Story of a simple* girl

A long long time ago there was a perfect boy who was handsome, tall, and good at math and soccer. And there was a not so perfect but funny girl who was good at writing and soccer also (as a goalie). When the boy had started to give hints that he might like this girl the girl was very happy because he had caught her eye since the 1^st day of 4^th grade. But the girl’s father had to move to a foreign land because of job reasons and the girl had to leave the boy and everything she loved far behind. The girl only shed one silent tear on the airplane (corny I know lol).

When she arrived in this foreign land, things were very strange. On the 1^st day of 6^th grade she brought 80$ (all the money in her broken piggy bank that she had exchanged with her greedy uncle) to the cafeteria because she wasn’t sure how much food would cost here. She also embarrassed herself because she kept saying “pommes fritts” and pointing to the French fries she wanted. Within 6 months the girl got out of ESL because she had read 9 books per day to learn English. However because of late night reading in bed (secretly under the moonlight/with flashlight under covers AND a shirt by the door crack- because her light had to be shut off at 9pm), she also now had glasses ;(

Anyways, the girl held onto the image of the perfect boy for 10 years and didn’t speak a word to or date any other boy. The only time her love might have flickered was in her accounting class when she spotted a boy who reminded her of her favorite childhood book “pippi longstocking”. This boy was pretty hot and was always the 1^st to finish his accounting work. But the real reason she became interested was because despite getting an A in the class (of course) she always seemed to be the last to balance the #’s while the boy would be playing with his friends. One time his friends were being obnoxious and flicking little papers through imaginary soccer goals and this boy told them to be quieter and to leave the girl alone. But she didn’t know this boy at all and being abnormally shy, the girl never said anything, not even thanks.Years later she is glad the boy has found true love so soon and wishes him the best.

The girl immersed herself in activities like tennis, DECA business club, drawing, piano, etc. because life at home was a nightmare on almost a daily basis. All she knew was that tears were for weak people and that she had to keep on smiling. The girl’s mother tried to force her to go to church every Sunday but the girl was tired of putting up a a façade of the perfect family.

She applied to 2 colleges and when the 1^st deferred and then rejected her, she took the only route she could and attended the 2^nd (and only other) choice.

Then one semester the girl got the chance of her lifetime: to travel back to her true home and to tell the perfect boy that she still loved him. But she didn’t have enough $ to travel there and she found something more worthwhile in the country where she studied abroad. She found real love for the 1^st time and it was real because it was reciprocated and he liked her for who she was (though the boyfriend didn’t tell her he loved her until NYE lol).

She hadn’t felt that joy in 10 years and invested too much too soon. Once the semester was over, she came back to the foreign land and thought that the long distance would work. By this time, she had to take another semester even though she was supposed to graduate early with honors— all because she had a little too much fun the months before and let her lifelong goals slip a little.

But it turned out that the boyfriend was right and that absence doesn’t really make the heart grow fonder; in this case, it only made the heart ache so much more. She wrote to him asking him what exactly they had become and he told her the cold truth: that they did not have a common future because he was there and she was here. She politely replied thanks; even though her heart was shattered into a million pieces on that day. Now she is grateful to him because he had always been more mature and wiser and had foreseen the future. They are still very good friends. 

Fast forward a couple years later: the girl had worked on it, believed that He had saved her in a miraculous way, and now had a really strong sense of faith. She also had one relationship during this time where she did not feel love for the boy but felt safe because she knew he’d never break her heart. They are no longer friends because the girl knows that the boy won’t forget for a long time and her life is already full of complications, as usual. She even gathered the courage to tell another boy that she might like him a little but he told her that they were better off as friends. She laughed and wasn’t sad because this time, she had become a stronger person, wasn’t as serious, could accept the truth much faster, and was also glad that they could stay good friends

the end...or not? When one door closes another window always opens :)

zodiac sign: cancer

WOAH I read this today and found it to be spot on correct for me...read up on your own sign here :)

http://www.astrology.com.au/astrology/12-signs-of-the-zodiac/

Key Life Phrase	I Nurture
Zodiac Totem	The Crab
Zodiac Symbol	As above
Zodiac Facts	Fourth sign of the zodiac; cardinal, fruitful, feminine, moist
Zodiac Element	Water
Key Characteristics	Loving, susceptible, sympathetic, sensual, faithful, instinctive, charitable, over-reactive and moody
Compatible Star Signs	Taurus, Virgo, Scorpio, and Pisces
Mismatched Signs	Sagittarius, Aquarius and Libra
Ruling Planet	Moon
Love Planets	Mars and Pluto
Finance Planet	Sun
Speculation Planet	Mars
Career Planets	Neptune, Jupiter and Mars
Spiritual and Karmic Planets	Mars, Pluto, Jupiter and Neptune
Friendship Planet	Venus
Destiny Planet	Mars
Lucky Numbers and Significant Years	2, 3, 9,11, 12, 18, 20, 21, 27, 29, 30, 36, 38, 45, 47,48, 54, 56, 57, 74, 75, 81, 83 and 84
Lucky Gems	Moonstone, pearl, yellow topaz, red coral, garnet and white jade
Lucky Fragrances	Geranium, sandalwood, white rose, ylang ylang and bergamot
Affirmation/Mantra	I am lovable as well as loving
Lucky Days	Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays

Cancer, the fourth sign of the zodiac, is a water sign, which signifies your highly emotional nature. Being under the sway of the element of water also makes you highly caring, generous and intuitive. You are highly evolved, even spiritual — the water signs are karmically developed and refined in spirit.

Water is malleable and adaptable. You are very much like that. You adapt when you have to, but you much prefer to make changes on your own terms.
Like water, you are soothing and nourishing too. Life-supporting energies are at the heart of your character. You will act as a support for many people — in your own family and beyond.

Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates is a dedicated patron, funding a Beverly Hills hospital for women recovering from cancer. Guess what her star sign is? You got it — Cancer!

You are for the most part a person of feeling and sensation. Often you will ignore your own judgment and rationality, and someone’s else’s reasonable advice, in favor of how you feel. You don’t care if you’re wrong, either! If your intuition tells you to do something, like reaching out to give someone a helping hand, you’ll just do it.

Others turn to you when they need a shoulder to cry on — you’ll do well in any of the caring professions. This approach is highlighted by your key life phrase, ‘I nurture’. You find it difficult to turn away anyone in need. Anyone who knows you will agree that you are one of the best people to connect with if they need advice. Friends will turn to you if they are in trouble, knowing that your sensitive and compassionate touch will lighten their load.

You are extremely receptive to your environment and the people around you, and will often ‘pick up’ people’s energies, moods and thoughts. This ability serves you well; your intuition about people is quite often correct. Your knack of knowing people’s issues before they even open their mouths attracts them to you. The difficulty with this, though, is that you can tend to absorb their emotions — negative as well as positive.

You reflect the qualities of the changing Moon. This means that at times your emotions get the better of you, and you swing from high to low. Family and friends will be well aware of this, but they will not doubt your loyalty and support.

Another aspect of the Moon that sometimes doesn’t work well for you is its maternal nature. You sometimes veer too close to the mothering/smothering lane, which can put people off.

Back on the plus side, you love to mix with all sorts of people. Social activities are an essential ingredient in your development. You are a great success socially, because you can convey your wisdom to others so well — Cancerians have very expressive faces.

Creative enterprises are a great way to make the most of your moods and your imagination. Music and writing are perfect vehicles for you. You can express the inner part of your being as entertaining literary, art or music pieces.

Cooking is also a great outlet for you. Even if you cook as a hobby rather than as a job, you will find that it balances your state of mind over time.

Sometimes you can get locked into your own private lifestyle, and only come out at full Moon. Being a recluse is not for you, though — share your talents and love with the world. Some of this is down to your love of the night.

Because the Moon’s domain is the night, many Cancerians are night owls. From twilight on, your creativity starts to flow and you feel at home — you have a strong affinity with lunar energies. This is a good time to get into writing, meditating, or just walking in the moonlight. All these will energize you. You love the stillness and mystery of the night.

You are a consummate homemaker. Even men born under this sign express the ‘feminine’ aspect of their character in their love of the kitchen, and activities that make them feel secure in their domestic space.

You love to collect or keep mementos — such as scrapbooks and other bits and pieces — that bring back memories of good times and people you care about. You have a great memory, not just for facts, but also any good turn or kindness you’ve received.

You can always talk about any subject with anyone. That retentive memory is a help here, as is your impartial, even-handed approach to people generally. Dealing with people comes naturally to you: add this to your shrewdness and intuition, and you are likely to be a good businessperson. You can also use these skills in managing your day-to-day life.

If you are a Cancer born between 22nd June and 3rd July you are under the double influence of Moon. You are emotional, loving and destined in marriage and love life. However, try to curb your changeable emotions. Don't let sentimentality rule you.

Were you born between 4th and 13th July? Well, Cancer, I see you have a very deep and penetrating mind and can sometimes be overly intense in relationships. Your loyalty is unconditional and you make the staunchest of friends.

As a Cancer born between 14th and 22nd July you are prone to a dreamy and idealistic attitude in life. You like the idea of being compassionate and forgiving to everyone and serve the needs of friends and family well. That’s fine but don’t forget that you have needs as well.

weight loss tips: my experience

When it comes to weight loss I have become something of an expert on it because since the summer of 2008 my own weight has fluctuated quite a bit and it worried me to the point where it took over my daily thinking. At my heaviest weight in 2009 I tipped the scales at 180 LBS (this was at the worst and lowest point in life) and I will never forget the disappointment, self-loathing, the looks from people who knew me and strangers alike, the fear of never getting my own body back, and the anger over losing control of everything that mattered to me. For some odd reason, I didn't feel human anymore and the body i inhabited was a stranger's body that I didn't feel comfortable in. 

To me, the extra weight wasn't just a couple lbs I could sweat off in  a week; it became a burden that affected every little thing I did and even walking on the streets became difficult because my bones were carrying so much extra baggage. I am 5.55' tall and was about 50 lbs overweight for my height. 

So what did I do? After many months of nothing changing I finally decided to try at life again and began by doing exercises like climbing the stairs (in my house) and dancing to my favorite CD's whenever I could in the privacy of my home (the dancing part requires you to not care what other people think, especially when they walk in on you trying some strange moves-> just think of the goal, forget how silly you might look- because at the end, all that matters is your state of mind and the well being of your body). I lost a lot of extra weight but gained it back once in grad school because of lack of sleep & depression. I didn't finish my Master's and moved back home with my parents. Can you say FAILURE. 

2. In 2011, after starting my 1st full time job after college, I purchased an elliptical from craigslist for 325$ and lost 18 lbs in about 2.5 months. I placed the elliptical in front of the big screen TV so that it wouldn't seem such a chore to do every single day. I would stay on it and pedal for about 30 minutes varying the resistance every 10 minutes. But I lost interest after a couple months and took up mixed martial arts; I traded in my elliptical for 3 months of MMA gym membership and don't regret it. I quit the mma gym though because it was too far away and I was going on more business trips. 

3. Recently I have been using the treadmill quite a bit whenever I visit L.A. Fitness. I run at speed 7 for about 5 minutes and then turn it down to 6.5 for some jogging time, and after 10 minutes I walk at the pace of 3.5 with the incline set at 8. After 10 minutes of this, I start running again until 30 minutes have passed and I have run at least 2 miles. 

4. If you think that boxing and mixed martial arts will bulk up a woman's body, you are wrong. One of the main reasons I joined L.A. Fitness is because they have a couple punching bags hanging in the dance studio. From experience I can honestly tell you that using the punching bag in the right way is the best and fastest way to lose arm fat and tone your upper body. Boxing is my favorite exercise because you burn so many calories in a short amount of time and start sweating within 4 minutes. Some easy combinations to try: jab, cross, hook and alternate from left to right. Then do 10 straight hooks with each arm and kick the bag, 10 kicks with each leg. Repeat until you feel like dying or run seriously out of breath :) When you are very tired hit the bag lightly but stay bent at the knees.  Use the punching bag for 20-30 minutes every 2nd day and you should see your arms become sleeker and more defined within a week. 

I hit the bags pretty hard and at first your knuckles will be red and maybe even bleed. Get used to it and it will heal for sure; I don't know how many times my knuckles have patched themselves up but skin regenerates and will become more resistant to this kind of training. 

5. Weight training: I was very skeptical about weights because I saw many girls who had big arms and back muscles when they used dumbbells, but I realized that small weights don't give you those bulky muscles. Weight training helps with your metabolism and helps your body burn more calories even when you aren't exercising. I tend to go for the 3 LB weights and lift one with both hands behind my head up and down. I also use one when I do Russian twists on the stretching mat. Also, lift one while doing squats and lunges; this helps me balance better. 

6. H20 is vital; always keep a water bottle with you when exercising. You are sweating profusely and don't want to faint from dehydration and worst case scenario, hit your head on the way down on a treadmill or something. However, take small sips and don't gulp the whole bottle down even though you may feel like it. 

My exercise routine has been hectic these 2 weeks because I didn't know until November 8th that I was taking a vacation to a hot weather location where I will wear bikinis and shorts. I won't post my own progress pictures until i have lost at least 20 LBS, but here are some fitspiration images for you!

When you are aiming for significant weight loss, you need to convince yourself that you will love yourself even if you don't achieve results in the given time and that you always have another day to make a difference. Unlike models and celebrities, we aren't given the luxury and time to exercise for 8 hours with a personal trainer, and so you must be strong mentally and push yourself. Don't give up and once you reach that ultimate weight goal, you should be proud that you have done what so many have failed to commit to. 

December fashion sketches

I need to practice sketching more, improve the lines of my fashion renderings, and replace TV time with creativity time. Here's some drawings I completed yesterday~ hopefully more will follow this month! =^.-=

lookbook

It's amazing and fascinating to see how regular people (with limited resources and time) coordinate their outfits and looks each day. In addition to my instagram feed I tend to check out lookbook.nu quite frequently ~ here are some of my favorite fashion pics

*these pictures are all from lookbook.nu and not posted by me

Petra K: I am astounded that this girl was only 14 years old and already had such an impressive portfolio of looks

very casual chic in that "i don't care what you think" kind of way 

 EBBA Z: she probably has the most unique sense of style I have seen on lookbook so far

 the lovely Ms. Bazan who pulls off the ruffles and feathers quite nicely

I love the combination of masculine cuts with feminine accents and when it's well-done, it just looks very elegant 


Quick update on life: i have 2 weeks left before my vacation this year and I am so excited  that I probably spend every 2 days looking up activities and hot restaurants to visit. The only concern right now is dropping those stubborn LBS so I can finally start posting my own everyday looks. I really am trying for a lifestyle change not just something temporary and have been working out almost every day for 2 weeks now. Can't wait to see the results in 2 weeks and keep going! 

Autumn Favorites~ 2012

the best little gift to myself this year: iPhone4s! <3 

"how did i liveee without you..." song comes to mind

cupcakes!

Hautelook Mascara Set!

Felt Flowers I created....:/ not done

Lancome Day and Night moisturizers! (along with 2 gift sets)

KittyCat!

Tiramisu cups I made from scratch :) 

Japanese Marketplace for the 1st time

what I've been craving for a whole week now: 

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecans from the C. Factory

~happy fall/winter transition time~

pretty Peony

I have found another great fashion blog by a blogger called Peony Lim. 

On the subject of peonies, they are one of the most beautiful flowers on earth and make amazing additions to wedding bouquets. They also come in such pretty pastel colors: coral, baby pink, fuchsia, white, lilac, ...

GORGEOUS

 hair is always styled perfectly in nicely cascading curls

i have been trying to find a Russian "Ushanka" fur hat like this

i'll end with some personal pics: my look for the Renaissance Fair complete w/ flower wreath. Because where else can you wear a flower wreath without looking silly?