Struggles…

I was recently chatting with an old friend because she was once again pulled back into the depression that comes along with a bad break up.  Simply put, she is unable to let go of her ex, even though from a third party point of view, this guy is pretty highly ranked in the world of douchebags.  She spoke with me probably because not many people are awake at 2am…and possibly because she watched me go through the same thing a while back.  Having gotten past it, you look back and you wonder why you even bothered wasting time on such a person…and why you wasted the effort in being sad.   People ask you if you regret having spent so many years with this one person who didn’t treasure you… and when you can honestly say Yeah, I do….then you know 1) you’re definitely over it and 2) you must’ve been drugged. Just kidding 😛

But to be frank, I do regret having wasted my time and my tears….but on the bright side, it did teach me that it’s the little things in life that makes life life.  When the person you trust most leaves you behind, then every day is a struggle until you find your feet. For me, it opened my eyes to all the things worth living for…and how little right I have to cry these tears where there are millions of little kids out there who actually have nothing and still they live.  So I smile and make my life one that is worth living.

When I told my friend that, she told me that I was stronger than she is.  Which…I don’t think it’s true.  I’m just lazier…and being lazy, I don’t want to waste effort on something totally not worth my time. Namely being sad. It takes effort, you know…laughing is much easier.

I found this video today (Because of my recently gained obsession on 2PM). Nichkhun’s got it pretty much the way I see it…

Struggles make my heart beat, because I know they make me stronger.  That’s why I’ll never give up, that’s why I’m not afraid to fail.  Today I face another obstacle…and so my heart starts beating….again.

…are just another part of life.

If you don’t want to get hurt…

good luck with that one.  If anyone’s figured out how to live a full life and not get hurt, please do let me know.

Today’s the last day of August.  It’s been a summer filled to the brim with adventures and firsts – I’m trying very hard to live life.

Mexico was pretty much a week full of firsts: first time to Mexico, first time to go to the airport at 4am, first all nighter since BCIT, first beach, first bikini, first all inclusive, first HAMMOCK (oh loves!), first time running around in a tropical storm at 2am drunk out of my mind, first snorkel, first scuba, first CLIFF JUMP!, first cenote, first time at Chichen Itza (it’s a chicken?), first beach wedding! first whale shark, first Isle of Coco, first sunburn (!), first so many everything~

HK was actually quite adventurous too actually, which is strange because I go back on an annual basis.  It’s like taxes…I’ll be there. 😉  First time as maid of honour (Rita, I love you~), first wedding speech (ohmygad), first spa in HK, first time in SheungWan during a freak storm which flooded every freakin intersection, first time (x 6) to Elements and the Sky100 + Ritz Carlton, first time inside Peninsula, first time I met with Daniel, Tim, BenG and ChiChi in HK, first time I got along with the cat I don’t like….etc.  Happy I got to share my birthday with my Gramma!  and Ta!! Even though these yearly trips are now pretty much a must, it’s always felt like I’m going home.  I’m thankful that I can feel that way…thankful of all the love that is still there waiting for me.

Oh…hit my first, and prabably last, double this summer for softball.
First time I’ve gone to watch baseball…first time I’ve enjoyed baseball. I’m in denial…caught my dad watching MLB the other day…he raised his eyebrow at me when I walked by and laughed at me. -_-”

First time I’ve gotten so completely hooked on Korean dramas. sighs.

But as adventurous and first time worthy as summer 2011 was for me…. underneath it all, I just wished I could’ve been there for you…. miss you lots, baby girl.  Hope you’re doing ok.

And as September closes in, Greenday once again rolls through my mind:  Wake me up when September ends.

13 days.  In 13 days it’d be 10 years. Grampa, I miss your smile.

…Don’t fall in love.

Champions~

Went to watch the final game of the season for Daniel and his team today (well yesterday.)….it was really muggy…and I was for some reason not well from a night of migrating and drinking.  Albeit the really weak G&T’s at Society.  I never knew someone could get something so simple so wrong.

Either way….the Stealers won the final, so they are league champions! Yay! It was an exciting game, actually.  The other team was really good, especially the pitcher.  But as I said, Dan’s team was better 😉  So excited I was stressed out lol.  Especially with the two 3rd base steals…one attempt and fail, one successful….that the guys did. O_O!!! My heart~!  Good hangover cure lol.

So…now what do I do to entertain myself on sundays? Hrms.

I’m still in denial of the fact that I find baseball entertaining. The last time I found baseball entertaining was when the Jays won the world series.  Which was … what 1993? lol.

…yay for winning the finals!!!! instead of champagne, I’m good with soju! ganbae~

Let’s love like we’ve never been hurt before

Currently watching My Name is Kim Sam Soon.

The only reason I started watching was because Hyun Bin was in it and he won some awards for his role….so I figure it can’t be that bad.  It’s a little loud and annoying some times for my taste.  I prefer my characters to talk softly most of the time. lol.  But that’s the good thing about non-tv drama watching…FF it all the annoying parts 😉 and all the characters I don’t want to see.

This one is about HyunBin as a rich restaurant owner….of course.  Can that face be anything less than rich and almighty? And a wonderful girl who doesn’t fit into the category of cute, hot, beautiful, unique or anything like that.  They of course like ecah other and of course everyone in the world is somehow standing in their way.

Sometimes I feel like her….boring, chubby, can’t be considered elegant really, doing my own thing on my own.  But she’s one heck of a character.  HyunBin’s character said to her that she’s attractive because she doesn’t realise how attractive she is. If only those kinds of things happen in real life. *sad smile*

Actually, I’d like to watch one where he’s the struggling to make ends meet guy.  I don’t think that series has been written yet.  We’ll have to wait for at least 2013 for his triumphant return from the SKorean Marine Corps in Dec 2012.

Tonight’s quote from the movie comes from a scene where the girl sees a billboard at the bus station that tells people to love like they’ve never been hurt before…to dance like no one’s watching…to sing like no one’s listening…to live today as if tomorrow is the end…

To be honest, I’d like to be like that too.  Pretend that I’ve never been hurt before, as I want to seriously love one more time. But since the ending has come like this, I’d really like to change the article.

“If you don’t want to get hurt, then don’t fall in love. “

Boys Over Flowers – review

craps. i’m hooked onto this korean drama stuff. craps!

so, as mentioned previously, it all started with Boys Over Flowers.  I’ve never actually liked korean dramas before.  That’s because the only other Korean drama i had watched previous to this was Winter Sonata, ages ago.  I loved it, don’t get me wrong. The scenes, the story line (typical drama line but they do it so well!), Bae YongJun yums, and ohmigosh their CLOTHES! *dies*.

But honestly, I cried so hard from like the 3rd episode onwards….and then every time I hear the song, I think of the story and tear up? geebus. Cant’ do it man.

Then Boys Over Flowers came on tv while I was in Hong Kong, and I was hooked.  It was different…..something that will never happen in life, therefore it’s fun to imagine it.

 

Woobin - Jihoo - Jandi - Junpyo - Yijeong

 

In short, the story follows the 4 most eligible bachelors of S.Korea – 4 guys who’ve been best friends since kindergarten. They are the most eligible because they are the heirs to the powerhouses of Korea.  Woobin’s family on the surface owns some successful construction companies but is really an unground mafia leader; Yijeong’s family is famed in pottery and he’s supposedly a child prodigy in the art himself; Jihoo’s grandfather was S.Korea’s president (I assume this means that the family is well taken care of after) and owns cultural centres etc; and JunPyo’s family owns Shinwa…which owns pretty much everything else that the other guys don’t it seems.

The 4 most eligible bachelors, the 4 biggest on-the-surface douchebags in S.Korea.  Seriously.  They act as if the world was beneath them…which really, the way they were brought up…the rest of the world WAS beneath them.

Then enters Geum Jandi…the commoner.  Not even JUST a commoner…a lower class commoner.  Due to an unforeseen suicide attempt (uh bullies….those F4….douchebags) that she interrupts (serious….she interrupted it lol), she becomes part of this rich people world reluctantly.  And finds the cracks on the walls that each of the F4 guys built up over the years…and finds the human inside.

The story is based on a Japanese Manga…..and the thing I loved most about this series is that the 4 guys really do portray really comic characters…from their looks (hair styles, accessories etc) to the clothes (university students in 3 piece suits?! completely decked out in white?! BOW TIE!? hankies?! what?!) to their expressions…. they were such characters~

Anyway, the story is pretty much a love triangle between Jihoo, Jandi and Junpyo….with a side story for Yijeong and Jandi’s best friend Gaheul….and leaving poor Woobin all alone. The fortune teller tells of a soulmate and a guy who she’ll spend the rest of her life with….being two different people.  Aigoo….

The characters!

Woobin – the quiet one who’s always just in the back watching…and steps up when his brothers are in need.  Kim Jun was a natural at it, especially the scenes where Woobin breaks out into horrible English cuz it was “cool” lol. There are moments though….he reminded me of Mr Bean HAHAHAHAHA

Yijeong – the cute one, and he knows it. sweet smiles, bowties….he’s seriously like the cute younger brother in Japanese cartoons. Kim Bum’s dimples adds a magic touch.

Jihoo – the quiet one.  Jihoo captured my attention from the get go because he was the first to show he cares. He’s always there for her. That’s why I love Jihoo most.  Kim Hyun Joong plays the role beautifully.

Junpyo – the leader….the loud, annoying, immature, useless…one. I couldn’t stand him from the start…and still really don’t understand why Jandi would even look his way.  He’s spoiled, even by his friends.  Seems Jandi was the only one to not just give him everything he wants when he wants it.  The backstory shows why he is the way he is…and you feel sorry for the kid sometimes…but really, he’s just a big bully.

Jandi – my heroine. lol.  I wish I had the guts to stand up to the 4 most powerful kids in SKorea.  I mean…even the adults bowed to these kids man.  She was a character all on her own….everything I hope to be.  She’s caring, generally happy (especially when she has to show her face to people she cares about), strong, and determined.  She totally deserves to be with Jihoo.  But you know what they say…you don’t know what you’ve got….

Gaheul – Jandi’s best friend. Super cute…super innocent…I’d like her too if I was Yijeong. They make the cutest couple lol.

JaeKyung – a minor set back to Jandi and Junpyo’s relationship to nowhere…when he is arranged to be married to another rich family’s daughter.

But yeah, definately recommend this one.  Not too many loud annoying ladies yelling at each other.  Just one or two scenes that are unimportant and can be fast forwarded through 😉

Rating it the way I rate dramas:
Storyline: 9/10 – some parts were….huh?
Cloths: 9.5/10 – I’m a sucker for 3 piece suits and bowties. the 0.5 missing is because GuJunPyo has HORRIBLE tastes in clothes
Scenic: 10/10 – I now must go to Jeju Island…and New Caledonia~
Hotties: 9.5/10 – F4 is F4 for a reason.  the 0.5 again is for Junpyo’s style choices, or therelackof. His HAIR. yugh. But Kim Hyun Joong and Kim Bum more than makes up for it.
Teary moments: 2/10 – not too many. which is great!!!!

Overall: I think 9/10.  It’s a great escape.  Just don’t go hoping it’ll happen.

never gone…never far…

went to the NKOTBSB concert part I in vancouver, and for 3 hours, i was 13 again. ❤

also had my very late birthday dinner with the mexican crew. oh riviera maya, how i miss you so.

cleaning room after one month of living out of a suitcase. i don’t know what to do with all this space.

and finally, dusting off my notebook and begin writing again.

what do i write? non-sense. daydreams onto paper.

but still. it’s a great way to escape reality, isn’t it?

a gift.

i’ve always laughed and rolled my eyes when my colleagues and other branch managers comment on the fact that i’m always happy. so why not ask echo to do something, cuz she’ll do it…with a smile…

then i wondered if seeming happy all the time is a blessing or a curse for myself? cuz it seems to always be me who gets cheated out of something lol. cuz i’m happy anyway, right?

then i wondered if seeming happy all the time is a blessing or a curse for everyone else. beneath that smile, am i really smiling?

then last night, when i cracked open my can of coca cola…i saw something that made me realise…this happy, it’s really a gift, isn’t it? real or otherwise, to be able to put on a happy face and to spread the happy face…it’s a gift.

the can had said “Open Happiness”.
how many people can just open happiness?

me.

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in other news…i was watching a travel show that went into North Korea. crazy man. the whole show pretty much showed how n.korea is so…iono. i like how they lie to themselves. lol forget the rest of us in the world. but it really is interesting how they completely lie to themselves.   but the best part was when the guy was filming from his hotel room, and there were two groups of little kids in the courtyard…one group of little kids were collecting dried sticks so they could bring it home to start a fire for food…and the other group of kids were wearing new clothes and playing with new toy guns…the guide had said:

when i came in to north korea, they showed me the best that this country has to offer.  but when they told me that everyone is equal here, someone forgot to tell me that there are some who are more equal than others.

Please forgive me…I lost track of time, but I never forgot you.

It’s been 7 years. Mr H., I miss you.

HILTON _ J. Lewis. Lew died suddenly but peacefully after a short illness with acute leukemia on May 12, 2004, in Vancouver. He was born in Moose Jaw, Sask., on April 6th, 1938, to Kay and Cliff Hilton. They moved to Victoria in 1943 because his dad was posted here in the Army. Lew received all his elementary and high schooling (Oak Bay High) here. He got his degree in Music, and from there on was a beloved band and math teacher in Vancouver for almost 40 years, retiring in 2002. His unique way of teaching both Music and Math with humor will always be remembered by his students. Laughter, fun and nonsense is how we in the family will always remember Lew – especially all the little kids because he made each one feel so special, as they came along. He endeared himself to each and everyone. He was predeceased by his dad Cliff in 1957, his mom Kay in 1985 and his only brother Jim in 2000. He is survived by his partner My Doan; his sister-in-law Irene; his niece Jeanette Bergen, her husband Lorin, and their little girls, Emily and Tasha. Lew also has a nephew Chris in Ontario. Also filled with great sorrow, but so privileged in having had Lew in our lives since day one, are first cousins in Victoria, Kaye Fritz and Wes, children Pat and Jeff; Dave Fitzgerald and Lorie, their children Debbie, Shawna and Marnie; Dan Fitzgerald and Dawn, their children Erin and Cara; Rossena Peterson and Terri Lynde. Cousin Bill Hutchinson in Vancouver and Aunt Aileen Carveth and her daughter Marjorie Kay Ryan mourn in Moose Jaw, as do all our respective children and grandchildren. Lew was a good friend to many people during his life, Donnie Clark, Ray and Nancy Hughes, Bob and Vee McDonald and Brian Todd in Kelowna he was especially fond of. Funeral service is on Wednesday, May 19, 2004 at the Mennonite Church, 7155 Sherbrooke St., Vancouver, at 10:30am. You are in our hearts forever, so till we meet again Lew, Goodnight, Sweet Prince

Welcome home Nazzy.

Stopping the West Coast Express wasn’t an option, slowing it down barely was, and if regrettable circumstances hadn’t gotten in the way of its production and chemistry, 2002-03 would have just been the tip of the iceberg

Lots of people have scolded me over the past two years because I completely stopped watching Canucks hockey since my beloved team fell apart.  That team…the West Coast Express era…were the past, and our team now is great.

WCE is the past, Echo. You gotta let it go.  You can’t just give up on the game you love to watch.  You’re the only one who’s never fallen off the wagon.

Well, I’ve never been on a wagon…I’ve watched them since day one in Canada…I watched them as I learned English at the Pacific Coliseum. I watched with so my anticipation, excitement, and eventually in tears as their 93 Stanley Cup run ended in disappointment.  I watched through the Keanan reign of terror…with a broken heart as they traded our Linden.  I watched as slowly, they rebuilt it into the first class Canucks team that was led by Nazzy.

I watched the Sedins grow from silly bunnies to a formidible second line…to being our 2 for 1 captain.
I watched Matt Cooke score…two veryvery fantastic goals…2 seconds to go, how do you beat that? with a 1.2 second goal.  I watched as I choked on the apple I was eating, tripping over my blanket, and received txt after txt after call from my friends congratulating my boy.
I watched the West Coast Express soar.  Shorty said to hang on tight, because it’s going to be a heck of a ride.  It was one freakin ride. Bert, Nazzy, and the always under-appreciated Mo.  Jovo, Ohlie, Malik, Salo…Cookie…Cass…
I watched as year after year, Clouts ruined Nazzy.

I watched as Vancouver fell off the bandwagon one by one…as Bert defended our captain.  As we sent them both off…without a big hug and eternal thanks.

His greatest fault in Vancouver was only that he got older as a player. Ours is that we didn’t let him. Tonight makes everything better. – The Vancouver Sun.

When you recognize 20+ guys by their stride…by their eyes…it was no longer just a hockey team. Those were memories, that was pride.  It was family.

It’s difficult to say good bye to family.

Tonight wasn’t goodbye.  It was a reunion. It was to welcome our Naslund home, because we didn’t give him the proper send off the first time around. (Nor did we recognize the efforts of Morrison…but that’s another story)

Welcome home, Nazzy.  I’ll always miss you.

Happy Birthday!

to me!

and to Canada! Happy 143, Canada.  Those three numbers used to mean so much to me.

+Spoiler alert. If you haven’t watched Eclipse and/or The Last Airbender…bye!+

How did I celebrate? By going to watch the midnight showing of Twilight Saga: Eclipse of course ❤ I even took June 30th off so that I could happily enjoy my movie.  I loved it.  Jasper and Alice are my favourite on screen couple at the moment, and they had the best on screen kiss for sure.  Doesn’t matter how many times Rob and Kristen made out as Edward and Bella…I don’t see this “chemistry” that everyone sees.  Jazz and Alice on the other hand…holyheck *fans self* hotdamn I want to kiss him myself =P  I really really liked how David Slade did this movie.  I’m sorry, but this was a zillion times better than Twilight, and we won’t even bother comparing it to the shit that was New Moon. And this is coming from a TwiHard.  Great angles, fantastic scenic spans (The beginning water mountain span, I think that’s the Capilano dam here in N.Vancouver…I saw it whilst on the gondola coming back down post Grouse grind. More on that later). Bella’s wig was wigged, but it’s ok.

I did however wonder if this was so much better because of all the characters involved.  Stupendous choices for the new characters Riley and Bree.  Although the new Victoria just couldn’t pull it off.  She just isn’t Victoria, as wonderful of an actress Bryce Dallas Howard is.  Summit really killed it when they put aside Rachelle Lafevre.  Anyway, maybe it’s a better movie because I didn’t have to sit there for 2 hours watching Kristen Stewart not know how to act.  I’m sorry…she simply cannot act.  She’s got fucking legs up to her chins, fantastic legs…great in most of the mini dresses she chooses. I love her legs.  But as an actress? yeah, no.  Edward fucking SHATTERED my heart in New Moon. Cry goddammit cry!  Or put some eyedrops for her if she can’t.  CGI that shit in!  Geez. Hyperventilating his name does not a broken heart make.

If you haven’t watched Eclipse, and is reading this, go watch it!

Then I went and saw The Last Airbender with my boys because they’re all 26 year old KIDS.  I liked it, they didn’t really.  But that’s not unexpected.  I liked it cuz again, Jackson’s onscreen kiss. GAH!  The plot was…not impressive.  The CGI work was pretty good.  The tai chi was mediocre at best (seriously….why are there no Chinese people in this story that is obviously Asian….those Chinese people know how to tai chi, really…). And I didn’t understand why the entire fire nation was east indian.  Erms.  Uncle looked Chinese to me in the cartoons.  He looked like a hobo in the movie.

Ah well.  That’s it for movies for me in the last two weeks.  I’ve still got to watch Toy Story3!

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My choice of mottos for 25 was Live for the Next Adventure. 26 is going to be Make Every Adventure the next Challenge.

First challenge of 26 was the Grouse Grind.  it took me an hour and 45 minutes to complete nature’s stairmaster from hell. But it was my first time (and likely last), and I only wanted to finish.  I was damn proud when I took that last step.  =)

Second challenge?  New job! Can’t wait to see how that pans out in the next year or so.

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Sunshine, I miss your smile.