Random Esther Ramble

- REVLON nail polish is the BEST. If you buy the non-chip clear over coat then you're SET. NO CHIPPING! You'll have salon looking nails and toes within the comforts of your own home. You just have to be really patient while painting your nails. Take SLOW strokes, do two coats and finish off with the clear non-ship coat. Badda bing badda boom - SALON NAILS. TRY IT. HOLLA.

- OnDemand COMCAST TV exercises are the truth.

- I had to take this bizarre personality test for work the other day. The end result showed I was at 99% for empathy- meaning, I have a high level of empathy for others. I don't remember the other results. I was more focused on my high points and empathy was up there. Cool.

- One of the questions on this bizarre test asked to put these 5 things in order. The most important being #1 and the least important #5 - I jotted this one down on a scratch piece of paper because it was absolutely off-the-wall. Anyways, here was my order:

#1. Saving an old woman from getting hit by a car in a grocery store parking lot.
#2. Getting an oil change.
#3. A used television.
#4. Smoking marijuana with friends during work hours.
#5. Being involved in an organized crime.

OKAY, SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT RELEVANCE ANY OF THESE HAVE WITH ONE ANOTHER. LIKE I SAID, BIZARRE TEST WITH WEIRD QUESTIONS.

- I've fallen into the Twilight craze and started reading the book today. Although, I refuse to watch the movie. I don't want it to deter the image I have of Edward Cullen in my head. He's supposed to be so beautiful it hurts and if they didn't cast somebody who is PAINFULLY BEAUTIFUL I WILL BE HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED!!! :)

- I was sitting in the guest room today watching tv and tinkering on the laptop when my dog Prince decides to pop a squat right in front of me! I should've taken more heed to his constant pacing and whimpering. hehe. He growled then popped a squat.

Thankful!

God answers prayers. :)

I love you.

Jamie Foxx - Intuition. Holla.

LOVE IT. EVERY SINGLE SONG ON THE ALBUM. I didn't hear too much hype when the album first came out. Actually, to my surprise, a lot of my friends didn't even know he came out with a new album! I like EVERY SINGLE SONG and that's a rarity for me. I wasn't sure if this album would match up to his 1st but it's better. I can't wait for the next! Get it if ya don't got it!

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SHOUT IT OUT:

- CONGRATULATIONS to JAE AND BLAKE! They are now parents to a newborn son! ♥

- My sister Celia. If there's anybody I can rely on no matter what it's my sister.

- AVA! I miss you so much. I want to go eat ipanema, thai hut 2's pad thai and try other new random restaurants. My best friend and foodie is so far from me!

- My twin and bestie in Boston! Renee, I'm so glad I met you. I know our friendship is going to continue and flourish from here on out. Can't wait to visit you!

- Lastly, I thank GOD everyday for providing me with faith and courage. Despite the hardtimes I've been experiencing the last couple weeks I've never been happier. It's easy to look at my situations and be sad-- but it takes courage to have the ability to look above the hardships and be HAPPY. Happiness is only found through God and I've learned this first-hand. They say you don't know God's all you need til he's all you have and it's the truth. He's all I need.

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So I say, "My splendor is gone and all that I had
hoped from the Lord."

I remember my affliction and my wandering,
and the bitterness and the gall.
I well remember them, and my soul is downcast
within me. Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord's great love we are not
consumed, for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your
faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him,
to the one who seek him...

Lamentations 3: 18-25

In search for me, I discovered truth, in search for truth I discovered love, in search for love I discovered God and in God I have found everything...

Alice in Wonderland.

Was my favorite movie growing up as a child. Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice in Wonderland and the sequel, Into The Looking Glass, is a GENIUS. They say he wrote chapter 3 of Alice in Wonderland while on opium-- although, this rumor was never proved. True or not the movie is a trip. Even as a child I never fully captured what the movie was trying to convey. I was able to watch it recently and thought wow, the author had to have been on something.

I came across several different views on the underlying meaning of the book. There was one analysis I came across that stated the underlying message was: the life of a girl maturing away from home into a world of chaos. While embarking on this "journey of growth" she comes across trials and tribulations-- eh. That could be the author's REAL message but if you were to ask me I say that the entire story is based on drugs. The disney movie itself is colorful and full of inventive characters going through unimaginable scenes. It's what I'd picture an acid trip to be (I've never tried acid and never will) but one can only imagine what it'd be like.

The effects of drugs on the human brain has always been of interest to me. The word halluctions derives from the Latin meaning "to wanter mentally". There are 2 types of hallucinations - release hallucinations and those experienced by schizophernics. I learned in psychology that SIMILAR things occur in a brain hallucinating from drugs and a person with schizophernia disorder-- Now, that's a scary thought. So basically while you're hallucinating on drugs your brain is somewhat in a mental state. Weird. I got way off topic but yeah, Alice in Wonderland is definitely based on drugs. For heavens sake, the big catepillar smokes out of a huge pipe that looks strikingly similar to a hookah pipe-- the m'fka is smoking marijuana. No doubt. Nonetheless, this movie will always be on of my favorite movies. Whether it's really referencing to drugs or not. The end.

OBAMAMANIA

Two dozen guys at a Democratic Convention wore t-shirts that said- TRUTH THAT STANDS BEFORE US IS OBAMA.

People in Hempstead, New York changed the name of their elementary school after him.

One man told the Washington Post he hung around Obama's hotel "to be breathing the same air."

Ben and Jerry's is introducing Yes Pecan flavor in honor of Obama's campaign slogan.

Tourism is also getting a boost. A $40 bus ride will take you to see where Obama scooped ice cream during his teenage years in Hawai'i.

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I voted, followed the election and watched some of the inaugeration. History has been made! He's the first African American President in history. Some say he's an inspirational speaker and they're moved by his speeches-- Yeah, he's a good speaker as all presidents SHOULD BE but as far as being inspirational? What inspiration means to ME would be a whole nother blog. As of now it's all talk until I see that he's accomplished something for this country. The U.S. is in a recession and the unemployment rate is at its' highest. People with families to support are without jobs and they say it hasn't been this bad since 1945. It's 2009, history has been made (history also has a funny way of repeating itself through this recession), we have our first African American President and in the midst of all the Obama-hype this country is in turmoil. Action gives me satisfaction and talk is cheap. People are quick to declare his greatness BUT until I witness completion and progress in the economy
he's just another president to me.

Gotta have faith.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
Herbrews 11:1

And without faith it is impossible to please God.
Hebrews 11:6

God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
Herbrews 11:40

"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he
rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."
Herbrews 12:5-6

I love my korean mother.

My mom tries to pick up up-to-date slang ALL the time.

Just the other day she used the word pimpin'. Surprisingly she used it in the correct context. She said, "Your cousin's new car is pimpin'". Being that korean is her first language there was an accent. So it sounded more like... "Your cou-jeen new cah eej peempin."

Just yesterday we were in the car on the way to do some shopping and we were discussing my aunt (her older sister's) choice of men. Ever since my aunt's divorce she's resorted to younger men. Cougar. Rawr. Hey, we all have different tastes right? I'm not hating but these younger men are questionable to me. Anyways, I was asking my mom WHY this 24 year old male insists that my aunt is the love of his life (my aunt is 52). Yeah. In my aunt's defense my mom says, "As long as she's happy it doesn't matter. And he is not a gold digger or looking for a sweet mother."-- sweet mother? It took me a while but sweet mother = suga mama. ha ha.
Gotta love it.

F R I E N D S

"Friends are family you choose for yourself."
- Author Unknown

Bad Company corrupts good character.
- 1st Corinthians 15:33

As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another.
- Proverbs 27:17

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I went to evening service at church today (well technically yesterday because today is now sunday and I went saturday night). Anyways, haha, the message latched onto me. Have you ever been to a church service and felt that the pastor's sermon was directed to YOU? Well, God was definitely speaking to me through the pastor last night. His sermon was about friends and the people that you choose to travel with you to your "tahiti". Tahiti is just a metaphor for... your future dream career, your kids' future (if you have any), the place you want your marriage to be-- basically, anywhere that YOU WANT to see yourself. And of course these people that are going to be traveling with your are going to be your FRIENDS.

Ahh... friends... I LOVE MY FRIENDS just as much as a I love my family. I feel that my friends have more of an influence on who I am today more so than my parents. Yeah, my parents raised me but my friends helped to mold who I am. If I consider you one of my CLOSE friends I'm going to give you my all. I'm going to be there for you, listen to you, encourage you and support your decisions. The pastor said something that really cleared a road block for me... he said, "be friendly but you don't have to let everybody into your inner circle". That's been a problem for me for a while. I'm quick to become friends with someone and if we fade away I really take it to heart. It's also hard for me to cut off friendships.

I forgot where I was going at with all this... it's 4:00 AM and I am tired. lol. Basically, the message last night really helped me. I have a vision of where I want to be at within a year-- with that said, I have some weeds to pull. Goodnight.

Best of the Best

GENO's cheesesteaks in Philly!




Obama ate here. I saw it on the news today and it was also in a national geographic magazine. :)




The best fried chicken. It was listed in USA Today, the Food Network and other random websites. I gotta try it.

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FOOD makes me HAPPY. I sound like a total piece of LARD. But you know what? I do not care! I like to eat, cook, eat what I cook, eat what others cook, try new restaurants, go back to favorite restaurants and experiment in the kitchen! They say the key to a man's heart is through his stomach-- if so, then I must be a man because the key to my heart is definitely through my stomach. Happy stomach = a happy Esther. When I travel researching good restaurants is always #1 or #2 on my list next to location of the hotel. I've vacationed in Hawai'i on Oahu and the girls and I stayed on Waikiki Beach- if you ever go I can tell you which restaurants to go to and which to stay away from lol. I REALLY WANT to try Geno's and Ben's Chili Bowl this year!
Yes, 2009 is the year of travel and good eats.

:)

When the going gets tough...

I delight in weaknesses, insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, I am strong.
2nd Corinthians 12:10

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness
2nd Corinthians 12:9

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"You'll never know God is all you need until he's all you have" - unknown

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.

Psalm 138:7

And the journey continues...

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

My first blog of 2009...
I would dedicate this blog to recap and list memories of 2008 but there are too many to list. 2008 was a GREAT year. I was able to do a LOT of traveling. Countless trips to visit Gee and Chan in LA, spring break in Hawai'i, charted new grounds in Atlanta- more than once. Along with the travel, God introduced me to some AMAZING people that have made such a positive impact on my life. People that I've learned to love, build lasting relationships with and create unforgettable memories with. Nothing better than being surrounded by good people.

Along with the GREAT things were the struggles and no-so-good things. All were a learning experience and I'm thankful for those too. Cause without the bad I wouldn't be able to fully enjoy the good. 2009 is going to crazy. A good crazy. :)