Jumping the Broom

It's wedding season and love is in the air. The smell is spellbinding. It is damn near intoxicating. I used to think a man asks a woman to marry him, gives her a ring, a girl buys a dress, and married they become. Unfortunately, I was completely wrong. A wedding is something of a completely different magnitude! There is the venue, limos, dresses, food, music, and so much more. I realized how much goes into a wedding upon planning my own. I caught the bouquet at my friend's wedding yesterday. I did playfully threaten her that if i didn't get the bouquet, she'd be in trouble, but in actuality, the novelty of a wedding has incompassed my thoughts. I planned my fictious wedding most of today. I figured out everything from venues, catering, music, and honeymoon packages. I have completely relinquished all thoughts of the love, honor, and obey and traded it in for shoes, Vera Wang, and Caribbean honeymoon cruises. Though I jokingly make comments about a lavish THREE weddings, I really only want ONE. I also want to be madly in love and feel breathless whenever my husband is near. I am blessed to still be in the beginning stages of a possible wedding because I am not married or engaged. I have time to really delve into this love thing and plan for a LIFETIME of happiness, not just a few years. The sad part about my realization is that so many women out there are revelling over this thing called a wedding and not realizing the severity of a decision of that magnitude. Even if you divorce and move on, you have a new title, DIVORCEE. So, to avoid titles or removal of titles, one had better marry for love and forever. Divorces are expensive, painful, and disheartening. As I watched gayly while my friend said her vows to her life partner, I shed a tear. I cried for many reasons, but the main reason was because love and matrimony is something I have wanted since I was four years old. I used to tell my mother I wanted 3 weddings and each one of them had me in princess adornment with delicious food and love everywhere. Now, at 24, I want one long-lasting, sacred love that will be with me until the end of my days. A man and a woman separately can be just fine, but in my personal opinion, THEY ARE SPECTACULAR TOGETHER. Besides, what is better than SPECTACULAR? Not much.

Living Legends

I never have to wonder what a living legend looks like because I saw one in concert on Friday, September 2nd. God blessed me with the opportunity and chance to see the most mesmerizing band in concert. Granted I am very young, perhaps too young to appreciate said band, regardless I love them still. I remember sneaking and watching all the sex scenes my mother desperately tried to keep from me as a kid within the movie Indecent Proposal. There was a scene where Woody Harrelson and Demi Moore are making love over a bed full of hundreds from their wins at the casino. This song lingers throughout the entire scene and I am instantly entranced. I am listening intently, but cannot make out who the artist is, unfortunately it was too late, the Sade bug bit me. I searched high and low for the name of the band. I stumbled upon my mom's Love Deluxe CD, their 4th LP. I took the CD in my room and play it until the words fell off. I WAS OBSESSED THEN AND I STILL AM! That is the single most talented, well-rounded, and unique band I have ever seen in my short, 24 years of life. They, along with John Legend put the modern and microwaveable music of today to shame on Friday. And the front-woman, Ms. Sade Adu herself, is ageless, timeless, and an effortless beauty of indescribable measures. She is so poised, so classy, and breathtaking spontaneously. Even if I never see another concert in my life, I can die a happy woman because I saw my favorite group, songstress, and idols in rare form. I just hope I can save up enough money to have them sing at my wedding. Thank you Sade and John Legend for being who you say you are, living legends.

How to Love

I think every young girl envisions what they will be like when they are older. Some of us wanted a house with a white pickett fence, a puppy, and a nice husband. Others wanted to be a Rocket Scientist , cure world hunger, and win a Nobel Peace Prize. Yes, the two realities are completely different, but somewhere out there, there is a girl who would be sublimely happy with either result. Then there's love. Love is a bit stickier. I don't know many young girls who imagined what love would be like, but I believe many of us girls envisioned our version of love. My personal version was one filled with smiles, hugs, and kisses. A man sends me love letters, flowers, and holds onto to my hand for dear life. A man who tells you that your beauty is infinite, unmeasurable, and breathtaking. This love would be unbreakable and impenetrable and ultimately unbreakable. Little did I know, love is not a fairytale and it rarely works out like the fables I loved so much as a kid. Love is confusing, scary, and life altering. It is shocking to see how vast the differences are from a pleasant love and a destructive one. Most of my loves have been the destructive kind. I attached myself to men who presented character, intellect, and warmth up front, but were far from those things in reality. I allowed myself to go down the rabbit hole, so far down that it would take a never ending rope to get me out. If I knew what I know now, then, I would be a much happier person because the love I wanted was there all along, but I fought and fought until I ran my love away. The love played with other dalliances, but truthfully wanted me all along. I ran to my temporary infatuations and none of them were successful. After a while, I realized I didn't know love, so how could I know how to love? A question at nearly 25, I have come to understand. My standards on dating dictated who I allowed myself to love. If you didn't have these goals or plans, or this future WE COULDN'T POSSIBLY DATE because I was going places. I looked down on perfect loves filled with romance, moral support, kindness, and generosity for flashy, expensive, and cocky love. At the ripe age of 24, I realize, LOVE SHOULDN'T BE THIS HARD! Sometimes God sends you prophets and we as mere humans ignore the messages. My sister told me something so incredible tonight. She said, "Oriel, you have romanticized love so much, that you couldn't recognize it if it were staring you right in the face. Get out of it and let God guide. You are not in control, he is. Let go and let God." Words to live by. I can't get them out of my head. I need clarity to accept that though I am no longer a 19 year nitwit, I am still shaky about what to expect and accept when it comes to love, so I going to go completely with God. I pray he leads to the happy, peaceful, and kind love I never knew existed because I would be eternally happy to finally know what REAL LOVE feels like.

I Love a Rollercoaster.

Something about the up and down of a roller coaster that makes me giddy. I don't know if it is the huge dips, gusts of wind, or the curves that often take my breath away. Regardless of the reason, I love a roller coaster. I believe the main reason I love it is because it always goes forward and never backwards. It moves closer and closer to the end and then gets a new group of people and keep chugging along. There is some peace in knowing something as trivial as a roller coaster can do that. This time last year, I would have said the following: "I am marrying Jimmy George Samaras, moving to NYC, and going to lead a happy, rich, and balanced life." It is amazing how much you change in a year. A year can bring such clarity, such an invocation of knowledge and pleasure that it will leave you shocked at your previous comments because you change so much constantly. The woman I am today, could never be the woman I was last year, otherwise I am not moving forward with my life, I am staying complacent. I HATE STAYING COMPLACENT! So, I don't. Something that once seemed like the world to me, revealed itself to be the exact opposite. Now, I am happier than ever because I am up and moving forward to the next best thing in my life. I am not certain what that is, but I am excited nonetheless. I went to a wedding yesterday and I had a thought, "These people have known each other for nearly a decade and they are marrying today, it is rare for people to wait, but I am happy that they did." The wedding inspired me to be certain of my future actions. I wasn't always so careful in the past, but I vow to never exhibit careless behavior again. I will let nothing throw me off my roller coaster because I simply must move forward, move on, and move into my destiny.

Yesteryears

I have come across many people in my life; being the child of a Navy father is not easy. It takes consistent dedication and persistence to form the kind of personality that prepares you for the many walks of life you may meet. Upon my journey in travel, I stopped in Phoenix, AZ. for a bit. While I was there, I met some pretty cool people. I met two particular ladies who managed to stay distantly dear to my heart for many years. After several capricious run ins, I DEMANDED WE RECONNECT! Much to my delight they agreed and just like that, it was 2000 again. We met this past weekend for Happy Hour and got very well reacquainted, it felt terrific! All these nostalgic feelings of youth, laughs, and being a preteen rushed over me. I remember the days of holiday oriented braces, shocking hair transformations, and Saturday Centennial Dances in the 7th grade. All of my friends were very good kids, so there was no grinding or dirty dancing, just a circle of girls breaking it down to Backstreet, NSYNC, Britney Spears, Vitamin C, Spice Girls, Puff Daddy (when he was still Puff Daddy), and of course NELLY (My personal fav)! I even found a picture we took at Jungle Jim's on our last day of 8th grade in my closet. I knew I was going to a new high school and would be meeting new friends and things would never be the same between us (my past Navy life flashing before me). Though I was sad, I am happy at 24, we can sit down and catch up over cocktails and Asian cuisine! I am currently loving this wave of positivity in my life, I pray it never ends. Though I tend to never look back, looking back on all the memories I shared with these girls, warms my heart! GOSH, SOMETIMES I MISS BEING A KID!

Signs...

Though, I am a Christian, I am a firm believer in signs, particularly signs that come in threes. My mind has been a complete jumble with all the things going on; Summer school, Fall semester starting, and plenty of personal dramas. I have been possessed by my Travel Writing class, so much to the point of almost changing my major to Journalism with an emphasis on Travel Writing. I know, it sounds excessive, but that is just how much I adore this class. Then, I had a thought, what is the core reason I love this class? Aww haa, BECAUSE I LOVE TRAVEL! My first sign came from a good friend's blog. She dedicated her entry to the one year anniversary of how European Backpacking trip. Her trip was wonderful and it made me think of my glorious European Backpacking trip! I knew it was time to return to Europe or anywhere I haven't been yet. My second sign came from the amazing description of Bali, Indonesia that Rita Gelman provided in the book I was reading for class. Bali was described as a magical, enchanting country with warm people and delicious food. This immediately made me think of the movie Eat, Pray, Love and then I decided to watch it. I FELL IN LOVE! The movie was incredible and glorious in every way. Bali was so beautiful, I just knew I had to go there and see for myself! Sign number three was a little bizarre. I was at my last day of my weight loss boot camp. I was waiting for the printout of my after pictures to go along with my before photos. As I waited, I saw a magazine on the table, National Geographic. I normally shy away from the magazine because I find it to be exploitative and too graphic. Well, this time was different. The magazine's title was "100 of the World's Most Fascinating Places You Must See Before You Die", I immediately opened it and read it! It was surreal! All the breathtaking places in South America, the wondrous art oriented lands of Europe, and the magical ancient areas of Asia had me hooked. That was the last sign, I knew it was time for me to continue with my travels. I have mapped out a list of places I want to go from order according to geography. I plan to start my journeys the summer of 2012 with Lisbon, Portugal being my first country and city. I will then trek through Italy, Malta, Greece, Austria, Croatia, and eventually make my way to Japan. Before the trip of 2012, I will take small, local trips. First, I'm heading to Belize for a little grown n sexy, newly 25 birthday fun. And from then on, I will make it a point to travel to places I have never been no matter near or far. I will be going to Canada, Mexico, and several US. cities. I have no children, husband, or other moral obligations; I OWE IT TO MYSELF TO HAVE ALL THESE INCREDIBLE JOURNEYS BEFORE I AM MOM AND WIFE! I know theses trip will cost, but the experience will be utterly priceless. I cannot wait to embark on theses new journeys and document the experiences. Now, I just hope my next signs will be an indication of the money I will be receiving to finance these glorious trips!

Let's do the Time Warp!

So many people would jump at the opportunity to fast-forward the past and get to the present. They don't mind missing the middle to get to the end. Thankfully, I am not one of those people. I adore the past because it reminds me of so many wonderful memories. And I don't regret my past, I may regret some of the things I did, some of the people I spent it with, but never the entire past. It made me who I am today, so I relish it always. I recently saw Midnight in Paris with my aunt and a friend. Now, normally I am completely anti-Woody Allen (I can't get pass the whole, married adopted daughter thing), but this movie completely won me over! I was pleasantly surprised to see that this movie carefully and cleverly combined the beauty of art and literary titans like Ernest Hemingway, Picasso, and Gertrude Stein. The writing, dialogue, and prose of the movie was sensational and the historical value was especially cool. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie. I am also happy that I could stomach watching Owen Wilson on screen (he usually bores me and makes me gag). This movie also reminded me of one of my favorite travel excursions to Paris four years ago. I did not have nearly enough time to truly enjoy Paris for the wondrous city is it, but I vow to go back and live each day there like its' my last. Watching the movie also inspired my current writing assignments in my Travel Writing class. This class is so cool because it forces me to remember some of my best experiences traveling all over the world. This makes me happy because I am happiest when I am traveling. Summer is almost over and I have been in school for a year and 7 months, so it is time for a trip. Though it is not international, next trip is to L.A. for a little R & R. I can't wait to soak up some delicious sun with a side of cool summer beach breezes!