Wednesday, June 06, 2007

a STOP OPTS POTS SPOT TOPS POST!


... and be grateful for the things that make life grand!

This sweet, tweeting little birdie was spotted taking a breather atop this stop sign as my pal Peter & i opted for a break during our recent week-long travel up the coast of California.

HOW ARE YOU!?! i have been thinking of every one of my blog pals so much of late...

I got an e-mail from a friend of mine who lives in Minnesota today and i am hopeful that you will indulge me in "finishing this sentence" (sentences)... i would LOVE to see your answers, either here or on your own blog or e-mail me... these are mine from earlier this a.m.

1. I love...
... my family... my dog... my friends... animals... happiness... music... sunshine... long runs... laughter... kind people... cookies... honesty

2. Right now I want...
... peace in the world... Twinkies to be vegan... to swing on the swings in Pismo Beach


3. I feel like...
… singing... laughing... dancing... crying...


4. I hate it when...
… people hurt other people... animals die needlessly... things go wrong... i get lost


5. I fear...
... war... rejection... hatred... angry people... losing loved ones

6. I'm lonely without...
… my family... my friends... my dog... writing


We had a fun trip. Here we are in "The Natural Cafe" in San Luis Obispo.



7. I need...
… to be healthy... to be happy... to write...

8. Today I...

... am enjoying the morning and day

9. Tomorrow I'm...
… going to celebrate my nephew's 15th birthday - how did he get this old so soon?

10. I just...
… sent a bunch of my vacation photographs to myself

11. I want to meet...
… Barry Zito again

Hi Barry! He was an awesome teen.
(i didn't take this photo... but i wish i had!)
*****************************************


12. I'm hungry for...
… a huge tofu scramble from Sunshine Cafe in Morro Bay and a Mexican chocolate brownie from Central Avenue Bakery in Pacific Grove

13. I love it when...

… the sun is shining and i'm out enjoying it... peeps i love are happy and healthy... my dog wags her tail

14. I'm afraid of...
… fighting... war... anger... mean people... hunters


The buck stopped here... safely... in San Simeon State Park!



15. I'm listening to...
... birds outside my door singing, my dog snoring

16. I'm wearing...
... a long-sleeve Arcata High shirt, cutoff shorts, white sox and running shooz

17. I wish I was in...
… Hawaii (never been there... they tell me it's nice!)

18. I'm craving...
… a day on the beach


19. I want to get...
... my hair cut soon

20. I can...
... do anything if i set my mind to it


21. I can't...
… deal with life sometimes


Street sign in Pismo Beach... Mattie's famous!!!

22. I have...
… too much clutter


23. I haven't...
... done so many things i want to...

24. I'm nervous...
… about the future of the world

25. My Mom thinks I'm...
… the greatest and i'm so honored to be so loved


26. My Dad thinks I'm...
… in need of a lobotomy
Nah, not really, but he doesn't quite "get" me...

27. I think...
… people need to think about others more than they think about themselves


28. I'm happy when...
… i know my loved ones are safe... i'm eating something i love... i'm running free

29. I'm sad when...
... there's unhappiness/unhealthiness in a loved one's life


30. I like eating...
… just about everything that's not animal-based and i have for 25 years!


This gorgeous cow, like so many others i saw behind "enemy lines" from the road... my heart went out (and goes out, still, and always) to them all...



31. I hate eating...
… animal products (so i avoid them!!)

32. I love watching...
… sunsets

Stellar sunset just south of Big Sur

33. I love listening to...
… birds singing... my dog snoring... (as i am at the present time!) ... the roar of the ocean... animal noises... my family and friends saying "I love you."

34. I love playing...
… Boggle with my mom... catch with baseball gloves... football... ping-pong (thanks for the reminder, Vicki!)... Scrabble with friends... anything with my dog... tennis... "hide the keys"... Red Rover... crossword puzzles (do you "play" them?)...

35. I hate waking up to...
... a loud noise... people arguing... trash collecting in my Dumpster... drunk peeps being obnoxious in the hot tub under my window at my condo at 3 a.m.

36. I can see...
"… clearly now the rain has gone - i can see all obstacles in my way"


"Hold on to 16 as long as you can, changes come around real soon, make us women & men." - John Cougar, and there i am livin' it up at 15 on the "L" in Chicago with my friend of 34 years and counting, Heidi (a vegan living in Arizona who sent me this 26-year-old photo!)


37. I'm glad that...
… i have a lot of living left to do and family and friends to share it with


38. I'm disappointed that...
... many of my family and friends have gone away, one way or another...

39. I look like...
… i need less sun... i'm going to have a long week ahead


40. I wish I looked like...
… Natalie Portman for a day...



Photo taken in "Gum Alley" in San Luis Obispo.

46 comments:

laura k said...

This is a fantastic post! Welcome back, Kleo! I really enjoyed reading all your answers - you are truly a person who cares a lot, and it's people like you who make this world worth living in sometimes! I love that pic of the sunset... so gorgeous. By the way, I love Scrabble with friends too!

Nikk said...

you are so awesome kleo! i love this post. you are a beautiful person :)

Tanya Kristine said...

that was the greatest post...heartwarming & reminding. reminding me to love things more and be afraid less...

you know...there ARE vegan twinkies out there, right?

Anonymous said...

what a beautifull post!

Drasch23 said...

Welcome back! Love the post! Pictures are great as always. Reminds me to stop and smell the flowers every once and a while!

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

Yeaaah, KLEO! Super fun post and looks like you had a fabulous get-away. Mmmmm good, Natural Cafe - I went to the Westlake Village location & it's yummy stuff. Awesome shots of nature in all her beauty.

urban vegan said...

Kleo for President!


We missed you, girlfreind. Welcome back.

aTxVegn said...

You are awesome, Kleo! I may not email you, but I'm going to do some soul searching.

Theresa said...

8. Today I...
... bought a vacuum cleaner and a cookie sheet, and read your wonderful blog!

9. Tomorrow I'm...
… making some cookies and vacuuming my house for the first time since we moved in!

Love this post!

Crunchy Domestic Goddess said...

good to hear from you. sounds like a great trip you had.
love this post and pictures too. wonderful! :)

Dori said...

Hey vacationer (driving up the coast for a week) .... ooops I guess I fit in this category also only no ocean near me, although a few of our flooded cornfields looks like it.

I love the things you wrote that you love and are saddened by the things you say saddened ... I can see that peeps and dogs are pretty special in your life. Funny but right now I hear my dog snoring also, I've heard this sound for a long time yet it still cracks me up.

P.S. Yes Ricky is so fine, he's so fine he blows my mind ... :)

Anonymous said...

this is seriously one of the best posts I've ever read! good to see you back.

Mark Xander said...

Wow! Am soooooooooooooo happy you are back, K. We were all freakin' out when it took you forever to post.

Now I can breathe.

Jackie said...

Great to have you back and thanks for the blog visit. Amazed you mentioned you are not into curries...if made more spicy than hot they are great.

Must be a Pisces thing as we are generally spot on about what we want. A couple of little differences like substitute cat for dog and I want to see the Victoria Falls again, meet the Dalai Llama and Richard Gere and see nutritional yeast flakes and vegan cheese in shops here :)

Amy said...

This post is so cool, as is your blog! I love the pics of your puppy - so adorable!

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful post and so good to have you back.

Your images and words are so full of joy and life.

Jen said...

Today I am... thrilled that you're back to blogland :-) I hope... that your life is filled with joy and peace right now. Welcome back. I missed you!

pinknest said...

love your list! lobotomy?! haha.

Shananigans said...

Great post, welcome back!

I love doggy snoring too, if only humans could do it so charmingly.

I saw gum alley on a travel show not long ago, Globe Trekker? Someday I'll make that trip up the Cali coast.

Lots o' love headed your way!

Have a fabu weekend.

Anonymous said...

Glad to see you back, K. Missed you! Looks like you had a fantastic trip. Beautiful pictures. :)

You're such a wonderful person. I'm glad I know you (even if it is just in blogland). :)

Anonymous said...

hello kleo, i missed you too! it's such a wonderful post and was great to learn more about you! i will try that out soon :)

MeloMeals said...

Nice to see you here! Love the survy.. I wish you lived next door to me.

meesh said...

Looks like you had a great trip! Love the pic of you at 15. :)

We have The Natural Cafe down here too. I love the portabello mushroom sandwich (hold the cheese). Mmmm...might have to head over there this weekend now.

Thanks for that great post. It really brightened up my morning.

Marathon Someday said...

I was missing you a lot, and then you came back with a vengeance, lol! What a beautiful post - from such a beautiful person.

Thanks a million for your comment - you are a gorgeous ray of sunshine always, and I heart you for that.

Kati said...

I loved reading your list. A trip up the coast sounds wonderful! I will be stopping in more often from now on...

Have a great weekend! =)

VeganHeartDoc said...

Hi ther Kleo! Not sure I told you, but I'm moving to LA in a month. We must get together sometime :)

Anonymous said...

Kleo,
I love this post what a wonderful way to learn more about you. You're truly a fabulous person. I love the pictures.

bazu said...

Good to have you back, Ms. K!!! I missed you , and am so glad that you're all recovered from your cold and that you had such a nice trip. I loved reading your list, you are such a thoughtful and compassionate person. I totally hear you about seeing the cows- sometimes, when I see cows on a pasture, I get overcome with grief. And yes, I think my dad thinks I need a lobotomy, too! That picture of you at 15 is *priceless*.

Mark Xander said...

Hi, Karen. Actually, I still feel terrible about the tragic passing of my dog Lara. I miss my little girl. Lara was the sweetest dog in the world. I don't understand why animals die so senselessly sometimes. I take care of her puppies very well. My mom and I help each other out bottlefeeding them every two hours. We use human infant formula on them.

They are Lara's legacy.

Anonymous said...

It is nice to see you again Kleo! Lovely post and a lovely list of things that makes me know more about you!

Lori said...

Thanks for sharing that! Great post. You are my kind o' folk.

Thanks for you beautiful words on my blog.

Love ya and we never met!

xo
Lori

Dan said...

Wow! This is, like, an epic post! Filled with fun and happy thoughts! I'm smiling ear to ear.

Anonymous said...

How fun Kleo! I love love loved this post. You are such a kind and caring person. Very sensitive to the world around you. As a matter of fact, I'm going to go back and read it again.

I get so reminiscent when I see words like Pismo Beach or Morro Bay (you know I graduated from Morro Bay High School). I lived on the central coast for 12 years when I was growing up. It's a great place. My parents still live there and I was fortunate to spend some time with them during my last visit to SLO town.

danucal said...

Wow, this is such a cool blog.. You're right, it does feel like home! I love that your posts are so warm and friendly that I feel like I'm having a conversation with you when I'm reading them. I'll definitely be coming back! :)

Anonymous said...

you know what? I think I will do it. not just now, but I'm copying and pasting it and will fill it out sometime today. you're a bad influence! just kidding...<3

Anonymous said...

Back to see your wonderful warm images.

Anonymous said...

Hey there! I replied to your comment s on my blog! Cute picture, btw!
HARMONIA

Rage And Love said...

I love your post! Everything is so...beautiful!

Carrie™ said...

simonsays9Where the heck have I been? You posted this Wednesday & I'm only reading it now. Well some of it. Got the rest in your e-mail. THANK YOU!! This is an AWESOMELY TERRIFIC post. Mattie IS famous and you & Peter are so cute. So is your Dad. A big hug to him! (And to your mom. And to you, Peter & Mattie too!) Jim says Hello!!

Sheree' said...

Hi, Love this post. You are a wonderful person. You thoughts came through so nicely. Arn't memories wonderful?

Your pictures are wonderful. Looks like so much fun!

Scott McMurtrey said...

hey thanks for stopping by. i'm glad you have a great running buddy too. they're so perfect, aren't they? i have seen invincible (liked it) and will now have to put fluke on the list, so thanks for the recommendation.

love the photos!

Vicki's Vegan Vice said...

btw: That photo of you & Peter really should be framed. Thanks for the postcard - made my day!

Anonymous said...

Hi Beautiful Kleo !
That was SO enjoyable to read ! I feel I know a lot more about you.
And I relate so much to what you answered <3

Hope you are well ! Hugs <3

Tanya Kristine said...

i went to the vegan fair for you missy.

Candi said...

I read this on your email, but loved reading it again and with the adorable photos!! You are so beautiful in every way. I love reading about you and you can feel your personality in all your posts and photos. You are fun to be around!!

Randi said...

Great post Kleo. Btw. is Peter your boyfriend???