tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83693281750689220812012-01-31T12:54:46.646-07:00Everyone has a story ... spice yours up!Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.comBlogger561100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-41565014677109120902012-01-31T12:54:00.000-07:002012-01-31T12:54:46.657-07:00

Coming in February 2012: www.aspicylife.com! Thanks so much for your patience while I work on the move and re-design. Until then, follow me on twitter at @aspicylife for smaller doses of inspiration and spiciness!Here’s a touching story I found recently that can give you a little something to think about until I’m back next month: "During my second year of nursing school our professor gave us a

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-45377416858895116182011-09-11T22:09:00.000-06:002011-09-11T22:09:38.787-06:00

Many use the coming of each new year as a time to re-examine their lives, their priorities and their goals for the future. Instead of New Year's Day, for me that day is each September 11. I was living and working in New York City on that tragic day 10 years ago when two planes crashed into the World Trade Center, one into the Pentagon and one into a Pennsylvania field, killing 2,996. (Read

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-48686208723126912352011-07-05T14:59:00.001-06:002011-07-05T14:59:50.125-06:00

Dee Durland and her husband, Ed, a cancer survivor. The family has been hit hard by cancer and believes they can make a difference by participating in the Relay for Life each year that benefits the American Cancer Society. “Cancer changes every single aspect of your life. Every day from that day forward, every dream, every plan, everything you do, it changes.” –Dee Durland Dee Durland

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-57061669685535305562011-06-10T11:08:00.000-06:002011-06-10T11:08:16.660-06:00

Exactly 28 days from now, my local recreation center will be home to quite a sight: the annual Relay for Life. You’ll hear cheers, you’ll see tears. People from all walks of life in our community will come together with one common goal: to end cancer. I started thinking the other day about all of the stories I’ve written on cancer survivors over the years. Some were very young, some very old

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-13433961193066595712011-05-31T14:22:00.002-06:002011-05-31T14:31:56.842-06:00

Annie Lindsey turns 100 years old June 3. She was born in a sod home in Southeastern Colorado in 1911. Annie Lindsey answers the door of her Colorado home with a big smile on her face and an ornery twinkle in her eye. Before she gets into telling the story of the 100 years of her life, she wants to share a tale from earlier in the day: her trip to the café for breakfast that morning. “So

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-89902525597292101052011-04-10T00:50:00.003-06:002011-04-10T01:52:35.212-06:00

I had the opportunity to meet and interview ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro last summer. Jake is an inspiring and talented musician who is following his dreams and doing his part to make our world a better place. Here's my story: “Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~Berthold Auerbach “I want to make the most of my life,” said ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro. “I

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-32259452021074500622011-04-07T17:17:00.001-06:002011-04-07T17:17:21.509-06:00

My college roommate, Brooke Raymond, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis just one day before her 35th birthday. She is now active in the National Multiple Sclerosis Society--Colorado-Wyoming Chapter and her team for the Walk MS event May 7 has already raised nearly $13,000. On October 14, 2009, 34-year-old Brooke Raymond was on the way to her grandmother’s funeral. She began to feel a

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-33721072558637947042011-03-20T17:25:00.001-06:002011-03-20T18:56:50.564-06:00

A favorite tune played in many salsa clubs. For those of you who have never stepped foot onto the salsa dance floor, this video gives you a great idea of what it's all about and maybe you'll see why salsa has become my addiction. I never knew what was coming. It all began sometime back in 2005. I think it was in the fall. I was working a second job as a waitress at a now extinct bar in

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-6004420189048779592011-03-08T19:54:00.002-07:002011-03-08T20:07:05.435-07:00

Bolivian lion Kiara relaxes with her cubs Bob, Nancy and Percy at their new home at the Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colo. **Note: I write a lot about ways in which you can help other people, so I wanted to include an article I wrote for you animal lovers out there. Whether your passion is helping pets, the homeless, kids, the elderly, or victims of natural disasters, try to find a way

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-35442833566291897972011-03-02T21:15:00.007-07:002011-03-02T21:51:18.562-07:00

As I sit in my living room chair in the midst of a stack of travel books and maps of Che Guevara’s historic motorcycle journey through South America in the 1950s, I’m taking a moment to reflect, reorganize, reprioritize. It’s been just over a year since I started this blog and created my list of the 40 things I want to do before I turn age 40. So far so good, I’ve completed list item #1:

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-21754023452626303552011-02-14T16:46:00.007-07:002011-02-14T17:26:20.278-07:00

"For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone. People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-28257931503949488232011-01-31T22:11:00.000-07:002011-01-31T22:11:55.333-07:00

Colorado resident Otis Hilbun suffers from hereditary polycystic kidney disease and is in need of a kidney transplant. He is very active in life and in his community four days a week, the other three days each week he is on dialysis. Living four days a week: Active volunteer in need of kidney transplant At age 62, Otis Hilbun is the picture of good health--four days a week. All his life,

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-52716058637715546072011-01-30T13:13:00.006-07:002011-01-30T20:03:03.839-07:00

At the end of your life, do you think you’re going to look back and say, “Wow, I really wish I would have watched more 'American Idol,’ ‘Inside Edition’ or ‘Gene Simmons Family Jewels?’” In the 2009 film, “Whip it,” Ellen Page’s character is a meek 17-year-old named Bliss who works as a waitress at a country diner. Her best friend drags her along to a roller derby bout in the city. Bliss is

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-69705364324846500572011-01-04T14:26:00.003-07:002011-01-04T14:49:01.862-07:00

“Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” ~George Bernard Shaw Happy New Year! As of today, January 4, 2011, I realize many of you have already made, and possibly broken, your New Year’s Resolutions. But remember, it’s never to late to start anew. So many resolutions are made in regards to quitting or losing something and about what’s wrong with us: we want to

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-58684415709090875502010-12-22T09:51:00.000-07:002010-12-22T09:51:03.358-07:00

Drew Copeland, right, is looking forward to spending this Christmas with his twin brother Ben, sister Sara, and parents John and Deb. Drew received a heart transplant just three days before Christmas last year. Ask 11-year-old Drew Copeland’s mom, Deb Copeland, about her son’s favorite thing to do, and she doesn’t hesitate for a second. “He likes to run,” she laughed. “He runs in church,

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-31862412304150195422010-12-21T10:42:00.000-07:002010-12-21T10:42:57.617-07:00

 It’s hard to believe that just a little over one month ago, Christian and Angel Trujillo, along with their five children: James, Marcus, Katherine, Nathanael and Gabriel, were living in the family minivan in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Denver, Colo. A lot has changed since then. *** Angel and Christian married 15 years ago. The couple had five children and were all doing well, that is, until

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-60375724162084065502010-12-03T10:51:00.002-07:002010-12-03T10:53:45.633-07:00

You’ll see several blogs coming from me this month, as I have joined the Reverb 10 challenge created by Gwen Bell: "It's an opportunity to retreat and consider the reverberations of your year past, and those that you'd like to create in the year ahead. We're connected by the belief that sharing our stories has the power to change us." *** Choose your adventure (Reverb 10, Day 3) Today's mission

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-22133228107091600022010-12-02T22:11:00.005-07:002010-12-02T22:35:39.571-07:00

You’ll see several blogs coming from me this month, as I have joined the Reverb 10 challenge created by Gwen Bell: "It's an opportunity to retreat and consider the reverberations of your year past, and those that you'd like to create in the year ahead. We're connected by the belief that sharing our stories has the power to change us." *** Say adiós to writer’s block in four simple steps (Reverb

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-33044780400001984332010-12-01T15:42:00.009-07:002010-12-02T00:20:26.019-07:00

You’ll see several blogs coming from me this month, as I have joined the Reverb 10 challenge (explained at the end of this post) created by social media guru Gwen Bell, an inspiring, encouraging and uplifting friend I am fortunate to have gotten to know through salsa dancing. *** Counting my Blessings (Reverb 10, Day 1) Today’s mission, One Word: Encapsulate the year 2010 in one word. Explain

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-54211060425275887682010-11-30T11:01:00.006-07:002011-04-10T02:04:30.557-06:00

“Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier.” ~Mother Teresa It was 12:42 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving. I was standing in a line about 20 shoppers deep at a Wal-Mart in Grand Island, Neb., with my dad. I’m not much of a shopper--my typical rule of thumb is to only visit a Wal-Mart store when absolutely necessary and only after 11 p.m.--so the

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-24340911610916207162010-10-26T13:48:00.010-06:002010-10-26T14:18:56.999-06:00

A Spicy Life: Vicki SniderVicki Snider, 40, remembers the worst days of her yearlong battle with breast cancer.“I would just curl up in the fetal position,” she said. “I cried more in that time than I ever have. And it was harder because I would think about my kids more than anything.”Vicki’s husband, Mark, as well as the couple’s two young children, Elizabeth, now 5, and Ian, now 3, did anything

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-30576852183756944332010-09-09T23:46:00.012-06:002010-09-10T00:16:26.769-06:00

This Saturday marks nine years since Sept. 11, 2001. Take a look at what’s going on in your area this weekend to remember the day and be sure to take a moment or two to reflect… *** September 11, 2001. We all have our stories of where we were when we heard the news that life-changing morning nine years ago. Here's mine. I was living in Brooklyn, New York, thrilled at just taking my dream job as

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-60364623999469027402010-08-13T21:46:00.011-06:002011-04-10T02:13:10.334-06:00

In 2007, members of the L.A. band Ozomatli were invited by the U.S. State Department to serve as official cultural ambassadors on a series of government-sponsored international tours to Asia, Africa, South America and the Middle East. These tours linked the band to a tradition of cultural diplomacy that also includes the likes of Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman and Louis Armstrong. “Sometimes you

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-57493132255853953902010-06-29T15:09:00.007-06:002010-06-29T15:38:28.266-06:00

I called dad on his cell Friday. It was the middle of the afternoon and I couldn’t reach my parents on their house phone, so I tried the second option, figuring they were probably outside mowing or working in the garden like they tend to do on typical weekdays during the summer.“Where are you?” I asked dad, after he answered with a touch of orneriness in his voice. “We’re in the car, on our way

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-7450739073224621332010-06-18T10:23:00.004-06:002010-06-18T10:32:12.552-06:00

“Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.” ~Confucius My 12-year-old niece, Ashley, had been taking the local gymnastics world by storm. It was only her first year competing in the sport, but she conquered all of the state and regional events one by one, typically taking home top honors in all four events—the uneven bars, the balance beam, the floor exercise

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-18357779805120807702010-06-01T12:42:00.012-06:002010-06-01T13:24:25.931-06:00

I peeked over the ledge of the red cliff at the natural pool of water below, which had to be at least 30 feet down. I noticed the teenage boy standing next to me nervously doing the same.“I’ll go if you go,” I challenged him.This was yesterday--Memorial Day--so there was quite a large gathering of onlookers gathered around this local hotspot in Moab, Utah. My friends and I had been observing the

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-14139586012200515952010-05-24T12:36:00.004-06:002010-05-24T12:49:22.266-06:00

"Given enough coffee, I could rule the world." ~UnknownAs I sit here in my local coffee shop, I’m checking out a couple of new ads they have hanging from the ceiling. Good advice. Very good advice indeed:Get your hands dirty.Enter a pie-eating contest.Take all your vacation days.Always have an escape plan.Grow older without growing up.Do it for love, not profit.Keep both hands on the wheel of

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-5987376300848048032010-05-23T18:49:00.011-06:002010-05-23T19:32:21.100-06:00

WWII vet to receive diploma with high school gradsWhen Rueben Ayala takes the stage to receive his high school diploma Saturday, he said he has a few words of advice for his fellow graduates: “Get all the education you can,” he said.The 85-year-old World War II Veteran will receive his diploma this weekend as part of Operation Recognition, a national program designed to award high school

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-33078709555417453202010-05-18T13:32:00.009-06:002010-05-18T13:41:30.488-06:00

“To love is to risk not being loved in return. To hope is to risk pain. To try is to risk failure, but risk must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.” ~UnknownAs I watched the local high school graduates wipe tears from their eyes while they listened to their classmates deliver heartfelt speeches at graduation Saturday morning, I couldn’t help but think of the day I

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-70948620660868631862010-04-27T13:30:00.017-06:002010-04-27T14:36:25.420-06:00

"I frequently tramped eight or ten miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech-tree, or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines." ~Henry David ThoreauA couple of weeks ago, I remembered Arbor Day was coming up April 30. As a Nebraska native, I celebrated the holiday faithfully each year with my classmates in school because we Cornhuskers are proud that the

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-660429108873148252010-04-24T10:47:00.011-06:002010-04-24T11:09:33.385-06:00

"You were born with potentialYou were born with goodness and trustYou were born with ideals and dreamsYou were born with greatnessYou were born with wingsYou are not meant for crawling, so don’t.You have wingsLearn to use them, and Fly."~Rumi (1207-1273)When I was around 11 or 12, one of my favorite things to do was to cut out pictures from magazines and decorate the walls of my bedroom. For a

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-41654090823551056982010-04-23T10:10:00.000-06:002010-04-23T10:11:15.210-06:00

"Books may well be the only true magic." ~Alice HoffmanI got an e-mail this week from our local indie bookstore, The Tattered Cover. The store's owners are offering specials today for the Spanish celebration, La Diada de Sant Jordi, or what they are calling Book & Lovers Day.Here’s how they explained the legend of La Diada de Sant Jordi … “Every year on April 23rd, Barcelona erupts in a

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-9922022633137330622010-04-21T21:19:00.023-06:002011-04-10T02:07:09.453-06:00

... Or, how going green can help you lose weight, relieve stress, save your marriage, make new friends and just have more fun "After one look at this planet any visitor from outer space would say, 'I want to see the manager.'" ~William S. Burroughs Tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. We’ve all heard about the little things we can do to help save the planet--changing our light bulbs,

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-62972529708094491192010-04-10T23:00:00.005-06:002011-04-10T02:06:19.286-06:00

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie." ~Jim Davis Earlier last week, I sat at my kitchen table dipping the crust from my Pizza Hut hamburger-green pepper-onion pizza into the small pool of ranch dressing on my plate. As I enjoyed my lunch, I surfed the web for advice on some health issues I was having lately. I felt like I might be

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-30464062390197271672010-04-01T22:03:00.019-06:002010-04-01T23:08:12.058-06:00

Photo: Marsus, Mary and me before heading to the park for a game of Segway tag. “We all have possibilities we don't know about. We can do things we don't even dream we can do.” ~Dale CarnegieHere is yet another example of the rewards that come by being open to life’s possibilities:When I got to the office today, I sat down at my desk and asked my boss if he knew of any stories I should be working

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-30793872061308664622010-03-18T17:12:00.028-06:002010-03-18T20:59:20.776-06:00

I wasn’t planning to take on any of the items on my ‘40 things to do before I’m 40’ list last weekend, but when you’re presented with an opportunity, well, you’ve just got to take the bull by the horns, right?It was Saturday night and after a horrible couple of days, I was feeling a little sorry for myself and was planning on staying in for the night. My friend Amber called to see if I wanted to

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-6069116767851249172010-03-16T20:24:00.006-06:002011-04-10T02:05:33.710-06:00

Photo: Amber and me after the Drunk Cowboy incident When: Saturday night, 10:40 p.m. Where: Grizzy Rose country bar, Denver Who: Me, Drunk Cowboy, my friend Amber Me: (Walking in front door, pleased with my rock star parking spot, texting my friend Amber to figure out where they’re at.) Drunk Cowboy: (Sees me as I walk in the door.) “You’re gorgeous,” he stops me and says. “Can I buy you a beer?

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-78493871989146195232010-03-14T17:12:00.008-06:002010-03-18T21:57:38.267-06:00

*I’m posting excerpts from the contents of my Big Red Bag in Sunday blog posts, entitled, FTBRB, or “From the Big Red Bag.” The bag holds letters, memorabilia and other forms of inspiration I've collected for more than 25 years. I grew up next door to my grandfather and grandmother, Millard and Myrtle. I would often cross our backyard into theirs and go knocking on their door to be greeted with

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-13318452180828042392010-03-13T23:21:00.003-07:002011-04-10T02:12:09.346-06:00

You know, you just don’t really realize how much you tweet and check your e-mail until your neighbors finally decide to secure their wi-fi. Now I sit at the coffee shop down the street to put up my belated Saturday post. (FYI, these mocha coolers at Caribou Coffee are heavenly.) I’ve been thinking about my own answer to the question I asked Friday, “If you could wake up anywhere tomorrow, where

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-19350543007854422012010-03-12T22:22:00.004-07:002010-03-13T01:19:43.466-07:00

Question of the day: If you could wake up anywhere tomorrow, where would it be?Fifty People One Question is "an ongoing social experiment and film series exploring human connections through people and place." The project began in New Orleans in 2008 and has since traveled around the globe. I wanted to share a couple of the films with any of you who may not have seen them yet.For the two short

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-36244096339943790112010-03-11T23:19:00.005-07:002011-04-10T02:08:00.793-06:00

"If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid." ~Epictetus If I ever decide to get married one day, I hope my husband is a real jackass. *** In the flick, “Serendipity,” John Cusack’s character hops a plane the day of his wedding to track down a woman he met years ago by chance and hadn’t seen, but hadn’t forgotten, since. Here’s the dialogue that follows between him and

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-71137270573875666172010-03-10T20:54:00.004-07:002011-04-10T02:18:11.126-06:00

On success: The art of being ridiculous; or why being serious is a waste of time When you don’t have any experience, do it anyway Make yourself proud An interview with yourself Breaking down the barriers to follow through 5 ways to stay inspired On travel: 7 activities that could get you jailed (or killed) while traveling Cracking me up: Sandra Bullock fan freaks out while watching Oscars (

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-28684190799260362332010-03-09T11:19:00.012-07:002010-03-09T11:47:04.928-07:00

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." ~Margaret MeadAs I sat down to come up with a few New Year’s resolutions last December, I let my mind wander as I typed away on my laptop: I’d like to become a better salsa dancer and maybe learn the tango. I’d like to take more photos. I’d like to learn more

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-57788048750073293212010-03-08T11:36:00.023-07:002010-03-08T13:08:00.004-07:00

“It’s never too late son … it’s never too late.” Wayne (Robert Duvall) to Bad Blake (Jeff Bridges) in “Crazy Heart”At the same time Jeff Bridges was accepting the Oscar for Best Actor last night, my boyfriend and I were sitting in the Esquire Theater enjoying his award-winning performance ... and the two beers we snuck into the theater in my purse."Crazy Heart" is about getting a second chance in

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-3818550475428730782010-03-07T17:55:00.002-07:002010-03-07T17:59:08.543-07:00

*I’m posting excerpts from the contents of my Big Red Bag in Sunday blog posts, entitled, of course, “From the Big Red Bag.” The bag holds letters, memorabilia and other forms of inspiration I've collected for more than 25 years.Following are selected entries from the diary I kept from 1983-87 ... ah, life used to be so simple ...January 11, 1983: “Today in school we did more words for the ‘

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-54386987762867992212010-03-06T19:40:00.020-07:002010-03-06T23:19:13.354-07:00

And none will hear the postman's knockWithout a quickening of the heart.~W.H. AudenI have a time machine in my basement … in the form of a ratty old duffel bag from the 1980’s.On the outside, I suspect the Big Red Bag looks like many other duffel bags from the decade of decadence. It’s made of bright red fabric. It has a black Esprit logo imprinted on one side and two black straps—both still

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-76299271481891744092010-03-05T19:27:00.005-07:002011-04-10T02:11:16.075-06:00

"Happiness is not something you postpone for the future; it is something you design for the present." ~ Jim Rohn Here are a few little pieces of wisdom I read this week and wanted to share with you. Happy weekend! On success: Becoming World-Class: Olympians and You How to Succeed by Being Completely Unrealistic Balanced Life – Finish the projects you’ve started or call an end to them On making

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-32186676801760459892010-03-03T16:06:00.028-07:002011-04-10T02:10:23.475-06:00

“Doin’ it, doin’ it, doin’ it well.” ~LL Cool J I’m pretty sure LL Cool J wasn’t referring to excellence in blogging when he produced the lyrics to this hip hop hit. But, when you take LL’s words extremely out of context as I have done here, I think it sums up a great philosophy we can keep in mind with any goal or project we want to accomplish, including blogging: Do it … keep doing it … and

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-66278968363951523472010-03-03T12:34:00.021-07:002010-03-04T00:57:14.225-07:00

“Your ability to work single-mindedly on your most important task will contribute as much to your success as any other discipline you can develop.” ~Brian TracyIt was the spring of 1950. Author Ray Bradbury was living in a modest home in Venice, Calif., with his wife and children. He wanted to write a novel, but the distractions with the two young ones in his small home were too great for him to

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-21449450384178872992010-03-02T19:56:00.003-07:002010-03-04T00:41:36.335-07:00

@aspicylifeI'm on twitter! Stop by and visit www.twitter.com/aspicylife. My first experience with twitter was last year when I was trying to set up an account for the newspaper. Following is a column I wrote in April, 2009 for the paper about my tweeting adventures~Adventures in technology: Keeping my tweets short and sweetI recently kicked off a Twitter account for our newspaper. As a result, I

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-6717833797760798852010-03-01T15:32:00.026-07:002011-04-10T02:09:36.965-06:00

“The horse jumped over the f-ing fence.” ~Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. ‘Do what you love.’ If I had a dime for every time I rolled my eyes when I heard that … I was always one who had so many interests that I couldn’t keep track of them all. Drawing, photography, reading, riding horses, clothing design, yoga, dancing. I had so many things I really liked to do … but love to do? That’s a whole other

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-55253681672059629792010-02-28T13:03:00.010-07:002010-03-04T01:00:55.115-07:00

“And why should you do all these things? Why should we use all our creative power and write or paint or play music, or whatever it tells us to do? "Because there is nothing that makes people so generous, joyful, lively, bold and compassionate, so indifferent to fighting and the accumulation of objects and money. Because the best way to know the Truth of Beauty is to try to express it. And what is

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-81802900698970380322010-02-27T00:56:00.005-07:002010-03-04T00:56:39.181-07:00

Those who can laugh without cause have either found the true meaning of happiness or have gone stark raving mad. ~Norm PapernickSaw this sign on my way to work this week and had to snap a photo—just a reminder that happiness is sometimes where you least expect it. Be happy everyone! :)

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-17833772021883398272010-02-26T13:37:00.002-07:002011-04-10T02:15:24.566-06:00

Why did I choose to name this blog ‘A Spicy Life?’ Well, it's way better than ‘Butt Site,' right? Blogging is something I had thought about doing for quite some time, I’d say at least three years or so. I’ve followed blogging blogs, read blogging books. My ‘Big Blog Idea List’ has more than 100 ideas-in-waiting. I went through weekends where I wrote non-stop and therefore, have a file full of

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-51165167194372912672010-02-25T16:32:00.002-07:002010-03-04T00:39:04.918-07:00

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” –Helen KellerIn college, I wrote a column, "I'll Try (Almost) Anything Once," for the campus newspaper. For this column, I had the opportunity to experience and write about a variety of interesting adventures. Among other things, I learned how to belly dance and turkey hunt, tried out for a community play, posed (nearly) nude for an advertisement

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8369328175068922081.post-30291029522183419532010-02-24T17:02:00.003-07:002011-04-10T02:08:49.782-06:00

"Life is not about the moments we breathe, but the moments that take our breath away." Author: Unknown What’s your story? As a journalist, I’ve interviewed thousands of individuals over the last several years. I live to hear and tell people’s stories, whether it’s a sassy 5-year-old swimming prodigy or a delightful elderly couple celebrating 73 years of marriage. From beekeepers to UFC fighters

Christinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00438982939603290763noreply@blogger.com3