A much anticipated vacation in South Africa was complemented by the unmatched thrill of World Cup fever. From the electrified city streets of Johannesburg to the vast and all-encompassing beauty of the bushveld, South Africa opened its arms wide and welcomed the world. Valerie Albarda was there among the revelers celebrating not only the historic sporting event but a special occasion of her own as well. Travel alongside Valerie as she spends nine days in Johannesburg soaking up the sights, sounds and smells of the city and outlying areas. Along the way she encounters a cast of vuvuzela-toting...

Gettin' Back to Happy is one woman's look at embracing her happiness. In Gettin' Back to Happy, Valerie Albarda takes a self-guided journey of discovery on a path that is a year in the making through humor, frankness and introspection. Hers is not a quest to define happiness but to revel in the simple joy that it can bring. Beyond singular characterization, every day happiness presented itself as a chameleon with a different facade to be embraced--it came in as many forms to discover as there are to rejoice in being happy.