SOCAL SOCIAL

A sapling requires careful nurture in order for it to grow and strengthen to become a tall sturdy tree. But not every sapling gets to 'grow up'; a sapling can only grow as big as the pot allows, unless, of course, the caregiver makes a conscious effort to help it overcome the obstacle.

Friendship is like a sapling, with its fragile roots and delicate stems. With time, friends become closer and friendship becomes stronger. But distance always presents itself as the biggest obstacle of friendship. Unless people make a conscious effort to get to know each other, spend time with each other, the wobbly foundation just might crumble, and friends long forgotten.

Why suddenly bring this up? Well, this weekend, I attended something called the "SoCal Social" with my fellow dragonboat teammates. The purpose of this social was to get to know the people from other dragonboat teams. We played various games throughout the day, and everyone had fun.

As I commend the effort to nurture the sapling of friendship between the schools, I wonder if this will last. Even though my group and I seemingly became very well acquainted over the course of the day, there was still a slight awkwardness that I can't put my finger on.

Let's just hope that next time I see them at races, we won't pretend to be complete strangers.

A slight nod of the head, or a simple smile.

Yea, that would be nice.

[1.27.2010] ILML: Sandy

Today I had a date with Sandy. Yes, be jealous. :D
It was a small get together, just me and her, talking over two CV tuna salad sandwiches that she's been missing since she moved off campus.
Before meeting up with her, I was slightly nervous. Being the insecure girl I am, I kept asking myself: what am I going to talk to her about? What if she finds me too boring? Oh how I hate silence, but sometimes with certain people it's just so hard to strike up conversation, you know?
But I was worrying for nothing. Conversation flowed endlessly between us- subjects of relationships, teeth, clothes, family and all kinds of weird stuff- she was so easy to talk to that it made me slightly embarrassed of my pre-date panic. It was quite possibly one of the best lunch that I've ever shared with just one other. Time flew by quickly, and we had to bid farewell-with the promise to repeat date as often as possible, of course.

Later on, I went back to my room and started musing about the subject of upperclassmen.

When I was a freshman in high school, I always thought that upperclassmen were so cool so superior and so untouchable. There was always the feeling of a gap between me and them, like the space separating earth and heaven. It was probably the case for many other freshmen too. To our young innocent and naive minds, the upperclassmen were just so damn godly.

Four years later, I'm a freshman yet again, but this time, the situation is slightly different. I'm not saying that they are any less cool or superior or godly; they still are. I still idolize them. I guess this admiration stems from the fact that I've always wanted an older sibling... In a way, they are images of what I strive to be, a representation of what I can become, a mirror to my possible future.

But after getting the chance to befriend so many of them this year, I realize that they are more. I realize that I was naive and blinded by the age difference to fail to realize that they are human too. They are people with different personalities and habits and faces and likes and dislikes and so much more. They are wise, and I learn so much from them, but they are learning things alongside me just as well. The gap between us is getting smaller, smaller, smaller and smaller...and then I would forget, forget that there was even a difference. It's just you, and me.

So of all the upperclassmen in my life...
Thanks for guiding me, and taking care of me.
and thank you all for existing in my life.

♥

ILML.

ILML

There's one phrase that's been floating around my surroundings, for a while now. One ubiquitous phrase that's thrown around so carelessly that it's lost its original vulgarness and severeness and whatever modicum of integrity the actually phrase holds--one phrase that irritates me whenever someone says it for the smallest thing that's barely comparable to greater scale of atrocity, one phrase that pretty much denies what I love and every little detail of the thing I love...

One phrase: Fuck My Life.

Seriously?

Granted, there're always ups and downs in life. It's unavoidable. Heck, I slip sometimes too. What would life be if it was just a smooth monotonous plane? Boring. Sometimes the phrase describe the exact desperation that we all suffer--that the situation sucks, that we wish we could be somewhere else.

But to throw it around so carelessly for their own screw ups, to add profanity to the gift that was given to us, to life, just because "I'm not attracted to Asians. I go to UCSD."-- really?

I hereby dedicate this section, ILML, to the little moments in life that make living worthwhile.

No more fuck it, I will love it.

Yes.

I Love My Life.

-the end.

Oh dear Sunshine...

..welcome home! How I've missed you so. Please don't leave again.



This polaroid-ish picture was made with Poladroid 9.6 program found online :D
It's quite coooool...
TEEHEE.

Army Recruits

Personalized dogtag. Pretty cool. :D

2/14/2010...

...single-awareness day.

"You have less than 3 weeks!"

Oh how my dear friend loves to rub it in my face...

Three Week Mark: Battle Report

It's January 21 11:19 pm. Since I have no class tomorrow, my weekend has already started. I'm sitting in my room, thinking how fast time has flown by. Half of my freshman year has gone by like a blur. Man, already?

Maybe that's why I should keep this blog going. Maybe then I can remember everything that happened.

Anyways, three weeks into my new quarter, and I'm still feeling quite stress-free. Compared to all my suite mates, I have a really really chill schedule. Classes on only tuesdays/thursdays. My work schedule is really flexible too- go in whenever I want.
But for some reason, I still sleep super late. I should stop procrastinating. Teehee.

Since I have so much free time, I've been super cooking obsessed. I'm not the most culinarily-expert person, but how I love to experiment! I haven't gone to CV in a week, and I'm quite proud. :D

On Sunday, I made some curry for Nina. The Japanese kind. For some reason, while I was making it, I felt a sense of nostalgia and...regret? Tears gathered themselves on the brim as I watched the onions sizzle in the pan. It was totally not the onion, swear. I guess making curry does remind me of junior year, of Japanese project, and of my partner, my friend once upon a time- the friend who is so close yet so far, the friend who is lost and never found. Well I guess it's too late now. Our paths have diverge. The curry was delicious and successful experiment.

Then on Tuesday night I made some dduk bokki- korean spicy rice cake. It was a very fun and Korean night! Michelle made some Kimchi fried rice to go along with my food. Lots of carbs, I know, but the food was YUMS. That was "delicious and successful experiment" #2. :D

Over the past week I've also realized that I enjoy grocery shopping more than I do clothes shopping. What is happening?! Back home I was never the girl to go into the kitchen. I was the one outside- the one doing work and handling paper and money! Is it a sign of domestication?! Am I becoming less ambitious?! :O Oh god.

haha. I know, this is a random post of stray thoughts. I'm never good at putting my memory and thoughts into words. Sigh.

Of Hard Boiled Eggs...

...and all the simple luxuries in life that I've always taken for granted.

Like eggs.

Scrambled. Medium-Over. Hard Boiled!

And an accessible kitchen too, even though I've never felt the desire to traverse to that particular territory dominated by my dear mother.

Oh how I've missed you.

Now I know what I've been missing my entire life.

This post was mainly inspired by "Receipe: Hard Boiled Eggs"

Oh the Little Things in Life...

...just waiting to be discovered.

There are so many little things in life that brush past us, unnoticed. After all, we're all busy people with busy schedules and busy work and busy..whatnot. But sometimes all we need to do is stop. Even if it's just for the slightest moment- a glance towards the skies, a listen for the crow's cries, or even a breath of the air outside. Just stop for a moment, and you'll find that the most seemingly insignificant thing can also bring the most joy. Oh the things you can discover! They never cease to put a smile on my face.

Recently, I've noticed that the trees outside my window have put on new coats for the winter. The leaves form quite the beautiful mix of colors- the fire orange complimenting the young yellow and at the same time contrasting with the few spots of stubborn and strong green. They waltz and bend to the gentle coaxing of the wind, rattling the music incomprehensible with my human ears. Wishing to capture the moment, I took out my handy dandy digital camera (that I haven't used in a while, sad face), and took random snaps of the trees. Being slightly vertically challenged, compared to the trees, of course, I could only take pictures from underneath their mighty branches. That was when I realized how different each and every one of the trees are from each other. Despite common belief, they aren't just trees. Each tree is an art piece itself, and they are definitely not "all the same."

Shooting all from the same angle (namely, me bending backwards to take pictures of what's on top of me), the pictures turned out like this:









Each frame is like the canvas, and the branches the strokes.

Each one is unique.

And all it took was seeing them at a different angle.

I guess the same thing applies to life as well. I vaguely remember a quote from my text book way back in 5th grade, and the direct translation went along the lines of this: "A chipped teacup. If you turn it around, look at it from a different angle, it's still a whole, and as good as new." Back then, the quote didn't really appeal to me as much, because I guess to my fifth grade mind a chipped cup was a chipped cup no matter how you look at it.

But now, I would like to believe that I've matured. Because now I can sort of see life and accept life as the way it is, not bad, but just good from a different angle. Yes, I may be a bit too optimistic for your taste. Yes, I may seem to live in a surreal world, in my own bubble that seem to make me float in the skies. But nevertheless, seeing things from a different perspective helps me confront even the toughest situations in my life with a smile on my face.

After all, all it takes is a simple tilt of the head. Why not give it a try?

You just might find the world much more beautiful that way.