Monday, June 29, 2009

love generates wisdom.

Mariapolis - obviously awesome...and a definite reminder to me to take the initiative to love...and to love without expectations...to love even when it's hard...and even when you have to make sacrifices....

No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:13

* * *
On a lighter note, Titus & I went to Marble Slab Creamery yesterday...the one at Major Mac and Woodbine. DELISH! I wanted to go for awhile now and I'm glad I tried it out yesterday. There are so many flavours to choose from and basically, they mix and mash your icecream with mixins...I chose "Sweet Cream" with blueberries on a dark chocolate dipped waffle cone. Everything was freshly made and it was the best icecream I had!! Although we got the original size, it felt like I just had a big meal after I finished it...Titus got the "Chocolate Swiss" with M&M mixins...obviously, mine was much better. XD My only critique would be that the blueberries were frozen (because they were put on the slab that they mashed the icecream on). If the blueberries were not frozen, it would have been a much more pleasant experience for my teeth.


Overall, I would give Marble Slab Creamery : 4.8 stars!


Off to work, tata.


PS. Happy Birthday to my hunny :)

Thursday, June 25, 2009

got juice?

In these past 2 days, I didn't accomplish half of what I wanted to do - start a book and what was it? Oh yeah...cook. Instead I went out to eat with friends, watched a movie, walked Lucas, and spent today playing MJ. As "fobby" as it sounds, MJ is actually very brain-stimulating...but also very tired when you play 6 hours straight. Justin got a new set of mah-jong that is 出前一丁 instead of the usual characters...it was really fun! We played with Justin and his friend Angie but Anna joined us later on. I definitely want to play again next week...I want to improveeeee!

Tomorrow, I have to do laundry, clean my room & washroom, and pack for Mariapolis - something that I refer to as my spiritual juice. It sorta refreshes me each year, which can be seen as something good and bad. Good: Religion is still important to me, despite all my failings. It is good to be re-acquainted with God and to refresh your spirituality. Bad: Why do I need this retreat to refresh me once a year? I shouldn't rely on retreats to keep me going, but try to nurture my faith on my own.

Anyways.
I'm super tired and really need some sleep...so after my daily dose of green tea, I'm off to bed!

Adios for the next 3 days!

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

do you know SOLER?

June 20, 2009 was a day to remember. No one thought that The Greenhouse Effect would perform live on stage again, really. Although no one really wanted to get together again for practice, I guess it was all for the better that something this big happened. GHFX performed at the New Talent Singing Competition & e-ROCK 2009 along with 2 other awesome bands (Enchanter and WhiteBase). The band played Muse's "Starlight"...what a great song! I have to admit that I was SO nervous for them before the show...would all the arguments, disagreements, practices all pay off? Definitely! Although we did not win the fans award, I'm still really proud of them 4 for such a great performance! What a night to remember!

And of course...SOLER was the guest performer. I honestly never knew about them until this year's NTSC. Everyone (sort of) was saying that this year, SOLER was coming...who the hell is SOLER, was what came to mind. I didn't really even listen to any of their music until maybe the night before the show. But I have to say, after the show, I was really impressed with their music, style...and of course...how good looking they were! Hanford, Titus, Alan & MK are definitely some lucky bizatches to be able to meet them in person! So that leaves me currently highly addicted to two of their songs - 細味 and 失魂 .


The show (well - BenBen, Daniel, the 3 bands, and SOLER's performances) was awesome. What was cooler was the fact that so many friends showed up to support GHFX! Sarah and I definitely spent at least 3 days preparing all the parafanalia - everything from cheer sticks to glowsticks, posters to huge banners, etc...It was an exhausting week, attending band practices, organizing the event, inviting fans, and preparing everything...but it was all worth it!

The biggest congratulations and best wishes for Daniel, BenBen and GHFX!


Enjoy.




The Greenhouse Effect Fanpage on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages/THE-GREENHOUSE-EFFECT/115510473059

SOLER - 細味 MV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJQ7xepjArM&NR=1

SOLER - 失魂 MV:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdPGVZIJ6b0&feature=related

Monday, June 22, 2009

a fresh start.

So...I have decided to write again. It has been almost 4 years since I last wrote a journal or diary entry, all thanks to Titus. Since it's a couple weeks until the "big" 2-0, I think it's time for a fresh start, a new beginning. I've been thinking lately, and I want to change the way I live my life. I want this coming decade to be one full of surprises - maybe one with many mistakes, but no regrets. I think I still need to find myself, and most importantly, I want to be 'me' and not somebody I dream to be or fantasize about often.

Nobody ever said it's going to be easy...but lately, there just seems to be subtle difficulties standing in the middle of my comfort zone. I'm nervous about school...I know exactly which courses I am going to take for the rest of my undergrad, but what's in store for me next? I've been telling everyone - including myself - that I'm off to Korea after I finish my undergrad. Who knows...maybe I won't have the guts to go. But I know I'll regret not going...maybe I could go a bit later...or maybe I should just go; no regrets, remember? Is it a bit early thinking ahead on the next 2 - 3 years of my life? I think I'm addicted to planning early...In highschool, while everyone was struggling to choose courses for the coming year, I was already done...in fact, I had already chosen everything I wanted to take and had taken note of all pre-requisites in grade 9. That's sorta creepy. But I can't help it.

And work. Last November, I quit Longo's. At first, I was thrilled that I got a job as a cashier. As a kid, I remember always wanting to scan items and hear the "doot doot". Or whatever sound that machine makes now. After awhile, I really hated it. I loved my co-workers...but I started to hate the environment...I felt like I just needed to get out of there. Now, I work at an insurance company. I like the job, but I'm already bored with it. I'm kinda ridiculous. The only thing is...this job doesn't pay much, although my boss told me that she's going to give me a raise today. I don't even know why I got this job (besides for the money). I should have stuck to my guns and tried really hard to find some kids to tutor. For now, I'm stuck with very few hours a week and not enough money to pay off my credit card bill.

I sort of sound like a spoiled brat. I'm complaining about the smallest nuances in life, while many others can't afford to go to school or can't even find a job. I sometimes wonder if it's because I live in the suburbs. Everybody goes through the same phases of life: childhood, elementary, highschool, then university...then get a job, travel some, get married, and have kids. I want all that, but at the same time I'm really craving for something different. I don't want to get old and then realize that I've just had the same life as everybody else...I don't need to be recognized or be famous...but I just want to be happy with it by the end...

Don't get me wrong. It's important to have an education and a job...but what's that special something that I've always felt was waiting for me?

Right now, I think the way to go is....enjoy my summer...spend time with all my friends that I barely get to see during the school year...eat at home more with my parents....and maybe try to show my parents that I'm mature and disciplined enough to not have a curfew. Why do I hate disobeying my parents? I just can't bring myself to do it...unless I'm totally convinced that they are wrong, and I am right. Maybe it's just the way I was raised...or maybe because I'm Chinese...or maybe because I absolutely hate it when people get mad at me, even strangers.

I'm glad that I can sit here in my air-conditioned room, sip on my green tea, and blog with a laptop that I didn't even pay for...but is all mine.

Tomorrow, I'm going to Titus' again...except this time, while he works from home...I'm going to walk Lucas (the beautiful Shetland Sheepdog that I'm absolutely in love with), go buy some groceries...experiment with some recipes, and maybe start reading a new novel.