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  • Happy Birthday to Me

    Happy Birthday To Me

    Today is my birthday, another year passed, another year to celebrate all that I have.

    Today is my birthday, home away from home, enjoying the weather, the people, the city and everything that I own.

    Today is my birthday, I’ll celebrate it with you, in spirit of course as I always do.

    Today is my birthday, with tears in my eyes because I know today is the day I celebrate another goodbye.

    Today is my birthday, another year gone, today I start a new leaf with everything I have.

    Today is my birthday, don’t you want to wish me good day, today is my birthday help me blow out the candles and say;

    Today is my birthday, I want to make a wish or two, I can’t tell you what they are of course, if not they won’t come true.

    Today is my birthday and with every wish I have, I close my eyes and know that today is my birthday, count the candles one, two, three… Happy Birthday to Me, because today is MY BIRTHDAY~

    xo,
    kristin nicole

    ~Happy Birthday to ME~

    Written By: Kristin Nicole 2010

  • San Francisco in December

    San Fran

    I haven’t been to San Francisco in about 5 years and I am finally heading back, a Birthday gift from my boyfriend (of course I gave off the hint, found a great deal, and said baby this is what I want for my birthday). Okay well it went something like that…. This year has gone by fast, this year many things have changed and we are about to embark in a new beginning, 2011.

    Every year we try to make new memories by going somewhere new. Last year my boyfriends birthday present was Seattle. Yes I gave him Seattle 🙂 — Seattle is so beautiful that we have even thought about possibly moving there someday, but for now we continue in our home town Miami, waiting for the next adventure — This year — My birthday — This year — San Fran!

    Today I am boarding a plan — I am sure I will let you know about the experience and the TSA and how all that went later, but today I’m boarding a plane to San Francisco, one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to, filled with cold air, rain, beautiful skylines of the bay and great people. I do not know that I would ever want to live in San Francisco but I do love to visit.

    I consider myself to be very organized, with ideas on what to do but this trip, one of my good friends is going to show us around, so we are going to wing it. One place that we are going to for sure, which I’ve never been is Napa Valley, I am very excited to share this first with my boyfriend. I am going to try and post a few pictures and our adventure in Frisco but I do not have an iPhone (due to it be stolen on Halloween, Yes I know…lets not go there), so I will try to find another way, and if I can’t you will just have to wait until I return. 🙂

    Happy Holidays

    xo,
    kristin nicole

  • How to Plan for your trip

    How To Plan for Your Trip:

    Everyone gets a little nervous right before a trip, Do I have everything I need? Am I missing anything? I hope I didn’t forget anything.

    Stop stressing I have a few tips on what you need to do in order to plan for your trip with enough time to sit on the couch and sip on a hot cocoa, coffee, wine, or a stiff drink………..
    😉


    Let’s get Organized

    Don’t wait until the last minute to pack, that will only lead to stress and more than likely you actually forgetting something you really wanted to take on your trip. Trust me I learned my lesson the hard way. (Let’s just say I didn’t have the right shoes for my outfit and the ones I did pack weren’t exactly the most comfortable). Let’s get organized. Make a list about a week before your trip (sooner if you really want to get it out of the way), with everything you need to pack for your trip. Once your list is made it’s easy sailing.

    My List:

    Start as if you had no clothes on and go from there. I start dating my list with how many days I’ll be there so I know how many day time and night time outfits I will need to take. For us women that includes shoes and accessories.

    1. Underwear (put the amount you need to take) I double mine, I use one in the morning, one at night and a just in case you never know kind of underwear.
    2. Bras (if you are a man, you obviously do not need this on your list)
    3. Socks (If you are a women you might not need any depending on your preference in shoes, but if you are traveling now in December, make sure to take plenty).

    Okay so I think we have the essentials ….

    4. Remember if you marked your list with Monday, Tuesday etc, then count the amount of days you will be gone and count how many day and night outfits you will need.

    Example: I will be gone Friday to Friday – So I have to take 7 day outfits (I do not include the day I am leaving) and 7 night outfits (not including the day I leave). Right here I already know how many outfits I need without having to over pack. If you do not over pack you have no choice but to wear what you take. If you really can’t help yourself and you have to take a “just in case outfit” only pack about 2 extra “just in case” outfits. If you are a man, you have no idea what I’m talking about, just pack 7 day shirts, about 4 jeans/shorts/sweat pants and 7 night shirts/nice & casual and about 2 jeans and 1 pair of slacks.

    5. Shoes, shoes and shoes. Okay ladies, I know it’s hard because we have our day shoes, our night shoes and our of course “just in case” shoes. Really try to limit yourself. How many day shoes do you really need? Take one black and one brown and maybe one pair of tennis shoes. Night time, do the same, one black, one brown, and of course “the just in case” shoes. (Again I know it’s hard but try to think of the time you actually wore every shoe you brought on your trip)? MEN- Pack your tennis shoes, and 2 pair of night time shoes (black and brown) (Of course you can take any other colors you want, I just write black and brown because they are the neutral colors that go with everything, so you can’t go wrong).

    6. We now have our undergarments, day and night clothes and shoes. So what is next…. For Women: Depending if you are like me or not — I usually take my blow-dryer (because the ones in the hotels usually don’t work as well, but if you can leave it, that is one less thing to pack), iron (for hair), hair brush, makeup (brushes etc), clips/bands for hair, hair products, and cream (If I’m leaving anything out — this is exactly why I write myself a list, imagine if I didn’t).

    For Men and Women: Deodorant, Shampoo & Conditioner (the ones in hotels are way too small), Razors, Shaving Cream, Perfume/Cologne, Toothbrush and toothpaste. (If you need other stuff mark them down – ex: contacts/solution, sunglasses etc).

    7. For Women: Jewelry – decide what day time jewelry you want to wear, and match the night time outfits, put them in a little bag so that all your jewelry is together. (If it’s real — Make sure to carry it on the plane with you, do not pack it in your suitcase). For Men: If you don’t wear jewelry don’t worry about it, if you do make sure to take whatever it is you need and mark it down (ie: watch)

    8. Pack any vitamins, icy-hot (if you have back pain), meds you may need.

    You are all set, your list is done and now all you have to do is pack it and check it off your list. The week before your trip start packing whatever you can and checking your list off, and whatever you need to pack last minute like toothbrush etc, you check off the day of or the night before.

    I hope this helps get you a little more organized before your trip. I know it helps me
    🙂

    xo,
    kristin nicole

  • 5 days before my Birthday

    5 days Before my Birthday:

    5 Days & 120 hours later it will be my birthday. The big “?” — you didn’t actually think I would tell you my age did you? Okay so it’s not that I am ashamed of how old I am going to be but I haven’t quiet accomplished all the things I had hoped to accomplish before this birthday, and a true lady never reveals her age to the world…. Okay so maybe the world isn’t reading my blog but I hope someone is out there. (Yeah I’m talking to you reading this right now), leave a comment every once in a while, so I know you’re out there…..

    Okay back to the subject on hand… My birthday — Another year older, another year gone. Why do I feel like this year has gone faster than most, and why do I feel like I haven’t truly accomplished anything this year? Well I did finish my Associates Degree (I guess you would call that a pretty big accomplishment, considering I am the only one in my family to actually achieve this), somehow though, I thought I would feel more about it, but truth is, it was just a paper mailed to me saying I passed, and now I continue the struggle to finish my Bachelors Degree. Life doesn’t stop, not for you, not for me and so I keep pushing forward hoping for more accomplishments and more fulfillment.

    This year I won’t be here for my birthday, it’s the first time I have ever gone away for my birthday (except of course when I lived in California but I was still at home and not on vacation). This year I think I’ll start a new tradition (Vacation for my birthday). My boyfriend gave me the idea really, every year for his birthday he takes a trip, even if it isn’t far (Orlando) it’s still not home. My birthday as you can imagine is difficult to celebrate, difficult to take trips and anything else I always want to do because it is so close to Christmas. (Is it my fault however that I was born 5 days before Christmas?) NO — So this year my birthday lands on a Monday, and I figured if we left before my birthday and came back on the 24th to celebrate Christmas Eve (Noche Buena) with our families then all would be right in the world. So we are doing just that, this year my present from my boyfriend is San Francisco. That’s right… I said it… SAN FRAN, FRISCO, Bay area here I come!

    This year I want to make memories, this year I want to make a change and I want to have the best birthday a girls always dreamed of, not a birthday filled with disappointment because people are busy during the holidays and can’t show up, not getting presents because it’s too expensive to give you a birthday and Christmas gift (although I must admit, my family was always good about this and I always got a birthday and Christmas gift separate). This year, this year is DIFFERENT.

    5 more days…..

    xo,
    kristin nicole

  • 31 Years old and Finding you have Cancer…

    I was on Facebook following Dolphin Player Sean Smith when I read I saw a link that he placed on his wall of a friend, 31 Year old Maurya.

    This is her story:

    magine finding out at 31 that you have a rare brain tumor

    In May 2010, after Maurya insisted on a CT Scan for another medical condition, to everyone’s surprise including the doctors, the scan showed a mass. Since then, a couple of MRI’s have been done to better understand what type of mass we are talking about. She’s seen a couple of Neurosurgeon’s and the cyst (tumor) is located behind the left eye positioned near the carotid artery, numerous nerves and not to mention pressing on the brain membrane, which causes a great deal of pain and is being managed by medication.

    Currently she is only 1 of a handful of reported cases with this type of cyst in the brain but the only documented case with the positioning/placement of this type of cyst. The surgeons are confident it is not cancerous but are unable to do a biopsy. Due to the location of the cyst, the biopsy procedure is the same as the surgical removal procedure so they are unable to confirm that until they remove the mass.

    There are many risks with any surgery and in Maurya’s case it could be as minimal as facial numbness, double vision or as severe as facial paralysis or disfigurement, lose of eye muscle control, possible blindness and other possible paralyses or loss of motor function.

    The upside right now is that Maurya is young, healthy and active but as you can imagine scared (as her loved ones are also).

    In June 2010, Maurya met with one of the Neurosurgeon’s, who left her honestly frightened by the predicted outcome and the surgery itself (disfigurement, paralysis, blindness etc.) Their approach was to wait and see on her other medical condition but this was why this mass was not detected sooner; Had this cyst been found 3 years ago when the other medical condition presented itself, who is to say the prognosis would be the same.

    When asking various physicians and other industry related colleagues across the nation, there was only one surgeon’s name continually recommended for this rare case, Dr. Mitchel Berger at UC San Francisco. UC San Francisco’s Neurosurgery department is ranked #3 in the nation. When Maurya met with Dr. Berger in October he took time to review and discuss her case with her. He discussed in detail the removal procedure (which was nowhere near what was described by the Neurosurgeon she saw in June), what areas are or are not affected by the tumor and the prognosis (3% – 7% probability of facial numbness & short term double vision). This, of course, is the best case scenario which Maurya is hopeful for.

    Most people can relate to the emotional trauma for someone so young trying to make sense of the information given during the initial neurosurgery consult and the lack of data/research available for this rare cyst (tumor). After meeting with the various surgeons and taking all of the above into consideration, weighing the options provided, understanding that with any surgery there are risks (even loss of life), Maurya and her family/loved ones feel her only decision should be to go with Dr. Berger at UC San Francisco.

    With this decision comes a huge financial cost. The surgery at UC San Francisco is the best option but will not be covered so Maurya has been in search of a new insurance plan. The struggle is that this is now a pre-existing condition and could be denied but Maurya stays hopeful that she will find a plan to cover the $500K+ surgery, understanding it comes with a high deductible. For now, Maurya is paying for her visits on her own. If the pain can continue to be managed with medication and no additional symptoms arise she is looking at surgery in late February 2011.

    You can read more and where to donate on the link below.

    (Story linked HERE).

    Stories like this happen every day, we just don’t always here about it. It is sad to hear someone with such a rare cancer, someone who can’t afford it due to insurance yet, who can put a price on LIFE? I wrote about Madison a baby girl with a rare cancer tumor, and she has overcome the odds and is beating it, I believe in Miracles, I believe in Fate, and Hope, and with a little encouragement from others, anything can happen.

    xo,
    kristin nicole

  • As She’s Walking Away – Zac Brown Band

    Music & Lyrics

    I heard this song on the Country Music Awards 2010 – I just recently started getting into Country music and I absolutly love the Zac Brown Band. They have great songs.

    This particular song is called “As She’s Walking Away”. I love the lyrics, I love the part that states “Don’t you let regret take place of the dreams you have to chase, ask her to dance…go on son. You might fall down on your face. Roll the dice and have some faith.”

    Sometimes in life we don’t take that leap, we don’t take that chance because we fear rejection, we fear failure, but life is too short to always stay with the “what if’s”, and “I should have”, so take that leap of chance and live your life….

    Listen to the Zac Brown Band below:


    Here are the lyrics to the song:

    Artist: Zac Brown Band featuring Alan Jackson
    Song: As She’s Walking Away
    Album: You Get What You Give

    We never spoke a word but every thought she had I heard from across the room.
    We were standing face to face I couldn’t find the words to say, give me one more move.
    I don’t even know her name. I guess foolish pride’s to blame

    Chorus
    Now I’m fallin’ in love as she’s walking away
    And my heart won’t tell my mind to tell my mouth what it should say.
    May have lost this battle, live to fight another day, now I’m fallin’ in love as she’s walking away.

    Wise man next to me did say about the one that got away, son I missed my chance.
    Don’t you let regret take place of the dreams you have to chase, ask her to dance…go on son. You might fall down on your face. Roll the dice and have some faith.

    Chorus(2)
    Don’t be fallin’ in love as she’s walking away, when your heart won’t tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should say.
    May have lost this battle, live to fight another day, don’t be fallin’ in love, as she’s walking away.

    You might fall down on your face, roll the dice and have some faith.

    Chorus(2)
    And don’t be fallin’ in love as she’s walking away, when your heart won’t tell your mind to tell your mouth what it should
    say. May have lost this battle, live to fight another day, don’t be fallin’, fallin’ in, fallin’ in love, as she’s walking
    away.

  • Is it appropriate if I write a letter to my ex-girlfriends daughter?

    The Question:

    My ex-girlfriend hates me and will never speak to me again, but I just had a dream where I bumped into her and her 7 year old daughter and the daughter ran up to me crying and hugged me. I woke up sad, and I would like to write the daughter a letter, just telling her how much I miss her. Is this appropriate? Should I write the letter or not? I do not have any ulterior motives like trying to get back with my ex-girlfriend or anything like that. Any advice would help. Thank You.

    My Response:

    Dear Dreamer;

    I know it has to be hard to not see your ex-girlfriends daughter anymore, especially if you came to really care for her. With that said, she’s only 7 years old, and although writing a letter is nice, she may not understand it, also, the mother will see it first and if she’s as angry with you as you say she is, more than likely she will just throw the paper away and not even show it to her daughter. Unfortunately when people get into relationships with people with children and it isn’t their child, we develop feelings as if they were ares, but the problem is, if the relationship does not work out, the child is left without that person in their lives and you are left with an empty feeling of guilt. I do not know what happened between your ex and you, but you are going to just have to move on. Children are very resilient to what is going on around them, don’t make it worse by making the mother more angry. It’s hard, but you have to let them go.

    xo,
    kristin nicole

    I found this question on Answers.Yahoo.com

  • She says she doesn’t want to be anyones GF?

    The Question:

    She said to me she doesn’t want to be anyone’s girlfriend?
    We have only been seeing each other for a month, she said this morning she likes me but she just doesn’t want to be anybody’s girlfriend. Then she wouldn’t really kiss me, so I left, but she grabbed me at the door to make me stay and said she wants for me to come around tonight. I don’t really get it… I don’t mind it being casual but it seems like there should be some free space for whatever it is to move into. Is she waiting around for someone better? Because I’m not and I don’t want to……

    My Response:

    Dear Stuck;

    You have options… Either tell her how you feel straight forward, either you are dating to be more than friends or you’re just friends, but either way be honest and straight forward with her (tell her to stop sending you mixed signals and to stop playing games) if nothing is going to happen then move on. There are plenty other girls out there that want to be in a relationship, and if you are that type of guy then move on. You can either stick it out and see where she is going with this, or you can be honest with how you feel, figure out what it is she really wants and go from there. Don’t waste time on a girl that doesn’t know what she wants.

    xo,
    kristin nicole

    I found this question on Answers.Yahoo.com

  • Where does this leave me?

    The Question:

    If a partner can actually cheat on me for years, even have a child outside behind my back, even love the mother of his child (who didn’t know i existed) BUT still come home to me & our child and wont leave me, where does this leave me?

    My Response:

    Dear Lost;

    It leaves you in a simple situation, DON’T SETTLE! Move on and move out. This guy obviously has no respect for you or the other women and he thinks that he can “have his cake and eat it too”. You deserve someone to be with only you and love only you, not someone who not only cheats on you but has another family behind your back. Is the type of life you want to lead? Is this the example you want to show your children? Respect yourself, love yourself and always remember Never settle, never look back and never ever think that you aren’t good enough to have better.

    xo,
    kristin nicole

    I found this question on Answers.Yahoo.com

  • 10 Reasons you should Leave him/her…

    10 Reasons you should Leave:

    The most obvious of them all:

    10. You are physically or emotionally abused
    9. You aren’t happy in your relationship
    8. You barely talk/communicate to each other
    7. You both want different things in life (ie: career, place to live, marriage, children etc).
    6. He/She cheated on you

    and so what other reasons can there be?

    5. He/She is no longer straight but likes the same sex (ie: lesbian/gay) If you are already a lesbian or gay (the person decided that they aren’t a lesbian or gay and wants to date the opposite sex).
    4. He/She will never live with out their parents/family ruling them on every decision they make
    3. You have nothing in common
    2. You are not physically attracted to the person you are dating

    And the number 1 reason why you should leave someone

    1. You are simply NOT IN LOVE

    xo,
    kristin nicole