Can men multi-task?

“Fucking two things up at the same time isn`t multitasking” 
― Dick Masterson, Men Are Better Than Women

The simple answer to the title of this blog is NO.  Recently as The American was washing dishes I asked him to do a small house chore, to which he gave me a little attitude.  Which of course led to a conversation about how he did not want to be doing more than one task at once.  It hit me.  I heard him loud and clear, he does not like multitasking.   Later I breached the topic of men and multitasking to several women and there was a unanimous vote, men don't enjoy multitasking. The following are three points on this topic.

“Juggling is an illusion. ... In reality, the balls are being independently caught and thrown in rapid succession. ... It is actually task switching.” 
― Gary Keller, The One Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results

1.  The box theory.  I recently read an article on how the man's brain is a compilation of small boxes.  Each box contains one action.  I mentioned multitasking later to The American and he went on to explain that men do multitask by doing one task and accomplishing it and then starting a new task....ummm....this explanation sort of sounds like the opposite of multitasking....BUT! Regardless of the path of this week's topic the box theory is interesting and does make sense.  There seemed to be a general observation of all women I spoke to that all men had the same frustrated reaction when posed with a the stress of multitasking.

“A man's face is his autobiography. A woman's face is her work of fiction.” 
― Oscar Wilde

2.  The compartmentalization theory led me to believe that men thrive on accomplishing tasks.  While I myself flourish with a multitude of semi finished tasks to keep me busy, men appear to enjoy successfully finishing one task and taking a break.  This use to drive me crazy.  Why only do one task??? AND take a break??? To me this comes across as such a slow way to finish multiple tasks.  But, then it hit me again, MEN ARE SINGLE TASKING, one cannot evaluate the success of single tasking on the merits of multitasking.  Men merit themselves on the singular success of each task.  Every finished task is an accomplishment.

“Men marry women with the hope they will never change. Women marry men with the hope they will change. Invariably they are both disappointed.” 
― Albert Einstein

3. Men don't like to multitask.  This point also came from The American.  His view and the articles I read view women's multitasking as complete sh#t storm chaos.  They view our skewed multitasking brains as pure, bouncing, misdirected, confused poppycock.  Thus while us multitaskers view single taskers as painfully slow, single taskers view us multitaskers as an enigma.  Men do not enjoy multitasking and they therefore should enjoy the path in life that each single task takes them on.

Men and women are so different aren't they??? I know! And, for the first time in a long time I respect our differences.  Instead of thinking I am always right and wanting to change someone, I have found learning about what makes a man tick is far more interesting than changing him.  Thanks for reading!!

Please read these interesting short articles on the multitasking differences of the sexes:
1) http://www.tickld.com/x/why-men-and-women-think-differently
2) http://jane-frankland.com/the-real-truth-about-women-and-multi-tasking/
3) http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/men-and-women-really-do-think-differently/1913014.html
4) http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-mens-brains-are-wired-differently-than-women/

Divorce is Normal

Sorry for my absence.  To be honest I have been so busy with work that writing took a back seat and I thought this blog might be over.  Until today when a phenomena out raged me into this blog.  Divorce.  When did it become so judged?? When did it become a dirty word?? So many of my amazing friends have endured divorce and they are stronger and wiser.  The following are three opinions based on the reality of divorce that hopefully will make you think before you judge.

1) People change.  People grow apart.  Staying together is not always best.  There is some kind of ridiculous stigma of "giving up" associated with divorce that is total bullocks.  I have seen just as much divorce as I have marriage and let me tell you they all start the same.  All relationships start with the hope of love, soul mates and forever.  I know couples who have tried everything!! And in the end they decide to divorce.  If for one second you think finding happiness and peace and wanting that for your spouse is giving up than you have never truly loved.  You are not giving up, if anything you are trying harder by having faith that you know you will both be happier separated.

2) Married people are miserable.  There I said it.   Do you know more of my married friends are miserable than my divorced friends?? And my single girlfriends are happier than my taken girlfriends.  These statements are based on reality.   Marriage does not define anything.  It does not make you happier, it does not make you normal.  If anything it makes you put up with a lot more sh#t than you would if you were not married.  Marriage does not make anyone better than anyone, I am not even going to get into all the affairs I know about here.  Marriage is marriage.  All it makes you is married, nothing more, nothing less.

3) You know what is best.  I don't know why so many women hide divorce.  If I ever got divorced I would wear it proudly.  It is not a failure, it is not negative.  It means you tried marriage.  Do you know I know a lot of people on their second and third marriages?? There is nothing wrong with divorce if that is what you want.   Do not be ashamed.  Every ending is a beginning and only you know what is best.  F#ck everyone else's opinions when it comes to divorce, because they are not the ones living in your marriage.
Lastly, don't let anyone tell you did not marry your soul mate.  You are not the princess in a fairy tale.  You are a real person.  You have many real loves and I will tell you if you don't find the lovers who shake you up and lead you to find who you really are than you will remain incomplete.    The truth is you may find your most amazing life all on your own.  There is no shame in divorce, there is only shame in judging others based on their marital status.

What The Cat Would Say

Honesty moment:

I bit off more than I can chew with the topic for this week and I am not done developing it.  My apologies!! But, in order to keep a post up for this week I have decided to write a quick and hopefully funny post about how the cat would view our home.

“Oh, you can't help that,' said the cat. 'We're all mad here.” 
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

Enjoy the following:
Cat Dialogue:

"It is the fifth lunar eclipse since I have been trapped by my tall, hairless captors.  I will celebrate the turning of time by dashing across the house all night as my people do to celebrate astrological occurrences.  My captors will no doubt join me, as they typically do, yelling and spraying water from the small pink bottle which they often use to celebrate my customs.   While this will be a joyous and strange occurrence it will not distract me from the the hierarchy of this strange place,  and will depart my knowledge now to you:

"The proper order of things is often a mystery to me. You, too?" 
― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

1) Unfortunately, it appears that I am at the bottom of the society here in the land of apartment 402. I am sure of this as I have been locked out of the room with the window over looking the park.  While the rest of my society congregates in this room when the sun sets I am not allowed in this room for these occasions. I will continue to protest by knocking items off the kitchen counter throughout the night and meowing at sunrise at the door until I am met by negotiations in the form of what I have come to learn is 'wet food.'  I am further aware of my low status as I have been given only dead mice to play with.  In truth, they are not even  real dead mice but cloth toys! IMAGINE! a cat with no mice.  I continue to make my acknowledgement of this disrespect known by pooping immediately after my litter box has been cleaned and kicking litter as far as the eye can see.

"Meow, baby."
-Cheshire Cat (1985 TV Alice and Wonderland) 

2) The middle class or next level of society in the land of 402 would be the gate keepers.  My captors come in a matching female and male pair, I have come to learn most gatekeepers come in pairs of two, I have concluded this gives them strength in numbers, they are clever captors.   My captors seem to approach all life things with a good cop/ bad cop attitude, fortunately I have watched many TV crime dramas and have learned this is the custom to breaking prisoners. (On a side note: You may also want to watch these programs they have taught me many of my captors weaknesses, and, most importantly, that the cat is never a suspect.)  My female captor is the good cop and my  male captor appears to be the bad cop.  While their methods of outnumbering me are successful they will often use other tactics to distract my escape attempts such as delicious candy which they lure me into by shaking a small bag.  There is something which pulls me to this bag that I have accredited to witch craft, these thoughts are furthered by their use of a small red glowing dot which has powers of invisibility which they taunt me with daily.  But, they do not stop there! These captors are not above subduing me with a terribly addictive drug which I have come to crave as nip.

“And how do you know that you're mad? "To begin with," said the Cat, "a dog's not mad. You grant that?" I suppose so, said Alice. "Well then," the Cat went on, "you see a dog growls when it's angry, and wags it's tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad.” 
― Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

3) My captors appear to worship another creature in our land which I have come to know as dog.  Dog has mind control powers and appears to be able to talk to the humans.  He controls them not only into give him treats for performing simple tasks, such as sitting or laying down.  He often shows off his powers of mind control as he makes the captors let him in and then out, and then in and then out, and then in and then out, the forbidden door.  Dog does not run away when let out, but who would when they have two servants to they control.  Further, my captors appear to go to a place they call 'work' which I have deduced they do for dog.  More often than not my captors have spoken of the things that they must pay for to have dog. Dog on the other hand sleeps most of the day and does not work, thus he is the top of this hierarchy.  They are so dedicated to dog they hire replacement servants when they have gone away, unfortunately, these replacements double as my captors, there is no relief.   I have seen my captors follow dog constantly in the unknown space through the forbidden door, doting on him and yet never walking with him, always a few steps behind chained to him, thus I conclude that dog is their master.  If this behavior was not enough Dog has two beds, one enormous bed which he appears share generously with the captors in the room I am forbidden from,   and one normal bed he takes daily naps in, TWO beds, the luxury, imagine.  While in conversations with dog he came off as highly not intellectual this must be his cover to maintain the hierarchy."

Sorry again for not having my usual post.  Hope you enjoyed this one!! Till next week! XO

5 Signs You Are 30

Thirty was so strange for me. I’ve really had to come to terms with the fact that I am now a walking and talking adult. -C.S. Lewis

Taking a quick break from the usual blogging about relationships to reveal some trends I have noticed when it comes to being in my 30s.  Recently while sitting at a pub (which was apparently quite hip) I found myself asking my girlfriend why the music had to be so loud...then it hit me.  I have changed.  There is something that has grown up out of me, my inner rebellious, immature, teen self is no more.  She has been replaced instead by a mature woman.  The following are 5 trends that indicate you are well on your way to the dirty thirties.

The only time you really live fully is from thirty to sixty. The young are slaves to dreams; the old servants of regrets. Only the middle-aged have all their five senses in the keeping of their wits. -Hervey Allen

1) Everything got louder.  As I mentioned above music everywhere seems too loud everywhere you go, AND it is not even that you find the music in pretty much all places to be over bearing it is actually that you and your friends begin conversations about how music does not need to be so loud at the pub...seriously?  (I have to laugh at myself here I know so cliche)  Suddenly where you go revolves around where you can actually hear yourself and your friends.  I justify this mentality with the following reasons: 1 - you have grown into friends worth listening too in your old age, 2 - you do not want your throat to be sore from yelling across the table because you have also grown into someone who has a lower tolerance of pain than your former 20 year old self and lastly 3 - the music blasted in pubs is not really worth blasting...in anyone's ear...ever.  Really have you heard top 40's of this year?  Your grown self also has come to know what good music is and that if you are no longer liking what the younger generation likes than you are officially no longer part of the younger generation.

Everything I know I learned after I was thirty. -Georges Clemenceau

2) You want to put sweaters on everything....in the past few years I have caught myself saying this a lot "It is not really shorts weather, I hope that girl does not get a cold."  I am my mother's daughter.   My mother use to force me to take sweaters everywhere and I was adamant that was not cool.  I guess not a lot has changed in the cool ratio of wearing sweaters.  The reason I have began to think all things should be warm and dry is COMFORT, oh yes, we have passed the threshold people!! Once you begin to view style as comfort you are officially beyond adolescence and coasting happy into your 30's.  Typically however, you find clothing that is both stylish and comfortable...and buy whatever items you are fortunate enough to find like this in every color for every day of the week.  Let's face it comfort and style are a girls best friend.

When you turn thirty, a whole new thing happens: you see yourself acting like your parents. -Blair Sabol

3) You tactfully say no.  Just the other day I saw a robust young man swearing in Starbuck's because his drink was taking so long and an elderly woman was waiting in front of him.  Appalling I know.  Then it donned on me.  The mouthy, rude, and what I considered rebellious days are long gone, the young college days of being walked on like a door mat because life was all new are also gone, which brings us to 30.  A delightful age where you have learned to kill with kindness, stand your ground and offer your opinion in a complimentary way.  It should be noted that tact is not a feat that all have mastered (sadly).

“Most people don't grow up. Most people age. They find parking spaces, honor their credit cards, get married, have children, and call that maturity. What that is, is aging.” 
― Maya Angelou

4) BABIES, BABIES, BABIES.  As most of you readers know I do not want children of my own.  But, I may be the only 30 something woman in the world with this view, just kidding I know there are a few more of you out there hiding out like the mythical unicorn!  Aside from these rare women, everyone and their dog are having BABIES, talking about babies, and labor, and pregnancy and labor and pretty much every single thought you thought you would never have is now the topic of lunch room conversation.  But, the endless supply of baby postings on social media is the cherry on the baby cake.  But, like all good things this baby craze will die down, the children will grow up and right when you think you are sailing into retirement cruises and life on the beach GRANDBABIES will be all your friends talk to you about.  Welcome to 30.

“I want to grow old without facelifts... I want to have the courage to be loyal to the face I've made. Sometimes I think it would be easier to avoid old age, to die young, but then you'd never complete your life, would you? You'd never wholly know you.” 
― Marilyn Monroe

5) You don't know what is cool.  Over the past two years I have also caught myself actually saying this "I am not sure, what is cool now a days? What do the kids like?"  Ummmm, hmmmm.  It appears as though I am my father's daughter.  True story when I was 16 my dad gave me the Tom Petty "Life is a Highway" album because he asked the woman in the CD shop what was cool....I did not even know who Tom Petty was at the time.  Thus once you have reached the point where you do not know what is "trending," or who is "hip" than you can pretty well welcome yourself to adulthood.  TRUE FACT: adults do not care what is cool.

So there you have it.  Welcome to the wonderful age of comfort, honesty, real connections, BABIES, being uncool, BABIES, enjoying life the way it is, BABIES and all the wonderful things that being this age means.  For me, my best life yet has been in my 30's and if life just keeps getting better than I cannot wait to see what 40 brings!
Thanks for reading!

What I learned from Mr. X

Let's back track a moment to May long weekend, can we say "Wedding overload!" It seems like my Facebook feed was a plethora of newly weds.  Congratulations all you gorgeous new love birds!! Among these smiling faces was Mr. X, not at his wedding, but his sister. This is the first time I have seen his face since our demise, and thankfully there were no feelings of discontent any longer at seeing him. But, it made me realize how much I have learned, what magnificent phoenix has arisen from the ashes from the demolition of our explosive break up. The following are five lessons we learn when we lose in the game of love:

"To love and win is the best thing, to love and lose, the next best."
- William Makepeace Thackeray

1) It is better to have loved and lost.  Once the dust clears from your crumbled heart and you are done floating around all the reasons why the two of just were not right, you come to grips with the fact you loved someone who did not want to love you anymore.  This hurts and for some reason always embarrasses me.  The shame comes from feeling judged and not good enough.  However, all the things which you learned about yourself and love, ONLY AFTER the love is gone makes this experience essential to be whole, not only with yourself but for all future relationships you wish to have.

"Tell me what you want, what you really, really want."
- Spice Girls

2) You realize what you want.  Here is an example which demonstrates one of the main reasons I fell in love with The American. The American speaks so kindly of his sister.  I appreciate this so much!! Mr. X often said "I love her because she is my sister, but I don't like her."   What a horrific thing to say about your blood.  Something I came to realize I really wanted was a man who acted on what he said, and treated his family with respect.   Words often reflect in action and so the dialogue and actions of Mr. X painted a clear image for me of what I did not want to ever have in my life again, but also made me realize more importantly what was important to me and what I wanted!

Sometimes a woman will look back on what she had, not because she wants to go there but to motivate her to do better.” 
― Reuben " Mulah Truth " Holmes II

3) Get what you want.  Failed romances not only teach us what we want but how to get those things.  Taking time to reflect, what went wrong? Why? And what was your role? Are all questions that will aid you in deciphering how to get what you want in your relationship.  Only failed attempts at trying to get what you want will lead you to success, but only after you truly look at yourself and ask where you lost your way.  I can pin point the exact moments I should have left my previous relationships, and even before that where I had lost my way.  Where communication was lost and I had just given up, in giving up I turned to others for the fulfillment I needed from my partner.  This self reflection is vital to develop your relationship skills and be successful in staying healthy and heard in your future partnerships.

"One forgives to the degree that one loves."
- La Rochefoucauld 

4) Forgiveness.  It is not a two way street in the case of Mr. X.  I have forgiven a lot of wrongs and feel good.  However, you must forgive your Mr.X and yourself.  Sometimes relationships drive us to the brink of madness and we say terrible things.  Sometimes people treat you shabby to teach you pain. All poor relationship actions teach us how to be healthy.  Learn from it, forgive, move on.  This lesson applies to new love too, FORGIVE your lover and let go.  One will never resolve relationship issues and move forward if you dwell on past incidents or fights.  Let go, find peace, or move on.

"Never underestimate your power to change yourself. Never overestimate your power to change others."
- H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

5) Lastly, your Mr. X  will make you realize what you are capable of.   That is right.  Once you have wallowed around in a mountain of your used Kleenexes and empty wine bottles you will wake up one day and realize you are not defeated! While you thought your Mr. X a wretched person for ripping your heart out, you soon realize that life goes on.  Life continued on and your heart kept beating and actually your life got a lot better.  You make amazing goals, you take steps and risk it all on yourself and find that you are capable of anything and in this self actualization you will most likely realize that your Mr. X was keeping you from a lot of actions that you will find define your happiness, enjoy your journey.

Our exes teach us so much about love, heartache, strength, endurance, and success. What they teach us by breaking our heart's are lessons that are invaluable.  So at the end of what you once deemed as cruelty you will come to be thankful.  They free us to learn that we are worth more, and not that we are worth more than them, but that we are worth more than the person we valued ourselves as when we were with them.  They show us a life without them that is amazing, that being single and dating is a blast.  But, most important they teach us the lessons we need to learn to appreciate the person we are truly meant to be with when they finally find us.
Thanks for reading!

Figuring out life!!

Alright! Whew, what a week. As I come home from a "Meet the Parents" adventure with The American from the deserts of America Land to the lush coast of Canada! from running 42 kms to starting my new careerat a large firm, to training for my upcoming 21 kms, life is a real whirl wind of excitement.  But, perhaps it is seeing my family, in particular my father, or falling more into my healthy lifestyle or maybe even the love of a good man, but, something in me has realized a few things that I have touched on before but have been reaffirmed recently and I would like to share:

1) if it doesn't make you happy it doesn't matter.  I use to search for validation in others, social media, etc.  Only to realize living life free of focusing on people and things that never bring you joy is futile!  Focus on those who truly make you smile and feel appreciated, and trust me you will forget all those individuals and things which don't.   My most recent adventures made me realize both travelling alone and with The American have been my best travels thus far as I was not desperately trying to see all the unreliable "friends" who agree to meet ups and then cancel.  Not any more.  Do you know who your life is made to live for?? You.  There is nothing selfish about living it.  Do what makes you happy.

2) don't focus on the negative.  I also use to think about all the things that had not happened in my life, drama and a lot of other total bullsh*t that at the end of the day was just a whole lot of worry lines...no one needs those!!! When things don't work out, let go, find a new path and move on.   Focusing on the old scorched and impenetrable paths of your past are not going to get you anywhere. Instead, try keeping positive.  I can't stand people who constantly complain and never try to better themselves.   Life is about finding your path, it is not straight! It is not clear! It is more of a grown over misshapen labyrinth with a lot of back tracking, but it is yours.  All yours, you are the one travelling it so create a path you prance along hopefully! not a sullen pity party other life roads build over passes to avoid!

3) Life goes on.  Even after your life is over all your loved ones will keep on their lives.  This was particularly hard for me to come to terms with, but you know what? It is true.  I use to be conflicted, should one obsess over death and family illness? Or should one acknowledge that while it is heart wrenching life goes on.  Life does not stop for you to be ready to move on and regroup.  Life continues on like waves in the ocean, lapping the shore and reminding it that new tides are coming.  Tides bringing new life and new challenges and while often we feel beaten by sadness, we must always remember, life carries on, and we must carry on with it to remain a part of our own.
Doing self reflection this week and every layer of actualization I write here the better I feel and the more life makes sense.  Thanks for reading!!

TAKE A VACATION

“Every person needs to take one day away.  A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future.  Jobs, family, employers, and friends can exist one day without any one of us, and if our egos permit us to confess, they could exist eternally in our absence.  Each person deserves a day away in which no problems are confronted, no solutions searched for.  Each of us needs to withdraw from the cares which will not withdraw from us.” 
― Maya Angelou, Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now

                                                           
I can give you a million reasons why vacations are amazing.  But, this is a relationship blog not an everything blog.  Here is what I want to tell you.  You owe it to your relationship to yourself, your new friends you will meet, your relationship with new family to explore new places, to completely unwind and to travel.  But, here are three reasons why in your relationship travelling is a make or break scenario.  It reveals so much of your true relationship status and the real nature of the person you are dating.

“No man needs a vacation so much as the man who has just had one.” 
― Elbert Hubbard

1) STRESS!! You will find out if you are the kind of couple who gets lost on windy roads all day only to end up back at your start point and laugh and fog up the back windows...or the opposite.  Travelling will test your limits, it takes you way out of your comfort zone, it takes you far from your routine, it presses you financially and distorts your regular sleep pattern.  All of these things create mental fatigue and increase irritation.  A vacation will expose to you whether or not you are dating the person who can handle you at your most intense moments and say "Okay, stress is stress but this vacation is still awesome because I have you...." or will run to the hills and hope you will have left back home when they return.  I actually know a few ladies who have full on left their significant others while travelling.  They packed up and said "Nope, this is not for me."  In fact I know of a few who did it after and may even be plotting to do it right now.  The truth is travel literally and figuratively takes us places, and if your relationship is strong and meant to be than you will survive the journey I promise!

“When all else fails, take a vacation.” 
― Betty Williams

2) UNPLUG.  On my most recent trip to the sunny desert with The American which I just returned from yesterday, I did something for both myself and for him.  I did not communicate via text or computer.  I unplugged myself.  No alarms, no phones, no nothing and it was....INCREDIBLE!! Not only was I fully engaged with everyone I was around, but I felt a new level of relaxation that I had denied myself for far too long.  Telecommunications is actually grounds for a lot of relationship stress, between women tell me they check their man's phone to complaining about her facebook addiction.  Telecommunications take away from the very core of our relationships which is face to face full on interactions.  Do you know my biggest pet peeve?  People who text while out for dinner.  Seriously??? You are saying that the person you are with is not even worth an hour of your time.  AND! I have heard every excuse as to why people just MUST be glued to their phones 24 hours a day, but do you know what else??  Do you know that before cell phones there was life?  AND it was good?  AND people just phoned one another after they went out and did things?  UNPLUG yourself from technology and plug yourself in to those you love.  I guarantee the outcome
is worth it.

“When people went on vacation, they shed their home skins, thought they could be a new person.” 
― Aimee Friedman, Sea Change

3) EXPERIENCE.  Nothing in this world will prepare you for your life more than experiencing life itself and travelling is an integral part of this growth.  One cannot simply not like a food, place, or person they have never tried to get to know.  The desert is an AMAZING place!! and so is the beach, and so are the mountains, etc.  The truth is this world is full of incredible journeys that are waiting for you.  I DO NOT even want to hear "But..."  that is just an excuse.  It is an excuse you have become comfortable with that keeps you from doing things you want and that is just ridiculous.  There is no stopping me from what I can achieve, nor is there anything stopping you.  You may think finances...well then figure out a budget to allow you to have finances, timing may be your excuse...I don't even know what this means, there is never going to be a perfect time to go out and try living life.  I can tell you my personal experience.  I changed job titles to a larger firm and I never thought "But..."  I just did it.  I went for The American and I never thought "But.." and I have never felt more in the right relationship in my life.  I went for a vacation to the desert and never thought "But..."  and it was the BEST VACATION EVER!!! Denying yourself life experience is the worst thing you can do to yourself, AND to your relationship!!! Share amazing experiences, share life, don't deny yourself the incredible journeys that could make your relationship extraordinary.

“It was exciting to be off on a journey she had looked forward to for months. Oddly, the billowing diesel fumes of the airport did not smell like suffocating effluence, it assumed a peculiar pungent scent that morning, like the beginning of a new adventure, if an adventure could exude a fragrance.” 
― E.A. Bucchianeri, Brushstrokes of a Gadfly

Vacations are the best medicine.  Tomorrow The American and I head off to meet my parents, grandmother, and sister is Small Town Nowhere.  It is beautiful and full of beaches, and while I have seen it a million times it will be so exciting to show someone new!  The American and I had a great vacation, and as always it did not feel long enough, there was some stress (for some reason I could not sleep past 6 am the whole week!! My internal clock kept kicking in and would not let me rest), but overall I was in awe of his beautiful, kind, and giving family and the incredible beauty (and heat) of the desert!!
Thanks for reading, now....get out of here and take a vacation! XOXO