Cirque du Soleil: Totem

Months ago, I had the opportunity to attend Cirque du Soleil's Totem in Portland. This post has been a long time coming - for some reason I could not stop myself from raving about how much I loved Totem and how much I wanted to run away with the circus. I think by now I have finally formed a semi-coherent message.

Just looking at this photo makes my heart race. The entrance to the grand chateau.

As soon as I saw the tents from the highway, I squealed. There is something about the swirl of blue and yellow that excites my inner child. The circus is here! The circus is here! I look forward to seeing the strange costumes, listening to the beautiful music, and watching the amazing acrobats perform. Every show is unique, but each re-ignites my imagination. Entering the tent is similar to walking through the wardrobe into Narnia; a magnificent world lies within.

The inside of the tent. The umbrellas changed colors sporadically.

It is pronounced To-tem, not To-tem. That is one of the first things I noticed about the show. The next thing I noticed was the staging and lights. There was a mountainous rock placed at the base of a hill-like structure. A life-like stream of water was projected over the structure leading down to the rock. It seemed as though the audience was amidst a rainforest with reeds swaying at the top of the hill.

My brother and I stare in awe as we walk through the tent's entrance.

One of the things I will always appreciate about le Cirque is its theatricality. It always has the perfect mix of flair and humor balanced with a message. For several shows now, I have taken in the performance then reflected on its meaning. Sometimes I will purchase the program to gain insight into the story flowing through the performance, but oftentimes a deeper message is presented. Either that or I truly do find meaning in nothing...

I do love a good bucket of popcorn.

Staging and lighting - beautiful as ever.

Apart from a wonderful message and beautiful audio and visual effects, I enjoy spending time with others who appreciate the performances. Each have their own thrilling feats and incredible designs that are only possible in Cirque du Soleil. Take a moment to consider that circuses, in essence, celebrate the spectacular. It seems that no organization does it best than le Cirque.

My family and I posing after the performance. Or at least trying to.

Communal Illness Brings People Together

Recently a few family members, including myself, befell what can be called the 24-hour flu. In all honesty, it was not 24 hours. Some family members are still recovering from it, while others have already washed their hands (literally and metaphorically) of it. In reflection, I noticed some camaraderie amongst family members and it seemed to bring us closer together under a shared, awful experience.

Thinking back to the days when it was "all the rage" to catch chicken pox, I remember slightly hating it because it seemed as if I was the only one in the world to have caught it. My sister had passed it onto me a week into the new year. Unfortunately, she recovered earlier than I, having suffered from chicken pox weeks before I did. I suppose it would have been nice to have her around while I lazed about, struggling not to itch every inch of my body and being reprimanded if I did.

My thoughts also follow to a lecture in my chronic illness course this past semester. We were discussing cystic fibrosis and the lay community surrounding the disease. Up until recently, children with cystic fibrosis were roomed in hospitals together to also share in the camaraderie of illness. Children were allowed to play together and families encouraged to mingle in such wings. Unfortunately and fortunately, it was discovered that the risks for respiratory infections increased with co-habitation of the children. The shared environment also encouraged the growth of antibiotic-resistant organisms as well as their transmission to the room's inhabitants. Thus, the social aspect of the illness was put aside while the importance of the physiological aspect emerged.

Needless to say, we are human. We seek for interconnectedness even within illness and it is a fact that I hope all healthcare providers will acknowledge, if not cherish.

My Cousin's Graduation Part #2

My cousin graduated this past Wednesday in the top 5% of her class! Family and friends all congregated on Saturday to celebrated her accomplishments, including but not limited to committing to play soccer at a local college. She is also one of the most humble people I know - a trait that will be exemplified in the following reflection.

The graduate on the right along with her sister, her brother, our cousin and I.

The celebration itself was wonderful - lots of conversation, food, and fun. The majority of my extended family was there as well as the majority of my cousin's extended family was there. I have spent more and more time over the years with my cousin's family and thus have spent time with my cousin's extended family.

My great-aunts and grandma having a lively conversation on the couch.

I was pleasantly surprised when I got out of the car near my cousin's house and two of her small cousins ran up and hugged me. They were happy to see me! I ventured inside and saw that there were people who I recognized from previous gatherings including my cousin's neighbors and fellow church members. It was great to see familiar faces.

My cousin playing chair for my brother.

As I spoke about my education thus far and how passionate I am about nursing, I imagined my cousin in a year's time doing the same thing. After a while, I noticed that my cousin spent most of her time huddling in corners and generally looking worn-out. When I finally got the chance to speak to her, I found out she was ill. Can you imagine? Feeling ill at a graduation celebration, nevertheless one's own! My cousin tried to be as present to others as she could be while she was battling nausea and a severe headache. Bless. I may have enjoyed her party more than she did.

My Cousin's Graduation, Part 1

My cousin is the baby of her family, although you would not know it based on her height. The tallest of three girls, my cousin excels in athletics the way the tallest shrubs absorb the most sunlight. Meaning, my cousin has had the support of her older sisters throughout her career. She recently signed with a local college to play soccer and will be moving away from home for the first time come August.

My cousin, the graduate, surrounded by
 her cousins, aunt, and great aunt.

First of all, I am ridiculously proud of her for going away to college. It takes a lot of determination and courage to decide to move away from home to pursue education, whether or not it ends in a "successful" career. Being away from family for an extended period of time is an experience I recommend. It has helped shape who I am - and as homesick as I get, I do not regret living away hours away from home. 

Secondly, my cousin is pursuing a collegiate career in a sport. How incredible is that?! I can only imagine the increased level of competition athletes face in college. Not only that, but they are students as well! In the hopes that student athletes take advantage of the opportunities given to them to further their education as well as career, the strength it takes to endure the pressure they face is admirable. 

Thirdly, my cousin is adventuring into higher education with an open mind in regards to her career. She has interests that will guide her, but she is entering with an undeclared major. Knowing my cousin, she will not let the array of course choices faze her in determining her path. If she is one thing, she is headstrong.

My hope is that I can play some role in her college career - helping her whenever she needs it or giving her the encouragement she needs to continue on her journey.

Spring Break, Day #5

This morning I woke with a start. I barely slept last night, the usual traveling jitters, and was convinced that I had mistaken the time of my flight's departure with the time of its arrival. I have no idea why. Realizing it was a false alarm, I tried with no avail to return to sleep. Instead, I hung in a half-awake daze until my alarm rang.

I sprung out of bed, turned on the oven, and got dressed. My sister bought waffle sandwiches from our favorite waffle sandwich place, Bruxië's, to supplement us for our long day of traveling and it was my responsibility to make sure they were warmed appropriately. Just after I had finished getting dressed, my sister joined me at the mirror to apply makeup. Using the tips I had given her the night before, she coordinated a lovely shade of purple with a nice beige eyeshadow. Watching her in the mirror, I started tearing up - partially because I was so proud of her, partially because I was impressed how quickly she had caught on, and partially because I did not want to leave. Both of us were too preoccupied to notice the time.


After we finished our breakfast and gathered last-minute things, we headed on our way. My sister's flight was later in the day - meaning she had a whole day of work ahead of her after dropping me off. I had hoped to treat her to a coffee or something beforehand, but we soon realized that the most important thing we needed to get was - you may have guessed it - gas.



On our way to the airport I became increasingly distraught at the thought of saying goodbye to my sister. I am sure she could tell by my passivity during the drive. Sure we chit-chatted, but I did not have the strength to hide my despondency, nor did I have the wherewithal to explain my behavior.

Is not that a shame? Throughout the drive I could have reminded her of all the things I love about her, shared some more outrageous nursing student stories, made wisecracks about our surroundings to make her laugh, or even sung my lungs out with her to music. We could have talked about our trips, work, books, music, etc. Heck, we could have played "I spy" for all it matters.

Why is it that some people become so upset at saying goodbye? I could say I inherit the habit from my mother, but it is not as simple as that. I suppose it is because I have a pessimistic view of changes, or because I become so attached to having people in my life. Whatever the reasoning may be, I just hope that it does not interfere with the interpretation of my feelings toward the person to whom I am saying goodbye.

Spring Break, Day #4

Today was a beautiful mess. I woke up at 11am (do not judge me!) and started preparing for a picnic my sister and I had planned for the day. She was already at work and I had pretty much free range of her apartment, so I goofed around in the kitchen until I realized I was running late.

Our picnic was simple: turkey sandwiches with Pringles and CapriSun. The location, however, was far more notable. We ended up lunching on the viewing deck of the Newport Bay Nature Preserve. I wish we had more time to explore! From what I could see (and could not see, for that matter), the Preserve covers a substantial area that seems to have been badly burned. Although it its restoration appears stunted, I am confident of nature's impeccable powers of adaptation and regrowth.

Afterward, it was back to studying and watching movies for me. On my watch list for the day was the rest of American Hustle and Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters. I have to say, I loved American Hustle much more than I thought I would. Also, Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters was not as bad as I imagined... In fact, I rather enjoyed it! I think Greek mythology is fascinating as is anything involving Greek mythology.

Once my sister returned from work, we celebrated our last night together with Chinese food for dinner, watching FaceOff, and having a packing party. My sister and I both leave tomorrow for separate trips and decided it would be easier to pack our things simultaneously. It was much more fun than packing alone!! I even helped her plan out some makeup looks for her trip. I am no beauty guru, but it was nice to have some "girl chat" about makeup and other beauty products we are loving.

As hard as I think it will be to leave tomorrow, I am content with what time we spent together this weekend and hope that I can visit again sometime sooner than later and that life will not get in the way of that plan.

Spring Break, Day #3

My Spring Break checklist is near complete. I have successfully slept in (10am), eaten good food (sushi, Chick-Fil-A, In-N-Out, salmon, etc.), finished a book (Sea of Hooks - review to follow), spent time with my sister, watched movies, and caught up on my YouTube subscriptions. I have even had a little opportunity to study!

My sister has unfortunately had to return to work, but I have had the freedom to do all the lazy bits and bobs of a typical Spring Break. In fact, the majority of my checklist was completed today. What can I say? It's been an eventful Monday.

It is weird to think that I have one more day with my sister before heading back to Portland. She and I are mentally inseparable. Lately, what with me still being in school and with her working, it has been harder and harder to stay in touch. My schedule is, for lack of a more succinct way of putting it, not really conducive to my family's schedule.

I have always said I make time for those I love, but lately it is seemingly more difficult than normal. Times like this, when I can spend quality time with my family, I despair going back to school and the rigorous schedule I uphold. As much as I love nursing, growing up is hard.

Knowing that my family is a "weakness" of mine, I have conversely been able to use them as a strength. I know I can rely on them for support as well as motivation. I have several photos of them surrounding focal points in my room and look to them whenever I start to feel stressed. Of course, I pray as well, but it is nice to have a physical reminder to relax.

Anyway, I am determined to make the most of all the time I have with my family. If that means doing whatever they want to do or making all the arrangements, so be it. For the meantime, I will do what I want in preparation for spending quality time with them.

Spring Break, Day #2

I realize that though vacation is a time for relaxation (i.e. sleeping in and avoiding normal obligations), I cannot use it as an excuse not to attend mass. Thus, the first item on the agenda was to visit St. Norbert's Catholic parish. It is a lovely, small, parish community that is home to a fantastic choir. Not only did I enjoy mass itself, I thoroughly enjoyed celebrating with a companion.

Next, my sister and I went to get pedicures at a local nail salon. The Victoria Nail Salon was a little bit more expensive than I would normally go for, but I thought why not give it a go. The nail salon had a variety of complementary snacks and beverages as well as a plethora of magazines to choose from. The pedicure itself was wonderful. I chose the rejuvenating therapy pedicure which consisted of pumice scrub for calluses, a paraffin treatment for dry skin, and a full leg and foot massage in addition to the pedicure.

After our pedicures, my sister and I went to pick up groceries. My sister wanted to properly celebrate my 21st birthday with me, so we bought ingredients to make sonic screwdrivers. The drink is based off of a British science-fiction television series I am obsessed with called Doctor Who. A sonic screwdriver is very easy to make and it only requires three ingredients (I will do a post on it later). Needless to say, it is now my favorite drink.

One of the key parts of the day was my nap. It was a BRILLIANT nap! I slept from just after lunchtime until around dinnertime, missing a FaceTime session with my mom (sorry Ma!) and several episodes of Parks and Recreation.

For the evening, my sister made a delicious salmon dinner - which I will definitely replicate and post at a later date. We settled for the evening to watch About Time and Thor: The Dark World. I loved About Time and thought the special effects of Thor were awesome! I would definitely recommend both movies.

Spring Break, Day #1

These posts are in no way meant to be bragging about my good fortune. I would, however, like to share my happiness and vacation antics.



Today started off with a nice lie-in and reading. My sister was kind enough to inflate a HUGE air mattress for me and created my own room in her living room, so I had a comfy place to read and relax while I mentally prepared for the day. I am currently reading Sea of Hooks by Lindsey Hill, a novel which I will absolutely review once I have finished it (it is fascinating).

After we ate breakfast, my sister and I headed off to Venice Beach. The area and the houses in the surrounding area are beautiful! The town is similar to its namesake in the sense that streets are intersected by canals.

Spending time at the beach was fantastic. The weather was perfect when we arrived - sunny, but just windy enough to counteract excessive warmth from the sun. While we worked on our tans, we listened to music, read, and talked.

Afraid of ripening sunburns (and our hunger pangs), we departed for our next location - Olvera Street. Known for the enlivenment of the Mexican culture, Olvera Street is home to a multitude of shops and restaurants which are shrouded in vibrant colors and skull paraphernalia. My sister and I meandered through several shops and found a few things to take home.



Next we visited Santee Alley a few blocks away in downtown LA. Santee Alley was a bit different than I imagined. Instead of an alley of outdoor shops similar to Olvera Street, Santee Alley was a conglomeration of shops enclosed in a four-block radius of two parallel avenues. Most of the shops had extremely reduced prices or an ongoing sale, which resulted in huge bargains for all shoppers.

To conclude our day, we stopped by In-N-Out for dinner. Embarrassedly, I asked for a sticker to put on my water bottle when our order was up. I was given the option of children's or bumper stickers, so I initially chose the latter, but when questioned further I faltered. In return, I received a few of each. Needless to say, In-N-Out is a wonderful place.

My 21st Birthday

On the dawn of my 21st birthday, I spent some time reflecting on my life thus far.

The eve of my birthday was spent at my aunt's house, eating nachos and watching re-runs of the Olympics. I browsed the internet and ate more than my fill and finally caved in for the evening. I thought I would read instead of watching an episode of Pretty Little Liars on Netflix (DON'T JUDGE ME), thinking that watching Netflix would keep me up. What a mistake I made! The chapter I read kept me up for hours, leading me to my internal reflection.

The thing is, I have felt so much regret about my childhood and adolescence for as long as I can remember. For a long time now I have strived to live virtuously in the present and work towards a better future. Only recently have I truly accepted I cannot change the past and as I lay thinking about my life so far, I cried out, thanking God for the way my life is now. Despite the troubles I have had, I have moved past them to become the woman I am. That is not to say I am perfect, but I feel more comfortable in my skin than I have ever felt.

I promise, this all sounds more dramatic than I intended it to be. The emotions I experienced that night were fleeting, as all emotions are, but gave way to a sort of enlightenment. I am not, nor will I ever be back in my past. That in itself is a blessing. I suppose this all sounds a bit fantastic and ridiculous, but I have waited a week to express in writing the thoughts and feelings I endured that night to ensure that the experience was not entirely delusional.

Of course, once I awoke the next morning it was all about the joy of being with family and finally being "of age." Although 21 years old is commonly recognized as being of legal drinking age, it means a bit more for me. I consider it an inevitable right of passage in which I become a "proper" adult.

I noticed even before my birthday how attitudes have changed upon acknowledgment of one's age. Pardon my colloquialism, but since when has age been such a big deal? That being said, I will enjoy finally being able to drink legally. The only problem I can foresee in the near future is what drink to try next.

Seaside, Oregon

The first day at Seaside... Awful, but not bad enough to
keep me away from the beach!

Last weekend I had the opportunity to join my godmother and her friend for a trip to Seaside. The mini-vacation was much looked forward to as it fell the weekend after the first week back to nursing school. Though I had to prepare for the trip by studying additional material for the following week, it soon felt worth the extra efforts.

The drive over was long, to say the least - at one point we were stuck in the same spot for an hour. It was ample time to get on good terms with my godmother's friend who had known me since I was little, but with whom I had never really had a conversation. We discussed many things, ranging from books we loved to pet peeves. As strange as it sounds, I felt like an adult. Not a student, not a youngin', but a proper adult.

Of course I ordered pancakes! Pecan pancakes, to be precise.

When we arrived, a full-on storm was raging and we hastily rushed to our room for cover. Though it was late, none of us had eaten in a while so we arranged a motley dinner for ourselves. Unbeknownst to us, such diverse dinners would be our specialty for the weekend.

The next morning I arose early enough to read a book, watch the news, study a little, and make breakfast for myself. The weather had not much improved from the night before, but I ventured out for a run - and came straight back to a hot shower. Eventually we dragged ourselves back into the outside world for dinner and a shopping trip (it did not last long).

One of the things I was most grateful for was the easy-going spirit of my godmother and her friend. For instance, when trying to decide where to eat dinner, I half-heartedly suggested Pig'N'Pancake, a restaurant I remember going to with my family. I figured the women would want to try something a little more upscale and would not go for something more... traditional. To my surprise and delight, they both agreed to indulge me. One may imagine how thrilled I was.

My excitement could not be contained... for long.

Our dinner that night, however, was a little more low-key. It was Mediterranean-themed with and abundance of grapes, hummus, bread, hazelnuts... and triple chocolate chip cookies. What can I say? I do not mind being healthy once and a while. Honestly, it was a fun, chill night. We sat in the warmth of inside, listening to the storm while we watched This Is 40. Although I enjoyed it, neither my godmother nor her friend liked it so we immediately moved on to Kate and Leopold, a film we all knew we liked.

A beautiful last morning of vacation.

Sunday was a wonderful day. I had a proper sleep-in, rising after three snoozed alarms and reading in bed for half an hour. The morning was bright and sunny, perfect for a walk to a coffee shop with the anticipation of a beautiful, steaming cup of espresso (as well as fast wifi). Mass was relaxing and put me in a great mood to go for a long run. My run was only shortened a few minutes by the appearance of clouds on the horizon and forceful gusts of wind, swelling the sand around my feet, foretelling the inevitable return of Our Great Hydration.

With the decline in forecast and my early-evening departure by bus, we decided to make our way over to Astoria in the afternoon to do a little sight-seeing. In actuality, we made it to one pier, took some pictures, sat and drank some coffee, and shopped for antiques.

I cannot express enough how pleasant and refreshing the weekend was after the shock of returning to nursing school. Although nothing terribly difficult or horrible occurred during the week, my mindset was a little boggled and I needed the extra time away from campus to settle myself back into the groove of studying, critically thinking, and caring. The weekend allowed me to catch my breath before diving back in to the chaos that is nursing school.

Nursing School - Semester Two

As I type this, I am lying on my bed contemplating whether I want to start writing this or whether I want to sleep instead. The thing is, if I went to sleep right now, it would be the earliest I have been to sleep since returning to school. This is not to say that we have been deluged with homework (though we have) but we have been given copious amounts of reading to accomplish and study from.

Not to mention, this weekend will be the second weekend in a row I have left campus for other plans. This means that I have had to complete three extra days worth of studying to prepare for a lack of studying part of tomorrow, Saturday, Sunday, and part of Monday. The point being that I have been pretty busy lately. 

If I am not asleep, in the library, or in class one can assume I am most certainly dead. 

That being said, I am enjoying my mental health and pharmacology courses immensely. I also happen to be taking a course on medical anthropology which is fascinating and a course on Spanish healthcare terminology which is very useful. My chronic conditions course is alright so far and I have no complaints about labs. 

As much as I complain about not having a social life because of all the studying I have been doing, I am really having a good time. I love taking the streetcar to the library and reading before bed again. I am looking forward to more family time this weekend, this time to celebrate my cousins' confirmation and my birthday. Following along with my sea side metaphor, the waves of joy and gratitude have increased in frequency as of late and I welcome them with bated breath. 

Traveling with Liv: The Link

Last week, my brother, mother and I took a trip to Seattle aboard the Link. We drove to Tukwila and boarded the Central line Link into Westlake station. The trip was only to try a different form of transportation into the city, but it proved to be an adventurous one!


My brother has an affinity for many forms of transportation, including light rail. He was more than excited to take the C-Link and wanted to return to the station as soon as possible.

Initially our plan had been to take the Link into Seattle, do a little shopping, grab some lunch, and head home. Unfortunately we left later than planned in the morning and spent less time in Seattle than we anticipated.

Saul had chosen where to sit when we boarded and, as I anticipated, he chose the front of the Link. It just so happened the seats faced the opposite direction we were traveling. He was surprised, maybe even a little uncomfortable, and kept saying, "Libya we're going backwards!"

After the first stop, Saul was no longer preoccupied with the motion - instead, he marveled as traffic and landscape rolled by. Although the journey only lasted about 20 minutes, the excitement was imprinted on Saul's face the rest of the day.

The Westlake Station put us about a block away from the Westlake Center and by the time we arrived in Seattle the three of us were hungry, so we headed straight for the food court. There we enjoyed various noodles from the Noodle Zone, depicted below.

Although my mother and I could have gone for a little shopping, all Saul wanted to do was hop aboard the next Link home (or any other Link for that matter!). On the way back to the station, my mother and I detoured to a few shops in search of more Seahawks gear.

On the way home, I took a few videos which I hope to compile into the next "Traveling with Liv" episode for the video series on YouTube. I will announce it as soon as I am finished with it.

Upon arriving in Tukwila, despite our general exhaustion magnified by the afternoon sun, my brother and I raced to the car to grab the front passenger seat. I won this time. Nothing, I repeat, nothing could have made the trip better.

Adventuretime: Snoqualmie Falls Edition

Last night I had the most incredible night of sleep I have had in weeks! Thus, I was a little disheartened the moment Saul came barreling into my room to wake me up for our day of adventure. Fortunately, after a little pick-me-up at Starbucks, I was more than ready to get going - I was excited! I cannot remember the last time I visited Snoqualmie falls, but I can say that it has been quite a while.

The trip to Snoqualmie was short, but sweet. My fellow passengers and I entertained ourselves with lively conversation and music... and the (not so) little one with snacks and a movie. Although Saul does tend to enjoy the journey more than the destination, he was in very good spirits when we arrived.

Today's good weather had drawn out many families to the park. I do not know if it is usually that busy, but I was grateful for the multitudes of families (especially those with pets) that were taking the trail. Not only were they a source of entertainment for Saul (the pets, mostly), they were a reminder that coming back up the trail would not kill us.

The trail was fairly steep - not a problem going down, of course, but a bit of a struggle coming up. (There is a separate parking lot closer to the lower falls viewpoint for those with difficulty hiking). In truth, I do not think any of us considered it an obstacle. We were too busy enjoying being outside on a lovely day being near such a magnificent force of nature.

The view was beautiful. I know it is literally just water flowing off a cliff, but it the sheer magnitude of the water was astonishing. What can I say? It's the little things.

We ended the trip by enjoying a lunch of sandwiches and soup at Rose Ridge Cafe & Deli. There is much to say about an owner who recognizes pretty much everyone in town and welcomes strangers as friends. Walking off our lunch, we explored the area and found a neat statue in front of the community center.

After the detour, we reluctantly returned home to shower and settle down for the evening. Overall, a fantastic day.

Thankful Thursday, Pt. 4

This week has been very... taxing. I've been doing various adultly tasks and have been spending loads of time with my family which has all been wonderful, but in the meantime I have obviously neglected to blog. I apologize. Hopefully this coming week will be better. Now onto Thankful Thursday!

Oh my... So much to be thankful for today. As usual, my family is at the top of the list. I have been spending most of my time with my mother and seeing how she constantly looks for the needs of others is something I am very thankful for. I think I get my generosity from her.

I am also thankful for my brother and his sense of joy. Sometimes it will express itself in humor, other times in hugs, and other times in words. For instance, this morning on the way to school he teased me and upon returning home he hugged me and said he missed me. It is the moments in which I share in his joy that I am truly grateful for him. Not to be overlooked, I am also thankful for my sister who makes my day (pretty much every day) by her thoughtfulness.

I am also grateful for the local law enforcement officers. I ran into a few of them at a Starbucks and realized that I was actually glad to see a group of them chatting over their espressos. As one might imagine, they have a hard job and seeing them in a different light was refreshing and a reminder to be grateful for my safety.

The aforementioned are only a few of the things on my list of gratitude today, but they are the most important things to me at the moment. I hope that one day I might finally be able to list all the things I am thankful for, but for now, these short Thankful Thursday posts will have to do.

Sarah's Key

A couple years ago, my cousin lent me a book she read as part of her high school English class. It seemed an easy read, so I read it. Later I found out it would be made into a book and recently I had the opportunity to see it.

The novel opens on the story of Sarah, a young Jewish girl swept into the tragedies of World War II who tries to protect her younger brother Michel by locking him in a secret compartment in their apartment. She and her parents are arrested and taken to the Velodrome to await their fate, along with thousands of other Jews.

Years later, a woman named Julia is researching the Velodrome for an international news magazine and stumbles upon Sarah's story. She soon discovers that Sarah's story is woven into her in-laws past and surreptitiously uncovers that the truth surrounding Sarah's family and France during World War II.

The novel left me mourning for days over the great losses of the Holocaust and Sarah's experiences during that time. The movie was a bit of a disappointment (as almost all movies are compared to the book). In particular, the transitions between Sarah and Julia's life were very abrupt and vexing to the overall tale.

Fortunately, both mediums achieve the same overall effect: the provocation of courage and and hope for those who have suffered immense misfortune. As in all movies based around World War II, the question lingers: what would I have done during WWII?

One point I took from the book was the love Sarah had for her brother and her family. I am the first to admit that I am very attached to my family, especially my siblings. That characteristic alone made me particularly empathetic towards Sarah's guilt in leaving her brother behind and the hope that she carries for her brother's safety throughout her journey home is heart-breaking.

As much as I would like to recommend Sarah's Key, I would not want to claim responsibility of any possible heartbreak resulting from it... However, if one is interested in the Holocaust and/or a tale of love encapsulated by secrets then I highly recommend Sarah's Key.

Thankful Thursday Pt. 3

I've decided I want to try and make Thankful Thursday a more consistent thing, not only to remind myself to be grateful but also because I usually undervalue Thursdays. They are like the less-handsome fraternal twin of Tuesday.

Today is my great-aunt's 86th birthday! We celebrated by going out to lunch - "we" meaning my mother, great aunts, and my grandparents. I was the youngest there by at least 30 years, but it still ended up being a party.

Beforehand, I had the opportunity to go to the gym while my mom went and visited a friend. There I lifted weights, something I have not done in a while, and as a treat relaxed in the sauna for a few minutes. Afterward, my mother and I took Echo for a walk. I truly enjoyed having the company and the additional exercise (usually I either go to the gym or I go running with Echo).

By the time we got home from lunch, I had just enough time to catch up on one of my favorite YouTubers videos (Grace Helbig) before my brother's bus rolled up. We are now listening to music and are about to have a mini dance party!

Life is good.

Following the Funny Feeling: the Tale of a Stray Dog

This morning my dad had the uncanny idea that today would be a good day for a walk with our dog, Echo. We bundled up and got started walking down the street, noticing that the sky was getting darker as we distanced ourself from home.

Dad and I had barely left the neighborhood when we saw the stray dog, sniffing around the bushes. Echo greeted the dog in his normal fashion as I reached for her name tag. In place of her name tag was the number for what turned out to be the local Animal Control agency. As I called the number, trying to figure out what to do, our neighbor drove up and offered his assistance. None of us recognized the dog from our neighborhood so we decided it was best to take her to the Humane Society.

I, of course, grew attached to the dog in the short time we new each other. I nicknamed her Hattie, partially after the character in the novel I recently read, but also because she escaped our hands three times (hat trick). She is very well behaved and friendly and not to mention gorgeous! How could I not become attached?

Fortunately we were able to drop her off at the Humane Society and got a number to call in a few days to see if she is doing okay. Hopefully her owners will find her.

Strangely enough, my dad insisted on going on a walk, despite the fact that it was down pouring. He later admitted that he had had a funny feeling about it and decided to follow it. Thank goodness we did, otherwise we might not have been able to help Hattie!

Take An Unplanned Road Trip: The Point Defiance 5-Mile Drive

Point Defiance Park is home to Pt. Defiance Zoo and Aquarium and was the key location of my unplanned road trip. I have been to the park before, but I have never properly explored it. Today was the day!

The weather was awful - stereotypical of the Pacific Northwest. As soon as my brother returned from school, we packed up and took off in the direction of the park. It was soon decided my brother would be my navigator, so I handed him the map I had made and maneuvered through the streets of Tacoma to our first pit stop.

We arrived at my grandparents' house and ate a quick snack, detailing our plans for the afternoon and looking over the map. After saying goodbye, we continued our journey to Ruston Way and drove along the waterfront before reaching the park. Once there, we put aside the map and followed along the 5-Mile Drive.

The drive led us to several viewpoints which overlooked the Puget Sound. On this horribly rainy day, the sight of the Sound was a welcome compensation to the alternative moisture that seemingly provoked us from all angles. I took as many pictures as I dared of the flora and the fauna as we drove slowly along the winding path through the park.

It was a wonderful couple of hours spent wandering, although I would have loved to spend more time enjoying the scenery by foot. The mini-road trip was a perfect start to the weekend and tickled my sense of adventure. I will always enjoy traveling and I look forward to wherever the road of life takes me next!

Thankful Thursday, Pt. 2

I barely slept last night and I've been fighting the fog that is currently my brain all day to be as productive as possible on this rainy, no-good Thursday.

That being said, today I was awoken by a very chipper Saul (my brother) who asked me to drive him to school after being sick for so long. (1) He is not one for being excited about going to school and (2) he just got over a horrendous cold. I helped feed him breakfast and drove him to school where his teacher and assistants greeted him with enthusiasm. My heart could not help but be warmed by their kindness.

My mother took me along on an errand and, thoughtfully considering my half-conscious state, took me to Starbucks. There I tried the new Caramel Flan latte - thank goodness I only ordered a tall! It tasted more like caramel than flan, but I appreciated the sweetness all the same.

Upon returning home, my mother began folding laundry while I ate breakfast and described one of the books I am currently reading. She was interested, so I began reading aloud. I kept her enthralled for a few chapters before my voice became hoarse. I forgot how much I enjoy reading out loud.

Later on I had a chance to visit with my grandparents. My grandfather always tells the best stories of his childhood and today he told me about a field near his hometown in Mexico that grew jamaica. He told me that the jamaica was sold by meter plots. My grandfather explained that they would cut up the jamaica and make traditional pico de gallo out of it.

Unfortunately I had to leave soon after the story in order to be home in time to collect my brother from the school bus. Saul's reaction to seeing me waiting for him never fails to make me smile. His exuberance has not yet faded as we sit together watching Chicken Little, hours later.

It's the little things.