Thank you for being my friend, I am honored and blessed to have you in my life. You are a wonder, so open hearted and minded (I have a lump in my throat as I write this), you are goofy and fun, silly and laughing, you give good advice, you walk the line and are generous of spirit. I am so bloody lucky to know you dear Nancy. You are brave and strong, you let me feel that its okay to be me and feel the way I do sometimes, you opened up a whole new world of friends to me (shares well with others!) and, well, I could go on and on but I won't. I just want to say thank you for being in my life, I feel truly blessed! Namaste! XXX

Nancy radiates and creates beauty. She cries at sad (and happy) movies but refused pain meds while giving birth to her daughter. She’ll tell a bully to fuck off. She’ll give the benefit of the doubt to someone who is difficult to get along with and always looks for the positives in people.

When I think I know her well enough to guess her next move, I end up being wrong, and realize how much more of her there is to get to know...and getting to know her is a blast!

I am immensely fortunate that she shares her life with me.

amazing, inviting, deliciously lovely and one heck of a make-up artist! Had the great honor to camp with her and her amazing man on the playa this year and really can't say enough nice things! Looking forward to seeing lots more Nancy and feel blessed to have her become a part of my life. Metta!

Cymbeline, Nancy.... whatever she fancies to call herself, I call her friend. I am so blessed to call her that. For four years she has been the most amazing friend in my life, and has shown me by example what it is to be real, and that I can love myself. She is beautiful from the inside out. Our journeys may sometimes go in different directions, yet we've always remained connected.... It's the Gemini artist in us, I swear! Or the sushi induced lunchtimes.... Thank you for your encouragement, patience (I know I can be such a spaz), and unconditional love, you are the best!

Let me tell you a story about Badi'a, and how it's becoming a favorite story.
There was a book, in the library one day, however... no matter how many times I studied it's cover and thought about opening it, I was afraid... Yep, I was afraid of a book. So, this book sat and waited patiently before long, I ran my hands along it's spine, traced nimble fingers over the cover, and finally opened it.
It took many months before I did this.. Many weeks of not remembering the name of the book...
However, once I did open the story book.. it's become a favorite adventure of mine.
I judged the book by it's cover... and was wrong, inside has been an incredible story about being different from everyone else.... But alike enough to fool people just looking.

Okay... So Cymbeline isn't really a book. But she does embody the name Badi'a (as Badi'a means unprecedented, unexpected) in such a manner that she takes me by surprise at least weekly.
There is always something new, something I didn't expect, that I find myself often anticipating what's next.

Folks, she is a real treasure in my life, and someone I hold very dear. I cherish her patience, talent, imagination, drive, and willingness to test the waters.

And.... she's my dance partner, someone who helps me make Badi'a what it is (and hopefully will be)... a Collective of equally unprecedented women.