sometimes i feel like working life stifles my creativity. this is what i realized when i went back to aa for easter weekend and attended good friday service at hmcc. aa was a place where the thoughts and ideas were flowin'. philly life has been - trying to get used to work, catching up w/ tv shows.

on tv: madonna says she doesn't let her kids watch a lot of tv coz it's all passive input. she wants her kids to be creative with active output. okay, she didn't use 'passive input' or 'active output'. i can't remember what she said exactly, but i like the way i coined it just now.

anyway, just went to this 1040 movie screening at penn. and i totally miss being on a college campus and receiving all this brain and soul stimulation. things in the urbs and the burbs are just a little crazy and mundane (respectively). the campus is where it's at!

i had no idea what this movie thingy was, but really, i just wanted to hang out w/ my friend Rita, because i haven't seen her in a month. and she seemed really compelled to attend this movie. i also happened to be supernaturally compelled to attend this movie because i was determined to finish my work no matter how long it took, but ended up not finishing it and hopping on a train, getting off at a upenn stop, not knowing how i would get back home afterwards, and then heading for the movie.

this thingy turned into a prayer/revival service, which my soul was missing and craving coz i haven't been to something like this in a while. i'm happy to praise the Lord that my left thenar muscle was touched by the Spirit and healed from an ache. (very important muscle for dentists).

today's 3 y.o. girl was screaaaming for dear life in the waiting room. wasn't sure if she'd make it to the dental chair. miraculously she calmed down and walked in, sat in the chair and seemed very curious. i asked her how old she was and she can only count to two so far. so 'dos!' it is!
her face was super feisty and it was kind of like dealing with combustibles. she was super cute with chubby cheeks and braids and cavities free teeth. but there was this tension in the air, as if at any moment she could burst into tears and not allow our dental visit to continue.
somehow i'm pretty sure that she was very aware that she had this kind of power. that she knew she could get her way. that she could manipulate the circumstances by playing her cry.
after the appointment i saw her reunited with big brother, who was just absolutely tormenting her. of course, he was having fun. she was totally annoyed and squeamish. little sister, my heart goes out to you!

patient who found christ in prison. he was labelled a 'career criminal', which he explained that once a person commits 3 felonies, they are considered a 'menace to society' and then have to do 25 years without parole. so he was in and out of jail. miraculously his 25 years was decreased and now he is taking bible classes and living/sharing the gospel. ptl!
he didn't know we were a christian clinic and we started talking about jesus. so he asked me if i was 'saved' and i said, 'yeah'. and elaborated, 'umm... i think everyone here is "saved". hehe.' and he concluded, 'ooooh, that must be why the lord led me here.'
anyway, next time he's going to bring me sermon cassettes from his church. cassettes? what's a cassette?

tv gave a tour to a group of westminster students today. it was like asian man invasion! threw me off guard coz i barely ever see that many of my peoples @ k and a!

5 y.o. D said 'bye' and then looked up at me like this:

8==== ( ^ ___ ^ ) ====8

so cute! so i picked him up and gave him a hug.

3 y.o. little brother X saw big brother and monkey see, monkey do, so he also said 'bye' and then:

8=== ( O __ O ) ===8

so i picked him up and gave him a hug.

and for a moment i wanted to take one with me. but then in an instant all 4 siblings were going off the wall. then i returned them to mom and said 'phew!' and went home.

new crush

he does what i say.
i hurt him and he endures to the point of numbness,
yet he still gives me a high five.
he laughs at my jokes.
he listens to me.
he perseveres.
he is unafraid to cry.
he contributes to my paycheque.
all women gush at him, but he knows that
i am the only one behind his million dollar smile.
i think this is love.

-----------------

stats:
single latino male.
age 7.
wears air jordan's.
likes sponge bob.

went out to pick up a slice of pizza for lunch. the thing i'm most scared of at k&a...

birds.

i've overcome fear of traffic, strangers, street violence, bad weather, panhandlers, large packs of teenagers.

it's gonna take some time to heal from getting pooped on.

of course, mentally, i know that it's silly.

but VISCERALLY, there's a cringe that occurs when stepping outside and i can't help but twitch my head back and forth scanning the skies and overpass for the avian enemy.