To Infinity and Beyond

Art by Isaac Villa, age 4

Gray Matter

I'm loving my new hairdo. I really enjoy how light it feels and how easy it is to maintain, and that I can wash and go and still leave home with confidence. Be that as it may, I just discovered an epic downside to my new locks... I can see my gray hair way more! In my bangs alone, there are 2 stark white hairs screaming, "HELLO! YOU'RE STRESSED AND AGING!" Even more devastating is that Ardon pointed them out to me.

We were walking around Target and he said, "Whoa, you have a white hair."

I was already aware that I had one in my bangs, and I said, "I know."

With wide eyes, he leaned in closer to me, ran his fingers through my hair and said, "Cat... Cat, don't hate me. Please don't hate me, but look." I turned around and looked in a mirror. He pointed out another white hair in my bangs! I stood there agape staring at myself in the mirror. In my head I was thinking, "I have two in my bangs, and about 5 others that I know of! Before I know it, I'll be salt and pepper all over."

A part of me really doesn't mind it because I think I'm aging gracefully. This is not to say that I'm old because I truly am a little youngin'. I'm barely 30 and I've my entire life ahead of me. I'm actually looking forward to turning 30 this year. Everyone I've spoken to has said that they became happier people when they hit the milestone. If that's true, bring it on!. Just don't let it show in my hair...

New 'Do!

No pair of scissors have touched my hair since last June. After butchering my hair back in 2009, I've been obsessed with growing my hair out (thanks to my bestest friend Mariano who, after I butchered my hair, continuously sent me pictures of me in high school and college when my hair was uber long, and reminded me of how luscious is can be, and has all the while been monitoring its progress by measuring the length of my ponytails), and I refused to trim even a single strand. I trimmed it once last June and that was it. Because I (and Mariano) had been focusing so much on length, I'd completely overlooked the whole style aspect, and finally realized.... Eh, I ain't lookin' too hot! Even Ardon said he was going to say something about it had I not gotten it done soon enough. If Ardon says something, then it must be pretty bad because he never gives his input on anything fashionable! It was really time. Ergo, the evolution and inspiration of the new 'do.

WAY BEFORE: September 2009. Short and sweet. I liked this look, but missed the long hair after about 2 months.

BEFORE: February 20, 2011. Seeing this picture was my turning point. After about a year and a half of growing it out, it was time for massive reshaping.

THE INSPIRATION: Actress Catherine Bell. I like her easy-breezy, trendy, face-framing bangs. Not too blunt and severe, but soft yet funky.

AFTER: February 25, 2011. Voila! Fresh from the salon, here I am! Hair done by Sarah B. at Vain in Belltown. It feels so much lighter now that I don't have so much dead weight on my head. And surprisingly enough, I think my hair looks LONGER! It's a win-win! (Please disregard the mess in the background. It's the laundry room/walk in closet.)

Sadness Flies Away on the Wings of Time

Today my family and I honor Grandma Mary and bid her farewell. We will remember her for her grace, spunk, humor, and integrity, and her legacy will live on forever. The matriarch of our enormous family has joined all our loved ones in heaven.

Smuggling the Goods

Babysitting Xavier for the day, I showed him how to open and close his Lightning McQueen car. Later on, after I gave up on searching for my glasses, we went to play with Lightning McQueen again, I and found this. I'm pretty sure Lightning McQueen didn't take them... The little stinker!

Yes, my glasses are in pieces. Don't worry, they're supposed to do that because the temples are interchangeable. I purposely wear them when babysitting because I know this can happen. =)
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A Lil' Pick Me Up

When it rains, it pours. Within the last couple of months, I've experienced some of the most challenging times--one thing after another. Just when I think things are starting to come together, a force from above decides to throw another curve ball. Lately I've been searching for a sign, a little understanding and inspiration. Sometimes I come across little snippets that inspire me. Here are a couple of them that have stuck.

You will never find time for anything. If you want the time, you must make it.
- Charles Buxton

The word 'happiness' would lose its meaning if it were not balanced by sadness.
- Carl Gustav Jung

In the end, everything will be OK. If it's not OK, it's not the end.
- John Lennon

Shared joy is double joy. Shared sorrow is half sorrow.
- Swedish Proverbs

Remember you will not always win. Some days, the most resourceful individual will taste defeat. But there is, in this case, always tomorrow - after you have done your best to achieve success today.
- Maxwell Maltz

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.
- Thomas Alva Edison

As I re-read them all together, it looks like I've been down in the dumps these days. Au contraire, mes amis. Yes, there have been obstacles, but I like to think that I've just been getting stronger.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY XAVIER!

As they all say, "I can't believe how fast time goes by!" And true enough, it's amazing that he's already a year old. For his big birthday bash, Tin asked me to make a little cake for him--one that he can dig into and get super messy with. So, here's the big debut of my cake baking/decorating. It's chocolate cake with chocolate-buttercream filling, and lemon-buttercream frosting. And of course I had to put my "secret ingredient" somewhere in there too.
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