I Thought You'd Never Ask

A neighbor sent this to me via email and although I deleted several questions from this long list, I did answer honestly to the ones below. I also added a few of my own but that's only for me to know which ones. I was asked to forward it on to friends and family or risk bad luck for years to come...I'll take my chances.

1. What time did you get up this morning?
About 5am

2. Diamonds or pearls?
Diamonds

3. What was the last film you saw at the theatre?
Atonement

4. What is your favorite TV show?
Project Runway

5. What do you usually have for breakfast?
Cereal or coffee

6. What is your middle name?
Santos (I changed it from Lea to my given name when I got married)

7. What kind of car do you drive?
Nissan Quest

8. Favorite sandwich?
BLT

9. What characteristic do you despise?
Arrogance

10. Favorite item of clothing?
T shirt & jeans

11. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go?
Northern Ireland to visit my girlfriend or New Zealand or Australia, or Costa Rica...oh heck. I really could use a vacation.

12. Favorite brand of clothing?
True Religion (jeans) or Juicy Couture

13. Where would you retire to?
Not sure - I have time to think about this, right?

14. What was your most recent memorable birthday?
30 - Celebrated in Vegas with my girly-friends.

15. Favorite sport to watch?
Horse Racing

16. When is your birthday?
April 8

17. Are you a morning person or a night person?
Night owl

18. What is your shoe size?
7.5

19. Pets?
No

20. What did you want to grow up to be when you were little?
A teacher

21. What is your favorite candy?
Butterfinger

22. What is your favorite flower?
Dahlia

23. What day on the calendar are you most looking forward to?
End of January when I will head to CO to go snowboarding

24. What was the last thing you ate?
Ice cream

25. Do you wish on stars?
Every chance I get

26. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Brick Red

27. How is the weather right now?
Rainy

28. Last person you spoke to on the phone?
My ex-husband

29. Favorite soft drink?
Root Beer

30. Hair color?
Auburn

31. Eye color?
Brown

32. Summer or winter?
Summer

33. Hugs or kisses?
Both

34. Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate

35. Coffee or tea?
Coffee

36. When was the last time you cried?
Friday night

37. Last time you laughed?
Before bed with my son

38. What did you do last night?
Spent quality time with my son

39. What are you afraid of?
Having my heart broken (again)

40. Salty or sweet?
Salty

41. How many keys on your key-ring?
Several

42. How many years at your current job?
7 years this March

43. Favorite day of the week?
Any day my son's with me

44. How many different cities have you lived in?
3 (so far)

45. Do you have any regrets?
NONE

The Wicked Witch of the West

Throughout the Denver Broncos game last night, and during the entire half-time, the TV screen kept flashing with updates about the evacuated areas in Southern California due to the growing winds that kept the nearby fires spreading.

I had a flashback to 4 years ago to the date - just about - when I was six months pregnant with my son, and my ex-husband and I were just moving into the place where my son and I still reside. We drove South, past the wildfires that had just jumped across Highway 15 towards the direction of our new home, which we hadn't even slept in at that point.

Fast forward four years and my son and I are inside, doors and windows shut tight, air conditioner and humidifier running while all I could smell was fire. What used to be a pleasant reminder of bonfires is now a brutal reality that the fires could once again spread quickly and threaten our home and of course, those in our neighboring communities.

We watched the news - and the football game - and after my son fell asleep I made sure I had packed away the belongings and personal items that I would take with us come morning.

I really couldn't get much sleep. I kept tossing and turning. The smell of smoke grew stronger throughout the night, as did the howling winds and I kept thinking about what we would do, where we would go, what I would take with us.

Just as I assumed, the morning sun did not peek through the smoke. Ash was now falling from the sky. My son and I made two trips to the car before finally feeling ready to leave, not knowing when exactly we'd be back. I ended up taking him into the Kane/Miller office with me while I took care of a few things, but mostly just needed the comfort of being around other people. There was no reason to really be working since a State of Emergency had been declared for all of San Diego County, as well as six other counties in Southern California.

My son is with his dad this evening. I am staying with one of the founders of Kane/Miller, as she has kindly opened up her home to me. This is the first time I have spent the night here but certainly not the first time her spare bedroom has been offered. In fact, I had a key to her house on my key chain for nearly six months after my ex-husband filed for divorce and things started to become unsettled in the home front.

I have become rather close with the Kane family and all of the employees during my nearly seven years with the company. I am grateful for all they have done for me, both personally and professionally. It was Mrs. Kane and her husband who first initiated me on my first business trip back in 2001. It was Mr. Kane who introduced me to anchovies during that same visit to Baltimore. And it is with the Kane family who my son and I will spend Thanksgiving with, as we have done every year (with one exception) since I started working for Kane/Miller.

I can't imagine working for anyone else after all this time. I have fantastic co-workers who are wonderful individuals and have become family to my son and I.

We are safe this evening and we are grateful for every one's kind thoughts and prayers and can only hope that all of the good karma that's due comes our way this evening.

The Santa Ana winds are supposed to get worse over the next few days. Homes just North and East of my neighborhood have been evacuated, including the home of one of our staff members.

After the Cedar Fires of 2003, the county and city of San Diego, the people, and the emergency crews are better prepared. Evacuations have been prompting people out of their homes with time to spare but the fires are unpredictable, the winds are sporadic and the resources are scarce.

The Witch Fires of 2007 have already been determined to be the worst fires that Southern California has ever seen and I hope and pray that all of those that have been evacuated can recover from this devastating loss once the fires have died down and our lives are meant to return to normal.

Relocating

I checked out a new apartment yesterday but I'm trying not to get too excited about it since it would be rather selfish of me to move. Or is it? Some people think that I should get a fresh start, finally, and getting a place of my own, on my own, would be a major step in this direction.

The place I looked at was a 2 bedroom, 2 bath apartment with a loft above the kitchen. This would be so ideal for a home office and the fact that it isn't really much farther away from my job than my current place is now is an added bonus.

I think I'll sit on this idea for a while and get some more feedback. I'm sure those with kids and those without, or those who have been through a divorce and those who have not will have different opinions on the matter.

My son has lived in our current place with me since he was born so I can't imagine what life would be like for him after another major adjustment like relocating. It's hard enough that he is still trying to adjust to his new classroom and new teachers.

I stayed for morning meditation last Friday when I dropped him off. My son does meditation and yoga on a daily basis at his preschool. They start out their day this way and the few times that I've stayed to participate, I can truly see the benefit in doing so. I just wish I had more will-power to be able to do it on my own.

Something about meditating with 3 and 4-year-olds is inspiring to me. I can see them watching me (their teachers have their eyes closed, but I know better) and I sit up straight and tall, trying to be a role model as I follow the instructions.

Breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. Criss-cross apple sauce (they used to call it sitting Indian style when I was in kindergarten). Hands palm to palm at my chest.

If I had been introduced to meditation at a young age I doubt I would've gotten involved in drinking and smoking like I did. I hope that my son continues to practice yoga and meditation as he gets older. It is a wonderful way to start the day, clear the mind, and center one's self.

Now if only I could figure out a way to meditate while driving.