Throughout the school year, multiple cultural events are hosted to represent the wide range of diversity we encompass here at school.  Last weekend, we had Khmer Night that was brought to us by the Cambodian Student Association.

Lets backtrack a little bit.  I was born into a Vietnamese family and grew up within a traditional Vietnamese background.  Going to college, I became active with APASU at my old school since we weren’t big enough to have various Asian cultural clubs separately (VSA, ISA, CSA, etc).  After transferring to a bigger school, I became an active member of VSA.  For VSA’s culture show, I helped planned the fashion show and performed a cultural dance.  I thought that would have been the end of my participation with cultural events for my first year.  Funny thing is, one of my close friends from high school was a member of CSA and asked me to help out with their culture show since they needed more girls to perform.  I willingly agreed, coming into the practices thinking it would be just a one time thing- helping out a friend with this one event and move on with life.  I don’t really know what happened but this one time thing turned into something more.  I established great new friendships and created memories that will stick with me for a lifetime.  I guess in a way, I got adopted into this little CSA family.  And while I love my VSA family with all my heart, I believe that there is always room to love even more. 

I guess what I’m trying to say is that life’s given happiness # 23: New friendships and families and culture shows.  

Hellohh world!  I’m still alive and well.  Life has just been too busy with school and work and…life so I haven’t gotten a chance to fill in with life’s little joys.

Anyhow, I did something that was completely out of my zone today.  I modeled for a fashion show…but there is a catch; I wore a dress made completely out of condoms!  A student club on campus called FaceAids, hosted a Condom Couture Fashion Show to promote and spread HIV/AIDS awareness.  They took submissions from everyone who was interested to design an outfit made 75% of condoms: 300 condoms were provided for each designer with colours of yellow, orange, pink, blue, green, and black.  I have to admit, I felt pretty silly when I first put on my oversize shirt that became a dress.  But you just got to learn to let go and enjoy the moment.  It was for a great cause and there were some smoking and amazing outfits that were made (swimsuits, flappers, men in black outfit, prom dress, etc).  My outfit honestly reminded me of the birdie from Disney’s UP.  :P

But to get to the real point, HIV/AIDS is a very serious issue that is going on throughout the world.  It affects millions of people and still, there is no cure for it.  For a student run organization to plan and put on a fashion show, especially with condoms, is such a brilliant idea on how to get the message out to promote safe sex, and etc.  The student body is truly amazing- instantly planning and throwing great events to effectively spread messages/announcements.

And therefore, I have to say life’s given happiness #21: Student run organizations to hold events and allow the student body to become active within the community.

P.S. Meet the Men in Black model friend, Jon.   

On St. Patty’s Day, we had a choir concert.  Comprised of 4 different Acapella groups, we had a “Sing-Off” at the First Methodist Church.  It was a full house and such a thrill to perform for everyone!  With the performance scene set aside, singing is such an amazing thing.  People sing when they are happy, sad, frustrated, hyper, and the list goes on and on.  It is a great outlet to capture the emotional rollercoaster that life often throws us on.  Music has existed ever since l can even possibly imagine and it continually makes an impact on us everyday.  So take advantage of it and make it what you want it to become!  Make up a tune, pick up an instrument and learn some chords, write a song, give a concert in the shower, sing your heart out in the car,…you don’t have to be perfect at it, goodness knows that I’m nowhere near close to being an outstanding singer, but just play around with music and watch it grow along with you as your make your way through life one day at a time.

Thus, life’s given happiness #19: Music     

Just wanted to share this overly adorable gag-me cute video. :) 

If this ever happens at my future wedding, I know I’ve married the perfect guy. 

It’s November…and we all know what happens in November.  FOOD COMAS!!  Mashed potatoes, turkey, corn, apple pie, ice cream, biscuits, and the list goes on and on and on.  But aside all the crazy food, Thanksgiving is one of my most favourite holidays.  It’s the beginning of all the crazy festive hype.  It’s the pre party before Christmas and New Years and I absolutely LOVE it.  The smell of fall and leaves, coming home to a warm fire, the entire family is home, going shopping for all the food to prep and cook, spending time together- it’s one of the most blissful moments I could ever ask for.  And of course, Black Friday shopping for those who believe it is worth it to go stand outside the cold for hours for sales that aren’t even that great. :P

Another year is passing by and I’m thankful for the family and friends I have, my education (even through all the crazy stress it causes), having a roof under my head, being able to have food on the table, and basically the life I have because I know I am more fortunate than most…and if you are reading this, you are too because many others do not even have internet access or know how to read.  

Thus, life’s given happiness#16: Thanksgiving 

I know I’m half an hour early but I’m super busy tomorrow so Happy Mammeee’s Day <3

Today is a very special day; it’s a day to celebrate and appreciate all the wonderful mommies in the world. Moms are strong, powerful, and beautiful women.  They have been there for us from the very start- they gave birth to us, taught us how to read, give us a shoulder to lean on when we need to cry, are the reason why we sometimes cry, teach us manners, cook and feed us, give us unconditional love…and the list goes on and on.  I know I personally would not be where I am today if it weren’t for my mom.  She taught me to be the best that I can be.  She taught me to be selfless, to love, to care, and raised me to be a strong and independent young woman (or so I would like to think).

Although life may have pushed us onto different paths, my mommy is still today my biggest role model; she is my one true inspiration.  She’s taught me everything I know and I hope that one day, I may grow into someone that represents the maturity, endearing, and loving personality that she exuded.  

I’m a lucky girl; I have quite a few mommies.  I’m blessed to be constantly showered in love and I have come to learn to take none of it for granted.  These every day people who we call “Mom” work tremendously hard to provide us with the best lives that they are capable of giving us.  So on this special day, I hope we can all take a step back and give back to our moms.  To take a step back and remind her that we appreciate everything she does for us.     To take a step back and put aside our troubles for a day to love our mommies…because they really are amazing people.

Thus, life’s given happiness #22: Mommies

P.S.  I love you Mommy.

The moment when you realize a child living in total poverty is more happy than you are. Money truly cannot buy happiness. I am in pursuit of that happiness.

I think this picture speaks for itself… 
Thus, life’s given happiness #20: Happiness itself

(Source: staypozitive)

I just got initiated into a business fraternity this past weekend and one of the things I had to do was to create a brand page- a page that “represents your life and who you are.”  

One of things I enjoy most is scrapbooking.  It is so relaxing and fun to sit down in your room, push all your thoughts and worries away, and get absorbed into creating a picture perfect page.  A scrapbook page is able to capture an abundance of words and memories on a single piece of paper and can show someone a side of you they never knew.  My brand page reflects my journey throughout life so far and all the important moments that have help shaped and define who I am.  I’ve been incredibly lucky and blessed to have the life I have and am continuing my way through, ready and excited to see what comes next.  

Thus, life’s given happiness #18: Scrapbooking 

Yikes, it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything.  Over break I was consumed with family issues and work.  On top of that, with the holiday season everything was so busy I barely had time to do anything!  Christmas went well though- it was super relaxing and spent with family and that’s all I could ever wish for.  

After endless days of continuous working, I was rewarded with a trip up to Vancouver BC for New Years weekend and it was possibly the best weekend of my entire 2011 year.  Born and raised up in Van city, I never realized how much I truly miss its environment.  Got there Thursday night and went out to do start my weekend with yoga downtown with Cyn.  It was my first time doing yoga and oh my gosh, was it intense: hot yoga while we’re at it too!  It was led by this awesome gay instructor who made the class so fun with his constant encouraging slams. “You are sexy!  You have every right to be sexy!  Sexy are you! AMEN!”  Later that night, I met up with my old group of elementary school friends for dinner at Matsuyama in Richmond.  It was a mini reunion and it was so nice to see everyone again and realize how much yet little we have all changed.  We finished dinner but didn’t want the night to end so we went to Brayden’s house to hang out and spontaneously decided to hit Fortune at midnight.  Are all Chinatowns that sketchy at night??  It was free night for pre New Years Eve though so no complaints. C:  It was so much fun to loosen up after 2 weeks of long hard work at the restaurant.  New Years Eve, I headed out again with the crew minus a few.  We were supposed to go to a house party but it was a total bust of only 5 guys there so we ditched and went to Browns.  With a plate of nachos and drinks all around, there was no big party but we were all incredibly happy.  It was a perfect start to 2012; I would have never imagined I would have spent New Years how I did.  On my last day, we went to grab breakfast at De Dutch to say final byes. 

I guess my overall message is the fact how I can just come to visit home again and be so welcomed by my old friends and all of us are comfortable like nothing has changed…it makes me realize how lucky we are to have friends in the world; people who care and support us in a different kind of love than family.

Thus, life’s given happiness #17: Childhood friends

Sometimes we just need a quiet night in after crazy wild weekends…and tonight is the night.  :)  Snuggling into my little futon bed with me is Blueberry bear and Ai-ccchan.  Crazy Stupid Love!  So excited to watch it.  Ryan Gosling- what more can you ask for?  

Thus, life’s given happiness #15: Movie nights (with Snuggies and teddy bears and your best friend :D)