That was a little spoiled-brat of me… Anyways, the website that I’m using is DuoLingo.

Finally went to Guu Izakaya today with old friends, Coco, Alyssa and Jenna, but only after wandering aimlessly around downtown for a good few hours. On the way we went to the Eaton Centre by way of the city’s underground passageway system. It’s actually rather nice down there, a good choice on a cold windy winter day. Not at all the grey concrete paths I had imagined, with dripping water and zombies and what not. And that’s where we bumped into Laina and Rochel. I do like Laina, and Rochel I’m okay with, but TOGETHER they’re kind of… unbearable. At least that was how it was in high school. I haven’t hung out with them all that much these days (or weeks or months or years) and I myself have become a lot more mellow, if I do say so myself. I’d like to think that I don’t get enraged as easily as I did before, or maybe I just don’t surround myself with people who enrage me. Either way, what I’m trying to say is that, our circle has gotten smaller since high school, and I’m not all that excited about meeting up with them today. I guess they kinda got that vibe from us, as they left soon after they joined. Just as well too, because even if I wanted them there, I only made a reservation for 4 at Guu, and they definitely don’t have room to add two more seats last minute, Family Day and all.

The restaurant itself was very good, it was everything the reviews on Yelp said it was. I’ve wanted to go to an izakaya, but they’re generally not THIS crowded. I expected the busyness, and the yell-greeting, and the super enthusiastic staff, and still it was overwhelming. In a good way though. I can see this as a great place to go for a birthday, they’ll definitely make you feel like a special snowflake. The price is, in m opinion, pretty high for their tiny portions, but I think it’s worth it in the end. So if anyone is in Toronto and likes Japanese food and don’t mind a loud dining atmosphere, definitely give Guu Izakaya a try! I think next time I’ll try going to Guu Saskabar, their other location on Bloor Street.

It was all in all a good day. Got to see my friends, weather wasn’t too bad, and finally got to go to an izakaya

This logo I feel represents me pretty well. I first decided to make the main focus a flower. In Junior High art class we had to create a symbol that we would place into a piece of our art. I chose this flower and ever since then I have incorporated it into almost every piece of artwork I have ever done, whether it be sculpture, drawing, or anything else. Also, it is something that I have doodled on all my paper and anywhere else I could find. It is a symbol that I feel represents me well. I used the ellipse tool to make the center and the star tool with only 3 points to make each of the pedals. I placed an ellipse inside each of the pedals and then used the pathfinder to unite them. After that I used the eraser to make the pedals look a little more realistic, as well as crumpled. Following that I colored the center gray and the outside crimson to represent WSU in my life. Next I united the flower completely in order to make all the pedals connect. I used the brush tool to create sort of vines coming from the flower and used different transparencies to add a pop to the flower. Then I used the ocean ripple effect on the flower and made it blend with the “vines” more. Following this I made the text of my name for the logo as the blog is about myself. I made part of it transparent to add levels to the design. I believe that the logo ties together well and is not too much for the eye or too strong in any one area. 

But then I came home, took a nap, and got woken up with an offer of cupcakes from uh… him. That is literally the BEST way ever to wake someone up, and improved my day dramatically. Not to mention that he was wearing this tight black t-shirt that totally shows off the biceps… And that I probably would’ve missed martial arts class otherwise. I’ve already decided to give up on him and I’m gradually pulling away, but still catches myself sometimes really minding what he thinks and does and such. I’m just so used to it, and it’s not like there’s anything else around to divert my attention. Perhaps, he’s just a friend whom I like very much. Probably has something to do with the fact that he’s the nicest, goodest (whatever I know that’s not a word) person I’ve ever met. So much that I can’t imagine anyone ever being annoyed by or mad at him. He just has this really, open, SINCERE personality. Anyways, I’m trying to get over him, but for the purpose of this blog, I’ll still refer to him as… him… whenever… he comes up in the ramble.

That’s all. Happy cheap chocolates day!

P.S. I’m a lot more appreciative of Ally now (mostly because of her baking skills, that cupcake was delicious!), and I understand how she might have become annoyed with Ella. She intrudes on their couple life the way only a sister could.

Hide là người mình muốn bỏ trốn cùng. Butterfly là người mình sẽ bỏ trốn cùng. Tháng Sáu là người muốn bỏ trốn cùng mình. Annie sẽ là người tìm mình.

Kế hoạch là thế. Mình sẽ không thực hiện đó đâu, vì có quá nhiều trái tim tan vỡ : D

Nên plan B sẽ là như thế này : D

Mình bước ra bến tàu, móng tay sơn màu đen, cổ quàng cái khăn hồng yêu thích, trên tay bế một con chó nhỏ. Và nhận lấy vé tàu đi chuyến đường Tây Nam nghiệt ngã, với chiếc máy ảnh trên tay. Đi bất cứ đâu cũng được.

Sau đó sẽ nghĩ, giá mà có Hide ở đây, hoặc là Butterfly, Tháng Sáu cũng được. Hoặc Annie sẽ tìm thấy mình.

Mình sẽ yêu người bỏ trốn cùng mình. Là người sẽ nắm tay mình bước lên chuyến tàu ấy, là người sẽ xách va li hộ mình. Là người cùng ngồi với mình trên một hàng ghế đôi, mình sẽ tựa đầu vào vai người ấy. Tay ta đan vào nhau. Người ấy không bao giờ nói lời đường mật với mình, nhưng sẽ yêu thương và dịu dàng với mình. Người ấy có thể làm mình cười, và cười với mình. Khóc với mình. Ôm mình. Người ấy sẽ hỏi mình có mệt không. Khi mình viết văn, người ấy sẽ nhìn. Lấy nước cho mình. Nhìn vào mắt mình. Luồn tay vào tóc mình. Và nói không sao đâu, mọi chuyện rồi sẽ ổn thôi. Gọi tên mình. Nhớ sinh nhật mình. Nhớ ngày lần đầu tiên gặp.

Mà chắc chắn, người đó không phải là Hide, Butterfly hay Tháng Sáu. Annie thì rõ ràng là không chiều mình như vậy T_T

Nên tốt nhất là chỉ có mình cùng không gian thôi. Mình vẫn đang chờ Hide.

Vì nếu mình bỏ trốn cùng Hide, thì mình sẽ chẳng còn quan tâm nơi đó có bao nhiêu trái tim tan vỡ. Nhưng không. Không thể là Hide.

Mình.

trái tim này.

đến cuối cùng, mình sẽ yêu khoảng không gian đã từng có hơi ấm nhau. yêu bằng một tình yêu trong quá khứ.

nên im lặng đi rồi tình yêu sẽ chết. vỗ giấc đi. em yêu anh.

[Emily]

[08.02.2013]

[10:35 am] vừa ngủ dậy haha

For my collage, I wanted to show the things that are important in my life and what I really value. From my draft, I decided to put a texture to my picture of the Caribbean, so I applied the ‘Fresco’ filter to the picture, which in my opinion, created a nice contrast between the layers of images. I also decided that I wanted to centralize my family in the collage. They are my rock and the ones I always turn to for everything. I may be the only Cougar of the family, but I still have their love and support. I am very close with each member of my family and hope that in the future when I have a family of my own, my kids would have the same experience as I have. Next I decided to take out the picture of my brother and I dancing as I could not see how it could really fit into the new design I had created. As advised by my peers, I took away the glow from around each of the images in order to make the collage as a whole flow better. I put the grain texture on each of the pictures in order to separate them more from the background and create a distinction and add more of an artistic feel to the design. Then the picture of the dolphin and I was to display my sense of adventure and how I never want my life to slow down, even for a second. I always want to be doing something I love and creating new memories and stories, as well as relationships. Then I added an image of my friend Nikki and I at a Cougar football game from the beginning of this year. We are putting up our sorority symbol. I thought this was a good way to add to emphasizing the importance of my sorority within my life, as the letters before did not seem to be enough on their own. Therefore, I overlapped the letters with the image in order to create different levels. The sorority is my escape here at WSU and the main reason I stuck around. I have a position as Social Chair right now and can’t wait to advance within the house in the future. Finally I added the words “Adventure,”  “Family,” and “Sigma Kappa” to add extra explanation and emphasis on what is important to me right now. I believe the collage fully describes who I am as a person in one of the most simple ways possible, which is exactly what I was going for.

Last summer she had worked at Disney, then went on exchange for a semester to England, and decided that she wants to go back to work at Disney, and that since they don’t require her to have completed post-secondary education, and will pay for it if it was a necessary requirement to her job, she decided that after her semester in England, she’s not going to go back to school. And so, she arrived back in Canada two weeks ago and went job hunting for a day, got an interview the next day at Tim Horton’s, and got hired on the spot. All because she worked a summer at Disney. When she got back today, we were told that her interview went well though she won’t know for sure until March, BUT she has even better news. Her oldest brother, who knows someone at Air Canada, said that if she wanted, he can get her a full time job as a flight attendant. Of course she does! She loves travelling and it’s her dream to find a job that will take her all over the world.

I WAS happy for her. As a friend. But something inside me didn’t feel too sweet, or rather, a little bit sour. Why was it so hard for me to find a job (not that I’m looking at the moment), but opportunities just keep getting thrown her way? It seemed like she has her entire life worked out, and she’s going to be doing exactly what she always wanted to do. I couldn’t help but think, what has she done to deserve that?

But I’m not her. I don’t know that her life is perfect, even though that’s the way it seems to me. Even though she seems so cheerful all the time. She has shoulder and back pain that continually plagues her but she never complains about it. I’m sure she has just the same pain and embarrassment and mundane annoyances that I do. Who am I to judge what she does or does not deserve? For all I know she completely deserves everything she has. And if it’s the case that everyone gets what they deserve, what had I done to deserve my lot? I’m living in a nice little house with very awesome and non-frustrating housemates, a cozy little room filled with stuff I don’t need. Both my parents are healthy and I have a little brother who is not a devil reborn. I have money in my bank account that I didn’t earn, some of which I use regularly to buy food to fill my stomach and buy clothes and accessories, and some I spend on my hobbies. Had I done things to deserve all of that? Certainly not. Sometimes (let’s face it, most of the time) we just end up with what we’re given. I guess it’s not a matter of deserving or non-deserving, the important thing is to make the most of what you got.

However, after further considering this statistic, my surprise melted away.  Cooking fish is scary.  Too old seafood can infect us with a myriad of unpronouncible strains of bacteria.  I believe that the fear of white porcelain sends our seafood to the dump.

I did some research.  How long will the leftover shrimp scampi last in my fridge?  Can I freeze leftover crab?  Below is my guide to safely saving your seafood.

In the fridge:

• Raw fish and shrimp will last about 2 days.
• Cooked fish will last 5-6 days.
• Cooked shrimp will last 5-7 days.
• Mussels and slams will last 2-3 days.
• Oysters will last 7-10 days.
• Lobster and crab should be used the day they are purchased.

In the freezer:

• Fish, raw or cooked, will last 6-9 months but will test best used within 3.
• Shrimp, raw or cooked, will last 6-8 months.

How to freeze:

• Fish: Wrap in saran wrap and then aluminum foil, or store in a ziplock. Keep air out as best you can.
• Shellfish: Shuck and store in an airtight container.
• Crab: Cook, remove the meat, and then store in a ziplock.  Keep air out as best you can.

How to thaw:

• Move seafood to the fridge the night before or morning that you plan to use.
• Never thaw at room temperature or under warm water!

Note:  Take the storage times I suggest with caution.  Use your nose and eyes to double check that your fish is still fresh!