And in todays news..

As most days are uneventful, today has been wonderfully the same.  I’ve had time to get some work done from home, work on cleaning up my house a little, took out a new cookbook and making a brand-new recipe tonight for dinner to be eaten all by myself.  I think I might even make it charming for myself, light some candles and play some jazz music.  Perhaps even open myself a bottle of great wine from my collection that I have been saving.  After all who says eating alone can’t be spectacular?

I do have the babies here to keep me company.  They have been good at that all day in fact.  Today was the day I clean their room.  Yes, they have their own room, including a twin size bed, and toys galore.  Anyhow, I did their bed-clothes and they hate that, so the follow me around like lost puppies all day until it’s all put back together.  Then, they all roll around in the clean sheets like they have never smelled something so good before.  Guess that’s what we do too, when we have clean bed sheets right?  I know I do.

During my alone time, I have a lot of thinking time as well.  Today I have thought a lot about travel.  Since I just got back from my mini vacation to California, its made me realize how much I really enjoyed myself, and how much I wish I could do it more.  I am part of a Meet-Up group now called “Bucket List” as well, and the creator and myself have had some discussion about doing our own “Eat, Pray, Love” scenario and heading over seas to Italy, Bali, and wherever else life takes us.  It’s definitely on my bucket list and it *WILL* happen.  Maybe not in the next couple months, but in the next year perhaps?

Along with the thinking of travel, I have had a lot of time to think of more things I want to learn how to do.  Another one on the front burner is to learn my camera.  I keep saying to myself I am going to sit down and learn it.  Truly teach myself how to use this spectacular machine I own, and I always find myself lost in thought, busy with something way less meaningful.  I look back and think of all the opportunity I have had to take amazing pictures, and I have some to be proud of, but I want to be amazing all the time.  I want to do the project I have been dreaming of for a long time at Venice Beach and take amazing pictures of the homeless there.  Get their stories, and create a masterpiece, even if only seen by my eyes.  It’s a project I have been thinking of since my first visit there when I was a young girl.  So, on my bucket list journey, that is going to be one of my next priorities.  Look out world, Melissa is on the prowl with a camera in hand.  I would love to have subjects to practice.  So, if your reading this, and wouldn’t mind a couple flashes in the eyes, I would love to take some pictures of my friends.  Pro-bono of course, and hopefully you will become part of my masterpiece as well.  All of you have an amazing life story to tell.  Some have travelled the world, some have lived through major catastrophes, some have seen death and come back fighting, some homeless, broken and some have been blessed with an amazingly normal life.  No matter what, it’s your story and I would like to document it.

Yesterday, I posted two of the ten things I am supposed to list to finish the sentence; “I secretly wish I could ____.”  Well here is a couple more answers to that very difficult question.

3.  I secretly wish I could take my friends sickness away and give it back to the universe.  I have a couple very close friends who are fighting MAJOR illnesses.  My life would not be the same without them in it.  The horrible thought of not having them there when I need a shoulder, or someone to make me laugh scares the s**t out of me.  To those friends who I am talking about.. I don’t know if your reading this, but I love you from the bottom of my heart, and I am thankful for every moment I am blessed to be your friend.  For that, thank you.

4. I secretly wish I could be more outgoing and interact with people without feeling like an ugly duckling.

Now, off to try out this new recipe.  I will post my results tomorrow.  If its good, I will even post the recipe itself.  All I know is Rachel Ray is amazing, and it better take less than 30 minutes as promised.

Until tomorrow…