Befriending Someone

Instead of concentrating on studying for my final exam that is in TWO days (oh, finance, why can’t we be friends!), I have decided to ponder upon how I’ve become close friends with people.

For most good friends I’ve made, there has always been a context, be it in a dance, school, work, whatever environment. Befriending them sort of seemed like such a natural process in those environments, because we share that one common ground, that common interest. (Is it just me, or is it really hard to just become good friends with a friend’s friend?) We meet, we share laughter and conversation, then share more laughter and conversation, to eventually establish that we enjoy each other’s presence. This type of friendship, although pleasant, does not seem to evolve outside of the original context. In other words, although theses friends have great significance in life, it is rare to see them outside the original environment in which we have met and to do other things together.

It is perhaps for the better of society to not permanently perceive me to be insane, but if you do think that I'm insane, it is because I LOVE YOU. :)

However, with a bit of magic (wait – I will explain what I mean by magic), these “contextual” friendships can be carried out of the original environment. At one point, you are so comfortable with a few of these friends that you will start wanting to do things with them outside of that original context. Now here is my question: how to create that magic?

The magic (turning point of an evolving friendship) is what would answer the following questions:
- At which point do you have to urge to want to see people just because you want to see them, and not because you can?
- What pushes you to then take the initiative and create “excuses” to see those people?

So far, this is magic to me, because I can’t explain any of it. Fortunately enough, I have very close friends. I am not just wondering how can I bring many of my other relationships to the next step. So many people matter to me, but it’s not always easy to express it. They say you can count the amount of meaningful friends you have on your 10 fingers. I honestly wouldn’t mind having to start using my toes to count!

Please enlighten me, friends, on how to be a better and more awesome friend to you!

Hyped for summer 2011, hyped for a happy life!

It’s finals season, in other words: what a great time to update my blog! I’m actually pretty inspired to get over final exams quickly and move onto the summer. April is a rough month, but whatever is coming up next is very promising… and I’m sure going to make the fullest out of it.

Starting May 3rd, I will start working on digital marketing at Standard Life. I have become fascinated by social media marketing in the past few months. Blessed with the discovery of Akuntsu, a social media marketing agency based in Montreal, my learning is just beginning! I’ve always had passions driving me through life and have loved to share them with my surroundings. With the growth of social media usage, building communities to promote this sharing of love has become so much easier!

 

My most recent project: Montreal Swing on Facebook

Montreal Swing.

On the note of passion, dance has been increasingly eating up my time! In the most positive way of course. I am addicted!!! I’ve done a few weeks of waacking right now. My body is picking up a completely different groove, and it’s looooving it! Hip hop is next on the list. Have I given up on Lindy Hop? No way! I believe that by experiencing different dances, I am opening up my body and mind to new body movement philosophies and ultimately, improve my lindy hop and my self-confidence on the dance floor. (Learning baladi has definitely helped my lindy hop swivels!) Up to now, I have adored sharing these exciting conversations with different partners on the dance floor. But once left alone, I am immobilized by fear! I want to be able to enjoy grooving to music by myself too!

Waacking battle:

Here’s some events I’ve attended that have inspired me to do more street dances!!! Wahoooo!!!

Popping battle (finals): Unleashed Chaos II

Hip Hop battle (performance): a2

It’s truly been a while since I’ve felt so light hearted. After letting go of many burdens of the past, I feel like I am finally happy again. Happy for no reason! It is such a wonderful feeling to just be able to laugh for no reason when just walking around in the city. Silly but wonderful. When times are dark, it’s so difficult to even imagine this feeling. Thankfully, once you feel this great, you still remember the pain and are able to enjoy every single moment of sunshine.

I would like to thank all those dear friends that have been supportive towards me in the last few months. I am truly blessed to have you in my life. Thank you for making me smile. Thank you for existing. :)

I Can’t Give You Anything but Love…

A song that I love and will always love…
This song means so much to me… and it always will….
Nothing but love… is that all we need?

 

I Can’t Give You Anything But Love
Lyrics by Dorothy Fields, Music by Jimmy McHugh

Now I can’t give you anything but love, ooh baby
That’s the only thing I’ve plenty of, ooh baby
Dream a while
Scheme a while
We’re sure to find, baby, happiness
And I guess
Gee
I’d like to see you looking swell
Baby, baby
Diamond bracelets Woolworth doesn’t sell, my pretty baby.
Till that lucky day, oh your lucky day
You know darn well though, baby
I can’t give you anything but love.

 

One of my favorite versions, interpreted by Django Reinhardt:

I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter

I’m gonna sit right down and write myself a letter,
And make believe it came from you,
I’m gonna write words oh so sweet,
They’re gonna knock me off my feet,
A lot of kisses on the bottom,
I’ll be glad I got ‘em!

I’m gonna smile and say “I hope you’re feeling better,”
And close with love the way you do;
I’m gonna sit right down and write myself a letter,
And make believe it came from you!

Gonna smile and say “I hope you’re feeling better,”
And close with love the way you do;
I’m gonna sit right down and write myself a letter,
And make believe, make believe, make believe it came from you!

 

I really enjoy Fats Waller‘s (my favorite jazz musician after Ella Fitzgerald!) rendition of I Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter. My friend Alain Wong posted the Youtube link on Facebook, and now it has stirred up many emotions in me. Happiness, nostalgia, sadness, dreaminess, strength…

This song reminds me of the wonderful moments I spent in New Orleans during the Ultimate Lindy Hop Showdown 2010, bar hopping and listening to the amazing bands performing live jazz. I remember the Palmetto Bug Stompers were playing at the DBA during the Saturday night Pub Crawl, and they sang this song, with a little twist. It made me smile so much when the lyrics were changed to “I’m gonna sit right down and write myself an e-mail.” It gave me this warm feeling of accomplishment, to be sitting there, and witnessing this mix of the past with the present. We, lindy hoppers, are helping to keep vintage music and dance alive. We are preserving history. It makes me very happy to be part of it. I am very honored to be part of it.

Group picture in front of the Riverboat, by the Mississippi River (Photo credits: Alexandre Hétu-Rivard)

 

Lindy hoppers and jazz musicians parading in the streets of the French Quarter, New Orleans

 

Love

Science says:

Lust is the initial passionate sexual desire that promotes mating, and involves the increased release of chemicals such as testosterone andestrogen. These effects rarely last more than a few weeks or months.

Attraction is the more individualized and romantic desire for a specific candidate for mating, which develops out of lust as commitment to an individual mate forms. Recent studies in neuroscience have indicated that as people fall in love, the brain consistently releases a certain set of chemicals, which act in a manner similar to amphetamines, stimulating the brain’s pleasure centerand leading to side effects such as increased heart rate, loss of appetite and sleep, and an intense feeling of excitement. Research has indicated that this stage generally lasts from one and a half to three years.

Since the lust and attraction stages are both considered temporary, a third stage is needed to account for long-term relationships. Attachment is thebonding that promotes relationships lasting for many years and even decades. Attachment is generally based on commitments such as marriageand children, or on mutual friendship based on things like shared interests. It has been linked to higher levels of the chemicals oxytocin and vasopressin to a greater degree than short-term relationships have. Enzo Emanuele and coworkers reported the protein molecule known as the nerve growth factor (NGF) has high levels when people first fall in love, but these return to previous levels after one year.

- Taken from Wikipedia.org

The Bible says:

“Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:4

I say:

So what is love? 21 years of life have probably not given me the whole picture yet. I probably might never see the whole pictures. Who knows? I believe there is no real answer to what is love. You know it, when you love. As much madness as this may sound, when you’re in love, nothing makes sense anymore, so that everything makes sense.

All I know is that love is joyful, supportive, present, grand, forgiving, tolerant, enduring, exciting, addictive, strong, bonding, alive, healing, comfortable, soothing, patient, peaceful, passionate… But I also know that love is sometimes painful, blinding, imposing, irrational, unpredictable, heavy, distracting, difficult, confusing…

Have I loved? Yes. I still do everyday. No matter how many times pain will struck, I will love. It is okay. As long as I am able to love, I will be okay. Love yourself, love your family, love your friends, love your peers… and if you are brave enough, love everyone. I am not.

Lust, affection and attachment. All of this put together, is love? Then love does not require one to own, to have, to parade, to name, to expose…

Then it is okay, that love sits quietly and watches. It is okay for it to just exist.

New Discovery: David Choi’s “That Girl”

I’ve recently been hooked on WongFu Productions again. My, my… if you permit me to fangirl a bit, I must say that Wesley Chan is becoming more and more handsome. I didn’t know he was such a talented script writer either! Check out WongFu’s HK: One Days series. Very good.

So this week, I clicked on WongFu’s youtube channel and the first video that played was the new music video they made for David Choi. It was a coincidental discovery, but here is the song of the week that I’m addicted to. I’ve checked out other songs by David Choi ever since, and I’ve got to say, this guy is MAD talented. He writes his own songs and lyrics. I’ll look into buying his album. Will review it if I eventually get to it (ie, if my budget allows it.)

That Girl
by David Choi

Official music video produced by WongFu Productions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eivjMgWu3JA

Oh, tonight I’m feeling fine
I’m alone, just wasting time
No Friday movie nights
Or romantic candle lights

I’m just having conversations
With the thoughts in my head
All I hear are angels crying
Oh, won’t they just sing instead
It would be wrong for me to say

CHORUS:
I don’t need that girl by my side
I don’t need that girl in my life
I don’t want to talk it out
Or hold her when she cries

I don’t want to say she’s my kind
I don’t want to say that she’s mine
I don’t want to tell her that
I love her more than life
More than life, Yeah
Love her more than life
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Honestly, this won’t do
How is she doing?
I tell myself I’m feeling swell
But I know I’m such a fool

I could take it as a new beginning
But you know I don’t feel that way
Who will take all this pain away?
I know it’s wrong for me to say

CHORUS

Talk about a sin
Was the day I walked into the other side
I would run back in
I wouldn’t waste no time
I know it’s wrong for me to say

CHORUS

Comfort Food, my Worst Best Friend

Today, I am very very very sick. In fact, I am so sick that I deserved myself a new nickname at work: Amanda G. G for germ. It’s okay that some want to avoid me for that. I am aware of the level of danger I represent. Then again, there are those who will still give me a hug and be there next to me, despite me being a huge bacteria today.

So, I’d like to a small moment in today’s post to thank you guys and girls for being awesome, for all the times you’ve loved me for who I am, and stayed with me despite of who I am. Hehe, I know you know what I mean.

Now, let me tell you about the love-hate relationship with my worst best friend: comfort food. For the past few weeks, I have been chowing (a bit too much) on comfort food. Ah, indulgence! Fries, ice cream,  random pastries, bubble tea, chips, cookies, cup noodles, cake, chocolate… the list goes on.

A best friend is someone:

you can always count on;

who will always be there for you;

will not judge you;

will back you up;

who will always be ready to listen to you;

whom you can trust;

who cheers you up when you’re sad;

help you make the best decisions;

who does things that are in the best interest for you.

Most importantly, a best friend loves you for who you are.

Comfort Food, I’m sorry, but you don’t quite cut it. That’s why you’re my worst best friend. We had a great time, but this unhealthy relationship has got to stop soon!

Frite Alors near Cat’s Corner is the best comfort food location for friiiiiiiies, especially after an animal night of dancing!
(Photo taken from Kerri!’s flickr found via Google.)

On Saturday, I went to Juliette & Chocolat with Angga and Chris. Omo~ I still drool at the sight of this beautiful chocolatey ice cream pastry.
Ladies and gents, I present to you, the Profiteroles. (And… some ice cream monster in the background.)

I assume most of you have the same guilty pleasures as I do, at least when it comes to comfort food! Any obscure guilty pleasures when it comes to eating? Please do share! :) Sharing is caring! (For your information, I DID share my beloved Profiteroles. Ha!)

April’s Rebirth: looking back and moving on

It seems that I have commitment issues towards my blog. But have no fear, friends! Believe it or not, I have yet to give up completely on this blog. Recently, many people have asked me to restart writing. I guess… I should! Thanks to all those who have kept visiting my blog despite its inactivity. 100 to 150 views per day, that’s nuts!

I noticed that last time I tried to restart writing was in April 2009. We are now April 2010. What a coincidence, eh? No, not really. April is indeed a good time to finish up previous projects, and to start preparing for new ones. If I had taken any courses in university, I would be stressing out for finals now. Luckily, I’m doing an internship instead, this semester. I’ve had a great time, but there are only two weeks left! Then, it will be time, once again, to figure out my next plans: Summer 2010. (Stay tuned for a brief report about my exciting internship at the Foundation of Stars and for my to-be-determined plans for Summer 2010!)

In retrospect, since my trip in Korea, a lot has happened. Here’s a brief (not-so linear) time line of things I’ve done since then!

July – August: Traveling and dancing in South Korea

August: Met the Wonder Girls and JYP at the Bell Center with my friend Chiu Yee!

October: Performing a Charleston routine with Melanie, Aleix and Alain at the 1st Montreal International Burlesque Festival.

January: Modelling for the SynesthAsia Charity Fashion Show.

February: Performing a Black Bottom routine with Christina at the Grand Burlesque Show

Video of the routine performed at Cat’s Corner:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150106594745514

March: Dancing at the Boston Tea Party Swings in Danvers, Massachussetts! (Picture of my crazy face in the Advanced Lindy Hop Jack & Jill Finals)

And that’s about the gist of it! Looking back, that’s a lot of accomplished things there, I guess. How about you? What will you see if you look back between now and somewhere in 2009?

Getting Ready to Fly to Korea

Only 1 day left before my departure for Seoul, Korea. This trip was probably the biggest spontaneous decision I’ve ever taken in my 19 years of life. You have no idea how nervous, yet excited, I am feeling at this very moment. My first trip across the globe by myself. My first time going to a foreign land in which I will be completely oblivious to what people will be saying. It is quite scary when I think about it. Heck, no time to wonder now. It only goes forward from here on!

Have you ever traveled alone? Please do give me some tips.

I’ve always had procastination issues when it comes to packing for trips. 36 hours before my flight, and I still haven’t filled any bags yet. It always gives me a headache to figure out what NOT to bring. Travelling compact is too hard for me, sigh. Airlines with their baggage restrictions aren’t helping me either. On the way back from all my other trips to China, I’ve had overweight issues with my luggage. Korea will be a new challenge indeeed.

Two weeks and a half away from Montreal. I sure think it’ll do me some good to be away for a bit. My only regret is to miss the Montreal International Jazz Festival. Again. Last year, I had missed it because of my summer course in physics. (Talk about frustration.) This year, at least, I’ll be traveling to somewhere new and exciting.

Let the countdown begin.

Update on the Summer To-Do List

I have commitment issues with my blog, doesn’t it seem like it? Haha. It’s alright. There’s nothing like a trip to far far away to give me an urge to constantly keep in touch. For those who don’t know yet, I’m going on a trip for about 2 weeks and a half to Seoul, Korea. I’m leaving on June 30th. Only 6 days to go! I’m so excited. It’s going to be my first official trip going by myself. I take this as a mean to get away from my typical life in my hometown, but also as an opportunity of growth and self discovery. Certainly, this trip will also permit me to finally get closer to the Korean culture that I’ve been admiring from the other side of the planet since so long! Korean BBQ, bulgogi, Kpop, hanbok,  here I come! So if you want to keep up with what I’m doing during my trip, be sure to keep checking in here for updates.

So far, what have you done in your summer? How’s the completion of the to-do list coming along? Here’s an update on mine:

1. Keep blogging. – getting there.
2. Finish playing Kingdom Hearts 2 and start Final Fantasy XII. – still talking about it.
3. Print out all the pictures I’ve taken for the past 2 years. Send them to my friends. – I’ll wait til I come back from Korea.
4. Restart playing piano. – I have done a bit of it!
5. Restart singing. – Not yet.
6. Retake Japanese courses. – Change of plans. I’m crash learning Korean right now, for the convenience of my trip.
7. Learn at least 1 popular Kpop choreography. – Check! I learned Tell Me by the Wonder Girls!
8. Practice doing photography. – Check! Did a bit with Milton. Still need to continue.
9. Spend time with friends and family. – On going. So far, so good.
10. Read books. – Not yet.
11. Study in advance for future courses with Karen. :D – Will start once Karen comes back from her trip. We set August as a target starting point.
12. Clean my ROOM. *most important* – HHHHHMMMMMMM….
13. and of course…. TO SLEEP! – Big fail. Yet again!

I haven’t had a chance to get to so many things. So, what have I actually been doing? I work, dance, work out and watch TV shows. Indeed, it feels soooo good. Work and dance are pretty typical for me, but working out and watching TV?! Indeed, I have started doing a training program called P90X, done by many dancers. The people who have done it all end up being pretty strong. For the sake of dancing better and doing airsteps, heck. I’d do it!

Another of my addictions-distration is that I’ve been watching the TV Show “How I Met Your Mother”. It’s absolutely hilarious. Even sometimes, despite a less amusing day, after watching  an episode or two, it’d be likec omplete brainwash of bad things. :)

Please do share what you have been up to for the first half of summer. Any change of plans?