Birthday Week Kick-Off: Weekend Mash-Up

Happy Monday, my friends. I am aiming to post a bit more than usual this week because Friday is my birthday and I have been in a great mood… regardless of this Bonnaroo cold I caught!

I am that girl who celebrates seven days before the clock strikes midnight on her day of birth, and when the exact time (1:28 a.m.) comes, I am usually up toasting to my existence. I used to do this because I was simply excited about birthdays; the party that came with celebrating M-E. 

Now, I toast for a less self-indulgent reason; a congratulatory glass of champagne at the marker of one more year for the record books… a journey into the ongoing discovery of self. A long while it has taken for me to accept all the things in my life; the hardships, who I am, and what my mission here on earth entails. So celebrating a week in advance for making it through another calendar on this beautiful planet and having grown wiser- for the most part- is totally acceptable in my book. 

On that note, I want to start out light and sweet. I call it: the Weekend Mash-Up! Stay tuned until the end (or you can skip right to it), because I have a question that you may have the answer to!

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Friday I ventured to New York City for some business I had to take care of regarding my stint on Spike TV’S Ink Master. I cannot discuss anything at all, but I can say that I will be making my first television appearance ever in the near future.

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The city was beautiful. The sun was warm and the breeze was flowing; smelling of street meat, cab exhaust and all the various pieces of eclectic culture that make NYC what it is. My friend Chris came along for the journey via train to Midtown East. We stopped for a fajita lunch at Tequilaville on Vanderbilt and 42nd Street, adjacent to Grand Central and took in all the bustle and busyness of the city with open arms. I guess you can say we were both suffering from severe suburb-fluenza. If you have not been to the city, plan your trip now. I recommend autumn as the best time of the year to visit.

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Saturday I took care of those things called errands and responsibilities before I went up to spend time with the boys. I talked them (minus Alex) into doing a “melty-crayon thing” that I discovered on a young girl’s Tumblr blog. Upon further research, I found that it was a popular arts and crafts project.

You will need:

  • A foam posterboard (white or black)
  • At least a 64-pack of crayons
  • A glue gun (with no less than 2 sticks of glue)
  • A hair dryer
Line the crayons up with the “Crayola” showing (it just looks prettier and more uniform.) I suppose you could take the label off, but that seems awfully tedious. Once the crayons are lined up in the color order you prefer, glue a line down the backside and stick it on with the point facing the bottom of the posterboard. Once you are done gluing, simply take the hairdryer and turn that sucker on high. Watch the wax melt! My friends just let theirs drip straight down but I started to mesh the colors together by holding the hairdryer sideways and heating the crayon that had already melted. So mine looks a bit more watercolor-esque. Enjoy!
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Sunday was Father’s Day and I spent the afternoon with my family; eating, drinking wine and remaniscing. I have the best childhood to look back on, and I love when my older sister, Christina (Tina), is over to help me fill in the blanks.

Playing Auntie Sarah. Go ahead and cop the new ‘do, I’ll allow it.

I bought my dad a fantastic little birdhouse with two suets. He is totally into birds. In his defense, he is: a.) a dad and b.) we have a great variety of birds in our neighborbood, (Orioles, woodpeckers, finches, etc.). Thanks for the bird-ducation daddy-o!
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After the frenzy of family had ended, I parked my behind in front of the computer to attempt a finish at my latest Gathering of the Vibes article. I am working on an piece on organ donation.
*Gathering of the Vibes is a music and arts festival that honors the music of the Grateful Dead with four days of tunes and fun, and while be taking place in my hometown of Bridgeport, Connecticut, again this year.
Former Grateful Dead bassist, Phil Lesh (Furthur, Phil Lesh & Friends) received a liver transplant in 1998 due to a severe Hepatitis C infection which resulted in his involvement in many organ donor organizations, including his own: The Unbroken Chain Foundation.  Lesh gave a lecture about it at a past Vibes festival, and now I am taking on the responsibilty of covering a similar story, bringing awareness to a local fire department who is helping with organ donors in participation with organizations such as Donate Life.
The article is geared around the sacrifice and courage of those willing to donate, and the bravery and patience of those in need of a transplant.
If you or someone you know is a donor, or has received a transplant, and want to be part of an article that will be read by thousands in good light, please e-mail me at sarahmastroni@yahoo.com and let me know if you would be willing to tell your story briefly.
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What did you do this weekend?

What should I do to celebrate my birthday on Friday? I typically do a Japanese hibachi dinner and drinks, but I am thinking it is time for something new this year. 

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Happy Father’s Day, to my wonderful dad!

Category : Life
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