May 2nd 2011 VOTE!!!! ... If You Don't You Lose Your Right To Complain (ACHTUNG SERIES!)

ACHTUNG THIS!  Yes, I've dared to talk about politics...

This coming Monday, May 2, 2011 is Election Day in Canada.  Anyone who knows me, knows (for better or worse) I’m pretty passionate about politics.  While I may have my preference for which party I’d like to see elected, I think it is important that ALL Canadians with the ability to vote DO so!  In the last election (2008) we had the lowest turnout ever.  Only 58.8% of Canadians voted!!!

If you are unsure of what each Party’s platform is you can go to Elections Canada.   Also, when voting do not forget to consider what issues the candidates in your riding are concerned with.  This could impact your decision even more. 

It’s no secret I’m NOT a fan of us having an election again!  But, I still will be voting on Monday. (For my non-Canadian readers, our election schedule isn’t a formatted 4 year plan, it can occur before that point with a vote of non-confidence or can be has long as 5 years). 

The sad thing is whatever government that is elected on Monday will likely be a minority government and we could end up with another election in a year’s time!  COME ON!  There are better ways to spend our tax dollars than an election.  To me it seems like a case of power struggles and ego.  Sit in at a question period in Parliament to get a taste of what I’m talking about.  I’ve sat in numerous times, and it is both comical and disturbing at times.

  Politics along with religion and money are often considered taboo topics.  Considering it’s been an ACHTUNG Week of blogs, I clearly have no problem discussing politics today.  Interestingly, people may publicly acknowledge their position on religion or money (i.e. I am a Christian/Muslim/Buddhist/Atheist or whatever one’s faith is); however, when it comes to politics people are more likely to be cloaked… They secretly support their party but are not eager to share their position to others.

Perhaps, it’s because of the way we vote (secret ballets) that promote this need to be secretive in one’s party support.  I’m not secretive. I might not shout it from a roof top, but if someone asks me who I am in support of I will answer The Conservative Party of Canada… Yes, I’m a Tory!

Ironically, I actually do find the other parties platform's curious… They are very alluring and attractive (versus the tell it as is Conservative platform) but wonder WHO and HOW things will be paid for that are offered… Well, actually I know how – More taxes…. Yep, defiantly not interested… I just wish party’s told the WHOLE truth when they are running for election.  Not just the attractive side of things.  Politics seems like the only job you can be hired for, fail to do what you promise AND still keep your job.  

No matter your position at the end of the day please turn up and VOTE on Monday.  The last US election had historically the most voters, let’s try and do the same Canada!

PS:  Dear Non-Elected Parties.  Please try to work with the government elected on Monday, so we can avoid another premature election, and put our tax dollars to better use…. PLEASE!!!

Voting on Monday,

Nicole

San Francisco Decorator Showcase 2011

Every Spring, San Francisco calls to me. The weather is clearing from the Winter doldrums and the fog of Summer has not yet arrived. The city is at its finest, and what better time to showcase the fresh talent of the San Francisco design community?

The San Francisco Decorator Showcase opens this weekend on April 30th and runs through May 30th. There will be a full month of viewing....so one might consider attending more than once! I never seem to catch all of the creative details the first time around. The house is located in the prestigious Pacific Heights area. A brick Italianate villa estate, the home was built in 1927 and designed by architects of Villa Montalvo in Saratoga.

This year, the designer line up is fantastic. I was able to see a preview of the house yesterday and let me  say, it is fantastic! I will give you a peek little by little during the next month just to whet your design appetite!

First up, 

The Living Room

designed by

Navarra Design, Inc.

Kathleen Navarra, proprietress of Navarra Design created this stunning space. There is a nod to the feminine with the unexpected dollop of fuchsia pink and dressmaker tailoring, but the room is also fit for the King of the house as well. The room is anchored with a simple grey natural woven area rug. It almost looks like the grey flannel of a man's suit. The scaling of the furniture is generous, while also being very elegant.

One of my favorite elements  was the gorgeous cast bronze, Swarovski crystal studded Twig chandelier by Jonathan Browning available through the De Souza Hughes Showroom in San Francisco. Kathleen centered the chandelier in a ceiling stenciled in gold leaf on a copper-y red field.

Kathleen put together a really wonderful mix of things, spanning time and the globe.  A large scale portrait of Marchesa Balbi oversees the room where a modern bronze candelabra sits atop a custom white and steel coffee table. Peeking out from underneath are a pair of imported carved footstools. Details, like the small cigarette table next to the sofa, the shark skin topped accent table next to the fuchsia velvet ottoman trimmed in grosgrain ribbon, and the antique mirrored fireplace screen collectively add layers of inspiration. Everywhere I looked there was another treat for my eyes.  

Across the room was a table surrounded with whimsical carved armchairs covered in a velvet stripe and a settee that charmed me to no end. It was upholstered in a grassy green velvet on the tufted seat, and the back was upholstered in a snakeskin embossed fuchsia velvet.

 And then there were the chests on either side of the window, the bronze lamps, the art!! There was so much to take in and way too little time. I may have to make another visit!

The Lovely Kathleen Navarra

If you are interested in more detail or any item in particular, you can contact Navarra Design, Inc. HERE.

For all of the information you need to attend this year's San Francisco Decorator Showcase please click on over HERE. 

All proceeds go to benefit the San Francisco University High School financial aid program.

NEXT UP:

The Dining Room designed by dapper designer and blogging buddy, 

Grant Gibson!

THAT DISSERTATION

So, I’ve been busily working away on my dissertation and let me tell you it’s a process.  I mean there are times where I may kick into overdrive and start writing like it is nobody’s business and there are times where I will get stuck.  And when I truly get stuck, writing a sentence can feel incredibly difficult and painful.

When I first embarked on this dissertation journey, I was convinced I’d be able to plow through it.  I had heard the horror stories of writing.  In fact, I remember reading somewhere that only 46% of people who pursue a PhD actually graduate.  That’s some scary statistics.  I even read the many articles on “How to Write Your Dissertation,” and felt I’d be OKAY!  Well, who knew the grandness of my naivety?

A dissertation may mean becoming an expert on a research question that has not been explored before.  Ironically, the more I learn the more I realize how little I know.  Quite a contrast from when I graduated with my undergraduate degrees.

I’ve mentioned a few times how excited I am about my dissertation topic.  Yet, at the same time, I often find myself overly cautious.  Whether it is in my methodology or literature review, I want to make sure I’ve considered everything has close to perfection as I can.  Yet, I may doubt my efforts because I am not an experienced researcher like the amazing professors on my committee. 

Additionally, my dissertation involves qualitative analysis.  I’ve come from a background of hard science, whereby research is dominated by quantitative analysis.  Qualitative analysis is non-numerical in nature and is based more on attributes.  For example a focus group or an interview would be considered qualitative.  The responses of participants may be recorded, transcribed and coded into themes.  The process is iterative and progressive, as well as laborious.  Suddenly, multivariate equations in quantitative analysis seem like a joy. 

I guess the truth of the matter, is while one might write their dissertation on their own, we are not on our own.  Most PhD students writing their dissertation will share similar stories of challenges and joy involved.  And if you’re lucky you may have an amazing committee to help guide you in the process to ensure you produce scholarly research.

Like the road to the Olympic Games, it is a journey like no other!

Exploring,

Nicole

Dating A Tall Woman (Achtung Series!)

RELATIONSHIP CORNER (continuation from last week)

As I stated last week, barefoot, I am the blessed height of 1.921m which is roughly 6’3 ½ ...  When I was younger, I did not like my height.  As I sprouted through the 7th and 8th grade I would plead with God to make me stop growing… For any child at that age, you just want to fit in… puberty is bad enough.  But, now as I’ve gotten older, I absolutely love being tall!!!! I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

It is scary how many tall women do not like their height. Possibly, because unknowingly society can do a good job of making a tall woman feel like she doesn’t fit in.  It’s there in the obvious acknowledgement of a women being taller than norm.  (No one ever dares to ask an overweight woman how much she weighs, yet it is acceptable to ask a woman how tall she is.)  A quick search online and you’ll see many tall women blogs discuss the challenges of dating when you are tall. 

If you are tall, you have to embrace it, own it and love it.  If you don’t, how else can you expect anyone else to?  When it comes to dating, there are certainly some advantages and disadvantages.  Men can be easily intimidated by tall women.  Especially, if you are over the 6 foot marker.  

CHALLENGES -

1. Insecure Men - For a man to date a tall woman, he has to be confident!  For one thing, men often like to inflate their height.  Lately, it seems, every man is claiming to be 6 feet.  Even a man who is clearly 5’8 will have the audacity to say he is 6 feet.  Dating a tall woman, may force a man to acknowledge their TRUE height!

Likewise, a man should never assume that a taller woman would not be interested in dating them.  The mere question itself makes you appear insecure.  If you like a woman, you should let her know. Who cares if she is taller?!  Height differences between genders are inconsequential.

2. Attention Getter  - (This actually can be an advantage also) If you are in the company of a tall woman, you’ve got to be able to withstand the attention she may receive… and if you are with someone as tall as me, it will be A LOT of attention… lol … My height can easily be the centre of attention.  If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me about my height I’d be a millionaire… literally!

ADVANTAGES

1. Weed Out The Weak Gazelle - Being a tall woman allows you to weed out the insecure/weak gazelle men.  There is nothing more unattractive than an insecure man, and nothing hotter than a confident (but not arrogant!) man.  I’ve got a big personality and if a man can’t handle my height he certainly will not be able to handle my personality.

2. Hottest Fashion Style - Currently, tall women seem to be in style… And I’m not sure what this craze is about… perhaps it’s always been the case and I am just now realizing it.  I’m not sure I understand this fascination with tall women, but I’m rolling with it.  I can only assume it has something to do with (dare I say) Darwinism, and having tall off springs.  Who knows??? (If you do know, feel free to let me know.)

All I know is we are who we are…  There are certain attributes we each have, that can never be changed… Height is one them.  If you are tall woman, remember to always stand tall and embrace your statuesque appearance.  And if you are a man, don’t ever feel intimidated by a tall woman.  If the height difference doesn’t matter to you, then chances are it won’t matter to her.

For the rest of you (vertically challenged world), continue to live a good life.  And perhaps in your next life you’ll be the front of the line when height is being distributed. ;)

Standing head & shoulders above everyone else (literally),

Nicole

See last week's blog Dating Shorter Men

Curtis Park Home Tour: A Kitchen by KDI, a Peek

 Spring means a flurry of house tours, decorator showcase tours and garden tours....all of which I plan to attend this year! First up this season is a home tour in my own neighborhood: The Curtis Park Home Tour. My own home was on the tour a few years ago right after I had finished my kitchen remodel.

This year I have another kitchen on the tour! Katie Denham Interiors designed a new kitchen for a young family here in Curtis Park, and they decided to put the home on the tour. I thought you might like a little peek! I still have some staging to do for the event, which is this Saturday.

I wish I had better "before" pictures for you because we reconfigured the space while staying within the original footprint of the house. There was a doorway and small hall leading to the Laundry room which I closed off to allow a spot for the new refrigerator. I opened up a new doorway through the eating nook with a French Pocket door. There used to be a doorway between the kitchen and nook, which I opened up making the space much more open, and the kitchen larger as well. 

The Curtis Park Home Tour is celebrating its Silver Anniversary this year. It has been an ongoing tradition for 25 years. Tim and I moved to the neighborhood 19 years ago this month, right before the birth of our oldest daughter Hannah. We had a little 3 bedroom house that we fixed up before moving to the house we live in now...which we are still fixing up! We waited a few years before we found another house in Curtis Park to move into. By that time we had aother daughter and one bathroom....it was time to to find a bigger house....but moving away from this wonderful neighborhood with its historic elm trees and huge Sycamores, the parks, the houses built from the 1910's through the 30's and 40's was out of the question. So waited patiently.

Curtis Park is a neighborhood like no other. There is a sense of community you will find in very few other places. There is a strong tendency toward historical preservation, and this is reflected in the Home Tour. There will be vintage cars parked along the route, and a talk given about the history of the neighborhood. The houses on the tour reflect the architectural history of the neighborhood. The tour is less about decor, and more about "home" and what it means to the generous neighbors who have leant thier houses to the tour this year.

I think the thing I look forward to most about the tour is getting out in the beautiful Spring weather and seeing all of my neighbors and friends.

For a great article about the Curtis Park Home and Garden Tour by the Sacramento Bee, Click HERE.

For More Information and Online Ticket Sales, click HERE

Brain Lesions, Multiple Sceloris & The Commonwealth Games: What REALLY happened in New Delhi, India (ACHTUNG SERIES!)

On October 10, 2010 I stood at the top of the podium and heard for the first time, the Canadian anthem played in my honour.  What most people probably don’t know is that in the midst of probably one of my greatest achievements in Track & Field I was also at one of the worst moments in my life.

Just a week before boarding the plane for India, I was told I had 10 brain lesions that resembled Multiple Sclerosis.  There is nothing that can prepare you for news like that.  It felt as though my body had turned against me.  I mean I’m a world-class athlete.  I train 30hrs a week and eat well.  Being ill didn’t seem like something that could happen to someone like me.  But, here I was told I likely had MS and would have to undergo more tests.

I had been feeling ill for most of August,and ended up canceling my remaining competitons in Europe and returning home.  Among my symptoms were numbness on the right side of my body and crippling migraines which had a doctor admit me to the Emergency Room.     

While I competed in New Delhi, India at the Commonwealth Games, my symptoms were at their worst.  For the 3 nights prior to my competition I laid awake in incredible pain throughout my body, certain I had Multiple Scerlosis. 

But, something funny happens when you have a goal you are determined to achieve.  You only see the way.  So, while I suffered secretly on competition day, I didn’t care.  I didn’t care that I couldn’t feel my foot.  I didn’t care that my body and brain ached.  I had one goal, and that was to win.  And win I did!

As I ran around the Track proudly waving the Canadian flag, the happiness that I was overcome with, was the realization of how anything is possible, no matter how bleak your situation may appear...  I had a million reasons why I should have performed poorly, and I wouldn’t allow myself to see those excuses.

After Commonwealth Games, I returned home to a series of tests including a spinal tap and many more MRI’s which revealed I actually had over 20 brain lesions.   At which point, all I could do was turn it over to God.  Yeah, it’s safe to say my knees made contact with the ground every night…. And my prayers were answered.   Miraculously, my 20 plus lesions were determined to be the result of an autoimmune virus. I do not have Multiple Scelorsis! 

Can you believe that?  Wow!!!  Truly incredible!!!  Thank you God!  Today, my health has returned back to normal.  The torture I felt feels like a distant memory, though it was only a few months ago.

Ironically, I am grateful for what I went through.  I don’t ever want to forget it!  I really appreciate the fragility of health and life.  I’ve also learned just how capable I am to overcome.  And I don’t believe I am any different than anyone else.

The truth of the matter is that we are all more powerful than we realize sometimes.  As Marianne Williamson stated “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.”

Facing my fears,

Nicole

Getting Cubed in Laguna, California

Green Cube Store in Laguna Beach emphasizes re-use and sustainability, all done with creativity and an edgy beauty. 

 As you know, we just got back from a So Cal Spring Break. We stayed in Laguna Beach, one of my favorite places in California....gorgeous beaches, beautiful hills, great shopping and restaurants, home of the Pageant of the Masters (which we may be heading back to see this summer!)....it is a perfect place to get away.

We fit a lot into this little break, and shopping was high on my list! Tim was very indulgent because he had a day of golf with the guys while my daughter and I went to Disneyland the first day we got to town. The next day we hit Laguna to do a little shopping, since the weather was not as warm for the beach as we had hoped. 

 There are lots of great shops for fashion in Laguna, (and my daughter was happy as a clam to find one boutique where everything was $15 or less.)

 And then I found "my" shop......actually Tim found it while my teen and I were in "her" shop. Tim was wandering a bit while the teen was trying on outfit after outfit. He came in to find us, and said..." I think you are going to like the next one". So of course, I hustle the teen along so I can get on down the street.

Then we stepped into the Green Cube.....Tim knows me so well...

What can I say about the Green Cube? I can't say enough! It is innovative and edgy, creative and beautiful. It has a bit of everything I love....furniture, lighting, decor....but it also has fashion.....and shoes! Even better, the focus of Green Cube is what you might imagine, given the name....there is an emphasis on sustainability. Everything for the shop is selected by the very beautiful and stylish owner, Sanja Simidzija. I was captivated.

 I ended up in a long conversation with Sanja's husband, who was manning the fort while Sanja was next door in their second gallery, Art Cube.....hold on....there is a SECOND gallery?

 I was already so intrigued with Green Cube and its collection of creative rustic modern decor and distinctive fashion, it was hard to tear myself away to go next door.

But I was told that Sanja could be found in her art gallery, so I had to go meet the creative soul behind both Green Cube and Art Cube....

Art Cube Gallery

 I stepped into the Art Cube Gallery and it was like stepping into a cloud with it's white walls and floors. It was a perfect backdrop for the collection inside. Described as a place to find "breathing room for the spirit", one can certainly breath in the talent in this space.

 Sanja has curated a fantastic group of cutting edge contemporary artists, whom I have already bookmarked into my files for future projects! Be sure to check out the Art Cube website HERE for information on all of the artists

 Finding Green Cube and Art Cube was a lovely way to spend a cool and foggy morning, and having the opportunity to meet the charming and handsome owners was the icing on the cake.

 On you next trip to So Cal, do stop in and say hello to Sanja. Green Cube and Art Cube are located in the heart of town on Forest Ave. 

The lovely Sanja Simidzija, proprietress of Green Cube and Art Cube

You will find them, the galleries and the owners, a breath of fresh air.

COUNTRY ALLEGIANCE, FALSE OLYMPIAN CLAIMS & THE OLYMPIC GAMES (Achtung Series!)

This blog is going to sting a little…. But, it is ACHTUNG MONDAY, so read at your own risk.

The Olympic Games is universally recognized as the paramount achievement in sports.  Many people may attempt to embark on competing at the Olympic Games, but only a few will become an Olympian.  For the longest time, qualifying for the Olympic Games felt like the biggest albatross around my neck.  I had failed twice before, each time feeling devastated and frustrated with the process and system.

In 2000, despite having the Olympic Games’ standard and being ranked number 1 in Canada I was not selected for the Canadian Team.  Canada typically has tougher standards than the IOC’s standard, and in my case I was off the Canadian standard by 1cm.  For similar reasons I also missed out on the 2004 Olympic Games. 

Having experienced the challenges with becoming an Olympian I have an even greater respect for this title.   I understand the temptation for athletes to switch allegiance, so that they may be able to compete at the Olympic Games. Yet, at the same time I can’t help feeling that when athletes represent a country they really should embody what it means to be a citizen of that country.  And the motivation to switch allegiance should not be about participating at the Olympic Games, but because one really feels they are of that citizenship.

I had the ability to represent other countries, but I knew it wouldn’t have felt authentic.  I wanted to represent the country, which every fiber of my being identified with, and that's Canada!  I AM CANADIAN through and through!  So, in spite of not agreeing with our selection criteria, I remained committed to qualifying for Team Canada, missing 2 Olympic Games as a result.  In 2008 when I did qualify (according to the Canadian standards) it felt as though my persistence had paid off.   I believe that the Olympic Games are about the best athletes from each country competing against each other in the name of excellence.  But, perhaps the Olympics are no longer about countries facing off on a grand stage as it was originally intended by Pierre de Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic Games. Perhaps, it's more about being an Olympian.

Some athletes will even go as far as pretending they are an Olympian when in fact they aren’t.  This is shameful!!!!  How can anyone make this claim, and feel proud doing so?  One athlete, Okiki Akinremi, for example, has made a business making this claim along with being a 2-Time World Champion.  He is neither! On his website, he looks into the camera and states he will help you achieve success using his experience of becoming an Olympian and 2-Time World Champion. REALLY?!  That’s just wrong!

The road to the Olympic Games is truly a challenging journey.  There are a lot of tears shed, overcoming of setbacks and believing when there are many reasons to doubt.  You develop in more ways than just an athlete.  And once you become an Olympian you are still striving for that podium.  Pierre Coubertin intended for the Olympic Games to be about personal excellence demonstrated in sports but applicable to life.

Let’s continue to honour this vision.

Owning Excellence,

Nicole

ACHTUNG SERIES WEEK

This week I’ve decided to embark on ACHTUNG TOPICS.  If this is your first time reading any of my Achtung Blogs, be warned they can be hot topics and controversial at times.  I enjoy writing these blogs most, because they afford me the opportunity to explore topics most of us may think about and may reserve for close company discussions.  They are honest and direct.  So, this week’s blogs come with the warning of “Read at Your Own Risk.”

I mean not to offend anyone in my blogs, but hope to offer a deeper consideration on various matters while sharing another side to me.

Enjoy this ACHTUNG Series Week!

Achtung this,

Nicole

Lyrics: THIS IS HOW WINNERS ARE MADE

Another great inspirational clip!  MUST WATCH & READ!!!  Each day is a day to start over.  To have and live the life you've always wanted.   That's what's so incredible.  Our past doesn't dictate our future.  But, our will, desire and hunger for excellence does.  On this Easter Sunday, I thought I'd share with you these lyrics courtesy of LIMU to get your juices flowing for a renewed way of living....

Life is tough, that’s a given.

When you stand up, you’re gonna be shoved back down.

When you’re down, you’re gonna be stepped on.

My advice to you doesn’t come with a lot of bells and whistles. It’s no secret, you’ll fall down, you stumble, you get pushed, you land square on your face. And every time that happens, you get back on your feet. You get up just as fast as you can, no matter how many times you need to do it.

 Remember this, success has been and continues to be defined as getting up one more time than you’ve been knocked down.

If experience has taught me anything, it’s that nothing is free and living ain’t easy. Life is hard, real hard, incredibly hard. You fail more often than you win, nobody is handing you anything.

It’s up to you to puff up your chest, stretch your neck and overcome all that is difficult, the nasty, the mean, the unfair.

You want more than what you’ve now, PROVE IT!

You want beat the very best out there that is, get out there and earn it!

Once you decide that, you’ll know where it is you want to be, then you won’t stop pushing forward until you get there! That’s how winners are made. At the end of the day, success is what we all want.

We all wanna win, and the race will be won. There is no question about that. So c’mon, get out on top, run faster, dream bigger, live better than you ever have before. This is in you. You can do this. Do it for yourself. Prove it to yourself!

Happy Easter!

Cookies I just picked up from Freeport Bakery for Easter Tomorrow.

We are back from our Southern California Spring Break and I will have lots of things to show you next week from our trip!

Until then,

 Wishing you all a very Happy Easter Weekend!

SURVIVING INJURIES... The Nature of Being a World Class Athlete





Perhaps my greatest battle as an athlete has been surviving injuries.  As long as I am a professional athlete, and any athlete is for that matter, this battle will continue.  It goes with the territory.  Especially in an event like the High Jump which requires maximal power and speed for each bout… It is a fine line I and most athletes walk…

I have been competing professionally for 10 years and usually at this point athletes may suffer from overuse injuries.  Fortunately, I do not know this language of injuries.  What I am quite familiar with is “random” injuries.  And when I say random, I do mean RANDOM.  For example, 3 days before the women’s high jump at the 2008 Olympic Games I tore all the ligaments in my jumping foot. 

Whether it is being hit with West Nile or having a Messiah Coach distract my workout, I have become quite familiar with the Emergency Room.  So, the other day when I was asked what I needed most to be successful between now and London 2012, I answered unequivocally “to stay healthy.”

I thought I’d take this Thursday to reflect on my survival in the sport of jumping over a bar…. And I’m certain my stories are not much different from the typical athlete…  I’ve seen injuries end too many athletes’ careers, that every time I pick myself up from an injury I am grateful!

Being an athlete is literally about being physically and mentally tough and being resilient to injuries….  Survival of the FITTEST!

Committed to staying healthy,
Nicole

Spring Break

 The weather is growing a bit warmer.....and we were hoping warmer still for a trip to the beaches of Southern California where we are spending a Spring Break with teenage daughter  in tow. Last Saturday, we drove down to OC and started our vacation with the annual trip to Balboa Island in Newport Harbor.

I grew up n Southern California and spent summers on the Balboa Peninsula. It was an unspoken rule that Frozen Bananas and Balboa Beach Bars were part of the territory. Every weekend, we would make the trek from the beach house up to the Fun Zone to play in the arcades and bump into our posse of cousins with our bumper cars....pedal to the metal. And every weekend we would anticipate and salivate thinking about the big decision.....chocolate sprinkles, nuts or butter brickle.

Often, my mom or my ant would take my cousin, Jenny and I on the Ferry ride across to Balboa Island to shop. We would stop for lunch at the old Jolly Roger restaurant and eat burgers and then stop at the Original Frozen Banana stand....of which there are two mere steps away from each other. I am not sure it mattered to us at the time which one took our money.

This year, the daughter and I got Balboa Bars with Butter Brickle....Tim got a Frozen Banana. The pleasure is still as strong.  We each took our frozen dessert on a stick and wandered along the beach front to see the lights of the Balboa Fun Zone and the Balboa Pavilion across the Bay....

With our stomachs full...and the moon as well....we strolled back to our car for the final leg down the coast.

Spring Break was just getting started.

Dating Shorter Men… PART I (ACHTUNG SERIES)

RELATIONSHIP CORNER
I stand a solid 1.921m (approximately 6’3 ½) without shoes….  I love my height (you can have a lot of random fun with people at this height).   In my eyes, the world is heavily populated by vertically challenged people.  But, that’s just my perception.

As a woman of my stature, people will often ask me how tall are the guys I date.  Well, unlike other females, I do not discriminate based on the height of a guy.  That seems ignorant to me, and not just because I’m tall, but, the quality of a person isn’t determined by their stature.  In fact, I’ve known A LOT of tall insecure men… And really who wants to date someone who doesn’t have a sense of self?

Perhaps, stature presents a masculine quality for some women.  Or perhaps it’s simply a case of supply and demand, whereby the lesser supply of tall men, make them appear more attractive (for some women) than their shorter counterpart.  Who knows?

Dating someone purely on the basis of their height seems as limiting as dating someone on the basis of their race.  The world is filled with phenomenal people – yours to discover!  Placing superficial constraints limits the endless possibilities of men who will treat you the way one deserves to be treated.

Likewise, supply is on your side.  When you limit your superficial barriers you have a wider net to cast true potential.   Essentially, you can have a full realm of possibilities; and in so doing really account for the qualities that truly matter.

Dating someone shorter can also be a means of testing a man’s confidence.  Let’s face it; it takes a lot more Kahunas for a man to date a woman taller than them.  For a man who has insecurity issues, it could test their TRUE masculine qualities.  Do they feel dwarfed and feminized in the presence of a statuesque woman, or empowered?   I will choose the empowered man any day of the week.  You become their uptown girl, like Christie Brinkley was for Billy Joel.

As for men out their daring to date a taller woman…. be sure you have your confidence in place. 

Enjoying the friendly skies,

Nicole