23 Years

Yesterday was my parents' 23rd anniversary.  Even with the rocky parts of those years, my sisters and I are extremely grateful that there's always going to be at least one day out of the year reminding my parents why they fell in love in the first place.  It just takes them a while to realize it.  

Diane made a good point.  

"You have to look further back before they had us kids." 

There's a story in the family about how my dad used to drive from Sacramento to San Francisco between jobs just to see my mom to bring her lunch or dinner.  No matter what the shift was, he was there for her.  And my mom would be at the university, waiting for him.  They were still transitioning after their marriage and didn't have enough money for a place of their own.  They only stayed together on the weekends.  My mom lived in a studio with her roommates while my dad stayed with his friends.  On one Friday evening, after an exhaustive drive down to SF, my dad had brought leftover cabbage stew and rice so he and my mom could eat on the way back to Sacramento.  Hungrily they dug in and found that the cabbage had spoiled.  Instead of bickering out of frustration, they just sat in the parking lot, quietly crying over the only food they had left for the day while they comforted each other.

That's love.  When you only have a few possessions, it's easier to see why you want and need that significant other to be your rock.  It gets harder when other things are added on, your kids, work, financial issues, etc.  This is one of the moments where my sisters and I have to remember that at one point in their lives, my parents were passionate about one another.  They didn't have a petty argument.  Having each other's company was more than enough to live peacefully that night. 

I love my parents more than anything and at 23 years, I wish them many more anniversaries to celebrate, and definitely more days where they can think back and remember why they decided to become man and wife. 

Photo Projects

My list of things to photograph:

• Honnie & Holmes together
• Portraits of friends
• Garden scenery at home
• More homemade food & foodie adventures
• 365 days of photos, a diary of highlights of each day (starting tomorrow)

I think I'm more excited for the last one.  It'll keep me optimistic.  In any event, there has to be one good thing that's happened throughout my day.  I need to be able to find some source of sanity here.  I just hope it doesn't end up too mundane.

'Tis Clean

After super cleaning the house, I decided to spruce up my networking sites.  Blog has a new look, both this blog and my Tumblr need new posts, everything else needs security control.  Feeling a little OCD.  I might just re-organize my iPhoto albums.

Spammers

I feel like I'm being harassed.  There's an unknown caller that keeps calling me from (000) 000-0000.  It seems like a prank based off a bad horror film.  I don't appreciate it.  The number's been reported and I've taken my name off of the telemarketers list.  There's nothing else I can do.  Even my carrier cannot block it because it's not a legitimate number.  6th time they've called today, I'm getting a little freaked out.

Hello from my desk

His name is Momo.  I'm planning to make a traveler's album featuring him.  

I need some sort of photo project.  I will start gardening soon though!

Homemade Pedi

I was talking to my sisters about getting girled up and Vick decided that I should just do my nails at home.

V: If you want your toes done professionally, I'm sure we can match what those ladies at the salon do!
A: You don't have the equipment!
V (runs to get Holmes' bucket): Oh hon-ay! I can do your toes, I hav' the turtle treatment here for yo' feet.  She can nibble at your toes and everything.

"Sundays are mandatory"

I've been taught that Sundays are for church.  Church is for God and you owe everything that happens in your life to Him.  It's fate.  I believe we all have a purpose in life, but not a predetermined one.  For some reason my parents cannot wrap their head around that.

When I told them that I wasn't going to mass today, they were baffled.   

"But it's Sunday...you have to!  What's gotten into you?"

No I don't.  Going to God's house is supposed to be a sanctuary.  It's supposed to be a home that I can share with 60 other people.  It doesn't feel like a home.  The one in Irvine is.  My brothers and sisters all reside there and we're a family.  And going to mass shouldn't be an obligation.  It's free will.  We're all entitled to how we pray and communicate with Him. 

"Your personal problems have nothing to do with God.  No matter what, you're supposed to be there in church to pray for your troubles."

It's such a contradiction.  I think she meant that my personal problems aren't larger than the church.  Prayer is a personal thing to me and where I do pray shouldn't matter.  It's not like a computer being plugged into the modem, I'm not going to get a better communication line with God if I'm in the church.

And the last statement that just annoyed me.

"If you pray enough, things are going to change."

God isn't Santa Clause, just because we all try to be good little boys and girls, He's not going to give us what we want.  We're human-- we make mistakes and when we make those mistakes, there are consequences.  It's our responsibility to cope and fix ourselves.  Prayer's a supplement, not the antidote.

"Bình an".  Mot từ con sẽ không bao giờ hiểu.  Muốn sửa, nhưng ma không được.

Please go away

Whatever you are, stomach flu or food poisoning.  I can't even look at my food blogs without feeling sick.  The smell of food makes me nauseous, and the sight of my kitchen makes me want to run the other direction.  Body aches and chills, I'm just waiting for that fever to kick in.  Needless to say, I feel terrible today.