In da club

I got all dressed up and went to da club tonight.  

I had all the dance room I needed. I always had something to drink. And I didn't have to worry about any creeps. It was great!!

 

The only downside was someone stunk up the bathroom while I was there... 

I can't wait to go back to my living room!

 

 

Do what interests you - at the moment

[Found this post covered in cobwebs in the far reaches of the Drafts folder, circa 2017 - and yet, it still holds true.] 

“Every next level of your life will demand a different you.”

I often look back on the path of my life thus far and am continuously amazed at how all of the parts have fit together so perfectly... and in the most unexpected ways. I can tell you right now that when I was deciding where I wanted to go to college and what I "wanted to do" I: 

1) didn't have a clear idea and 

2) NEVER would have guessed where my path would lead me.

To be completely honest, I kind of just made my decisions based off of my most current interests. For example, during middle school and increasingly during high school I was interested in designing and sewing my own clothes. I wasn't much holding fantasies about becoming a famous designer but it was something that I enjoyed. So when it came time for me to choose a career to shadow in high school and then eventually decide on a potential college major, it was easy for me to follow the suggested idea of fashion design. Why not? I liked doing it and I didn't really have any other solid alternative ideas.

I can still recall very clearly the confusion and what seemed like lack of validation many of the adults around me had for this decided ambition.

FLASHBACK:

Pretty much any Adult outside my family: What are you planning to study in college?
Friend 1: I'm planning to be a Dental Hygienist.
Adult: [oohs & ahhs] That's fantastic!
Friend 2: I'm going to go into Geophysics and Plate Tectonics.
Adult: Wow, so interesting!!
Me: I'm going to study Fashion Design
Adult: . . . oh, . .wow . . . how 'bout that . . .

Cool, I feel kind of bad now. Thanks for the boost! It's ok, not everyone can relate to the same experiences, ambitions or interests (though they should at least try . . . just saying). But no matter, that was my decision and I was sticking with it!

Looking back, 10 years later (holy cow!), I know that because I chose to explore a current interest (instead of basing my future on 'where I'd make the most money') I had the opportunity to:
- Study abroad in London
- Live in Africa
- Work with refugees from all over the world
- And most importantly, discover my love and passion for working with diverse cultures and helping others improve their lives.

Whoa, most of those do NOT sound like they'd connect with fashion design . . . Nope, they don't. And yet, they do. They did. As a sign I got from my sisters says:

Yes, I 100% agree. My path has NOT been linear . . . like, at all. But, I believe it HAS been just as it should be.

Here's why: I followed my interests. You can call this whatever you want:

following your heart

going with your gut

being true to yourself

answering your calling

Regardless of the words you use to describe your actions, you are making your decisions based on whatever is pulling you. 

This is hard to do. 

Especially if you don't have a support group to encourage whatever journey you embark on. I have been incredibly fortunate and blessed to have such a support group, which, unfortunately, I have learned is not as common as one would think. But, if you're willing to take some [probably] scary jumps and live YOUR life and not a life others expect of you, I am almost certain you will create experiences for yourself that you never would have dreamed of. Experiences that will stretch and expand your mind, skills, and thinking like you wouldn't believe. Experiences that will undoubtedly change your life. 

What are you interested in right now?
Why not explore it and see what happens . . .?

Sarah's World Press - Breaking News!

SARAH'S WORLD PRESS

Progressive Amendment to Restrictive Abortion Ban

ATLANTA (SP) — In an unprecedented amendment to the 'Heartbeat' Abortion Ban signed into Georgia law on Tuesday, lawmakers have shocked the nation with the quickest update to any bill in the state's history. What was initially viewed with outrage by pro-choice supporters has now fallen into a gray area with the added provisions:

• Free healthcare for mothers and their children, from conception to age 5, including:
• Prenatal medical appointments
• Postpartum checkups (as needed for a minimum of 1 year)
• Prenatal mental health visits and postpartum therapy sessions (as needed for up to 3 years)
• Free transportation to and from all healthcare appointments
• Monthly stipend for baby supplies for the first 24 months after birth (for items such as diapers, milk replacement formula, bottles & accessories, breast pumping supplies, baby food)
• Monthly stipend equal to previous living wage prior to pregnancy for first 6 months, postpartum
• Additional funds will be given in cases of job discrimination during pregnancy or health issues preventing pregnant mother from working
• Free childcare for children up to age 5

With such changes, it appears Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is even more committed to living out his sentiment “to ensure that all Georgians have the opportunity to live, grow, learn and prosper in our great state.”

The future outcome of such a law is unclear, but these new changes have many thinking this is a step in the right direction.

This is a developing story.

Walking The Dog

On a walk around the blog with my friend's dog, Poppy, aka: Popstar, I spy with my little eye - something across the street!

Something that seems . . . off . . .

A guy walking his dog - VERY SLOOWWWLLLYYYYY - down the sidewalk.

Oh hey, he's meeting a friend! And they're shaking hands!

. . . but now he's walking away . . . like, immediately . . .

 

OOOOHHHHHH, I see what happened here. "Poppy! That was a drug deal!"

I've now learned a whole new meaning for "Walking The Dog."

Caught In The Act?

I do embarrassing things all of the time. Most recently, I was performing at a festival with a Bollywood cardio dance group and I kept tripping on my harem pants. I caught my foot in the billowy fullness gathered at the ankle at least 3 times! And every time - especially the last, as it was the most pronounced - I envisioned going ALL. THE. WAY. I'm talking massive wipeout where I'm not going down alone. Oh no, I'm in the back row at this point and if I'm falling, it's forwards so I'm taking friends with me.

Secretly, I wished it had happened and my caught foot ended up taking out a fifth of the performers on stage. I nearly bursted out  laughing, mid-dance at the thought. Though I'm sure this mirth was highly elevated by my amusement of a completely horrendous second dance.

But back to falling. Think about it, how funny would it be to witness a dancer trip and fall, taking out fellow dancers on her way down?!

It'd be amazing! I would LOVE to see that!! I can just imagine how my cheeks would be hurting from laughing so much. And the days of pleasure to follow after, calling up giggles simply at the thought (and of course subsequent mental replays of the event).

Sometimes it really sucks to do embarrassing things. They can make you feel shy, nervous, stupid, etc. Luckily for me though, those feelings are less common - at least for more than a second. More commonly, I hope that when I have an embarrassing moment I'm caught in the act. If I know that I would enjoy seeing the same situation happen to someone else, then it's seems like a waste if no one can get enjoyment out of my embarrassment.

As the saying goes: What goes around, comes around. So why not will the coming and going of humor and cheer? It's ultimately for the greater good, after all . . .

An Heir Hair

What is this? 

A duo of threads? 

Line for a fishing rod?

Maybe for some. For me, it is proof of an heir. Or perhaps more appropriate, an heir hair.

It's been discussed in my family that all of the daughters have fine, golden-hued, silky tresses, while our mom's was more coarse and dark. I can still vividly recall as we aged, the exclamation of my older sisters as they each found their respective first coarse hairs.

"It is so thick!"

'Where did this come from?!'

I'm no stranger to coarse stragglers on my ol' noggin, however, while washing my hair the other day I discovered the most curious thing. My Heir Hair. This was not just a random coarse hair in a forest of strands. This was proof of the metamorphosis itself. A hair transformation caught in the act, if you will. A complete transformation of not only girth, but hue as well.

Behold, my tangible destiny! And caught in the midst of puberty, no doubt.

Let's take a look again at the photos from the beginning of the story again.

Now zoom out and see . . . . . . 

They are connected. 

It is one single strand of hair. WHOA! That's crazy. And also quite impressive and cool. Just think, if it weren't for my disgusting hairballs I stick on the walk of the shower to avoid clogging the drain, I would have missed it entirely!

The Violin & The Water Glasses

The. Best. Thing. I've. Seen. Riding. Public Transit.

Or at least close to it . . .

I wish I had a video to show you of the great sight, but sadly, I don't. Looks like you're going to have to use your imagination!

Picture, if you will, a gray building with rooftop access right next to the elevated train tracks. Standing side-by-side on the rooftop are two men, right at the ledge. The man on the left is playing a violin. The man on the right is holding a serving tray with two wine glasses of [what I'm assuming is] water, OVER the edge of the building.

As the train curves around the building, the violinist plays on. The water man's arm shakes with fatigue (I don't really know if his arm was tired, but it sounds good!) My head turns as the train passes by, eager to see what is happening. As the building quickly disappears from view and I'm straining my neck and eyes to their fullest extent, I see only ONE other person on the train who has spotted the odd situation outside.

I'll never know exactly what was going on, but my suspicion is a science experiment! I predict they were seeing if the violin could play the right note at the right frequency to shatter the wine glasses. I also predict the glasses had different levels of water. I discussed this great sight with a friend later and she had different ideas as to what the two men were doing - but now I forget what they were . . .

So how was your imagination? Could you picture it? If not, my quick drawing below will bring it home for you.

NOTE: This is an EXACT likeness.
Couldn't get closer to the real thing unless you were there!