i love the people in my life.

• i am grateful for this work issued laptop with a videocam.
• knowing that the moral highground is always the answer
• hugging val
• talking about using the unknown practical uses of the confederate flag with stephen
• loving jilla over something served with bagoong
• cat and fam in jersey city
• cat's niece being ridiculously cute
• time with my own family this past weekend
• people i love finding happiness in love right in time for spring
• knowing that my sisters will be home soon
• redbull fruit punch
• seeing kimmie in her wifey/2nd home
• writing letters
• journaling again
• cool, sunny days
• knowing how to trace IPs
• WP 08 sorta worked! (1 year later.)
• i have a hard time saying it, but really loving and appreciating my mom

thank you to the spring so far for...

• being able to admit when i am wrong.
  
• a window into the cracked heat of summer.
• a return of old friends.
• spinach and goat cheese.
• making my way to Ohio.
  
• things coming naturally to me.
• my friends wanting to help.
  
• becoming more comfortable with myself fin silence.
• the return of newer loves.
• reacquiring my right mind.
• lulu's extended visit.
• seeing my high school best friend grow slowly into her soon to be married life.
• jamaica with lisa.
• difficult conversations off the task list.
  
• 90s music mixes.
  
• val's support through difficult conversations.
• good hugs.
• redefining excess so that it does not mean security.
• being able to see people as perfect
• crying with lulu at the end of NOTORIOUS. (yeah, i'll own that.)
• cat growing into her new home.
• having a carved out place in cat's couch.
• irma the wedding crasher.
  
• reinvigorating myself in all the work i need to do.
• the excitement found in the potential of new goals.
• breaking in the cold sheets of a hotel bed.
• realizing i love hotel rooms.
  

gratitude list

• for being able to be honest with myself (even if it is coming up gradually.)


• for irma's cable.


• seeing old school KAWS written up in jersey city.
  


• for accepting that i am a creative person.


• for krystle and prince


• particularly, "Pop Life"


• sara's genuine hugs.


• an email from joseph.
  


• clementines


• sharing ice cream with my kasamas.


• hanging out with therese.


• faces that remind me of old flames.


• not lying.
  


• turns out, i like the number 12.


• hanging out in front of my house in a parked car for another 40 minutes with a friend who needed an ear.
  


• the hasty opportunities where life reminds me that i am myself.
  


• the opportunity to karaoke.


• being sad and being real about it.


• people who think my name is pretty, and will tell me so right at introduction.


• randomly calling people we miss, because we miss them.
  


• galoshes.


• the cold putting me in my place.


• knowing that this place is what i love


• always repping hard.

gratitude list

• seeing my sister, kylene, in LA
  


• seeing the amazing growth in people during such a teeny amount of time
  


• mint.com
  


• reconciling with two cities that broke my heart


• "a muffin is not a fruit"
  


• being good at being a good


• running into vicki by accident (again! and again!)


• being able to be vulnerable in front of my friends, peers, strangers
  


• checking my own subjectivities; not being judgmental of people i care about


• the generosity of people like apollo, jesse, bev t., cisco, bev b., gary, gayle, edward, and jeannie. (who have all looked out for me, hosted me, or fed me.)
  


• having an entire week with my kasamas - new and old


• the opportunity to miss people


• irma finding a job she really likes!
  


• people who think i'm funny. (that is good. many people make a life out of trying to get a laugh.)
  


• real exchanges with people, even on blackberry messenger


• the beautiful, new AAI space


• being affirmed as a writer
  


• settling things with my webpage host


• selling chapbooks


• being able to return to Philly, and perform excerpts from my life there


• seeing a babyful belly on someone i know


• a gorgeous and raw loft studio space
  


• applause


• a good time to laugh with kelly and vicki


• bekhyon liking my work (which means a lot, since i really admire his brand of ridiculous.)
  


• the summit fundraiser en route to being real!


• seeing my hood ass boys in LA, and recreating a dynamic that reminds us where we are from.
  


• binky's wedding approaching!


• seeing old friends


• wedding shopping: OVER!
  


• miniature golf with sham and h


• "butterfingers!"


• giving up the right things
  


• being able to have friends in many places


• having the ability to go to these places


• people choosing to have me as a friend in their lives

i feel pretty full of good, good things.

gratitude 03

• open arms and open homes everytime i stop to take a break
• having good people process with me
• sleeping late
• safely making it to Los Angeles
• reunions with people i love dearly
• my mom being supportive of my crazy.
  
• really loving my mom, and knowing i do not show it very often
  
• fully refundable domains
• how there is always good food in my life
  
• uncle carlos being infinitely generous and kind to me
• having a large family
• enjoying my work, no matter how many times you've already heard it
• how i appreciate strategy
• reflection always welcomed
• being a "good" kind of smart
  

list 02

i am grateful that the kabalikat women
that this movement is growing int he hearts of people.
for my friend, stephen, who has continued to choose me in his life.
i am grateful for sandy and waterfalls.
for being trusted
for people who believe in my work.
for irma's birthday
for the internet and catherine being a good house guest
for wide, flat surfaces used for crafting
for the friendships we pass onto other people
for the push to get it together
for being excited
for getting gigs.

gratitude list one:

1) the means to enjoy my life, and reward myself for hard work
2) that my girl irma will now share LA with us; possibly mel, too
3) a really kind note from marcusbarkus
4) a gorgeous rendition of the vagina monologues by people i love and admire
5) accepting opportunities to engage people in art making; making art again for myself and the movement i love
6) the kindness of kasamas; picking me up from the airport, and allowing me to stay in their homes
7) knowing that on an upcoming wednesday night, i will be dancing to dancehall with yanyan
8) the kindness of people like lori, who want to do as much as she can for FiRE. similarly, people who travel through 4 states just to let us know that the work we are doing is important
9) jesse's return from the Philippines, and it ending with lunch and his stories of his first time home
10) singapore noodles and bacon avocado sandwiches
11) ria mae's parents wanting to meet me
12) not freaking out over lost cars, or using it as an opportunity to be mean to people
13) ate virginia asking to take a photo with me
14) seeing PF clean and gorgeous
15) jill's schedule and my schedule finally colliding
16) tearing up with val and irma when the striker all stars were booted off ABDC during the recap marathon.
17) celebrating kourtney on her belated bday
18) my friends forgiving me for being away, and reminding me that they value the time they do have with me
19) the potential of skype!
20) my high school network proving to be very valuable in my adult life
21) lunch with cling and yancy, and driving back to NJ with matthew and jonna, too!
22) binky's invites ALMOST DONE!
23) AB taking the time to support us, and provide us with volunteers
24) feeling good because people think I do good work
25) IT IS MARCH!
26) being able to sing with anthony for sarah's book launch, and see old faces there
27) hearing joseph talk about sarah so sweetly!
28) the surprise i feel when people who i thought disliked me, really liked me