(post) IPT

Party time indeed. It was a blast =) I felt so loved! Thank you to all my friends who came through and blessed the spot with your presence. Homies there from school, work, ex-work, community, "the scene," ...And for bringing new friends! I um, don't remember alll your names because of my inebriated state, but I'm sure we'll meet on the next go-around. Except for Alfie and Melinda's friend Brian. I remember his name because I was still sober when they got there! j.logic, the music was lovely. thank you! and thank you to Genein for taking pics, and making sure my camera didn't get lost =)

click the pic to catch a glimpse...

IPT!!!

my homie michael just hipped me to some vernacular - IPT!!!

I(t's) P(arty) T(ime)!!!

i'm celebrating the blessings of life, love, and happiness tonight....come through!

elevator diaries

it's friday morning and a beautiful day in la. hollywood, to be exact.

a handful of working folks trail into elevator car #2 of our building. it's an interesting lot... we have a cable news network here, a leading entertainment art/design firm, a korean broadcast channel, a medical non-profit, and i think some kind of agency because oftentimes i happen upon ... aspiring audition types LOL. so it's usually an interesting mix of folks in the elevator.

anyways, a handful of working folks trail into elevator #2; me, a construction worker with a tub of concrete, our custodian, a couple of accounting looking people, and a handful of artist/designers, one of them a pretty lady, professional chic with a pooch carrier slung over her shoulder (i think it was paul frank). so it's pretty packed in there right. so the little pooch in the bag got a little startled when the first batch of folks let out, and she barked a little bit.

custodian: hey can you take her out so i can see him?

(mind you there's still like 6 people in this elevator, AND a tub of wet concrete)

chic lady: no. (not like in a mean way like no she won't, more like, no she can't)

custodian: oh, it's cuz she's a girl, huh?

chic lady: (confused) um, yeah i guess?

custodian: (innocently/matter-of-factly) well i don't mean this to sound offensive but (turns to construction guy) usually a dog's personality mimics their owner. if the owner's nice then they're nice

(awkward silence - ok so was he just offensive, or not?)

custodian: like my dog! he eats when i eat, sleeps when i sleep... man he's toootally like me

(kat and accountant start busting up laughing)

chic lady: (confused and a little embarrassed) have a nice day.

my floor is up. i'm out.

...ok maybe you just had to be there.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

horoscope for today: mind your business, aries!

Your compassionate nature has helped you create some very strong relationships. But your compassion can sometimes cause you to get upset about problems that are not yours to be upset about. Other peoples' problems are, by definition, theirs! And they need to solve them. You can't get so involved that you suffer sleepless nights! Try letting go: After all, they came to you for guidance and support, not a quick fix. Have faith that things will work out for them in the end. If you don't, you're underestimating the people you care about.

read:
1. keep your nose out of people's bizness damnit!
2. trust that things will turn out fine.

ok friends, if it seems like i don't care today... i don't. jk! i'm here to listen. i'll keep my mouth shut i promise =)

the weekend

just got home from v-town with my parents. we spent easter with my grandmother, Nanay.

we took off late fridnay night, and i pretty much slept the whole way. got there about 5am, and pulled up to they denny's close by. we were the first customers, but the waitress was nowhere to be found. turns out that just minutes before, they got robbed. we left so they could take care of all that.

when we got to Nanay's, we woke her to tell her we were here. she was sooo happy to see us. it was so sweet. even though she can no longer walk nor handa for us, she still asks us if we've eaten, if there's coffee for my dad... always so hospitable. she's progrssed alot since her stroke last year, when we weren't quite sure she was going to make it.

i really just sat still and spent time with my family. no going out like i ususally do when i'm up there. and it was good. spent time with my cousins, got to see my niece and nephew, and my brother. and watch the bruins win! just a good family weekend.

and to top it all offf, my auntie made me leche flan to take home!!! now that's love =) this will be my birthday cake!

have a good week everyone. i think it's gonna be a busy one!

(this was at her birthday in december. luv u 'nay!)

Spring is here!!!

The Sun Moves Into Adventurous Aries!

When the Sun enters Aries you're likely to feel just like the Ram: Ready to charge out into the world! Since Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, it's time for you to make sure you're putting yourself first and considering your own needs. Put some 'spring' into your step as we move into the first day of the Sun in Aries and the Spring Equinox. There's magic in the air -- revel in it! (astrology.com)

i heart spring ... cherry blossoms bloom, and so do pink jasmine... the sun burns off the morning haze quicker... it stays light out longer... my bornday! ... and it's fashionably correct to wear white, and open toe shoes (although living in LA, we can do it year-round)!

So, happy ...

... Persian New Year!
... spring equinox
... first day of the new astrological new year
... sandal shopping!

memory

i joke a lot about getting old, but for real i feel it more difficult to remember things. before i used to memorize everything. to try to combat this, or at least slow down the deterioration of my memory (ew that sounds kinda dramatic huh), every day i try to recall a past memory and remember the details of that event or moment. i don't write them down all the time, but i think i'm going to try to record them from now on.

today was my lolo pol's burial, and i did the eulogy, so last night was a whole bunch of that. reminiscing. it's a trip what you find back there in your memoru.

you'll see in my last post, my reflections about him. here's one that i shared with a friend earlier this week.

today as i reflected i paid attention to the sounds of voices. i was remembering the sound of lolo pol's voice. a tenor voice, with the signature ilocano drawl. if you don't know what i'm talking about, pick up rex navarrete's first cd. he does a good job making fun of it! haha. and then i remember my lola haning's voice. high-pitched. and then my lola's voice. as she got older, her voice got sweeter. she had this giggle, it was so cute. very girly, although she wasn't very "girly." very straight to the point, fiercely independent. i think i want to be like that. mellow with age. smoother. i've seen some old people get bitter, angry, and agitated as they got older. i completely understand why - you see a lot more bullshit! haha. but lola was cool. she was a lot more patient as she got older.

anyways. guess you had to be there =)

this weekend... vegas. hopefully i remember everything that happens! haha.

rest in peace, Lolo Pol.

my great-uncle, Lolo Pol, passed away today at 2:05pm. he was 84 years old.

he was my lola's cousin, and lived next door to my lola and lolo in their duplex for as long as i can remember. since my lolo passed away, he looked after my lola, and checked up on her until her death almost two years ago.

that house in boyle heights was the setting of a big chunk of my childhood memories. if my grandparents were lucy and ricky, lolo pol and his wife, lola haning (who passed away in 2003) were fred and ethel, but instead, ilocano and in east la :)

lolo pol was a handsome, characteristically ilocano man. he looked straight out of fred cordova's archives - smooth, dark skin, salt-&-pepper hair neatly parted on the side, wire rim bifocal glasses. clothing always on point - slacks, v-neck undershirt, button down shirt, lumberjack when it was cold, black leather shoes, and never a wrinkle. he worked at the sears plant in downtown; i remember sitting in the back seat when my uncle or lolo would pick him up from work, though he was usually the one driving around lola and lola haning to run errands.

around my preschool/kindergarten years, and summer of my first years in grade school, my brothers and i spent our time at lolo and lola's house in bh. lolo worked the night shift at county (jail) while my lola worked afternoons at county (hospital). he'd pick us up after his shift, around 7am, feed us, then go to sleep, and then lola would watch us. by noon or so, everyone was up and about. lolo, lola, lolo pol, lola haning, were all cleaning the yard, pruning the plants, tuning up the cars, making repairs around the house, etc. my brothers and i would be outside playing, running around the perimeter of the house, many times in the back, through lolo pol and lola haning's garden.

later on i would find out that their neighbor and good friend, is the grandmother of one of my best friends. we shared memories in that space, before we even knew each other. another reason why that house is special to me.

lolo pol was always a very proper man, quite particular and stern, but always generally a nice man to us kids. he would always ask me how school was, and as i got older, he'd comment on my big earrings, makeup, and manicured nails. i guess sometimes, you'll always be a kid to your elders.

he was the last survivor of that house. his second wife and her son are there now, and a nephew watches my lola's spot. but to me that will always be my grandparents' home. an era's really over for my family.

it's a trip because, i hadn't seen lolo pol in a while. after lola died i just distanced myself from the house. i went to my goddaughter's birthday party on sunday, her aunt asked me about lolo pol. she said how he was so nice, and always fixed things around her mom's house. i just said, "oh he's doing fine." today, i had to send word that he passed away.

i'm sad that he's gone, but not heartbroken. i'm happy that he's passed on, and not in pain. he lived a full life so it's easy to accept that he had to go. and now he's joined his original crew in the spirit world. he was always very diligent in prayer, so i'm sure the big G looked out for him :)

rest in peace, lolo pol. thank you for your presence in my life.

I Love My Peoples!

So i just got back from the DMV. And i must say, this was the most pleasant DMV experience i have had in my entire life! it took all of 10 minutes. (the trick: make an appointment in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon. stay away from lunchtime!) not only was it short and pleasant, but HELLA funny. check this out.

i walk in, stand in a short line under the "start here" sign. in front of me is a 40ish filipino man, about 5'8", thin, mid-length wavy hair, a la every pinoy's favorite karaoke icon, neil diamond. dark eyes, dark hair, and i smile - i kid you not - like the JOKER. he has to get his license renewed as well. cool.

by the time i read the eye chart, pay my $28, and reach the far left corner of the office to take my picture, boyet (made that up) is right in front of me, taking his photo.

boyet : ok, make my picture good. i don't want to come back and take another one.

dmv guy (does a double take): ok sir.

boyet poses.

dmv guy: sir, can you close your mouth?

boyet: i want to smile! why cannot i smile in my driver's license!

dmv guy (realizing that he was in fact, smiling, and not just opening his mouth): oh, i'm sorry sir. of course you can smile.

dmv guy snaps photo.

boyet (walks over): let me see it. is it good?

dmv guy: no, you blinked. let's take another one.

boyet (perturbed): gees, what a waste of a good smile.

dmv guy's face: [oh my god are you KIDDING ME?!]

dmv guy takes picture, boyet takes another look, and thumbs up. done.

boyet: thank you very much.

dmv guy: thank you sir. next!

***

ok, maybe you had to be there.