I've MOVED!

Hello Folks!

Just wanted to let you know that after a looooong time, I've moved to a new site. www.cssdoitwell.com. It's a combination of old and new. Hope to see you there!

stay amazing,
Sammy

A Brief Hiatus!

Happy Monday Folks!

I'm sorry to announce that I'll be on a brief hiatus and will return after several weeks. It's the end of the semester so I have countless grading and evaluations to do. I'm also bent on cranking out the final edits of my book. And thirdly, I'm studying Japanese and for the GREs. I plan to go to Japan soon and to get into a PhD program next year. I promise to be back soon with better and cooler content! Thanks so much for reading.

stay amazing,
Sammy

see ya later!

Please pray for Boston

A horrible tragedy has hit my hometown. Please pray and send thoughts for the injured and the families of those who have lost loved ones. This horror has truly left me speechless...Emotions well up in my chest and spill over in tears by this senseless carnage. God have mercy on us all.


Sammy

Unlocking Your Highest Potential: 2 Brief Lessons from Death.

Happy April 1^st Everyone! A new month, a new start, a new everything! Just the way I like it. March was not a good blogging month for me because I worked on a big project due at the end of the month, and it occupied most of my time. However, the deadline was extended so now I can breathe and relax a little bit.

Loved it! 

This weekend I finally had a chance to watch Les Miserables and I loved it because of its grand story, plethora of interesting characters, and a message of hope for tomorrow despite the wretchedness, pain, and darkness that surrounds existence. It unveiled the amazing power of love and mercy, and how one act of kindness or cruelty can ripple into the future to dramatically change the lives of people interconnected by faith, hope, and despair. And I love musicals so of course I replayed the songs on Spotify until the melodies were stitched on my brain. Despite all the death and sorrow diffused throughout Les Mis, I found it inspiring and uplifting. Ironic, I know.

This brings me to today’s topic of Death. This is not my first post on Death. However, I want to expand a little more on what can be learned from this morose truth of our lives.

Death helps one to stop sweating the small stuff.

A good friend forgot a birthday or rescinded a promise to meet-up? Sister or brother annoyed the hell of out of you because they forgot to do something important? Parents on your case about this or that, and you’ve finally hit the red zone? Boss gave you crap over something that wasn’t your fault? That important package didn’t arrive on time? Another rejection from a coveted job application? Agent? Potential love interest? An idiot made an ignorant comment about you or others? And so on and so on.

via samishra.com

These things may be small as isolated problems but do the addition and it all becomes an overwhelming mess that turns you into a sour patch kid when you expend energy on losing your cool. When I think that I’ll die tomorrow or that the person annoying me at some particular moment might die tomorrow too, that insignificant problem diminishes even further and I recover from it quickly. The steam escapes, I take a deep breath, and I choose love and calm, the path of peace and onward to bigger and better things. Because they’re really are bigger and better things out there. Ain’t nobody got time for sweating the small stuff!

Death helps one to focus on the bigger and better things.

Usually people are very concerned about safety and security, and they are within their rights to be so concerned. Nobody likes the feeling that his or her life is in danger of failure or that tomorrow looms like a big question mark. It’s easy to settle because settling usually offers a means of safety and security. Some people don’t mind settling and they’re quite content with it. Good for them. However, if you’re like me, I don’t want to settle in anything—career, life partner, dreams, etc. To settle is to throw time away, invite boredom, which is worse than death, and slowly torture and kill passion. One of my worst case scenarios is to die knowing that I had settled in the most important things, that I didn’t have the gall to take risks, dance a little with danger and uncertainty, be patient in the long journey to achieve my dreams, and attain the rewards for such courage in the midst of voices preaching reason to settle.  

I don’t want to live that way, and my decision to pursue the bigger and better things has put me in a vulnerable place. I don’t have misguided fantasies about working on what I love and rejecting stability and security through a means I know will make me unhappy. When you make a decision to pursue dreams, difficulties will come like a flood, people will talk negatively about or to you, and doubts and impatience will rise, along with the fears that you’re wasting your years on some big idea or project you can’t let go. There will be tears and grinding of the teeth. In other words, you will be tested and walk through fire. And that’s what sets you apart from others who can’t take the heat, so they settle.  

via daybreaksdevotions.wordpress.com 

However, it’s in the fire that you grow more than you ever thought you could, develop the endurance to withstand the darkest days and nights, inspire others and stand out for your uniqueness and courage, and ultimately find and receive something even grander than your dreams. If I must die, I want to die doing something above and beyond myself, not living a life of a person who settled. I want to die living, not die dying. Like Victor Hugo said, “It’s nothing to die. It is frightful not to live.” 

How about you? What has death taught you? I’d love to hear your responses!

Thanks for reading,

Sammy :)

Adolescence 2.0 The Blue Bird's Song. Part 2

Click HERE for previous installment. 

"It's the friends you can call up at 4 a.m. that matter." Marlene Dietrich 

via http://md.fpemad.com/ 

       Trinity Events occupied two offices in an old four-story brick building situated between an indie coffee shop called 37 Drops and an arts supply store, which made for an ideal location. After she picked up a large cup of coffee and a packet of dried apricots, Trinity climbed the familiar steps to her offices, as she never bothered for the elevator.

A hair salon, Amazing Cuts, took residence in the first floor, and its owner was a sweet lady named Annabelle who never opened before 11, so Trinity usually greeted the middle-aged woman at her lunch break. Up on the second floor were several paper and copy services; third floor, a travel and real estate agency among others; and the fourth floor hailed her events business, along with a couple of environmental grassroots organizers and premium kitchen knife salespeople.  

            She wasn’t the only one who came early thirty minutes before show time. Someone had turned on the main lights of the offices, and Trinity had a good guess about the early bird’s identity. She opened the door and wasn’t surprised to see Acadia Jyung in one of her many spring dresses, her long auburn hair curly at the ends. She sat at the large semi-circle reception desk with a croissant in her petite hand and brown eyes on the computer screen. She looked up.

            “Trin! Good morning,” she said, covering her mouth, but her eyes smiled.

            “Morning Acadia.” Trinity leaned over the tall desk. “You know you don’t have to be here this early, right?” The metallic square clock behind her friend said it was a little after half past eight.

            “And you know you don’t have to worry about me and time, right? Croissant? I bought a whole box for everybody to share.”

            Trinity jiggled the plastic packet of dried fruit. “Thanks, but I’m good.”

            “You can’t live on coffee and that every morning. Come on, take one. They’re delicious. You’ll make me feel bad if you don’t.” Acadia stood and placed the box of freshly baked croissants right under Trinity’ nose.

Trinity admitted the warm aroma was beyond inviting, and her stomach grumbled in approval. “Oh, alright. Just one.”

            “Very good.” Acadia grinned and turned her head slightly to the right whenever she got her way. “Our newest member is finally coming in today, right?”

            “Spiro? Yes, he starts today.”  Trinity knew that her friend had the date circled in red permanent marker on her calendar. She asked every day of the new member’s arrival just to make sure he hadn’t changed his mind. 

            Acadia sat back down and rested her elbows close to the computer screen. “Spiro Karimov…where did you find such an amazing beauty? I’m actually getting goose bumps at the thought of meeting him today. Seriously Trin, he looks like a model!”

            Trinity laughed. “Just between us, I got him just for you.”  

            “Ha. Ha. Nice try. Come on. You’ve been all secretive about it, and I want to know. There’s no use hiding it now that the day is finally here.”

            “Then wait a little longer. He’ll tell everybody his story.”

            “Ugh, why are you so mean?” Acadia stuck out her lower lip.

            “No no, missy. There will be no pouting in this establishment,” Trinity teased, and winked.

            “Heartless as always,” Acadia said.

Trinity chuckled and strolled away from the reception desk to her own desk situated at the opposite end of the room.

She organized the office space into four worker stations with a large conference table that cut through the middle of them. The walls were a warm olive green with orange accents such as the border of the windows and doors. Large high-definition framed pictures of past successful weddings, graduations, banquets, and other celebrations and ceremonies decorated the area. A collection of plush orange furniture sat in the corner with a refreshment stand for clients and guests. The second office space served as storage, and now, thanks to the addition of their newest member, a digital darkroom.

            Sterling Xing was the first person to trickle into the office after Acadia. Trinity’s handsome six-foot tall college friend responsible for finance, budgeting, and supplies chatted a little with Acadia, swiped three croissants from the box amid her protests, and sauntered over to Trinity with a croissant half down his throat. He took a banana from his leather bag and threw it at her.

            She caught it and shook her head. “Why does everyone have the need to feed me today?”

            “Have you looked in a mirror? It’s like you’re running for Ms. Anorexia or something. Here you can have my cinnabon too.” He placed it in front of her.

            “Not funny,” she said and raised her brows high.  

            Sterling half smiled and sat on her desk. Locks of his jet-black hair fell a little over his eyes as he leaned forward. “You broke up with her again, didn’t you?”

            Trinity unpeeled the banana and sighed. All these food offerings actually made her hungry. Sterling did well. This banana was ripe and succulent in her mouth. “This time is final. We won’t be getting back together.”

            “Yeah, sure. Maybe you two should go see a therapist.”

            “A therapist? I don’t think so. Like I said, it’s over.”

            “For you and Val, it’s never over. Just another hiccup in a series of many. Trust me. See a therapist.”

            “Thanks for the advice, but it’s not necessary. So, how’s Olivia doing?” Trinity asked, switching the topic to Sterling’s wife of one year. Conversations about Valerie always ended up in a spiral to nowhere.

            “How come you never ask me how I’m doing?” He crossed his arms.

            Trinity smiled and threw the banana’s peel into her trash bin. “That’s easy. I like her a lot more than you now.”

            He laughed. “Liv is peachy and happy. Should we still expect you for Saturday?”

            “Of course, you know how much I love your wine collection.”

            “Yes, unfortunately I do,” Sterling said and groaned.

            “Hello, beautiful people! And how are we this fine morning!” 

            That was Rhett de la Cruz, the queen of social media and marketing and another college friend of Trinity’s. The three of them started the events company a few years after their college graduation and recruited Acadia soon after its inception. Her presence always brought the energy of the room to overdrive, which Trinity loved and appreciated for when they had to be on the grind.

            “We’re contemplating whether we can jump from the roof and successfully die thanks to your voice,” Sterling said dryly.

            “Sterling! What are you doing here?” Rhett marched over. Her medium brown layered hair bounced with each step. “I thought I told Olivia to hide the key to your cage.”  

            “Nothing can keep me from seeing your beautiful face naturally,” he said.

            “Too late. Damage done. I hate you.”

            “I’ve been getting that a lot lately.” Sterling turned his attention to Trinity who smiled innocently.

            “I didn’t say I hated you. Only that I liked you less than Olivia.”

            Rhett reached over to pinch her cheeks. “Sweetie! What happened to your face? You look like you made out with Death and she slapped you around a few times.”

            Trinity burst out laughing. “Are you serious?” She honestly did not know what she would do without her friends, her second family.  

            “Take this,” she gave Trinity a small bottle of Ensure drink. “I was going to give this to my grandfather later, but I can get him another one. You need it.”

            “She broke up with Valerie again,” Sterling said like a first grade tattletale.

            Rhett clapped her hands in ear-popping fashion and widened her brown eyes. “Again! Ay dios mio. When will it end? This can’t be healthy for a person’s heart, especially you honey. I’m so sorry.”

            Trinity smiled sadly. “It’s okay.”  

Rhett de la Cruz - outside work :)

She remembered when she briefly dated Rhett when they were juniors in the middle of Trinity and Valerie’s second break-up. They had a wonderful time together, but Trinity reconciled with Valerie, and crushed Rhett’s heart. But Rhett forgave her and later met a nice girl named Holly who she married a few years ago. Nearly all her good friends were hitched now, and it made Trinity anxious to start this new part of life.

            Acadia screamed.

            Trinity jumped to her feet, alarmed. “Acadia, what’s wrong?”

            “He’s here. Mr. Spiro Karimov is here!” she said, gesturing outside the office window.

            Trinity sighed in relief, and then shook her head.

            “And here I thought someone had finally kidnapped her and spared us of our misery,” Sterling said.

            Rhett punched him in the shoulder. Hard. “Oh, you wicked man.”

            “I’m ashamed to say that actually hurt,” he said, rubbing his shoulder.

            “Okay, you silly bunnies. Let’s be sure to give Spiro a Trinity Events welcome,” Trinity said.

            “So. Where did you find this guy?” Rhett asked with her eyes on the window. “It’s like Men’s Fall Season in Milan is walking straight for us.”

            Trinity took a sip of her coffee. “You’ll find out soon enough.” 

to be continued...

Adolescence 2.0 © 2013 C.S. Severe All Rights Reserved. 

Unlocking Your Highest Potential: A Letter of Encouragement to You

via http://etsy.me/135ftmJ

Dear Friend,

Do you know that YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL, AMAZING,

a BRIGHT explosion of LIGHT in the darkness that surrounds?

Do you know how much YOU ARE LOVED, IMPORTANT, and SO PRECIOUS, oh so precious that to lose you would bring so much pain and tears?

Do not be afraid.

Stand tall because you were meant to sit a top a mountain and SHINE BRIGHT, brighter than the sun. YOUR SMILE is needed; your love, your strength, your thoughts, YOUR WORDS, and the sound of YOUR LAUGHTER create bursts of HAPPINESS and JOY all around.

I know how it is.

I too have felt the on going frustrations of this life, the push of darkness against the chest, and the rejection that comes with being different, being other, BEING YOURSELF.

I understand the pain of waiting, the conditions that say nothing will change, that you’re stuck or worse, trapped in a dark, cold pit with no way out.

I too hear the voices that whisper criticism and negativity

one.

after.

the.

other.

The whispers that tell the lie, “You will not be loved.”

NOT TRUE!

They are all but illusions that dissipate when you shake them with the earthquake of power that lies within you. 

prosperoussoul.com

Yes, YOU! 

You possess boundless strength, a heart that sees eternity, and a soul that sings melodies more beautiful than heaven’s angels.

No one on this planet can BE YOU.

No one can create the life written in your footsteps and inked in the hearts of those who:

have met you,

shared meals with you,

laughed with you,

cried with you,

dreamed with you,

danced with you,

hugged you,

kissed you,
heard your voice,

and held your held.

Do not lose HOPE. Hold on to FAITH. And do not give up on LOVE.

Continue to create DREAMS that surprise you and lift you higher without end.

Don’t let hurt from the past cramp your heart and keep it from loving again.

LOVE again.

And again.

And again.

Yes, you really are that amazing.

And it’s okay to see some things like love, friendship, failures, victories, and dreams through a simple lens. Overthinking tends to bring more harm and confusion than good.

And if you must be afraid, take a step forward anyway because you never know where you can go, who you can meet, what you can accomplish, and all the things you can see, taste, feel, and know. 

Life is an adventure waiting for you!

And if someone should dare belittle you or sound off all your weaknesses and make you feel less than the amazing individual you really are, know that it speaks more loudly about their insecurities, failures, and shortcomings than yours. It’s not about you, but rather them. The truth is they’re jealous of you, your dreams, your power, and the light within you that pierces through anything and anyone.

And always be true to yourself and your voice because anything else or less would be a true tragedy and a great loss. This world already has enough of both.

So please, BE YOU and share the beauty that comes along with it.

via pamspence.com

And, always remember like my amazing friend Geo once said to me, “Never, never lose your sense of HUMOR.”

Loving you,

A fellow human being 

Know someone in need of encouragement? Please share this with them! :)