Saturday, June 27, 2009

California



A little over a week ago I flew out to Orange County California to visit my friend John. I had a blast! It was relaxing, entertaining and beautiful. I spent a week there and when I wasn't working out, relaxing at the pool or soaking in the hot tub, I was exploring SoCal with John and some new friends. I did a lot in just a week:


• Stars on Hollywood Blvd.
• Night out in West Hollywood
• Hike in LA near the Hollywood sign
• Shopping on Rodeo Dr.
• Drive along Mulholland Dr.
• Night out in Long Beach
• Bike ride from Santa Monica to Venice Beach
• Dipped my toes in the Pacific
• Dinner and drinks at Long Beach
• Massage, Manicure and Pedicure at Burke Williams Day Spa
• Amazing Crepes for dinner and an even more amazing dessert
• Taco Tuesday
• Evening walk along Laguna Beach and through the town (my favorite part!)
• Nose pierced at Laguna Beach
• Drives along the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway)
• All you can eat sushi

More photos:
http://web.mac.com/cdefrank/iWeb/Site/cali%20iweb.html

Atlanta Pride 5K Run



This morning I participated in the Atlanta Pride 5K run at Piedmont park. I had originally signed up for the race because I knew two of the girls running in it. We had made plans to meet up at the park before the race and run together. That didn't end up happening.

The girls ended up bailing so I was left with the decision to attend the race on my own...or I could just skip it? I'm happy to say I dug deep out of my comfort zone and attended the race. It was an amazing feeling to accomplish this on my own. The 3.1 mile run was a piece of cake compared to the anxiety I had to overcome to actually get there. My time ended up being 29:29, one of my best times out of the 5K's I have ran over the past years.

After the race, I collected a t-shirt, banana, water and bag full of coupons and samples with a smile on my face and a very proud feeling inside. I turned my ipod back on as I walked to my car and a song randomly began that sums up my life perfectly at this moment.

Exactly by Amy Steinberg

i am exactly where i need to be
i need to be exactly where i am
i am a blessing manifest
i can undress the moment
naked time unwinds beneath my mind
and from within i find the kind of beauty
only i can find
i am exactly where i need to be
i need to be exactly where i am
i am surrendering so willingly
to be the perfect me inside this now
and truly how else could it be
destiny she blesses me
destiny she blesses me
when i try to fight or run
i only wind up back at square one
when i think i know what’s best for me
fate she takes me back
to exactly where i need to be
i am exactly where i need to be
i need to be exactly where i am
i am divinely timed and shining brightly
yes i believe that there’s a purpose just for me
yes i believe that we are light
and we shine infinitely
i am exactly where i need to be
i need to be exactly where i am
i am not aimlessly existing see
i am in perfect harmony with universal energy
and i am truly free when i accept my own divinity
look at me look at me closely
tell me exactly what you see
if you are paying attention you will now begin ascension of the mind
why, because if you look at me just right you will see a kiss
for it took a kiss to make this breath exist
the intersection of my mother’s and father’s lips
to touch twist and perfect what came next to produce me
look at me and you will see the breeze
the breeze it took to shake the leaves to make
my mother’s hair move, my father dare touch it and say
please may i have a kiss
yes the breeze made me exist
and if you want to get even deeper into this
when you look at me you will see a cloud
the cloud it took to form the storm to make the breeze shake the leaves to
inspire the liplock – yes a raindrop will pop up out these words
you heard me right
if you look at me close enough you will see a dark stormy night
and what is night
well night ain’t night without it’s polar opposite of sunlight
so if you watch the way my hands sway
you’ll see the light of day
and everyday is a testament to the sediment of the earth’s core
it’s ever spinning enormous force so if you look at me just right
you will see a spark of the source
but the most fascinating thing about this, and it’s true
is that if you look at me just right, you see you
it’s only what you perceive how you believe the space between
you and me
that creates reality
so when i sing you can feel it
when i cry you can heal it
when i speak words you can be the words i speak by singing with me
peace love free, peace love free
peace love free, peace love free
peace love free, peace love free
peace love free, peace love free
when i try to fight or run
i only wind up back at square one
when i think i know what’s best for me
fate she takes me back
to exactly where i need to be
and when i am alone and full of fear
i just remember the rising sun always appears
everyday miracles, miracles that i see
well they take me back
they take me back
they take me back
to exactly where i need to be