Reyza Diannova

I realize that I need my man with me, when it's time to say goodbye. When other navy wives are watching, I can be strong. When I know there are tiny people counting on me to keep it together….I keep it together. It’s a good system and we have made it work repeatedly. The goodbye at the beginning of the deployment was perfect. Little people kept my emotions in check, a swift drop off at the car in the parking lot left no room for long drawn out goodbyes. Some families chose to go in with their soldiers, waiting till the buses came, till the last possible second, and I don’t judge them for that. It’s just not how I prefer to do things, because my Motherly-Outward-Appearance-of-Steel only holds up for brief periods of time. All of the above is why the goodbye yesterday morning was less than ideal and more difficult than usual. There were no little people to focus on, to be strong for. Just the pain in my own heart to focus on. There were two planes to catch, his and then mine, so ther...

A spouse from our team had an interesting experience this past week traveling, and chose to write a letter about it. I really resonated with what she is saying here, because I have felt it too. The strange, uneasy feeling of realizing where you *think* you should feel the most comforted and supported is not where you actually feel those things. I think it's one of those key moments when a person realizes…….."I AM an NAVY Wife." Because when your true heart is thousands of miles away wearing combat boots and multi-cam, you find your definition of "family" becomes expanded and you discover a whole new meaning to the word "Home."

When was the last time you really played? No, I'm not talking about online games (no offense if farmtown is your thing). I mean real spontaneous, uninhibited, childlike play - the kind of freedom you had when you were a little kid and you could do anything or be anything, simply because you dreamed it was possible. If you can't remember when that was - well you've probably lost your sense of play and right now is as good a time as any to reacquaint yourself with that fun-loving, free spirited, inner you! I know what you're thinking.. you can't do it because you might look foolish, silly or just plain dumb. We make excuses that we just don't have time to play or playing is not what 'grownups' do. Well, here's the thing.. children play in nearly everything they do and they're HAPPY. The secret to finding your playful self again is to let go, abandon your excuses and risk looking foolish! Here are some ways to get back your playful self and hav...

I experience and interact with people all day every day, from my personal family, my friends, neighbors, co-workers, or even complete strangers, be it navigating online or right here in my world's hustle and bustle of traffic. I love them. I love people. And yet, even I will admit that sometimes I run into a situation where a person seems a bit more difficult than another, okay a lot more difficult. Sometimes in a moment of interaction with someone who is being difficult, it's easy to forget our humanity, lose our self in the moment and backlash with even more difficulty. I know, you've probably thought 'they had it coming' - 'how dare they' - 'oh, no you didn't'.. In an instant we lose our own firm grip of dignity and become the sprayed roach relative of our 'apparent' adversarial counterpart. Yes, I said sprayed roach. Imagine the visual.. We've all seen one and you don't want to be one. You're going to run into people from...

So often I hear people talking about how much love can hurt, how much life hurts. While there are many ways to look at this, I've found that for me it's the growth or lack of it that actually feels painful. Our life, our love can seem much like our clothes. We can try on different 'outfits', different titles, different relationships, different jobs.. attempting to fit within the confines of the 'clothes' but our spirit has a natural desire to grow and to BE the love and life we were intended to be. We tend to focus on what that 'looks' like instead of the way of being that would have us actually having it. We seek out 'outfits' that will give us the 'look' of what we believe we want to be and then we try to tailor our beings to fit within them. It's keeping that spirit within the confines of the clothes, the squeeze, that is painful. When we are living a life smaller than what we are meant to live and being a love smaller than w...

So there she goes walking by you.. legs up to there, cute little flirt with me pumps on, a mega watt smile, fitted dress in your favorite color.. Oh she must be the one! Your best friend leans over and closes your jaw for you as your mind runs it's mental checklist of possibility.. smart, check, powerful, check, desirable, check.. HOT, yes, yes check! She tosses a glance back your way and you feel mesmerized in the moment and then by a streak of luck you're introduced and within just a few brief moments.. squealing brakes are sliding to a halt, whoa pitter pattering heart.. You're thinking wait, wait ~ she has everything on my list, where's my spark.. OH NO there's no spark, nothing, nada, zip! While she's still sweet to look at.. Where did the attraction go that you thought you should have? And the hardest part.. your friends think you're crazy when you tell them 'I'm just not attracted to her like that' While initially some physical nature ...

I love to take pictures. I’m not necessarily good at it, but I enjoy it nonetheless. Besides, if I’m behind the camera, then I won’t be caught on film because I hate getting my picture taken as much as I love taking pictures. I’ve put thousands (literally, thousands!) of pictures on flash drives and CDs. I’ll probably never have the time or money to print them and put them in albums, but now and then I like looking through them on my computer. I really like looking at other people’s pictures also. It doesn’t matter what the subject matter is, I just truly enjoy looking at pictures. If that description fits you, please feel free to take a look at some of my better photos on facebook https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.273248536099684.63586.100002436184818&type=3. I’m happy to share!

Many people want a new love or partner in their life. Some of them are saddened by the lack of available partners. At least that's what most of my friends tell me. The truth is we live in a world of over 6 billion people each one unique and diversely beautiful people. So within this cornucopia of people... why are they experiencing such a challenge? Mostly, they are 'waiting' to play a big spirited lover 'when the right one comes along'. And in their eyes, there are so many wrong ones that they project an air of disappointment constantly, which... (let's face it) is not the most attractive attribute. They unknowingly prove themselves right by sending the 'good' ones running and collecting this same evidence over and over again. They are waiting for someone to come along and inspire them to be a great poet, so they can get passionate.. They are waiting for someone who will inspire joy, so they can get happy. If they would be the partner that would bri...

I could feel the tug and lag on the seat as I awkwardly coordinated steering and peddling. "I'm going to fall" I cried out nervously, just missing the pothole and wobbling dangerously close to the shoulder of the road and the ditch I feared would swallow me up. "Keep pedaling, You've got it. I'm going to let go now". "No papa.. wait." I plead. "Okay, okay, just for a little bit longer." I could hear him smiling. "Just keep pedaling" I pedaled harder and found comfort in the sound of his feet smacking the pavement as he ran along behind me, knowing he was still there, holding on. I felt the balance of my tiny self, the wheels turning over, the slight changes in the road's surface, the wind blowing through my hair, sun warming my face, the 'safe' freedom, papa still holding on. And then I heard him, "See, you're doing it all on your own" Immediately, I wobbled "What?" Realizing the tug a...

We spend a lot of time looking for the notoriously, elusive, all encompassing euphoria also known as LOVE. Would we know if we've had the love we're looking for.. what if we've already discounted it because we're so unwilling to allow it? We search for love, even when it's raining down on us - all the while wondering why we can't feel it or have it. We can't feel love when we're actually the one holding the umbrella of doubt that repels it's nourishing sweetness. Whether it comes to us in words or actions, a steady rain or a light shower.. if we cannot identify it as love, absorb it and allow it to soak in, we will always feel that love is eluding us. Receiving love depends greatly on whether or not you BELIEVE you are LOVABLE. If you don't believe you are lovable, you will never be able to receive LOVE because you won't feel worthy of having it. It's ironic.. we seek others to give us the love that we are so unwilling to give ourselv...

I'm such a lover.. you heard me right! I'm just saying I am SO NOT a fighter.. but that's not to say that I can't or haven't pulled out the ammo when I thought I needed to and if you asked my love.. he'd tell you that I am damn good at it and.. well so is he. Let's just say a fight is pretty difficult to have by yourself, although it might make for great TV. When two people decide to enter the battle field - they do not enter it as a loving duo. No, they leave the sweetness behind and don the gloves of ego and pride! They begin to listen with the ears of defense and answer with the lips of offense.. each standing on their own ground trying to impose 'their way' of thinking or being on the other. We've all been there at some point in our lives, protecting our pride at all costs - Our ego stands firm at our post and holds the line! The victory.. tear streaked cheeks and the feeling that you can't make the other person happy or understand yo...

We are here to do and be what we love. Yet, we place our dreams, the things we love somewhere in the not so distant future, hoping for the time when somehow we'll have worked hard enough, long enough, made enough money to propel ourselves toward doing what we love. We make excuses, sighting lack of time, finances etc. as reasons to keep our passions on hold indefinitely. Well, the truth is.. You will never have more time than you do right now. Whether it's your full-time job or a simple hobby you'll only spend a few minutes doing each day ~ Doing what you love is what you're here to do and it doesn't take large blocks of time, planning or finances to reap the reward your spirit will feel when you're doing it ~ the loving of it, is the reward. Even the smallest amount of time spent doing what you love, gives you boosts of joy and sparks your zest for life ~ giving you a lighter step at work, enlivening your romance and rejuvenating your life. Doing something ...

My intention with this blog is to talk about things important to me and share some of what I have learned from mistakes, negative life experiences as well as good choices and positive experiences. I want to share life with whoever would like to share theirs. This is my first blog so if it isn’t perfect that’s ok. Bear with me and we can learn together from and with each other. I am just a person like you looking for meaning and purpose in a chaotic world. I chose lemons as my topic because no matter how hard we try to make our lives what we want somehow lemons show up. We all get lemons at some time or another in life, right? Some lemons suck more than others, but no matter how you cut them they are still lemons (fruit you didn't intend to harvest in life). What matters isn't the exact kind of lemon you get or how big or sour it is compared to someone else’s (it is what we choose to do with that lemon that creates meaning in our life). What can we do with the lemons ...

Mama's crews positioned me to sit on the studio’s couch last night, put a microphone up my shirt, and pointed the two cameras at me. Tito, behind camera One, gave me the instruction, “Mrs. Arsya, I want you to start by looking directly into my camera. Then half way through your twenty minutes, I want you to look at camera Two, and right before you are ready to wrap it up, I want you to look back at camera One. When you are done, look directly into the camera and smile for five seconds. OK? Ready?” Ready, are you shittin’ me? Crap! Can I really do this? All I knew in that moment, was that there was no WAY IN HELL, I was going to remember to switch cameras, and that there was no way I had twenty minutes of material to talk about. But, I also knew, and I could not deny, that I was here because I had invited myself, and it was MY time, right NOW (both literally and metaphysically)! I took a deep, deep breath, looked into camera One and out came, "Hello, my name is Rey Dia...

If you're on Twitter, you may have noted tips to authors on how to best utilize the tweeting experience. Guess what? Twitter is great for us readers, too. When I first started, I followed a few friends that I knew were on. Then I got adventurous and looked for a few 'famous' people and followed them. I really didn't say much, but it was fun kind of eaves-dropping on the rich and famous. Then I started following some of the authors I read. And it all exploded into a really neat experience. It started really with only two authors. And I started conversations with them -- letting them know I enjoyed their last book, or something along those lines, and following their conversations with other writers, who I would then follow, which led me to even more -- many of whom I'd never heard of before. Talking with these men and women led me to looking for their books and, in many cases, purchasing one or two. Which, in turn, led to more "Wow! I really loved your book!...

Mama told me, "Every writer has their own preferred methods to prep for a book and how they go about the actual writing. No one way is right or wrong. Authors must use whatever style works best for them in order to be able to complete a fabulous story. Be creative, polish the content, clean up errors but the most important thing is to give the reader what they want – to be entertained! Top priority when preparing for a book: How can you emotionally engage and provide maximum entertainment to your readers?" As ideas for a story pop into my head, I write them down. Depending on where I'm at, I might use scratch paper or a notebook. All the preliminary thoughts and brainstorming are written on paper, not typed in the computer. In fact, the entire outline is normally scribbled into a notebook, tending to look like a pen exploded on every page from my constant revisions. I've described my outlines as looking like chicken scratch or a jigsaw puzzle. I did type one outli...

Dearest My Hubby Arsya, If I have not told you lately, let me remind you, that you, my love, are the best thing that has ever happened to me. The day that we became a couple, the world was transformed into a great big ball of happiness. My life became more beautiful, and no, it is not cliché. It is a fact. If anyone were to look back through the archives of my life, they would see that it has changed tremendously. The sun shines a little brighter. The world seems a little nicer. The grass is a little greener. Music sounds a little sweeter. Smiles come a little easier. Days seem a little shorter. At the end of each day, as we lay in bed, I never want to go to sleep, because I know that the next morning when I wake up you will be gone. Yes, you will only be at work, but I miss you! You have been my best friend for three years now, and I cannot even tell you how much you have changed my life. Although, something tells me that you know, and yet, you say not a thing. Instead, you co...

I love spending my spare time here. I have read my mama's blog and there're many things about us "Brother Ozy, Me and Athree" that she published on hers. And Of course I'm so interested in reposting her writing about me which was written down on here on the 4th November 2011 :D Reynova is 21! Twenty one years ago today Reynova was born at 3:18 pm in Jakarta, Indonesia. She made me a mother. She was my only baby born au naturale. * Reynova is energy and passion.  She works incredibly hard at everything she does, including practicing the piano and violin FOUR HOURS A DAY. She makes very beautiful music!  * Reynova is one-of-a-kind.  She is a gal of many talents including the ability to levitate a peanut M&M. * Reynova is goodness, exactness, and love. The VERY COOL thing about this birthday is that I am exactly twice as old as Reynova. I am 42. She is 21. This will not happen ever again for her and I so we are relishing our special year. My swee...

16 years ago, I stepped into the living room to watch my amazing brother dance. My brother had some very cool moves when he was little. He used to move his feet and shoulders just like Michael Jackson and my whole family loved to watch! However, to my surprise, one day, he looked up at me with his big black eyes and in a squeaky little voice he said, “Awe! Sister is here. Get out of here, sister! I’m not dancing for you!” To this day, it makes me laugh just thinking about it. He hadn't quite learned how to pronounce his “R’s”, and yes, it was a little mean, but he was just the cutest kid ever and I loved him. I was the second girl in the family and for some reason I was his target. My brother did not have a little-er brother to pick on, so he chose me. For many years, he did not want much to do with his "sister". He did not let me watch him dance and he did not dance along with me, like some of my other brothers did. He usually kept his distance. He did his own thing...

Today I can say I am a happier person than I’ve ever been before. That is not a comment I make lightly. It has taken me a lot of time and practice to get to this point. I have had to make changes that at times have been painful. There is no concrete formula for happiness, but I want to share some of the things I have learned along my journey. The first thing I want to share is an absolute truth. It is this: Nobody can make you happy. Only you can make you happy. People can add to, or take away from, your happiness, but ultimately relying on another person to change your mental state is folly. The next truth I’ve learned is that I am enough. Like most mother’s I put a lot of pressure on myself to live some sort of imaginary life where I am superwoman and everything is hunky dory. What I’ve come to realize, and remind myself of when I forget, is that people aren’t going to love me less because I am not superwoman. I am loved because I am me, with all my flaws. People are much more inte...