Truth to Beauty

Distorted perceptions of oneself is one's own enemy. I've come to realize that people and [especially women] are currently becoming more obsessed with body image. Ever heard someone say "you've got cankles", "you should lose a little weight", "I want to fit in my new bikini"..etc etc. This obsession has become broken rails steering the momentum of body image in the wrong direction. I fully support the notion of exercise. prevention of illness, and improvement of health. However, many have lost enjoyment of life, and poor health due to harm causing diets. Eat what you will so long as you do not over do it. Make the most out of life as it is meant to be enjoyed. So come together as a nation and say so what if I have cankles, So what if I have some weight, So what if I like to eat, and So what if you won't accept my beauty. Accept your body as it is and keep healthy. They argue that if you look good you feel good, yet whatever happened to if you feel good you will look good??

Expectations

Sometimes we forget that others act according to their own experiences and their own minds. You cannot expect others to react to a situation similar to your own actions. Everyone has expectations.

If you are kind to others you want others to be kind to you. If you give someone a gift you want others to give to you. This does not necessarily apply to all individuals, but the truth of the matter is most people do expect the same treatment in return. Despite your actions, others will act according to their own personalities.

No individual is the same, no individual has the same experiences, and no individual learns the same way. Regardless of your actions do not expect it back, otherwise it will lead to disappointment and anger. If you give someone a gift, do it from your heart and do not want things in return. Of course we treat others as we would want to be treated, but if it doesn't happen do not be angry. Instead move on and understand the situation. Expectations comes from self assumptions. Learn from others and give wholehearted kindness, naturally it will return to you, even if it is not from the person you most expected.

ilikeit...ilikeit alot

ilikeit: Brown Eyed Girls.
One of my favorite groups. Song: Abracadabra
Music makes the world go round!

Fruit That Smells Like Ass!

Okay people, today's topic....exotic fruit! You know what this is? Yes you *points to you*. This is called the DURIAN fruit! It's good, it smells good..and........jussst kidding y'all. It's the smelliest, ugliest, non appealing fruit you will ever see. Those who like a crunchy texture will not like this. The skin is thick and pointy and the insides are really sweet or bland. There are several seeds inside with a rubbery outside texture and mushy insides. The center of the meat has a large bitter seed.

If you really want to piss off your room mates or family, ensure that you buy this fruit. The smell is indescribable and distinct, I can't even state what it smells like. However, those with an acquired taste will like it. It's about 80 calories per seed, its sweet, exotic, i like it...and my western friends don't!

<----Check it out y'all!

When you cut it open
this is what it looks like.
i like what i see
& i eat what i like!
Peace Out!

Junkie Thoughts

Okay, so everyone has feelings. Some people are happy, some who are sad, and some who are just pissed right out of their minds. What makes a person so mad right? You ask yourself, what is it that makes me mad or what gets me down. Different experiences trigger different responses, and some are more stressful than others. So we're allowed to have bad days but how long could one go on sulking and wallowing in stupid self pity?

I think again....when the sink is broke fix it! You think to yourself "oh this guy dumped me"..."these girls talk about me"..."I got a bad mark" and "life is so unfair" blah blah and la la la. Why waste time on worthless junk? It expends too much emotional energy and creates too much bullshit for the mind. Its like watching old reruns of 90210 for a very long ..long......long time.

Save yourself the time and the trouble. Remember, you can have your bad days but ensure yourself to move on, force yourself to feel motivated even though you are not. Crappy days will come and go but you're still alive, you're still here, and you're still living. You've been given the chance to fix things, and to live life when others cannot. Consider it a privilege!

Understanding Compassion

The other day I came across a homeless man begging for money. He was young, sturdy, but poor, and dirty. From one to another he asked, he begged, and was was thrown a few quarters, a few dimes and a couple dollars here and there. He then comes across this woman, this woman asks him "why are you not working?". She then goes on to tell him that he is not contributing to society and ranting and raving words that wouldn't even exist in a book of curses...she could've just said "no" and moved on. The man left......

The other day I came across a homeless man. He was older, yet sturdy, poor and dirty. He did not ask for money, instead he lays in the grass on an abandoned lot. He might have begged for money and thrown a few dollars here and there...but I can't say that for sure. He slept in front of a Chinese restaurant. A business man, well dressed, and nicely groomed goes to this restaurant and sees this older homeless man. Instead of ignoring, or throwing him a couple o' bucks, the man takes this homeless man to the restaurant and asks him "what would you like to eat".. The people around the restaurant glared; the owners upset and the customers scared. Ignoring the rest of the world, the homeless man chooses his meal, and the business man chose his. The homeless man left...said "thank you you done a lot for me" and ate his meal on the abandoned lot....the business man ate in the restaurant.

Yes, there will be stereotypes, prejudices, and discrimination but does that give other humans rights to point fingers and put blame on others? Does it help? and would it fix the dilemma?

Although it would be nice to have less homeless rates for all humanity there will always be people who fall on hard times. People go through difficult circumstances which make it hard to get back on track. Ask yourself is it easy to find jobs when you look dirty with no place to bathe? Is it easy to get a job when you have no previous experience? it's not to say you must buy a meal for every homeless person but it also does not mean one must make assumptions that one is a lazy booze drinking individual. Have some compassion, help others if possible, and understand the situation prior to judgment. We are all humans in this spinning wonder world, not anything greater nor anything less.

Asian Translation

The English language:..difficult to learn, difficult to understand. Coming from a Chinese Vietnamese background I understand that it is not always easy to learn English and the implied meanings, with all the verbs, nouns, and adjectives etc etc. Every language has its beauty as well. However attempting to translate Chinese character into English proves to be challenging. During my trip to the grocery store, this picture certainly took the the mother of all literal meanings. What in the world ...idiot fish?
Despite the strangeness..it made me laugh and it made my day!

TAOISM

*pause music before playing video*

Seasons change, personalities change, and our processes of thinking changes. One thing I realized however, is that one's religious belief are strong and rigid to change. Religion has been one of the most controversial topics that has existed for centuries. These differences in this day in age are not emphasized as much as previous generations. For example, my friends and family consists of those who are Christians, Catholics, Muslims, and I myself am a Buddhist. Similar concepts stem from all religions, or so to my understanding.

Some beliefs follow family religions, some research religions to find common ground, and some just belief for the sake of believing. Regardless of reasons we all strive to become better beings, to learn, to grow, to reach complete understanding and liberation. Buddhism and Taoism philosophy "fits" most with my ideals, guiding my values, way of life, and my belief in karma, Zen, and reincarnation.

There are various theories to explain the existence of humans, and the significance is knowing that it is all subjective. There are multiple realities to each individual's thinking, and so we must not create controversy, argue, or fight over truth based on unproven thoughts.

My visit to the temple in Vancouver B.C


"the essence of life shall never be known by a human being as long as that person seeks to observe life like a viewer and subject. The absolutely essential nature of life can only be comprehended by merging fully with the flow of life, so that one is utterly part of it"

(Deng Ming-Dao)

Ok Happi!!

Ohiyo Fellow humans! What a wonderful morning!! Its super sunny with snow on the ground..YES its winter, its not cold but rather warm and happy. It has been a long time since i've written. School and work and family pretty much has taken up most of my time. I miss writing although i'm not great at it, but nonetheless i still like it.

Remember folks, this blog is about the happy things in life. I won't lie stress is inevitable and it will always be there but it's how we learn cope. Think about what you enjoy doing? For example: ilike drawing, music, reading at coffee shops, traveling. Things i would like to do is skydive, snorkeling, and climb the Himalayas. If I ilike it i will do it. What about you?

The other day a friend and i went to go watch a horror movie. Boy was it ever creepy! My friend was definitely a good sport...she was not a horror movie fan but still willing to give it a go. In the end our arms were sore from pulling each other, and with popcorn all over our seats and jackets. Despite the goriness it was awesome!

All I gotta say is if your having a stressful and negative day grab a friend and do something you enjoy. If you don't have friends go out and make some!! They are a source of positive energy, they listen to your bulls**t, and they are always on your side no matter what! If i have anything to say it'd be ::LIFE IS GOOD:: If it's not, whats stopping you from making it good?

::Compliments make you Feel GoOd::

Hello again readers. It has been quite some time since i have written in a blog. I've put everything on pause because of school, work and blah blah. Right..Life got in the way, anyhoo I miss writing. I partially gave up thinking "who would actually read this stuff?" but the other day a friend stated that she currently checks for new postings, and asked why I had stopped writing. Oh Boy did it ever feel good to hear that. I have a total of three readers but hey they're still readers. It feels good to know that

::Green GoOodness::

Fruity Tuttie

What do you do when you're having a bad day and things aren't going right? I'm sure everyone has their moments, but when i'm feeling moody bright colors and good food cheer me right up. Nothing does it like eating a sweet red strawberry on a crappy day. Strawberries are high in vitamin A & C, and very low in calories which make it all more worthwhile. Gosh, even if it was high in calories it's still worthwhile, because wouldn't it make sense to do what makes you feel good? So go ahead treat yourself and expose yourself to foods you enjoy. Fruits are whole, they're healthy and they can be sweet. "Health experts" state that fruits high in sugars and should be kept to a minimum. I fully disagree the fact that fruits should be eaten in minimal amounts because apparently carbs aren't healthy, fats aren't healthy, calories aren't healthy and now fruits aren't healthy. What in the world are we living for man? What's the point in eating? Might as well pop a pill to make yourself full......yeah right...over my fruit loving body. Do what makes you feel good, be active be healthy and eat well. Thats my rant for the day! Chao <3

::didn't know it hurt::

I never really understood why people can't be nice to eachother. For example, the other day i was in the library and needed to use the computer, the lady refused to extend my time limit after one hour of usage. There were tons of available computers and hardly any people in the library. So i tell her the gentleman who works there often extends my limit, and she replies "well i dont know why he did that, he shouldn't have ..and you're only given one hour". I ask her for the stapler and she replies "this is ours and it has to stay here", I borrowed a pen and she replies "is this ours? hmph..." and throws it back into the jar of pens. I mean the front desk is right smack dab in front of the door way, i couldn't have stole the darned things even if i wanted to.

I can understand when a person doesn't feel sociable and doesn't laugh at jokes, I can understand that everyone has bad days, and I can understand when someone feels angered, sadness, fustrated or just plain grumpy. What I don't understand is why a person can't be kind. Does it hurt to be nice to people? Personally, being nice to others makes me feel better after a horrible day. It's like christmas and you get to see the recipient's reaction and joy. Being kind may have also made somebody's day alot more brighter. Overall, Kindess goes both ways, one from the giving and one from the recieving end, but more importantly it is a continuous cycle. So let's start the being nice and begin a new era of humanity. It may sound a little drastic but it sure does make life a little greener <3

::True Beauty?? Really??::

Okay, so there are plenty of reality shows out there especially ones about fashion. Lets pretend and use an example, lets theoretically call this show "true beauty", apparently made by this person called "Tyra Banks". The show was supposed to be misleading and allows contestants to enter based on their looks, but heres the catch ..*drum roll*...its like actually based on like true beauty *winks at blog readers* inner beauty based on doing everyday things that everyday people do like ...umm walk the dog, clean up poop, help seniors and support charities.

The winner of the show, lets pretend and call her "Julia Anderson" was considered to have both inner and outer beauty. This after stating that she dropped out of school at a young age but used to enter beauty pageants for scholorship money. Um...to my knowledge I always thought scholorship money was for educational purposes...i could be wrong......maybe....just maybe. Then this so called "Julia" revealed her deepest and darkest secret that apparently put her through depression for two years.....*drum roll* Public Intoxication..wooow...you'd think she'd been through poverty or some other tragedy that other humans go through in life. She will enter a magazine considered as one of the most beautiful people in the world with a ten thousand dollar check to bank.

From a personal stand point true beautiful people are humble and would never enter this show to begin with. Secondly, there are plenty of people out there who deserve the title and the money, and thirdly...we need more educative shows out there..what a superficial world we live in, its a shame really, but hey "its like so totally hot so like...so like i forgot what I was going to like say......."

::too this too that?::

The world can be a cruel place, and everyone on this earth is subject to judgement. Whether we choose to listen to it is one's personal choice. It is difficult though isn't it? One may say "i don't give a rat's tootie about it", yet it probably dwells in the mind subconsciously. It's something I like to call constructive criticism. If someone states that you are too short, too fat, too this or too that it is an enforcer to make me do better in life. Rather then backlash at a person, recognize your positive qualities and enhance them to maximum potential. Only through this may it be considered success. Those who criticize others most likely have a low self esteem and have nothing better to do with their time. So don't allow yourself to be a prisoner to judgement, though it may be easier said then done. However wallowing in self pity only furthers frustration and unhappiness, and who in this world wants to live like that? Improve on qualities that need to be improved, afterall they don't call it "constructive" without reason. It is to rebuild ourselves to become the best human possible, or so I believe. So, don't lose sight of yourself as a result of negative comments, it is your life, your mind, body, and soul. Who can critique it better then you?

::Clink Clink Chomp & Cheers::

::Cheers::
The best things in life is to enjoy what you love, and who in this world doesn't love eating? I realize there are about a billion different articles on excercise and what to eat and what not to eat. Unless you are competeting for world's best body competition, what's wrong with enjoying yourself? Some people will say they work out for a mixture of both health and appearance, but I could definately say that 98% of women work out to 'fit that summer bikini' despite what they tell you. I'm a true believer in moderation, and it is best to excercise and limit the amount of unhealthy foods to prevent serious problems such as obesity. This in turn may lead to other complications such as hypertension and diabetes. So yes, it is great to limit these foods, but it's best not to erradicate it completely from your diet. I see those who excercise and start sarcrifice good living to obtain a better body, for example eating plain salad, tomatoes and water for breakfast....Mmm sounds appealing doesn't it? Eating in moderation will prevent those from "yo yo dieting", binge eating on "cheat days", and it will increase metabolism. My take is that fruits and vegetables are meant to be eaten, but life is meant to be enjoyed. If something were to happen one day to limit you from eating good foods, you'll regret not having that peice of cake one last time. So, after the end of a long day treat yourself. Life is hard in itself, so we all deserve a little sweets now and then. Cheers ^^

I sure enjoyed myself during margarita night with the girls.We tried to be healthy with carrots and celery, but the large amount of spinich dip and pizza didn't help. Any hoo, it was all worth while because fun moments are hard to come by. Everyone deserves their moment of relaxation don't you agree? <3

::Worry Warts::

Practically everyone worries, including myself. Sometimes though, it is not always necessary because as humans we think the "what if's" and the worst of things when truly hoping for the best. Although it is a normal everyday reaction, the truth of the matter is what is it really going to do? Is it really going to help the situation? Why is it that we have the tendancy to assume things before they even happen? I am also guilty of these thoughts. Worrying endlessly and building up huge anticipation for what's about to happen, then I would either sigh in relief or, if the results are poor then I would further worry myself. That is the point, whats the use in worrying for when it happens you will have the time to worry later. The amount of time spent on worrying is ridiculous. In that amount of time so many events could've taken place, for example spending time with your children, your family, excercising, doing relaxation techniques or whatever it is that one enjoys doing. Those who constantly worry also create this negative aura which tends to repel people from getting close. To put things bluntly and simple, the idea is to follow the course of things without antipating the best or the worst. I learned that the only thing that can be done is to prepare yourself in all aspects and let the events happen naturally. In the finality of things, everything will be alright. <3

::Wonder Tunes::

::Wonder Girls::

To make it short and sweet it's a mixture of popish,

and upbeat funkadelic tunes. Great when you're bored

and great when you wanna dance! It's colorful and makes me feel like looking at the green side <3>

::Look on the BrightSid3::

::Outlook to Life::
There is no doubt about it, everyone has bad days, and again some more then others. Everyone has mood swings, one bad thing happens and it starts a chain of reactions. Think to yourself, is it REALLY that bad as it seems? Life's what you make of it, if you're a pessimistic person everything will appear negative. It's not however, implying that one should not have angry emotions. Being angry and being negative correlate but they're not the same. The form of negativity is an approach to how one percieves things, and being angry is a psychological human reaction. Being pessimistic does not always indicate being angry but it sure dampens the atmosphere to the people around you. One may not know they are these types of people, but there must or should be some indication from friends and families. The truth is, there is beauty in almost everything, so quit the babbling and start living life as of this minute. For example, I found the essence of my miniature room through sunlight. To me there is beauty in it and it is how I percieve things. Set goals and work hard at it, and once it's accomplished, give yourself the right to say "damn I am good", because you probably are if you can achieve it. If you like drawing, then draw, if you want to lose weight then excercise, if you want to travel then travel. Thinking easier said then done? Hell No Joe..or Jane , It may take time, hard work or money but those are weak reasons to restrain one from goal achieving. If they are legitimate reasons then those objectives were probably not as significant to begin with. Truth of the matter, no physical restraint keeps one from living life the best way possible. Go for the goal, live your passion, and quit the complaints. Pessimism and complainers stay still in this world's continuous momentum. Whereas positive humans flow with this spinning wonder world. Which one are you?

This was the residence i've dreaded for so long.
Yet, i've finally found it's splendour <3

::Freud "The Whole Is the Sum of It's Parts"::

::Reach Out::

Isn't it unbelievable how much complaints humans can generate in a lifetime? I find that we are very fortunate to have endless possibilities to happiness. For example, to enjoy food, to enjoy music, to enjoy the luxury of a bed, and if you're reading this the enjoyment of technology and internet. With that being said, there are plenty of others who don't have these opportunities, so if you have the resources to help, why not help others who need it? In all truthfullness we live with plenty more then what we need. The basics of life is food, shelter and water. Yes, it is nice to go shopping and splurge everyonce in awhile but do you really need 5 watches, 15 pairs of shoes? Children in Vietnam wear one pair of slippers for five years straight without a word of complaint. So, why should you really make that big fuss to the waitress if your egg is sunny side up when you wanted over easy? If you've been blessed with a life with many things to enjoy, then enjoy it. However, if after the mortgage, the taxes and the additional payments of whatever it is, and you are left with enough resources and the ability to help, than for goodness sakes for the love of mankind give a little, love a little and share a little. It may not be in the form of money, it could be to raise awareness, to educate, or to empower others. Humans often become one when facing adversity, but who wants to anicipate that? Realistically, it is human nature that we are all self absorbed thinking about what is best for ourselves, but one really needs to think when is the last time i have done a good deed? has someone ever done something kind for me? Have i done the same in return? Life is a cycle, we are all connected and as humans we all experience emotions and stressors, some more then others but in the end we're all a single unit that creates the earth's identity. Make the world a better place, stop your complaining and reach out, because someone who is in need will grab hold of it.

::Woman's Best Friend::

::20 years plus?::

Dogs are great but for me these guys are just as wonderful. They are a breed called cichlids, specifically blood parrots. Sounds evil doesn't it? but they sure are cute as hell. My 100 gallon aquarium consists of six of these guys, among other breeds. They sure aren't any regular type fishes, like your typical starter fish like guppy, beta or gold fish. They come at fifty bucks for a small guy and $70-100 for an extra large guy. They grow extremely large and will gather to follow you when they're hungry. You would not get pellets that sink, rather they come up to the top of the surface to reach for food. If you want them to be a nice color i suggest shrimp, or blood worms, and every so often pellets. People think "fish", whats so great about them? The difference between this and a domestic animal is that they're in water, and you couldn't cuddle with them, but they're smart as hell and look great in the home. You might often see asians with high maintenance arowana fish (aka dragon fish) with cichlids because they appear compatible . I don't mean dating, but rather get along within the tank if you will. Fish that are incompatible will get territorial and they will fight, to a point of killing the other. Hence if your fish dies if not from illness or improper care, it's because they're injured from other fish. In addition they can live for twenty years plus with appropriate care, attention and nutrition.


::sickness: fact or fiction?::
One thing that needs to be clarified, FISH GET SICK TOO! Yes they get stressed and Yes they get diseases like any other animal. You see the little guy on the rock behind the pictures? HE'S UPSIDE DOWN! He's got swim bladders disease, meaning the bladder in the center of the body that controls his bouyancy is permanantly infected. They will never recover, but all i can say that he's still kickin! He will swim upright when he needs to eat, but as for resting..well you can see for yourself. They also get a variety of parasites which requires medication such as metronidazole or tetracyclines. Medications in which humans take for Gastrointestinal ulcers and h.pylori infections. As you an see in the pictures, they appear as though they're posing because they flock to me like birds flock to bread in central park. Instead of diamonds, dogs or shoes, (laugh if you will because i couldn't give two cents), but these guys to me are a woman's best friend. <3