Random Thoughts

OK, it's another day worth of random thoughts....

I ran into a couple of my irregular clients, Victoria & Franque today. Sisters. I say irregular because I only help Victoria update her site every once in a great while. www.briankeith.com.

I really like them. Victoria has gone through a lot in her past yet she's one of the most bubbly people you can meet. She invited me up to see her apartment once and it was like wandering the halls of Willy Wonka's factory. I mean that in a good way, but it was just so colorful and full of things to look at it was overwhelming.

Her sister Franque is wonderful as well. She was one of 3 people who really pushed me to go ahead with this idea for starting my own business at one time. There's nothing like straight advice from random strangers....they got nothing invested in your future so you know the advice is real and from the gut.

Anyway, it was strange because within the span of 1 or 2 weeks I received the SAME advice from 2 of my good clients, and Franque was one of them. She told me if I have a goal, I should just go for it, life is short. The other person who pushed me to move ahead is my friend's mom, Ms. Young...she has this gorgeous house up in Aina Haina. But that's another story for another time.

Victoria and Franque told me that once Franque just randomly packed up a few belongings and disappeared for a few months to go travel the world on her own. She hitched on a cruise ship with some other teenagers and just did it. To this day she says that was one of the best times in her life. That was part of the inspiration to make me go for all this..... so far so good! Thanks Victoria and Franque!!

I've been looking at diamond engagement rings. O.o UH OH!!! Is it that time? Uhhhhhh...... well, I can definitely hear a voice in my head that is saying "You're not getting any younger Raph!"
Yeah, I should get a head exam I'm hearing so many voices in my head all the time. It's amazing my bud Chris doesn't label me as one of his "crazies".

Well...it just feels right. I'm in the stage in my life I'm ready for it, I want it, and I found someone that just feels so comfortable to be with it's like wearing a favorite shirt. So....perhaps Franque's advice is perhaps carrying over to this part of my life as well?

Anyway, picking rings is intimidating. All the rings essentially look reasonably alike, but the "4 Cs" of diamonds can make such a big difference. I go to one shop and a nice half carat ring is $3k. I go to the next shop and I see a 1 carat ring that's half that price. Sure enough it doesn't take long to realize the quality of that diamond sucks. So the question is, would she choose to have a big diamond if she had to sacrifice quality? Or would she prefer the perfect diamond, even if it means it has to be smaller? Of course if I asked her she'd want the biggest diamond with the best quality. But I'm not Donald Trump am I?

Anyway, I know Florence well enough to know she's not going to sweat it that much. She's not very materialistic, which is great. I'll just have to look around to make sure those jewelers aren't ripping me off!! Does she know I'm looking? Yeah, she does.... which would make it SOO CRUEL of her if she let me go through all of this and says "NO!!"

I would really be "Futless" then!!!