Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Dear Frustration,
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 1:38 PM 2 comments
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Snow Day in action
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 9:42 PM 0 comments
My man...made out of snow, man
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 9:26 PM 0 comments
Monday, December 29, 2008
Inspire. Dream. Live
This is a class assignment I had in the spring of 2007 at SDSU; create a reliquary that pays devotion to a subject of your choice. What I came up with is not visually complicated and doesn't hold many items...it doesn't need to. However, to me, it's purpose is powerful. My project was the only one in class that could be used in some way....now and well into the future. All others were simply a shrine where mostly a collage of pictures were displayed. I try to think outside of the box...and that's exactly what the thoughts and ideas inside this box do; take you outside of the box (to another country...to a salsa class...)!
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 8:03 PM 0 comments
These trees!
A staring contest?!
I haven't been able to take a drive lately without pulling over to snap a photo of all the pretty colors :)
I guess this falls under the whole "stop to smell the roses" deal.
I'd LOVE to have a tree like this in my front yard.
I love all 4 seasons like I'd love all 4 of my kids (if I had kids)...each one brings something unique and amazing into our lives...I can't possibly love one more than another.
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 6:53 PM 0 comments
Life is like a box of chocolates...
...you never know what you're gonna get.
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 6:38 PM 1 comments
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Verbal Sunshine
I edited this Post.
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 11:26 PM 3 comments
My Sentiments Exact
"Dear future love,
I’m waiting for you, trusting that you will find me without losing your way. I don’t know your name. I don’t know your face. All I know is that someday our paths will cross; you will stumble into my life or I into yours, and life will seem just a little bit brighter. I wish I knew who to look for. What if I let you pass without saying a word? No, I don’t think I will. Somehow I will know.
I hope you can look past my many flaws. I hope you will forgive me for the things I have done. And most of all, I hope that you do not take too long getting here. I know you are on your way, whether you know it or not. But I don’t think I can wait much longer.
Sincerely,
Mike"
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 4:43 PM 0 comments
Saturday, December 27, 2008
The Last Lecture
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 10:11 PM 0 comments
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Ginger Tea!
I knew it. I just knew this was coming. I've recently been stressed out with work and my body always responds to stress by coming down with a fever, catching a cold and even breaking out with Shingles! I began to feel under the weather yesterday and woke up this morning with definite symptoms. Instead of the usual DENIAL that I go into, I accepted my current state and decided to take matters into my own hands by fighting it off!
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 10:40 PM 1 comments
In Heavy Rotation
1. | Kings of Leon - Closer | |
2. | Band Of Horses - The Funeral | |
3. | The Sundays - Wild Horses | |
4. | Sick Puppies - All The Same | |
5. | Three Days Grace - Over and Over | |
6. | Frou Frou - Let Go | |
7. | Kings of Leon - Use Somebody | |
8. | cary brothers - blue eyes | |
9. | Sia - Breathe Me | |
10. | Unwritten Law - Elva (Live) | |
11. | Mazzy Star - Fade Into You | |
12. | Nada Surf - Always Love | |
13. | Des'ree - Kissing You | |
14. | Sick Puppies - My World | |
15. | Dido -Here With Me | |
16. | Shiny Toy Guns - Starts With One | |
17. | Ingrid Michaelson - Die Alone | |
18. | - Citizen Cope Sideways | |
19. | Natalie Walker - Urban Angel | |
20. | Dierks Bentley - Long Trip Alone | |
21. | Death Cab For Cutie - I Will Follow You Into the Dark | |
22. | Paramore - Decode | |
23. | The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - Your Guardian Angel | |
24. | Gwen Stefani - 4 In The Morning | |
25. | Coldplay - Warning Sign | |
26. | Cat Power- Sea of Love | |
27. | Death Cab For Cutie- Someday You Will Be Loved |
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 11:51 AM 0 comments
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Holiday from REAL
Everyone needs a place to go to just...get away. Life, as beautiful and marvelous as it may be; it comes with complications and uncertainty that will inevitably weigh down on a person. Sometimes the "Big Picture" is lost and jumbled among the stress of the day to day and a quick getaway is necessary to recollect thoughts and reconnect with the soul.
For some, this escape may be to a place in the mind where only peace and quiet is needed to allow thoughts and imagination carry you to nowhere and everywhere! For others, like me, it's helpful to physically place yourself in a new location. I tend to go for a run when I'm stressed. When I was living in San Diego I would run along the bay or at the beach. Bike rides were frequent as well. Here in LA, I head to the Rose Bowl and run 3 miles around the golf course. During stressful times, I've also been known to be a little impulsive and spontaneous so road trips are a likely possibility.
So far, my all time favorite getaway spot....where I literally GET AWAY...away from family, my home, the city, cell phone reception (texts/voicemails), television (media), LA smog, work, and my daily routine...is Kern River!!! I absolutely love camping in my tent under the stars in an earshot distance of the sometimes roaring river. There's something about the water and nature that helps me to focus and gather my thoughts. I always feel so refreshed and clear when I leave...and then a little bummed that I have to jump back into the society that I so badly wanted to escape. I'm a full-time soul searcher as well as an extremely distracted person, so throwing me in the middle of nowhere, leaving me with just my mind and my sanity (and some food!) makes a lot of sense.
I'm off in about 5 hours to said destination! The water's a bit low this year, but I don't let it bother me. We can't always get EVERYTHING we want. Over the next few days, you'll find me half-clothed in my bathing suit, laying on a raft in the middle of the river, bronzing with a grin, tanning oil applied and drinking a corona! There's a crowd of people going as well, all family and friends of MY friend, Nichole. Should be awesome! There's been a lot on my mind lately...mostly over the past few days. I need some perspective. If you don't have a special place for yourself, I highly recommend looking into one. Think about which environments calm you and give them a try :)
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 7:20 AM 0 comments
Monday, September 1, 2008
Nike Human Race 10K
"HARDER. BETTER. FASTER. STRONGER. The Nike+ HUMAN RACE 10K ended with a BANG. Runners had the time of their lives as they made their way through a 6.2 mile course featuring 9 global performances ranging from Japanese Taiko Drummers to French Can Can Dancers. Host Randy Jackson was able to keep the show rolling with exciting special guests such as Olympians Lisa Leslie and Jessica Mendoza. Nine-time Grammy Award winning artist Kanye West rocked the stage as he performed hits ranging from Stronger to Flashing Lights. Common kept the energy up with a surprise performance of his hit ‘Go’ and ‘Get Em High’ accompanied by Kanye on back up. The night was capped off with a vibrant fireworks display which set the sky ablaze. It was the perfect ending to the perfect race with the energy and passion that only LA could deliver."
This article comes straight from Nikeplus.com with a small glimpse of what last night (August 31, 2008) was all about! Two friends of mine briefly told me about the race maybe a month ago and I immediately was interested in finding out more information. It turns out that the $35 fee for the race also goes to one of 3 charities that you choose. I chose Livestrong over Ninemillion.org and WWF. You also receive an official Nike Human Race shirt that all runners must wear during the race, and it also serves as your ticket into the after show; a performance by Kanye West and Common!
I've been running 3 miles around the Pasadena Rose Bowl about every other morning (waking up at 4am) for the past couple of months and have been waiting for the next exciting run to participate in. A 10K was a perfect race to be my first! I have been so excited during the whole month of August and when the weekend of the race finally hit, I was in the zone! I rested all of Saturday and ate/drank accordingly, keeping sure I was well hydrated and fed.
Sunday was race day with the starting time of 8:31:08pm, and let me tell you, it lagged!!! I stretched throughout the day and grew more and more anxious with each passing hour. My friends picked me up at 5:30 pm to head over to the LA Coliseum to get there early and avoid traffic and parking chaos. On the drive over there, I realized I had forgot the headphones and arm band to my iPod! I was so bummed! I even took the time that day to create a special, fast-paced playlist for the race to keep me at a steady pace! I was so worried that this would effect my performance and my time! I chose to stay positive and to treat my forgetfulness as a challenge to overcome. Over the next 2 hours, 12,000 runners showed up to be a part of a world wide race, the largest one to ever take place in the same day. Cities all over the world held the same race with Los Angeles being the last city to complete it. 10 minutes before go time, Randy Jackson (American Idol) took the stage to pump up the crowd. People were dancing to the music, cheering, and jumping in place until seconds before it began. WE WERE OFF!!!
The crowd movement started off slow since we were all herded on a large grassy field in order of our average mile time. I placed myself in the 11 minute mile crowd only because that's where my friends felt most comfortable. Once we all began, it was tough working my way through the slower runners. There were so many of us, and we were using 2 lanes on the streets of LA so it was crowded. I ran the entire race on the far left side, basically on the double yellow lines that divide the traffic. People were cheering each other on and were making comments to each other like, "this is amazing!" and "this is the coolest thing ever!" I soon realized that the sound of footsteps from the hundreds of runners around me plus their positive and supportive comments was a much better soundtrack to run to for my first race! There were also small side stages with acts from Hawaiian dancers, drummers, Can-Can dancers and other performances that represented the other running countries. There was plenty to keep me focused and steady. The entire run went by so quickly! I didn't stop once, not even for water or Gatorade at the side tables on the route. I had my eye on the prize and just focused on weaving through the slower runners and making my way to the finish line. I will definitely place myself in the 9 or 10 minute mile group next time so there will hopefully be less walkers which means less dodging and weaving through them when they decide to stop right in front of you! Anyways, I felt great through the whole thing until I had about 1/2 a mile to go. I was still in good shape, just had some pain in the left side of my chest when I breathed. It was easily forgotten as soon as I hit the last stretch where a large crowd of spectators and supporters stood on both sides of the lanes, cheering and congratulating everyone as they raced by. I felt so proud, excited, and truly special to had been a part of a great cause and to have accomplished a personal goal. Of course, with all of these emotions hitting me at once, I neglected to check out my time as I crossed the finish line as well as to grab a special Nike race bracelet they were handing out. I did grab a water bottle and a cup of yogurt and granola and headed the meeting spot that my friends and I agreed on. I was drenched from head to toe in sweat and in glory :)
After the race, a special musical performance by Kanye West and Common took place on a stage built on the grassy field where we all originally gathered. It was awesome to be among the 12,000 glowing (sweaty) runners that just took part in the same thing I had done. Everyone was stoked to rock out to an amazing artist who pretty much stole the show. The night ended in a BANG with a crazy and impressive fireworks show above the stage. I am so glad I was a part of this event and am now looking for the next race to sign up for. The Long Beach Marathon is soon approaching and I think I'll attempt half of it (13 miles)! Let the training begin!
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 7:33 PM 0 comments
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Fish out of water!
I stumbled upon this VERY accurate description of my astrological sign, Pisces. I don't really follow astrology or even read horoscopes. When I read this I was blown away from how close it really does come to explaining a lot of my characteristics! I'll let this article do my talking...
ALL ABOUT ZODIAC BIRTHSIGN: PISCES
Born February 19 - March 20
Pisces are governed by a duality, a struggle of the spiritual soul within the physical body.
Pisces aredeeply creative and artistic, with enhanced intuitive abilities.
Pisces make great friends and romantic partners.
Pisces Personality Traits
Pisces are the most impressionable of the twelve zodiac signs. Deeply empathetic, they often exhibit a gentle, patient nature, but one that is in want of inspiration. Pisces can be deeply affected by and completely absorbed into their environment.
Pisces adapt well to their circumstances, both good and bad. They are generous, amiable,positive natured people with a deep sense of kindness and compassion. Pisces are highly tuned in to everything around them including the feelings of others.
Pisces are socially popular because of their easygoing and likable manner. They have an uncanny sense of perceiving what a person wants or needs, and delivering it. Pisces are reflexive, preferring to allow circumstances and events to unfold and, only then responding.
Pisces are not typical peopl. They are too idealistic and impractical for every day run of the mill living. Pisces are sensitive and instinctual rather than bookish or mechanical.
When Pisces find the right situations, they are capable of some incredible deeds. Pisces completely and wholly engage in a chosen path, to the exclusion of everything else. This obsessive compulsive energy can be healthy and not. Pisces can be workaholics (and other kind of -aholics too).
Positive Pisces Personality Traits
Pisces excel in situations where they can leverage their imaginative and intuitive nature. They are exceptionally gifted artistically. Pisces are often intensely interested and skilled at a wide variety of things and tend to learn by absorption as opposed to logic. Pisces are loyal, family oriented, kind and giving. They are receptive to new ideas and circumstances. Pisces have an uncanny ability to nurture and support which is directly related to their powerful intuition.
Pisces make profound artists of all types because they possess great, vivid imaginations. That powerful creativity is often expressed in music, literature, drama and art. Pisces love style, luxury and pleasure, and are always ready for new adventures. When Pisces travel, they enjoy unique, exotic, luxurious places as well as modest, indigenous settings where like to live as the locals do.
Main positive personality traits: Uncommon ability to instinctively respond to given situations; compassionate; understanding; artistic, sacrificing.
Negative Pisces Personality Traits
Pisces are often scatterbrains. They don’t do well in highly structured or regimented situations and generally buck convention. Pisces can be so emotional, needy and intense that they can end up being a real drag to people around them. In business, Pisces can be unreliable, unmotivated, easily distracted, and have their heads in the clouds all the time. The not so nice side of Pisces manifests as being a gossip, indiscreet, and gullible.
Pisces are easily lied to because they so want to believe. No matter how often they are led astray by empty promises, they keep the faith and push on toward their personal ideal. Their dreamy and impractical natures can be a source of distress to those close to them. Being both optimistic and cynical, Pisces find it difficult to make up their minds on any issue. Main negative personality traits: Lazy, impractical, unrealistic, fearful, emotionally restrained, melancholy.
Pisces Profession & Career
In the career department, Pisces are often better working for themselves than for someone else. Their innate sympathy equips them for careers in charity, catering to the needy, as a nurse, looking after the sick, or as a veterinarian, caring for animals.
Pisces have an intrinsic love of water, and are particularly well-suited towards jobs that keep them near the sea. Pisces notable creativity includes a natural ability to imitate or mirror another person as well as enter into their feelings. These attributes also make Pisces incredible character actors, and many Pisceans find great success on stage or in films.
Pisces make fantastic salespeople, copywriters, marketing creatives and advertising executives. The much vaunted Pisces empathy for others makes them very effective in civil service and in the legal arena, particularly as an advocate for the less fortunate. Many police officers, attorneys and judges are Pisces.
Pisces intuitive and metaphysical nature can lead them into careers in religion or to service as mediums and psychics. The search for spiritual meaning is never-ending for Pisces and a work situation that helps them follow this quest can be deeply rewarding.
Owing to their versatility and adaptability, Pisces can often follow several radically different career paths during their lifetime. For example, it is not at all uncommon for a Pisces to work effectively in one long-term "day job" capacity, while pursuing a radically different "passion" after work or on weekends. Where others may feel encumbered by their work identity, Pisces chameleon-like capacity for change allows them to shed their skin and pursue things others can only dream about while stuck in their rut.
Warning for Pisces
When Pisces feel rejected or get the blues, they REALLY get the blues. Pisces are easily lured to drugs or alcohol for escape or distraction. Pisces should avoid this for obvious reasons, but particularly because of their highly addictive, compulsive nature. Pisces can easily develop a variety of vice habits including excessive gambling, compulsive shopping, and overspending.
Pisces can suffer from a general lack of decisiveness and are easily distracted from their objectives. Pisces have a propensity towards depression and restlessness when not feeling fulfilled. They should live in sunny, warm climates, close to bodies of water.
Pisces should be ritualistic about exercise and fitness in order to fight back melancholy. Pisces must make a concerted effort to avoid their restlessness and desire to do something new in order to succeed and make their life work better. Pisces Keywords - Words That Describe Pisces: Mysterious, mediumistic, dreamy, sensitive, vague, impressionable, artistic, emotional, inconstant, sarcastic, obsessional,deceptive, confused, unrealistic, bizarre, fearful, alcoholic, solitary, compassionate, intuitive, morbid, degraded, perverse, neurotic, secretive, spiritual, clairvoyant, sensual, humanistic, introspective, sublime, idealistic, musical, insane, religious, pious, lacks control, chaotic, careless, masochist, gloomy, magician, wise, charitable, undisciplined, addictive.
Pisces Love Compatibility Characteristics
Positive Pisces Love Characteristics:
Loving, spiritual, sympathetic, in-tune, easy to get along with, artistic, romantic. Pisces are caring, intuitive mates and favor the security of long-term monogamous relationships.
Not-So-Positive Pisces Love Characteristics:
Tender-hearted, flighty, not great with money, prone to escapism and emotional peaks and valleys. Can be needy.
Love Comes Easy To Pisces
Love comes easily and naturally to Pisces. Hopelessly romantic, Pisces are affectionate, committed and loyal partners. Pisces have the natural ability to read and understand their mate’s feelings and needs fairly effortlessly. Quite often, that can lead to a lot of hurt for gentle Pisces who might not too easily find a mate that "gets" them quite the same way.
Pisces & Aquarius
Pisces and Aquarius vacilate between harmony and conflict. Some of the great partnerships of all time feature the Pisces and Aquarius dynamic. This push/pull is both an incredible catalyst but also a potential powderkeg.
Pisces & Pisces
Pisces and other Pisces enjoy effortless communication amongst themselves and the deep contentment that comes from truly being understood and loved unconditionally. But there is a lot of room for disaster when two Pisces split in divergent directions. Inevitably, it is deeply hurtful for both. But when it works... It’s magic.
Pisces & Aries
Pisces and Aries are quite literally like fire and water. The pioneering and adventurous Aries spirit can be very exciting to the easy going Pisces. The calming safety of Pisces can be a perfect respite when Aries needs someone to understand why they are so determined and adventurous. On the other hand, Pisces are not nearly as driven as Aries which can cause problems for either.
Pisces & Taurus
Pisces and Taurus are compatible but the relationship can often be a case of the have and have nots. Taurus likes nice things, money equals security to Taurus and having both is paramount. PIsces also enjoy and appreciate finer things in life though Pisces are not nearly as naturally inclined to "acquire" as Taurus.
Pisces & Gemini
Pisces and Gemini are the spice of life. Both Pisces and Gemini love variety and a wealth of life experiences. Both are especially adaptable to new experiences and situations and both are excellent communicators. Pisces and Gemini are likely to have many different things going at one time.
Pisces & Cancer
Pisces and Cancer have a shared connection to love and the family. Cancer is a caretaker and needs emotional commitment and security in a relationship. Pisces love to shower their mates with love and attention so this fulfills that needs well. Pisces also tend to rely on their mates heavily which plays to the Cancer tendencies towards protection and safety.
Pisces & Leo
Pisces and Leo can irritate each other initially as Leo is the leader of the pack, and Pisces tend to be wary of hypercompetitive alpha types. When Pisces can give Leo full undivided attention and Leo can learn to rely on Pisces incredible intuition and talent this can be a fruitful relationship full of all that life can offer.
Pisces & Virgo
Pisces and Virgo brings the technical and efficient Virgo ingenuity together with the creative, imaginative thinking that is so evident in Pisces. Virgo wants good health and things done right while Pisces are obliging and geat at problem solving.
Pisces & Libra
Libras can be particularly compatible with Pisces in long-term relationships as the balanced Libra helps offset the spontaneous Pisces spirit. Libra is well mannered and proper with a great sense of style. Pisces appreciate the beauty and cultured personality of Libra.
Pisces & Scorpio
Pisces and Scorpio are most compatible when Pisces can be pragmatic and decisive. Scorpio is prone to strong likes and dislikes and is extremely loyal or equally hostile towards perceived enemies. The world is very black and white to Scorpio. Pisces find it very easy to read Scorpio because they often communicate nonverbally with looks and posture rather than words.
Pisces & Sagittarius
Pisces and Sagittarius can be a mind-blowing partnership as both have great capacity for self-awareness and continually reaching new levels of personal understanding. Sagittarius and Pisces are both enthusiastic and good sports making for lots of happy times and smiles.
Pisces & Capricorn
Pisces and Capricorn relationships often revolve around the pursuit of power or authority. Capricorn needs to be an authority figure and Pisces can only take so much of a taskmaster before lashing out with righteos indignation and if you’ve never seen gentle Pisces ticked off, look out
The Enchanting Pisces Female
How To Love a Pisces Woman and Make Her Love You Back
The Pisces Female represents an intoxicating blend of earth-bound passion and otherworldly fantasy. Men are entranced by her at first glance and haunted by her forever after. They may try to recall what it is about her that’s so enchanting, but they can never understand the secrets of her siren song.
Pisces female is not one to pick who she’s with on the spur of the moment, she is far more discerning with her gifts of love. Pisces female quickly uncovers the secrets that lie hidden underneath the social facade. BS artists are transparent to her as her powerful intuition and psychic nature sees through to what they are really after. Highly in tune with the subtleties in what someone says or how someone acts, the pisces woman quickly bails out if what she sees and hears aren’t what they’re supposed to be.
Piscean women choose lovers that tend to be of two opposing types. She often finds herself attracted to emotionally insecure or wounded guys that she can nurture and "mother". She also falls for the opposite type of partner—one who is virile, masculine, with a strong sense of self-determination and responsibility, someone who can protect, provide for and care for her, giving her the support and guidance that she needs.
To the pisces female, love is everything and everywhere. When Pisces female is happy and in love all that is seems wondrous and tingling with excitement. When she is in despair over a relationship failure, the world stops turning. Pisces female’s single strongest desire is to be lost in love with her soul mate, to be bonded with her partner in a magical and perfect union.
More than any other zodiac birth sign, the Pisces female can transform herself into the image that her partner seeks. Pisces being a mutable sign, the Pisces female adapts easily, almost effortlessly. Still, this mysterious pisces woman remains quite her own person: elusive, unattainable, beguiling. She is someone that everyone wants and no one quite understands.
For all her charm and allure, the Pisces woman can have her head too far in the clouds. Fantasy is her most real experience.
In the bedroom, the Pisces female is every man’s dream because she gives full expression to her sexual fantasies and desire. Pisces female is highly skilled at all flavors of erotic play, much to the delight of her lucky lover.
At times, the pisces female’s hyper-affectionate characteristics can develop into dependency. But her powerful psychic intuition always clues her in when she’s reached the limit of her partner’s patience.
Pisces female can always, if she so chooses, win back a man’s affection and love. However, like all Pisces, she can be touchy and oversensitive when she feels misunderstood. What Pisces female needs most is caring patience and steady support. She hurt terribly by the slightest hint of rejection. When she’s handled with love and care, however, the sensuous, magnetic side of her is always at the surface.
The secret of being with the mystical, enchanting, sensitive Pisces female is to keep the romance alive. To her, romance and love is life itself.
Posted by Momista Beginnings at 10:34 AM 0 comments