Don't be scared to click 'OK'

I just read this Techcrunch post by James Altucher and what I really took away from it was in the last two paragraphs (and I was always taught during my journalism classes to put your most interesting, core point in your opening paragraph! But hey, the headline got me to click on the article). And I actually have little to say about his way of using Eminem as a business school teaching tool, other than to say it makes sense, but really who can't infer whatever they like from a rap song? So back to the last few lines. Because they are why, actually, after a year and a half of leaving this blog unattended, propelled me to come back. His words of advice were geared towards businesspeople, but they can really be used for anyone in their every day life. And as part of my 2014 resolutions, I'm looking for ways to improve my everyday life and everyday way of thinking, starting with the present. Altucher says how he got over the worrying feeling every time he hit "OK" or "Send" when publishing on his blog. He says, "In fact, I don’t hit “Publish” on something unless I’m afraid of how people will react. When you expose yourself there are many many ways for people to attack you. [...] But you can’t create art unless you show how unique you are while being inclusive with others who share your problems." So here we go 2014, I guess this means no proofreading!

And here's a meme because these days they're what sell:

Europe 2012 Part Dos

I know I never got around to doing a second blog post about Europe, so I've do something I should do more of - shut up and tell my story through photos. But first, a little background - for those of you who don't remember, my Europe vacation came about due to this wedding of two British friends. Well, after Switzerland, Germany, and the Czech Reupblic, the whole purpose of my journey finally came to a culmination. Not only was I going to travel to the English countryside for the first time, but I was going to be reunited with the 12 amazing people I met five years ago during my study abroad in Mexico! I was super psyched. Alas, with all of the excitement and catching up on everyone's lives, plus having a very good photographer in the bunch, I didn't take that many photos. But I believe you can still piece together the story. 

 The wedding wasn't taking place just a bit outside London as I had falsely presumed, it was 4 hours away. Lucky for Australian Emma and I we had our very own chauffer, Kieran, who rented a car to bring in the strays (besides some of the bride's family, we were the only ones who flew in internationally!). Only problem was that he hadn't driven in 6 years! I cringed everytime he ground the clutch, though I must say he did do well with the whole drving-on-the-other-side-of-the-road thing.

 Getting ready for the wedding, the groom!

 Part of the group, Charlie and Joe-boy (photoboy), looking snazzy.

 More of the group: Alicia, Cherry, Charlie again and Rachel in the corner.

 At the ceremony, praying that the rain will hold off.

Luckily we all knew had to enjoy ourselves, even in the 50 degree weather and mist.

 Anddd, the day after. I know, horrible! I didn't take any photos of the bride, nor the reception. Boo. But if you want to see one gorgeous event, you can see the photos I would have taken here.

So here is one of the cottages on the estate where we had a bbq the next day. It was fully decked out as a hunting lodge with furs, saws, rifles, and a fireplace. Since it was still pretty cold outside, we all cozied up around the dining table and fireplace.

There was still plenty of booze leftover from the evening before, though many of us were not quite ready to begin that again.

 Here we have Kieran, Steph (bridesmaid), Julia (the bride!!), Jo-girl, and Emma.

 We really didn't move from that table for the next 6 hours.

The lovely invitation that Julia drew/designed herself!

Classy winery hopping

Even if a bachelorette partyis not in Vegas, does the saying "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" still apply? I'm going to assume, for my purposes, it doesn't.
This bachelorette party doesn't have too much juicy gossip, besides the fact that we got kicked out of a winery and got told off at the hotel pool for cursing (you'd think we were at the bachelor party!).

But let me start from the beginning. The day before the bachelorette party I flew into San Francisco where I spent the afternoon tagging along with my cousin T, the bride, to her hair and nail appointments (don't worry, she bought me chocolate to keep me from getting grumpy!). I went out there for her bachelorette party that weekend, and two weeks later, her wedding. For the first week I stayed at her place (which isn't really hers but her in-laws' one-story house already packed with 2 sons, 1 soon to be daughter-in-law, and an exchange student), getting up early to stick with my east coast work schedule.

At least we did see some gorgeous scenery

Shots in the limo could have contributed to the drunkness so early in the day

On Friday night her fiance's bachelor party entourage plus T's to play some exhilarating boy v. girl Pictionary. Surprisingly the boys won. In our defense, we had to be up bright and early the next day to head to Napa (Sonoma actually), so by 10 p.m. just 3 points behind, we set aside our feminist urges of continuing the game in order to beat the men, and went to bed.

All the girls looking great, before we were asked to leave

The last winery

So on Saturday, there we were, eight of us girls on our way to Sonoma, in two cars with 10 suitcases - we were staying for one whole night! Of course we had to figure out seating arrangements beforehand since, as I was filled in by T, not everyone got along. As the only one from out of town I was able to strategically place myself in a matter of seconds so the maid of honor wasn't in the car with E nor M, while BFF's E and K rode together. Perfect.

Chilling after a day of touring the wineries

We got to Napa a little late, but our limo driver was waiting patiently. We headed to a champagne winery which served us four different champagnes, and as it was only 11 a.m., we promptly got tipsy. Even though we threw lunch in there, by the fourth place we were properly drunk. Which is why it should come as no surprise that our exit from the last winery came after a longwinded conversation between the bride and the manager. Back at the hotel wasn't any better with T still recounting the story for all of the pool guests to hear. After ordering another bottle of champagne from the hotel in a drunken rant, we decided all of us, and T especially, needed a nap. And as you would assume from a two hour nap at 6 p.m. nap, it was a struggle to rally the troops after that. We managed to get a late dinner at the hotel restaurant, but then just decided to hang in our rooms, wondering what the boys were up to on their bachelor party during gay pride week in San Francisco.

Breakfast Sunday morning at the hotel

My fabulous huevos rancheros at the Marriott restaurant