Thirty

I am 30 today. Yikes.

Kyle sent me the most amazing bouquet of orchids I have ever seen. I cannot even count all the buds. Tonight we are heading to the Shangri-La for dinner and a night away. Hoyer will stay at home with our sweet helper. I am really looking forward to checking in early and checking out late. Here is the link if you want to have a peak at the luxury I will be experiencing!






So turning 30 is not as scary as I had always imagined. Maybe it is because I am so happy with my life and the way things have turned out over the last 30 years.





A letter to my younger self:

Dear Kathleen,

You will be blessed more than you can imagine. God is good. You have an amazing life ahead of you, here are some tips on how to enjoy it. Study hard and make good grades, this will not only keep you out of trouble, it will make your parents happy, try to keep your parents happy. You are smarter than you think. The friends you have now will be in your wedding. Yes, you will get married.
You will experience disappointment and heartache but all of that will make triumph sweeter. Believe in yourself, your gut has never let you down. Stand firm in your beliefs and stand up for what you think is right. People will talk about you. No one will forget your character and strength; stay strong. Boys will come and boys will go, Mom is right about them all. Think before you speak. Think before you eat.
Don't pull out gray hairs, it is a loosing battle. Do not get bangs, no matter who says they will look good on you, they don't. Learn to travel light, it will come in handy. Write. Read. Spend time with family. Use the Spanish you will learn. Save your money, you will need it. Always wear your seatbelt and go-ahead and apologize now for your driving record. Stay in school as long as possible. Live in New York at some point. Follow your dreams. Seriously, follow them. Follow God.
Travel as much as possible. Be open to new ideas, cultures, people, food and places. Give to those who are needy. Try new things. One day you will be scared of heights, so enjoy the high dive and roller coasters now. Stay away from wine in a box and blue cheese.
Cut your toenails straight across. Don't pierce anything, especially your tongue, it will hurt and you will be punished. Throw your birth plan out the window, nothing will happen as expected, except you will get a beautiful, healthy baby and it will all be worth it. Don't smoke. Do not video yourself doing anything stupid or incriminating. It can all come back one day with a little invention called the Internet. Exercise. You don't need braces. You are pretty. You will live all over the world and have an amazing career, and family. You can't do it all, but you come close. Don't drink and drive.
Enjoy sleeping late now. Pick a good email address, it will be with you for a few years. Don't try to dye your hair blonde from a bottle, it won't work. Believe in Santa, you will get more gifts! Always carry a little cash. You will have a good rush and will love your sorority. Memorize peoples phone numbers. Mom and Dad know what you're up to, FYI. Practice yoga. Write down passwords. Don't over pluck. There will not be a pill for everything by the time you are 30. What's done is done. Be nice and enjoy life. Do not worry, cause everything always seems to work out.

Letters from other people can be found at www.letterstomyyoungerself.com

What would you tell your younger self?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Getting there is half the fun!

We recently took a trip to the Big Buddha and getting there was quite a journey. We took cable cars all the way to the very top-but then still had to climb 268 stairs reach the Buddha. Here is a little history:


The statue is named Tian Tan Buddha because its base is a model of the Altar of Heaven or Earthly Mount of Tian Tan, the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. It is one of the five large Buddha statues in China. The Buddha statue sits on a lotus throne on top of a three-platform altar. It is surrounded by six smaller bronze statues known as "The Offering of the Six Devas" and are posed offering flowers, incense, lamp, ointment, fruit, and music to the Buddha. These offerings symbolize charity, morality, patience, zeal, meditation, and wisdom, all of which are necessary to enter into nirvana.^[1]
The Buddha is 34 metres (112 ft) tall, weighs 250 metric tons (280 short tons), and was the world's tallest outdoor bronze seated Buddha prior to 2007.^[2] It reputedly can even be seen from as far away as Macau on a clear day. Visitors have to climb 268 steps in order to reach the Buddha, though the site also features a small winding road to the Buddha for vehicles to accommodate the handicapped.

The Tian Tan Buddha appears serene and dignified. His right hand is raised, representing the removal of affliction.The Buddha's left hand rests on his lap in a gesture of giving dhana. The Buddha faces north, which is unique among the great Buddha statues, as all others face south.
In addition, there are 3 floors beneath the Buddha statue: The Hall of Universe, The Hall of Benevolent Merit, and The Hall of Remembrance. One of the most renowned features inside is a relic of Gautama Buddha, consisting of some of his alleged cremated remains. Only those visitors who purchase an offering at the Buddah are allowed to see the relic, in order to leave the offering there. There is a huge carved bell inscribed with images of Buddhas in the show room. It was designed to ring every seven minutes, 108 times a day, symbolising the release of 108 kinds of human vexations.

The Tian Tan Buddha was constructed beginning in 1990, and was finished on December 29, 1993, the birthday of Gautama Buddha, the historic Buddha. The statue was formed out of 202 separate pieces of bronze. In addition to the exterior components, there is a strong steel framework inside the statue to support the heavy load and wind pressure. The construction costs of the giant Buddha were estimated to be up to $68 million.

Disneyland Hong Kong