"Longer the Waiting, Sweeter the Kiss" -Josh Turner

I have quite a few friends these days who are in the ministry. Weird. (But in a cool way.) They study for nearly six years (Idk, I could be wrong, but it's a long time) the way you would at any other university. While they're in school, though, they aren't allowed to have a girlfriend. That's the rule.

I went to breakfast with some of them after church, and with no prompt, a couple of them started talking about the hypothetical woman they would marry-- where she's from, what she looks like, etc. At an age when most guys are commitment-phobes and who shudder at the thought of marriage and the word "forever" might as well mean imprisonment, here these guys were, candidly and openly talking about their future, the way we only imagine girls would.

So as a note to all of my single lady friends who are in a rush to get married because everyone else is: Knowing and getting to know a few of them lately, I've come to the conclusion that they are pretty great-- Some of the most amazing men, and certainly God-fearing. You should maybe re-think this timeline of yours because in about three or four years.. Well, what I'm saying is it will be worth the wait.

But you better be some kind of awesome. My friends deserve nothing less.

Stars Aligning

This was my horoscope for last weekend. Yeah, okay.

Weekend Forecast: You’re moving on up, Scorpio! Thanks to a fiery new moon in your career sector on Friday, you’re on the receiving end of some big-time props. It’s hard to be humble, so don’t waste your time trying. Own your power, Scorpio, and be proud of what you’re capable of. Be sure that the higher-ups are fully aware of the incredible headway you’ve made. Be prepared for the possibility of moving into a leadership role with more responsibilities. What other ambitions are high on your list? This new moon is ideal for launching new projects. Visualize where you want to be in six months’ time, and start manifesting. For some Scorpios, that could mean signing, sealing and delivering your two weeks’ notice. The moment has arrived to pursue a life path that nourishes your soul. On Friday you’ll also crave the company of one of your main men. Don’t wait for him to pick up your signals, though. Show a little vulnerability and ask for his help outright. If you had plans to envelop yourself in a Scorpio bubble over the weekend, think again. The Moon grooves through Virgo and your friendship sector on Saturday and Sunday, setting the stage for good times all around. On Saturday, cross-cultural connections sizzle with promising potential. If you can escape till Sunday night, pack a bag and carpool your way out of town. Drop your guard a bit and let new peeps join the fun. One of them could become a friend, business contact or paramour. 

"I want to leave my footprints on the sands of time"

I can't tell you how many times I've cried since I've been in the Philippines. Live it everyday.

Comfort Zone

Twenty-one and a half hours of sitting on my tuckus, I've made it my life goal to make enough to always fly business class when traveling abroad.

We arrived in Pagsanjan around midnight, and I've been back in Phili for less than 24 hours. This is what I've gathered:

No AC, no cable, and last night I spotted a mouse.

So far it doesn't sound much different than my life in NY, if you ask me, so I don't really mind it.

The funny thing is, my dad decided to bring over a flat screen, and is gonna have some AC units installed since he spends a lot of time here since his retirement. I even think NY might have been hotter.

My dad's old house actually might be in better shape than most NYC apartments. Riddle me that.

Unconventional.

The last couple of months have been a bit stressful; the next couple of months will be quite busy. I suppose if it were any less of either, life would just be boring, and I would be a boring person.

Have you ever read and loved a book whose protagonist only made all of the safe choices?

Yeah, me neither.

Define American

A person seldom begins their journey with the intentions of becoming an inspiration, but we should all be aware of our own ability to inspire simply by living.

Read one man's story, and be inspired to live and tell your own. As we continue to inspire each other, there's no telling what we, as a whole, can do.

Read Jose Vargas' essay published in the NY Times in June 2011, "My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant".  He then found the campaign, Define American, which simply promotes the conversation of immigration. This week, TIME Magazine and TIME.com is front paging this story, "Not Legal, Not Leaving".

"Get A Helmet" -Boy Meets World

If everyone just quit when things got tough, no one would accomplish anything, ever.

This month and a half hasn't been breezy. These last two months haven't been what I expected it to be. I was whining to a friend, and something he said really snapped me back to reality. After I complained, he responded, "A month? That's nothing. You'll be fine." He was right. (Also, many apologies to my friends this month for being a freakin' baby, and many thank yous too.) What's a bad moment, week, month (or several) in the grand scheme of things? It'll be a time you'll look back on and say, "Yeah, it was worth it." It'll be a good story. These not awesome moments are the part in the movie where the protagonist is on the brink of giving up and caving in, and you, in the audience, are rooting for him, hoping he pushes forward and through.

I don't want to worry anyone (Mom and Dad particularly, if you still read this.. and anyone else who may read this and talk to my Mom and Dad). Things aren't that bad; just not ideal. I still stand by every decision I've made up to this point. I still believe that my life goals are worth fighting for, and that the things that I'm doing now will get me there.

Dreams aren't for the faint of heart. They aren't for cowards or quitters. I'm scrappy. I'll be A-okay. We're allowed to be fearful, and we're allowed to be anxious, but don't be either of those things for too long. Turn panic into productivity, because whining and complaining and talking over and over about what didn't happen won't change the past. Take steps to mold your future. Move on, move mountains; JUST MOVE. Make life happen.

It's that whole metaphor about the picnic and the rain. You know, that line in the Outkast song, "You can plan a pretty picnic but you can't predict the weather." That's what life's been like since I moved back to NY.

Remember: It was ScrappyDoo. Not ScrappyDon't or Scrappy Didn't. (Get it? I crack myself up.)