Wheels up

…or at least they will be soon. See you back on this side of the pond. 😀

Love,

–V

Man?…or the Mirror?

FYI (since I talked about it last week)…today would’ve been my six year anniversary. Um…in the words of Jay-Z, that “only gets half a bar…” (I only really remember this because I have a great memory. I found a girl I went to elementary school with in the checkout line at Kroger the other day. I literally have not seen her, or a picture of her since 1993.)

Anyway, this past weekend I took a mini-vacation with my friends. We went to Panama City Beach and truly had a wonderful time. The lack of posting was due to all the schoolwork I needed to do during the week to be able to take off the weekend. It was wonderful. We jet-skiied. We parasailed (which was made of awesome). We went to the beach at the crack of dawn (yeah, I wasn’t happy about that one), played The Michael Jackson Experience on Wii, and came back playing Phase 10.

Sunset after Parasailing...God is the best artist.

Anyway, we do what we do best: talk. We have conversation after conversation. Some of it is silly yet profound, like using Finding Nemo as the basis to why women aren’t submissive, and why some parents seem to baby or attempt to enable their kids instead of preparing them for the future (Yeah, this conversation really happened). Sometimes it’s Pinky and the Brain – our attempt to take over the world (for the better…improve it and whatnot). Often it’s about our faith, but a lot of the time it is about relationships.

We had this conversation about attitudes and relationships. One of my friends is of the opinion that women, people in general but mostly women, only have their hard-edged attitudes because they are not with their 11. I, at least currently, think that my mindset shapes my attitude or lack thereof. Do all of our theories on relationships only apply because we haven’t met a person to supersede our ideals, or would they be there regardless because of mentality? Is it the man, or the mirror? Hmm…

Remember this convo?

Carrie: Do you remember how Big used to keep me away from his mother, like I was some kind of leper?
Miranda: I remember.
Carrie: And how pissed it used to make me?
Miranda: I remember!
Carrie: Well now, Aidan’s offering up both his parents on a silver platter, and I’m not sure I want to meet them.

Carrie did this in her first go round with Aidan (Season 3, “Drama Queens). She was very weird with him for a time, and it’s mostly because the mentality created by Big and a bevy of other failed relationships conditioned her to be used to “the chase”. With him, at that time, it’s was nothing but calm seas and not a cloud in sight. He wanted her to meet his parents, and she thought that it was too much, too soon. Is this really her inner self telling her that he was not “The One”, or her conditioning that if she tries for this, she’ll only end up hurt like she was with Big (who was completely uncomfortable with the thought of her and his mother sharing the same air).

It’s a crapshoot for me, but I’m leaning towards mental conditioning rather than the man. What say you?

Love,

–V

Vacation Round-Up

I’m Back! And I didn’t get left in Mexico, which is an added bonus.

This vacation was much needed, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I did some things I’ve never done before, including singing Karaoke, which was on my list of things to do in a year. I also did everything on my list of things to do on this vacation. I talked to a guy (I actually talked to two, but one didn’t count, because I was commenting on his t-shirt that read “Orgasm Donor”.  Out of order). He sang John Legend during Karaoke, and I complimented his performance. He accepted it, and then immediately said “Hey, I wasn’t with them white girls.” I said, “A hit dog’ll holla…I didn’t say anything about that!” All good fun!

I also hit a pose…it is my favorite picture of myself thus far from the vacation. I got the perfect windblown hair across the face, not-smiling-but-happy pose. Oh sweet victory. It reminded me of when Carrie walked away from Big at the plaza, really slowly, with her hair blowing all everywhere. Well, not really, but as I typed this it does, so it’s the same difference 😉

My cousin and I sang No Doubts’ “Don’t Speak” for Karaoke. That was one of the most terrifying things I’ve ever done in my life. Thought I would pass out for a second there. The host said, “In 4 years on this boat, this is the best I’ve ever heard that song done. Wow.”

Anyway, there were plenty of Sex and the City-esque moments. They may not be major, but I did remember them to document them here, and to remind myself how completely dorky I can be.

1. They kept playing that song “Jeremiah was a bullfrog…” It is a song Carrie sang after leaving a party with a waiter after telling Big she loved him, and he did not reciprocate. Pretty sure that was season 2…

2. Only I would go to Mexico and buy nail polish and makeup…sort of like Carrie being in Abu Dhabi and buying those shoes from that stand.

3. I got away to get my mind off of someone, only to be reminded of him in several ways. Very nostalgic, but no turning back. Sort of like Carrie escaping to L.A…. though she went back eventually. That is not in my plans.

All in all, the cruise was a ton of fun, but there were instances of it where it seemed very romantic. I would most definitely do it again with someone special. In the words of Tamia, I’m looking forward “my last first kiss.” At least for now 😉 Anyway, I did a lot of thinking about the future, and a plan is forming. It is very vague now, but it is taking shape.

How did you spend your 4th? I hope it was enjoyable!

Love,

-V

Vacation!!

"Sex and Another City"

This time tomorrow, I will be aboard a cruise ship! I am so excited and have probably overpacked a la Bradshaw, but I careth not. My cousins and I will have fun (assuming there is no hurricane threatening my trip still) and be able to get away, relax, and be really girly. It helps that it is also 4th of July weekend (so happy 4th to you all, because clearly I will be out of pocket). 😉

So, I bought a hat (I never wear hats) and have a plan for things I want to do. Are we ready? Here we go:

1. I want to start a conversation with a stranger that is not centered around my accessories, their accessories, or anybody else’s accessories.

I mean, I really want to work on this. I am a shy person. Most people don’t think this about me, but I honestly find it easier to talk to an audience than have a one-on-one conversation with someone I don’t know. So, on this cruise, I plan to start a conversation with SOMEBODY! As long as I don’t come up missing, all’s well!

2. I plan to strike a pose.

I mean a vacation pose. You know those pictures when people are lounging, looking to the side with shades on or something. At some point I plan to do one of those, and have someone take a picture of it.

3. I plan to have drinks on the deck with my cousins.

The drinks should have some sort of passion fruit sticking out of it.

4. I plan to dance.

There is really no follow-up or explanation for this one.

5. I plan to watch the view, and dream about the next phase of my life.

Dreams spark ideas. Ideas become actions. Trust me, the last part of this year will be a fool for me. In the very best of ways. This has been a rollercoaster of a year, and only now can I appreciate it. In the words of Jay, “Difficult takes a day; impossible takes a week.”

So, what are your vacation plans? I hope you have some to which you are truly looking forward.

Love,

-V

“Poof”-ing!

Okay, so everytime I am determined to get in a blogging ritual (like updates Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays or the like), something happens to throw off my schedule. A friend of mine’s apartment was burglarized, so I stayed with her a few days until her jitters were gone.

Now, on to the subject.

One of my favorite montages in Sex and the City is one where Carrie is obsessing about her break up with Big to her friends in Season 2, right before they make her go see a therapist. She isn’t doing a “why did he leave me” obsess…but a “I am so much better than I thought he was” obsess.

That’s how I’m feeling right now. Not the obsession part, but the clarity on who I was in the relationship. I truly thought I had someone special, and that I was lacking something that caused the demise of the relationship. After today, I realized that I was the thing that made him special, and now he’s regular all over again. Doing regular foolishness that regular folks do. The only reason I couldn’t see it is because he still has my “oh-so-special” heart shining some quite flattering HD light. Well snitches, the countdown is on. The lightbulb has an expiration date that is quickly approaching.

In the words of Carrie, “I’m smart. I’m funny. I was totally the poof of the relationship. So it’s best I know now…so I can go poof someone else.”

I’m headed to Cozumel in a week with my cousins, and trust me, there will be no Mexi-coma.

I hope you are having a great week! 🙂

Love,

-V