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Sunday, August 23, 2009

I know I'm super stoked about the upcoming move and looking forward the adventure ahead.  However, I wouldn't be truthful if I didn't think about what brought me here to Orlando in the first place.  I believed in a project so much that I left a good paying job at a major corporation to head forward into the unknown and handle the PR for a group of amazing individuals who, even to this day, I am so proud of.  Regardless of my issues with their management, I always believed in them and do to this day.  Anything that they call me for, you know I'll drop what I'm doing and help them out.  They have all grown up now and I still slip and call them kids, but the memories I have with them and their family is just priceless.  They are fabulous individuals and I adore them.

When times were tough, the people surrounding them became a surrogate family of sorts - and I can't imagine not having MB or Fus around to yip with.  They understood my frustration - Fus and her family let me spread my wings PR wise and handle things for the label, giving me major experience and huge learning opportunities.  I was able to reconnect with industry people from my past and revive those relationships, take on new clients and explore different genres.  I learned that sometimes you just have to branch out and have faith that the road you are on is the right one.  I also learned to rely on instinct and if something doesn't seem right or you just know it doesn't fit in your plan, then get rid of it.  I learned that some people are just downright snakes and your instinct won't lie to you.

Of course, when their band broke up and they moved back out West, I stayed here in O-Town and wound up getting the job I have now (and will have til Sept. 4th).  I met some amazing people regardless of someone's telling me to NOT work and that just "things would be taken care of" (thankfully I also learned that some people are full of ish and they just need to be gone!)  I learned responsibility at a level I never really had to before, where I became truly independent and could think for myself.  I embraced my inner bitch and dealt with the drama swiftly, only looking forward.  What would crying do to help me, not a damn thing.  I just had to soldier on. 

I also learned that besides the day to day, I needed a creative outlet, hence me starting Just Because... well, just because and meeting (virtually) some fabulous fabulous people that I would love to have a cocktail or coffee with and just chatter endlessly about fashion, cooking, the weather, anything with :)  I further branched out into honing my cooking skills and then transitioning that over to Cooking in Stilettos and meeting FoodBuzz, another group I just adore.  On the fashion end (because, well, I'm a fashion whore - totally admit that), Reese and I collaborated on Fashionista+ which I'm excited to work on again. 

And, on the personal level, Shadow and I met the one and only Mr. Wiggles who taught me that things I deem urgent, really aren't - at least in a dog's eyes.  I began to laugh again and to not always focus on the minutiae.  I discovered that Loubous and fabulous shoes are, indeed, my crack.  I rebuilt some relationships from the past.  I learned to "edit it down" when it came to my surroundings and address things that normally I would try to hide from and stick my head in the sand.  Sometimes when you just deal with it, it's not as bad as you think it would be.

The past few years have not been easy and the move to Philly just seemed out of my reach. However, once I set my mind to it, the wheels began turning and, in a few weeks, it is a goal I'm about to achieve.  Since 16, I knew I wanted to live there.  In February 2008, that feeling was overwhelming when I was wandering around Center City by 17th Street.  I knew that I needed to be there in the thick of it.  I reconnected with old friends from the past such as OurBuddy, Jas & CK and with them, Reese & Meowmix, some great discussions were had.  It was during one of those Philly jaunts that, by chance, I met Rifleman who would be one of those friends I think will be around for a long time and has gone above and beyond to help me attain this goal.  I discovered that there are, indeed, good hearted people in the world that really do give a ***t.

There are so many other avenues that are opening up left and right that I think Philly will just be a whole new playground and a level up.  I will miss my friends and adopted family here in Orlando - that's for sure but I welcome the future opps.

And when I sit here tonight and think about it, one song comes to mind bringing this full circle -Jett17's track "All Together Now" - because, quite frankly, things are coming together now.  I know where I'm going, where I came from and what I went through and it made me the person I am today and, you know what, I think I kinda like her.

Labels: Deep Thoughts, Memories, Moving In Stilettos, Mr. Wiggles, Philly, Random Mess

Posted by Lys :: 3:14 AM :: 2 comments

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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Food For Thought...

I'm headed to Philly in two days to go catch up with old friends, see new ones and just chill out. Other than that, I'm not super planned and I'm enjoying the idea. Part of me thinks I should be all "go go go" but the other side of me goes "Damn - I'm BARELY SCHEDULED - LOVE IT!"

So I'm thinking that I'm just going to chill out and wander through my favorite city, taking in all that I can and just letting life play out. My inner control freak is screaming "Lys - what the eff - are you short on coffee?" and the angel on my shoulder is telling the control freak that it needs to just stop.

And, while I was kinda irritated with a couple peeps and was planning on tossing a stiletto or two, after two raspberry lemon drops (SSG - Chambord + Lemon drops = heaven), I figured I'd let them out of the virtual doghouse and enjoy the time with them during the holiday season.

So, I had to wonder, when a gal stops trying to control the outcome of everything, is that when fate just taps you on the shoulder like a long lost friend and you have a moment of clarity...

Deep thoughts...

Labels: Deep Thoughts, Random Mess

Posted by Lys :: 11:30 PM :: 2 comments

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Monday, December 01, 2008

Closing The Door...

Well, I know I've yipped about Mr. Convenient aka "Mr. C." here a few times and, while I said I'd slam the door on his behind - I kinda didn't and kept it just a crack open - just in case.

Well, guess what - the door is slammed shut. Officially, nailed/duct-taped/don't even try to crack a window open shut. While there will always be a friendship, anything else is just never going to be possible (even if he starts his yippin' again. This gal ain't hearin' any of his mess).

When I was up north, I had time to reflect and think about what I wanted in life and realized that I've been doing this tango with Mr. C. for quite some time. The thought occured to me that perhaps we have too much history and I need to start fresh. Mr. C. and I have known each other for years (over 15) and it also occured to me that, perhaps, I kept the door open for Mr. C. just out of fear of the unknown. Mr. C. knew almost everything about my past and never judged me for it (or at least I don't think he did). He's seen me at my best and also seen me at my worst. When Nick died, he was the first one there for me and continued to help me deal with the loss (even when I drove him crazy). When Mark threw me through a window, Mr. C. was ready to toss his azz out of the club with nary a thought. When I moved and we lost touch, somehow Mr. C. and I found our way back to reconnect. However, our time has well since passed and I have to look back and smile. He's a good man, just not for me. What I want in life is so much different and the last place I want to be is back in New England (sorry guys!). My life is definitely somewhere else and I know my future is definitely brightly lit.

So, when one door closes, a window opens, right?

Labels: Deep Thoughts, Random Mess

Posted by Lys :: 6:19 PM :: 6 comments

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Friday, June 27, 2008

Leader of the Pack...

Let me state for the record, that I have NEVER been a fan of the pack mentality. I've always been one for independent thought and think for yourself. The term "lemming" and I have nothing - NOTHING - in common. I think that people, as individuals, can bring SO much to a situation and really have to smile when I see people moving ahead. Positive begets positive, people.

However, when I see grown women being followers (and not leaders), I wonder where their mindset is. I'm all for supporting one another but I am also for everyone having their own opinions and thoughts. There's a few people that I have to deal with on the daily that take the Pack mentality to a whole other level; that pack being either this

or

this

You get the picture. These women are grown but yet act like they are still in high school with whispers, nasty azz gossip, cold shoulder, ostracizing, "severe embellishment" of the truth (and heaven forbid if you even tell them they are wrong), and they can't seem to go a WEEK without being pissed off at their "hot seat of choice". And when someone is in the hot seat, life is VERY rough for that person and these individuals seem to revel in it. The next week - it's someone else's turn.

I have seen people I care about get hurt and, while sometimes it's my turn in the hot seat, I can deal with the heat just fine because I'm just as fiery and have a very low tolerance for bull*** (especially lately). However, in my concern for others, I worry about if other people that are in the hot seat can handle the searing hell that these characters have a tendency to dish out. Any way you look at it, it's abuse. Plain and simple.

There's going to come a time, very soon when a snark will beget a snark in return - and my snark will definitely set at least one on their ass. I just have to have my ducks in a row before I fire the return volley. But, with all the drama that has been circling this spot for the past 2 months, I had a deep thought this weekend.

I wonder - are we back in high school? Are our adult lives just a regurgitation of the junior high and high school mentality, just with better bags and shoes? Or are some people just regressing back to childish behaviors due to the stress that they bring on themselves.

I just don't get it.

Labels: Blog 365, Deep Thoughts, Random Mess

Posted by Lys :: 5:33 PM :: 6 comments

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Friday, May 23, 2008

Deep Thoughts: Can You Really Change The Past...

Here's something to ponder: will Moses be able to carve new sins into the 10 Commandments, the basis of sins that all Catholics are taught?

I know, I know - you're groaning "Lys, we're supposed to talk about Shoes, and Boys, and Parties and ohmigod-SHOES! It's a holiday weekend." However, this post has been in draft and daggone it - time to publish and clear my conscience. We'll go back to shoes tomorrow - promise!

Ok, let's have a bit of a refresher course if you will. During my 12 years at Catholic School - these were the sins that were taught:

1. Thou Shall Have No Other Gods Before Me.
   
2. Thou Shall Not Take The Name of the Lord, Thy God, In Vain.


3. Thou Shall Observe the Sabbath Day and Keep It Holy.


4. Honor Thy Mother and Thy Father.


5. Thou Shall Not Kill.


6. Thou Shall Not Commit Adultery.


7. Thou Shall Not Steal.


8. Thou Shall Not Bear False Witness Against Thy Neighbor.


9. Thou Shall Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Wife.


10. Thou Shall Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Goods.

My father mentioned in a phone conversation not too long ago that the Catholic Church is interested in amending the 10 Commandments. Namely, the Catholic Church decided to put a new modern spin on things and are including "modern" sins including pollution, genetic testing, abortion (like they didn't try to include this before - See Commandment #5), obscene riches and a host of others. To quote my father "What's next - Gas Prices?" In that case, Rome needs to take its happy behind to an oil field and figure out that problem, imo. If using too much fuel is a sin, they need to figure out alternatives. Like what does the Pope drive? Is the PopeMobile a hybrid?

Now, this one about the overabundance of riches. OK - so, let's say you are insanely wealthy, you contribute a ton to charity along with your time. Is it still a sin to be rich? Or are you absolved because you are paying the Church a huge tithing? Hmmm...

I think Verena von Pfetten at the Huffington Post summed it up perfectly in her post, "My Spiritual Journey: Thoughts On Sin" While I am a Catholic, I still have my issues with the Church - and one of them is based on confession. How can I confess to a priest who will then tell me "Say 5 Hail Marys, 10 Our Fathers and 1 Apostle's Creed" and *poof* I'm absolved. While I know they are priests and all, personally, I'd rather confess to God and do something in penance to make up for my sin. I've got enough Catholic Guilt to go around for eons. I'm more spiritual now then I was a few years ago.

My other issue is how dare the Church tell me what to tithe. That's between me and God. I know what the Bible says and God knows how much time I also donate and sacrifices that we make. What really got my goat back in the day was being told I couldn't be confirmed because my parents didn't contribute enough to the Church. It was not only embarrassing (because they contributed MORE than enough - my father just refused to use those damn envelopes so Father Huller could track everything), but it was infuriating. I think that's one of the few times I cursed out a priest - and Father Huller HAD it coming. If I could have, I probably would have put a banana in the tailpipe of his spiffy shiny new Cadillac too. So yeah, I'm a tad wary of the Catholic Church sometimes. While I may be Catholic and won't jump faiths, I do, however, reserve the right to speak my mind.

And that's one other thing I told my father as he was scolding me for saying perhaps Moses DID have hallucinations. I'm not doubting God spoke to Moses - but perhaps he had a mushroom or three while he was staring at a bush and the flames could have been a vision/hallucination. [Yeah I know I'm going to hell or, at the very least, purgatory]. I dunno- I'm trying to give the scientists a benefit of a doubt on their hallucination theory. But as I told my dad, I am grateful that the Catholic Church doesn't really excommunicate people based on their beliefs or speaking their mind, unlike a couple faiths I know which are fond of handing a pink slip and a boot to the butt when you question their tenets.

So, should Big Brother of the Church happen to Google search this and find my opinion, I don't need a pink slip. Just understand that I'll follow the original 10 because pretty much, that's what you drilled into my head for 12+ years of daily catechism. I think that's what God wants us to pay attention to.

Labels: Blog 365, Current Events, Deep Thoughts, Random Mess

Posted by Lys :: 3:24 PM :: 2 comments

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