What is LOVE?

A character from a movie once said:
"Love is just love."

Listening to that quote at the time, made me think about all the assumptions I had about the word myself. Love. What does it mean? After, all it is a very loaded word--one that has one of the highest values and meanings. Why does love imply a whole list of different things? Can it not exist without all the implied meanings? What if love doesn't mean falling head over heels upon locking eyes with that handsome someone? What if it doesn't mean loyalty, or fidelity, or even trust?

The trouble with extracting all these meanings from it, is we don't know what to think about love otherwise. It becomes a mystery. We don't like mystery...we like to know the facts and have it planned out, you know: an expectation of what love should be. But I don't think there is an explanation. Look at us. We aren't perfect, and we aren't made to be. We lie, cheat, steal and hurt the ones we love: most without the intention of doing so. Rather we do these things because we are hiding from ourselves and our responsibilities. Does that mean we don't love the other person to whom we do such awful deeds to? No. It means love is imperfect and all those expectations cannot really explain what love is. It is a mystery that we desperately try to solve by piling on attributes of our own version of a so-called "Love."

The Beatles once said:
"All you need is love."

Such a heavy responsibility, for one small word. Think about that.

Food, Money and Christmas

Food, food, food. What can I say? A life long romance. Food brings people together, creates atmosphere, and it sure makes me smile. I totally understand emotional eating. Problem is, i don't only eat when I'm sad or miserable--I eat when I'm happy and content. They say certain foods create a memory; everytime you eat that food you are looking for comfort in that memory. Makes sense, I suppose. When the world is spinning non-stop and life is moving at an alarming pace, people want the familiar. And what better way than satisfying your taste buds with your fav. foods?

Current favorite foods/drinks:

• Korean bbq tacos w/ kimchi
  
• Lemon bars
• Riesling wine
• Pasta w/ homemade vodka sauce
  

Now, let's talk about money. No one has any of it these days. I'm starting to think this economy is a cruel blessing. It's a test. Without money, people are forced to go back to the things that matter and the people that they can depend on. It makes us all evaluate the lives we have been leading. My family, my coworkers, my friends, my friends' families, everyone has felt the brunt of lay-offs, job security, and pay-cuts. No one wants to hire, and if they do the pay is not nearly what it was a few years back. And this ties into my next subject...Christmas. Obviously with less money, less people shop. With maxed out credit cards and billing statements ignored and piling on top of one another, people spend only what they have, or at least for the most part. Going out the day after Thanksgiving shocked me. When I was a child, I remember going out with my mom and the zoo it was even at Target. This year, it seemed just like a regular sunny Saturday morning. Albeit I wasn't out with the 4 a.m. crowd, I know in the years past it has been a scramble and a hay-day.

For me personally, this Christmas was a great one simply because of my new attitude towards it. When you're a child and a young adult, you embrace the gift-getting portion of the holiday and aspire for that unattainable and sometimes pricey gift. Moving out and learning how to manage money, sure makes you reconsider how you spend your earnings. I expected nothing really this year, just glad to be receiving anything I got. The surprise of the great gifts (big or small), that weren't on your list are the best to receive. A gorgeous ring and a colorful camera are among some of my bigger gifts this year. Hopefully, with the new camera I can actually post some of my own pictures on this blog FINALLY. I have been wanting to do that for awhile.

p.s. I can't wait to eat my chocolates (Nuts N' Chews from Sees) and watch one of my favorite DVDs (ahem...I Am Sam).

NEW PROJECT

Ever since i finished my last project I have been wanting to write a piece on Vegas.  But I don't want it to be something out of some drunken debauchery, a.k.a. The Hangover (the movie) or even some acid acumen, ahem, may I say Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.  

I want this to be slightly different...I want it to be written from the perspective of Vegas itself.  Now I'm not trying to channel Kafka in anyway, but I might have to wrestle with some of the tactics he uses.  I definitely need to think this idea through, as it could be an epic fail, BUT I'd rather it be a brilliant success.  

My ideas so far just consist of a string of adjectives:  filth, glitz, glamour, false-grandeur, gaudy, dirty, seductive, and amusing.

Please feel free to throw ideas out there...I need all the suggestions I can get.