YouTube and Sam Tsui

My habi came across this singer on YouTube and because this song caught my attention and LOVED it, I felt more than obligated to share it.  I wonder why singers like him  aren't famous. At least they can sing. The interesting thing is, they don't sing about drugs and sex. What happened to the real songs? The ones that we actually get chills down out spines and makes out hairs stand? What happened to the songs that had singers singing without the editing and remaking? I'm getting tired of having to turn on the radio, and listening to how the "chicks" are hot in this or that country, international love? Really? Anyways, listen to Sam Tsui's song, and let me know what you think.

 

Spring Is Here!

Habi and I were watching the movie called the “Source Code.” It was a very interesting movie, different, but interesting. The quote that got me thinking a lot was when Colter Stevens, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, asks Christina Warren the very last minute he’s about to die, including everyone on the train, “what would you do if you had 1 minute to live?”  And Christina Warren responded by saying, “I would live every second of it.”

 

A great quote for a good movie.

 

On another note, spring has come! At last! I am looking forward to the camping trips my habi and I are planning to do. And I am also looking forward to the days when I can go out with my shorts and a t-shirt. No more of those heavy, thick clothing. Although, this winter has been quite warm. Supposedly, Europe got the Canadian winter this time. I don’t mind really. If they want more, they can take as much as they want. Ahah.

 

On of the best parts of spring is the Cherry Blossom Festival in Japan! I love, love, love cherry blossoms. Especially the ones that are pink. My family used to grow Cherries at our old house, however since we moved the one we currently live in has no garden to grow Cherries.  The Cherries we used to grow were those really sour ones and they had the white cherry blossoms, but regardless of that, the cherries were so, so good! Especially as a homemade Jam and pie. Yum!

 

Gorgeous aren’t they?

 

Gift Ideas

Okay, I am in dire need of gift ideas for a baby boy turning 1 year old in 3 weeks. Why am I asking for ideas 3 weeks in advance? Sometimes it just takes me that much time to decide what to purchase… So… Better safe than sorry.

 

Below is the photo of the cute little boy. His mom is Filippino and his dad is Canadian. They are such a cute couple and they have the most cutest little boy that I have ever seen in my life. I would like to get them a special gift, and I’m really running out of ideas. The reason why I’m pulling my hair trying to figure out what to get their baby boy is because they are like family to me. The worst part of it is, I haven’t been keeping contact with them for a long time. They’re on my facebook page, but unfortunately, I haven’t visited or called them… This will be the first time this year that I will see them.

 

If you have any ideas, please do share them! Thank you!

 

Gears of War Completed

My husband and I finally finished playing Gears of War on the co-op version of the game, you can purchase it in your nearest gaming store or amazon.ca (I have the link on the right sidebar of this blog). The difficulty was set on casual. It took us 4 weekends, and 6 hours of play time to complete this game. It was challenging, lots of yelling, laughing, and swearing before we finished the game. The biggest hint to defeating this game is to get as much ammunition as possible, and to destroy every holes the enemies exit out of with a grenade. If you don’t want to keep fighting the enemy for too long, destroy those port holes! And as well, take lots of cover. If you’re just standing and not covering, you’ll continuously keep getting yourselves killed. Lastly, talk to your partner. If he/she is going to make a move, tell them that they must communicate or else you’ll get monsters attacking your characters from all corners.

 

This was an exciting bonding moment, my husband and I had. We enjoyed it so much that we’re going to get the 2nd and 3rd game next. It allowed us to communicate with each other on what we’re planning to do, and whenever we made a bad move, we learned to laugh at it. Of course, at first we were like “what the f*** did you do that?!” And of course there was me screaming at every ugly look monster that attempted to charge at my character. My husband was always there to kill those monsters before it got to me; he was so princely saving me like that. Haha.

 

Anyways, when you and your special someone wants to do something at home, instead of watching a movie try playing a game. It’s a lot of fun. :D Check out the Gears of War game below.

 

Exhausted.

Sorry readers, I have been studying for my 2 midterm exams… And honestly, I’m so tired. However! This won’t stop me from at least posting a photo on here. Here’s a photo I found on Flickr.

I find this is very true. If you find something that you really, really want and you happen to at least ‘try’ to get it, of course you must try to get that something; sometimes, it does happen. Actually, it does. You will get it.

 

There was a time in my life when I felt that what I wanted was too far for me to reach. After a few years of trying and trying AND attracting my thoughts towards that one thing, it eventually, when the time was right, it just happened. I got what I wanted. Even though people told me that to get it is just a dream, and that I should focus on something more reachable. Honestly, we are so fortunate to have so much. So why should I be satisfied with something that I can get so easily? Why not challenge myself and dream towards something more?

 

Dream, and work hard to achieve it. Nothing will stop you, in fact this photo says it all.

 

Make it happen.

 

My Habibi

- Bob Marley

 

My husband is the best man on earth. He works so hard for me, and he supports me for everything that I do. Sometimes, he does drive me crazy, like forgetting to bring the dishes to the sink. However, all those little things that he doesn’t do, does not matter to me at all. It’s all the good things that he does for me that truly makes me appreciate him. He stays up late nights to take care of me when I’m sick. He cuddles with me in the middle of the night when I get cold. He brings me Tim Hortons or McDonalds when he gets off from work… He does so much, and I mean very much for me.

 

But you know what I truly love about him the most? He really, truly loves me. The feeling of loving and being loved is amazing.

 

I love you habi. <3

Photo-A-Day-Challenge: Marrka

I decided to make up a new game for my blog. The main purpose for me having this blog is to  inspire and motivate myself and others in their day to day lives. There’s a lot that’s going on in other’s lives and mine as well, sometimes we all need a bit of a boost to lighten things up a bit.

 

Anyways, the new game is called photo-a-day challenge. This means that I will post a photo every day that I think represents something funny, sad, anything that made my day special. So here’s my first photo:

 

 

This was my first time cooking Chicken Marrka on my own without my Habi’s help. This had chicken, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and spices. It’s actually easy to make, and it’s pretty customizable as well. For those who don’t know what Marrka is, it’s one of the most easiest Moroccan dishes to make and cheapest as well. Onions are like $2, a sack of potatoes $5, onions $2, and chicken is $10; it also takes less than 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook. Habi tried this, and he loves it. Yay!

 

Why do I find cooking this dish special? Well, I’m still learning to cook. Learning how to cook Moroccan Food, which is completely different from the dishes I ate (Filipino and Canadian cuisine) while growing up, is quite a transition. Not only that, but my parents barely taught me how to cook to begin with. So, cooking a dish that my habi can say is “very, very good” or “just like back home” is a very big accomplishment for me. ^_^

 

This is all for today. I hope to capture another special moment tomorrow.

Zip Wallets

I’ve been looking around for a zip around wallet for weeks because I didn’t feel comfortable carrying my regular wallet around in my hands as I’m shopping. Yes, I usually carry just my wallet with me, but I do sometimes carry a bag with me. I’m always afraid that something is going to fall out of it and I just don’t have the patience and time to go and get a replacement. When I saw my mom’s guess zip around wallet, it gave me an idea to get one. At least I’d feel more secure about things not falling out. Although, I’m not in the market to purchase a new wallet as I still have one given to me as a christmas gift. However, it doesn’t hurt to do some shopping online does it? Here’s my ideal wallet:

 

 

It’s currently way out of my budget at the moment, but I have other options as well! Michael Korrs has this beautiful metallic purses that are “nicely” priced, and a lot cheaper than my first option. I like the white metallic one, but since I’ll be carrying it around in my hands a lot, and it’s still winter, I know that it will get quite dirty faster. So I prefer the gold coloured one. The silver colour is nice as well, however, a little change of colours screaming out to me. Something to brighten up the fact that every time I open it up, I’ll be spending some happy cash. :D

 

 

 

This is my third option, it’s the cheapest and it’s good for everyday use. If I drop my wallet at least it won’t hurt me as much. It’s also reasonably priced for a designer wallet. I know it’s white and I did mention that white will get dirty easily, but I like how it looks.

 

 

So for now, I’m going to use this black guess purse that a family member got me for Christmas. Then when my birthday hits, in 3 months I can ask for one of these wallets as a gift. :D

 

 

What kind of wallets do you like? Or most of importantly, what do you use to put your stuff in?

A. McQueen’s Belts and Sandals for Spring/Summer 2012

BELTS! I am not a biggie for belts as I tend to end up covering them with my shirt, but when I came across these Alexander McQueen belts, tons of light bulbs came up as I found a new idea to add to my everyday outfit. So if you want to add a little something to your outfit, you should definitely try out belts. Of course they do not have to be large belts like the ones below , but large enough to make it work with your body shape and outfit. Check them out below!

 

 

 

 

These almost heel less sandals are also amazing. I’m loving the fact that they are almost heelless, but nevertheless, regardless whether it’s heel less or not, these sandal styles definitely can make an outfit a little more sexy.

 

 

 

 

 

Louis V’s Little Leather, Metal Shoes

New 2012 Spring Runway shoes are leather, metallic shoes. These are Louis Vuitton selling for $1000.00 (+other additional charges) on the website.









I am really loving this sandal for Spring. I like how the leather and metallic works together.

This is selling for $1,400(+ add. charges) on the web.

These types of shoes gives a sort of futuristic appeal, but it’s not too futuristic if you match these with a pair of pastel coloured jeans, a little black dress, dress pants or even a cute skirt.

Here’s Gwyneth Paltrow and Kristen Stewart wearing their Louis Vuitton shoes.




















 Here are some nice pair of men’s metallic shoes from Louis Vuitton as well. Unfortunately, I was not able to find out the actual price for these pair on their website. The metallic does add some appeal to the black leather suede shoes.

As of right now, I haven’t been as updated in the fashion industry as much since school has taken up a lot of my mine. However, I will try to update as much as I can. :D

Studying, How I do it.

There are a lot of things for me to do this two weeks, MidTerm Exams, assignments, and projects. I should be panicking. I should be pulling all nighters. I should be really stressed out. The thing is, I’m not. I’m not either one of those. This year I learned that to really do good in studying, to really get those good marks, I have to be relaxed. I have to be calm. And it works. It really does. When I feel that I am pressured, yes I do the job and I get the job done. However, I know that I could do better when I am not. The thing is, in this society where things have to be done on time, if it is not then there is consequences, people are always pressured. Then mistakes happen, or the job doesn’t get done well or not at all. In the past years that I was in school, I always stressed out, and trying to force myself to get things done and to memorize as much as I can. And even though I do, “ok” I don’t feel that it is good enough. Then this year, my habi gave me some really good tips, which I mentioned before. I am glad that I did take his advice because now, regardless of how much I have to do, I know I can accomplish it. So here’s a list of how I get my studying and homework done, in no special order:

 

• Make a to-do list and put down the due date for each assignment.
• Put the list on a calendar (make it colourful and pretty too) and place that calendar near your bedroom/study room door or in places where you tend to spend the most time in.
• Depending on how many courses you have, take 30 minutes/course each day to quickly skim through the chapters, and if you have time, highlight/write keywords. If you know you’re not able to study for a certain day, then add the 30 mins of that day to another day where you can study.
• When you have an assignment due, try to start it one week to two weeks in advance (depending on how long the Prof. gives and the percentage the assignment is made out of) and make the due date of that assignment 2 days before the actual due date.
• When you have a project due, try to ask each group member their schedule, write it on a sheet of paper and discuss when would be an appropriate time to get together. If you cannot physically meet, there is always Facebook Chat, Skype, MSN, etcetera.
• Before studying, try to get as much distractions out of your mind as possible. Go for a run, meditate, do something so that you can have your mind completely focus on your work.
• Also, try to relax, watch a funny show or do something that makes you feel good.
• Choose a room that you feel comfortable being in. Like a library, in a classroom, Starbucks, Tim Hortons… Anywhere that will make you feel motivate/inspired.
• Lastly, take a picture or a list of all the things that you wish to accomplish or anything that motivates you. Put that in the corner of your eye while you’re studying. So when you feel like you’re mind is wandering look at it for a couple minutes and think of all the things you’ve done so far to get to that goal, or think about the thing/person that motivated you). Eg. What I usually do is studying at school for a few hours, and I have a picture of my habi, and our dreams on my laptop and cellphone. So when I feel like saying “that’s enough” I look at the photos and I feel inspired again.

 

I know everyone has their own unique way of studying, how do you study? What are you feelings when you do your work? I hope you find this helpful, and good luck to reaching your dreams!

 

It’s just a thought away. :D

Laws of Attraction

Recently I subscribed to Rhonda Byrne’s “The Secret Scroll,” which are periodic email messages of inspiration. I find them inspiring and motivating at times when I lose sight of my goals. Today, I received one of those emails that got me to look at things in a better perspective.

 

 

 

From The Secret Daily Teachings

Whatever feelings you have within you are attracting your tomorrow.

Worry attracts more worry. Anxiety attracts more anxiety. Unhappiness attracts more unhappiness. Dissatisfaction attracts more dissatisfaction.

AND . . .

Joy attracts more joy. Happiness attracts more happiness. Peace attracts more peace. Gratitude attracts more gratitude. Kindness attracts more kindness. Love attracts more love.

Your job is an inside one. To change your world, all you have to do is change the way you feel inside. How easy is that?

May the joy be with you,

Rhonda Byrne
The Secret... bringing joy to billions

 

Sometimes I tend to forget that whatever actions I make today, or how I feel today, reflects how things will be tomorrow. Then the next day comes and it bites me in the butt. Has this ever happened to you? How did you feel after?

An Enjoyable Weekend

 

I had such an amazing long weekend and it was well spent, even though I spent most of it at home. My little brother had Thursday and Friday off so my best friend slept over during those two days. We watched a few movies, I made them some food and after, we played Halo 2. I lost in the game, but it really was not a fair match, 2 male gamers who are good at these games and then there’s me. Supposedly, there are tactics to actually avoid being killed… But I did not see any of that. After losing in Halo 2, my brother and best friend decided to play Wii Sport Boxing. I did not play much, but they sure did. I remember being in the 400 skill level when they started playing… The next day when I played the game, I noticed, after losing the first match, my skill level was now in the pros! The next day, the consequences of playing a couple hours of Wii Sport is my sore body, especially in the arm area. I now have difficulty even carrying a large glass of water…

 

My habi and I spent time with each other during the weekend. He worked for a few hours, then gave time for me. We played Army of Two and Gears of War, the Co-Op part of the games. It was a lot of fun. Habi showed me a few tricks and I now know how to defeat my brother and best friend in shooter games. I look forward to the day when I defeat them in their own game! It was good bonding time and when I think about it, I still find it funny how serious my habi is when he’s playing. Like when he takes his character and tries to dodge a bunch of the enemy bullets, but fails and all he says to me was “I wanted to do that professionally, but it didn’t go how I planned, so I just let the enemy kill me.” It was a good weekend.

 

I was also able to read a few chapters of the book “The Only Way to Love.” I only got through 5 chapters and I found it quite boring. Perhaps this sort of book does not interest me.  I’m going to leave this book on my bookshelf at the moment, as there are still a few other books that I still need to read. Not that I’m neglecting this book, I can’t seem to get my head around it. I’m thinking it’s because of the storyline, since at the beginning it talks about the family being rich, however it was dysfunctional because the husband was always busy working and making money for his wife’s hunger for money. Even though his wife was thinking of trying to have him spend more time with her and their kids, but it was not working out because all the husband could think of was making money for the extravagant expenses his family made. Then the husband loses his job and then the family becomes poor, they lose their home and everything else they owned. And I am going to guess the ending here: after all the challenges they encountered trying to adjust to the ‘poor’ life, they become a family that they have always wished on having, the husband staying home with the kids and the wife satisfied that she got what she wanted, a loving family. I think that is how the ending might be like, but I am not going to read it yet to find out.

 

Anyways, I still have a few more hours of my weekend left, I’m going to be a little productive and try to study. :D Thanks for reading!

 

Below is where you can purchase Halo 2, Army of Two: the 40th day, Gears of War and the book The Only Way is Up.

The Visual Personality Test

There was a personality test that Ch4 posted so out of curiosity I decided to take it. I found it very interesting… It does sound a little like me, no?

 

Take the test and see what result you get; feel free to share too:

 

Personality Test

 

Here’s mine:

 

You’re An Energizer

Spirit:

You're an Energizer. A true original with a great sense of humor and spontaneous streak, you're fun to be around and love being at the centre of the action.You're well-rounded with a healthy attitude about life. Your passion and enthusiasm mean you thrive on new experiences and ideas. You value original thought and have a strong appreciation for arts and culture. Variety is definitely the spice of your life, and you thrive on having lots of different activities to sustain your interest.Things might be feeling a bit monotonous at the moment. You could probably do with shaking things up and having a break from your usual routine.Home life can be stressful at times. You may feel like you're taking an unfair share of the load, or perhaps you just don't have enough time to hang out with the kids. The most important thing is that you create a relaxed distraction-free space you can all enjoy. Everyone will benefit.You can be busy and constantly on the go. For you, it's important to find time to listen to your inner voice. Broaden your horizons so you don't stagnate, but also try to make sure you leave some gaps in your busy schedule to recharge those batteries. It's easy for you to fly from one full-on activity to another without any downtime. But it's in the quieter moments that we really get to know ourselves and our inner truth. Make sure the pace doesn't stop you from having honest moments of contemplation.For someone who enjoys the buzz of social gatherings and lively events, the importance of a contrasting space in your life is especially important. You find great strength and comfort from being at one with nature. Make sure you remind yourself of how special those moments can be for reinvigorating.

 

Relationship:

For you, the sign of a good relationship is that you don't stress out about the small stuff. You may have your ups and downs, but there's no one you'd rather spend the rest of your life with.As a True Romantic, you've got a whole lot of love to give and you like to lavish your partner with romantic gestures. You have strong instincts and a good understanding of who you are and what you want from life. You like to follow your dreams and believe in happy endings. You are expressive and enjoy coming up with new ways to show your partner how much you love him. Intense experiences appeal to your sensual side. It's all about immersing yourself in the fairy-tale feelings of being in love. For you, it's the little things that make being in love so special: a sunset stroll on a beach, holding hands at the movies and feeling protected and cared for.

Relationship tips:

So you're a True Romantic but what tips can we give for keeping the romance alive in your relationship?

1. Be natural. Remember that your partner loves you for who you are, so don't feel the need to put on an act.
2. Share the love. You've got the Midas touch when it comes to setting the romantic tone, so do what you do best and let your partner experience the magic.
3. Open your heart. Don't overthink things or be too much of a perfectionist. The strongest connections are founded on spiritual intimacy.
4. Take a weekend away. Whether you're still in the first flush of love or entering your second decade together, there's still nothing better than checking into a nice hotel for a night. Take your time over a romantic dinner and make sure to have breakfast in bed.

 

Money:

You like to be able to treat yourself every now and then. You have a passion for fashion, so you would love to be able to indulge in a shopping trip whenever the mood strikes!The true mark of success for you is a happy home. It is the main focus of your life and the center of all your aspirations. You're happiest when you feel settled and comfortable. True fulfillment for you is in having strong, loving relationships with family and friends. If they're healthy and happy, that's all that matters to you.

 

Health:

You're on the right track with your health. You feeling rejuvenated after a good night's sleep.Unappealing as it may seem, it would be good to try to be a bit more active every day. You might be surprised at how much you'd actually enjoy regular exercise. It may sound hard to believe, but endorphins are better than chocolate if you just give them a chance! You may even find that you're in a better mood more often. Start off with something that isn't too intimidating, like climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator. You might even consider signing up for a few personal training sessions in the gym so that you have a program that's tailored just for you. You may need to think about making a few changes what you eat too. Maybe you could try making homemade versions of your favorite restaurant meals to reduce the sodium and fat content and eat healthier without compromising too much on taste.

 

Food:

You're dynamic and definitely have a taste for the exotic. You appreciate the value of a delicious meal, and will spend as long as it takes to make it. Your sense of adventure makes you open-minded to new flavors and sensations. Every now and again, if things are a bit hectic, you can cheat and a get take-out...

 

Home:

What does the future hold for you? If you take a step back and visualize your dream life, you'd probably find yourself far away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Somewhere that's raw and exciting and takes you back to nature would suit you. While being out in the wild would intimidate some people, it adds to both the sense of peace and adventure you crave

 

Entertainment:

You're a bit of techie. You love getting your hands on the latest shiny gadget that's going to revolutionize your world. If it's cool and shiny, you're probably going to want it! Logical and practical, you like to know how things work. And when it comes to chilling out, catching up on the blogosphere or chatting with your friends online with a coffee is one of life's little treats

 

Style:

You know how important it is to be comfortable and look great, and your style really reflects this. You're happiest in low-key settings where you can relax and be yourself. Why not treat yourself to a luxurious pedicure every now and then and show off your pampered feet in some girly shoes? A great heel instantly lifts an outfit, but it's up to you how high you go.

 

Travel:

You're inquisitive, open-minded and interested in history. You love to discover new things and experience new places. For you, the tourist trail is best avoided. After all, it's the hidden gems that make traveling so exciting! You love to thoroughly immerse yourself in culture, so chances are you'll end up in a museum or gallery at some point on your trip.

Study.

I have this math midterm exam this thursday and several projects due by the end of this week. And right now, I just want to say...