The One About Rome...

My mind is made up. If I weren't Samoan, I'd want to be Italian. Five days in Rome will do that to you.

Favorite Sites: Coliseum and Sistine Chapel

Sure, both are well known attractions but they were so impressionable and wondrous. While walking through the arches of the Coliseum, I could really imagine a boisterous crowd cheering for their favorite warriors and/or secretly hoping their fate was sealed by a large saber tooth tiger... haha. The Sistine Chapel silenced my heart. Well-known biblical characters came alive at every inch of the chapel. I spent 20 minutes poring over every image beautifully detailed in dreamy colors.

Favorite Restaurant: Trattoria al Varesino

Tucked away in a very small basement off of via Marghera and Veranese was my favorite restaurant. Completely run by patriarch Fernando and his family, Varesino produced the best spaghetti carbonara I've ever eaten. But I was more in love with their homemade ravioli, beef steak and tiramisu (hold on to your seat!) from my second trip (yes, I ate dinner there twice...)  And the environment was homely. Fernando and his family knew most of the customers by their first names. To borrow from Olive Garden: When you're here, you're family... And I felt like it.

Favorite Moment: Emaline Fonoti

This trip cemented one thing for me: I am my mother's son. I completely forgot how similar we are. I basically went to Rome with myself (in ~30 years). My ability to quickly develop relationships with others, bargain shop and survive in any environment were innately passed down from my mom. As travel companions, I never once worried if we were separated or randomly took the wrong bus/train. We somehow always caught up with each other and adapted seamlessly (well... for the most part! haha) to any circumstance. We didn't even need to talk most times as we wordlessly followed each other throughout Rome. 

New 7 Wonders Of The World Updated

Taj Mahal (Agra, India) 

Chichen Itza (Yucatan, Mexico)

Christ the Redeemer (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) 

Petra (Ma'an Governorate, Jordan) 

Great Wall of China (Beijing, China) - NEXT

Colloseum (Rome, Italy) 

Macchu Picchu (Cusco region, Peru) 

The One About The Cheshire Cat...

I randomly re-read Alice in Wonderland after finding a very used copy at the airport. I enjoyed the dizzying conversations between Alice and her nonsensical acquaintances but one particular interaction stood out.

Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here? 

Cheshire Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to

Alice: I don't care where

Cheshire Cat: Then it doesn't matter which way you go 

Almost three months since we buried my father in Samoa and I'm finally realizing how dazed I've been.  In my hastiness to cope with this sentimental loss, I've continued a vigorous routine of work and school (and work again) with no true sense of direction or purpose. I've wallowed into just surviving each new day. My new church calling as activities chair has helped tremendously. Serving others has that tendency of putting life back into perspective. I still think of my dad every day with incredible sadness. But I'm at least slowly hobbling on a path away from aimless wandering. After all, my dad would have never approved of me asking a cat for directions...

Up to Bat: Starting 2nd half of last semester of my first year (dizzying, right?)

On Deck: Trip to Rome with the Madre in 3 weeks 

In the Hole: Christmas/Holidays with the entire family!

The One About EP...

I remember when I first discovered my love for singing. It was when Whoopi Goldberg told Lauryn Hill that if singing was the first thing she thought of after waking up in the morning, singing was her true passion. (anyone know what movie?) I definitely empathized. Not that I wake up every morning singing... I don't live in a musical. haha. But I'm always humming a tune during my morning routine. Will even belt a couple melismas if its a great morning.

This last weekend, I was part of Everyday People's 25th Reunion Show. Everyday People (EP) was the college a cappella group I sang in during my undergrad years. We wore all black, wailed soul, r&b, and Motown classics and even traveled the world. Seriously. I've toured the east coast (DC to NYC), Jamaica, Mexico, Bahamas and Hawaii with the group. That's pretty impressive for a financially independent student group.

There are a number of groups and communities that I have been affiliated with over the years. One group I will always have time for is EP. Not only was I constantly enveloped in music but heftily supported by great friends. Trust me, you'll always be close to those you sing oohs and aahs with... haha. EP25 allowed me to reconnect with old friends but also remember how much I enjoy singing. Will attempt something musical until EP30. Aca-amazing.

                                                 25 Years of Everyday People

The One About Disney Animals...

I just spent the last hour perusing random blogs and I noticed two trends:

1) I am a minority blogger. There are rarely any blogs maintained by single males... (prob contributes to my singleness)

2) A significant number of bloggers are mothers and wives sharing valuable household advice

I wondered... Is it possible for these trends to intersect? Could my blog dispense household advice? I highly doubt that my experiences are at all applicable to these busy matriarchs. And then I realized that my ability to pawn off domestic responsibilities could and would surely be helpful to someone. Maybe even you, dear reader. So here it is: my first attempt at sharing a great "homemaking" tip. 

Convert Your Help!

Groupon, Living Social and City Deals frequently offer cleaning services at great prices. I recently purchased a 4-hour cleaning service for $70. Yesterday, two cleaners came by and I worked from home  to let them in and huddle over what I wanted cleaned. Like adorable Disney animals, they mopped floors, scrubbed tiles and dusted every surface quickly and happily as I sang and waved from my work computer. I would occasionally ask them questions: Do you like your boss? Are you treated well by your agency? Is there adequate compensation? I passed them bottles of water and fruit after asking this question... By the end of their cleaning period, I hired them as independent contractors paying $80 for the same two hours of work per cleaner once a month. This was drastically cheaper than the usual $150 fee charged by their agency in which these cleaners earn $10/hour. They now make $20/hour. 

Look, we can argue about the true value of $80/month until we're blue in the face. But I'm more concerned with the opportunity cost --- the great and wonderful things I can do with the time and effort saved from cleaning my own house. I'm sure you can too. Plus, this feeds into my fantasy of living in a hotel and having daily room/maid service...

Let me know if you local SLC peeps are interested in this great deal. But be warned, they're booked every last Saturday morning of each month. 

The One About Fonoti...

My dad passed away on July 23, 2012. I had already braced for this news. He was in a coma after a tricky procedure cleared all hemorrhaging in his brain. While my father's body still functioned with assistance, the lack of brain activity forced my mom to remove life support after 30 hours.

Within two days of hearing that my dad was rushed to the hospital, he was gone. And I was completely broken.

Fonoti Oliovaigafa Toni is my best kept secret. He and my mom are the true source of any of my successes. Looking back, he pushed me both athletically and academically. From early morning beach runs to multiplication/spelling tests, he was relentless in ensuring I did well in school and sports. And that was at nine years old. During my collegiate years at Stanford University, our relationship was slightly strained as I felt burdened by his expectations. They looked incredibly lofty from where I stood. In the last couple years, I realized that his expectations were based on potential he recognized in me. Potential I had no idea existed. Regardless, he loved me the same - celebrating my successes and comforting me during my failures. He rarely expressed his love verbally but I felt it vibrate in my soul.

My father worked his entire life providing for our family. Even up till when he finally collapsed while designing our new family house in Samoa. It was only fitting that we buried him there, on our land in Malololelei. Our land has a prime view of Apia and the Pacific Ocean. A view from which I hope he watches us, his children, continue to honor the sacrifices he made. Bringing us to America so that we be educated, independent and continually god-fearing. Manuia lou malaga, Dad.

The One About the Seaman...

When my younger brother turned 25 last week, I realized I missed him immensely. I don't know why. He's quick to point out my weight gain. Complains incessantly about my singing. Borrows clothes/shoes without permission. Haha! I could go on... In some ways, he'll always be my little brother. I still feel the need to pay for his meals, buy him gifts from my travels and somehow attempt to make his life easier. In some ways I feel guilty for when I was in college and rarely kept in touch during his latter high school years. At one point of our childhood, we were all we had. It wasn't until he was almost done with college that I realized how quickly he had matured outside my peripheral. 

My brother spent the last four months at the Great Lakes naval training academy. I decided to spend this last weekend in Chicago catching up with him in this new chapter. My brother is still a kid... Laughs hysterically at any accidental reference to toilets. Haha! And yet I could tell how the military ingrained a more disciplined mentality. He's more grown. And probably doesn't need my help. I still can't help but be here for him in case he does. 

Chicago was a blast. Sydney tomorrow night. 

The One About Bob...

I woke up this morning and didn't recognize my own room. Even the sunlight peering through my window looked... different.

It wasn't NYC.

I just spent two weeks working in NYC. Two weeks is a long time anywhere. And I immediately fit in. My full-length strides matched colleagues while simultaneously multi-tasking my personal iphone and work blackberry. Haha! As soon as I graduate, I'm moving out of SLC. Not sure where but NYC is a top contender.

Probably a tacky move (c'mon it's me...) but I inconspicuously snapped a pic of my personal driver during my trip. "Bob" met me at JFK airport and was extremely helpful as we navigated the city. And yet this picture sums up my trip perfectly. I've been to NYC a number of times. But never have I felt that it was more than just a work trip. Not sure if she remembers but before leaving to college, my mom told me that there are few opportunities, if we are mindful and recognize its potential, with the ability to change our lives completely. I can't help but recognize this opportunity as such. Like Fate is calling me up to bat. In my case, Fate is a burly white man named Bob... haha! Be on the lookout for Bob when your opportunity arises!