PSSSSST, Hey Blogger Readers...

You may want to update your subscriptions, cuz I've got a snazzy new wordpress blog over at www.theblahblahblahger.com. Hope you make the journey with me!

Extreme Blog Makeover

I know something you don't know...and it's making me so antsy with excitement!!! Can't wait to share the big news...you may want to stay tuned, make sure your subscriptions to my BLAH BLAH BLAHs are up to date, and help me by keeping your fingers crossed!

Until the big reveal, please know that while I'm not posting much this week I AM reading your blogs and you all inspire me to pieces...when I grow up, I want to be like all of you!

Making a Difference

Saturday, May 1, is Make a Difference Day. In the South Bay (an area of LA), organizations and communities come together to adopt much needed projects that otherwise wouldn't have funding to make critical or much desired improvements. This year, my company participated and joined 5,000 other volunteers, which means that I coordinated, planned, recruited volunteers, and basically took on yet another major project. But it was all worth it.

I've mentioned it before, but my company is headquartered in a not so nice area. There are some areas that are dilapidated, blighted, and in some cases, dangerous (don't worry, mom, I don't go there). Across from the civic center is a middle school that is just BLAH. We decided to take on some of the projects they needed help with and in just one day, we saw MAJOR changes. Though it was a Saturday, there were many campus programs happening, and students continually came by and thanked us for volunteering...we made a huge difference in the look of this school. We replanted a memorial rose garden for a deceased teacher, weeded and replanted massive planters in their quad, repainted the backstops in their athletic field, and power washed their bleachers. It was a big job, but we had a lot of fun. The other great thing about this project was having our vendors get involved, volunteer their time, AND donate supplies. It was pretty phenomenal!

Volunteering in the community is something that has always been important to me, but has looked a little different at times in my life. As a teenager, I went on a mission trip to Europe; several years ago, I dug trenches for a dormitory in a Mexican orphanage; when I lived in DC, I read to inner-city elementary school students. I've had the privilege of serving on boards of directors, too. One thing I learned about ten years ago, was that if you can't give financially, you can always give your time and talent. What a great reminder that is when we feel like we're unable to make a great impact on the community around us. Others will be grateful for the service we provide, but ultimately, those who give, receive the greatest reward!

How are you making a difference in your community?

PS - like my hot pink gardening gloves? The Easter Bunny brought them and I was ABSOLUTELY the cutest little worker out there!

Greener Grass

I just arrived home from a quick weekend trip to Fort Worth. And my heart hurts a little.

I get back there at least once a year, sometimes more, and whenever I'm there, I'm struck with how much I LOVE the way of life there. You don't have to make TONS of money to have a normal life. Moms can stay home with their kids (if they want) and don't have to live off of Top Ramen. People do life together and live in community in a way that I can't even fathom. Everyone is just so nice...neighbors actually talk to one another. It just feels like a happy place.

I know I'd enjoy living there.

BUT, I've lived in TX, DC, and Sacramento...away from my family. When I came back home, I said that I wasn't going to do it again. My brother and SIL live in CO and we miss them desperately. I've watched them raise their kids away from both of their families and know that at times, they've wished they had extra help and that they miss spending time with our grandparents and cousins, too. I'd be a fool to even consider a life away from my family...

But that means I'm a fool to continue living in Orange County, too, right? I am tired of working my butt off at a job that frankly pays me a lot of money, and yet, at times, I feel poor. I am tired of being a slave to my tiny condo and big mortgage. I am tired of living in my car because I'm a commuter (85,000 miles in 3 years!). I am tired of living several cities away from my best friends and how we have to be really intentional in order to spend time together.

Have you had to weigh decisions like these? Have you chosen family over way of life or vice versa?

Sorry for being such a downer...I have a long day ahead of me and hope to snap out of it soon!

The Humor in Blind Dates

On twitter last night, I posted that I was going on a blind date. I actually said something about "I hope he doesn't chop me up into millions of pieces." Yes, I was being funny about my blind date, because really that's the only option.

Dating in your 30s isn't really easy. The pool of great singles gets smaller and smaller, and in my industry, men do pretty well for themselves, and let's face it...women aint stupid, they snap those men up in a hurry! So, I don't really meet available men through work. As involved as I've been at my church, I really haven't found a match there, either. So, off into the realm of blind dating I go!

The responses that I got to my tweet were hilarious! A friend in ministry texted me and told me to only have 2 drinks, wear lip gloss and emphasize my assets. Mrs. Limestone told me to order something expensive (hilarious!). Darcy asked if she could have my camera equipment (if in fact, the blind date DID chop me up into millions of pieces). Y'all stinking cracked me up!

In the past, I've gone on blind dates that have been AMAZING (never heard back from that guy), fun and flirty (until he gave me a depressingly bad smooch goodnight), and CRAZY (half way through the date he put his chin on his hand and said "we're both such attractive people, why are we still single?" Let's not forget Tiny Teeth, Crazy Eyes, Old Man in a Young Man's Body, and The Shrink. People, blind dates can be PAINFUL...but then again, they always make for hilarious stories.

So, if you follow me on twitter and gave me some words of encouragement, THANKS SO MUCH! I really appreciate your tweetship (twitter friendship?!).

And for those of you who are curious, the date was pretty good. He was a really nice guy and so far, doesn't deserve any crazy nicknames!

A Darling and Flirty and Sparkly Apron

I can't believe I'm just now blogging about this...but my slackerness doesn't surprise me so much because I won the following apron in a giveaway on the Apronista sometime last year AND THEN FORGOT ABOUT IT. Yes, I'm a loser. At any rate, I was in the Orange Circle not too long ago and went into Heavenly Hostess, then remembered that I'd won one of their darling and flirty and sparkly aprons, but then picked it up. I felt insanely embarrassed, but the shop's lovely proprietor was gracious and didn't make me feel silly. Instead, she let me pick my favorite of her aprons, then she gave me a matching headband to boot! If you're ever in Orange County, you MUST stop by the Heavenly Hostess. It's a beautiful shop with wonderfully fun gifts for the hostess in your life!

If you're here from Sandy's site, you may be wondering about why I'm going on and on about my silly apron story. Well, I'll tell ya!

I LOVE to entertain, even in my small home.

I LOVE to have my friends in my space drinking good wine, eating yummy food, sometimes playing games, but always sharing our lives together.

In spite of my small home, in spite of my singleness, in spite of the fact that I sometimes feel I don't measure up to my friends' beautiful lives, I choose to have them in my home where I can share my life, my encouragement, and my hospitality. Sometimes that's all I can give, but it always (in that moment) feels like enough.

To me, my home is not just my shelter; instead, it is an extension of me. I want to share my life with my friends and that means bringing them into my home...a place I've lovingly renovated and decorated...for me and for others. I always set a pretty table, create a centerpiece, buy flowers, put out the good dishes, and attempt a fancy meal (sometimes it fails!). But my effort is a part of my heart and my friends and family are worth it.

What does this have to do with my cute apron? Well, I'll tell ya...if I'm playing the hostess, you're darn well gonna see one who has gone to the extra effort. If you knock at my door, I'll greet you in my darling and flirty and sparkly apron, too!

Now, go and visit my friend Sandy's site, the Reluctant Entertainer, and see what home means to others!

My Creepiest Prank Ever

My dear friends Jennifer and Jason got married this weekend and I flew to Texas for the festivities and to be reunited with my girls! We always have a great time together and laugh our butts off...and this weekend was no different.

A few years back, we all met while working on an intense and high profile political campaign. We worked long hours and often got slap happy. We also ate our weight in pizza and drank beer like college students, but I digress.

One night, Jennifer decided to have Sarah and I over for dinner and called to ask us to run by the store and pic up paper towels. While in the CVS, Sarah and I walked passed a cheesy gardening aisle where I saw a gnome. I told Sarah that we should buy it and do something funny with it. On the way to Jennifer's apartment, we got the giggles coming up with funny ideas. Upon entering the house, Sarah faked a bathroom emergency and ran with the paper towels and hidden gnome to the master bath.

At 5:30am the next morning, we got blackberry messages from an irate Jennifer saying she opened up her shower curtain and screamed bloody murder at the little person staring back at her. I think we both cried tears of laughter! Fast forward a few weeks and after a party at my house, I crawled into bed and screamed when my leg brushed a foreign object. Yep, you guessed it...the gnome. Then, a couple months later, after the campaign had ended the gnome got FedEx'd to Sarah's house to greet her when she arrived. We also left one for our friend Stephanie in her garden that she found staring at her one day while BBQing.

I give you this whole background story to set the stage for Operation Wedding Gnome. Yes, we're TOTAL and complete jerks, and yes, we cried tears of laughter while plotting this!

I looked all over online for bridal gnomes and couldn't find one, so DIY Diva came to the rescue and I bedazzled an every day garden gnome...and we left the sucker in the Honeymoon Suite in the shower...how's THAT for full circle?! I'm sure the groom is seriously questioning Jennifer's choice in friends right about now!

And now, more fun in the suite!

I apparently have the longest arms EVER.

The suite at the Omni Houston was AMAZING...here's proof (yes, it's easily two or three times the size of my HOUSE).

It had a HUGE fireplace...so big that I made my three dear friends get inside of it.

Confessions of a Permanent Bridesmaid, Part 1

I'm on my way to a wedding this weekend, so I thought I'd borrow this post from my photoblog and share one of my bridesmaid experiences here, too. Incidentally, I showed this to a young cousin last weekend and she said "dude, you were fat." Yes, that's how our family rolls...and yes, I have lost a significant amount of weight since then. ; )

If you've ever read my bio, you may remember that I referred to myself as a professional bridesmaid.  I don't say that out of bitterness or sass, but because I've been in 14 weddings and helped with countless others.  I love all the weddings I've been in...out of state, backyard, fancy hotel, or ballroom, because each of them celebrated the joy and love my friends have found.

So yes, that means I've been a bridesmaid FOURTEEN times...and I kinda feel like I've seen it all.  So, as I've recently launched my new blog branding (look and feel), I wanted to begin a new series to share more about my life and the experiences I've had being in weddings, because really, this is a way to remember and celebrate my friends once again...and share some funny stories!

So, do you see that adorable couple on the right?  That's my big sister from my college sorority.  In October 2001, she married her best friend on a cold night in Texas on a beautiful golf course.  Yep, Jamie Kay Kleinsorge married Michele Poltronieri surrounded by family, friends, and some crazy Italians.  Wait, what?!

Yep, out of all the boys in Texas, my dear friend found an Italian pilot who was in town for training and snatched him up...and years later, they're still in love and still flying...only his English is far better and her Italian is, well, okay. : )

Sadly, because of the September 11th tragedies and attacks, most of his guests opted not to come to the US.  It was less than a month later, and the world still lived in uncertainty...

But that wasn't going to stop the party!

I have this image framed on my bookshelf and everytime I look at it, I wonder who those little girls are!  It's almost been ten years since they were married, which means we were all in our young 20s...just babies!

I look at this photo of myself walking down the aisle and I can remember the wind like it was yesterday...October in Texas is usually blazing hot!  I was so happy to be reunited with my college friends; we had a great time celebrating and spending time together...I can remember how surprised they were to see me show up in Texas with brown hair.  Up until that point, I'd been a blond...but a bad one.  Do you ever see someone and say to your friends, if I ever look like that, you've GOT to tell me? Well, I saw a photo of myself as a blond that year and was horrified that noone mentioned that I looked terrible!

When it was time for Jamie Kay to throw her bouquet, her little sister's friend (a very tall valleyball player), spiked it down right into my arms.  Look at the intensity (or whoops) on her face!  Everyone else clearly thinks it's hilarious...I hope she has forgiven me for being in the right place at the right time!  : )

When I am embarrassed, I often laugh loudly and shriek.  Here it was caught on film.  Nice.  I have to laugh at the poor guy's facial expression.  Doesn't it look like he's worried he'll get smacked?  I was a nice Christian girl and even though he had to get the garter onto my leg, I wasn't about to let him take any liberties.  Ha!

So, what did I learn from this bridesmaid experience???

The evening may not have had all the friends and family that were expected, and it may have been unusually cold, but there was joy, love, friendship, good food, good wine, GREAT dancing, and a beautiful bride and groom...and THAT makes for a perfect wedding!

Taking Advantage of Opportunity

Last Friday, I spent a lovely morning with seven at-risk high school students as part of a mentoring program for a board of directors I serve on. At first, they were hesitant to open up and see if I was going to be another one of those adults who tells them to study hard, stay in school, and knock off that drinking. Naturally, that was a message I wanted to convey, but I am realistic enough to know that I work in the hood and see this lifestyle daily, but for them it's all they know, so I eased my approach and tried to be funny and tell them my story.

Sure, my growing up years were remarkably different than those of these teenagers. I had the opportunity to go away to college, then later to attend grad school. I had parents who encouraged me to be whatever I wanted...even though my mom was convinced that I'd make a great teacher or dental hygienist (I've since learned that many moms encourage dental hygiene as a career...what's up with that?!). Still, in spite of that, and even though my parents didn't go to college, they told me I could do anything, so long as I turned the tv off while I was studying. ; )

Years later, I know what an AMAZING gift it was to grow up with my parents. Having said that, I believe a key to my career success has been my ability to take advantage of opportunities as they arose. I assume that my parent's support allowed me to do that.

In each job I've had since college graduation, I've been able to parlay that into something new and bigger...not because I'm the sharpest tool in the shed, but because I work hard, have a good attitude, and in some cases, have fallen into opportunity. This is what I communicated to the students.

They started to loosen up and ask questions...even the kid with four spikes through his chin and the 17 year old girl who was married. I asked them what they wanted to do someday. One of the slacker boys said he wanted to be a tattoo artist; I showed excitement for his artistic ability and asked how he was going to make his dreams happen. It's sad to say, but I truly feel like I may have been one of the first adults in his life to do that.

My message for the students was about opportunity...being ready and available, having a good attitude and a strong work ethic. Taking advantage of opportunity is still working out for me, too. I was TOTALLY exhausted last week, but on Thursday night, got a call from a photographer friend asking me to shoot a concert on Friday night.

I didn't shoot as well as I would have liked to, and in spite of the fact that I was totally exhausted, I had an AMAZING night at the Staples Center, with three other photographers at the sound booth shooting none other than the glorious Michael Buble...and you know how I love me some Michael Buble!

It's good to know that practicing what I preached to those kids on Friday morning had such an awesome result on Friday night!

Are YOU taking advantage of the opportunities that come your way or are you missing them due to fear, apathy, exhaustion, or busyness?

 I'm sharing this post with my friends at Sweet Shot Tuesday, because dang it, shooting Michael Buble was pretty sweet!!!

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!

Keep Books?

First, let me ask for your grace...my bookcase is GNARLY right now. But I think that may have been the impetus for this post. I've been at my computer a lot lately editing photos, and every now and again, I look to the left at the big gross bookcase that I've been meaning to transform FOREVER. I took a close look at it and realized that the bookcase wouldn't really survive what I had in mind. It's made of pressboard and I've abused it pretty well over the years.

Having said all that, I've been thinking about getting an armoire lately so that I could hide away keepsakes and photography equipment. My little house just doesn't have the storage space that I need and I don't really want to keep my equipment out in the open. So, that means I need a plan for all my books.

A while back, I bought a Kindle and I'm IN LOVE with it...it will allow me to read more efficiently and I won't have to store books. I could also just hit the library more often, but that's water under the bridge. : )

So, here's where I need your advice. Do you keep books that you don't really plan to read again? Should I donate them, try to sell them on craigslist or another second hand shop, make a DIY project out of them, use them as kindling in my non-existent fireplace?

I just got an email today saying that if I donate books to one of the local library branches, I'll get 25% off of Extreme Fitness Bootcamp. Yaaaaaah, that's totally not gonna happen. I can't even joke about doing that one because I know blogland will hear me laughing!

If you don't laugh at these, you're an April Fool!

I just can't help myself...If someecards.com were a man, I'd be in love with him!

Two of My Favorite Things in One Place

I LOVE ice skating and THIS SONG, so man was I stoked to stumble upon this on tv last night!!! Hope you enjoy it, too!

80s Dance Party

If you follow me on twitter, you saw that I posted this yesterday...and you know what? I just can't get enough of it. There is something about the beat, the outfits, and those RIGHTEOUS dance moves... I know I have a bizarro sense of humor, but I can't help it. This truly brings joy to my heart! The other thing that just cracks me up is seeing the comments below the video on the main page...the first of which is "SEXY!!!!SEXY!!!WOW". I can't promise it's "SEXY!!!!SEXY!!!WOW", but I can promise that it will bring a smile to your face!

Blog Sugar - A Networking Event with Flair

On Friday night, I was invited to a networking event for bloggers. It had style, it had flair, it had wonderful bloggers, it had sugar. Everything you need for a successful networking event.

But it had more.

It had an ADORABLE organizer named Rachel.

Rachel has a wonderful blog and an estate sale business that I've followed for a while. Not long ago, I found out that she's the SIL of a photographer friend of mine and we started emailing. Isn't that how most online friendships work? Someone is a friend of someone or we stumble across them randomly?

Anywhoooo...Rachel seems to be a networker extraordinaire and decided to put together a group for a fun night out. And I liked all her friends!

We chatted, drank fizzy pink lemonade, ate cake pops (yes Ashley, your fave!), and networked and talked about our blogs. It was super fun and I can't wait to meet up with these women again.

I've been fortunate enough to attend a few different blog/twitter networking groups and if you have the opportunity to hit one up in your area, I say GO! It may be awkward at first, but once you start making connections, you'll start making friends!

The ingredients for Blog Sugar:

Adorable decor!

Delicious treats!

Name tags that also double as hairclips. Thanks, Julie!!!

Parting goodies!

Computers to check out everyones' blogs!

And adorable hostess!

Raffle prizes!

Details, details, details!

Thanks SO MUCH to Rachel for organizing such a fun girls night out.  You are truly a joy and I can't wait for more fun times together!

**********
Hey, guess what?! I was also featured today on Better After. Go check it out when you have a chance!!!

Theme Songs

Remember the show Ally McBeal from the late 90s?  I LOVED it.  I loved that she was a strong, but super flawed, woman out to conquer the big bad world on her own.  But I also hated her.  She needed to get over her issues with the ex-boyfriend and move on.  She could also be super sappy.  But then again, what woman isn't at times??? Perhaps I was afraid I was too much like her...

There was a pivotal episode where I realized that the quirky show was right up my alley (pun intended). Remember when her counselor (Tracey Ullman!) recommended she have a theme song? All of a sudden, she could hear the words, and feel the beat, to I Know Something About Love/Tell Him...sometimes it was slow and sad, and sometimes it was upbeat. But it was always hers and once she owned it, it gave her a purpose.

I've never been one for a "favorite song" or a having an "our song" with a special boy. I usually just listen to the dribble on the radio. Lately, when I need a boost, I like to get sassy to these songs and in college, before a big night on the town, my sorority sisters and I "cat-walked" to this insanity. But not long ago, I heard the greatest song on the radio and KNEW instantly that it would be MY theme song.

As a single woman, I haven't given up on love or married my career. I haven't given up on hope that Mr. Right is out there, either. I think it's hard for for many of the happy couples around me to figure me out. Sometimes they look at me with the "what is wrong with her" or "what is wrong with guys" quizzical look. Sometimes, they assume that I'm sad and depressed and sometimes they see me happy as a clam. Regardless, I think they sometimes assume that I've given up on love and romance...HOWEVER, I aint givin up on it, yet!!! I still LOVE cheesy romance novels, sappy rom-coms, and yes, romantic songs.

AND...

I finally found the perfect romantic song for singles...and you know what?!?! I'm claiming it as my theme song! It's filled with HOPE, excitement, and even love for the unknown. It makes me happy, puts a smile on my face, and reminds me that HE'S OUT THERE!!!

So, please enjoy it with me today. Let it be exciting for you, too! If you're in a happy relationship, listen to the song and remember what it felt like when you met your someone special!!! Or at the very least, let Michael Buble's dreamy voice sing you a happy song!

So, what about you? Do you have a theme song for you life???  Wanna borrow mine for a while???  Don't worry, I'm happy to share.  : )

Oh, and PS (if you clicked on the links above), I have one more thing to say: ZIG A ZIG AH!

Just in time for Valentine's Day

You already know that I have a totally sick sense of humor. I've mentioned my true love for www.someecards.com before, too. I can't help it, even the naughty ones send me into fits of laughter. I've even been known to send these to people anonymously...they are just the BEST.

So imagine my complete and udder joy when I noticed they had new Valentine's Day cards ready already (yes, I just wrote that)! Please feel free to follow the links and send these to your loved ones or friends!

A little something for the couples:





And now, a little something for the singles (my category du jour):

More BlissDom Thoughts (and pics!)

I'm finally going through my BlissDom pictures and have been digesting my favorite moments and experiences.

When I decided to go, I assumed I'd enjoy the social aspects of the conference. In fact, I actually thought that would be the best part of the conference! As a public affairs professional, my career has prepared me well for this, but in my innermost being, insecurity still lurks. But, I met WONDERFUL women who I had instant connections with! It was so funny to think to myself "she's WAY taller/shorter in real life" or "she's WAY more charismatic/shy in real life."

I also got a lot out of some of the sessions. Not the kind of note-taking "a ha" moments, but reminders to focus and narrow my message. I need to put some time into that and start being a better blogger. I knew I needed to rebrand before I left, and that was very much confirmed for me, too.

Here are some fun pics from the sessions. Jess, Lindsay, and Rhoda taking it all in.

Just about everyone took their laptops and either live-blogged, edited images, or kept up with twitter.  I didn't take mine so that I could focus on people, instead of technology.  I did take my camera with me everywhere, but frankly, I kept it out of everyone's faces for the most part.

What a thrill it was to have a fun cocktail party on Friday night, too.  Our featured entertainer was HARRY CONNICK, JR.  OH MY WORD, he is so talented and HAWT!!!

My boyfriend and I...I mean, Harry Connick, Jr., and some new and old friends.  Thanks to Darcy (My3Boybarians) for making me look good!!!

Here's a pic of me and the stinker who harassed me into going to the conference.  She was relentless, BUT she was right.  I had a tremendous time and I know I would have regretted had I not gone!




Here's my girl Lindsay.  It was so great to be together again.  I am so fortunate that blogging brought us close again!

Sandy blessed me with some amazing conversation.  She walked up to me after a session and gave me a warm hug and I can't tell you how much that meant to me!  And it was too funny to know that she lives in the same town as some second cousins and totally knows them...small world! (By the way, I bought that flower headband at Forever 21 for a few bucks and I got SO MANY compliments on it on Saturday! Several girls even took pics of it for their blogs. What a riot!)

Before the conference began, my dear friend Kimm asked me to shoot some profile pics for her blog.  Here's a sneak preview.  I think she looks gorgeous and I can't wait to send her the rest!!!

And let's not forget the fact that I did my Shootsac giveaway at BlissDom!  Dawn helped me to draw two numbers and select two very excited winners!  This is the Sassy Irish Lassie and I heard that she did a happy dance when she saw the news on twitter.  Hilarious!  Jana Warnke also won a Shootsac.  We met at the i heart faces photowalk and she seems like a total doll!







Julia snapped this great shot of a few of us before the concert and cocktail party.  I had to borrow it because we all look like we're ready for fun!  We danced like maniacs and HAD A BLAST!






image courtesy of hookedonhouses.net
On Sunday morning, i heart faces hosted a photowalk in downtown Nashville.  It was FREEZING COLD, so I snapped very few pics, but here are a few fun ones!

Then I went to lunch with my cousins and some other photo friends.  I got lost for almost an hour trying to find them, but once I did, I had a fantastic time enjoying my family.  PS - why didn't someone tell me that hat made me look like a cancer patient?