Alone

It's at times like these that I wish I lived alone. Not because I have anything against my roommates, sometimes I just want to be alone. I want to be able to curl up on the couch and read a book or watch a movie in complete solitude. And especially on days and nights like these, I want to be able to just cry; cry without reservations and without questions. I want to be able to just let everything out and not have to deal with or face anyone. Because sometimes, I just need to be alone.

Forget Me Not

Over the weekend, Laura and I found a thrift store that had a ton of old post cards in several boxes. So being the curious and bored kids that we are, we leafed through them for a while. It was so amazing because a great deal of them were from the early 1900s! And also it really made us think. No one sends post cards any more. The things that were written on these cards ranged from "Just saying hi" to "Saw this and thought of you" to "The vacation is going great;" things that we would just text! I don't know, maybe it's really not that interesting, but I found it fascinating. And then I found this postcard.

As you can see, the front says "Forget me not." And then the note on the back says "Just a line to show you, you are not forgotten by the girl you can't forget."

If that is not the sweetest thing, I don't know what is. Just a simple, short, sweet love note. Too bad people don't do things like that anymore.

Give Thanks

We've all heard the saying "count your blessings," but I feel that many don't really consider it. It's one thing to just say it, but another to actually dwell on how many blessings you have in your life. I've just recently started making a little list on a note card at the end of the day of the things that I am thankful for from that day, and it's really helped put my life in a better perspective. We bitch and moan and complain about how this is wrong and how that needs to change, but when it really comes down to it...is your life really that bad? Do you really have that much to complain about? Or are you just being a little self-centered and need a reality check. I'm not saying that the problems we face in our lives are not hard to get through, but it's all about finding the silver lining. In the midst of all the toil and trouble, we need to look for the things that make it all manageable, the things - and especially the people - that make our burdens just a little bit lighter (or at least distract us from them). And give thanks for them. And never hesitate to tell them just how much they mean to you. Once this becomes habit, you will surely find life at least a little bit easier.

25 September 2011

Today was one of the best days that I've had in a really, really long time, maybe even ever. Laura (#2 best friend) came down for the weekend and after spending yesterday with the group in Hollywood, we took to the streets of Pomona for the day, just our little duo. We went to a tattoo parlor that I found online and Laura got her bellybutton pierced! But the amazing thing was that it happened to be located in an old-town area, that had faux cobblestone streets, and littered with antique shops. And it was marvelous.

I love looking through antiques, and browsing in thrift stores, because you can find so many little treasures. So we bought two disposable cameras and shot our whole day, documenting our store adventures and posing with random statues and fountains. The sun was shinning, but there was a cool breeze, and driving with the windows down, singing our hearts out brought out the most relaxed, peaceful feeling that I've ever felt. Our hearts and minds were light, we found so many treasures, and mingled with amazing people (and received life tips and got teased by a shop clerk).

Then we finished the day by going down to Huntington Beach. We stopped by various street vendors, saw a dog wearing sun glasses, listened to amazing bongo drum players, and walked down the pier.

These are some few words that I can write to describe this day. After such a long, stressful, anxious week, it was exactly what was needed. I am so blessed to have the opportunity to see sights like these, and especially to have Laura in my life. The way we became friends is so random and improbable, that you just know it was a Godsend. And for that I am so grateful.

I Miss Jack

I miss Jack.
I’m reminded of how he would just walk over and plop into my arms, as if he was a lapdog. He would nibble and bite, and bark till he got his way. He would sleep by my door and wake me up much too early, but always with kisses. He would be annoying and dull and handful, but he was wonderful. He was dumbdumb but knew how to manipulate you at the same time. He loved Ellie and always put up with her shit. He was cuddly and protective and sweet and stinky. He was perfect.
I miss Jack. 

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

The woods are lovely dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

- Robert Frost, from "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening"


My favorite Robert Frost poem and definitely relevant to my life right now.

The Bro Zone

So many guys rant and rave about being in the 'friend zone,' but I wonder...have they ever considered the 'bro zone'? It can be a quite common phenomenon - a girl is friends with a boy and they become rather close, so close that he begins to view her as a 'bro.' Speaking as an honorary bro, I am well aware that this is a quite a privilege  but I am simply attempting to shine a light on a possible consequence of this type of relationship -- the placing of the girl in the eternal bro zone.

Just as guys fear the friend zone, girl-bros don't necessarily wish to be placed in the eternal bro zone. Note that I say eternal bro zone, for in general, the bro zone is a wonderful place to be: neither party is attempting to impress the other, there is genuineness in the friendship, and so on and so forth. But what of when the feelings grow? We all know what happens when it is the girl who does not return the affections -- the boy is placed in the friend zone. And the same is when it is the opposite: the girl is placed in the eternal bro zone.

I'm not quite sure what point I'm trying to make with this. I am simply informing the public that the bro zone exists, and bros, please think twice before putting a girl in the eternal one.

Last Picnic

Before the fall rains come,
Let's have one more picnic,
Now that the leaves are turning color
And the grass is still green in places.

Bread, cheese and some black grapes
Ought to be enough,
And a bottle of red wine to toast the crows
Puzzled to find us sitting here.

If it gets cold - and it will - I'll hold you close.
Night will come early.
We'll watch the sky, hoping for a full moon
To light our way home.

And if there isn't one, we'll put all our trust
In your book of matches
And my sense of direction
As we grope our way in the dark.

- Charles Simic, "Last Picnic"