Ain't Nothing Like the Real Deal

"So far away, doesn't anybody stay in one place anymore?" 

says a Seventies song about people going places and lovers not being in the same place at the same time (yes, long distance relationship). You would think nobody's complaining these days, having Twitter, FB, Skype and texting to reach out and touch someone virtually. Nothing has changed much actually, we're just more equipped today to be far from home and each other. You can't blame me if I feel some stirring in my gut when Carole King sings this song with her usual as-raw-as-life voice.

I was born in this island, I grew up and studied in my father’s hometown up North, worked for 10+ years in the capital, and now living in this city. Imagine how many encounters along the way! (Think six degrees of separation) I have sisters in UAE, another in a distant province (same country), and somebody extra-super-special in another country.  I sure know what I'm talking about.

Letting Go Like You Mean It

I was browsing my Facebook the other day when I got tangled in a long thread of comments from friends on an issue some of us just love to talk about—letting go of your ex (or how to survive a break-up if ever you get the guts to do it). The problem is, we go gaga talking about it like it’s a major, major social issue but that’s just it. All talk, no action.  In other words, we just have some kind of pep talk summed up as “go girl, you can do it” or “the hell, I’m gonna do it this time.” And then at the next party, here we go with some more blah blah about the same guy and same problem.