Miscellaneous
The Big Gala went off without a hitch. Actually, went off a LOT better than we thought.
However, now is the aftermath plus office Christmas prep PLUS packing. \
Next time you’ll hear from me either will be from Taipei or Bangkok…or Phuket.
Paradise awaits. Can hardly wait!!!
Dear The Good Citizens of Santa Monica:
Not only your Virginia Park has the best and cleanest restrooms in all the parks I’ve ever visited, your people are the most honest, kindest of the bunch.
Thank you, Nice Person, for returning my wallet to the police sub-station. With all the stuff I put in my purse today for the Thrill the World LA meeting, I barely noticed that my wallet had fallen out as I pulled out my phone when I exit the car.
Thank you Officer Reyes for calling me right away, and not scolding me for being that dumbass who didn’t even realize she dropped her wallet.
Good karma is yours, my friends.
Yours in All In The Universe That Is Good And Holy,
OakMonster
The first anniversary of my mom’s passing is here.
My heart is heavy.
I picked up red roses, her favorite, at the Farmer’s market yesterday. Looking at them in the elevator, tears welled up.
But I didn’t cry.
Brandon held me this morning before he left for work.
I didn’t want to wake up this morning. I just want to stay asleep.
But I did wake up. I had to.
Somebody has to put the roses in a vase for mom.
I talked to my dad a while ago. The entire crew of aunties and the family went to the temple.
I thought about going to the temple too. But it was hard going by myself last time. I felt that I should be with my family for this. I didn’t wan to go there alone again.
Instead, I just stayed home and arranged those roses into a vase.
And I thought of mom.
Her laughs. Her pouts. Her walk.
How she ran her fingers through my hair the last time we talked and told me my head stink.
How it felt to hold her hands while we watched Meerkat Manor the last time I was there.
I will be thinking of her all day today.
I will try not to cry in class this afternoon.
I will try not to cry when I make lasagna for dinner tonight.
It was one of her favorites.
God.
I miss her.
I was dreading sleep for some reasons last night. So I posted. I checked my stats. I googled OakMonster and found some interesting things. I milled around a while longer.
I was tired but I didn’t want to go to sleep. There was no reason why I shouldn’t be asleep. I just didn’t want to go lay down.
I finally did lay down. But my heart was pounding as if I had just did a session of cardio. For no reason what so ever. And I couldn’t calm down.
Anxiety attack, apparently is the the internet diagnosis.
I don’t know what I was anxious about. I don’t know if that was why I didn’t want to go to sleep. I didn’t know what to do either.
So I grabbed Snoopy and I started singing “Que Sera, Sera” in my head.
Oddly enough, I calmed down and eventually went to sleep.
I think somewhere in the back of my head I was afraid to go to sleep because I didn’t want the day to end.  I didn’t want to see tomorrow because it’s one day closer to mom’s anniversary.
I don’t know what to do when that day comes. And I’m a little afraid of it.
I have gone to private Catholic school all my life, so it wasn’t a surprise to find that both of my best friends on both sides of the world are Catholic. Nora is here, and Joy is back home.
Joy has always said that I should’ve been her mom’s daughter too. Both of us are too “westernized” for our times. Both of us prefer to express ourselves in English most times. Both of us also like to write.
Joy and Mary/Mommy–as I call Joy’s mom–contacted me a few months back about getting Mommy’s English translation of her original Thai edition book of prayers published in the U.S. After much research and pondering, Mommy decided to do a blog instead. And I set her up with one on Blogger.
The blog is full of Mary’s daily thoughts and prayers. Some from her book and some straight from her heart. You don’t have to be Catholic or Christian to enjoy her work. So, please stop by to say hello to this amazing woman over at Mary’s Little Prayers.
When you’re only one story off the ground.
Was watching So You Think You Can Dance when it felt like a giant just tapped the house with his toes….or a Hummer just ran into our building. It was a THUD that moved the couch and the window at the same time. No swaying or anything.
Enough already with the shaking!