Should old acquantance be forgot...

Well, some should be...but I just never can...

Happy New Year to ALL my old acquaintances.

A great episode of Friends

TJ/PJ 2010

Twas the night before Christmas...

It was a lovely Christmas Eve...

Happy Christmas Everyone

Your friend is so shiny!

My sister thinks this photograph should be my album cover.
Or maybe the photo on the jacket of the book I'm going to write.
I don't know...
I was trying to figure out what this picture reminded me of...



It finally hit me...

(I still love the picture.)

New York, New York

A week in New York with Allison!

Start spreading the news...

...on my way.

Merry Christmas!

My 2010 Christmas Card...

Here comes Santa Claus...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Bringing order to chaos

1. Self-examination is the only path out of misery. (Only a fool does the same thing over and over expecting different results.)
2. Get up, shower and get dressed--every single day--even if you have no where to go! You are as productive as you are dressed to be.
3. You can pretty much do ANYTHING you want to do. Just do it already.
4. Get organized--have a place for EVERY thing, and put everything in its place--it will vastly improve your life.
5. Turn off the news. In fact, turn off the TV. Your life improves VASTLY without the weight of the world on your shoulders.
6. Turn on some music. Sing loud and dance around your house.
7. Get control of your finances immediately. (Stop spending money.)
8. Nothing ever turns out exactly the way you imagine it will. Expectations are planned disappointments.
9. Work hard...it's enormously satisfying! Even if you stay home--clean, organize, rearrange--have something to show for your time!
10. Wishing things were different is a great way to torture yourself. Change it or let it go.
11. Things get better for those who set out to make things better!
12. Say nice things to yourself. Often!
13. Most of the things you worry about will never happen...and most of the things that will happen you will never even occur to you to worry about.
14. Life is definitely unpredictable...but you CAN control a lot of things...eat right, go for a walk, live in a clean environment.
15. Every problem you have is your responsibility. Period.
16. Laugh. Pray. Read. Write. And then laugh some more.
17. We all have the same amount of time...use it wisely!
18. Those who complain the most accomplish the least.
19. Be grateful. Compared to 90% of the world, YOU are rich.
20. Life goes on... and you can start over every single day.

Random Kinds of Factness (or stuff I've thought about lately...)

1. I think travel may be my ultimate soul mate. Baseball might be its only rival.
2. I am a pretty good singer. Not so good of a dancer. But please...just sing and dance with me anyway.
3. I like my smile. And to smile. I'm happy and like to make others happy.
4. Being productive is very relaxing to me. Go figure.
5. I enjoy being alone more and more each day.
6. I love to write and I'm getting pretty good at it.
7. I'm happy with the junk in the trunk, the straight hair, the tiny little age spot and the boobs.
8. Since 1986, I have never owned anything but a Mac. And I never will.
9. I can buy good tickets to concerts. And I do.
10. I know WTF is going on. And I have my SH*T together.
11. I have incredible friends…some for 25 and 30 years.
12. I have good friends who work at Dodger Stadium and Angel Stadium. Enough said.
13. I've been to the top of the WTC and to ground zero.
14. I saw the first video as it was played on MTV. Can you name it?
15. I've figured out that there are three steps to making it through a crisis in life: Get up, take a shower, and go to work.
16. I have met Don Sutton, Tommy John, Steve Garvey, Rod Carew and Greg Maddux. Oh, and Manny.
17. There’s no chance for me to become pregnant.
18. I recently installed a(nother) shower head, a water filter, changed my headlight and hung the Christmas lights. Hear me roar.
19. I have owned 8 tracks, 45s, 33s, cassettes, floppy discs, zip drives, CDs, DVDs, VHSs and ipods.
20. I’ve had a beer in Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland, France, Prague, Vienna and Budapest...and a few in the US too.
21. No matter what, I gravitate back to the 80s songs.
22. I get googled and people read my blog. (Baffling!)
23. I LOVE to make people laugh. Seriously, it makes my heart beat.
24. John Mayer may actually be my soul mate too.
25. With the amount of years I spent in college, I should have multiple PhDs. I am SO proud to have my Bachelor's Degree.
26. I have GREAT kids in their mid 20s. College graduates. They are all I ever hoped they’d be.
27. I saw Queen with Freddie Mercury and Black Sabbath with Ozzy.
I saw Sting with The Police at a tiny club in LA in the early 80s.
28. I've never broken a bone.
29. I have been continuously employed for over 30 years--15 years at Coco's, nine years at Saddleback and nearly six years at Montage.
30. I have been to the stadiums of the Dodgers, Angels, Padres, Giants, A's, Diamondbacks, Rockies and Yankees. More to come.
31. I have been a mother more than half my life. The best half.
32. I can intelligently discuss the stock market, politics, religion and sports. But mostly sports.
33. At this point, when I look back at my 23 year marriage, I only remember the good stuff.
34. I know from experience now that good things come to those who wait, patience is a virtue, this too shall pass and that it’s never too late to live happily ever after.
35. I have realized that as much as I love to travel, I now really look forward to being home too.
36. I’ve decided that I will not spend one minute with a man I don’t want to be with. And even less time with a man who doesn’t want to be with me. Actually, the same goes for a woman.
37. It’s not that I am happy when I’m thin—it’s that I’m thin when I’m happy.
38. For me, life is very long and time goes by very slowly. Am I doing something wrong?
39. I am really good at my job. And that’s always been true.
40. I've learned to get in all of my own pictures.
41. I have a terrific memory. Especially for song lyrics. And dates.
42. I know now that all the time I wondered what people were thinking of me…they weren’t thinking of me at all.
43. I prefer to have someone in my home for a meal than go out to a restaurant. When are you coming over?
44. I am exactly the woman that I'd always hoped I'd be. Always knew I'd be.
45. Life goes on. You live through it. The sun does, indeed, come up the next day!
And, there will come a time when you think everything is finished
(actually there will be MANY of these times)...that will be the beginning.

I'll have a BLUE Christmas...

I love my house...especially at Christmastime...

Life is (OH SO) good...

All Mater Dei High School Graduates!

Celebrated Paul and Lorraine's birthdays at Terranea Resort!

Oh yeah, we took a limo up there! Why not?

My favorite part of the night...

My love(ly) life

A man I've known for years, but haven't seen for ages, was at the hotel today. He came by my desk to say hello and see what was new and (of course) said, "So how's your love life?"
My defenses usually go nuts with questions like this, but I've come to realize that people are HOPING I have a good answer for them.
The thing is, yes, I knew what he was asking and no, I am not dating anyone, but I wanted to be sure he knew that my life is amazing, rewarding and oh so fulfilling!
I answered him, "I have an amazing LIFE--FULL of love and FULL of life!"
Of course, that's not exactly what he was asking. But telling him that I did not have a 'love life' would have invited even MORE discussion!
There seems to be a common misconception that all single people are hoping to be attached. Though most will admit that we would like to find that special someone--someday--the vast majority of us are living quite contentedly and enjoyably (and peacefully)--on our own. Despite an interesting job, a beautiful home, amazing children and interests in restaurants, books, sports, movies and traveling the globe, people always seem to ask me one thing over and over:

"So, are you seeing anyone?"
Of course there is variance in how this is asked...and the follow up questions are actually even more um, painful? Ridiculous is more like it.
Yeah, but deep into my sixth year of single-ness, the questions are even more fun to answer.
Listed below are ten statements I've heard repeatedly during my five and a half years of being single. I am not speaking for everyone, but I would imagine most single people would kindly ask you to refrain from saying these things to us, no matter what our stage of life...no matter what our dating thoughts might be. No matter what.

1. I can't believe you're still single! (Honestly, what is the answer to that?)
   
2. You're probably too picky. (Really? REALLY?)
   
3. You're too outgoing/too independent/too into baseball. (Yep, that's me.)
   
4. You should try to be more needy. (I truly hear this one all the time...)
   
5. Maybe you should lose some weight/dress differently/get rid of the bangs. (You're probably right on this one. But don't say it anyway.)
   
6. How is {insert former husband's name here}? (I have no idea. And, [and I say this in the kindest way], I do not care.)
   
7. You're too confident. Guys are probably intimidated by you. (Thank you? I'm sorry? I hear this one all the time too.)
   
8. You should get a dog/cat/bird/fish. (I hear this CONSTANTLY! Yeah, no. Never. Do you know me at all?)
   
9. You should get out more, volunteer, join a book club, take a dance class, etc, etc, etc. (You're probably right on this one too. But sitting in the tub with a beer and watching baseball in my jammies is sooooo nice!)
   
10. It's gonna happen when you least expect it. (AARGH! Please please please--I beg of you--please never say this to anyone! I'm not expecting it! That's the point!)

It's funny to think about turning the tables: I would never ask my married friends why they are still married. I would never tell them that they should have been pickier. I would never suggest that they need to lose weight or change their hair or that they should volunteer at a hospital or get a canary! How come they feel that they can tell me that?
Thanks for understanding...it's really so easy. Ask me about my job or what I'm reading or about my trip to Kenya or Italy or France! Ask me about my kids or yoga or the Dodgers! I'm always planning something and going somewhere.
I'm certain we won't lack for interesting conversation!

And I promise, the minute I'm seeing someone...
you won't have to ask.

Start spreading the news...

Doing a little shopping for New York.
Oh, did I mention I'm going to New York?

I have a great talent for perseverance.

So many things on my mind...

Don't give up on me.
I have a lot more to say.

Family Food