Table Seven

Things I know to be true...

 

• Pinterest is my most favorite, awesome, inspirational vacuum of time. Obsessed!
• There are certain days that will forever be engrained in my memory as nothing short of staggeringly tremendous. 
• All those tremendous days started just like every single other day.
• Celebrate the details surrounding your every day. I've found there is always a reason for a party, there is more-so, always a reason for champagne, toasts  & celebration 
• People that use their facebook status to whine or back-handedly brag about spouses, homes and otherwise non-problems get hidden. Period. Not that everything I post is riveting, but seriously, I cannot take it any longer. 
• I have a love/hate relationship with voicemail - more hate. 
• I think clear bra straps are one of the worst fashion inventions ever. They aren't invisible, you know? Just clear.  
• I always feel better after a workout. Regardless of the pain and inner struggle to took me to get there. 
• Sandwiches taste so much better when someone else makes them for you. 
• Have faith. Sometimes it is all we've got. Sometimes it is all we need.
• If someone shows you who they are, believe them.
• Take or Ask for the picture -- regret follows not asking & rarely will someone say 'no' or be ugly. Just be appropriate in timing and place.
• It is more than okay to be awkward. {Note this is what I keep telling myself.  Also under the misnomer {never been confirmed} that awkward is endearing}
• A movie. Worst first date idea. This close to a deal breaker. I don't want to sit in a $10 nap to not get to know you?
• Greatest compliment received to date - "You're magic" 
• I do love rainy nights
• If I am out on a walk, run or at the park and a random dog starts following me - my inner {non-tone deaf, obviously} voice starts singing Dumb Dog, Why Are You Following Me?
  
• Bruce managed to trump 46; 46 crushed P/A. And I am still trying to find coffee shop. 
• Fresh Cut Grass. The fragrance that it exudes is so spring, and fresh and reminds that summer is just around the bend. 
• If you don't want anyone to find out about 'it' - don't do it {smart Chinese Proverbs}
• This too shall pass. {If I had a dime for how many times I remind myself this in a day...}
• Good lighting can make all the difference. 
• Some people, so simply, are just what crazy looks like on an ordinary day. 
• I have a thing for ninjas. I wish I was one somedays. 
• Keep your eyes peeled, amazing often jumps right in our path without warning. 

Because of you ...

because of you, I make a point not to park on a sidewalk

because of you, I write a note when I wake up thinking about something in the middle of the night

because of you, I realize that reality television might really be nothing more than "emotional porn"

because of you, I listen to Edith Piaf

because of you, I miss being driven around 

because of you, I genuinely try not to "overthink"

because of you, I think about what I am going to say a little bit longer before I say it

because of you, I pay attention to sports talk radio

because of you, I embrace my unnatural, sincere love for Neil Diamond

because of you, I think about eating fried mushrooms with ranch on random late nights

because of you, I pray more

because of you, I am a more open minded.

because of you, I will treat myself to a little Bailey's on my ice cream {I don't do this often enough & if you've never done it, you have no idea what you're missing!}

because of you, I say it. Out loud. To you, not behind your back

because of you, I take into a account how short life actually is 

because of you, I wonder if a 7-11 hotdog tastes any good {but not enough wonder to actually try one...}

because of you, I try to run

because of you, I love, love, love live music

because of you, I realized that I do have a little jealousy streak hidden deep down inside

because of you, I'm more honest 

because of you, I ask more questions {if it's possible}

because of you, I ask less in certain situations

because of your pushing, I write more

because of you, I laugh a little louder, even at myself

because of you, I am stronger

because you're gone, I am better than I was before

*note that all these you's are not the same man. they each, in their own way, made me a little better. a little stronger. a little less neurotic. chances are, they haven't a clue. 

So long Summer

Not sure where the summer has gone, but as the sun goes down on Labor Day, it is officially over.  You were good to me summer 2010.

I laughed, traveled, asked for help and then accepted it, read good books, saw old friends & made some new ones, organized, purged, ate, smiled, grew, researched and learned, and loved almost every single second of you sweet Summer.

So now I say, Cheers to you, Fall - to new beginnings and football and holidays and other people's milestones, and hopefully some of my own, to even more laughter, friends and things to check off our list.   

100(ish) things I hope to do before I go...

It wasn't my original idea, but the list is 100% all my crazy, some totally attainable, others not so sure I have the kahunas to actually accomplish but damn if I am not going to try with all my might things that I hope to achieve, accomplish and scratch off the list...

1 Safari in Africa.

2 Fall in love.  Real, can't-live-without-you-love.

3 Walk the Great Wall of China.

4 Go on a mission trip.

5 Learn to play a song on the guitar.

6 Organize my life.

7 Learn to actually speak Spanish that Spanish people can actually comprehend.

8 Own a piece of the original 90210 set (a menu from the PeachPit, a script, an issue of the Beverly Beat/West Bev Blaze...)

9 Meet Neil Diamond (& ideally have a picture to capture the moment).

10 Perform on a stage.

11 Roadtrip to Yellowstone.

12 Turn Yiayia & Papou's love story into a book.

13 Get that book published. 

14 Wear a large, fantastic hat to the Kentucky Derby.

15 Keep an orchid alive.

16 Get photographed in front of the Taj Mahal.

17 Grow my hair out and give it to charity.

18 Dance on the stage at a major concert (a la Bruce Springsteen & Courteney Cox).

19 Throw a surprise party, successfully.

20 Be a child's show n tell.

21 Sing karaoke in a manner that doesn't make the audience wince. 

22 Ride a mechanical bull.

23 Stay on 8 seconds.

24 Buy a house.

25 Grow vegetables in my own garden.

26 Run/Walk a full marathon.

27 Make ice cream from my Irish Murphy's Ice Cream Cookbook.

28 Meet royalty.  (A prince, a queen, the page  - I don't so much care). 

29 Learn to knit.

30 Knit myself a hat. A super cute one that I actually wear.

31 Ride my bike in the Vail 4th of July parade.

32 Get a henna tatt.

33 Attend a fashion show during fashion week in NYC.

34 Finally finish the paperwork to get a Greek Passport.

35 Photograph Rodin's The Thinker.  Have someone take a second photograph where I am thinking alongside.

36 Repay my parents. Maybe not monetarily. But repay them, somehow.

37 See Mount Rushmore.

38 Ask Chris Harrison how he manages to keep a straight face season after season of the Bachelor/ette

39 Sit on the dirt of Reliant while George Strait plays the HLSR

40 Jump the guilt hurdle.

41 Learn to jump an actual hurdle.

42 Ride a camel in India.

43 Ride a donkey in the motherland.

44 Turn kantalis.com into more than just a registered name.

45 Be on the front page of a newspaper - the front page of the Style/Lifestyle section counts. (it's my list...)

46 See the tulips in Amsterdam

47 Be a mentor.

48 Learn to meditate & not have my ADD get in the way.

49 Climb Machu Picchu.

50 Learn to dance the Tango.

51 Smoke a cigar in Cuba.

52 Learn how to make almond croissants.

53 Write a children's book.

54 Take a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon.

55 Ring in the New Year in Sydney.

56 Christen a boat. 

57 Visit Hagia Sophia in Turkey.

58 Wine taste in the wine country.

59 Not be so hard on myself.

60 Ride a gondola in Venice (Italy, not Vegas and not see any rats).

61 Follow my heart. 

62 Know when to hold 'em.  Know when to fold 'em.

63 Register and complete NaNoWriMo.

64 See a city from a hot air balloon.

65 Realize how very blessed I am.

66 Hug Oprah.

67 Visit Marfa.

68 Make sure my brother knows that being his sister has been my most favorite long term job.

69 Sell my work.

70 Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and photograph people along the way.

71 Have children.

72 Own a house by the water. 

73 Meet a man who continues to take my breath away.

74 Needlepoint a pillow.

75 Learn to make koulourakia that everyone craves just like Yiayia Despina. 

76 Ride shotgun in an 18-wheeler.

77 Stand up for myself.

78 Have a front porch with rocking chairs that actually get used and aren't just a decoration.

79 Zip-line through a rain forest.

80 Photograph 100 people in love.

81 See Cher LIVE.

82 Take a baseball bat to an old TV that no longer works. (KWH/GLS this is kinda for y'all - to prove I can)

83 Create a home that is a safe, comfortable, loving place for the people living in it, as well as for those who visit.

84 Stop sweating the small stuff.

85 Buy scarves on the streets of India.

86 Have a cocktail at the Iceland all ice hotel/bar

87 Join a bowling league. (mostly so I can wear a sweet bowling shirt with my name on it)

88 Kiss an Italian.

89 Get something named after me.

90 Be remarkable and memorable. (in a good way)

91 Take it one day at a time.

92 Go snowmobiling.

93 Have a go-to joke that always makes people laugh.

94 Dance in the rain.

95 Visit the Holy Land

96 Make vinegar.  Not by accident.

97 Skinnydip.

98 Be on Ellen - if in the audience, get a little air time.

99 Go to the Louvre - actually go inside and see something, not just sit outside & drink wine (already did that...)

100 Take each of my godchildren on a trip - just us. 

101 Photograph Red Square.

102 Go to Argentina, get a pair of shoes made special for moi.

103 Look up into the sky and identify constellations.

Things you didn't see on this list, that you never will...   Skydive - I have a hard enough time walking on solid ground.  Go to Space - the only trip I never want to take.  Learn to procrastinate - got that $hit down pat.  Fly on a leer jet - I don't need to get anywhere that fast.  Look good in a pair of straight leg pants - I am pretty sure this Hellenic Hip Disorder is going to keep that from happening, and that is ok.  Really.  

Momma

 She's dear and kind and sometimes nutty.  She cares with every ounce of her being, she needs to learn how to say 'no' but it wouldn't be in her nature.  She loves so much it is amazing to witness.  Her laugh is contagious, especially when she is laughing at herself.  She gets so excited for vacations it is as though it is the first time, every time.  She loves to shop, loves the sun, and knows the right thing to say (99%).  She reminds me to hold my stomach in, that lip gloss and mascara are a made face, that 'pretty is as pretty does' and that life is too short to worry (she's doing enough worry for the both of us)!  She is a sensational cook, and has this awe-inspiring ability to feed an army without notice.  She's inquisitive and doting.  She reminds me to be passionate about every aspect of life and to love with my whole being.  

She is my momma.  And she is such a gift.  

Resolutions

I always get anxious just before new years and that anxiety usually lasts til about my birthday.  I spend time replaying the year in my head.  The highpoints and the low, the missed hopes and the surprises, the travel, the woulda, coula, shouldas, the loves, the losses, where I went wrong and where I went right.  The new year, being the new beginning everyone thinks they need to jump start themselves.  Let me be the first to openly admit that the betterment of Dana is an ongoing process which needs so very much constant petting and attention, but just before (and by just before, I mean at about 4 in the afternoon) new years, I start the mental slide show.  It's a form of personal torture, I'm not gonna lie.  It's brutal.  

But it is also one of the most cleansing things that I put myself through. It helps me to figure out the goals and hopes for the next year.  It helps me to remember what all went down throughout the year.  It reminds me of all the trips I took and photos along the way.  It reminds me of what I need to organize and what I need remember.  

And now that it's almost my birthday, I have to make decisions and move forward, holidays are gone, Christmas is put away and hiding, the binge has thankfully come to a close and it is a time to buck up and take the new year as a new time to get better and start things that I have 'wanted' to do

Stress less and workout more.  Laugh more and worry only about things that are worth worrying about (Ha!).  Cut back on the drinking, eat better and get more sleep.  Less television and more books.  Only shop when I *need* something.  Be more considerate, do random acts of kindness, share with people less fortunate.  Do laundry once a week not once a month.  Shoot more pictures. Keep things in their spot. Write more. Breathe. Relax.  Don't get worked up over things that don't matter.  Work towards a flatter stomach.  Smile to strangers.  Make eye contact.  Be more social.   See more movies.  Make time for me.  Save more.  Spend less.  

Cheers to you, 2010, my thirty third year.   Here's to giving you my all.

It's puzzling...

• why anyone would pierce their nose like a bull
• people who do not make time for vacation 
• how one isn't petrified of riding a motorcycle
• why hot boring guy who likes strippers, vegas and gives homeless people food has to be boring
• why it took gm this long to discontinue making hummers
• what about neil diamond makes me so happy
• why men wear skinny jeans
• what makes said men think they look good
• how two people can look at the exact same thing and see it from such different points of view
• what sparked bill murray & tim robbins to be in easily the worst movie I have seen this year, if not ever -- city of ember, and I saw it in January 
• what possesses guys to put pictures up on dating & mating websites of them with tropicana girls, playboy bunnies and/or girls of the like  
• is that what they are honestly looking for
• how at&t can manage to drop THAT many calls
• that I can think of the perfect thing to say 2 minutes too late
• that the man that stalked Donna Martin in 97 on 90210 is now in a Cheerios commercial
• that the things I 'regret' might not have made an ounce of difference
• how certain people know exactly which buttons to push
• is the stuff people post to texts from last night really the texts they received
• how someone as whiny and indecisive as meredith grey can end up with derek sheperd
• is that proof that there is indeed someone for everyone - i do realize they are fake people, but they had to resemble someone to be created...

Hmmm

I never understood orange cars
I love Sally Hansen lip infusion in sheer pink
I miss my grandmothers more than my grandfather and for this I feel a little guilty
I had a crush on my dentist when I lived in Dallas - he wasn't all that attractive and at tallest was 5' flat
I believe to really get the most out of a trip to the motherland you need at least two weeks to feel the bio-rhythm of the med -- this is the only thing Dino Bravo taught me
I have banned myself from buying another book til I read what I've already bought
I overspend at Walgreen's, CostCo and The Gap
Weird that I thought of the Gap, I don't go there all that often
I don’t understand why Josh Duhamel chose Fergie as his lobster
I have an oldest child conscience so much that I wish I was born second
Facebook quizzes annoy me to the nth degree
I am scared of meatloaf.  I know that sounds ridiculous
I need another handbag like I need to shoot myself in the foot
I never thought that house hunting would be such a very stressful experience
I giggle when I see BIG men climb out of MINI coopers
I like Twitter because I incorrectly feel like Ashton, Shaq, Martha, Rainn Wilson et al are talking directly to me, when in reality they are talking to themselves and I am simply listening...
I was unaware of a warrant for my arrest for speeding.  For three years.
I used to think being left handed would make me more creative, but I wasn't capable of making the switch because I didnt like my hand writing as a lefty
Mosquitoes love me
It only bothers me a little that Adam Lambert is better at applying eyeliner
I have no desire to jump out of a plane.  

From ear to ear

Justin Timberlake
overcast days
Flowers in my hair
Warm pajamas right out of the dryer
No alarm clock
Finishing a good workout
A reason to dress up
Wayne Brady on Who’s Line Is It Anyway
French fries with feta cheese
Tanned skin
A hand on the small of my back, just barely leading me
Hazlenut
Grey’s Anatomy
Cool breeze, sunny day
Knowing where I am going
American Idol tryouts
Matching night clothes
Someone to cuddle beside
A made bed
Bookstores. At all hours and even if I don’t really need a book
The soft scent of gardenia
Laughing til your belly aches
Jeans right out of the dryer that fit – sans button struggle, bum stretch and warm
Big family gatherings
Cloudless periwinkle skies
Stormy days and chick flicks
Capturing the moment
Peeling a grapefruit and eating like an orange

Tis the season

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and the upcoming holidays - I am thankful....

For the Maria and the Paki. Their patience, kindness, selflessness and warmth is overwhelming. And because there is just enough Maria and just enough Paki to make me, me.

For Yan. For his laughter, his cynicism, his stubborness, rationalism, his heart, his strengths. And for allowing me to be an older sister, as it has always been my most favorite job.

For my health. As Yiayia says, "If you have your health, you have everything you need..."

For those crazy relatives. They are loud, backwards, forwards, crooked and straight. And they are mine. They are far and near. They are ridiculous, amusing and caring. For being able to understand them, to laugh at them, and most importantly laugh with them.

For my dearies. They laugh. They listen. They love. They make time. They accept. They share. They honor. They are faithful. A little part of them resides in me, making me stronger, better.

For the men in my life. They are reliable, in their own rite. They are comically endearing and completely disenchanted. They are considerate, warm and filled with character, all kinds of character. Most importantly, they never cease to surprise and are consistently protective when I least expect it.

For my ability to know right from wrong. For knowing that just because everyone is doing it, it doesn't make it right.

For my heart. It's overflowing with love, it's concerned, it's filled with passion, compassion and enthusiasm.

For my brain. It's chock-full of wisdom, of room for growth, and neurosies. For the ability to create imaginative stories, share special moments and relay anecdotes.

For strength. The stregnth I have in muscles. The strength I have in my legs. The strength I hold in my heart, my mind. Most importantly for the strength I have in my soul.

For the little minis. For their refreshing naive outlook on all that abounds.

For the most intimate, platonic man in my days. For his patience. For his drive to continue working so hard to help make me a better, stronger, more upright individual.

For the past, because the past has molded me into the person I have become.

For my endless curiousity. A burden to some and comedic to others.

For the many moments I have experienced. The moments of laughter, of tears, of fears, of hope. Those moments that I have memorized. And for the countless ones that I have yet to experience.

For front porch nights. For conversations about nothing and everything. For gardenias. For instinct. For speech.

For french fries cooked in olive oil. For feta cheese. For ice cream. For chocolate milk. For Yiayia's tyropites. For hazlenut. For wireless internet. For music.

For love. For the way I have been loved. For the way I have loved. For the ability to love with my whole heart.

For a blessed childhood. For dreams. For desire. For truth.