The most memorable Saturday night ever! LOL!

Oh man, if I could detail yesterday, I would. But I haven't been able to take part in recalling the shenanigans without bursting out into hysterical laughter! Every single time I try to... (.. and cue the laughing fit!!) recall the detail I laugh out loud!

It was so interesting, a handful of us remained sober, but man, watching the host get so wasted he kept tripping all over himself?

It was so funny! He's one of my very best friends, and he used to be the guy who consistently volunteered himself to be the designate, and now?

He needed one.

LOL!

I can only imagine what happened at  B-11 after we high-tailed it out of there. That is if they even made it over there!! :D

It was a nice family reunion though, that's for sure. I truly enjoyed hanging out last night!

Gratitude 1

So I just recently (and we're talking as recently as half an hour ago) reconnected with my cousin Elena via facebook and although she and I aren't super close, I have a feeling this reconnection is only going to bring forth great (and very positive) energy.

There was a reason I clicked on "Add Friend" after all!

And once again, we may not be super close, but I know I can always count on her to be straight forward and honest with me, because that's all I've ever asked of anyone I love and care for.


And she's always delivered, in fine fashion.

In closing, I know she'll see those posts and feel the love, and I can't wait to wake up to her responses tomorrow.

In fact, I'm feeling the love already!

From Calling All Angels to Hey, Soul Sister to THIS.

That's really all I need to say!

The Messiah Part 2: The Chorus.

So many memories. I wish I could share them all. I couldn't ever forget the atmosphere when I first performed this with an ensemble. We were all in our pre-teen years then, and I just remember the director of the choir telling us, "Breathe in, breathe out, you're going to be fine! You guys are going to do amazing!"

And we went out that night and totally rocked it. I remember Mom telling me, "You guys didn't look nervous to me. Not at all!"

to which I simply replied, "We just didn't want to disappoint Handel!"

And let's just say Mom cracked up so hard she had to pull over!

The Messiah: Part 1.

Messiah: Overture. (via Youtube)

I will never forget this time of year because it was around this time that the Classic Choir began pre-rehearsal for their grandest performance of the year: Handel's Messiah.

If the Hallelujah Chorus has a special place in my heart(and believe me, there is another story entirely for that part of this famous piece of classical music, which shall follow this one. and the Chorus definitely is very important to me as well.) I also must make sure to give love to the Overture because that's how it starts, and not only does it mark the beginning, it is just so beautifully written and it's the piece of classical music that really made me truly appreciate Handel as a musician and composer.


And then, there's the Chorus........ (and the memories too. In Part 2.)

Sometimes the great discord, the pain and suffering? sometimes it leads to ENLIGHTENMENT.

right on cue, it's about mid-October every year where I just lock myself in here (here of course, being my room) and sort through everything going on in my head.

There's serious duality to my personality, because most of the time I love to talk about my feelings, but at others I'll keep it all in.

And I've been asking myself this question lately: Is it duality, or is it really discord?

Maybe what it is is delightful discord, because everything I've been through in the past six weeks has led me to this period of pure enlightenment.

I'm gaining clarity.

It wasn't me at all, I had it all built up in my head.

I have my own set of issues.

And so do they.

Playing the blame game with each other never helped, and therein was the problem. this constant cycle of toxicity?

All four of us, each and every single resident of this house, had their own part in it.

And here's the kicker: Dad leaves for a couple of days (not literally leaves, but actually gets up early Monday morning and boards a flight to D.C. because he was sent on a business trip) and guess what happens?

the three of us?

Get ready!

We CO-EXISTED(and Dad will arrive back home early Wednesday afternoon.)!

and though I love him dearly, I almost, dare I say, almost wish that he wouldn't come back for a just a little bit longer?

Because we actually managed to co-exist, and for a moment, not only did I really feel like I was having an out of body experience and that the world was ending (and this because we managed to co-exist because Dad wasn't here nitpicking and nagging all three of us about every little damn thing under the effing sun...)  but that I had worried for NOTHING. Dad had made it to D.C. safe, and we had survived without him and, who knew, actually made it through? How 'bout that?


I had a moment of grace today as I stood in the living room, looked at them and smiled.

"We actually co-existed, didn't we?"

"Yeah! Don't tell Dad though, he'll never believe it," my brother grinned.

and we both began to laugh out loud, and when I say laugh out loud, I mean it.


I realized that's what I miss, those moments.


but that's why I appreciated it so much.

Downtown is DODGERTOWN.

Downtown LA is home to the Elysian Park neighborhood. That area is best known as the location of Dodger Stadium and recently their management made a huge deal, sending among others, James Loney to Boston. (Two players to be named later were also a part of that package, not sure if that part's been finalized yet, but I'll update this as soon as I know.)

Josh Beckett, Carl Crawford, Nick Punto and former San Diego Padre Adrian Gonzalez (and like Colorado's Gonzalez is "Car-Go," you can.. well you know what? You CAN call him "A-Gon",  and when he hits a homer he's "A-GONE!") (Just a little baseball humor there, haha.) were the marquee players traded to our beloved Boys In Blue. (Though I didn't quite get the including of the injured Crawford until all the facts became revealed to me-- it was done to dump his salary- such is the nature of the business!)

Just like ESPN analyst Tim Kurkjian and most of the other general managers in the Major Leagues, I too found myself stunned that the deal went through. "What--- it went through?!?!"

It was in that moment that I whispered, "Thank you Ned Colletti, THANK YOU!"

And my friends have been chiming in, they're excited too, "Adrian Gonzalez homers in his first at bat as a Dodger, GO DODGERS!" (And that of course, happened in last night's game. )

Go Blue, Think Blue INDEED.


My Love For The Game, My Affinity For All Things "Dodger Blue".

Maybe it was watching Ramon and Pedro Martinez pitch in 1990, maybe it was the replays of Gibson's  immortal home run from the 1988 Series (or was it the fact that they, even TODAY, still seem to play that over and over with Vangelis' Chariots of Fire acting as the theme on occasion-- okay.. maybe that came from Dodgers fans on Youtube when they make videos with said footage, but let's not get technical here! :D

I know for sure that it all comes back to moments with my parents, yes, Mom AND Dad, who've both told me stories of how their memories of the game stayed with them.  And most important of all, the memories baseball has given us when we spent time around the game together, from my brother's days a Little Leaguer (where I had developed a passion for teaching for the first time-- hitting, that is!) or going to Dodger Stadium, whether it be with a group of friends or as a family.

The last two years on or around Father's Day weekend, Dad and I have joined the local Boy Scout Troop (he's the troop's assistant scout master) at Chavez Ravine for a ball game.

Now that's a great memory.

Until next time, Don't just Think Blue, BLEED BLUE,

M.

Happy Birthday Manda!

My cousin Amanda and I are seen here in a photo from a trip to New York in the Summer of 2003. We're standing in front of the Baseball Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown!

(Happy birthday Manda Panda!!)

Flashback Fun 2/2: World Youth Day 2005.

I mean, even back then we weren't sure what we were looking at: talk about an opitical illusion! Triiiiippy.

Flashback Fun: World Youth Day 2005. (1)

Marcela? You can't see clearly, but I KNOW that's you! HAHA!  That is (and was) so the last time I give/gave Richie my camera. I trusted YOU with it and you took pictures that were much clearer. ( Rich got/gets an A+ for effort though.)

(2)A Shot of the altar from my spot in the congregation during mass at St. Peter's in Vatican City.

and of course the third picture is St. Peter's Square: Marcela, THIS is proof that you're a much better photographer than Rich! You took this, and my mom took a very similar photo during her trip to Rome! You were standing at opposite ends of the Square (and you took this from the steps), but I judged it, and you appeared to be standing in the exact same spot!! That's kind of cool if you think about it, right?

Music and Love: Both Make The World Go Round

"Every day is a new day, I'm thankful for every breath I take. I won't take you for granted (I won't take you for granted) so I learn from my mistakes."


And so there it goes, the opening to "Alive" by P.O.D.

And no song lyric has meant more to me over the past three weeks than this one.

I've dealt with a lot of painful things, more specifically, a lot of loss over the past nine or so months, and  every time I think about what's been going on recently?


I turn to this song and my heart swells with gratitude and humility, and I can't help but smile.

But it's not the first time that this song has saved me or set me free. (or for to be humble for that matter.)

That's why I love it!

Hectic, Eccentric, Eclectic

I've come to realize three things. Now, they may not be very important, but they've really helped me make through the last few months or so.

Prayer: Because Life can be hectic.

Laughter and Humor: Because both things can, at times, make me seem a bit eccentric.

and of course, music, and some have said my musical taste is?


You got it: eclectic!

And here we go. Back on Blogger!!

Ladies and gents, hello once again to all of you. It's so good to not only be back in the blogosphere, but it's equally as good to be back in the blogosphere right here on Blogger!!

What a renaissance I've gone through in the past two months!!

Wow, it's been exactly two months!!


You know, that's what happens. And it happens when you're not expecting it to: just when you're about to give up, something happens.

There's always that one event that occurs to wake you up, to give you clarity, to make you realize!

And that's why I'll never forget where I was, what I was doing, and a certain sequence of events on the evening of June 11th 2012.

I couldn't possibly forget them now, and I honestly believe that I may NEVER forget them.

Where: Elysian Park.

What: Watching the Dodgers play!

That certain sequence of events: so, I'm sitting there watching the game and Tweeting on my phone. Halfway through the fifth inning, my phone freezes twice consecutively.

at 8:39 and 8:40pm.

(A week later, I'd finally come to learn that maybe that wasn't so random an occurrence after all. and not only THAT, but that when you least expect to be, you're taken the ride of your life and you should ALWAYS 'buckle up.')

How did it renew my spirit and reinvigorate my faith?

Well that's a post for another time.

Happy Sunday (and good morning) to you my friends.

Love, Blessings, Miracles and Faith,
Melanie.