Happy Birthday, EJR.

Today was a good day. -Ice Cube (It's ALWAYS an Ice Cube quote.)

I had the day off. For the first time in a very long time, I had the day off. & i did exactly what I wanted to do. I’ve never felt more free. More happy. More intoxicated and liberated by joy. 

It was my brother’s birthday. His name is Enver. Enver Jose Rodriguez.

I'm a rockstar so my day always starts the night before. I ended the 23rd with a bubble bath. I take bubble baths in the dark and play music to clear my mind. Music seems to guide your thoughts, depending on who you listen to, your thought process shifts. On this night, the chosen artist was Alicia Keys who just dropped her album, Element of Freedom. When I lay there, I think about everything bothering me, leave it there and feel cleansed. In other words, I came into the 24th with a clear mind.

I didn't do much. I woke up and said good morning to Diamond, my pitbull & partner in crime. Then I washed my hair and let the Dominican in me do magic. After my hair was blow-dried, Diamond and I went to the cemetery to bring Enver the flowers Mami cut from the backyard. (She swears she's a farmer.) Even the cemetery was perfect. Enver's site is in the sun, so when it's hot or raining, it's terrible out there. Today, it was warm and cloudy. Perfect. We sat and played Kingdom Come off my iPhone until it was time to leave. When I visit, I try to play Enver the songs I think he'd like to hear most. Today I played "Kingdom Come", "Lost One", "Do U Wanne Ride", "30 Something" and "I Made It". Diamond and I walked off to "Anything," and seeing how my brother took care of us ladies, I took that as a sign.  

I dropped Diamond off at the house and headed to the Goodwill where I met up with Mami and went on a $40 shopping spree --don't judge just yet, $40 means, Calvin Klein, Liz Claiborne, Givenchy, and plenty random vintage. (Check my Label Whore Diary for details of the finds!). My mom and I get along best when we're shopping. Had my first paycheck in a while so I finally paid for myself. The drive home is always good with her too, it's like Driving Miss Daisy. My mom is annoying as ever, but she's also the sweetest woman to grace the earth. After we got home from shopping, my little familia always goes through the fashion show. It's what we do with each other, my mom, sister and myself. We shop, we talk, we show. We congratulate each other on the good finds while asking my mom if she thinks she can hem a pant or take in a sleeve. 

Hung out with my mom till she fell alseep. With her, its as simple as being in the vicinity. She just wants someone to be there with her. She talks every once in a while but, we're music people. We'd rather shut up and listen. After she went to sleep, my booooyss picked me up and we put one in the air. It rained for about 40 seconds, almost messed up the night. But then it stopped and Harvey says "God looked out!" What he didn't know is that that was actually my brother. I knew an L was the way to go. Sabrina had wanted to go out to the club but, I'm on minimum wage and trying to get this car registered, so the money's got to stay in my pocket for now. I don't think my brother liked me at the club anyways. I gave him his birthday gift: I stayed home with my mom. I vented to her. Told her stories. Told her A LOT more than I used to. Today, I realized that she's my best friend. 

Today was a good day.