Free Skynard tickets

God, I love Craigslist. Free Lynard Skynard tickets! SECTION 3! I have never been up so close at the Tweeter, I mean Comcast Center. Forget capitalism. It's all about the barter system... :P

Operation Overhaul

I just hired myself as a consultant for my parents' convenience store, called Brookline Superette. AAH, I love NEPOTISM! Moo HA HA (evil laughter)

You can check out our new website, which is clearly lacking content, but I am content with just getting our name out there into cyberspace.

A project that has been brewing in my consciousness for quite some time, I think my break in San Francisco/Hawai'i/India/Nepal/Egypt/New York has really rejuvenated me. My entrepreneur mind has kicked fully into overtime. I am determined to help my parents' business, which is threatened of going under by Trader Joe's. My goal is to increase our business by 50%, so help me God.

God has promised us in Psalm 20

1 May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

2 May he send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.

3 May he remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
Selah

4 May he give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.

5 We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.

6 Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;
he answers him from his holy heaven
with the saving power of his right hand.

7 Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.

8 They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

9 O LORD, save the king!
Answer [a] us when we call!

Still in Re-entry Stress/Reverse Culture Shock

Yeah, I am still in super reverse culture shock. It's so clean here, it seems unfair and a little disturbing. The streets are immaculate and the roads are not dusty. People are not honking in my ear.

I think I just *may* have been cured of my desire to shop incessantly, compared to before. I am much more balanced about my spending/buying habits. I just feel so "normal." If there is such a thing.

It's nice to be me. To like who I am more, though I can still be impatient, rude and thoughtless. I definitely feel calmer, nicer and more considerate than B.C. (Before Christ). Even my mother has said she noticed a difference.

I appreciate my parents SO much more. All the bitter resentful rebellious hatred of youth seems to have dissipated a little. Can it be? Maturity on the horizon? Maybe I am deluded, but I feel more like an adult...if there is such a thing.

The Heavenly Man

I was cleaning/organizing/dusting all day and kind of avoiding church, and thought I would make it to the 4 pm service. My friend even invited me to the beach, and I was sad I couldn't make it. Then I rushed to church after final touch-ups on my room and a shower, and when I got there (I was super early, yay!), they made this announcement that Brother Yun was speaking. At first, I had no idea who John was talking about, but then when I realized it was the author of The Heavenly Man, I felt like it was TOTALLY GOD. Yay, I love Jesus. He is my best friend.

http://www.google.com/products/catalog?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=s&hl=en&q=heavenly+man&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=8129482308230180835&ei=HmsrTMOiJMT68AaQp7HUCA&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CCoQ8wIwAg#

He was a great speaker, though a lot of what he said was in his book. I wish he mostly talked about new stuff. He should do a follow up novel, like 3 Cups of Tea's.

Rainbow at the beach

Nahant Beach with Jennifer and Leandro. Flying a kite and running around screaming at the top of my lungs in glee. Swimming in the rain facing a huge beautiful rainbow with a bunch of triathletes in the freezing cold New England water with God painting the sky and clouds with brilliant strokes of light and color. Then to top it off, Brazilian feijoada. Does life get any better than this?

Re-Entry Stress

I am having re-entry stress. It's so weird to be home and yet very nice to be in clean, clean Brookline. I feel kinda out of it. Like, slightly off-kilter, yet not being able to put my finger on it. I feel so slow to respond to people, like I am in slow motion. But it's like something doesn't feel quite right. Just a little out of place...

Jackie asked me if people were friendly there. Yes. So friendly. It's kinda like in India, people aren't so friendly initially, but once you break through the ice, they welcome you with open arms and you are family, and treated as such. In America, it's the opposite. People are so friendly, and then the closer you get, the harder it is know them. Then you encounter the iceberg. Perhaps it's not true, you can dispute me on it. The thing with Americans is that at least you kinda know what to expect. There is just so much more love and heart in India, I don't know why. I mean, I think acts of service really moved up on my 5 Love Languages list, because in India, there is a motto/cultural paradigm "Guests are Gods." I SURE LOVED BEING A GUEST IN INDIA!!! Here in the States, people forget to even offer you a glass of water, or even expect you to do the dishes in their home! Okay, maybe not, but that's what it felt like. I'd give a dime to hear your opinions on this one!

I miss the intimacy that people have in India. I miss Riya, with her loud, intrusive behavior that was all up in my bizness, yet felt so loving and caring, because she was instructing me on "the way to be a proper Hindu slash Indian woman." And I SOOO miss little Karuna, who didn't talk to me for like a week, and then she kept rolling onto my mattress (we had five very thin rollout mattresses laid out side by side in our hostel ((which is what they call dorms in India)). She was my girl. I miss all the closeness and warmth.

Driving on the highway is insane. Actually, driving in Boston is a little like driving in India, so I feel slightly at home on the road. I hate being in the passenger seat with my father, though, his foot is so heavy on the break.

Father's Day was really nice. Calvary Christ Church, first time at church in U.S. (I know, I can't believe I missed two Sundays). Pretty good service, got a free black mug filled with goodies! I loved how real and honest the pastor's dad was during his sermon. Went for a swim after crashing for a three hour nap. Her pool was so cold, yet refreshing. I loved meeting her neighbors. 4 year olds are so honest, I absolutely love it. (He said he saw me eating dog food. ha ha ha. Not true, but funny, nonetheless.)

Remembering the Surf

I was out with Sherry and a couple of her friends out on the waves. We were right across the street from where I was staying, and there was a storm coming in from Australia. The waves were coming in pretty slow, but they were big. Probably 2 footers, although they felt more like 4 footers. I was out there for a while, paddling, just trying to catch the right one. Then I hit it. "C'mon Sherry!" I yelled, as loud as I could, adrenaline starting to pump through my veins. We started paddling as hard as we could. Me, on my 9 foot longboard, probably about 20 years old, fiberglass busting out, compliments of craigslist. (And they said I couldn't do it.) Man, that wave was so sweet. I dropped down into it. And I surfed the heck out it. Words can't really describe the sensation of dropping into a really sweet wave, you just feel it. And yes, you feel like you are on top of the world.

I didn't catch any more good waves that day, but I will remember those moments forever. I am itching to tackle some East Coast waves now that I am here, but Hawai'i, that is the true home and birthplace of surf.