Back To School On Memory Lane

     School is about to start, the whole hype about kids going to school reminds me of when I was younger. I remember that every year I would look forward for that school shopping experience. I remember going down the isles with my brother and or my sister and they would ask me what materials I would be needing for school. This, this, that… The routine was always the same, and always pleasant.

I loved going school shopping. There was just something so nice about that “starting all over” feeling that I loved so much. Each year was the same, a new beginning, a new start. Seeing my nieces and nephews getting ready to go to school really brings me back to my days when I was their age. A lot has changed from what I’ve seen. Perhaps I’m getting to old, perhaps I’m still stuck in my old ways when things seemed more childish and naïve. Nowadays I see kids more worried about other things like makeup (yeah, I’ve seen first graders worried about makeup), and new gadgets and cellphones. I’m talking about kids here! Maybe I really am stuck in the olden days when a lunch box was so cool to have, when the biggest gadget you owned was a Gigapet or a calculator that you didn’t even need. I miss the old days when backpacks where all about Hello Kitty and Lisa Frank and not about Hanna Montana and all those other characters that are way too out there for me.

I remember how the most we complained about where uniforms, and how much we disliked wearing those collar shirts. Now kids that don’t have to take uniform complain about having brand jeans and designer clothes. I miss the simple days of school, the more childish days where kids were actually kids and enjoyed their childhood. Today all I see is kids so worried about their body and image, and having the new styles and being popular. Today it seems that being a second grader and not having a phone is a big deal breaker. What has happened? Why can’t we be a big more conscious about giving kids a break and let them be kids. Then again times have changed, but I don’t think I’ll ever change in liking the simpler things in life.

Smile, just because times change doesn’t mean you can’t reminisce about your good times. 

Family Time

   You know what I love so much? Family time. That easy, warm feeling I get when the whole family gets together every now and then to swap funny stories. Sometimes its for no reason, sometimes its to celebrate a birthday or even just to watch a sports game. Whatever the reason may be doesn’t matter because what matters is being a part of it.

I’m not going to lie, my family is very crazy, very dysfunctional like many other families. Like many other families we too have our downs, and our fights. Sometimes we have very “uggy” phases of life when things just don’t work and that’s life. Although I wish we never had those times, they happen and they’ll still happen and that’s just what happens sometimes. Coming back together is the best part, making up for that lost time or for those silly grudges.

You know what else I love? Sharing old stories that never get old. Does that happen to you too? We can say the same story, time and time again and no matter how many times we’ve said it it never gets old, and the laughter is always present. We like to tease each other about our little quirks, we like to point out the silly things we do. Hey, that’s just how this family works and its all in good fun.

I love to see my whole family together as one. I love to watch them laugh together. There’s just something so beautiful about that, so precious, so heartwarming. Whenever I see them laugh together I get extremely happy and its in times like this that all the bad things that ever happen fade away as if they never happened. My family may be crazy, my family may be dysfunctional, my family may be silly but my family will always be my family and goodness how I love them so.

Smile, whenever you get family time, savor each moment. 

Why I Walk On Sunshine

 Ever heard the song “Walking On Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves? I love that song, and to me that song has a lot of meaning.

“I used to think maybe you loved me now baby I’m sure

And I just cant wait till the day when you knock on my door

Now everytime I go for the mailbox, gotta hold myself down

Cos I just wait till you write me you’re coming around”

I love getting mail, no I’m not talking about E-Mail but snail mail. The feeling of opening an envelope and awaiting to read whats inside… especially when it comes from someone like my love. I remember getting the first letter (after he left) I was a mixture of smiles and tears of joy (literally) for the rest of the day. Just knowing that he thinks of me despite his extremely busy schedule makes me smile, and makes me feel that warm tingly feeling inside. Ever since then whenever I get a letter in the mail from him I kid you not I start singing the song.

“I’m walking on sunshine wooah!”

I value greatly the work that the post office does. Without them I don’t know how life would be like. They are the men and women that close the gaps of miles that stand in between two lovers. They bring us close although far away, and the sight of the post by the house makes me extremely happy. Thank you great people from the post office, THANK YOU for all that you, just know you bring me smiles with every letter you bring my way, especially from my sweetheart.

Smile, walk with me on sunshine! Come on!

Old Books Are Sexy

     I have a secret obsession, fascination, or whatever you want to call it with old books. Unfortunately I don’t own any old books, but at the sight of one I immediately go ballistic. What is it about them? Is it the thought of the history behind them, the story within the book? Really, what is it? I could be in a room with antique books and be extremely happy, there’s just something about those old pages, the feel, the look, the smell… that’s just exciting to my senses.

Lately there’s a particular theme to old books that I find myself looking into time and time again. Original first print Vincenzo Valgrisi books. If only those books weren’t so expensive, you can bet I would collect them. Just the thought of running the tips of my fingers along the lines of text, or holding a page in between my index finger and thumb makes me go insane. Sometimes I wonder if I’ll ever eve get a chance to touch one, its like my platonic crush, a secret (not so much now) dream of mine. Maybe if only I could get my hands on one, just one of those books no matter what the subject I would be so happy! To think that such marvelous object could belong to me… hey one can dream right?

Smile, sometimes the oddest things can make us smile.