Beautiful Linda

Waking up Sunday morning at 7AM after going to sleep at 4AM was tough, let me tell you. Not only were my eyes so tired that they were actually hurting, I was dreading what was yet I thought would come. Red, puffy eyes, a runny nose, and an aching heart is what I was expecting.
Instead, I experienced a wonderful, joyful remembrance of my beautiful third cousin, Linda. Her unexpected death shocked our whole family when the tragedy took place a little over a year ago. To admire the person Linda was, her father and step mother set up a Butterfly Release to celebrate Linda graduating into the next afterlife. I have never experienced such a unique way to acknowledge the life Linda lived. "A butterfly release expresses by sight what the soul feels, and these unutterable emotions ride on the beating wings of an equally speechless butterfly. These soul sounds are carried through the air by the butterflies, and all who observe their flight are connected by a special understanding of the event that has taken place."(http://www.butterflyreleases.com) What made this event even more special is when a butterfly landed on her fathers chest, and just stayed there for a little. It was like Linda was hanging out with us. She knew we were all there for her and could feel how much we love her. The releasing of the butterflies show that this doesn't mean she is gone, it shows the celebration of "a most exquisite life to come", if that is even possible. We love you Linda.

Some Things Never Change

This may have been the only truly spontaneous thing I have done. While battling the ever so tough decision that I know faces me every weekend, do I have a night in? Or be young and fun and go out? Despite the fact that I got 3 hours of sleep on Friday, Saturday I finalized my plans to take a trip back to North Philly for one of my best friends' party to christen their new house. And although I had to wake up at 7AM to take a trip to NY the next day, that didn't stop me from enjoying the night. I never thought that people I knew for less than a year would seem like such old friends to me after not seeing them for awhile. That typically only happens with long time friends, I assumed. But I was wrong. Even Quabs showed up and surprised us, which definitely topped off my visit. Most of us were together again, and that visit definitely reminded me of how excited I am to have a house in Philadelphia. Here's to our college years, everybody! Our tough but exhilarating college years.

From Now...

A change of scene is always needed every once in awhile. The anticipation of knowing that something unpredictable is going to happen tonight is kind of an adrenaline rush. I've come to the conclusion that music is more meaningful if it took heartache, sleepless nights, and ambition from all band members to become the best band they could be. The Districts played an amazing (I had a smile on my face the entire time) show at the Chameleon Club on Friday night. Seeing people I know follow their dreams and have their peers along their side dancing and singing along to their original songs makes it all the better. The Districts went to my high school, by the way. I would look behind me, seeing everyone from my highschool dancing, and then look back at Rob, Mark, Connor, and Braden up onstage and I could see the happiness in their eyes, and their performance definitely showed it too. All I needed that night was old friends, good music, and food. Yes, the Neptune Diner hooked us up. So, here's to a night that I spent with people who helped me get out of my comfort zone. But in some odd way, I felt more comfortable being at that concert than usual.