44 Things About Me: Birthday Edition

Today is my birthday, and I’d like you to celebrate with me. No, not buy me anything. Celebrate. Smile a little wider. Laugh from deep within. Love with all your heart. Giggle with you friends. Do something nice for someone else. Pay it forward. Stuff like that.

As I head into my mid-40s, I feel a shift coming. I thought 45 might be “middle age”, which kind of means old. But when I see my Grandma at 92 still living on her own and speaking her mind, I’m not sure what old looks like for my family. Part of me is afraid of “the late 40s” because my mom left this world when she was 47. But being afraid is something I work hard to limit. I really try to fear less.

In the coming months I’ll share some exciting information about what this next year holds. I have so many idea of what the next year will look like, and they’re all pretty amazing. Seriously, I think heading toward 45 may be my best year yet. So as I move forward, I thought I’d look back and share some things about me.

44 Things About Me

1. I’ve known my husband for 25 years.

2. I will celebrate my 19th wedding anniversary in a few weeks.

3. I played flag football when I was a kid because it was the only sport at the YMCA both my brother and I could do at the same time.

4. I’ve been to 1 Rose Parade. It was with my friend Jannis and her family when I was 12.

5. I am still very good friends with Jannis. She’s been to my wedding, I’ve been to hers, and our children know each other.

6. I was 8 years old when I met General Omar Bradley. I met him many more times after that, always talking to him sitting in his helicopter.

7. I was 18 when I met Pope John Paul II, having been invited to go see him with a dorm-mate.

8. I have more black clothing in my closet than any other color.

9. I don’t like lobster or crab.

10. I went to one Junior High for 3 days.

11. I lived in a house right on the beach when I was a kid.

12. My foreign languages in high school were Japanese and Latin.

13. I was in JROTC, which taught me how to read a map, fire a weapon, and keep my opinions to myself.

14. On my birthday I used to buy my mom a gift.

15. I am a huge Michael Jackson fan. Have been since I was a kid.

16. I hired a private investigator to find a childhood friend to reunite her with another friend as wedding shower gift.

17. My mom dropped the “h” from Sarah because she thought it looked weird with our last name.

18. I was the only girl on my high school High-Q team (a quiz bowl-type competition).

19. For my senior English project, a group of friends and I re-created Beowolf and made it into a movie.

20. I learned how to type in 7th grade on a manual typewriter without letters on the keyboard.

21. I’m a chocolate person.

22. I don’t drink coffee.

23. Water is my drink of choice. With very little ice. (Talk about a cheap date!)

24. I still remember when my mom brought me Burger King for lunch when I was in 2nd grade.

25. The first computer I ever used was a Mac Lisa.

26. I look exactly like my mom.

27. My daughter looks exactly like me.

28. I don’t usually wear my engagement ring. I stopped wearing it when I scratched my daughter when she was 2 weeks old.

29. I knew I wanted to be a lawyer when I was 7.

30. I’m a quality over quantity kind of gal.

31. I am Vitamin D deficient. Yes, I live in Arizona.

32. I have a very dry sense of humor.

33. My first concert was Men At Work.

34. I love Bette Midler. My favorite movie of hers is Isn’t She Great.

35. I once sat next to Connie Chung on a cross-country flight and she told me about her years as a news anchor.

36. I got my driver’s license when I was 17, despite getting in to an accident while in driver’s ed. (It wasn’t my fault!)

37. My friend Adriana and I used to drive ourselves to driver’s ed.

38. My longest friendship is with Rhonda (I call her my sister). We were penpals when I was 5 and she was 6.

39. One of my dearest friends I met online.

40. The last picture I have of my mother is from my college graduation.

41. I know more than I really should ever know about the mining industry. (This is stuff you learn as a law clerk in depositions with the world’s leading expert on mining.)

42. I don’t like camping.

43. I taught myself how to drive a stick shift.

44. I’ve had one dog as an adult. Her name was Jane and she was a Jack Russell Terrier. She lived to be 18 years old. I won’t get another dog.

Thank you for reading all the way through. Thanks for reading my blog and supporting me in this little home I have on the internet. I hope the year ahead for you is as extraordinary as I believe it will be for me.

I’ve read that there is folklore that whatever you do on your birthday sets to tone for the entire year. So, when I was invited to be a guest on This Week in Law today, I said yes! I probably could have gone to the spa, but talking about legal stuff with other lawyers who geek-out talking about the law is even better than going to the spa. And, well, you know how much I enjoy the spa.

Do something nice for yourself, and celebrate my birthday with me.

Birthday Giveaway #6: $50 CafePress Gift Card [CLOSED]

What are little girls made of

I came across this ‘What Are Little Girls Made Of?’ wall decal at CafePress and I just had to have it. BabyGirl loves science and talks about becoming a chemist. So what better way to encourage her love than a fun piece of art for her bedroom? And it’s removable without damaging the wall! Extra awesome!

There’s never a time when a customized gift isn’t appreciated. Wait, I take that back. A few years ago I coordinated a white elephant gift exchange for CycleGuy’s company holiday party and someone’s gift was a set of coffee mugs with the CEO’s “mug” on them. Talk about weird! In that instant, I’ll go out on a limb and say a customized gift wasn’t really all that appreciated. But then again, it was a white elephant exchange so it was likely better than the toothbrush that played pop tunes while you brushed.

But, that was then and this is now! I’m sure you’ve heard of CafePress, right? If you have then you know all the great products they sell that can be personalized or are just super cool and unique. They literally have tens of thousands of items to choose from. T-shirts, aprons, coaster, iPhone cases, mousepads, water bottles, blankets, flipflops! You name it, CafePress likely has it. And whether you want to check out their approved designs or upload your own image it’s so easy to find the perfect gift.

BabyGirl is always asking for notebooks. Sometimes I get her notebooks for a specific purpose, like karate or violin. I was so excited to see a Violin Girl journal. I knew it would be perfect because it was just the right about of girly and yet still very practical. And, to tell you the truth, I’m kind of getting tired of everything being pink-princessy. It’s good to expand the boundaries, right?

One thing I’m always looking for is motivational artwork for the house. I love sayings and quotes that can easily remind me of the beauty that surrounds me. I have purchased wall decals in the past, but only from photo websites. I was so excited to see that CafePress had them and there were thousands of different images and saying to fit most any age or interest.

After finding the What are Little Girls Made Of wall decal I looked through pages of wall decals for one I could use to decorate by BabyGirl’s bedroom. I like wall decals because I don’t need a frame, they don’t need any special hardware and when you tire of it you just peel it off. They’re pretty inexpensive too!

One of the wall decals I chose was this “I am” reminder – to both BabyGirl and me. There are too many opportunities throughout the day to forget, and for me it’s really important to remember these.

And because YOU deserve to have beautiful things, CafePress is offering one of my readers a $50 Gift Card to shop for themselves or someone they care about!

Giveaway #6 in Birth Month Giveaway Bonanza: $50 CafePress Gift Card

All you need to do is leave a comment below telling me what you think you might buy from CafePress.

Limit one entry per person. This Promotion begins May 21, 2012 at 06:01:00 AM Pacific Time (“PT”) and ends May 29, at 05:59:00 AM PT. By entering, you agree to the Official Rules. You may enter all my Birthday Giveaway promotions but you may only win one (1) so that others have an opportunity to win some goodies.

If you don’t already, please consider following Saving For Someday on Twitter, Facebook, Email or RSS.

I was provided the three items above to facilitate writing this post. This post reflects my views and opinions and was not reviewed or edited by a third party. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

The Promotion is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States, and the District of Columbia (excluding Puerto Rico and all other U.S. territories) who are eighteen (18) years of age or older, and have a valid US mailing address.Void where prohibited. For more details view the Official Rules.

Birthday Giveaway #5: PUR One-Click Faucet Mount Water Filter [CLOSED]

Earth Day has come and gone, but our kindness toward Mother Earth is a daily practice. Every day my friend Stephanie tweets out a Hydration Nudge, reminding people to have some water. We get so busy we forget to have a nice glass of water. Sometimes, though, we’re stuck with tap water that doesn’t taste all that great no matter how much lemon we squeeze into it.

Clean water is a gift that we often take for granted. So this fifth birthday giveaway is partly for you and a whole lot for me. I strongly believe in the work Procter and Gamble does through their Child Safe Drinking Water program that helps bring clean water to children and families in impoverished parts of the world and areas hit by natural disasters that creates problems with getting clean water.

I was contacted by PUR to share tips to bring greater awareness to Earth Day, so I shared with you tips for reducing your carbon footprint. Now its time for me to give you a way to keep the kids hydrated this summer without spending a fortune on bottled water, not to mention all the plastic that needs to be recycled.

PUR is offering one reader a PUR® mineralclear™ Vertical Mount Faucet Water Filter. It is a one-click mount and will attach to most standard kitchen faucets. It has a sleek design so it’s not in the way, and comes with an electronic monitor to remind you when to change the filter. The best part is you’ll get up to 100 gallons of purified water so you can drink up, use it for cooking or even washing off your fruits and veggies!

If you don’t need one, consider entering and, if you win, give it to a college student getting their first apartment, a newlywed couple just starting out, or a college grad heading out on their own.

Enter the PUR® mineralclear™ Vertical Mount Faucet Water Filter Birth Month Giveaway Bonanza

All you need to do is leave a comment below telling me how you’ll keep the kids busy this summer.

Limit one entry per person. This Promotion begins May 17, 2012 at 06:01:00 AM Pacific Time (“PT”) and ends May 26, at 05:59:00 AM PT. By entering, you agree to the Official Rules. You may enter all my Birthday Giveaway promotions but you may only win one (1) so that others have an opportunity to win some goodies.

If you don’t already, please consider following Saving For Someday on Twitter, Facebook, Email or RSS.

I was provided a PUR water filter to facilitate writing this post. This post reflects my views and opinions and was not reviewed or edited by a third party. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Birthday Giveaway #4: Green Giant Prize Pack [CLOSED]

Ho, Ho, Ho, Green Giant! I was a marketers dream when I was a child. I loved all those jingles and and advertising catch phrases. Like you, I grew up on Green Giant vegetables. And when they came out with their broccoli and cheese sauce I would eat it all the time. Now, Weight Watchers has endorsed over 30 varieties of Green Giant frozen boxed vegetable. Including my childhood favorite, the delicious broccoli and cheese sauce.

To support my readers in their healthy lifestyles, Weight Watchers and Green Giant are supporting the Birth Month Giveaway Bonanza! One reader will win a prize pack (a $45 value) that includes:

(1) VIP coupon for a free box of Weight Watchers® endorsed Green Giant Boxed Vegetables, any variety. These are available in the frozen aisle of your local grocery store. Green Giant is the only frozen vegetable brand to be endorsed by Weight Watchers®, and nearly all endorsed varieties have a 1 or 2 PointsPlus® value per serving
Water Bottle
Lunch Bag
Mini Nutrition Tracker
Lunch to Go Kit
Solar Powered Pedometer
Mini Ice Pack

Enter the Green Giant Prize Pack Birth Month Giveaway Bonanza

All you need to do is leave a comment below telling me what you’d pack for a healthy lunch.

And whether you enter or not, visit Green Giant Coup0n to download a printable coupon for $0.60 off the purchase of two boxes of Weight Watchers® endorsed Green Giant Boxed Vegetables.

Limit one entry per person. This Promotion begins May 13, 2012 at 06:01:00 AM Pacific Time (“PT”) and ends May 21, at 05:59:00 AM PT. By entering, you agree to the Official Rules. You may enter all my Birthday Giveaway promotions but you may only win one (1) so that others have an opportunity to win some goodies.

If you don’t already, please consider following Saving For Someday on Twitter, Facebook, Email or RSS.

As stated above, I was provided a prize pack to facilitate writing this post. This post reflects my views and opinions and was not reviewed or edited by a third party. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Birthday Giveaway #3: Land O Lakes Eggs Prize Pack [CLOSED]

The love/hate relationship with eggs has been ongoing for decades. They’re good for you. Not they’re not. Now eat more eggs. You should limit your eggs to X per day. I pretty much have ignored all that.

I love eggs! Always have. My mom used to make me special egg salad and deviled eggs because I don’t like them with relish. When I was pregnant, a nutritionist friend suggested eating an egg for breakfast to help with my ~~morning~~ all day sickness. It worked like a charm! And unlike others who then end up not being able to eat what they craved during pregnancy, eggs are still my thing.

I’ve been switching from ‘regular’ eggs to organic, free-range eggs. Because I like to eat eggs, I figured I should have the best I can afford. Also, I think they taste better.

Recently, Land O Lakes eggs have been my go-to brand because one store I shop at keeps clearancing the Organic, Cage Free Brown eggs for under $2/dozen. I realize no one should get that excited about eggs, but what a savings!

Anyway, Land O Lakes and BlogSpark are supporting my Birth Month Giveaway Bonanza (doesn’t that sound like a fun name?)! I was sent a gift pack so I my family could make special birthday eggs. I received:

VIP coupon for Land O Lakes Eggs
Egg Tray (for some relish-free deviled eggs)
Mini Frying Pan (which is so adorable and should be in my museum of cute miniature things)
Mini Muffin Tin (again with the cute!)

And because it wouldn’t be a Birth Month Giveaway Bonanza if I didn’t give one away to a reader, you can enter to win your very own Land O Lakes Eggs Prize Pack which will include the same four items.

Enter the Land O Lakes Eggs Prize Pack Birth Month Giveaway Bonanza

All you need to do is leave a comment below letting me know how you like your eggs, what you make using Eggs for a ‘bite size brunch’, or your favorite egg recipe. I’ll start – I like breakfast for dinner and for a bite size brunch I’d probably make quiches.

Limit one entry per person. This Promotion begins May 10, 2012 at 06:01:00 AM Pacific Time (“PT”) and ends May 16, at 05:59:00 AM PT. By entering, you agree to the Official Rules. You may enter all my Birthday Giveaway promotions but you may only win one (1) so that others have an opportunity to win some goodies.

If you don’t already, please consider following Saving For Someday on Twitter, Facebook, Email or RSS.

Make sure you check out Land O Lakes on Facebook for recipes, information about promotions and fun facts. You can also follow Land O Lakes on Twitter.

Birthday Giveaway #2: 250 Custom Stickers From PrintRunner [CLOSED]

To keep the Birthday Celebration going, here is a great giveaway for those of you with small businesses, blogs, special events coming up, or who just want great personalized stickers.

I have used custom stickers for a variety of reasons over the years, and have found that the quality just keeps improving. I have used PrintRunner for other online printing services and was excited to try out their online sticker printing. I was happy to find a place that let me upload a custom image and then turn it around with quick service without compromising my design.

PrintRunner is helping me celebrate my birthday by offering one of my readers 250 2″ x 3.5″ custom stickers in full color or black and white (a $40 approximate retail value).

Prize Details:

Stickers
Sticker Shape : Standard Stickers
Flat Width : 2″
Flat Height : 3.5″
Quantity : 250
Paper : Premium Sticker Stock
Colors : Full Color (4 Color Process), Black and White
Proof : NONE
Ready to Ship In : 3 Business Days

How to Enter Birthday Giveaway #2

Leave a comment below, it’s as simple as that! Limit one entry per person. This Promotion begins May 6, 2012 at 06:01:00 AM Pacific Time (“PT”) and ends May 12, at 05:59:00 AM PT. By entering, you agree to the Official Rules. You may enter all my Birthday Giveaway promotions but you may only win one (1) so that others have an opportunity to win some goodies.

Remember, through May 8th you may also enter my Birthday Giveaway #1: National Geographic Books Family Collection!

If you don’t already, please consider following Saving For Someday on Twitter, Facebook, Email or RSS.

Printrunner is also online – Follow PrintRunner on Twitter and Like PrintRunner on Facebook

This post reflects my views and opinions and was not reviewed or edited by a third party. I was provided with a complementary set of stickers. No other compensation was received. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Year of Awesome 3.0

Year of Awesome 2.0 is now history. It was a bit of a roller coaster at times, but what would a Year of Awesome be if there weren’t a few dips and turns and maybe even a loop-the-loop or two.

Today I begin Year of Awesome 3.0 because, well, that’s what I’m gonna do! There is so much magnificence in the world, my desire is to try and capture it daily. It’s not an easy task, but it’s a challenge I will continue to pursue.

BabyGirl took that photo of me when we were in Pisa, Italy. You can’t go there and not take such a goofy photo. I think she did a great job considering she had to deal with glare and reflection from the iPhone. Going to Italy with her was truly one of the highlights of last year. Looking back on the year, I can see the big picture much better. And I do have to say it was pretty awesome.

I had wonderful experiences – speaking at conferences and universities, visiting with friends, seeing BabyGirl excel and continue to work hard toward her goals, laughing (but not quite enough), learning, making new friends and saying goodbye to one. I was open and honest about a family tragedy and blown away by the love and support that enveloped me. For over a week I lived in a world of fairies, pixie dust, pirates, mice and manifestations of amazing imaginations – Disney World. Then there was meeting the encouraging and insightful Marianne Williamson and Dr. Robert Holden. And I capped off the year with a trip to Italy. One that I will forever hold dear to me.

But the year was not without challenge. The fear of losing my grandmother weighed heavily several times. But at 91 she’s not ready to go. She’s got more living to do. Despite her setbacks she came out fighting, not yet ready to give up. I have a lot to learn from her.

As I enter my 44th year, I know the stories that will be told and experienced this year will be as magnificent as I allow. I choose to surround myself only with people who will lift me up and bring a smile to my face. The saying that “Life’s Too Short” may be cliche but it’s true. Whether it’s 95 years or just a few, we’ll never ask for another day so we can be beaten down.

My motto this year is Live Fierce! Not just for me, but to elevate those around me to do so too. Why settle for ordinary when extraordinary is possible?

You don’t have to wait until your birthday to start your Year of Awesome, start it today! Live Fierce with me.

So, what are you waiting for? What’s the BEST that can happen?

Happy 67th Birthday, Mom

(pardon the poor scan quality)

Today would have been my mother’s 67th birthday. She was born at a time of war, to parents who were children of the depression. My mom embraced her gap generation, looking to her parent’s generation for values and ethics but also trying to fit in with the baby boomer generation.

My mom was a phenomenal woman who became my best friend. For a very short period of time I can truly say that she was my friend and not just my mom. Which made her death even more bitter for me.

I have very little left that belonged to my mother. Most of her stuff is with my brother, if he still has it. I took a few pieces of jewelry, most which she never wore. I have her earrings. Well, I should say, I have her earring. One was lost at the hospital when she was put on life support. I had a copy made so I could have a pair, but it’s not the same.

I have very few photos of my mom. She never liked having her picture taken, so the few that I have are from my college graduation. My grandma has more of when my mom was younger, as well as Super-8 movies so I can see my mom as a child.

I have one audio cassette. Actually, my grandmother has it in her safe. I’ve never listened to it, but it’s labeled as a conversation with her father. I don’t know what it’s about, when it was recorded, or if the quality is good enough. My grandfather told me about it shortly before he died, but asked me not to listen to it until after my grandmother passed away. That makes me think there is something on there my grandmother should not hear. It’s quite possible she’s listened to it, because my grandma is a rebel like that!

On days like today I’m filled with such bittersweet emotions. I’m overflowing with the love my mother gave me. Her dedication to raising me and my brother to have a better life than she did, despite setbacks. Her love for helping others is deeply embedded within my soul. Her caring ways and desire to lift others up are constantly part of me. It brings a smile to my lips. And tears. Lots of tears.

I miss my mom like crazy! Some days I am so angry at her for leaving me. For going off to a place where she has no pain. Yet leaving me here to fend for myself. As if I am an adventurist ready to find a way to survive even the harshest conditions. I’m soft, she should have known that and not left!

There are days I’m so mad at her for not being here. On my darkest days I’ve yelled for her as loud as I can, hoping this is all some kind of horrible, terrible dream. That I’ll wake up and find her standing next to me telling me it’s not real. Sometimes I can see her. And one smell can bring my mom back to me. I know she’s there. I know she was there when my daughter was hurt, I want to believe that. But then I’m so angry that she didn’t stop it.

I heard her voice as I took an oath promising to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I saw her smile. The smile that said I’m proud of you. A thin smile with sparkly eyes. I could see in her eyes she knew our day in court would not be for naught. But she wasn’t really there. When I needed her most, she was gone.

Yet in her 47 years she had so much. My mom was truly happy. She embodied passionate living and even though she drove over some very rough roads, she kept on driving. She knew to keep going. She laughed a lot. She had deep conversations with her father about all kinds of topics. Her brother was her best friend. She saw the Pope when she visited Italy as a young woman. She stood on both sides of the Berlin wall, and stayed up all night long watching the coverage of that same wall come down.

My mother had an eclectic love of music, which explains mine. She was adventurous and always ready for a new experience. She sailed to Europe when her father was stationed in Germany, never again getting on a boat after such intense motion sickness. She took her first plane flight when she was in her 20s, coming back to the United States.

She lived her life without regret. And today I honor her for leaving me with legacy.

Happy Birthday, MOM! I hope to be as good a mom as you were.

Year of Awesome 2.0: Dreaming Big!

As I looked back on what was the Year of Awesome I realized how wonderful a year could be when you actively seek to make it that way. Today I turn 42 and have been wondering for weeks what to call this year. I’ve wondered about calling it Year of Awesome 2.0, being that last year was more like a beta test. And being that it worked out pretty well, despite a few bugs which would be fixed in this release it seems like a logical thing to do. But it’s also the easy thing to do and maybe I should try something new.

I asked a few people close to me and they agreed that I should move ahead with the next release on Year of Awesome. I had a few suggest that naming my year was lame and why would I want to do that again. But, well, they’re not awesome so I’ll ignore them!

Yesterday I reflected on what the Year of Awesome has meant. And in doing so I realized that I wanted to keep the momentum going. I wanted to continue to keep positivity, abundance and prosperity as part of my daily life. I’m actively working on making me better, healthier and more accepting of myself. I can’t just abandon my work now. Right?

But I really want more. Not more ‘stuff’, but more Awesome. Not for me. I want others to be part of my Year of Awesome, in a more active and global way. I find inspiration in people like Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, and Simon Wiesenthal. Each of these people sought to improve the lives of others. They did so on a grand scale. One that I know is much too big for me to tackle.

Just two days ago a major milestone was achieved in the effort to eradicate hate from our world, making want to do more. I want to do something. But what? How? Can I do it myself? Who could help me. What would we do? So many questions, yet so few immediate solutions.

I hope for peace. I dream of peace for all of us. As a Jew, I continue to pray for peace for my people and my homeland, Israel. Yet I know I, alone, can’t achieve world peace on any level. No one person can. But I’ve come up with the solution. If each of us vows to work together we can do it. Sure, there are campaigns out there on just this topic. However, I think it’s still a huge commitment to individually try and work toward world peace.

Instead, each of us can do our part. I call it World Awesome. Goodness begets goodness. It’s the law of attraction. I believe in it. I know it works. I have faith in our collective ability to seek good in all we do.

As I embark on Year of Awesome 2.0, I ask you to come along with me. This year each of us, working alone, but as a collective, can help to bring about World Awesome. With small acts of kindness, goodness, positivity, love, laughter, light, friendship, respect, encouragement,support, a hand up and all things good I know that the world can be a better place for so many. My desire is to see this concept trend and grow. So many of us want to improve the world, and I believe that we each can in our own way. That the collective is bigger than we imagine. And that it is possible. We can be the change we want to see. From Awesome, peace will flow.

I may not be able to bring about world peace but I’m sure going to try and create World Awesome. I hope you’ll join me! If you do, and you’re on Twitter, use #worldawesome to share goodness.

Welcome to Year of Awesome 2.0!

Year of Awesome In Review

Today is the last day of my Year of Awesome. I kicked it off last year with a Reflection on Aging. It’s been quite a year. I’ve had so many amazing and wonderful experiences, visited beautiful place, shared with friends and have met a variety of extraordinary people. This past year has been Awesome!

It kicked off with a Mom’s Night Out, celebrating women. Days later I was off to Bloggy Boot Camp and found myself surrounded by women who believe in sisterhood. Then came the whirlwind of CycleGuy heading off to the Bay Area for a new job opportunity.

And with that move, I became friends with an amazing group of women that embrace me for who I am and encourage me – quirkiness and all! I’ve always believed that friends are people who touch your heart, not just those that touch your hand. Because I have a sister by choice, I know about creating friendship in a virtual space. R and I have been friends for over 35 years, not having met in person until about 10 years after we first met through a pen pal exchange program. I never needed anyone to convince me of the power of the written to connect women – whether those words are written on paper or a computer screen. I knew the possibility.

At the end of summer I headed to New York for my first BlogHer experience, and it did not disappoint. I was able to meet many of my online friends in person, see the city, learn more about blogging and experience new things. The fall was 10 magical days at Disney World with BabyGirl and CycleGuy. The highlight of that trip was going to all four parks in one day! Yes, we are that crazy! It was one of the best Disney World experiences we’ve had – not just going to the parks, but riding all the major rollercoasters too. Multiple times! I can’t wait to do that again!!

New Year’s was celebrated visiting San Francisco. It included my family as well as my SupaDupaSexySisterhood – Grace, Carrie, Jessica and Countess Mo. It was a fantastic way to kick off 2011!

Throughout this year I’ve thought a lot about who I am. Now a ’40-something’ I looked back at the person I was. I’m also looking forward – creating the woman I want to be. And while I might never have considered myself a Badass, two women did. Again, women I’ve never met in person. Women who use written words to connect with people and have been able to hone their skills to find and nurture great friendships. I will forever be thankful to Diana and Amy for including me on their list of 75 Badass Women on Twitter. If I wasn’t a scaredy cat I’d get a tattoo. Maybe one of those temporary ones will be OK?

The best part of the Year of Awesome is that I rediscovered ME. And now I work to make sure I am always first. Because, as the saying goes: “If you can’t love yourself, how can you love someone else!”

Thank you for being part of my Year of Awesome!