October 17, 2005

stay hydrated

danzas.jpg
Tony and the Danzas, Canon Digital Rebel

After a couple of hard days last week I went to bed with one tiny request. I wished for a dream that would give me clarity and hope. And if it wasn't too much to ask, maybe even some advice about how to keep on keepin' on during those days when you feel like you just can't.

In my dream, I was on the "island" (like in that show Lost that I am clearly watching too much of. Lots of hotties stranded on an island after a plane crash) and the advice given to me was, "If you want to survive on the island, all you have to do is drink your water and have lots of fun."

I woke up in the most wonderful mood. Drink your water and have lots of fun. Could it be that simple?

So I tried it out this weekend. I stayed hydrated and danced my ass off at my dear friend Sasha's birthday party {she threw the best party ever} My husband Matt and our friends Camie, Eric, John and Paul rehearsed for months to perform at her party. {see above photo}

It was good. I had fun. I stayed hydrated. And maybe this is the best advice I've gotten in a long time.

party_rafael_michael.jpg
Rafael, Michael and party people, Canon Digital Rebel

I also did something really fun and silly that I would add to my list of advice for surviving on the island.

1. Have your friends shake their head from side to side with their lips really loose.
2. Photograph them with a flash
3. Laugh at the hilarious results.

flappin_mark.jpg
the brilliant Mark, Canon Digital Rebel

More here!

Posted on October 17, 2005 11:18 AM
Comments

Silly is good...silly is veeerrrrry good!

Posted by: Jennifer at October 19, 2005 10:22 AM

I love the pictures and the message! Guzzle and smile baby!

Posted by: Vivienne at October 19, 2005 09:26 AM

:) Ah, yes -- sometimes it's the simplest words that make the biggest difference!

Posted by: Carrie at October 19, 2005 08:35 AM

Mmmm..Andrea...your dream was good. I remember after all my years of infertility and finally resovling it through adoption a good friend started going through the experience. and there is nothing you can do or say that will make it any easier. but one reference i thought of made her laugh and made her feel a little better.
I told her it was like watching her in the shallow end of a pool...arms flailing frantically like she was drowning. falling under the water and bringing her ahead above for a quick frantic breath only to fall back under. And I wanted to say to her...relax...put your feet down. you are on solid ground....you are in the shallow end...you are not going under...just put your feet down.
I look back at my life during infertility and i know that the experience itself was hell...but it also made me try new things creatively to get my mind "off of it" I took kayak lessons once because I wanted to experience that fear of flipping in a kayak and having to rely on myself to flip back over. I became a braver person through the whole thing. I know we do now know each other but I've commented once or twice before. But hang on my friend....and know in the end....you will be a mother...one way or another...you are a wonderful mother now, to your friends, your husband, and your creative endeavors....

Posted by: carie at October 19, 2005 08:33 AM

I had a good chuckle to myself over this post late yesterday, while sitting in the line at the dump. All week I had suffered with a migrane headache and all that goes with that, until I realized I had been consuming large amounts of coffee all week, trying to get my new web site done & that was stressing me out.Then it dawned on me I needed to drink water (lack of water =headache) and let myself have fun with the new site instead of stressing out. That's when I thought of this post Drink your water and have lots of fun -and just had to laugh, it's good advice!

Posted by: Lori at October 19, 2005 05:42 AM

I was giggling on the way in to work this morning with my carpool buddies... over Tony and the Danzas.

We postulated that perhaps in 20 years time there will be a band called...

Matt and Le Blancs.

{Tony and Matt kinda live in the same kinda character.}

:)

Posted by: Leonie at October 18, 2005 04:16 PM

These photos remind me very much of some of Nan Goldin's work - particularly the first, with its haunting, otherworldly lighting...

You have such a magical eye, Andrea!!

Thanks for sharing it with us.

Posted by: Julie Wong at October 18, 2005 12:35 PM

Andrea,

I love this!

I am going to practice waking up, staying hydrated, and having lots of fun. Nothing more, making it that simple. I'll let you know how the rest of my week turns out.

Love the face pics, the orange pics are still my favorite but these have for sure been added to my list. What a blast!

Tell Shasha she looks like a freakin rock star! I love her look that night.

Jenn

Posted by: Jenn at October 18, 2005 12:10 PM

Oh man, how fun is that!! (And by the way, I heard the song Dancing Queen on the radio the other day myself and thought it would be a fun costume for a party...)

Posted by: Jennifer at October 18, 2005 12:06 PM

ode to your advice...

i have a 1.5 liter bottle of Fiji water on my desk and i listened to "Dancing Queen" on the way to work this morning (on repeat).

hydration and fun.

thank you, andrea...for being lovely YOU.

Posted by: Bohemiangirl at October 18, 2005 10:19 AM

"Do a little dance
Make a little love
Get down tonight."

All the advice we need sometimes.

:)

Posted by: Leonie at October 17, 2005 05:13 PM

Asked what the secret to compassion was, the man whose worldly name is Tenzin Gyatso looked at the container he was sipping from and said: "Water. And sleep."

Even the Dalai Lama agrees. Hydration is good.

Keep listening to your dreams!

Posted by: Court at October 17, 2005 04:55 PM

thanks for the pictures -- they made us laugh.

it is so hard to just let things go and live our lives happily when we have wants and needs and expectations -
I am in the complete opposite end of the world from you and yet I know exactly of the feelings that you write about.

Posted by: blackbird at October 17, 2005 04:48 PM

Fun!
I laughed when I read your remark about possibly watching a bit too much a a certain show. I used to take the Sopranos to bed with me at night when it was still on HBO...

Posted by: kristine at October 17, 2005 03:40 PM

Could it really be this simple? Hhmmm...

Posted by: LB at October 17, 2005 03:07 PM

wanted to recommend this book about developing in Intuition. The book is sort of medically based but informative non the less.

I find that if I ask myself questions just as i'm waking up in that sleepy time that I get alot of answers then. sometimes I repeat them while in the tub underwater [to be specific] and the gentleness of waking up in that state--in the water is very inspiring. long walks without music can lead to great clarity as well.

I think intuition leads to inspiration many times. may you be inspired. :)
r.s.

Posted by: rsilva at October 17, 2005 02:54 PM

hee. The flappy pictures kind of look like those Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Books...

-p

Posted by: penelope at October 17, 2005 02:11 PM

Funny!! Thanks for making me laugh.

Posted by: Heather at October 17, 2005 02:08 PM

what fabulous advice!

Posted by: Jillian at October 17, 2005 01:24 PM