W is for What I've Learned So Far

Throughout my life I’ve had my share of high and lows,

ups and downs, and of course disappointments.

  However, all these experiences have made me more the wiser. 

So for today’s letter I decided to share some of my life lessons.

 

Here’s what I’ve learned so far

*heartbreaks can be survived although they are painful

*children are much more resilient than we give them credit for

*cats are smart creatures, especially my Miss Cinnamon

*friendships need to be a two-way door that includes both listening and hearing

*my mom is usually right, this is tough sometime

*no one has a perfect life no matter how things look on the outside

*books really are knowledge, who knew right

*the grass is not greener on the other side, it’s just a mirage

*being healthy is really a blessing

*prayer is the answer to everything

*chocolate will usually make everything better

*smiling is good for the soul

*in order to be the best person you can be, you must be yourself

Please feel free to share any life lessons you have.


how do ya'll like the new look of my blog?
also
make sure you grab my button
it took me FOREVER to make!!

T.

Yes I Can!

I spent a lot of time in prayer yesterday,

 and I actually wrote in my journal for the first time since January.

I went to the library to write, and I enjoyed the atmosphere and the quiet.

Putting down my experiences, fears, and feelings on paper was a way for me to let it all go.

I even wrote about the breakup, which was a topic I had been avoiding.

For some reason I felt that if I wrote about it on paper, it would make it real, which in the end meant it was really over. I discovered that I'm okay with the fact that it's really over.

It's time for me to move forward.

When I was done writing, I had a clear head and I decided to review my options for my class.

When I got back home, I checked my school email and I found this:

Hello Thomasina,

The biggest variable that can work in your favor (or not) is how you self message yourself.  If you wake up in the morning and tell yourself "I'm a winner, yes I can," you'll do it!!!

Please, please don't give up.  I have faith in you.

Remember, "yes you can!"

 I'm with you.  Don't be afraid.

I received this email from my accounting professor in response to the email I sent her.

In my email, I stated that I didn't think I could pass the course, so I was just giving up.

My plan was to fail the course, and then retake it next session.

After much deliberation and correspondence with my professor {and my mom}, I decided…

NOT TO GIVE UP!

I'm going to finish and pass this course.

It's funny how an encouraging word {or email in my case} can remedy feelings of discouragement and doubt.

I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

When I called and informed my mom of my final decision she said something amazing:

"Remember to tell yourself that you can do this. I've believed in you all along."

Remarkable.

This Thursday I'm thankful for kind words and for the love of my family and friends.

I'm also thankful for all of you who left me encouraging words.

I get comfort in knowing that you all care about my success.

Stay Sweet and Don't Forget to Tell Yourself

"Yes I Can!!"

T.

 

 

 

The Rain

This morning I woke up to this

{image}

I love the change from snow to rain.

 {although I'll admit I do love the snow in the beginning of winter}

I love the smell of rain.

It's so refreshing.

It's a reminder that spring is in the air.

This year I'm looking forward to the change in the season.

Spring cleaning renews the ordinary; it brings it back to life.

With the wipe of a cloth, something dead becomes alive again.

The sun stays around longer, and days become more enjoyable.

Just like the new year, spring is a chance to start over.

I needed a chance to start over.

Winter was long and painful.

It was gloomy and gray.

 When I went outside this morning and smelled the fresh rain, I was overwhelmed with gratitude.

Thank you Lord for spring.

Thank you for spring cleaning my heart. 

Thank you for bringing my dead heart back to life. 

Thank you for washing me clean.

Thank you for the rain.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

T.



This is me today



and here's another one

Nothing special about these photos right?

No makeup, pretty clothes, dangling earrings, or fancy styled hair.

So why did I post these pics?

Because when I look this

all natural

 I feel...

 S E X Y!

I'm in my own zone, and when I'm in this place I'm fearless.

I'm confident

and

I'm oh so comfortable!

I love hoodies and yoga pants.

So as you enjoy this weekend remember to do something that makes you feel and look sexy!

Stay Sweet!

T.

A Classic Case of the What-If’s

On Saturday night I was doing the usual, you know homework and checking Facebook. From time to time, I check out the selections Facebook offers on the people I may know, so on Saturday I decided to give it a look.

Oh boy, why didn't I just stick to the homework?!

There it was, in plain sight-my ex's profile picture; him and a girl.

For some unknown reason I just sat there, with my mouth hanging open, staring at the picture. And then it started happening, the classic case of the what-if's. What if this was his girlfriend? What if he lied to me and was seeing us both at the same time? What if he dumped me for her? What if he thinks she's prettier than me {clearly this is not even close to being true-I'm just sayin' J}? What if he lied about his job? These stupid questions kept coming to mind, and they plagued me for most of the night. So much so that I started to call him up and scream at him!

I wanted answers to my questions, and damn it I deserved to know the truth! All my logic was pushed aside. I was pissed off, and I needed to know who this chic was and if she was with my boyfriend ex. Luckily, logic alone wasn't enough for me to go off. I needed reinforcement. So I called one of my good friends.

And thank God for good friends who are there for you during your craziest moments. My friend understood how much seeing the picture hurt me. She understood why I was upset. She understood why I felt I deserved answered.

She understood why I needed to leave the situation as is; finished.

After I talked to my friend, I felt better and the what-if's ceased. They haven't come back and I'm glad. As my friend pointed out, calling him would have changed nothing about the situation. His mind is already made up. And so is mine. I need to move on because he apparently has. And if this chic isn't his girlfriend, it still won't change the situation.

--------

I discovered this today, on Facebook {I know, I'm an addict}, and this makes me happy.
Stay Sweet!
T.

Easy Difficulties

On most days I can function as a normal human being. I can wake up on time, find matching socks, get Nehemiah up and ready for school, and then get myself dressed. On these days I may even throw on some makeup. I can face the world with confidence.

And then there are days like yesterday.

Nehemiah accidentally fell on top of my laptop and cracked the screen in two corners. It was clearly an accident, and I'm to blame as well seeing I don't store the laptop in a safe place. Lesson learned. However, Nehemiah's behavior was challenging so my patience with him wore very thin. Now whenever Miah has an off day and it starts making me come undone, I become overly critical of myself.

Nehemiah has a bad day equals Thomasina is a bad mommy.

I know this isn't an accurate representation of my parenting, but this is what comes to mind whenever we have a bad day.
Once I got Nehemiah down for bed, I decided to start studying. However, something was wrong.

I started crying.

Everything hit me all at once; single parenting, school, Fibromyalgia, seizures, anxiety, depression. I couldn't seem to stop the tears, they just kept flowing. And then I realized something.

I was also crying about the break up.

Although I still find myself thinking about him, I haven't actually cried in a long time. In fact I thought I was over it. But as the tears kept coming I was forced into being completely honest with myself, and it was time for me to answer a lingering question.

Was I really in love with him as much as I thought I was, or was I in love with the idea that I finally found my soul mate?

Ouch.

I concluded that it was a little bit of both. Yes I did love him, a lot. But I also loved that I didn't have to worry about dating and being alone. I'm not one of those girls who have to have a boyfriend, but it's nice to be wanted. And to know someone is thinking about you. And that someone loves you in that special way. And I don't doubt that he loved me as much as he said he did.

But then again he did dump me.

And I wasn't allowed a say in the matter.

And we haven't talked since.

So as I dried my tears, I decided the break up was no longer worthy of my tears and anguish.

The relationship is over.

The friendship is over.

But my spirit doesn't have to be broken. I'm way too strong for that.

----------

I woke up this morning to the sun shining bright, and to Nehemiah's smiling face.

He was happy.

I was happy.

And I decided there is enough love in my life to sustain me until my happily ever after is written.

 

Have a wonderful weekend!
T.

 

 

Almost Doesn’t Count

I haven't posted in awhile because I had to kick my butt into full gear for school. Of course this didn't happen until after I discovered that I had screwed up the deadline for a major course project. Typically all assignments are due on Saturday by midnight {remember I attend online}, but the course project was due on a Wednesday! Needless to say, I effed up big time.
By the time I realized I had effed up it was Friday, so I got busy writing my paper. However, my thoughts just couldn't come together. To be frank, the paper sucked. By the afternoon I had shut my computer down, and I started having a breakdown. Seriously, I broke down. I kept crying hysterically and wondering if maybe I had taken on too much. Being a single parent with Fibromyalgia and seizures leaves a lot on my plate. I know I wasn't being rational, but I had decided that I was quitting. There were only 1.5 weeks left in the course, but enough was enough. I was done. Why did I ever think I could go back to school and succeed at it? That thought made me form the conclusion that I was not only quitting the course; I was quitting school all together.
Prior to two years ago, all I ever wanted was to go back to school-and actually see it all the way through. I went to college right after high school, but two semesters prior to graduation I dropped out. I had decided I no longer wanted to be a teacher, and I was too invested in the school of love, or so I thought. I try not to live with regret, but this is one of the biggest regrets I carry around with me. And here I was again, ready to quit.
Luckily, I regained my common sense after talking with a very good friend of mine. Sometimes you just need to be reminded that you can succeed, and that quitting is not an option. I can't quit whenever life gets hard. If quitting were always an option, I wouldn't be half the mother I am today because let me tell you, parenting is one of the hardest things I have EVER done!
So, Saturday morning I woke up nice and early and began working on my paper. Now let me remind you, I could have lied to avoid losing points once I turned the paper in. But I didn't lie; I screwed up the due date, so I took my punishment like a champ. I lost 30 points for turning in the paper late, but the loss of those points taught me one very valuable lesson.

Pay attention to all freaking deadlines!

I start my next class tomorrow, and I can assure you that all due dates will be marked in my planner.


Have a great week, and always stay sweet!
T.

A Fabulous Life?

I was so excited to watch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills reunion last night.  It was great, and I can’t wait to see the second half next week.  I’m hoping that Camille {who I love to hate} and Kyle can put their differences aside, and agree to disagree so they can move on!

On another note, I was thinking about life and all that good stuff which goes along with it.  This led me to the question, how do you know if you’re living your best, most fabulous life?  What is the basis of a fabulous life?  Often our society places much emphasis on the material aspects of life, such as how much money you have, the kind of car you drive, and your style of clothing.  Oh, and don’t forget to include the type of shoes on your feet.

Personally, I don’t feel that material objects justify a fabulous life.  In the midst of the chaos, I know that I am fabulously blessed.  I have more than I need, and I have never gone without.  Not to mention that I have the most awesomemest {this is a word from the Thomasina dictionary} kid one could ask for!  Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the material aspects of this life as well.  I hope that one day my life does become even more fabulous, so that I can enjoy some of the material stuff.  For instance, designer handbags would look quite lovely in my closet!  I wouldn’t mind designer labels occupying my hangers as well.  I just know that too much focus on material goods can definitely lead to an unfabulous life.

Well my sweets, it’s time for me to start my day. This entails cleaning my house, and then retail therapy with my mom.  My fingers are crossed that it doesn’t snow!

Enjoy your weekend, and remember to stay sweet!

T.

Contentment

Having Fibromyalgia apparently means that other body parts and or organs feel like they have permission to misbehave. I have been having some tummy issues, and today I met with the specialist and next Tuesday I will be having a procedure done. Only after the procedure will we know for sure what's going on. Tomorrow is my third cranial sacral therapy {a form of occupational therapy used for pain management} session, and so far it has worked wonders for my pain. I can actually remember how great feeling "normal" is!

Nehemiah is peachy, and he has been loving these long {and did I mention hot and humid} summer days. He went to vacation Bible school last week and was so sad when Friday came around. I found out that we have a Christian elementary school here in town, so I'm thinking that once Nehemiah gets closer to kindergarten I will have to check it out.

--------------------------

I purchased a magazine on Friday, and Jennifer Hudson was on the cover. She looks amazing {of course}, but after reading the article I was a little discouraged. Now, I'm not sure what sparked Jennifer Hudson's weight loss, and although she is now a size 6 I thought she was beautiful at a size 16. Why is it that women are only "beautiful" when they're skinny? Who decided that being thin was the goal that most women would spend their existence trying to reach? This drives me nuts! I was at the gym 5 days a week, but I had to stop going because of some health issues. It felt good having time to myself for a little while every day, but I felt like I was killing myself because every move and decision I made resulted around my weight. I'm not over weight nor unhealthy, all I wanted was to look like everyone else; skinny.

There, I said it…I'm guilty of doing the very thing I cannot stand for women to do-compare themselves. It seems that we always want something else, never being content where we are. We should never become stagnant or complacent; in fact we should strive to become better individuals. My point is we miss the greatness of today if we're too busy hoping for what tomorrow may or may not bring. The truth is I weigh what I weigh, and I wear the size that I wear. I'm curvy, always have been even when I wore a much smaller pant size. I'm healthy and that's no longer something I take lightly. I'm never going to look like the people I see on television, and that's okay. Those people are not me, and they don't live the great life that God handcrafted just for me. Of course things could be better in my life…much easier perhaps. However, I don't think I would be as strong as I am if I lived the life of someone else {or walked a mile or two in their skinny jeans}.

And that strength my friend is what brings me contentment.

Hello Sunshine

Hello sunshine it's been too long
since I felt your beautiful warmth upon my face
And how much have I missed
'Cause I've been focused on everything wrong
This road just felt so long
I forgot to lift my head to see you

Oh my lovely shining for me
Let my eyes see all the beauty
Oh-oh

Hello sunshine since the moment
That I felt your beautiful warmth
I knew that I'd do anything
To keep this feeling of you
My heart comes alive
Oh who could add a day to this life
By drowning every dark sky

Oh my lovely shining for me
Let my eyes see all the beauty
Oh-oh

Fill my dark skies
Make me see the light
Life is fine so bring in the sunshine
Oh-oh

Whoa-oh let in the sunshine
Whoa-oh let in the sunshine
Whoa-oh let in the sunshine
Let in the sunshine
{Song by BarlowGirl}

Unapologetic Me

I did not post the last few days because I have not been feeling well. Actually, I was feeling terrible (I hate being a woman sometimes), but I'm proud to report that I'm much better today. On Tuesday, I finally tried out the yoga kit that my mom got for me. I was highly disappointed. The DVD was not what I was expecting, but at least I now have the stretch band and the yoga ball. Seeing that I couldn't use the DVD, I decided to do some hard core stretching. It felt so good to my arms and legs! I did realize that my left leg is not strong enough for any running at the moment. This leg is the one that gives me the most trouble, so I think I need to work on making it stronger. I'm okay with this. I can start walking and eventually begin running. I'm a little sore from the stretching, but it's a good feeling!

Nehemiah is growing like a weed! It looks I will be shopping for more clothes sooner than I expected. On May 12, 2006 I found out I was pregnant. I immediately began calling the baby NuNu. Obviously I didn't know if NuNu was a boy or a girl, but the nickname just felt right. Needless to say, the nickname stuck, so we still call Nehemiah NuNu. The other morning my NuNu looked at me and said, "Mama (my heart melts whenever he calls me this), I only want to be called Nehemiah or Miah. No more NuNu cause I'm a big boy now." He did mention that Nana however could still call him NuNu! I hope that Nehemiah and Nana are still very close when he's older. I will respect Nehemiah's wishes and no longer call him NuNu.

Things with the man friend are going well, and I'm very happy. School is good, but its keeping me so busy this session. I'm taking Sociology and I absolutely love it. I have decided to get my Master's Degree in Human Relations. Human relations is the ability to work through and with others in an organization; something all managers should know how to do. I'm still not 100 % sure what I want to be when I grow up because the options are endless. I am glad that I made the choice to become a business major. I will be working on my bachelor's degree for 2 more years, but why stop there right?

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Taking this Sociology class has taught me a lot about myself. For the past few years, my friend Nic has been telling me that I need to be unapologetic about my life and my choices. I have always considered what people would think about me if I did this or that. These thoughts kept me from doing things that could have made my life and Nehemiah's life much easier. No more will this be the case.

I will no longer apologize for doing whatever is necessary for Nehemiah and me to live our best lives. I will not apologize for what I believe in, for doing things that make me happy, or for any decision I make regarding my child. No more getting approval for living life the way I'm entitled to live it. I'm a grown woman and it's about time that I start putting my needs ahead of those around me. My needs have taken the back burner for so long that I began to feel like I didn't matter. Not anymore. My self-esteem issues stemmed from this, and you know what, I've come a long way, and taking care of me feels good. It makes me feel good, and when I'm happy it shows. I'm not afraid to be my real self anymore. So dear friends, this is me and my life, so you can either take it or leave it. When it comes down to it, you're either on my team or you're not.

Smooches

The Red Shirt

We all know that certain smells can remind you of a memory. For example, whenever I smell Bath and Body Work's Warm Vanilla Sugar, I'm taken back to college. I was sitting outside, minding my own business, when a girl in my class informed me that my boyfriend liked her roommate and was coming to their dorm all the time! I already had suspicions that my boyfriend liked this girl, so I was devastated to hear someone actually comment on his feelings out loud. Needless to say, that relationship ended shortly after, and so did my relationship with the scent.

The same thing happens whenever I see this red shirt. I'm taken back to the horrible days I had while wearing this shirt. The first time I wore the shirt, my family became the victims of a horrible lie. A lie that has been exposed, but still manages to damage us. The second time I wore the shirt was the day of Nehemiah's last visit with his father. We all know what happened there.

I didn't want to throw the shirt away, so I buried it in my dresser. I had it in my closet, but I couldn't stomach seeing it every day. Yesterday while putting laundry away, I came across the red shirt. Instantly, tears came to my eyes and I became angry and afraid all over again. How can an inanimate object have so much control over my emotions? I immediately re-buried the shirt, snapped out of my depression, and continued watching Glee (bought season 1 on DVD and I love it; let's not forget that I don't have cable).

Why do I keep the shirt? It's a reminder of what I've been through. I don't want to forget and become complacent. It reminds me that I have to be strong, even when I am un-humanly weak. It reminds me to not let my emotions make decisions for me. It reminds me to fight like hell for those I love. Maybe it's not a good thing that I keep the shirt. However, when I dig up that red shirt and think, "What's this doing here," without breaking down; that is the day I can officially bury the red shirt.

To Ponder

And this is where I am today.

Full of questions.

Does it ever feel like you woke up one morning and BOOM, you're an adult?

When did I become that girl who goes to bed at 9 pm every night and gets up at 7 am (6:30 on a good day) even on weekends? And how did sleeping until 8 am qualify as sleeping in? What happened to the days of staying up all night and sleeping until noon the next day?

When did I become the girl who has to watch what she eats? Long are the days of pizza, chicken wings, and burgers everyday for lunch.

When did I become the girl who plans everything out? From shopping lists to my daily schedule. When did "go with the flow" retire?

When did I become the girl whose thighs are so close together they can call each other by name? What happened to the thighs that once lived miles apart from one another?

What happened to the boobs ladies and gentlemen? No amount of gravity can keep these babies where they need to be. Whatever did I do to deserve this punishment? I didn't even nurse for goodness sake!

What happened to time? There is no such thing as free time anymore. If someone finds it hiding, please tell it to make a stop by my home!

And last, but not least; what the frick happened to dating? Once upon a time, this girl was never single. In fact, I was fighting men off. I would have a boyfriend, but have a backup list of guys who I could date at anytime, and no, I was not promiscuous.

Oh where, oh where have these things gone? Oh where, oh where could they be? More important, can I ever get them back. Especially the mile apart thighs! Come on, haven't I suffered enough!!!

Past and Present

As the days go by, I discover more about myself than I knew before. Last year during this time I embarked on a journey to determine who this Thomasina person really was. Everything had turned up side down and I questioned everything I thought I already knew.

Now, a year later I can say that I know who I am.

I know who I am as an individual, a mom, a Christian etc. I've learned that what makes me tick or what ticks me off is okay. I can now say no to others without feeling bad. I can let things slide off my back. I can handle life with a tighter grip.

I can love me while looking fabulous or normal. I no longer worry what other people think because it doesn't matter.

I can accept criticism and avoid being judgemental. I can determine if a situation in my life will matter in the long run.

I made it through one of the biggest challenges in my life, and I would do it all over again if it meant becoming the woman that I am.

A New Change

As I have previously mentioned before, I have been trying to live a healthy lifestyle for a few months now. This has become very near and dear to my heart since my friend was diagnosed with Diabetes. I also have a high risk of developing Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Hypertension. Let's not forget that Breast Cancer may try to show it's ugly face again in the future, so being healthy is a must.

My eating habits have changed and become a lot more stable. I eat tons of fresh fruit and veggies, and I only eat out once a week (I'm still struggling with this one). When eating out, I try to avoid going to the place that is known for their "Golden Arches."

I've done some research and talked to Nehemiah's pediatrician. I have decided that we are going to remove red meat from our diet as much as possible. We rarely eat red meat already, so this shouldn't be too much of a challenge. The risks of eating red meat out weigh the benefits, so I think this is a great choice for us.

The reason for this change. First, I want Nehemiah to grow up with healthy eating habits. I'm very particular about what's put into his body and hopefully once he's older, he will be too. This by no means is an easy task! We live in a world where fast and easy seem to be the way. There are sweet temptations everywhere, which could be the reason grocery shopping is difficult for me to do when Miah is with me.

I love a good steak, but recently I have had some issues. There are certain foods that I can't eat because I can picture the animal in my head...duck, veal, lamb. On my way to and from work, I pass a dairy farm with lots of cows. The more I look at these animals the more disgusted I get knowing that I sometime eat them for dinner! And don't let me make the mistake of hearing one moo. I go into straight freak out mode.

I'm not sure how removing red meat from our lives will work out in the long run, but we can only take this step one day at a time. Nehemiah won't be missing out on any nutrients because we are still eating chicken, fish, and turkey. The pediatrician also recommended that I add more green veggies to his diet. This is an easy fix seeing that he loves lettuce, asparagus, and broccoli.

Just as with any change, this will take time. I haven't actually sorted out all the meats we won't eat, but I'm definately open to eliminating any that we don't need. Wish us luck on this new travel.

Good Bye

Last night Nehemiah and I had our last playdate with the other "Martin" family. The kids had a great time playing and all went well until it was time to say goodbye. Nehemiah got angry because his friend was leaving, and I was suprised to see that he really understood what was going on. As I hugged Nic, I felt so many emotions; the pain of bad breakup; a death. A part of me was leaving. Change is the only thing in life that is constant. We knew this move was going to happen, but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. A timeless friendship is one that you learn from; you will always have something to take with you to encourage and inspire you no matter where you are in life. I have been blessed enough to have a few of these types of friendships (thanks Nic and Mary). It's these types of friendships that make life a bit easier to live.

BlAcK

Lately in the media there has been a lot of discussion about what it means to be "black." Within my own culture, an educated man or woman who speaks well is trying to act "white." The last time I checked, education and speech didn't come marked with a race.



The statistics for my people are horrible. Many believe that we can't be successful unless we rap or play a sport. Making money seems to be what drives most, except greed starts to over take need. When are we going to hold ourselves to a higher standard?



Seeing that I don't fit into this classification, where does this leave me? I'm not "black enough" for some of my sistas because of my light skin and "good" hair, or maybe it's because of the way I raise my son.



At 27, I still get teased for the way I talk and the music I like. And as far as my parenting, that seems to be a public discussion. I hear constantly, "We don't do things like that cause we're black. Only white people treat their kids like that!"



Shut up already! I know the legacy that runs through my veins. I know the story of the struggles my people went through. I know where we have been and the journey we are yet still on.



Just because the "good things in life" and the "American dream," seem to be reserved for those who are not of color, does not mean that I will stand back and not fight for my piece of the pie. My accomplishments, goals and dreams, for me and my son are not painted in white, black, brown, or tan. They are painted with hope and faith, and that's all we need to get us by!

So if my walk and talk offend you, well then it's just too bad. To fit into your preconceived notion about how this BlAcK woman should be living her life? Thanks for your unwanted opinion, but actually...I'm aight!

Life Lessons

1.) Don't sweat the small stuff. If it won't matter in 5 years, it won't matter in 5 minutes!
2.) Never be afraid of who you are. If you've managed to touch at least one person's life in a positive way, you've done something right.
3.) Just because you're family doesn't mean you have to be friends.
4.) The friends who really charish your friendship make time for you.
5.) Don't regret the past, it may help you with the future.
6.) Remember to smile.
7.) Cry when it hurts.
8.) Be thankful.
9.) Life is valuable. Everyone has a purpose.
10.)Pray. Someone is listening.
11.) Love. We all need it.

What I've Learned Round 2

Here is what I learned...again.
10.) Taking Benadryl helps take away the head exploding feeling.
9.) Your luggage will weigh more at the end of the trip than it did in the beginning.
8.) Flying in lounging clothes is so much better.
7.) Jetlag does go away.
6.) Female pilots rock!
5.) Being in an isle seat is not neccessarily a good thing.
4.) Definately check the monitors at the airport for gate departures (apparently they change often).
3.) Little old men share awesome stories.
2.) I am most certain the woman sitting behind me on the opposite side of the plane had Swine Flu...okay maybe it was just a cold, but thank God for all the handy wipes I brought with me!
1.) You may see someone famous at the airport...I saw Kanye West! We were going through security at the same time. TV really does alter your apparence!

10 Things I've Learned

While traveling to Hawaii I learned some very interesting things, here they are...
10.) Don't wear jeans on a 12 hr flight!
9.) Your head feels like it's going to explode on take off.
8.) You need to drink water, which consequently makes you pee and people get pissed when
you keep climbing over them!
7.) Never buy airport food, you'll go broke before you get to your destination!
6.) People don't follow the no cell phone rule until an attendant yells at them to turn them off!
5.) Talk to people, they have intersting stories (I made two friends, one of whom I will fly back
to Detroit with).
4.) Belts and watches will not pass through security.
3.) Gay flight attendants are frickin' awesome!
I don't want to pass on judgement on LA, but here goes...
2.) the airport looks like a mall and everyone seems to be over dressed
1.) There is definately tension between NY girls and LA girls! NY girls are classified
as true friends while LA girls are only friends with people who can do something
for them. I was also told that Californians are materialistic snobs!
I can't prove if this theory is true regarding Californians because I only know one and she doesn't fit the profile, but once you start talking about New York and California people offer their opinions and don't shut up!