100 things #21 I am intrigued by but not as committed as some folks ...

to preparing myself for 2012. I am however completely amazed at one artists ability to create such dimension with chalk on a sidewalk to give the earth below the appearance of floating over that Mayan Calendar. Amazing ... just amazing, I'm glad I got the opportunity to see it first hand because this photo does not do the piece full justice.

Whether you call it The Apocalypse, Armageddon, A Quantum Leap, The fifth Dimension, Winter Solstice of 2012, or The age of Aquarius ... it all boils down to the end of the Mayan Calendar, the end of a 5,125 year cycle based on the Ancient Mayans understanding of our solar system.

From what I understand on a surface level only ... the Ancient Mayans predicted that starting in 1999, we would have 13 years to prepare ourselves for the transition from one world age to another. They predicted some type of great upheaval at the end of this cycle that would not necessarily mean anhialation of the world but rather an opportunity to flush out it's evildoers to make way for a new time of balance, a time where men and women are totally integrated. In this new time, this new cycle they predicted that women would become world leaders.

What are your thoughts on some of the 2012 theories?

100 things #20 I love being in the midst of a crowd ...

especially when it's an artsy crowd like this one.

Over the weekend, David and I went back to Lake Worth for the street painting festival.

Every year, these artists gather to paint the streets with chalk.

The amount of work involved in compleating one of these pieces is difficult to describe and the thoughts of the whole thing being washed away with the first rain, sort of makes you wonder why ...

I guess it's like the sand castle artist ... they create the art for the love of art.

My new camera really got a work out ...

There were literly hundreds of pieces to look at, sort of like being at an outdoor musem.

It was interestging watching these people work and trying to figure out why they chose the reference pieces that they did.

I have to share my camera with David now, he is starting to become as hooked as I am when it comes to searching for color and flavor to capture. I'll have to start posting more of the photos here that we take on our one day adventures.

It wasn't easy choosing just a few favorites to post today but space is limited, I am saving my very favorite for a post of it's own.

I have every intention of returning next year, if any of you feel like joining me let me know ... I will say it was about 80 degrees here in Sunny South Florida on Sunday, not a cloud in the sky.

100 things #19 Tonight I recieved a message of Spirit by Betty ...

at my Drum Circle.

Put 20 women together with a bunch of drums and rattles to celebrate centuries old Native American traditions of drum, song and dance and there is no telling what will come to surface.

Tonight ... Betty was moved by Spirit to write me the message above, after I brought to the circle thoughts and talk of times of great prosperity being a mans world and times like we are facing now being time for women like us to follow our instincts to help put the priorities back in order not only for ourselves, our families and our communities ... but also for our universe. I felt honored. Thank you Betty.

I just wanted to add that in today's state of economy with all of its layoffs in many male dominated industries, women are not only becoming the major bread winner in more and more families, but also continue to be the major caregivers as well.

If today's trend continues and we find ourselves in a long term recession these responsibilities may begin to shift some, but I'm sure we are still light years away from seeing complete roll reversal. I think that employed women will continue to take on the roll as primary caregiver before our unemployed men (in general) will be able to figure out how. Hopefully by then, we will find ourselves back in prosperous times.

100 things # 18 I Hate, Hate, Hate my Sprint Touch Phone ...

For a little over a year I have been a very unsatisfied Sprint customer. 6 touch phones later they just keep replacing one bad phone with another bad phone just like it.

I've used Sprint for years with no serious complaints until now. Up until yesterday I have been unable to get them to budge because of a contract that is not up until December.

I won't go into details about how crazy upset they made me but I will say that today I am a very happy Sprint customer again.

I Love, , Love, Love my new Blackberry Curve ...

who says the squeeky wheel doesn't get oiled?

100 things #17 I love Thursday nights ...

For ages now David and I have had date night on Thursday. Like everything else it is in a constant form of evolving, usually dictated by my work schedule. He gets off at 3:00 in the afternoon, for a long time we both did. On days like that, the sky's the limit ... we're talking an 8 or 9 hour window of time to get out there and do something. In our area there is no shortage of things to do.

Last night I got off work at 6:00 so we decided to stay close to home (his not mine) he lives about 25 miles from me in Greenacres.

We went to Havana Hideaway <-- go here a favorite hole in the wall where we sometimes go to relax.

You've gotta love this place!

Monday night is movie night, Tuesday is open mic night and Thursday ... is bike night, we had no idea.

I had a Sangria or two and David had a few $1 beers ...

we shared some Havana Nachos and a lot of small talk before strolling down the Avenue filled with Leather Clad Bikers and their Harleys as far as the eye could see.

We ended up at South Shores Tavern for Cherry Thursdays<-- go here and a little old time Rock & Roll. No one mistook us for a motorcycle gang of two or anything but we had no trouble fitting in and enjoying the change of venue.

100 things #16 consciously giving thanks for what I already have ...

reminds me of some of the things I learned about gratitude when I was first learning to Dance in the Rain.

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision. - Melodie Beattie

A photo I took of one of the little things that make me feel happy

After a 17 year marriage I found myself in the midst of a divorce that lifetime telivision would not even be able accuratly recreate. I remember reading the message above about gratitude, written by Melodie Beattie <-- go here

100 things #15 I have plenty to be grateful for ...

writing the first few entries on this 100 things about me list, has not only given me a path to follow as I try to get back into the habbit of posting new entries in Rain ... but it is also giving me opportunity to take inventory of the things in my life that I find most important.

In todays economic climent, I am (like so many others) feeling an urgency to redefine my values and reorganize my priorities. I am longing for a more simple life, a life where I allow myself plenty of opportunity to celebrate the simple things already in my life that make me happy, like ...

having good health, 3 happy children (young adults actually), My Mom and Dad are doing well, I have a handful of wonderful friends I can count on, my sister, my job and David ... I am really happy to be sharing so much of my life with David.

Another thing I am happy for is 365 opportunities each year to witness the sun setting like in the photos posted here. I think we would all be happier if we took more time to focus on the things we already have.

How can we expect more from the universe until we learn to fully appreciate the things that we already have? What are some of the things that you are most grateful for?

100 things #14 It's been years since I participated in a photo challenge ...

but today I am going to post an entry for Carly's Photo Challenge. This weeks subject is "Birds" <-- go here.

Living in South Florida birds are plentiful and happen to be one of my favorite subjects to photograph.

These are not brand new photos ... I don't recall if that is part of the challenge or not.

Carley offered extra credit this week for posting a Snowy Egret photo ... here's mine.

100 things #13 I'm still looking to organize my hopes for the future ...

by reflecting the past.

Photo taken in a Cypress Swamp in the Everglades

Not sure where this is going.

100 things #12 I have about 250 hours of vacation time built up at work ...

and wouldn't be able to use it right now if I wanted to. That's over 6 weeks, right? I would sooooo love to be able to take all of that time at once. Yep... no clocks to watch, no schedules to keep no deadlines to meet, ahhhhh

Photo taken in Miami Beach on the side of an old Art Deco building

It would be as if time had no meaning, at least for a little while.

100 things #11 I am very rarely late for anything ...

but seldom more than 10 minutes early.

I tend to schedule myself close to the wire leaving little room for the unexpected and I'm not sure why.

100 things #10 I love the saying "it's the bee's knees ...

I don't get to use it often but every now and then I do get to photograph it.

Anyone know where this catchphrase originated?

100 things #9 Once I was brave enough ...

to let my daughter cut my hair and do foil highlights for me when she was in beauty school.


she was 16 years old.

100 things #8 I sing out loud when I'm in the car ...

mostly old songs written by old friends.

I left home when I was 16 yeiars old ... it broke my mothers heart. These were my roommates. We moved to Atlantic City from Florida, they were hoping to make it big in the music industry.

This was nearly 30 years ago and I still sing their songs ... my favorite "Just like a Light House." The lyrics include a part that says ...“I’m just like a light house on a stormy sea, if your boat gets lost you can depend on me. When it's cold as the rain and it’s black as the night, look for me and I am always in sight. But all I want to know is who,who looks out for me when I'm looking out for you?”I wouldn't take a single minute back ... this was a very happy time in my life.