Face Off Part I

In my 20's I was a fan of the WB. I watched Charmed, Roswell and Buffy the Vampire Slayer with my college roommate.  I’m not sure what resonated with us, the music, the characters themselves and fascination with all things occult?  I cringe now 15 years later watching Charmed at the YMCA while working out but I do it anyway. I am reminded of my time with my roommate. 

I was thinking of an episode of Charmed where the cast went into this alternate universe to find themselves cast as “the bad guys” rather than the good guys. In addition to being dressed in black leather, eye liner and black lipstick, they actually went around doing evil rather than good. In the course of the episode, both sides found themselves working together for a common cause. In the world of the good guys, someone did an extraordinarily good thing. In order to maintain the balance of their worlds, one individual in the alternate universe had to do “a great evil”. 

Gemini Twins

I have been considering the issue of duality. At the very surface level, I am a Gemini, 2 sided, 2 faces. This seems to be an ongoing theme in my life and something that I seek (sometimes unknowingly) and something that I process continuously. It’s probably why I love Batman/Bruce Wayne so much. I love the tragedy of an individual that channeled his pain/rage/anger/madness into something that beat back evil with his bare hands. Both Batman and Bruce Wayne are masks and hopefully somewhere in between is just a man/soul. Both masks are his demise because neither is sustainable. Can one person, although extraordinary, really fight evil?

I have also worn many masks. Some have come to pass. I use to pretend to be American. I mimicked an accent and a demeanor that I thought characteristic of American children. I did this in my adolescence and college years and even during my 20s. I did it to fit into a way of life as a means of survival. If children can make fun of you for having the wrong set of clothes, imagine what they will say about cultural differences? I couldn’t hide it all the time. Imagine what the kids said over liverwurst sandwiches and hopia (a Chinese/Filipino pastry) in the lunchroom. I also couldn’t hide a mindset. It is taking a mountain to change this and hopefully I can cover this during a different entry. This has been on my mind as well.

Faith Rewarded

Truth isn't enough. Sometimes people deserve more. People deserve to have their faith rewarded. - The Dark Knight

 This past Friday was pretty awesome. I logged on to the USCIS.gov website and saw that the I-130 applications for my parents have been approved. These applications verify my relationship with my parents. when I checked the status of my dad's permanent resident card (also known as a "green card"), it says that it was produced and was being shipped. My mom on the other hand has to get a police clearance or a certificate of good conduct. Her biometrics (finger prints) were not accepted. She has always had super dry hands and although she has gone twice to have them done, it just didn't take. This is the last step before they also accept her I-485 (adjustment of status) application.

So after all this time, their belief that our time here, good and bad, is paying off. They, we, are now legitimate in the eyes of the law. Legitimate as people, a family, and no longer looking over our shoulder fearing that knock on the door that might destroy our lives here.