"This is where we are!"-Jennifer Adams, circ.1990, Road trip back from Bear Valley

Did you see that?! Over there! Wait, there's another one! Did you see it? It's been so long since the last time I saw the familiar glow of a serendipitous moment, I was worried I would forget what it looked like even if it stuck its neon yellow butt right in front of my nose! Well, not to worry, I'm happy to report that after six long months of hibernation, not one, but TWO just crossed my path!

As most of you may or may not know from my frantic Facebook posting back in late January and early February, I left the position I specifically moved to Hawaii for. Yeah, you can say it, "That was quick!" But I'll have you know that I struggled fiercely with my decision to resign; back and forth, up and down, calling friends and family to make heads or tails of my feelings and seeking advice from trusted council as to finding my way when the lights went out on my path. You see, the position I took had all the promising elements of what could have been my next dream job: working with military families, coordinating events and creating meaningful relationships with some amazing co-workers. Now combine those elements with being surround by "The Few, The Proud, and the Totally H-a-w-t, er, I mean The Marines" plus the nominal perk of LIVING IN HAWAII, and what's not to love? Well, two things. Their names are "time clock" and "budget cuts”. First off, let's be honest, I'm not a time clock kind of girl. (Really? Does that come as a surprise to anyone? I thought not.) The last time I punched a time clock was probably about 12 years ago when I was working part-time as a waitress at the BBC. But the last time I punched a clock for a desk job? Uh, that would be…never! So when my 90 day review came up and I was told that I was on being put on probation for tardiness (meaning several entries of 8:02am, 8:03am etc) I knew I was in trouble. But let’s move on to the second one entitled “budget cuts” because that one really hit me where it hurt. Basically due to a corporate budget cut of over $3million dollars it was necessary to tighten the company belt, and unfortunately the yummy goodness that made up my 40 hours a week was cut to almost nil. In order to provide the military families with necessary housing services and great customer care, they had to cut something, and it made sense to start with the “fun stuff”. While I whole-heartedly understood the reasoning, my whole heart still sank. The job part of my job became so tedious so quickly it almost caught me off guard, and though I loved my new co-workers, and my brand new desk and my brand new computer in our brand new building, I knew quickly it wasn’t going to be enough to keep me there.  I offered to work part time thinking it would be a great win-win situation; saving the company money, and allowing me to do the reduced amount of work while being able to pursue wedding planning, but alas, “corporate” had a policy against part-time employees. So…I did what any responsible career woman would do. I gave my two-week’s notice with no other income in sight and in one of the toughest locations to find a job-much less a good paying one.“WINNING!”

So, hi-ho, hi-ho it’s happily Ever After I go! And as my friend Jen once said in answer to the question “Where are we?”

“This is where we are.”

The Fred of Life!

It's finally sinking in. I moved to Hawaii. No seriously, I straight just moved to Hawaii.

Over the last month I've been salt and peppered by my friends and family with several phrases in the "Are you excited!?" category as well as the "I'm so jealous!" bunch. My response has been sad, even to me. Though I yearned to be excited since the moment it was official, the truth is- I wasn't. You know that magic feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you are about to hop a plane to NYC or walk through the turnstile of a football stadium? Yeah, it wasn't there and after a couple of months of waiting, I was pretty sure it got lost in the mail.

I knew this push out of my comfort zone would take more than just a regular rally, but I expected the exhaustion of moving (packing, shipping, unpacking, furnishing, finding and starting a new job, etc.) to be balanced by the unbelievable awesomeness of living in paradise. Yet, somehow, it's hasn't been balancing out. I know what you're thinking, "Waa!”

Thankfully, today I am happy to report I felt something! Just a little movement, like one of those rumbles in the middle of the night that could have been either a Mac truck cruising by, or minor earthquake; but something definitely shifted. Finally!

I woke up at 5am and headed to Kailua Beach for Hawaii Adventure Boot Camp, as is my new routine. Though it's dark when we start, it's about 80 degrees which makes it surprisingly bearable to get up and out the door. I wish I could explain the sensation of a warm sea breeze rustling through the palm trees as you lay on your yoga mat doing sit ups under Orion's Belt. Or finishing your stretching while watching the sun rise proudly from the middle of the ocean! I double dog dare anyone to hate boot camp in these conditions. You couldn’t. Even if you wanted to. And yes, for all of you who know I am so NOT a morning person, the 5am wake-up call is a discipline I am learning to make friends with again. (I would say we aren't quite dating yet, just friends, but hopefully it turns into more, lol.) Thanks be to all mighty cheer camp for instilling the "I don't care how tired and sore you are-you will be smiling and you will be in a good mood before the sun comes up" attitude that I summon each morning when I reach for my face wash to brush my teeth?

At any rate, this morning I finished up boot camp, and let my sister take the car home so I could walk along the beach, alerting barefoot runners of wayward bees on the sand, but mainly just trying to have a moment and let it all soak in. About an hour into the walk, I finally let myself relax enough to let it wash over me. It- being that feeling of reverence and gratitude for all things spiritual which are both known and, more so, unknown to us. I figured if I couldn't force myself to be EXCITED...then I could at least allow myself to be grateful; grateful for all the things that had to come together, like a symphony, to make this happen. From being (1) laid-off, to (2) visiting Hawaii and (3) making friends with two outstanding Marines from MCBH, then (4) finding and reading my grandfathers WWII love letters to my grandmother and (5) deciding that I wanted to have a job that was somehow related to supporting the troops and planning events, to (6) actually finding that exact job at Forest City on the USMC base in Kaneohe, and (7) having a total stranger reply to my sister's Facebook request looking for a contact at aforementioned company, to (8) my landlord making an exception to the no subletting clause in my lease, to (9) my sister needing a roommate and finding a beautiful place for us to live in Kailua, to (10) truly getting hired by Forest City. I am basking in a sense of awe and gratefulness this morning, not to mention a little bit of "good girl you actually did it!!"

About 30 minutes away from home and a half a coffee left, I had one other thought that I’ll share with you. It’s not often I take a minute to think about how short life is, and what I want out of it, because somehow I find that depressing. Usually I just try and get my errands done, and make each day as stress free as possible, but today I had a feeling of –gosh, life is short, and I SO want mine to count! Now, my “counting” might not look like yours in that I don’t have an urgent need to save the planet, or discover a cure for cancer (although, no doubt, those would both be great) I just really want to soak in my one term on this planet. I want it to be rich in experiences, rich in love, rich in memories and rich in joy and laughter. As far as I know we only live once, at least that I am aware of, and I plan on savoring the hell out of this life-as if it were a big, fat, juicy piece of Fred! (I highly recommend clicking on the link, lest you get the wrong idea!)

Life is served, folks. Get it while it's hot!

Sweet Home Alabama!

Shereen: Hi. My name is Shereen. I'm an Alabama Fan.
Readers: Hi Shereen.

I find myself with a case of the "weekdays" on any day other than Saturday when I can watch my beloved Tide step onto the field and do what they do best-play football.
Am I alone?

When I'm traveling for vacation or for business, I always pack my "vintage" class of 1996 shakers and check ahead to locate the nearest alumni chapter to see where 'my people' will be gathered-eyes glazed and shakers poised ready to celebrate our team's every success. 
Is that wrong?

I have spent more cash on a football ticket to an Alabama home game during an undefeated season than an ATM will allow you to take out in one day.
Should I be concerned?

I have given preferential treatment and shown bigger/friendlier smiles to those people who can be identified as fellow Alabama fans. Whether it be a car flag, a baseball hat or a Craigslist posting for a television with a screen shot of the Alabama game; if you are with me-then I am for you! I'll honk and wave at you like with your car flags, high five you in a Bama cap as you walk by on the sidewalk and buy your TV without even seeing it in person-because we're family!
Aren't we?

I cannot control a "roll tide" yelp when I pass someone displaying a logoed item. Today I saw a man walking down the street holding an Alabama mug and I shouted "Roll Tide" from a stop light-and he waved back.
Is that scary?

Whether standing amidst hundreds of Alabama fans at a bar or with over 100,000 at Bryant Denny Stadium, yelling "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer" always gives me goose bumps!
Do you think I have a problem?

Readers: Thank you Shereen. Please have a seat.

Empire State of Mind

New York never disappoints. Remember that! Even if you are barely able to walk to due bruised metatarsals from a not so wise decision several days prior to hike all over the nationals capital in flip flops for 8 hours, it STILL doesn’t disappoint! I HEART NYC!

Sunday at 6pm, I am supposed to meet Hannah and her new beau at the top of the Empire Hotel on 63^rd and Broadway for some cocktails and catching up. My sad self somehow gets the address stuck in my head as 63^rd and 5^th….which in any other city would just have been a 2 block correction, but in New York they have this little place called Central Park, maybe you've heard of it? Well, I was inconveniently on the wrong side of it!  So 30 minutes later and with gratuitous apologies to all I finally arrive and we proceed up to the rooftop bar (aka a little piece of New York heaven). I order one of their signature drinks, a Summer Tea, and almost break down in tears- the best drink I’ve had all weekend! Finally! (You know I love you NY, but those communion size shots for $8 a crack are the most pathetic things I have ever experienced.) I give the group a re-cap of the last few days: dinner at Mesa Grill, drinks at Lillies, dancing at Mean Fiddler and the Social, watching the Alabama game with 200 Alumni at The Ainsworth and a midnight burger at The Spotted Pig. I find out that this wanna be NYCer didn't do too bad. The Mean Fiddler happens to be one of their favorite haunts and they have been to The Spotted Pig more than once! I'm feeling pretty proud to say the least.

Hannah's beau asks me a little bit about where I'm from and what I'm up to, and I wont' re-cap that whole story here as you all pretty much know it, but I will tell you that what happened next could only be described as, say it with me, a "firefly moment". It turns out that one of his friends is a former model who started her own event planning company in New York. The sole focus of her company? Planning events that support the troops. No way! He comments that he just had lunch with this friend last week, and then proceeds to shoot her off an email in the middle of cocktails asking her if she would be interested in expanding her business to Hawaii. No way! She emails back almost instantly that she is always interested and to send her my info. WAY! 

I'll keep y'all posted on the developments...but for now, just know that fireflies are alive and well- even on rooftop bars in the middle of New York City!

Go Confidently in the Direction of Your Dreams! (Part I)

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler."-Henry David Thoreau

Well, I don’t know that it’s always been a dream of mine to move to Hawaii, but that’s where I am going as confidently as possible on September 28th.


It’s funny; I never meant to return to California after graduating from Alabama. I always thought I would settle down in Georgia, get married and start a family. (Well now, that’s a whole other post for another time!) But life has a funny way of firmly encouraging you to go in a different direction. At any rate, I landed back in the Bay Area and have been here for much longer than I ever expected. After losing my job of 8 years just two weeks before Christmas (insert violins here), I jumped right into looking for a new source of income. I truly believed I would be back to the grind within a month, maybe two at the longest. Yeah, right! That would be assuming I could get an interview. Just kidding! That would be assuming I even got a call back. Wrong again! That would be assuming I got an email other than “We received your application. Do not reply to this email.” After 4 months of exactly ZERO interviews, I decided to continue my job search from my mom's empty condo in Waikiki. (I know, I know-rough life. Don't judge!) It was while in Hawaii I spontaneously rediscovered a lost passion of mine and a whole new field of fireflies!


About a week before I was headed back to California I met a couple of Marines on the beach. (Note to self: a whole other post on this too!) The three of us were inseparable for an entire week, and I made promises to them both to write letters and send cookies and awesome care packages while they were deployed in Afghanistan. They seemed touched by my offer, and I was surprised that they would be so thankful. I went home with a renewed spirit and some sort of purpose-finally! In between shopping for all things "care package" and writing letters, I sat at home searching for jobs. Up until this point I had been looking for a replacement job, same sort of position- new company. Then I asked myself, if I could do anything, what would make me happy? Surprisingly enough, the answer came-plan events for the military and not as a volunteer! Now that would make me happy! The search was on, and within 24 hours I had found my next dream position-a Fund Raising Coordinator for USO Hawaii! Are you kidding me?! I just thought up a job and it appeared it front of me?! Ridiculous. Unfortunately that opportunity didn't pan out, and neither did the next one I found...but the momentum was certainly going in the right direction!


To be continued...

The (Lunch) Hour I First Believed

Can you remember a moment in your life-a single moment- that changed the way you viewed the world? You know, the kind that excites and humbles you all at once. Here’s one of mine. Back in the day, after the Bears but before Bear Bryant, I used to attend a local junior college called De Anza. In between classes I would often walk around the outdoor track to get some fresh air, clear my head after a pretty mind twisting philosophy class and well, pray. (I should probably mention that at this time in my life I was very involved with church and various Bible study groups.) Anyway, one particularly windy day I was doing the old “right over left” stretch (See Ms. Wimberley, P.E. wasn’t a complete waste!) and I couldn’t help but notice the crazy amount of trash on the field. I remember thinking, “How weird would it be if there was like a piece of Bible or something underneath my shoe” (Yes, I even thought the word “like” into my internal dialogue back then too. Sad, I know.) So anyway, I lifted up my foot and curiously inspected the many scraps of litter stuck to the bottom of my size 7 ½. There was one piece of paper about the size of my thumbprint that caught my eye. Go ahead and take a closer look at the picture. Do you notice any key words? Even though I realized pretty quickly that it wasn’t ‘actual’ scripture, it didn’t matter because a surge of absolute awe and disbelief was already coursing through my body. NO WAY! NO FA-REAKING-WAY! Although I'm no longer actively involved in church or Bible studies, I've kept this little treasure tucked safely inside a Winne the Pooh jewelry box for the last, um "several" years. Every time I need a reminder that anything is possible, I just pull this little puppy out and hold it in my hand for a minute until I remember-Uh, WAY!


What was your first “firefly moment”? I’d absolutely love to hear it!

Life Is Like A Field of Fireflies (a la Forest Gump)

You know when something happens that you can’t plan or predict, perhaps something small and seemingly insignificant, but it just makes your day? These are the moments I live for! Firefly moments. Catching a shooting star out of the corner of your eye; bumping into a coworker 3000 miles away from home in the middle of Central Park; or yes, even seeing that “OMG- full on double rainbow all the way across the sky!” . This is the cool stuff of life! I’ve noticed over the years that although I cannot predict when these events will happen, they do happen with great frequency, and it is my intention to start documenting them.


When I was a kid growing up in North Carolina, summer was my all time favorite season, and though there were endless reasons to love summer, mine could be boiled down to just two things: honeysuckle & fireflies. I was pretty much a girly-girl. Well, except for the fact that A) to this day, I still have no idea how to successfully operate a curling iron and B) I was never fortunate enough to own a Barbie. (Btw, thanks be to Gaby for humoring my never-ending fascination with her Barbie Dream House and Barbie shoe collection.) On second thought, maybe owning a single pair of pink Nike Cortez, a bottle of Love’s Baby Soft cologne and an Easy-Bake Oven didn’t exactly qualify me to be a girly-girl, so let’s try this again. How about, I was never much of a tomboy? That’s better. So then as a ‘non-tomboy/wanna be girly-girl’ you can guess that with the exception of having to save a wayward ladybug from an untimely death at the local pool, I was not at all into creepy crawly things. But fireflies… *sigh*…they were different. Fireflies were magic. Staring into an open field at dusk, just waiting to catch a glimpse of the first firefly of the night is still one of my favorite munchkin memories. “I saw one! Did you see it?! Where?! There’s another one!” It never got old. Knowing there was a field full of magic in front of you, and all you had to do was wait for it to be revealed to you?! Priceless!


I feel like as I get older, I am realizing that this is what life is all about-for me: noticing the magic that is already around me and being grateful for it. I’m not too concerned with figuring out the big questions-you know, the how’s and why’s of our existence or what my exact purpose is in life. Instead, I just want to have more firefly moments. :-)