"Live Like We're Dying"

It's time for another inspirational song post!

"Live Like We're Dying", Kris Allen.

Sometimes we fall down and can't get back up
We're hiding behind skin that's too tough
How come we don't say I love you enough
Till it's too late, it's not too late

Our hearts are hungry for a food that won't come
We could make a feast from these crumbs
And we're all staring down the barrel of a gun
So if your life flashed before you, what would you wish you would've done

Yeah, gotta start
Looking at the hand of the time we've been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start thinkin' it
Every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got 86 400 seconds in a day
To turn it all around or throw it all away
We gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say,
Gotta live like we're dying

And if your plane fell out of the skies
Who would you call with your last goodbyes
Should be so careful who we leave out of our lives
So when we long for absolution, there'll be no one on the line

Yeah, gotta start
Looking at the hand of the time we've been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start thinkin' it
Every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got 86 400 seconds in a day
To turn it all around or throw it all away
We gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say,
Gotta live like we're dying

Like we're dying
Like we're dying
Like we're dying
Like we're dying

Yeah, gotta start
Looking at the hand of the time we've been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start thinkin' it
Every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got 86 400 seconds in a day
To turn it all around or throw it all away
We gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say,
Gotta live like we're dying

You never know a good thing until it's gone
You never see a crash until it's head on
All these people right when we're dead wrong,
You never know a good thing till it's gone

Yeah, gotta start
Looking at the hand of the time we've been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start thinkin' it
Every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got 86 400 seconds in a day
To turn it all around or throw it all away
We gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say,
Gotta live like we're dying

Like we're dying
Like we're dying
Like we're dying
Like we're dying

Yeah, gotta start
Looking at the hand of the time we've been given here
This is all we got and we gotta start thinkin' it
Every second counts on a clock that's tickin'
Gotta live like we're dying
We only got 86 400 seconds in a day
To turn it all around or throw it all away
We gotta tell 'em that we love 'em while we got the chance to say,
Gotta live like we're dying

"What Makes Women Happy"

I came upon this article via a friend's facebook (yay for newsfeed) and it's prompted me to share it with the rest of the world as well.

"What Makes Women Happy". Posted by Tiffany O'Callaghan

Article Focus: How women can cultivate happiness. (Based on several 'happiness' journals. Go figure! Look at this journal =P).

Highlights:

• "One thing that blocks [happiness] flow is self-consciousness. If you're really worried or anxious about whether you're achieving it, then it's not going to work for you...So, it's important to look at the things that are causing us anxiety. Some of those things we're not going to be able to do as much about, but some of them we can."
  
  Thoughts: To be happier, I need to avoid negative people and situations in my life that makes me feel like shit.

• "...a lot of women make choices based on how they saw their mother's choices working out, how they saw the choices of the women elders in their lives working out. There's some rebellion in that, but there's also some deep reflection."
  
  Thoughts: The deep reflection referred to here, I feel...requires analyzing generational and cultural differences, too. But, obviously, it's so hard to be able to separate it all when your greatest role model is right THERE.
  

• "...happiness [defined] as the capacity to rejoice in the midst of suffering...Finding joy in the midst of suffering is always going to be the key."

  
  Thoughts: C'est la vie. Makes you more grateful for the things you do have...
  
  
• "the simple fact of concentrating on their own happiness, and paying attention to their own happiness actually increased their sense of well being"
  
  Thoughts: Focus on the positive!
  
  
• "people who regularly express gratitude...are generally more content."
  
  Thoughts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cbk980jV7Ao
  

• "If we really do need a place to vent, that can be helpful, but I don't think it improves our mood that much to make a habit of just letting out our negative emotions."
  
  Thoughts: I agree 110% Thus this blog. My blog is now validated. Thank you.
  

• "Finally, you decide, OK, maybe I am a dork, and maybe that's OK."
  
  Thoughts: Dorks FTW!
  

Read complete article here: http://wellness.blogs.time.com/2010/02/03/what-makes-women-happy/#ixzz0esfr3sdN

True Love

Define "True Love."

True Love: The ability to appreciate someone for all that they are...no matter what.

I wanted to take this year to truly focus on myself, family, and true friends.

And through my close friends (you know who you are)...I have finally learned what TRUE LOVE really is.

I am sure I've written a gabigillion entries on this already...but I wanted to take the time once again to thank my close friends...you know who you are...for your true love.

My friends...are genuine.
Quirky.
Weird.
Off-the charts.
Sweet.
Beautiful.
Loving.
Giving.
Understanding.
Amazing listeners.
Greatest hug givers.
Affectionate.
Gushy.
Unique.
Strange.
Lovable.
Open-minded.
Open-armed.
Lions and lionesses.
Honest.
Hard-working.
Perserving.
Determined.
There for you when you need them...
There for you when you don't need them...
Genuine genuine genuine genuine.

Thank you for loving all of me...the witty and the shitty.

I love you guys SO much. Every single bit of you.

You deserve the very best. Just for being you.

I love you SO SO SO SO SO SO MUCH.

There is hope.

A friend once told me, "There's a blue sky above the clouds."

Probably the best way someone has ever phrased positivity with such a simplistic metaphor.

Quite often...people are perplexed by why I smile so often...so much.

Maybe it's the happiness within Kiwanis that has engraved its optimism within my soul for the last 10 years.

No...that can't be it. Just part of it. Because my cousin tells me she's been playing the "I bet you can't stop smiling!" game with me since way back when.

Hmmm...

I dunno. But regardless...stuff happens...

Things beyond your control. Things that you may have had control over, but somehow slipped...

Mistakes. With serious consequences.

And when crap like that happens...will you still have the courage to smile?

Your life can change in an instant.

But...deep down inside...I'm still the same person. Right?

Just...wiser? Been there. Done that. Resilient.

On the bright side of things...through these tough situations, you realize who your true friends are. Who's really going to be there for you when you don't have the power to smile anymore. The people who are really going to give you a reason to smile again...

And then of course, you start really thinking about the things and people that REALLY REALLY matter. Like, the important stuff in life you need to focus on.

*slow nod*

C'est la vie.

Life is too short to regret...but long enough to make smarter choices.

Things to do - as of today.

Things to look forward to. Things to accomplish:

• Take up yoga.
• Bake a mango cheesecake.
  
• Bake red velvet cupcakes.
• Make a real-deal chicken pot pie.
  
• Get a gym membership.
• Run along the Embarcadero before work.
  
• Visit my buddies (you know who you are) in SoCal.
• Move out of the house.
  
• Get 7-8 hours of sleep.
  
• Wake up before 9am to workout (even if I don't have work).
  
• Master the guitar...well...bar chords for now. =P
• Find that damn Creme Brulee cart in SF.
• Pay off my loans/debts (or atleast a good ass chunk of it)
• Get fit again. (And have my cake, too!)
  
• Progress professionally.
• Live more.
  
• Regret less.
  
• Truly appreciate my family, true friends, and myself.

And the quote of the day is:
"One should ... be able to see things as hopeless and yet be determined to make them otherwise." ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

G'day.

2010 Gratitude & Prospects - The Usual Venting

Birthday Thank You's

I don't know if I had the opportunity to truly thank my friends for being there for me on my birthday. I know I already thanked a bunch of you in person/on the phone/via facebook, etc. etc...but truly. Thank you.

Thank you Joe, Jenny, Leslie, Sandra, and Tony for the hard-core laughs about everything and nothing afterwards <3
Thank you Joe Lee for driving and again...for always smelling so amazing <3
Thank you Jenny Su for being so gosh darn freakin sexy and letting us crash at your place <3
Thank you Leslie for partEyin the night away with me despite your sickness and long day <3
Thank you Cajita for coming all the way from SoCal. When I get a job...in a heart beat I will be down there treating you to some good ass George's Greek! Hell yes.
Thank you Tony for FINALLY coming out to partEy with us <3
Thank you Lily for coming out and having a drink despite your tolerance :) <3
Thank you Kathleen for driving up <3
Thank you Will for the Wood Tavern <3
Thank you Peach for being in my life <3
Thank you Mandel, Julia, Angela, Alisa, Jackie, Jen, Ashley, Andi, Lisa, and everyone else that treked out to The Bubble despite the rain -- thank you for being in my life <3 <3 <3
Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes <3<3<3
And Thank you, Kokkari, for the best lamb chops..best flippin meat I've ever eaten .

That night was amazing because of you guys! =)

Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.

24 sure is kickin off way better than 23!

---
Random Other Things This Week
- In the pouring rain the other day, I saw a licensce plate that said "OHGAIL".
- Dine About Town kicks ass.
- "Nothing that comes easy is worth while."

---
Potential
As you may have read in my previous notes, 2009 did not fair too well with me...but so far 2010 has been moving along well. When it comes to the realms of relationships and career opportunities (probably the two most important things to dwell upon in my mid-20's life crisis), I've always put my eggs all in one basket. But, as shitty as 2009 was, I learned a lot...and I feel like the possibilities that have risen up thus far could be my big break in life!

woo! *crossing fingers. knock on wood*

To think that my life could be THAT much more meaningful..well..VALIDATED in the next few weeks would be wow. Just wow.

---
Finally, just for Helen Cheng:

Dear Coach,

I love you.

You have this huge fat heart like me (damn obese hearts) that continues to bleed so freakin much for those you choose to care about, and you only deserve the best.

You're so beautiful and amazing in so many ways that I and all of your friends that DO care are so lucky to have you in our lives.

I know we talk about how...you never know...things may change and people change. But I will donate a leg and an arm to make sure that we are friends for life. Even if we talk once a month...or whatever. I dont care as long as you know that you can call me anytime <3

Love you. *wipe your tears away*

2010 Revelations = 100% Love.

Talk about kicking the year off with revelations and wide-mood swings.

I cried on New Years day at about 3am in the morning at Keith's place.

I cried a lot. About relationships. About the "what if's" and the "why not"s?

...

A few hours later come mid-day, I received news that a special Kiwanian whom so many Circle K'ers loved so dearly...passed away from cancer.

*blink* I cried again.

I never had the opportunity to get to know him very well, but from the few moments that we did speak, I could see how much he truly loved those around him. It showed.

...

A few days later I flew to Vegas to help Helen and Alice out at the CES convention, reuniting with old friends and developing new friendships.

To see so much passion and love oozing from all sorts of things (ie: electronics) is always something impressive to me. Be it rubber or computers.

Reunited with The Casanovas, Rachel, Tiffany, and Cheriz over good eats and drinks.

I saw John Legend. He was only 25 feet away. I screamed so much my voice chords are still wrecked as of today. The uncanny thing is that Bento photoshoped a pic of me at his party last year...and it came true!

And then I caught up with an old friend...after not seeing each other for about a year...I cried. Again. Because so many good memories came rushing back.

---

One conversation in particular with a new friend...struck out most to me: "Even if you are able to love for just that one moment...that is a beautiful thing."

I think this is something that I have officially realized this month in 2010...and that is...if the opportunity to love arises, I'm going to continue to do so because as much as it may hurt...something deep down inside tells me that it was all well-worth it.

But to remember all at the same time...that the most important thing is to not half-ass anything. To love completely. So that I can be 100% happy.

And that the greatest way to live...is to live to love.