The New Normal

Hey, guys...

Last Monday, after being cooped up for two weeks straight, I woke up around 6:15am with full plans to get to the nearby grocery store by no later than 7.  I had ran out of ice-cream and needed to re-up because... priorities.

When I got to the store’s underground parking lot, I saw that the elevators to the main floor were blocked.  I followed the crudely printed signs that pointed to the stairs and proceeded up towards the street where I was met with a somewhat significant line of people at the entrance of the automated doors of the store.  I sighed then took my place at the back of the line.  Approximately six feet behind the last person at the back of the line.  Thankfully, the line looked a lot worse than it ended up being.  I didn’t count the exact amount of time, but sooner than I knew it, the whole lot of us were being ushered into the store one by one.

Inside, no crowd, but enough of a head count for so early in the morning.  Some donned face masks while others went bare.  I was part of the latter; however, I did take a produce bag and fashion it into a “glove”, so I could quickly navigate my cart to the aisles I needed and then quickly leave.

When I got home, I stripped down naked right at the front door and left my packages on the floor while I grabbed my bottle of rubbing alcohol from my bathroom as well as dish detergent.  I doused a paper towel with the concoction and proceeded to thoroughly wipe everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, down before putting it away.  Food, credit cards, keys... nothing went un-wiped.   When I was through with the wiping, I jumped in the shower and scrubbed.  After showering, I laundered everything I wore to the store, including the hat I wore to cover my hair.  Then and only then did I relax.

Two days ago, I fashioned a makeshift face mask out of an old scarf and two ponytail bands after seeing the quick and handy tutorial on Instagram.  Took me less than five minutes.  Very happy to have it.  Another piece of armor for the battle...

And now I’m just sitting here... all dolled up with nowhere to go.  But I’m so thankful that all my family and friends, including you guys, are here and accounted for.  So blessed to be here myself.  Hopeful that this tide will soon ebb.  Encouraged that it most certainly will.

Strange times we’re living in, huh?  But I guess this is our new normal.

Strange times indeed...

In Living Color...

Hey, guys!  Well, I’m not going to beat around the bush.  Going to get right down to the nitty gritty, the meat and potatoes, the... well, you get my drift.  I am starting a new adventure and I would love for you all to come along with me in my journey.  And to think that it all began with a simple request...

One of my dearest readers requested that I make a video talking about my relaxed hair.  Actually, she had asked before.  But I played it off, thinking, “I can’t do videos.  I don’t have time.  Who would watch anyway?”  And, “What would I say?”  Well, they say that persistence pays off and when she asked this last time, the idea began to marinate.  The ask sat differently with me this go ‘round and as my temerity grew in stature, I thought, “Maybe, just maybe, I could really do this.”

And so I recorded.  And edited.  And deleted.  And researched.  And edited some more.  And now here I am.   I am throwing my hat into the vast digital playground that is YouTube.  Yes, guys, I am posting my very first video on the Y to the T.

How do I feel, you ask?  Kinda naked, to be honest.  But like I said in my first vid, this should be fun.  I gotta have fun while doing this or else it’s not going to work.  And so that’s my goal: to have fun and enjoy while sharing IN LIVING COLOR!

So I’ll be posting my very first ever, EVER video tomorrow - this Tuesday, y’all!  Wonder how tall I am?  Tune in!  Wanna know if I sound like a man or not?  Watch and find out!

Finally, I’d love to give a huge shoutout to my reader who gave me the nudge (OK, multiple nudges!) to do this.  Thank you!  And thank you to each and everyone who has ever read my blog, subscribed and/or interacted with me on this platform.  I truly appreciate it and hope that you find this additional venture just as interesting.  And, yes, this YT thing will be in addition to and not in lieu of my blog.  At least for now.

So let’s do this, y’all!  The channel is Dolce’s Dial.  I repeat, the channel is Dolce’s Dial!  Or look me up by name, Dolce Dawn.  Tune in this Tuesday and get dialed in!  Be there or be square!  #Holla!

(Psst!  Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/We01zZU52W0)

B-Girl and B-Boy Do It Again

Hey, guys!  Well, it's that time of year again - my BIRTHDAY!  Yes, time does certainly zoom by and this year was a small, but significant, celebration that involved a dash of shopping and a huge dollop of food (courtesy of B-Boy, of course!).  But instead of laboring through all the particulars of the former, I'll just focus in on the latter.  So I've put together an abridged synopsis of the day's culinary events if you're at all curious.  And judging from the fact that you're still reading this, I'd venture to say that you are...

The day started out early with a hearty breakfast at a well known local eatery (Roscoe's, anyone?) where I ordered my usual when in attendance: a leg, wing and two waffles.  B-Boy ordered something similar that I now cannot totally recall, but it did include a waffle as well.  My chicken was piping hot and surprisingly well seasoned.  I say surprisingly because I don't really consider their fried chicken to be all that great, but just OK.  My waffle, on the other hand, was the polar opposite as  it had arrived the luke-est of warms, hovering just a hint above butter melting status.  I didn't complain, though.  I muscled through it.  However, when I asked B-Boy about his dish, he replied with the same disappointment.  Even the extra waffle he ordered after finishing the first round of waffles arrived at a bland temperature.  I'm beginning to think that perhaps it may be this particular location's (they have several) issue with quality control as this is the second time he and I have had this problem with our food.  At least I HOPE it's an isolated issue.  Either way, we weren't going to let this influence the day and so we pressed on...

We zigzagged through the city and hit up a couple of retail spots to, you know, treat moi to some treats.  Some colorful thangs and some cute thangs...  You know - birthday treats.  Gifts.  Thoughtful gestures.  Anywho, as dusk settled onto the horizon, he surprised me and pulled up to the Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park.  I had never been, but the initiated already know that I'm totally down for new adventures as this particular venue has large trampolines on which you can play games like dodgeball or shoot hoops OR simply bounce around until you run out of steam.  Sounds cool to me, so we went in... and when I tell you it was a madhouse in there, please believe it.

Kids running, screaming, falling, crying...  Little kids, big kids, medium kids...  It was ten times worse than Chuck E. Cheese!  (Yes, THAT bad!)  After inquiring at the front desk, we were told that general admission (the kids) would be ending soon and then it would be "adults only", complete with DJ and strobe lights.  Sounded cool.  Waiting around 45 minutes wouldn't be too bad, right?  Well, we sat around on their hard red bleachers for about a full five minutes before hunger compelled us to give up the fight and find sustenance instead.  So we made our way outta there and shimmied over to my fave spot... my birthday staple...

I remain unapologetic in my overt affection for The Cheesecake Factory as I always enjoy the food there and absolutely L-O-V-E cheesecake!  I mean, this noshery never disappoints, which is why it remains my "born day" staple.  Now, we had made plans earlier to go to a different restaurant, but we were so far out because of Sky Zone that it just made sense to go to CCF since it happened to be in the vicinity (#YAY!  #WINNING!).  And so we ate.  First on the menu for me was a tropical smoothie made with mango, raspberry puree and coconut milk.  #YUM

Now, we did order an appetizer - fried calamari - but it had no chance of getting its picture taken as I immediately tore into it as soon as it made port at our table.  And when the main dish finally came out - a robust serving of truffle honey fried chicken over mashed potatoes and asparagus - I mean, I completely lost myself and almost forgot to document the tasty victuals before quickly disappearing from my plate.  But somehow I managed to put my fork down, if not for a brief moment, to do my due diligence.

And since it was my birthday (as well as just about every other patron's in attendance that night), they brought out a complimentary mini-sundae, complete with birthday candle, and - YES - sang their version of "Happy Birthday" to me.

But who the heck goes to CCF for a sundae?!  I certainly do NOT!  And so my night of eats did not - COULD NOT - end there and I took home a slice of their celebration cheesecake.  A layered decadence of vanilla confetti cake, strawberry/chocolate/vanilla mousses, cheesecake and cheesecake icing, it's quite a collection of confection.  One that I had never tried before.  But I'm so glad I did because it is sooooo good!  #DOUBLEYUM!

And just look at who was able to tag along for the festivities as well!  B-Boy brought my two babies to celebrate with me!  He's been taking care of them while I've been in "hustle mode" and seeing them in person made my heart sing.  #JOY

Yep, so my birthday this year was pretty cool.  But it usually is.  I made a bunch of plans prior to the day to go here and do this and there and do that, but ended up doing something more casual and laid back.  And you know what?  It was good.  Seeing my babies?  Good!  Spending time laughing and yucking it up with B-Boy?  GOOD!  Eating good food and good dessert the entire weekend?  GOOD-GOOD!

No matter what, I always ring in my birthday like it's a major holiday, even if it's just me flying solo.  Life is way too short and every year/day/hour above ground is an absolute blessing.  No day is promised, which is why I like to make an extra effort on my day.  And besides - birthdays are fun.  At least mine are.

So with an emphatic shout, I'd like to send a resounding Happy Birthday to me!  Yepper!  And may I have many, MANY more...

The Comeback Kid

First I had to get my bearings after taking the big step of moving from one place to a totally different place.  Then, not long after, my laptop's battery pretty much imploded, causing it to herniate from its underside and render it useless.  My trusty camera - old, but faithful - started to glitch (I have no idea of its status right now since, out of tremendous frustration, I haven't picked it up in months).   My phone - the alternate source of my picture taking and alike - was having memory issues and had grown senile in its recall of data and temperamental in its diminishing use of space.  In between there's been some other mishaps and one-caboose train wrecks... and then, of course, my health got wonky.

But just as soon as I was ready to take a timeout from everything, something happened.  Well, some things happened.  I got a huge gale in my sails and started to right the ship.  I have comfortably nested in my new place (well, I have a few more things to tend to, but I'm almost there!); my friend has loaned me their laptop until I replace mine (yay!); new phone (yippee!) and new camera (coming...).  And best of all, I FEEL BETTER!  My energy bar is flashing green - hovering around 80% - and I'm working hard towards my goal of 100.

So what does all of this mean?  Well, I'm back!  Umm... I guess I shouldn't say I'm back because I never really left.  But I got my mojo back.  Yeah, that's more accurate.  My mojo is back and I'm ready to get back into the swing of things, including my writing and other creative pursuits.  I have officially turned the proverbial corner.  I am starting to feel like my old self again.  And guess what, y'all?  It feels darn GOOD!  #ComebackKid  #WINNING

Changes...

Hey, guys. You know, it's really important for you to be in tune with your body.  You may not immediately notice little changes here and there, but should be aware enough to pick up on signals your body is trying to send you - both the subtle and the loud.  Sickness often presents itself in the hair and nails and when I noticed a huge change in the former, I grew very concerned.  Over the past year, I noticed that my nails had become brittle and were breaking constantly, but chalked it up to me doing dishes bare-handed combined with the water being harsh, perhaps.  Annoying, but no biggie.  However, it was when my hair started falling out that I really started to become alarmed.  I would comb my hair and the comb's teeth would be filled with an inordinate amount of hair.  I would run my hands through my hair and multiple strands would fall to the floor.  My hair had become wiry, wouldn't lay down after styling and, after months of shedding, THIN!  I could actually see through my hair!  That's when I really started to panic.  What in the heck was going on?!

Well, my Google fingers went into overdrive and I soon had my answer.  The painful leg cramps, chronic fatigue, pale complexion, constant hankering for ice, my hair thinning and falling out... dizzy spells.  It was all adding up.  And there it was - my answer in black and white.  I had anemia: a fairly common condition that is not fatal, but it can be extremely disruptive and serious if not addressed.

Anemia is when your red blood cells do not have enough oxygen-carrying hemoglobin in it.  A lack of hemoglobin or healthy red blood cells leads to a lack of oxygen being properly distributed throughout your body, including your organs.  Hemoglobin needs iron to maintain a healthy status in your cells.  Therefore, an insufficient amount of iron can cause iron-deficient anemia (which is the type I have).  So I need to up the ante when it comes to my iron intake and have taken a double-fisted approach with regard to getting better.

I've slacked on my vitamin intake for the past couple of years, so I re-upped on my multi-vits and have now added iron pills to my regimen to keep a steady course towards recovery.  These iron pills are small and I take them with orange juice as Vitamin C is recommended to help with iron's absorption.

I have also taken on the challenge of imbibing a hearty teaspoon of blackstrap molasses every night before I go to bed for good measure.  Not only is it high in iron, but it also has potent amounts of potassium and other minerals that are super beneficial.  Now, I'm not gonna lie.  The taste of this dark, thick elixir is one that could be duly called "acquired", but I take this, too, with a swig of OJ to help get it down and I think my taste buds have now adjusted.

So there you have it.  I've been on this iron-rich regimen for almost two months now and I am slowly seeing improvement.  I no longer have muscle cramps or the other symptoms, and my hair shedding has significantly slowed down.  But my feelings are still a little hurt.  I don't know how long it's gonna take for my hair to rebound and get back to its full glory, but I'm doing my best to be patient... and am ever so thankful for it not being a more serious issue.

Manic Monday

Hey, guys!  I know... I know.  It's been a while.  But with all the changes I've been going through, only NOW have I had some time to carve out and post.  This past year has been pretty cray-cray.  And there really seems to be no end in sight anytime soon...

You already know (per my previous post) that I took a huge leap of faith and made a big move towards fulfilling some life long goals, right?  Well, lemme tell you that ever since I made that decision things have been real hectic and... well, bananas.  It seems to be par for the course, though.  You get the gumption (finally) to make some serious, life-altering maneuvers only to have your forward progress threatened by a seemingly constant stream of confidence draining situations.  To put it short - I've been through some thangs.

Since moving, I have had to start from rock bottom.  Now I already knew this would kinda be the case, but I didn't realize the contrast between "knowing it" and "living it" would be so stark.  Add in all the unexpected stuff that naturally pop up in life and you have the perfect emotional maelstrom that left me second guessing myself and my entire situation.  I've met some shady people (nothing new) who tried to distract me from my goals, my face has been breaking out (have no idea why), had some financial hiccups, broke out in hives all over my torso and arms (surprise!  I'm allergic to spinach now!) and I'm currently dealing with a health issue that's causing my hair to fall out (YES!!).  Oh, and that's just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

And now it's Monday. (UGH!)

Now, I don't wanna give you the impression that it's been all bad for me because it hasn't.  I've had some really good things happen, too.  But this whole "stepping out on faith" thing thus far has been very trying.  I promise to give you guys more of an update a little later as well as dive back into the "fun and frivolous" soon...  But I wanted to peek my head in here and let you guys know that I'm still here, still out here grinding.

Thanks for being so patient with me, y'all.  Just trying to get my groove back... one step at a time. 

The Road Less Travelled

Hey, guys!  Have you ever dreamed and plotted and planned for something for so long that when the time finally presented itself for it to be implemented you were almost caught off guard?  Have you ever hyped and cajoled yourself into taking a huge leap of faith only to be confronted later by two lead feet when it finally came time to jump?  I had been intimating for awhile now about making some seismic shifts in my life... but I'm not even going to front: when the moment ultimately arose for me to put my words to action, I got knots the size of golf balls in my stomach.  Nevertheless, I persisted... and made my move.  Literally.

And so I'm sitting here - excited, exhausted, but eternally enthused.  I am not even going to attempt to unfurl the lengthy testimony of my long sojourn (both mentally and physically) from "here" to "there".  Nope.  Not gonna.  At least not right this minute.  Instead, I'd rather bask in the success of my arrival and rest in the comfort of having accomplished said feat.  It's just one bullet point on a fully loaded journey.  I'm making strides and - step by step - promises I made to myself are being kept.  But I can't rest on my laurels now; I've got to keep going.  I've got so much left still to do.  And so many more promises left to keep.

And miles to go before I sleep.  And miles to go before I sleep...

Jollyrific

Hey, guys!  'Tis the season to be jolly, right?  Well, I'm quite jollyrific right about now.  I absolutely love this time of year - the food, festivities... gathering of friends and family.  Yes, I adore the holidays the fall and winter seasons usher in.  But you knew this already, didn't you?  Of course you did.  So let me get right to the meat and potatoes:

I want to thank you guys, once again, for lending me your ears and eyes and taking an interest in the assorted bag of topics that comprise my blog.  Whether it's a quick glance or a brief comment, I appreciate and value every interaction.  Writing can be a very isolating and lonely endeavor, but finding and holding a steady audience - no matter the size - can give one a much needed boost of inspiration and motivation.  And I'm no exception.  So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!  Thank you!  THANK YOU!

I also want to extend to all of you a hearty wish that your holidays be festive and filled with love and joy!  This has been quite a year (and that's putting it mildly!).  But 2017 can and will be the start of something new if you claim it.  Therefore, name it and claim it NOW!!  Don't sully your queued up blessings with stinkin' thinkin'.  Scrub the slate clean and claim every last one of them with authority!  Do it now!

So, in closing, the word of the day is "jollyrific".  I'm feeling really good - quite happy, in fact -  and jollyrific is the only way I can properly sum up just how good I'm feelin' and what I wish to pass on to you.  Now, does "jollyrific" have an alphabetical assignment in Merriam-Webster or any other dictionary?  No.  I totally made it up (at least as far as I know).  But you knew this already, didn't you?  Of course you did.  Ahh... you guys know me so well!  So let me get back to the meat and potatoes:

Have a JOLLYRIFIC holiday and a happy, JOLLYRIFIC new year!!  ENJOY!

A Kiss Goodbye

Hey, guys!  How was everyone's holiday?  Mine was pretty darn good!  I took some much needed time off and spent it doing some things I wanted to do with some people I wanted to do it with.  I also, in between all the merrymaking, took some time out to reflect, recharge and renew.  I remember feeling a touch of ambivalence when 2015 rolled around because I knew that since I was still trying to figure a few things out that I would have to devote a good portion of my time to carefully planting seeds - seeds that were dormant for quite a while due to a lack of fertile ground in which to sow them.  Now, just to be clear, I don't mind hard work - that doesn't bother me at all.  I'm just used to having more details to work off of and I simply didn't have that this time around.  I had the WHAT, but not the WHERE nor the HOW, which gave me considerable pause and allowed my once viable soil to be sabotaged and grow dry.  And so I worked.  Boy, did I work!  I got on my hands and knees, pulled up those weeds of doubt and apprehension and tilled the soil until it was ready.  And then I planted.  I spent my 2015 pushing through all my prior misgivings and planted seeds both big and small.  I planted and cultivated and watered and tilled...

And now I'm ready to reap!

Goodbye, 2015!  My year of toil now over, I humbly gave it a wet, juicy kiss goodbye - along with a couple of pats on its behind for good measure - and sent it on its way.  Hello, 2016!  With much anticipation and wide open arms, I welcome this new year as I am now ready for my harvest!  Although all my crops are not going to peak all at the same time, this is my season to witness some of the fruits of my labor.   And I can already see the first class of buds slowly appearing before the bloom...

Dream Killers

You know, you really have to be careful who you share your dreams with...

I consider myself a pretty determined cookie.  When I set my mind on something, a goal, I like to fully envision it first then write down the necessary steps to achieve it.  I abhor the thought of starting something and then not seeing it through; from the small to the more grandiose, I pride myself on tilling my fertile field of dreams until I reap a harvest.  I'm not easily shook nor swayed, either, and am generally impervious to discouraging forces, especially those of the two-footed nature... or ones I like to call "dream killers".  You know who they are: people who love to curb your enthusiasm for certain dreams and goals (and the pursuit thereof) by shooting them down. 

"Well, how are you gonna do that?"  "Ooh, I don't see you doing that!"  "Why are you gonna do THAT?"  "Hmph!  I wouldn't do THAT if I were you!"  "That's not gonna work."  "Now, that just sounds dumb."

Inflated by a false sense of privilege and a distorted sense of duty, dream killers always seem to want to attack your dreams by destroying it at the very root: your purpose.  If they can confuse you and keep you from confirming the "why" of it all (even to yourself), it's really hard to gain traction to pursue the "what".  But your purpose is connected to and fueled by your passion, which makes up the engine that drives your dream.  They know this, too, which is why they also like to throw fear into the mix.  If they can keep the passion pistons in your dream's engine from pumping by clogging them up with fear then it will seize up, keeping you at a standstill and kill the momentum towards fulfilling your purpose.

"No one's ever done THAT before!"  "So and so tried that once, but they never succeeded.  What makes you think YOU will?"  "Maybe you should just play it safe and get a regular job like the rest of us."  "What if you fail?  What will you do then?"

Experience, therefore, has taught me to play my dream cards close to my chest, intimating only via general proclamations the progress of some of my plans while never revealing the full blueprint.  However, even these guarded precautions were not enough to keep me from the middle of someone's verbal cross-hairs recently.  It was a friend-of-a-friend that I haven't spoken to in years who, without the buffer of any type of pleasantries, felt privileged enough to immediately take aim and rattle off a litany of judgements at me based on a simple affirmation I posted on social media.  I mean, I didn't even attempt to have a real conversation with this person because they were so consumed with trying to knock me off my square based off of ASSUMPTIONS that I chose not to engage them.

"Why haven't you achieved such and such yet?"  "Why are you taking so long to pursue such and such?"  "Do you even want such and such?"  "If not, then why not?"  "Everyone else is doing such and such.  Why aren't you?" 

You know, I love how people always have something to say about your life and how you should live it, especially the ones that don't even know all the details of what's going on behind your life's curtain.  They just love to assume and make rash judgements.  And whatever they don't know, they just fill in the blanks with their own faulty assessments.  The timing for my life is NOT your timing; it's solely my own.  And I have my own pace by which I'm living my life and owe no explanation to anyone.  My thing is, if you think I'm doing something so wrong, so out of whack or off track then why not pray for me to get back on track?  Send some positivity my way instead of all the harsh criticism.  And stop comparing my life to yours.  Trust me, I love being me and doing me all day long and wouldn't have it any other way.

"You're not smart/tall/skinny enough."  "You're too fat/short/OLD to do that!"  "If you haven't made it by now then you probably never will."  

So I wanted to give you guys the heads up.  Dream killers are out in full force and are on the prowl, ready to strangle the ideas/dreams/visions of those who are not properly armed with the right amount of fortitude and ambition.  Guard your dreams as if they are the most precious things on earth... because they are!  You do not need to share every little detail with everyone who asks.  Keep a select few on a need-to-know basis, and most DON'T need to know!  Labor Day is coming up and I am here to tell you that that's exactly what I'll be doing in lieu of hanging out and partying.  After encountering the flood of negativity from my most recent DK, I will be laboring double time to get the plans I've been yammering about for the past few months more fleshed out.  I've got things I wanna do, both big and small, and I'll be damned if I let some errant dream killer swoop in and sabotage me!  Nope!  Uh-uh!  Ain't nobody got no time for that!

The Light

Have you ever felt like you were in a thick, mind-numbing fog?  Like you were stuck in a dark hallway... a hallway so dark that it totally blinded you, rendering you helplessly immobile and unable to see your way out?  Those already familiar know that I've been searching for a home/apartment as well as trying to get some other things lined up.  I've been kinda feelin' my way through it all while beseeching God for clarity and an open pathway to my desired destination.  And after what has felt like an eternity of endless wandering (and wondering), I am finally starting to feel the warmth of the light at the end of the tunnel on my face.

It sort of came on me, or fell on me, like a ton of bricks.  It was an epiphany that was a slow and steady bloom at first, but quickly caught momentum as it enveloped my entire body in a weighty, passion-soaked ambition that I haven't experienced in a very long time.  And ever since it has taken root and lodged inside my belly, I haven't been able to keep still.  I've intimated as much on Twitter; I've been so distracted this entire week, my mind's been racing with all these new ideas and things I want to do - that I NEED to do - that I haven't been able to focus on too much else.  It's like God was waiting on the perfect time for me to receive His perfect counsel and now everything is flooding in on me all at once.  And I'm so excited! 
 
Now, it's going to take me a little bit to fully plan this out and a few months still to see the first part come to fruition.  But I'm completely ready to put in the work!  The dense fog I've been trapped in for many moons is dissipating.  And the tunnel?  There still is a tunnel.  But there's that light at the end of it, too.  I can see it.  I really can.  I can see the pathway - my own tailored pathway - and have begun a persistent amble towards its door.  My vision for my life and how I want to live it has finally been restored to a perfect 20/20, y'all.  And that fluttering in my gut?  That just means I'm nervous... and happy... and pregnant with a whole new set of possibilities to give birth to.  

I am finally starting to feel the warmth from the light at the end of the tunnel on my face.

Liebster Award - 2015

I would like to thank Sarah Besaw for nominating me for The Liebster Award, which is a blog tag that "pays it forward" by helping you get to know bloggers you may already be familiar with while exposing you to those you may not.  Sarah is a blogger who loves to talk about beauty and fashion, so please be sure to check her out at: http://fawnchic.blogspot.ca.  

Thanks again, Sarah!

The rules are pretty simple:

• Once tagged, answer the 11 questions posed by the one who tagged you
• Then, in return, pass the award along to blogs with less than 200 followers by informing them of their nomination and tagging them to answer your set of 11 questions  

OK, time to answer some questions!


1.  Any plans for Valentines day?
I do have some plans for V-Day, but not exactly sure of the details as the person I will be spending it with has not spilled the beans yet.  (Uh-oh!)


2.  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I am pretty high on the happy meter with where I am in most facets of my life right now; however, I do hope to be deeply entrenched in an additional passion that I won't reveal at this moment, but will definitely come to light if I continue to pursue it.  (Stay tuned!)

3.  Has blogging changed your life in anyway? 
I wouldn't say that blogging has changed my life, but I will say that it has kept me creatively viable and exposed me to new things and people.  And I like that.


4.  Favorite movie to watch to cheer you up?
Two really funny movies that always have me cracking up are Galaxy Quest (starring Tim Allen) and Life (starring Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence).  Heelarious!


5.  One makeup product that you couldn't live without?
I can go without a lot of things, but I absolutely cannot, WILL NOT, go without putting on some type of lipstick/lip product.  It's my must-have hands down.


6.  Who is the person that inspires you to be a better person?
A better person?  I'm not sure.  But Toni Morrison inspires me to be a better writer.


7.  Do you enjoy sweet or sultry foods more?
Oh, I definitely have a sweet tooth that's waaay beyond the help of rehab.


8.  Do you have a goal for 2015?
My main goal for this year is to travel more.  And go farther than before.


9.  One piece of clothing in your closet that you can't wait to wear for Spring?
I have a pair of gold wedges that I can't wait to rock.  And believe me - you will be seeing and hearing about them soon enough.


10.  Favorite song at the moment?
Believe it or not, I don't really listen to the radio a whole lot, so I don't have a favorite song at this very moment.  (Sorry!)


11.  If you could choose one place to work (realistic or not) where would it be?
If I had my way I would have worked at/on 30 Rock with Tina Fey in whatever capacity (but preferably a writer).  I think she's absolutely hilarious and hanging out with that cast and crew would have made for some wild and crazy blog posts indeed!


And now my nominees!  I tag the following:
http://cosmeticdiet.blogspot.com/
(beauty blogger)

http://greedygirlcooks.blogspot.com/
(food blogger)

http://basketsbysadi.blogspot.com/
(gifts/life blogger)

http://livingfabndirtythirties.blogspot.com/
(life blogger)

http://www.ashleytamarra.com/
(fashion blogger)

http://rachelsbeautybites.blogspot.co.uk/
(beauty blogger)


And here are my Questions:

1. What are you wearing right now?

2. Do you have a hidden talent?  If so, what is it?

3. What was your favorite cereal growing up?

4. In your opinion, what's your best physical feature and why?

5. Hot dogs or hamburgers?

6. How much longer do you plan on blogging?

7. What makeup item (if any) do you regret buying?

8. Favorite nail polish color?

9. Name one thing you are determined to do differently in 2015 than you did in 2014?

10. Are you left-handed or right-handed?  Or both?

11. Sum up how the new year has been for you thus far in one word.


OK, nominees, it's your turn to churn out some answers!  Thanks in advance for accepting the tag for this award and I look forward to reading all of your responses!

It's Almost Christmas, Y'all!

Hey, guys!  Tomorrow is Christmas!  Wow, can you believe it?  I hardly can.  This year has absolutely flown by with incredible speed (at least for me it has!).  Yikes... 

Anywho, I want to wish each and every one of you a very happy holiday.  Whether you celebrate Christmas or not, whether you'll be flying solo or be amidst a crowd of family and/or friends, I hope your day is filled with unspeakable love, laughter and joy.  And for all those who have taken time out of their day to read the weekly "goings on" in my blog - THANK YOU!  I appreciate every casual glance, every perusal and every thorough reading of the words that have tumbled out of my head and found their way onto Dolce's Closet.  Reading your comments and conversing with you guys has been a genuine pleasure, and knowing that there's even a faint interest in my Closet-ful of antics and shenanigans keeps me going.  So, again, from the bottom (and top) of my heart - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Have a wonderful Christmas, y'all!  Please be safe and enjoy!!
    

High Flyer

OMG, guess what I did earlier this week, guys?  Well, the title sorta gives it away... BUT I have to tell you that I had one of the most incredible experiences ever!  And it was all courtesy of "Mr. Pop-Up" himself, Birthday Boy, who is keenly aware of the fact that I love to try new things.  So, in honor of my birthday, he came by and whisked me off cloak-and-dagger style to embark on a fly-by-the-seat adventure that had never even been a blip on my life's radar.  Totally surprised, but totally down for the cause, I eagerly picked up the gauntlet that was laid before me and dove head first into my very first session of indoor skydiving!

After a brief, five minute tutorial on how to position your body during flight as well as the hand signals the instructor will use to help guide you while in the loud wind tunnel, I put on a red striped jumpsuit along with adjustable goggles and helmet, and was ready to rock and roll.

Once I had on all of my flight gear, things got really real.  I kept a smile on my face as my group and I walked through the halls and down the stairs to the wind tunnel, but it totally belied the nervousness I was feeling growing inside my belly.  And please believe me when I say that the fact that I was wearing a helmet with the ominous numbers "911" was not lost on me at all.  I started to think, "What in the world am I doing and why am I doing it?"

And then we all filtered into the waiting area just outside the tunnel and things got even more realer as I quickly realized that the seating arrangement left me, Dolce, having to go into the tunnel first.  I adjusted my goggles under the guise of securing a better fit since my eyelashes were mashing up against the "lenses", but it was more empty fidgeting than anything as I knew my time was drawing nigh.  As I stood up after being called to the doorway, I turned to the awaiting group and asked if anyone wanted to go first instead of me.  No answer.  I asked again because, well, maybe they didn't hear me.  Again, blank stares; no one budged.  I surveyed the faces of the group one last time - a bunch of kids, none of them older than about fourteen or so - and quickly gathered myself.  I was the only adult and there was no way I was going to punk out in front of these youngins.  That's so not my style anyway.  So I walked up to the threshold and the tunnel came alive...

Like being caught in a tunnel with an oncoming train, the wind was strong and fiercely assailed my ears as it whipped across the front of my face.  This was it.  It was now or never.  And, honestly, it almost became never as the remaining enthusiasm I had left waned and fear tightened its grip.  The instructor saw the dread etched on my face and deftly coaxed me to step forward... lift up my arms... and let go...

 And then I flew...

With my arms stretched out east and west and slightly bent legs pointed south, I floated on air.  No, I flew.  I bobbled, I dipped and then I soared.  I flew.  I panicked, dropped then leveled myself out.  I flew.  I found it kind of hard to breathe with the weight of the air snatching what little was still enough to breathe, so I opened my mouth to compensate.  I flew!  And then I flew some more.   What seemed like forever was actually two of the scariest, most exhilarating minutes of my entire life.  And then it was over... until my second two-minute round to fly.  This time one of the instructors grabbed me and took me for a ride that I could only describe as "terrifyingly awesome".  He was the Superman to my Lois Lane as we shot up through to the top of the tunnel seemingly at the speed of light and then descended to ground level just as speedily.  My heart raced, my stomach was doing jumping jacks as we went through this free-fall cycle a total of three times.  So scary, but so incredibly awesome!

And then it was over.  I couldn't keep myself from laughing.  I was so proud of myself for having pushed the envelope and dared to venture outside my comfort zone big time.  I had accepted the challenge of indoor skydiving and conquered it.  And I actually liked it!  Wow, who woulda thunk it?

Visibly proud of himself for successfully concocting a well-received mission, Birthday Boy sat back and watched it all unfold.  He told me later that the group of onlookers he was seated with bust out laughing when I went on my tandem free-fall with the instructor.  I figured as much as I knew my eyes grew as big as saucers when we made the first, volatile ascent.  At first, the thought of people - strangers - laughing at the sight of me being stricken with fear left me beside myself.  But that moment was brief as I knew there was no malice behind that and I ended up laughing at the thought of them laughing at me.  I simply let it all go.  A reoccurring lesson, as I've said before, that keeps on popping up in my life.  A lesson I have learned many times over.  And this time around, I had a mighty good time learning it!  #ThanksBB!

A New Search

A new city, a new search... fueled by a renewed motivation.  I've been a little more than preoccupied with finding a new residence so I continued my search and took a viewing of a townhouse, which was somewhat of a departure space-wise from the other units I had seen thus far due to the two-car garage affixed to the rear of the home.

The entrance/exit to the garage was right off the kitchen, which was filled with black appliances and tile flooring that was independent of the laminated wood that covered the rest of the downstairs living space.

Adjacent to the kitchen - and under the stairs - was a small, unadorned cubby that could be used as extra storage.

Upstairs, separated by the guest bathroom and a laundry nook in the hallway, was the master and second bedroom.  Both were nicely sized, had carpet flooring and both were equipped with walk-in closets with the master laying claim to the more generously sized of the two.

(Second bedroom)

(Second bedroom's closet)

(Master bedroom)

(Master bedroom's closet)

And so what's my verdict, you ask?  Well, the jury's still out on this one.  It's an overall nice size, has great closet space and the garage is a sure fire bonus... but something's missing.  I'm not quite sure what it is...  Perhaps it's the elusive "IT" factor I've been on the hunt for ever since the beginning of my search?  Maybe.  I mean, this unit was decent, but I dunno.  I'm not quite sure this is the "one", you know?

I feel encouraged, though, which is quite a 180 from my last apartment hunt post.  Some other things that I've been waiting on have finally settled in so I'm riding that wave of momentum all the way through the rest of my search, which I know is ending soon.

A new city, a new search... fueled by a renewed motivation.  I can see the finish line just on the horizon.   Things are coming together, y'all.  Slowly, but surely... things are finally coming together.