Grey’s Anatomy Binge

A few years ago, I picked up the Grey’s Anatomy Season 1 DVD at Target. This was on Black Friday so for $2, how could I resist? A short, 9-episode season was simple enough to get through, especially since I was in high school and my #firstworldproblems didn’t take up too much time.

Fast forward to now, to a reality that includes working from home and all of the indulgences that come with it. For two hours everyday, Lifetime shows Grey’s Anatomy and I’ve found myself crying at least once per episode. Some of my closest friends are Grey’s junkies, so it’s easy to see how I could fall into a binge.

Transitioning into a full-time job, moving to the center of Los Angeles, and planning a wedding with a fiance who is thousands of miles away has been anything but easy. Pretending to grow up, or pretending to be young–however you want to see it–takes you on quite the emotional rollercoaster. I’ve done my best to let go of the unnecessary negative energy (read: “drama”) in my life, mostly stemming from the interesting folks I met in college.

Thanks to the psychology of binge-watching serialized TV shows, I get to delve into all juicy gossip and action of Seattle Grace Hospital. Then I get to sleep at night without worrying about who hates me or what’s being said about who and how that affects my day. I spent yesterday with friends watching Season 1 and at 1am, I found myself starting Season 2 on Netflix. In bed. On my cell phone.  I get so emotionally invested in these types of series and spend hours watching one episode after another. Before I know it, the day is gone and progress towards my goals remains stagnant.

But for a few hours, I get to experience a catharsis that is necessary to get through what’s on my plate. Working on the friendships that matter, building a marriage based more on miles than anything else, and trying to dream bigger…all while keeping the predators at bay. I scream at the TV, cover my eyes when I can’t handle the graphic images, and tear up at every joyous, sad, or revealing moment. I’ve even compared it to watching sports. I hang onto the opening credits, smirking at how clever and beautiful it is. Meredith’s voice-overs speak truth to my life, give me insight as I watch the days pass me by. Hearing every character list their erratic personality traits and then beg for acceptance makes the world seem a little less crazy. The show is executed so artfully from the writing, to the character development, even the smoldering gazes… and seriously, they are in a hospital all the time (with the exception of the scenic views of Seattle) and somehow, the setting is still adventurous. Being invested in this show is definitely draining and quite the distraction from dealing with real life, but I can’t help appreciating and embracing it.

Support your friends. And local music.

This weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing my good friend, Adam, perform with two of his bands at SPACE in Pomona. Spending time with friends from home was also wonderful. Two bands with different sounds, but both with an evident passion–a yearning to create music and put it out there. I can’t wait to see where Adam takes all of this.

When your friends ask you to support them, you should. Even when they don’t ask you, show up anyway. You’ll get to experience life in the process.

Rumor Has It

Adam jamming out

AIRDROME

Kick me into gear

I need to DO more and SEE more and BE more.

I’m ready to stop pining over money and being a tool. All I really want to do is CREATE and do so with the materials already at my disposal.

[Although, a trip or three to the 2 Dollar Clothing store might not hurt.]

Live your life.

“Prayers Up”

Thoughts, love, good vibes, prayers. I wish for all this positivity to reach the people affected by today’s tragedy at the Boston Marathon. And all of the other happenings around the world that have gone unnoticed, for whatever reason.

It’s amazing to realize how much faith people have, no matter their beliefs or what stage they’re at in terms of spirituality. When senseless acts of violence like this occur, which I’ve seen far too many of in my lifetime, we are brought back to our own humanity. I scrolled through countless tweets and clicked links on Facebook. I looked at photos, read about the victims… in an effort to avoid becoming numb to events like these. There were travel advisories and reports of beefed-up security. Are we really meant to consume every single detail thrown at us in real time? Are we invading privacy, increasing awareness, forming camaraderie?

I hope that our fellow humans won’t be overcome with hysteria, bitterness, or distrust. But that we will continue to have faith and exude positivity in our everyday lives, not just when things like this happen. Anything can happen to anyone at any time… We should go out there and live our lives, without forgetting to prioritize, advocate, and progress in ways we believe we should.

Prayers up!

SBFBC: TDB Gamma Chapter Installs – Alpha Gamma Class

My birthday is so important, that Theta Delta Beta – Gamma Chapter organized an entire installs to celebrate!

…okay, maybe not. BUT it was nice to have my big bro come down for simultaneous celebrations. (I guess getting a new grandlil bro is cause for celebration, but really it’s just another opportunity to photowhore ourselves and shove the Sugar Plum Adventure down your throat.)

For those of you not familiar with Greek life, I am not in a sorority. (But there is nothing wrong with being in a sorority!) I did a little sis program during my first quarter of college and five years later, these folks are still in my life, celebrating my birthday with me. You can just think of them as my family away from home.

If you’ve ever heard whispers of my family line, the Sugar Plum Adventure, somewhere in the wind… it’s because we are the best family out there and we constantly make moves to enjoy life together. I will leave it at that. Haterz gon’ hate.

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It’s really unfair to even mention which class’ installs this was… oops! Also, SPA legs. It happens. Damn, I love my fam.

SBFBC: Sara the Wine Bar and Yen Sushi

Another part in the series of Small, But Frequent Birthday Celebrations…

A couple nights before March 1st, I went out with some of cool folks to a cute wine bar for dinner. It was called Sara the Wine Bar. Sara is a real person who owns the Wine Bar. In my efforts to be healthier, I’ve started drinking more red wine and less hard alcohol… and somehow that’s snowballed and I could be turning into a wino. Happy 23rd birthday to me!

Wine flights are an affordable way to sample a few types of wines, have a little fun, and figure out what kind of wine you should buy when you go to the grocery store. They also make for fun times with lovely ladies like these. It was so wonderful of them to make time for me randomly in the middle of the week. If you have friends like these, go out and spend some quality time together!

I also went out to dinner with my roommate/BFF, the only and only John Pants. I don’t call him John-Gabriel like all his fans do. We went in on some sushi at Yen Sushi in the Westfield Culver City mall. It was nice getting to spend time together, because even though we live together, we rarely see each other! I swear we don’t even need to be living in LA, but hey, it’s happening and we love it.

The celebrations leading up to my actual birthday were nice and relaxing. I caught up with friends over delicious food and drinks. This method of celebrating birthdays is quite fun! And I got to explore LA at the same time–remember I said I’d be doing that all least once a week? I still feel empty without the big ol’ Chino Hills celebration though…

More to come!

Time only flies when you’re wasting it.

How many hours go by while you’re Facebook-stalking people you don’t even care about? I remember writing papers late into the night, being distracted by social networking, and suddenly my paper is due in an hour! But when I really got down to the nitty-gritty of my work, time seemed to stand on my side… “Okay, I see you putting in some werk, lemme slow it down for ya.”

I’m 23 years old. I am by no means “old” and I hate when people my age called themselves that because they remember a time when technology was far less invasive, a decade where all kids/teen shows were awesome, and an era of fast food logos that can now be considered vintage. Aging is a part of life and I’ve found that when I’m actually doing things (“things” being activities that quench my passions, move me towards my goals, or fulfill life’s everyday needs), time doesn’t seem to pass as quickly.

I do feel like I started college just yesterday and before I knew it, I was graduating, starting a full-time job, and figuring out when I could adventure in between. I hope this feeling I get some days doesn’t turn into most days. And it won’t, as long as I’m doing things (“things” not associated with mindlessly refreshing social media or watching re-runs of Keeping Up with the Kardashians).

In the last two months, I’ve been on seven trips in five states. Sure, each trip was only a few days… some even just for one night. As much as I wish my travel excusions could be longer, maybe to the point of cultural immersion, I have come home fulfilled every time. Because I was doing things. I was recently in Miami for 4 days and got A LOT done with time for napping. Insane, right? Yes, fun times usually come to an end much too soon, but time well-spent leaves me feeling more complete and ready to move to the next thing.

Since I’ve just been home for two days with no plans, I’ve done absolutely nothing, except think about writing this blog and exchange messages with friends about how much I should be doing, but am not doing. It will continue in this cycle until I manage to break free, probably due to FOMO, or the Fear Of Missing Out.

It’s crazy how skewed my perception of time has become because of all the ways I’ve been prone to wasting it. Two hours of bowling or kayaking seem so short when I’m purchasing them, only because I can spend two hours on Pinterest. Here’s a thought: Pinterest should limit the number of things you’re allowed to pin until you’ve completed some of the projects you’ve already pinned. If only we could be motivated in such a way.

I can’t stop moments from passing, but I can make each one worth it. Even the ones I spend sleeping! What a concept.

Time can be generous, but ultimately time is indifferent. Time does not give two damns or a fuck.

-Sign, Nujabes ft. Pase Rock