fabulous friday

the sun held out for most of the day, which was quite wonderful. and despite the fact that it's currently pouring outside my bedroom window, it hasn't succeeded in dampening my joyful mood. :o)

just for ol' time's sake:

let the exploiting begin ;o) [montreal, july 2004]

this morning found me once again driving down bathurst and eventually into cristina's driveway, where moonkie the wonder pug greeted me with heartfelt snorts and grunts on the front steps. after a couple of hours spent over vietnamese vermacelli and a whole lotta brother bashing, cristina and i decided to trek over to our usual hotspot, starbucks (on the corner plaza of bathurst and sheppard), in hopes that we would find mr. oh-so-hot-in-a-geekish-way prefix boy. lo and behold, right when we entered through the glass doors, there he was sitting by himself at a table to our right, typing away, his eyes glued to his laptop, engrossed by the words on the tiny screen. initially i had my doubts that it was really him, until he pulled out the same infamous red hilroy notebook he had during our first encounter.

cris: "i think he's a writer."
me: "i think he's really hot."

after conveniently finding a table right in front of him, we couldn't help but pass not-as-subtle-as-we-would-have-liked glances in his direction. unfortunately, being the geeks that cris and i were (social awkwardness and all), we couldn't muster up the courage to even ask him what his name was. but hopefully that'll change if/when cris decides to go through with her dare *ahem* :oP (cris, i'm expecting a full report on this! haha!)

and on nostalgic terms, today brought me back to the days of seventh and eighth grade. just the sudden swept-away feeling of being childishly excited over a boy was amusing to experience all over again, even though it was only for a few minutes. hmm. perhaps he has a twin? cris, that can be your *next* question :oD

after a long traffic-filled drive back to the 'saugs to pick up the brother from work, i decided to take a slight detour instead and make my way to the library. i came out with Helen Fielding's Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason and a Teach Yourself Colloquial Vietnamese lesson kit, complete with cassette and language book. methinks there will definitely be many interesting times ahead. :o)

7pm rolls around, and i'm at church for our weekly youth group meeting. always good times with the hfbc peeps ;oP

11pm, and my brother and i come home to find our baby nephew/godson and neice from michigan over for a surprise weekend visit (with their parents of course :oP) - it's crazy how much they've grown in just a matter of a few months. it's only been about seven months since i've seen them, and all of a sudden nathan's talking now, and alexa can walk - to think i've missed so much while i was gone. it's almost surreal, really. wowsers. but i'm definitely looking forward to spending some quality time this weekend with these kids and being completely distracted by their utter cuteness, babytalk, and crazy toddler antics!

all in all, i can contentedly say that this week has done me nothing but good - romping around the 'saugs, catching up with oodles of fantastic people and movies, eating (hoarding?) good amounts of home-cooked goodness, getting well-acquainted with our brand new treadmill and back into the habit of working out; and just finally having some serious downtime to myself, without any complications of any drama-related anything. i'm all smiles :o)

... and to think this weekend's just getting started! :oD

a lesson in spanglish

"Worrying about your kids is sanity, and being that sane... can drive you nuts."

-- John Clasky from Spanglish

***

tess and i decided to make tonight a pseudo-last-minute sleepover. and on the agenda was a viewing of Spanglish. we really didn't know what to expect, especially with adam sandler in a much more serious and domestic role, but we were far from disappointed with our selection. :o)

i think that this film did a fabulous job in capturing the the very essence of what it means to be eccentric... in every sense of the word. i absolutely loved it! :o)

quite the wonderful movie with just the right amount of comical and dramatic value, surprisingly without the typical "feel-good" clichés (which was definitely a nice touch!). word of caution, however - there's a pretty good chance that this movie may leave you feeling rather hungry (mmm... all that food!) :o)

note to self: add "master chef" to the criteria of ideal boyfriend/husband :oP

one last hurrah (x 2)

it's words like "goodbye" that can really give you a nice kick in the toushkin in realizing that change is unavoidable.

here's a recap of the past couple of days:

april 17 - andy and simona's surprise goodbye party with the youth group. who knew 7 months would be so short? and now they're heading back to germany, and then to spain this summer to continue with their missionary work. i think i've come to the conclusion that i'm not the best at stalling people - but at least i've become quite good at playing tourguide :o) not only did they get to see all of mississauga, but they all got to see mississauga x3 :oP it's never an easy thing to say goodbye, but thankfully we were able to distract ourselves from crying and letting our emotions get to us by indulging ourselves in a whole lotta food, a whole lotta ice cream cake, a whole lotta x-box, a whole lotta movies, and a whole lotta good luvin'!



april 18 - travelled back up to waterloo for one last "agfitrian" co-op gathering at east side's. though some significant people were MIA (ie: jared, who was excused; and kara, who was not so excused), it was still good times all around. dinner followed by some serious tcby action and a surprise cameo by none other than timothy orr himself definitely put the FUNNNN back in FUNNNNtra ;o) (inside joke, folks). hard to believe we've been keeping this up for almost a good 3 years running! but parsley or no parsley, bongosaurus or no bongosaurus, it's been simply wonderful times with the agfitrian crew. definitely gonna be one of the things i'll miss about good ol' waterloo.

oh - and um, for those who haven't heard yet, rohit and i are planning to get married so we can have cheaper car insurance :oP

future names of children: hyundai and ford focus (please don't ask. there was either too much sugar in my raspberry/blueberry smoothie or those weren't really m&ms in roro's vanilla frozen yogurt)


editorial note: i had candy in my mouth when the waitress took the picture, which would account for the chipmunk-esque disposition. :oi

with all these goodbyes happening left, right, and center, i think the whole feeling of "everything coming to a close" is finally sinking in... doh.

breakaway tour 2005

Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won't forget all the ones that I love
I'll take a risk, take a chance, make a change
And break away...

well, it's official. i'm deaf. but it was WELL WORTH IT! :o)

nothing says "american idol geek" better than attending a kelly clarkson concert solo and happily becoming one with the surrounding teenyboppers who were non-stop jumping, screaming to the top of their lungs, and freely dancing the night away. man, it was awesome!

dang, this girl has a set of pipes! i mean, i totally thought she could wail on american idol, but holy crap is she amazing LIVE! to say the least, she completely blew me away - blonde hair and everything! (yes, she's blonde now!) an amusing tidbit of the night was adding a skaw-alternative rock spin on A Moment Like This - which actually turned out to be quite the improvement on the song :o)

even the graham colton band was rockin' as the opening act (and aside from being really good on stage, they were also very yummy to look at :oD) - the boys of the band were nice enough to stay after the show to take a few pictures with the fans (including moi) and sign autographs... *sigh* what is it with me and musicians?!

yep, i'm still beaming. :o)

of course, you know what this means...

this means that for at least the next month or so, it's going to be 24/7 listening, singing, dancing, karaoke-ing, and breathing kelly clarkson.

oy.

... which also means that probably in the next month or so, my friends are going to hate me with a passion. :oP

drumroll please...

current mood:


the take-home final is done.
the notes are put away.
the books are back on the shelves.
the plane tickets are booked.

and thankfully, wonderful movies like Love Actually never get old.

so long, waterloo undergrad!
it's been quite the roller coaster ride.

but "we'll always have paris" ;oP

... and mr. sushi :o)

inspired by a late-night conversation with a friend...

ya know, it really is a shame how relationships of the romantic variety nowadays have lost most (if not all) of the light-hearted innocence and adolescent charm they once had back in the days of elementary school; when telling someone that you had a crush on him/her was as simple and harmless as writing down "do you like me? circle yes or no".

really. "why'd you have to go and make things so complicated?"

ahhh yes. that avril lavigne. quite the smart cookie. :oP

(1293 words shy of finishing undergrad!)

proof that even geeks can get the girl :o)

meet the parents:

happy 25th anniversary, mommy and daddy!
(lovin' the bowtie :oP)

my spider-sense tells me i have too much time on my hands

... and the quiz-train keeps on chuggin'. erin's posted yet another doozy on her blog.

yay for superheroes!

Spiderman

Congratulations! You scored a super 55%!

You're hotter than, well, hot-cakes! You've got a fan base bigger than Pam & Tommy, and to tell the truth, you actually don't mind the super-hero gig. Most of the time, anyway. Everyone seems to love their fun, friendly and courageous hero as you swoop in to save the day, time and time again! Unfortunately, swooping and day-saving doesn't help pay the rent, and you're not exactly the "hero-for-hire" type either. Hey, at least you can play down the whole life saving, self sacrificing gig with some neat lil' punchlines and remarks! Juggling both egos becomes a strain at times and whilst you want to help everyone, you're also in search of "me time", often finding yourself having to make constant personal sacrifices in order to protect those around you. Don't fret though! At the end of the day you'll find yourself with the support from either those you rescue or perhaps a close friend or loved one who'll get you by, reminding you of how cool you look in spandex.



You scored higher than 26% on Heropoints
Link: The Which SUPER HERO are you Test written by crayzee69 on Ok Cupid

5 more days of trying to keep my head above water

on an online-search for an artifact for my rhetorical criticism take-home final (due friday); inevitably, i've managed to find myself on blogger - humbled, feeling a little groggy, and thinking perhaps i've had a little too much sun today.

this weekend got off on a pseudo-rocky start on saturday when i left my rs 205 midterm feeling like it had kicked me mighty hard in the toushkin - not exactly the way i would have wanted to write my last and only "real" undergrad final, but after a few hours of venting, stomping, and releasing the unwanted tension from my system, i eventually got over it for the most part.

several kilometres later, i find myself in moffat, where my youth group was finishing up their 30-hour famine retreat. thankfully the fresh air and the beautiful weather (not the mention the plethora of crazy "open-field frolic" and "while you were sleeping" photo-sessions) did a lot for my mood and really helped put things back in perspective :o) afterall, 92% of the things you worry about never really end up happening anyway, and the other 8% is usually manageable - that's the theory i'm planning to stick with, anyway :oP

a few more clicks on the meter and i'm back in mississauga for the night in hopes to quench my thirst for some much-needed family lovin' and to pick up some clean fresh-out-of-the-dryer clothes. and so far, it's been just wonderful.

and somehow during all that, it's monday again. in a few hours, i'll be back in waterloo to face the final stretch - hopefully on a much better note than i started the weekend with.

the (tentative) agenda for this week? study dates, koh-i-noor, 1750 words of rhetorical and critical fun, and finally kissing waterloo undergrad goodbye (not so tentative).

*sigh* in the wise words of dory from Finding Nemo, there's really only one thing to do in times like these, and that is to "just keep swimming."

... a bigger study break

so, just when i'm about to go back to the books, claudia sends me this quiz...

and so apparently this is what it says about my dating personality:

Your dating personality profile: Religious - Faith matters to you. It is the foundation that you build your life upon. You trust that God has a plan for you. Outgoing - You can liven up any party. You've got a way with people and have little difficulty charming your dates. Liberal - Politics matters to you, and you aren't afraid to share your left-leaning views. You would never be caught voting for a conservative candidate.

Your date match profile: Religious - You seek someone who is grounded in faith and who possesses religious values. You believe that a religious person can enhance your life. Traditional - You need someone who is a bit old-fashioned. A person with traditional values and beliefs will perfectly compliment your lifestyle. Athletic - You aren't looking for a couch potato. You seek someone who is active and who keeps his body in top shape.

Your Top Ten Traits 1. Religious 2. Outgoing 3. Liberal 4. Big-Hearted 5. Practical 6. Athletic 7. Wealthy/Ambitious 8. Funny 9. Adventurous 10. Traditional

Your Top Ten Match Traits 1. Religious 2. Traditional 3. Athletic 4. Practical 5. Conservative 6. Outgoing 7. Big-Hearted 8. Intellectual 9. Funny 10. Adventurous

Take the Online Dating Personality Quiz at Dating Diversions

hmm. i'm not so sure about looking for someone "athletic", but a body in top shape i suppose can't be that bad of a trait ;oP *blush*

a little study break

esther choy, you are one awesome chica :o)
from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

american idle

cross reference: check out my blog post for march 3rd

really, it's the best of both worlds :oD

i think i can, i think i can, i think i can...

today was the last day of classes - as dr. neil randall of my 309C rhetorical criticism class said after a number of us graduating students raised our hands, "'tis a sad, sad day."

yes, 'twas a bittersweet goodbye, indeed.
... but i think i'll get over it :o)

one final down.

one paper and two more finals to go.

*breathe*

bring it on...

an alternate form of procrastination

checking out friendster joint horoscopes.

this one's for you, tess :o)

You and Teresa are flying high today!

Ambition isn't a quality that either of you is lacking, and when you come together -- wow! The sky's the limit. Heck, the sky's not even a limit -- it's just a suggestion. What you two can accomplish together knows absolutely no bounds right now, especially once you get your working styles down pat. Once you learn how to complement each other's strengths and weaknesses, you'll have such momentum that it will leave you breathless. Go ahead and dive right in.

i am amused :oD

and tess, remember - "it's just a suggestion" LOL

yet another significant family matchmaking attempt

current mood:


his name is ellie (i'm not sure exactly how to spell it, but that's what it sounds like). according to my sources, he's got a budding career of being an intellegent mix of engineer and physio-therapist, living in his own house in the states, well-established, and well-unattached. he's also 32. rumour also has it that he's in hopes of finding a young filipina with north american background to settle down with. oy.

number of offers to be introduced to him in the last half hour: 5

how my family does it, i'll never know.

the idea of starting the very first ever baptist nun convent is looking more appealing these days.

... HELP!

nuttin' like a little wholesome, childish competitiveness!

mood of the day:


whaddaya get when you cross polo, lacrosse, and bumper cars?

WHIRLYBALL!

last year, while i was spending my fall term on the other side of the world in vietnam, i was a little (read: immensely) disappointed when i found out that my youth group decided to play without me. and rightly so! today affirmed that i had every reason to be disappointed!

this is like, THE MOST awesomest game EVER! and not to brag, but our team rocked! :o) i think jacrise and i actually had more fun aimlessly goofing/dancing around in our bumpercars to britney spears' toxic than helping sankara shoot some goals; and my forehead's unintentional ability to rebound the ball probably contributed more to the game than me and my scooper did, but it was definitely all about good times and great company! none of us cared that the group that came before us were oddly much shorter than us and probably half our ages, but the turnout of people who came out for this was amazing - always a great time with the hfbc youth, especially when we had a solid reunion going on :o) it's a wonderful thing when most (if not all) of the people you're with are just as craaazy as you are - i love you guys!

and for all of you reading this post, scratching your heads in utter confusion or perhaps rolling your eyes at this precise moment: if you haven't gone yet, YOU ARE DEFINITELY MISSING OUT!

to all the whirlyball patrons out there, i salute you! :oD

***

oh yes, and several random words of caution: it's not exactly the safest thing to drive on the 403 (or any highway, for that matter) with one active windshield wiper in the middle of an unexpected snow storm, unless of course you're a giraffe and have the magical ability to stretch your neck over to the right side of the car to see where you're going. it also doesn't help when the inactive wiper is actively blowing in the wind and rhythmically hitting against the windshield while you're driving.

suffice it to say, it was an interesting drive home :oP

baby got BOOK!

current facial expression:


AMEN! double up A-MEN!

... a holier remix?
(click on the link)

err. um. yeah. :oS

happy april!