Thesis FINALLY Emailed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

George Michael Fre...

OMG. I can't believe it. I just emailed it to my two readers. It's late and I'm giving them precious few days to review it. I sure hope that they just pass me. Ugh.

OK, so I know it's a bit premature but I don't care. I'm celebrating. First, a happy dance. Then some wine. Then bed. I'm so exhausted that I can't see straight...but not too exhausted to shake my booty for 3 minutes!!

I've had this George Michael song runnin' through my head these last two weeks as I've tried to intellectualize Filipino balikbayans and balikbayan boxes. It's been a living hell, lemme tell you. I would NOT recommend working full-time and pursuing part-time graduate study if you can somehow help it. These last 3 weeks SUCKED!! Actually, these last 2.5 years have been pretty rough. Be prepared to say goodbye to your life.

Hopefully, in two weeks, I'll get to say hello to my life again!! YEAH! FREEEEEDOM!!!

Heroes Chapter 20: Five Yrs In the Future

Oh my freakin' goodness!!! Heroes Chapter 20 was sooooo insane tonight! Ahhhh, I can't take it -- how good is this show or what!? I also don't have a life besides writing my thesis these days so an hour of escape is a good thing for my sanity.

Of course, five years down the road we get to see some character evolution. It's really interesting to see how the accumulation of people's individual choices intersect with other people's choices to create their realities; and how grief and fear can really hold people far back from achieving their true potential and discovering how truly powerful we really are.

Speaking of character development, can we talk Peter Petrelli? Hhhel-lo!?! Hhhhhot! *sizzle* Granted, the man has a huge scar across his face and he's wearing a wife beater. Maybe, it's the scar? It's definitely not the wife beater...or is it?! Eeks...am I starting to like wife beaters?! Later in the episode, during the face off...he reminded me of Neo in the Matrix.

In five years, we see his character grow from timid, whiny, and confused to confident, angry, and brooding. Future Peter reminds me a bit of Emily Bronte's Heathcliff, if you ask me. The show's writers did such a great job with his character!

Watching this episode was insane...didn't I say that earlier?!?! There were certain scenes where I FREAKED out...I was so excited at times I was deliriously clapping and giddy all over!!! I think the last time I was this giddy while watching something was during Star Wars III: The Revenge of the Siths when the audience sees the mask lowering down on the screen to complete Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Darth Vader. It was sick!!!! :)

Btw, thesis draft has still not been submitted yet. Don't freakin' ask. *hmph*

Thesis Tomorrow, Wedding Today

So the first draft of my thesis is due tomorrow and I'm far from done. All nighter...here I come. So what's a gal to do at a time like this??? Go to a wedding!

How can I miss the wedding of good friend, someone I've known since junior high school? That's way back...to 1987. Here she is being given away by her dad. She wore a red qipao the whole day instead of doing the switcheroo that many Chinese brides do...it's so beautiful on her!

I'm really happy Mrs. Artist met Mr. Artist; they are just darling together. Check em out here, dancing to some real good 'ol skool music that Mr. Artist chose. We danced to Gonna Make You Sweat by C&C Music Factory, Good Vibrations by Marky Mark, Grove is in the Heart by Deee Lite, and my personal favorite, Now That We Found Love by Heavy D & the Boyz!!! I HEART early 1990s music! Yah!!! :)

Here's MoJo goofin' off as always...he's slowly morphing back to his normal self now that he handed in his thesis for review to his committee. His defense will be in early May. Cross your fingers folks...God willing, he'll be Dr. MoJo in a few weeks time! For now, he's back to eating, drinking, and being his goofy self. The man lost 15 pounds in the last 3 weeks cuz he had been so stressed out writing his thesis.

PSA for the day: If you are contemplating doing a PhD, I hope you think long and hard the reasons why you want to do it. It is a LOT of unhealthy torture to put your body and mind through. Ugh. Just watching him and some of my good friends go through this process really makes me want to run to the hills even though the thought to get one has seriously crossed my mind.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Here's a toast to Mr. & Mrs. Artist! May your life together as a married couple be full of love, understanding, respect, and laughter. Congratulations!!!

Heroes FINALLY returns! Chapter 19: .07%

Listen up y'all!! The first of the final five episodes of the first season of Heroes will be aired in 7 hours. Aiaiaiaia!!! Yeah baby, bring on my heroes!

I know, I know. I don't have a TV but who needs it when you have the internet?? I accidentally learned about the show when stumbling upon the NBC website last year. By then, 7 episodes had already aired. I've watched most of the episodes online or I've gone over to MoJo's house. Needless to say, I'm totally hooked!

A kind soul on youtube took the trailer for tomorrow's and next week's episode and slowed it down so us Heroes fans can see frame by frame a little better...yah! It's amazing how much you miss in real time. Shout out to awff7 for doing this!

Happy Easter & Happy Birthday to Me!

These pics were taken on my birthday...please don't mind the tired look on my face. I had an awesome 31st birthday nonetheless.

Ok, so I admit it. I'm afraid of fireworks...even little sparklers.

Pecan pie anyone?

Mom & I

Oh well, no pictures of MoJo & I though. :(

Fridays Off

Taking Fridays off between now and early May to write that MA thesis that is due in time for a May 16 graduation.

Still trying to hammer out my conceptual framework when discussing Filipino American immigrants (referred to as balikbayans, Tagalog words balik=to return & bayan = home) and their persistence in sending balikbayan boxes back to the Philippines to their families.

Even though my brain often feels fried, I get great joy out of writing. I never thought in a million years I would've said that. Talk to me in May when my a** is dragging on the floor. I may being singing a different tune!

Engaged!

MoJo took me to the Planetarium at the Museum of Natural History. Amidst the planets and the moons, he got down on one knee, presented me with my very own shiny star, and asked me to marry him! After five minutes of bawling my eyes out, I said YES! The poor thing, I think he got nervous when I couldn't speak for several minutes. :)

A fuzzy picture taken on my camera phone, minutes after it all happened.

The two of us after the proposal -- we are on the moon! :)

A Different Kind of Island

Picture courtesy of Mojo, taken on our penultimate day in Maui

The Acupuncuturist told me yesterday that I was not being present.

The A: Girl! You, your head is still in Maui!

JoJo: I could've told you that. I miss that place. I just don't want to be here.

The A: This city is wonderful; there are lots of museums, restaurants, and plenty of culture. Take advantage of it. Do something every week. I bet you those people on Maui would give anything to have what you have and live in NYC. This is the center of the universe! (twinkle in his eye)

JoJo (laments): I know. I love NYC. This is my home, where I grew up. I need to fall in love with it again. But it's such a rat race!

The A: You know, Manhattan is an island. (smiles) Bring some of that aloha back here.

JoJo: Yeah. (pause) With millions of crazy people living on it!!!!!!! Grrr...


Went back to work today. It's definitely the most direct way to get over the lingering jet lag that I'm still trying to hang on to. I'm spoiled, I know. I've been off for three weeks and had 5 days since returning to the mainland to readjust.

Isn't it funny how even if we've got it good, we are still never happy? Jeez. Need to reflect more on that ever elusive state of happiness. I know it doesn't have to be elusive. We humans just choose to make it that way. I need to also keep working on being present. I don't know what it is. Everyone feels a bit depressed after returning from a great trip. I just feel like I got the wind knocked out of me in a way that I've never felt from other trips I've taken in the past.

To Those Who Fight For Social Justice

Dr. King and the life he chose to live reminds me of the choice we make to heed the call to serve and to fight on behalf of those who are disenfranchised, those who lack a voice. Thank you Dr. King for teaching us to be resolute in the face of uncertainty and to be fearless in the face of death.

Let us also remember other less popularly well-known leaders who fought in the Civil Rights Movement such as Ella Baker and Robert Moses (and many more) plus the countless unidentified men and women who fought and whose lives were lost in the quest for equality for all.

To inspiring leaders like Daw Aung Sun Suu Kyi, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Theresa, Benigno Aquino, Jr., Nelson Mandela (to name just a few): THANK YOU. We will never forget your contribution to humanity and to making this world a more peaceful and just place.

Maui III: Piko

The Navel, The Center

I was drawn to this necklace when I first saw it on the road to Hana.
Carved out of cow bone, the artist explained that this symbol is the piko.
The navel connects us to the source of life; it is the center.

It reminds me of my spirituality.
I have learned to trust my gut, to trust myself.
I am beginning to feel the connection between my mind & body & spirit.
I am still patiently learning how to be unafraid of my emotions.