wow. it's been quite some time since i've put up anything on this website. i've been so busy with so many things. i've been truly blessed this year. i've had a pretty successful year so far in my career. i've worked on some successful products and enjoyed it. i went to the philippines, guam, and new york city within weeks of each other. i've had a chance to show and tell everyone around me that i love them. i've made new friends, have nice colleagues, and an accepting and compassionate family. my sister has had to have a shunt inserted into her spine; although we all realize that things could be much much worse for her and she is responding well to an invasive procedure.

it's been a little over a year now in dealing with the deaths of two very close friends. i still think about richard and louis by the minute. driving through his neighborhood; when i drive through apple computer to go to the bank i still see him running behind my car to get in. it's still very painful. i have the most beautiful set of friends that any man could ever ask for and i love each and every one of them. i wish i could name them all right here. i have pictures of some of them in my website.

the greatest thing to happen to me this year is the return of my boyfriend and love of my life to come back home to me. he moved back in 3 years to the day he had to return to guam. he had been gone for 3 years. in that time, we both struggled, grew, matured, tried different things in life, and reconverged. i also have grown to love his family, and derek's mother reminded me of the importance and power of faith and unconditional love. i don't intend to return to the catholic church, but i'm even more comfortable in my rejection of most catholic values. i wish i could settle the estrangement between his sister and her fiance. maybe one day.

i'm thinking about big things. i wanna change jobs, even a slight career change. i like the hi-tech industry. there is just so much to do, the rush of being in the cutting edge of it all. i think i want to go into technical instruction or localization. something that will let me travel around the world at a moderate pace. i want to work for a company that has some social consciousness to it, but yet its employees live well and love what they do.

this fourth of july derek and me are traveling to southern california to see very special friends. i'm gonna relax and get in touch with my roots so that i have an understanding of where i've been and where to go and exercise my rights "to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". i think the fish in the background say it all!

i'll try and write more when i get back.

ciao

orlando