Potato Chip Rockstars

The waiter gave me complementary green tea ice cream and goo goo eyes.

"For some reason, the most vocal Christians among us never mention the Beatitudes. But, often with tears in their eyes, they demand that the Ten Commandments be posted in public buildings. And of course that's Moses, not Jesus. I haven't heard one of them demand that the Sermon on the Mount, the Beatitudes, be posted anywhere.

"Blessed are the merciful" in the courtroom? "Blessed are the peacemakers" in the Pentagon? Give me a break!"

- A Man Without a Country, Kurt Vonnegut 

Solitary reaper

I've been up since 4am. 

My day consisted of working the opening shift, participating in a clinical dermatology study where I got three skin biopsies (the whole process was fascinating), depositing my tips, attending a "how to get hired at ucsd" workshop, and perusing around the gorgeous ucsd campus. 

Silver and Gold

7/13: Auntie Letty & Uncle David's 25th anniversary

7/14: Mama & Papa's 50th anniversary 

We were each other's dates three times this month: a statement that says a) July seems like 2013's "it" month for a wedding and b) Paulo and I were really lucky to get to see each other so frequently. And the fact that we got to spend time in the midst of celebrations with our loved ones makes our time together extra special. 

But unfortunately, within these next couple of months, the talks and visits will be few and far in between. He will be in the thick of his first busy season; a strain on any relationship, a zesty 1up for a long distance one. This particular busy season is something I'd been dreading since the early stages of our relationship, but for some reason I don't feel too worried right now. 

During these next couple of months, I'll finally work on getting my shit together (job, education, moving out, etc) with a zeal that had been dormant up until recently. So while his busy season won't be easy on either of us, it'll help that I'll be putting in some work for myself. I mean, figuring out your whole life and all its meticulous details can be just as mentally demanding as doing corporate taxes... right? (sarcasm). There must be some reason I've been un[der]employed for 9 months. And that reason is probably because all that thinking aches; up until recently, I would have preferred to make a latte than to put serious thought in to what I'm doing with my life. Luckily, these next three months will be fertile ground for me to do just that...so hopefully it bares fruit in the end! 

Undoubtedly, some days will be harder than others, but I'm still pretty confident that our relationship will endure just fine. Being with Paulo has shaped me to believe that I can move forward courageously toward my aspirations while having my equally-ambitious boyfriend support me along the way. We take comfort in knowing that a relationship isn't where individuality goes to die. In fact, if you take two confident, strong individuals who put equal amounts of work into their personal goals and into the relationship they share... then the world is their oyster. 

Babies with their bottles

Me and my cousins after mama and papa's 50th anniversary party

Table #17

June 5th: Kuya Roel and Jessica's wedding! 

Aside from the cacophony of crying children (�), the ceremony was very sweet. I was on the verge of tears numerous times. A groom walking in with his mother, a bride marching down with her father, and that instance where the groom sets eyes on his future wife will get me every single time. It could be a stranger's wedding, a scripted movie wedding, it really doesn't make a difference to me. Those moments thicken the air with love and are so, so moving. I can't wait to share more of those moments with my friends and cousins when they decide to get married in the future. 

As for the reception, it was a lot of fun primarily because of who I got to sit with. Paulo and I were assigned to sit with the pastor, his wife, and two other young married-with-kids couples. This was our first wedding together as a couple, and I guess it was decided that we would identify best with the young married couples. They are about 5 years older than me, so naturally I admire and look up to all three of those couples. Each relationship gives me encouragement to carry on with mine.

Kuya Ryan/Ate Cathy, Tim/Julia, and Kuya Bong/Ate Sara show me the grace in doing long distance, the unselfishness in supporting your spouse's career path, and the reality of experiencing honeymoon stages even after years and years of being together-- respectively. 

That unsaid pressure of Paulo and I being a "real deal" couple both intrigues and terrifies me. But if it means we have the potential to be in league with those heavyweights, then shoot, I'll rise to challenge.