Nants Ingonyama Bagithi Baba

It's happening.

When I decided to double dip, I knew I would be sacrificing things like sleep and a social life during the week, but I'm also reaping some mad benefits.

Over Thanksgiving break, I went to Kauai. On a last minute fare. Bought my ticket Monday night, left Wednesday, and came back Sunday. It was dreamy. Sure it took me a day to decompress and be still, but once I got to that place...whoa. I read a whole book by the time I came home. Magical. I'm seriously thinking of going back for my bday. I've got a friend who has parents with a condo. I'm basically one degree away from Hawaii.

To be in a place in my life that allows me to do such spontaneous things is thrilling. There are things I desire, but in the meantime, I will enjoy everything my current lifestyle has to offer.

Which brings me to Africa...or should I say, will...

It's been on my radar for a while, but I'm finally jumping in. And I'm super excited. I'll be volunteering for a bit and then traveling for a bit. I'll be playing with lil bits at an orphanage in South Africa. I'll try really hard to not fall in love with every single face, as I hear it's nearly impossible to bring them home in your carry-on luggage.

I'll be less resistant to falling for a Doctor Without Borders.



Speaking of movies, I've recently seen:

The Town: What can I say, I'm a fan of Ben Affleck the director. Throw in Rebecca Hall and Jon Hamm and sign my thumbs up!
Black Swan: I'm so polarized. I'm cool with Natalie being nominated, and maybe even winning. And I really liked parts of it, but I also was really not into other parts of it. That's how I am with Darren Aronofsky, tho.
The King's Speech: I liked this. In the way that I often enjoy true stories played out brilliantly thanks to people like Colin Firth and Geoffrey Rush.

Oh and that book I read Thanksgiving week? The Help. LOVED. LOVED. LOVED.
Currently on my nightstand: "Cassette From My Ex: Stories and Soundtracks of Lost Loves"...This collection of vignettes is the perfect bedside read. You read a few, think about music, turn off the lamp, enter into dreamland. I've now added Africa on a Shoestring (Southeast Asia on a Shoestring was my Bible during that trip)...and a book on Southern Africa...and I've pulled out my copy of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die...don't wanna miss anything big!

Wow. Watching Paul McCartney on Jimmy Fallon. Talking and now singing about John Lennon. Are those tears Jimmy has in his eyes? Really looking forward to the Paul Squared SNL this weekend. And tomorrow night I have the Aimee Mann Holiday Show. I've been in LA five Christmas seasons, and I've seen this show at least three of those years.

As for Christmas this year, I'll be heading back to the Lou for just under a week and then heading down to Austin for NYE with friends. I'm pretty sure that's the only way to follow up last year's Las Vegas Strip extravaganza. This year went by so very fast. The world spins madly on.