Summer interview with my lil sis

Hope you are having a great summer. Well I just come back from a week with my family in L.A. and watched my little brother and sister spend their last days of summer. I love sitting down and documenting D who is a talkative, fashionable, funny, sarcastic little diva and the baby of our family. Can you imagine what it would be like going into 8th grade with an older sister twenty years older then you? (Check out these other interviews I did with D a last year)

So take it away D tell us all about your summer thoughts...

What have you done this summer D?

Hanging out with friends, went on vacation a little bit, went shopping twice a week, water parks, sleepovers, cheer, went to the beach with friends, amusement parks and swimming.

Are you excited for the summer to end?

No, because school is boring and I can't talk during class, but yes because I want to see all of my friends.

Would you have rather gone to camp?

No, I have a strong passionate dislike for camp because they tell you what to do and I'm not with my friends. Since I'm older, this summer I had the freedom to do whatever I wanted like walk to lunch or take the bus to the beach.

*Photo taken by Julie Michelle.

How did you occupy your time and manage your money?

I occupied my time by hanging out with friends every week so every day I hung out with a different friend. I also got $25 a week to spend.

So D did your understanding of money change?

Sometimes I had a lot of the $25 left over and sometimes I spent it all. Getting the allowance taught me how to not to spend it all in one day and if I had more one week then I could use it the next week.

Are you looking forward to the 8th grade? What do you think it will be like?

I'm so excited for 8th grade and I think it's going to be the best year of middle school because it's the last year. We will be in charge of the school, but it won't be too fun because they banned cell phones from school 'cause so many kids were texting in class.

What was it like coming to San Francisco and being a bridesmaid at your sister's wedding?

It was fun and the Hindu ceremony was very long. We got to walk around, talk and not have to sit the entire time. I liked my outfits. It was an honor to be there for you Lala as a bridesmaid.

Thank you so much little sis D. We all loved reading about your summer fun and I can't wait to hear about 8th grade. How will you survive without your cell phone? Tell me sweetie doesn't this interview remind you of your grade school summer fun?

Top ten fancy camping checklist

I must admit to you that I've never been camping? Am I missing out on something sweetie? Don't be too shocked and please its not polite to have your mouth open so wide!

It wasn't always like this. If you had asked me this embarrassing question about camping before I moved to San Francisco I would have said yes. Doesn't overnight summer camp in the Northern Ontario forests count for four years?

Ah it so doesn't.

My Canadian experience of camping is completely different to my Bay Area friends. Camp Tamarack was a four star camp that kept their campers in cabins, eating in a dining hall, tennis courts, swimming in the lake and participating in summer plays. The only true camping part that I remember were the massive mosquito's and canoe trips.

But have I ever slept on the floor of a tent in a sleeping bag under the stars? Honestly sweetie, maybe once. Or have I ever thrown myself down a river for hopes that I'll stay on the rafting boat and lived to tell the tale?

Come on seriously, me?

But mark my words, I would go camping if I had some of the comforts of home. So let's list them for my camping friends. To bring me along I would need the following...

Top ten fancy camping checklist

1) My flat iron (What there aren't any outlets at a campsite?)

2) Jelly shoes for the shower (The lake is the bath...this has to be a joke!)

3) My Tempur-Pedic Swedish neck pillow

4) Sigg water bottle

5) Sunblock with at least 30 SPF

6) Prescription coach sunglasses

7) Music

8) Grill

9) Bug net

10) Toilet paper

And now that you know my dark secret about camping, do you think we can still be friends lovely? Can you answer these questions then...is camping something I just haven't been introduced to properly and where do you plug in the flat iron?

Good girl outfits for Las Vegas?

The time has come for me to ask one of the most important questions, I have ever asked you. Brace yourself...are you ready? Are you sure? Here goes nothing...

What do good girls wear in Las Vegas!

Phew! I feel so much better. Really, truly what does a good girl wear? I find myself getting super excited about going away this weekend to SITScation and then it hit me.

How much do I let my hair down?

And before you answer, I'm pretty sure I have this little number already in my closet. Oh no, it's at the dry cleaners. Then I'll have to find something else!

I'm sure I can pull this look off. I already have the red lipstick and flower, but who knows what she's wearing below the car window.

I love how these ladies are hanging out by the pool, after doing some Vegas shopping. But what do they change into when they go out at night?

And this my lovelies, is really me. Five years ago at the, *wink, wink* hot nickel slots. One little letter change in the last word could have changed everything for me! So what's a girl to do? How do good girls dress when their in Las Vegas? Or do they become bad girls? Very bad...

Interested in guest blogging for Under the Sheets-shhh. I'm looking for three guest bloggers to post. Email me at shhh.under.the.sheets@gmail.com and let me know why I should pick you. Good luck!

It's a bird, it's a plane, no it's the Blue Angels

Welcome to San Francisco Fleet Week. If you couldn't make it out to SF this weekend, then no worries I've brought it to you. Hold on a second, you don't know what Fleet Week is? Well, this is THE fall event that brings San Franciscans, out of their Victorian apartments and onto their roofs. We all want to see the Blue Angels fly over our city and Golden Gate Bridge. With an estimated audience of 1 million people, the Blue Angels' are famous for their signature diamond formation and the six-jet Delta formation.

Let me let you in on a little secret, the show is spectacular and the sound is overwhelming!

On Saturday, Honey and I joined our friend 'Mark' and thirty friends on his rooftop to watch the show. What really amazed me, was seeing all of the other rooftop parties from where we were standing. Like this one...

And this one... I love this picture because it shows others on their roofs and the stretch of Union Street.



I must admit that I am very proud of this Blue Angel jets flying over the Golden Gate Bridge. You may be wondering why? They fly so fast, that a great shot can be easily missed.



And this my dear blogging friends, is when the rooftop parties had to end because the Blue Angels had to cancel their show due to weather. Please do not worry as they flew again on Sunday and made up for it. Comment below and tell me if you've ever seen the Blue Angels? If not can you come next year? I hope you enjoyed this little taste of San Francisco.

What makes you feel feminine?

I was recently reading a woman's magazine where they did an interview with Courtney Cox. It was a good interview, but what struck me was how she answered the question, “What makes you feel sexy and feminine?” She answered that she feels feminine when her legs are shaved. On the same topic, I also enjoyed reading this Smitten daily sex & relationship blog article. The author talked about modern day women feeling feminine while still cutting their hair short, wearing running shoes and feeling super casual.

So you must be holding your breath to know what makes me feel feminine...

Well, I first must confess to you that I’ve been a girlie girl my entire life. You're shocked? No I didn't think so. I actually remember my mother teaching me how to paint my nails when I was ten. Fashion and makeup have been apart of my daily routine for a long time. And please don't tell anyone, but I’ll even ‘touch up’ my face before I go to the gym.

So I wanted to make my own feminine Courtney Cox list.

Here goes nothing...I feel feminine when:

10) I wear my hair in a bun and it's off my shoulders
9) I wear dresses and skirts
8) I take bubble baths
7) After I've had a pedicure
6) I'm eating strawberries and chocolate
5) I'm dancing ballet
4) I'm wearing pantyhose. We have a love-hate relationship
3) Wine is ordered for me. Yes, I know I need help.
2) I wear Sephora Rosy Glow lipgloss
1) I get compliments

Let me explain number 1. Trust me, I feel feminine in my own skin, but I also love when it's acknowledged with compliments. My father use to tell me when I was getting ready for school, “Get ready faster Laura, it's not a fashion show. “ Oh yes it is Dadda. So, ladies what makes you feel feminine? And guysplease comment below and tell me what your definition of feminine is?

Eye opener: Dove real beauty and parody

This Dove real beauty video was done on a shoestring budget in Toronto. The concept? Show the inner workings of how even the model featured, doesn't look like the finished product on the billboards.

I love this video! To me its a great reminder, to accept ourselves inside and out. Dove and its Campaign for real beauty worldwide shines as a product that is clean, simple and understanding of realistic beauty.

I'm pretty sure I knew this guy in college! Wait wasn't he on our High School water polo team? Water polo you may be asking? Remember I went to High School in Newport Beach, Ca. Do you think this video could be a cautionary tale to men and women everywhere?

Wonderful weekend words to live by

How do you know if you’re in the right place in life? I trust and trust and trust. I believe that my path is planned out. All I have to do is choose which path to go down. And yet life twists and turns. I gain new people and lose others close to me. I am presented with the same 'type' of person until I learn how to deal with them. Loss runs through my veins since I was first touched by it very young. With each loss I feel the same inside . Shocked, empty and questioning why. Instead of letting the loss break me, I learn from the pain and find the joy in those lost. Almost like clockwork, I take my step back and reevaluate my life.

Am I following my dreams?

And then he said to me, “Life is so short. Push away those that don’t matter and reach for the stars.”

Today I promise to you, that I will continue to reach for the stars especially on those tougher days. I promise to follow my own path and will look back on my choices and smile. Do not wait for anyone else to decide for you!

Today, can you promise you'll try to do the same?

Wonderful words to live by

Be very careful what you wish for – you might get it!
Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without. ~Buddha
Once in a while, it’s OK to eat dessert first.
Take some time to smell the flowers and enjoy the view.

Please remind me of the above words whenever I forget…thank you blogging friends.

(I took this photo in Delray Beach, Florida)

Ten Question Interview: Tag your it!

Start thinking about your answers so you can play along in the 'tag your it' game…my thanx goes to That Girl from Forty Not Out for thinking of me. And my answers are...

(Barbie loves MAC picture)

1. Who Is The Hottest Movie Star?

Who do I love watching most on the movie screen? Which movie star man makes my heat a pitter-patter? I must admit twirling my hair around my index finger, whenever I see Jude Law or George Clooney. I just can’t seem to help it.

2. Apart From Your House And Your Car, What's The Most Expensive Item You've Ever Bought?

My MacBook is the most expensive and most worthwhile investment I’ve ever purchased. The next most expensive purchases have to be plane tickets, as I love to travel and find so much joy in discovering the world.

3. What's Your Most Treasured Memory?
One of my most treasured memories was with my Uncle who I lost last week to lung cancer. After I first moved to San Francisco and was feeling very homesick he flew from Toronto on “business” to San Francisco knocked on my front door, showed me the city and watched over me. I loved our talks and his real/blunt answers. I’ll miss you Uncle M.

4. What Was The Best Gift You Ever Received As A Child?
Hands down the best gift I ever received has to be my naked Barbie. Please let me explain. One year for Hanukah, my parents gave me a naked Barbie. I was so confused. In true sarcastic English humor, my naked Barbie was followed with clothes the next night and then the Barbie car and eventually I was given the Barbie dream house. What was your gift?

5. What's The Biggest Mistake You've Made?
I believe that, as long as I’ve learned from my decisions then there are no mistakes. Don't you agree?

6. Four Words To Describe Yourself
Loving, Sarcastic, Creative and Open.

7. What Was Your Highlight Or Lowlight Of 2008?
My highlight of 2008 had to be visiting Brazil. I wanted to move there for the culture, warmth of the people, incredible food and color. Since the Brazilian visa is valid for 5 years, I have four more to go back. Cross your fingers for me.

8. Favorite Film?
I love movies so this is a hard question for me to answer. Can I cop out and say Netflix is my favorite? No, OK. Then my favorite romantic movie has to be Somewhere in Time with Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour. The music is so beautifully haunting. If you haven’t seen it then it’s a must see, but be sure to grab some tissues.

9. Tell Me One Thing I Don't Know About You
The naked Barbie isn’t enough for you? Well, people ask me all the time if I’m wearing contacts because of my blue eyes. But what I love is when someone asks me if I’m wearing contacts when I’m already wearing my glasses. So I apologize to those who I've said yes to. I just couldn’t help it!

10. If You Were A Comic Book/Strip Or Cartoon Character, Who Would You Be?
I really, REALLY do believe that I’m Wonder Woman. Wait I’m not? Then how would you explain my invisible jet?

Thank you so much That Girl for tagging me. Now it’s your turn to answer these questions. Just link back your answers to Under the Sheets-shhh. Tag your it!

Cable Car Confessions: The new cable car and its presidential guests

“Ding ding. All aboard. Next stop Powell Street Chinatown. Tickets please, show me your tickets please." I heard about the unveiling of the new #15 San Francisco cable car from a blogger friend, who lives in Arizona. After hearing about this great cable car confession, I immediately talked to some of the conductors to hear their thoughts on the new car and the special guests riders.

Max, a cable car conductor, told me, “Even though so much has happened and changed in San Francisco, our cable cars are still the center of the inner workings of our city. To us San Franciscans, the sounds of the cable car bells chiming day and night are the natural sounds to the city. “

In fact, I must confess to you that when I travel and can’t hear the cable car bells at night, it feels too quiet. I can’t get to sleep! And if you told me this when I first got to San Francisco, I would have never believed you. I now can’t live without hearing passing cars, car alarms, foghorns and the ringing of bells.

So, how does San Francisco celebrate its 25th anniversary of full cable car service returning to the city? Well, this past June, the city unveiled a shiny new cable car. Juan, another cable car conductor announced, “We’re all excited about welcoming the new #15 car to the San Francisco Municipal family, as I think it will breathe new life into what we do every day.” He also shared that it took more than five years and nearly thirty people to build, create and mold the new cable car by working off century old blueprints.

A couple of hour’s after it started operating, cable car #15 was ridden by some very special riders: the first daughters Malia and Sasha Obama along with their grandmother. Juan observed, “The first daughters were well behaved, quiet and excited to see the sights of our city. They got onto the cable car at Nob Hill and rode it to Lombard Street. They really made a great day, even brighter.”

Did you know that it’s a cable car tradition for the workers, who helped to build the cable car, to sign their names in places that riders will never see? Did you hear about the first family riding the cable car in San Francisco a couple of weeks ago? Have any celebrities or dignitaries visited your city?

Cable Car Confessions: The Conductor’s Story

Ding ding all aboard. "Next stop Powell Street Chinatown. Tickets please show me your tickets please." There are many things that go into making a city feel like a small community. The fact that San Francisco is only 7 miles wide helps give it the small city feel. If you start to work for the cable car ‘family,’ San Francisco can begin to feel like an even smaller world.

I became friends with one of the cable car conductors who manned my commute to and from work throughout the years. ‘Mark’ was a jovial, kind, friendly man in his fifties and has been a cable car conductor for twenty-five years. On one recent evening, the cable car was empty as I traveled home from work. Mark told me this conductor story.

In the 80’s, Mark moved from Guatemala to San Francisco in search of a ‘better life’ for himself and for his family. He thought he was going to stay for a year, make some money and then move back home. One night after going out to a bar, a friend suggested that Mark try out to become a cable car conductor. And so he did. He told me that the actual conductor test wasn’t the difficult part. The initiation and tough weather conditions were.

After Mark had earned his stripes on the cable car and had been on the job for a year, the other conductors started to let him in on the inner workings of the city. They began introducing him to the other people who help support the tourism and hospitality fields. Now Mark knows almost all of the bartenders, concierge, doormen, taxi cab drivers, restaurant managers and bus drivers in San Francisco. His conductor’s secret is all of these people send tourists to each other for discounts and care.

For example, Mark met a couple visiting San Francisco from Mississippi. The couple complained that they had only been sent to expensive restaurants by their hotel and were starting to run out of money. Mark sent them to a restaurant near by and told them to ask for the restaurant manager by name and let him know that Mark sent them. He assured them they would then be taken care of for the rest of the night.

The next day the couple waited at the cable car stop for Mark’s car. They got on and thanked Mark for a wonderful evening. The couple had followed his recommendation and asked for the restaurant manager. Immediately the manager discounted their bill. He then sent them to a bar for drinks. At the bar they let the bartender know that they knew Mark the cable car conductor and were also sent by the restaurant manager. The bartender gave them free drinks, didn’t charge them a cover, arranged for a discounted cab, and even set them up with a great deal at a better San Francisco hotel.

The moral of this story is to always be kind, especially if you’re on the cable car. What's an act of kindness that happened to you while visiting another city?

Our Love Story: My Helicopter Ride from Hell

There are certain things, that you are never supposed to do at the beginning of a relationship. Try to never have a bad day, never talk about your ex-relationships and never fall asleep on a romantic helicopter ride that was arranged for you on the Island of Kauai. Do you agree with these tips? Well, at least I accomplished two out of three!

OK, so in my defense of this faux pas, I have to tell you that I am a horrible flyer. Not great on planes, trains or automobiles. Well, you get the picture. Maybe it’s because of my nerves that I find myself not able to relax on transportation, my fear of dying young or there's been moments that I've not be able to hold down my lunch.

So if you remember from the last 'our relationship' post, Honey and I had been on the island of Kauai for a couple of days and we were leaving for Oahu soon. Honey arranged for us a helicopter ride around the Island. I was so excited and nervous and needed to be honest with him.

Me smiling, "Honey thank you for arranging this and surprising me, but you know that I am not great on small planes, specifically the landings? Well, I am honestly scared of going on this helicopter ride."

Honey replied, "Everything will be OK. I’ll take care of you and we’ll get you some Dramamine."

Yes, he said the right words, but I still felt like I was going up in a death trap.

Oh sure, this wasn't my idea of being romantic. While wearing my bikini, sarong and flower in my hair, we run over to the ABC store to buy some anti-nausea medication. As I bought the Dramamine to calm my air sickness, I made sure the label said Non-Drowsy. (I had learned this lesson from my father. Once he took some cold medicine that he thought was Dayquil, which later turned out to be NyQuil.)

I must also confess to you, that I am also not great with taking new medications. I guess I am sensitive in my emotions as well as in my stomach.

Helicopter Ride from Hell Scene:

We drive to the helicopter school to take our hour lesson where we weigh in, ask questions and get fitted with our parachute vests. Around this time, I start to feel queasy and scared. So I take my trusty Dramamine and hope for the best.

Honey is thrilled to go up in the helicopter, excited and has the camera charged. The weather is a perfect tropical 88 degrees and my sundress is swaying under my parachute vest. "I can do this," I told myself over and over. And then I took a deep breath, as it was our turn.

We walked over to the helicopter and met our pilot ‘John’. He gave us headphones that played soothing Hawaiian music during our flight. Maybe the soothing music worked a little too well for me, as half and hour later I found myself feeling very sleepy.

As the helicopter rose, I squeezed Honey’s hand and felt unstable, excited and tired. We flew over Kauai and saw the breathtaking beauty of waterfalls, green mountains, birds and flowers. But, all I could think about was closing my heavy eyes and taking a little nap. The bumps of the helicopter were acting like a bassinet rocking me to sleep.

So I tried with all my might to stay awake, but the Hawaiian ‘Somewhere Over the Rainbow’ song was playing on my headphones. And then as I pretended to stare out at the gorgeous scenery, I closed my eyes and my Dramamine nap took over.

Honey had to elbow me several times to help me to stay awake. And I finally confessed and told him I wasn’t feeling well.

Thank you Dramamine!

About twenty minutes later, our helicopter landed safely on the ground. Honey went to take a picture with our pilot. I, on the other hand, went to kiss the ground we were back on. And no I didn't take a picture with the pilot, I probably would have fallen asleep on him.

Chalk it up to a learning experience, but we still laugh about my nap in the helicopter ride. And I swear it said Non-Drowsy. What are some of your fears? Some hate spiders and some hate flying. Just to be clear, I don't hate flying...I am just scared of falling out of the sky!

Can Step families Work? My Little Sister Interview

I have been asked many times why I don't have children yet. Other then waiting for the right time, I was lucky enough to be given two bonus siblings when my Father remarried. My little brother was born when I was 19 and then my sister was born when I was 20. It was then, that I made the decision that I would fully participate in their lives.

They mean the world to me and I feel so close to both of them. In a blink they are now in Junior High and almost in High School. On my most recent trip home to visit my family, I sat with my little sister and interviewed her for Under the Sheets-Shhh and for you.

D is a very talkative, fashionable, funny, sarcastic little diva that is very maternal at heart and the baby of our family. Can you imagine what it would be like to be in Junior High with an older sister twenty years older then you?

OK D inquiring minds want to know..... take it away.

Interview

How old are you and where were you born? Twelve and raised in Woodland Hills, Ca.

What grade are you now in? I'm in sixth grade.

Do you like school? No. Because it’s boring and I don’t get to talk. Teachers are not understanding of my need to socialize.

What job do you want to have when you're older? A hairdresser because I have liked styling and cutting hair ever since I was little. I use to try to cut my dolls hair, but it wouldn't grow back:) I'd like to work in a salon in Paris not on movie sets. Lala remember when I use to put all of those clips in your hair and I made your head bleed? I was practicing for my future clients.

Do you believe in marriage? And do you want to have children? I believe in marriage and I don’t want to have kids. I want to adopt. I do not want to go through all the pain of giving birth. Even though I would adopt a child, I would love it as if it was mine. Marriage is for me because I picture myself when I’m older (28 yrs. Old) living with my loving family (my husband, my loving child and my Jack Russel).

Where do you think you'll be in five years? In five years I will be 17 years old and I will be a senior in high school. I’ll be a preppy cheerleader, with an awesome boyfriend and friends. I want to go to college, but I dream of going to a hair dressing college for my certificate in hair.

What are you favorite book, artists, movies and TV shows?

Kanye West, Flo Rider, Colbie Caillat, PussyCat Dolls, Rihanna, The Clique Series, American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Pimp My Ride, Parental Control, My Name is Earl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Date Movie, DodgeBall.

What is your favorite food? Pizza, French fries and Ice cream. (chocolate malted crunch)

How do you feel about fashion and what are your favorite stores and designers? I love clothes, but I hate sewing. I use to love dressing up my dolls in cute outfits. The reason that I wake up in the morning is to get dressed. My favorite stores are: Hollister, Hot Topic, Abercrombie and Victoria Secret.

Do you know what a recession is? Yes, its something to do with the economy. Lots of people are being laid off now and some businesses are going bankrupt.

What are your thoughts about President Obama? I think he is a loyal president. I believe he has the power to run our country.

What is it like to have an older sister that is twenty-one years apart from you? Its kinda weird having you be so much older than me, but I can talk to you about anything.

How important are your friends to you? My friends are very important to me. I love them and I don’t know what I would do without them.

Thank you so much D for sharing your thoughts with us. Can I be your first client at your Paris hair salon if you promise not to make my head bleed? Oh and if you haven't already please join our Facebook Northern Califorinia Blogger Network. We are very excited about our new group and you can become a founding member. Stay tuned for my little brother's interview on Tuesday April 21sr.

My Secret Identity the Penny Fairy

Have you ever heard of the Penny Fairy? No? Is she the sister of the Tooth Fairy? Well, no. Have you seen random pennies on the street and wondered how they got there? Let me let you in on a little secret. The Penny Fairy is me and I was dropping pennies out of the goodness of my heart up until a couple of years ago. Let me explain...

They say that opposites attract. If one is messy, the other is neat. If one is an introvert the other is outgoing. And if one is thrifty or frugal, the other likes to spend…

Over the years, honey and I have learned so much from each other. I have taught him that it is okay to spend a little more and take care of yourself. And, he has taught me to save. Honey started by introducing the concept of keeping all your change at home. You see, there was a time when I spent, continued to spend and spent some more. And when I used cash, the pennies, nickels and dimes I got back in change weighed down my purse. I used to lighten the load by dropping it in the change jar or charity box at my local coffee shop or whatever store I was in. But then, I discovered that I liked to drop pennies on the street.

Yes, I said drop pennies. It was my own charity to the streets and to all my unknown friends. I imagined the smile that would appear on a little girl’s face… you know, the one who was skipping down the street, twirling her ponytail and stopping when then found the change. It was her lucky day!

One day, honey discovered my secret identity the Penny Fairy while we were walking down the street to catch the cable car. He caught me reaching into my pocket and casually dropping a penny as we walked by.

*Scene*
Honey: "I think you dropped some change."
Me (starting to blush): "No, I didn't."
Honey: "Did you just drop those pennies on purpose?"
Me: "Uh, well I always have. I love to think that I am making someone else happy when they find a lucky penny and pick it up! They’ll have good luck all day”
Honey: "If you keep all your change, you can use it for other things like coffee, laundry or put some towards your savings."
Me: "A savings? What's that?"
Honey: "Boy, do we have work to do!"
Me: “You know, they call me the Penny Fairy."

Do you have a secret identity? What superpower would you have if you could choose just one? Signing off as the Penny Fairy for the last time…

He's Just Not Into You or Is He? Dating Advice

I was recently sitting with a friend over dinner, when she confided to me that she was going to stop seeing the guy she was dating. This was good news as she hadn't been happy with him. She then let me know that she had decided to try a dating service. It was at that moment that the trailer from the movie He's Just Not That Into You popped into my head. Drew Barrymore says something like, 'These days there are all these media outlets to get dumped. He can ignore me via email, text, voicemail, blackberry and facebook." When did dating change to this?

While I was growing up a guy either called you back or he didn't. There was either a message on your answering machine or not. The confusion came only if you were dating two guys named the same name. Plus I thought being able to screen your calls was a good thing :)

And now my friend is going to join a dating service where she decides to talk to a guy after numerous back and forth emails. At one point they both fill out surveys and ask each other questions. Maybe one day they'll meet. Dating has become so removed. Why commit to one guy when you are being sent so many 'connections' to your inbox every day?

A couple of years ago, I was dating a guy named 'Jeremy' that I liked a lot. We seemed to really enjoy each other's company and have a great time. It seemed that all of a sudden he started to not return my calls as often. I guess I should have known that he was no longer interested when he suggested I read the book 'He's Just Not That Into You: The No Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys.' written by Greg Behrendt. He told me he wanted me to get stronger within myself. He also suggested this book to my friends so they too could understand when a guy wasn't interested in them. 

I confess that I did skim through this book while browsing in a book store and felt that the advice was pretty obvious. Some of the advice was 'If a guy doesn't call you back then he's not interested. If he doesn't call you back after a date, again not interested. If he forgets to call you after you meet his parents, then you deserve better.'

I ask you though, aren't woman practicing these rules already? Or do we all think that we can change him or there's been a mistake if we don't hear from him. Isn't one source better then seven sources to find out that he's not going to show up for a date? Should I encourage my girlfriend to try a matchmaking service?

Our Love Story: Valentine's Day

After arriving home from our trip to Denver, Honey and I settled back into our lives. And then I realized that Valentine's Day was only a couple of weeks away. I was excited to see how our V-day night would go. Honey made the plans and I would have never guessed the surprise he had in store for me.

We went to a lovely Italian restaurant in North Beach. This restaurant was a small, warm and intimate place with less then 15 tables. I remember the owner Bruno coming over to our table and greeting us. They had a Valentine's Day meal planned so all we had to do was choose our wine and settle in for the night.

Honey kept smiling at me through dinner and he seemed to have something that he wanted to say. 'Hmmmm,' I wondered. Did the owner Bruno know what Honey was thinking? Was there something shiny hidden in my dessert?:)

Now before you get all excited honey had a different surprise. ..

Scene: Honey and I talking over the table

Honey, "I have some great news to share with you."

'What is it?' I asked

Honey replied, " I was just given an excellence in service award for work."

'That is wonderful news honey. Congrats!"

'Well," he continued "Each year the awards ceremony is held in different places. The awardees get to bring one guest to the ceremony. It's an all expense paid three day trip. The hotel, food and flight are all included."

"Amazing. I am so happy for you."

And then he said, "I want you to come with me and be my guest."

"I would love to."

"Aren't you going to ask me where the trip is to this year? Will you go with me to Hawaii in May? Happy Valentine's Day."

I gasped and threw my arms around him, "Hawaii are you sure?"

Honey said," Yes and we're going to have a great time."

I was beaming the rest of the night. Saying that I was excited would have been an understatement. After dinner Honey had arranged to show me his favorite view of San Francisco. We got into the car and drove over the Golden Gate Bridge to the Marin Headlands. The Marin Headlands is one of the most common photographs of San Francisco, the view of the city of the Golden Gate Bridge over the fog. The view is a panoramic view of the bay.

We parked the car at a lookout point stared at the spectacular view and talked about our exciting trip to Hawaii. Honey suggested extending our trip for a couple of extra days and visit another island. It was then that some doubt crept into my mind. How would his parent's react to the news that we were going away together to Hawaii? Do you think we would tell them?

Where Are My Crayons? How To Be Creative As An Adult

I was recently reading a creative manifesto called 'How To Be Creative' by Hugh MacLeod.  If you are ever in need of inspiration or reminding to 'think out of the box' then this article is for you. Hugh MacLeod was like most of us. He worked a corporate job, but still felt his creative juices flowing. So he started doodling cartoon characters on bar napkins. The 'doodling' became his inspiration and successful future business. 

Many things struck me about this manifesto. First, he says that as soon as you take the crayons away from children and give them pens to write with, their creativity is encouraged to stop. As children, we are taught to think outside of the box and then one day we are taught to live within. Why is it that we all went from wanting to be a firemen, a teacher or ballerina and to finance guy? We had to change out of necessity.

As adults, couldn't we still write with crayons? I know that I would be smiling when writing letters. Just think of my creativity as I try and decide which crayon to use?

The second thing that struck me as wonderful advice, was when Hugh said, "to continue at your day job. Creating a new creative business, like writing and designing cartoon napkins, should be done after you have your paycheck and stability. There's no need to drop everything as we still have those adult responsibilities."

I can remember when I was a little girl, being encouraged to freestyle dance to music. All I had to do was close my eyes and feel the music. I would sway, move and create. Could I still do this as an adult? Well I could, but I get self conscience to what I look like and what others are thinking.

If I promise to go and freestyle, will you promise that you will go and brainstorm this weekend. Go and find your crayons and markers. Put on some great music and remember what it was like when you were a child. Have a great weekend and color away. Tell me, what did you want to be when you grew up?

The Hilarious Story of my Sorority Initiation: Part 2

I had just been kidnapped by five sorority girls and taken to their Alpha Phi sorority house. The women were telling me about belonging to their sisterhood sorority and how great it is to do philanthropy work for their community. I was eighteen, alone, had only one friend and before me were fifty women encouraging me to join them. And at only sixty dollars a month, I too could have access to all of the friends in the Greek community. So I thought about it and then asked myself 'Who needs school books, food or clothes? I had friends.' And then I signed on the Alpha Phi dotted line.

To become apart of Alpha Phi, I committed to paying their monthly dues, attend weekly meetings, keep my grades up, I agreed to wear a pledge pin over my heart for a semester until I was initiated and I needed to learn and be tested on the history of the founding father's of the sorority. There were also some unspoken rules like you couldn't date another sister's guy. But that should be a given right? Well, I quickly learned not always a given for everyone.

There were some unspoken rules too. I would get hazed, but couldn't tell anyone about it, I needed to attend a certain amount of fraternity parties and I had to keep the handshake and knock a secret. (I will carry this to my grave :))

I also became a little sister to a big sister already in the sorority. My big sister looked out for me, helped me study throughout pledging, gave me a sorority nickname and would introduce me at initiation.

After a semester of doing all of this, it was time for me to be initiated. Our initiation was held at a fellow sister's family home. I invited my family to initiation. My father, step-mother, my aunt and uncle and my brother all came. I was so excited to introduce them to my new friends and college life.

During the ceremony our big sister would introduce us to our seated family and friends, hand us a red rose and then take off our pledge pin. The Alpha Phi little sisters wore white dresses and big sisters wore black. Please remember that I was still under the 'I love you Alpha Phi' spell when I noticed that my family was starting to snicker. I waved at them and they tried to hold back their laughter. 'Oh no,' I thought 'I was in trouble.' One by one little and big sisters would go up to get initiated. My family seemed to loose it more and more.

The spell was truly broken when a petite girl went up to introduce her little sister. She opened her mouth to say nice things about her little sister, but the voice that came out of her was the voice of Tweety Bird. My family lost it. I think my brother and uncle fell off of their chair and my father was laughing so hard that he had tears rolling down his face.

After the ceremony was over, I introduced my family to my new friends. Everyone kept saying yes we know who your family is and 'ah yes' with looks of disapproval on their face. I had regained my sanity and depledged a semester later. Ah good times had by all.

The Hilarious Story of my Sorority Initiation: Part 1

I had no idea what was in store for me when I left for college. My parent's really didn't know either as they had both come from England and had never been to college. I had only some exposure to college life from my extended family Aunt and Uncle. I hardly knew anything about joining a sorority or what was about to happen to me.

When I left for college I was eighteen, estranged from my mother and all of sudden living in a dorm room with roommates. I was nervous about being able to afford school books, passing my classes and so at the time joining a sorority was furthest from my mind.

Living down the dorm hall to me was Erin a football jock new to California from Southern Illinois. We seemed to hit it off right away after we met at freshman orientation. Erin found out that I had been a cheerleader and he was the footballer so it was a match in high school heaven. (I swear we had more in common.) He was a huge and funny guy that looked like he could rush a football field at any moment. I felt safe around him.

Together we went to some of the fraternity and sorority parties. I think that I told one person other then Erin that I went to high school in Newport Beach and the frat guys seemed very interested in me. The sorority girls encouraged me to Rush. I wasn't interested in rushing (interviewing at different sororities to be picked to join.) I thanked the ladies, but said that I might be interested in joining after I finished my first semester.

After Rush and the parties were over and girls had been picked, there was a late night knock on my dorm room door. My roommates told me that there were five girls wearing Alpha Phi sweatshirts asking to talk to me. I was so confused, so I went to the door and the girls told me that they were kidnapping me and taking me to their sorority house. Only some of the girls looked familiar to me.

I asked if they had made a mistake or maybe if they had the wrong person. Instead they said that they had 'heard" about me and then convinced me to come with them. We left my dorm room and passed my car. It had been covered in Alpha Phi symbols and chalk was written all around my car. 'OK,' I thought 'So they thought they had the right girl.'

I had only said a few words to some of these girls and yet they kept saying that they loved me. Loved me, my clothes, my hair, that I wanted to be child psychologist etc. I could do no wrong. It felt really nice to be accepted because I was new to school. I was also very curious about what it would be like to join a sorority. Would you have encouraged me to go with these girls? Tell me if you joined a fraternity or sorority in school?

Contest: Is Valentine's Day A Made-Up Day by Hallmark?

My good friend, La Belette Rouge inspired me by her "I love my bloggers contest " to create my own. I must confess to you that I love Valentine's Day. I love it. I have never felt that it was a made-up holiday to remind people that they were in love. I just appreciate that one day out of the year is devoted to couples. It can take a lot of work to be in a relationship. So on Valentine's Day turn your cell phone off, cards should be given whether they are made or bought and some kind of alcohol consumption should be had. Phew! I feel better for getting that off of my chest. FYI if you were wondering I love Hersey's kisses.

Here are the rules for you to enter the Under the Sheets-Shhh Valentine's Day contest. Tell me by commenting on this post about your best or worst Valentine's Day. Come on you can do it. Was it when you were in fourth grade and brought Disney Valentine cards for everyone, but forgot one boy in the class? Or was it when you were single and out on the town with your single ladies. Could it have been a special Valentine's Day when you were surprised with the unexpected? The lucky winner (that will be chosen on Saturday February 14th) will get to pick a topic for me to write a post about. And I will link back to your site.

Doesn't this sound like fun?

In the spirit of being fair let me tell you about my worst Valentine's Day! I was dating this guy ('Aaron') long distance for only a couple of months when it came time for Valentine's. He was living in Los Angeles and I was in San Francisco. We were just starting to date and it wasn't serious so I wasn't sure if I should bring up getting together for V Day. One day when we were talking on the phone he asked me if I would fly to L.A. to spend V Day with him. I agreed as I had a free credit to fly on Southwest and my family lives in L.A. so I could stay with them.

Please remember that I luv love, have a very romantic heart and knew that this way too soon to fly to spend the weekend with him. Did I listen to my inner voice? No, of course not.

Aaron picked me up at the airport on Valentine's Day. While we were driving in the car he told me that he had made some dinner plans for us, but needed to stop off somewhere first. He drove us to his manager's house in the Hollywood Hills for some drinks before dinner. When we were standing at the front door he turned to me and said 'I hope you don't feel awkward as my manager is having some people over'. Once I was inside I realized that there was a girl there that he didn't want me to meet. Making this long story short, basically the two of them were talking in a corner for the rest of the evening. Aaron and I missed dinner and I called a cab, took my luggage out of his car and spent the rest of the weekend and Valentine's Day with my family.

OK now it's your turn...you can do it. Wouldn't you like me to write a post about the topic of your choice? I wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Valentine's Day. I hope you are showered in cards, love and Hersey's Kisses.

Fourth Blogger Award for Under The Sheets-Shhh

Under The Sheets-Shhh was given it's fourth Lemonade blogger award from the very thoughtful George who writes LostNight's Scribblings. George's poems always touch me and seem to inspire me to write some of my memories into posts. He must think that Under The Sheets-Shhh shows great attitude and or gratitude. I hope a little of both. Thank you George, you're the best.

Before passing this award onto other well deserving bloggers, I would like to share with you five attitude and five gratitude things that you didn't know about me.

So attitude should be very easy for me......Try not judge that:

1) I can snap at you very quickly if after repeating myself three times you still haven't heard me.

2) I need about 7-8 hours of sleep every night. Without it I can be very cranky. This would be the perfect time for you to see my attitude in full force.

3) I will give you attitude if you are sitting behind me in the movies and kick my seat. Once by mistake is OK. Twice is another story.

4) Please say bless you after someone sneezes. If you don't I might correct you.

5) If I am left on hold for too long and that horrible phone wait music is playing, watch out to the people around me.

And now for my gratitude list:

1) I am thankful for each and every day of learning and growing.

2) I thank whoever is responsible for creating cotton candy, palm trees, wet noses on dogs, hugs and Tonka trucks.

3) I still write my gratitude down weekly in a gratitude journal so I can realize all of the good that is happening in my life. (This also helps me when I am having a bad day.)

4) I am grateful for this new year and a new President.

5) I am thankful for recently finding R$40 real in my jean pocket. I took those jeans with me to Brazil.

My lucky nominees for the lemonade blog award are:

Medicated and Motivated (Such a great name for a blog.)

Three Bay B Chicks (These Bay Area ladies are so creative.)

Psyche Connections( Linda makes me feel like dancin')

Suburb Sanity (I feel like I am with you in the trenches :)

Thinking Out Loud (Insightful thoughts out loud.)

Pacing The Panic Room (Transitions can be easier with humor and insight.)

Vintage Lollipops (Bella is a gem!)

French Kiss (For their amazing love story.)

Fifi Flowers Design Decor (Fifi is such a talent.)

Clever Girl Goes Blog (Sarcasm in pink heels!)