The World as We See It

I was having a conversation the other day about how some of us who pretty much grew up and stayed in the suburbs of the Greater Los Angeles area, where most of our friends are primarily of the same ethnic and financial background, have been confined in our shell. We stay safe in our own familiar world and are usually conservative in our ways of life, not taking any big risks that go out of our comfort zone. I admit that I have fallen victim to this, and have spent the later part of my twenties finding peeps holes to get out a bit. There's a whole new world out there, whether just 30 miles away, or half way around the world and it's about time I get a sense of that. I don't know if traveling helps, but it's better then staying put in one place forever. I may never become someone completely different, but I can always hope to expand my horizons. The Washington D.C. trip has really brought this to my attention and I will be blogging in detail more about those adventures.

* Photo taken from the United States Botanic Garden of Washington D.C.

Worst Feeling Ever

You know what is one of the worst feelings ever? Having to eat french fries without ketchup and having to eat chicken nuggets without sauce!

This only happens in 2 situations, which is almost all the time for me:
1) I'm in the car driving and I don't want to wait to get home to eat the fries because I have to eat it in while it's hot.
2) Someone buys it for you and forgets to ask for ketchup or sauce.

How upsetting right?

I know...this is so random.

Umbrella Dance

Every Sha-la-la-la
Every Wo-o-wo-o
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they're startin' to sing's
So fine.

Every wonder what it takes to keep other people going and to how they can just put themselves out there? A lot it is about risk taking and just "doing it". Sometimes it's confidence built through out time and experience. Moments from the past may not be necessarily be repeated but we can certainly use them to make us what we are now.

Photo: Mom performing the umbrella dance that she choreographed at the Taiwan Fest-LA at the Union Station. She's never taken dancing as a profession, but has adapted everything she's learned from the past and used it to give it all she's got.

Lately

Lately I've been staring in the mirror
Very slowly picking me apart
Said, I'm trying to tell myself that I have no reason
With your heart
~ Verse from Jodeci & Stevie Wonder's "Lately"

Lately there's been a slight change in me. I've been "feeling" less by "doing" more. In reality I've been in my own comfort zone for too long and it's getting scary having to stay here. I've temporarily stopped hoping for what's to come in terms of love and have been concentrating on pushing forward to keep myself going. It's strange but I find myself constantly searching for things to do that I love every single day. It's as if I don't know what those things are yet.

I am blessed, for having the chance to recognize these things and making it tangible.

*Photo of a fire we saw on the 60 FWY pass through City of Industry

Obsession

This entry is dedicated to the one who is obsessed with Alicia and every other woman who has become an inspiration to us. Thank you for sharing this video...you know who you are. Funny how we still have role models even as we get older. There is something about strong, intelligent women that continue to give us hope that we can belong to something greater than our imagination.

The idea of taking a trip on your own and feeling comfortable with it is admirable and inspirational. Look out D.C., here I come.

Video: Alicia Keys Talks About Adventure in Peru on Letterman

Rabbit Hole

I didn't grow up learning to appreciate the theater or any type of live performance as a matter of fact. Besides an occasional field trip with school, I didn't know much about drama outside of what I knew in the movie theaters. Things have changed slightly since I was a child. It's not that I've gained some type of magical wisdom and put on my "I know better" hat on. I simply have new agendas to being there, and it certainly makes all the difference in the world. One agenda would just be to find myself immersed into a storyline so much so that you forget you are watching a play that's right in front your face. This experience can be magical and extremely moving. Another would be to become a better actor. This part, of course, I will not get into.

After watching Becca (Jennifer Ruckman) and Howie (Jonathon Lamer) trying to hold on to what they have after their 4 year old son died in an car accident in the Orange County premiere of David Lindsay-Abaire's "Rabbit Hole," playing at The Chance Theater, I just can't wait to watch my next play, whatever it may be. I also hope I can push myself further to whatever my next step shoud be.

If I Ain't Got You

Certain human beings continue to amaze me every day. Alicia Keys is one of them. As a performer, she is so infectious that she sucks you into her presence. As a singer, her voice completely comes out of her inner soul and allows you to be right there feeling it. As a musician, she plays the piano as if it's just an extension of her body. As a woman, she speaks volumes with every single audience member relating to her. And as a human being, she posses such an impossible confidence that you can't imagine what it must be like to be in her place.

What am I trying to say? I know I can be at some level of this type of existence soon if I push hard enough.

*This video is from her concert at the Staples Center. Filmed by Amy Lee.

Connecting the Body and Soul

I don't consider myself a spontaneous person. I'm not saying I need to follow a particular schedule or anything, but I don't just don't do strange things out of the blue all the time. Alright, who am I kidding? The older I get, the less constrained I become. After two hours of dance class one day, a classmate, whom I didn't even know the name of asked if I wanted to go to a dance showcase in West Hollywood. Mind you this was 10pm on Wednesday night and I had planned to go home and do some work. For some reason, I said yes, and little did I know this was the famous Carnival, a Choreographer's Ball at the Key Club where they show case over a hundred dancers. Upon entering the club, I could feel that I was in unfamiliar territory. I was surrounded by dozens of professional dancers, some b-boys, and some just to watch their favorite dancers. Among my favorite performances was the team choreographed by the famous Anthony Thomas, who had won awards for Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation." I've been holding off on writing anything about dancing for some time, because I don't feel that I have the write words to describe the beauty of dance just yet. All I know is that the there is something magical about it that connects your body, heart beat, and soul. If just merely watching it makes me feel that way, imagine what it must be like to actually do it. I can understand why some people live and breathe by it.

Of course, I didn't get home until 3:30am this night, which led to a pain work day the following morning.