Does anyBuddy out there have that one show or movie that went super mainstream and inbedded itself into the zeitgeist, but you haven’t watched it? Even when it originally aired or premiered and then came back with a vengeance during a resurgence and has since continued to linger in pop culture, and you still haven’t watched it? Friends is that for me. No shade or hate! I find everyone perfectly charming, it just wasn't my cuppuh tea so it never tickled my fancy. I overheard the theme song playing in my cousin’s room—of course I know the theme song. Who doesn’t know the theme song??—and I guess it’s just that they didn’t strike me as a Friends kinda person. Again, no judgement. All my friends in college and grad school loved the show so I’m very familiar, but hearing it from the other room surprised me. Then again, people will surprise you. And sometimes in the most delightful way. You never know what lies in someone’s depths unless you take the plunge.

I’ve had a lot of time to reflect since I’ve been down in Texas. Then again, who am I kidding? I always have time to reflect no matter where I am. This trip isn’t entirely for leisure and fun, but a story for another day. Regardless, I am grateful for the time away because it only further puts into perspective the things that matter most, which are love, faith, and connection (in no particular order). When we meet the end of our lives we aren’t asking, “What can I take with me?” We ask, “Who is here beside me?” and hope that we lived a life of honesty & dignity & valor, and that the people we leave behind are proud of us.

The prophet (sas) said—something along the lines of— “We shouldn’t let a day pass where we don’t think about death.” Not in a morbid way, but in a way that constantly forces us to live each moment as if it were our last, and in doing so, ultimately, we would be living how we wish to be remembered. Since I was a young girl, I’ve always pontificated upon death. That’s probably why I take life so seriously. That’s definitely why I take my goals so seriously. I don’t want to die with regrets, and, it’s not that I want to be remembered for vanity’s sake, but I want to be remembered for the sake of my bloodline, for them to know that somebody changed out trajectory back aright, someone turned us back where we belong, and that God Herself intervened and commanded, “My Will be done.” And so it is.

Sometimes we need those heartbreaks to break us open to God’s love. Sometimes we need our feelings hurt to remind us that not everyone has our heart, but that doesn’t mean they should be loved any less, just not by you and, perhaps, from a safe distance. Sometimes we need to drop to our knees in order to check our heart posture and for God to reveal the heart posture of others. Sometimes we perceive a thing as a negative and it’s actually the greatest gift we’ll ever be given, and sometimes what we deem as positive has underlying darkness that is purposely hidden. In Suratul Bakarah it says, “But perhaps you hate a thing that is good for you, and perhaps you love a thing that is bad for you. And Allah knows, while you know not.” (2:216)

So we should always trust God, even when it’s like, “Ok, my G, what are we doing right about now? Can ya fill me in?” <Craig David voice> because if you let Him, if you have faith, God is gonna show you the promise. God is going to hand deliver the order to your door! Morning, afternoon, or evening, wheresoever you may be, God is going to cook it up for thee.

home chef bae

My cousin just so happens to also be an amazing vegan home chef and whipped us up this delectably delightful miso style soup. That girl really has a knack for some high flyin flavor profiles that leave the tastebuds in a state of longing. And like me, like all the women in our family, there’s no recipe, just what’s available on hand, what you come up with on the fly and ugh, it’s always the best. I’ma show y’all a picture and y’all better give it up for my cousin, because when I tell you she don’t miss!!! Please believe me.

*Miso & basmati rice with bok choy, tofu, and seaweed*

I made us a vegan pizza with homemade cashew cheese, homemade tomato sawse, baby bellas, squash, scallions, and banana peppers on delicious cut of berber bread.

10 outta 10 * high key* recommend spraying the parchment paper with oil beforehand because the juice from the sauce seeped through and caused some places to stick, but who doesn’t love a little kitchen faux pas? It builds character.

And then we also made some mini pita guacamole pizzas with some tabouli, mushrooms, and zataar for good measure.

And let’s be for real, is life really life without a little bit of boba matcha on ice?

And while I wish I could say that I’ve been on the straight and narrow after the birthday party sausage situation, I fear I didn’t learn my lesson and had some macaroni & cheese AND sausage on the 4th of July! Whatevuuuuh. I ain’t sorry fa none of it!

Grab your Bad Vegan tank over in our shop & join us ova on the dark side.

Nose Stuck in A Book

I told you Pretties in the latest Monday Meditation Moment that I’m currently reading Bell Hooks, All About Love. I love that my cousin is a bookworm too. I caHn’t wait to have my libree and study with the sliding ladder like the bookshop in Beauty & the Beast. I can just picture it now. Ahhh isn’t this amazing, Sweet HaHt??

I’m still in the very beginning of the book, but what is giving me pause and pleasure is that her impetus in writing this book was—is—almost identical to mine; the ending of a long-term relationship, the realization that going inward and healing your inner child is ultimately the catalyst that unleashes the true self love that makes it possible to truly love again, to love from a space of wholeness, a place of already being complete, and that despite all odds, true love, true partnership, is possible for you and me. And that, because humanity has been around for as long as it’s been around (how long have we been here now?), there really is no new story. Love is love. Heartbreak is heartbreak. It’s all a part of the human condition and something we all grapple with.

Listen, I know I’m a lover girl. It’s literally a part of my razzle dazzle and pizazz. It’s why God sent me, ya little cutie. To silence that cynic inside of ya. To lighten your energetic load. To soften your heart, at least towards me anyway, hehehehehe. And to love you like a Love Supreme, like a love that only the Divine could bring. Is you wit it? Is you feelin’ me?? Buckle up, Buttercup, because it’s about to get REAL pretty!!

Calm before the storm

Hurricane season is upon us and it has been rainin’ men. JK. Or…?

This is the longest I’ve ever been in Texas tbh, and, yes I love the rain, but these flash thunderstorms are definitely cutting into my frolic time. On one of my in-the-house days I watched the new Twisters, and as a big fan of the original with Helen Hunt, I must say I definitely liked this new one, so 10 outta 10 recommend if you’re looking for a solid rainy afternoon flick. And you know I gots ta show love to tha theatuhh kids, and I love everything that Anthony Ramos is in. Daisy Edgar Jones was a standout and Glen Powell is a cutie. The love triangle was triangulating! Give it a watch and maybe we can snuggle up together to view part 2? I don’t know, My Pretty. What say you??

*Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos and Glen Powell*
Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures & Amblin Entertainment via The New York Times

You all have heard by now of the treacherous flooding that swept away the little girl’s camp by the Guadalupe River. And then more floods in New Mexico & North Carolina. Say a prayer for the Earth. Mother Nature is not to be played with. It’s scary how fast the waters can rise. Prayers for all the families and loved ones affected.

woosah wind down

Well Sweet HaHts, that’s all she wrote for tonight. It’s well nigh passed my bedtime but I wanted to make sure you have a little piece of me with your morning cuppuh tea. But before I go, I want to leave you with this quote from the intro to All About Love because I think it encapsulates the way I feel about my mission here as the world’s Darling Lovuuhhhh and bringing the love of the Divine into your life. Maybe you can read (both) along with me and we can discuss at our next encounter? Yesssss, make love to my minddd. But we can discuss this more at anothuhh time. Anyways, I leave you with this:

“…we want to live in a culture where love can flourish. We yearn to end the lovelessness that is so pervasive in our society. This book tells us how to return to love. [It] provides radical new ways to think about the art of loving, offering a hopeful, joyous vision of one’s transformative power. It lets us know what we must do to love again. Gathering love’s wisdom, it lets us know what we must do to be touched by love’s grace.”

And with that, I bid adieu, adieu, to you and you and you. I’ll be thinking of you and wish you a beautiful rest of your week. As ever and as always, you could be anywhere in the world, but you choose to be here with me, and I love that for you, and I love it even more for me. See you on the flip side, My Sweet. Stay blessed everyBuddy & God speed!

Love Always (& Besitos!)

the lone star, or, where love can flourish

home chef bae

Nose Stuck in A Book

Calm before the storm

woosah wind down

bad vegan, or, leave me a loan