China

Turns out I am invited to travel along on a business trip to China in 2 weeks!  Yes, unless it falls apart for other reasons, I have 2 weeks to plan, get a visa, anddddddd host 18 for Thanksgiving the weekend I leave! EEK!

The issue is that I will have to travel on my own for a good portion of this or not see all that I want to see while there!  I choose the first option and will have to do a lot of research on how to do that safely!  Stay in safe places and take tours instead of doing things on my own I think.

Beijing, Xian are really my top 2. I havent been in Hong Kong since it was part of the UK... so I would love to go there.  Tibit and the Sichuan areas would be sooooooo cool (and ironically probably literally so in Dec! lol).  Tripadvisor.com here I come!  I need cheap air carriers (do they have the equivalent of Ryan Air or Easy Jet?)  Better to fly into HK or Beijing? All sorts of decisions to make! =] Not that I am complaining!

New Iphone 5S in,Old Iphone 4 Unlocked!

For traveling internationally, having an unlocked phone is priceless! I just upgraded to the Iphone 5S and was told that ATT will unlock phones that have completed their contract with them for free!
In the USA you call 1800-335-4685.  Speak with a human and they will look up your account to see if you meet the criteria.  They help you find your IMEI #, (its under General in Settings) text you a web address and have you process it there.  I instantly got an email back giving me directions (see below).  Here is the important thing. I had a Iphone 4 and didnt want to do the ISO7 update which would make my phone really really slow but upon trying to 'restore' as directed, it makes you do both. I didnt restore and it turns out my phone is unlocked anyway!!!!!  Found this site to verify the status for free http://www.wikihow.com/Check-if-Your-iPhone-Is-Unlocked.  Not traveling for 2 weeks but I will try it out then and give you an update!!

Sent: Thursday, November 14, 2013 8:14 AM
Subject: ATT MOBILE DEVICE UNLOCK REQUEST RECEIVED

Request number: 639487

Thank you for contacting AT&T Customer Care about unlocking your AT&T Mobile device.

We have reviewed your request and confirmed that the device may be unlocked.

Please allow 24 hours upon receipt of this notification to complete the unlock process.

To complete the unlock, simply

1. Open iTunes on your Mac or PC and verify that you have Internet connectivity.

2. Ensure a SIM card is inserted into your iPhone.

3. Connect your iPhone using the dock connector to USB cable that came with your iPhone.

4. Backup and restore your iPhone using iTunes. For information on backup and restore, please visit http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1414.

5. After restoring, your iPhone will be unlocked.

Additional information on unlocking can be found at http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3198

For questions regarding AT&T Mobile device, please visit the Phone/Device Learning Center.

Thank you for your business. For other questions about our AT&T wireless service or other Mobile devices, please visit att.com.

Sincerely, 
AT&T Customer Care Team 

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Day 360

5 days down and I am moving in a forward direction!

I have started venturing out on a new business idea.  I am looking into doing travel consultancy (well, we will see where it goes...)I have a lead for a job planning a 2 week trip for 22 to Ireland!  I am planning a girls weekend away in March and I am planning my own trip to take European delivery of a car next spring!
I really enjoy the research part of all of it as much as the trips themselves! Just have to figure out how to bill for my time and energies.  I dont want to be a travel agent, more a consultant.  You tell me what interests you and I can fine tune a trip to meet your needs.  Whether its for a detail loving connoisseur, the adventurer, off the beaten trail trip or someone wanting to see the highlights of various things. Sounds like fun!

Ok so this fall.. Italian, Spanish and Psychology classes and exploring moving from the marketing arena into travel consulting!  It may not all pan out but at least I am moving forward! Cheers!

As for this weekend... after 2 weeks of streaming 3 full seasons of episodes to get ready, Saturday nights Downton Abby themed progressive dinner party was a ton of fun.  ( I paid for it dearly on Sunday!  I really have to remember to eat before a long evening of partying!) The costumes were wonderful and it drew quite a crowd of people! =]

No One Remembers the Nights they had Plenty of Sleep...

So Im all one for birthday celebrating, but this partying 4 nights in a row is killing me! lol I am supposed to be going out to dinner with a group of friends tonight and I am so tired I will likely be lousy company! lol That or drink way too much to get the juices going... which will mean I will feel much the same as I do right now, tomorrow in time for my big party tomorrow =/  Just wondering is 1/2 a 5 hour energy drink 2.5 hours of alertness? lol I am giving it a go... after all... as the saying goes...

How true it is!

Beginning the Kick Ass Year

I had a lovely day yesterday.  I can honestly say it is because I decided to be happy.  It wasnt really special... I did get coffee in the morning and flowers from my spouse, that was nice. I spent the day working on the computer, cleaning the kitchen and going to classes.  I had a lovely evening celebrating with friends at a swanky local bar.  Some fun little gifts and a lot of laughs.  Really nice way to spend my birthday.  All of my kids remembered to call and my 'father', surprisingly even sent an email with no subject... just the words 'Happy Birthday' in the message.  Thats a bit of a long complicated story that will have to hold for another day... but I didn't let it bother me, I just sent back a 'TY =] ' and let it go.

I am hoping that this blog will be an outlet for me.  A place to recount my successes and challenges this year.  Where I can keep myself focused on the task of being the best version of myself by my next birthday... its a whopper of a birthday and I want to face it standing up strong and tall... not worried that I dont look the best or that I havent discovered what I want to be when I grow up!  I want to spend this year figuring out whats next!  I have had a wild ride in life.  It started off bumpy but through determination I have met or exceeded most of my goals in life.  I need to set new ones now for the next chapter.  There have been manyyyyy mistakes made along the way, but if I am honest, they were some of the most eye opening things I ever did.  Sometimes when we fall from grace it gives us the reason to reflect and redirect.  Again its all about choosing to see it that way.  They werent failures, they were awakenings!

I leave you with this link... Mark Twain apparently had these suggestions.  None earth shattering but all sound advice for us to remember and embrace. Happy Thursday! =]  I wanted to post something about positive thinking and choosing to be happy... but couldnt find it and I have to be on the road in 30 mins! lol sooooo this is what ya get! =p x

Mark Twains-Top-9-Tips-Living-Kick-Ass-Life

Happy Birthday to Me

Happy Birthday!

Fire department is on alert for this evening when I light my candles.  I expected it to really affect me this year since its the 'one before the biggie'!  I suppose each decade has a biggie...  I really hated my 30's so 40 was actually a welcome change.  My 40's saw the loss of way too many loved ones but also a lot of personal growth and self awareness. Some for good reasons, some for bad.

I am, for the first time in 20 years, an empty nester again.  I gave up having a career so I could stay at home with the kids (20, 19 & 19... yes twins).  All 3 of my cherubs are at university and I am left to reinvent myself.  Decide what it is I want to do when I grow up.  All the while, keeping my family happy and spouse from worrying that I have lost the plot (as I have done in the past lol).

I will probably edit this later, but wanted to be sure to start a new blog on the first day of my self proclaimed year of transition.  I have been "39 again" for a lot of years now, it might be the time to bite the bullet and declare myself, a more realistic, 40.  Whatcha think? =p  Ok whos fooling who? I will be 39 until I defo cant pass for it then I am going right to 80!  80 so that people gasp when I tell them how old I am and say OMG you dont look a day over *cough* 40!

Happy Birthday to me! =]