{ Dashus:land }

RJH - Will you be my valentine?

Happy Birthday to my handsome lil' brit.

I love you to the moon and back. xox.

F*ck Yeah!

My buddy Jason decided to treat himself his house to a bit of goodness this past New Years. He had TEKSTartist whip up a little goodness right there on the side of his house. It's pretty sweet! Anyone who follows this blog knows that I love time lapse videos so when the following one involves one of my best buds on earth, it's even more dope. Check it out! Oh and please click here to learn more about TEKSTartist - he sounds incredibly creative and inspired. F*ck Yeah!

Happy New Year, friends!

What an amazing year it has been! I'm so excited for the new year ahead with all of the challenges, learnings, laughs, love and all out fun. 2012 is going to be so so so good. You just have to make it that way despite what comes your way. It's all about perspective and looking towards the good in everything. That's what has worked for me any way. Cheers to you! xox.

A lovely groove to send us out of 2011...

Moving day!

While we aren't movin' on up tot he East Side, we are movin' on up 9 floors in my building. Our 21st floor view of Manhattan just went to 30. I love this lil' song. Does it bring back any memories for you?

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.

Snapped up goodness (this week)...

An Instagram session...

YO! I haven't posted some of my snaps in a lil' bit so here are some that I dig.

Check 'em out! oh and Enjoy! xx. 

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...

Off to the UK!

This evening I'm off to the UK for a smashing lil' time with my boyfriend over the 4th of July holiday. It's so very unamerican to be visiting the UK over the 4th and I'm totally fine with that. I'll still post while I am away but with a british accent! x.

Birthday Boy!

OMG...this was soooooo me! Work it, kiddo!

 

Snaps of my life...

Here are more snaps I took with my iphone last week. I'm looooooving Instagram. It just gives a bit of a punch to my photographs which I appreciate. Check out the following series that I'm titling "NYC/PHL in COLOR.

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. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Mom - You made me the best person I could be. You gave me love and support and always did more than you needed to make sure I was happy. I admire, adore, respect and love you. I don't need this holiday to recollect and celebrate you - I do that everyday. You are my hero. See you soon in NYC! 

Love.

See you soon NYC.....

Quoted.

“What greater thing is there for two human souls that to feel that they are joined.. to strengthen each other… to be at one with each other in silent unspeakable memories.”

— George Eliot

Nine Eleven.

Today, September 11th, is my Dad's birthday. I write each year about my dear ol’ Dad. He has been an amazing support to me my entire life. He is a guy that I look up to and admire so so so so much. He is one of the few people in my life that lives by a very simple code of conduct that I wish to emulate as often as I can. Essentially it is If you are good to me then I’ll be good to you - it's that simple. He doesn’t mince words. He doesn’t sit on his thoughts or his feelings. He tells things like they are and is always 100% open. I think many could learn a valuable lesson from this type of behavior. I honor him on this day because of all of the good he has done and all of the amazing things he has shared. Those who know Donnie Steven Journey, Sr. (I’m a proud Junior!) know what an incredible person he is. Dad – Here is to many more happy years ahead. I love you.

Today is also a day that has become a day of remembrance. The 9/11 Attack on American soil is such an awful and horrendous event that still puzzles me even today. It’s a day that shakes me to the core when I think back on it. I know I will never truly get over the feeling of that day. The madness, the panic, the uncertainty and the absolute feeling of helplessness is something that you cannot shake. Having been a resident of NYC since the summer of 2000, I have seen a city that has been challenged like no other and I’ve seen it rise up. I’ve seen the good in my fellow residents and neighbors who have been shaped in to different and often more compassionate people after witnessing the horror of that day. Unfortunately, I’ve seen the events of the day become a political tool that has been globally divisive. There is so much good that came out of that day in regards to our recovery and then so much negativity that still lingers 9 years later. Each year I think different things about the events of that day and how it has shaped me, my friends, my city, my country. 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. It was through healing that we saw more truth than darkness.




Lastly, another reason that September 11th is an important day is that back in 2006, I first started this blog. Dashus:land is 4 years old today!! I LOVE writing on this blog. Dashus:land gives me a creative outlet that I adore. Every day – EVERY SINGLE DAY – I write at least one post on Dashus:land. I figure that in my daily online travels I will find something that interests me that I can share with you. I’m sure to stumble across something that makes me laugh. I might find something musical like an amazing new artist or a new dance track that is on continuous loop on my iPod. It might be something that I find particularly artistic that I want to share. It could be an amazing quote that struck a chord with me. Whatever it is, I want to share it with you. We are a close community even though I know my readers span the globe. I love that. I get hits to the site from all over the map and that is just insane. As of today, I have written over 2,074 posts on this ol' blog. 584 of those posts were this past year. I do it because it's truly fun. Dashus:land is my little contribution to the webosphere. It's my daily touch point to you and everyone who goes online and wants to find something cute/cool/fun/inspired and alive out there on the web. We are quickly becoming an online, mobile-centric world. I think that is fine and fabulous. We are learning and communicating in exciting ways. I hope Dashus:land contributes to the music out there and not the noise. I invite you to come back often and comment plenty. Dashus:land is a community - come live with me.

-S.