[Project 365] Day 10: A Childhood Memory

Before I even looked up what today's photo challenge was, I had already spent time during the day to take pictures of one of my favorite activities as a child... BUBBLES! =) 

I remember I used to sit on the front porch and just blow bubbles and make up pretend stories haha. I miss those sweet days of childhood. I went to Stop and Shop and bought a big bubble wand that I played with today. Who says adults can't have fun too? (I still don't quite feel like an adult though haha).

Trying to blow as many as I can!

Bigger bubbles =)

And I also have a photo of an actual childhood memory of mine... the days when I first started with equestrian :]

I'm the one on the little pony haha

That is one activity from childhood I really miss! I started with equestrian because my childhood best friend loved horses and spread it to me. I continued taking lessons until high school, when I fell off the horse while doing some low jumps and my parents wanted me to take a break. I did it a bit in my college's equestrian club, but I never had time because of my other obligations. I'm hoping to find time again when I go back to at least do a couple of more lessons before I graduate.

Photoshoot in the Park

Today I saw some more lovely friends from home :) Got some yummy sushi at a place I never been to before. I always like trying out new restaurants and finding out new places to eat, and sushi is like my favorite food in the world, so it's even better to have found another place to eat it (and luckily it wasn't too expensive!)

Afterwards, after some driving around, I ended up at the park with my friends Robbie and Amelia. Robbie and I were taking some photos with our DSLRs. Sadly, it was SO HOT outside and I am not a good enough driver to take us to anywhere nicer... but I still got some shots I liked haha. While we talked about life, I was also snapping away. 

It was a good day :) I really want to practice taking more portrait and nature shots. My creativity is quite lacking. But it's fun to learn :D

[Project 365] Day 02: What I Wore Today

Pretty simple. I didn't have much time today because I got back really late, so I just took a quick picture of my outfit. I volunteered today, so I wore some more business-y clothes... I have been helping out at the Business office for a non-profit organization. So I feel that it's appropriate to wear more business casual attire, even if they didn't tell me to and if some people wear jeans. Clothes show respect in many ways too.

It's been a pretty interesting experience so far. I never worked for a non-profit organization, and I think the atmosphere is pretty nice. All the people are really understanding and open, and I think it's admirable the causes they work for. I just don't know if I could ever see myself doing that full-time, but I think I definitely want to help out with organizations even if it's not part of my job.

However...waking up at 7 AM is the worst. I don't know how I'm going to survive the real world!

[Project 365] Day 01: Self-portrait - My father's eyes

So starting off the 30 Day challenge, I took this picture of myself.

So one might wonder why I chose to take a picture where my face is blurred? But actually to me, this picture is representative of a self-portrait of myself. I chose to use a magnifying lens to focus on my eye making it bigger and to have that as the focus of my portrait.


Ever since I was a kid, I've hated my eyes.

Surprisingly, I didn't feel that way until I became immersed in a more Asian environment. When I was younger and was the only Asian kid around, I was occasionally teased with the tugged of the eyelids in an upwards direction. Silly me, I thought it was a game until one day I came home doing it and my father was less than pleased.

But it was being amongst Asians when I really started to hate my eyes. Because they were small. Because when a non-Asian person makes fun of Asian eyes, that's considered racist. But when an Asian person makes fun that someone's eyes are small, there's not quite the same standards against that.

For the longest time, I would get remarks about my little eyes. Because they are small, smaller than most people around me, and I don't have the holier-than-thou double eyelids that is so craved by the mainstream Asia. And I would joke along with it about my eyes, yes haha, I have widescreen vision. Even my relatives teased that my eyes were small like my father's.

I hated it.

And then I was going to college. And my parents asked me THE question - did I want to get double eyelid surgery? Since I was starting in a new place, no one would know.

I thought about it, I really did. I have nothing against plastic surgery or people who choose to do it. After all, women wear makeup, there's a lot of things doing to enhance one's appearance. But I wasn't sure if it was for me.

And then one day in college I realized - my eye's are like my father's. My father who has always supported me. And while people come and go, and life is not forever, these are the eyes that would be mine. The ones that my father gave me. The ones that I can pass on to my children.

That was the day I stopped thinking of my eyes as a curse, but more as a gift from my dad. And yeah I still am not quite fond of my eyes. And people still make fun of me for having small eyes, or no eyes. And yeah I hate it a lot.

But I am waiting for the day when I have enough confidence in myself to not give a shit and be proud. For when I can say, yeah, I have little eyes, widescreen vision. But there's nothing wrong with that.

So for my fellow little eyes out there - I'm not saying there's anything wrong with makeup, getting surgery, eyelid tape, eyelid glue, and whatnot. But if you choose to do it, do it for yourself. Not for other people. And love yourself nonetheless.

This is my self-portrait.

Forever Young

An old picture from 2007, but appropriate for my day :)

Some of the most amazing people in my life :)

Spent some time with today with two of my best friends from home, Sonia and Lois. These two have been with me through thick & thin, through the good and the reaaaally bad. Spending time with them always makes me feel warm inside hehe like even though we're getting older, these are the things that will never change<3 And shout-out to my twinnie Melissa, who's all the way in HK...miss youuu!

I'm so grateful for wonderful people who are willing deal with me, even with all my imperfections.

In that situation, I think I'm so extremely lucky :D

friendship never ends

The best kind of tired is after spending lots of time with loved ones.

It was really nice because this week I got to see a lot of different people :)

First, I went up to Rochester last Sunday in order to visit Mike & people now that the MCATs are over. It was nice because it's been a while since Mike wasn't stressing out about studying for the MCATs, so it was like we had time just to relax and not worry about any impending doom. And he's living in a house full of people so it was fun to hang out! I got to see a lot of the old CSA e-board which was fun... good to see that things are always rollin' with CSA!

I've been super into polaroids again, ever since I got my new Instax Mini 25. I've been wanting to get a new instant camera since the film stopped being produced for my old polaroid, but I never got to it. But these cameras have gotten a lot more cheaper than back in the day, so I figured I should go for it! :)

My new toy :)

Being in Rochester for the week was pretty bum. A lot of the times during the day I just chilled around. Nighttime was when everyone was more free (or the people who didn't have anything to do became more active at night) so that was fun! One of the best nights was when we finally had a bonfire! This was a goal for like two years so I'm really glad we were able to do it!

Also, I got to spend some time with my littles. Ate yummy food and attempted to teach them to ride bicycles! We managed to get through that with few injuries.

And of course...the midnight premiere of the last Harry Potter movie! I don't know, I didn't think the movie was particularly good or bad... I think it was just along the same lines as the other movies. Just something that had to be seen. Of course, it's sad to think that it's all over but I'm glad I got to see all the movies to the end. I remember I had the biggesttt crush on Daniel Radcliffe when I was younger... haha

Harry Potter nerds filling the theater at midnight :)

And then this weekend I got to spend time with some amazing women. First I had a lovely dinner with Lu and Felicia, two of my friends from my Columbia University summer writing program. It was so awesome to catch up with them, and hear about what wonderful things they've been doing. And then I spent the night with Susan and Lisa, just doing the same silly things that we usually do. It was like being back in the college dorm again, and even though it was only a few months ago that we were in Riverview, I already missy it.

This was quite a busy week! A lot that I typed. But I'm excited for more ADVENTURES to come :D

the start of a new adventure :)

I always come back to this. Blogging in some sort of way.

I wanted to start one more new URL...just because my last one, the meaning behind the URL wasn't very good...it was more meant to be ironic. But I want to start off FRESH, on a HAPPY foot, with HAPPY THOUGHTS.


It's interesting how much blogging has taken over the internet. I remember when I used to just blog with my domain. And then there was Xanga, Live Journal, blah blahhh... I tried using wordpress earlier this summer, but all the blogs I follow are on blogger. So it just seems to make more sense to use this.

It's SUMMER 2011! I can't believe it. Technically, I just finished my senior year of college. But more on that later.

For now... today I did a lot of thinking about life, and how old I am now, and how much I have or have not done. And I realize that for years, I've been waiting to "grow up," for something to change and for me to get on with my life. But now I'm 22 and it's been long enough stalling.

This summer, I want it to be a summer of ACTION. So here goes.

SUMMER 2011 Goals [some completed]:
- Go to Six Flags
- Get to 105 pounds and stay stable
- E-Mail Professors
- Study LSAT
- Take photos at Central Park
- Watch Wicked
- Drive at least once a week
- Start writing a story
- Do Project 365
- Learn guitar
- Learn to knit
- Compose a song