After watching “Wall-E” a while ago, I was filled with a sense of strangeness… Did this occur to anyone else? It took me a few minutes after the movie ended to come to my senses – that I was still living on this earth, and the state of the earth shown in the movie is unrealistic and impossible (well, maybe). It was a good movie.

LISTEN: Tank – “再做一个梦 (Dream Another Dream)”

Self-reflection.
Self-improvement.

Two very powerful words. Two things I am (have been) working on recently.

Even though my life is still far from put together, these days I feel much more peaceful. Sure my laptop completely crashed on me a couple of weeks ago locking years of music/pictures/files collected in it. Sure I would still prefer to be living by myself. Sure I wish I was saving more money. Sure, I would like to be in a serious relationship again. Sure my future is still undecided.

But, I am focusing on myself. I just bought a mac and am enjoying a newfound independence with this new laptop. I am building the strong relationship with my parents that I’ve always yearned. I am able to buy things for myself without asking my parents to pay. I have complete faith in God and know that He has the perfect guy for me in mind already. :] And I know the future will work out, and I am in full control.

Yesterday, I stayed late at work to 7:30pm. Today, I took the afternoon off from work to attend an information session at UTSW. After eating dinner at home, I headed to Whole Foods to buy a dessert before heading to Starbucks to “work” for a couple of hours. Then I headed to Barnes & Noble to browse the racks.

Books I’m currently reading: “What You Should Know About Politics… But Don’t” as well as “A Rulebook for Arguments”. Next time you see me, feel free to engage me in some insightful discussion, I welcome the opportunity to learn and hear more opinions.

Did I also mention that I’ve been cooking at home? :]

Dukbokki (spicy rice cake)

Bibimbap (mixed rice & vegetables)

Since it is Friday night, I have decided to go catch “500 Days of Summer” at the theatre by myself. Plus! I’m finally going to church now. My Heavenly Father works in amazing ways.

[2009 Taiwanese Original Television Series]
“痞子英雄 ” aka “BLACK & WHITE”

LISTEN: [OST] Color Band – “鐵人 (Iron Man)”

Taiwanese idol dramas have always been notoriously known for handsome boys and pretty girls, fictional romance, and luxurious things that are far from reality. Being pressured by Korean and Japanese dramas, Taiwan’s low-cost production has been incapable of continually capturing the audiences’ hearts. In such an embarrassing situation, if there is a director and actor of a drama that are daring enough to break this trend and establish a new standard for Taiwanese dramas, that courage is enough to name that drama as unusual. (excerpt from Sina, translated by xbunnylicious@asianfanatics)

From the person who brought ground-breaking dramas like “Meteor Garden” to the Taiwanese entertainment industry, director Cai Yue Xun (more info) is again setting a new standard in Taiwanese television dramas.

Synopsis. Pi Zi (Vic Zhou), as his name suggests, is a playful police officer who fears death, loves to flirt with girls, and has a hidden secret that he doesn’t even know the answers to.  Ying Xiong (Mark Zhao), the “hero” of the police department, is the exact opposite of Pi Zi. His aggressive temper, overzealousy to act alone, and utter belief in justice also makes him the “headache” of the police department. Together, albeit only after a couple episodes of bonding time, Pi Zi and Ying Xiong work to solve powerful forces of crime and corruption.

In short, this is the first of such a giant high-budget production to hit the Taiwanese main stream: large cast, magnificent scenes, life-like explosions, high-speed camera angles, etc. The cinematography is beautiful and the storylines are well-written and tight. Each episode plays out like a movie, and the suspense continues to build until the very last minute. For a drama I wasn’t planning on watching, it blew me away by surprise. More! More!

………………………:: THE MAIN CAST ::

Mark Zhao

Vic Zhou

Ivy Chen

Janine Zhang

修杰楷

…………………………………..::

The series completed its broadcast in June, so all the episodes are available. This show was such a big hit that its movie-version sequel is slated for a production start date later this year. I highly recommend the show, especially if this isn’t your typical drama genre. Check out the soundtrack too.

Opening Credits:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti0xoFmLrjU&fmt=18
(featuring OST title song “Rogue Justice” by Color Band and Mark Zhao)

Full Trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62mGh3cDa88

[OST] Picks – “About Us”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtnjoIcA6qE&fmt=18

To watch (with English subtitles):
http://sugoideas.com/drama-2009/black-white/

____________________________3 blog drafts unfinished. 1 down, 2 more to go.

I haven’t done this in a while.. and because I don’t update as much as I’d like, I miss out on opportunities to share music. Then, let’s get to it. I’m too lazy to add information regarding the album names, so if you do have a question, just leave a comment. And just a reminder, you can download these songs on my “Songs” page. :]

[Korean] 2NE1 – “I Don’t Care”
Performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3lR8VrR11U

[Korean] 2PM – “Only You”
Performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGYqudcT5CY

[Korean] Cha Dong Ha (feat. Amen) – “Smile”

[Chinese] Christine Fan – “1 to 10 (= Me & You)”

[Chinese] Gary Cao – “Supermarket”

[Korean] Jisun – “Rollercoaster Love”

[Korean] Kim Hyun Joong (SS501) – “Be Good To Me”
Performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFgxqmDN3rg&fmt=18 (fancam)

[Korean] Kim Jong Kook – “Today More Than Yesterday”

[Korean] Kim Jun (T-MAX) – “Jun Be O.K.”

[Korean] Kim Yong Joon (feat. Hwang Jung Eum) – “Couple”
Performance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6znKG_mqMEI

[Chinese] LaLa Hsu – “VIP”

[Chinese] Nicholas Teo – “Say You Love Me”

[Chinese] Rita Ma – “Soon To Have Happiness”
Lyrics <3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4djTBv6U6GM

[Japanese] SS501 – “Traveler Glider”

Inside-out California Roll

Salmon roll, Unagi roll

For my coworks.. yum..

:]

I had been planning and anticipating this for a month..
My trip this past weekend was fulfilling in so many ways.
Where should I begin…

LISTEN: Staci Frenes – “Surprise Me”

Staying with my BFF Ashleen and her family, I relished in being surrounded by the countryside. Every morning when I woke up, I saw baby fawns prancing around the front lawn with the mother guarding closeby.  Going to mass in the early morning with her family was felt so tranquil and serene because the church was located in the mountain. I can’t describe the beauty of occasional moments when the sunlight shined into the tent and unto the alters. I so regret not having my camera then.

Seeing my friends again was great, and I made a couple of new friends. All of it made me reminisce my times at Trinity and the fun times. Driving around San Antonio in my own car reminded me so much of freshman year, being driven everywhere by my seniors, and then the all-nighters out at Starbucks and Denny’s.

The highlight of my trip was probably Sunday during my drive back to Dallas. It was a day I had set aside for myself – to take a detour from the norm…

.

“Driving down an open stretch of road
I take my time and enjoy the view
Every mile new miracles unfold
I am in wonder of You
To think that you would gladly give me all this
I am only capable of silence

It’s one of these times when I am realizing
That You’re so surprising
You’re so beyond my dreams
I live for this kind of moment when You let me know that
You’re so much more than I can see

I hurry through this life I know so well
So assured and oblivious
I confess that I so often fail
To see all the wonder in this
But gently You remind me with Your presence
Once again my busy heart is silenced

And all that I can do
Is marvel at the times when You
Reveal a little more of who You are
Oh it does my soul good [...]
To know You’re close when you feel so far”

These days, we all rely on major highways to get to our destinations in the shortest time possible. At times, that’s probably not fast enough when there is the option of tollways. Personally, I’m a firm believer in highways and I drive only 10+ the speed limit – my theory is, why waste time when you could get to where you’re going a little faster? Even though I often get impatient in traffic, I do love driving – at all times, especially by myself.

This time, I went for something a little different.

For my journey back home, I decided to take a more scenic route (route 281) instead of shooting straight up from I-35 (see map above). Having never done something like this before, I was so curious to see what the smaller town in Texas are like. Even though it took me 2 extra hours to reach home, it was such a valuable journey. I passed through so many towns that I’d only vaguely heard about previously – Blanco, Johnson City, Marble Falls, Burnet, Lampasas, Hamilton, Hico, Glenrose, Cleburne, Midlothian, etc. Many of these towns were so small that I didn’t realize I had reached it until I passed it.

The most shocking thing about this drive.. as unbelievable as it is still to myself.. was that I didn’t even listen to my music nor did I rely on coffee to stay awake. I drove mostly at the speed limit and even stopped a couple of times along the way to take pictures. What a carefree journey it was. No traffic. No stress. It was a time to myself. I only wish that I could have taken more pictures to share with you guys of all the neat things I saw..

I think this would be really nice shared with someone else in the car.
If I have the opportunity to do this again, I shall do that next time.

LISTEN: 郭靜 (Claire Kuo) – “在树上唱歌 (Singing in the Trees)”

1. 大惊小怪
2. 难怪
3. 过奖
4. 随便
5. 不见得
6. 胡说八道
7. 矛盾
8. 过瘾
9. 你客气了
10. 少来
11. 后会有期
12. 不至于
13. 不好意思
14. 脸皮很厚

LISTEN: MC Mong (feat. Navi) – “Simple Love”

韩国泡菜 or Korean kimchi.

They’re still fermenting so I haven’t tasted it fully yet…
But I stole some earlier and they taste pretty good. =]

I know there are lots of different ways to make kimchi..
Some add apples, fish, oysters.. And others leave certain things out..
So the one I made may not be the best tasting, but it’s not bad.

Some day, once I gain enough experience under my belt…
I’m going to invite my friends to a full-course meal – made by me.

Mark my words. =]

My goal in the near future: learn to make sushi rolls.

LISTEN: 梁靜茹 (Fish Leong) – “如果没有 (There Are No If’s)”

1. Changed out to a new bookcase.
2. Attempted to actually fill it with books I use.
3. Moved over the board from behind the door so it’s out in the open.
4. Added an oil diffuser in a pretty vase to accentuate the olfactory senses.
5. Decluttered the top of my dresser.
6. Threw out the junk filling up my dresser drawers (which you can’t see).

1. Bought a set of 4 pictures from Target for the wall.
2. Turned my bed horizontal to maximize space.
3. Cleaned out the drawers of my bedside drawer (which you can’t see).
4. Moved my stereo beside my bed so I can turn it on first thing in the morning.

1. Gathered all my teddy bears and housed them in a crate.
2. Reorganized my files in my drawers (which you can’t see).
3. Decluttered the top of my desk.
4. Added a real plant for my CO2 needs.
5. Bought a set of 2 inspirational frames from Target for wall decoration.

.
.
.
It even looks like there’s too much empty space, but I love it.
Simple and mature and modern.
I’m still missing a decorative rug and a new chair mat.
Total cost = $135. My goal was under $100, but still that’s pretty good.
I’m happy.

abstract art by ivusko

LISTEN: J-Walk (feat. Brown Eyed Girls) – “사랑한다 외쳐요 (Shout Out Love)”

I did a couple of things this weekend that I haven’t done in a long time..

• I went to the gym.
• I biked around the neighborhood with my parents.
• I stepped into a church.
• I picked up my bible.

It’s weird, I feel like my life these days is finally coming together (even though there is still a long way to go). Dramatically, I guess you could say I’m “finding” myself. Since I’ve been living at home, I’ve always felt hindered to become independent with the overarching limitations set by my parents. Sure, I am 23 years old now, and I could always move out and rent my own place. But that doesn’t solve the issue, because I felt those same obstructions when I was away at school for college. Every bit of independence I ever felt before was either achieved secretly without the knowledge of my parents or earned only temporarily. I’m not sure how I got here – but these days I have my own independence with the support and acknowledgment of my parents behind me, and I’ve never felt so free and relaxed. Hello world!

Today, walking into the church for the first time since I’ve been out of school, I realized how awkward I felt, and how much I’ve missed fellowship. When I opened my bible, I saw my bookmark, and I noticed how far I’ve come to reading more than half of the book. I only have so little left, and it’s the New Testament, so I have the best yet to read! This afternoon, both my parents and I took our dusty bikes from the storage and rode around our neighborhood – for the first time, completely carefree, simply enjoying being together, and cherishing the opportunity. The three of us have come a long way this past year..

Today is Easter, I hope everyone had a great weekend. I’m thankful for this day to remind me how much I am blessed by my Heavenly Father. And I only wish this and more for you.

Anyways, I also did succeed in making Red Lobster’s Cheddar Bay biscuits, thanks to these instructions here.