~~Barbara Massey~~ Bodybuilding Competition in her mid 40s.
It isn’t everyday that I get a chance to interview someone while I am in the gym. With a short amount of time and so much to do it is difficult if not impossible to even speak! I almost always opt to deliver a quick wave “hi” to those I know while my headphones blast into my ears. One day last week I took the time to have an interview with Barbara Massey. She mentioned that she had recently won an award, so I thought she should be acknowledged for that. While we huffed and puffed on the treadmill, I tapped into the hidden history of this inspiring woman.
For over a decade I have know Barbara. Honestly, since I do very little talking at the gym I have never had a good chance to get to know her on a more personal level. I have been using my web site to feature people who I feel have an interesting story to tell. This is a great way to bring personal stories to a collective audience in a unique way. While I was a journalist, this was always the kind of writing I enjoyed most. This gives me a chance to learn, while honoring the accomplishments of those who deserve to be recognized. And so begins the story of Barbara Massey who recently received a part-time staff Excellence Award from the Santa Fe Community College.
~~Barbara Massey~~ Bodybuilding Competition in her mid 40s.
Barbara is a personal trainer here in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I see her almost everyday as she attempts to whip men and woman into shape. I think that her awesome personality has made her a good fit for many of her clients. She is easy going, but teaches her clients about strict form and proper nutrition. It is no surprise that this former California surfer girl also ran track, pushed through marathons, studied dance, and fought real fires. The epitome of inner strength and fitness, Barb competed in her first body building competition when she was in her mid 40s. She was almost a decade older than I am at that time and so it is short of amazing that she was in such beautiful shape.
The first personal memories I have of Barbara are tied to Body Pump. Several years ago a group of Santa Feans decided to take classes to become certified Body Pump trainers. I guess we had a wild hair! The weight-based program has a focus on group fitness. The program is sponsored by Les Mills International, but was created by Phillip Mills in 1991. The classes are 60 minutes long and work eight muscle groups while listening to predetermined music tracks. The classes were instructed using free weights and barbells, so Barbara was a natural fit. I don’t believe that Body Pump had anything on her American Council on Exercise (ACE) Certificate, and her American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) Certificate.
~~Barbara Massey~~ Mandrills Gym, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Excellence Awards are given to people who are excellent for a reason. Barbara Massey is genuine a model of inner strength and fitness. For a woman in her 60s she is a cut above the rest. Not only does she strive to enhance the lives of her clients, but she also makes every effort to improve herself. All of these things make Barbara a special woman who is worthy of our recognition.
~The Christmas lights on the home my mother and father built in the Pojoaque Valley~
It was a beautiful day in the Pojoaque Valley. I can really appreciate my home town now that I am a woman. As usual, I spent time at my mom’s and then my dad’s.
At my mom’s house we decided to skip a gift exchange for the adults. Instead we had an awesome meal. We ate steak, shrimp, scallops, salad, and baked potatoes. Gilbert hooked us up with some crab as well. It was a delicious meal. Before we ate, my ten year old nephew (who is also my God Son) said grace and it brought tears to our eyes.
My dad’s house was filled with the usual sweet treats that Julie and Kate have been making for years. I was so full that I didn’t touch the food. They had made so many things to eat. Even though I did not eat at my dad’s house, I made sure to bring home a bowl of my grandma’s special bread pudding. Yum!
When I was leaving the valley the darkness was settling in. Christmas lights sparkled bright. The color of the sky was just lovely. All of the homes looked so beautiful. I thought about how peaceful my little valley is. This is where I grew up. I do love this place~ it is my home.
I got back to Santa Fe just in time to see the MIA take OKC in the Christmas day game! Yes!! That made the day complete. King James is one step closer to being recrowned in 2013! I guess if it *had* to be, a win by LA mightttt be ok now the Dwight Howard plays for them.
It was a good day. I am ready to get back on track and shake off the holiday lbs.
“The first time I ever saw a box jellyfish, I was twelve.
Our father took us to the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
I never forgot what he said… That it was the most
deadly creature on earth. To me it was just the
most beautiful thing I had ever seen.”
~~~Ben Thomas in the movie “Seven Pounds”
My new theme is centered on one of my favorite creatures. The jellyfish may be the most mysterious and deadly creature known to man. I took these photos of jellyfish on a recent visit to the National Aquarium. The aquarium is located along the Inner Harbor of Baltimore, Maryland (USA).
If you have a chance, check out these two creative pieces I wrote which reference the jellyfish. One is titled Stinging Medusa (2012) and the other is titled Ocean of Whispers (2011).
Congratulations to my cousin
Corine Garcia. She has been
working toward a degree in
Albuquerque, and it is time
to acknowledge her success
and tenacity. It seems like just
yesterday that she was
rockin’ her lil fly bike at
grandma’s house! I am very
proud of her. Unfortunately
I missed her celebration this
weekend while I was out of
state, so I wanted to take the
time to tell her how awesome
I think she is! Keep up the
good work woman!
•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•
HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my
brother and sister. I love
you both very much!!!
•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•
Because time itself is like a
spiral, something special
happens on your birthday
each year. The same energy
that God invested in you at
birth is present once again.
~Menachem Schneerson
~Felicia holding her baby brother and sister~ Thomas and Laura (The Twins) in March of 1980~
~The birthday cake with Orchids I made for Shnoop n Loop~
~ToOoo Many Candles~
~Isaiah, Thomas and Laura listen as we sing Happy Birthday~
~Page 86 of the Pojoaque High School Yearbook (1992?)~ From top left to bottom, some of the people in these images include: Ronald Roybal, Analisa Montoya, Christine Leyba, Stephanie Herrera, Lenny Roybal, Eva Grant (my cousin), Felicia Lujan, LeAnn Quintana, and Geneva Quintana
After seeing my former classmate Dr. Patricia Trujillo recently in El Rito, I was reminded of some scans she gave me a couple of years ago. I am so thankful that she took the time to scan pages from a few of our old high school yearbooks for me. Over the next year or so, I will share personal glimpses from my past. Some are not as flattering as others, but never the less, I would like to share them. After looking at this page, I do admit that I never realized the yearbook staff called LeAnn, Geneva and I the “Babes of the High School.” As my dad would say~ “Aiiii…” Hahaha… I think this was 1992? I was also a proud member of FHA going to state a few times and nationals once in job interview. I so wanted to do cake decorating, but I was never good at baking. My sis took that skill hands down. I have always been the cook~ so I rocked it out in Home Economics! Haha… Anyhow~ this is just a way to share some memories. I also want to share images soon from a special little book which belonged to my mom. I am amazed that she saved it and I am so happy to have it in my family collection. I have been combing through her New Mexico Constitutional Convention Handbook from August 5, 1969. She was a senior that year. Maybe I do get my love of collecting from my mother? My mom took the time to collect the autographs of legislators, at least one congressman, a governor (well future governor), as well as other prominent New Mexicans.
It is again time for the autumn roast. One of my favorite New Mexico traditions is peeling and eating green chile. Last weekend I bought 25 pounds of fresh Hatch Green Chile to sack up. I was able to get a good deal at Whole Foods, and I may just go back for round two this weekend. Unfortunately, the hot spot identified by my mom and her sisters for the goods was fresh out!! It didn’t take long for me to peel up the priceless staple. I am sure that there are chile traditions all over the world, but you haven’t lived unless you have had New Mexican green with a hint of red or what is referred to as the autumn roast. I made some wicked green chile frito pies that same night. You just can’t top the taste of chile hot off the roaster. I got about 20 baggies full to freeze. That equals 20 meals.
~Fresh New Mexico Green Chile~
~Sacks of Fresh New Mexico Green Chile~
One of my favorite meals to make is my grandma’s green chile chicken sopa. Edible Santa Fe magazine published an article I wrote in the Fall of 2008 (page 44, Home Cooking). The article was titled For the Love of Chicken Sopa. The story and recipe were so tantalizing that they were eventually picked up by a local artist and author.Aline Fourier asked if she could run the piece in her book Everything I Eat Nourishes Me: A Cookbook for Body and Soul. She also featured the piece on iFood TV. If you have access to the green heat, you may want to try some sopa! There is absolutely nothing like it. You have my Girl Scout honor on that one!
And yes- I was a she scout.
Justin was unexpectedly taken from us in a car accident in 2002 here in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I created this movie close to 10 years ago, but tonight I took some time to add a beautiful song by Daughtry titled Gone 2 Soon. In loving memory of a man we lost before we even had a chance to start.
Today is my maternal grandmother’s birthday. I believe she would have been 96 today. My grandma Corine absolutely loved to celebrate her birthday. One of the cutest photos I have of her is with a little helium balloon floating over her while she sported a tiny birthday hat and a big smile. Her birthday and mine fall in the same month as the Fiestas de Santa Fe~ “a New Mexico tradition since 1712.” I wish my grandma would have been around this year to see the Fiestas de Santa Fe mark a 300 year anniversary. She surely would have been celebrating by wearing her silver squash blossom necklace and her favorite “butterfly design” concha belt. Not long ago, one of my mom’s younger sisters passed on my grandma’s belt. The belt has become one of the precious treasures in our family collection which I will preserve and care for until I myself die.
I am sure that my grandma’s concha belt must be at least 30-40 years old. Since she loved to have her picture taken, I was sure I would be able to find a few of her wearing it. The earliest image I was able to find was one taken of her in her front yard in July of 1984. She was obviously already in fiesta mode with her cowgirl hat cocked to the side, some shades, her cowgirl boots, and a denim outfit with her concha belt as the center piece. A couple of weeks ago, I decide to wear the belt. I was surprised to see just how many compliments I got that day. My friend Gail was the first to say she liked the belt~ and I quickly said it was my grandma’s. She told me the belt was likely worth at least $1,000 because of the price of silver. Actually I think it is worth much more than that because one can put no price on intrinsic value. Others complimented me on the belt and said that “the conchas were a unique shape” and that the belt “was very eye catching.” It made me feel proud to think that my grandma had such good taste and style. She was a fashionable woman~ and she always took care of herself right up until her last days by painting her nails and wearing her best jewelry.
Grandma Corine and Felicia
For those of you who don’t know what a concha belt is, here is a very brief history. The first news articles I was able to locate were printed by the Albuquerque Tribune in the late 1950s and early 1960s. At one point, the Duke of Albuquerque helped “the duchess adjust a Navajo concha belt that was presented to the titled visitor by the Fred Harvey Co.” In 1959 the Las Vegas Optic printed an article titled “1959 Fiesta Show Opens In Santa Fe” on the same page where fashion show model “Mrs. R.D. Jameson” was featured. Apparently Mrs. Jameson was “always well groomed” and sported “tailored fashions.” The article said “informally at home or attending to her many duties in town,” Mrs. Jameson was “a familiar sight in her pleated squaw skirt cinched with a concha belt and topped with an always immaculate white blouse held at the neck with a silver conch.” By this time it was apparent to me that the concha belt was culture blind~ it was and may still be in style.
~~Corine Garcia in July of 1984~~ My maternal grandmother strikes a pose “Santa Fe Style” fiesta mode with her cowgirl hat cocked to the side, some shades, her cowgirl boots, and a denim outfit with her concha belt as the center piece.
The only historical article I was able to locate on the concha belt was printed in the 1959 Tribal Fair Edition of the Gallup Daily Independent. This article titled “Navajos Began Concha Belt,” said that these belts have been part of “the southwest for many years and have been also been adopted by non-Indians as part of the casual western style of dress.” The belts “contain a series of mounted stones, usually, turquoise.” and the word concha derives “from the Spanish word meaning shell because of the use of silver medallions, lightly raised in design that are used in rows and fastened to the belt proper, with other-strips of leather.” This article says that the belts date back to around 1860, but I would need to research more primary source documents before I could really confirm any of this.
There were also articles through the 70s and 80s, and by 1990 the New York Times News Service had picked up on the fashion trends of the Southwest. New Yorkers were buying up broomstick skirts and gathered three-tiered skirts with hand-stitched designs. One of these skirts was actually named “The Fiesta.” Wow~ when it came to the concha belt, New Mexico was ahead of the fashion capitals of the United States. If my grandma was alive, I would have loved to tell her that she played an early part in a fashion movement that is still around today. There may have been no better gift to give her for her birthday than that news!?
Stone Altar and Candle Santa Gertrudis Church Mora, New Mexico ~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~
Wooden Entrance Sign Santa Gertrudis Church Mora, New Mexico ~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~
Exterior of Santa Gertrudis Church Mora, New Mexico ~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~
Santa Gertrudis Church Mora, New Mexico ~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~
Since so many of my Valdez family members have recently discovered my site, it is only right that I highlight some history of the Mora Valley tonight. There are some that are far away and my not have a chance to visit the area often. I decided to share some photos I took during a recent funeral of one of the Valdez men- Gary. May he rest in peace. When his funeral ended I took some time to walk around by myself and really absorb the history of this scared place. This is the church where my maternal great grandmother and great grandfather married. Historically, the plaza which envelopes the church was once known as Santa Gertrudis Lo de Mora, which is the present day town of Mora. Church registers can be found in the 1845 Mexican Census and offer a rare glimpse into early settlers of the valley.
1981 painting of Santa Gertrudis Church in 1890s Artist- Fred Olivas Mora, New Mexico
This church is the last remnant of the original plaza. The church was destroyed by fire in the mid 1960s, but was rebuilt a stones throw from main street in the same exact location. I will have to ask my mom and Ernie if they remember that? There are still several historic buildings on the property. This area is on the National Register of Historic Places and includes parish buildings, a small convent, educational sites, and some houses. It is amazing to think about how the population changed in Mora over the decades. I am not sure what the total population is today, however in 1860 there were over 5,500 people living in the area. By 1920, the population was just under 14,000 and by 1970 it had dwindled down to about 4,600. The 1860 census documents several carpenters in the Mora Valley who were French-Canadian. I have linked the maternal side of my family (through a prenuptial investigation) to French-Canadian ancestry.
Stained Glass Window Santa Gertrudis Church Mora, New Mexico ~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~
In 1950, the famed historian, Fray Angelico Chavez said that some buildings in Mora exhibited “French rural flavor” with regard to architecture. Some of these “French” designs included Gothic Revival exteriors with the use of stone and pitched roofs, such as the “board-and-wood-shingle pitched roof” which was once on the church. I find it interesting to think that some of my relatives may have contributed to the architectural history of this small and beautiful Catholic church. My maternal grandmother was Corina Valdez y Brisal de Garcia. My grandma Corine was a Mora girl at heart, but she passed away in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She was the oldest of five children born to Alfonso Valdez and Felicitas Brisal. I am named after my great grandma Felicitas. I do know that my great grandparents were married in Santa Gertrudis Church on November 27, 1915. They would have married in the original church building before it was destroyed by fire. I do wish I knew what the inside looked like then? If my grandma was still alive, I could ask her.
Baptismal Pool Santa Gertrudis Church Mora, New Mexico ~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~
My grandma was born to her mother and father on September 24, 1916. She was baptized on October 2 that same year. Her godmother and godfather were her grandparents (my maternal great great grandparents) Roman Valdez and Porfiria Maes. There were four other children to follow my grandma. These children were: Maximinio Valdez (born in 1918); Jose Eugenio Valdez (born in 1920); Maria Lara de Jesus Valdez (born in 1922); and the final child was Crecencia (Cres/Chencha) Valdez (born in 1926). I am sure each and every one of these family members were baptized in this church, which made my visit to the church that much more special. I can’t explain the feeling of awe I get to travel the path of those who came before me. Visiting that church that day also reminded me how important it is for us to remember. It is important to remember those who were blessed in a sacred place and those who were laid to rest in a scared place. It is our duty to keep the historic flame alive.
Virgin Mary Santa Gertrudis Church Mora, New Mexico ~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~
Stained Glass Window Santa Gertrudis Church Mora, New Mexico ~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~
Angel Santa Gertrudis Church Mora, New Mexico ~~Photograph by Felicia Lujan (2012)~~
***My Monster- Beats by Dr. Dre Photo Shoot*** Hahahahahahaaaaa
Tonight I will go to bed one year older than I was last year! I don’t know if that should be an exclamation point after that sentence or a sad face – but I do feel like I am getting better with age. I am happy with the woman I have become and I think I am still striving to learn, grow and love. The best story of the day came from my mom. She told me about when I was born. Way back then (haha) it was actually Labor Day on September 1st. My mom said “there was a lot of labor involved that day,” and we both laughed. My mom said she and my dad had to fight through a grip of traffic to get to the hospital. It was fiesta weekend here in Santa Fe and the hospital was downtown near the plaza back then. She remembers that the parade had just started. Apparently there were long lines of traffic. I kinda wonder if she and my dad were thinking that they may have to deliver me in the car? My mom got the killer shot to have me, but before she let that needle into her back, she had to be pinned down by not one but two nurses. I told her “that was the first sign that I was going to be a pain in the ass!” Great story… Anyhow- I got so many wonderful gifts from my family and friends. I do want to take the time to say thank you. I couldn’t believe that 99.9% of my gifts featured symbols which I identify with like bird, feather, and spiral. Amazing!! It was nice to receive: a call from my godmother Rita; HBD texts from my Dad, my friend Britney, and my friend Tammy; and some money from my Mom and Gilbert and my mother-in-law. My most practical gift that I am super psyched about are the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones. Yesssss!! Daryn and Mike hooked me up with them and I must say that I will sleep in those suckers!! Today was a good day. I ate a lot of killer food. Now I am ready to get back on the workout tomorrow with my awesomely black, red, glossy, bass banging, voice recognition havin’, beat ripping headphones! Nice…..
I breathe music!
Like you didn’t know?!
***Monster- Beats by Dr. Dre*** Solo HD featuring Control Talk A Gift from Daryn and Mike on 9.1.2012
***Insert with the Beats Headphones*** This features some of my favorites David Guetta, Lady Gaga, and Lebron James
***Birthday Cards** From Tom, Mom and Laura on 9.1.2012
***Purple Flowers*** A Gift from my Mom on 9.1.2012
***A Notebook and Fancy Purple Pens*** A Gift from Sibel on 8.31.2012
***Measuring Spoon Set with Little Birds*** (birds and feathers are symbols I identify with) A Gift from Gail on 9.1.2012
***Spiral Tunes Wind Chime*** (the spiral is a symbol I identify with) A Gift from Laura, Thomas and Isaiah on 9.1.2012
***Apple Pastry from Cafe Ole*** A Gift from Melissa on 8.31.2012
***Handmade Purple and Silver Spiral Earrings*** (the spiral is a symbol I identify with) A Gift from my Mom on 9.1.2012
Thomas, Laura, Felicia and Jessica Lujan in June of 1983 Arroyo Jacona- Pojoaque, New Mexico
Today I went to the valley to deliver a birthday present to my dad. Now that I am older I can appreciate all the little things about the town I grew up in. There are gorgeous rock mountains which would make a great subject for a work of art. There are so many quirky houses like the one up on the hill where the old track and field once stood. I remember all the stores that are no longer around. The best memory I evoked today was pulled from the smell of motorcycle exhaust. I realized how much the smell reminded me of riding. I could almost taste dirt in my teeth? As soon as I smelled that exhaust, I remembered this cute photo of the twins, my cousin Jessica and I. I was 8 years old going on 9, my brother and sister were 4 years old going on 5, and my cousin Jess must have been about 7.
I have never really been what I would call an extreme girly girl. When I was a youngster I could run hard with the toughest boys in the neighborhood- and hey I can still say that I pride myself on running with the toughest in the gym! I didn’t care if I would get dirty, look messy, or if all the girls liked me. As a matter of fact, there may have been a few who I told to “eat my dust!” Haha… I am almost positive that was one of the many silly phrases my dad made up while we were thrashing the New Mexico earth with rubber tires! Being that we were from the valley, three-wheelers were a regular part of growing up. Most of our friends had them, and me and the twins would beg to ride. We had two 110s- one red and one blue. They were just the right size for us and didn’t have enough power to “throw us around.” Come on? Don’t you know what that means? Both of my brothers still love to ride. Thomas and Isaiah have an armory of bikes for hunting, fishing, camping and fun. Brian and his family love to visit the Dunes with their click.
When I was a kid, on several occasions we took the three-wheelers through the arroyos or “the back way” to Sam and Kim’s house. They were friends with my parents and we would make a day of it. We packed all kinds of stuff in the 3×6 compartment in the rear of the ‘wheeler. Then there were countless times that Laura, Tom and I cruised to Ponce’s to load up on junk. We gathered all the money we could find and would buy candy up the wazoo and maybe put more gas. It was always fun to ride through the river and get covered in mud. A few times I remember getting stuck or stalling out and being really scared that I couldn’t pull start the bike again or that it would simply sink away into oblivion! I would go as far as saying that not one inch of the Pojoaque Valley was left untouched by my family- no matter the season. In the winter, we used the three-wheelers to pull each other on whatever would make a good sled.
When I started blooming into girlhood, I was still in love with riding. We climbed mountains- crossed rivers, raged through arroyos, blazed around trees, passed through sand, and loved every minute. I can’t forget about the time I flipped backwards a bazillion times with my friend Tammy. Now that was funny (right Tam?). There was a big hill at Lino’s house and our parents were having a get together outside. Tammy wanted to take me up the hill (which is no longer there) and I was hanging on for dear life! I think I told her to gas it- and from there it was a blur. We landed up flying through the air backwards and then came to a stop with a mouth full of dirt on the ground. Ouch… We laughed about it when I met her coffee a while back. It was funny because we were so addicted to riding that we just pretended like nothing happened so we wouldn’t get in trouble. Tammy’s glasses were all cracked and crooked and we just got right back on the bike. Haha!
The older I got, the more I loved having a set of wheels to get from point A to point B or B to Z. One of my good friends lived in El Rancho, so I would take the three-wheeler to her house from mine in Arroyo Jacona. Me and Ang would take the three-wheeler to our friend Kim’s and we would meet up with others in our “riding crew!” Kim was another lover of the wheels. I remember her doing some things on her bike that would surely make a boy cry! She knew how to handle her wheels and had mastered the hills near her home. I miss her. Today I was sad to I realize that next year she will miss our 20 year class reunion. She had really been looking forward to it.
Who would think that the strangest smells could induce the most precious memories? When exhaust fumes tickled my nose, I was immediately transported back in time. I guess you never know when, where or what will trigger memories. I am just glad that I now have a means of recording them.
It’s finally done. My lil Cali movie is uploaded to the My Voyage Through Time YouTube channel. I also embedded the movie below. It is far from perfect and I realized after the transfer that some of the pictures went by fast, so maybe I’ll put a gallery up later. I hope you like it We even completed a voice over- so turn the volume up! From August 3-August 9, 2012 we were on vacation in California and here is a short peek at the mischief!!
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
This is Part 1 of an 18 min. movie created by me. I created the movie to share, and to document the trip for my personal archive. In this part you will see clips in the following order: our arrival in California; Disneyland (Indiana Jones ride, Star Tours ride, Buzz Lightyear Astroblasters ride, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain ride, Storybook Canal Boats ride, Mickey’s Soundsational Parade, Pirates of the Caribbean ride, Haunted Mansion, Firework show, Downtown Disney, Jedi Academy, and the Fantasmic water and light show); and then California Adventure (Cars Land, Sorcerers Workshop, and Paradise Pier).
This is Part 2— In this part you will see clips in the following order: the Disney water and light show World of Color; Universal Studios (Transformers ride, Jurassic Park ride, Studio Tour, and Universal City Walk); then Sea World and Huntington Beach.
*****
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Silently, one by one, in
the infinite meadows of
the heaven, blossomed
the lovely stars, the
forget-me-nots of the
angels.
— Henry W. Longfellow
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Basically this blog will have whatever is on my mind more than often in the form of Poetry, but we will see what happens down the line. Sincerely, Taylor Menczynski
A way to put my thoughts into words... May be I am just talking to myself...may be aloud...These are my thoughts in a poetic form, which are very much a part of me and which makes me what I am...
– but I do feel like I am getting better with age. I am happy with the woman I have become and I think I am still striving to learn, grow and love. The best story of the day came from my mom. She told me about when I was born. Way back then (haha) it was actually Labor Day on September 1st. My mom said “there was a lot of labor involved that day,” and we both laughed. My mom said she and my dad had to fight through a grip of traffic to get to the hospital. It was fiesta weekend here in Santa Fe and the hospital was downtown near the plaza back then. She remembers that the parade had just started. Apparently there were long lines of traffic. I kinda wonder if she and my dad were thinking that they may have to deliver me in the car? My mom got the killer shot to have me, but before she let that needle into her back, she had to be pinned down by not one but two nurses. I told her “that was the first sign that I was going to be a pain in the ass!” Great story… Anyhow- I got so many wonderful gifts from my family and friends. I do want to take the time to say thank you. I couldn’t believe that 99.9% of my gifts featured symbols which I identify with like bird, feather, and spiral. Amazing!! It was nice to receive: a call from my godmother Rita; HBD texts from my Dad, my friend Britney, and my friend Tammy; and some money from my Mom and Gilbert and my mother-in-law. My most practical gift that I am super psyched about are the Monster Beats by Dr. Dre headphones. Yesssss!! Daryn and Mike hooked me up with them and I must say that I will sleep in those suckers!! Today was a good day. I ate a lot of killer food. Now I am ready to get back on the workout tomorrow with my awesomely black, red, glossy, bass banging, voice recognition havin’, beat ripping headphones! Nice…..
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