a birthday to remember

my birthday celebration began immediately upon my departure from work yesterday. i enjoyed a traffic free and music filled ride down to virginia beach. i was able to grab a meal and a shower before we piled into the "versa," as my car is called by my dad. we head to the most filipino church in virginia beach, holy spirit catholic church. this church is honestly 95% filipino in its congregation. it's SO filipino that we sang "Silent Night" in tagalog. seriously. unfortunately, the priest was monotone and he made me miss Fr. Kelly (from college) terribly. it was the first time in a long time that i thought about Gaudete mass and singing with the folk group.

the best part was as we were driving out of the church, i say, "i'm 35 years old...halfway to 40." my father chimes in and says, "Life begins at 40!" i respond, "so what have i been doing all this time?" my mom says, "practicing."

we went home and exchanged presents, got some super cool stuff. my mom actually bought a new christmas decoration this year and i'm trying to upload the video i took of it....it is AMAZING. my brother and i were up until 3am just catching up and exchanging movie reviews.

this morning, i awoke to the sounds of my dad making christmas brunch. i got a chance to talk to craig for awhile this morning (and he waited to call until 10am). actually this year, i received more birthday wishes on my actual birthday than i have in a long time. it was very cool. thanks mostly to the inventor of text messaging and social networking websites. it made me feel very loved.

after brunch, i went and spent time with sara and her family. they were anxiously waiting my arrival because they had set up a surprise for my birthday. they actually did a scavenger hunt around the house for my birthday gifts. yes, there was a gift in the bathroom. it was pretty funny because the clues were hilarious.

then we opened the rest of the gifts...i must say, excellent stuff. i am very grateful for everything that i have been given this year. most of all, my family, my friends, old and new, and my partner are all incredible. i don't know what would do without the people that i love.

speaking of which, sara's sister, stacey teaches elementary school and one of her students lives in the house in the video below. we went to see it tonight. UNBELIEVEABLE!!!! my first thought was, "i have to do this when we get a house." they did shows every 30 minutes from 5pm to 10:30pm. there was a crowd gathered outside and cars lined up. it was a really cool way to end my birthday. only 5 more years of practice left, i better get to work.

one day left

this painting is by sara's friend, mary, and it's called hangover at hots. this is what i'd rather be doing right now versus what i HAVE to do. for those unfamiliar with my holiday traditions, tomorrow is my longest day of the year.

i have to stay up late tonight packing and wrapping presents. then, i have to work at 7am until 4pm, addressing statements like...

"i'm looking for a book, but i don't know the title or the author."

"no, i know the book is out-of-print...but i want the audiobook of this play. i looked it up on the internet."

or after a customer drinks the entire large latte, she decides that she didn't like it and wanted a refund.

[all this on top of working another fourteen hour day. luckily, nathan, my buddy, always pulls through and plays "the essential journey" album to cheer me (and most of the customers) up. so i spent the last couple of hours singing in the warehouse.]

but tomorrow, i drive home and get ready for midnight mass (we are there at 10pm). we stay up and exchange presents. then i finally can get some sleep.

i'm really looking forward to time with my family and sara's family. i need to get the heck out of dodge and get some perspective. and since i'm off the day after christmas, i get to spend the night at maribeth's. yay! there's nothing like spending time with a friend who knows you better than you know yourself. warning: there will be much more reflection.

the reflection begins

as my birthday and the end of the year approaches, i begin my annual reflection on my life. this year has included a lot of changes, new job, new car and a lot of new friends. i've also been in contact with a lot of old friends this year for the first time in a long time. i just got reconnected today with one of my two college roommates. i also found my junior high locker partner on facebook.

i'm really grateful for the incredible people that i encounter and for the relationships that those encounters warrant. i love a good conversation, especially one that challenges me to think about what i truly think and whether i'm brave enough to share it. i've had some really incredible ones this year.

i have found that having younger friends, despite making me feel old at times, can give me a fresh perspective on life. i can't wait to see how they impact the world. i think they are going to be incredible.

i also enjoy the advice my older friends have to share with me. i love that i can call my friend, maribeth, as i drive to my parents and she can call me out on my crap (even though i haven't talked to her in months). she should expect a call on monday.

overall, i struggle with being a good friend at times. i think i'm the worst with the people that i've known the longest. i think i have chosen very forgiving people as my friends. i hope that people know that whether i call, email or text or not that i am constantly reminded of my friends through photos, songs, or memories. feel free to call me on my crap. or just call. craig, just don't wake me up.

i'm not there

if you like dylan or love cate blanchett, go see this movie. if you can handle a little bit of artsy, then spend a buck or twelve to see this. i have mentally edited out richard gere and just replaced it with more cate blanchett. she is AMAZING. it's only playing in 3 theaters around town, but it's worth the trip.

p.s. it also has the actress from "science of sleep" in it...love the accent. :)

i took too long

this movie was released in 1988 and i started to hear about it when i was in college. i finally watched it today. sometimes i am resistant to watch a movie when too many people tell me that its good...i usually am disappointed because of the hype. so in this case, i waited. i was far from disappointed. if someone were to ask me for a movie to describe how i feel about movies, i would tell them to watch this one.

it is also centered around a movie theater, cinema paradiso. i love old movie theaters. i watched my first foreign film and gay film in an older movie theater, while i was in college. there is nothing to me like the anticipation of escaping into a different world when the lights begin to dim. it's where i go to find myself when i'm lost. i could watch movies all day. i've never done it, but i would love to spend an entire day in the movie theater. i have lived a dream by being in a movie theater watching a movie completely by myself. it would have been better, if the movie wasn't horrible.

there is a small movie theater nearby that plays one movie a week...just like the naro in norfolk,va (i miss it). i need to go there more often.

watch this movie, if you love movies. it's a tadbit long, but worth it.

happy birthday, virginia!

virginia and i have been friends longer than i can remember...well, i can remember, but i don't want to say. she is celebrating her birthday today and it's been quite the year for her...new job, new home, new outlook on life.

i made her a promise almost twenty years ago that no matter what happens, whether we are communicating or not, i would be there. i hope that i've kept that promise. and i also know that she would be there for me too. she has always been there for the people she loves and i'm grateful for the presence she's had in more than half of my life. happy birthday! i owe her a trip to cake love.

watch out, clark griswold!

this house is decorated ALL YEAR LONG! it changes with the seasons, but it is always lit up like a Christmas tree. i am thoroughly amazed by how much stuff is around and on that house. i can't imagine living next door. it's incredibly tacky, but i love it.

as an update, the meeting went as well as expected. i learned a little more than i wanted to in the meetings i had today. yet, i've decided to still lead with my heart, but not to forget my brain. an employee i love gets to stay on staff. i've made some wacky decisions of late, but things are getting back on track. things are settled for the interim. thanks for everyone's thoughts and prayers. keep praying. my birthday is just around the corner.

good balances bad

yesterday i received a visit from one of my favorite couples, jay and david. it was good to see them both and i needed the hugs from jay. my new friend came in and told me that she prayed for me at church that morning. another friend called and left a message. i received yet another amazing email from a friend. and a couple of things happened that will institute some change. i have a meeting on wednesday morning that could really determine how the rest of my year will go. i arranged to be off today for a mental break and i will be doing one of my favorite things....grocery shopping.

when i'm upset, i love being in the grocery store. i put on my headphones and i am in complete and total control. i love browsing and i love food, obviously. i'm excited. and i just got a new cd.

the other day, i met iyanla vanzant...random celebrity encounter. she lives in maryland and she was pretty cool. i didn't recognize her until she gave me her credit card. i asked if she would autograph her books in the store and she was very willing to do so. she was very friendly and had a really great smile. she runs a school to instruct life coaches. i found that very intriguing.

to retail or not to retail...

i had to have yet another horrible conversation with someone i respect due to the nature of my business. is every business heartless? am i supposed to be? i cried during the conversation and SHE comforted me. i don't think that there is a job that is perfect, but i do know that i'm good at what i do. i know that there are moments that i love being at work. i actually love making coffee for people, finding music and giving a child a book. someone called me a "workaholic" the other day. i laughed because i know that it's true. anyone i've ever worked with would agree with that statement. until i can make my way out of retail, i'm going to try to focus on what a really good friend taught me a long time ago.

life is an adventure.

you only work so you can have a life, not the other way around.

a new friend reminded me...things happen for a reason.

a day of music

so, i started my day off by going to work to set up for three guitar ensembles and a music honor society from a local high school. i have never seen so many classical guitars in one place at one time. it was pretty amazing. they even brought a keyboard and one student played an incredible original composition. can you really beat starting your day with some live holiday music?


next, sara surprises me by bringing to a movie, "August Rush." it stars Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. i love Keri Russell...i miss felicity, and i loved "Waitress." i have a huge crush on Jonathan Rhys Meyers. this movie is on the super cheesy side, but of course, it appeals to me. it wasn't really the story that i connected with, but the message that music is all around us if we listen.

i recently asked a friend what her five favorite non-musical sounds were...these are a few that i have thought of..

1. children laughing and playing
2. the sound of a can of soda opening & being poured into a glass of ice
3. the weird sound my cat, cooper, makes when i pet him
4. thunderstorms and lightning at the beach
5. hearing my dad say the words "yes sir" as only he does



we enjoyed the rest of the snow day with pizza, hot chocolate and more holiday movies. "On the 2nd Day of Christmas." Mary-Stuart Masterson & Mark Ruffalo. "Meet the Santas." Crystal Bernard & Steve Guttenberg. good stuff.

and so it begins....

every christmas season since we've moved here, sara and i have watched christmas movies of all types all throughout december. sara did it long before she met me, but now i've been included in the fun. actually, i didn't enjoy the season quite as much before i met her. she LOVES christmas.

so the first one of the season was "a carol christmas" starring tori spelling, william shatner, gary coleman, and dinah manoff. oh yeah, baby. basically, it was ANOTHER, more cheesy retelling of "A Christmas Carol." i don't hate on tori spelling. she may have been my least favorite on "Beverly Hills 90210," but i've liked some of what i've seen of her since. you have to like someone willing to take shots at herself.

this movie...well, it was on the hallmark channel.

we've moved onto "frosty's winter wonderland." the cartoons are more my style...