Friends and Family and Bdays. This is my first FB bday and I must - TopicsExpress

Friends and Family and Bdays. This is my first FB bday and I must say, I am floored by the messages of love and alofa and blessings from you all. Theres been so many hearts in the last 48hours, Zuckerburg et al. must be wondering where the FB hearts all went. Right here at Manava Ola. When I got into a car 6 weeks ago and decided to drive across America, I had no fear because I knew that all of you would be with us on the journey and I thank those special souls who kept me going on that drive in addition to knowing that a very special woman was waiting for me on the other side (sounds so Jim Morrison, aye?), a woman who embodies mother, aunty, sister, cousin to me and most importantly, friend. For those of you who dont know her, she is Dr. Sybil Barnes-Johnson. Sybil and I go back a decade. She taught theatre at ASCC, Pago and taught at USP. Laucala Campus. I was very much prepared to move back to Samoa as I always had a vision of turning our family land in Vaivase into an artists well being colony, where those who live in the first world come to forget time and that concept and go back to the roots of pre-industrialization, capitalism, globalization etc, etc. I still have that thought in the back of my mind. In fact, Sybil and I share that vision. Of a place, call it Malaetoa for now, where we go to heal. While that is still in the backburner, for now, this page and our diabetes page have been great sources of healing for me as I navigate my struggles with obesity, diabetes and just trying to be a better mother, sister, aunty, and friend. I have learned a lot from you. I have learned to embrace compliments. Something you all know as Pacific Islanders is tough for us as we are just not programmed that way. I blush everytime Sybil introduces me to her friends...the artists, actors, choreographers, spiritual leaders, etc, etc and the first thing that comes out is my C.V. I still cant get used to that. Especially when it is said right as youre standing there. So not cool, I reckon. I dont like being described as if Im not present. Who does? But Im coming to embrace the fact that that is how people show respect. And who am I to deny them that? Sista Kat Lobendahn has been in the forefront of teaching me to embrace compliments. And I just love reading Karlo Mila, Teena Brown Pulus boldness in asserting themselves and we all know as their friends where that comes from. Self confidence for me on the contrary has been tied to my weight in the last decade. Isnt that a revelation? Its a woman thing you guys wont understand. But thats how I roll. Even now, at this time in my journey, I feel that way. I feel ashamed and embarrased of not being able to shake off the weight that I gained after writing Headless. It was really tonight, at dinner that I looked around the table and saw so much love and it was all meant for me, from Sybils son, my kid brother, and best African drummer and actor I know, Don and his stunning wife Sophia Neghesti Johnson and their babygirl Yomi and my own stinky sons Pounamu Toia and Malamalama who impressed me very much tonight when the waiter asked them for their drinks and they said, water its our Moms birthday...and then of cos all of you who made my phone do the Linda Blair in the last 48hrs. Really feeling loved by you all, as Ive known you throughout the years but FB is allowing us to dive into each others heads and swim in each others hearts which may not have been Zucherbergs original intention for FB and yet, there it is. It was Teresia Teaiwa who started it all when I woke up yesterday with those hearts, multiplied by a million. Thanks Tere. Can you blive its almost 20 years?Epi Enari? Paul Lyons? Laura Lyons? Cynthia Franklin? Okarrr! To all of you, my dear friends of almost 20yrs and beyond...and to the new friends I made, especially in Utah who make it all seem like time doubled in speed..lol.Selesitila Matagi, Lydia MuavesiPhilip Muavesi, Deborah Fruean Sooialo Fili-ODell, Faa Apelu, Vaiinupo FitisemanuLisiate T. WolfgrammLavinia C TaumoepeauAnapesi KailiSamoana MatagiSeti MatuaLita SagatoVerona Sagato MaugaAngela Hansen AionoJacob FitisemanuJacob KongaikaOfa Fonua Lisa Galván-León Kimberly Reade, et al. and to those of you, gems, Im getting to know through FB, Philip Culbertson, Vanya Taulealo leading that pack, some day, well be together! After all, at the end of the day, friends are the family we choose. Thank you for choosing me. And to my Dads side of the family, Linda Figiel, Sara Figiel, Im loving connecting with you both. Baltimore one day. For sure! And to those of you who house me whenever I visit, Sailiemanu Lilomaiava-DoktorFata Simanu-KlutzLisa UperesaLiaina A. Hunkin ClaytorMele WendtTeresia Katerina Teaiwa, Alvina Ma Perelini and to everyone of you whose name is not mentioned but have been there for me. I appreciate you all. Thank you again for making today supa-fantastic as only friends and family do. Alofa tele atu. Sia Figiel has diabetes. Diabetes doesnt have Her. P.S: And I just want to add a footnote, to these friends of mine who you dont know Im connected to but were hella tight. Theyve all pledged to support the funding of our Malaetoa, our Place of healing for Obesity and Diabetes. Their generosity is so important to me and to us all suffering from these evil knieval diseases...especially us Pacific Islanders! They didnt want to be named directly. These are the silent friends Ive known throughout the years. And I honor their privacy which is why theyre a footnote, no disrespect to any of them. No chronological order of fame either...but they are Kim Kardashian, shes such a humble woman who just wants to be respected! Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry are like my peeps. Oprah makes the best faalifu fai and Tyler has such a Samoan sense of humor, I love this guy! Bill Gates runs around barefoot when he visits the faleoo, such a nice man who keeps reminding Pounamu and Lama to listen to your mom, guys! Dwayne The Rock Johnson cries at all my posts on FB, hes like, Sia, I cant believe Im your friend! I slap him and tell him Dwayne, Sole, snap out of it! Troy Polamalu always washes the dishes when he comes over, so polite and so Samoan! Kalofa e! And then theres Barack Obama and Michelle Obama who are truly the best scrabble players I know. These guys know all the rules of scrabble and I can never beat either of them. They like my smoothies and thats what makes me invite them over. YOu know. And then of course, theres Barbra Streisand. Ive loved this woman since I first heard music. She sang such a lovely Happy bday to me at the Cheesecake Factory earlier on. Shes actually donating the most to our Diabetes place of healing, (Im not supposed to say anything, ehhh!). And then Donald J. Trump who has pledged to be the architect of Malaetoa! He told me Sia, I see crystsal chandeliers from Prague in the foyer. Im like Donald, its a falesamoa. I hear crystals one more time and youre fired! ua iloa? Tom Hanks, my BIG buddy who just got diagnosed with Type two diabetes and told me, Sia, anything. Name it and its done! The same goes for my pals Paula Deen Randy JacksonPatti LaBelleLarry King who all advocate for the eradication of diabetes in their own quiet ways. And whispered to me, we wanna donate Sia. But we dont want to be mentioned. Oka! Such humility! I lurve! Of course I would be remiss if I dont thank thank the American Diabetes Association for allowin me to wear my cape at that conference a fews ago in D.C....that gave me personal happiness, almost like a birthday feeling. Theres so many more people to thank. Tom Cruise just called and said, Sia, just dont mention my donation to the cause. The same goes for George Michael, whose WHAM album remains my anthem to this day. Wake me up before you go-go peoples! Thanks again for your friendship and aloha. Especially this later bunch. Youre simply the bestestest! That means you too Michael Bublé, Michael Bolton, Michael Phelps, Michael Jordan and all the Michaels I know who insist on being called Michael and not Mike. And last but surely not least, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have been like family. So is my girl Pamela Anderson and o course Sandra Bullock. And then of course theres my fab male friends John Travolta, John Mayer, Sir Paul McCartney and Steven Tyler and James Franco Leonardo DiCaprio Lenny Kravitz Ashton Kutcher Russell Brand, I mean I can just go on but Ehh, I dont wanna come across as bragging or anything about these guys. Theyre people too, you know. So respect their privacy and dont forward or share this with any of your friends. Ok? No, for reals guys. Im especially warning Aunty Tala aka Tofiga Fepuleai and Pani Ma Pani? Please guys. OK? I trust you, no for reals......)! Hey, take it easy! INVICTUS Monday!