Revealing the Most Interesting Man in the World

This is just a fun post. I ran across this link in another blog but thought it "worth" putting here, too. It's not such a valuable video but it certainly has it's funny moments. It can be a bit long but some of his advice at the end is interesting, too. I hope you enjoy it! I don't usually promote commercials but... it does fit with the current Mexican theme!

Coffee and Colonials!

Do the two really go together? Sure! They seem to for this girl! :) By the way, when I talk about colonials it's not the typical American colonial architecture, that leaps to my mind, with a symmetrical front, perhaps a couple of columns and 2 stories. Like this...
Actually colonial architecture has a few forms in America but the colonials in Mexico are quite different. The facade is generally very plain and flat which reveals nothing about the layout within. Here is one video of one such colonial. It is on the upper end to be sure but there are more expensive ones too. Thankfully there are less expensive as well! I don't know that this is my favorite but it's VERY nice and gives you a flavor of these houses.

OK, Maybe a Sickness!

My last post was entitled - Just Having Fun. At one point in the intervening days, I read another blog where the woman described herself as "sick in love with these colonial houses. Sick, can't get them out of my mind!" OK, I admit it! I'm close to that!! I can get them out of my mind...for a while! :) I still am just having fun but it's a bit of an addiction! Of course, is it possible to have "a bit" of an addiction?! They certainly are intriguing and when restored - WOW, they're beautiful, inspiring and intoxicating! Naturally not all of them are to my taste but still...

Just having fun!

I'm no longer "international" at least physically! I'm back in CA and enjoying get togethers with people to catch up! I'm glad that this past trip to Mexico doesn't have that usual surreal feeling, you know, like it never happened but was just a dream. I'm not sure why this trip is different than most, maybe because the pace was more relaxing, I'd been there before or what? Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed the time and looking forward to the next time, whenever that is.
For the past few months I've been perusing Mexican real estate. Perhaps a vacation home in the future? Of course some lifestyle changes would need to occur to make that happen. In any case... I've loved looking at the old colonials and how people have restored them! It strikes that architectural bone in me of days long ago. I would never want to go back and work as an architect in some firm, besides I'm probably a dinosaur at this point. However, this colonial architecture is new to me and the climate is also different than anything I've ever worked in before. I wish I could see more before and after pictures of the same place. There are places both restored and not yet restored to look at but not usually of the same place! All in all, it's been a blast!
There have been some "overly desirous / covertness" issues to work through with God because I can get too involved or personal about things. That, too, has been good (the working through) so I can just enjoy the process and have fun! Whatever the outcome is or isn't. It's good to have some architectural juices flowing again!

Already March!

Well, February has come and gone. I thought, periodically, about writing but never actually did it! Now it's March 2nd and I've gone international! I'm sitting on the balcony of my boutique hotel in Mexico. :) (Well, it's not MY boutique hotel but you know what I mean!) Brian and I are taking some time away to relax, and get warm to the bone. Today while having my morning coffee in a wonderful shaded courtyard we had geckos and an iguana to watch and entertain us. The iguana was a surprise and I think he was surprised as well. He quickly climbed a tree to survey the scene from a safer distance. Yesterday we went snorkeling and saw lots of fish and one sea turtle!! That was one of the things on my bucket list so it was very cool! There are even pictures to prove it.
It's good to get away from the regular routine no matter what kind of routine it is. There is something about unfamiliarity to stimulate creativity. It's easier to see things in a slightly (or vastly) different way. I'm excited for the photo ideas that are coming and hopefully will produce something tangible and fruitful! Well I'm about to run out of battery so for now...

Familiarity and Variety

Have you ever felt like there aren't many people you can relate to? Of course there can be people you like, enjoy their company and find interesting, but that doesn't mean you can deeply relate with them. Variety is the spice of life as "they" say! We can all thank God that everyone is NOT like me!! :) Still, finding a few people throughout one's life with whom there are familiar life circumstances, similar perspectives and heart attitudes makes for an easing of the soul. At least, it does for me. For some people these kind of relationships do not seem difficult to find. I have never found that to be true, but then I've never had a large circle of close friends either. I can learn and grow and have fun (!) with many types of people. In fact, I learn some things from people that are different from me and other things from people that are similar. I enjoy it all, but I have to say that I treasure the times in my life when I have a close connection with someone who's like minded and following a similar path in life.

Back in Town - Moving Forward

Just got back from my mom's 90th birthday celebration! What a celebration it was, probably over 100 people!! A lot of people I haven't seen perhaps since high school years. (Of course I've hardly changed! :o ) I'm so glad so many people came since she's touched so many lives, and she could be blessed in return with that expression of love.
Now, I'm glad to be back home in the sunshine and recoup a bit more from that cold. I still feel a bit gunky with a cough now and then. (TMI?) At any rate, since I'm feeling better and the festivities are over, I'm researching in earnest the new possibilities. One of these is stock photography. Right there you know it's not a get rich quick scheme! But if I could, in the end, make a little money from something I enjoy and want to spend more time at anyway; then why not?!
I love the beginning of something with all it's possibilities! There haven't been any disappointments, setbacks or obstacles; it all lies before me wrapped up with great anticipation. This is when it's easy and full of promise. Although I feel this way now, I want to have the perseverance to continue when the rejections come! I know they'll come; that's part of the learning process. Sometimes it's just easier said than done. Nevertheless, I'm stating now that I want to press through! Hopefully my first acceptance won't take too long but first the research!

Resuming Coffee

Well I'm having coffee this morning for the first time since the onset of the cold. It doesn't taste as good as it usually does, but still this is a good sign that I'm truly on the mend. I'm hoping this little bout of sickness will be the only one for this winter!
Tomorrow is Brian's birthday!! He'd prefer for birthdays (his) to slip into oblivion so we have no big plans. Perhaps a photography excursion, depending on the weather, combined with a trip down to Monterey. I think we'll save the nice dinner out for sometime in the week when we are both feeling top notch! In any case the day will be spent together - he is so worth celebrating!!
Nothing much new at the moment since the last 4 days have been spent in bed or lying low to recover more quickly. Hope you all are enjoying the new beginnings of this year. Can't believe it's 2011 already, but I've decided not to think too much about the numbers and just enjoy the adventure. Thankful for so many blessings!