The Rapture (Yeah Right!)

So today was supposed to be the "Rapture" of 200 million Christians and of course, because God is a mystery not a math problem, nothing happened and life goes on as normal. Children starve, grown men can't find work to support their families and people still lose their houses. Last night we had a girls night and we were talking about how messed up our political system is and how change can't happen within the youth of America because they have been raised with the lifestyle of instant gratification in all aspects of their lives. So we were talking about what we wanted to happen within our country and we came up with a couple great ideas. First, how about a television station that reports only good news and inspirational stories of hope, instead of fear mongering and scare tactics? How many times have you watched the news and just been disgusted by all the negativity you see and the horror of the stories. Second, how about a presidential candidate that doesn't spend millions of dollars on a campaign but instead takes that money and puts to good use instead of using it to further his career? He or she could depend on radio and television coverage instead of mean spirited ads and pointless signs that sit in people's front yards and end up in the trash. Third, instead of taking the arts and physical fitness out of schools how about add a mandatory survival class? Basic knowledge for the our children on how to raise chickens and if needed what plants to eat and which ones are poisonous. What we have is not sustainable forever. Nothing is, and we are totally heading for something that will change the way we live our lives today. We should be making plans! A Zombie Apocalypse? Seriously? Come on people. What if that really happened. Who do you know who would be able to survive? I know I can build a fire, but I never learned to skin a squirrel or rabbit. How would I eat? How would I protect myself? I walk everyday its not raining but could I seriously outrun a Zombie? HA! Things have to change! Obama promised a new way way of doing things and everything is the same. He's just like every other politician, maybe worse in some ways because of the hope he inspired and then failed to make it happen. Obviously we as Americans WANT change and go after those who promise it, but when they don't deliver why do we just sit on our couches, watch our scary news stations and say "oh well"? We should stand up for ourselves and the way of life that we desire! Stop taking it up the butt Americans. What if the Rapture truly did happen sometime in the near future? What if something terrible does occur in December 2012? What the hell are we going to do? We are a nation of specialists. Take away one set of workers, say the people who run the electricity in Pennsylvania and the whole state goes into a black out and people go crazy. What kind of legacy do YOU want to leave for your children? Stand up and make a change. For myself, I know I'm going to start doing research on edible plants in PA and the correct way to skin a small furry creature! I will not be caught with my stylish jeans around my ankles and my smart phone as the only way I know people's phone numbers. I'm buying an address book tomorrow! All I know is that what we have cannot continue like it has been without something happening. Weather its the end of times or a change to Socialism, or the Zombie Apocalypse, we must know how to function outside of our normal way of living. And if you don't like something about the way the world is turning, stand up and say NO! I don't support that dammit! I voted for this and you promised us this and we WANT IT NOW! No one can stop you for speaking truth. The truth is so powerful. So I say to all of you, who like me were not chosen for the "Rapture" today, something is coming . . .Are you ready?

"The Secret Language of Flowers" by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

In Vanessa Diffenbaugh's debut novel "The Language of Flowers" the main character Victoria is an emancipated foster care teenager of the age of 18. Through the use of the Victorian language of flowers, she uses them to communicate her feelings of anger, mistrust, and loneliness. Now homeless, she gets inspired to use this secret language for something positive by working at a florist shop.


Through the florist, Victoria meets a mysterious man at the flower vendors and unknowingly reconnects with him, having known him a decade earlier. For someone who lives everyday in extreme guilt for the things she's done in her past, this connections makes her confront her pain and forces Victoria to either walk away from the people she's hurt but still loves, or to seek forgiveness and ask for a second chance at happiness.


Diffenbaugh, taking inspiration from her own foster children, writes a novel that challenges the reader not to feel for Victoria and the struggles she's overcome though such adversity. It is a beautiful debut novel with a hopeful, inspiring, and love filled message of second chances.

"The Sweetness of Tears" by Nafisa Haji

Nsfisa Haji's powerful novel "The Sweetness of Tears" crosses cultures, continents, and traditions in its familiar themes of family, love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Throughout the pages of Haji's novel, she weaves a story both compelling and moving. Weather the plot takes you to Pakistan, Iraq, or America weather in Urdu, Arabic or English, "The Sweetness of Tears" ,moves the reader to understanding and inspires detailed imagery.


Jo March, a young American woman with a twin brother Chris, grew up in a Christian Dynasty, starts yo have doubts and ask some very important, life changing questions, the answers change the course of her life. As she follows her passion for languages the War on Terror interrupts her plans, leading her to investigate the mystery of her heritage, which leads her on a journey across cultures, introducing her to family she never knew existed, and gives her an appreciation of religions and an understanding of what real faith is. 


Jo learns the details of both sides of her families' lives and how it all comes together to lead to her and Chris's birth. Through this journey, both the reader and Jo learn of stories of pain, loss, love, family dysfunction, and secrets that affect her families' histories. "The Sweetness of Tears" is everything a reader wants a novel to be; exciting, educational, inspiring, and moving. Nafisa Haji hits a home run in her second novel and I look forward to reading more from her.

"The Art of Saying Goodbye" by Ellyn Bache

When someone's life takes a turn for the worse, it effects everyone around them in different and dramatic ways. That is the story in "The Art of Saying Goodbye" by Ellyn Bache. Paisley Lamm is a high spirited, life of the party, mother of two, married woman who is stunningly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at age 52 on a warm October day. With the cancer having spread to her liver, there is no hope of recovery and the women around Paisley must come to terms with her imminent passing. She has four neighborhood friends that have been in her life for the raising of her children and shared triumphs and pains. These four woman must stand tall and in their own ways deal with the loss of their friend and sometimes confidant. 


Over the next two months, Paisley's health fails in drastic ways and Andrea, Iona, Ginger, and Julianne (who discovered her enlarged liver at a routine check up at the foot doctor where she is a nurse) all search for ways to show their love and affection for the friend who has in each case changed or bettered their lives with her intervention or words of encouragement. The book is about each friend's struggle to come to terms with the inevitable passing of a dear friend and how to say goodbye when the time comes.


Bache is a well rounded writer and has a trained hand at women's fiction. This is a heartfelt and touching novel about loss and life and the struggle to lead meaningful lives. It is heartwarming and inspiring. A "Great, Great" read for women's fiction lovers out there.

Life is so Short and Precious

So as you may have heard I am a new Aunt to a beautiful boy named William Neko Bell Guarini who was born 4/26/11 at 6:26am weighing 7lbs 2oz. He is perfect and so handsome and doing so good. Reina and Justin are madly in love with him and sometimes I catch them looking at each other like "oh my God, did we make this miracle?"  It's very sweet to see. Lola is of course having some difficulties but loves her baby brother so much and all she wants to do is hold him and touch him. She is slowly getting used to this new life with a baby in the picture. All in all, everybody is healthy and happy and in love. 

In other news, that I guy I really liked and went out with a couple times, is very sick and I haven't been able to see him for weeks now and he barely talks to me. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a peach pit and has been back and forth from Jefferson for testing. So far as I know its inoperable unless they can go in with a gamma knife which he's probably already found out about but I haven't been able to get him to respond to my calls and texts. I am very worried about him since he is all alone having no parents and a brother he can't depend on. He lives alone with his best friend Sophie (who is a 95lb Doberman) and his three cats. I hope he has some friends to talk to because so far he's not talking to Steph and they've been friends for years. I was very ready to be there for him but it's hard to try and be someone's friend when they're not ready for it. I tried and that's all I can say. If he needs me, he knows my number and I hope he calls. Keep Matt in your prayers. He needs a miracle now!


Other than that I have been working again, which is a God send, and am looking forward to start helping Reina on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays with the house work and taking care of Lola and Will when she needs help. I will be getting paid so it's not out of the goodness of my heart but you know I would do it for free. It just leaves me free to help instead of going out and looking for a new job to cover those days. We will be spending a couple weekends down at the beach since Justin is doing a show down at the beach later in May. So looking forward to playing with Lola in the sand.


I've been taking pictures like a mad woman and just invested some money in a 1TB external hard drive to store all my pictures so I don't bog down the computer my Dad so awesomely got me. Speaking of that, I love my computer and it's good for right now but I'm going to need an updated model soon! It is just below the cut off for being able to upgrade to the programs I really want on my computer like Photoshop 5 and iPhoto 9. But I'm so lucky to have something to work on and I think my pictures of been looking good so I'm happy for now. Everything is crazy and wonderful. Its in those moments of craziness where you can find true humor and wonder. Keep your eyes peeled for the moments in your life.

Blood Red Road by Moira Young

Blood Red Road by Moira Young is an adventurous tale of of family split apart through tragedy and the search for a lost loved one through adversity and struggle. Young 18 year old Saba is a twin to her brother Lugh and they live in a post modern world surviving on scrapes and living by a dying lake. They live with their father, who has never recovered from their mother's death nine years ago, and their little sister Emmi, who's birth was the cause of their mother's passing. On a normal day their lives are turned upside down, ending with their father murdered and Lugh kidnapped for no apparent reason, leaving Saba and Emmi to either pick up the pieces of their lives or to set out to rescue their brother and find out why he was kidnapped. 


During this adventure Saba, who has never forgiven her sister for the death of her mother, finds love for Emmi and no matter how hard she tries to keep her safe and out of her hair can't seem to stop Emmi from coming to rescue Lugh with her. During their search,Emmi and Saba are kidnapped themselves and Saba is forced to fight for her life for over a month while her bother is still missing, but her captivity leads her to discover the reason for his kidnapping and the evil plan the King has concerning  her twin. Making a leap of faith she escapes with her sister with the help of some new allies. In this way Saba discovers what it's like to trust people and she makes friends who help her in her search for her brother Lugh. During her escape she rescues a man she feels strangely drawn to. With her new allies and this man Jack she sets off in search for her brother before midsummer's eve when he is to be sacrificed for the King.


This story is about the growth of a young woman during times of adversity and strife, while she struggles to hold on to the family she loves and the best friends she's ever known. Never having had friends before she learns to treat them with care and affection and learns the importance of friendship and trust. It is a story of good triumphing over evil in every sense of the phrase. I would classify this book as Young Adult fiction and would recommend it to anyone under the age of 21. No profanity really and no sex. The hardest part of this book is it is all written in the way Saba and her friends speak so it takes some getting used to.