Addendum to Grateful List – 5 November 09

DidiKikiLili at Christmas

I’m beyond grateful that my brother, his wife & daughter are safe. They’re all safe.  My brother, who is normally stationed at Ft. Hood is in Iraq. I’ve never been happy until now to say that he’s there.

If Kiki & Lili were home at Ft. Hood, they probably would’ve been at the commissary or PX at the time of the shooting. My family & I would’ve been going bananas right now driving there.

My heart goes out to everyone in that area, the families & loved ones of the soldiers, and even to the loved ones of those who committed this act, for something has gone seriously wrong.

Grateful List for 5 November 2009

Been a long while since I’ve posted here. WOW.  New development, I’ve stopped DREAMING of going into voice acting & voiceovers and turned it into a reality.  I’ve learned that some people don’t know exactly what voiceovers are… Listen to my Everyday VO Demo to get an idea. Yes, they’re all me.

1. My home studio, aka The Dungeon. Once a catch-all closet is now a functioning, sound-buffered voice studio. Pics later, recording today.

2. Reading & Radio Resource. They are beyond awesome. I donate my time narrating books for them. Why? Because reading for those who don’t have the luxury of sight, and those challenged by reading fills my heart.  There is a teen fiction on its way around the country for learning-disabled children. I’m now able to record at home, and have two books ready to record…. The Mists of Avalon and The Lacemaker and the Princess.

3. Happy Anxiety. This is the anxiety that goes with auditions.

 

Grateful List for 21-28 May 2009

1.  A fresh pair of contacts! Aaaaaaaah!

2.  Rattan office furniture. I’ve had it for a long while, but I LOVE it!  It gives the office an island-y feel.

3.  New ways to rearrange furniture.  It moves around the chi and re-invigorates a room.

4.  Looking forward to more home design. I still have painting to do, and I may just go on the hunt for crown molding.

5.  Finally using the permanent Jett Blacque dye I’d been staring at for months.  I lurve the richness of the color against my skin.  Later this summer I’m going to try a henna/indigo blend.

6.  FINALLY being able to update blog here, and it automatically exports to FB!  Heeeeeey!

7.  iheartradio. This is a streaming radio application for iPhone and Blackberry.  I downloaded it a few days ago, and I’ve been in love with it!  So far my favorite radio stations are Nueva Mega (Miami) and Island Music (Honolulu).  I use this on my BB in the car and it comes thru in 100% stereo.  My favorite feature on it is the Randomizer.  It’s a great app, and it’s FREE!!!   I’ve also heard good things about Pandora and Slacker as well.

8.  Getting back in touch with long lost friends.  I can’t expound too much on it right now – I’m emotional this week and I’ll start blubbering. LOL  Just… *sniff!* hey, y’all!!

Grateful List for 6-20 May 2009

1.  Discovering that Lili not only learns how to dance in my classes, she learned to teach different moves.  Hubbinator & I were sitting outside with her over the weekend.  Out of nowhere, she starts teaching us a Turkish step.  In her little tiny voice, she says, “Ok, guys, look. Front, back, front, back… now turn, and front, back, front, back. Good. Again. Front, back…” and her little foot was going back and forth. Hee hee! It was too precious!!  She helped me teach this move tonight.

2.  Hot showers! I can’t believe I’ve never put this!  I wore a supercute red leotard to teach in tonight.  It was at the back of the drawer and I thought, “I haven’t worn this in ages!”  I remember why… My body temperature skyrockets in it.  I haven’t sweated that much since I hung out in a sauna!  That hot shower when I got home was DELICIOSO!!

3.  When my friends & loved ones sit in Hubbinator’s chair to get their hair did.   It’s not a $$ thing.  I know they’re being taken care of by someone who is not only gifted, but actually cares about the health of everyone’s hair.

4.  Taking care of my mom.  She does so much for so many people.  She had surgery a few weeks ago and literally has to be off her feet for 6 weeks.  It’s nice to do for her for a change.  She’s still trying to do some things now that she has her Rollaround scooter.  This is what she has.  She gets up speed on this little thing, especially when Lili rides with her.

5.  Consciously making positive choices in light of unpleasant circumstances.  That’s all I’ll say about that.  I feel really good about it, though.

6.  Writing a book that I hope will change the lives of dancers.  The idea came to me, and I started writing.  Only one person knows about it, and that’s how it will stay until it’s published.

7.  Receiving messages in dreams.  The message was, “Your wildest dreams lie behind your wildest fears.”  My wildest fear is pretty wild and I’m going to overcome it, if only out of curiosity to see if the dream was right. LOL

8.  My Attention Deficit Disorder.  Without it, my life would be boring.  It should be called Attention Overload Reception.  I don’t have a deficit of attention, I pay attention to everything.  It’s not a disorder by any means.  Where my overload has taken me has led to wondrous things.

9.  Steve Ross’ Yoga.  He just RULES.  His show comes on Oxygen network every weekday at 5am cst.  I no longer have cable, but I did manage to tape several episodes back in the day and transfer them to DVD.  I’ve had some tummy issues and I’m unable to do the more strenuous exercises I’m used to, but his yoga is just what my body needs to get right again.  It immediately helped.

10.  New games to play.  In the last week, I’ve acquired Spa Wars and Azada.  These are fun games!  Brain breaks from writing and the daily grind are my simple pleasures.

11.  Funny episodes of X-Files.  This one is with Luke Wilson and about a Texas town filled with “vampires”.

12.  Babysitting my mom’s Sportage for a couple days.  It’s fun to drive, even though it’s not as heavy as my Caliber.  Hope Miss Sophie’s not jealous.  I gave it a bath, killed a couple nests of spiders that took up residency, and for that I get to babysit.  I didn’t want ma’s vehicle sitting around for 6 weeks undriven.  Plus, it’s nice to have 2 cars for a minute.

13.  Listening to the Party Girl soundtrack cd.  The Sportage doesn’t have an auxiliary line, so I have to go old school and listen to cd’s.  There are great songs on there, especially one Arabic song, and the song, “Beautiful”.  The lyrics are simple… ♫ Beautiful. Hippy, hippy, trippy, trippy, goo-goo mama, get up and dance. You don’t even know who I am, I’m the girl who parties like a man. Why be ugly when you can be beee-youuuuu-tifullll? ♫ I remembered teaching poi to this song a long time ago. Good times, good times.

14.  Taking a new tack in writing my articles.  You’ll see.

Grateful List for 30 April – 05 May 2009

1. Sharing “The Secret” with friends.  That’s just a joy to see others open themselves up to LOA and POI.

2.  Writing prompts.  They’re a great tool for journaling, and to keep the mind open to receive new inspiration.  The latest one I’m going to work on is “Invent a hot or sensational issue and write a news story about it.”  I’ll share once completed.  Already picked it out.

3.  The audacity I had years ago.  It’s still here, just tempered… a bit. LOL  I came across a “Warning Label” I used to have on the back of my business cards.  “This warning label contains information to better inform the public regarding the potential risks associated with the use and misuse of Voodoo Barbie. For external and internal use, Be Advised That Voodoo Barbie Consists of 99.999% MOJO.  Contains substances that are potentially addictive.  Exceeding recommended dosage can affect your body in ways similar to heroin and cocaine.  Start with minimum dosage.  Proceed with caution.  Not for persons under age 28.  Experiencing nervousness, tingling sensations, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, insomnia, and loss of language skills is quite common. Excitability, fever and swelling has been noted in extremely rare cases.  Do not place in hazardous situations – failure to adhere will result in moderate to serious injury.  Highly volatile when combined with whining, begging, lies, manipulation and/or lace of common sense.  Evacuate in a calm expedient manner if eyes glow red and/or fangs emerge.  Not Responsible for Any Damage, Inconvenience or Insanity that May Result.”

4.  My semi-annual fall down the stairs at my parents’ house. ROFLMAO  I somehow end up launching my left leg down the stairs and leaving my right leg behind me at the top stair.  Good thing I know how to do splits or I’d have done some damage.  This is the first time my bro wasn’t here to witness it, but his wife and daughter got a kick out of it.  Just waiting for the bruise now. Hee hee!  That fall reminds me of how graceful I am on the stage…. somehow…

5.  My hand fan collection.  People make fun when I whip them out and fan myself, but they always end up sitting next to me. I have fans from Spain, Mexico, Italy and India.  The pure sandalwood ones smell so delicious!  My mom bought an overstock as gifts for the wedding party & moms.  We still have quite a few.

6.  Realizing I have some beading to do! I have to make some more beaded chains for my fans.  I made one for my orange fan, that turned out great.  It’s held for about 7 years, I just realized.  Yeah, gotta make some more for the rest.

Grateful List for 29 April 2009

1. Coffee with Teddi @ The Bux.  I love our time together just chatting and patting each other on the back.

2.  Rainy Days.  It’s supposed to be clearing up tonight. I enjoyed the showers today. Very cleansing.

3.  When Lili has her Aunti days.  My beautiful niece gives the best hugs ever, and I love it when she wants to stay in my lap the entire time I visit.

Grateful List for 28 April 2009

1.  The return of my passion for living!  I’m sitting here wondering which area of serivice I want to work on today.  PEBKAC, Choreography, Dance Book, TV Series, Feng Shui.    I used to feel scattered and ashamed for having so many passions, but they all intertwine.  Others may enjoy life with one career and one passion, but apparently I didn’t sign up for that.  This is who I am and I can’t be anything but me.

2.  Eva Cassidy’s version of “I Can Only Be Me”.  I’ve never heard her voice before today, and just WOW.  She was amazing!  The orchestration mixed with her angelic voice brings tears to my eyes.

Butterflies begin from having been another
As a child is born from being in a mother’s womb
But how many times have you wished you were some other
someone than who you are
Yet who’s to say if all were uncovered
You will like what you see
You can only be you
As I can only be me

Flowers cannot bloom until it is their season
As we would not be here unless it was our destiny
But how many times have you wished to be in spaces
Time places than what you were
Yet who’s to say with unfamiliar faces You could anymore be
Loving you that you see
You can only be you
As I can only be
Me

I can only be me

3.  Hubbinator’s vision board of our lives in Hawaii.  He placed a pic of us right in the center.

Grateful List for 27 April 2009

1. Zebras and their survival instincts. “Would you believe,” she said, “that the animals in Africa mostly likely to survive a fire are not the ones who run from it – they’re the ones who run through it? Those who run away get tired, collapse, and are engulfed by the flames. Zebras, on the other hand, are especially great survivors because, rather than running away from the fire, they run through the fire.”

2. Running through my own personal fire and surviving. “What a powerful analogy for the healing process,” she continued. “The fire is fear. If we run away from fear, we die. However, if we simply turn around, face it, and run through it, we survive. And discover that on the other side is simply scorched earth, fresh for rebirth. And the fire is no longer moving towards us but away from us, no longer a threat to our survival.”

3.  The authentic life I’m living.

Source: http://www.awakeningpath.com/articles/goodie_emily_el_080912_running_through_the_.htm

Grateful List for 26 April 2009

1.  Deanna for inspiring me to really want a motorcycle.  I’d always kinda wanted one, but I want to go riding with her.   Plus, she looks so utterly cool riding.

2.  Having the ability to go visit friends no matter where they are.  I never realized how stifled I was in my last car (rest in piece).

3.  Bob Fosse.  One of my favorite choreographers.

Grateful List for 23-25 April 2009

1.  Helping my mom with her photography.  I was her subject again, and we did b/w film shoot, kinda in the pin-up girl vein.  She does amazing work with black & white film.  This one was about 2 years ago.

2.  My polka-dot vintage summer dress. It screams “sassy”.

3.  My huge austrian crystal ring.  It’s gaudy, but it belongs on my hand and reminds me to keep my eye on the prize.

4.  A Haunting. I’ve recorded almost every episode! I’ve been watching them since Thursday. LOL  Might explain why I totally forgot about updating my Grateful List. Tsk Tsk, Moi.

5.  Italian food.  Me, Hubbinator, my cousin and her man (Hubs’ BFF) went to dinner at this small, quaint little Italian restaurant.  I tried a new dish, Chicken Carciofu.  It was heavenly.  Chicken breast with white wine garlic butter sauce, artichokes and mushrooms with ziti.  Yowza.

6.  Spending time with my cousin.  We spent most of the day together on the photo shoot.  She’s a great friend.

7.  Having a favorite OPI color.  This go round it’s Black Cherry Chutney.  Never thought I’d ever deeply dig on a dark color.

8.  Mystery Case Files games.  These are rated “E” for Everyone.  They’re fun find & seek games.

9.  Late night coffee & bic-bic.