National Wear Red Day 2011

The Good News Is.. oh.. there isn't any.

I wish I had something to say that was profound. Or some stupid quote to toss up.

I am exhausted both physically and mentally.

My husband's plane took off ten minutes ago for NYC.

One way ticket.

Not sure what is next.

But to be honest - one minute it looks hopeful (I mean, he did leave all of his suits, summer clothes and personal effects from Egypt.) Then it looks bleak (one way ticket, massive fight last night, etc.)

I don't even feel like writing.

As you can imagine... I feel a BIG void.

I am sick with worry, guilt, sorrow, anticipation, excitement...

I just want to hide out for a while.

I will upload pics from yesterday later- I now want to just lay on the couch, on my big zebra pillow, wrapped up in my snuggie and randomly burst into tears from time to time..

Excuse me while I go loose my mind for a bit....

My a Photo/Video journey of my day

Before you proceed - you have to watch this video... then look at the pictures. You will get the joke... I hope.

Soo.. my friend Laura is soooo crafty... she is showing me her goodies...

This is all of the fabric (and she made a little flower) that she plans to use to create her unborn - Veda Jane's - new crib stuff. (Comforter, the bottom/skirt.. etc.) Very simple, very classic, very Laura.

Today was her 26th birthday - so our office manager, Paige, bought chocolate cupcakes!

The tops were rings - so she has a birthday ring!

THEN - I have to share my new wallet/purse. Big enough to be a clutch, small enough to work as a billfold..

Got it for $4 at TARGET - MARKED DOWN FROM $20!!

Soo.. prepping for my party weekend (birthday coming up.) I bought this hat to wear.

What's in THIS bag will be revealed tomorrow night. It's the dress for the 'Little Red Dress' party my magazine sponsor is throwing tomorrow night!!

:-( He is packed and ready to go.

I found the PERFECT red lipstick. It's name? Ruby Star!

I spent the morning talking to a group of students at Xcell Academy, a Paul Mitchell Partner School - they will be helping us tomorrow for National Wear Red Day.

So... it snowed here. Nope - did not know that was going to happen.. clearly...


The students got a little taste of Zumba (that's my instructor - the one I said was the crazy-energetic Colombian!!)



Now.. how to:




It is now after 6pm - I have to be up at 3am to be ready by 4am to be at Xcell.. (that's where we are going LIVE with CBS 42!) I will be going nonstop from 3am until 8pm.. and unfortunately.. it's the last night with my hubby..

BUT - I believe he is planning on going to the Little Red Dress Party with me tomorrow night!!

Okay.. see you LATE tomorrow...

When the Heart Waits

" They seemed to speak for all the unlived parts of me, and they came with a force and dazzle that I couldn't contain. They seemed to explode the boundaries of my existence. I know now that they were the clamor of a new self struggling to be born." Sue Monk Kidd

These are some of the first words I read in the book. In the second paragraph to be exact. I was hooked. This is the first time I ever read  a book and by the second page tears were welling up in my eyes.

Yes, I lean toward the dramatic. A tortured, creative soul, if you must know.

One of my dear coworkers/friend loaned this book to me. About a week or so ago, she and I had a heart-to-heart about life. It was one of those moments when someone asks, "How are you?" and then you actually tell them the truth.

The next day, as I was running to my office for a meeting - she ran up behind me and said, "Last night I was thinking about you, and I knew you needed to read this book." I thanked her, took the book, and just put it in my bag. She told me it was by the same author who wrote "The Secret Life of Bees", which I thought was an amazing story and even more amazing film.

So last night, I cracked it open. Amazed! So much so, that I think I am going to return the book to her, and purchase my own. I want to take notes.. it's THAT GOOD.

So what is it about? Here is what the back of the book says:

Blending her own experiences with an intimate grasp of spirituality, Sue Monk Kidd relates the passionate and moving tale of her spiritual crisis, when life seemed to have lost meaning and her longing for a hasty escape from pain yielded to a discipline of "active waiting."

Here are some of the chapters:
Part 1
Waiting and Transformation
Ch.1 - The Way Round
Ch.2 Quickaholic Spirituality
Ch.3 - From False Self to True Self

Part 2
Passage to Separation
Ch. 4. Crisis to Opportunity
Ch. 5 Letting Go

Part 3
Passage to Transformation
Ch.6 Concentrated Stillness
Ch.7 Incubating the Darkness

Part 4
Passage of Emergence
Ch.8 Unfurling New Wings

How cool is that?

I will leave you with one more paragraph from the book - this is where I left off last night, on page 13:

"That was the moment the knowledge descended into my heart and I understood. Really Understood. Crisis. change, all the myriad upheaval that blister the spirit and leave us groping - they aren't voices simply of pain but also of creativity. And if we would only listen, we might hear such times beckoning us to a season of waiting, to the place of fertile emptiness.

I turned from the window, quickened by the moment. I knew. Dear God, I knew. I must enter the chrysalis."

Gravity

Sorry, we interrupt the normal blog posts for a video (with lyrics below it.)
Sometimes certain songs say exactly how you feel at the moment...
This is one of those moments..

:-)



Something always brings me back to you


It never takes too long

No matter what i say or do

I still feel you here 'til the moment i'm gone

You hold me without touch

You keep me without chains

I never wanted anything so much

Than to drown in your love and not feel your rain

Set me free leave me be

I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity

Here i am and i stand so tall

I'm just the way i'm supposed to be

But you're on to me and all over me

You loved me 'cause i'm fragile


When i thought that i was strong

But you touch me for a little while

And all my fragile strength is gone

Set me free leave me be

I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity

Here i am and i stand so tall

I'm just the way i'm supposed to be

But you're on to me and all over me

I live here on my knees

As i try to make you see

That you're everything i think i need

Here on the ground

But you're neither friend nor foe

Though i can't seem to let you go

The one thing that i still know

Is that you're keeping me down

You're keeping me down

You're on to me on to me and all over

Something always brings

Red Velvet Ice Cream and Domestic Skills

Yesterday, the egyptian was walking through the house, sort of being light hearted yet boss all at the same time.

He turned to me at one point and said, "I am going to miss how organized this house is."

Oh.. wait.. you may not get that joke. Or maybe you will.

First of all, I never claimed to be perfect. I am not a neat freak, nor am I the queen of organization. I do pick up after myself, I never go to bed with dirty dishes in my sink, and our clothes stay nice and fresh. I even scrub my tub every week. But, perfect - no. I will let some of my clothes pile up on my chair in the bedroom throughout the week. My make up sometimes ends up spread out across the desk I sit at... you know.. just normal stuff.

The funniest part of all of this is. When he is not here - it stays clean. Lord have mercy the irony in that one.

I have to quickly give a shout out to my amazing friend, Kathy, from Connecticut. She and I met back during our TV days - she was a reporter, and I was a producer. She met her yankee husband (hee hee.. I love saying that) at the station (he was also a reporter.) Eventually they fell in love and he whisked her away to NYC. See, he used to work down on Wall Street. Did QUITE well and then decided for a career change in tv. Now he works for FOX News Network in NYC, and they have an amazing house in CT. Yep, she is living the dream.

This doll of a friend has extended an invitation (unsolicited, might I add) to allow me to stay with them when I visit the egyptian in NYC. I am thrilled to have them open their home to me, and forever grateful. I just had to publicly thank her, b/c it is rare to find someone so generous. So much so - she is like "Don't worry about transportation, food, flight.. etc." Of course, I cannot accept THAT, but I do appreciate her opening her home up to me. She cracked me up - she was like, stay a week, a month, a year.. don't care. LOL Oh Kathy - three days with me, and you will be like - GO BACK TO ALABAMA. LOL

Anyway, that whole thing just lifted a HUGE weight off my chest. I could not figure out how we were going to be able to afford me staying in a hotel, etc while visiting. See, the egyptian will be living with a family in Brooklyn, and it is sofa city for him.

Also - I discovered an amazing Red Velvet Ice cream flavor at Publix. It is sooo wrong, but oh so right. ;-)

That's all my dears.. just dropping in and saying Hello! Now - back to work!

Revolution

Last night, the egyptian (in a good mood) and I sat and watched the streaming of live video from CNN for hours. If you have been living under a rock, or never watch the news (shame on you!) Egypt is in the middle of a revolution.

We sat in awe and wonder as we talked about reform. Everytime they interviewed someone from Egypt (that was in some way or the other "important") - I would ask, "Hey, is he a good guy?" The egyptian would reply, "Honestly, I don't know."

One of the things that is happening is that very powerful ex-pat Egyptians are heading home. That can be scary. Are they waiting their turn to take control. If so, what does that mean?

As for his family, they live in Alexandria. Now don't be fooled, Alex may be just 2 hours north of Cairo, but rioting, protesting, and other items are taking place in pockets all over the country. Alex is no different. On the first full day of protests, 36 people died in Alexandria.

His mom is to remain locked in the house. All women and children are not allowed to leave their homes. Most people there, just like here, live off cell phones and the internet. Both have been disabled. The military told the citizens to protect themselves. So, the young men in the apartment buildings are taking turns standing guard outside of their buildings. Guns are illegal. One of our friend's is actually standing in front of his apartment with a paring knife.

I was always anti-gun. Seriously. In my head, get rid of guns - there would be less violence. I realize that's a little Polly Anna. However, I got to thinking.. what if some group revolted here (say, the Tea Party folks) and violence erupted and it was anarchy. (Exactly what is happening in Egypt.) All I have is a bread and butcher knife for protection.

Crazy.

As the week winds up, and no change has occured in Egypt - there will be more blood loss. The citizens are unable to get food. There is a 3pm curfew. Businesses are shut down, if not burned out and looted.

It's mass chaos.

Please keep my in laws in your prayers. Some of my dearest friends live there also. These people have been a part of my life for almost 5 years. My last trip to Egypt was in 2007. When I go back, if I go back, I want to know things are safe and as close to "normal" as possible.