One Human Family

The last weekend in March I was lucky enough to go to Key West with three people I adore...Dustin, JC, and Jared. JC and I flew to Ft. Lauderdale thursday night and stayed with Jared. Jared took us out and showed us Ft. Laud nightlife on a Thursday. He also made me an amazing birthday cake (Carrot Cake) one of my favorites. This was a birthday celebration trip for JC and I. Here is a pic of that amazing cake :-)

The next day JC, Jared, and I went paddle boarding on the intracoastal waters of Ft. Lauderdale. It was a little tricky to stand up..but so much fun. We played for about two hours, stopping to swim, and going down all the fun little canals to see the sights and the beautiful homes on the water.

Friday night Dustin arrived from Raleigh and we went out to score in Miami. We danced till the wee hours of the morning and then called it a night. The next day (Saturday) we got up and had a quick brunch at the Palace on Ocean Drive in Miami before taking the road trip down to Key West.

It took us about 3 1/2 hours to get down to Key West. The journey was filled with fun stories, stops for coffee and ice cream, and lots of music and youtube videos (lucky we all have iphones). We got down to Key West, parked the car and rented bikes. The sun was just setting and we went to a little restaurant and had a quick meal before heading down Duval Street on our bikes for the first time. It was magical. The architecture, the ease of getting around, the great company. That night we had drinks at the Bourbon St. Pub and saw a fantastic drag show at Aqua. Sunday morning we got up about 11 a.m. and started our day by biking down to Sarabeth's. A memorable brunch spot everyone should try in Key West. They have the most amazing tomato soup, omelets, and almond crusted french toast.

After brunch we began to explore the island...shopping a lot, buying a few things, and enjoying some delicious frozen yogurt.

The tile work "One Human Family" is located at the Southern Most point of Key West. It is kinda the motto of Key West and a very accurate indicator of just how friendly the island is!

Well of course we got adventurous and bought some fun little swim trunks...had Sesame street characters and hello kitty put on them and basically took over the island. We were a huge hit everywhere we went...but more than that....we had the best time cracking ourselves up.

We went to a tea dance and got to take a great pic with a fella named Kirk. Jared already knew Kirk-a bartender at the Bourbon St. Pub and Kirk was kind enough to let us stay at his place on the island for the weekend! He is in the middle of the pic.

Jared also introduced us to Joe...the owner of the pub. Joe was so much fun! We ended up gogo dancing at the pub that night. The next day Joe took us out on his boat...along with Derek and Austin from the A-List New York who happened to be there as well that weekend. We went way off the coast of Key West to an Island...played on the beach and snorkeled! We saw numerous packs of dolphins that swam right next to the boat.

The trip was my favorite of my life. Everything was so chill...so fun...so breathtaking. Dustin, JC, and Jared are diamonds in my life and made every moment so much fun! Dustin is like the brother I never had....I can tell him anything...he is always there for me. JC has been a friend for a while and is always a perfect gentlemen. The trip was also very romantic for me. Jared and I have been talking since we met at Mardi Gras. Almost inseparable conversation. Friendly wake up calls in the morning, random calls during the day, goodnights, fantastic skype dinner dates. We decided on this trip to be boyfriends...early April 2nd to be exact. I love holding his hand, the way he kisses my shoulder, and most of all the man he is. So I would like to introduce to you Jared....my boyfriend :-)

Can't Go Back

I ran across this song the other day and I wanted to share it with you all. I guess it could mean a lot of things but it does stir up a lot of memories for me. Mostly it reminds me of being a kid and all the sights, smells, and feelings I had for the first time. I would love to be able to go back and talk to myself as a kid. I think myself as a kid would have a lot of good advice for me as an adult today.

The Ballad of a Dove....on turning 30

If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a, bed of roses Sink me in the river, at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song

 Lord make me a rainbow, I'll shine down on my mother... She'll know I'm safe with you when she stands under my colors..oh well Life ain't always what you think it ought to be-no Ain't even grey, but she buries her baby

 The sharp knife of a short life...well I've had just enough time

 If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song

 The sharp knife of a short life...well I've had just enough time

 And I'll be wearing white, when I come into your kingdom I'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger, I've never known the lovin' of a man But it sure felt nice when he was holdin' my hand, There's a boy here in town, says he'll love me forever, Who would have thought forever could be severed by 

The sharp knife of a short life...well, I've had just enough time

 So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls What I never did is done

 A penny for my thoughts, oh no, I'll sell 'em for a dollar They're worth so much more after I'm a goner And maybe then you'll hear the words I been singin' Funny when you're dead how people start listenin'

If I die young, bury me in satin Lay me down on a bed of roses Sink me in the river at dawn Send me away with the words of a love song

The ballad of a dove  Go with peace and love Gather up your tears, keep 'em in your pocket Save 'em for a time when you're really gonna need 'em, oh The sharp knife of a short life...well I've had just enough time

 So put on your best boys and I'll wear my pearls -Kimberly Perry

Reaching my 30th anniversary from birth feels so comforting. If this is 30...then I can't imagine how amazing 40, 50, and 60 will be. Life only gets better, more enriched with smiles and memories, more broadened with friends and experiences, and more decadent as I become at peace in my skin.

So many people reached out to me this birthday. Through phone calls, texts, pictures, links, cards, and facebook posts. All were special...and all were so appreciated. I wanna share them with you all....here is the collection of the pics people shared with me :-)

Believe it or not....the celebration actually continues as next weekend some close friends and I are going down to key west to bask in the sun, sand, and water! I am so excited! People say a person's 30's are their best decade. Well my 20's will be hard to beat..but I am definitely up for the challenge. In any case...I look forward to what is to come.

What I know...What You Know

I ran across this the other day and loved the message. It's from the point of view of two people, possibly yourself and another person. You know your intentions, both of you sees your behavior, but only one of you feels the most of impact of your intentions and behavior. On the other hand the other person does not know most of your intentions, both of you sees your behavior, and the other person feels the impact of most of your intentions. It's pretty neat and puts in perspective how we can react to people if they don't understand our intent and vice versa. I think in our time....this is especially true with texting-which can be read not at all as we intended.

Stay Open....Lightening Could Strike

I was home this weekend…all weekend….which was a very nice break from traveling and working parties. I had the time to pull weeds from my front yard landscaping, trim bushes, and just spruce the yard up in prep for spring. I did all my laundry, washed my sheets and generally got my home life back in order. I had a big stack of firewood I had cut this past October and had it stacked on the back patio. I had placed it there for ease of hauling it inside to the fireplace or burning it in the fire pit on the patio. As I was moving the firewood I thought about the day I had cut up the trees…..5 months ago and what was going through my head at that time. I was totally hung up on a guy…. I purposely drove around town in my sister’s truck with a chainsaw asking people who had trees down in the yard if I could cut up the trees and have the firewood. I was trying to do something nice so that if this guy ever did showed up…..we could make a fire and do something romantic together, make smores, and generally bask in the glowing warmth (mushy and romantic I know :/ ) Well long story short I ended up with a pile of un-used firewood. Not a bad thing…I can always use it next winter. This leads me to my thought of today…..actually just a bunch of advice based on my experience. Meeting someone on a party weekend and thinking you know them is setting yourself up for heartbreak. SLOW DOWN….take the time…MONTHS….to observe them, see their reactions, their actions, the way they handle situations, how reliable is their word…don’t give your trust away. Are you even really compatible with this person….or did the vacation atmosphere just make it seem perfect? Date until you are absolutely nailed down. Ok…yes…you and Mr. Right had an amazing time at Gay Days…I get it…after one weekend full of drugs and dancing you are certain he is the “ONE”. At the same time if another guy asks you on a date…GO….you never know lightening could strike. You are single until you are taken and by all means date until you are taken. Actions……I don’t give a flip what sweet nothings he whispers into your ear. …what amazing things he fills your day with via text…how many cute pics he sends you. The real test is his actions. Are you making all the effort? Does he call you? Has he come to see you? Is he willing to go out of his comfort zone and do things that you like? The best relationship advice I have ever gotten came in the form of a quote from my friend Joel…it goes like this: “I’ve learned that time is the relationship healer….going out and meeting/dating other guys mends wounds. There are some fucking awesome people and sweethearts out there…..if the one you are with isn’t…..don’t waste your time because you are?” In short be open, flexible, listen, and observe. Make trust be earned…stay open…and give what is important time.

Alan Bradley Shoot

About a month ago I posted some of the AFB (Alan F. Bradley) shots. Well here are some more from the same day. All photos were taken in and around Raleigh NC. And some at my own home which was really fun. Probably my favorite pic...is the one of my dog Miley...she is a sweetheart!

Winter Party Festival 2012

I can't say enough about Winter Party Festival 2012. 3 full days of sun, music, friends, and laughter in Miami. Sounds like Paradise right......well it was :-) I will let the pictures do the talking. I worked the Matinee Mercury Rising party and the rest of the time I played with all my friends. I live a very fortunate life.