Casa Valentina

Every year at Christmas, my family gets together for a family "project" of sorts. Since my cousins have their children, and buying a gift for each cousin,her corresponding husband, and the kids would be pretty expensive, we collectively decided that, in lieu of buying gifts for each adult, we would contribute a certain amount to a charity of our choice, in order to help those in need.

This year, we decided on Casa Valentina , which is a non-profit organization that helps girls who age out of foster care gain independence. As you may or may not know, once a child turns 18, they "age out" of the foster care system, and are typically left to fend for themselves. Most of them, however, have never really learned how to live an independent life: they are not familiar with budgeting money, buying groceries, and the like. Casa Valentina offers young women the chance to gain independence and to make that transition from foster care to the real world. At the end of the holiday season, after the family has contributed their monies, my cousins go and buy gift cards from Publix and Target/Bed Bath & Beyond for the girls to use towards their new homes.

If you have any extra cash lying around this holiday season, or want to donate to a charity, give back to these young girls here.

Diary of an Indecisive, Frustrated Jouralism Student

The other day in my Intro to Journalism class, we had a guest speaker, Corinna Zarek, who is the Freedom of Information Director at the Reporter's Committee for Freedom of the Press. What a mouthful. When I got the e-mail announcing our guest, I honestly wasn't really enthused with the selection. I had never heard of this woman or this organization, and for all I knew, this was going to be one boring lecture. But, points of discussion from this lecture will be on future quizzes and the final, so I decided it would behoove my grade to show up.

It was the best decision I made! I loved the subject matter. What the RCFP does is pretty much advocate on behalf of American journalists. They help journalists gain access to public record (such as court hearings, public documents, etc.), and fight on behalf of the journalist for the rights to access that record, as it is in the public's interest. There was a long discussion about a Federal Shield Law that is trying to be pushed through Congress, which would protect journalists from giving up their confidential sources. This is a pretty controversial subject, because in some cases, the reporter should be obliged under the law to reveal certain information. In any case, the topic completely fascinated me. I've never been so attentive in that class! The RCFP is doing something great: fighting on behalf of the little guy. I've always been pretty interested in political science and constitutional law, and while I never quite knew what I could do with that, I thought this would be a good start. In my mind, I thought: Law's really not that difficult, writing briefs and such, and arguing on one's behalf. I like arguing. It can't be that bad.... right?

I fool myself sometimes into thinking that I can be a lawyer, haha. :) But really, this part of law really interests me! So I'm definitely keeping my options open on that front. We'll have to see how the rest of college treats me first, then I can focus on bigger things, like law school and fighting for the underdog. This discussion was what I needed. It reignited my passion for journalism, something which has been missing all this time since high school.

In the meantime, I'm on the hunt for a good internship or scholarship opportunity with any news organization who will take me. It's incredibly difficult to get a start in this business! I checked out the website for the Radio-Television News Directors Association. In high school, I remembered there was this awesome scholarship that was offered every year. I wondered if some form of that scholarshp was available to undergrads, but alas, it's only available to undergrads who have an RTNDA chapter at their J-school. I checked out the list. Guess who doesn't have an RTNDA chapter.

Yep. I don't even have to say it. ;)

Apparently, the RTNDA only has chapters at schools which offer courses in radio and television journalism-- two of the very same forms of journalism which FIU decides not to teach in great detail. It's pretty--nay, very-- frustrating to think that your school only really recognizes one form of journalism as the "true" medium. I sit in class hearing people talk about margins and copy and all the while I'm thinking they're speaking Chinese. Talk to me about camera angles, headroom and lead-ins and we'll get along fine. But what makes it more difficult is the fact that, since FIU focuses mostly on print journalism, most of the scholarships and internships that they offer are through newspaper outlets. In fact, FIU just struck a deal with the three largest tri-county area papers: The Palm Beach Post, Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald, to establish a partnership between the three papers and the School of Journalism. Don't get me wrong, this is a great step for the SJMC! It's a great opportunity for a print major. But I'm feeling really left out here! Where are the opportunities for broadcast news majors? It seems like even Advertising and PR get more opportunities than we do! It's a really frustrating situation. Maybe I'm overreacting... hopefully the classes will get progressively more interesting as the semesters roll by, and as I get more involved in broadcasting and reporting classes.

Only time will tell, I guess. Here's to hoping for opportunity to come knocking. I'm ready!

Four down, 132,8475 to go!

I'm really tired.

This semester has really kicked my butt into high gear! Even though I had to drop a class (boo), I'm doing really well in my remaining 4 classes. All B's and A's for the most part. There are so many papers to write and quizzes to study for...I'm so ready for this semester to be OVER. Today I received my study guide for the final exam in my journalism class. I was so relieved. It's really almost over! Sure I still have a ton of papers to write, but I'm that much closer to being done with this crazy semester.

And then it will start again in January. Yay.

My enrollment appointment is not till Sunday, but I have a good idea of what classes I'm going to take. It looks like my semester will consist of Media Law and Ethics, Visual Design for Media, State Government and Politics, and Population & Society. It's a decent sized load, and I don't want to over-stress myself with 15 credits like I did this semester. I need to focus on getting my GPA up past a 3.0 and passing the CLAST test(I wish I could get exempt by working at the testing center, but alas, that is not the case).

As for the future, I'm thinking of doing a minor in Marketing. I know, I change my mind a lot, but I wanted to minor in PR and they wouldn't let me, so I have to find alternative things to do! I'm thinking marketing would be good because it (sort of) deals with communication, and would help me if I become a communications consultant or something one day. I'm not too worried, I still have like a million classes left to graduate! That's the thing about college. You get all excited because you're almost done with one semester... and you look at your planning sheet and realize that you still are nowhere near the finish line!

I'm just praying for the ability to focus on the remainder of this semester so that I can do well in it. I'm also praying for some guidance on my future! It would be awesome if you prayed for me too ;)

Election Day

Election Day is finally here!

Finally! No more annoying campaign ads, no more people pushing candidates on you, no more getting annoyed in general!

If you haven't already done so, go out and VOTE! It doesn't matter who you vote for (well, yes, it sort of does) but the important thing is that you let your voice be heard! :)

Family History

As many of you may (or may not) know, my grandmother passed away last week at the age of 90. I'm still getting used to the reality of it all, and trying to support my mom through this difficult time for her. She devoted a great deal of her life to caring for my grandmother, finding her a good place to live with people who loved her and cared for her as if she were one of their own. It will be the most difficult transition for her, so your continued prayers are greatly appreciated.

Although I knew that this was inevitable, it still feels very weird to me. I think back on the times I was with her, especially her last birthday. I made her a pretty fondant cake, which she loved. While she had become somewhat emotionless, her eyes lit up, and I knew she loved how it came out. She wasn't exactly the typical grandmother growing up; she never baked us cakes or gave us random hugs and kisses. She just wasn't that type of lady. She was feisty-- and in some cases she was just plain mean. Mean, but very, very funny. But over the past 2 or 3 years, as her health has deteriorated more and more, she became like a child again, and I think this will be the part of her that I will miss the most. Looking back, I know it will be difficult to let go of her memory, but she lived a long and healthy life, and I couldn't ask for anything more.

Anyway, my family held a mass in her memory on Saturday, and I volunteered to create a collage using pictures of her throughout her long life. I dug through old family albums and keepsakes, laughing to myself at how my grandfather never threw anything (and I do mean anything) away. As I searched through boxes, I found a letter that had been written to my grandfather in the 1960s from his uncle, Felix.
Felix was a playwright/poet/songwriter, and wrote the famous film El Derecho de Nacer, as well as a couple of popular Cuban songs. My great-great uncle Felix is still regarded as one of the great creative minds of Cuba, and "El Derecho de Nacer" set the standard for the telenovelas your abuelas (and admit it, you do too) enjoy today. ;)

Anywho, seeing all that history in my family, seeing the long life that my grandmother led, I felt proud of where I come from. Not only from my mother's family, but also from my father's as well. As I looked through old photos of my mom and dad in Cuba, and as I looked at all the great standards my great-great uncle set, I felt like just hopping on a plane and seeing this beautiful country that I have heard such amazing stories about since I was born. I feel like I'm missing a big part of my identity from not being able to visit, but hopefully (soon) I will be able to go and see the places my parents have told me about so many times before, and gain back a huge chunk of who I am as a Cuban.

An Early Thanksgiving

So today I was checking out some old blog entries, as well as those of some friends. How time flies! I looked at some of the entries from a year ago and laughed at how long ago it seems. It's been one heckuva year, that's for sure. I've experienced so many different things, but most importantly, I have grown so much closer to God, and gained a greater understanding of what it means to live in His word.

In the wise words of Ferris Bueller, Life moves pretty fast sometimes. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it. How true that is! Life is hectic. We know this. It's day after day of homework, studying, work, projects, essays, and somewhere in there, a social life. It's easy to overlook God in the busyness of the everyday. It's easy to take so many things for granted.

I'm not perfect; I've overlooked God on many occasions. Instead of focusing on Him, and His answers to my questions, I've dwelled on the problems going on around me and looked for my own solutions. I guess it happens to everyone at some point. But God always has a way of showing me who's in charge, and He's great on reminding me of all the wonderful things He has blessed me with.

I have been blessed with wonderful friends.



I have been blessed with a wonderful family (and family-in-law).



I have been blessed with a wonderful boyfriend.


I have been blessed with the gift of life. I have all five of my senses, I am in pretty good health, and I go to sleep every night and wake up every morning.

Sometimes, life can cloud our perception of where God is in our lives. We might not see Him, but He is definetly always there. And even when we are distant from Him, like any good friend, He does something to remind us just how amazing He really is and bring us back to Him. Don't worry about life, it can take care of itself. God will handle it.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
--Matthew 6:34

God is faithful.
--1 Corinthians 10:13

Why I ♥ Sarah Palin

So I thought I should put my two cents in about this crazy presidential race. For the record, I'm not voting for Barack Obama, and I'm on the fence about voting for John McCain. I loved Obama at first.. I saw him speak at a rally last January and I caught the "change" bug. He promised he was going to fight for a different type of politics, but as the months wore on, I realized that his politics and the old ways of Washington were one and the same. Contrary to popular belief, Obama has, in fact, supported special interests and lobbyists by having them on his payroll (For the record, so has McCain).

But I digress.


The one person I would not hesitate to vote for is Governor Sarah Palin. She has come under attack these past few weeks, which is understandable given that she is undergoing an ethics probe and is virtually unknown in the political world. I recently overheard a couple of old ladies discussing Palin's supposed lack of experience while walking to class. It seems like wherever you look, there's an Obama sign, a table with a couple of idealistic kids asking you if you're registered to vote, and if you're not, they'll suggest you vote for Obama. After all, he's bringing "change". It's really frustrating to voice your opinions (or to not be able to, in my case, because everyone looks down on the fact that you happen to be conservative).

The most frequent thing I hear about Governor Palin is the fact that, before she was Governor of Alaska, she went to school to be a broadcast journalist. They say this as if a journalist, for some reason, can't be trusted with the presidency. I take a bit of offense to this, as I myself am a journalism major, and we have to look out for our "people" (At least I know that I, too, can run for Vice President of the United States). The problem is, isn't this whole election about the "American Dream"? Isn't most of the media hoopla surrounding a man who is from mixed heritage, was raised in Hawaii and Indonesia and is now making history as the first African American to run for President of the United States??
Why, then, is it so terrible that a small town girl from Alaska who happened to go to school to study journalism be running for the VP spot? Granted, she might not have had much experience with politics before her Mayoral run, but she won the election. And she won the election for Governor. And she is now the first woman to run as a Vice Presidential candidate in the Republican Party's history. Why is everyone giving her grief? Just because she is the Governor of a small state, people discount her as having little to no experience. If i lived in Alaska, I would be insulted! They are, after all, still a part of America, and they are being treated as if they don't exist.

Not long ago, Obama was battling another female looking to take over the White House (only she's a lot less good looking, let's be honest). He too was fighting claims that he is inexperienced. So I find it hypocritical of him to be bashing Palin on her experience (or lack thereof). Palin, after all, has executive experience, which significantly dwarfs Obama's record of legislative experience in Congress.

Secondly, I constantly hear how Sarah Palin, for some reason, is not a "real woman". Forgive me if I'm wrong, but Sarah Palin has all the same anatomical parts that I and every woman (one would hope) has. So how is she not a "real" woman?
Many liberals cite her pro-life views as a major issue, as something that "real women" are opposed to.

I guess I'm not a real woman either, because I happen to support her views on abortion and family 150%. Under no circumstances is abortion ever ok, in my eyes. This woman should serve as an inspiration to other women, just because of the fact that she has five- count em- five children, and who recently gave birth to a special needs child. Many question whether she is a good mother, what with all those kids and that high profile position. But these are the same people who are saying that killing an unborn child is wrong! So how can they have any validity to what they're saying? Palin is a great example of a woman, and while she may not be pro-abortion, she should serve as an inspiration to women everywhere for her family values.

Another contentious issue is that of Palin's daughter, Bristol, having a child out of wedlock. It seems like everyone likes to pick on this moral dilemma, as if they are really the ones who should be judging others for their personal issues. Might I remind you that our last Democratic president was gettin' frisky under the desk of the Oval Office... but everyone seems to discount that for some reason. The fact that this woman's daughter made some bad decisions (just like our former President made some bad decisions in the past) does not make her any less of a formidable candidate for VP.

As for McCain, I'm not 100% sure I'm going to vote for him this election. The only issue I really have a problem with is his Iraq policy. It scares me a bit, to be honest. I'm definetly no Bush fan, and I have thought that Iraq was a mistake since before we invaded. I was set on voting third party, but to be honest, I'm really thisclose to voting for McCain, because, let's face it, the man might not make it to 2012 (cynical, yes, but you know you've thought about it too). In that case, there's nobody I could think of who would make a better First Female President than Sarah Palin.

And so it begins!

Was it just me, or did summer go by too fast?

Yesterday I began my fall semester at the wonderful(haha) FIU. I'm taking 5 classes this semester, so I definetly have a lot of work to do. My classes so far consist of:

Sociology
Intro to Journalism
Writing Strategies for Reaching a Mass Audience
Creative Writing
Interpersonal Communication (I'm taking this one online)

I liked all of my professors; they all seem pretty friendly and helpful. I'm pretty confident I can get decent grades, considering I hunker down and focus on what I need to do. I calculated my GPA, and I would need to get straight A's this semester to get a 3.0! Eep!

I'm so sick of school already. I just want to graduate and get it over with! I already told everyone (and I guess I'm telling you, dear reader) that if you're looking to hang out this semester, the answer will (more than likely) be no. I have way too many papers to write, books to read, etc. Sorry to disappoint.

Anyway, I came to the realization today that people are stupid. I know, what an obvious statement, especially since I happen to work in the hub of stupid, FIU. But today I realized how truly stupid people can be. Before you go on to call me cold and heartless, let me explain.

My office (the University Testing Center) is located on the first floor of the library (GL 120). Across from the main doors of the library, there's an auditiorium that's usually used for large classes (GL100). Yesterday, everyone and their mother came by OUR office to ask where GL 100 was. It got so ridiculous that my coworker made a (very LARGE) sign to post on the door, which reads (in BIG, bold, red letters):

"IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR GL 100, GL100A, GL100B,
GO OUT THE FRONT FOORS OF THE LIBRARY AND WALK
STRAIGHT THROUGH THE GLASS DOORS ACROSS THE BREEZEWAY."
::GIANT RED ARROW POINTING PEOPLE IN THE DIRECTION OF WHICH TO GO::

There are not one, but two signs, posted on our door and on the window directly next to the door.

And still, people walked in and asked where GL 100 is.

Go figure. :)

Ah, life as an FIU employee. Never a dull moment.

Home Sweet Home.

So, we're back from our lovely trip to New York & New Jersey!

We had a fantastic time. We accomplished most of what we wanted to (especially the Yankee game), but unfortunately we were not able to check out a Broadway show. Boo.

Anyway, the Yankee game was a fiasco! We hadn't previously bought our tickets ("It's a Yankee/Royals game... who's going to go?"-Gabby), and the game ended up being sold out a month before the actual game. Go figure. So we had to take our chances on the many scalpers outside the stadium. At first, they were asking for $150- FOR BLEACHER SEATS (usually, bleacher seats go for about $15)!!! My crazy and desperate boyfriend was actually considering it, but I refused to pay five times the cost of a ticket to sit in bleachers. So we walked around a little more, and were approached by some dudes who were offering us $100 for field-level tickets(A little more reasonable, considering these particular tickets are usually about $80). The only thing was, the seats weren't next to each other. Anyway, we ended up finding an empty seat next to where Gabby was sitting, and sat together next to left field (pretty great seats, I must say).

In the meantime, our host, Johnny (a family friend of Gabby's family) was sitting outside listening to the game. He wanted us to enjoy our first Yankees game, but he wasn't going to pay double the price for tickets that he could easily buy on any given day for the normal price. He was approached during the sixth inning by a scalper trying to get rid of his last couple of tickets. The guy was going to sell him a ticket behind home plate for $80. Being the New Yorker that he is, he refused, and told the guy, "I only have $40. Take it or leave it." The guy got mad, since he apparently paid like $90 for the tickets. But Johnny told him, "ok, that's fine. I'm good just listening to the game from here, but $40 in your pocket is better than nothing." So the guy gave him the tickets for $40! (Let me emphasize- Behind HOME PLATE).

Later on, he called us and told us the story, and said that there were two seats next to him. And so, we ended up watching the Yankees beat the Royals- behind home plate. And we got great pictures of Jeter and A-Rod, too. :)


It was a great day. :)

I uploaded most of the pictures to my myspace photo album, you can check them out there.

Reasons Why I Love New York (and New Jersey, too)

1) Everything is within walking distance. If not, they actually have reliable forms of mass transit that will get you exactly where you need to go.

2) Flying in at night is absolutley breathtaking.

3) Historical buildings in a modern city.

4) The roads (in Jersey, where we are staying) are on hills! This is amazing to us Miami folk!

5) Central Park, and all its fantastic photo ops.

6) White Castle burgers. Yes... We ♥ Murder Burgers.

7) They give tours to the NBC Nightly News Studios! To be in the same space as some real-life news hotshots (or at least the producers that were stuck in New York while the talent was living it up in Beijing)......AH. MA. ZING. (Don't hate on my inner news geek.)

8) H&M.

Only one day here, and I'm having such an amazing time! We walked for it seems like a year, all around Central Park and hitting such great attractions such as the Rockefeller Center, Madame Toussad's Wax Museum, and others. I'm exhausted... tomorrow we're hitting the Yankee's game and hopefully a Broadway show. I'll post some pictures when I get around to it. :)

Any other suggestions for New York sightseeing?

<3

Prayer Request!

I have a HUGE prayer request for everyone!!

Yesterday, Gabby sent me a link for auditions being hosted for the CW network's new South Florida Morning Talk Show. They're hosting open auditions for talent and even off-camera work.

The auditions are this Saturday, and semifinals are Sunday. Getting any type of opportunity here (even off-camera) would be such a tremendous step for me career-wise. Please keep me in your prayers!

You Know You're A Cuban When...

I saw this on a website and thought it was epecially true for my crazy family.
Enjoy, both Cuban & non-Cuban friends! :)


- You grew up scared of Bichos and una nalgada
- If you know the meaning of "esa chica esta de madre"
- If others tell you to stop screaming when you are really talking.
- You have told your kid not to walk the floor barefoot or they'll catch a cold.
- If you light a candle on the night of the Lotto drawing.
- If dinner usually consist of rice, beans and some kind of meat.
- If you have ever used your nose or lips to point something out.
- If you ever drop food on the floor, picked it up, ate it after saying "lo que no mata engorda."
- If you constantly refer to cereal as con flei.
- If you've ever gotten yelled at by your abuelos for spending mad money and then gotten a "Cuando llegamos de Cuba..."
- If you have ever been hit with a chancleta or papi's cinturon
- If you know your mom is near because you hear an "OYE!"
- You know your mom is sneaking up on you cause you can hear her "chancletas" flapping on the linoleum floor.
- If you can get to your house blind folded because of the smell of chuletas is so strong.
- If your grandparents still have plastic on their couches.
- If you just can't imagine anyone not liking Cuban food.
- If you have at least thirty cousins que todavia viven en Havana or its sister town, Hialeah
- If you consider platanos to be a food group.
- If you live in Elisebe (Elizabeth), Junion Ceety, (Union City) or Wes Nu Jor (west NY) or even know where they are
-If your abuelos are constantly comparing things here to things in Cuba and affirming Cuba was better.
- If your family reunions consist of all types of food, dominoes, political talk, music and lots of people and screaming.

I ♥ New York

This weekend, Gabby and I booked our flight to fabulous New York City.

I couldn't be more excited! On our itinerary so far:

-Catching some Yankees baseball at Yankee stadium (This is the main reason we're going- Gabby wanted to see Yankee stadium before they tear it down at the end of the year).

-(Hopefully) catching a Broadway show, bank accounts willing. We're trying to decide between Spamalot, The Lion King and Wicked.

-A trip to the Big Apple wouldn't be complete without some bargain shopping in Chinatown! I found this cute little blog that gives bargaining tips.


New York is, by far, my favorite city. I love the fact that you can walk just about anywhere in the city- the accessibility is a refreshing change from all the Miami craziness.

Also, this will be my first time in New York in the summer! The last time we went, it was the dead of winter (early January, to be exact). I'm sure it will be a completely different city this time around, and I can't wait! :)

Happy Birthday, Paula!

I thank God for blessing me with a friend like you! :)
And I dedicated an entire blog to yoU! Feel special!!
;)

<33

Changes..

I've become fed up with saying I'm going to go on a diet and not doing it... So I'm making it official.

I'm going on a diet! :)

I'm praying for willpower, something of which I (greatly)lack. Please pray for me too!! I haven't really decided on a specific program... for now, I'm just going to try to stick with eating more salads and proteins, and cutting back on bread and pasta and the like... and I'll definetly be writing everything down. That always helps. Maybe I should create a special blog to vent about the frustrations that come with eating right (i.e, not eating when I'm angry or bored!)? lol

I've been telling myself that I would start eating right for months now, but I always end up telling myself that I'll do it "tomorrow". That inevitable tomorrow that never seems to come!!!
But I saw some recent pictures of myself, and I've been noticing a change in my self esteem and general body image... and I decided it's time for a change. My goal is to lose 20 lbs. by my birthday (September 18th), which, I think, is a pretty sensible goal... I can do 20 lbs. in 4 months! :)

The only obstacle I see in my way is the issue of exercise. It's the most important aspect in weight loss, but unfortunately, I'm not registered for any summer classes at FIU, so I won't be able to use the gym there until the fall semester. I don't want to spend money on a gym; times are tough!! Have you looked at gas prices?? I'd much rather spend $40 a month on my gas than $40 on a gym.

So, if anyone is interested in joining me for a daily jog or workout session, I'm available ;)
I get out of work at 6:30, so holler if you need a workout buddy! :)

Forgiveness

I've been thinking a lot about forgiveness... when to forgive, who to forgive.

I came across this devotional, which is e-mailed to me daily by Rick Warren (The Purpose Driven Life Daily Devotional.. check it out!)Here's a little excerpt:

We have to forgive the people who’ve hurt us, and it has nothing to do with whether or not that person deserves forgiveness. They don’t deserve forgiveness, but then, we don’t deserve it either.

we should forgive knowing we will need God’s forgiveness sometime in the future. Jesus said, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins” (Matthew 6:14-15 NIV).

Carrying a grudge just keeps us stuck in the past, and when we’re stuck in the past, we’re controlled by the past. Our unforgiveness can control us. The Bible says, “Surely resentment destroys the fool, and jealousy kills the simple” (Job 5:2 NLT).
The Bible also says that only the foolish harbor a grudge (Ecclesiastes 7:9). Accept forgiveness from God and give forgiveness to others.

Forgiveness is a powerful thing, but it's not always the easiest thing to do.
I wonder sometimes if we, as Christians, are obligated to forgive those who have done wrong by us. I wonder if turning the other cheek is always the best policy, or if fighting back will solve any of the problems we had in the first place.....

What do you think?

The Wedding of the Year!!

Last night was the night!!!
Gabby's oldest brother, Luisi, got married!

It was a beautiful ceremony held at St. Kevin's Catholic Church.
Everything went perfectly... the only thing missing was Janet's mom. But I know that she was there in spirit. :)

Of course, I cried. I love weddings. I'm a sucker for all things romantic. But knowing the bride and groom so well made it even MORE romantic, and a little surreal. To think that this is just the beginning of their life together! It's such a beautiful thing.

I'm so happy for them both! It's so amazing to see life in action. To think that these two have known each other their whole lives, fell in love, and are off to create their own family is so amazing. God is truly at work, and I pray that He blesses their life together in the years to come.

In the meanwhile, here are some pictures of the night :)

Small group will be held at my house this week! Yay!
We'll be discussing and dissecting the book of Job, and how the lessons from this book pertain to our every day lives.

Should be interesting!!
Please come!
(BYOF- Bring Your Own Food!!) :)
E-mail me for the address & information ;)

What a Weekend!

This weekend was definetly eventful. My (future) sister in law, Janet, had her much-anticipated bachelorette party at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. What a BLAST!!


The hotel was beautiful, and we had such a great girl bonding time by the pool the next day. Of course, I can't elaborate on the details... you just had to be there ;)

In all seriousness, though, I was so happy that Janet was happy that night and that she had an amazing time. And I was even MORE happy that she's marrying Gabby's brother!!!
I remember meeting her wayyy before they began dating... and it's really cool to see their relationship blossom in such a beautiful way. I can't believe the wedding is almost here! It's this Friday.. such a big day in Gabby's family's life, but I know that it will only bring good things. A happy marriage, babies (my future neices & nephews, I might add!)... I couldn't be happier for them. :)


After the party, of course, was Mother's Day. I felt pretty bad, since I had been putting off buying my mom's gift until I got paid (on Friday, the day I left for the bachelorette party..go figure). I never actually got around to it, so I woke up early on Sunday morning and told her that I needed to go to Publix to get some "feminine care products".. wink wink.

Anyway, I went off to Publix and picked up some stuff she needed for the brunch that she was preparing for some family members who were to stop by later. I wasn't sure she would like it, but she absoloutley loved her gift!

My cousins and aunt came over for brunch, as well as my uncle. Mom made a delicious egg casserole thing.. It sounds nasty, but believe me, it was amazing. Afterwards, we went to visit my grandmother. I was so happy to see her in such a good mood! She had trouble pinning the names on me and my cousins, but sitting there looking at her grandchildren talking and laughing together, she said (in Spanish), "I'm so happy that you are all here!" It pretty much made my day. I know she might not know what's going on all the time, but she still had a wonderful time with us. And we were just as happy to see her up and about. :)

All in all, it was a terrific weekend! (Pictures from Mother's Day to come) ;)

ahh, work distractions...

It's true, some of Hillary's Top Ten Reasons why she Loves America had me chuckling.

But I think that Barack's was way funnier!

Hello Lover!

I am beyond excited for the upcoming Sex & The City movie!

The hype has been building now that there is less than a MONTH before the movie comes out... and I am in desperate need to catch up on my DVD collection! (If anyone has Seasons 3 and 6, holler! I need to catch up!!)
So I want to plan a special outing in honor of this fan-tastical film! Holler if you are interested!! ;D

(Girls-only, of course... unless you're crazy enough to drag your significant other along) ;)

Acceptance

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
-- 1 Corinthians 3:1-15

I love when you come across these amazing passages without even really trying. :)

People shouldn't be defined by their denominations... They should be defined by their actions and their professed faith in Jesus Christ. I wonder sometimes why it is that Protestants will be so judgmental towards Catholics.. who believe the exact same thing as we do! It's hard sometimes to get past the traditions and all the man-made things that make religion simply religion, rather than a real relationship with Christ. I find it hard to believe why we can be so callous and rude to Catholics, but so warm and loving to others who do not share our spiritual beliefs.If we can get past the small details of what makes us "different", it would be that much easier to truly accept our differences and become a better and stronger Church...as a whole. Our faith would be stronger and we would be united for one general cause... Jesus Christ.

Isn't that the goal anyway?

:)

the sweet smell of success!

I'm DONE :)

...with this semester, at least. Yay!

I actually finished on Monday, but I've been busy working. I'm hoping I did good on my math exam, I did the best that I could and I guess that's all I could really ask for... :/

As for history, well, I didn't even have to take the test!
True story!

On Monday there was a "bomb threat" in the Graham Center (I know, surprise... bomb threat on finals week). My exam was scheduled for 6:30pm, and they let everyone into the building again at 6:15. How convenient! So my teacher was about 15 minutes late, and she came in looking upset. She said that, due to the bomb threat, Duplicating Services was unable to finsh making copies of her exam, so we had the following three choices:

1) Not take the exam, but stay with our current class average
2) Retake the exam at a later rescheduled date and time
3) Complete a take-home exam, which would be significantly harder than the original final

She gave us back out final papers, with the grade for the paper and the grade in the class on the front. I was pleased... 94.3, A in the class. :)

Needless to say, I chose not to take the final. :)


So I'm anxiously awaiting my final grades report!!! eeeek!! I know I most likely got A's and B's, but I want to make it official!!!! :D

I should also mention that one of the reasons for my wonderful grades this semester... my mom told me that if I got all A's and B's this semester, she would buy me a laptop. And I was NOT about to let that opportunity slip by. ;)

So I'm looking at a Dell... I know, I know, it's a blah PC. But unless someone can convince my mother to buy me a MacBook, it looks like that's what I'll get.

I've already groveled. Any other ideas? ;)

decisions, decisions...

So this weekend started out great!

I have officially been accepted to the Certificate Program for Event & Meeting Planning at FIU! Yay me! :) I'm so excited for fall already, I want to start the Event Planning class! Well, I really shouldn't get too ahead of myself... I still have to finish this semester off well. And I'm happy to say, it seems to be turning out pretty well after all. I've worked hard and I have A's and B's in almost every class.. my only "if" is that elusive math class that I just can't seem to get down. But hey. As long as I get my GPA up to a 3.0, I'm not complaining.

Yesterday was Kristel's bridal shower! It was beautiful. The perfect day. The location was adorable, it was small and quaint, but just right for the occasion. Kristel looked lovely, as usual, and I was just really excited for her. This is a huge step in her and Alex's lives and I wish them nothing but the best. :)

Anyway, I've been getting ideas for summer jobs... I love my new position at the FIU Testing Center, but I'm pretty nervous that with all the budget cuts facing FIU, I might get a pay cut or not be able to work 40 hours during the summer (which I need to do). So I'm looking for something in an event planning company.. maybe an internship? Anything that will get me experience! I don't want to get this Certificate for nothing. I was thinking of e-mailing some local party planning places to see if they're hiring, but part of me says its pompous of me... what do you think?

:)

Human Tetris

Just in case anyone needs a good laugh. ;)

It's a sign...

Share with God's people who are in need.
Practice hospitality.
--Romans 12:13

Well, that answers that question.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
--Matthew 28:5-6

I love the Easter season!

No matter how far I feel from God, Easter is always the perfect time to come back to Him & rededicate my life to Him. Reflecting on such a huge sacrifice always humbles me, and reminds me who is really in control. I am always reminded that, no matter how fast life moves sometimes, God will always be there. No matter how much I may stray from His word, I remember what He did for me, and for all of the world. He loves us unconditionally and gave His life for His flock. His resurrection brings the hope of tomorrow, and the forgiveness of sin for all mankind. What greater gift could we receive than the gift of an eternity with the Lord?


Happy Easter to you and your families. May you all be blessed! :)

The Last Lecture

Take a look, and tell me what you think! :)
<3

Why does God Allow Cancer?

I asked this question two days ago.. and I think this is a great explanation.
Sorry it's such a long one, but I felt it was important.

----


My fears mounted as each day passed with yet another set of tests declaring that the cancer is still present. Relatives I hadn't seen for years began parading into my hospital room. They're expressions reflected concern mixed with deathbed goodbyes.

The whole time this was happening to me I just kept thinking, why me? Why did God allow cancer to hold me for ransom? What am I suppose to be learning from all of this pain I am suffering from this disease?

Have you ever felt like your life was perfect one moment and then all of sudden everything changed. You thought your existence couldn't get any better and suddenly something terrible happened. A pain began very small and grew until your whole body cried out in torment.

Running to the doctor, your worse fear was revealed, the big C had cast a web over your life. Cancer had metastasized and the doctor's only plan of attack was immediate surgery followed by months of chemotherapy.

As each day passed and weeks turned into months your once healthy body now was scarred from numerous surgeries. You were swollen and your skin color no longer radiated with its once perfect tropical tan. You look back at how your life use to be and you're astonished at how quickly everything can change.

As you drift in and out of consciousness from your numerous chemo treatments, your mind begins a quest of understanding why me? You were living a good life with a great job. You had a family and sometimes you even went to church. Why do I have cancer? I never harmed or took advantage of anyone! Why am I being punished? Why is God doing this to me? I am a good person!

Romans 8: 28-30, "We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose. Those whom God had already chosen he also set apart to become like his Son, so that the Son would be the first among many brothers. And so those whom God set apart, he called; and those he called, he put right with himself, and he shared his glory with them."

Literally thousands of people are diagnosed with cancer every year. They all go through multiple stages of grief that begin with why me? Those with faith, question God's purpose for making them endure the big C. Others, who have never established faith, begin looking for answers from those who are Christians.

First of all, God did not create cancer! He did not single you out to punish you because of sin in your life. God loves people! Cancer is a result of people falling prey to an evil world.
Look at our present day world! There are injustices everywhere. Sickness and death are wide spread. War and famine are a common reported issue on the world wide news. Nothing about our world is perfect. In order to understand why cancer has grabbed you unaware and held you captive to its torments, you must understand our world. The only way to understand this world is to allow what cannot be seen into your life.

Believing in God is a must in order to survive an imperfect world. You must have faith in what you cannot see in order to understand your present life situation. In the beginning God created a perfect world. But when Satan tempted Adam and Eve with the ability to understand; everything changed!

In order to determine the difference between right and wrong you must be given examples. All sicknesses are evil. All wars are fought not for freedom and justice but for greed and power. Most murders are committed from rage. In order to make just decisions and gain wisdom we must have small to extreme examples for our own judgments of what is right and what is wrong.

We live in a corrupt, evil world that is governed by Satan. An unseen world of spirits come in and influence our thinking. A spiritual world that challenges our belief systems through the experiences we go through in our lives for either good or bad.

While Satan is the great deceiver and the corrupter of the world, God has provided the Holy Spirit to come in and help us when we face uncertain times. This is the reason we must have God in our lives. God takes the pain of cancer and helps us to live moment by moment. He makes us an example of what God can do when we allow Him to work in our present situation.

Sometimes it is God's choice for us to be healed and sometimes it is His will for us to die for Him. All things work together for good when God is in control. But when we believe only in this corrupt world then we only have doctors to pull us through our illnesses.

Having God gives us strength and perseverance, while following the world leads us down paths of blame and hate. Think about the life of Jesus. He did nothing but good for people. He healed the sick and cast out demon spirits who tormented the thoughts of people. Yet no matter how much good He did in His life He was still crucified.

In order to become like Jesus we must understand that suffering is a part of this world. Satan wants to destroy people and to get them to let go of their faith in God. God wants us to surrender our lives to Him and trust that no matter what happens He will be there for us.

Romans 8: 31-33 "In view of all this, what can we say? If God is for us, who can be against us? Certainly not God, who did not even keep back his own Son, but offered him for us all! He gave us his Son-will he not also freely give us all things? Who will accuse God's chosen people? God himself declares them not guilty!"

I cringe every time I watch a television program that deals with cancer or death and the first thing that comes out of the mouths of the actors or actresses are why did God do this? God is not evil. God loves people so much that He showed us through the sacrificial death of Jesus what it will take to fight for understanding in this world. In order to understand good; we must have the example of evil.

Jesus came so we would have the Holy Spirit in our lives. A good Spirit that tells us the truth about our present situation. A Holy Spirit that is our guide so that in everything we go through we might gain understanding through our ability to believe that God can and will help us no matter what cancer might do to destroy our lives.

To have faith in God is to equip us with the ability to fight against cancer. God is our strength. Prayer is our ability to communicate to God freely without hesitation. The Holy Spirit gives us the supernatural power to bring cancer to its knees. The Bible gives us hope and directs us to have faith that God will never let us down or abandon us when it seems that we have lost our health forever.

Why does God allow cancer? God hates cancer! Cancer is the result of Satan's power to hurt people in the world. God is ready and able to help us fight. Even if the fight leads us to death, God promises us that He will reward us in Heaven for the pain we have endured. We are His Christian soldiers. Soldiers who fight against Satan and this evil world.

God takes the evil of cancer and He shows how our determination through everything we suffer is an example to others what God can do in our lives even when the prognoses is bad. God changes the lives of our friends and family when they see that we will not let go of our faith no matter what happens to us.

God takes what Satan did to us and shouts to the world that we did nothing wrong. We did not sin and we are not guilty! He takes the evil of cancer and makes us an example to others of what you can do when you have faith in God.

Romans 8: 34-39, "Who, then, will condemn them? Not Christ Jesus, who died, or rather, who was raised to life and is at the right side of God, pleading with him for us! Who, then, can separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble do it, or hardship or persecution or hunger or poverty or danger or death? As the scripture says, 'For your sake we are in danger of death at all times; we are treated like sheep that are going to be slaughtered.' No, in all these things we have complete victory through him who loved us! For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below-there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord."

We live in a world where we will learn the difference between right and wrong. Cancer is evil. God is good. With God's help we can bring cancer to it's knees and show Satan that even if it means death we will not let go of our faith in God! Sometimes, death is the only way to avoid Satan's wrath. Regardless, God has nothing but love for us, and when we go to Him, He is not going to stand there with His arms folded. He will open up His arms and embrace the child that has come to Him.

God bless everyone here.

In memory of Elsa "Tita" Villar
January 31, 1962 - March 3, 2008

Tita...

I have a hard time figuring out why God does what He does sometimes.


Gabriel's brother's godmother (got it?) passed away this morning. She had been battling cervical cancer for a good while. I think the hardest thing about her loss is the fact that her daughter is getting married in two months- to said godson. How often does somebody get to say that their daughter married their godson? That's just an amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But I know that she'll be there that day... just in a different form.

I know she's in a better place, and I know that she is better off, but I can't help but remember her and her bubbly and spunky personality.

I wish everyone would meet someone as special as her in their lifetime. She was so full of life. She was always happy and always having fun. New Year's parties were legendary at her house, and that house was always full of laughs, good times and an enormous family.


I spent the entire day at the hospital with Gabriel's family and her family. And to tell you the truth, there's nowhere else I would have rather been. There were people literally packed in her room, spilling out into the hallway. She touched those lives and so many others in her 46 years. I was honored to have known her.

Today has been just surreal. I would have never imagined two years ago when we went to New York that a little more than two years later, she would be gone. I keep on thinking that this is all just a dream. But I remember every detail of it. I remember the first time Gabriel told me that she might have found a cyst, and thinking that she would overcome it. I can't believe this is happening....I don't know why God takes such good people from us, or why He would let such a young person suffer as much as she did. I have been asking Him that question all day long. But I know that, even though it looks bleak right now, God has a plan. And this just happens to be a part of a bigger picture. I have to remind myself of that. Something good will come out of this.


In the meanwhile, please pray for Elsa Villar and her family. And get yourself checked. Early detection really does save lives.

Get informed about cancer research & prevention.
Susan G. Komen Foundation
Liga Contra el Cancer/ League Against Cancer
American Cancer Society
National Cervical Cancer Coalition

Alexandra and the terrible, no good, very bad day.

Yep. Today was a bad day.

I got laid off. :(
My last day of work is March 13th, so if anyone knows of a good part time position, let me know :)
My availability is Tues/Thurs all day, Fridays after 5, maybe saturday if its necessary :/

Please let me know if you know of something, and keep me in your prayers! :)

Moving at the speed of life.

I have been SO stressed these past couple of weeks! Ok, maybe not stressed.. just really really busy.

A normal week for me usually consists of school, work, essays, exams, small group, dinner at the in-laws, weight watchers (yes, and its working lol), gym time, and maybe a little study time in between. And let's not begin to talk about weekends! All the time I couldn't fit into the week, I try to make up for on the weekend. This is just not possible.


I'm always going somewhere, I'm always busy, and I think my grades are going to suffer because of it. Granted, being busy is a good thing. But the most important thing to me right now is my grades and my school. I HAVE to get at least a 3.0 this semester to be admitted to the School of Journalism. Most of my grades are good; I got an A- on my first exam for Media & Society, a double A+ on my first paper for American History (totally pulled that one out of my butt), and I have a pretty good feeling that I did good on the second paper as well. I've been getting mediocre grades in my Fundamentals in Management for Hospitality class, but I have a few extra credit points that I think I will benefit from. The worst class for me this semester is Social Choice Math.. It's not necessarily a hard math, like stats or calculus, but it's just very meticulous. The professor speaks at a rate of one word a minute (don't believe me? sit in my class!) and, to be honest, I didn't really study for the first two exams. So, pretty much, I have to get an 80 or above on every one of my next exams (including the final!) to get at least a C+. :(

So I have to start focusing more on my school work and less on my social life. My mom always tells me that I can't be everywhere at once, and that is very true. I have to start learning to say no, as much as I may want to join along. Hopefully, by cutting some things out of my week, I'll be able to focus better in the important things and get to where I want to be.
I have the whole summer to hang out. ;)

"Call us Essential. Call us the College." Campaign

A couple of weeks ago I had a job interview at Chispa Marketing, a Marketing/ PR firm on Sunset & 98th. Anywho, they are in charge of PR at Miami-Dade College (and at FIU... those "I am a _____ and I am also an Entrepeneur"... yep. that's them). Needless to say, I didn't get the job (bummer), but the Luly, the president of the company, really liked me and gave me a sort of "side-bar" job. The campaign they are running for Miami-Dade is used in the daily newspaper, using alumni. The ad has a picture of the alumnus, their name, year of graduation and their current job. My job is to find these lovely people! All I do is give you a form to fill out, take your picture and send it in. It's all free to you.

So if you or someone you know is currently attending, or has gone to Miami-Dade (minimum 30 credits please), and would be interested in this opportunity, please e-mail me at alexita214@gmail.com. I'll try to get a copy of the flyer on this thing so you can check it out. Thanks!!! :)
<3

i hate (radical) feminism.

I don't hate many things. I don't think I hate anything, really. I'm really a very loving person. But there's one thing that really pushes my buttons, and that is the idea that women can just do whatever they want in society with no objections from society.

Don't get me wrong. I'm all for women's rights and women's equality and all that good stuff. I do believe that women were created to complement men. To help them. To assist them. To be their equal and their companion. Women have the right to make their own decisions and do what they want. But when women begin to want more power than men, and when women want to throw away their femininity because they think that it's somehow "offensive", then I think we really have a problem.

We had a discussion in my Media & Society class today about the objectivity of women in media. There were two videos, one of which discussed how Disney affects young girls' ideas of femininity by portraying all their female protagonists as curvy, eyelash-batting seductresses at one point or another in their movies. This one psychologist (who, I think, needs a psychologist herself) was saying how "Beauty & The Beast" in particular promotes the idea of a strong woman being verbally and physically abused, and how it's portrayed as 'acceptable' for her to go back to someone like this. She also cited the scene in which Lumiere (the candlestick) is getting frisky with the maid (the feather duster chick) behind the curtains, saying that it showed that men could have their way with you even if you say no. She also mentioned how, even though some heroines seemed really strong, they were never really able to save themselves. They always had to have a man save them. Call me crazy, but I must have watched "Beauty & the Beast" about a million and one times when I was a kid. And never once did I ever think that this was the subliminal message. I'm 20, and I turned out just fine, thank you very much.

So anyway, crazy shrinks aside, there was a soccer mom that they interviewed for the video. And she mentioned how she thinks that that kind of portrayal by women was unfair... So this chick in the back of class goes, "Well I think that's kind of hypocritical. I mean, She's saying how she doesn't want her kids exposed to that negative portrayal of women, but she chooses to stay home and leave her career to stay at home. What kind of example is she setting for her children?"

I almost had a heart attack. Thankfully, class ended. But I thought about it.. What makes you think that staying at home to raise your children is a negative thing??? How is it possible that a corporate businesswoman is stronger than a stay-at-home mom? I don't know about you, but personally, mothers are the strongest people on the planet. To be able to create life, give birth to it, and raise it is not for the weak of heart. It takes a certain kind of woman to be a mother. And if you choose to place your career goals over the lives of your children and your overall family, well I think that speaks volumes about you as a person. Not that I'm judging. If that's your choice, then hey, go for it. But for her to imply that mothers are 'weak' women really struck a nerve with me. This is the feminism I'm talking about. The feminism that places everything else above your family. The feminism that demeans men and sees them as lower life forms. The feminism that completely eradicates femininity from their idea of a woman.

A woman should be celebrated, no doubt. If she wants to wear makeup, she shouldnt be ridiculed for it. If she wants to flaunt herself, hey that's her choice. But I refuse to accept the notion that little girls can't watch a Disney movie without thinking that Belle should save herself. That completely ruins the idea of chivalry, of romance and of fairy tales. If people took this element out of Disney movies, what will a little girl have to look forward to? A crappy excuse for a love life? I mean, this is all just ridiculous!

What do you think?

c-a-n......

So yesterday was me & Gabby's 4th anniversary! Yay us! :)

He told me he had an exciting day planned for me... and it was interesting!!! :) He woke me up at like 7am (which i was not fond of) and told me to go to my door, because he left something there. I went to the door and it was a card. Inside the card was a poem, and basically the card told me that throughout the day I would be receiving these little poems, and they were all clues as to what the "big gift" was. Each poem would have a certain letter that would stand out. There were 5 letters in my gift, and the letters were for me to decode the gift (Are you still with me? lol). The letters would not be in order.

The first letter was A.

"Ok," I thought... maybe "M-A-R-R-Y"? (Note: This was not the case.:/) When I got to work at 9am, I found another letter on my desk: The letter in this one was O.

How irritating!!! I couldnt figure it out!!! lol

Later on in the day, I got an email from Gabby, and it turns out it was another clue!!! This time it was two N's. To be honest, I really stopped trying to figure it out. I'm no good at brain teasers, as I suffer from a strong form of ADD. ;)

Finally, the moment of truth! He got to my house to pick me up for our fabulous dinner at Shibui, and asked me if I had been able to solve the puzzle. I told him I hadn't, and he said, "OK. Last clue. What do Hillary Clinton, (and two other people with "C" names that I cannot recall at the moment) have in common?"

"C! THE LAST LETTER IS C!!! "

"C-A-N-O-N......."

:)

i finally got the camera i wanted!!!! :D
i was so happy. Finally he opened his gift and he loved it as well. :)
And off we went to dinner to celebrate four wonderful years of relationship bliss!!! :D

The End! ;)
<333

The Problem with Che.

..

Umm... there's something very wrong with this picture.

A Cuban flag (with Che Guevara smearing it) is draped in an office of Barack Obama supporters.

I love Obama. He's the only candidate I support in this race so far besides Ron Paul. But this is more than a little disturbing, both as a Cuban and as an American voter. I don't think glorifying a mass murderer in your campaign office is going to help you get elected. Granted, these women are reported as being just 'volunteers'; Obama's camp has denied that they are part of an official campaign office. But even so- just associating Che Guevara with Barack Obama makes me queasy to say the least.

Read the story on this blog, and see the video in its true context here, and let me know what you think.
I've been looking for this story on some of the major news outlets, but this is not being reported. :(

Interesting. :)

Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character."
- 1 Corinthians 15:33

:)

My To-Do List

Theres a lot of talk going on lately about risk taking. So I got to thinking about some goals I have for the future. I have taken huge leaps of faith in the past, and they have all turned out to be things I was grateful for in the end. God really does provide, and He is extremely good, if you take Him as your partner and trust in Him to lead you in the right direction. He knows your heart, and He knows your needs, and He will tend to them in His time. You just have to be patient.

So here's my "to do list", if you will.. A list of things I want to do in life. Granted, some are vague, but give me some credit. :)

1) Graduate with honors
2) Get married & start a family
3) Do a study abroad program
4) Fill up my passport :)
5) Get all A's and B's in school
6) Figure out what to do with my life, and be successful at it.
7) Go on a missions trip.
8) Visit every country on earth.
9) Read a good book every month
10) Perfect my spanish skills, and become fluent in another language (french perhaps?)

The one thing I see in common with these things is that, for most of them, I'd have to put my faith in God and listen to what He has to tell me.

And I'm all ears. :)


Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
(Isaiah 55:22)

The best month of the year!!

I'm so excited! :)

On Valentine's Day, Gabriel and I are celebrating our 4th anniversary! :D

Yep.. it's been a loooong road to get to where we are today. We're happier than we've ever been, and it has a lot to do with the fact that our relationships with God have grown and matured a great deal. I'm so happy, and watching his brother get married is a great experience, cuz I'll get ideas for my big day! (which will hopefully happen sometime in the near future...........right honey?) ;)

In celebration of our big day, we decided that we'll go to the Rusty Pelican (at last, after a year of begging!!!) on the 8th, which is this Saturday. We figured the restaurant is pretty much already filled for V-Day.. so instead, we'll just go somewhere close by (and relatively cheap) on the day of our anniversary. Maybe something down US-1, so its not such a far drive.. we were going to go with Samurai, but they don't accept reservations, and I'm pretty sure that day it's going to be packed.

Soooo... any suggestions?
Thanks guys! Your opinions are greatly appreciated!!!!
:D

Who Should You Vote For?

Who You Should Vote For

John McCain: 60% Ron Paul: 53% Mike Huckabee: 47% Barack Obama: 40% Hillary Clinton: 33% Mitt Romney: 33% Who you agree with on the war in Iraq: Ron Paul Who you agree with on the economy: Barack Obama Who you agree with on health care: Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Ron Paul and Mitt Romney Who you agree with on taxes: Mike Huckabee Who you agree with on abortion: Mike Huckabee, John McCain, and Mitt Romney Who you agree with on gay rights: Ron Paul and John McCain

Who Should You Vote For?

thanks to merari for posting this! :)
very interestinggg ;)

Tolerance in Politics

As many of you may know, I'm voting for Ron Paul in the upcoming elections. I just think it's sad that it has gotten to the point that people don't really care about politics anymore. Everytime you tell people who you're voting for, they scoff and make a face... "He's never going to win!", they tell me. Well maybe so, but I thought I had the right to vote for whoever I wanted?

Someone asked me the other day in the car about Ron Paul. Who is he, what does he stand for, etc. I told her, and I told her his policies and how he has voted no on everything he disagrees with, and how he has never taken a stipend from taxpayers as so many other congressmen do. Later on that night, she mentioned that she had asked about him, but I went off on her about him and started campaigning for him. I was a little annoyed, I'm not going to lie. You ask me a question about a candidate, and what do you expect my response to be? It's so aggravating.

Even more so, major "media" outlets don't even mention Paul in any of their coverage of the primaries (even thought he came in second in Nevada. Let's not forget that). How can the American public make an informed decision if they are only being fed Huckabee/McCain/Romney/the occasional RUDY/Clinton/Obama??? The only way to get Ron Paul's message out would be to post blogs like this, or bulletins on myspace. But even then, people get annoyed and tell you to stop posting political bulletins. "You should run for president with all the political stuff you're posting". How else do I spread my candidate's message???

It's so frustrating, because if you say you're voting for Obama (I love the guy), nobody says anything to you.. but Ron Paul??? He's an isolationist! (He's not.) He's a radically liberal conservative (He is DEFINETLY not.) He's racist (He is not.)

Why doesn't anybody focus on the positives? He has fundraised the most of all the candidates; He has the strongest grassroots effort of all candidates; His poll numbers, while not necessarily #1 in all the states, have been respectable; He wants to restore American civil liberties that were ripped from us with the signing of the "Patriot" Act.

Sorry for the rant. It's just really annoying when people are always trying to prove you wrong, or make you think you're stupid. It reminds me of a lot of people who try to tell me that creationism is flawed; that there is no scientific proof that Jesus Christ existed. I can't tell them what to believe, but I know what I believe and I stand by it.

It's the same for politics. I can't tell you who to vote for, but please don't try to convince me that my candidate is flawed. And if I perhaps write something that is not in line with your beliefs, just don't respond. It's that simple.