Last weekend, before Christmas I was in the mall. I really only needed one thing from one store, but that one store happened to be in the mall. While I was there I asked on Facebook if anyone else was at the mall and if they wanted to meet for coffee. No one was, but a friend said she had to come to mall and would I wait for her. Sure…why not, two days before Christmas it was okay to hang out the mall.

I wandered my way over the Carlton Cards store, I had a couple of birthday cards to by for. Birthday cards? Do people still buy cards, in this digital, social media age we live in? Well yes, of course they do.

I was looking for a “friend” birthday. You would think that would be easy, but it was actually very challenging. Looking in the “male” section of the store, there were cards for Dads, brothers, uncles, nephews, grandsons. Where were the male friend birthday cards? There didn’t really seem to be any. All the “friend” cards were mushy girly cards. The not so mushy cards, were just too generic and not really what I was looking for.

I couldn’t find the right card. Well, then I remembered, I had found the right card, earlier this year. And I had actually sent it, about six months before the actual birthday.

In the summer I started on my photobook craze. I starting on a project that I was going to make a book of all the trips that B and I had taken over the nine years that we had been friends. It was going to be a birthday present. When it was done (July) I knew I couldn’t hold onto it until December. Did I think I would be able to? Of course not. I had found a great card (can’t remember where I bought it), and sent the gift. It was either six months late from last year, or six months early for this year.

Fast forward to today, B’s birthday. Just yesterday I was out with a friend for the day and we talked about travel. I found myself talking about my birthday in Paris, my streetcar ride in New Orleans, my visit to the beautiful Huntington Gardens in Pasadena, my fish dinner at Mama’s fish house in Maui, and so much more.

Realizing that all these great memories in mind were the perfect backdrop for a birthday card greeting.

Happy birthday to someone special. Someone who likes to travel to amazing places, loves to drive, and find the adventure in the little things along the way.

Happy birthday to someone that every year for the last nine years I look forward to seeing, whether it is coming to visit New York or now LA, and of course when our meetings take us to places that we haven’t been (or Las Vegas where we both have been many times). 

Here’s to 2013 – where it will actually be 10 years in October that we met. How could that be? I still remember when we met. I will see you in February, and then who knows where and when our next adventure will be. I look forward it!

Happy birthday friend,

Lisa

So, here we are again. December 30th, 2012.

52 weeks, 12 months, 365 days, 525,600 minutes – how do you measure a year?

I always reflect at this time of the year. Last year, on December 30th, 2011 I posted my thoughts about the year of 2011. As I read that post, and remember last year, I do remember how I was feeling last year at this time, and how I feel differently this year.

In that blog post I wrote about not realizing my full potential and that I hope to see brighter lights in 2012. Wow, I think that was a premonition of sorts.

At the start of 2012 the only travel I had on the map was my trip to Hawaii with B in April. It has been planned since August 2011 and I was really looking forward to that trip. Who wouldn’t be? It did not disappoint. Spending nine days on three different islands with one of my closest friends, awesome – and it was.

It was at my birthday/Oscar party that the year started to change…yes, that was only February, but that night, my year changed.

I was given an opportunity to apply to go to Israel on the trip that I wanted to go to in 2011 but it didn’t happen. Going to Israel with JWRP and the Thornhill Woods Shul in June really had an incredible affect on my life. I have discussed my trip in great detail since returning, and I continue to discuss the things I am learning about all the time.

I had two more trips this year that were work related. Yes, work related. One was Orlando in October, and then I had the amazing chance to go back to O’ahu in December.

This year was rich in travel experiences, but also in life experiences.

I had some life lessons about the real estate market. I thought that maybe I would sell and look at a bigger condo in the neighbourhood.  It is not as easy as I thought. Bigger condos that are (somewhat) reasonable, all need work, so not so reasonable. Just like in travel, you do get what you pay for. And to top it off, there are about 20 units for sale in my building (and the attached). Staying put for now, and really appreciating what I have and loving my condo.

Since returning from Israel I have had a lot of amazing experiences with the Thornhill Woods Shul community and everything they have to offer. I have gone to services, classes, Rosh Chodesh Events, lunch with the Rabbi, Rebbitzen and their families. I was asked to speak at the last event about what the JWRP trip meant to me and how it has changed my life. I am looking forward to more learning and growth into the new year.

Just last night I had my two nieces sleep over at my house for the first time together. It is such a joy to be able to have time with them just us together, hanging out and having a good time. From sushi for dinner, to arts and crafts, to sleeping on the couch, to attempting to make snowman pancakes for breakfast, are moments that I will remember ending this year.

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.”

I have seen this quote many times, and I don’t know who said it, but I would agree with it in so many ways.

What is in store for 2013? I have no idea….but I am looking forward to finding out.

Happy new year to you and all the people you love. May you have good health and happiness in 2013!

There can only be one musical interlude for a blog post about a year in the life….

This past friday night, our whole family attended a Shabbat B’Yachad (Gathering). It was put on by my nieces Hebrew School and the families were invited to come for a light meal, services and activities for bringing in the Shabbat.

It was nice to see some friends of mine there with their families, and all eight of us there in my family.

After we ate, we gathering for songs and Shabbat prayers, and I could see what my nieces were learning in the classes. It was really great to see both of them wanted to read along in the program booklet and my nephew wanting to get up and dance during the songs.

Rabbi Elyse got up to speak about Sabbath Manifesto. Their message is simple – “Way back when, G-d said, “On the seventh day thou shalt rest.”  The meaning behind it was simple: Take a break. Call a timeout. Find some balance. Recharge.” This is exactly what we had discussed in our class a couple of weeks ago.

She gave us a hand out with the organizations 10 core principles and asked us to get into 10 groups and do a skit showing our interpretation of the princple we were each given. It was a great exercise because the adults and the children both participated in the activity.

Here are the 10 core principles of the Sabbath Manifesto:

• Avoid Technology
• Connect with loved ones
• Nurture your health
• Get outside
• Avoid commerce
• Light candles
• Drink wine
• Eat Bread
• Find Silence
• Give back

It doesn’t only have to be Jewish people that participate in this Sabbath Manifesto. It doesn’t even have to be on Friday night to Saturday night. It can be any 25 hour period that you choose to “un plug” and partake in some or all of the 10 core principles. Each principle can be interpreted in whatever way you want it to be.

It is funny, there are some very subliminal (maybe not so) messages going on in my life the last few months. Even the last few weeks. I had a class about Shabbat two weeks ago, then I attend this program, and even tonight during another class there was a discussion with a lot of similar subject matter.

I wrote in a few previous posts about my Shabbat in Israel. I wrote about how I chose to unplug from my electronics for 25 hours in Jerusalem. It was a very meaningful Shabbat. I haven’t done it since I have been home. I have participated in some of these other core principles in unplugging, but not for the full 25 hours of Shabbat.