Thursday, December 31, 2009

looking back on 2009

Lets play a game called, "IN 2009 I..."

I´ll start.

IN 2009 I...

... became closer to my grandmother.

... met the best man in the world.

... lived and worked in two coumtries, Spain and the USA.

... traveled to FIVE countries: Portugal, Spain, The USA, Puerto Rico, & Northern Ireland.

... became a fluent Spanish speaker.

... reunited with old friends after 10 years.

... went skiing or the first time in my life.

... saw the book that I contributed to being sold.

... lost a friend.

... discovered just how adaptable I really am.

... gained a new family.

... completed a marathon in under 4 hours and 20 minutes.

... lost a lot of weight. Then gained some back.

... continued to have someone obsessed with me.

... missed my brother.

... traveled to over 10 different parts of Spain.

... adapted a more sophisticated style.

... have been as silly and clumpsey as ever!

... went to the circus.

... felt like one of the luckiest people alive.

... got enough love to last a lifetime from my friends, family, students and boyfriend.

... cut my hair.

... wore giant things in my hair.

... got my masters diploma.

... got hit by a car & fell down a mountain.

... swam in a lake, a sea and an ocean. Lived along a river and hopped over a puddle. lol.

... got the sickest that I have ever been in my life.

... rocked it in NYC like no other!

... worked with Robert Dinero.

... realized that marriage doesn´t mean anything to some people, they´ll cheat in a heartbeat.

... fell in love with dresses.

... moved into one of the cutest apartments in the world with the best man in the world.

... picked olives from olives trees, mushrooms from a forest, and picked fresh fruits and veggies from a farm.

... climbed a tree.

... vomited on a train.

... climbed through a manhole in Brooklyn.

... studied astrology, Spanish, grassroots community organizing, English, & the history of NYC.

... bought a million new nailpolish colors!!!

... discovered I have cousins that live 5 hours away from me from Cuba.

... filled up FOUR journals with my writings.

... explored an underground cave.

... became obsessed with huge rings.

... slept in the clouds, literally... no, really I did. :)

... became a gardener.


Wow!! holy cow! So theres my accomplishments and observations about myself for 2009. Theres so many more, but these were instantly in my head at this very moment!!

As a new decade begins, I look forward to having a longer more EXCITING list for next year. AND WITH ALL OF MY CURRENT PLANS IN THE WORKS it looks like 2010 will be filled with new adventures, new countries, new friends, deep relationships, and tons and tons of fun. AND IT STARTS WITH A HUGE PARTY TONIGHT!


ONWARD AND UPWARD! holler!


Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Three more days.

So everyones talking about the new year and what their resolutions are... but I´ve been thinking in a dfifferent way. Im thinking, what do I want to do before the new year arrives. OF COURSE Id also like to think about 2010, but another time, very soon.

So here´s what Id like to do in the next 3 days:
- sign up for the gym/spa
- finish my job application for 2010/2011
- buy a new years eve dress
- write and reflect in my journal
- go to a resturaunt that Ive wanted to go to since last year (maybe tonight)
- call my mom
- call/write Spanish guys aunt
- ice skate
- and run run run.

Thats all for now. It seems like a complete list, and like this I can continue into the new year on the right foot instead of trying to start off new.

Sunday, December 27, 2009

3-DAY-CHRISTMAS

PHEW... so I havent written in a while because this year I had a 3-day-long christmas celebration, from morning til night each day. It started off on christmas eve where Spanish guy and I went to his familys house to celebrate. They prepared over 10 different types of tapas, and the table presentation was beautiful! I loved hearing their stories about growing up, and seeing pictures of Spanish guy when he was a fat lil baby! I felt right at home and it was great to experience christmas with another culture and to see the customs and traditions that they have passed on over the years. In Spain it starts off where everyone listens to a message from the king of Spain at exactly 9pm, then all the Spanish families start dinner, which is usually small tapas, very light, then its on to desserts (which they call Turron) and drinks, then lots of conversations. Great night, unforgetable.


CHRISTMAS EVE:






On christmas day Spanish guy and I had plans to return To his family house, but instead we decided to stay home and spend our first christmas alone. And boy was that a good decision!!! We spent the morning sleeping in, cooking a big breakfast, transforming our dining room into a ping-pong room and playing ping pong for over an hour, then we opened presents, cooked a fabulous HUGE dinner together and talked for hours and hours. FABULOSO!!


CHRISTMAS DAY:












On the day after christmas me and my Spanish friends had our own holiday lunch/dinner/dancing day! We started out meeting for lunch and spent the next 12 hours together eating, dancing (clubs open at 4pm during the holidays), singing and having a jolly ole time!!

DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS:







Today is a day of rest, exercise, healthy food and reflection. ahhhh...

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Eve afternoon...

Christmas Eve afternoon. I woke up at 1pm today, maybe it was a sign that I'm a bit sad/depressed to be away from my family this year, or maybe it was my body subconsciously telling me that it is pouring outside and I couldn't do anything anyway... whatever it is, I slept my morning away today.

Now I'm sitting in my house alone. Spanish guy is out shopping. I wonder what he will get me for Christmas? There are a few presents under the tree and I already tried to shake them to see what they are, but no luck. Yesterday he surprised me and made an appointment for me to get my hair done. I was a happy girl! It was so sweet. He knew its been a while since I got a hair cut and I was in dire need of one.
I really don't take life too seriously though. If I don't get any presents, or if I never cut my hair again, I wont care! These things aren't important to me. OK, SO WHERE WAS I GOING WITH ALL THIS?

Oh yeah, Christmas Eve. Spanish guy just walked in and is being nosy, trying to see my blog before it's published. NOPE, WAIT TIL IT'S DONE! Oh no, I don't even have on my Christmas outfit yet! ARG... I'm so lazy today, maybe it's because I slept 12 hours, 12 BEAUTIFUL hours.

Now it's time to get all christmasY and celebrate with my love and later on, his family!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2009!

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

for the love of my life:

...and if we are not in each others lives now, te espero al final del camino.

Monday, December 21, 2009

"in-laws" from another country, in another country.

Celebrating my birthday with my soon-to-be in-laws! Mom, Tia, & Tita.
Soon-to-be husband and brother-in-law
One of my birthday presents, LOVE IT!
Sharing my December birthday with Spanish guys little Sag cousin! kiss kiss kiss!

December 19th 2009

Sooooooooooooo... got back yesterday from Sierra Nevada. And I HAVE to say, overall, I'm a very positive optimistic person, and I like to exaggerate normally, BUT, this is the truth:

I HAD ONE OF THE BEST WEEKENDS OF MY LIFE!

Now that I got that out of the way... I can move on--- So Sierra Nevada is in Granada, which is about 1 1/2 hours from Malaga where I am currently living. I was really missing the cold weather and snow (I'm from Brooklyn, so what is December without cold weather, right?) So me and Spanish guy booked an adorable cabin and off we went.

So here's how great my luck was: There was a SNOW STORM when we arrived at the top of the mountain, so everything was magical, like a real life WINTER WONDERLAND! I was a happy girl! So we spent Saturday morning and afternoon on a snow rollercoaster that goes throughout the mountains, we rode ski bikes, we snow tubed, it was SOOOO FUN! And all this was new to me, I never saw ski bikes or snow roller-coasters before! BUT, as I LOVE playing sports, and I am like a tom boy, I was an instant PRO! I decided that I need to play winter sports more often, especially because it is so close to me! Here's some pictures of Sierra Nevada:


The snow roller-coaster, wooo hoooo!My baby making his first snow angel!

Random farm animals...
We were above the clouds, it was amazing to see... again, I felt blessed.In the old town square.
I really can't believe how cute my Spanish guy is, he could be a model!
*whistle whistle**

Since we were in the mountains, we took this opportunity to eat mountain food: Fried old bread, Asparagus, potatoes, vegetable salad (we are both vegetarians). It was delicious-- I always said as a joke to people, I want to go to the mountains to eat mountain food, and look, I did it this weekend!


Driving to the cabin, Spanish guy is concentrated on driving in the icy mountains, so that he doesn't kill us, and I am busy blinding us with the camera flash, lol.
YAY! 28 years on this beautiful earth!
rockin in!!!!
I LOVE the unexpected pictures! Birthday night!
Popping open the Champagne right as I turned 28! I have the best man in the WORLD!
We drove to the center of Granada and turned down a lonely side street, it was pretty cool though!
After our weekend, we decided to stop in Nerja to enjoy the ocean, FROM SNOW TO SEA, that's what our life is like!
I feel in love with this Santa-- don't judge me.
So, turning 28 was perfect. Unique. I felt so much love. I learned so many new things. I have A TON of new experiences. I shared my weekend with the best man in the world. Whoever says that happiness doesn't exist obviously is living in the wrong circumstances.

So another year came and gone.

Now I'm 28. 28. 28. 28. 28.

Friday, December 18, 2009

snow snow snow!

I just made the most adorable cake in the world! It's chocolate with chocolate frosting, I crumbled up white cookies to use as snow, and I used white frosting to make a snow man, I sprinkled sugar all over it to make it look as if its snowing. I made a BIRTHDAY WINTER WONDERLAND cake. It's appropriate because Spanish guy and I are leaving the warm Mediterranean to drive up to the highest mountain peak in Spain, the world famous Sierra Nevada to play winter sports!

Ski, snowboard, sled, hike, make snow angels, and snow men/ladies, hehe.

I'm so excited!

I'm bringing my cake so we can celebrate my birthday there tomorrow! :)

Thursday, December 17, 2009

a kiss.

This afternoon while I was crossing the street opposite from the beach, the warm salty mediterranean air lightly kissed in my face. The feeling was unforgettable. It was so comforting, almost as if an angel sent that breeze as a message that guardians are watching over me.

I felt so calm, so relaxed, I felt so rejuvenated.

What a perfect way to start a one month vacation, and my birthday weekend. It calms my soul to know that there are small pleasures out there just waiting to be discovered. I was fortunate enough to not only experience one, but recognize it as well. xo.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

birthdays & love <3

So, in 2 more days I'll turn 28. It's strange that another year passed by so quickly, I remember last year I was getting all ready to party and CELEBRATE THIS beautiful life, and now I'm doing it all over again with different people!

It's strange to think that in only a year from now you might be in a totally different situation, with completely different people. In my case, I have found the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I never felt that way before with anyone, and FINALLY after almost 28 years on this earth I have found the one for me. HE NEVER NOT ONE TIME made me cry. He NEVER left me alone when I needed him, he ALWAYS gives me love, nothing but love, always. Its almost a year that we are together now, and I knew from the first day I saw him that he would be mine.

So as I celebrate another amazing 365 days on this earth complete, full with love, friends, good food, great health, new experiences, unique cultures, nature, and HAPPINESS HAPPINESS HAPPINESS, I thank the person that will share my 28th year on this earth with me more than anyone else. Alex, I thank you and I love you.

For everyone else, don't loose hope, it's possible to be happy.

more bday blogs to come...

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Sagittarius-- this is me, this is my month!

The traveler, in body and mind.
A social one.
Aims at the stars.
Conservative with money - usually.
Broad in ideas.
Can be bombastic, hypocritical, and blunt.
Ideals applied to home.
Aggressive socially.
High aspirations, sometimes too high!
Loves freedom.
Usually big-hearted, benevolent in attitude.
Persistent, practical in work.
Sportive.
Likes horses, loves children.
Aspires onward.

Monday, December 14, 2009

my food habits throughout the years.

A few years ago I was addicted to peanut butter. I ate it everyday on bread or with an apple, or sometimes right out of the jar, the chunkier the better.

A year later I dropped the PB habit and became addicted to cheddar cheese. I had it for breakfast everyday on whole wheat toast, or chopped up on crackers.

For the last year I've been addicted to cherry tomatoes. I would buy a small pack and eat them for a snack throughout the day, every day.

Now-------> I'm addicted to RED BELL PEPPERS. I eat one every day.
A whole one.
Raw, cooked, chopped up, it doesn't matter. I love the taste!

This is my cycle of food. The only thing they all have in common is that I shared a chunk of my life with these individual foods. Now it's the red peppers turn to live this phase of my life with me.

YUM!

(all of these foods, of course were combined with others which varied every day)

Sunday, December 13, 2009

December babies are CRAZY!

My apartment from the outside, feliz cumpleanos to me!

This is SO true, the lyrics from a Spanish rap song:

Diciembre, el último mes
Yo vine al mundo en este, el 1 y el 9
Y toos los de este signo estamo locos desde chicos
Por culpa de gritos y los putos villancicos
Se acabao se a llegao al final ganaste el juego
Pero momentáneamente porque empieza el nuevo
Y no termina hasta que pierdes la energía tus colores
Alegrías, desengaños, amores, desamores

Un año más.

I had my birthday party on Saturday night. My real birthday is next week, but I'm going skiing, so I couldn't celebrate with my friends.

I ROCKED a BIG GIANT feather clip all night! word. It was a French theme party and me and my friends rocked it out all night long!












After the house party, out on the town: