Puerto Rico

I sincerely apologize for my leave of absence from this blog, The last five days I was in the beautiful island of Puerto Rico. Unfortunately this was not a vacation, I was morning the loss of one of my boyfriend's family members. But we also sought out the opportunity to go not only to celebrate her life but to see the sites where a part of my boyfriends family originated.

Puerto Rico, a Caribbean Latin American Island, not that far from Florida and a US commonwealth, felt like I stepped into another county. I have never been to Puerto Rico before, this was my first trip and I can say I loved it there. We arrived around 6 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, our flight was a two hour trip and went through smoothly... Sorta. Let's just say I found out I do not like flying on a plane. I have nothing against the mode of transportation but its like a roller coaster simulator and I get highly irritated of that feeling. I almost broke my boyfriend's hand when we took off in Florida and landed in PR.

First thing I was told about Puerto Rico before going there wasn't that it was a beautiful country nor was I suggested places to visit. I got the negative first and was told of the high amount of Zika cases present in the country. Hell on the way to the airport, I saw a giant condom billboard ad promoting safe sex, because Zika is sexual transmitted as well. A friend of mine was like "Don't catch the Zika!" So my boyfriend and I packed travel size bottles of military grade bug spray in our carry on bags. I was also told before leaving how the country is practically going bankrupt and how their taxes is higher than those in Florida. Oh not the mention the driving! The driving was worse than a drag race through congestion of the I-95, for those who live in Florida, you know that is hell. My road rage couldn't handle getting behind the wheel.

But I will say I saw many beautiful scenes while I was in Puerto Rico, the mountains, beaches, and the unique community of people made my experience a good one. Not to mention the drinking age is 18 and up, so almost every night I had an alcoholic beverage in my hand. The food, although most of what I had was fried, made me gain a few pounds while I was there. The pork, although I do not eat pork often, was to die for. The crispy skin and the Hispanic seasoning we all know and love made the food there amazing. One of my favorite things to eat while I was in PR was Bacalaítos, fried cod fish in like a pancake batter. My goodness! God bless the Puerto Rican Momma who made this, I had it almost everyday I was there. Each day at Puerto Rico brought me to a new experience to another Hispanic culture besides my own. Learning of their legends, stories and Catholicism traditions in the island has brought me closer to my boyfriend and his family. Stay tuned for each day of my adventures in the beautiful island that is Puerto Rico.

This was taken from my hotel room.

Love

I apologize for not writing any sooner. I have been busy with school and work. I was shocked at the series of violence that has been going on in the world over the past week.

I pray to the victims to the series of attacks that has taken place in Germany. The shooting in Munich, the suicide bombing attack in Ansbach, and the machete attack in Reutlingen. The attacks to be seem more and more prominent in Europe. As well as the Middle East, I heard news of the attack in Baghdad. ISIS is not a group of love, it promotes hate and is turning people against one another.

We should stand together as one to stand up for what is right, the human rights. The unwritten rule on what should be okay to do and what is not okay to do.

It was not right for slaves to be captured and sent to a country to be a slave, it was not right for Hitler to kill the Jews in the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide was not right, the Rwanda Genocide was not right. I ask why did these things happen?

What made these people turn against one another and make them attack the other group. I believe the answer is fear. (Mind you I am not a professional, this is my own opinion, this blog is purely opinionated.) The fear of loosing what someone believes what is "rightfully" their own, like land or race.

That is how wars have started, and ended bloody. World Wars and Civil Wars.

Let us as people keep the peace, racism isn't necessary. We are all one people. We are not one of several races but of one race, the human race.

Whether you are black, white, Asian, mixed, Caribbean, Hispanic, West Indian, African, Australian, gay, straight, bi-sexual, transsexual, identify as a different gender than you are born, etc. We should not look at our differences as a negative but as a positive because no one is the same,

"One love, one heart
Let's get together and feel all right" - Bob Marley, One Love.

Prayers to Orlando

By now many have heard of the mass shooting that has taken place at Orlando's Pulse nightclub on June 12th. Many Pulse clubgoers were enjoying Latin Night when at 2 a.m. shots were fired from inside the club. Police responded and were at a standoff with shooter, Omar Mateen until the shooter was shot and killed. The shooter claimed to have ties with ISIS according to reports. He took 49 lives and injured more than 50 others. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families who have lost their loved ones. I never imagined a tragedy to hit so close to home.

On the internet many have posted their prayers and sent out their condolences to the victim's families and friends, while others have not. I have seen other posts on social media such as Facebook, pointing fingers to the Islam religion, speaking ill of those who live the alternative lifestyles like the victims and so on. Some even blame the President of the United States himself. The ignorance and calling to blame is deafening to the real issue. 49 innocent lives were lost, not "just homosexuals", but human beings who had families and lives of their own. One person, a U.S. born citizen not an immigrant, took the lives of these people. Not the entire Islamic faith, one person with extremist views. This was an attack on America as well as an attack on the LGBTQ community.

Instead of separating from each other because of our views and lifestyle choices, we should be coming together for those who have lost their lives. As one nation, with many cultural differences, we should all be spreading love instead of hate. Those who disagree with the LGBTQ lifestyle because the bible says it is a sin or call the Islamic faith evil. Well here is my reply to you...

"Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1

"O you who believe, let not a people ridicule (another) people; perhaps they may be better than them; nor let women ridicule (other) women; perhaps they may be better than them. And do not insult another and do not call another by (offensive) nicknames. Wretched is the name of the disobedience after one's faith. And whoever does not repent - then it is those who are the wrongdoers." Quran 49:11

"The vile are ever prone to detect the faults of others, though they be as small as mustard seeds, and persistently shut their eyes against their own, though they be as large as vilva fruit." Garuda Purana 112

"And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them 'Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." Peter 4:8

"As rain falls equally on the just and unjust, do not burden your heart with judgements but rain your kindness equally on all." Gautama Buddha

"Love others as you would love yourself, judge others as you would judge yourself, cherish others as you would cherish yourself. When you wish for others as you with for yourself, and when you protect others as you would protect yourself, that's when you can say it's true love." Confucius

Many religions have taught us to love one another and not to judge others. Spread the love

Robin Williams July 21, 1951 - August 11, 2014

While watching the news today, a very depressing story came on.

Headlines read Robin Williams, dead at 63..

My heart dropped at the thought of this wonderful comedian and actor passing.

To me all his work had an effect in my life so it really saddens me to hear this news.

I remember wishing I can meet him within my lifetime, but unfortunately that can no longer happen.

I remember watching Mrs. Doubtfire and it gave me hope and kept me happy when my parents were going through marital problems.

I remember during that dark time when I would watch that movie with my dad, he told me he would do the same thing Robin Williams did in the movie. Which at the time made me feel happy that my dad would do what Robin Williams would do.

I remember at one point in time Jumanji was my favorite movie, I had the VHS cassette of the movie and I would watch it over and over. I loved the movie and I loved seeing Robin Williams act like a hero in the movie.

I remember watching Aladdin so much when I was younger. Robin Williams voiced Genie in the movie and that movie gave me hope for love and romantic ideals. It is still one of my favorite Disney movies, I can still recite lines and sing-a-long with the songs.

I also remember watching Dead Poet Society and how it made me open up to the idea of Carpe Diem...

I remember watching Hook (my favorite childhood story was Peter Pan) and it made me love and appreciate my father as a hero. Robin Williams played a father going to rescue his children, something that made me feel happy in a dark time...

There are many other movies that Williams did that I love but these are my favorites...

You will be missed Robin Willaims...

"All my love to you poppet, you're going to be alright... bye-bye"

I Love Lucy

Lucille Ball is my all time favorite actress. She is a comedic genius and was a flawless. She loved her family obviously. She to me would be the perfect woman. I loved her show I love lucy by desilu productions. Desi Arnez and Lucille Ball built there industry together and loved each other very much. I hear that he did cheat on her though but they tried working through it by making that show. I've always longed to have their on screen relationship, minus the housewife stuff. I loved how he sang to her and they pulled all sorts of pranks and schemes on each other just to prove something. I like that new song called Ricky Ricardo that came out. Lucille Ball is my role model with her relationship, although they did divorce, you could see that they still cared for each other. I wish they would have stayed together and continue to build their industry. Hmm just imagine that. Anyway I'm sick and hopped up on cough medicine so I felt like talking about my role model

Rain

I hate the rain, its so depressing to me. It always seems to rain when I'm sad or deep in thought. I love the sun, the heat and a cool summer breeze. I love wearing shorts, tank tops and sandal; not rain boots and a poncho.

The only time I do like rain is when it is a hurricane. I love hurricanes, I grew up watching the storm tracking and peeking through the shutter cracks of the window to see leaves and stuff flying. I remember when I was young and there was a category 4 hurricane that hit the place I was living. It lasted all day and went into the late of night. I remember I snuck out of my room and when the dining area window and peeked through. I saw stuff flying, cable wires moving like snakes, and I saw this weird blue orb flying around the house. I thought it was a spark from the cable/electricity wire, but you usually hear them crackling if sparks flew from it. I watched the light and it didn't exactly fall to the ground, it circled the house. I know because it flew out of my line of vision and came back from the other side. To me, I thought it was an angel. Mainly because before any hurricane my Dad would pray for angels to protect my house, and I feel as though as a child I saw an angel protecting me.

I still hate the rain, when it ruins plans or makes me feel even more sad but I will always love hurricanes and tropical storms.