Adventures: Part II

People were not kidding when they say that Rio is a city that seduces. Well at least I have been properly seduced after only a four day stay in the city. The funny thing is that during my four day stay, I did nothing of what a tourist would normally do. Visiting the Sugar Loaf, making the trek to the Christ, and celebrating New Years on Copacabana beach were simply lists, and lists they stayed.

I met and stayed with friends, and simply enjoyed their company and what normal city life had to offer in Rio. Partly why our itinerary had to change from tourist mode into Carioca mode was due to the heavy slate of rain that was bombarding the city during the time we were there. Funnily enough, the heavy rain was stopped by a cobra witch and the city rejoiced by celebrating New Years' in her name and let loose an onslaught of fireworks. Good times.

New Years' eve was full of laughter, food, champagne, and in the company of the most awesome people one can ever ask for. I pray that our respective new year will pan out to be greater than the last and that all our dreams and wishes come true to our benefits.

To 2010!

Adventures: Part I

Oh gosh, where would I start describing my trip so far? I can't believe time has gone so fast and quickly such that I am already half way through my trip. Wasn't it just yesterday that we left San Diego tired and weary of the long trip ahead? And now here I am in Sao Paolo and already feel like a total honary Paulista instead of a tourista. hehe.

I've met so many great people who treated me as their own and who were so warm and welcoming that I feel I've met more life long friends in an insanely short time. Days that past by in a blur was filled with food, conversation and attempting really hard not to pass out in the back seat of the car on route to another party at 2am in the morning. I can say with definite certainty that I am living the Sao Paolo city life.

The next 2 days will be filled with recharging and running around the neighborhood trying to amass as many random goods as possible to stuff in my lugguage and then it is off to City of God for and intense 4 days of partying and celebration of the New Year. Apparently that is when I will be introduced the REAL Brazillian culture and men. At this point of time, I will do what I usually do--sit back and enjoy what is to come.

Die Suche geht weiter

My vacation is pending; something that I have looked forward to all year long and yet at the brink of being able to let go for three weeks I am hesitant. It is like studying hard for finals week, not being able to sleep, not being able to do anything normal, and then WHAM all of sudden, you have way too much free time on your hands.

It also doesn't help that everyone I tell that I am going on vacation exclaims "OMG YOU ARE SO FREAKING LUCKY!!!"

Come on people, luck is definitely not the fact in whether I get to go on vacation or not. I worked my ass off all year long with no days off, bunched my vacation up together with Christmas and New Years in such that I get three weeks off to the destination of my choice. And last but not least, I saved money, and I choose to use it on this vacation. SIGH. Please don't portray my vacation as something that just fell out of the sky and I'm so extremely fortunate to be able to do it. Yes, I am lucky in the sense that my job allows me to do this, my boss is okay with it and my parents are supportive; but otherwise, don't try to push the "you are so lucky" and "life is so much nicer and better to you" shit on me.

One thing I am starting to realize now is that I'm getting better and better at the don't care about crap what others think about me and I will just do as I please and will. Part of having self confidence thing, I guess. Sort of like a self soul search thing I suppose. I am rambling...... hmm I suppose I should get back to work so I can go home and pack.

Hmmmm.....

Friends

It is true that the older one gets, the harder it is to make true friends. I don't think that it is because we meet less people; it is probably in the variety that we, as older adults know what we want, need, and appreciate in a good and true friend and thus are more selective in who we introduce into our life and inner circle. My German girlfriend, if you are reading this....I have been missing you lately! I hope you are doing well. I suppose I will send an e-mail to you soon....maybe when I fly south for the winter. :)

Weekend Contemplation

During the radio silence here, so much has happened in real life that I can't even begin to comprehend and digest. A couple days ago, I had a conversation with my mother about a friend of mine, and how she though isn't in a steady relationship, she has a companion. Which sparked into a interesting glimpse on how my mother views relationships, sex and the whole package in general.

"Don't be afraid to be lonely" She says. "In your life, there will be times when the only person you see and feel are yourself; don't seek out for another person for body warmth, just enjoy your loneliness."

The strange thing about her saying this is that I already know that, and I've often told myself the same thing, however it was nice to be reminded once in a while by mother that I am on the right track.

Too much socialization, too much waiting on others to do as they promised, and too much distraction going on in my life, preventing me from taking care and paying attention to my self. And once all this outside noise vanishes, all there is that blank silence, quiet enough to drown a person in.

I haven't been lonely in a very long time--friends have been constantly bombarding me with activities, phone calls, visits to random places; this weekend was that time in which the noises surrounding me are settling into the background and I eventually breath in the silence.

The first day I was at loss at what to do with myself. Annoyance and dissatisfaction of my present self was so tangible in the air that I almost snapped at myself for being so annoying.
It also didn't help that roommate, prior leaving for home for the weekend was being naggy and wanting to cleanup the apartment because her bf was to visit soon ( A complete different monster to fight...but we'll save that for another day).

Anyways, suffice to say, I am enjoying the silence in the apartment now and that hopefully I will recover enough by myself today not to snap at my roommate. Eep, okay, it is getting late and I should head off to work and then grocery shopping.

Hope you all are having an enjoyable weekend

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Listening to:

Save Me, San Francisco
Train

I just haven't met you yet

Michael Buble does it again! Am completely smitten with this song. A good song, comfort food, and tea will do wonders to a tiring day and some slightly stressful situations from work. Can't wait for the album to come out. :D

Family Trip

So this past weekend, I accompanied my parents and a couple of their friends to Sedona, AZ for a couple days of "nature-ness" and to allow our bodies to soak up the damn awesome magnetic fields that will cleanse our bodies...etc.

Since pictures speak louder than words here we go:

Arriving at the entrance of Sedona National Park after a 6 1/2 hour drive (restroom stops not included.....this is what happens when traveling with the elderly--or people with really small bladders).

This is where we were staying for the duration of the trip. It is also the full definition of camping--Asian Style.

Hiking Trip would not be complete with out hiking sticks.

But the scenary makes up for presence of strange walking sticks.

One thing that I really realized and loved were the presence of these big fluffy clouds everywhere. Something one does not easily get in Sol Cal--absolutely adored them.

And that pretty much sums up my weekend escapade. Well sans the half hour stay at the Grand Canyon and then decision to drive all the way back to Sol Cal 8 hours straight (again not including restroom stops); but that is a story for another day.