Happy New Year's Eve

Spend the final moments of the decade with the ones you love.

See you in 2010!

bang bang!

38, 44, 22, 9, 40, 45

those aren't lotto numbers.

those are the guns i shot up last night at the Wild West Shooting Center at the West Edmonton Mall last night. ooooooooooooowee! my favorite is probably the 40mm & the 38mm special. 44 magnum was CRAZY! so loud.

i'm so down to shoot 'em up in the States. ((....slowly turning into Robin.)) lol.

finished the night up with an amazing creole steak, prawn dinner & some fugle (pronounced "fug-lee") beer. probably the best dinner i've had up here. =)

i'll be back tomorrow night & will probably post about my trip later.

good times...

for sure....

hahahaha...

The Theory of Intelligence

Fairytale

"Fairytale" Sara Bareilles

Cinderella's on her bedroom floor
She's got a
Crush on the guy at the liquor store
Cause Mr. Charming don't come home anymore
And she forgets why she came here
Sleeping Beauty's in a foul mood
For shame she says
None for you dear prince, I'm tired today
I'd rather sleep my whole life away than have you keep me from dreaming

[Chorus:]
'cause I don't care for your fairytales
You're so worried about the maiden though you know
She's only waiting on the next best thing

Snow White is doing dishes again cause
What else can you do
With seven itty-bitty men?
Sends them to bed and calls up a friend
Says will you meet me at midnight?
The tall blonde lets out a cry of despair says
Would have cut it myself if I knew men could climb hair
I'll have to find another tower somewhere and keep away from the windows

[Chorus]

Once upon a time in a faraway kingdom
Man made up a story said that I should believe him
Go and tell your white knight that he's handsome in hindsight
But I don't want the next best thing
So I sing and hold my head down and I break these walls round me
Can't take no more of your fairytale love

[Chorus]

I don't care
I don't care
Worry bout the maiden though you know
She's only waiting spent the whole life being graded on the sanctity of patience and a dumb
Appreciation
But the story needs some mending and a better happy ending
Cause I don't want the next best thing
No no I don't want the next best thing

ballin' in the bay part deux

things he remembered

...and that i needed to be reminded of.

+ a dressy dinner. viceroy. a tiara. a sash.

+ a surprise. eyes closed. to the rooftop. tea lights. entenmann's brownies.

+ a request. yogurt park. waiting for bus. can't take the bus. stern hall.

+ a bouquet. a coke can.

my apologies to future rita

i keep screwing up your life. it's not intentional... but i figure you'll be better equip to deal with these coming issues than i am right now. at least i hope so.

sorry.

-present-day rita

i keep coming back to this.

"Always follow your emotions. If-in the uncertainty of the moment-you feel the urge to act in any particular way, do it. You may be embarrassed, made uncomfortable, or otherwise regret your actions. But-so long as you remain loyal to the emotions that compel you--you can't go too far wrong. It is impossible to live life completely without regrets, but if you recognize the validity of your feelings (and if your actions are in concert with them), then your regrets will never be the grievous melancholy of a heart not allowed to express itself."
- peter kelly

thanks, pk.

harnessing my inner herione

DARNA!

why i'm choosing to liken myself to the beloved Pilipino herione, i don't know.

but she is pretty kick-ass.

fierce, if you will.

p90-death

death to the 24 lbs i regained from what i had originally lost last summer.

ah... the program hurts. so. good.

need. water.

plyo - "the mother of all p90x workouts"

day 2. done.

Twenty-Four

No longer golden... but still just as sweet. Today, I turn 24.

(Jamie says that means I'm platinum. I won't argue for once...)

A year ago, I was so hyped that my birthday would fall on a Saturday. This meant a full day's excursion & a party to last into the wee hours, or it meant an awesome 3-day vacation.

Lo and behold, this year will be everything but. Setting aside the grandeur & the luxe. (Save it for 25 instead. Haha.)

I want today to set the tone for the rest of the year. So here's what I think today might go like...

1) Starting the day at Mass: My dad caught me 10 minutes ago, and asked me if I was ready to go. How could I forget. 8am, it is.

2) Having breakfast with the family: It's rare that we all share a meal together, so I'm glad that everyone is home.

3) Alumni BBQ: It'll be great to see these folks... it's been too long

4) Pil Grad: Celebrating the youngins.

5) and we'll see where the rest of the day/night goes...


Today I turn Twenty-Four. This year will be Twenty-Fierce.

Fierce... More on that later.

5 years

5 years ago...

It began with an "I Love You" and a kiss.
He said it first.


Happy Anniversary, Babe!

when all the world is a hopeless jumble

When all the world is a hopeless jumble
And the raindrops tumble all around,
Heaven opens a magic lane.
When all the clouds darken up the skyway
There's a rainbow highway to be found.
Leading from your window pane.
To a place behind the sun
Just a step beyond the rain

Somewhere over the rainbow...

uh.... yeah..... riiiiiiight......

10:09 PM me: who are you online with?
10:10 PM Christopher: my other girlfriend
me: oh
well..
ok
Christopher: yeah
sorry babe
she's my 510 gf
me: i knew it
10:11 PM Christopher: hey, don't hate the playa, hate the game
me: i have nothing to say to you
Christopher: that's right trick
keep your mouth shut
j/k!
i love you and only you
10:12 PM * MUAH *
;)
me: you didn't keep that up for long...
lol
Christopher: cuz you had nothing to say to me
i thought that was your way of saying, i'm getting tired of this
me: a technicality
10:13 PM ok.
well... let's get this straight.
if you have a 510 gf
you cannot have a 425 gf
got it
Christopher: lets make that deal on april 16
me: ouch
10:14 PM this is going on my blog
lol
Christopher: haha



don't worry. we're good.

what started it all

the bucket list

If you haven't been following my facebook statuses or my recent twittering, then you probably didn't know that my time is coming to an end at Brightwater. I'm out of here April 15. Tax day. A wednesday... yeah...

Not sure where I'll be going next, and it's entirely out of my hands... so I'll just wait until the higher-ups give me the signal/move letter.

In the meanwhile, I'm creating a "bucket list" of things that I need to do before I part ways with the greater Seattle area. I'm assuming that I probably will be leaving the area... so, here's my list-in-progress:

1) Breakfast @ The Original Pancake House in Kirkland
Status: COMPLETE. 3.18.09 w/ bucket list-er #1: gene zhang

2) Eat at the Filipino restaurants that I haven't eaten at yet! There are only 3 left on a list of 5. hahaha... priorities.

3) Drive out past the Olympic National Forest to the coast... aka FORKS! or Neah Bay.

4) Drive out past Snoqualmie Pass. Maybe Spokane. Maybe Yakima. Maybe Idaho... who knows...

5) Visit Mt. Rainier.

6) Visit Canada & make use of this Enhanced Driver's License.
Status: Potential trip to Vancouver or Victoria on the weekend of March 28/29. Wanna come along? Please do! Jo Koy has highly recommended a Filipino restaurant in Vancouver that I HAVE to go to now... Eating here may be a substitute for Item 2

7) Take a ferry somewhere. (Hmmm... I may be able to knock out 7 & 8 with one blow! or 3 & 8!)

8) Cantor one more mass & sing at Mass on Holy Thursday.
Status: This is a given, but I want to list it because it's important to me.

9) More wine tasting.

10) Use up all gift certificates to establishments only available in WA! So far... THE PARLOR in Bellevue.

11) Consume all perishables in the refrigerator & several opened bottles of liquor. I might be having a food fest one of these nights... Who likes scallops, pillsbury pizza dough, cheese, and lumpia?!? And rum. =)
Status: Tentatively set for Tuesday, April 14.

12) Keep dancing with whatever chance I get.

12 is a good number. I'll leave it there. (But other options include: a ball game, alki beach, walk around greenlake... hehe)

As you can see, I haven't really listed much to do in Seattle. That's because I am an ultra-tourist and have already done a lot of the sightseeing in the greater Seattle area. I pretty much knocked that out within the first 3 months of living in WA.

And to add, I won't be upset if I don't complete this list. I really only have 2 weekends and weeknights to complete these items. Plus, Seattle's not going anywhere. I would love to come back.

Look at me, talking like I'm already gone.

Sigh...

Feel free to hit me up if YOU just wanna do something. I will be down! Unless, I'm already booked. =)

Let me cap this off with a sincere THANK YOU to everyone who has helped make Kirkland my HOME. It has been an awesome experience.

(...and it ain't over yet)

march update

march vlog-ery

what happened to my video blog?

So for the month of February, I decided to start a video blog. I have only uploaded 2 videos to this website and my video blog has really just turned into a video diary.

You know how those things go...
You get personal.
You start talking shit.
You start crying...

JK.

I think it's been good to be able to "emote" to myself via webcam. I've rewatched some of my entries, and I've realized that I don't really like how I talk. Haha. I sound tired and unfocused. I ramble. I can't just stop speaking after I finish a sentence. I "um" a lot, run through sentences and pause in the middle of them, make weird faces. o_O

These are all the things my freshman English teacher tried to teach us about public speaking. Look confident. Don't "um". Think and then talk.

I am regressing.

Oops.

---------------------------

In any case, here are some of the things that were on my mind this month:

Feb 8:
+Happy Birthday, Gilby! I love my friends. We're getting older, but we're getting cooler. (and by saying that... I'm not sounding very cool at all)
+District Meeting was not nearly as exciting as it was last year, but it feels good not to be such a noob.

Feb 12:
+On a baking binge right now. I attempted to make Little Caesar's Crazy Break. Miss Sandra Lee of Food Network's Semi-Homemade would be so proud. =) It turned out more like a buttery-garlicky-cheesy breadstick.
+MRI TIME! Woo hoo... I arrived at Evergreen Orthopaedic Center's MRI Office a little before 9pm. I undressed and smocked up. I got to choose a CD to listen to during the scan, because it gets so loud in the machine. It was HELLA loud in the machine. They gave me noise-filtering headphones. It didn't really work, so I had the buzzing and beeping of the machine coupled with the smooth sounds of Norah Jones. I also began praying the Rosary (yes... the Rosary) as I laid there. I'm pretty sure I got through a full decade... and then I fell asleep. Amid all that... I fell asleep. It was crazy.
+I was home by 10pm for America's Best Dance Crew! BEAT FREAKS!

Feb 14:
+I slept half this day away. Had lunch w/ Cathy, went to Costco, chatted online, and slept. ...Yay.
+I love you, Chris!

Feb 17:
+Look, Ma. My ligaments are intact!
+A confession: I danced last night... and it felt GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD. I feel alive again. Oh thank you, Lord!

Feb 19:
+I danced again... oh my wednesdays are back. Cardio Hip Hop & Strip Hop! I could just kiss my knee for not being as fucked up as it could be, but it's sweaty from wearing a neoprene brace through 2 hours of dancing.

Feb 23:
+I keep having dreams involving the characters from "How I Met Your Mother". It must be because they haven't had a new episode in so long. I'm creating them in my mind... and they are AWESOME!

Feb 26:
+I think I'm in love with Jo Koy. I haven't laughed so much for so long in such a long time.... ah, my cheeks hurt.

---------------------------

So, there ya go. A quick recap of some of the more notable (and less emotionally amp'd) posts of the month.

I'll try to sneak in another post before the month is up. I've got 12 hours... must use them wisely.

HAVE A GREAT DAY! It is sunny in Seattle... WOO!

23.75

23 point 75 years old (plus 5 days)

I have 3 months to reach the following goals
- Lose 25 more lbs
- Learn how to swim
- Pay off my credit cards......(i know i know)

Get it done.

flavor faves

My favorite (thus far):

Rooibos Sweet Amore Rooibos Tea: Red Rooibos, apple pieces, peach pieces, pear pieces, rose buds, mallow flower blossoms, rhubarb bits, red currants, almond slices, and vanilla and cinnamon bits

Vanilla, cinnamon, almonds, apples, peach, pear, and red Rooibos tea. A tea you could easily fall in love with. This tea contains nuts.

High antioxidant content and rich in vitamins and minerals. Caffeine free, may aid in relieving allergies, and great hair, teeth, skin, and bones.

Teas recently acquired:

Maracuya Passion Oolong Tea: Oolong tea, passionfruit pieces, candied papaya, apple bits, raisins, carrots, beetroot pieces, orange peels, lemon bits, sunflower and passionflower petals

A sensual and tropical blend of rare passionfruit, papaya and citrus pieces with lovely flower petals creates an irresistible cup of tea. This is a tropical Oolong to remember.

Oolong tea, also called 'Wu-long' tea, is known as a great diet tea. It increases your metabolism and burns off fat built up in the body. Studies show that oolong teas are also good for digestion and help improve the skin and teeth. Oolong teas contain approximately 15% of the caffeine in a cup of coffee.

Sweet White Lily Tea: White tea, apples, lemongrass, green cardamom, roses, and marigold flowers

A euphoria inducing floral blend of rare white tea with rose and marigold petals combined with apples, lemongrass, and cardamom.

This tea is very high in antioxidants and aids in detoxifying the body. Studies show white tea is excellent for the skin by reducing fine lines and wrinkles. Research indicates that white tea may inhibit the growth of certain forms of cancer.

you don't even know how much i love this song

"Ashes"

We rise again from ashes,
from the good we've failed to do.
We rise again from ashes,
to create ourselves anew.
If all our world is ashes,
then must our lives be true,
An offering of ashes,
An offering to You.

We offer You our failures,
we offer You attempts;
The gifts not fully given,
the dreams not fully dreamt.
Give our stumblings direction,
give our visions wider view,
An offering of ashes,
An offering to You.

Then rise again from ashes,
let healing come to pain;
Though spring has turned to winter,
and sunshine turned to rain.
The rain we'll use for growing,
and create the world anew,
From an offering of ashes,
An offering to You.

Thanks be to the Father,
who made us like Himself.
Thanks be to His Son,
who saved us by His death.
Thanks be to the Spirit,
who creates the world anew,
From an offering of ashes,
An offering to You.

------------------------------------------
It's one of those songs that I will always know by heart.
It's one of those songs that remind me of who I am and where I've been.
It's one of those songs that touch me no matter what mood I'm in.
It's one of those songs that I really do sing (and pray) from my heart.
------------------------------------------

always sassy

what is it about "my sassy girl" that puts me in this mood?

------------------

so much to do. so little time.

update.

HeartFirst. VLog #1

So I'm beginning a video blog for the month of February. We'll see how it progresses through the month.

174

woooooooooah... we're half way there! woooooooooooah... livin' on a prayer.



Finally back to my pre-holiday weight.

*shout out to my co for recommending the iphone app that creates nice charts. =D