caprices

"i like being in the arms of a good-looking nun. how do you like it, sister?" -hogan, two mules for sister sarah

. . . . . .

since i've been back in l.a., a mix of "starving artist" steez (no ends) and my shopping fix have lead me to peruse a few of the vast number of second-hand shops that exist here. and with $40 this week, i got in on six gold o.g. jewelry pieces from the 70s-80s, a purple wool shawl, and a red leather pillow... most of which i gave away as gifts (grr it was hard to do, but something that good's meant to be shared). top that off with my kick of bumping into o.g. designs. très serendipitous. i also find that it satisfies my consumerism so fully that i tend to be turned off by purchasing at bigger retail operations (over-priced, new pieces that are made in bulk).

cheap & chic and rare for real.

. . . . . .

back to school. la rentrée. la vuelta... mia and i called that one. the first two weeks of september were like orientation. and since we got back from seattle, it's been nothing but hitting the books. i feel like i'm more in school now than i was when i was actually attending (and paying for) classes. the difference? school is a hell of a lot more fun now. i'm studying for tests that i don't know the dates of... my professors (karma) drop surprise tests on me whenever they want... i just have to be ready. and when i'm not, the results are more about the lesson than than they are about the scores anyway.

fuck the scores.

. . . . . .

i just got home from a sorority event. yes, i'm an alumna of a college sorority chapter that three women (myself included) founded ten years ago. i fell off the radar the last five years while i was overseas. but a couple of weeks ago, something told me to become more involved again (some call it intuition, others: coincidence). and now i'm a "big sis" to a 3rd-year art history major pledging to become an active member in the sorority.

anyway, so i go to this event, and i'm tripping out on the number of young women who are now a part of this organization. there had to be at least thirty ladies in the room. and then adding the girls who weren't there...

not to mention the life résumés thus far of each of these women... wow. unique yet like-minded for real.

i'm experiencing sustenance/legacy in action. i knew a decade ago that i was working towards achieving such, but i had no idea that i was actually going to.

trip out.

. . . . . .

i appreciate! the hometown. my loved ones. my car. my various shelters. my p/t gig. the universe. you.

westside details.

s.m.a makeover.

sunroof wilshire.

hannon library.

my version of flowers & balloons.

full moon for amelia's birthday.

the homies fact-checking a "maya angelou r.i.p." tweet.

hard looker.

as of yesterday morning, PI network abs-cbn received over 40 billion pesos (about $841,000,000) in donations for the flood relief.  that's positive, right?  hooray, people power.  end of story for most.

yet my personality gets the best of me, and the feel-good emotions don't suffice.  as in, the PI's just received almost 20% of their annual GDP ($144.1 billion) over the weekend.  who's handling all that liquid.  are they experienced in dealing with that much dough.  and then i pray that these decision-makers consider long-term goals, such as improving waste management (more jobs, clear sewers, cleaner water); perhaps investing in dam technology (a clean (natural, cheap) water resources system for the country, practically-free source of power, more jobs); or something that involves using the elements of this disaster into a plan that would make the rain our friend, instead of something that we fear will destroy us.

what does one do with such an opportunity to re-build the philippines.







or, this is just the way i grieve.

come & go.

flying into LAX last week, i had reason to suppose that i'd be returning home as a widow.  my intuition was off.  but yesterday, it happened to the wife of a good person i knew.  poof.  just like that. 

wow.

r.i.p. eric.

on to the next life.

capricorn

Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 (via elle astrology)

Patience, Capricorn. You’re poised to seal the deal on a matter close to your heart. Though you feel this should have been wrapped up days ago, you can’t speed up nature’s timeline. Surrender to the process. Remind yourself that the sudden jolts of doubt and suspicion are just negative thinking; petty resistances to opening yourself to a new experience. Do what it takes to get in a Zen-like headspace.

It’s a bit of a Catch 22: as you relax, everything begins to flow.

re-brand ma vie.

it's hard to tell whether i'm really learning about true love, or if i'm just a fool.

pssh.. we're all fools.

but i can see where the catch is.  if i really believe that love is something that never runs out then i'd turn from foolish to simply soaking in every ounce of life i'm in touch with.  right now.

doesn't that sound lovely.

i love to love.
but i really have to mean it.  

i'm working on it.

.....................

the best way i can describe the world of people i'm living in right now... it's a galaxy where self-awareness is celebrated & nurtured.  honesty is like handing out (& receiving) an endless stack of hundred dollar bills.  why thank you!  ninja tax breaks.

virgos & bodega.

yolanda gonzalez's studio with the fam.

i spy : saturday, september 5.

i spy : sunday, september 6. into monday...

more monday.

170.
 

.....................

seattle. it really is the northwest version of honolulu. time slows down into a good time.

seattle beginnings.  catfish po'boy.

fish & chips & nw dank.

bzzz. 

linda cuts.

lake cruising.

cabasco enviro.

war room eve.
 

morning stroll.

the wedding celebration of cecilia & montague.

post-nupt therapy with seattle's fave sisters.

treating hangovers in chinatown.

getting lost.
 

tonal dusk.

thank you kat.
 

permanent kisses.





tom: and that's it?
summer: the ones that lasted.
tom: what happened?  why didn't they work out?
summer: nothing happened really.  it's what always happens.  life.