Saturday Morning Playlist

Right before heading to bed on this rainy Saturday morning, just as I was finishing up listening to the songs of my past, ate Jill and Pop asked me to join them with the grocery shopping for the week.

This led to me dragging my silly behind to the shower. First time in months that I've been out in broad daylight, albeit no sunlight in this venture.

It's fine. The ice cream we had after totally compensated for the lack of sleep for this little girl.

Saturday Morning Playlist:

1.) Driftwood - Travis
2.) Champagne Supernova - Oasis
3.) Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him
4.) Heartbeat - Shouting For Girls
5.) Young Folks - The Kooks
6.) Birds Of A Feather - The Rosenbergs
7.) The Faster The Treadmill... - I Fight Dragons

Hunger

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Home

Goodbyes are the one thing that never gets old. No matter how many goodbyes you've had, it still stings every time it happens. The human capacity for endurance never ceases to amaze me... most times in a good way, but sometimes in a harsh one. Every time we experience something good, there's that lingering fear of loss. Hidden in the deepest, darkest, corners and crevices of our minds, maybe, but still always present; never gone. It's why we take so greedily moments of true, uninhibited, utter joy. Still, while knowing that this happiness is fleeting, we jump on it every chance we get. Have we all turned to martyrdom? Or is the opposite true -- do we believe so easily that this goodbye is always the last?

I recently got back from another trip to Singapore to visit my sister and her family. While there, we picked up right where we left off. Maybe that's the good thing about family... you're connected at the heart so there's nothing you can do that can ever make them stop loving you. The days were spent laughing and hugging and reminiscing and catching up. By the last day though, a sadness hung in the air. A felt finality for this too short reprieve. An unsung melody. A goodbye.

Our eyes were red from trying to prevent the tears from inevitably falling, our nostrils flared and quivered with the effort to hold them back. You have never known pain if you've never seen a reluctant yet inescapable parting between loved ones. With this though, comes the bliss of knowing that you'll soon be together again. But honestly, even that knowledge won't be enough to console you for the moment.

My sister once told me that the best part of leaving home is coming home. So with that in mind and heart, I impatiently wait for my family to come where there is a surfeit of laughter and an abundance of love... home.

**

Photos:

Gettin' some dinner at the airport.

Constant companions: Drei & ate Iyay

Smoking Lounge. Can you spot me?

John Grisham's The Chamber.

One of the greatest things in the world is waking up to you, Baba.

On our way to Universal Studios. Yay!

Just 3 of the most beautiful ladies in the world.

[NOTE: Photos will be added later on.]

Behold the Red Fury

I can't even begin to explain how happy I am with the worldcup finals. Here were some thoughts I wanted to tweet while watching the game:

(Chronological)

- Undeserved Yellow Card for Puyol.

- Sergio Ramos getting a Yellow Card was another WTF moment.

- I want your million pound fingers, Iker. Nice saves.

- 3 Yellow Cards for Netherlands. I demand Red! Poor Xabi received a flying kick to the chest. ):

- ICU Morgan Freeman lookin' all glum.

- FLY, IKER!

- Free Kick fail by Netherlands. Ahahaha!

- STAY AWAY FROM PUYOL says the referee. :P

- I spot the FAKED double whammy by Netherlands.

- Keep calm, Xabi love.

- FLY, PUYOL.

- Don't push Xabi, Netherlands! ):

- 4 Yellow Cards and counting for Netherlands.

- Poor Villa! 5 Yellow Cards for Netherlands.

- Referee trying to join in on the game. ROFLMAO.

- Jesus Navas, I feel like you're going to become a Spanish Commodity very soon.

- Casillas is a beasssst! My heart leapt at that almost goal but San Iker made sure to protect Spain.

- Seriously? at that Yellow Card for Capdevila. 3 Yellow Cards for Spain. Blood bath!

- LOL at everyone watching Sergio Ramos head action. Too adorbs for words.

- Iniesta is PISSED.

- Iker, you truly are a saint.

- Do your thing, sexy Cesc!

- I love Xabi's little cheer to Cesc as Cesc Fabregas subbed for him. ( :

- Extra time. Getting nervous!

- Netherlands finally getting a Red Card! ABOUT TIME.

- Another Yellow Card for Netherlands making it an even 6!

- Fernando Torres is in! My baby Nando. ( :

- Angry Iker is sexy. His face during that scary Netherlands free kick was dreamy.

- INIESTA GOAL!

- Iker and his tears of joy. ( :

- Another Yellow Card for Spain. Sergio Busquets making it a 4!

- Baby Nando pulled a hamstring. ) :

- Baby Iker's face while carrying the trophy. (:

I watched the game over at Copper Grill with AM, Kalvin, Mikaela, Smao, Nas, Yas, Chaz, Don, Rid, Markee and Russ. We all had such a blast! AM and I donned red shirts, red headbands, and red lips to show our support. Viva La Furia Roja!

"...sheer talent and a distaste for nastiness can prevail."

- CBS News Sportswriter Chris Matyszczyk on Spain's world cup victory

ECSTATIC,

Essa.

Show me the light... or not.

Earlier today, I attended a bible study that my good friend, Mackenzie, frequented. In the meeting, we were shown a video clip of a man professing his faith in the Almighty. He compared an individual's faith in God to that of a husband & wife's relationship -- with God playing the husband, and man taking on the role of wife. He proclaimed how very wrong most people's perception of God is, that God is a shepherd and we're all here to do his bidding, and it got me to thinking, how many theories about God and Man are there... and are some truer than others?

Listening to the opinions of the different members of this group was almost disheartening in its same-ness. I witnessed first-hand how easily swayed some people are by provocative words and enthusiastic sermons. Should they attend an anti-religious meeting... would they just as easily believe in the worst? Still, amidst my initial disappointment, it was wonderful to know that in a world as jaded and cynical as ours, there still exists the perennial optimists. Those so ready to walk the earth blind.

Where is the line differentiating the over-religious zealots and the believers though? One of the questions asked by the group facilitator was that which one of us had people we could say knew us completely, and I was the only one to raise my hand. A sudden burst of angry protests erupted from that insanely small number of people. I was attacked for my beliefs. Whatever happened to "To each their own"? If this works for me... then why "fix" what isn't broken?

By the end of the meeting, I was convinced that these people simply wanted to liken coincidences to destiny. They fantasized and sensationalized common occurrences to glorious events. Are these people setting themselves up for disappointment... or are we just happy in the fact that we are not overly happy? I became even more questioning and skeptical of religion after having attended this session.

One thing is for certain though, I just came home from a meeting with a group of people who never tire of hearing their own voices and enjoy convincing people that they are in the know.

A bible study full of megalomaniacs. Irony certainly has a dirty sense of humor.

Perplexed,
Essa