Can you dig it? Yes, I can!

Today it occurred to me that Independence day is a hop, skip and a jump away.  Whatever shall I do?  I have no invitations, no plans, commitments--no nothing.  I think I will drink wine on the deck, gaze blissfully on the horizon while listening to British-invasion music.  Just another day in wine country....

I am a first generation American girl.  Both my parents are from Ecuador.  My dad was a full-blooded Ecuadorian.  He moved to the US w/ my mom in the 50's.  They lived in NYC for a while and then moved to Miami.  That was when he got a job in a bank where he worked for almost 30 years.  My dad was an alcoholic but I'll give him props because he always worked hard in spite of his vices.  When he retired, it was with a pension although his liver was shot....

A Question of Time

The last time I can recall looking at a clock last night before bed, it was around 10:30.  I had just finished brushing my teeth and was dancing with Magic to Marianne Faithfull's, The Mystery of Love....

Shortly after, I went to bed.  I didn't fall asleep but rather dealt with the random thoughts that invaded my psyche.

The Place That Shall Not Be Named

Tonight I got an email from someone I worked with at that place.. the place that shall not be named.  He tracked me down via LinkedIn.  Apparently, he was treated the same way I was and he no longer works there.  Exnay on the etailsday.

He wanted advice.  My advice to him wasn't advice at all it was a congratulatory verbal high-five.

I liked this guy a lot.  He started working only a few weeks before I was laid off.  He's older but well-educated, spiritual and had a little something that I'm quite fond of called a personality.  I knew right when I met him that he was not long for that place.   At the place that shall not be named, you can't have any of those things to have longevity let alone all three...

As I told him how much better my overall demeanor and value of self-worth was since I got laid off, I suddenly felt better than I've felt in a long time.  I guess I had to hear myself say it in order for it to click.  And it did...

Life ain't so bad, dammit.  It's gorgeous outside.  I went to TJ's today and Tribunal is still on sale.  I bought a ton of veggies and have been juicing my heart out, doing yoga and feeling pretty wonderful.  The sun is setting now behind the vineyards on the horizon while a cool breeze soothes....I got an interview request from a potential employer that sounds interesting...

So, I say to my former colleague, "this is good.  welcome to the first day of the rest of your life."

And we laughed...

I yoga'd

Back last year and early this year when I was obsessed with yoga, I got a bunch of at home yoga DVD's... Rodney Yee, Sadie Nardini, Ali McGraw/Erich Schiffmann which is one of my personal faves as it's shot in the desert almost like a music video and they use DCD as one of the musical tracks.  And then there's Bryan Kest who is this cheesy yoga instructor with long curly hair, ripped jeans, no shirt who speaks with a thick Brookyn accent but whose workout always kicks my ass in a "Oh wow, I hurt but feel fucking wonderful" kinda way....

Red, Red Wine...

I've been drinking wine since I was a rebellious teenager.  My mom used to have wine tasting parties once a month.  Every now and then, my mom would let me have a taste...  Mom liked Sherry but I could never appreciate it as much as she.  She drank a lot of wine back then that I would never drink now.  Back then, though, I didn't know anything about wine except that you drank it and it made you feel all warm and fuzzy and good inside....  Hell, I drank MD 20/20 and thought it rocked. 

Over the years, my taste in wine has evolved but these last three years-- living in the wine zone of the world--I've become much more educated on wine than I ever thought I would be.  I could even tell the difference between... say a Syrah and a Zinfandel if I were blindfolded.  Zinfandel happens to be one of my favorites. I find that I'm partial to blends that have a strong zin base.

I tried to get up but I could not find my feet

Today, as I walked up my hill I realized that over the years I have evolved into a very solitary person.  Back in NYC, I couldn't get enough of people.  I was as social as it gets.  Every night it was a different bar/club/film/play.  How things change...

Now, I have absolutely no social life aside from hanging with my neighbors but it's not like I'm going anywhere.  I open my back door and ta da!  I'm on the deck which is the central point for many of our summer gatherings.  It overlooks the vineyards and it's fucking beautiful.  Maybe this is all about being in my comfort zone and not wanting to delve out of it.  I'm a coward.

Free Money

Suffering from a bit of a hangover this morning....  Last night's BYOT Summer Solstice party was fun.  Turns out not many people brought any talent.  I was surprised that out of all the actors in attendance, I was the only one who did a monologue.  A couple of actors didn't do anything.  Kind of rude.  If you go to a party that has a theme of performing and you're a performer, you're just going to kick back and watch others? 

I did my monologue and got an award for "best talent".  Ain't that sweet?  Of course, considering who I was up against, it would've been incredibly offensive if I had lost.