Chris and I finally made time to watch The Hobbit in theaters this weekend. I was mesmerized by the masterful cinematography of this movie and forgot how amazing the story was as I had read J.R.R Tolkien fantasy novels way back in my younger days. For three hours I was blissfully transported to another world filled with adventure, magic, unexplainable things and the classic dual of evil versus good. Even as a child I have always been enchanted by other worlds and my over active mind would naturally jump ship off this mundane world and into one that was far more exciting. When school was boring, I would escape into my made up fairy lands or battle great evil with my sorcery powers or tame dragons. Should there be nothing good on TV, I would be off into the closest green space and pretend I was talking to creatures or looking for gnomes or chasing rainbows.
For some reason, I felt really sad after The Hobbit was over and I realized my current world is so friggin narcoleptic in comparison. My biggest challenge is convincing clients that beige is not a color nor do they need to hire an interior designer if they actually believe they are setting trends with it. Gawd... what a big snore I have become. I am OCD when it comes to cleaniness so it is a big statement when I say I would trade in good hygiene levels and WiFi for a Hobbit hole and a wizard friend. I swear in my past lives I have signed up for more exciting adventures then my current one because every time I watch or read about an adventure my soul just aches to be able to live it. I can't imagine why on Earth I would sign up for such a normal life of routine. Yes, I am blessed and yes I should be thankful but sometimes I just wonder... seriously is this it?
I would trade in my mortgage and the convenience of Starbucks to live a day where I can duel with trolls, or ride a Unicorn. I can FEEL in my soul that I was put on this Earth to assist with something big and yet here I am sipping my Earl Grey tea in my flannel pyjamas and inhaling the sweet aroma of Ebony Peach from my favorite scented candle. Hmmmmm... too bad I haven't been able to cheat and take a peak at what's was written for this life. Yes, the human life is fraught with danger but seriously it's mostly petty things if you ask me. People get so upset about not wearing the right thing, or carrying around more poundage than what TMZ deems acceptable and freaking out that their hockey team started with the wrong goalie. These modern issues seem so puny when you compare that to real issues like a Dark Lord coming back from the dead to change the entire Middle Earth to a cesspool of nasty looking orcs and demon soul sucking wraiths.
So... I am looking for an adventure. Not sure what exactly that looks like but it better involve the unexpected and end in a happily ever after. What would your adventure be like?
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
The Apocalyptic Hang-Over
So December 21, 2012 arrived and ended like every other human day. We weren't assaulted with a rapid virus that spread like wildfire and plagued our loved ones with mad Zombie skills like chomping on your mother in law's organs from the outside in. The world did not get engulfed into three days of darkness and shut down all our technology leaving us to talk to each other instead of texting and Facebook chatting. The waters did not siege against our cancerous lands and wash away all our evil. A giant meteorite from the planet Kryptonian did not descend into our atmosphere and burned us into extinction like Barney the dinosaur. Nor did the evil reptilian Queen Anna and her extra-terrestial team of gerbil-eating aliens invade our planet and held our bodies hostage to breed a better race.
That day, like everyday, I woke up and cursed the alarm clock for reminding me I have to work to survive. I sleepily made my way to the shower, blind as a bat, and slipped happily into the shower. It dawned on me that this was THE day and I quietly ask my upstairs team to protect my loved ones in a white light. I pour myself a cup of coffee, yell at Kaiya for not using the potty as dumping urine in her pull ups is for some reason way more appealing and then kiss Tai good day. I drive my enduring commute of 10 minutes to the sleepy village of Steveston and I open my store. Rachael, my sidekick at work arrives totally bummed out that something catastrophic has not occurred and she must continue her mundane human routine. We chat to our friends and customers, make some money and end our work day on time. I drive home and Chris greets me with a sombre "nothing happened yet" look. We eat our dinner, watch TV, cuddle our babies and discuss how uneventful our day was. We went to bed and repeat the familiar routine again until January 1, 2013.
I am sure, the prophecies of the Mayans made everyone nervous. The spiritualists explained that this was a shift in Human Consciousness and an exciting time for us humans. Currently we have all purposefully asked permission to wear the coveted "human suit" to enter this life. Each of us chose to experience everything that this planet had to offer. As spiritual beings, we are compromised of energy based on Light and Love and we chose to "forget" all of our higher knowledge of our Self to authenticate our experiences here. However the "human suit" we are wearing is quite dense in the sense that the frequency is vibrating quite low. When you are angry, cruel, hateful, jealous, sad and scared you literally do feel heavier which translates into feeling awful. Your are out of natural alignment. When you are happy, joyful, kind and in bliss you are vibrating at a higher frequency, making your "human suit" lighter. Everyone knows this and can feel your energy because you feel like you're floating on cloud nine and the world is your oyster. The shift in consciousness means that all humans will wake up from their slumber and finally realize some basic TRUTHS. Truth is, we are a light from the original source of our Creator and we were created based on Love. Truth is, we are all connected by energy and so whatever you think or do will translate into some kind of energy feedback. Truth is, we cannot create positive energy if you don't love your self first. Whatever you think, this power of thought will create form. You will create your own version of hell or your own version of heaven in this shift. As always in your human suit, your choice to choose is part of our life experience of free will.
Ready or not, Mother Earth who has her own energy field will shift into a higher frequency based on Love. Honestly, no one can blame the poor girl. Apparently as a sincere show of gratitude for her unconditional love and support for hosting our human suit, humanity has chosen to collectively rape her. What a pleasant way to repay our host. To exist on this plane, in this time and dimension, you need to raise your vibration to meet our host or else you simply can no longer exist. This is not a judgement if you're bad or good. Or is this a fight of who's right or wrong. It is simply a fact. The analogy for this complex theory is an old school radio with those rabbit ears. Some channels you can pick up communication crystal clear depending on the frequency and positioning. Some channels you barely can eek out the message because it's all muddy. Other channels you don't even realize exist because you can't tune into it but the reality is they do exist. If your channel is not in tune to Mother Earth's frequency then you simply don't exist. The teachers define this shift in humanity as Ascension. Ascending to a higher frequency means the next playing field allows your thoughts to create the power of your universe and experience. By thought, you are able to take care of all your basic human needs simply by thinking it. Food, water and shelter will always be available simply by you thinking about it. You will be free to do whatever you like. Our system will be based on creation and kindness. It will be a Renaissance period of Enlightment. The correlation of manifestation by thought and energy is like Green Lantern's super power. Whatever you think will be.
I have been an avid student. Unlike some human suits, mine has not developed a clear, direct communication line to the Creator or other beings out in space so I use the human part of the suit, my brain and read as much as I can. Whatever information resonates with my Spirit I ponder on and regurgitate to whoever is lucky enough in my world to bounce the ideas off of. At home, it's usually Chris who politely listens but I know passes judgements on the more unorthodox theories. At work, Rachael and Jenn enthusiastically pays attention but it's more like a sick fascination of watching a car wreck. Online, Trevor Gallogher and Laura Whieldon happily invests into my robust debates as they are walking similar journeys to discover more. At lunches and dinners, Steph and Silvia intently listen but cautiously watch as I walk the fine line of crazy. Luckily for me I don't feel alone. In addition to an amazing support network, I have an anonymous audience reading my journey, analyzing, taking what they need, reaching out when they feel it and leaving what is not yet understood.
Chris and I really are the cliche definition of Ying and Yang. He is hardwire for negativity. His anxiety for change holds back his wings to fly. His fear for the worst case scenarios dormants his Spirit from really shining. Everyday is a battle in our household to change the hardwiring to see the beauty in life. With the impending doom of the world ending, he confesses that instead of sleeping, he spends his night playing in his head how to protect his family from harm. In his head he thinks he should stock seeds, take up fire arms courses, build under ground bunkers and hoard food and water. When he is brave he asks if it's okay to indulge into his fears. I tell him to acknowledge it, let it pass and have faith that whatever is in store for humanity is for the greater good. If we are meant to be here, we will be here. If we were meant to exit, no amount of hoarding will save you from returning Home. I'm not sure if he believed me but our bank account is not depleted from investing in "what if" supplies. I feel many people secretly played out the same scenarios in their heads.
Honestly, I think many people are slightly pissed off that something apocalyptic did'nt happen. Many people are existing in their human suits, forgetting that they are a child of Divine energy so they go about living an unconscious life. Their perception is bogged down with negative energies based on lack of love for themselves and fear. They are shackled into a dense human suit of unhappiness that they created. Although catastrophic, an apocalyptic episode would mean that humanity has a chance to even the playing field and have a fresh start. People are tired of the systems that we created and no longer serve us. The current government, politics and money paradigms favors only a privilege few. Although civilization is abundant, there are still many existing without basics for our human suit. Technologically, we have advanced light years from our homo sapiens days yet ironically many feel lost, are lonely and disconnected from each other even with the information over surge. At least if a zombie is ripping your heart out, it is nondiscriminatory in it's attack and not based on conditions like sexuality, social status, belief systems and ethnicity. Total chaos can unite humanity because intense fear will ironically bind our energy to each other. Nothing moves change quickly like a good villain. So far however... it didn't happen. Our divine energy is still operating its dense human suit. There is still inequality and unhappiness is still a common denominator. Or is it?
I have no idea why but I have been feel lighter since the Fall. Things that usually really piss me off and creates neurological synapses to fire into angry destructive mode no longer fire as fiercely. Some things that use to annoy the hell out of me I just don't care anymore. I still worry about the human things like money, health and offering the best for my children. But when I get myself into this humaness, I find that I stumble back out of the ditches a lot faster than before.
I find that I spend more time dreaming and reflecting of a better world. I realize now that in my human suit I have human joys that I can cherish without guilt. I love creating. I play with color, textures, and shape to design beautiful spaces. I love writing. I connect and clarify when I put thoughts into words. I love helping people. My finest moments have always been when I have been of service to those that need me. I love teaching and learning. I am fascinated with the lessons of the world and delighted when I am travelling. I love Nature. I feel grounded and at peace when I am in a unpolluted natural state. I love eating. I relish in the sight, smell, sound and tastes of beautiful foods. I have a love-hate relationship with my family and friends. I love the enchanted sheer joy that the world of children opens. I love the deep bonds forged through blood and sometimes unexplainable chemistry. I hate the lessons that really push my character from these relationships and I hate the fact that with every bond, I know it can't last forever.
People are sobering up from the "Doom Party." The hangover is losing it's haze. For those looking for hardcore proof that something has shifted will probably be disappointed. For those that realize the shift occurs from within and is as gentle as a feathery kiss of love on your soul will find an ignition. Believe it or not you chose to wear your human suit. It is really up to you to live your life and navigate it from a seat of enthusiasm, adventure, fun, joy and love.
Celebrate you. Love your Self. Be kind to your Self. Honor your Spirit. Find your joys. The apocalypse is actually from within.
Here is a Facebook link to a compelling spiritual teacher I just discovered if you are hungry to learn more: https://www.facebook.com/huong.nguyen.98892615?__req=8#!/ShelleyYates.Samoiya
That day, like everyday, I woke up and cursed the alarm clock for reminding me I have to work to survive. I sleepily made my way to the shower, blind as a bat, and slipped happily into the shower. It dawned on me that this was THE day and I quietly ask my upstairs team to protect my loved ones in a white light. I pour myself a cup of coffee, yell at Kaiya for not using the potty as dumping urine in her pull ups is for some reason way more appealing and then kiss Tai good day. I drive my enduring commute of 10 minutes to the sleepy village of Steveston and I open my store. Rachael, my sidekick at work arrives totally bummed out that something catastrophic has not occurred and she must continue her mundane human routine. We chat to our friends and customers, make some money and end our work day on time. I drive home and Chris greets me with a sombre "nothing happened yet" look. We eat our dinner, watch TV, cuddle our babies and discuss how uneventful our day was. We went to bed and repeat the familiar routine again until January 1, 2013.
I am sure, the prophecies of the Mayans made everyone nervous. The spiritualists explained that this was a shift in Human Consciousness and an exciting time for us humans. Currently we have all purposefully asked permission to wear the coveted "human suit" to enter this life. Each of us chose to experience everything that this planet had to offer. As spiritual beings, we are compromised of energy based on Light and Love and we chose to "forget" all of our higher knowledge of our Self to authenticate our experiences here. However the "human suit" we are wearing is quite dense in the sense that the frequency is vibrating quite low. When you are angry, cruel, hateful, jealous, sad and scared you literally do feel heavier which translates into feeling awful. Your are out of natural alignment. When you are happy, joyful, kind and in bliss you are vibrating at a higher frequency, making your "human suit" lighter. Everyone knows this and can feel your energy because you feel like you're floating on cloud nine and the world is your oyster. The shift in consciousness means that all humans will wake up from their slumber and finally realize some basic TRUTHS. Truth is, we are a light from the original source of our Creator and we were created based on Love. Truth is, we are all connected by energy and so whatever you think or do will translate into some kind of energy feedback. Truth is, we cannot create positive energy if you don't love your self first. Whatever you think, this power of thought will create form. You will create your own version of hell or your own version of heaven in this shift. As always in your human suit, your choice to choose is part of our life experience of free will.
Ready or not, Mother Earth who has her own energy field will shift into a higher frequency based on Love. Honestly, no one can blame the poor girl. Apparently as a sincere show of gratitude for her unconditional love and support for hosting our human suit, humanity has chosen to collectively rape her. What a pleasant way to repay our host. To exist on this plane, in this time and dimension, you need to raise your vibration to meet our host or else you simply can no longer exist. This is not a judgement if you're bad or good. Or is this a fight of who's right or wrong. It is simply a fact. The analogy for this complex theory is an old school radio with those rabbit ears. Some channels you can pick up communication crystal clear depending on the frequency and positioning. Some channels you barely can eek out the message because it's all muddy. Other channels you don't even realize exist because you can't tune into it but the reality is they do exist. If your channel is not in tune to Mother Earth's frequency then you simply don't exist. The teachers define this shift in humanity as Ascension. Ascending to a higher frequency means the next playing field allows your thoughts to create the power of your universe and experience. By thought, you are able to take care of all your basic human needs simply by thinking it. Food, water and shelter will always be available simply by you thinking about it. You will be free to do whatever you like. Our system will be based on creation and kindness. It will be a Renaissance period of Enlightment. The correlation of manifestation by thought and energy is like Green Lantern's super power. Whatever you think will be.
I have been an avid student. Unlike some human suits, mine has not developed a clear, direct communication line to the Creator or other beings out in space so I use the human part of the suit, my brain and read as much as I can. Whatever information resonates with my Spirit I ponder on and regurgitate to whoever is lucky enough in my world to bounce the ideas off of. At home, it's usually Chris who politely listens but I know passes judgements on the more unorthodox theories. At work, Rachael and Jenn enthusiastically pays attention but it's more like a sick fascination of watching a car wreck. Online, Trevor Gallogher and Laura Whieldon happily invests into my robust debates as they are walking similar journeys to discover more. At lunches and dinners, Steph and Silvia intently listen but cautiously watch as I walk the fine line of crazy. Luckily for me I don't feel alone. In addition to an amazing support network, I have an anonymous audience reading my journey, analyzing, taking what they need, reaching out when they feel it and leaving what is not yet understood.
Chris and I really are the cliche definition of Ying and Yang. He is hardwire for negativity. His anxiety for change holds back his wings to fly. His fear for the worst case scenarios dormants his Spirit from really shining. Everyday is a battle in our household to change the hardwiring to see the beauty in life. With the impending doom of the world ending, he confesses that instead of sleeping, he spends his night playing in his head how to protect his family from harm. In his head he thinks he should stock seeds, take up fire arms courses, build under ground bunkers and hoard food and water. When he is brave he asks if it's okay to indulge into his fears. I tell him to acknowledge it, let it pass and have faith that whatever is in store for humanity is for the greater good. If we are meant to be here, we will be here. If we were meant to exit, no amount of hoarding will save you from returning Home. I'm not sure if he believed me but our bank account is not depleted from investing in "what if" supplies. I feel many people secretly played out the same scenarios in their heads.
Honestly, I think many people are slightly pissed off that something apocalyptic did'nt happen. Many people are existing in their human suits, forgetting that they are a child of Divine energy so they go about living an unconscious life. Their perception is bogged down with negative energies based on lack of love for themselves and fear. They are shackled into a dense human suit of unhappiness that they created. Although catastrophic, an apocalyptic episode would mean that humanity has a chance to even the playing field and have a fresh start. People are tired of the systems that we created and no longer serve us. The current government, politics and money paradigms favors only a privilege few. Although civilization is abundant, there are still many existing without basics for our human suit. Technologically, we have advanced light years from our homo sapiens days yet ironically many feel lost, are lonely and disconnected from each other even with the information over surge. At least if a zombie is ripping your heart out, it is nondiscriminatory in it's attack and not based on conditions like sexuality, social status, belief systems and ethnicity. Total chaos can unite humanity because intense fear will ironically bind our energy to each other. Nothing moves change quickly like a good villain. So far however... it didn't happen. Our divine energy is still operating its dense human suit. There is still inequality and unhappiness is still a common denominator. Or is it?
I have no idea why but I have been feel lighter since the Fall. Things that usually really piss me off and creates neurological synapses to fire into angry destructive mode no longer fire as fiercely. Some things that use to annoy the hell out of me I just don't care anymore. I still worry about the human things like money, health and offering the best for my children. But when I get myself into this humaness, I find that I stumble back out of the ditches a lot faster than before.
I find that I spend more time dreaming and reflecting of a better world. I realize now that in my human suit I have human joys that I can cherish without guilt. I love creating. I play with color, textures, and shape to design beautiful spaces. I love writing. I connect and clarify when I put thoughts into words. I love helping people. My finest moments have always been when I have been of service to those that need me. I love teaching and learning. I am fascinated with the lessons of the world and delighted when I am travelling. I love Nature. I feel grounded and at peace when I am in a unpolluted natural state. I love eating. I relish in the sight, smell, sound and tastes of beautiful foods. I have a love-hate relationship with my family and friends. I love the enchanted sheer joy that the world of children opens. I love the deep bonds forged through blood and sometimes unexplainable chemistry. I hate the lessons that really push my character from these relationships and I hate the fact that with every bond, I know it can't last forever.
People are sobering up from the "Doom Party." The hangover is losing it's haze. For those looking for hardcore proof that something has shifted will probably be disappointed. For those that realize the shift occurs from within and is as gentle as a feathery kiss of love on your soul will find an ignition. Believe it or not you chose to wear your human suit. It is really up to you to live your life and navigate it from a seat of enthusiasm, adventure, fun, joy and love.
Celebrate you. Love your Self. Be kind to your Self. Honor your Spirit. Find your joys. The apocalypse is actually from within.
Here is a Facebook link to a compelling spiritual teacher I just discovered if you are hungry to learn more: https://www.facebook.com/huong.nguyen.98892615?__req=8#!/ShelleyYates.Samoiya
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
12-12-12
People over think. I have to admit, I am an addict when it comes to over thinking. I chess play each move, analyze the pros and cons of every angle and then calculate my risks. I stress about the details, fret over the worst case scenarios and have my eye always targeting towards the future. I realized lately though that I lose the most precious gift that time gives when I do this... I lose the PRESENT.
My baby sister picked 12-12-12 as her big day to commit to a lifetime of happiness. During the whole wedding planning process Steph was a reluctant bride in that she did not want to waste precious time stressing about minute details that in the end didn't really matter. The horror stories of Bridezillas engulfed in their own fiery tantrums scarred her and she unconsciously vowed to extinguish that by taking nothing too seriously... so she strategically selected a destination wedding in Mexico. She wanted people to remember the week as an extended party with all the people that she loved. It was that simple. I cleverly suggested that maybe she should do it on 12-12-12 so that way she covered all her bases. If the Doom Sayers are correct in predicting that the world will end on December 22, 2012 then we can all have one last epic party together before the Zombie apocalypse fucks us over. However, if the Mayan's are correct and it's just our consciousness shifting to one based on LOVE then Steph will never forget her anniversary date because it's so easy to remember. Sometimes I amaze myself at my own wit.
The weather reports showed that Puerto Morelos was forecasted to have rain storms and thunder showers during our week at Ocean Coral Turquesa, an all inclusive 4 star ocean front resort nestled in between Cancun and Mayan Riveria. For some reason I was designated with the task of parting the clouds on the big day. Funny, I don't recall having that level of expertise on my resume. The night before a huge thunder storm hit the resort. It was pouring rain, intense lighting and booming thunder. All night I had nightmares that Steph's wedding would be ruined. I quietly asked whatever or whoever was listening upstairs to bless my beautiful baby sister with the gorgeous, sunny weather that she and Jamie so deserved. In my restless sleep an ancient and deep voice kept saying, "We will bless her in our tradition."
9AM comes fast and although I barely slept because of the imploding storm outside our balcony, I drag my not-so-young body out of bed. I cautiously peek out at the balcony and let out a huge sigh of relief. The Mayan Gods have heard my pleas, the sun was out in full glory revealing the beauty of the turquoise waters, white talcum soft sand and palm trees! Giddy at my cloud parting abilities, I skip to the bathroom mirror and start the long arduous journey of attempting to look amazing. One glance in the mirror revealed that last night's lack of beauty sleep means I would have to really push my years of make-up artistry to the limit. The good news is that I'm just the bridesmaid so who really cares what I look like. The thought lit up my face and I decided, "Meh, it's stopped raining so really, who cares what anyone looks like."
Stephanie and Jamie decided to recognize the tradition of not seeing each other the night before. Aliea, (Steph's childhood friend) and other bridesmaid slept in Steph's room and the plan was to have all three of us get ready together in the morning in time for the 12:00PM ceremony. Yes, she was dorky enough to get married at 12PM on 12-12-12. Like a good bridesmaid, Aliea ordered room service to ensure the Bride had some food in her system. I got my hair done at the salon by a woman that barely spoke any English. What I did manage to understand was that in Mexico, if it rains the night before it's considered a blessing for the Bride for a lifetime of happiness. My hairdresser then proceeded to teach me how to say a couple Spanish words while she stabbed my scalp with a million bobbin pins and filled my lungs with hairspray.
When I arrived at Steph's room, Kim (my brother's girlfriend) is madly working on Steph, Aliea and Kaiya's hair and make-up. Aliea who is usually seen in baggy pants and a t-shirt four times too big for her is beautifully all glammed up in a bright blue sleeveless chiffon dress with a flattering sweetheart neckline. The short flirty dress accentuates her long toned legs and shows off her envious woman curves. Her unruly mop head has been perfectly coiffed back to reveal her stunning cheekbones, pouty lips and beautiful olive skin. I laugh because the only time I have seen Aliea like this is when Steph and I bully her into it. So once, when she turned of age and we got her drunk at a night club. The second time was when she was my bridesmaid and the third time was today for Steph's wedding. Such a shame such natural beauty gets trudged through the "tomboy ugly bus" on a daily basis.
My normally dirty baby girl is happily wearing her Peacock inspired full length tutu dress. Steph wanted her flower girl to mimic her fun wedding attitude so Kaiya's dress was iconic. After watching an hour of You Tube videos, Steph made the dress herself and was so proud of the fact that she never had to sew it. Kaiya had purple flowers on the top and streams of tulle in purple, green, blue and turquoise flowed fairy-like to her ankles. Her hair was pulled back and held in place with a sequined purple headband and matching sequin purple shoes. Her naturally bright eyes filled with a sense of adventure and although it really didn't make a difference, she pledged to listen and "be good" on Steph's wedding day.
My baby sister is naturally gifted with good looks. As a kid, everyone commented on how cute she was and she easily won hearts with her generous smile and infectious enthusiasm for everything fun. Although she never needs much make-up, when she does preen and primp herself she is a definite head turner. Today Kim had expertly swept her long hair low to one side and has put in voluminous, sexy curls that tumble playfully around her face. Her eyes have been dramatically played up to show her larger than average Asian size and for the big day, Steph has applied ridiculously long eyelash extensions to highlight her best feature. Her big splurge for the wedding was her Maggie Sotterro designed wedding dress. Contrary to typical destination wedding dresses, her dress is best described as gigantic... jaw dropping, eye bulging gorgeous... just really, giant. The sweetheart neckline, assymetrical gathered ruched drop waist, layers of fun, ruffled taffeta and extended train perfectly hugs every curve and surprisingly, doesn't overwhelm her petite 4'11" frame. I spend 20 minutes meticulously lacing her up corset back only to realize I forgot to put in her modesty panel. I cheekily comment that we can just leave it to show off her best ASSets but was yelled at to leave my sense of humor in the gutter. Begrudgingly I painstakingly re-lace up the giant dress. We drip Steph in all her jewelry and then get the call that her flowers arrived with a mistake. The orchids she ordered for her hair is not here so she can work with an alternative or wait 15 minutes to see if it will come. Steph decides to wait so Harjit (Jamie's Dad's girlfriend) and photographer starts snapping away to kill time.
The wedding coordinator arrives all in a panic and declares that the orchids won't make it so we pin a large white lily in her hair instead. Our bouquets are a classic and simple arrangement of white calla lilies and roses wrapped in the signature bright blue ribbon. The coordinator herds us ladies all on a golf cart and takes us to the ceremony sites where the guests, groomsmen, ring bearer and groom awaits. Aliea and I squeeze each others hands and attempt to give each other a pep talk to not bawl our face off. Just in case though, we shove wads of tissues down our cleavage. As we start to drive towards the ceremony site on the beach, the skies started to darken and I see black clouds rolling in. The "Oh SHIT" moment hit me when I realized the clouds converged over our resort. I start cussing under my breath and swearing in a couple languages at the Mayan Gods, "Dudes... I thought we had a deal yo..." The weather rapidly shifts and it starts lightly misting. I angrily wave my fist into the air.
The wedding procession starts. Tai and Kaiya lead the procession, followed by Aliea and David (Jamie's cousin), myself and Chris and finally Jamie and his mom. As we stand up at the altar, the mist starts having a wee bit more volume and turns into light rain. Luckily we're under a gazebo wrapped in a gauzy white fabric but the guests sitting on the folded chairs were not so blessed. I look down at the white sandy aisle and for a collective moment everyone held their breath. "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" hauntingly plays in the background and my dad, wearing linen pants and a white short sleeve shirt commands the attention as he proudly walks his beautiful baby girl down the aisle. Aliea and I simultaneously share a look and sensing the impending mutual water works, she whispers, "Look away! Look away!" We briefly glance at the ocean to control the tears as the vision of our best friend and sister in all her natural beauty was overwhelmingly emotional. Funny how intense love makes you lose it. I glance over to Jamie and it dawns on me that my new brother is equally as beautiful. His dirty blond hair and bright blue eyes gives a classic charming boy next door look. With his eyes fixated on his bride, Jamie looks extremely handsome in his light grey pin stripe pants and vest outfit. His groomsmen and Tai wear a more relaxed version of his outfit with darker grey pants and a short sleeve, crisp, white button top. All the boys are finished off with a boutonniere made of a white plumeria and a peacock feather.
As Steph takes her place beside Jamie, the minister starts on the vows. Kaiya who has an attention span of a goldfish decides that playing in the sand and throwing it at the guests was way more entertaining than listening to the endless promises. I discreetly kick her and mutter a threat under my breath that only she heard. She stops the sand throwing but continues to squat in the sand. I quietly wonder if she's pooing. I focus back onto the vows and as soon as Steph and Jamie said, "I do" the dark clouds rejoiced by down pouring. It monsooned. Not mist, not lightly rain, not Vancouver sideways freaky rain... full on... monsooned! Even though everyone ran for cover we were so drenched that it looked like all 40 guests decided to go for a communal swim in the ocean. The good news is that no one died. The bad news is that all the ladies had to re-do their hair and make-up.
We spend the next two hours taking photos in the sheltered areas of the resort. I try to look amazingly fierce even though my underwear was too tight. A week before we departed Steph announced to me that she would bestow me the honor of MCing the event. I seriously don't understand how I always get stuck as master of ceremonies. Just because I have a big mouth and love talking doesn't necessarily mean I enjoy MCing. Since I had a couple hours in between the ceremony and reception I crack open the kid's construction paper and hastily scribble out the speech with a felt marker. I decided to keep it short and hilarious like me and save the emo stuff for Chris who has perfected the art of emo.
At 6PM the crew heads over to the reception and I look forward to the night of good food, too much alcohol, awkward speeches and even more awkward dance moves. The night delivered on the expectations. The food was decent and the alcohol consumed was more than the week's usual thanks to Ann (Kim's sister) who made it her mission to out drink all the boys even though she weighs 100lbs monsoon soaking wet. Jamie's dad, Dan surprised him with a speech that was nervously spoken with pride and reflection. Dan got extra kudos from his Erin (his ex-wife) by acknowledging that she did 99% of the parenting. Chris eloquently articulated a rehearsed story about how he master minded the union between Steph and Jamie and they should be in forever debt at his mad match making prowess. Throughout the night, the guests would serenade to the new married couple if we wanted to see them kiss. Adrenaline and alcohol induced songs always made the group break out in cheers. The DJ did a spectacular job of keeping the energies high and they busted out Gangnam style, old school, Top 40 and the random Banghra to keep everyone on their feet until we were kicked out of the ballroom venue at 11PM. No one wanted the night to end so we extended the party in more comfy clothes onto the pool party. Not surprisingly, many guests were noticeably absent from the resort common areas the next day.
What better way to celebrate than with a care-free week long party where the biggest worry was which area should we party at? Steph's panache for simplicity was a perfect remedy for today's hectic world so obsessed with improvement. By simply enjoying the moment, appreciating what we have and not spending energy worrying about whether we're adequate enough, all of her and Jamie's 40 guests were momentarily wrapped in the PRESENT. What a beautiful way to start your next chapter.
Doo-doo-doo!!! Tra-la-la!!!
My baby sister picked 12-12-12 as her big day to commit to a lifetime of happiness. During the whole wedding planning process Steph was a reluctant bride in that she did not want to waste precious time stressing about minute details that in the end didn't really matter. The horror stories of Bridezillas engulfed in their own fiery tantrums scarred her and she unconsciously vowed to extinguish that by taking nothing too seriously... so she strategically selected a destination wedding in Mexico. She wanted people to remember the week as an extended party with all the people that she loved. It was that simple. I cleverly suggested that maybe she should do it on 12-12-12 so that way she covered all her bases. If the Doom Sayers are correct in predicting that the world will end on December 22, 2012 then we can all have one last epic party together before the Zombie apocalypse fucks us over. However, if the Mayan's are correct and it's just our consciousness shifting to one based on LOVE then Steph will never forget her anniversary date because it's so easy to remember. Sometimes I amaze myself at my own wit.
The weather reports showed that Puerto Morelos was forecasted to have rain storms and thunder showers during our week at Ocean Coral Turquesa, an all inclusive 4 star ocean front resort nestled in between Cancun and Mayan Riveria. For some reason I was designated with the task of parting the clouds on the big day. Funny, I don't recall having that level of expertise on my resume. The night before a huge thunder storm hit the resort. It was pouring rain, intense lighting and booming thunder. All night I had nightmares that Steph's wedding would be ruined. I quietly asked whatever or whoever was listening upstairs to bless my beautiful baby sister with the gorgeous, sunny weather that she and Jamie so deserved. In my restless sleep an ancient and deep voice kept saying, "We will bless her in our tradition."
9AM comes fast and although I barely slept because of the imploding storm outside our balcony, I drag my not-so-young body out of bed. I cautiously peek out at the balcony and let out a huge sigh of relief. The Mayan Gods have heard my pleas, the sun was out in full glory revealing the beauty of the turquoise waters, white talcum soft sand and palm trees! Giddy at my cloud parting abilities, I skip to the bathroom mirror and start the long arduous journey of attempting to look amazing. One glance in the mirror revealed that last night's lack of beauty sleep means I would have to really push my years of make-up artistry to the limit. The good news is that I'm just the bridesmaid so who really cares what I look like. The thought lit up my face and I decided, "Meh, it's stopped raining so really, who cares what anyone looks like."
Stephanie and Jamie decided to recognize the tradition of not seeing each other the night before. Aliea, (Steph's childhood friend) and other bridesmaid slept in Steph's room and the plan was to have all three of us get ready together in the morning in time for the 12:00PM ceremony. Yes, she was dorky enough to get married at 12PM on 12-12-12. Like a good bridesmaid, Aliea ordered room service to ensure the Bride had some food in her system. I got my hair done at the salon by a woman that barely spoke any English. What I did manage to understand was that in Mexico, if it rains the night before it's considered a blessing for the Bride for a lifetime of happiness. My hairdresser then proceeded to teach me how to say a couple Spanish words while she stabbed my scalp with a million bobbin pins and filled my lungs with hairspray.
When I arrived at Steph's room, Kim (my brother's girlfriend) is madly working on Steph, Aliea and Kaiya's hair and make-up. Aliea who is usually seen in baggy pants and a t-shirt four times too big for her is beautifully all glammed up in a bright blue sleeveless chiffon dress with a flattering sweetheart neckline. The short flirty dress accentuates her long toned legs and shows off her envious woman curves. Her unruly mop head has been perfectly coiffed back to reveal her stunning cheekbones, pouty lips and beautiful olive skin. I laugh because the only time I have seen Aliea like this is when Steph and I bully her into it. So once, when she turned of age and we got her drunk at a night club. The second time was when she was my bridesmaid and the third time was today for Steph's wedding. Such a shame such natural beauty gets trudged through the "tomboy ugly bus" on a daily basis.
My normally dirty baby girl is happily wearing her Peacock inspired full length tutu dress. Steph wanted her flower girl to mimic her fun wedding attitude so Kaiya's dress was iconic. After watching an hour of You Tube videos, Steph made the dress herself and was so proud of the fact that she never had to sew it. Kaiya had purple flowers on the top and streams of tulle in purple, green, blue and turquoise flowed fairy-like to her ankles. Her hair was pulled back and held in place with a sequined purple headband and matching sequin purple shoes. Her naturally bright eyes filled with a sense of adventure and although it really didn't make a difference, she pledged to listen and "be good" on Steph's wedding day.
My baby sister is naturally gifted with good looks. As a kid, everyone commented on how cute she was and she easily won hearts with her generous smile and infectious enthusiasm for everything fun. Although she never needs much make-up, when she does preen and primp herself she is a definite head turner. Today Kim had expertly swept her long hair low to one side and has put in voluminous, sexy curls that tumble playfully around her face. Her eyes have been dramatically played up to show her larger than average Asian size and for the big day, Steph has applied ridiculously long eyelash extensions to highlight her best feature. Her big splurge for the wedding was her Maggie Sotterro designed wedding dress. Contrary to typical destination wedding dresses, her dress is best described as gigantic... jaw dropping, eye bulging gorgeous... just really, giant. The sweetheart neckline, assymetrical gathered ruched drop waist, layers of fun, ruffled taffeta and extended train perfectly hugs every curve and surprisingly, doesn't overwhelm her petite 4'11" frame. I spend 20 minutes meticulously lacing her up corset back only to realize I forgot to put in her modesty panel. I cheekily comment that we can just leave it to show off her best ASSets but was yelled at to leave my sense of humor in the gutter. Begrudgingly I painstakingly re-lace up the giant dress. We drip Steph in all her jewelry and then get the call that her flowers arrived with a mistake. The orchids she ordered for her hair is not here so she can work with an alternative or wait 15 minutes to see if it will come. Steph decides to wait so Harjit (Jamie's Dad's girlfriend) and photographer starts snapping away to kill time.
The wedding coordinator arrives all in a panic and declares that the orchids won't make it so we pin a large white lily in her hair instead. Our bouquets are a classic and simple arrangement of white calla lilies and roses wrapped in the signature bright blue ribbon. The coordinator herds us ladies all on a golf cart and takes us to the ceremony sites where the guests, groomsmen, ring bearer and groom awaits. Aliea and I squeeze each others hands and attempt to give each other a pep talk to not bawl our face off. Just in case though, we shove wads of tissues down our cleavage. As we start to drive towards the ceremony site on the beach, the skies started to darken and I see black clouds rolling in. The "Oh SHIT" moment hit me when I realized the clouds converged over our resort. I start cussing under my breath and swearing in a couple languages at the Mayan Gods, "Dudes... I thought we had a deal yo..." The weather rapidly shifts and it starts lightly misting. I angrily wave my fist into the air.
The wedding procession starts. Tai and Kaiya lead the procession, followed by Aliea and David (Jamie's cousin), myself and Chris and finally Jamie and his mom. As we stand up at the altar, the mist starts having a wee bit more volume and turns into light rain. Luckily we're under a gazebo wrapped in a gauzy white fabric but the guests sitting on the folded chairs were not so blessed. I look down at the white sandy aisle and for a collective moment everyone held their breath. "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" hauntingly plays in the background and my dad, wearing linen pants and a white short sleeve shirt commands the attention as he proudly walks his beautiful baby girl down the aisle. Aliea and I simultaneously share a look and sensing the impending mutual water works, she whispers, "Look away! Look away!" We briefly glance at the ocean to control the tears as the vision of our best friend and sister in all her natural beauty was overwhelmingly emotional. Funny how intense love makes you lose it. I glance over to Jamie and it dawns on me that my new brother is equally as beautiful. His dirty blond hair and bright blue eyes gives a classic charming boy next door look. With his eyes fixated on his bride, Jamie looks extremely handsome in his light grey pin stripe pants and vest outfit. His groomsmen and Tai wear a more relaxed version of his outfit with darker grey pants and a short sleeve, crisp, white button top. All the boys are finished off with a boutonniere made of a white plumeria and a peacock feather.
As Steph takes her place beside Jamie, the minister starts on the vows. Kaiya who has an attention span of a goldfish decides that playing in the sand and throwing it at the guests was way more entertaining than listening to the endless promises. I discreetly kick her and mutter a threat under my breath that only she heard. She stops the sand throwing but continues to squat in the sand. I quietly wonder if she's pooing. I focus back onto the vows and as soon as Steph and Jamie said, "I do" the dark clouds rejoiced by down pouring. It monsooned. Not mist, not lightly rain, not Vancouver sideways freaky rain... full on... monsooned! Even though everyone ran for cover we were so drenched that it looked like all 40 guests decided to go for a communal swim in the ocean. The good news is that no one died. The bad news is that all the ladies had to re-do their hair and make-up.
We spend the next two hours taking photos in the sheltered areas of the resort. I try to look amazingly fierce even though my underwear was too tight. A week before we departed Steph announced to me that she would bestow me the honor of MCing the event. I seriously don't understand how I always get stuck as master of ceremonies. Just because I have a big mouth and love talking doesn't necessarily mean I enjoy MCing. Since I had a couple hours in between the ceremony and reception I crack open the kid's construction paper and hastily scribble out the speech with a felt marker. I decided to keep it short and hilarious like me and save the emo stuff for Chris who has perfected the art of emo.
At 6PM the crew heads over to the reception and I look forward to the night of good food, too much alcohol, awkward speeches and even more awkward dance moves. The night delivered on the expectations. The food was decent and the alcohol consumed was more than the week's usual thanks to Ann (Kim's sister) who made it her mission to out drink all the boys even though she weighs 100lbs monsoon soaking wet. Jamie's dad, Dan surprised him with a speech that was nervously spoken with pride and reflection. Dan got extra kudos from his Erin (his ex-wife) by acknowledging that she did 99% of the parenting. Chris eloquently articulated a rehearsed story about how he master minded the union between Steph and Jamie and they should be in forever debt at his mad match making prowess. Throughout the night, the guests would serenade to the new married couple if we wanted to see them kiss. Adrenaline and alcohol induced songs always made the group break out in cheers. The DJ did a spectacular job of keeping the energies high and they busted out Gangnam style, old school, Top 40 and the random Banghra to keep everyone on their feet until we were kicked out of the ballroom venue at 11PM. No one wanted the night to end so we extended the party in more comfy clothes onto the pool party. Not surprisingly, many guests were noticeably absent from the resort common areas the next day.
What better way to celebrate than with a care-free week long party where the biggest worry was which area should we party at? Steph's panache for simplicity was a perfect remedy for today's hectic world so obsessed with improvement. By simply enjoying the moment, appreciating what we have and not spending energy worrying about whether we're adequate enough, all of her and Jamie's 40 guests were momentarily wrapped in the PRESENT. What a beautiful way to start your next chapter.
Doo-doo-doo!!! Tra-la-la!!!
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