ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

I fly an average of 2-6 legs per week about 45 weeks per year......I would call myself a fairly frequent flier.  I don't usually get perturbed about things in the news, (except when it comes to politics) but enough is enough already on the TSA screenings.  I am sick of hearing people complain about the new security protocols being implemented at airports.  The problem starts with the lack of education the general public has on airport security in general.  I bet you there are more infrequent fliers out there that are complaining about this then frequent fliers.  Why?  I will tell you, it is because many people that do not travel often do not understand or live the fear that goes along with flying week in and week out.  I will openly admit every time I walk through the security line no matter how much of a rush I am in, I am looking out for my surroundings.  I will admit that every time I sit down and buckle my seat belt on an airplane that a nervous feeling bubbles in my stomach that something could happen on that plane. That I could never see my husband, family, or friends again because of another terrorist attack on an airplane.  It is easy when you do something once in a great while to complain about an inconvenience when you are going on a sunny vacation.  It is easy when you do something every single week to complain about the inconvenience of waiting 5 extra minutes in a security line.  But when it comes to my life, or a family members life, or a friends life that no matter what anyone says in this day and age there is still a risk.   This article really upset me today, because people do not get it.  I have been through this scanning device dozens of times and it is not nearly as bad as people are making it.  I have also been randomly pat down a number of times as well.  Yes, is it uncomfortable for a slight second but in the grand schemes of things....to ensure my safety and those other passengers on the plane they can pat anywhere they want.  If a scanner or pat down is the best option to protect us then so  be it.  If you find out you are terminally ill, do you go to a sub par physician?  Absolutely not, you get the best darn medical care that you can so you can live.  It is the same with all this security.  So all of you people out there that are nay-sayers to the new security protocol put yourself in my shoes (now mind you I love what I do, and do not mind flying to where I need to be)  Travel frequently, think about the big picture, the risks that we are realistically under in this day and age, and imagine what those that have lost loved ones in the 9/11 crash must feel like when they go through security at the airport today?  Wishing in the back of their mind that these measures were taken the day that the terrorists made it through security to take over two airplanes on that day.http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/us/23tsa.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1&hp

"Where are you from?" .........."Dade City, FL"

Today marks the 75th day since we closed on our new house in Dade City, FL.  As the Holidays are fast approaching I always find this is a time of reflection on the past year, gratefullness for all of the wonderful things in my life, and excitement of what is to come in the next year.  2010 has truly been the best year of my life.  It has been a year filled with change, excitement, stress, anxiety, and just about every emotion in the book.  But one thing I have realized especially over the past few weeks as I am on the tail end of decorating our house (until I want something else :) that we are SETTLED.  To me this is the best feeling in the world.  In 2009 when I made the huge leap for love to move from the Boston area (where I had lived all my life) to Augusta, GA to be with John it was a big deal.  I realized shortly after the move that I loved being in my own little world with John.  Mind you I miss my family very, very much but this step in my life has truly made me appreciate the relationships I have with both family and friends that much more.  Lots of people move away, has anyone else had a similar feeling out there?

Moving to two new areas being both Augusta  and Tampa, John and I have met a lot of wonderful people and one of the first questions they ask are "Where are you from".  For John and I it is usually a long drawn out answer "I am from the Boston area"  John: "I grew up in Paducah, KY but my family lives in Nashville"  Simulatenously: "We just moved from Augusta".  The other night while driving home late from the Florida/ SC game John and I were talking and I decided that from now on when people ask us "Where we live/from"  we are just going to say "Dade City, FL outside of Tampa."  why because that is where our home is.  My home is with John, and Palin and I am in love with where we are at in our lives right now.  With that said I will always be a "Boston girl" at our heart, but I have entered a new chapter in my life with the love of my life....and now I am from North of Tampa:)....and no matter what (MOM, I know you are reading this)  in the words of Carrie Bradshaw "People come into your life and people go. But it's comforting to know the ones you love are always in your heart. And if you're very lucky, a plane ride away."

Dangerous Curves & Confidence & Skinny Jeans

The truth of the matter is this ....I have  a Boo-tay.  Like many women out there my body is what I get most self conscious about.  I consider myself to be a pretty confident person, that loves to state exactly what I feel, not afraid to go after what I want...but still has to remind everyone when they tell me I look great, that "I need to lose 10lbs".  Well I have decided to make a new goal and commitment to myself this holiday season and hopefully forever.  I am going to start accepting myself for who I am.  For some weird reason skinny jeans have done this for me, or maybe it is just my husband.  I have wanted skinny jeans for the past year, most of my friends are the size of my left pinky and wear them religiously but I had yet to until a month ago even try on a pair of skinny jeans because of my "big thighs and bum". 

Then one day I went  to Ann Taylor, asked the very stylish man in the dressing room to get me a pair of black work pants to try on (think boot cut, professional) somehow he mistook what I said and brought back a pair of curvy Ann Taylor skinny jeans.  For the lady with the boo-tay (he wasn't saying that, I am just referring to the top line).  I immediatly said "I am sorry sir I asked for a pair of black work pants" his response was "Girl I grabbed a pair I thought would look good."  So me and my working girl thighs and bum decided to wiggle into those babies and just give them a try.  I walked out of the dressing room and my cute little man said "You need to buy those."  After beating myself up for twenty minutes, I threw up my arms and decided to listen to the guy and bought the jeans.  Highly recommended, stretchy, soft, and are just totally awesome....go buy them now!

Then they sat in my closet from September 25 to October 31st when I finally got the courage to give them a whirl with a cute little top and see what people might have to say about it (more or less what John had to say).  That is when I walked out of our bedroom on Halloween Eve to my handsome husband sitting on the couch, watching football, drinking a beer, non-chalantly walked by him and he said the words that rang through my ears, made my face light up in a huge smile, and inspired this post " My wife looks hot, why don't you wear jeans like that more often"....oh yes they are my new favorite pants. 

The point is this, I am learning that there comes a point in life where you need to stop being so hard on yourself.  I realize that I put so much stress and pressure on myself everyday from how I look, to how I do business, to how I cook, and do everything else that I need to stop.  This society truly does put so much pressure on woman to look a certain way, and to do this and that, and pretty much everything.  I work out everyday, I take care of myself, I try to be the best person I can be inside, I have a man that for some crazy reason is head over heels in love with me, I may drink my share of wine... but at the end of the day when I take the pressures of myself and look at the big picture I am truly happy and blessed for my life. Yes, could I lose 10lbs, do I still want to lost 10lbs (despite this post) absolutely, but because of my commitment I am making to myself right now I am going to take the pressure off and you should as well!  Now mind you I am not encouraging woman out there to just let themselves go and gain 100 lbs.  I am still going to work out hard everyday, watch what I eat, etc ....but I am going to accept that I am not, and never will be a size 2.  I am going to embrace the boo-tay, and just be Nicole. I know there are many woman out there that feel the exact same way (you know who you are).  But I am saying this give yourself the best gift ever this Holiday season, Happiness and acceptance with how you look and who you are (and go get some skinny jeans of course even if you have some thighs)  Because as John would say "You are a hot wife"...or mother, or grandmother, or just a hot lady in general.  Dangerous curves, and confidence ladies. You are all beautiful.

Princess Palin

Never in my life would I have seen myself writing a blog post about how much I love my dog, but ladies and gentleman it is official I am absolutely in love with my little munchka-goldendoodle Palin Rose McCluskey Semeraro. Why this may be putting a smile on many of your faces right now,  is because everyone who knows me knows that I have previously disliked dogs. I don't like shedding, jumping, drooling, licking, and like things to be kept in place.  People letting dogs sit on the couch, sleep in their bed....absolutely disgusting in my mind.

Then one night just about a year ago my dog loving husband put the guilt trip on me and said "I think we should get a dog since you travel so much to keep me company."  My response was for him to go golf more. Then John kept pressing me and I decided maybe we should look into it after all.  The research then began on what dog we could possibly get that would be clean, nice, well behaved, and not to doggish. Based on my reasons for not liking dogs previously, I needed to identify a breed that was going to minimize my list above of manageable traits for our new family member.  That is what led me to the goldendoodle breed, even better a miniature goldendoodle (aka easier to handle for Nicole) no shedding, and  no drooling.....sign me up!  Unfortunately as I have learned over the past 9 months of dog parenthood the rest you can't control, even though Palin knows she is only allowed to lick my leg, two times, after I work out.  In return I provide her with more then her fair share of belly rubs. 
        So the story goes, Palin Rose was born on Christmas day.  We picked her up on Feb 18th, and at that point I was figuring out what the hell we got ourselves into.  I think I am the only person on the planet that had my mother in law come stay with us for the first two weeks the dog was home (and thank goodness).  Now that  I look back on it I realize why I made Karen and John laugh so much during those first few weeks because it was quite the change.   Just picture me running towards the back door, arms outstretched holding the dog, yelling "She's going to poop, she is going to pooooooop!!!!!!!!!"  Or following her around the house terrified she was going to chew something, go the bathroom inside, chew something, I was constantly carrying a raw hide around to give her at the first second she tried to bite or chew.  Karen, my now mother in law (John and I were not yet married at this time) was probably thinking "This is going to be the mother of my grandchildren" I continuously promised her throughout the ordeal...I was much better with children.

          I will not lie I wanted to rip my hair out many times during her first 4 months home with us.  Then it was like a light bulb clicked one day and this cute little bundle of lickiness, and excitement began to pull at my heart.  When I travel my heart not only misses John, but it misses Palin.  When I land in Tampa I get filled with excitement and a smile crosses my face thinking about how excited she is going to be when I get home.  I love  in the morning when we wake up and Palin jumps on the bed (note the above comment cerca 2009 before Palin regarding that being gross, not anymore) and lies her head on the pillow between John and I and just stares at us, how when we are lying on the couch (yep, she comes on the couch and has turned me into a softie) and nurgles between us, how in the morning she sits with perfect posture waiting to go on our walk, how she literally hugs John when he walks in the door,  when she lies on my feet under my desk all day while I work, how her little dog bum wiggles when she walks (don't like the comment her dad makes when he says Palin has a bum like her mother whatever that means) and how she smiles at me (yes she smiles, she is genious) She is a dog that knows what she wants, is fiercely independent, is literally a gorgeous dog, and is our pride and joy.  Bottom line....I get it now.  I understand why people love animals because they give unconditional love no matter what.  It makes me want to give more love to all those around me, because unconditional love in my mind is one of lifes simplest pleasure.  So this ones for you Princess P,  you bring so much joy and happiness to our lives every single day!