memorial day weekend

although weekends aren't as big a deal for me as it is for everyone who works all week, this long weekend was the first that really felt like a huge deal for me.

friday night, i made an impromptu trip out to hermosa with some girlfriends and had fun, fun, fun!!! went bar hopping, ate some after-hours pizza, and had a lovely argument with some bill-o'reilly-following college kid about "liberty." poor kid.

saturday, i went to a santa cruzan event at st. genevieve's church in which quirina was one of the flower girls. it was so touching and educational that i'm seriously considering going to the philippines for christmas 2006. gotta start saving then.

sunday, i got out of the city and spent the whole day at my sister's condo in ventura. sun, steaks and shrek 2. need i say more?

and finally today, monday, i spent the day with my parents american-style (a.k.a, checking out the sales!). after a nice lunch we walked around valencia for hours window-shopping, and my mama bought me a nice pair of wedges. thanks ma! we had a surprise visit from my bro, his girlfriend and my sister's family later in the afternoon and we all had dinner together. fun times. the only things missing from such a family-oriented weekend was not turning on the karaoke machine or my having to play the piano for everyone's entertainment.

now, my mom and dad are watching tfc (the filipino channel). my mom and dad are laughing so loudly that i bet the neighbors can hear them from their bedrooms... with the windows closed.

it's great to see the fam having a ball. i will definitely miss this (family, friends and los angeles) when i go back to nice at the end of june. my sister's already feeling the pain as she asked me a number of times this evening to call mackenzie and tell him i'm not going back. (don't worry, baby, i'll be back on june 28 at 2:30pm) but this trip makes me realize that as much as i love los angeles, i like being in eu a lot too. and i'd be pretty disappointed to find out that my time there was up already. besides, who said that i had to pick one place to stay? there's nothing wrong with wanting both the states and eu to call home equally.

building bridges.