It’s my BIRTHDAY MONTH and I’m going to celebrate! 🎉

I’m celebrating a BIG milestone birthday this month. I’m not 60; I’m 18 with 42 years of experience!!! hahaha.  My HH still says I’m 19.

Age is only a number, and mine is undeterminable at any given time or place.

I’ve compiled 60 things that I’m grateful for as I begin my sixtieth year.

  1. My Mark Schnitzer !!
  2. My Grandma & Nana & parents
  3. My Emily
  4. My Tara
  5. My love of sports
  6. Learning to cook
  7. My education (Greenhill, W.T.White, Texas A&M, Landmark Education) 
  8. My BFFSTG
  9. My FRAMILY (friends I consider my family)
  10. My Julies
  11. My health
  12. Coffee
  13. Knowing Michele, Kathie, Lori, Zuzu, & Grandon
  14. Nail polish
  15. Living in five (5) US states and two (2) foreign countries
  16. Floating on the Dead Sea
  17. Sushi
  18. Taking a Beekeeping class
  19. Sunshine
  20. Beaches
  21. Scuba diving (earned my Master Scuba Certification)
  22. My sense of humor
  23. Being a Finalist in the National American Teen pageant
  24. Winning a Bronze medal in the Regionals of National Aerobics Championship 
  25. Dancing at half-time on the field of a pro indoor soccer game 
  26. Power hang-gliding over the ocean on Oahu
  27. Kite-surfing in the Arabian Gulf
  28. Surfing on Oahu
  29. Stand up paddleboarding (in Honolulu & Abu Dhabi)
  30. Repelling (because I learned I don’t like it!)
  31. My love of travel
  32. Hiking 140 km in the Arabian desert
  33. Hiking 80 km in Jordan
  34. Hiking in Alaska
  35. White water rapids in Alaska
  36. The many cruises I’ve taken
  37. Gluten-Free food & beer
  38. Traveling in a private plane (twice)
  39. Going up in the Good Year Blimp (twice)
  40. Riding in an armored car with police escort
  41. Swimming with a dolphin named Spot in Grand Cayman
  42. Meeting Two Ambassadors and Deputy Ambassador of USA
  43. Meeting Ambassador of Japan & his wife and having dinner at their home (twice)
  44. Meeting the Ambassadors of Italy & Egypt
  45. Scuba diving in a shark tank, surrounded by ~30 HUGE sharks (HI)
  46. Social media, so I can stay connected and reconnected with friends
  47. Writing my FUN blog consistently since 2011
  48. Writing for an international website (I am a triangle)
  49. Being a “yes” to new things, new foods, new places to live
  50. My language skills
  51. My bicycle
  52. Getting invited
  53. Irises
  54. My mobile phone (it’s purple)
  55. Writing a monthly column for the Abu Dhabi Tempo magazine 
  56. Living in some fabulous apartments (Moana Pacific, Al Sahel, Vision, N. 2nd Street, 1505 Elm)
  57. My independence and adventurous spirit to explore new places
  58. My love of reading
  59. Making new friends in the new cities where we live
  60. And another year here on Earth

I know my life will only get BETTER & BETTER. I’m living a dream and a wish now, and my dreams and wishes always come true!

Night of our first dance, first kiss; day after I threw a penny in a fountain and wished for him to ask me to marry him. 1977

I’ve learned and experienced SO MUCH since I turned 50, whilst living in Honolulu, HI. During that time I learned to surf, I helped make lunches for our daughters’ school, I made life-lasting friends, I participated in a meaningful and beautiful memorial service at sea, and I went scuba diving in a shark tank, surrounded by ~30 huge sharks.

During the past 10 years, I’ve moved three more times, made life-lasting friends, experienced love, loss, and changes in livelihood. I’ve zip-lined in Abu Dhabi and St. Louis, I saw the breeding place of the Budweiser Clydesdales, I’ve lived in a historic home, and I thrived through a worldwide pandemic and lock-down.

Today, as the month begins, I’m grateful beyond measure. I seek only good things and great people to share my FUN life with. I challenge you to do the same. Life IS better with extraordinary friends and my Mark, Emily, and Tara.

Stay well. Stay curious. Stay connected. Have FUN every single day!!

Aloha🌺,

Denise