Gerlie...Gerlie..how does your garden grow

I've finally come out of the closet. I've been a closet gardener all these years and didn't know it. Well, actually I didn't want to believe it. My dad used to make me clean his garden as punishment when I was younger. Maybe that's why I hated the thought of gardening so much. I never understood the hours he would spend tending to his stinky compost pile or picking the weeds out of his rows of plants.

The Hubster and Bunn made me container gardens a few months back. We finally filled it with dirt, plants and seeds a few weeks ago. Amazingly enough, the tomato plant is thriving despite the fact that we're entering into the "fall" season in LA. Fall is in quotation marks since our seasons are not as distinct as they are in other parts of the country like Boston or Sacramento. My bok choy, carrot and beet seeds have sprouted. I feel like that kindergartener who is watching her bean sprout grow in her clear plastic cup with the wet napkin. For those who never did that in grade school, try it. There's definitely something about taking care of living things that makes you even more appreciative of every day. 

What's it all about?

"It's not about race. It's about survival and equity. Race may be embedded in the conversation but ultimately, it's more than that. " -someone I greatly respect professionally and personally

Changes - they're a comin'

I've been talking about graduate school for years...YEARS! I finally have two more weeks left before classes begin and it's becoming real every day that goes by.

I love where I am professionally and personally right now and I feel completely positioned to take on new challenges. I'm looking forward to meeting and working with new people and continuing to expand my horizons in this crazy business and arts world.

I spoke with three individuals yesterday seeking advice on how to run their nonprofit organization now that the founder is no longer present. I surprised myself in how I framed the conversation, starting from a very general view and then got into more details. I'm interested in helping organizations work well no matter what cause they support and hope to talk to this group of folks again. I relish these types of experiences and hope to figure out how I can build them into my career in the long term.

Through these next few months, I intend to stay focused and balance work with family/personal time. Thanks to the Most High for blessing me for everything I have and am able to do. Bring it on, World!

Some of the things I've determined in my 30s

• My time is extremely valuable, especially when I'm with my family and friends. I'm more conscious about scheduling time with them.
• I will care and make an effort to a certain degree to understand and comfort someone. When my care and efforts are not reciprocated after a few times, I'm moving on. I have needs, too.
• I want to surround myself more often then not with others who affect me in positive, uplifting, creative and energetic ways. This is how I become rejuvenated. 
• It really is better to say nothing when I don't have anything good to stay. Or I just stay far away from a situation that I don't like at all. 
• I work very hard to avoid last-minute scheduling. 
• My mental and physical health is more important than work. 
• I make greater distinctions between my needs and wants - primarily thanks to the Hubster.

Children...eh part 2

There are certain people that I just want to swat away like bugs when they get in my face about children. Take note people, the more you bug me about children, the more it's not going to happen.

Children...eh

My mom almost bled to death when I was born. She told me this about four years ago when my anemia started to act up again. I most likely also got her anemia genes. So if I am my mother's daughter, I'm thinking that there's probably a chance that I'll also experience some sort of blood-related endangerment if I have a child.

What's my view on childbirth? Younger children have been in my life for years, having been one of the oldest in my extended family. I was the designated babysitter most of my adolescent life. Now that I'm older, I have my fair share of god children, nieces and nephews, whom I love dearly and take every opportunity I have to spoil them. However, I've never felt the impending need or want to have a child of my own. If it happens, I'll deal with it but I've never actively wanted the experience of child-rearing. So I guess that's my view. If it does happen, I hope that my version of "dealing" plays out in a more nurturing kind of way.

Giving

Lately I feel like I want to put my charitable interests on my forehead so when I meet someone who wants to talk to me about giving to something, they already know my interests.

I only give (financially and through volunteer hours) to organizations who are working within the borders of the United States. I grew up here and there are plenty of issues to address within our borders. Issues like improving our educational system affect me in a faster, stronger way than issues that are happening in Africa or Asia, for example.

Topics of primary concern to me are: education, arts, culture, social services (which includes mental and physical health issues), and affordable housing. I realize all of these issues are really broad - which is even more impetus not to support organizations working outside of the US!

If I gotta deal with all the BS in this country, I have to feel like I'm doing something to make it better. Am I turning my back to my motherland? Maybe, depending on how you want to look at it.

For now, please stop talking to me about international causes because the little button in my head will turn down the sound until you're finished speaking. :-)

Heavy heart

My heart is heavy this today. I feel like a close uncle passed away. Peter Corpus was a dear friend and wonderful mentor. I never told him but I'm sure my constant bugging, questions, prodding to get together gave him clues as to how much he meant to me. He gave me my first opportunity to work in the nonprofit sector. He was catty but a total pushover. He always had the good of our community in mind. Unfortunately, I don't think he took care of himself as much as he should have. He touched many lives. I celebrate his life in everything that I do now....I love you Peter.

Invitations...what?

After a few months pining over the designs, I had to figure out how these puppies were going to get printed. I finally settled on store-bought kits that fit perfectly for what I need. Now I have to figure out how to assemble these monsters.

People, it's ONLY the save-the-date!

AC - "Your uncle, who is also your sponsor, thinks he's the only one invited from his family because you addressed the invitation to him."

...silence...

GC - "We're partnering him with one of Joe's aunts. I only sent the save-the-date, not the invitation. It's for people 'save the date'."

AC - "Oh, well call him and clear it up."

GC - "No call is necessary. They'll receive invitations soon with all the info."

aarrrggghhhh...Thank goodness my older sponsors have children who know what's going on.

Bucket List

Here goes:
1. Bumbershoot Festival, Seattle/WA
2. Austin City Limits Festival, Austin/TX
3. Seychelles Islands, South of Africa
4. TED Conference
5. Meditation retreats, Sedona and Taos/New Mexico
6. Visit every island in the Philippines
7. Partake in a meal from the chef's menu at El Bulli, Calla Montjoi/Spain

Guest list misunderstandings

AC - "Don't porget to inbite your Auntie Rose."

GC - "Who's that?"

AC - "Don't you remember? She libs in Palmdale. She was the one when we went to BASCA. You know, you said she was a 'cool lady' and she called you apo apo."

GC - "No. If I can't remember her, I'm putting her on the B list."

AC - "Ay ta #*&$!" [dial tone]

I love talking about my wedding guest list with my parents. It's the highlight of my day, really. I play guessing games with my mom mostly. She'll list off several situations where I interacted with a distant family member and I still won't remember.

Please understand, this is no family reunion. That kind of party can happen on a different day, with a lesser budget - maybe one that everyone contributes to at the very beginning, maybe with the same amount of people, but with a very different set of people.

Ah weddings. They really, truly bring out the best in people.

On a lighter note, three cheers to flower girls as pretty as mine!

Wedding prep starters

I know people mean well but if I had a date confirmed, would I not have told the world already?

Not so fresh at Fresh and Easy

Dropped by the neighborhood Fresh and Easy tonight to grab a few things to make mango lassi. As I walked out, I was disturbed by not-so-usual symbols painted into the prime parking spaces near the store front: mommy with kids and "hybrid only" symbols. Since when did driving a hybrid garner prime parking spaces? If one is really concerned about "living green," it shouldn't matter where one parks since one's primary mode of transportation shouldn't involve using gas at all, right? Isn't it better to pick the first parking spot available once you enter the lot and just walk to the front door? What's the big deal?

Ella's Desafinado

A combination of two of my favorite sounds - Ella Fitzgerald singing and the bossa nova!

Yang Yuck!

I'm meeting with someone next week and I made the mistake of letting the person pick a place. This is the first time I've met her so I don't know her tastes. She suggested the most in-authentic place in Chinatown! I've looked at all the Yelp reviews for this spot and it seems most of them were written by Western tongues who really don't care for authentic food.

I'm torn. The last and only time I was there, the food was pretty bland or way too salty - nothing compared to dishes I've had at Asian joints in the San Gabriel Valley or Seattle's House of Hong. Should I lie about having a bad experience there and suggest another restaurant where I'll be happy? Technically, my last experience wasn't the greatest.

I was told that I shouldn't be so critical about something as small as this. I'm still trying to decide how small this really is. Besides, food suggestions really do say a lot about a person.

RESPONSE POST
I had the dinner meeting at the spot. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. The company definitely made the experience more interesting. I liked two out of the three dishes. She picked all of the food which was fine since I wasn't in the mood for much of anything there.

The author and I shared stories of us growing up and finding our cultural/ethnic identity. Thank goodness for my family and how I grew up. I wouldn't trade my experience with anyone else's. Her stories were a nice slap of reality highlighting the variety of experiences immigrants undergo growing up in the United States.

Overall, everything was better than I expected. But then again, that's me...expect the worse, hope for the best.

Magic Balloon People

The one time I truly do wish I have a camera with me...

I decided to go to a cafe in Highland Park so I could concentrate on writing. Instead of finding a nice, contemplative spot, I find myself budging into a workshop where people are creating balloon animals, demonstrating magic tricks and telling stories with their balloon animals, complete with voices. They even have this contest where you're timed while creating a balloon Disney character. The A for effort and creativity goes to the chick who had no idea what to make so she created a brown house with a yellow balloon and she used a black marker to create Peanuts' Woodstock. Yeah!

Who needs tv?! It beats being entertained by the valley-nailtoting-overdone hairstyling-shop obsessed-suv/luxury car driving-super soccer moms. I LOVE living in the City!!

Countdown to the Move

I have less than two weeks before I'm relocated to a cubicle. Now that I'm thinking about it, I haven't worked in a cubicle since 2004. I'm cherishing the days that I can look out the window.

This was the view from when it rained last week. The mist was absolutely beautiful.

My powerbook's hard drive went kaboom. I keep reminding myself there are worse things in this world. It's a good thing I save a lot of things on email. The majority of my music is still on my ipod so that's not so bad either. There are worse things in this world.

Picking up the pieces

Today has been one of those days where you thought things were going to go right but didn't start off exactly as planned. I just want to go home, dig a hole and hide until Friday.