He’s the reason why I sing.

Well, I made it to NYC and back! I had a great time! i wish I could've stayed longer. Maybe next time. I'd like to go back this summer, but I don't know if I'll have the time, especially now that I'm both working and going to school full time! *sigh* I went to karaoke with my cousins and their friends and found my self in total "flirt" mode with some Australian dude at this weird karaoke bar on the Lower East Side. LOL

I got a chance to see "Ground Zero." Eventhough it was only from a distance, I still got to see the huge damage and the huge void those buildings left. It went on for blocks! I think the most profound moment I ever had was when I saw a firefighter, in full gear, looking at the memorial wall just around the corner from the platform where you get to view where the Twin Towers used to stand. I took a picture of him, from behind, catching that letters "FDNY" on the back of his jacket. Then, my friend convinced me to go up to him, and ask him if I could take a picture with him. So, I did. I went up to him, asked him if I could take a picture, and he obliged. And after our picture was taken, I thanked him, for what he's done and is still doing. He gave me a smile and I thought I was going to cry. The experience was surreal and sobering. I couldn't wrap my brain around the vastness of the damage, and trying to get used to the fact that the 2 towers aren't standing there anymore. It was disorienting. I felt lost, like, I wasn't in New York City. It was the oddest thing.

Alicia Keys rocks! I love her! Her music is innovative and soulful at the same time. I also like Mary J. Blige. I love her new cd, especially the title track, "No More Drama." india.arie is another one of my faves. If you don't know who she is, she's one of the female artists featured on the latest GAP commercials (where they sing that song that goes, "give a little bit, give a little bit of my love to you."), she's the African-American lady with dreadlocks and a bandana around her head, with a great, deep, soulful voice. She was wearing the v-neck, hooded sweater and a denim skirt. She's awesome. I love her song, "Video."

I just realized that I tend to hang out with people who are younger than I am. It's not that I'm immature or anything like that (we'll maybe I am, LOL), it's just that I'm intimidated by those who are actually my age and older. I think I hang out with people younger than me because I don't have to impress them, and especially the younger guys that I hang out with, I don't have to look at them as "potential" boyfriends or whatnot. The funny thing is that most of the younger people that I hang out with, are more mature than those of the older "acquaintances" that I know of, in so many ways, spiritually being the most important aspect of it. One of my very good friends is 21 years old and he's spiritually more mature than the other college-aged people at their church. And he already knows what he wants to do with his life and that is to serve God by becoming a pastor. I see it in him, I know God has called him to do this, and I'm very blessed to know him and to have him as a friend. He's been a great encouragement to me and a confidante. And he prays and gets into the Word, and that makes him wise. I see a lot of guys who are much older than him, some who are way into their 20s and 30s, and they can't even hold a candle to him because they're still "playing games." It's really sad.

Yet, another unproductive day. So, I woke up around 12:30pm today, ate lunch, then sat for about 3 hours or so in front of the computer, doing the usual – email, chatting, surfing, and whatnot, then plopped in front of the tv and watched for at least 2 hours, took a shower, watched tv some more, ate dinner, watched more tv, ate again, and now, i'm back to going online while watching SNL. Ahh…I love my life! I think I'll try something different tomorrow. Well, of course, I go to church on Sundays, but when I get home, I think I'm gonna do my laundry. Wow, talk about livin' it up! uh…yeah…

It's t minus 5 days 'til I go to NYC! By now, it can be concluded that I love NYC…I've never denied that fact anyway, a lot of people know that I love that city and that, one of these days, I would love to move there. I've always wanted to live in NYC ever since I first visited 5 years ago.

Ok, so I ate dinner twice tonight. I didn't know watching "G.I. Jane" could make you hungry. Actually, I was craving for coffee, but was too lazy to go out and buy my usual Iced Grande Mocha (my beverage of choice) at Starbucks.

Well, as of yesterday, I'm officially going to NYC! I've been looking forward to this for weeks. I've been needing some time-off ever since I-don't-know-how-long, and I believe that it's very much deserved. I still don't know who I'm staying with and who's picking me up from the airport. My cousin Ry gave me a couple of options on how I'm going to get my butt transported from JFK (awful public restrooms btw!) to my aunt's house in Jersey City. Option 1: Take the bus from the airport to Port Authority and THEN take another bus into Jersey City. Option numero dos: Take a cab and pay $60 bucks to avoid the freakin' hassle of actually having to lug all my belongings from one bus to another. Actually, I wouldn't really mind paying $60 bucks…sheesh! What da heck am I saying? Dang, talk about being spoiled by the perks of living in Los Angeles…Barely anyone takes the public transportation around here. I guess I better dress comfortably so that I wouldn't have to worry about looking good while transporting my luggage around the city of New York!

First thing I want to do when I get there is go to "Ground Zero." It's not out of morbid curiosity why I want to go, it's out of respect for those who perished and for the fire-fighters and policemen who, day-in and day-out, give so much of their time to recover the bodies and to clean up the wreckage. I want to go out of respect for New Yorkers and to be able to sympathize with what they went through and what they're still going through.

It bites that I'm sick right now. Hopefully, I'll be well enough by the time I go to NYC. My cousin told me that all I will be doing that weekend is sing, sing and sing some more! He's been checking out karaoke bars in Manhattan, looking for dives where everyone and their momma can hear me sing…Hey, who knows? Maybe some music executive will hear me and sign me on the spot! Wouldn't that be loverly? heh! Big, fat chance! But still, you never know…So, I need to get better by the time I go…Gotta rest up these pipes!

I'll be seeing my favorite music group in NYC as well. 2 shows in one night, what a treat!

Alright, I think I'm gonna hit the sack. My nose is dripping like a faucet and I'm running out of tissue…on to my next box! LOL Good nite all!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone out there who read my blog!!! Hope you had a great time welcoming the New Year. My celebration was pretty quiet, nothing spectacular…I'm pretty excited about the next couple of weeks! In two weekends, I'm going to NYC just to have a personal vacation, just to get away from everything and everyone I've been surrounded and familiar with, even just briefly. I don't want to be away from everything for so long, but I just want some "me" time, and do something outside of the usual routine…I'm going to be starting school fairly soon and I'll be working on top of that, so it's going to be pretty crazy for me. But I'll manage somehow, by God's grace. If things don't work out, I can always go back to Canada. Well, I just hope this year will be better than the last, more blessings and growth, emotionally, AND most importantly, spiritually. I pray the same for my loved ones, friends and you.