[[[ reflection makes the splendid vision when you take off the rose colored glasses]]]

jasmine candles.evian water.muscles still warm from the moonlit walk/jog with the puppy.i need yerba mate.

I had the most splendid weekend. The comrades and I did a spoken word event at the FANHS conference. Talk about inspiration. To be in a room with several generations of Filipinos and exchanging ideas and commonalities is more than comforting. It was home away from home for many of us. A sense of belonging. A connection between folks who have never met but still look at each other with familiarality. Made some connections, made some friends. It is beautiful how diverse Filipinos are. Feeling was sublime. Even after uncle cordova read a whole dang chapter from his book. It is all good.

The performance art workshop on Saturday was again enlightening, making me see the hidden side of me that I never thought would existed. To do an interpretive piece has pushed me deeper and deeper in the realm of performance art. Still figuring out if I like it. Definitely having a lot of fun.

Saturday evening was fun. A few of us went out to celebrate Bambu’s bday. He chose (( drum roll)) Hometown Buffet. Hahhahahha. He has to be related to my family. My family is ALL about hometown buffet. Hahhahaahhaha, don and dj can bare witness to that. After all they were there for thanksgiving dinner at htb in Valencia. I kid you not. My sister is over the trauma of going there for the holidays. Eh, it is not as weird as I thought it would be and nobody else did as well. Because why was the line RUNNING OUT THE DOOR AND INTO THE PARKING LOT? It is all about hometown buffet. Quantity, not quality.

Finally, Sunday brought me renewal with His Word, meaning renewal for my mind and spirit. My sister and I went to gypsey café and smoked berry flavored tobacco in a hookah and had soy lattes. I caught myself looking at her and seeing the lil girl I helped raised into this beautiful young lady. I am proud of her spunk, her adventurous side, her questioning the world, and her maturity. Strong pinay with a quest for the meaning of life. I feel safe in the thought that she has the compassion as well as the streetsmart to get her through life. We talked about dad and how she herself did some legal research only to conclude that what we suspected was true; that life is unfair and lady of justice turns a blind eye ( or a eye with blurred vision) to certain cases due to paranoia.after a while, we didn’t know if we were getting lightheaded from the hookah or if it is our ownselves getting sick with anger and confusion.

The day closed out with a concert at the Hollywood bowl. I introduced my sister to the sounds of spearhead and fema kuti. She pointed out the first star, as I was too busy dancing to the djimbe and horns. Our picnic basket of fruit and crackers and cheese was just enough for us and those around us. It was definitely one love. Funny part is us getting a bit tipsy from the night air. Well.. a contact high, if you will. It just made fema kuti’s music just that much more visual….