{ Dashus:land }

Happy Birthday to my handsome lil' brit.

I love you to the moon and back. xox.

Birthday Girl.

Today I get to spend the day with an amazing friend. It's her birthday and we are set to make it a fabulous time. I've known the sweet Ashby over 17 years now and I consider her to be one of my dearest friends. She is beautiful, thoughtful, considerate and at all times so giving. I adore this girl and I'm so happy to be taking a day off to celebrate her. xox!!! 

Nine eleven.

Every September 11th, I have reason to take stock, look back on the year that's passed and think ahead for the next year of challenges and opportunities. I consider my post-Labor Day retreat to Rehoboth as something of a New Year's celebration. It's in the Fall that I feel like we get "reset" and I launch in to a new season. There are also three key things that are my focus on September 11th. My Dad's birthday, the 9/11 attacks and the birthday of this here blog which turns 5 today.

The first is the most important to me which is my Dad's birthday. He turns 60 this year! I love my Dad so much. He is such an amazing person and such an incredible father. He has taught me so much and I would not be the man I am today without his ever-loving guidance. He has lead by example and taught through kindness and generosity who I hope to become as I get older. The man has the humor of a master comedian, the heart of a loveable bear, and the determination of no one I've met. As I strive to become a better person, I look to him as my guide. I love you, Donnie Steven Sr. I adore you.

The second reason that September 11th is so important is the unfortunate 9/11 attacks. This year marks ten years since that dreadful day. Having been in New York that day, there is a different feeling I have than many who were not witness to the craziness of that day. The panic in my fellow New Yorker's eyes, the dust covered office workers making their way by foot uptown and the feeling I had when I hugged my friends who had all rushed to our local pub waiting and hoping that all of us were ok. Luckily, we were all ok. We were accounted for and felt blessed. I don't want to get in to the politics of that day and everything that has transpired since. I'll leave that to the CNN and FOX news experts. I look back at that day and know that it forever changed me. It made me look at my world differently and gave me an appreciation for the moments we have been given and that we should never assume that anything is promised. We must always keep in mind that nothing is owed to us and it can all be snatched away in an instant. I had my friends that day in New York to say it was ok. I'm lucky enough to have an amazing family that I adore. I'm also lucky to have friends that I consider family as well. Friends are the family you get to choose. That day, I also chose New York - a definite friend to me.

Lastly, the 3rd major thing on my mind today is this here blog which turns 5 today. I have loved writing on this blog each and every day. I haven't missed a day writing on this blog in over 3 years. Each day I take a moment to post a little video, or an image or a quote that rings true to me. I've enjoyed each time I post a little something that makes me laugh or even cry. This gives me a creative outlet and also allows me a voice to reach out to folks. I love Dashus:land and I love you for reading it.

Here is to an amazing year ahead. We are lucky and blessed for each moment we get to share and revel in. Happy birthday Dad and Dashus:land!

Big love! xox.

A big high 5 and a happy birthday!

Yesterday my buddy Justin (AKA Juki) celebrated his birthday and today two friends Mark and Angelo are celebrating their birthday. Big hugs to you guys! xxoo!

A day I kinda like....

It's my birthday today so I'm going to do something that I did a few years ago and create a list of things that I'm grateful for. This year I'm going to be 35 so I'll be naming 35 things that ring true in my heart. Wow - 35?! Where does the time go?? It's amazing. I'm such a blessed person and I appreciate every soul who has ever entered my life. You have given me the stepping stones to learn from, revel in, and grow which has made me who I am today. Here is my 35 @ 35 in no particular order. 

What I'm grateful for...

1) My Health.

2) My Mom and Dad.

3) My rock, RJH.

4) My brother, his wife and my amazing neices.

5) Cackles.

6) My London family.  

7) My beautiful friends.

8) Music that takes me there. 

9) Rehoboth Beach.

10) Alice - my cat.

11) Learning from mistakes.   

12) Everything Jenn taught me. 

13) My work & my work ethic.

14)  The quad and it's ongoing goodness  - Jason/Charlie/Justin/Stevie.

15) A breeze when you need it. 

16) Amazing food. 

17) Running my ass off. 

18) Amazing wine & fabulous cocktails.

19) The view from my balcony. 

20) Life lessons. 

21) Memories of my Nanny.

22) New York City.

23) The number 23.

24) Having learned to ride a motorcycle.

25) Growing older with style.

26) Kahlil Gibran.

27) Meaningful quotes. 

28) Reuniting with the right people. 

29) My Longwood peeps.

30) The girls in 6P. 

31) WBC.

32) Warm hugs.

33) Looking up in NYC. 

34) Falling in love. 

35) You reading this now...

King Charlie.

Birthday Boy!

Mom #2 has a birthday!

Today is the birthday of an amazing and fabulous woman that I'm proud and honored to know - dear Cackles. (That's not her real name but it should be!) Cackles is my boyfriend's mother and she is the absolute best. She is caring, kind and treats me like one of her own. I hope she is enjoying her birthday today! She deserves only fantastic & wonderful things today. Big hugs from NYC to Phillyland. xoxox.

 

 

Big Bro Birthday!

My brother celebrates his birthday today! I wish that I could be there to wish him a happy birthday in person but I'll have to wait a few weeks for that. My brother is one of the most amazing, compassionate, smart and caring people I know. I adore him and only wish the most absolute happiness and joy for him. Big love, big bro. xo. 

Love.

Birthday Girl.

 

May all your wishes come true this year! xoxox.

HOT.

At 52, Madonna is looking better than ever. I mean, really! Look at this! She keeps on bringin' it.



See more HERE!

Happy Birthday, Madonna.

Yippy!!! It's my birthday!!!

I'm headed to Rehoboth Beach for the weekend. This is the BEST way I can think of to spend my birthday. SO READY! RJH and I feel just like this, y'all!

A real reason for a Fourth of July celebration...

The power of 23.

My idol.

To my guy...

Happy Birthday, Ashby.

I love you.

The many meanings of nine eleven...

Today, September 11th, is my Dad's birthday. I'm such a huge fan of my Dad. I'm named after my Dad and he is a man that I look up to immensely. My father is still such a rock for my family. He may come off rugged and quiet but he is one of the most sweet, caring and joyful people that I have in my life. All of my Dad's actions come from his heart. He is not a man of pretension. If you treat him well, he will treat you well. His manner is very simple and that it was why I've learned so much from him. So many people I've witnessed in my life thrive off of drama. To see someone so completely disconnected from that trend can teach you a great deal. Dad - Happy Birthday. My wish for you is that this year is filled with more health, love, friends, family and good times than you know what to do with. I love you.

Today is also a day that has become a day of remembrance. The attack on our soil was one that drove a stake in to the heart of our country. Having been in New York during and after 9/11, I have seen a city that has grown and risen from such deep wrenching fear and loss and become a more cohesive place. I know I will never truly get over the feeling of that day. The madness, the panic, the unsureness and the absolute feeling of helplessness is something that you cannot shake. Each year I think different things about the events of that day and how it has shaped me, my friends, my city, my country. I look at how the events that took place on that morning brought out the best in this country and sadly the worst. I saw the heroic and the willful in my fellow New Yorkers as they risked their health to work at Ground Zero directly following the attacks and then we saw our own politicians use the terror warnings in the years to follow as a voting tools. There is so much good that came out of that day in regards to our recovery and then so much negativity that still lingers 8 years later. That day's events crushed families, broke spirits, confused our faith and at the same time it inspired hope, taught perseverance and strength and brought a Nation together for a moment. As Friedrich Nietzsche said "What doesn't kill us makes us stronger." He couldn't have been more right.

Lastly, today is an important day to me because it is the 3rd birthday of this here blog! Dashusland is three! I began writing Dashusland on September 11th 2006. I had just gotten home from a fabulous week in Rehoboth Beach and I wanted to create some sort of artistic and cathartic outlet for myself. I love music and poetry and fashion and photography and art and I wanted a place where I could just document the things in my life that caught my eye. This blog has become some what of a living online journal of mine. This post will be my 1,507th post that I have written on this site since that first day. As this blog took off and I really found my home here, I made a promise to myself (and to you) on January 1st 2007 that I'd post at least one thing daily and I haven't missed a day yet. Whew! I look back at my HAHAHA posts that are filled with some funny videos, quotes, and photos that have caught my eye and I still laugh. I love my posts on ART, or the photos that I have snapped with my Blackberry and now with my iPhone that are part of my DASHUS:MOBILE series. I love my Quote related posts in my YOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THAT series featuring quotes and sayings that I found interesting or inspiring or provocative. I'm also enjoying the new set of photos that I'm calling UP FROM DOWN which is my vantage point on the city I live in looking up at all the skyscrapers that I adore. This blog is fun for me and I hope that you find it fun sometimes, too. I really enjoy writing it and keeping it current. The things I feature here are just things that I dig. Dashusland is my lil' outlet and my communication with you. I hope that you'll continue to visit me here. Please continue to comment on the site and to send me things that you think I'd find interesting. I LOVE that. Here is to 3 more super duper years of Dashus goodness. I promise ya. xox.