Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile

My boy, Monty...always the light of my life.  He always did something that cracked me up.  Miss him so dearly.


Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss

  My grandma.  This woman had an incredible life.  There were legends in our family of her exploits as an opium dealer for the Americans in Vietnam.  I also heard she killed someone, but we wont get into that.  She was our matriarch and quite eccentric.   If I could go back in time, I'd love to meet my grandma at 25 :)

Food then fear

Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member

Me & my brother at Fogo de Chao (if you've never tried it, I highly recommend it for meat lovers).  This was back when I ate meat :)  Brazilian bbq like you've never had it before! SO damn good!  Makes me want to go back to eating meat haha.

Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of

 

 'nuff said...gave me the creeps to even post this pic :-/

Hollywood, Reptiles, Ikea??

Day 25 - A picture of your day

Today my friends and I went to the Reptile Zoo in Fountain Valley :)  We fed meal worms to some red ear sliders and some large...I don't know what they're called fish.

Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you

My family.  Period.  My nephews mean the world to me.  I would do anything for them <3

9-11, never forget.

Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change

 I wish there was something I could do...all those people... The aftermath was...awful.  My friends and their dogs...trekking through the rubble looking for cadavers.  What a painful thing to go through.

Harry Potter!

Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book

Actually, I have a million favorite books that I'll read over and over again...but right now, this is my "re-read" so I can freshen up when the Harry Potter movie actually comes out this summer! :)

Sing a dream for me

Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at

 I wish I was a good singer! LOL...I love singing in the shower and alone in my car...but oh what I'd do if I had a Whitney Houston voice!! :)

A mournful rustling in the dark.

Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget

 I wish I could forget the summer of 2008.  I faked a smile, I put on a show, I wasn't myself.  Now, I promised myself I would never ever let anyone compromise who I am, what I think of myself.  I took this photo when I had all my "friends" and "love" and we played a game of football at our home.  Every time I look I this photo, I cringe...Everyone is so happy, little did they know, the pain I was going through and the hurt I had endured.  I wish I could forget all the sad times, and the happy times...the "happy" times weren't worth it.

Photo Catch-up

I failed...I was doing so well!! Haha, missed 2 days of my Photo Challenge!  Making it up now!!

Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity
Day 19 - A picture of someone you see yourself with/marrying in the future
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel



  My biggest insecurity...my flabby arms...ewww this angle is all wrong...just...yuck! haha

I actually don't believe in marriage.  That doesn't mean I don't believe in love or commitment.  I just feel like in today's society, it institute of marriage is no longer sacred, so why bother.  I could be the Oprah to your Stedman, the Angelina to your Brad :) haha

Duh...who wouldn't want to see the pyramids?!? 

Monty

Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently

Losing my Monty...was the biggest heartbreak I've had to endure in a very, very long time.   Monty came to me in 2003, at the worst time.  I wasn't ready to take care of a dog, I didn't have time to spend with this pitbull with issues...or so I thought.  He changed my life.  I never even saw pitbulls until he showed me what his world was like.

This dog saved my life literally and figuratively and more than one occasion.  He was my rock.  Losing him, so suddenly, so horribly.  Still brings me to tears just thinking of it.  Monty leaving me gave me an opportunity to save another animal.  But honestly, it's not the same.  I miss him so much it hurts.  I think of him every day.  Every morning I wake up and tell him good morning, every night a say a prayer for him.  I hope one day (not anytime soon) I'll be able to see him again.  Crazy wagging tail and sloppy lips and that smile.

Inspiration and genius--one and the same.

Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
1900 –1944

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's Le Petit Prince was one of the first books I ever loved.  My mom gave me this book when I was 5 to help me learn French.  Since then, I've been fascinated with Saint-Exupéry and his life.  His adventures and books inspired me to apply for the Air Force Academy, I remember always wanting to be a pilot...though that's not where my life path took me, the dreams are still there.

Le Petit Prince is one of the reasons I see life the way I do.  I remember being a young girl, torn by my parents' divorce, wondering why my sisters kept fighting, why were my friends being mean... I would read the words Saint-Exupéry wrote : "Ce qui embellit le désert," dit le petit prince, "c'est qu'il cache un puits quelque part." = What makes the desert beautiful," says the little prince, "is that somewhere it hides a well. 

Just keep going.  Fly. Explore. Love.  Fear nothing, and keep following the horizon.

Aimer, ce n'est pas se regarder l'un l'autre, c'est regarder ensemble dans la même direction.

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million.

Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die

I would LOVE more than anything, experience the Seven Natural Wonders of the World (along with the un-natural wonders haha)

Can you imagine?  On a sled pulled by a team of 14 dogs, and the aurora borealis aka The Northern Lights are painting the sky...damn.  Or watch Paricutin in Michoacán just erupt in flame and fire.

These are my number one things I want to do before I die.  I would love to save enough money to take a year off and travel around the world at a leisurely pace.

Daddy's Little Girl

Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without

Dad in Thailand 1980

My Dad... Obviously I wouldn't be here if it weren't for him.  But aside from his biological contribution to my existence, he has always been there for me.  It's easy to make a baby, it takes a very special person to be a good parent.  So amazing where your child is sure beyond a doubt that you love her.

My parents divorced when I was 11-ish.  Damn, was that an ugly mess.  When my dad started dating again, I was furious and threw a huge fit...my poor father, put aside his happiness for me.  Never again did I see him with another woman until I was mature enough.

When my mom would disappear for days, weekends at a time, I would cry myself to sleep...I'd wonder why she would leave my little sister and me to fend for ourselves.  Get ourselves ready for school, make our lunches, if we were out of money or food...well you're just shit out of luck aren't ya?  Even though Dad was 2 states and 1,200 miles away...a phone call would always make things alright.  He would fly us over just for the weekend.  He never missed a viola recital, swim competition, father-daughter sock-hop or choir concert...well if work permitted.

He gave me my love of cars, taking things apart and putting them back together.  "I can fix anything" was his motto.  That goes for broken toys, cars, and even...yes, broken hearts.

As I got older, he let me stay with him whenever I was going through a hard break-up or too drunk to drive home.  Though I wont divulge in details, he's gotten me out of some serious pickles..at the cost of hour-long lectures and scoldings.  Anytime I've ever been in real trouble, my dad has been there to save me.

Now, we have lunch at least once a week.  He doesn't always agree with what I do with my time or approve of who I do it with...but one thing I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt...he will always be in my corner.

This man has shaped me to who I am in every way possible.  If I ever found myself in some crazy parallel universe...I never want to meet myself as the girl without her father.  He's taught me everything.  He is my everything.  The next man that comes into my life has some serious bars to live up to.

Put it in a love song

Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist

Wow...there are sooooo many artists, groups, bands, orchestras that I love and follow...But for the sake of pop culture and trendy-ness.... Is it cheating that I put two artists in one photo?? I *heart* Alicia Keys and Beyonce... Love their music, style...these two diva's got swag.

Sushi is the key to my heart

Day 12 - A picture of something you love

I could eat my body weight in sushi.  Most likely, I'll die by mercury poisoning...  I'm talking real sushi.  No rolls... I mean...sashimi.  Salmon, toro, sweet shrimp...I'm drooling just thinking about it!

Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.

Day 11 - A picture of something you hate

That's right, I hate bananas.  I find everything about them offensive.  The color, shape, smell, texture...ewwwwwwwwww!!!

It's only a crime if you get caught

Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with

 You know what they say "a friend will bail you out of jail, a best friend will be sitting next to you sayin 'we f*cked up, but that was awesome'"  Yea...this guy, my cousin, Hai.  We've gone through the ringer together... When we were young and adventurous, it was drunken nights, waking up with cuts and bruises..."what the hell happened last night"  and then there's the all too dangerous, wandering around different countries, hoping we find our hotel.  Now, we're older, we don't get in that much trouble...probably because we don't get caught anymore :)

Aman-drey

Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.

 Amanda is my cousin, and my best friend.  We've known each other all of our lives, and we've been through it all.  There were periods of time when we didn't speak for months, but when the phone rang, we would pick up exactly where we left off.  Even though we don't always agree, she always listened to me, and supported me in every way.  Her mother is sick, and now it's my turn to help her and our family.

Ninja, Ninja, Ninja!

Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh

 There is no explanations for these photos...they just crack me up.  I <3 Ninjas!!

How old are you?

Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item

 This photo of my grandmother is one of the most treasured things I own.  She was the matriarch of our family, and my world was never so rocked as when we lost her.  Grandma was always a fighter, and quite the story teller.  To be honest, no one knows how old she really was... (she had 3 96th birthdays, 2 years apart)  each year was either her 96th or her 100th birthday celebration :)  She was the fiercest woman I've ever had the privilege to know.

Just this moment for Life

Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day

 Nicki Minaj...just out of pure curiosity what it would be like to live with multiple alter-egos and such a fierce passion for mischief.