I am the special occasion.

Several years ago, I wrote an article for a local magazine about local wine shops. I disctinctly remember one of the wine consultants talking about how women tend to buy cheap bottles to drink now and nicer bottles to give as gifts or save for a special occasion. She liked to tell her clients that, "you ARE the special occasion."

She is so right. Ever since, I have reminded myself of that every time I open a bottle that cost a little more than I might usually spend, or that I'm not sure I can finish before it turns into vinegar 

If I wait until I have someone else available with whom to share a bottle, months could go by before I try something new. So, I open a bottle whenever I feel like having a glass of wine, I use my trusty wine stopper to get a good three to four days (sometime a week) out of it, and I make no apologies.

After a recent milestone, when I graduated from a very long graduate school program that was fraught with stress and disappointment, one of my gifts was a care package of sorts from my friend Jane. It contained a bottle of wine, a cranberry scented candle (that is crackling as I write this), a box of godiva chocolates (!!!), and this:

That's right, it's a hand painted wine glass that says things like, "I'm awesome," "Cheers to me," and "I deserve it!"

RIght on! I AM awesome. I DO deserve it. And lest you think I am being conceited, I feel I should share that when I was growing up, for a long time, I was awkward and out of sorts. I was teased horribly as a kid. I spent many years with very low self esteem. So to be able to proudly say heck yeah, I rock! is a big deal for me. 

I supposed this really isn't a post about wine, but enjoying this glass of merlot tonight and using this glass remind me of just how far I have come in life, on a personal level. I am happy with who I am, with the life I have made for myself, even with all of the mistakes and missteps. I still kick ass.