin. That's where my mind went - it was completely riduculous and out of control.

This whole situation blew my mind (obviously!!) soooo I talked about it. I told my co-workers of the stripper with dreams of being my step mother. I told my friends, and I told salon clients of mine.

In fact, I can remember the day (very vividly) that 2 of my favorite clients/friends were in the salon shopping for some shampoo. They stopped me to chat... asked about life, updated me on their life... asked about my dad... (gasp) I had a GREAT story to tell them!!

I told these girls everything about HER. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. In the middle of the shampoo aisle in the salon.

We said our good-byes, deciding we would all see each other soon. I walk away. Turn the aisle. And come face-to-face with HER. The stripper. In the next aisle. I knew instantly that SHE had heard everything. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.

Instantly, I was nauseated. And looking for a story. Justification. Lies. EEK!~

SHE mentioned that she was in the salon just shopping for shampoo, and... that she had heard everything. Of course, she knew I was talking about HER. With lines like: "Like, Who wants a stripper for a mom" and "Isn't she too old to be a stripper anyway - plus she has a 13 year old" There was no doubt SHE was the person I was referring to.


Not sure how I got myself out of that situation, it's all a blur. I'm pretty sure she never came to see me in the salon again.


And, I'm pretty sure I have watched what comes out my mouth from that day forward.






Back to the present:


Unfortunately, gossip happens quite frequently in the beauty business. I happen to be employed in the beauty business. For various reasons, lately, I have been at the butt end of other peoples gossip. In fact, 3 different people, from 3 different sides of my work life have been heard talking smack about me. Interesting enough, that all 3 of them don't know me very well at all.


My plan of action is to not retaliate although, eventually, I may (discreetly) let them in on the fact that I know what they have said. Of course, I would allow them to know everything I know. I would allow their minds to always wonder exactly what it is that I do know.


Typically, I am not one to draw attention and drama, but lately I have been in the spotlight. What must the girl do to remove herself from the attention of others?

"...When you are seemingly diminished in some way and remain in absolute nonreaction, not just externally but also internally, you realize that nothing real has been diminished, that through becoming "less," you become more...." - Eckhart Tolle

A Former Pain-Body: RECOGNIZED

Because of the human tendency to perpetuate old emotion, almost everyone carries in his or her energy field an accumulation of old emotional pain, which I call "the pain-body."

pain-body: this accumulated pain is a negative energy field that occupies your mind and body. If you look on it as an invisible entity in its own right, you are getting quite close to the truth. It's the emotional pain body. It has two modes of being: dormant and active....

Tonight, I have focused my energy back to Eckhart Tolle's book: A New Earth. It is taking me quite a while to get through this book, for a few reasons. It is deep. It requires a open mind and time to process each paragraph. I knew it was time to pick it back up after talking to a friend of mine about the pain-bodies that he is dealing with. I have also been reflecting on the moments of my life that my pain-body were apparent.

The past lives in you as memories, but memories in themselves are not a problem. In fact, it is through memory that we learn from the past and frompast mistakes. It is only when memories, that is to say, thoughts about the past, take you over completely that they turn in to a burden., turn problematic, and become part of your sense of self. Your personality, which is conditioned by the past, then becomes your prison. Your memories are invested with a sense of self, and your story becomes who you perceive yourself to be. This "little me" is an illusion that obscures your true identity as timeless and formless Presence.

For some reason, as I read about pain-body's again, (which are triggered by situations that arise that are similar to something you experienced (negatively) in the past), I recalled a heavy pain-body that I once experienced.

When I was young-er, I dated a guy for a very loooooong time. Early on in our relationship, I would get soooooooooo mad at him for drinking beer. It didn't matter what the situation, if he had a beer in hand, I was PISSED. My attitude would completely change, and I would get mean. I would allow his beer drinking to ruin my day, even if he was just having a beer to cool himself down after mowing the grass on a hot day.
Today, I realized why I got so upset when he would drink a beer. My dad was an alcoholic when I was young. And when this guy would open a beer, my pain-body would go in to full effect and I would be taken back to that dark place.

Why that particular situation sticks out in my mind so much after reading that particular chapter in A New Earth, I do not know... but I can say that I learned something new about myself this evening....not only through my own experiences, but from friends experiences as well. What an honor it is when a friend allows you to advise them on the next step they should take to continue moving forward with their lives. I thank them for that opportunity. Win/Win.

A friend told me that a friend told him about an experience she had at the Cincinnati airport. While approaching the moving walkway she read a sign above: "DON'T STOP. DON'T LOOK BACK. KEEP MOVING"

Cheers to a few moments of free time to step away from the rest of the world and lose myself in a book.

XOX


Quoted is Eckhart Tolle in A New Earth.