Soundtracks?

For reasons I can't divulge (nothing super secretive, it's just a surprise), I've been thinking what songs I'd want played on the Soundtrack of My Life. I'm still working on the list, so I'll let you know when it's 'finished,' but I wondered what would be on YOURS?

What 12-15 songs best represent who you are, anchor memories of your life, or would you want people to hear and think of you? Lemme know...

My addiction.

I've figured it out - books. I'm addicted to books. I could start my own library. Seriously...anyone need to borrow anything? And so many of my OWN books I've not read yet. So now I have to.

Although I also want to start a book group where we reread all of the 'childhood classics' we grew up with: all the Ramona books, 'Are You There God? It's me, Margaret,' everything by Judy Blume...and the like. Anyone in?

Top 5 - girlie movies

Yes, the wondrous Chick Flick. I took myself on a tangent the other night and started thinking about my fave CFs (not to be confused with fave movies of all time; that's an entirely different list). I think I narrowed it down to:

1. Dirty Dancing
2. Breakfast Club
3. Sixteen Candles
4. Love Actually
5. Truly Madly Deeply

Yes, the first three are all from a particular era - the 80s. Gotta love anything revolving around the Brat Pack.

Gotta love the NYPD...

was on the train today and saw an NYPD Officer - named Bang. Officer Bang.

thoughts & musings...

1. i don't understand why people who have a seat on the subway get up a whole stop before they're actually getting off. typically, they'll go stand in the doorway, but WHY? it takes all of 2, maybe 3, seconds to get out of your seat and exit the door. seriously.

2. WTF is up with the weather? a nor'easter in MID-APRIL??? seriously.

3. i get to go work with a celeb dog next week...oh the fun my life provides!

4. i'm giving thought to where i should move next...i'm starting to feel the itch, so i'm exploring the idea of backtracking AND going somewhere i've always liked. the only glitch with the new spot is that it's landlocked - and that's not always good for me.

5. someone jumped off the empire state building this evening. happy friday the 13th. seriously.

6. i would love to have an occasion to buy and wear a fancypants evening gown, a REAL one with a REAL hoity toity label, not a faux or a copy. how fun would THAT be?!

7. you can take the girl outta the big events, but not the Caboose outta the girl. yep, even after my ass-over-tea-kettle spill in NC a coupla years ago, i'm still being entrusted to be the Caboose (last gal on the road for those that aren't "in the know") for an upcoming event. ha!

8. friday nights used to made for going out after work, lookin' cute, sippin' on cocktails, hangin' with friends, and - hopefully - makin' out. these days, my friday nights are made for hangin' with my dawgs and going to bed early because i've got a waaaaaaaay early call time the next day. seriously...i have to be out at CONEY EFFIN' ISLAND at 5:30am tomorrow. who wants to be me?!

9. i started running again. after a half-my-life hiatus...and it wasn't quite as horrendous as i thought. don't get me wrong: it was baa-haaaad, not ugly, but not horrific. i may even do it again someday soon.

It takes a village to raise a Hannah

Yep, 'tis true. I was thinking about this recently: NY is really a village. All of my different walks of life - from volunteer asides, to professional connections, to freelancing networks - somehow I always stumble across someone-who-knows-someone. Surprising? It was to me...at first.

See, I moved up here from 8 years in the Carolinas (both of 'em) where I either knew everyone (one of the reasons I was ready to leave Raleigh) or no one (one of the reasons I was ready to leave Greenville). Of course, there were many, many reasons why I chose to leave both large towns, but compared to NYC, they were both very definitely literal villages.

NYC is scary to folk. My sister put off coming here for ages, even when she was living in Boston and Vermont, because her mental image of NYC was unfriendly, intimidating skyscrapers. True, they exist, but who lives in Midtown? Well, you have to be a 'local yokel' to understand that, no? When she came to visit me several years ago, one of her comments was how livable NYC really is. And it is. There ARE literal villages and wonderful communities within the monstrous city at-large. (and this was back when I barely knew the city myself, so imagine what her experience could be NOW)

In my 4 years of being here, I've collected a wonderful assortment of friends, colleagues, and contemporaries. What I'm finding whenever I try to branch out, do something new, exciting, and/or different, I'm connected. Surprising. Why? Well, I guess there's a part of me that thought NYC was unfriendly and intimidating, too. But it's not...and I LOVE my 'Six Degrees of Separation' life!!

Who knew?!

Adventure women RULE!

I stumbled across a website a year or so ago that keeps me posted as to what 'adventure women' are doing out there and how they're vacationing. (vacation?!?!? what's that?) What is an 'adventure woman'? Glad you asked....

According to their wonderfully redesigned website, a 'typical' Adventure Woman is:

"35-65 years old. She's quite satisfied with her life and successful in her current job or situation. Most of our guests are traveling alone, some for the first time. But, many also share the experience with friends, mothers, daughters, or sisters. The majority of women who travel with us are or have been married and have between one and three children. AdventureWomen are confident about how they look and feel, and make an effort to stay in good physical condition. AdventureWomen come from all over the country and the world."

So, the vacation I want to take with them is this one. Horses have been coming up a LOT in my life lately, so I thought it was fortuitous, to say the least, that this opportunity stumbled - galloped? - into my inbox. I grew up riding with my Aunt & Uncle. One of my dog walkers wants to go galloping in the Poconos and asked if I'd like to join her. Even during a recent workshop, images of wild horses plunked themselves into my life.

Ok, Universe. I hear the message. Now I just need to manifest the money to be able to afford it. Travel FOR women, BY women. Challenging. An opportunity to grow and try something new - or revisit something old. Doncha wanna join me?

ink and more ink....

i'm gonna get more ink...for my freelancing 'anniversary' coming up in april. no, the garden's not growing. i AM going to give my lotus some roots, though. stay tuned for more info and maybe a pic or two once it's completed.

vroom, vroom goes my libido...

yep. my engine's a-revin'! i've been in a self-imposed dating hiatus for quite some time...but i think i'm comin' back. i must thank the beeeee-yoooootiful, chiseled gentleman who i chatted to on the bus last thursday night. yum. and yum.

yes, he lives in weehawken. and, yes, i did forget to give him my card. color me eejit!

Because I Said So...

How many of us haven't heard those words spewed forth from a parent's mouth? How many of us haven't spewed them in the name of parent(or nanny!)hood? Well, I went to see the Diane Keaton movie this weekend called 'Because I Said So.'

And?

Well, I liked it. Sure, it was super cliched and predictible, but it was cute. And schmaltzy - which is precisely what I needed. I wanted a feel-good love story and that sure is what I got. So, thank you, Hollywood - it was a wonderful Saturday afternoon well-spent...

I do recommend it - under the condition that you MUST be in the mood for lovey-dovey, 'chick' flick. Enjoy!

Top 5 - TV shows...

Because, yes, I'm a TV whore these days. It's cold, I'm bone-tired, and feel like being a slug. HOWEVER, I did fly through the reading of a book (Kite Runner, if you must know), so I haven't completely brain dead. Oh, yeah, I worked a bunch, too. And had a massage. Bi-zeee weekend, eh?

Top 5 TV shows
1. Law & Order - the original and only because of Jesse L.
2. Miami Ink - yes, this show, too, also for a boy (mostly)...but also because of the ink. Yum!
3. Extreme Home Makeover - for SO many reasons. This week, it's because of a (handsome) big, ol' Marine who's reduced to grateful, happy man...and cries! I love heroes.
4. 60 Minutes - my Sunday night 'date' with myself for several years now.
5. It's a tie: Grey's Anatomy (like the rest of the world) and Brothers & Sisters...I just think Sally Field rocks. And the guys that play her sons? Purrrr!

Heh. So, really, I mostly watch TV for the male eye-candy...guess I'm not nearly as romantically-hiatused as I thought, huh?

random, but wonderful

who knew that Staples was such a cool company? check this out. AND the 'free delivery' offer is typically only for $50-worth of goods, but i ordered only $30-worth of recycled goods and my delivery was free.

in our 'inconvenient truth'-ed world, it's nice to know that there ARE ways that we can all try to give back to Mother Nature while we're also keeping our businesses running...it's even nicer (such a crap word for such do-gooding) that there are businesses out there that 'get it.'

please support staples...and other companies like it. (just wait til seventh generation REALLY gets goin'!)

ramblings of a tired blonde...

1. finding religion in port authority? is it the new year? are all the various religous you-really-should-convert folks out in force? or is it just me? 'cuz they've swarmed the good ol' PA...seriously. everywhere. of all different denominations. please, make them go away - i just want to commute in peace.

2. 'freelancer' is just another word for round-the-clock-worker.

3. i might not be quite as ready to be a parent as i thought i might be. which i find hilarious because i STILL have people in my life who find it amazing that i even WANT to be a mom some day...much less an 'old-fashioned' stay-at-home mom. (yes, crawford, i mean you.)

4. i want to live in manhattan starting in 2007.

5. i still want more tattoos.

6. i truly have lost a pants size in the last calendar year.

7. you can indeed teach an old dawg new tricks - just ask the kali gal...we're working on 'wave.'

8. i'm in love with this book and am flying through it. it resonates on SO many levels! pick it up!!!

9. orange is a powerful color for me. i thought i started wearing orange - a color that used to make me rather uncomfortable for YEARS - very recently, as in only when i bought a BRIGHT orange pair of 'khakis.' and then it hit me: it's been creepin' in for years and i never even realized. (anyone who's ever read or learned anything about color therapy will know what i mean...)

...and a PS - i'm going to start keeping a gratitude journal. thanks, ms. oprah, for reminding me.

interesting manifestation...

so, i saw russell simons today in soho. he was talking on the phone, standing on a stoop...random and very new york. and why is this of interest? well, oddly, he's crossed my thoughts a couple of times in the last few weeks. why? i thought i saw him once a while back, i saw his wife somewhere, and, apparently, i manifested him.

crazy, eh? my list of celeb sightings continues to grow...

i'm going straight to (sneaker) hell...

i'm a hypocrite. totally, utterly, completely a hypocrite. see, i used to work in the 'training' bidness - training folks to walk long distances. said training would inlcude helping them prepare gear-wise...starting from the ground up. literally.

we'd start with the sneakers: properly fitted ones recommended for each individual and their walking style by a knowledgeable third party. we'd recommend buying at least a couple pairs as even a 'good' pair of sneakers will only last for about 300-500 miles - the equivalent of 3-6 months worth of training.

so...get this, i have a fave pair of sneakers - go new balance! and i won't even begin to HINT how old they are. seriously. but i looked at them today, really looked at them and realized that, um, well, they're WELL PAST their worn by date. and i'm a hypocrite. why? because i should have thrown them out ages ago - there's NO support in them any more. and i can't. i. just. can't. i love them.

...but i'm going to go buy sneakers this week. i HAVE to! betcha they'll be new balance.

43 Things...

So, by now you've probably realized I'm a list-maker...I love them. One that I made for 2007 was based on something I read in my most recent Outside magazine (I know, I know...I'll shut up about it someday).

In a section called 'Help Yourself,' there's a blurb from the founder of 43 Things. I really, really like the idea of creating a list of the 43 things in life you are COMPELLED to do to fulfill your sense of self. No, not just things you'd like to get around to, or feel you 'need' to - but things that resonate at a guttural, instinctive level.

What does that include for me? Well, there's the simple ("simple" - ha!) things like finding a life partner and having babies. There's also going to an elephant orphanage in Africa for a substantial period of time. Hell, just going to Africa in GENERAL! It's a continent that's resonated with me since I was a wee lass...

So, go make your list of 43 things. Tailor it as necessary - life goals, 2007 goals, whatever...go forth and live your dreams!

I love this song!

My new crush - John Legend. AND he can croon! This song struck me as particularly poignant and, yes, it does remind me of someone:

Ordinary People
Girl I'm in love with you
This ain't the honeymoon
Past the infatuation phase
Right in the thick of love
At times we get sick of love
It seems like we argue everyday

I know i misbehaved
And you made your mistakes
And we both still got room left to grow
And though love sometimes hurts
I still put you first
And we'll make this thing work
But I think we should take it slow

We're just ordinary people
We don't know which way to go
Cuz we're ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow
This time we'll take it slow

This ain't a movie no
No fairy tale conclusion ya'll
It gets more confusing everyday
Sometimes it's heaven sent
Then we head back to hell again
We kiss then we make up on the way

I hang up you call
We rise and we fall
And we feel like just walking away
As our love advances
We take second chances
Though it's not a fantasy
I Still want you to stay

We're just ordinary people
We don't know which way to go
Cuz we're ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow
This time we'll take it slow

Take it slow
Maybe we'll live and learn
Maybe we'll crash and burn
Maybe you'll stay, maybe you'll leave,
maybe you'll return
Maybe another fight
Maybe we won't survive
But maybe we'll grow
We never know baby youuuu and I

We're just ordinary people
We don't know which way to go
Cuz we're ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow (Heyyy)
We're just ordinary people
We don't know which way to go
Cuz we're ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow
This time we'll take it slow

The power of friends...

I have some truly wonderful friends. I hope they know how appreciated their presences are in my life! Some of my wonderpals and I got together for dinner on Friday night and I was reminded why it's fun to go out with folks you have much in common with, whose senses of goofball humor are in line with yours, and, well, sex talk.

I miss being able to dish the dirt and all the details and this was my hardiest group o'gals! 'Twas a fun night indeed and so terribly necessary - for ALL of us. Maybe one of these days I'll even be able to contribute to the dishing of the dirt again...but, then, I have to get back in the dating game, eh? Ick. Rethinking that one...

And stay tuned for another soiree extraordinaire for a Gaffinator Gal's birthday. We're talkin' hotels and sassy bar crawls...and that's just for starters!!

hot water bottles...

I was chatting with my mother this evening about all kinds of random things - my hectic schedule, my putting more thought into what i really 'want to do with my life,' and the like. The conversation turned to hot water bottles and how it's nearly imPOSSible to find one on this side of the pond that's covered and not just the solid rubber bottle. Sometimes we're just too British for our own good, right?!

My comment to my mom was that I didn't have just one hot water bottle, but two. She paused for a second, before asking where I managed to find them. I told her that I invested in them years ago - my four-legged hot water bottles. I made her laugh with my story snippets of how Maverick's head keeps my toes warm with his huge head thrown across my feet or breathing his warm, pumpkin-laced breath (they had some for dinner) on them. And how Kali waits 'til I'm all comfy and settled in, staring at me intent(se)ly, just waiting for the second I'll lift the corner and let her nose-dive in...and we'll sleep all curled up together, me on my side, her in the hollow between legs and belly.

Yes, as much as they've made me crazy at times and how I've had moments of wanting to be dog-free, my 'kids' do indeed mean the world to me. They're over-indulged and terrifcally spoiled, but then so was I by my wonder-parents. So, no, well-intentioned, indulgent 'parenting' is not something I see as a bad thing...I'm also good at boundary-setting. Well, mostly. ;)

SIDENOTES: I'll have to post about 'boundaries', aka rules, sometime. I was told this past weekend by a wonderful galpal that I like rules - a lot. Which is funny, because I never thought of myself as a rule-wanter/needer. I sure do appreciate boundaries; just never thought of them as "rules." Weird, right?
.

Top 5 - dog breeds...

I'm sure it'll surprise some of y'all, but Lydia and I were talking about dogs when we had brunch today. Yes, yes, it's true. Sometimes, I talk a lot about canines. Ha! Understatement, eh? Well, today we were talking about breeds, the potential breed ban a Queens Councilman is proposing, and breeds we love, like, dislike, etc.

Ok, ok, so it was really just ME saying that there were some breeds I just don't 'do.' Lydia's "that" girl that really does love all dogs, just finds some more difficult to work with than others and has preferences. Me? I just flat out don't like some breeds; I can be black and very white like that. True, I'm coming around to the smaller dogs, but, but, but...well, crap. I'm a liar. There are some dogs - small and breeds that I don't typically 'do' - that have snuck into my heart...oooo - I have my own type of heartworms.

On that note, here are my top 5 lists for this week - breeds I looooove and breeds I'm workin' on lovin':

LOOOOOOOVE:
1. Coonhounds
2. German Pointers - Short- and Wire-haired
3. Irish Wolfhounds
4. Dobermans
5. Great Danes

Working on lovin':
1. Beagles
2. Chihuahuas
3. Jack Russells
4. Italian Greyhounds - I'd break 'em
5. Anything that weighs in the single digits (seriously - is that really a dog?)

Gawd help whomever I grow up to marry and have kids with - 2- and 4-legged...he's gonna have to be a patient, patient man with a LOTTA room for dawgs in his heart!