Archive for August 2011

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Saying Goodbye and Family Vacations

Originally I had this grand blogging scheme where I would publish three of my saved draft post in one night. I brewed my cup of coffee and sat in front of the my laptop to start writing, but then I got distracted by weird, random problems people have that I shouldn't be butting in but am anyway. I also got distracted by Matthew's hermit crabs, which he bought on a whim today. Their names are George and Martha, and no, Martha is not a girl. So instead of publishing three posts I decided to cram it all into one giant post.


Last Friday was my last day at Sears. On Saturday, I had my leaving interview which left me with mixed feelings. I'm not very good with goodbyes because they involve a lot of hugging, which I'm not used to, but after hugging everyone goodbye and hearing their well wishes, I started getting teary eyed. I've worked at Sears for 3 and 1/3 of a year, and during that time I unconsciously grew attached to everyone (how could you not when you're constantly complaining about the same things?).

I'm going to miss my Sears family more than my discount. As I waited for the bus after my leaving interview, I pulled out the card they gave me and almost started crying after reading it. They didn't write anything special, just the usual, "Good Luck at U of T!" and "We wish you the best!" and "You were great to work with! Thanks for covering my breaks!" But seeing their handwriting made me realize that I'm never going to hear stories about their grandkids and relatives and friends and just life in general ever again, which made me sad.

I'm getting tired of saying goodbyes. I find it interesting how I'm saying goodbye to a lot of people just as a lot of new things are happening. Saying bye to Lynette and Jessie wasn't that bad at first, but after dwelling on the impact they had in my life, their friendship and what they've contributed as sisters to LH, I gradually grew sadder. But it's ok, it's not like I'm never going to see them again.

Anyway, so my mom got this brilliant idea several weeks ago to take a family vacation to Ottawa/Montreal. I've managed to avoid family vacations in the past due to the fact that I always had work on the weekends and had other obligations, but this year I've run out of excuses. I guess it's good for me to go on a trip with my entire family though, since I haven't been spending time with them lately.

But it's just that, a family vacation sounds extremely daunting. I can already imagine what it'd be like to be stuck in a car ride with my entire family for five hours: my mom is going to change her mind a million times, Annabelle is going to lecture Matt and Aaron, I'm going to side with Matt and Aaron and disagree with Annabelle, Aaron is going to say something dumb and we're going to yell at him, my mom's going to complain about her headache, Matt is going to talk about his hermit crabs...

My mom is very excited though. She's been emailing us and texting us to remind us that we're going on a FAMILY TRIP even though we live in the same house and she could just very well just yell it out loud for everyone to hear. She suggested I research the night life in Montreal and take my brothers out for drinks. I was very annoyed by this suggestion because 1) It implied that my mom is a lot cooler than I am, 2) she's acting very irresponsible because Aaron just barely turned 17, and 3) I don't want too.

Thankfully, it's only for three days. I'll try and make the best out of it and have some serious sibling bonding moments (outside of a bar).

Ok so that seems to be it for my giant post, I realized that I can't jam everything into one post because then it'd be incoherent. I'll have to post about Love and expectations later.

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Dating 101 for Guys

Today I was baking brownies for Annabelle to give to her co-workers and Rolando, the custodian at the Multi Faith Centre, when, as I was cooling it, Aaron ate a piece of it. But aside from that, the brownies were a fail.


My failed brownies reminded me of John. Actually, a lot of fails reminds me of John, but not in a bad way. John always wants people to do their best, and to be attentive to what they're doing, and I realized upon evaluation that the sad, deflated brownies were probably a result of my lack of attention to details.

Not to be defeated by the fact that I probably did not inherit any of my mom's baking skills, I made a new batch when I got home, and this time it turned out better. So thanks John, your constant berating does have its merits!

Ok so on with the dating tips the title of this blog alluded to:

Tired of bad dates? Need ideas of where to go? Want to impress a girl? Fret not, because I'm here to tell you about the perfect date spot!

So let's say you finally had the guts to ask that girl out, and you can't think of a place to take her because, well frankly, it's your first date and you don't know her very well. Let's review some of the very basic things about girls that you probably know already:

1) Girls love chocolate

2) Girls love candles

3) Girls love cute things

4) Girls love purple

Fortunately, there's a place in Yorkville with all of the above. MoRoCo is a chocolatier that serves chocolate, has romantic patio candles, has a lot of cute things and is purple themed.

Seriously guys, this place is the perfect first date. It's kind of hidden and secluded, which makes it feel intimate, and some of the furniture is very princess-esque. Unfortunately, when I went there tonight I noticed that not enough guys were taking advantage of this perfect woo-ing spot (so I decided to write this. You can thank me after).

But be warned: you can't let the atmosphere of this place do all the work. You have to come prepared and armed with chocolate knowledge. As I already mentioned, girls love chocolate, so before going to a chocolatier, do a bit of research on the different types of chocolates as well so she won't feel like she's talking to herself when she's trying to decide what to order (I recommend looking at their menu online).

Also, just because you take her out to a perfect restaurant doesn't mean that it's the only thing you should do on the date. Try and stroll around Yorkville, or Google map the area before going on the date and try and find something else you guys can do afterwards. The key is to plan ahead and take the lead.

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p.s.
Hope you guys don't get any weird ideas as to why I wrote this. It's just that whenever I find myself somewhere fancy I take a mental note of it to tell someone to take their date there because no one likes bad dates. Also, I use to write floofy love stories where I make the characters go to fancy restaurants and fall in love ... plus I've been watching too many episodes of We Got Married -_-

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Silent Ball of Anger

Today I learned that you could either notice the negative things or the positive things. Lately, I've been trying to notice the positive things in everything, but tonight, all the pent up, ignored negative things exploded.


And my poor brother just happened to be there. It happened like this:

My brothers were in the kitchen messing around, talking loudly and being their usual annoying selves. Matthew dropped the spatula on the floor while making eggs and I yelled, "pick it up! Wipe the eggs off the floor! Not with that, with this! Now wash it!"

I admit that my constant nagging must have been ridiculously annoying, but I knew that Matt wouldn't clean up after himself. Then they sat down and started teasing me about the usual stuff and how I annoy them. Usually, I don't mind this, and I'd snap back at them of how they annoy me, but tonight, I got seriously angry at everything they said.

A polite way of explaining what happened next would be to say I 'exploded.' I started yelling at them, and then I punched Matt (which is nothing because he's bulky and no longer scrawny) and took away his eggs. We started yelling at each other, when my dad comes up from the basement and yells at us to be quiet.

After my dad left, we just ignored each other and didn't say a thing.

I realized after that this happens periodically. When I was in high school, I had a lot of pent up anger towards my friends that I harbored since jr. high, but never said anything. One day, my gr.9 English teacher professed her secret talent of being able to read people's auras. She read my aura and said, "yours is the colour maroon. One of these days you're going to explode because you're really angry."

I was shocked and embarrassed because she said this in front of my friends. How could she have possibly known? Afterwards though, I realized she was absolutely right. I was a silent ball of anger waiting to explode.

I don't remember what happened, I don't think I ever had an anger explosion in front of my friends. I may have just taken it out on Matt again and beaten him up (I promise you I only ever beat Matt up, no one else. He's always been my personal punching bag).

My anger explosion tonight took me by surprise. I thought I had everything controlled. I guess lately, a lot of things have been bugging and stressing me out. Ever since last week, it was one thing after another: from my friends, to the pressure of my essay, to my job, to my mom etc.

Sigh. Maybe I should start telling people when I'm angry instead of balling it up inside, but this is the way I've always been.

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First 24 Hours of Freedom

List of things I will do after I hand in my essay tomorrow afternoon: (in order of importance)


1) Tweet that I'm officially freeeeee from the harsh confines of summer school.

2) Buy an Iced Cap.

3) Sleep for 12 hours straight.

4) Start and finish game of thrones.

5) Buy nerdy glasses.

6) Make sure Henry hasn't escaped from the backyard.

7) Sleep some more.

8) Take pictures of mango's.

On a totally random note, you know how the table lights in the library are completely confusing because you never know how which way is on and which way is off? (Not to mention which switch is for which lamp.)

Next time I'm in the library I'm going to vandalize the switches and write this:
But oh that's right, this won't happen for a while since did you hear? I'M (almost) DONEEE SUMMER SCHOOL!!

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Caffeine = Cure for Everything

I've been trying to put my phone into better use lately, but not in a useful life benefiting way, which is how I found myself on msn on the train today on the way to Robarts (where else would I be on rainy, summer days?). I was complaining to Amy Tang about something, when all the sudden my phone rang and lo' and behold, it was an for an interview I had completely forgotten about.


I jumped out of the train on the next stop, which happened to be Yorkdale, and ran off to find a quiet spot. I felt guilty for forgetting about my phone interview, but I've been forgetting a lot of things lately.

The interview is for Kids Now Canada (or something like that) where I volunteered to be a mentor teacher for kids in middle school for 12 weeks. The interview went well, even though it was super loud because the 'quiet' spot I found in the station wasn't technically quiet. Although I'm hyped up and excited for a chance to be able to mentor kids, I'm a bit apprehensive about having to do this alone since I'm afraid I won't be hyper enough for the kids. Confession: I chug a lot of coffee/drink iced caps before teaching so I'll have verbal diarrhea.

Apparently after this program though, I'm suppose to hold an assembly for the kids in the school where I'll be awarding them with certificates (I wonder how much coffee I'll have to drink to get through this T.T).

It's just that if you're not happy and excited when teaching, the kids will get bored. You have to look like you're excited about what you're talking about, and unfortunately, I'm usually quiet and reserved.

Other things chugging a lot of caffeine would be useful for:
1) Hanging out with someone you don't like
If you're high on caffeine, you'll laugh at everything this person says.

2) Exercising
The caffeine will make your mind wander while exercising so you won't be constantly thinking of how tired you are.

3) Writing
Fingers will be too twitchy and unable to stay still. Cure that twitch by letting your fingers dance across your keyboard, you'll get that bloody essay done in no time.

Ending this post with this picture:
COOLEST EARRINGS EVER.

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"a brilliant idea has struck fear into my heart"

Once upon a time a brilliant idea popped into her head and got stuck there. This brilliant idea dug its way into her brain, where it blossomed into perfectuality, it buried itself into her heart, until it became her emotions, and where lastly, it stuck itself into her soul so that she became the living, breathing, incarnation of this idea.


But there is always something frightening about a brilliant idea. It has the power to render you powerless, stupefied mid-air, paralyzed against the first leap, that first hurl into the air. Your stomach is seized, your brain injected with encompassing thoughts. Most brilliant ideas dies after this, but those that succeeds has taken the first step to make it stronger.

Sometimes a brilliant idea can bind you by it's sheer geniuseness, like reading a piece of literature and having to put it down because of that leap of bravery and rawness. The way the text explodes and disperses.

This idea that seized her, made her pick up the pen. In the margin of her notebook she begun to record it down, writing first the simple sentence, "a brilliant idea has struck fear into my heart." And going on and on, the entirety of the margins of the notebook became filled. If writing had been hard and laborious, she did it, hunching over for pen to meet paper. The brilliant idea who overcame fear came to life.

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Futile

Countdown:

21 days till my last day at Sears
5 days until the last day of summer school
=Freedom

Today, I had the very interesting experience of serving my gr.11 English teacher. I live in a somewhat small community where everyone pretty much grew up together. My elementary school is only a few blocks from my house, and in fact, the custodian to that very school lives a few houses down from me (he has the coolest Christmas lights every year). Everyone lives close by: my coworkers, old classmates and teachers, so it's not a surprise that I would run into the person who made gr.11 hell for me: Mrs. Travares, English teacher extraordinaire.

The English teachers in my high school had the reputation for being mean and nasty, and helping Mrs. Travares get her credit back for her weber genesis bbq made her seem unnaturally human. Now that she's done being mean and nasty to me, I'm able to admire her for the hip and cool person that she is behind that mean exterior. She has several cartilage piercings on both ears along with a piercing on her eyebrow, which is all topped off with short spunky hair and a hipster jumper. Good thing she didn't recognize me, but then again, I was very unremarkable back in high school.

I find it ironic how I'm helping her now though, if I wanted, I could have been mean and be all, "clearly this overly priced weber genesis bbq has been used: no refund!"

I've been mulling a lot of thoughts in my head lately, most of it very trivial because I have nothing better to think about. Although I wouldn't mind being a few shades darker, I can't wait for summer to be over. I think summer has brought out nothing but evil headaches intended to torment me in the form of frogs (code name for something to help shield your innocence).

Frogs are like mother hamsters, they're persistent and vile, and the complete opposite of Prince Charmings on a white horse. Can't wait for frog season to be over.

Then I came across these verses:
Romans 1:21-22
for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise they became fools.

Am I to be a senseless fool thinking of futile things? I'm happy that I'm reading the bible with Ariel now, so I won't waste my time thinking of futile things.

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Why the Last HP Movie Sucked

Gonna blog because I feel like slacking off.


(Seriously, it's August and I don't feel like writing an essay. The only thing keeping me going is the thought that I only have one week of summer school left and I'm freeeeee.)

A long time ago, when I saw the first Harry Potter movie, I thought I'd never see a movie just as good ever again. To my 12 year old self, it was the epitome of all movies. Unfortunately, after the third HP movie, everything began to go downhill so I vowed to never see another HP movie ever again (unless I saw it accidentally).

But when the last part of the Deathly Hallows came out, I decided to waste my scene points and see it, since, after all, it's the LAST HP movie. Since it had been so long since I had seen a HP movie, I actually expected this one to be good.

Wrong.

The movie sucked.

The ending sucked, the middle part sucked, but the beginning part was ok. The reason I'm such a nitpick over the movie is because I'm a die-hard HP fan and the movie ended up getting a bunch of details wrong, i.e. Harry's eyes, Harry's hair, Harry's scar, that weird relationship between Neville and Luna, all that snogging Hermione and Ron did, the way the Malfoy's just ran off together in the end and WHY are they wearing muggle clothing?!?!

Anyway, I decided that the HP movie franchise is just a big, fat fan art gone wrong.

The HP movies have only benefited me in two ways:

1) Rupert Grint.
Rupert Grint is my first celebrity crush and the reason why I like red heads.

2) Tom Felton
I love Tom Felton. I follow him on twitter and he's such a down to earth dude. Plus, I really like Draco Malfoy, I felt like his character was well developed and in the end you realize that the Malfoy's is just one, big, gushy, lovey, dovey family.

Ok enough gushing. Time to get back to my essay on Richard Van Camp's 'Angel Wing Splash Pattern.'

Oh random story: so for my seminar class I basically had to do a presentation on Van Camp's book, and afterwards I opened it up for discussion. One girl said, "ok I'm just going to point out the elephant in the room that no one seems to be talking about, so I'll just say it. Was this book meant to be something erotic?"

And then the entire class agreed and started talking about how erotic the book was.

I guess I'm just too nerdy or something, because when I read the book I took the sexual innuendo's for metaphors and literary symbolism for struggle, and didn't think of it as erotic literature. When I admitted to the class that I didn't see anything erotic about the book they looked at me like I had two heads and said, "wow."

The same thing happened to me in my other class, where my friend was like, "why does this article talk about porn so much?"

I was like, "what really? I thought it was talking about the different class struggles in Chinese society."

Man, people have such dirty minds.

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Goodbye Haba Unan

When I was a kid, my grandma bought me my first body pillow which I promptly named 'haba unan,' meaning: long pillow. I grew seriously attached to this pillow. It was the same size as me and I'd hug it tightly every night to sleep and wake up in the same position. My parents were amazed at how I was able to stay so still in the night, clutching tightly onto that pillow.


Anyway, so when we had to move to Canada, I stuffed my haba unan in my yellow knapsack so we could travel on the plane together. Unfortunately, my great-aunt noticed how big my knapsack was and asked what was in it. When I told her I had my haba unan in it, she took it out and said, "we'll buy you a new one in Canada."

And so, my beloved haba unan and I were separated. I was very upset but didn't show it, since if I cried they'd just assume it was because I was scared of going on the plane and not because I'd just been separated from my best pillow I'd ever owned.

Fortunately, my grandma bought me a new haba unan once we arrived in Toronto. This one was huge, it was at least a head bigger than I was at the time. This time, I was determined to never be separated from it, no matter what.

So I kept my new haba unan by my side until it became old, tattered haba unan. Around December last year, it begun to rip until the entire thing fell apart, but I was still determined to keep it by my side and gave it a quick fix by stuffing it into two pillow cases.

Eventually though, I seriously just had to put my haba unan to rest and threw it out, since it didn't even resemble a pillow anymore. It just looked like a old, frayed cotton balls stuffed into two pillow cases. A few weeks ago I unceremoniously dumped it in the trash and that was the end of it.

I don't know if I'll ever have own another haba unan ever again. I had to blog about it because I threw it out so unceremoniously, I should have at least given it a proper burial or something.

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Girls are like Mother Hamsters

As I was in the park jogging earlier today, I witnessed two people peeing in the bushes. This not only made me really disgusted, but it also made me sick when I remembered the times when I myself would go into the bushes to take pictures.


Note to self: never enter random bushes to take pictures because you never know who might have just finished their business there.

As soon as I got home, I ran into the shower and exfoliated like mad.

Speaking of exfoliating, Jennifer just had a sleepover and I totally wanted to bring my exfoliating kit/mud masks/nail polish and have a totally girly sleepover beautifying ourselves while stuffing our faces with chips and talk about guys deep into the night. Unfortunately, I was in such a mad rush when I was packing my bag that I completely forgot to bring all of the above. See, guys bond by wrestling and giving each other wedgies, girls bond by applying mud masks together.

Nonetheless though, we still managed to talk about guys deep into the night. I've been feeling bummed lately, because I been feeling like I've been excluded from a lot of social activities and haven't been keeping up with the girls (except for Ariel), so I was excited to have serious girl time.

There are two types of girly talks:
1) The type where it turns into a giggle fest.
Example: conversations about the time a hot guy winked at you = ROTFGLM (rolling on the floor giggling like mad)

2) Serious conversations about guys
Example: your ideal guy/marriage.

Yesterday, we focused more on the second type. Girls are really complicated, but I guess this is already a given. We're complicated not only with the guys we like, but even more so among ourselves, especially when it comes to guys.

Think of it like hamsters: mother hamsters are possessive over their babies to the point where they'll eat the baby if someone touches them.

Girls are like this. I'm not saying that we'll eat each other or massacre guys, but it's the same kind of possessive feeling. Anyway, I've had a recent experience that was relatively like this where a mother hamster attacked me, so I've been feeling kind of down lately.

When it comes to guys I don't think I'm that picky. Even though I may joke about having an ideal type on this blog, I truthfully don't have one. I don't believe my Mr. M. will actually have a name that starts with an M., nor do I think he'll be a fan of cleaning bathrooms (refer to the Mr. M. post if you're reading this with a confused expression). As long as he loves God and wants to stay in Toronto for the rest of his life I'm happy.

We saw this really cheesy movie called Leap Year, and during the wedding scene the bride said, "May you never steal, lie, or cheat, but if you must steal, then steal away my sorrows, and if you must lie, lie with me all the nights of my life, and if you must cheat, then please cheat death because I couldn't live a day without you."

Even though this is incredibly cheesy, I betcha one of these days I'm going to find myself in a wedding where this will be someone's exact wedding vow.

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