chop wood, carry water.

sometimes it’s hard to find the grace in things.

maybe you lost your job?

maybe your aunt passed away?

maybe your boyfriend broke up with you on the same day as the funeral?

maybe your mom has a tumor on her spinal cord and needs surgery?

maybe you don’t get to stay at the disneyland hotel for your pretty pretty princess party?

maybe zac efron STILL hasn’t called?

maybe ALL these things happened to you…and maybe you’re still smiling. because at the end of the day you know that without a job or relationship to define you, you get to come back to basics. you get to rediscover who you are. and what you love. and that’s where the real grace of the situation lies: self-discovery. and growth. (not taller though, i WISH!)

so, the next time you feel like the hits just keep coming (and they will), focus on the grace in the situation. and i promise you, you’ll crack a smile.

truth is, there’s beauty in the breakdown & if you’re lucky (like i am), you’ll end up with an even foxier date to your best friend’s wedding!

dog is my co-pilot.

last week my best friend’s fiance left for his bachelor party.

their dog would NOT stop crying about it. seriously…nonstop howling.

so, i did what any fabulous aunt would do. i grabbed his face, looked him deep in the eyes and said ‘he’s gone. he isn’t coming back. get over it.’

and then my best friend laughed and said, ‘that’s what he’s saying to you’

touche. (and probably the funniest thing i’ve heard in a long time! ex oh, dee dee)

congrats leslie ann!

just wanted to wish an official CONGRATULATIONS to one of my favorite pals, leslie.

she’s the 2010 bone rock girl. for those of you who don’t know what that means, join the club!

apparently, she’s a pretty big deal. all i know is: she’s pretty, a great friend, a pain in the ass, and TONS OF FUN!

love you, leslie!

p.s. don’t call her lezzzlie. it’s lesssslie, with an S.
p.p.s. don’t take her shopping on melrose with you. you’ll both spend $80 on a lara croft style belt that you’ll never ever wear.

happy birthday month to me.

it’s the start of the month that marks the last year of my twenties.

seriously? when did that happen? where have i been? oh yeah, spain, kansas, d.c., key west, italy, almost cabo, vegas, nyc, mexico, monterey, fresno, palm springs, around the block, stuck in my head, the men’s locker room, and a couple other places…

it seems like yesterday when my best friend, christina, and i were tramping it up in vegas sitting on the laps of the the guys with the rock n’ roll good looks. that was EIGHT years ago. 8! really? geez. i’ve done far less with a decade than i anticipated.

some highlights. i’ve:
been to spain.
seen the running of the bulls.
had a boyfriend cheat on me.
fallen in love with san sebastian.
cried over a boy on september 11th instead of the towers.
terrorized vegas almost every weekend of 2002.
became an english major.
had my heart broken. it hurt.
done new year’s eve in times square.
cheated on a boyfriend.
gotten engaged.
lived in kansas.
broken someone’s heart.
gotten my nose pierced.
watched one of my best friends get married.
been to key west. twice.
learned to surf.
visited chicago with my best friends.
had cosmetic surgery. (yes, my nose is custom. i’m persian. it’s expected)
gotten my nose re-pierced.
traveled throughout italy with my mom.
moved in with a boyfriend.
failed at my relationship.
failed a college course.
graduated college.
scored a big-girl job.
adopted the cutest pup on the planet.
failed to train the cutest pup on the planet.
failed to cry for almost an entire year.
cried at everything for weeks.
fallen in love.
fallen out of love.
fallen in love again.
gone skydiving with my brother.
written a love letter.
written a like letter.
hurt a friend.
watched my dad battle cancer.
watched a friend lose a dad to cancer.
lost my last grandparent to cancer.
watched britney in concert three times.
became pals with cuba gooding jr.
made an ass of myself in front of usher.
stalked jt. (and britney)
baked an amazing cheesecake.
been thrown a surprise party.
peed my pants.
listened to a friend in an abusive relationship.
started a blog.

i’m having major anxiety about the start of my last year of my twenties. there’s SO much i still want to do. how in the world do you fit it all in before you die?!

i’m having so much more trouble with this year than any of the previous ones. obvi, i can’t do anything about it. and besides, ‘age only matters if you’re a cheese.’ but still, the years go by quickly. and the days so slowly…go figure.