Notes from my 22nd trip

What a blessing it is, to be conscious, while still in your prime.

It is a gift, a privilege, really, to see someone you once disliked, in a moment of weakness, and in determination.

Love is a very graceful teacher, as long as you are willing to listen.

This is going to be a rough trip.

When you think about it, politics are just a giant social experiment. At the same time, it's kinda okay, human beings are some tough sons-of-bitches.

It's the moment you realise that all the past relationships you've had were sparring partners, training you, for the big fight.

                Zoë, you're an earth lizard.

Shopping is a lot like fishing.

We are all just looking for partners, to help us make it thru.

I think the problem people have w/ relationships is that they treat them like clothing accessories. Something to have, something to hang, something to discard. But a relationship is living, breathing, beating, growing, til the very end. It is alive, always, and must be looked after w/ care + caution.

Sometimes I wonder if abbreviations are pacts that words make w/ death. 
Half way in, half way out.

I'm returning to Seattle b/c my talons need sharpening.

That's one thing that I trust about Flora. She does what she feels.

Desireé you have a young spirit trying to break thru. She's never played before. 

Let her play.

Yo Peace is such a character. We built friendships off hating that guy.

                     George, you've seen a lot w/ me.

We are all just trying to understand each other.

Broken messages are like broken arrows.

I finally understand the word "oss"

Marcella, we're basically in a relationship. You bit before I was wise enough to know better.

All writers should do Daime.

Being a warrior is such a strange path.

You have to be reminded of your shame every so often.

When I decide to take a story, it is a relationship. Accept or don't accept, from the beginning.

Of course I'd be w/ someone like Flora. She loves people, the exact opposite of me.

Allowing someone into you Facebook is like letting someone into your basement.

To give a present back is a present in itself.

When I've really learned in Brazil, is how to be together.

I wonder what it feels like, accepting a match, knowing full well that you will lose.

To be someone's son, wow. What an experience!

It's hard to communicate to each other sober. I guess that's what makes my relationship w/ Flora special.

It makes perfect sense that I am a writer, and I take pictures.

I can already see my last night in Seattle. I need to get really drunk and say important things to people.

Brazil has the best people. Period.

When you're in a real relationship w/ someone. You see them trying, you really do.

I straight put on my kimono + explained every part of it to Flora, today.

Muhammad Ali's legacy will always be tarnished by the way he treated Joe Frazier. He knows. He felt it when Frazier passed.

Paia, you will always be the example as to why we must continue to believe in people.

I'm just a fragment in Flora's experience, like I have absolutely no idea what she's doing right now.

If someone could write about me, when I'm dead, that would be great.

When you see two people in love, you really want them to make it.

George, we just spoke about you. Your friendship was a gift.

A big part of living is learning how to accept that you are a good person.

Mauricio, Junior.

To buy things we need to live, we use paper for that. Think about it.

Yo I was a telemarketer for a period of my life. I will never live that down.

I see now that all my friendships, even the ones that were difficult, were all to teach me how to respect life.

I'm just trying to live a life worth telling.

It's funny, but when you're angry, you tend to exaggerate things.

It's amazing how much compliment we can feel from another person.

                   Brazil is really about redeeming yourself.

All the rich billionaires, the one thing they have in common is that they reached a point where life turned into something to gamble. Kinda psychopathic when you think about it.

Jessica Baeza. I was in love w/ you for like four months. I remember I chased down a bus for at least a mile because it had your name on it.

Live your life...honestly. That's the simplest path there is.

What if your greatest life accomplishment was that you were that one guy that left an awesome comment on YouTube. Like, you got it, and there you existed for eternity. I guess that would be a pretty satisfactory life.

I love you, Flora. That's it. That's the only way I can express my gratitude for this crazy, insane fucking universe you've given me.

Now this makes sense. The first character I chose when I first played 'Street Fighter II' was Blanka.

I know I'm not the only person who thought, "WTF?" when they first played 'Street Fighter I'.

I remember playing "Great Balls of Fire" for my choir class in 1st grade. It even earned an encore. I was like this little Asian kid playing the shit out of a piano. Of course it had to be that way.