Tanya Talks 20 Best Gifts Ideas for 2011

So, what is at the top of YOUR wish list this year? A new scarf? A stylish laptop bag? Here is a list of some gift ideas I’ve come up with this year based on personal experiences, my own wants and desires and other ideas resulting from conversations I’ve had with friends during the last few weeks. If you are tossing and turning at night unsure what to get your parents, your best friend or even your spouse, maybe one of these ideas will help.

Oh, and don’t forget – when shopping online, always, always, ALWAYS look for those handy dandy little discount codes too. They can really save you money!

So let’s get started….

20. Memo Mouse Pad

For less than $10, a mouse pad memo allows you to stay on top of important reminders for the week! I love this sort of thing and not only is it cute, it’s highly useful. If there’s someone in your life that tends to keep their life organized by means of lists and jotting things down, this will make the perfect gift for that special someone. There are also blank memo mouse pads you can go for too, which are not calendar style.

19. Stylish Mugs

I’ve really been intrigued by mugs in recent years. I’ve started collecting Starbucks mugs from the different cities we travel to (yes, I’m definitely late to the party on that one), but also love the owl mugs I’ve been seeing and the pretty pattern mugs out there. I love mugs, what can I say and they make for a great stocking stuffer. Whenever a family member comes over, they each have their own mug at our house now with their first letter of their name imprinted on it. I know, it’s quirky but there’s nothing like sitting down, enjoying a nice cup of coffee with family or friends, and not drinking from the wrong cup constantly when all the mugs look alike.

Well, that’s my justification anyway…

Check out some of the beautiful mugs from west elm this year!

18. Gadget Accessories

It doesn’t matter if your loved one has an iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone whatever. Dress up their baby in style. Yes, I just referred to a phone as someone’s baby. What, it’s not? Of course it is!

I actually know someone who had a few different cases and regularly changed them on her iPhone depending on the occasion and sometimes outfit, etc. So if you’re hesitant to gift a gadget accessory in fear the person already has a great one, throw that idea out the window. I’m not trying to encourage overconsumption here, but this is more about style and proper accessory coordination.

Gadget cases are important and can be a direct reflection of our personalities. There is a world of accessories to choose from out there too! There are sites where you can custom design your phone case, and some of the latest designers are now creating covers consistent with their fashion lines.

Go explore and have fun! This always makes for a great gift!

17. USB Blanket

Ummm, what? A blanket with a USB? That’s right! Those ThinkGeek guys think of everything! If you’d rather save yourself the risk and danger of a mini-heater (known to start fires and burn buildings down), consider a heated blanket you can simply plug into your computer. This has got to be the coolest thing ever and for someone who is notoriously cold all of the time (raising hand), it doesn’t get any better than this.

If you were smitten by the Snuggie, you will be overjoyed by this bad boy.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/usb-gadgets/cf6d/?srp=2

16. Modern Dinnerware

If you knew how many months of browsing sites and roaming through stores I did to find the right casual dinnerware, you may not talk to me ever again.  After all, it’s JUST DINNERWARE.  But one thing I enjoy doing is obsessing over things (something’s, not everything) in seeing if I can find exactly what I’m looking for.

I can’t say for sure this was what I was originally out to get but let me just say – I’ve never been so happy with my decision.  CB2 just has neat things in general but this is where I found my simplistic yet durable and stackable modern dinnerware set.  I’m completely in love with it too!  This will make for the perfect gift for your household if you’re looking for a new set like I was this past year.  Believe it or not, I was still using the same dinnerware from my college days– I kid you not. 

I won’t get into how long ago that was either.. thanks!

One note with this is, the dinnerware is actually really heavy so if you’re looking for something lightweight, you will have a tough time with these pieces.   We also got the terraine soup bowls from cb2 since the modern set did not include a true cereal bowl.

15. Power Tools

Power tools are no longer great gifts for just guys; women like to hang things up at home, too. Duh! Have you ever used a power drill? It will change your life. Toss away your screw driver kits and convert over to the dark side. This makes a great gift for just about anyone and if you know someone who is into hanging framed photos or likes to work on their home, this is something they will absolutely love and appreciate, not to mention use all the time!

14. Pumped Up Kicks

Alright, so maaaybe you aren’t looking to have your TOMs light up a room exactly, but maaaybe a nice flashy pair of heels would tickle your lovely’s fancy this year.  Does your lovely-dearest have a shoe fetish?  Is her named Tanya?  LOL!

As for men, check out these handsome soles:

13. Touch Screen-Friendly Gloves

These are not your Grandmother’s gloves. These are not even your mother’s gloves. These are special gloves designed for people who have touch screen devices, so pretty much almost everyone these days. So wait, let me back up — these really could be your mother or grandmother’s gloves then.  Pretty cool, huh? You can find inexpensive ones at target for around $6 or high quality touch friendly gloves at Amazon.

12. Authentic Imports

I realize this gift suggestion is difficult to do at this point in time for the holidays, but it’s something to keep in mind for next year. If you’re a traveler, while gallivanting across the globe pick up a mustard, maybe a spice, some coffee beans, a jam, decadent chocolates, dried fruit or herbs as gifts to give during the holidays! These gifts are incredibly special because not only are they authentic gifts coming from places you’ve traveled to but it shows you were thinking of friends or loved ones in advance and that’s pretty neat, wouldn’t you agree?

This is also something to keep in mind for other occasions during the year. This past year after traveling to Thailand, I bought a few friends traditional Thai outfits to give at their baby showers for their babies. Not only was I able to barter a great deal on the outfits in Phuket but this was something they could not get here in the U.S. SCORE!

11. Label Maker

If you have an organization-obsessed freak living in your house, a label maker could not be more perfect. Yes my friends, I label everything. My label maker is one of the most used devices in our household and guess what? Thanks to my label maker, I always find what I’m looking for since it helps keep me organized. So get that little organizer of yours a label maker, or turn a new leaf and begin organizing better this year within your own household! These little machines will make your life so much easier!

10. Kindle Fire

I may love the phones Apple makes but I’m not convinced the iPad is worth the extra hundreds of dollars over the Kindle Fire just yet. So ladies and gentlemen, please meet the newly released Kindle Fire. What can I say, reviews are in the positive and this device is more than just a reader. You can watch movies, browse the web, play music, enjoy apps, yes read of course, plus so much more. For $199, it’s worth checking out over dishing out $499 with the iPad for similar uses. Give the new kid on the block a shot – I hear it’s worth it!

9. Photo Book

If you have a bunch of 1940s, 1950’s, and 1960’s pictures lying around the house like my parents do, especially a dad who can get extremely sentimental about these photos, putting together a photo book can go far in terms of best gifts this year. Let’s face it, at our parent’s age, there is very little they want, need or care to receive during the holidays. That is why sentimental gifts can be the best and the only thing they may not take the time or have the skills to create themselves.

In our kitchen at the home I grew up in, you’ll find a calendar I created 2 years ago as a gift using Shutterfly. Because the photos are there as part of the calendar and the dates have long past, that calendar remains as artwork on one of the walls in the kitchen.

If you’re not feeling all that creative, do not fear! Simply frame a photo of yourself and/or siblings or significant other which will also provide some great sentimental value equally making for a great holiday gift!

8. Mariage Freres Thes

I realize you already heard me talk about Mariage Freres Teas at nauseam during my France 2011 novel, but here’s some exciting news! Williams Sonoma now carries the Mariage Freres Marco Polo Tea! Yes, I’m doing imaginary back flips as I write this! Forget the high import fees and pathetic dollar to euro conversions (though that’s changing I hear)! Now this infamous Marco Polo tea is within reach … err, depending on how close you are to a Williams Sonoma store, anyway. Enjoy an amazing and quality French tea. This tea will make a wonderful gift for anyone who enjoys and appreciates the finer things in life.

7. Fun Yet Functional Accessories

For women, the Kate Spade Multi-Colored Coin Purse makes for a great gift for the ladies in your life this year. It’s chic, it’s cute, and it won’t break the bank! At $55, this glamorous little accessory will have some great mileage – guaranteed.

As for men, the Ögon Credit Card Wallet makes for a stylish yet functional card holder for men. I am a huge fan of gifts from Seattle’s Fireworks stores so check out their site or visit one of their stores in the greater Seattle area for some unique gift ideas.

6. Donations

If you’re looking for a gift to give the person who has everything under the sun, and “charity” is their middle name, consider a charity donation gift. Several charity sites are now offering this and a few of our friends have requested donation gifts in lieu of birthday gifts. The justgive.org site is one of many where you can give a donation gift. https://www.justgive.org/ and another great site is http://seeyourimpact.org/

5. Coton de Tulear Puppy

That’s right; I am suggesting a puppy as a gift this year. This is no ordinary puppy. This is a breed which resembles a teddy bear and is so very sweet, not to mention, hypoallergenic! Yes – all you allergy have’rs (myself included) have no excuse not to have pets anymore! 

If you’re looking to buy your significant other a gift they will never forget and which will give you enough brownie points to last the rest of the year (and the next year, and the next), look no further than gifting a Coton de Tulear puppy.

My aunt recently introduced me to Mochi, her Coton, and provided us with some useful information as we consider becoming pet owners in the near future. She told me that a trainer recommended Cotons for first-time owners because they are pretty easy starter dogs – cheerful, easy-going, and intelligent. Since they are still considered a rare breed (not a recognized breed of the American Kennel Club), they are not overbred so do not have some of the health issues that are present in so many other breeds and are pretty good in terms of longevity. Coton de Tulears can be a little bit pricey and you’ll usually find them in the $2400-2800 range but as my Aunt convinced us, once you write the check you’ll completely forget about it.

*This picture of Mochi is him full-grown*

4. Photo Door Mat

I promise this is the LAST personalized gift idea I have, but it’s a good one!  How about a photo doormat!  Although I do wonder if it feels weird wiping your feet on someone’s face, I just think the idea is great, and sort of comical!  For less possible-offensive doormats, you can also custom custom create a mat with words such as, Vinit’s Man Cave – DO NOT ENTER!

3. Food Network Magazine Subscription

I’m pretty excited about this one. For all you peeps who love to cook, now you can subscribe to the Food Network… in print! Or get this subscription for someone else as a gift this holiday season! I know 5 people off hand who’d appreciate something like this, being dedicated viewers of the Food Network and loving new recipes.

2. Keurig Coffee Maker

I realize this was SO 2009 but for those considering a Keurig conversion or those who are simply tired of throwing away and wasting pots of coffee, the Keurig is still a great way to go.

I was on the phone with my dad a few days ago having the routine gift conversation we have every year, “what do you want for Christmas… well, what do YOU want for Christmas, no, what do YOU want…” when he surprisingly cut the back and forth short by saying… “Actually, I DO want something this year. I want a Keurig.” That threw me off a little bit since this conversation is never a short one and I normally hang up not having any additional information after the call than I did before the call.

I guess when he has a daughter who talks about her Keurig as if it’s a member of the family, I can see why he’s sold. Watch him want an iPhone next year, too :)

By the way, Costco has a great deal on Keurigs right now! Oh, and have you seen the variety of flavors out these days? Delicious!

And this leads me to gift #1 this year…..

1. iPhone 4S

That’s right. I’m sure you all are shocked to death with this one. I know you saw this coming, though…

It’s true — Siri has a lot to offer and giving such a device will do the receiver a lot of good. I highly recommend the iPhone 4S if you are considering a smart phone device as a gift for someone this year. Whether the receiver is a first time smart phone user or simply needs an upgrade, the 4S is mind blowing. Alright, I’ll try to keep my thoughts short and emotions contained, but the iPhone 4S will not disappoint. Just go see for yourself!

And there you have it my friends, Tanya’s gift recommendations for 2011! Happy gift giving and I wish you all a wonderful holiday season!

-Tanya

Tornado Terror

It has been a fantasy of mine to chase tornados.  Anyone who knows me would probably say this is single-handedly the strangest thing about me.  But yes it’s true, I have had a life long burning desire to chase tornados in tornado alley.  I dream about tornados, I have several tornado videos, I’m part of several tornado chaser alias groups and I even own tornado art work.  As a child whenever I had a school project opportunity guess what I chose as my topic? You guessed it!

I remember being in 8th grade and I had stayed after school for a track and field practice.  I remember stretching out on the grass staring up at the sky observing the clouds and I told a friend, if I didn’t know better, I’d say this is tornado weather which of course, is not a common occurrence in the state of Washington.  Next morning the news reported a tornado touched down in Tacoma, WA the previous day.

I used to live in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  I experienced several tornado warnings and alerts while living there and actually got out and drove to see if I could find a few but never did.

As you can see this is no joke, it’s actually a real interest of mine and going on a tornado chasing expedition with a chasing team is something I’ve wanted to do my entire life.  But I am frozen terrified thinking about the massive tornados which have spawned just this year.  Reports have said over 500 people have died this year as a result of massive tornados and for being May (tornado season just began!), I am a little nervous about the rest of the season.

I’m really saddened by the magnitude of these disasters and while the death toll is a bit unusual, the storms this year have touched down on more populated areas resulting in more devastation and lives lost.

Yesterday’s tornado in Missouri was documented at being a mile wide.  A MILE WIDE, people!

This footage, particularly the “Huddling Inside A Store” footage is terrifying.  This might keep me awake at night.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/05/joplin-missouri-tornado-video/38043/

Although I will always love the science behind natural disasters, my heart and prayers go out to the families who are struggling with the aftermath of this year’s devastating tornados. I am very sad that something I’m so intrigued by can result in such tragedy :(

-Tanya

So it was a little bit complicated..

I went and saw ‘It’s Complicated’ last night.  It was one of those nights where Vinit had a squash match downtown Seattle so I was excited to tag along with him so I could spend some very much missed “Tanya Time” which meant, shop, visit a book store, and watch a movie… all by myself.  These are a few of my favorite past times in which I loved doing but which I hadn’t done in quite awhile.  Reluctant and bewildered as to why I was so excited to do this (he has never understood why anyone would watch a movie alone) off he went to play squash at the WAC and I started my night in Pacific Place. 

 

But the movie.  So, the movie overall was entertaining and almost made sense why I watched it alone.  I loved a lot of the themes which went on in the movie, an independent woman, Jane, a business owner, divorced, mom of three kids, amazing sense for cozy décor (I’m pretty sure that was my DREAM kitchen!), loved the basics such as gardening, hosting girls nights, and very positive, polished and confident with herself.  The movie is about this woman (Meryl Streep) who all the while feels very confident with herself, wouldn’t mind sharing her time with someone else.  The movie progresses into a story where on one drunken night during her son’s graduation weekend, she sleeps with her ex-husband who is remarried to someone significantly younger than she is, the same woman he cheated on her with causing their divorce and the story sheds light on the attempt to revisit their relationship to see if they wanted to give it another go.  There are a few other complications during this attempt but in the end she figures out exactly what is good for her and what she needs in her life to keep on moving forward. 

 

Both last night and today I continue to think about the character and the life she lead and the decisions she made.  While parts of it were obviously sad, a woman growing older with nobody to grow old with, the character herself was really inspiring.

 

·         I want to own a bakery/restaurant like she owned and run it like she ran it.  It was awesome!  And it appeared to be the neighborhood place to be.

·         I really loved her kitchen and it was the meeting place for her kids and family to gather. 

·         I loved that at her age (~60) she still had time to gossip with her girlfriends and host routine girl’s nights.  They spared no details either.  I can only hope the close friends I have right now where at times we share anything and everything is the same set of friends I can be doing this with at such a “wise” age.

·         I loved her independence.  Though being divorced was probably not the preference for her, she let nothing stop her or get in her way of having a very fulfilling and happy life.

·         She had great style.

·         And a wonderful house.  Did I mention FABULOUS kitchen? :)  I just loved the decor to the point I’m re-thinking my current redecorating theme and am considering easing it up to be a little bit cozier.

·         She laughed a lot!  A whole lot!  Her positivity made her that much more radiant!

 

It’s only a movie.  I get it.  And it was actually a bit complicated but I loved all the little messages and felt very inspired at times :)

The Pet Connection.

I grew up with a dad who was a huge animal lover and a mother who had never had pets until meeting my dad.  Knowing how important pets were to my dad, my mom overlooked her awkwardness and  discomfort with animals and for the most part, I remember her ignoring them.  But it was funny… I remember a couple of times waking up in the middle of the night to find the cat sitting on my mom’s lap and her awkwardly and carefully petting the cat.  But I do remember that.  And as soon as I’d wake up in the morning, there was my mom pretending to despise the animals she secretly cared a lot about but could not let us in on her little secret.  My dad on the other hand was and is very good with animals across the board.  He has an amazing knack for training even the most disobedient of dogs and is also great with cats as well, though dogs have a much softer spot in his heart than cats. 

 

The house built by my parents before I was even thought of is the same house I go to every week to this day to visit.  This house is located on a healthy size piece of land and consequently, has taken care of and seen so many animals and pets during it’s time, you wouldn’t even believe it.  The only thing I never got and asked for every birthday was a HORSE!  But other than that, I saw a lot of animals come through our residence and we had some really funny experiences. 

 

When I was born, we had two dogs — a yellow Labrador named Goldie and a German Sheppard named Max.  Goldie was a typical Labrador, very kid friendly, dedicated to our family and very easy going always trying to help where she could.  Max on the other hand, was an amazing watch dog but had the tendency to eat the neighbor’s chickens so when I was a small child I remember us driving to Mt. Vernon to give Max to a friend who could provide a better home for him.  A home far away from chickens.  To this day when I see Mt. Vernon I think of Max. 

 

Shortly after Max moved on from our house, a little tiny brown wiener dog came traipsing into our yard.  We put up fliers around the neighborhood as he obviously belonged to someone but after days of no claims, we named him “Precious.”  Precious was quite cute but was quite the shadow of Goldie.  Wherever Goldie went, Precious followed.  Me, I was still growing at this point, thinking Goldie was a horse one day, and Precious was a cat the next.  I was quite confused about these two guys, so my parents decided to get me a real cat.  Our next door neighbors and family friends had a litter of kittens so I picked a black and white cat and named her Teeger.  I don’t really recall what happened to this black and white Teeger but I want to say she ran away if my memory serves me correctly.  Very saddened, my parents got me another cat and this cat was Teeger 2.  Teeger 2 who I’ll now just call Teeger, was an all white, long haired cat who only liked me and who I was insanely crazy about.  Teeger was my very best friend in the whole wide world and you know how kids get professional portraits taken each year of themselves?  Well, a few of mine included Teeger in them.  HAHA!  Anytime there was a show-n-tell day at school, Teeger was my guest.  I mean, this cat was my life.  I wrote poems about Teeger, created books about Teeger, even won an art contest at school for drawing Teeger.  I mean it was Tanya & Teeger always.  ALWAYS.

 

So, while having Teeger, Goldie and Precious, I recall a Parrot flew to our house one time and stayed for awhile but I believe someone did respond to the flier we had out for it and so that was very short lived pet we had, though I have pictures of my dad with this large parrot on his shoulder drinking my dad’s orange juice from his glass.  I think there were other stray animals here and there but these three were the main ones.  Then one day my dad decided that chickens were a good idea for pets.  And not the chickens we would eat either.  The chickens which would give us eggs!  My parents were big into this sort of thing..I may have forgotten one detail here … we also grew vegetables (tomatoes, lettuce, garlic, herbs) had fruit trees (apple, plum and cherry) as well as a potato and strawberry patch!  It was HEAVEN as a child.  Now if you know me, you’d probably laugh at the fact I grew up climbing cherry trees and flinging gardener snakes around but this was a child’s haven.  Absolutely.  Honestly I thank my parents so much for the childhood I had.  Everything was so well done, right down to our cable swing, tree house (1 built by my dad, another built by my 3 older brothers), hand-built swing and nature trails.  It was so phenomenal.  Anyway, back to animals..

 

When I was 10 years old I went away to camp one summer.  As we were driving back onto our street I said to my mom out of nowhere and to this day I’m not even sure why, but I said, “Mom – did Goldie die while I was gone?”  One look she gave me and I was bawling my eyes out.  Apparently while I was at camp, Goldie’s old age had finally caught up to her.  She said they were forced to put Goldie down as she couldn’t even walk or function anymore.  She warned me my dad had been quiet for days and that he was in deep mourning over Goldie.  Well, I remember hugging Teeger and Precious so tightly as soon as I got home, asking them to never ever die on me.  My parents showed me Goldie’s grave which was further out on our property with a stone and everything.  Shortly after Goldie’s death then Precious died from what my mom explained was a broken heart.  See after Goldie died, Precious still continued to wait for Goldie to come home and one day when Goldie never did, Precious died down the street at our mailbox waiting for Goldie’s return.  All I had left was Teeger, and some egg laying chickens. 

 

A few years passed and I went to California to visit my Rosales relatives in San Diego.  I was with my grandparents and then later my mom came down and met me there.  We were having great fun as I always loved going to see my Rosales side, when one afternoon I heard my mom on the phone with my dad.  My mom was saying very generic things and trying to mask what I could tell was a nervous voice and as soon as she hung up she walked away in the other direction.  I went and followed her and said very bluntly, “Mom – did Teeger die?”  She stopped, turned around, gave me the very same look she gave with Goldie she replied, “Tanya, why do you think that?”  And I said “Mom, just tell me, DID TEEGER DIE?”  But she did not have to tell me, nor was able to get the words out.  I already knew.  My mom later explained Teeger had been shot by a BB gun while she was up in a tree, from a neighborhood kid who had been chasing her, I thought I was literally going to die.  At age 12, I thought my life was officially over.   I cried like I’ve never cried before.  My Rosales grandparents who had never had pets before looked at me and said “Promise you’ll cry this hard when we die too!” which I did not find very funny at the time.  We left San Diego shortly after and I returned to my life, but without my Teeger.  It was quite a sad time for me.  I couldn’t stand to be in my bedroom.  That was the room Teeger always stayed in and listened to classical music while I would go to school each day.  I cried for days.  Weeks.  I removed anything and everything that reminded me of Teeger.  I saw her hair on things and could not keep it together.  Two months went on like this and my parents did not know what to do. 

 

One day while walking home from the bus stop, I noticed something a little bit different this day.  There was a new cat in our yard.  I called the cat over and found it was a BEAUTIFUL cat.  This was one of those very fluffy Siamese type cats with bright blue eyes.  I took the cat inside and my mom was in awe to see this cat.  She hated animals but quickly took to this cat.  That evening as we prepared our fliers yet again, she told me perhaps this was an angelic cat, an Angel, coming into my life as I needed something to help me get over Teeger since things were not getting any easier.  Suddenly I felt OK.  Perhaps Teeger was up there watching over me and knew I needed to get over it all.  I loved this idea because then it meant Teeger was still there, looking after me, making sure I was OK.  No one claimed the cat and we named him “Kabuki.”  I would invite friends over to show them Kabuki and even friends who hated cats fell in love with Kabuki.  Just 3 months after Kabuki walked into my life, I let him outside the house as I normally did, and watched him walk down our drive way.  He literally looked back at me and I thought what is he doing, why is he going down there, but figured he’d come back.  Needless to say, Kabuki never returned but perhaps my mom was right about things after all.  Even if not, I was comforted thinking she was. 

 

The chickens slowly disappeared, either getting chased by coyotes at night, or what not, and soon our house was pretty animal-less for the first time in history.  I entered college and was living at home when my dad asked me if I wanted to get a kitten, knowing how much I took to cats.  I told him sure and he came back with a Labrador puppy instead. J  He named this puppy Alex as Alex Rodriguez was my dad’s favorite baseball player at the time, and my dad started the puppy training process.  I recall my dad telling me this was more work than he remembered us kids being, but Alex was such a good dog I saw my dad thoroughly enjoy this.  I could see the connection between my dad and Alex be even greater than with Goldie.  Perhaps it was because Alex was the only child at that point and had all of the attention.  But Alex was the dream dog.  Not only was he trained but he was a good Samaritan.  He waited for kids at the bus stop and walked them home every day, though none of the kids were his owner.  One little girl would not walk home from the bus stop until Alex arrived to get her which posed problems and my dad had to stop Alex from walking kids home due to that.   My dad used to bring him to nursing homes (by request) to visit the sick elderly as Alex was walked to each room to hang with the patients and would put smiles on everyone’s face.  This dog was my dad’s right hand buddy whenever he went fishing in the Puget Sound.  If my dad was doing anything in the yard, here comes Alex with tools in his mouth which he just stole from the neighbors, thinking he was helping my dad out.  But Alex was to my dad, what Teeger had been to me and Alex was definitely my dad’s best friend. 

 

The year my grandmother became very sick from her Alzheimer’s, Alex was diagnosed with cancer.  Within two months both my grandma passed as well as Alex and I have never seen my dad in such bad shape ever.  It’s been 2 years since this took place and my dad talks about Alex as if he threw him his ball just yesterday.  Only recently did my dad change our answering machine greeting where it was my dad’s voice talking then an Alex bark at the very end of the greeting which my dad thought that was so cute!  But our house is very different without Alex’s presence there. I’m encouraging my dad to think about another pup but he says he’s just not sure he can go through all this yet again – perhaps our animal days are done.  I understand where he’s coming from – it’s the very reason I personally have chosen to not have animals again, though there are two cats still living in our house, who are very sweet and almost as big as little dogs.  But still not dogs.  And definitely not an Alex to my dad. 

 

But our family has seen its share of animals throughout the years.  I am grateful and thankful to have known each and everyone of them.  At times they were my teddy bear, my horse, my secret confidante I’d tell everything to, my doll, the one to help me finish my dinner with out my parents knowing, my protector, my best friend.  Our family did love each and every one of our pets so much and I hope we were half as good to them as they were good to us. So, I wanted to write about this because people who have never had animals do not understand the relationship and the connections animals have with human beings.  I just saw the movie “Marley and Me” last night which of course described this pet connection and bond so perfectly.  The very end of the movie explained it so well….

 

A dog does not care if you’re rich or if you’re poor.  A dog does not care what job you have or where you live.  A dog will love you no matter what you are and who you are and in their eyes, you will always be the greatest thing to them.  How many humans can you say treats you this same way with this same kind of love and dedication? 

 

And it’s true.  It’s undeniably true.  Cheers to all the dog, cat, bird, chicken and animal lovers out there!  Pets and animals make the world a much better place and life that much more enjoyable.

 

RIP Goldie, Precious, Teeger, Alex … Rest in Peace… and they are, each and every one of them are buried in our back yard including a couple gold fish.

Xoxo.

 

Life’s little indulgences and why we need them

You grow up hearing the phrase, "attitude is everything."  I’m definitely a believer in that.  But one could not convince me that there is a single person out there who doesn’t feel a little low occasionally.  I would argue there are days even the founder of Woodstock isn’t feeling all that happy and cheery.  And sometimes these feelings are for very good reasons; a tough day at work, conflict with a loved one, weakening investments in a dying economy, perhaps confusion about an important life decision such as buying a house.  At other times these feelings are also for no reason, you woke up on the wrong side of the bed a particular morning, you feel it’s too much energy to pep yourself up and decided to stay low-key on this given day. 

In moments like this we often do things to make ourselves feel better.  I refer to this as indulging.  But indulging is not always a reaction to negative events or feelings. 

Indulging can take place just as often when positive things happen.  I know I love indulging as a way to celebrate myself if something good happens.  Maybe you just got a promotion at work and want to go reward yourself with something that makes you feel good.  I sometimes love indulging because I haven’t done anything nice for myself in awhile.  And sometimes I like to indulge for super silly reasons such as a change in the weather, i.e. the first snow of the year and feel very excited about it. 

So we have our reasons for wanting to make ourselves feel good, whether positive reasons or negatives reasons but we do have our reasons.  All of us indulge in our own ways, I bet even the founder of Woodstock indulges in their own set of activities, though I don’t need to know what that includes. So what do we do during these moments of indulgence?

We shop.  The term “retail therapy” has not survived so long for nothing.  For me at least, there is no doubt about it that shopping can turn my frown upside down ANY DAY.  I kid you not.  I could get fired from work, my house burn down, crash my car and you put me in front of my favorite mall, and I will suddenly and ironically forget everything.

We eat.  I was eating some l’authentique gaufre hollandaise au caramel’s this morning and realized, these little snacks are one of my newest mini indulgences.  We tend to eat the tastiest most sinful, comforting food we can possibly get our hands on during some of our low moments.  Other indulging bites include chocolate but of course, pasta, Taco Time, pastries, and even ice-cream from time to time. 

We sleep.  Getting out of bed seems awfully difficult on mornings where we wake up feeling as gray as the Seattle weather outside.  Sometimes if I’ve had a difficult day, I look forward to good sleep and savor in the moment where I get to climb into bed, get myself all cozy surrounding myself with at least 8 different pillows. 

We blog.  I can’t deny the total truth that a lot of the times when I’m feeling on the bluer side, I’m blogging up a storm on my laptop.  I don’t always publish the blogs in which I created at these particular moments but I love nothing more than to use writing as a great outlet to make myself feel better.  Writing to make myself feel better has been an activity for me since my college days.  As I started getting physically sick from stress and after seeing many doctors, a gasterenterologist I found handed me a prescription at the end of one of my visits, after unsuccessful treatments, and this was no ordinary prescription.  This particular prescription said, "buy a journal" on it.  I immediately filled this prescription and my stomach aches cleared up right away.  As technology has made writing even easier via blogging sites and channels, let’s just say I’m as healthy as can be! 

We have coffee with our friends.  Although many do this while feeling down, I love doing this while feeling up but overall, it’s still indulging for me.  It’s a nice brisk late fall day, your outfit is working itself quite well, you’re all bundled up with your scarf on and the latest new boots which were just delivered from overstock.  You’re sitting with two of your most favorite friends outside your favorite cafe, sipping on a decadent soy mocha, indulging in a pastry (yes pastries work both ways too), having the best girl talk which would embarrass even the flies which are now crowding around to listen.  If I’m not already in a great mood, this experience ups it that much more every time. 

We cook.  This has become a more recent fave of mine when I feel like indulging.  There’s something satisfying about really taking the time to cook something great, caring for each ingredient, and carefully making sure I spend the extra time to cook it right.  Cooking does feel good to me and is extremely therapeutic.  It is not always the case I get to have indulging moments with lots of time to cook well, but when I do get the time, I’m all over it.

We watch movies.  Maybe it’s the popcorn.  But as many movies as we all see, there is still something super fun about going to see a movie in a room filled with strangers and then critiquing it afterwards.  Movies feel really good.  And they make for great discussion topics that you have done something many want to know about – how was the movie? Is it worth seeing? Did you see X movie and was it better or worse than that?  For a simple moment in time you get to be the movie expert on this particular movie and show off your opinions as you experienced doing something others want to do.

We take a trip to the Spa.  I felt very tired last Friday evening while finishing up at work.  No, let me rephrase that, I was exhausted.  On a total whim I took a quick minute to figure out what would make me feel better and what haven’t I done in a long time.  A facial came to mind as it had been many many years, I embarrassingly admit.  I called up a few spa’s and on my way I went.  For those next 50 minutes which followed, I felt amazing, I felt relaxed and life could not get any better even if in my own little world and even if temporary.  Spa treatments can be the BEST when it comes to doing nice things for yourself! 

Well, friends, I think that’s all I can conjure up today.  Today I’m indulging for sure.  I’m eating, I’m blogging, I’ll be meeting up with friends later…

Happy (or sad J) indulging, everyone!!

Xoxo

tanya

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Gaufre_biscuit.jpg

There is hope.

I was not as passionate about this election as I saw others become over the past 6 months.  I admit, I had lost a lot of faith in the American political system, but I knew a couple things.  I knew I didn’t want another Bush in office.  And I knew I wanted someone who would have a shot in fixing the horrible mess Bush had created over the last 8 years.  Lastly, I knew I preferred a democrat in office, not only because I tend to lean more liberally, but because in my time as a voter, I have seen more great things happen from democratic leaders than republicans for sure. 

Over the last few months I saw friends become extremely passionate about Obama in particular.  I mean, total die-hards.  From what I saw, he was charismatic, he had new energy, he was very relatable, and finally, he seemed to be very approved of by the people in this country.  What I liked a great deal though was his demeanor; composure, attitude, etc which impressed me quite a bit during the debates specifically.  There was none of that sneaky sly snake like business going on which I saw with McCain fairly consistently.  So slowly but surely I started liking this candidate more and more.

Yesterday as we all watched Obama rake in the votes with an overwhelming popularity against his opponent, it was a very exciting moment in American history to see something achieved so many doubted America was in fact ready for.  Now, I’m not sure if the American people as a whole really believed in Obama as I heard many say they didn’t really care for either candidate, OR if everyone was just willing to take their chances on someone who did not represent Bush in any way, shape or form, as Obama clearly did not.  But he won.  And it was a clean sweep.  Deep down, although I was not all that caught up about this election as I might have been in the Clinton era, I was so extremely happy and glad to see this movement in American politics and in seeing a multi-ethnic, intelligent and courageous man become the leader of our country.  I’m PROUD of this and am proud of all the voters out there who made this happen, and only today, am I definitely more proud to be an American than ever before.  This is huge.  It feels really good.  This definitely meant more to me than I thought it would.

As a multi-ethnic woman, I can only hope and pray Obama fills the shoes well in which are undoubtedly going to be challenging, but what an honor to be given such an opportunity where he can actually change the ways of this country forever after.  I really look forward to his presidency and I can’t wait to see what he does.  I really hope the best for him as well as this nation over the next 4, and possibly 8 years. 

Congratulations Barak Obama – go out there and kick some &$@#!!!!

 

The Pen Trader

This week is full-disclosure week.  On top of being a FWGI, there’s one other secret I must talk about.  Mostly, I just wonder if I’m the only person who does this – something tells me that I am.  I’m actually doing you all a favor here so you will keep a certain valuable tightly held, if it means anything to you. 

 

Here it goes.  I, Tanya Webb, am a pen trader.  I’d like to say I accidentally walk off with pens but no, there’s no accident about it.  I am infatuated and in love with awesome pens.  And we’re not talking about cute colorful gel, attractive or nice looking pens… for me, it’s all about how the pen writes and how bold the ink, the easibility and way in which the ink glides across the paper, everything, the whole package, all is in it’s perfect balance.  Mmmm… Ahhhh.  In fact, most of the pens I trade are scrappy pens, ugly pens, just WORN out pens, although I will stay away from bitten pens admitting sometimes those are the best pens.  To reveal my secret here, I find pharmaceutical pens or healthcare pens just about the best pens to trade out there.  I also love pens given at questionnaire stands. Restaurant random pens are out of this world and come from all sorts of people who forget their pens there and are usually business related — those ones are great too.  But I am a pen trader.  Now, if you’ve noticed, I’m refraining from using the word “steal” or "thief" here.  I insist on using the word “trade” because almost always, if I walk off with a pen, I know I need to leave one behind as a replacement. I’m not so totally horrible that I don’t have one bit of conscience here during my pen escapades… though I’m sure some of you are really frowning down upon this lil’ confession… but some of you have witnessed me in action and know time and time again, if I’m somewhere and I have to sign that lovely little credit card slip and the pen writes to my liking..ahhh yeah, baby!  I’m going in for the kill.

 

Now I bet you’re all wondering if my klepto tendencies with pens have ever caused any problems or if I’ve ever been caught during one of my pen trading missions.  To date, no.  Folks, my heart is not rotten and horrible that I just want to do bad unto others.  Geez!!! I’m not trying to hurt anyone’s feelings here whatsoever so if I sense pen-adoration or attachment by the person owning or managing the pen, I’ll NOT take it by any means.  Being a pen lover I know what to look for with people so I’d never do that.  I’ve turned down many good prospects thinking the person really liked the pen.  And I don’t do this often.. maybe once every 6 months.. The pen has to really be worth it and just write in that way in only which I probably love in order for me to go through one of these undercover operations.  Besides, the pens I trade are usually so ugly, people want someone to trade them anyway and they end up with a prettier pen from me.  K, that’s my own justification J  At times I do feel really bad about it because I realize people might like pens just the way I do and not want to lose their beloved and favorite pen to loonies like myself.

 

So the whole point of this though, is to tell you guys the recent victory I’ve had in the world of pen trades.  This one definitely wins 1st place for 2007.  This Foray 0.6mm ballpoint in which I now have in my possession is phenomenal.  I’m guarding it so much so, I’m nervous to leave it in my office at night.  I even searched websites today to see if I could just buy a bunch.  No luck yet.  But I’ll find them.  Anyway, I traded this pen at the MS product fair last month when filling out a Zune questionnaire and it was to date one of the best trades yet in pen trading history.  It is phenomenal!!

 

I’m so in love.

-PT

 

P.S. It’s only pens I trade.. nothing else.  I know you wanted to ask.

A Secret For You.. SHHHHH!

AHHH… THIS IS SO AWESOME, guys.  So check this out…. 

I have to confess… my favorite after-work ritual as of late is to walk in the door, drop my purse and laptop bag, turn on the TV, and check out my "Now Playing List" on TiVo.  What amazes me is with all the TV shows airing these days, only three have made it to my season pass list: The Greg Behrendt Show; Heroes and … the ever so amazing Oprah show. 

So maybe the goal of shows like "Biggest Loser" and "Apprentice" have the right idea in helping people challenge themselves in a particular area of their life.  But how many shows consistently encourage us to challenge ourselves in ALL areas?  And this my friends, I feel and many would agree, Oprah strives to do with her viewers every single day.  

I’ll get off my Oprah soap box since she clearly sells herself and explain that the recent two episodes on "the secret" have been *$&#-ing fantabulous & amazing!!!  I suggest finding the transcript to these episodes if at all interested and you better believe I’ll be at B&N buying the "Secret" book as well as "The Science of Success." 

In short, the key take-away was this… it’s about the law of attraction… and that the energy, thoughts and feelings that you put out into the world both good and bad, is precisely the same energy ALWAYS coming back to you.  Basically this book and these two episodes drill down deeper into the fact that the very life you have created for yourself, taking responsibility for your life and understanding it’s comprised of every choice you’ve made, has lead you to where you are right now.  Everyone has the power to change and to create an even better life for yourself… 

Below are a few of what they called, ’sacred principles’ extracted directly from the show: 

• ·          Mediocrity always attacks excellence.
• ·          Recognize the energy you want to be about.
• ·          Do not compete with others to be who they are, celebrate other people’s goodness and you allow the universe to work through you and your own unique pattern.
• ·          Trying is failing with honor (quit trying.  just do it… or don’t do it).
• ·          Only YOU govern your thoughts and way of life (cannot pass blame on anyone/anything else).
• ·          Like attracts like (we are the company we keep).
• ·          Look at what you’re grateful for, rather than looking at things you resent.
• ·          Forgive situations and yourself and the time you’ve hung on to those situations. Don’t repeat cycles. 
• ·          The universe doesn’t care what you want, it only responds to what you’re interested in (what you focus on expands).
• ·          Pray believing… feeling… and sensing that you already have it, and only then will you receive it.
• ·          We all have free-will so know the choices you make will always have a consequence…choose VERY wisely.
• ·          Nothing new can come into your life with out gratitude on the past and present.
• ·          We are not anticipants of good, we are participants of good.  When you anticipate future good, you miss out on the present good all around you.
• ·          Make a list of what you don’t want then implement the law of polarity: with this list, then list all the things you want which are the polar opposite of what you don’t want – this provides clarity on what you desire.
• ·          True forgiveness is letting go of the hope that the past could have turned out differently.
• ·          Unforgiveness is a form of self abuse because it sends the message to yourself that you want to keep living something over and over.
• ·          If you’re struggling, you’re moving in the wrong direction.  Life was meant to be joyful and not a struggle.
• ·          It’s not about acquisition, it’s about allowing.
• ·          Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a group of people arrived on earth who were FOR something and AGAINST nothing?
• ·          A war on terrorism is feeding terrorism.  Flip that and begin a movement for peace.
• ·          The thought-form of "scarcity" creates competition, envy, jealousy, greed and on a global level, war.
• ·          Ask yourself, how can I provide value and serve and be used for a purpose greater than myself?  Use my life for something greater than I know.
• ·          Everyone who has been tremendously successful pursued what they loved and not to just make money. Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself in the Lord and He will give the desires of your heart.

Yes, it’s a Friday night and I’m home blogging.  I’m OK with that.  Don’t hate… :)

YAYYYY!!! Go Dem’s!!!

The democrats have taken back the House!  Let’s see if they’ll get the Senate!

A Strong Woman vs Woman of Strength

A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape…
but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape…

A strong woman isn’t afraid of anything…
but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear…

A strong woman won’t let anyone get the best of her…
but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone…

A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future…
a woman of strength realizes life’s mistakes can also be God’s blessings and capitalizes on them…

A strong woman walks sure footedly…
but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls…

A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face…
but a woman of strength wears grace…

A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey…
but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong…

 

~ Author Unknown ~