Summer is over. Fall has officially begun. For this being my first summer where I'm healthy enough to have fun and travel since my diagnosis in February 2011, I have to say, it exceeded my expectations. It was great having new adventures with wonderful friends and loving family. The beautiful sunny California weather was definitely the cherry on top!
Having my health taken away from me, and having to face death will have an everlasting effect on my life. I don't deny that there are still lots of emotional sadness, fear, anger and guilt that I have to resolve, but at the same token, there's a sense of liberation.
Firstly, I stopped going through the motions of life, and started living. Oftentimes, I would postpone plans to visit friends and go traveling. Something seem to always come up; whether it was school, work, or lack of money. I've come to realize that these obstacles will always be a part of life, and I have to take responsibility and stop making excuses for not being able to live the life I want to live. If I want something, I have to make it happen. No one else can do it for me.
Secondly, I worry less about living up to people's expectations. Pleasing people is very exhausting work, and in the end, it wasn't satisfying for me at all. I spent too much time doing things that I didn't want to do because I didn't have the courage to say no. The only person I can be is myself, and hopefully it'll be enough.
Third, I've become more conscious about how I spend my time. I try not to waste the time I have arguing and fighting with my loved ones. Nothing is ever that important, and it's better to take a step back, realize what's happening, and give the people I love the benefit of the doubt. Everyone deserves a chance to be heard, and it's best to keep an open mind and listen.
Lastly, I've accepted that suffering and pain are a part of life. I realize that it's really pointless in spending time worrying about things that are out of my control, and fearing for the worst, because bad things will happen, and nothing that I do will ever prepare me for it. The only thing I can do is to deal with it when it does come.
Live in the present. Enjoy life!
Oakland Relay For Life (In Memory of Dr. Charles A. Koller)
Our team, Rising Stars, raised $10,828 and we were the top fundraising team at the event!
The money raised is used for research and to support those battling cancer.
The Rising Stars campsite offered free fruit and veggies.
It ended up being a being a big hit with all the walkers!
Our team walked for 24 hours with a combined total of 130,600 steps (61.6 miles).
Our team purchased about 90 luminarias in memory and in honor of our team's
and our sponsors' friends and family. They were lit around the course all
night long to remind us of the people we were walking for.
San Francisco Zoo
Lemurs are native to the the African island of Madagascar, and some tiny neighboring islands.
They have power scent glands which they use to communicate and mark their territories.
During the mating season, male lemurs battle for dominance by trying to outstink each other!
Lemurs having fun sunbathing. Aren't they so cute?
The Varecia variegata species do sure do look like skunks though.
I'm a butterfly!
Giraffes browse treetops with its 6-foot neck, and plucks leaves with its 18-inch tongue.
Our crazy curly hair.
Patas monkeys are the fastest primate species. Their body shape is similar to that of a
greyhound, with long limbs, narrow body, and prominent rib cage. The dominant adult
male of the group acts as a lookout. It looks like he's really enjoying his job!
I couldn't end the day without a visit to the petting zoo.
Lands End
Shoji modeling at San Francisco's westernmost point, Lands End.
It's where all of land ends and the great Pacific Ocean begins.
In 1894, Adoph Suturo developed the amazing Sutro Baths. The swimming facility
had the capacity of 10,000 people, and offered 20,000 bathing suits, and
40,000 towels for rent. The Pacific Ocean high tides could fill the 1.7
million gallons of water required for all the pools in just one hour.
Due to the Great Depression, reduced public transportation, and new public health codes, the
Baths became less popular. The concrete ruins are all that remains of the grand Sutro Baths.
Someone decided to have a photo shoot in Sutro Baths. This probably
wasn't the smartest idea as the water looked very unsanitary!
The beautiful Pacific Ocean.
Angel Island State Park
For nearly 100 years, from the Civil War to the Cold War, the federal
government used Angel Island's strategic location for military
bases, a quarantine station, and an immigration station.
From 1910 to 1940, the United States Immigration Station (USIS), nicknamed "the Guardian
of the Western Gate," processed nearly a million immigrants from more than 80 countries.
Ring-a-Ding-Ding!
Mini UCSB Reunion. What a small world running into Alvin at Angel Island!
Ghirardelli Square
Domingo Ghirardelli immigrated from his homeland of Italy to the United States during the
California Gold Rush. In 1852, he created the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, and its
trademark lights continue to welcome ships passing through Golden Gate today.
Getting ready to devour the Expresso Escape. It had two scoops of espresso chip
ice cream, freshly homemade dark chocolate hot fudge, whipped cream, and
an Intense Dark Twilight Delight 72% chocolate. It was sinfully delicious!
