Winter break randoms

Some things I've learned or reaffirmed:

In Vegas
_Some girls just have no shame
_Some guys just have no shame
_Some guys just have no shame OR common sense, like knowing when to stop *ahem*
_Even if it's freezing, coat check is not worth $6.
_You can never be too full for a Fat Tuesday, even if you just downed this:

On our 6 year anniversary
_You start running out of ideas for dinner spots/gifts/other typical anniversary stuff, but you really don't mind anymore
_Sometimes staying in to watch a movie and eating mochi > obligatory money-spending activities

While grubbing on holiday food
_Any thought of moderation or portion control goes out the window longer than you realize. You think it only lasts for a couple days, then 1-2 weeks pass and it's like you never put your fork down
_You really can't go wrong with anything potatoes
_I still think cake > pie for the most part

O Holy Night

Happy holidays everyone, I don't have much to say except that I hope everyone's enjoying their break and time with family and friends. I wish it didn't take the "holiday spirit" for people - me included - to get back in touch with some old friends to catch up on the past couple months, or even years in some cases.

BnB and Me (the forever tag-alonger) at the annual dinner

Sundance/Mesa Verde Reunion. We've been through it all haha.

Vegas trip with 198 & friends. Taking advantage of our last winter break together :/

Happy holidays from my family to yours

Listening to the homily during today's mass reminded me why I'll still put my faith and trust in God despite this religious funk I've been in. I know lately I've been having inner conflicts with religion in general and understandably so, but I can still wholeheartedly acknowledge that having God in my life fills this inexplicable void that cannot be fulfilled by anything else. I may have lost faith in organized religion and the ability of people to be understanding and accepting towards others, but faith in my God has never swayed and I don't think it ever will.

All I ask is that as the end of the day draws near and you look at all the gifts you've received, if you ask yourself, "Is that all there is? Could there be more? Do I have enough?", look past all the gift wrap and fancy decor and remember what Christmas is really about: honoring the birth of Jesus Christ. Religious or not, I think we all can benefit from seeing the beauty and wisdom within his teachings.

Merry Christmas<3

Joyride

Trying to get to and from San Diego in such a hurry right after work lately almost made me forget how much I love driving at night so much more. Besides the obvious clearer roadways and avoidance of rush hour stress, night driving to and from San Diego and Irvine just puts me in this certain vibe. The silence on the road allows me for that hour and fifteen minutes to think more clearly about things, along with some KyXy 96.5 in the background - I really can't get myself to listen to anything else during this time. It's also the only time I will belt to the top of my lungs because no one can hear me, and the fact that I can pretty much sing the chorus of every song that comes on - REO Speedwagon, James Ingram, Toto - all the soft rock staples, try me.


On the most recent trip down to SD, I already had that mindset that summer is pretty much over. Although I don't go back to school until the end of the month, everyone else is back to the books. I don't even have anything going on after the Vegas trip this weekend (whoo!) except work, so Sin City seals the deal for me. I'll probably have a more thorough end of summer review in the future but I just wanted to touch on some views of mine that have been steadfast since the beginning of the summer.

Like I mentioned in Lessons Learned, I adopted a more realistic and "It is what it is" perspective towards life at the summer's start. And well, it's the end of the summer and not much has changed. I worked almost everyday since the end of finals and while I wish I could be wallowing in cash right now, this time my parents put more responsibility on me and I had shit to pay for, along with setting goals to save up money for certain things - Raf's Birthday, Vegas trip, etc. Gas, groceries, partial rent, car payments, books for school, and all the everyday essentials add up quicker than you think. Also, my laptop crashed a couple weeks ago, and although that was a bummer, I was super excited to finally get a new laptop - until I realized I would be paying for all of it. A very different story from last summer, when I spent my money about 20 minutes after clocking out every other day. Thank God I'm not working retail anymore.

My new perspective on things also affected the way I handled relationships. For me, it was very easy before to be naive about wants and needs - a very "all you need is love" kinda thing. But I realized it's a lot easier on paper than it is in practice. Sure I didn't want to admit that things like money and job quality and million other issues mattered to me in the end, but when these things come at you and force you to make decisions you needn't had to do before, it can be a very big wake up call. I've come to the conclusion that maybe a relationship really can't survive on love alone, and that mindset was something hard for me to let go. Maybe money and job quality aren't the best examples, but can a real, satisfying, loving relationship survive without faith? Support from your family and friends? Tolerance of each other's differences? I guess in the end even almighty love couldn't escape my theory about everything needing to be in balance.

This summer was full of reality checks, and I think it was what I needed. But summer isn't totally over yet, and what I reallllly need is a real vacation. Vegas post when I return!!