I've met a boy that makes it feel like Summer.

And because of that, I've been in such a ridiculous mood lately.

(Caro, here's your profile:  He's an artistic jock--swimming, wrestling, boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts, lion dancing, etc.--who appreciates the beauty of language and the art of writing.  He's been working as a kickboxing coach at a nonprofit in the ghettos of Oakland for about three years now, keeping kids off the street.  Korean.  5'9.  Broad shoulders.  Spontaneous.  Open.  Studious.  Well-mannered.  Interesting.  Dorky.  Fun.  Can be embarrassing.  Loves the water.  Likes my music.  Reads.  Cooks.  Laughs a lot.  Good with animals, has a dog named Sophie that loves me.  Quite the dancer--he taught me how to waltz during a house party.  Kind heart, sweet smile :)

Against our better judgment (we both had early morning classes/activities), Kee and I made a spontaneous decision at 11:30pm to run to downtown to view the midnight screening of Paranormal Activity 3. He bought my ticket as an early birthday present--sweet.

We sat in the second row to the front--by choice. According to him, they are the best seats in the house because "it feels like you're a part of the film, being so close to the screen!"

On the way back home, we walked slowly, faces toward the clear night sky. Kee actually saw a shooting star. I saw the Seven Sisters, a cluster of stars surrounded by a cloud of faint light, for the first time.

SSS [Strategic Sincere Serenade]

It's funny.  Even though I live in a house of males, I've experienced so many of the frustrations and difficulties that men tend to have with women throughout my interactions with them--irrational thought processes, emotional/mental instabilities, pessimism, insecurities, self esteem issues, just straight up fucking crazy, etc.--it's made me realize that the root to most, if not all, of these issues is due to fixation on past scars.  Inadvertently, helping them through their problems have helped me through my own--not in fixing them, because what's happened has already happened, but in changing the way how I feel about them.  It's not that I've become a happier person necessarily, just a lot less negative and more reasonable.  Being jaded and bitter really isn't progressive in the overall scheme of things.  Forgive and grow on.  Smile.  Remember the good things, hold on to them.  Appreciate what you have and what you had--and build off of that.  We have so much time.  Everything will be ok, really. If you have that mentality, you'll work toward it, and then surely it will be.  So life? Sorted. It's all good.                

Last night, L and I had an hour of pep talk with Iz about how he's not fat and ugly.  I don't know why he thinks that of himself since he has the whole tall, dark, and handsome thing going on for him, but I guess it's hard to shake the old insecurities of someone who used to be overweight.  Anyway, it wasn't working.  No amount of sincere compliments from either of us could lighten his mood.  So, as a last attempt to help him feel beautiful, I belted out:

You're insecure,
Don't know what for,
You're turning heads when you walk through the door,
Don't need make-up,
To cover up,
Being the way that you are is enough

Everyone else in the room can see it,

Everyone else but youu~

L happened to have his guitar out and he happened to know the chords, so he strummed along and joined in.  It was all very...Kumbaya.

But when Iz's face broke out into a smile, we knew we did alright. 

Off-key singing can do that to a person. 

It's about time I started cooking the food of my people again.  

Mushrooms & celery stir-fried with minced garlic and black bean sauce 

An oldie but a goodie.

Charcoal

So I remember there's something special about this piece.  I don't remember what the technique was called, but what I had to do was color the entire paper black, and then define and shade the skull with an eraser--basically, the drawing process was inverted. 

Hahaha, I also remember I got a B on this because I didn't emphasize the way the light hit the skull enough, which was the entire point of the activity. 

Solar Eclipse

I dared to look directly into the sun.

It was definitely not one of my brighter moments--even Iz called me stupid.   

I used my sunglasses as a filter.  Oh, the cleverness of me.

Magnetic North & Taiyo Na - Cold

Underground rap.  Easy listening. 

The theme is love and family.

I know you often feel forgotten
in our family, talking real is awkward
we don't say "I love you" 

we say, "Are you hungry?"

and when we grow up, we move away across the country

it's funny all the ways we show our love

is so cold when the world is cold enough

but trust nothing means more than the family

it rains and it pours but you'll always have a canopy

always have a sanctuary always have a place

to crash you never even have to ask

you can show up at my door with your bags all packed

and whoever broke your heart, Imma cap his ass

I'm sorry I don't mean to be so protective

but I'm the eldest it's practically in my essence

what were you expecting you're the meaning in my life

and now you no longer have to read between the lines cause

You're every part of my life

and I want to tell you what I like

for you should never be never be cold

feel that warmth in your soul

and I want to hold you, you alone

for you should never be never be cold