Days 31, 32, and 33

60 Day Picture Challenge - Day 31: A picture of a tradition you have.

My brothers and I get together to smoke the hookah just about every night. It's the time in which we bond and talk about our day/life in general. I know it probably isn't the healthiest of traditions, to be smoking every night, but what can I say? We all have a few guilty pleasures.

60 Day Picture Challenge - Day 32: A picture of a crazy night.

This picture was taken on 5 de Mayo 2010. Some cousins from Honduras where in Miami and although I had to work the following day, I decided to join in on the 5 de Mayo celebrations. We went to a few bars in Coconut Grove (we're at Sandbar in this picture.) However, we had so much to drink that we had to go to Denny's to have incredibly greasy food to sober up. I think you can tell by all of our expressions just how happy/tipsy we were. Anyways, after the festivities, I went back home and napped for about an hour. When I woke up, I showered, had some red bull, and went to work like a champ. Good times.

60 Day Picture Challenge - Day 33: A picture of the house you grew up in.

I don't have a front shot of the house in which I grew up in, so this is as close as it gets. I lived in this house until I was about 10-11 years old. Then we moved to the house that we're currently at, which is much roomier.

Day 30

60 Day Picture Challenge - Day 30: A picture of someone you miss.

The two people I currently miss the most: my sister from another mister and my brother from another mother. We've been friends since 2007, and I know this is just the beginning of a wonderful journey together. <3

30 Day Song Challenge - Day 30: Your favorite song at this time last year.

I was addicted to this song last year, not just because I like Eminem, but because I felt the lyrics related to a rough situation I was going through. Back then I really was going through a dark period in my life, and I'm so glad it's over...

We touch I feel a rush

We clutch and it isn't much

But it's enough to make me wonder what's in store for us

It's lust, it's torturous

You must be a sorceress 'cause you just

Did the impossible

Gained my trust don't play games it'll be dangerous

If you fuck me over

'Cause if I get burnt I'm a show you what it's like to hurt

'Cause I been treated like dirt before you

And love is "evol"

Spell it backwards I'll show you

Nobody knows me I'm cold

Walk down this road all alone

It's no one's fault but my own

It's the path I've chosen to go

Frozen as snow I show no emotion whatsoever so

Don't ask me why I have no love for these motherfucking hoes

Bloodsucking succubuses, what the fuck is up with this?

I've tried in this department but I ain't had no luck with this

It sucks but it's exactly what I thought it would be

Like trying to start over

I've got a hole in my heart, for some kind of emotional rollercoaster

Something I won't go on 'til you toy with my emotion, so it's over

It's like an explosion every time I hold you, I wasn't joking when I told you

You take my breath away

You're a supernova... and I'm a

I'm a space bound rocket ship and your heart's the moon

And I'm aiming right at you

Right at you

Two hundred fifty thousand miles on a clear night in June

And I'm aiming right at you

Right at you

Right at you

Day 29

60 Day Picture Challenge - Day 29: A picture that can always make you smile.

There are so many pictures that genuinely make me smile. I literally spent a good 30 minutes looking all over my Facebook albums to find a picture that stood out, and although I had several options, I ended up choosing this one.

This picture was taken on June 4, 2007, my 21st birthday, which I celebrated IN JAPAN! As I mentioned in a previous post, going to Japan has been the most memorable experience in my life thus far, and getting to celebrate my birthday there was just the icing on the cake.

A BIG group of friends and I went to an "all-you-can-drink" restaurant and, as you can tell from the picture, ended up having a blast. Afterwards, we went to a karaoke joint to have even more fun. Anyways, I think this picture captures the essence of the entire night.

30 Day Song Challenge - Day 29: A song from your childhood.

Kabah is a Mexican pop group and if I'm not mistaken, their album was one of the first ones I ever bought. Although to be completely honest, the first album I bought was one by Ace of Base. Anyways, I picked this song because of its fantastical elements. I've always been a dreamer, and when I was a child, I used to daydream all the time about being a princess and being surrounded by all sorts of fantastical creatures (I swear I'm not crazy, though. Just have an overactive imagination.) Therefore, this song with its "La calle de las sirenas" (Street of the Sirens) title is very relevant to my childhood.

Day 28

60 Day Picture Challenge - Day 28: A picture of something you 're afraid of.

You may have noticed this about me, but I'm quite honestly simply not the type of girl that is scared of many things. However, I'm sincerely terrified of growing old and getting Alzheimer's. My brain is my most valuable asset and I don't know what I would do if one day it suddenly started to deteriorate. Also, I believe that in old age, one's memories become significantly more important. But, what would happen if you lost all of your precious memories? Alzheimer's is expected to affect 1 out 85 people by 2050. Now, those are some scary figures. With Alzheimer's, not only does it lead to death, but you become irrelevant and a burden to those you love. Yea, the more I think about it, the more I'm certain that Alzheimer's/dementia is the thing that I'm most terrified of.

30 Day Song Challenge - Day 28: A song that makes you feel guilty.

I honestly try to lead my life in a very careful and controlled way that will make me have as less guilt as possible. However, I'm only human. This selection is actually one that I won't go into detail about, but I'm sure that some of you smart cookies out there will figure out what situation this song is alluding to.

Two dots,

Joined by a line,

May be detached

By a crime...

Who is responsible when the line is stretched?

Who is responsible when it becomes a triangle?

How irresponsible when the line is stretched.

How irresponsible when it becomes a triangle.

Day 27

60 Day Picture Challenge - Day 27: A picture of yourself and a family member.

This is my mother's mom. Her name is Vilma and contrary to what you guys might expect, I don't call her "abuela." When I was younger, she would call me "amores," and whenever I tried to imitate her, what would come out of my mouth instead was "moyes." Soon enough, every single one of her grandchildren started calling her that too. She also calls me "moyes" in return, and I'm actually her favorite granddaughter (she's even quite vocal about it - if you ask her, she'll tell you that I'm her favorite, haha.) The first picture was taken in 1987 at my first birthday celebration. The second was taken on Christmas of last year. She is one of the strongest women I know. Actually, I didn't mention this previously, but she just won the battle against skin cancer. Both of my grandpas are already dead, but I'm blessed to say that I've still got my two grandmas alive and well - just hoping that they'll be next to me for many more years.

30 Day Song Challenge - Day 27: A song that you wish you could play.

I would love to be able to play the piano in this. As much as I love pop music, I think this is the music of my dreams. I mean, I don't think I've ever met anyone who doesn't like Tchaikovsky. I remember when I was a little girl, I would play Tchaikovsky's "Valse des Fleurs" from the Nutcracker Suite over and over again as I pretended to be a ballerina. Truly beautiful music.

Day 26

60 Day Picture Challenge - Day 26: A picture of something that means a lot to you

Family. 家族. Famiglia.

My family is everything to me. I would be absolutely nothing without these individuals right here. However, I feel very blessed in saying that I truly feel as if I have 2 families - those who are related to me by blood, and those who I've hand-picked to be my accomplices in this journey called life. So, I present to you my second family (plus/minus a few - I don't have any one picture with all of you in it, sorry!) These are the people who have served as my support system when my actual blood family wasn't around, and who have continued to play an essential role in my life, despite the distance that separates us. <3

30 Day Picture Challenge - Day 26: A song that you can play on an instrument

I don't like telling this to very many people, because quite honestly, I'm not very good at it, but I actually taught myself how to play the piano. Those of you who have played Final Fantasy know that every game in the series has a theme song, and when I was younger, I used to spend hours at the piano (I do have a piano in my house - picture below), trying to figure out the melody by ear. Later on, in high school and college, I actually took musical notation classes and finally learned how to read music. However, despite my love for the piano (and somewhat regrettably), I never made it a priority to take lessons.

Anyways, long story short, other than the Final Fantasy theme songs, I learned how to play this piece, which is related to the holidays and that some of you may recognize as "What Child is this?"

Marry the night

Last night we had a dinner party at chez moi (that's French for my house.) Family is very important to me and I truly regret the fact that while I was studying in Miami, only a very select few got the chance to meet my parents and/or brothers. I've always said that if I had studied in Honduras, or if my family had been living with me in Miami while I went to university, my collegiate experience would've been very different. Furthermore, I really would've liked to have shared with my friends this aspect of my life - I think it would've helped them get a better sense of my lifestyle and why I am the way that I am. But alas, it was not possible. So, I decided to share some of the pictures from last night, in hopes that you can all get a better idea of what it means to have a Bandy family celebration (and also to motivate you to come visit me, hehe. ) My family is fun, and although we're Hispanic, we like to keep it classy! ;)

And the food was to die for, if I may say so myself. The menu for the night:

Appetizers: sauteed mushrooms, tomato bruschettas, Asiago cheese, and salmon carpaccio.

Entree: Premium ribeye steaks with baked potatoes and salad.

Desserst: Blueberry flan, brownies, and lemon squares.

With my mother and my cousin Janina.

My younger brother and his girlfriend. Ah, l'amour... :)

With my cousins, Kristian (far left) and Ricardo (far right), and my older brother, Michael

Always gonna be daddy's little girl. :)

Candid!

The pool area

We're a Middle Eastern family - no reunion would be complete without a hookah! Hehe

I'm gonna marry the night, I won't give up on my life. I'm a warrior queen, live passionately tonight...

XOXO