Day 18: The person that you wish you could be

Dear Bruno Mars' Girlfriend,

I wish I could be you. Not the girl who supposedly used to be you lady. (Rumored Chanel Malvar) She looks like a man. Besides, I heard you guys broke up anyway which is good! You look more girly than she does. YUCK!

Well, I wish I was Bruno Mar's girlfriend. I would be nice. You can sing! I can dance. You look like a chihuahua. I love chihuahuas! Your 25. I'm 20. Perfect! Guys mature slower, so it's like you're 20 now! We both have birthdays in October. What more do I need to say?! We are perfect brown people together. =D

Well, when you see me at your concert, front row and center, you will love me. I will seduce you and you will say, "Where have you been all my life?!" And I will say, "Across the ocean, waiting for your face." Then you will sing "Marry You" to me and I will sing "Again" (not too great.... I can't sing). Then you will sing "Just the Way You Are," and I'll say "AWWW! Peter, you are too sweet!" Finally, and we will skip down the aisle singing "Count on Me". The our honeymoon will be "Somewhere in Brooklyn". We'll have a picnic under the stars and start "Talking to the Moon". And we'll spend our days together singing the "Lazy Song" in our beautiful home "On the Other Side". Ahhh....

That's all the songs I could think of that would fit in our relationship..... Future relationship. But I will wait for you to find me. Or me to find you. And hey! I have a good chance since you like girls who aren't all that hot looking! Chanel is not some eye candy, fo shizzle.

With love (and patience),

Raven Bowie Hernandez ;D

Day 17: Someone from your childhood

Dear Brittany Nix,

I don't know where you are right now, who you are, if you are still living. But you were my first friend. I remember our sleep overs, jumping around, singing Hanson songs as loud as we could fighting over who would get which brother. I'll also never forget that you taught me how to make doughnuts from Pillsbury biscuits. Who would have thought?! Going to lunch and making fun of teachers, laughing about things that would not have been funny now, but hey! That's childhood. After all, we were in kindergarten.

Well, I don't know what you're doing, what you've been doing, how you've been doing, but I hope your life has been great, fun filled and stress free! Who knows! We might see each other some time in the future in Thailand or something!

With love,

Raven

Day 14: Someone you’ve drifted away from

Dear Shey, Autumn, Cassy, Alex, Kelly, Alleya, Shannon, & Emily

It's been years since I've seen any of you. About 7 years to be exact. We've all grown up, college, boyfriends, husbands, babies, financial independence, the typical. You grow up. You grow apart.

I sometimes look back at the old elementary days of our "group". Sleep overs, birthday parties, gossip on the playground, fun times in class. The wonders of my childhood, and now you guys will always be in the stories I will tell to my daughter and grandchildren. (If I have any)

Yes, we have drifted away. It was bound to happen eventually, especially since I moved many states, miles, meters, yards, inches and centimeters away, and contact back then was VERY limited since it definitely was NOT the age of the social networks... And even though we don't talk at all or very limitedly now, I'm ok with it. You guys are still my "clique" in my memories and always will be.

With love,

Raven

Day 13: Someone you wish could forgive you

Um.....

Dear Person I wish could forgive me,

You don't exist.

Sincerely,

Raven

Day 12: The person you hate most/caused you a lot of pain

Hate is a strong word. I try not to say I hate people because they may end up being my life saver. And, like I was telling my friends, to me, pain is physically felt to me. Not emotionally. So...

Dear Person who caused me a lot of discontent,

You have made me sad, melancholy, discontent, bitter, pessimistic, sorrowful, somber, upset, and pensive. (Those are all the words I can think of that relate to "sad".) I let it bother me for an extended amount of time, but then I thought, "Why am I letting this control my emotions?"

Its stupid for letting someone (or someones) control how you view your life.

With that being said, I no longer worry about the discontent I felt. Why you ask?

Well, I have better things in life to be happy about rather than sulk on a daily about you-know-who doing you-know-what at whatever-time-of-day to whatever-that-person's-name on something-irrelevant-to-me while laughing-and-being-immature. (I'm just saying phrases with hyphens. This is not a true story where I can fill in the italicized words)

I'm in college! I have money. I have a great daughter who makes me smile daily. I have a home to go to everyday. I am able to buy things with my own money. I have hair! I have nice nail genes. I have nice teeth genes. I'm very healthy. I know how to swim. I learned how to dive! I have heat in my home so I won't freeze. And running water. And food (too much food). I don't have cystic acne. I'm short! I'm smart. I learn quickly. I play the flute and clarinet. My body is proportional to my size (except my thighs).I have a great rice cooker. I can still dance, leap, gran jete, coupe, and fouette after not dancing for nearly 3 years. My closet is full of clothes that I never wear. I have cool green, leopard printed glasses (my 2 faves). And finally, I am alive.

See, many (living) people can not say that many positive things. So with all these happy things in my world, one person, or people couldn't have that much of an impact that I need to go on a full rant about my hatred for them. Besides, hatred causes more hatred in the world.

With that being said, the one or ones who have brought me discontent, gracias. Because now I know not to put up with people who bring me down.

Sincerely,

Raven

Day 11: A Deceased person you wish you could talk to

Dear Martin Luther King,

I am not writing to you because I am praising you on all your hard work. I am writing to you because I know the truth. The truth behind all the lies they told us in secondary school Civil Right History.

For one, you were NOT the center piece of the Civil Rights Movement. There were lots of people who did wonderful things even before you were born to push for equality. It just so happens that you were born at the right time & the right changes in history to make an impact. If you were born in W.E.B Du Bois' day, it would not have been the same outcome.

Also, why didn't you follow your heart and marry the German girl? Sure, there would have been ridicule & scorn from society, friends, and family. If that is where your heart is, you should have gone for it. Maybe even move back to Germany with her or Brazil where they would have just thought "Oh! He's just making sure his children turn out whiter by marrying her," instead of the ridicule you would have received here. Instead, you married Coretta. A beautiful woman who put up with you infidelity, being gone for weeks, and putting her and your children's lives in danger. But I guess that's just what women did back then....

On the other hand, you were a great leader and speaker. Your strong (and southern) voice was an adequate tool when it came to speeches. I doubt I would have gotten the same response if I, with my "California accent" and proper grammar/pronunciation, would gotten the same feeling out of the crowd. And although many... many... of your plans fell through, the memories you left behind were inspirational.

In the end, if I were to talk to you some how, I would just want to know why did you do the things you did? How did you feel? And how would you change anything? I still think you are a respectable man, but some of my views of you have changed being the feminist type person I am.

Sincerely,

Raven

Day 10: Someone You Don’t Talk to As Much As You’d Like To

Dear Thanh,

I miss your face. I really do. -__- And I know we are all busy with our crazy hectic lives, but I still think about the fun times we had all the time. Even looking back at old pictures and cracking up to myself. We seriously need to write a RAT book.... Hopefully it will sell more copies than that stupid Twilight & Harry Potter mess. <__<

With love,

Raven

Dear Sue,

I know I just saw you on Saturday, but we should have more of these meetings more often. I miss my Sueey Pak! I remember our dance team practices we had at your house so you guys could try out. At least you took my lessons to heart and joined a dance team! Yay!! I glad to see someone profited. lol. I also miss our notes we wrote & passed to each other in the hallways. I still crack up when I think of the picture you drew of Mrs. Bennett. It was SO ugly just like her. I think I'm gonna find and scan it to my computer so I'll have it forever. =] And you still have to meet Mia!! Maybe you can come to her 2nd birthday party & finally see the infamous Mia P. Khaiphanliane!

With love,

Raven

Dear Carmen & Tina,

I'm putting you guys together because I basically would be repeating myself and I have lazy typing fingers. -__- But anyway! It seems like yesterday I remember the first time I met you guys. Carmen was in some of my classes in 8th grade and Tina lived right up the hill from where I used to live. I also remember when you guys kidnapped me from my own house and dragged me up the hill to Tina's house. <__<

But anyway! We should catch up some time. See how much we hate (or love) school, plans for vacations & the future, celebrities we wish would come serenade to our faces and what not. That would be lovely. Hey! Maybe you guys can come to Mia's birthday party also! Whoop-whoop!

With love,

Raven

Dear Lida,

I know we see you occasionally or stalk you when your working at Macy's, which I love doing, we should hang out more. Catch up on life. Talk about how much we HATE science classes & college in general. Sure, we hung out during the summer & had out Twilight indoor Chinese Take-Out picnic, but I miss the original RATL sometimes. T__T Especially the Girls Day Out. I don't know why it was so much fun. Probably because we were all in skirts and playing on the playground which equals a NO! But still, original is always missed. And I am excited about this weekend. I don't know where we're eating at, but I'm still excited. Ooh! And we can catch you up on all the crazy-ness that has occurred since.... Karaoke & Thai of Norcross day.

With love,

Raven

Day 9: Someone You Wish You Could Meet

Dear Barack Obama,

I know you don't know who I am, or that I voted for you in the freezing cold, standing in like for 3 hours and about 6.5 months pregnant. It was well worth it, especially since it was my first time voting (at the tender age of 17). Well, I would like to meet you just to give you encouragement. I know lots of people don't like your face, or your views, or the fact that you're a smoker, but hey! I think you're doing great. I mean, really, you can't fix a century's worth of damage in a month.

But anyway, if I did meet you, I'd give you a big hug because hugs are nice and make the world happy.

With love,

Raven

Dear Bruno Mars,

I know you are not all THAT attractive. You actually remind me of a chihuahua. BUT your voice is amazing. It makes me happy when I hear it. Will you marry me?? Just asking. I only want to meet you so you can sing to me while I fall asleep. I'd have sweet dreams every night. You just can't sleep in my bed. I like my space. You can sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor. =]

With love,

Raven

Dear Hayden Christensen,

I just want to touch your face because it is pretty. And I like your skinny-ness too. That is all.

Love, Raven

Dear God,

I just want to know what you really look like before I die. Are you like the Michelangelo painting of God and Adam? Or like the Hindu god Brahma with many faces in all directions? Or Mahavira and Buddha in a lotus position? Or like the clouds and you don't have a specific look because you are a part of everyone?

I don't know. I just want to meet you.

Love, Raven

Day 8:A Letter to Your Favorite Internet Friend

Dear Favorite Internet Friend,

I do not have you. Not because I don't want to be your friend, but because I don't talk to people I don't know on social networks.

Sorry, but I'm not some crazy Myspace girl who poses in the mirror with provocative clothing and a kissy face in order to attract attention from boys (or girls).

I hope you don't take this offensively. I'm just telling the truth...

Sincerely,

Raven

Day 7: A Letter to Your Ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/love/crush

Since I don't/never had a girlfriend or love, and already wrote one to Mr. Crushy...

Dear Ex-Boyfriend,

You wasted my time.

But thank you. Thank you because now I know I deserve the best for myself, and you will not nor ever will be able to provide this.

So I thank you.

Sincerely,

Raven

Day 6: A Letter to a Stranger

Dear Stranger,

I don't know who you are, but if I meet you, I would like for you to not kill me first of all. If I am still breathing after I introduce myself, I would like to you to know that I am unique. My life story is full of twists and turns that has helped make me who I am now.

I'd also like for you to know that I don't like chocolate. So for Valentine's day, please, keep the brown stuff away. Not even white chocolate. Flowers are OK, even though their pollen hurts my feelings...

I also fractured my left ankle and never went to the doctor to fix it. I thought it was a sprain. So if you see me limping on some days (especially when it's extra cold), it is because my ankle hurts me. Not because I'm trying to be a pimp.

I like blogging... I think it's fun. Writing has always been so much easier for me than talking.

I think I have big eyes and nose, but I guess that benefits my sight and sense of smell.... Well, I do smell things easily. My eye sight is shot. No, my eye sight is on life support.

I like colorful pens. Why be bland and write in simple black, blue or pencil when your letters and notes can be a rainbow of excitement! The world isn't boring, why should my handwriting be?

I eat rice for breakfast sometimes... Actually, my favorite breakfast/snack is: rice vermicelli noodles with a hint of soy sauce and a 2 scrambled eggs with a dash of fish sauce and cilantro if I have some fresh. I like its simplicity, low in calories, and fullness it gives me.

I am muscular. Sometimes I don't like it because my body doesn't fit the "American stereotype of a lean, skinny model". I have bulky biceps and muscular thighs and calves. Then again, I wouldn't be able to dance and hold my leg up without support without these muscles. Its a love-hate relationship...

I'm short. And one day I will find a short man, and we will be short together forever in our little house with little clothes, and little dogs, and short-length pants, and short hair, with short children. (But a long life).

Finally, I like to live. I like to have fun, try new things, remember, take pictures, run, jump, fly, swim, dive, cart wheel, flip, roll, tip toe, stomp, and feel. Who knows when one's life will end? This is why I live each day with a smile on my face and all my troubles left behind me.

So, my dear stranger, after all this, you will still remain a stranger. I am merely the author of this entry and you are my silent audience. In the end, you are still a stranger, and I am still Raven.

Signed,

Raven

Day 5: A Letter to My Dreams

Dear Dreams,

I don't really have many of you, or the ones that occur in your sleep. I do have many dreams for my future though.

My sleep-dreams are very weird. All types of crazy things happening that all don't make sense, or contain ideas I day dream about, but with more twists and hills. But I only sleep-dream about 4 times a year... I guess its because I'm so tired all the time, I never remember them, or just don't have them.

As for goal-dreams, they run my life. I dream of becoming a doctor (if I don't die in medical school). If I don't become a doctor, I'd love to be an anthropologist, learning about people and writing books about them. I don't know why I find people, culture, rituals, and religion all so fascinating. Maybe its because I don't really have any of that myself...

I also dream of traveling the world. There's so much out there to see and experience, and many people never get to do this. I want to learn, eat, breath new things and teach Mia about it. Maybe I can teach her to be as open minded and caring as I am...

My final dream is to find happiness within myself. To be relatively stress free and content with where I am in my life. Being financially stable. Watching Mia grow up and making her own choices. A house on the beach. A chihuahua or two sleeping at my feet. And a loving husband by my side as we watch the waves go by. Of course, that may not all completely happen, but something like that would be lovely. Simply lovely.

So, the only thing I have to say to you, Dreams, is please come to see me soon and please make me happy.

With love,

Raven

Day 4: A Letter to a Sibling

Dear Rishona, Nwenna and Callie,

Sometimes I wish you guys were brothers. Only because I don't know what it would be like to have one. But you all turned out to be girls, and I have learned to live without male influence.

Actually, I'm happy you guys are girls. Boys fart and do gross things just like Khai. I can't live with that.

Anyway, it's strange that we all grew up in the same household, same parents, same gross food, same country lingo and Louisiana Myths, but all turned out with very different personalities. Me being the smartest and Wenna being the dumbest. Callie and Rishona are in the middle. =D

But I guess that's the joy of having sisters. It's like having a group of friends you can make fun of your parents and call them out for crazy things and not worry about offending anyone. Or making fun of each other and saying mean things knowing it's out of love. "Man! You're such a ree-ree!" "That's why your butt is so huge." "You're booty is big? What booty?" "You must have met him in the dark because he is UG-LY!"

Even though we don't always get to see each other often and hang out (especially since Callie wanted to run away and now ignore me like I'm a bad ex-boyfriend), I know deep down we all care about each other very much. I'm glad I have such a variety of sisters. One that can whoop some tail and cook good, one that thinks she's my mom & crazy, and one that is the Stimpy to my Ren.

With love,

Raven

Day 3: A Letter to Your Parents

Dear Mom and Dad,

Thank you for having me. I hope I haven't made your lives too crazy and stressed out because now I know how hard it is to raise a child. Especially not knowing if you are raising them correctly.

Now that I am older, I have come to appreciate the little thing you guys have done for me over the years. From putting me in gymnastics, to throwing birthday parties, to reading me bed time stories, to buying me a car, to just keeping a home for me to live in. Some people don't have parents that care as much or can provide as much as you guys have. Even if it meant sacrificing something for yourself to make me happy, you did it.

I can't believe it took me 17 years to realize how much parents are taken for granted. Everyone says, "Oh, I hate my parents won't let me do this and that. They're so annoying! They expect too much." But deep down, it just shows you care. If you didn't set rules or didn't call at 11:59pm to see if you'll be home by 12am, we would feel as if you didn't care about what we were doing... I guess the complaining is just a form of tough, teenage love.

Now that I'm 20 and a parent myself, I can see things in the perspective that you guys do. I want the best for Mia the same way you want the best for me. And even though I have made you mad in the past, I hope I am making you proud now.

I know I don't say it enough, but I love both of you and thank you.

With love,

Raven

Day 2: A Letter to Your Crush

Dear Crush,

I am going to be vaguely descriptive because you can not know who you are and that I find you attractive... Well... you can't know right now...

I honestly would not have expected to form a crush on you out of nowhere. Just one day, BOOM! And you are the best thing smoking... Well, you aren't actually smoking because you are a good human being... I hope.... It doesn't look like you smoke. You're teeth are far too white and you don't smell like cancer when you pass me by. Yes, I have noticed because I'm creepy. ^__^

Well, you seem like a nice person, smart, calm, pretty, cool, pretty cool....
It's kind of pathetic because I'm like a little elementary school-er too shy to confront you and say, "I think you are nice. Let's talk over coffee!" But I am a scared little girl. A scared, scared little girl afraid of rejection.

I can not express everything that comes to my mind when I think of your face because you might think I am crazy... And I can be a little, but if we do become friends, hopefully you will accept my quirky personality as a good trait to have.
Who knows! You might be quirky & weird too. We can be awkward together!

You are so cute. :]

But anyway, this is all I am going to say, and hopefully we can become friends. And who knows! Maybe we will become more than friends. (Yippee!)

With love,
Raven

Day 1: A Letter to Your Best Friend

Dear Best Friends, Thanh and Adiam,

I can't believe I've know you guys for nearly 6-7 years. What would I do without you two? You guys have made my move to Georgia worth the stay because, seriously, I was gonna run away from here as soon as we graduated.

I love you guys. I really do. Homo. (lol)

I don't know how many times I'll sit in class & just flash back to some crazy encounters we've experienced. Like getting lost in the ghetto. Running through the Mall of Georgia fountain & walking through the mall soaking wet for new clothes. And can you believe that crazy girl asked us if it was raining outside?! It was bright sunny and like 90 degrees!
That time homeboy slapped me and I drove off. The Troy parties after school. Our hooker homecoming dresses!! I don't know how we got away with that one... Spray painting shirts. That baseball game at school we did NOT belong at. HILTON HEAD FUN! So many memories, so little time passed....

OMG! And I love our code names. Tiger, Jelly, Powerade, Egg Roll, Ralph, Whitey, Water, Money, Travis, M, Potato, Faux, etc...

Ahhhh... Why are we so crazy?

I'm glad I got to know you guys and realized how boring my life would be with out RAT. Sure we've had our ups and downs but what relationship doesn't? And we pretty much are all in a relationship with each other if you think about it. (lol) That's why if I am not married by 40 and neither are you guys (or one of you), I am going to marry you. Yes. Yes I am. We will have a polygamist marriage and I'm sure by then marriage for all sexual orientations will be legal. (lol) Just kidding. I'm sure we will all be happily living with our beautiful families and Mia as the babysitter.

I can't express how happy I have been since I've met both of you. I hope we will grow up together, sipping cocktail in some cafe in Italy, reminiscing about our lives as BFFs. We're a match made in Heaven, and I am proud to say that Mia as a bomb Godmama Thanh & smokin' Auntie Adiam. ^__^

With love,
Raven

30 Days

30 Day Challenge.

WRITE A LETTER TO THESE PEOPLE :

Day 1 — Your Best Friend

Day 2 — Your Crush

Day 3 — Your parents

Day 4 — Your sibling (or closest relative)

Day 5 — Your dreams

Day 6 — A stranger

Day 7 — Your Ex-boyfriend/girlfriend/love/crush

Day 8 — Your favorite internet friend

Day 9 — Someone you wish you could meet

Day 10 — Someone you don’t talk to as much as you’d like to

Day 11 — A Deceased person you wish you could talk to

Day 12 — The person you hate most/caused you a lot of pain

Day 13 — Someone you wish could forgive you

Day 14 — Someone you’ve drifted away from

Day 15 — The person you miss the most

Day 16 — Someone that’s not in your state/country

Day 17 — Someone from your childhood

Day 18 — The person that you wish you could be

Day 19 — Someone that pesters your mind—good or bad

Day 20 — The one that broke your heart the hardest

Day 21 — Someone you judged by their first impression

Day 22 — Someone you want to give a second chance to

Day 23 — The last person you kissed

Day 24 — The person that gave you your favorite memory

Day 25 — The person you know that is going through the worst of times

Day 26 — The last person you made a pinky promise to

Day 27 — The friendliest person you knew for only one day

Day 28 — Someone that changed your life

Day 29 — The person that you want tell everything to, but too afraid to

Day 30 — Your reflection in the mirror