LB Says Hi

I never thought that I’d be "That Girl." The one who gets the fairytale ending with the guy of her dreams — the guy who’s too perfect to put into actual words; the one who checks off all of your “must-haves” on your ever-changing perfect-guy list. But, since November, I’ve been Her. Each day, I wake up reassured that I am treasured, valued and loved. Cue the puke! I would be right there with you, sneering at the gross romanticism, but it’s different when it’s happening to you. It’s true, love happens when you least expect it, and it really is the surprise that gets you. It’s almost as if, just when you thought there’s no one else out there for you, just when you believed you were being punished for all the terrible mistakes you’ve made in the past, God blesses you. And, just like that, things change. I’ve gone from being "That Girl" to being that girl in a long-distance relationship. Again. The overall situation sounds dismal, but, in reality, th...

Throughout your life you learn a lot of lessons. Your values and priorities change according to what is at the forefront of your heart during the season you’re in. For example, friends have always been a huge part of my life, but being a very sufficient person — and somewhat moody — I like to be by myself a lot of the time. So, when friends would make plans, I’d often cancel at the last minute, not realizing what those actions were saying about my character. After many confrontations, I swore to never be a flake again, and through this confirmation, I’ve made the effort to keep my word, stick to the plans and go through with what I say I’m going to do — always. This shift in mentality has been truly eye opening for me. Sure, t here are times when I’d rather be alone and do nothing at all, but the rewards of following through are extremely rich. I do my best to reach out to my friends, the ones that I haven’t spoken to or seen in a while, as well as the ones that I see...

My word this year was “Rely.” After ending my relationship earlier this year — of which I was the one constantly relied on — I felt it was time to let go of some of that responsibility and rely on others for a change. So, that’s exactly what I did. I called upon friends to pull me away from lonely nights. I leaned on family to share my feelings and thoughts. These were all things I had always done by myself, for the most part, and I have to say it was really refreshing. I wasn’t sharing the burden alone anymore, because I had enlisted others to help. There are too many times I think that we try to take on everything by ourselves — because we’ve been taught that that is what being strong looks like. I had to learn the hard way that strength appears in many forms. I've realized that it takes a strong person to admit when they’re not OK. All that time that I was trying to be strong by doing things on my own I was actually at a really weak point in my life. And as ironic as ...

Boiled Sliced Fish in Hot Chili Oil (Spicy Pavilion) My friend Kamele asked me an interesting question recently. She asked what it was about spicy foods that I liked. To be honest, that question kind of stumped me. What was it, really? Maybe it’s the numbing sensation that turns a regular meal into something dynamic. Or, it could be because I’ve never liked anything bland, not my coffee, my wardrobe or my attitude. It would be good to note that I also have a very sensitive stomach. My stomach goes crazy after eating a particularly spicy meal, which is the majority of my meals. I’ve had the stomach flu too many times to count, and there was even a time in my life when my mother thought that I had ulcers, because I’d always worry myself sick. Still, these afflictions haven’t stopped my love for spice. If there’s a bottle of Sriracha at the table, I’m using it. If there’s a set of tacos in front of me, I’m dousing it in hot sauce. Even my twin nephews are aware of my obse...

I recently took a very much-needed day off from work. I woke up and it was as if my body had shut down on me. I was busy that whole weekend — attending events, cleaning my house, meeting obligations, etc. — and I had somehow forgotten to rest, which I know so many of you can relate to. I woke up to my alarm, snoozed it a few times, and still could not build up the strength to get out of bed. I literally felt sick. After deciding to stay home from work, I caught up on some sleep, but once I was up, I couldn't figure out what to do with myself. (Obviously, I'm not used to having so much free time on my hands.) So, naturally, I began to cook. First, I made a soup to help soothe my battered body/mind/soul — thinking of the saying, “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” Then, I thought I’d make some dough for noodles later. I couldn’t give you exact measurements for the dough recipe, I mostly eyeball it — at least that’s how Mom taught me. I add flour and water, until the dough is...