LAUNCHED MY WEBSITE

JUST LAUNCHED MY WEBSITE: http://www.ibisdelmar.com/

I'd love for you to CHECK IT OUT!!

Faith, Hope, & Love,

Ibis Del Mar

So excited to launch http://ibisdelmar.com/

Please HELP HAITI!

REAL WORLD DC Ep.4 Recap

Hey guys!! Been working on a fun project with Steve Kraukauer for all of you REALITY TV Junkies!!!

CHECK IT OUT!!!

If you missed our REAL WORLD DC Episode 4 RECAP this morning you can always check it out at... We discussed Andrew's lame attempt at hooking-up, Mike's Bisexuality, among other things!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mediaite/2010/01/21/real-world-dc-mediaite-recap

GOD Must Be a GATOR!

(DISCLAIMER: BLOGS REFLECT MY PERSONAL VIEWS & IDEAS SO KEEP THAT IN MIND

As we near the upcoming 2009 Gator Football season I find myself getting more and more excited at the thought of seeing our guys back on that field. As I chatted with some friends, fellow Gator Alumni, we began to reminisce on our days at Florida. Granted, this conversation isn’t out of the ordinary for us but for some reason, this particular time I was moved to put some thoughts toge

ther regarding my experience at Florida and share it with you guys. If you’re a fellow Gator I think you will be able to relate to many of the things I will touch on and if you’re not, feel free to use my trajectory and apply it to your college experience as it may still apply. Here it goes:

Preview Weekend:

As mere high school seniors we anxiously arrive for a weekend at UF that basically consists of choosing classes for the upcoming semester and meeting a vast group of people from all over Florida. Girls dress to the nine and guys gawking at the potentials. Our parents are stressed out half the time asking questions and making sure everything gets done before we have to leave but nothing puts them on edge more than the infamous “Date Rape/Campus Theft” presentation we all have to attend at the Reitz Union. Of course, as soon-to-be college students we take everything as borderline urban myths (no pun intended) and spend the rest of thetime reassuring our mothers that “they [UF Preview Staff] have to say those things” and that “everything will be ok”.  The weekend comes to a closing. We drive back to finish off our Senior year while taking any chance possible to tell someone we are “going to Florida in the fall” or somehow show off one of the million Gator knickknacks we picked up at the Florida Bookstore.

Summer B: This one applies to those of us who were brilliant enough to sign up for this term. It begins the last week in June and runs for six heavenly weeks. We (and everyone else moving in) make a necessary run to Target (on Archer) and Wal-Mart to purchase plastic bins in every size available, extra-long fitted sheets, easy-to-make microwaveable foods, and sch

ool supplies among other things. We excitedly show up to what will be our home for the summer, meet our resident R.A.’s, roommates, and neighbors, and unpack as quickly as possible so we can get about or way. Here comes the popular “Wave our parents goodbye scene”. Although deep down we may be .0001 scared about what college will be like, it is completely overshadowed by our ecstatic state of happiness that we will officially be on our own the moment they drive off. Mom’s get teary-eyed, dads give us that “I wish I was still 18 look,” and our siblings say something to the effect of, “don’t f**k up”. They leave. You take a deep breath. The FIRST day of the rest of your life as a GATOR begins!

Everyone takes classes such as “Insects” or “Wildlife Issues” pretending it’s legit. Let’s be real we all know Summer B is NOT about classes but rather, our social calendar. We befriend people from our floors and build a group that becomes our family away from home. Of course, the freshmen dorms are covered with flyers to parties downtown (i.e. Sky Nightclub circa 2002) that basically promise to make your dreams come true. Fake ID’s are in abundance, and clothes are scarce (for the ladies).  Most experience the first hangover that prohibits one from attending classes and while hanging our head over the toilet we try to strike deals with God promising that we'll never do this again if he just lets us feel better. (P.S. I’m sure God knew better than to trust our promises in those instances). Most of this summer is partially a blur but what we do remember is that it was the BEST summer of our lives.

Freshman Year Fall: Some will argue that Freshmen fall is the BEST one out of the the four (or 5 for many) but although it closely resembles sublime, I still hold that Senior year fall blows the rest out of the water (but we will get to that in a bit. Anyway, for some, myself included, the beginning of fall is filled with sorority/fraternity rush. (i.e. Running of the bulls at Norman field, coffee filters, frat row, etc) which could be an entire different blog so I’ll keep this one more general…. 

Other freshmen year fall firsts include: University Avenue bars (Swamp, Purple Porpoise, Cluck-U, etc.), MAC1147 (the only college course I dropped), Turlington flyering around the 12:50pm class change, the Hub, Later Gator, roommate issues, declaring a major, changing your major, Broward dinning, Broward pool, mixing HS friends with new friends, Pizza by the Slice, SNAP, The Alligator, Campus Outfitters, Walk of shame, the Turkey drop (when everyone breaks up with their High School bf/gf’s right around Thanksgiving time), Gator Growl, Family Weekends, and last BUT MOST IMPORTANT (and the main reason for this blog) GATOR FOOTBALL!!!

(NOTE: I could literally write for hours about this so I am going to cover a bit so we can all get the idea) Let me paint the picture:

6 o’clock game day. You wake up around 10 a.m. (can’t waste game day hours sleeping), shake off last night’s hangover with UF’s finest Gatorade (Sidenote: Not only are we awesome but what other school can claim that they have the all-time best remedy for hangovers?!?) you walk over to your closet (focusing on your particular game day section where it looks like it threw up orange and blue) and pick out the outfit you will be wearing for the next 16 hours or so. You slip on your rainbows, smack the Gator sticker on your face among a dozen other accessories, and head out the door. As you approach 13th and University with your 20 or so closest friends you get more and more psyched. A sea of generations of Gators  tailgating in every corner.

Dogs dressed up in Gator costumes chewing on the opposing team’smascot, babies wearing cheerleading uniforms/football jerseys, senior citizens suited up from head to toe in their vintage Gator gear, among many scenarios.

You can almost taste the delicious burgers being grilled in the back of Gator-themed RV’s. While walking you catch all the pre-game shows on the plasmas tailgaters have somehow setup in what appears to be practically an outdoor living space. Gator songs resonate throughout the commotion as you clasp your hands in your best Gator Chomp.

You happily tailgate for the next 7-8 hours anticipating kick off. About an hour before game time you begin to see the crowds closing shop and heading (or stumbling) towards “THE SWAMP.” You find your section (sneak in all of your friends who aren’t in your block) and prepare to experience a feeling a GATOR never forgets. The jumpotron begins to play,(see video)

 

chills cover your body as the UF cheerleaders run out waving the beautiful G-A-T-O-R-S flags, screaming inundates the stadium, and our men run out on the field. In truth, WORDS could never do the feeling you get during this moment. If you’ve experienced first hand there is no doubt in my mind that you know exactly what I am talking about. As the game proceeds, you experience a wide range of emotions including happiness, sadness, anxiety, anger, desperation, (Zook seasons in particular) relief, etc. For those 4 hours about 100,000 people become a unit, a family, the best family of all,  the GATOR NATION. Every cheer is extended with immense joy, every scream filled with passion, and every high-five almost leaves a mark. 

As the 3^rd quarter concludes, we all link up and jointly attempt to sing, “We are the boys from old Florida,” a tradition that dates back to the beginning of the 20^th century. Regardless of where you came from, how old you may be, where you are headed, those 4 hours fill your soul with a sense of belonging that you will carry with  you for the rest of your life.

Win or lose, Gator fans take enormous pride in continuing the celebration long after the masses  have emptied the stadium. Despite the final score, Gators will party with equal enthusiasm. Cheers, hugs, laughs, bar brawls, closing tabs, last call, are but a few of the things you will be guaranteed to experience that night. As the night ends, Gators go to sleep already awaiting the upcoming game that will fill another page in the book of memories we take with us.

Now let’s fast forward:

Senior Year: Like I mentioned, I find this to be the most memorable year of all. Mainly because at this point, you’ve already established your group of best friends that have been protagonists in your college life experience and this particular year is about savoring all of your “lasts” as a student at the University of Florida. 

Many of us make it a priority to attend every single game that fall, keg parties now begin at 12pm on weekdays, Swamp Restaurant employees becomes some of our closest personal friends, no more fake ID’s  (and the stress that goes along with it),  laying out by the pool before class becomes a necessity, Sunday dinners /shows with our best friends becomes a tradition, among many other things. In my case, this year became about living every second to it’s fullest potential because immediately following graduation we all knew something would change. Senior year is filled with moments of reflection where you reminisce on your past four years and the personal evolution is impossible to ignore. We came in as enthusiastic wide-eyed kids, and are leaving as fulfilled adults ready to take on the world. 

As the end of our Spring semester nears, a bit of nervousness may rear it’s head. Mainly because Gainesville has been our home for the past 4 (or more) years and come May we will all part ways. Unlike our High School friends, many of us come from various parts of Florida or the states for that matter.

There are no “Thanksgiving/Christmas break” visits back home that guarantees us a reunion. Instead, all we have is the SWAMP. Here, whenever we return we get an opportunity to become that family once more and connect with our GATOR NATION.

Alumni Status: This is where we truly become what I like to refer to as “die-hard- I-bleed-orange-and-blue-GATORS.” Until this point, regardless of how much you thought you appreciated Florida while you attended, you realize you didn’t really KNOOOOW. There is something about walking down a random street far away from Gainesville and noticing a stranger wearing some sort of Gator gear that makes you smile. Whether you share a “Go Gators” or simply go about your way, it’s that moment that sparks your undying pride for the University of Florida. Saturday Game days away from our alma mater are replaced with gatherings at local Alum bars or BBQ’s with our friends. Although we converse about our daily lives, there is a sense of particular unity the moment we speak of the home we share. 

Whether you’re talking with your best friend, sorority sister, Gator Alum that attended 20 years before you did, we all KNOW. We all felt the hot August days, the frigid winter nights, and everything in between. It’s an understanding deeper than we could have ever imagined as those 18-year-old freshmen we once were. It gives you chills every time you see an old game day video, you shed a tear whenever you share a hug after winning long-awaited National Championship games, and fills your heart with PRIDE knowing that no matter when or where you are, you will always be a FLORIDA GATOR!

Can I get a Large Facebook with a Side of Twitter?

(DISCLAIMER: BLOGS REFLECT IBIS DEL MAR'S PERSONAL VIEWS & IDEAS SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.)

First things first, how many social networks are you a part of? Now, how many minutes/hours do you suppose you spend daily checking these? Do you have these networks downloaded onto your phone? I, for one, probably spend way too much of my time checking these networks. The other day I was looking at my Facebook Homepage and clicked into the section where people’s status updates appear. As I quickly scanned down the page, I began to burst out laughing… Why? Because this girl from my High School (whom I hardly spoke to then but now could probably give you a pretty decent synopsis of her life) had updated her status to a severely passive aggressive comment that was obviously directed at her recently status-changed-ex-boyfriend. To clarify, I was not laughing at her situation but instead, at the fact that due to her recent “Relationship Status” change and current “Status Update” I knew exactly what was going on. Mind you, we’ve probably shared a paragraph in real life. As I was jotting down things for this Blog I felt as if everywhere I went the phrases “Facebook me,” “tag me,” “What’s the deal with Twitter?,” “MySpace page” were inescapable. Some of the most common lines I’ve heard or have personally said myself:

1. “I had to get off because I felt like I knew more about people than I needed to”

2. “I just de-activated my account because I started to get creeped out that while I am out at the bar, people’s intro line talked about pictures I recently posted”
3. “Don’t forget to tag me”
4. “Facebook worthy” (in reference to a picture)
5. “My next profile pic” (in reference to a picture)
6. “Did you know that ____________ got engaged? Broke up? Are “officially” together?”

So here’s what I was thinking…Facebook/MySpace/etc. began as a great way to stay in touch with old friends. It’s an easy way to shoot someone a line to see how they are doing and maintain connection. But when did this all change to becoming a replacement for actual interaction, phone calls, cards, etc. 

In my opinion, social networks have become our fast food equivalent for human interaction. More and more, it seems that plans are made over these networks rather than over the phone, or let’s get nutty here, in person. Inboxes are filled with messages instead of our actual mailboxes or voicemails for that matter. “Happy birthday” wall posts have become acceptable signs of remembering a friend’s birthday, etc. I’ve even begun to wonder what people used to do during the day at work pre-social network days (which in itself is ridiculous because we should probably be working, lol). Granted it’s been a process…. Remember when we used to work on our AOL profiles? Clever little things such as, “yes, please” would follow the line where you were supposed to put your sex (male/female). Then we had AIM profiles where it became very cool to put links that led people to pictures and in the meantime, you could see who was looking at your link (I think this is where our borderline-stalking tendencies began, lol). Let’s speed up and move on up to where we find ourselves today…. The age of Facebook (and by Facebook I am basically referring to all the networks but it’s annoying to type all the names time and time again)

Ok so how many of us are like the following??? Half the time we’re on Facebook we browse our best friends’ pages (which is pointless because we spend 99.9% of our time together and there’s probably nothing there we don’t already know). During peak boredom moments (particularly during work/study hours) we peak over to our “Cry for attention” frienemies….I know we ALL have them…. I call it the “Viral Napoleon Complex (VNC)” because it’s as if these networks have become a medium to “publicize our super interesting lives”. I must admit, it’s a guilty pleasure for me because (and I am really working on this because it really isn’t right) I just look at certain pages and literally laugh out loud (not just LOL, but like legit LAUGH). Just from seeing wall posts and statuses you can feeeeel the drama…. It’s like ‘One Life To Live’ gone bad. Let’s be frank, it’s truly like watching a train wreck…. You can’t help but feel guilty but you just gotta look.

Now, there is also the infamous RELATIONSHIP STATUS issues we see day in and day out. Ok, let’s be honest, do you REEEEALLY care if some random person you NEVER speak to changes it to “in a relationship”?← which in itself is funny. How many times do you hear people talk about “so & so” being to-

gether and half the time they’re being talked about, the comments are negative? Why do we put ourselves out there like that? Granted, I understand the whole “let’s run to the roof tops and scream that we’re so in love” but really? (And, I too, have been guilty of this so bare with me). I like to think that we are wise enough to know that aside from those that truly care for us, there is a lot of negative energy floating around out there and since misery loves company, by exposing your life like this you become just another bird to knock down with huge rocks. Whether it’s a conversation about how “cheesy” you and your significant other are or regarding “everything you don’t know about your significant other but everyone else does” it’s all pretty dark stuff. Even worse, how many of you have been the actual person involved in a difficult break-up and Facebook becomes what I like to call a “gift from the Devil”? Let me explain, (and I’ve discussed this with both men and women so just go with it) at first during the initial part of the break-up, Facebook is okay because it allows you to “keep in touch” and be civil (at least that’s what you tell yourself). Then, one person in the relationship is (or at least pretending to) moving on faster than the other and of course, this is very public to the Facebook community…. (SIDENOTE: Let’s be honest, how representative are photos posted on these networks? Because I don’t recall moments of utter sadness when a friend hops over to me and and joyfully says, “this is your new default.” Pictures tend to captivate those sublime moments. Even if someone was just having a screaming fight, for the second that flash is blinding you, a smile appears.) Anyway, once one of the parties in the ex-relationship seems to be having “too” much of a good time, the other either takes him/herself off Facebook (at least for a few days), de-friends the significant other or if you’re really angry, block them. 

Also, there’s the proverbial “I’m-not-on-facebook-but-I-go-on-under-my-friends’-accounts” friend. They are the sneaky ones that know everything about everyone but were smart enough not to actually open up an account and become open to public scrutiny.

Moreover, why do you think  magazines like US Weekly and InTouch fly off the counters?? I can assure you it’s not because of the peace and love stories but instead, the dramatic break-ups, plastic surgeries, feuds, etc. So, is it fair to say that Facebook has become the US Weekly of the average American? Frankly, the networks have almost become a “step-by-step” guide to people’s lives. Twitter, for instance, is the epitome of ridiculousness…. 24/7 status updates. Why in the world do we need to be up to speed on when someone “goes to the bathroom,” “sleeps,” etc? Yet, out of simple boredom, we join. (For the past few days I’ve been without Facebook, I’ve become quite the little tweeter, lol)

Now, I ask you? Where does it stop? When do we say…. Alright, enough is enough. I want to get back to pre-social-media-inundation days.

Next, I will post a few scenarios and I recommend that if you can say “yes” to the majority of these you look into some Facebook Rehab:

DO YOU:
1. Have Facebook/Myspace/Hi5/etc application on your phone?
2. Check your Facebook on your phone while hanging out with friends at a bar/restaurant/date/etc ?

3. Discuss social networks as part of regular conversations?
4. Check Facebook immediately following brushing your teeth in the morning?
5. Use social networks as the only medium to actually remember friends’ birthdays?
6. Go on friends accounts to check people’s profiles that are not in your circle or network?
7. Have E-Mails sent directly to your phone to notify you of everything that’s going on in your account (because notifications aren’t simply enough!)
8. Spend at least ½ of your day of work signed on?
9. Not recall what your life was like before social networks became popular?
10. Have over 50 photo albums?

Finally, I totally understand all of the upsides to this technology but I am just noting that it may be tough these days but I do feel it’s important to maintain close ‘face-to-face’ contact with our friends instead of just using technology. We are lucky enough to HAVE the ability to spend actual time with one another and it’s time we remember to take advantage of that. Let's try to lay off the Facebook/MySpace/Twitter/Hi5. I think that if we consume in moderation I believe we will begin to see great results! =)

One more thing….. Close this Blog and GET BACK TO WORK! Haha jk! ;)

SIDENOTE: Last week I had to designate my best friend, Megz, as my “gatekeeper” prohibiting me from checking the account until I finished some important work for school. I guess I needed an “intervention” in order to stop using Facebook. LOL

Until next time, may you enjoy every day of your life!

Faith, Hope, & Love,

Ibis

Currently Listening to: "Online" by Brad Paisley

LOVE is My Religion

(DISCLAIMER: BLOGS REFLECT IBIS DEL MAR'S PERSONAL VIEWS & IDEAS SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.)
1:03 a.m. As I write this Blog I am trying to contain my emotions because I almost feel like I am in some sort of ‘Twilight Zone’. You see, during the last few months I’ve been faced with a lot of instances where my “religious beliefs” have been questioned and at times even judged. I’ve seen the issue of religion pop up throughout the years in my life and it’s become undoubtedly lucid that part of my process in this lifetime deals with this (at times, controversial) matter.

For those of you reading this Blog who may not know me on a personal level I will give you an idea of where I stand or shall I say, how I look at religion…I was raised Roman Catholic and continue to be extremely grateful for the many things I learned through the church (Love, Community Service, Importance of Family, Compassion, etc.) Throughout the years my religious philosophy has been altered (and this is something I am extremely passionate about). I believe that whether you pray to Jesus, Mary, Buddha, Moses, Allah, etc. it all ultimately leads to the same source. GOD. I see it as just taking parallel routes to get to the same destination. Although the scenery may be different in each route, they are all beautiful in their own way. I believe that it is valuable (if not, necessary) for us to be educated on all faiths and practices in order to further advance our own spiritual development. I hold that by studying faiths outside the one we may already know about we become able to answer questions, rid ourselves of prejudices, clear up misconceptions, and more importantly, break down barriers among one another. Think about it… HOW MANY wars have been fought in the name of religion??? And for what? If there is one thing I know (and feel free to disagree) is that God does not want us to kill one another but rather LOVE and help each other. As Dr. Brian Weiss, M.D. notes, “God’s name, perhaps the ultimate symbol of peace, love and compassion, has been invoked to wage countless wars, murders, and genocide” (p.235).
One of the reasons, I HAD to sit down and write this Blog is because earlier today I was meditating asking my Angels to please send me signs regarding my current state and path and then some of the strangest things happened. (Honestly, you probably wouldn’t believe some of them so I’ll just focus on the one that became the “cherry on top” and urged me to write this).

I was finishing reading, Messages from the Masters: Tapping Into the Power of Love by Dr. Brian Weiss M.D., when I came upon Chapter 15 in his book titled ‘God and Religion’. (Mind you, I tend to read books very quickly and for ‘some’ reason I took longer than expected but instead of finishing it last night like I had intended, I finished it just now) In this chapter, I was almost brought to tears because although I’ve read two of his other books (Many Lives, Many Masters and Only Love is Real) this was the first time Dr. Weiss actually addressed religion. As I read I grew increasingly emotional because EVERYTHING I’ve been trying to explain to those who question my “lack of religious affiliation” was laid out right in front of me. I mean WORD FOR WORD (If interested you may refer to p.233-250). It was so relieving and refreshing to read someone’s words expressing what I feel so profoundly. Although reading this wasn’t necessary for my process, it certainly brought me joy to see that someone else is on the same page, a world-renowned professional at that. I almost felt as though I already knew what line would follow, as if this chapter was simply a carbon copy of my personal journal.

The main line that spoke to my soul was: “There is only one religion and that is love.” (p.233)

Personally, I’ve encountered situations where I found myself having to decide whether or not I would compromise my “Love is My Religion” for the sake of others. It was as if the lack of “label” was unnerving to some because it could imply that I’m not on a definite path. That since I do not claim ONE single religion as my “end-all-be-all” I may lack structure and to a certain degree, desire. 

Although it hasn't been easy to hold my ground and stand up for what I feel so passionately about, I've always known deep in my heart that I HAVE to be true to myself; the essence of Ibis. Also, along this path of self discovery, I have been shocked to find that some of the most “spiritual” people can be, at times, some of the most judgmental persons and they, too, encourage sepratation (even if not in blatant terms... Meaning, it doesn't have to be what they say but rather how they act, or vice versa) Some may or may not be conscious of their judgments but it doesn't make it any less real or pertinent. (Remember, just because someone preaches how religious or spiritual they are doesn't mean they have the right consciousness). It becomes about US and THEM. Clearly, in public, everyone talks about how welcoming and open we are to those who are different but this isn’t always the case behind close doors (and if this offends you, I’d advise you to ask yourself why?) It’s as if at the end of the day, if you’re not one of US we can be “friendly” and pseudo-listen to each other’s standpoints but it ends there. A huge line is drawn across the sand. Now I ask you, does this equal TRUE openness? I am sure we can all come up with reasons why we’ve come to rationalize why things are the way they are but let’s look beyond that…. Why are we SO afraid to unite as ONE and work towards a common purpose? Why does it have to be about Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, etc? Why can’t we look beyond all these lables and instead of criticizing one another actually teach each other?

Think about this:

Catholics believe that Jesus died on the cross, resurrected and will come again to bring us all to eternal life… On the other hand, Jews view Jesus as a prophet and do not believe he was the Messiah per se, and thus are waiting for the Messiah to come. Ok, sooooo aren’t both waiting for someone? And do you really think when this “person” (I use this word as a means to explain the point but “person” doesn’t begin to explain what I actually believe this force will be like) comes back it is going to matter WHAT NAME you use or what faith you associate it all with? When the Messiah (whether it’s Jesus or another one of God’s agents) comes bac

k I doubt these details will matter. All that will matter is LOVE. Did you love? (Yourself and Others) Did you share? Were you kind? Did you evolve? ETC… ( I could go on regarding what’s truly important but I think you get the picture)
“Only by letting go of our fears, by seeing those people of other religions as our equals, as fellow souls on the road to heaven, can we be truly loving, in an unconditional sense. We are all the same; we are all rowing the same boat” (P.236).

I, for one, feel such immense gratitude at this moment because through various experiences I have been confirmed that I am on the right path. Whether I am deeply consumed with studying Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Kabbalah, Christianity, etc, I am on a perfect path. Someday, I hope to become the type of teacher that can relate messages from varying faiths to an individual without any division. That whomever I speak to is not held back by prejudice and refuse an ideology because it may differ from something they were previou

sly taught in their primary religion. I hope that those I help look past a label and see the essence; the mess

age.

“God’s light does not discriminate, and neither should ours. There is not one path, one way, one church, one ideology. There is only one light. When the fences come down, all the flowers can bloom together in a garden of unparalleled magnificence, an Eden on earth” (p.238).

Sidenote: I understand you may disagree with some of this or maybe even all of it but I urge you to open your heart up and just consider what I've discussed. Whether you like or dislike/approve or dissaprove of Dr. Weiss' work isn't really relevant here because I'm merely quoting him out of respect. Had I not read his book I'd be writing pretty much what he wrote (in my own words) minus the quotation marks, etc.... (in case you were sitting there thinking that I am using his work as like an "all-knowing" source.... Nope, not even a little!) 

Now, I can go to sleep peacefully. I would like to go into further detail regarding this matter but I am quite tired at the moment. I will certainly come back to it.

Namaste my friends. May your path be lit with LOVE and PEACE. Until we meet again…

Faith, Hope, & Love,
Ibis (2:31 a.m.)

ABOUT Dr. Brian Weiss, M.D.:
*As a traditional psychotherapist, Dr. Brian Weiss was astonished and skeptical when one of his patients began recalling past-life traumas that seemed to hold the key to her recurring nightmares and anxiety attacks. His skepticism was eroded, however, when she began to channel messages from "the space between lives," which contained remarkable revelations about Dr. Weiss's family and his dead son. Using past-life therapy, he was able to cure the patient and embark on a new, more meaningful phase of his own career.

A graduate of Columbia University and Yale Medical School, Brian L. Weiss M.D. is Chairman Emeritus of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami.

Dr. Weiss maintains a private practice in Miami. In addition, Dr. Weiss conducts national and international seminars and experiential workshops as well as training programs for professionals.

*Source of information: www.brianweiss.com

Next Book I'm reading: 'Becoming Like God' by Michael Berg & Kabbalistic Astrology: And the Meaning of Our Lives by Kabbalist P. S. Berg

Song: (just wanted to note how ironic it is that one of my song choices last week was 'Love is my religion' by Ziggy Marley... and it was 100% not planned with this Blog)

The "Accident" That Saved My Life

(DISCLAIMER: BLOGS REFLECT IBIS DEL MAR'S PERSONAL VIEWS & IDEAS SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.)

July 4, 2007. Peanut Island, Palm Beach, Florida. Exquisite climate, gregarious friends involved in light banter enjoying the beautiful day. It was one of those hot, South Florida summer days where just being near the water refreshes you and makes you grateful that you’re not on land.
Ignorantly yet blissfully unaware of life outside of my immediate realm I decided it would be entertaining to race a 75-mile-per-hour-supercharged wave runner and get that adrenaline fix I always seemed to chase. Taunting waves were ready to be conquered by an overconfident version of myself. Initially, it was incredibly fun and light. Suddenly, I began to notice that the sky had drastically darkened and the water had become choppier. You would think this would have been enough to call it a day and bring it back in but no, not this girl. I pressed the gas further and further until there was no more pushing necessary.

Then, silence. A silence so profound that even minimal thoughts seemed to switch from color to black and white. The wave runner spit my overconfident body up into the air and gravity grabbed the reigns and pushed my body with mighty force onto what I previously saw as a mere medium of fun. (At the time, I wasn’t aware but the wave runner punctured through my skin and broke a couple of my bones). My body experienced a pain unlike anything it had encountered before. Whether to weep or scream became an actual choice because my mind wasn’t capable of much. Mind you, I’ve always been kind of a daredevil so through trial and error, I’d developed a high pain tolerance.

As my friend swam over to me I could see his mouth moving but the words weren’t making very much sense. For a brief moment I lost the ability to communicate any rational thoughts. Thankfully, I’d fallen close to the shore so after using all of my upper body strength I was able to approach the shore. I laid there. Glad to be out of the water which in itself is ironic because being in the water has always been what I like to refer to as “my happy place”. (Despite anything that’s happening in my life, the ocean quiets everything down and provides me with a sense of unshakeable tranquility). Laying on that moist sand was the only thing that led me to believe the situation evolved onto the next step and soon enough the tingling sensation throughout my legs would dissipate, and more importantly, that I’d be able to communicate cohesive thoughts not consumed with utter panic.

Dark blood flooded out of my body as if it was almost trying to escape my being.

Time stood still.

Before I knew it I was being rushed into an ambulance and then to the ICU. Somehow my parents had managed to get to the hospital (which was about 1hr 15 mins away from our home) by the time I arrived in the ambulance. Due to the doctor’s concern that I had lost too much blood and my internal organs could shut down at any moment, my dad ran to the laboratory to donate blood for me. However, on his way down to the emergency room my dad ended up suffering heart palpitations and had to be hospitalized. At the time this all took place I was completely unaware but in hindsight I ask, What in the world was my mom thinking at the moment she found herself dealing with this intense situation?

You see, the funny thing about being in extremely chaotic situations like this is what you actually remember. Makes you wonder why certain events resonate over others. For example, the moment the doctor urged me to cooperate and push through the pain because their main concern was making sure my legs could operate and that my reproductive organs hadn’t been torn apart and I’d be able to still have children….Not only did my heart sink to my toes but I knew a lot could change within the hours. The simple suggestion that there was a possibility of not being able to conceive or deliver children was more than I could handle. At the moment, I found it easier to cope with the idea of not being able to walk properly than of not being able to have children (Funny how one's concerns can shift in a matter of hours!)

As I was pushed in and out of OR’s, in and out of CAT scans, one particular thought stuck out… Why did this happen? I’ve been riding wave runners my entire life (in worst weather conditions) and nothing has ever gone wrong. Why now? Is God trying to send me a message I’ve been avoiding to hear for a long time and only through an intense situation would I stop and listen?

Moreover, why did my blood count come in just above the line that allowed my organs to stay functioning properly? Why did the wave runner miss my reproductive organs by PAPER THIN? Why did the towel my friend placed on the wound to stop the bleeding create a blood clot that eventually became the reason I didn’t hemorrhage to death? Why was the Universe aligned perfectly so that I would survive an accident most people don’t? Why did EVERYTHING work out in the best-case scenarios where every statistic was against me? Why did I happen to have a close family friend be a Reiki master (alternative medicine) that loved me dearly and was happy to visit and treat me? Why did the blood clot come out 24 hours after the Reiki healing instead of in 3 months like the doctors had speculated? Why was I not only able to walk again but not be 100% dependent on my walker by the time my birthday rolled around on July 16th instead of the 3 months the doctors declared? WHY? WHY? WHY?

I’ll tell you why…

God is good. God loves me and has a bigger plan for me and my mission on this planet hadn’t been completed by July 4th 2007. (Blog to come on this topic…) Now, don’t get me wrong I don’t say this in a conceited manner but rather, with full confidence. I can HONESTLY tell you that I consider myself infinitely lucky. I am fully aware that I was nudged so that I would finally STOP and listen to what the Universe had been trying to tell me for some time. Think about it, how busy are we with our daily routines, concerns, friends, family, jobs, etc to where we forget to ask what our actual purpose for being here is? (Some of us are so jaded that ‘pondering the meaning of life and why we are here’ is simply a joke)

I, for one, was humbled. In truth, even when I could see the worry in other people’s eyes around me during the process I was always certain that I would be just fine. I can’t really give you a reason why but I just did. I knew that any news the doctors would deliver would be positive and I would be up and running in no time. With that said, I couldn’t escape the physical pain that was ailing me. At that moment I knew that the only way I could truly move forward was by using my mind to soothe everything. I knew that I wasn’t going to become another statistic. I knew I HAD to heal…emotionally and physically.

Immediately following my “against-what the doctors-projected” healing I began to ask myself intense questions regarding my purpose. Specifically, what is it that I NEED to be here for and how do I make certain I carry out this mission? After someone suffers an incident such as this it’s almost as if you create this pact with God. A pact promising to “pay him back” for his mercy and the opportunity to LIVE. I, personally, promised to give back to the community in order to somehow feel deserving of this second chance.

Now, I want to ask you…. Do you EVER take time to ask what it is that you’re supposed to accomplish during this lifetime? Or are you as self-involved as I was and completely unaware? It is my advice to you that you do not let another day pass without asking yourself this question. Do not wait until something HUGE happens to wake up and get on the right path. There really is no better day than today! Now, I ask you… What are you bringing to the table? Do you share? Do you take time to give back? If not, it doesn’t make you a bad person but rather, an unaware one.

Think about this….We are living in a time of war (where countless soldiers are sharing for US) And by sharing I mean they are putting their own lives at risk to protect us. (Whether or not you support this war I am a firm believer that we need to support our soldiers…) What are WE doing? I am not saying we all need to become the next Ghandi but it’s about elevating our consciousness and GIVING to others for the sake of giving. Not this tit-for-tat crap we constantly hear about. What is it going to take for us to give back? (Think back on 9/11 and how friendly and helpful everyone was…. Where did it go? Why did we not keep that spirit alive?) Let us NOT wait for a tragedy or anything even close to start living. Let's allow ourselves to focus our life on more than instant, personal gratification and instead, the bigger picture.

Until we meet again I wish you a lot of peace, love, and health!

Faith, Hope, & Love,
Ibis Del Mar

Currently Reading: Messages from the Masters: Tapping Into the Power of Love by Dr. Brian Weiss, M.D.
Currently Playing:

1. Buddha Bar X

2. Ziggy Marley- 'Love is My Religion'

PICTURES: From my 23rd birthday only days after accident (My friends gifted me decorations for my walker! haha). The one with my friends dancing is from the first time I was able to dance following the incident and still remains one of my favorite pictures of ALL-TIME! (I think my face says it all)

Why are we so afraid to BASE jump?

(DISCLAIMER: BLOGS REFLECT IBIS DEL MAR'S PERSONAL VIEWS & IDEAS SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.)

First things first, for those of you who may not have heard of BASE jumping I shall help explain. On the website, http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/base-jumping.htm, I found a rather accurate description of the sport. It says, “for BASE jumpers, leaping out of a plane at 15,000 feet and freefalling at well over 100 mph isn't quite daring enough. To make things more interesting, they jump off various cliffs and man-made objects, usually at a low altitude with only a few seconds to deploy the parachute, and virtually no time at all to deal with problems or malfunctions.” Metaphorically speaking, I am using BASE jumping as a vehicle for “Letting Go and Experiencing Life”. I think most of us have been in a situation where we get that adrenaline rush and have to make a quick decision right then and there. Now, let’s think… What is the main thing that keeps us from taking the plunge, per se? Many, myself included, believe it’s FEAR. Fear of the unknown. Fear of the outcome/results. “What if’s” become so powerful that they can paralyze anyone. Additionally, our inability to let go may also touches deeply on our fixation on having a sense of control.

Let me preface all of this by noting that this ability to “let go” can be applied to all aspects of your life (i.e. past experiences and/or traumas, relationships, jobs, challenges, etc.). As my mom often reminds me in Spanish, “La Ley del Desapego” translates into “The Law of Detachment” when applied not only frees one of this fear and control issue but also, gives God (aka, the Light, Universe, Higher Force, etc.) an opportunity to come into the picture and make things happen for you. What do I mean by that exactly? Well, when we are so obsessed with controlling the outcome of a situation (like getting a specific promotion at our job) we are limiting ourselves in the grand scheme of things. Specifically, if our particular request isn’t beneficial in the long run. As physical beings on this planet it can be difficult to see the bigger pictures sometimes when we are smack in the middle of it all.

Which leads me to what I’ve recently been figuring out and implementing into my personal experiences in search of balance.

Balance between applying the currently popular, “Law of Attraction” and “Letting Go” trusting that the Universe will lead me in the perfect direction.

Truthfully, I believe in the power of visualization and meditation. I have put into practice many of the exercises discussed in “New Age” movements in regards to improving your life by changing the way you think and feel and have to HONESTLY tell you that my life has transformed. (ß I know that this just sounded very Richard Simmons of me but I promised myself this blog would be a true testament to my experience). By applying this Law of Attraction I have manifested (and by “I”, I always mean with the help of the Light because I don’t pretend to have accomplished all of this alone) such incredible things in my life that it would take me hours to jot them all down. I’ve accomplished things I once thought were impossible (i.e. Backpacking throughout Europe on my own with no plans). I’ve attracted people into my life that have either led me in the exact direction I needed to go or just became catalysts for advancing me into the next step of personal evolution.

Paradoxically, I currently find myself wondering when the Law of Attraction should take the passenger’s seat and allow the “Law of Detachment” to take over. Or does it have to be either or? Can both of these, in proper balance, work together towards the same goal. Essentially, what I mean is… can you use your mind’s power to visualize what it is you want but ultimately release control onto the Universe and let it manifest as it should. Ideally, our expectations become…. “I want what the Universe thinks I need at this particular moment and trust that this is perfect for me”.

On the other hand, I also see using the idea of “God will take care of it” as a crutch for not taking action and putting in our part. What do I mean by this? God works in mysterious ways (as we’ve all heard) and I strongly believe that he will present certain situations/people/opportunities for you (in order to help you) and it is YOUR responsibility to run with it. Meaning, God can plant in immense, life-changing opportunity in front of you but it is YOUR (thanks to FREE WILL) choice whether or not you will take him up on it or not. Not to be dramatic here but this is where I do believe some people find themselves saying things like, “Shoulda, Coulda, Woulda” but the truth is “You Didn’t” and nobody is to blame (especially, not God). Personally, this is where I feel we need not be so afraid to take a chance. TO LIVE. Here, is our opportunity for us to break free of that paralyzing fear of the “what if”. In the end, I live my life in a constant pursuit of balance because I hold that nothing extreme is ultimately what God truly wanted for us…. Otherwise, the concept of evolution would never even exist (as applied in every sense of the word “evolution”).

I think what I am trying to convey is best explained with the following story:

A man has been notified that his house is going to be flooded and he needs to get out of the house as soon as possible. He says no I don't have to, God is going to take care of me. Then the flood starts to rise and a sheriff comes along and tells him to get out of the house because the water is rising. The man says no, God is going to save me. So, the floods continue to rise, and he climbs on top of the house. A boat comes along and he's told to climb into the boat. He says, no, no , God is going to save me. Finally, a helicopter comes along and they lower the net to rescue him. The man says, no, no, God is going to save me! Well, the man drowns and goes to heaven. When he gets to heaven he says to God, "why didn't you save me?"

God says, "I sent the sheriff, I sent a boat, I sent a helicopter, what more did you want me to do?"

Catch my drift? More or less what I am trying to say is that the more I meditate and ask the Universe for answers I’m reminded that there is absolutely nothing wrong with using the power we’ve been given in order to create our reality. In contrast, it is our gift and it’s up to us whether or not we would like to receive it. Now, with that said, it is also important to open our eyes and ears to the messages we are being sent on a constant basis. When we listen and open our eyes, we will be better equipped to make the best decisions that will provide the perfect results for us. Ultimately, it is our call whether or not we are going to allow room for a Higher Source to come in and help guide us in the right direction. It is truly up to us whether we relinquish ultimate control and open ourselves up to varying results or whether we want to hang on for dear life because we are unable to free ourselves.

How willing are we to say, “Ok, (insert personal situation here) is what I desire and (insert personal process here) is how I see it manifesting but I allow and trust God to steer my life as he sees fit. I choose to take an active role to carry out His plan for me instead of laying around letting life just pass me by. Everything in my present is perfect and I let go of any fears that may arise in the process because God’s taking care of me” (haha, this is how I actually think inside my head so bare with me).

Which leads me to our opening…. BASE Jumping…. Personally, I am an adrenaline lover and one day hope to actually go BASE jumping so it really resonates with me. However, if this is too extreme for you feel free to replace it with whatever you’d like that holds the same principles.

Now, I ask you, “Are you willing to let go and start experiencing this beautiful life or are you going to sit by the sidelines and watch as it passes you by?” You decide!

Until next time! I wish you all the Peace, Love, & Happiness this world has to offer!

Faith, Hope, & Love,
Ibis

P.S. I’ve decided to start including book/song/author suggestions in my Blogs in case you are interested…It may also give you insight of where I am coming from. Also, I know these Blogs could dig MUCH deeper but I want to leave material for the book I’m currently working on. It will take some time before I set out to get it published since a lot of research will go into it but these Blogs touch on the subject matters, for now. Which reminds me…. thank you for the messages many of you have been sending me with feedback. It truly means a lot to me and is helping me in my journey!

Recent Books I’ve Read and Recommend:
1. Change Your Thoughts. Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
2. God Wears Lipstick by Karen Berg
3. Many Lives, Many Masters by Dr. Brian Weiss, M.D.
4. Only Love is Real by Dr. Brian Weiss, M.D.
5. The Spiritual Rules of Engagement by Yehuda Berg

BASE Jumping Picture credited to 123malaysia.blogspot.com

Maybe NOT Attending

(DISCLAIMER: BLOGS REFLECT IBIS DEL MAR'S PERSONAL VIEWS & IDEAS SO KEEP THAT IN MIND.)

This blog was sparked by something kind of funny that I am sure most of us can relate to… I was doing my normal online social networking routine and began to go through outstanding “Event Invites” that I’d ignored for a few weeks because half the time they are invitations from parties taking place in Gainesville (I haven’t lived there for almost 3 years now) or random South Beach events. Every few I am pleasantly surprised to see a group gathering celebrating a “Quarter Life Crisis” birthday party, a Regatta, or a charity event. Well, I decided to see how long it would take me to go through the entire page and click “Maybe” for all of these pending requests. By the time I was through with all of them it had taken me 3 minutes. Ok, now that may not seem like a lot since it’s a single digit number but go ahead, sit there and just wait for 3 minutes to pass… (long, right?!?) In this day and age, I’d be surprised if some of us don’t spend 3 minutes taking a shower. (I could totally get sidetracked here and talk about our nation’s obsession with multi-tasking, but I’ll save that one for another time) Anyway, once I finished “Maybe-ing” my invitations I closed my computer and started thinking…

So I understand that promoters get paid to have masses attend their respective events and part of their job is to send mass messages through the networks. Now, I know some may recall my face and/or name but similarly, I have a feeling they could care less if I end up attending the event. (No, I’m not suffering from low self-esteem here I’m just stating a fact) By this I’m referring to myself as a unit rather than as part of a group. Of course, any South Beach event will have more hype if “lots of pretty ladies attend” but it’s not about the women as people but rather, a package. Catch my drift? Whether it’s Jane, Susie, Ashley, or Nicole… has absolutely no relevance to the matter.

Therefore I asked myself, “Why don’t I just reject everyone’s invitations?
Why do I feel “bad” and click maybe?”

Eight out of ten times I am NOT planning on attending but I don’t commit myself to giving a “no”.

Obviously, if you know me well you’ve come to learn that I tend to dig deep and try to basically figure out human behavior (particularly mine… since I’m pretty much the only human I’m guaranteed to hang out with for the rest of life). After wondering about my failure to “reject” social invitations it dawned on me like a child on Christmas morning…. I may still like to keep that “life option” around in case of a social emergency (ICOSE). Now, what do I mean by that? It could mean a variety of things: bachelorette party, bad day, getting laid off, breakups, etc. I guess a simple way to put it would be that my South Beach life is almost like a little black book that’s stashed away just in case of….

I began to ask myself, “What exactly does this lifestyle offer?” I think those of you who fall under the “club kid” category can attest to the following…. You love looking fabulous and hanging around your fantastic, fabulous-looking friends. Generally, you prefer to go if you’re table situation is taken care of and you know there will be no waiting of any kind. You drink your cocktails while looking at the crowd surrounding feeling relieved that you have your space and don’t’ have to deal with the chaos. Whether you get annihilated or simply nurse a drink may vary depending on the night but sobriety is a rarity (whether in reference to you or your surroundings). Now, let’s fast forward to the morning after…. Your head may feel like it’s taken a hit by a baseball bat, bad decisions may have been made (this isn’t limited to promiscuous behavior so think outside of that), and the probability of you having acquired any meaningful relationships are minimal. It’s funny how certain South Beach relationships are… After a while, when you go out more than the average person you see the same people at events. It’s as if you begin to network with one another because the likelihood of running into them 5-6 nights a week is quite probable. You hardly know much about their life outside of the scene but they’re nice enough and you know they know how to have "a good time" (in quotes bc a good time can vary with each person's definition of the phrase). However, you probably rarely converse with them before 12 a.m. and couldn’t really say much about them that’s actually meaningful (I guess with facebook now everyone is a little bit of a stalker so this may be a little different now).

Which leads me to the subsequent…. What is so fascinating about being an active part of a social scene? (You can apply this social scene to what’s relevant to you: bars, greek life, sports teams, young professional groups, etc.)

It is essential that I note that many times we go out to just hang out and kick it but this blog is more or less referring to extreme behaviors or dependency on a particular lifestyle as a means to identify with something.

Anyway, I began to ask myself, “Are we able to find a sense of balance when we’re deeply submerged in these scenes? Can we see the experience as purely entertaining or do we find this life to be genuinely fulfilling and a reflection of reality?

Partly, I believe that the ability to separate ‘the scene’ with reality comes with age and some maturity. Specifically, in order to find balance. It’s easy to see how not being able to compartmentalize can lead a person to become so involved in their personal circumstances that they’re unable to see beyond their boundaries. For example, when someone will make a comment along the lines of, “What do people do when they go out if they’re not (insert personal situation here)?” We become a bit incapable of relating to one another and to a certain degree limit our view of the bigger picture…. LIFE!

Now, let’s be real here…. Of course it’s great to be a part of a “scene” but I am just wondering whether or not it would be good for us to take a step back (at least every once in a while) and look around us… What are we building? I’m a firm believer that what you build today you’ll reap tomorrow and therefore, we are truly in control of what we attract. (You may or may not agree but just open yourself up to this concept and let it marinate). Are we creating a life full of memories we’ll want to take with us or memories we’ll want to forget? You be the judge….

Until next time! May peace and love fill you every day!

Faith, Hope, & Love,
Ibis

Blog 1: Cafeteria Catholic

(DISCLAIMER: BLOGS REFLECT MY PERSONAL VIEWS & IDEAS SO KEEP THAT IN MIND)

It’s difficult to pinpoint where my spiritual journey began but I’d say spirituality has fortunately permeated my home for as long as I can remember. Raised Catholic and having attended Catholic school most of my life I was exposed to all of the Catholic teachings, ceremonies, traditions, etc. I can probably write, recite, and sing the “Our Father” in more than one language after having it drilled time after time. From a young age, I never truly saw a need to have a priest be my secretary, per se, in order to talk to what I like to call the CEO of life. On the other hand, I did enjoy the basic principles taught: faith, peace, love, hope, honesty, and charity, to name a few. The church consistently pressed the importance of family and community service and for this I am eternally grateful. I guess my family and I generally fell under the “Cafeteria Catholics” but this didn’t take away from the fact that we appreciated the general teachings of the church.

A “Cafeteria Catholic” is a term generally used to refer to those worshipers that attend mass 1-3 times a year (Christmas Eve, Palm Sunday, and Easter). Granted, my family and I attended a lot more frequently but the general idea is that you are not a devout attendee. You may or may not have been confirmed, you may or may not know that you are technically supposed to go to confession every single time before you receive communion, etc, etc, etc…. (we could go on and on but that would put you to sleep).

In retrospect, I truly believe the main thing that drew me away from the church was that I became tired of being guilty of guilt. Essentially, I enjoyed giving God attention and love but I generally went to mass out of a subconscious (maybe a little conscious) guilt. I enjoyed the musical portion of the service but as soon as they were going through the readings I doze off (there’s something about repetition that didn’t sit very well with me, granted I also hadn’t been diagnosed ADHD at the time either, lol). During the main sermon, I tended to feel like I was being “scared” into behaving in a particular manner (Note: These mass moments ranged from the age of “birth” until collegiate years…with breaks in between the years where I attended non-denominational services but still attended Catholic school). Anyway, I found myself sitting there wondering what other people around me were thinking. Why where they there? Where they reeeeally listening? Did they care or were they just anxious to head out to the soccer game (I always found it comical that many people showed up in their respective team uniforms to mass. As if there was zero time to change in between the two events… ) Now, this may sound odd but the only reason I would like to get to Sunday mass early was so I could sit near the front where all of the handicapped children and their families sat. I would (time after time) be filled with an enormous amount of love just watching them be. Regardless of their circumstance, they exhibited this light. A light that would be difficult to translate into written word but when you see it, you just know (it’s like the way I feel when I make a connection to God). The way these children were so genuine in their happiness and gratitude was far beyond my scope at the time because I would see their circumstance as quite unfair. Occasionally, I would become angry because I couldn’t understand why these innocent beings were dealt that particular card (I will write a blog on my current explanation for this later on). However, their impact moved me for years to come. In hindsight, I probably could have picked up a thing or two listening to my priest but I believe I took far more from something as simple as “people watching”. (Granted, I’m sure this could have been classified as creepy by those I “watched” lol)

I am a firm believer that the Catholic church is like that child with “lots of potential”. If I could personify the church it would be someone as follows: Let’s name her (yes, her)Prudence. Beautiful girl, comes from a good family, has received top-notch education, owns a comfortable space. Every week Prudence serves the community through various charities and would be considered by her friends an honest, kind woman. The thing is…. Prudence is still dressing and acting as if he/she was living in 1932. Although there is nothing particularly wrong with such a notion, you’d be able to see how people would not be particularly interested in discussing “New Age” thoughts with her.

Although you may disagree, I firmly hold that if the church (aka Prudence) would be open to its new generation and strive to meet the needs of its people, attendance would stop declining (and who knows, even grow). However, if it remains living in ancient times, using its old tactics to “keep” its people then I do not know how many people will be attracted to it out of personal growth (not guilt, tradition, school requisites, etc).

Granted some would be angered/troubled/concerned by change, I strongly believe that once open to the idea of evolving and opening the door to more modern techniques a lot can manifest… It’s simply about being open (and I’m pretty sure JC would be happy to hear that more people are attending his staff meetings!)

There is a looooot more to all of this but I will leave it at that FOR TODAY… =)

Faith, Hope, & Love,

Ibis Del Mar

Introduction to Ibis Del Mar's Blog

Hi there! I’m Ibis Del Mar. A proud island baby, I was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and loved being raised in the turquoise beaches of this beautiful Caribbean paradise. My family and I moved to Florida when I was 10 and here, I learned English and began to fusion my culture with the American way of life. 

I lived in Weston and after high school attended the University of Florida. I am a self-proclaimed, die-hard, orange-and-blue-blood Gator who in pursuit of a Masters degree in Public Relations had to roam Hurricane country at the University of Miami for the past 22 months. I will be graduating on May 14, 2009 and entering the real world. Although I’ve worked various “grown-up” jobs throughout both my undergrad and graduate experiences but I’ve still enjoyed a lot of the perks of being a student and cannot say I’m looking forward to giving these up…

Some of my interests include: God (the Light), My family, friends, My pug Jazz Lilly, the Beach, Metaphysics, Art, Art History, History in General, Football (especially GATOR football), Reading, Dancing, Laughing, Insight, Feng Shui, Meditating, Writing, Spiritual development, Going out to dinner, Sporting events, Sports Bars, Lounges, Tailgates with my friends, Country concerts, NBA games, Ruth Chris, Italian food, Billie Holiday, Traveling the world, Red Wine, Giving and receiving positive energy, Talking to fun people, Having a good time, Nature, Stories, Candles, Duvet Covers, Christmas time, Shopping, Fashion, Accessories, Spas, Kids, Charity work, Benefits, Cold rooms, Incents, Astrology, Movies, Beer, Good food, Puerto Rico, Cooking for my friends, Having ppl over my home, Get togethers in general, Learning, Gossip Mags (Guilty pleasure), Good smells, Boat days, Monopoly, Roses(not red), Surround sound, Movie nights, March Madness, My dad's BBQ's, Saunas, Europe, Miami, Love, Passion, Honesty, Loyalty, Kindness, Waves, 65 degree weather, Pastels, Happy Hour, My Iphone, Speaking in song or accents, Fashion Shows

Wanted to give you a heads up that blog will cover a wide range of topics including: personal learning experiences, my spiritual path, personal opinions on a range of current affairs, random funny (or not so funny) moments, political views, book reviews, research I’ve conducted, philanthropic work experiences, etc…

I’m hoping to use this Blog as a way to educate people and share my journey. Enjoy!