{ It's all about Taking Chances }

Really???

2009-09-30T00:55:00.002-04:00

There have been many instances since I started university, when people would comment about how I look, what ethnic background I am from, and not surprisingly, my age. They're not all necessarily negative comments; in fact when people comment about my appearance, it was only either, (a) "You look nice today!" or (b) "School working you too hard?". Not necessarily using those phrases, but you know what I mean. Sure, I look tired. I don't dress "nice" for school. I don't give a damn - no one does! Every university student from time to time (especially during crunch time) are bound to look and act like zombies. Seriously! So, this isn't much of an issue.

What's starting to get on my nerves is when people ask time and again what I am, where I'm from, what background I belong to. The asking doesn't bother me. Not at all. It's the reaction that makes me want to squeeze that stress ball so hard, it would mush into pieces. (Okay, I'm overly exaggerating, but you get the idea). Let me tell you about some of my experiences - true story!

Experience # 1:
Asian Guy Who Looks Lost: Hey, excuse me.
Me: Hey.
AGWLL: Are you Chinese? Do you speak Cantonese?
Me: No, sorry.
AGWLL (continues to talk to me, asking me something about the bus/transit)

Experience # 2:
Asian Girl From Economics: Hey, excuse me!
Me: Hi..
AGFE: Hey, are you Chinese?
Me: No, I'm not.
AGFE: Oh, really? You look Chinese.
Me: No, I'm Filipino.
AGFE: Oh, okay! You look so pretty! I really thought you were Chinese.
Me: Thanks :) I'm Filipino, but my boyfriend's Chinese though.
AGFE: Oh, okay. (Asks questions about the Boyfriend)...Are you in Economics? I really need help on this.
Me: Oh, no sorry.
AGFE: Oh, it's okay. Ok, well, take care!

And there are a ton more experiences that resemble these. I was okay explaining the first few times...but damn, they just keep coming! Do I really look that Asian? Not Filipino at all?

The worst encounters are when my age is what's being questioned. I'm now 21. I guess I look 17 or 18. I'm in fourth year, I guess I look like I'm in First. Less than 2 years ago, the dentist thought I was still in high school. Go figure. Let me share with you today's experience.

Girl In The Bus (asking people whether they go to The University (the campus I attend)): Hey, do you go to The University?
Guy 1, Guy 2: Yeah.
GITB: Are you in first year?
Guy 1, Guy 2: Yeah.
GITB (looking at Me and the Person Beside Me): Are you guys from The University?
PBM: No.; Me: Yeah.
GITB (to Me): Are you in First year?
Me: No, I'm actually in Fourth.
GITB: Really??? You don't look like Fourth year.
Me: (He He He. . . . . . )

See what I mean?

1. Do you have any experiences similar to mine?
2. Do you think I'm over-reacting? :P
3. How are you today? :)

Back on track!

2009-09-26T02:06:00.002-04:00

Okay, I'm not gonna lie, it's been a while. Almost four months have passed since I last clicked "New Post" on the Blogger dashboard. I can't believe it. You would think that during summer time, you'd have way more time to write, reflect, and update your blog. Well, wasn't the case for me. Okay, well I wasn't in total busy bee mode, but I wasn't just lounging around either (for the most part anyway).

Summer, well...let's just say it was one heck of a summer vacation. And I don't mean that in a totally positive way. As with the rest of the year, this past summer had its ups and downs - I would say it's almost a balance of 50%-50%. I'd love to share everything that happened this summer but time and space just won't cut it. It probably won't interest you anyway. Most of it are too personal to chat about here (You can steal my personal diary for that -- actually, no, please don't). Let's just say the first half of the summer started a bit rocky; but fortunately, at midpoint, all the "bad" stuff began to steer clear. Oh, and I also took a course for the first half of the summer (which, if you're wondering, turned out to be okay). The good times? For the most part - and probably the highlight of my sort-of-busy summer - traveling to NYC, NJ, Pennsylvania with my family. You can check out some photos here, here, here, and here. During random occasions when I felt "in the mood", I took photographs and (tried to) digitally enhance them, which I think, for the most part turned out pretty well. You can check out my photos at my deviantART. I also bought a new smart phone, the Google phone with Android OS. Here in Canada it's called the HTC Dream, whereas in the U.S., it's call the G1. Thanks to the Boyfriend for helping me purchase it. And so, for the rest of the summer, I was just trying to enjoy the wee bit of time left before school started again. Oh, and I also turned twenty-one! But that deserves a whole separate blog entry to itself.

...So that's about all that happened. See? You didn't miss much there! :P

So you might be thinking, "Why bother returning to the blog scene now?" Seriously, I just felt like it. I think that I just didn't have the inspiration/motivation to write/blog when I'm not being productive (a.k.a this past summer). Now that I'm back at school, it seems like the more busy I get, the more that I feel like I need to write/blog. It's probably Stress knocking on my door again. Really can't separate studying from Stress. I just have to write/blog! This serves as therapy for me.

Anyways, I'm not planning on waiting for the birds to chirp outside. Cheese and rice, it's late!
Will blog about more interesting stuff soon. But before I go,

1. When was the last time you wrote an entry?
2. Now that I'm back in the biz, are you gonna follow my blog? :)

I need a love song right now.

2009-06-09T20:05:00.006-04:00

I need a love song right now. Babyface, anyone? So in love with that song right now. Babyface never fails to convey the right things through his songs. :) Listen to it!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like kiss you or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love.” - Neil Gaiman

(via icanread.tumblr.com)

(via infinitebutterflie.tumblr.com)

(via icanread.tumblr.com)

Have you ever been in love?
Are you in love right now?
Do you like that Babyface song too? :)

Hairstyle Hunt

2009-06-04T18:42:00.008-04:00

Ohmygosh. It's been too long (again). Sorry about that! I haven't got the time to blog hop and return comments also. Forgive me!

Anyway, so it's summer time (almost) and my hair is getting really long...so, I'm planning to get a haircut soon...like before my birthday. So, I need your opinion. Keep it lengthy or cut it short?

Here are some of my picks:

Most of them are long hairstyles, but what do you think? I'm keeping this entry short, 'coz I need to get back to reading. Hopefully will get write a longer entry soon.
Feel free to leave me a message/comment! Toodles!

Where will amazing happen this year?

2009-05-23T00:14:00.009-04:00

Okay, if you're an NBA fan, you would know what I'm talking about. It's the Playoff season!!! Well, it has been going on for more than a week now. Let me tell you, I'm getting quite the excitement watching it this year. No, no, no, I'm not a hardcore fan; just a normal on-and-off, regular-season-ignoring, playoff-obsessing fan. It's really kind of hard to explain my relationship with basketball (NBA). I mean, yes I do enjoy watching basketball games, especially during the intense Playoff season where teams go head-to-head (literally) trying to win a game in which every millisecond counts. But, I unfortunately cannot play the sport. Or any sport for that matter. I'm already such a clumsy person in the first place; adding sports to the picture would be a recipe for disaster, a recipe for broken bones, a loose tooth, and a bleeding nose. I've attempted many times in the past to play a sport - anything, but, well...let's just say there's not a single glimmer of hope. Maybe I'm being too hard on myself. But that's what I get for being Clumzilla. Anyway, enough on this discussion about my pathetic sporting/active life. The closest thing I can get to a sport is playing fetch with my dog...indoors. Nah, I think I can do better than that.

So back to NBA. If you're an NBA fan, and if you're following the Playoffs, where do you think amazing will happen this year? My predictions? L.A. Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers will take it to the Finals this year. Kobe is my basketball god of the West, and I will probably be rooting for the Lakers for the Finals (when they get there). As for LeBron James, I knew he was good, but I was never really a fan. But tonight, I am a witness. I saw LeBron "The King" James make it happen on the court: Orlando Magic (95), Cleveland Cavaliers (93). With one second remaining in the game, he made amazing happen. Final score: ORL 95 CLE 96. He is now my basketball king of the East.
See it for yourselves. Watch how LeBron made amazing happen in Game 2.
***click the link to watch the clip***
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?v=feed&id=28127744&story_fbid=756797085692#/video/video.php?v=752766128490
I couldn't yet find a video that I can embed here. This video is from NBA. Let me know if you have trouble viewing it. (Hopefully not).

***Edit***
Everyone's talking about it! (click for a better view)

Any comments?
Are you a basketball/NBA fan? Are you also following the Playoffs this year?
Which team is your pick for the Finals?
(Just to feed my curiosity) Do you play a sport(s) or are you clumzilla like me?

This just in!!!! Awesomeness!

2009-05-08T14:36:00.002-04:00

The title says it all! -->Sickest shit you'll ever hear!!!
I'm watching/hearing this video as I'm posting this. It's a must-see!
Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-check-check-check-it-out..out..out!

Two words: Insane awesomeness!

Please tell me that you watched this and tell me what you think! :)

Random shenags.

2009-05-08T11:59:00.009-04:00

Just some random shenanigans for today.

Steve Nash on PacMan & Pinoys

I'm following Steve Nash on twitter and I saw this the other day. Yay for Steve Nash, for PacMan, and for all Pinoys! :) **click to view a bigger picture**

And some dose of FML...

**click for a better read**

And onto some news....some odd weird ridiculous news

I found this article a while back. Just thought I'd share.
**click on the photo to read the article**

Well that's about all I can dig up for now. Come back for more random shenags next time. :)
I have so much time on my hands right now, which is why I'm constantly online hence, a bloggeroo (don't ask me what that means, I just made that up). Hopefully more interesting stories on my next entry! Oh yeah, birthday wishlists and stuff coming up real soon!!! Check back again :)

What do you think of all these random shtuff? Comments on any of them? :)

Birthday plans!

2009-05-07T15:06:00.003-04:00

Hey folks! As I mentioned on my previous post, I've been thinking up plans and ideas for my 21st birthday. So, my birthday is not until the 29th of June - still quite some time from now, but I need to plan stuff out now because my summer school starts next week, and I'm going to be a whole lot busy again.

If you didn't already notice, I've put up a poll on the right side of my blog. Vote please! :) I'm not sure how helpful the votes will be, but for sure it can help in my decision making.
So here are my options (at the moment):

1. Going to the beach.
Now, I live in Canada, Toronto area to be more specific. There are absolutely no "real" beaches here. I grew up in Manila and I've been to many nice beaches in the Philippines, which you cannot compare with "beaches" here. Here, we have a lake and sandy patches of land. The beach would be my first pick for a birthday getaway, if only the beaches were nice. I have a couple of options: Sauble beach (which is ~3 hours away), or other beaches that are 2.5 - 3 hours away. The reason why I'm considering this is because it will be summer time and who wouldn't want to bask under the sun?
So onto my next option...

2. Cocktail party.
I know that if I lived in the US, turning 21 is a big deal, being legal to drink and all. Well I don't live there, but turning 21 is kind of a big deal to me. I'm not a big drinker myself, and I'm not exactly planning to get drunk on my big day, but a grown-up cocktail party seems to be best suited for a 21st birthday party. Plus, I want to get all glammed up for my big day! :)

3. Fancy dinner.
I love eating out (especially with Ian)! We eat out all the time - that's like the common thing that we both enjoy. But we don't always get to eat out in a fancy restaurant (because duh, we're students and we're broke - well, I am - from our tuition debts). So, this seems to be a really great option for a laid-back celebration. And then perhaps go to a lounge after the dinner to sit-back and relax and enjoy the company of friends.

4. Themed party.
This is my last option just because it takes too much time and effort to plan. I don't have both. It would be fun though! Any ideas fora themed party that's simple?

Plans, plans...well, I hope you can vote on my poll or leave me a message/comment here on what you think is the best plan for a 21st birthday party! :)

- How old are you & when is your birthday?
- How did you celebrate your birthday?

Next entry sneak peek: birthday wish lists and more!

The Weekend that was

2009-05-06T16:29:00.004-04:00

Sorry folks! I'm a tad late with updating you with the weekend ish. Well, nothing much happened. The highlight of the week is going to Waterloo with Ian.

Last weekend, Ian had asked me to go with him to Waterloo to spend the day and help him move back into his house there. Thank goodness Waterloo isn't too far away. We actually had a smooth ride - thanks to Ian's driving skills (I'm being paid to write this). It was a wonderful day, although the weather was kind of weird. It was pouring rain while we were traveling, but once we got there, the skies cleared up and the sun peeked a bit. It was great!

So we got there and Ian started bringing in his stuff to the house. I "helped" him organize his stuff and vacuum. We finished pretty quickly which was great because we had time to hang around and we actually went driving to St. Jacobs Country. The travel from his place to St. Jacobs was supposed to take around 10-15 minutes. But guess what? We got lost! It was pretty fun-ny actually. It wasn't too bad getting lost because the scenery was pretty nice. Check it out for yourself!

Well, okay fine. There wasn't really much to see there...since it's the "countryside", "farmland", a place away from the city. But in reality, it's quite near to the city! 10 minutes away, if only we didn't get lost. Damn google maps.

So that was the weekend. It was a-ok. Too bad Ian won't be home for these next four months. Will be looking forward to the upcoming weekends that he will be coming home. I miss him already!

Will post again soon about birthday plans, etc. Stay tuned!

How was your week/weekend?

Back on track!

2009-04-28T16:44:00.008-04:00

Hey you! How are you liking my new blog layout? I know, it may be kinda neutral and plain, but I like it. :) I think it's nice and clean, and it's very inviting. Tell me what you think! :o)

So I've had this on and off relationship with my blog lately, but that doesn't need much explaining since we all go through it at times. Plus, the main reason for my indefinite breaks is because I'm busy with school work and all the other priorities I have right now. But I won't bore you with all the details. I'm just gonna leave it as that.

On to other more interesting things...

Weather...
I'm loving the weather lately! It's spring time and I can see the trees and flowers blooming once again. Love spring! I just don't like it when it's cold and wet. But I'd choose spring in a flash over winter! Weather here is very unpredictable though, one minute the sun is shining, and the next time you look up in the sky, you see gray. Pshh...But I'm very happy that it's starting to get warm. I want my 20-degrees weather now!

School schmool...
Ok, well I finished my exams on the 21st. I was one of the lucky ones who finished exams early. But that's only because half of the courses I took didn't require us to write an exam. Phew! I'm officially done with 3rd year! It's a bittersweet feeling; I'm not gonna lie. I just love being a student minus the stressing out part.

Summer time...
So, what are my plans for the summer? I have no idea. I have a very long list of things I have to accomplish for the summer. For instance, I have summer classes for about 6 weeks. I must finish my driving lessons before it freakin expires. I have to get a job. I have to get experience in the field that I want to go into. I need money and lots of if to pay my gigantic student loan debt. @#$@%%^ Thinking about all these makes my head and heart hurt. Enough of that...moving on...

Careers & the future seen through the crystal ball...
Well not really the crystal ball; just this enlightened mind of mine. For the past few years I've been a lost puppy, just going blindly through university, taking all the courses that interest me or courses that I think will help me in the future. I've been trying to keep my options open. But there are pros and cons to this. Just a week ago, I've decided on pursuing a career that I personally didn't find appealing at first. I was going towards this career goal in 1st year but completely changed my mind before 3rd year started. Now, I've finished 3rd year and I'm totally changing gears again - back to where I was 2 years ago. It's really been a crazy ride, these past years. Now I'm pretty happy with my decision and I'm very happy that I have an actual concrete goal now that I can follow. If you're wondering what career choice I made, stay tuned! That deserves its own blog entry. :)

Here and now...

I'm back in the blogging world!
I've got a new blog layout. Tell me what you think :)
I am now officially a twitter-er! Follow me on twitter!
I've been job/volunteer hunting. h e l p!
Tomorrow, I'll be going to downtown to meet with Ian, my love. :) (Another entry for this one tomorrow or asap)
I can't believe it's going to be May in a couple of days! Time does fly fast.

So, that's about all I can say for now. Will update as soon as possible. Now I'm just gonna prepare for my little date tomorrow and then head to bed!

Questions/comments?
- tell me what you think about the new look of iamdiandra.blogspot.com (if you are new to the site, still comment, please :))
- do you have a job? and if yes, can you hook me up? (just kidding! :p)
- what else can I add to the site?

Under Construction.

2009-04-22T01:37:00.009-04:00

Hey guys! I'm back from my hiatus.

But I've been shopping around for layouts I can use for this blog. I'm getting a little bored of it. Although I really do like it. I want to change it up a bit. And now that I'm done with exams, I have so much time on hands. So I'm planning to play around with the blog for a bit. So, for the next couple of days, the blog will be under construction. Sorry about that! Hopefully it won't mess up my entries, so you guys can still read them. If ever you came by and the blog is all messed up, please bare with me. Please check back again. :o)

I'm thinking my blog right now is too dark. I'm feeling a little "light" colour, so when I come back, the blog's gonna look a bit different. I'm definitely still going to keep it simple, but the colours will change. Hopefully you guys will like it as well!

I'll be back soon. Ttyl.

Study mode. Studying blues.

2009-04-14T13:00:00.006-04:00

No, I'm not *really* breaking my hiatus time. I'm just here for a brief update. I just miss blogging too much. :o)

Classes are over and exam time is here. I only have 2 exams this term, which makes it harder for me to focus and put pressure on myself. Of course I wouldn't wish to have 5 exams instead, but still.

5 articles to read. 3 info-packed lectures to study. 3 days. Hmm, pretty reasonable. On Friday, th 17th of April is my first exam on Developmental Neuropsychology. It sounds hard, and it is quite. Studying well pays off, and I know that first hand! :)

2nd and last exam is on the 21st of April. It's this sociology course which I had to take to major in sociology. Bummer. But, it's not too bad either. It's just that the readings are...well, let's just say, uninteresting...to say the least. Although there were a couple of books we had to read that are pretty okay. Oh well, I'm gonna stop judging and start studying!

Project 365. Yes, yes, I know. For those people who constantly check on my Project 365 updates, well...you know that I haven't yet updated since...who knows when? I'm so super duper sorry. I was (and still am) super duper busy with school (of course, we all know that comes first). Don't worry, I do have photos in my camera memory, so you will eventually get a chance to take a look at that. It's just the uploading that needs to be done, and it takes a while to upload and edit, so I'm planning to do that after my exams are done. So please please don't give up me (or my project 365!) I knew this photo project will be a challenge, but who knew it would be this hard? Anyway, wish me luck with that.

I have SO much random and sometimes interesting things that happened to me during (and before and after) my hiatus. Will tell you all about it, once I finish everything I have to do for school. (If I remember all of it, that is). :o)

By the way, my friends have been telling me to get Twitter. I know it's been such a phenomenon lately in the WorldWideWeb. I'm just scared I'll get addicted? Haha. I'll worry about that after exams.

***Oh and last thing before I sign off. I'm starting to get a little bit bored of my current blog layout. Do you think it's time for a change? [Your comments on this one are greatly appreciated!]

on break.

2009-03-30T19:21:00.006-04:00

Sorry folks! I'll be on hiatus for the next couple of weeks or so. Things are getting crazy. I'll be here, there, and everywhere. Hope to be back asap!
Please stay tuned. :)

Take care,
Diandra

How well do I know Ian?

2009-03-17T00:55:00.003-04:00

Here's a chance to see how well you really know your husband/partner/boyfriend. Cut, paste and fill in the answers, then forward . . . shoot, you know what to do. The real challenge is to send it to him to see how right you really are.

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
NBA or F.R.I.E.N.D.S

2. You're out to eat, what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Caesar's, but if we do go out to eat salad, we would definitely order the oriental chicken salad from Applebees! :)

3. What's one food he doesn't like?
Sour candies. My favourites. He wouldn't open his mouth even if I insist on feeding him. haha!

4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order?
Chicken Quesadilla. Pita, flatbread or something. Pasta. For drinks, we're really plain and simple: water. Neither of us drink alcoholic beverages ;P

5. Where did he go to high school?
Same school as mine. St. Aloysius Gonzaga S.S.

6. What size shoe does he wear?
hmm...? I actually don't know..i'm not sure. I'll get back with my answer.

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
I don't know what his favorite is, but he sure likes the toasted ham-cheese-lettuce sandwich I make.

9. What would this person eat every day if he could?
A lot of food. Haha...salmon sushi? something that's prepared with chicken? or his new-found-favorite, lumpia. haha!

10. What is his favorite cereal?
none. i don't even think he eats cereals that much?

11. What would he never wear?
round-ended dress shoes

12. What is his favorite sports team?
I don't think he has a favorite team, but he's a Raptors fan! He has favorite players in the NBA though, like Dwayne Wade.

13. Who did he vote for?
none. he doesn't vote. bad citizen. hehe

14. Who is his best friend?
He has 3 close friends, but I think his best, best friend is Edmund, since they grew up together.

15. What is something he does that you wish he wouldn't do?
Freak out a lot.

16. What is his heritage?
typical chinese.

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday, what kind of cake?
double chocolate fudge cake with oreo bits. Haha! Something really chocolate-y like that. But I think lately, he's getting bored with chocolate.

18. Did he play sports in high school?
badminton, tennis. plays a lot of basketball too - although he wasn't on the team.

19. What could he spend hours doing?
friends marathon with me, spending quality time with me, eating with me. :)

20. What is one unique talent he has?
a talent of being the best boyfriend in the whole wide world. :) he's skilled in making me smile. :)

I won't last a day without YOU

2009-03-16T01:53:00.007-04:00

I won't last a day without you
-Carpenters

Day after day I must face a world of strangers
Where I don't belong, I'm not that strong
It's nice to know that there's someone I can turn to
Who will always care, you're always there

When there's no getting over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won't come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won't last a day without you

So many times when the city seems to be without a friendly face
A lonely place
It's nice to know that you'll be there if I need you
And you'll always smile, it's all worthwhile

When there's no getting over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won't come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won't last a day without you

Touch me and I end up singing
Troubles seem to up and disappear
You touch me with the love you're bringing
I can't really lose when you're near

If all my friends have forgotten half their promises
They're not unkind, just hard to find
One look at you and I know that I could learn to live
Without the rest, I found the best

When there's no getting over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won't come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won't last a day without you

When there's no getting over that rainbow
When my smallest of dreams won't come true
I can take all the madness the world has to give
But I won't last a day without you

spam sushi anyone?

2009-03-06T16:27:00.007-05:00

I found this little recipe article on Yahoo!. Everyone knows I love food..hence the random food blog entries. Or...maybe I'm just getting a wee bit hungry now. It's 4:30 pm...I'm ready for my pre-dinner snack...

Well, guess what this is...? Spam sushi. I've heard of it once before, maybe twice, but I haven't really seen what it looks like, nor have I tasted it.

It looks plain yet, I can imagine this taste in my mouth...spam..rice.. and soy sauce..?? Don't get me wrong...I'm very open about trying this...since it's not as exotic as, say, sea urchins or... I don't know...eel. But, my only concern is...isn't Spam already full of sodium in the first place? Very salty "meat"...with soy sauce makes it a very salty sushi. But, I guess you can choose not to dip in soy sauce...whatever floats your boat.

I really want to taste it. I don't exactly know where they would serve it here, where I live, but with all my "culinary experience" - when I say "culinary experience", I mean cooking very easy, basic cooking like...breakfast foods, like Spam! Ta-da! Maybe I'll try it, and I'll write up my own personal review on Spam sushi. It said on the article that this is very popular in Hawaii...any Pacific Islanders/hawaiians who want to comment on this entry? :) If you've tried it, let me know what you think! :o)

By the way, today is Friday, and it's a very wonderful day! It seems like winter is slowly creeping away and finally giving way to Spring. I wish Spring would come soon - like now! I've got no complains today, though, considering the very warm weather of 15 degrees. I love it! Such a change from the cold winter weather of -15! Yikes! Keep shining, sun! :o)

busy bee.

2009-03-05T10:41:00.012-05:00

I'm a busy bee. That explains why my blog has been quite "empty" lately. I haven't updated for a while, because I had way too many things to do on my list. "Blogging" always ends up at the end of the list. I apologize for those who visit and are disappointed because I haven't written anything new.

Anyway, this week has been filled with interesting things. Well, Monday, especially. My Monday was long and tiring (kind of?). It started with a class from 10-12pm. Then I had my 3-hour long break. Usually, I just end up wasting my time doing nothing for 3 hours. But, the past Monday, I actually made use of my time! I went to this Fair about the Research Opportunity Program at my school. It's this really awesome program I want to participate in. I'm pretty sure there's going to be a lot of competition, but it doesn't hurt to try, right? Plus, I get a whole credit for it, I get to work with a great prof/instructor, and can use this experience to get me jobs in the future! :)

Speaking of jobs, two days ago, on Tuesday, Ian and I went to go to the plaza near my house to hand out my resume. Ian was a lot of help! He helped me edit my resume, fix it up a bit to make it look nice and clean. I printed out about 8 copies for that day...gave it around the plaza. Hopefully, someone is interested in hiring soon - as in, in two months. I must get a job this summer! I must!.

Oh, by the way! Before I forget...Belated Happy Square Root Day! Haha... March 3rd, 2009 is the Square root 3 day --> 3 times 3 equals 9, get it? :P The next Square root day will be on April 4th, 2016. Brace yourselves until then! :P (F.Y.I. I am really not a fan of math, I just heard this on the radio 2 days ago. Babe, this part of my entry is for you...Haha)

Anyway, I kind of just woke up...well, not too long ago. So, I gotta go get some breakfast - or brunch? I have to leave for school in like 2.5 hours. I'll be at school until 6pm tonight. I'm not really sure when I'll have the next free time. But keep visiting! :) And, I hope you're also visiting my Project 365. I haven't been that organized lately, but I'm keeping up! :)

I'll leave you guys with a funny, yet sad "story" I found on FML.

Today, I took my girlfriend to a very nice restaurant. I thought it would be a good place to pop the question. I gave the ring to the waiter and asked him to put it on her dessert plate. When she saw it she picked it up, put it down and said "no". Then she started to eat the dessert. FML

Toodles!

Tagmania

2009-02-20T15:30:00.006-05:00

Tagmania!!! I love doing these random photo memes! They're fun...or I'm just bored :P Check it out:

I love these foods!!! I would eat them all day everyday! Yumyum...

These are only a few of the places I would love to visit.
Paris - who doesn't want to go to Paris? City of Lovers :)
Tokyo - I don't really like crowded places, but I'd love to visit Tokyo one day, and see how they make technology.
Sydney - I just simply want to go to the Land of Down Under. Maybe see some Kangaroos and Koalas?
Santorini - It just looks so nice and peaceful. I adore the view. I'd love to go there one day.

Wow...so attached to the name "Diandra" are a lot of celebrities/famous people/entertainers.
1. Diandra Soares, a model.
2. Diandra Newlin, a singer/artist
3. Diandra "Douglas" - Michael Douglas' ex-wife.
4. I LOVE Diandra. It really came up, I promise! :)

On sleeping in and the All-Star Weekend.

2009-02-19T22:03:00.009-05:00

So...I've been waking up too late every day. I love sleeping in! It's not the most productive day...but I still love it! :) I guess I'm more of a night owl than a morning bird. I wish I was a morning person though - you can watch the sun rise, really know that it's a brand new day.
Oh well...maybe later on in life I can actually wake up and watch the sun rise. :)

So, it's reading week, and usually, students would go partying, or go on the ever-so-popular ski trips. I guess it's similar to spring break in the states - except here, it's lamer and doesn't involve the ocean or sand (or it could for some who choose to fly somewhere warm). So reading week is almost ending and I've done neither of those "fun" activities. What did I actually do? READ. I hate having a test after reading week, because it means that I'd have to study during the supposedly free-of-teaching week. It's supposed to be a break from school, for cryin' out loud.

Anyway....

On a more positive note: Are you a basketball fan? Specifically the NBA? If you are, did you watch the NBA All-Star held in Phoenix last weekend?

I didn't watch the whole All-Star weekend, but I did see the 3-point shootout (Go, Kapono! - too bad he couldn't do a 3peat), and the super amazing dunk contest!

Last year, Dwight Howard (a.k.a. Superman) won the slam dunk contest. He was amazing last year! This year, he competes again but there's a tough competitor: Nate Robinson. Nate Robinson is waaayyy shorter/smaller than Dwight Howard: Nate's only 5'9, while Dwight is 6'11! Imagine that! It's crazy to think that either of them can even jump that high and dunk! You've got to see if for yourself! You can find many videos of the slam dunk contest from YouTube, but here's a clip of Nate Robinson's final round (he won this year, by the way):

Here's yet another interesting clip from the All-Star Weekend: Shaquille O'Neal dancing with the Jabawockeez!!! It's so funny and entertaining! Click that play button now! :P

twenty five.

2009-02-17T00:43:00.010-05:00

I'm joining the bandwagon! Haha...Well, I'm really only doing this because (1) I can't sleep yet and (2) I want to know how many I can come up with & how good my memory is! Time to dig into my soul!

Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, thoughts, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged – include me in your 25. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you (or I think you'll come up with really entertaining things).

Tagged by: Joyce, Tina & Nikki

1. The beverage I drink 99% of the time is water. I'm obsessed with water. No soda/caffeine/any other non-water drinks – not even milk (well, not anymore). Juice, sometimes.

2. I love color. My favourite color used to be baby blue, then baby pink, then yellow, then white. Then I realized that I only coined them my favourite because it suits my current mood at the time. So my favourite colour would change constantly.

3. I own a personal blog (http://iamdiandra.blogspot.com) and a photoblog (d-threesixtyfive.blogspot.com).

4. I love summer. Actually, I'd take Spring and Fall too...all three of them, just not Winter! I'd really love to move to a warmer place someday. Seeing the sun shine makes me happy. :)

5. My childhood was filled with happy/fun and not-so-fun memories: I used to thumbsuck until I was like...7 years old? I used to be an "outdoors" girl, spending most of my time outside the house, like on the streets of my old neighbourhood.

6. I'm obsessed with stationary/office/school supplies. I have several colours of Post-It Notes. (I♥Post-It's!) A LOT of writing pens (not just any kind, I get really picky). Different kinds of paper that comes in different colours as well. Markers. Highlighters. And such things...

7. Since I started university, my schedules started to become hectic. I'm very obsessed with organizing and planning, so I always carry around with me a planner (and I get really picky with my planners too). I have a couple other planners/calendar/to-do lists like the whiteboard (white calendar and note area) in my room, the calendar in my laptop, and of course, the good old cellphone (although I use that one the least).

8. If I can build up my confidence real quick, I would love to take on the challenge/opportunity to work abroad for a year after I graduate.

9. When I was in Grade 8 (the first year I arrived in Canada), we did spelling quizzes every now and then. One time, we were asked to spell some word like "colour" or "flavour" or "neighbour" or something like that; some word with "ou", but I spelled it differently since I was so used to following the American spelling and not the British. So instead of "colour" I'd just spelled it without the "u". I ended up losing a mark because of this and it really upset me.

10. I LOVE listening to music. I don't really have a favourite artist/band. It all depends on my mood that day. Although I must say that recently, I haven't been updated with new music. I have a lot of "oldies but goodies" songs. My dad's a music junkie; he sings to many songs - of course most of them were from his "time", and not surprisingly I acquired his taste in music. Barry Manilow, anyone?

11. Now that I realize it, everything seems to be controlled by my mood.

12. I'm really not a perfectionist as this list may imply. I just get really picky with certain things, like things that are important for me.

13. I always turn on my CD player at night before going to bed to accompany me in my sleep. The two most played CDs are: Kenny G's "The Moment" & Jim Brickman's "Faith" - both instrumental.

11. I'm really not a party girl. Sure I'll go to parties, but I'm more of a laid-back person. Lets say, instead of going to a club to dance the night away, I'd choose to go to a lounge/piano bar/bar with a live band.

14. I looooove food! I'm really easy to impress, especially if you know this fact! Ian is expert in this!

15. I sometimes wonder if someone out there is also thinking of what I'm thinking at that current moment I'm thinking this thought. (Ummm...anyone?)

16. There was one day in my life that I actually thought I was dying.

17. I get easily distracted. I don't even like studying at the library...it's way too distracting for me. Or maybe it's just my school library? Who knows...? But I love studying at the comforts of my own home..or room. And no – I don’t have ADD.

18. I like taking photographs. I aspire to be a good or better yet, excellent photographer. I want to photograph weddings someday as a sideline. I've seen other photographers' portfolios and they're amazing! I just want to be like them...Capturing special moments. :)

19. I love sour candies. I love sour belts, sour patch kids, sour gummy bears, sour gummy worms...except sour keys - they're really hard to eat!

20. I spend a lot of my time on my laptop. I love surfing the net. I have several folders for my "bookmarks" because whenever I see something interesting or worth referencing, I won't hesitate to click the little star on the browser's toolbar.

21. I don't fit the sterotypical girl in terms of considering shopping as a form exercise. I mean, of course who wouldn't love shopping? Maybe if I was richer, this would change. But right now, I only go to the mall if I really need to buy something. Fine...sometimes I browse around, but only for a little bit. Sometimes I don't like shopping with my mom because she goes through every single store....and it takes forever to finish the mall!

22. Ok, I love reading...BUT I have this thing where, if I was reading a book, a particular paragraph/sentence in the book and I "accidentally" skimmed through or missed a part of it, it instantly makes me feel anxious, and so I have to read the whole line/sentence over again until I have fully read the whole thing. Phew! I wasn't usually so obsessive about this, until...I don't know? a year or two ago?

23. I love watching the shows in Discovery Channel. It's my favourite show/channel in the whole wide world! Especially How It's Made and Daily Planet.

24. I used to have asthma attacks when I was a child. Fortunately, it withered/slowed down & I haven't had any flare-ups since then (thank God). But when I saw a respiratory specialist recently, he told me I have to be on medication for THE REST OF MY LIFE to control/manage my chronic illness. BOO.

25. I'm as random as this list can get.

>> I know this is really popular in Facebook, but have you ever been tagged by any of your friends lately? And have you done one of these?

MIA

2009-02-11T15:54:00.009-05:00

So...where to begin...?

I guess I'll just write about the gist of everything that happened for the past couple of weeks (fine...almost the past month) or so. Don't you worry - I won't bore you with all the details!

For the rest of January...
Basically, last month was a whirlwind! January went by so quickly. As usual, school has been taking over. Had a few meetings here and there for Peer Health Volunteer. Tons of readings were assigned - and most are unfinished (woops..) My sister had her first piano exam, ever (Gr. 3 exam - yes she skipped grades 1 & 2). On the last week of January, she went on a trip (like a retreat) with her batchmates, and I was left with no one to talk to at night (aww). An assignment for a class was due. I wrote a couple of tests. And basically, just a bunch of readings as I said...

Month of February...
Life starts to get a little more interesting. First of all, it's love month! Yay for all the couples out there! I guess this is the month that single people dread...I'm sure some of them enjoy it too - single parties, drink & mingle parties! Last weekend, Ian took me to this nice, fancy French restaurant for this year's Winterlicious [photos below]. The dinner was GREAT! I hope to go again for Summerlicious; can't wait! :o) My BFF Joyce also came over last Friday for a Girls Night In...and we had such a great time! Also, a BIG celebration is about to happen: mine and Ian's 3rd Anniversary! That's about a week an a half from now (Feb. 22nd); don't forget to greet us! Hehe :) It's Friday the 13th this Friday and Ian and I are planning to have a movie night, watching scary movies -- that's right, just before Valentine's Day. :P For V-day, we have nothing planned yet. I told him that I'd put together something for him and "give it" to him on our big day. I don't know what he has planned, but I'm saving mine (the best) for last! ;) Next week is Reading Week - when students don't actually read...sort of like a break. Unfortunately, I would actually have to read, since I have a test the Monday I come back from the break (that's just great...) This test requires for us to read 2 full books, cover-to-cover, and another 3 chapters from a textbook. Wowsers.

So there you have it. A very random, sloppy update. Hehe...Will post another entry soon!

Random thought: What did you think about the Chris Brown & Rihanna issue? Shocked much?

Ohmygosh.

2009-02-10T01:17:00.004-05:00

I've been away for too long. Way too long! Sorry folks!

I've just finished updating my Project365 photoblog, so go check it out if you have time :)

Well, now I'm way too tired to talk about the past couple of weeks that I've gone MIA. So....I guess I'll save if for tomorrow. :)

Good night & sweet dreams.

What makes for a great girlfriend?

2009-01-14T14:49:00.010-05:00

So, I haven't had a chance to post an entry since the 4th. A lot of stuff has been happening lately, with school and such. But, luckily, I still get to update my project 365, so go check it out if you haven't yet seen my photos :) It gets quite challenging when nothing special is really happening with your day and you're stuck there thinking, "What should I take a picture of now? I guess that's the challenge - to find something worth reminding yourself of the next time you review your photos at the end of year, on the 365th day. :)

A few days ago, I was browsing through some articles online about love and relationships and came across this article that I just had to read. The title of the article was "10 Traits That Make You a Great Girlfriend"; I just had to read it. It's quite interesting, and I'd like to share it with you & see if you agree. I'll be putting up only the actual 10 traits and not the descriptions that are accompanying them. The words in parenthesis are my own thoughts on each of them. You can find the full article here.

10. She's independent. Of course your boyfriend wouldn't want a girlfriend that they'd have to babysit. We ladies have to learn how to stand on our own two feet and not have to depend so much on our men. Yes, they're supposed to be there to care for us and protect us, but of course there's always going to be "his" and "hers". Your guy probably doesn't want to feel like your suffocating him.
9. She's intelligent. I think this speaks for itself. You don't want no boring talks with your boy either right? Sometimes, you want stimulating talks and maybe talks that will make you think. Learn to be serious, but also learn when not to be. Plus, intelligent doesn't necessarily mean seriousness. Have a sense of humour! :)
8. She's sexual. I think we all know what this means. Both of you have to be sexually compatible, meaning you have to be physically attractive to your partner and vice versa. Without this, there'd be no spark.
7. She's beautiful. This goes with the point before this. While this can have a literal meaning, you can also think of it as "the beauty is in the eye of the beholder". As it said in the article, you don't have to be a Heidi Klum clone for your man to feel proud walking beside you.
6. She respects you. I only have one thing to say: Do unto others what you want others to do unto you. The golden rule :)
5. She lets you be a man. What do you think girls? Do you let your man be a man? This goes hand-in-hand with respect. Let him do "boy stuff" like poker nights with his boys or Friday night football. You may not enjoy it, but he does, so let him. :)
4. She's nagless. Oh c'mon. I disagree with this one. Of course there's no female being in the universe that is nagless. It's just in our DNA! It just is. Haha...But I guess, we should know when to speak up and when to let it slide. Hey, guys have annoying habits too!!!
3. She gets along with friends and family. For me, this is really important because my family is #1 on my list. So if he doesn't get along with them, he's out!
2. She loves you. Well, duh. Can anyone make it even more obvious? This point is very commonsensical, yet sometimes we forget, especially couples who have been going out for a while. They get so used to each other that they forget why they're with that person in the first place. Rekindling the relationship, making time and effort to move forward is a big part of being in a committed relationship.
1. She makes you want to be a better man. Really? :P This may sound simple, but to find a person that can make you be a better person can be extremely difficult; but once you've found that person, you know he/she is a keeper. :)

{And I found this funny t-shirt! :o)}

Do you agree with this list, boys & girls? :)

New Beginnings & Happy Never Endings

2009-01-04T20:48:00.007-05:00

It's back to school again tomorrow. Last term, I had Mondays off and had classes from Tuesday until Friday. This term, I go to school Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays, and I have Tuesdays and Wednesdays off. Even better! Unfortunately, I'm only enrolled in 4 courses right now, which means I'm only technically getting 2.0 credits this term, when I was planning to get 2.5 credits. But, there's still hope because I'm on the waitlist for one of the 3rd-year courses. Hopefully I get in, and soon! Check out Day 4 of my Project 365; I've got a little blurb about going back to school. :o)

Remember my puppy Maxxi? Yup, she's going to the dog spa tomorrow! (What a lucky one!) She's getting groomed tomorrow at the vet hospital. We were a bit hesitant of sending her now because it's winter time and maybe we should wait until after winter, when it's not cold anymore to get her groomed -- but that's going to be a bit of a wait since winter doesn't end until March or even April. So, we decided to get her groomed now, so she'll be looking spiff whenever guests come over to our home or when she goes out for a walk. I'm just a bit worried what she's going to look like after, because I kinda like her fur a bit grown, so that she's fluffy, but her fur is difficult to brush. Plus, she bites and nibbles on herself all the time that she tangles her fur, especially on her legs!

So here's Maxxi now; and tomorrow I'll be taking another photo of her all dolled up! I hope everything turns out well for her. :o)
So, I'm really interested to know, do you have a dog too? Or your own pet? What kind is it and what's the name? :o)

Hello 2009!

2009-01-02T22:55:00.009-05:00

Ringing in the New Year
Wow, who feels brand new? I do! :) How's your 2009 coming along so far? How did you all celebrate your holidays? I hope you had as much fun as I did on New Years Eve! Just like last year, my family & I (and Ian came along after having dinner with his family) celebrated New Year's Eve at our family friends' house. They've got a really big place so it can fit a lot of people, and yes, there were a lot of people! And no one parties like Filipino families! There were so much food and drinks, it's ridiculous! I'm pretty surprised with myself though; in parties like the one we just had, I usually eat a lot, especially if there are a lot of people eating too! I did eat quite a lot of desserts though, it was my sweet tooth!

Anyway, I was just glad that 2008 is over! 2009 has been great for me so far. I'm sensing some (positive) changes are about to happen & I'm super excited about it. I'm happy with myself right now; I feel like I'm really going to do it this year, I'm really going to make it, and I'm really going to make this happen! I'm loving it so far! My plan was to start the year right, and I'm pretty confident that I'd done that. There's nowhere else to go but up, up and away! This year, I'm going to take over!!! :o)

The blog title
Ever notice the blog title? Taking Chances. No, not the Celine Dion song! I want this to be sort of a guidance/guide phrase for me to live by this year. I always find myself "just here" and never really "out there", and this year, I plan to be "out there". Over the years, I tend to be more passive than assertive and maybe that's one reason why I'm not moving up (or at least it feels like it). So, this year, I'm going to take chances and take more risks and be more confident doing it (and look good doing it too!). I'm hopeful that I'm going to be successful this year (whatever that means to me). Wish me luck, folks!

Starting Project 365
If you're wondering if I've started the photo project, well yes I have! You can find it & view the photos here. I made a separate blog for the project, just so it won't interfere with my personal blog. I'll also put a link at the bottom, so you can find the link there as well. Follow me in my 365-day photo journey! :o)

I'm going to end this entry with a few quotes I found about taking chances. Also, I'm going to share with you guys some photos from the New Year's Eve party. Enjoy!

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
-Mark Twain
"Progress always involves risks. You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first. "
~ Frederick B. Wilcox
"Leap and the net will appear."
~ Zen Saying

2008: The Year in Review

2008-12-31T15:23:00.001-05:00

1) Was 2008 a good year for you?
Um, it's alright.

2) What was your favorite moment of the year?
Probably the 4-day vacation to Quebec

3) What was your least favorite moment of the year?
Um, a lot. Having anxiety attacks, not bein able to do well in the first term of my 3rd year in university

4) Where were you when 2008 began?
Our family friends house

5) Who were you with?
Many people! Probably around 5-6 more other families plus my family plus my boyfriend

6) Where will you be when 2008 ends?
I have no idea. Either at the family friend's house again, or in downtown Toronto

7) Who will you be with when 2008 ends?
Either with my family or with my boyfriend

8) Did you keep your new years resolution of 2008?
I didn't really make any.

9) Do you have a new years resolution for 2009?
Yeah, I guess focus more on changing for the better, in terms of how I approach life.

10) Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes, again and again :)

11) If yes who?
My boyfriend, whom I am with for almost 3 years.

12) If yes, do they know?
Of course!

13) Are you still in love with them?
Definitely!

14) You regret it?
Of course not!

15) Did you breakup in 2008?
Nope.

16) Did you make any new friends in 2008?
A few acquaintances but not really new friends.

17) Who are your favorite “new” friends?
I don’t really have any friends that are new just this year..

18) What was your favorite month of 2008?
Can't really judge. Probably this month, December? Or one of the summer months.

19) Did you travel outside of Canada in 2008?
Yes, just crossed the border a little bit to go shopping :)

20) How many different provinces and/or states did you travel to in 2008?
Just 2 I guess, just around Ontario/Quebec

21) Did you lose anybody close to you in 2008?
No

22) Did you miss anybody in the past year?
Yes, my many friends back in the Philippines/U.S.

23) What was your favorite movie that you saw in 2008?
Umm..I can't really remember all the movies I've watched this year...

24) What was your favorite song from 2008?
umm...

25) What was your favorite record from 2008?
hmm...

26) How many concerts did you see in 2008?
zero

27) Did you have a favorite concert in 2008?
no

28) Did you drink a lot of alcohol in 2008?
No

29) Did you do a lot of drugs in 2008?
No

30) Did you do anything out of character in 2008?
Hmm, not really.

31) Did you do anything you are ashamed of this year?
Possibly.

33) What was the worst lie you told someone in 2008?
Uhh..I usually try to be honest. :P

34) Did you treat somebody badly in 2008?
No, at least I didn't mean to.

35) Did somebody treat you badly in 2008?
Nope, everyone loves me :)

36) How much money did you spend in 2008?
Not much.

37) What was your proudest moment of 2008?
I don't know? Probably when I actually had the initiative to do something.

38) What was your most embarrassing moment of 2008?
Umm, probably a lot of them but I tend not to remember all those embarrassing moments.

39) If you could go back in time to any moment of 2008 and change something, what would it be?
well, I don't think I'd change anything in particular. But if I really had to choose one, probably it would be changing how I started and ended my first term.

40) What are your plans for 2009?
Work hard, play hard!

41)What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
be part of a peer health educator team at the university & be able to do projects to reach out to the students.

42)What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Money. HAHA Personality wise, just more drive, determination, confidence.I want to have the courage to just let go and just jump; definitely taking chances

43)What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Feb. 22nd because it's mine and Ian's 2nd year anniversary :) Other than that, nothing really.

44)Did you suffer illness or injury?
Yes. Anxiety got the best of me this year and I won't let it happen again. AND I got sick just before my exams which was a total bummer.

45) What was the best thing you bought?
Umm..I didn't really have any major purchases this year, just small things here and there.

46) Whose behavior merited celebration?
Who? You? Me? :P

47) Whose behavior made you appalled and disappointed?
certain Government officials.

48) What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Today. Because the year is ending and I'm way too stoked to start the new year.

49) What song will always remind you of 2008?
Um, I don't really pay much attention to music all throughout the year, sorry!

50) Compared to this time last year, are you:
richer or poorer? I feel poorer :(

51) What do you wish you’d done more of?
exercise and take care of myself, study. Haha

52) What do you wish you’d done less of?
slacking off

53) What was your favorite tv program?
I had more than one. The Hills, CSI Miami, NCIS, Boston Legal, and of course, cartoons :D

54) Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nah, I'm not a hater :)

55) What was the best book you read?
This year? Twilight & New Moon. Currently reading 2 of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's books & The Secret life of bees.

56) What was your greatest musical discovery?
Umm, I don't think I discovered anything musical this year.

57) What did you want and get?
Those comfy winter boots called Warmbat

58) What did you want and not get?
Decent grades.

59) What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 20. I spent it with friends; dinner & dancing

60) What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
The ability to have control over everything.

61) How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
It's all about being comfortable. Haha. I honestly couldn't care less this year, whatever fit & was comfy, was good for me to wear. Of course I have to look like a person. But this coming year, I'm thinking of switching into a more girly, lady-like mode :)

62) What kept you sane?
Family (mostly my sister) and of course the love of my life.

63) Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Umm...no one.

64) Who do you miss?
A lot of people! Especially my lola!

65) Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Don't let one negative thing get you down. Never ever ever give up! & learn how to balance your life.

Project 365

2008-12-27T00:21:00.010-05:00

PROJECT 365

Ever heard of Project 365? It's basically taking a photo a day - of anything under the sun (or moon) to chronicle or document your life during the year. Learn more about it here. I've seen this idea all over the internet and I've specifically read an entry from Gel's site which made me look into it more. Now, I've decided that I'm going to take on this new project for 2009. It will be such a challenge for me, since I'm the type of person who tend to get bored right away or tend to, well not exactly give up but a better word would probably be a lack of dedication and determination to pursue or finish what I have started. I love doing projects and I love being creative. I hope this project will serve as a symbol for change - in many aspects of my life. I'm looking forward to the many (positive) changes that will be occurring for me this coming year. Year 2009 will be a huge year for me and I feel that this project will definitely start off the year on a good foot.

There are 5 more days left of 2008 and I'm so done with this year. I can't wait until the countdown for the new year. I feel like a caterpillar slowly morphing into a butterfly. I'm now a cocoon waiting to burst out into a butterfly! When the clock hits 12:00am on Jan. 1st, watch me jump for joy and celebrate for the new year, a new me, and a whole new perspective on life. Bring it on, 2-0-0-9!

What about you? Do you make/believe in New Year's Resolutions? Do you make a big deal out of celebrating the New Year? I'm so excited, you have no idea! :o) Share your thoughts! :)

By the way, don't forget to check out the POLL; just scroll all the way down & you'll find it. :)

{Winter} Wonderland

2008-12-21T23:41:00.008-05:00

Wow, it's been a week since I last posted an entry. Surprised? Me too! Even I'm surprised, considering how badly I wanted to do 'stuff' to my blog and all that. I've been off school for a week now too. I finished exams on the 13th. I mentioned on my previous post just before my exam that I was feeling a bit feverish. Well, that was true, and I also wished I'd wake up a-okay. I did wake up without a fever, but I started having flu-like symptoms (especially coughing). Eck. So basically, I went into my 3 exams feeling very sick and sluggish. It wasn't a good sight at all. You have no idea how difficult it was for me to concentrate. I've been coughing since then until now (a little bit). Wow, I've gotten a really bad cough; I haven't gotten a cough this bad since I-don't-know-when! I visited the doctor a week ago from today and he gave me anti-biotics. I took the anti-biotics until Friday and it seems to work kind of slow. I do feel a lot better now though. I pray every night that I'll feel better the next morning I wake up. There seemed to have been a delay in the communication with God. But I know God heard me 'cause I'm feeling better now :)

I can't believe how much luck (or lack there of) I've gotten this term - better yet, this whole year. I know everyone goes through their ups and downs - you can't live a full year without having something bad happen to you, or experience something really nice. I haven't been in my greatest shape (not just physically, but all-around). I'm not proud of it, and I want to change it. And that's why I'm so excited and so stoked for the coming year. I hope 2009 will be a much much better year for me. I cannot wait :)

Recent Updates:

Yesterday, Ian (with his family) left for NYC/Atlantic City. He'll be staying there for a week. I already miss him :( Baby, if you're reading this, have fun there! Go crazy shopping, and bring me back something from NYC! :) I can't wait for Saturday, when you finally come back! And another countdown begins...tomorrow [or today] is our 34th monthsary, if I counted it correctly. Aw, happy special day, Ian! I love you always!
Last night, after spending some time with Ian, my family and I went to our friends' house for an early Christmas dinner. I guess everyone's leaving to go someplace else for Christmas (who would want to stay in this cold cold weather anyway), so they've decided to have it yesterday. There were lots of food, but it got a bit boring, especially 'coz Ian wasn't there (he usually comes with us to parties, since our Tito's and Tita's know him already).
Snow Storm # 1 happened Friday morning/afternoon. It was horrendous! I felt bad because I couldn't help my dad shovel the huge pile of snow (~10-15cm) on the driveway. Stupid snow storm. Snow storm # 2 happened just last night and this morning (Sunday). Good thing Ian and his family got to their destination safely. I got a text message from Ian this morning saying that they're at Atlantic City already and that they had to go through 3 snow storms. OMG.
There are 3 more days before Christmas! I'm not too excited though, I dont' know why. I just can't seem to feel the spirit of Christmas. I guess it's 'coz I've been feeling sick lately - so not in the mood for anything. Oh well, HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE!

What are your plans for the holidays - Christmas & New Year's? Are you as excited as I am for the upcoming year 2009? Share your thoughts! :)

P.S. Will be posting another entry soon regarding my 2009 project! :)

{Charlie} bit me!

2008-12-14T20:46:00.004-05:00

I found this really cute video of two little adorable boys & I just wanna share it with you guys. Enjoy! :)

11 days 'til {christmas}!

2008-12-14T19:54:00.009-05:00

'Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la la la la la!

Just wanted to share with you guys my Christmas desktop. :) Isn't it tres cute? I didn't make the wallpaper, I just found it from deviantart.com like a while back.

Can you name all 8 of the character cubes? :)

Also, a couple of days ago, Ian's sister, Elaine did some fun stuff for my Facebook profile picture using Photofunia. She made three, and I love the perfume one the best because it looks realistic! :) What do you think???

P.S. iamdiandra.blogspot.com will be under construction starting...NOW!

{Watch out}

2008-12-12T14:13:00.005-05:00

Hey folks! iamdiandra.blogspot will be under construction real soon. I have plans of changing the look of it (yet again, I know, I know when can I ever be content?) I just get so picky with stuff; plus, don't you think this layout is a bit too white? I mean, I love the simplicity but I feel that it's missing something. I'm currently using the old blogger (where you use/edit/manipulate html codes) but I'm thinking whether it's a good idea to switch to the new blogger (which uses xml, and a drag&drop concept). I've found a few good xml templates that I want to show you all but you will have to wait until I finish my last exam which is tomorrow. :) For now, I just need your comments/suggestions/ideas/opinions. All will be greatly appreciated! :)

What do you think? Are you using the old blogger as well? Or the new one? I need feedback, please and thank you! :)

Au revoir! Arrivederci! Ciao for now! :)

s t r e s s e d e s s e r t s

2008-12-09T22:39:00.010-05:00

"Stressed", if read backwards, is "desserts". Did you know that? I'm sure you already know or have heard of that. I only realized sometime last week, and Ian pointed it out to me earlier today. Haha. Who analyzes words anyway? I know "Anna" read backwards is still "Anna"...and "Level" would still be "Level". I tried searching for more and figured out that there's an actual term for this: palindrome. The most interesting one I found was: "A palindrome for overworked restaurant staff: stressed - no tips --> spit on desserts. Isn't it funny? :)

Anyway, I didn't really mean to blog about palindromes; I was just typing "stress" and the idea just came to me.
So, I'm really quite stressed right now - and I'm posting an entry which can do two things: make me freak out more about my exam tomorrow OR make me feel better once I actually release my stress through this entry. I really do hope that it's the latter. I really do.

So, let me tell you more about my exam schedule - boooring, but I'm going to write about it anyway (:. So tomorrow, I'll be writing my first exam, for this course called Logic of Social Inquiry. It's this Sociology course that I have to take for my major. The exam's all short answer questions. It's a pain, but whatevs. The day after tomorrow, I'll have my Health Psychology exam. It's kinda sorta interesting but a wee bit difficult. Exam is essay-based, and I'm really scared for it. I'm SO not prepared. My third and last exam is for a Philosophy of Business course - possibly the most challenging philosophy course I've ever taken. And it's on a Saturday, yes this Saturday. And what a great time they picked: 8am - 11am, on a freaking Saturday! Buses don't even travel that early on weekends! !#$%!^

I guess I'm still pretty lucky to have only 3 exams, and be done on the first week of exams. Unlike some people I know - ahem - Ian - ahem. Boo, Ian has 5 exams and he's done on the 19th! And guess what? He's leaving for NYC on the 21st! I've got less than 2 days to spend with him. Guess I'm not spending Christmas with my loverboo. ;__;

So...it's 11:15pm. I have about 4 more chapters to go through...I guess I should log off for now, and go back and read this boring text.

Oh, and I woke up this morning with dry, irritated throat. I get that sometimes, but today it seemed to be prolonged. Now I feel a bit feverish. God, I hope not. Grant me the power to be on my optimum health tomorrow and the next few days! I'm crossing my fingers. Wish me luck. I'm gonna need plenty of falling stars for good luck. I hope I see one before I finally drag myself to bed tonight.

So, do you know any more interesting palindromes?

{Boots} from Down Under!

2008-12-07T17:58:00.009-05:00

Last weekend, Ian and I went out for lunch (Japanese food, yay!) After, we were so full, I suggested we walk to Winners and shop for some boots. I found a pair of Converse boots, with nice fluffy lining, bought it; only realizing days later that I don't really like it. I mean, it's nice and all but I was debating whether the outer lining will last for winter - and I didn't think it would. So, today, I went and returned it.

Two to three days ago, I was shopping online for boots and found really good ones at Softmoc.com. Most of them were a bit pricey. I wasn't about to spend more than $100 for boots. I wasn't really a big fan of Ugg boots or Emu boots. I didn't think they looked that pretty. BUT, I found Warmbat boots on the site. Looks like Ugg or Emu boots; they're all Australian made and this particular one is on SALE! Regular price is $120; Sale price is - are you ready for this? - $50! I can't believe it!!! So today, after returning the boots I bought previously, I went to SoftMoc - which by the way, worked out really well for me, because the store was just across Winners. What a coinkidink! I'm really meant to buy this pair! :) So I asked right away for the Warmbat boots. First, the sales lady said that there are only 2 sizes left: 10 and 11. This saddened me, but I said might as well try 10 - maybe it fits! (I'm size 9). Then, thank goodness, she came back with a size 9, which made me ecstatic :) I wanted the darker color, chestnut, but unfortunately, they only have the bigger sizes for that left. I had to take this last pair of size 9 boots, even though it was the sand color. It's still pretty good. Plus, a good thing with lighter ones is that when the snow+salt mixture dries, you wouldn't notice it too much; as opposed to the darker color, where you could really see the mark. I love the back of it (the distinctive Aboriginal back braid)! I don't go shopping a lot, but I Love my new purchase. It's so comfy, I feel like I'm walking on Cloud 9!
What do you think about my latest purchase? :)

Well, I should go back to studying now. Guess I'll be pulling an all-nighter tonight! Wish me luck. G'day Mates! :)

Go Team {Shiet}!

2008-12-07T00:09:00.014-05:00

So, I said I was going to be on a little break, but I can't help it! I miss my home on the WWW. It's only been less than a week, and I'm back. Haha. I have so many ideas for my blog, you have no idea! I'm planning to undertake a project at the start of 2009. I will post another entry regarding that. But for now...

Okay, random title for an entry, I know. But there's a reason!

Okay, my really close (bff) Joyce was yelling and being hysterical on the phone last night, just before she came over to borrow my Twilight book (but that's not really the point of this). The point is that, last night, she introduced me to this hott guy. Not in like, real life - coz you know, he's sort of like, a celebrity...in Korea. He's an R&B artist; he's also part of a group called Big Bang. Joyce calls him "shiet"; well, his real name is actually Tae Yang. I guess you realize now why she calls him that. HAHA (Really, it wasn't my idea. All hers!) Who am I to make fun of this perfect being (okay, no. exaggeration. Although he really IS quite hot and cute and...yeah)

So she really made sure I was aware of this guy's existence. She made me watch his videos on YouTube, and such. Even though I don't understand his lyrics, I really don't mind just watching the videos over and over (okay, I'm not THAT big of a creeper - I've only seen his videos 3x! - I swear!) He's pretty good too, as an artist. If you're fond with HipHop and R&B, you'll like him! Good dancer too! Familiar with Usher or Omarion? He's like a Korean equivalent of them.

So, if you're a female (or male, whatever suits you), and you're reading this entry, you must watch the videos below! (he he)
Watch & don't forget to comment! :) Hot or Not?

I'll be on {hiatus}.

2008-12-01T15:53:00.009-05:00

Sadly, exams are coming up real soon. And I'm still pretty busy trying to finish up assignments & tests. I have one more to go of each for this week, the last week of classes. And I'm terribly tired. Either I don't get enough sleep, or sleep too much -- both end up making me feel exhausted. Boo.

So, although it's going to make me feel a bit sad (&maybe a little neurotic), I will have to take a mini-break from the world wide web. Therefore, I'm announcing a mini-hiatus for this blog. I will definitely be back as soon as exams are over. And although I would have the itch to vent out my frustrations on here, I would have to pass, because there's just not enough time. As Billy Joel sings it, "You've got so much to do but only so many hours in a day..." I love listening to the lyrics of that song; it makes me feel understood & it just makes me wanna take a break from all these! It just fits right into my life! It's a really good song. Ya gotta Love Billy Joel! Here are the lyrics for all who aren't familiar with it. I believe it's been used as part of the OST of 13 Going on 30 with Jennifer Garner.

Vienna

Slow down, you crazy child
you're so ambitious for a juvenile
But then if you're so smart, tell me
Why are you still so afraid?

Where's the fire, what's the hurry about?
You'd better cool it off before you burn it out
You've got so much to do and
Only so many hours in a day

But you know that when the truth is told..
That you can get what you want or you get old
You're gonna kick off before you even
Get halfway through
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

Slow down, you're doing fine
You can't be everything you want to be
Before your time
Although it's so romantic on the borderline tonight
Tonight,...
Too bad but it's the life you lead
you're so ahead of yourself that you forgot what you need
Though you can see when you're wrong, you know
You can't always see when you're right. you're right

You've got your passion, you've got your pride
but don't you know that only fools are satisfied?
Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

Slow down, you crazy child
and take the phone off the hook and disappear for awhile
it's all right, you can afford to lose a day or two
When will you realize,..Vienna waits for you?
And you know that when the truth is told
that you can get what you want or you can just get old
You're gonna kick off before you even get half through
Why don't you realize,. Vienna waits for you
When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?

Hit the play button!
Vienna - Billy Joel

I'll be back soon! :)

i{heart}Maxxi

2008-11-25T17:09:00.013-05:00

Maxxi is almost 6 months old (on Dec. 7th, she will be)!
Here are some of the adorable pictures I took of her yesterday using my cellphone, after our little walk outside, and just before everyone hit the sack last night.

Maxxi mesmerized by the snowflakes//Top view of Maxxi getting comfy on my lap

Cute little Maxxi posing for the camera

Maxxi starting to get restless; you can tell by the blurry photo.

Need I say more?

I felt like a mother holding her little bundle of joy.

I ♥ Maxxi!

Snow, snow, go away...come again another..decade.

2008-11-24T15:40:00.003-05:00

Don't worry, I won't be venting about how I dislike winter for this entry.

Today, I slept in again. I punched in "10:00am" on my alarm clock and low and behold, there I was on my bed at 10:00am--10:15--10:30--10:45--11:00--11:15am sleeping like a baby. Sometimes I refer to myself as a polar bear, because I like hibernating.

Anyway, the point of me setting an alarm for today, was so that I could finally type up my essay that's due tomorrow. It's an essay about advertising and whether or not some ads are fraudulent or deceptive. Well, my answer is a "no". & no, I won't go into depth with what I discussed but, what do you think? I mean, yes, some ads are just going overboard and they're really misleading. But I think it's all about the use of puffery in ads. Companies have got to make their marketing strategies very effective to bring in the moolah, right?

So, whatever - I slept in and got out of bed an hour late. I think I was having this weird dream about going to some private school, yada yada yada, and all I remember was that just before I opened my eyes, I was jumping around and screaming my lungs out because of a tiny scorpion on my desk. Huh?! What a weird dream.

So then I got out of bed & headed downstairs to grab some lunch. At 1:00pm, I decided to walk my puppy Maxxi. She was so happy and ready-to-go. She usually doesn't get to walk outside a lot, we usually just let her out the backyard to run around. So she was quite thrilled that I'm taking her for a real walk outside. She's kept stopping at every house/lot, sniffing the grass. So we walked around the block for about 15 minutes. She dropped a bomb halfway there & of course I had to pick it up. Imagine if she had diarrhea or something! I wonder if they have Pepto bismol for dogs? Anyway, so we were walking, and she saw this snowball almost her size and she started growling and barking at it. I hadn't realized right away; I thought she saw some creepy crawler on the grass or something. Haha, she's so hilarious & so cute! :) We got home and she wouldn't go through the door. I had to trick her into going inside by giving her a treat. Aww, poor Maxxi. Dont' worry, I'll walk you more often now :)

Just several minutes after we got home from our 15-min walk, the sky started to bring in some flurries and some snow. Maxxi is such an adorable pup. She gets mesmerized by the snow falling on our deck. She'll sit/lay by the backyard door, and she'll watch as the snow falls, and slowly she herself will fall asleep. Trés cute!

Getting bored.

2008-11-23T20:23:00.002-05:00

Hey folks!

I'm thinking of changing up the look of the site, yet again. I'm kind of, sort of, getting bored of this look. I mean, it is very nice, but I think I like the whole-page look, navigation thingamajig look. Like my old one. I think I'm going back to a more simple, easy to navigate, all-in-one page kinda look.
I really like simplicity, plus it looks clean and very pleasing to the eyes - in my opinion anyway.

What do you think? :)

Dark, cold, and gloomy

2008-11-19T16:51:00.008-05:00

In contrast to the movie Sweet November...well, November ain't so sweet now. Not here in Toronto anyway. My hands are still freezing and it's going to be freezing for at least another 4 months. Bummer. I wish I could use a pair of gloves while typing this entry. Hmm...

Summer was sweet, but not as sweet as it used to be. Now the dreaded winter is coming & I'm pretty sure the weather's gonna be cruel and brutal. I just hope I don't turn into an icicle while I'm walking outside. Brr...

Do you want to know why winter season is such a hassle? I've got reasons...

Yes, having a White Christmas is pretty and romantic and all that, BUT...when you go to parties, for example, or just attending lectures at the university, do you have any idea, how many layers you have to wear/take off? On average, I wear around 5. Hah!
Well, as everyone who knows me would know, I'm not very much a morning person, therefore it would take a whole barangay to wake me up in the morning. The cold feeling in the morning really does not help at all. I mean, who would want to get out under those nice warm comfy blanky? No one! Well, unless you adore cold, cold mornings.
This one doesn't really apply to me, it applies more the my dad and all the other dads out here. Getting out of bed is already such a struggle, right? Add on the dreadful feeling when you take a glimpse out of your bedroom window, only seeing the gloominess outside and all the pile of snow you must shovel before you can actually drive away to your destination.
Having mentioned all these, getting out of bed and having to shovel...well, it only means you have to wake up extra early just to do those extra things. "Chores" that you didn't use to do prior to winter season. Well, isn't that nice? More work for you!
For the people who drive to and from school/work: Major accidents & traffic. I think that speaks for itself.
For someone like me, who always has to walk to the bus stop, wait for the bus for 5 minutes, travel to the next bus stop, wait for the bus for half an hour, get on the bus, travel really slowly for about 20 minutes, arrive at school, walk really slow and carefully for 5 minutes, start to undress (ok, maybe not undress, just take some layers off) because inside the building is really warm because of the heating system........ok I should just stop now. I know y'all understand.
People slippin' and slidin' and fallin' and trippin'. Hahaha...This one's kinda funny, although it shouldn't be. I think..?
Randomly getting hit by a snowball, while walking past by children playing "snowball fight". Ok, this actually has not yet happened to me & I'm hoping that it will never occur as long as I live here. I've seen people play...it looks painful! Like paintball but the snow will just melt away.
It gets dark really early. Like 4 or 5 pm early. It's really creepy when you have to walk home from school/work and it's that dark already. Sometimes I think it's time for bed because it's so pitch black outside, when it's only 7pm.
Hmm, what else, what else. Well, I can't think of one anymore. I guess I'm stopping at 9. Here I am venting about winter again, when it hasn't come yet. Wait 'til it's actually here!

Check this out: Photos taken in
July(then)

& November (Now)

...at approximately the same time of day.

Anyway, all these is really making me hungry...so, I'm out! :)

My hands are freezing/I miss you

2008-11-17T23:56:00.008-05:00

My hands are freezing right now. Why does it have to be so damn cold? Seriously. It's mid-November and I just can't wait to see the first snowflake fall--NOT. Well, I do like snowflakes and all, but I don't like winter! I've been experiencing winter for more than 7 years - I know, right? Am I not used to it yet? Well, it's not whether I'm used to it or not; it's whether I can keep my fingers, nose, ears, toes from falling off every time I walk to the bus stop.

Anyway, that's not the point of this entry. The whole point is that, I'm sad and missing my lola :(

I miss her already! She left for the Philippines last Saturday (the 15h) and it's been a little more than 2 days and I miss her!!! She's lived with us for almost a whole year. She came last December, Christmas Eve. It was the best Christmas present ever! I'm sad that we can't spend Christmas with her this year. But I'll make sure to call her on Christmas Eve to greet her a Merry Christmas. :) I love my lola. While I was growing up, she lived with us and she took care of me. She helped raise me as the loveliest lady that I am now (yes, thank you very much). She's like my second mom. My mom looks so much like her. People say that I look exactly like my mom, therefore when I turn 70, I will look like my grandma. :) She's lovely. She's funny and super caring and I just love her! It's too bad she became a widow really early. I didn't get a chance to know my lolo. :( I respect and praise my lola for having courage to go through life and raise her children, for the most part without my lolo. My lola is such a kind person. She's the best grandma in the whole wide world! :)

Lola and I while watching TFC :) (Lola was my partner in watching
"Iisa Pa Lamang". Love that drama!)

The following photos are taken the night before
lola leaves for the Philippines

And these ones the morning of

In Control

2008-11-13T23:33:00.003-05:00

I know now that I am in control of my life.

Every simple thing I do, is worth something.

Every fear I conquer is worth everything.

Every step I take, gets me closer to finding myself.

I am in control of my life & will always be.

No fear. No surprise. No hesitation. No doubt.

MAS*H

2008-11-11T02:20:00.007-05:00

Remember when you were a little kid, when you used to tear a piece of paper from the back of your Math notebook just to play a game of let's-see-what-your-future-will-be - a.k.a. MASH -with a couple of friends? I was just browsing through other people's blogs, and I came across a site where you can actually do MASH online! Fun, fun, fun! Yes, you betcha I did my own! Check it!



		I will marry Ian Choi.
		After a wild honeymoon, We will settle down in New York City in our fabulous Shack.
		We will have 3 kid(s) together.
		Our family will zoom around in a Blue Acura TSX.
		I will spend my days as a IO Psychologist, and live happily ever after.

It's pretty cool. It's funny how I ended up getting the IO Psychologist as a career, when I clearly copied-pasted "HR Executive" 3 times in the boxes. I guess I was pushing my luck there. Hah! And you wanna know what? I didn't actually put Ian's name in the boxes 3 times--I put 2 different people besides him: Edward Cullen (hehe) and Anthony Parker (ilove). A vampire and an NBA player; you gotta love my choice of the opposite sex. ;)
It's also funny how Ian and I will be living in a Shack in NYC. Haha, go figure.

Try it for yourself! Find out your future with a click of a mouse.

P.S. I don't exactly know why there's a huge space in between my first paragraph and the MASH thingamajig. :(

New Look to iamdiandra

2008-11-10T20:52:00.003-05:00

As you can see, I've got a new layout going on here. I'm happy about it. Nope, I did not create this layout, although I did make a few adjustments.
As picky as I am, I took forever just trying to find the next perfect look. I found a few, but something was missing in each of them. I thought this currently best suits my mood. Who knows when I'm going to change it again? Or maybe even change it back to the previous layout. I actually really liked the first layout. I was nice and neat, clean looking. I think this new layout has a clean look as well, what do you think? And I love the color tones! It's pretty easy to navigate too. I'm trying to add more navigation bars but unfortunately, I failed. Not too good in these kinda things. I tried though. I'm still working on what I'm going to add to this, but this is going to be it for now.
How do you like the new look? Please comment on it!

On the other side of things...
I feel so guilty and irresponsible for not being able to stick to my own schedule. I'm really bad at this. I have a paper due tomorrow (which I'm almost done with), a midterm on wednesday (which is worth a whopping 35%), and another test on friday (worth 10% less than the other one). How can I deal?
I know, I know, it's my own fault. I'm putting this onto myself. When will I ever learn? I don't feel as bad though. I mean, I'm pretty happy with what I've accomplished today...with all the clicking, choosing, and debating. Err, that doesn't sound right, but it feels nice just doing something that I like. :)
Now I have to get back to the real deal. I have too many readings to catch up on to study for the tests, and I still have to finalize my paper. Wow.
I'm not too worried though. One way or another, I'll be able to deal. :) *crosses fingers*

emotional rollercoaster

2008-11-08T13:30:00.002-05:00

I've been feeling so emotional lately.
Why?

Small things bother me, and quite easily too.
What's going on with me?

I get so frustrated, so quick.
I could cry right about now.

Wait, no, I already did. :'(

I'm on an emotional rollercoaster.
I want to get off...NOW.

The Balancing Act

2008-10-29T16:16:00.004-04:00

I'm feeling a bit exhausted. Maybe a little too understimulated. And a tiny ounce of frustration. They're all negative descriptions, yet somehow, I feel kind of lifted. I feel like doing something and making something happen for myself.

I'm a bit exhausted maybe because of different reasons. The weather is first and foremost. Who likes this depressing weather anyway? I don't like the cold (err..freezing) season at all. It's way too cold and it takes me twice an effort getting up in the morning. This weather makes you not want to get up and definitely makes you feel lazy & tired. All this, brought to us by this ever-so unpredictable Toronto weather.
Maybe I'm working myself too hard? Maybe not physically, but mentally and emotionally [?] The past several months have been such a drag. There's a lot of things going on in and around me. Sometimes I just want to lay down and close my eyes and not have to think about anything--anything at all. I feel so frail sometimes cause I'm only 20 years old--and you have no idea how physically unfit I am. And no, I'm not very proud of that, but I'm admitting it.
I don't know, there could be a few more reasons. I'm too tired to think up one right now.

A little too understimulated. I don't feel bored, well most of the time anyway. Maybe I'm bored of thinking the same thoughts over and over again. Maybe? Or maybe I'm bored of doing the same things over and over again. Maybe? I'm thinking I need more motivation to get me through the upcoming days. That or inspiration. That or get me out of here and take me to a happy place, where it's not too cold or too hot. That, or I don't know. Any suggestions?

An ounce of frustration. If it was last year or the year before that, I'd be beating myself up for a test mark lower than an 80. But after spending two and a half years in university, I'd figured that all those A's you've gotten back in the day--you'll rarely see now. University life is just so tough. This is why a lot of students drop out on their second and third year. Some just can't take it anymore -- all the pressure, competitiveness, failing marks, midterm after midterm, etc. Luckily, I'm not one of those people. I'm gonna stick it out and graduate with my head up high. 'Life is unfair'. University life is tough. But, c'est la vie!

I guess I'm feeling all these because I have no balance in my life. School's taking up most of my time, and it's taking up the most space in my brain. NOT GOOD. It's not supposed to be like that. The counsellor I talk to help me realize this balance. That I need to spend equal time with family, friends, school, and other activities I love doing or organizations I'm committed to. It was just so hard for me to put my finger on things I enjoy. Maybe because I've been so caught up in this whirlwind of university life, that I didn't get a chance to foster my talents. I know in my heart I can do so many things, but I feel that I've wasted so much time. But I definitely know it's not too late. Because it's never too late. I'm gonna find my balance and keep my life on equilibrium.

On the positive side of life...
I've started my meditation sessions. I officially started on Monday; today will be my third day. So far, so good. I found the first time to be difficult. First of all, I'm doing this by myself. Also, I'm a beginner. I'm meditating for 10 min--and who would have known how hard it was to concentrate! Wow, our minds have to taught to focus on one thing for a long time. It's like I'm having ADD while meditating. Geez! Second time went well. It was better than the first, I must say, and it felt like 10 min was so short! I'm going to do one tonight before bed. I'm gonna do this everyday for a couple of months. Let's see how it can change me. I'm excited! :)

Three Little Birds

2008-10-23T13:31:00.011-04:00

Hey folks! Here I am again, after 3 weeks of busyness, laziness, struggles and whatnot.

I don't know about you, but I only get the urge to write (or in this sense, type) on my blog when: (1) I have certain thoughts lingering in my mind for a long time that I can't get rid of, and so I write to get it off my mind; (2) when I suddenly come up with awesome ideas that I'm too afraid to forget; (3) if I've come upon an interesting website or article that I'd want to share with people; or (4) simply, if I just want to write.

It's therapeutic - well, for me anyway. I'm sure a lot of people who own journals or diaries do so to get their emotions down on paper, and simply to document the happenings in their life. No one wants to forget their happy times! For me, it's therapeutic and it really helps.

Posting on my blog, you wonder if I ever worry about spilling the beans about myself? Nah, not really. Everyone has secrets, but I'm not afraid and I have nothing to hide. May the truth be told. :) Plus, it's not like a lot of people read my blog. It's very personal & if you do read my blog, you might have a good idea of who I am.

------------------------------------

Lately...and for the past several months, I have been struggling. It just seems like my life is a big jungle, and I'm the lost puppy. I've been trying to find my way out, but it's taking me way too long. After last summer, everything seemed to have been shaken up. I feel trapped in a snow globe, while a little girl is rapidly shaking it. Now is the aftermath, and I'm still feeling pretty dizzy. So far, for the past several months, my life has literally gone up and way down...like when you're on a really wild ride. And in reality, I feel nauseated.

I've been suffering from - cringe - anxiety - cringe -. For the longest time, I've been feeling the physical and psychological symptoms of stress and anxiety, and I guess I was - well - too busy to just stop and figure things out. People who are close to me know I've been complaining about not being able to breathe properly, suddenly having heart palpitations, constantly having cold (like, dead-cold) hands, sweating, and sometimes a nervous stomach. WHY was the big question I couldn't stop asking.

My mistake was that, I didn't take time to actually research these symptoms and find out what really is going on with me. I've realized this recently--when IT has gotten worse. I started researching (you can't imagine how the internet can really help you!) and I started to take little steps and asked around, booked an appointment with the doctor (which, really didn't quite help). After reading who-knows-how-many articles on anxiety-related websites, I felt first of all, scared...but mostly, I felt relieved because finally I know what's going on. I'm finally in on this.

At first, I didn't quite know what to do. Who should I go to to seek help? Should I wait it out a bit--maybe the feelings will subside. And by the way, in my research, I also found out that the anxiety is complicated by agoraphobia. As if anxiety isn't enough. I've actually developed agoraphobia! I'm anxious to the point that the only safe place for me to be in is my home. Being far from home, or far from people who make me feel safe, makes me feel vulnerable. It's ridiculous how many places I fear now that I would have never thought of being scared of before. Up to the nit-picky details of I must sit at the end of the row in lecture halls - just in case - I might need to escape. I didn't realize how much this thing has taken over me.

It didn't take me long though, to finally get help from a professional. You wanna know what really pushed me to the edge? What else, but another good ol' panic attack, which happened while I was sitting in class. At that point, I decided...you know what, this isn't really helping me. I can't take it anymore, so after class, I'm definitely heading down to the health centre. Then, I booked an appointment with a counselor, met with her the next day. This is the very first time for me to see a counselor (as you can see, I never really had something bother me that much, until now, for me to actually seek help). At our first meeting - I'm not gonna deny it - I teared up a bit...ok fine, maybe a little bit more but not to the point of bawling. I struggled a bit with explaining to her why I was there. I wasn't sure how everything's supposed to go. But, all I can say is that, I really wanted her to know the fact that I was having trouble breathing when instances like that happens. Heck, if you can't breathe, nothing else matters! I guess one of the problems was that, I was focusing too much on the actual symptom - of having shortness of breath - that it actually exacerbates it. Yikes! Now I know what not to do.

She recommended a workbook to me called "The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook" by Edmund Bourne, Ph.D. I finally got around to buying it, well my dad did buy it for me two days ago, and I'm excited to start on my recovery! So far, I'm loving the tips Dr. Bourne has given. But I know that 100% of the effort should come from me. It takes a lot of courage, dedication, and discipline to fully recover from this, but I'm not worried because I have all three and simply because I WANT TO DO THIS. I want to make the anxiety go away forever.

I've never been so determined all my life. So this is how it feels like to have a clear goal ahead of me? I'm not lost anymore, and soon enough, I'm going to be free as a bird!

Oh, and if you are still reading this right now, you might be wondering why the blog title is called "Three Little Birds"? Well, you know the song by Bob Marley? Don't worry 'bout a thing, 'cause every little thing's gonna be alright..." I just thought it was appropriate for the post. And it cheers me up whenever I read it. :)

Three Little Birds by Bob Marley & The Wailers

i'm swamped + random shenanigans

2008-10-06T02:18:00.003-04:00

So...it's been a month and 2 days since I've last attempted to post an entry. How sad. Well, I realize that instead of posting long entries, maybe I should post smaller, easier to read entries. Takes less time, and I get to have my input more often. :) That way, I get to really see how my life is going so far..if life's been good to me or if life has thrown me into the shark-infested deep waters of the Pacific. (haha!) Right now, I'm feeling kind of in the middle of everything. Not too bad, not too good either. Things, I guess, have been going "alright/okay/fine" with me.Not great, just good. Not horrible/terrible, just kind of..sort of..lame.

Well, as you can tell by the title of this entry, I'm swamped. It's also been almost a month since classes started for me, and already I'm very busy. I'm not doing a very good job either with staying on top of things. I promised myself--& I don't want to disappoint myself. I just need to do it. Do it, do it, do it. Just do it, just as Nike. I feel like I cannot focus. Too many distractions? Maybe. Too much work load? Possibly. Too much to think about? Definitely. It has been proven again, that school has taken over my life. It would be a good thing if I can do really well in school. I wouldn't know as yet since I haven't been evaluated on yet. I'm nervous and excited for myself, which makes me feel anxious. & I hate feeling that. It's the worse feeling in the world, for me. I just don't like it.

By the way, this blog entry may or may not make sense to you. And I'm not quite sure if it will make sense to me once I finish it and read it again, but as I am thinking and feeling, I'm writing. So, I guess this is just my train of thought and my current emotions, filling up the empty spaces on my blog. :)

I love spontaneity. It makes me feel like I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. It's freedom. I'm not rebellious or anything, but spontaneity is good. :) You just can't plan your every step - life doesn't work that way. At least, not for me. Not to say that I don't plan or anything. Mind you, I'm very organized & I do own a planner! :P

Anyway, such random things I'm writing here. So sorry about that. Just don't mind me :) Umm...Yeah, it's just because my brain right now, is kind of...constipated? Haha! See, I'm in the process of writing a business ethics paper for my philosophy class, and I have all my ideas gathered up in my head, but I just can't seem to get them out on paper. H-e-l-p? I've actually started writing; that's good, there's some progress. But the thing is, it's due on the 7th. I don't know why I always leave things 'til the end. I don't like pressure, but it works. Weird, huh. Anyhow, I think need to doze off now. I'm thinking just waking up early tomorrow to finalize this.

Oh, life is good. Life is good. Life is good. Will I be back before Halloween comes...? Maybe :)

Updates, updates, & more updates!

2008-09-04T20:59:00.007-04:00

I know, I know...I have been MIA for the longest time. I'm sorry (to those who do visit from time to time). I have been, well, busy. I've had this and that to worry about. Wow, it's been almost a month since I last posted an entry. s o r r y!

Anyways, I'll just update you really quick here:

August 20008

Aug. 3rd: There's a new addition to our family! Her name is Maxxi. She's a Mini Schnauzer puppy, now 3 months old. :) We got her and she was so tiny! She's growing up so fast! Aw, my baby girl. :) Anyway, she's just so adorable. I'm sure you'll agree with me when you see her photos here: Maxxi's photos
Honestly, that's about the highlight of my August month. Some activities here and there, but nothing too interesting that I need to share here. :) I have just been sorta, kinda, lil bit stressing out about school and enrollment, and getting into classes, and all the schmool. For now, it's all good. Still got things to finish off though, but I'm sure everything will be fine. :) Umm, oh! Aug. 27th was when Ian came back home from Ottawa. Finally! Afer 4 months! So happy! :) BUT, unfortunately, we'll both be going back to school, so it's not so happy anymore :( But at least UWaterloo isn't as far as Ottawa. He'll be back every weekend (hopefully) :) Here are more pictures from the weekend when Ian came home: click here!
Oh, and I was also stressing out about Ian's present. Ian is so difficult to buy a present for! It's not that he's picky...it's just that...he has everything! You name it, and he most probably has it. So, I was good, and I got him a stainless steel bracelet. It's one of those ID bracelets. They look pretty simple, but I got it engraved as well, so it's personalized :)

September 2008

Sept. 1st: Hey Upper East Siders! Gossip Girl here. ;) Yes, it's the season premiere of Gossip Girl Season 2. :)
Sept. 4th: TODAY is the birthday of the two most important men in my life: my daddy and Ian! :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ! ! [Ian, I'm glad you liked the present! :)]
Sept. 8th: is coming so soon. It's officially the start of classes again. :(/:) But thanks to good schedule, I'm off on Mondays! :)

Hope I don't get too busy/too lazy to update my blog from time to time. School for sure, will take up more than half of my time. I would hate to put my blog in hiatus again. I won't abandon it for too long. :) Keep on comin' people!

You know you love me. Xoxo,
Diandra :)

So Excited! :)

2008-08-08T14:57:00.002-04:00

I'm super excited! And that's all I can say for now, 'coz I don't want to jinx anything! :) Will let you know once everything is settled.

For the meantime...I'm just going to be talking about how happy I am that Ian is coming back home today! In like 4 hours! Soo excited (once again). There are just so many things to look forward to this weekend!!! Well, first let me tell you what I can say:
1. Ian will be back in Mississauga tonight
2. Movie night tonight; Ian will be taking me out for a movie to watch That Dark Knight since I'm the only loser that hasn't seen it. (Yes, even he has)
3. Maybe Ian has a chance to sleep over this weekend, 'coz his family's all gone to New York.
4. Tomorrow is a Big day. For shopping, lunch with Ian, etc. :) :) :)
5. Tomorrow night is our friend Darryl's party. It's his birthday today. HAPPY 20th BIRTHDAY D!
5. Ian and I may have a chance to play tennis (hopefully the weather permits)
6. Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. :)

Anyhow, I'm off to the shower...getting ready for Ian. And, oh! I almost forgot I'm baking some spring rolls. woops! :P Toodles! :)

Grrr-ness.

2008-08-02T01:34:00.003-04:00

All I have to say is that I'M DISAPPOINTED.

So we're supposed to be going all the way to Oshawa tomorrow to see our supposedly new puppy. BUT what happened now? The lady that was selling it emailed my dad this morning saying, "oh sorry, I have already sold the last female...you could wait until the 15th to buy a different one..." NO THANKS. She freakin' bailed on us! When clearly, my dad already emailed her just the day before that we were going to go visit the puppy and buy it! They had an understanding. What kind of a deal is that? Geez. People nowadays. I don't understand. I got so sad when my dad told me. But, I was thinking, maybe the puppy is really not for our family.

Well, my dad called this other seller (who, in my opinion seems more professional; they even have a website and everything) and the person had told my dad that some puppies are coming mid next week and that she will be calling us by then. So...hopefully, this time around, we'll be able to buy the puppy. We're so anxious and excited!

Today, after lunch at Iron Chef (which I must say was amazing!) we went to PetSmart to check out some puppy stuff. It made me even more excited. Haha. Puppy toys, puppy beds, puppy water dispensers, puppy blankets, puppy clothes. Everything your pet needs is there! Even a pet hospital, a grooming station, and a dog school! Love it! :) I can't wait for that day, our puppy Maxxi will come home with us for the first time. :) Let's just keep our fingers crossed, and pray that this time around, the seller won't bail on us AND that we can finally find the perfect pet for our family. :)

Ciao folks! Happy long weekend Canadians! (is it long weekend in the US too?)

Driving, etc.

2008-07-31T23:16:00.005-04:00

Yesterday I went driving again for the 4th time with my driving instructor. It's not like how you would imagine though. I wasn't as nervous and anxious as I was my first, second, and third time. :)I did way better this time around! Not gonna bore you with all the details, but I did do better. Next thing to learn: parallel parking. I'm gonna need some luck with that! Err.. 3 or more lessons and I should be off to my driving test! It sucks that I can't really practice at home with my dad. First, he's too busy; second, I don't have a car to practice on! We only have one vehicle, and it's a Nissan Quest! A little too big for a beginner like moi! Well anyway...

I'm back to playing Wii Fit. It's fun! If you don't have it, you should buy it. And if you don't have a Wii console, you should definitely get one! I love Wii Fit! It makes exercising more fun! :)

And...

Tomorrow at lunch, my family and I are heading out to Iron Chef to have Teppanyaki lunch. So excited!!! I love Japanese food! Ian took me there for my first time, and it was fab! Tomorrow will be my second time, and it will be my family's first. I'm sure they'll love it as much as I did. Oh by the way, the reason why we're all going out for lunch is to celebrate my mom's birthday. It's on Saturday (Aug. 2nd) but on Saturday is a busier day for all of us. First, I think my mom is going to a Healing of some sort, not too sure where. After that, are you ready for this?we're all going to see the new puppy that we're planning to adopt! SO excited! *crossing my fingers* I hope everything goes as planned and I hope the puppy is healthy.

That's it for now. It's midnight. I'm planning to change my sleeping habits. Believe me, it's terrible. G'night, my dear reader! Ttfn! :)

Just a short note.

2008-07-31T01:28:00.003-04:00

Howdy peeps!

Umm, I think I've mentioned 2 posts ago that I will be updating the blog with pictures from my trip to Montreal and Quebec City. And, well, I haven't really done that, have I? Hmm...I'm blaming it all on the internet! Ok, fine, 60% on the internet and 40% on my laziness. But I swear, I tried! more than a couple of times, to upload them in multipy/facebook. I've got some on my multiply (only the first day though), and I think I got Day 2 on facebook. You can check out the pics from multiply here, and the facebook pictures here . That's it for now though. Day 3 and 4 are still pending. I'll work on it. :)
Anyway, it's getting pretty late. I'm gonna head to bed. Sweet dreams! :)

P.S. Check out the new 'do (on my facebook badge below on the left) :)

PETcetera

2008-07-29T03:29:00.004-04:00

By the way, remember my pet turtles? Yeah, they're gone. No, no, they're not up in turtle heaven! Hush! They got sold on Saturday. My poor turtles :( I miss them. But I had to let them go. I hope they're in better care now. I love you turtles!!!

On a lighter note, my family might get a puppy (if all goes well)! So excited! No, it's not a replacement for my turtles; we just really want a pet puppy/dog :) We're getting a Schnauzer, pure breed. If you don't know what a Schnauzer looks like, check this out:

I was thinking to name it Maxine (Maxxi for short) or Daisy but everyone thinks it's too girly. Any suggestions, anyone? :)

Anyways, it's way too late now. Time to go to bed. Toodles! :)

"Diandra is trying not to freak out."

2008-07-29T03:08:00.002-04:00

Status: on the verge of freaking out/going out of control/going crazy/stuck on a state of confusion

Welcome to my world.

I hate that every time, I blog or write about something, it has to be something like this. I wish everything (in general) is just less trivial. But of course life does not work like that. Sometimes I think that the world hates me. It seems every time I plan on doing something or try to make something happen it just doesn't go my way. Why is that? I would never think that God hates me. I shouldn't right? God loves me; maybe this is just his way of teaching me life's lessons. But still, I can't help to think, WHY?
School schmool. It's always about that. It's always been about that. It always makes me stress out, even though I try so super hard not to. It cannot be helped. In my world, it's inevitable. It just won't leave me alone. I'd like to make things work, make things happen. But life has to give it hard to me. It throws me problems here and there. I should know how to deal with these kind of things, but I don't. Will I ever? mygoodness...

Should I even dare blame it on anyone/anything else? Or should I blame myself? Am I giving myself a hard time? Why would I? I'm not crazy.

Mission #1 : Get into courses I need to get into.
Mission #2: Defer my tuition fee.
Mission #3: Check, check, check. Make sure everything is a-ok.
Mission #4: Stop worrying, relax. Tomorrow will come and everything will be alright.

Breathe in.
Breathe out.

Montreal, Quebec City, & Ottawa Weekend

2008-07-16T16:20:00.002-04:00

So I'm back from the tiring but fun roadtrip weekend!

Last week, my parents decided to go on a trip since my dad has a week off from work. I seriously didn't know until 2 days before the actual trip! Hello! Plan much? Anyway, I had 2 appointments (driving lesson & ortho) the day we had to leave and i had to cancel those, and luckily I got to re-schedule an appointment for my ortho right away and got that done. Bad news: my braces are still on; good news: I'm getting 'em off for sure on my next visit. yeayea!:)

So anyhow, we left last Thursday, the 10th of July. It was a 6-ish-hour drive from our place to downtown Montreal. It was a*s-numbing. Haha But we got there at around 4:30pm. We checked-in right away to our hotel, rested for a bit, and started walking around. Man, we did some intense walking that day! It was fun though (I think?) Haha. But all I remember was getting lost when we were on our way back to our hotel. I swear we walked 3 km just getting lost! Oh well, no complaining now.

We spent 2 days in Montreal (Thursday and Friday). On Friday, w;e took the car to go to places like the Biodome, Botanical Gardens, and St. Joseph's Oratory. At around 4:30pm, Ian contacted me, letting me know that he's almost arriving. We finish touring the place and we met with him before going to the Oratory. I was so super excited to see him. Lucky he works in Ottawa, not too far from Montreal :) So happy that he actually got to go :) We've both been to Montreal before (last August) and went to almost the same places too, so we didn't need much touring there.

On the 3rd day of our roadtrip, we drove 2.5 hours to Quebec City where the party is at! :P It's Quebec's 400th birthday, so there are celebrations happening around there. Quebec City is awesome! You don't have to journey all the way to Europe to have a feel of a European city. Quebec has it! I got pictures to show! :) Too bad we only stayed in Quebec City for a day. The day was well spent though :)

Sunday morning, we had to check-out from the hotel. It was raining that day. We were so lucky that it didn't rain 3 days before when we were touring around Montreal and Quebec City. On that last day, we still had the chance to go to Montmorency falls. We just dropped by and took some pictures in the rain :)

Well, that's my roadtrip weekend at a glance. 'Coz I can't remember every single detail, and I'm sure it's just gonna bore you to death. :P But I have nice photos for you to check out. :)

...will post the pictures asap! It's just that I'm not typing from my laptop, so I don't have the pictures here. :)

ttfn!

Life is hard.

2008-07-07T15:44:00.002-04:00

All I can say is...

Life is HARD.

Life's good though...it's just difficult. If I'm already having difficulties now...wow, imagine my midlife crisis. Hah!

Decisions, decisions. I hate having to make decisions. But it's part of life and we're going to have to choose: this or that?

School is a pain. School is a pain in the a*s, in the pocket, and in the brain. Yes, a pain in the brain. I hate school. But I also love school. It doesn't make sense. But that's how it is.
It's just that it's that time of the year again for me...enrollment and all that crap. I'm having problems with what program to choose. I'm keeping my Psychology Major no matter what, but I just need to either get another major (I was thinking Sociology), or have a double major and a minor in Philosophy. I'm confused. I want to graduate with Honours Bachelor of Science and I can only do that if I do the double Major with Sociology (even though it's an Arts); Psychology at University of Toronto is a Science so if I do end up having a double major, I'd graduate with an Hon. BSci. because the default is they take the Science over the Arts. Err..I don't want to confuse you or myself anymore about this. This morning, I already requested for the Sociology Major. It takes about a month to process (very long wait)...and I guess that's when I'll find out. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

On a lighter note, I found out today that my parents are planning a trip to Montreal on Thursday (to Sunday). Bad news is, I'm going to have to delay my ortho appointment againand book for another day. OMG I want/need to take my braces off already!!! It's been too long! On top of that, I have to rebook my driving lesson, 'coz it was supposed to be on Thursday as well. Argh. I'm excited though! There's a chance Ian can come with us!!! Woohoo! Either he'll drive from Ottawa to Montreal, or he'll take the train. :)

Anyway, it's time for me to start calling to cancel and get an new appointment for those couple of things. *sigh*

Toodles! :)

getting karma through my dreams.

2008-07-06T07:57:00.003-04:00

It's f*cking 7:45 in the morning & I wake up breathing hard. What an effin nightmare.

I HATE MY DREAM!

Ok, so here goes...
Ian and I were having lunch together at this place...it looks like an office building. so we're sitting at this table side-by-side, eating our lunches peacefully. we talk while we eat. he's almost done while i'm half-way through. some random girl is talking on the phone about looking for something/a place in the building. It's so random that I even heard her say "oh, I heard there's even a hospital in the Araneta Coliseum!" and I'm like "wtf?!" and we just keep eating. and apparently, we were also looking for something (but this purpose changes really quickly later on). so he says to me, "why don't we both go to the washroom, check if there are any people there, and then let's do it". i'm like, "let's do what?"..."you know, clean the turtles..." "OH, okay." (see! purpose changed). so we're both getting ready to leave. i'm fixing our food and stuff & he's wiping the table. THEN, some random girl sitting near our table by herself is looking at us. or so i thought...so she finishes her food too and she's like[to him] "why don't we go up to the washroom and blah blah blah blah blah..." and he's like "yeah, yeah!" and I'm CONFUSED. in my head, I'm like "wtf is going on?!?" and then she stands up and sits across our table, in front of him. she's flirting. he's flirting back. he introduces himself..."my name's ..." she introduces herself. he offered to shake hands. she takes the offer AND she puts both her palms onto his cheeks & squeezing it like you would squeeze a baby's cheeks. she starts giggling like there's no tomorrow. at this point, i'm already f*cking raging inside. like hello?!?! i'm right here! don't you remember? i'm you're girlfriend...and she's nothing! and THEN she asks him out. "hey we should have dinner one time!" "yeah for sure, what do you want? I'll take you to Japanese!" "yeah, I like Japanese." No, I like Japanese. he takes ME to Japanese, no one else. MAJOR FREAKING OUT NOW. But it's like i'm invisible to them. I want to yell and scream and slap and punch and kick.
And it's 7:45 am, I wake up, and I'm breathing hard, breathing like I just ran a marathon. I'm pissed. stupid dream. stupid, stupid dream.

aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!#%$%^&$*^%!!!!!!!!$%@^#&$*

i need some comfort. i need some love right now. :( God, help?

P.S. pardon my French.

call me princess backfire.

2008-07-05T18:25:00.005-04:00

my stupid mouth. has got me in trouble. i said too much again.
...and i could see he was offended.
..."think before speaking"...
...there's not filter in my head.
...i'm never speaking up again. it only hurts me. i'd rather be a mystery than he desert me.

ugh. my stupid mouth. bad bad mouth.
i'm sorry. if you're reading this, i'm sorry. I didn't mean to. Forgive me?
Although I don't totally take the blame...I'm still sorry. Part of it was my fault & I'm sorry for that. I miss you. I need you. I'm longing to talk to you. It's been 3 days and I miss talking to you. I'm not used to this. I feel so alone. :( I miss you, especially at night, when everyone's sleeping and I'm the only one awake; 'coz you know that's usually how it goes.

When things happen to me, I want you to be there. When I'm excited about something, I want you to be there. When I feel sad, I want you to be there. When I'm having problems, I want you to be there. When I want to hear your voice, I want you to be there. Before I fall asleep, I want you to be there. And after I fall asleep, I want you to be there.
I want you to be there to comfort me, to make me happy, to make me smile, and sometimes even to argue. I want you to be there for me, and I want to be there for you too. I want to do the same things I want you to do for me. You've been so great a friend, bestfriend , and especially a boyfriend. You are the best. That's why i love you.

I still miss you.
I still want you.
I still care for you.
I still love you with all that I am.

This and that. .

2008-07-03T21:19:00.006-04:00

Just a bit bored, so I started surfing the net and stumbled upon the BBC UK website.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/

I took a personality quiz...haha! And here are my results:

Results

Your answers suggest you are a Counsellor

The four aspects that make up this personality type are:

Summary of Counsellors

Search for meaning in their life and develop powerful insights
Are dedicated to helping others reach their potential
Think of themselves as gentle, peaceable and cautious
Others may find it difficult to get to know them

More about Counsellors

Counsellors have a natural understanding of human relationships and the complexities of life, which they use to help others. They search for meaning in everything and develop complex insights.

Counsellors feel most relaxed and creative when their surroundings are organised. They are deeply private people who only share their insights with trusted friends; however, they will defend their values if challenged.

In situations where they can't use their talents or are unappreciated, Counsellors may withdraw from the people around them or become resentful. Under extreme stress, Counsellors may feel overwhelmed and be driven to organise small parts of their lives such as their kitchen cabinets or their record collection.

Counsellors typically prefer a few close relationships to a wide circle of friends.

Counsellor Careers

Counsellors are often drawn to jobs where they can help people develop emotionally, intellectually or spiritually and where they can use their imagination.

It's important to remember that no survey can predict personality type with 100 percent accuracy. Experts say that we should use personality type to better understand ourselves and others, but shouldn't feel restricted by our results.

Overall results


Big Thinkers
Counsellors
Go-getters
Idealists
Innovators
Leaders
Masterminds
Mentors
Nurturers
Peacemakers
Performers
Providers
Realists
Resolvers
Strategists
Supervisors

Oh! and by the way, I'm starting my in-car driving lessons tomorrow! :) weeee! :) I'm nervous/excited. Wish me luck!

Birthday, Long Weekend, Canada day ... and then some.

2008-07-03T01:32:00.011-04:00

So guess who just turned 20? You got that right! ME! :) Well actually, I'm not sure if that should be a smiley face or a sad face. What are the perks of being 20 anyway? Well, I'm officially not a teen anymore. I guess that's one thing that's good, 'coz then people (who likes stereotyping) won't be judging me without even knowing. Hmm...other than the fact that I feel OLD whenever I say I'm 20 (which by the way, I'm gonna need some getting used to) and the other known fact that although I'm 20, people still think I'm 15, umm other than that, I still feel the same! Nothing has changed, except that with age comes responsibility. Ugh, I hate that. But, ces't la vie!

Anyhow, my birthday celebration was great! It was simple, just dinner and dancing, but it was quite fun! Thanks to all those people who came and partied with me! :) I appreciate it, you guys! :) Thanks for the presents too! I hope you guys enjoyed the food! I've just uploaded the pictures from that night. They weren't much 'coz I was too busy eating and talking to people. A few were taken from my friend's camera, so I'll be asking her for those. Here are some pictures:

The long weekend was way too busy/eventful for me. I attended so many parties with my family. Well, first there was my party on the Friday; and then Saturday afternoon, we went to our family friend's house in Markham to celebrate their children's graduation; after that, in the evening, we went to our other friend's house which is close to our house and we stayed there until after midnight. Last Saturday, Ian and I were supposed to have a lunch date, but due to that, we couldn't go (& because he was busy as well). We did have a dinner date though, on my actual birthday (Sunday) and we ate at my new-found-favorite-restaurant Iron Chef. We had the best dinner ever!!! Food was SO good! I'd go back again, although it was quite pricey, it was definitely worth it! If you're wondering what we had, we had teppanyaki! mmm-yeah! Thanks babe for introducing me to my new favourite restaurant :) Too bad we didn't take pictures there; we were too busy finishing our food :P Babe, we should go back there again next month for our 29th monthsary! :) So basically, that was the highlight of my day on Sunday.

Monday, my family and I decided that we should go to a park and lounge around, but I came up with an idea to take my lola (grandma) to Niagara Falls since she's never been there. 'Coz come on, she's been in Canada for half a year and she's never seen the falls! Like, come'on....So we drove down south to Niagara Falls, which took us more than an hour because of traffic (grr). So we get there, and there were tons of people! Parking spots were packed and it took us around 15-20 mins to find one! Well, what do you expect right? It's Canada day weekend, of course people will travel. So we finally got a parking spot at some hotel nearby, walked to the falls, took some photos, then we went to eat at Rainforest Cafe; it was good because we were all hungry! We left Niagara Falls after that, and headed back to Mississauga. For some reason, we were all craving for some Dairy Queen, and so we dropped by the mall to get some ice cream...and then we ended up walking around the mall for a good 2 hours. What a random day that was! But I loved the sponteneity! That night Ian came over and we watch several episodes of FRIENDS dvd. Let me tell you, FRIENDS is the wittiest, funniest, most engaging show you will ever see!!! Well, that's my opinion anyway. :) I love Friends! :) Oh! before Ian came over, two of my friends dropped by for a little bit to give me their gift...it was a Wii Fit!!! I love it!!! I've been using it since then (for 2 days) and I'm so into it right now! If you own a Wii console, having the Fit is a must!!! So, go get it! :) Thanks guys! I love your present! Oh, and I can't believe I haven't mentioned Ian's present for me...you will never guess it...'coz it's...a...pet...turtle! Well, turtles because there are 2 of them. I love them, they're so cute. I have pictures of them too! :) So Monday was a long, random day. But it was fun!

Tuesday, yesterday, was Canada day, so Happy birthday Canada! It was my resting day, so I just stayed home and played Wii Fit all day! :) Who could've thought that exercising could be fun! Hehe.

So that was my ever-so-eventful long weekend. And sorry for the extremely long post. Too many events happened! :) By the way, I haven't started my in-car lessons yet, but I'll probably start soon because the instructor dude called me today. Weee...I'm excited and nervous at the same time! You think I'll be a good driver? I think I'll be a good driver...;)

Anyways, that's it folks. Come back regularly and don't forget to comment/tag! Ciao!

Updates, etc.

2008-06-25T00:29:00.005-04:00

So as promised, here are the updates:

1. This one goes way back...around 3 weeks ago (yes, I know). June 6th, Ian's first visit from Ottawa. He is working there for 4 months to fulfill his co-op term. Ottawa is SO damn far. 5 hours of driving...I don't know how he can do it...alone. I'd be bored to death. But I guess he's more excited than bored because he's going to be coming home to his family and (of course) me :) So of course, I planned some fun activities for us (it wasn't as cheesy as it sounds!) Basically, we went out to lunch at this restaurant called The Apricot Tree. It was our first time there. It was a really cute place! I'd love to go back there again. We also went to Coronation park in Oakville to spend some more "quality time". I cooked some food and some brownies that we could take there. We walked around the path and took several pictures. Simply put, it was a fun day at the park. Here are some pictures:

...And those were the highlights of that week. I got to see my baby. ♥

2. One week later...June 14,15: Diandra finally goes to driving school! Yes, finally, I get to learn how to drive. I know, I'm turning 20 soon and I still don't have my G2 license? I'm excited and nervous, but the main reason why I'm really taking it now (apart from the fact that I should have done that already) is because my license is expiring in 2010. So, pressure's on me. My friend and I enrolled to a 2-weekend driving class. So we started June 14,15 and last weekend June 21,22, we "graduated" (as the instructor would say) from driving school. But, that's only half of it. I still have to go through 10 hours of in-car driving, and that's where the fun part starts! So far, I haven't yet received any calls from the driving instructor. Hopefully the instructor will call me soon so I can start driving! :) By the way, the school I went to is ABC Driving School. Anyway, if you live in Mississauga, make way on the road because I'll be there! Hehe.

3. On reading: I have this bad habit of buying books, starting to read them, and before I get halfway through the book, I stop and start another one. I don't know why I do it. It annoys me. But the good news is, I finally finished the book I started months ago; a book by Mitch Albom called For One More Day. A review of the book deserves a whole separate entry. It was a good book, but not my favorite from him. My favorite by far, is Tuesdays with Morrie. I have now officially read 3 of Mitch Albom's books. I deserve a pat on the shoulder :)
As of last night, I have started reading Gabriel Garcia Marquez' book, One Hundred Years of Solitude. I'm anticipating it to be a more sophisticated, more philosophical, and a more difficult read because of his writing style and the type of story his book is portraying; although both authors show one similarity: both of their books' central theme is family. We'll see how long it will take me to read that book. I'll try my best not to start another book before finishing that.
Any suggestions on interesting reads for this summer? Please share. :)

4. June 22: It's mine and Ian's 28 monthsary! We've been together for 28 months & we're gonna keep it going. Babe, if you're reading this, I know we've had a lot of challenging times, but just think of all the good memories we've made for the past 2 and a half years. Every time I think about them, it makes me smile. :) (Belated) Happy 28th months babe! I'm so happy we got this far. I never did have a doubt. I love you♥

So, that's all for now, folks. I hope I didn't bore you to death, my dear reader. Well, if you got this far, you're probably a friend anyways. :) So, I'll have to end this now 'coz it's getting way too long. Oh and by the way, tomorrow is shopping day for me! You see, my birthday is coming up, and I need something to wear! :) So excited! Anyway, 'til then!

just a quickie.

2008-06-23T23:18:00.002-04:00

i.am.Diandra's got a BRAND NEW look! :)

I got a little bored of the old black&neon look...so I went to the blogskins website today and looked around for a new layout or 'skin' as people would call it. It took forever to find something, although I do admit that I'm quite picky when it comes to details and all. So, I still wanted a simple look, and I found this! It's great and I like how it looks so professional in a way and very clean, and doesn't hurt the eyes. I hope you like it too! :)

Anyways, I've got lots of stories to tell! But I'll have to leave it 'til tomorrow. :)
For now, I've got to hit the sack!

...'til tomorrow! :)

I'm Back!

2008-06-18T16:11:00.002-04:00

Hey folks! I'm back! It has been WAY too long & it's about time I start blogging again. :)

So, it's summer time and I have nothing more important to do, so why not write, blog, express myself, and get out emotions that's been bugging me. That's what blogging is all about anyway, right? It is for me, anyway. It's sorta like an online diary, where you can express your own thoughts on random ideas or happenings in and around the world. :) Really, this blog is for nobody specific but myself, but of course it's free for the public to check out as it is online. So for you people who stumble upon my blog (for whatever reason), please understand that this blog contains views and opinions and I am writing in my own point of view. If you're nice enough, you could take a minute and leave me a message on my tagboard or write a comment on the post you've just read. It'll be much appreciated, thanks! :)

So, enough blabbering about that...I'm not about to start updating with what's happened for the past year or so (however long I've been on hiatus), but I'll say this: I'm proud of myself because I survived my sophomore year in university, and let me tell you...it was NOT easy. Now it's summer, and I'm bummin' in the house, without a job :( yes, sad i know. But anyway...

For those NBA fans out there: What do you think about the playoff series this year??? Any thoughts on the Boston win against LA last night? It was pretty fair, I thought. I mean, I have been a Laker fan, (but of course, a Raptor fan too, since I do live in Toronto), but I thought Boston deserved their win. It's incredible though, how they just did it, winning and all that, for just this one year. They had this one chance, and they proved themselves and won the championship. Good job, not only to the team itself, but especially to the Big 3 (Pierce, Allen, and Garnett)! They stepped-up their game and won against the best player in the world, Kobe (yay, Kobe!) Hehe. . .Anyways, kudos to both the Celtics and Lakers! Congrats to Pierce for his MVP. To Kobe, their coach Phil Jackson, and the rest of the Lakers team, I thought you guys fought a good figh...& there's always next year. :) Hmm...I wonder how the Celtics celebrated? ;P

Anyways, that's all for now. I will write again and post some pictures later! :)

Guess who's back!

2007-07-27T11:10:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone!!! :) I'm back from my month-long vacation. :) Good to be back.

Wow, this blog has been on hiatus for way too long. I haven't blogged for quite some time. For reasons I shall not discuss ahem*laziness*ahem. ;)

Ok well I have lots of stories to tell! My vacation was super duper fun! First of all, because it's my first time going back to the Philippines. After 6 years...I was finally able to go back to the home country :) It felt good. I really felt like I was home. I like that feeling. :)

I saw my friends and had the most fun I've had this whole summer (although summer is not done yet, i still have time to have fun ;p) My friends are still the same as they were 6 years ago. It's so funny looking at our nene days pictures and comparing it to pictures now. Wow! We've all grown to be beautiful people. :) hee hee.

Shopping. I didn't get to do a lot of shopping. I know, right? Can't believe it either. 1 month is really not enough time for vacation in the Philippines. I felt really bummed about that, but what can I do? I'm back in Canada now. No more shopping for me...:( But while I was enjoying my time in the Philippines, I did go to various shopping centres...like Mall of Asia (yup, 3rd biggest mall) and of course the good ol' Greenhills. Damnit, thinking about this again makes me feel sad. :( Moving on...

I did celebrate my 19th birthday there. Celebrated it twice, actually. First with family, second with friends. :) I had a blast! First, my family (and relatives) took me out to this hotel called Sofitel (formerly known as Westin Phil. Plaza) and we ate at a pricey buffet resto, Spiral. Man was that good! I wish my stomach had a little more space. I wanted to taste every kind of food, but my stomach wouldn't allow me. Haha. After that, we just went home. The night after, I went out with my friends to go clubbing/bar hopping. We journeyed to 5 different bars. Dude, it was so tiring! But I had a lot of fun :) So that was that....

I also got to go to the all-popular, perfect-getaway BORACAY island! Now I can say that I've been to the island! The beach, the water, the sand...every where you look, it looks like a postcard! If you wanna see pictures, you could visit my multiply site where I post my photos: bora pics

During our 3rd week in the Philippines, we also got to travel to Hong Kong. We went to Ocean Park (my 2nd time) and still, I had a blast! I was more excited on seeing the pandas though because I haven't seen one in real life. But now I can say that I have! :) Panda's are real adorable :) I wish I had a pet panda :P I also got to shop around a little...not much because unlike before, HK prices have gone way up! That's just too bad. That's about it for HK, coz we were only there for 3 days anyway.

So that's about the highlights of my trip. It was really tons of fun! It sucks that I had to leave early. I wish I could've stayed a little longer. But that's okay I guess...there's always next time. & I hope that next time is soon! I can't wait! :)

So I hope you had fun reading this entry. Again, if you'd like to check out some photos, go to that link above. :)

Have a fantabulous day everyone!

Next travel destination: Montreal, baby!!! :)

iPod? nuh-uh!

2007-06-11T00:42:00.000-04:00

This past Friday, Ian came over to my place (like he always does every Friday). He surprised me with something.

Earlier that day, he was talking to me on the phone asking me all these random questions & how he asked his mom to buy me something from HK. I totally thought he JUST asked her that same day. But nooo, he already asked him way before that time. I guess he was only asking me those questions to make sure that he asked for the 'right thing'. So before he left home to come over to my house, he said,
"I have something for you, do you want me to wrap it?" "umm, no. (?) What is it anyway?" "Not telling! Just wait."

So okay, I didn't bother bugging him anymore because no matter how annoying I get, there was no way he was going to tell me. Plus, why should I want my surprise ruined anyway? So I waited 'till he got here. Took him some time that I totally forgot he had something for me. Then he finally came and I ran downstairs to greet him. I was walking towards the side of the dining table when he says,
"Um, wait! You can't go there!"
"uhh, and why?"
"I have something for you there and you're not allowed to see it yet...unless you want it now"
"um, sure! let's see, let's see!"

And I swear, I have absolutely no idea what he had in his hands. I didn't think it was anything big really. Food? A Necklace? Something cute? It could be anything. And then....
Voila! There it is...

(1) YMD 9280A (2) iPod Nano Green

You think it's an iPod? That's what I thought! But nuh-uh! It's the iPod nano green twin! Haha! Isn't it cool? It looks exactly like an iPod. See the resemblance? Of course my new mp4 has a bigger screen ;) I guess the only downside is that the white navi wheel isn't like the nano's. You gotta click it. Hehe. It's pretty good! It's cute. It has several features as well, not just mP3.

Cool, huh? :) I'm happy! Thank you baby!!! You really know me well. Now I have something to get busy with while on the plane :) Thank you! I promise to surprise you when I get back from the Philippines! :) Just wait!!!

Baby, that's what love is all about

2007-06-01T18:58:00.000-04:00

That's What Love is All About
Michael Bolton

There was a time
We thought our dream was ~~over~~
When you and I
Had surely reached the end
Still here we are
The flame as strong as ever
All because we both kept holding on
We know we can weather any storm

Baby, that's what love is all about
Two hearts that find a way, somehow
To keep the fire burning
It's something we could never live without
If it takes forever
We can work it out
Beyond a shadow of a doubt
Baby, that's what love is all about

As time goes by
We've learned to rediscover
The reason why
This dream of ours survives
Through thick and thin
We're destined for each other
Knowing we can reach the other side
Far beyond the mountains of our pride

Ridin' the good times is easy
The hard times can tear you apart
There'll be times in your heart
When the feelin' is gone
But ya keep on believing
And ya keep holdin' on

Baby, that's what love is all about
Two hearts that find a way, somehow
To keep the fire burning
It's something we could never live without
If it takes forever
We can work it out
Beyond a shadow of a doubt
Baby, that's what love is all about

4 Ways To Strengthen Your Relationship

2007-05-24T15:07:00.000-04:00

4 Ways To Strengthen Your Relationship
Message From Mars in The Soko
http://www.thesoko.com/thesoko/article730.html

Throw away those relationship handbooks and take a look at the fundamentals. Ian Bassingthwaighte writes.

There is a common misconception about men that is wildly flaunted about society as if it were a fact – a product of our innate inability to care about people. And this misconception is that few men actually care about relationships, and of those that do, the majority don’t care how to develop and strengthen them.

Maybe this is a product of all those sleazy Hollywood breakups publicized in useless pop culture magazines (*ahem* People *ahem*). Or maybe it’s the movies, which express our society’s expectation that a man is either suave and sexy, and therefore has no need to work at a relationship (because women will always be chasing him) or he is noble and romantic, in which case his natural self perfectly suits his woman.

Well, I am neither excessively suave nor sexy, nor overly romantic. I am not perfect and I don’t have movie-star looks. So I’m stuck in the same situation as 99% of all men: I care about my significant other and therefore I must work at a relationship in order to sustain it.

My point is that most men care about relationships and all relationships take work.

A Simple Comparison

What it all boils down to is this – most people just want to know that the person they love loves them. Truly believing that your significant other loves you opens the door for compromise and forgiveness. It’s sort of like a vending machine. You put your dollar in because you trust that you’ll get your candy. But sometimes the machine eats your money and you get nothing. What is your first reaction? Well, you’re hungry and irritated that you didn’t get your food. But later on, you realize you don’t trust that machine and instead you go to the vending machine in the next building.

Without further ado, this is how one can keep their own vending machine in proper order.

4. Let it Go

What do most couples fight about? Frankly, nine times out of 10, people fight about who left the lights on, who should’ve cooked dinner, whose turn it is to take out the trash, or some other menial thing. It’s not easy, but try just letting it go. If your significant other sees you suck it up (even if it isn’t your time to take out the trash), it’ll make them think, “Wow. That was nice. I want to be like that.”

Taking the responsibility, even when you thoroughly disagree, is a great way to show you care and it speaks much louder than swear words or slammed doors.

3. Surprises

I’m not talking about birthdays, anniversaries, or some other formal celebration. I’m talking about a random no-good Tuesday. Take him or her out to dinner. Put some flowers on the bed. Clean the kitchen so they don’t have to. Little surprises that mean something can express “I love you” far better than measly words.

When a person feels loved, they’ll bend over backwards to keep that feeling alive. Reciprocation is an infectious disease and when you treat someone you love with love, it’s nearly impossible for them not to return it.

2. Forgive

Obviously forgiving people for their mistakes is a biggie. But what people don’t realize is that most of the time we don’t actually forgive. When your husband or wife forgets to take the dogs on a walk and you’re left with the pain, and he or she apologizes sincerely, bringing it up as ammo in the next battle means you did not forgive them in the first place.

Bringing up the past is a crutch and it creates bitterness because the person being criticized will inevitably feel like their significant other has not accepted the mistake, which in turn brings feelings of mistrust.

Of course, if your boyfriend has cheated on you that’s a different story. You have a right to hold on to that until things come around. But forget about all the stuff that doesn’t really matter. It will make loving someone so much easier.

1. Changing Perspective

This is perhaps the most important ability any person can have. And I guarantee it will single-handedly solve the majority of problems in your relationship. Forgiving, letting go, and surprising your mate – all great ways to show someone you care – will not create a relationship devoid of problems. But when you get to those fights, the ability for a person to step out of their own shoes and see the fight from their lover’s perspective makes all the difference in the world.

To understand that every action you take will have an effect on that person you care about makes things shine a different color, does it not? For example, would you accept that job where you travel six months out of the year – the dream job you’ve been wishing for – if you knew that, even though your wife was cheering you on, deep down she was crying? The change in perspective would certainly give you some food for thought.

Before you take every word at face value, think of how you would feel if the roles were reversed. If your significant other was doing what you had the choice of doing, how would you react? The insight provided by such thought is pure gold and will keep you loving for a long time.

_____________________________________________
don’t kick the vending machine

Loving someone is about seeing who they are, not lamenting who they are not. For every thing I love about my girlfriend, there is something I wish I could change. But that is the great thing about love – you take the whole package and accept it. That’s love.

On Zodiac Signs: Cancer

2007-05-22T19:44:00.000-04:00

Cancer

(June 22 - July 22)
The Cancer-born are generally shy, but once you get to know them, you'll discover that they are friendly and very loyal. They value their family very much. Their instinct is strong so they must heed it. They must also keep themselves from going with the flow and try to pursue their own interests as well. They love to cook and stay in the comforts of their home.
Career/Money
They excel in teaching, especially little children. Nursing and medical courses are also good choices for them as well as social work. Business is also possible except that they need someone who will guide them to stability.
Love
They are very caring and nurturing to their partners. But they can be quite emotional and prone to mood swings. They are compatible with Water signs like Scorpio and Pisces and Earth signs like Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn.
Health
Weight problems are typical issues for the Cancer-born. They need to control what they eat and have a regular routine exercise. Swimming is a great option. They need to control themselves from eating when they are depressed.

source: http://www.igma.tv/horoscope.php?sign=cancer

Traditional
Cancer Traits

Emotional and loving
Intuitive and imaginative
Shrewd and cautious
Protective and sympathetic

On the dark side....

Changeable and moody
Overemotional and touchy
Clinging and unable to let go

LIKES

Hobbies
Romance
Children
Home and Country
Parties

DISLIKES

Aggravating situations
Failure
Opposition
Being told what to do ;)
Advice (good or bad)

source: http://www.astrology-online.com/cancer.htm

Cancer is a water sign and represents the highly emotional nature of the fourth sign of the Zodiac, to which you belong. Being born under Cancer you are under the sway of the element of water and this also makes you highly caring, generous and intuitive. As a water sign you are highly evolved and even spiritual by nature. The water signs are astrologically and karmically more developed and refined in spirit.

You are for the most part a person of feeling and sensation and this means your experience of life is very much coloured by your sentiment. Often you will ignore your own better rational processes in favour of how you feel rather than what you think about a situation or someone. Obviously that is why others turn to you when they need a shoulder to cry on and why you also would do well in any of the caring professions. This is highlighted by your key life phrase: “I nurture”. Anyone who knows you will agree that you are one of the easiest and most approachable people to connect with if they need advice in trying times.

You are extremely receptive to your environment and the people around you and will often “pick up” their energies, moods and possibly even thoughts. This ability serves you well; your intuition about peoples’ intentions is quite often correct. Your knack of knowing their issues before they even open their mouths attracts them to your natural and helpful style. The difficulty with this, however, is that you also have a tendency to mother others and absorb their negativity. You must guard against this as it will be difficult for you to turn away anyone in need.

As the Moon rules you, you reflect the qualities of this changing Lunar body. At times your emotions get the better of you and you swing from high to low. Family members and friends will be well aware of your moody nature. Those who know you, however, have no doubt about your loyal and supportive nature. You treat everyone as a mother does a child. Friends can turn to you whenever they are experiencing difficulties, knowing that your sensitive and compassionate touch will lighten their load.

You are the consummate home-maker. Even men born under this sign express a ‘feminine’ aspect to their character and love the kitchen and other activities that make them feel more secure in their domestic space. There is also an air of nostalgia surrounding you. You love to collect or keep mementoes of your past, scrapbooks and other memorabilia that can elicit memories of those you care for. Your memory is indeed extraordinary and you have a knack of recalling not just facts, but especially any good turn or kindness bestowed upon you. You're always able to discuss many different subjects with different folk, because you have a retentive memory but also impartiality to people generally. Dealing with people comes naturally to you and, coupled with your shrewd and intuitive sense, makes you a good businessperson. Even if you don’t pursue business as such, you can apply these skills to managing your day-to-day life most resourcefully.

Because the Moon’s domain is the night, many Cancerians are night owls. You may feel most creative when the twilight hours begin. You feel at home in the evening and this is due to your strong affinity with the vibrations of the Lunar energies. Writing, meditating, contemplating or taking leisurely strolls under the Moonlight will energise you.

source: http://www.astrology.com.au/12signs/CANCER.asp

I Want Somebody...

2007-05-22T02:44:00.000-04:00

Depeche Mode - Somebody

I want somebody to share
Share the rest of my life
Share my innermost thoughts
Know my intimate details
Someone who'll stand by my side
And give me support
And in return
She'll get my support
She will listen to me
When I want to speak
About the world we live in
And life in general
Though my views may be wrong
They may even be perverted
She'll hear me out
And wont easily be converted
To my way of thinking
In fact shell often disagree
But at the end of it all
She will understand me

I want somebody who cares
For me passionately
With every thought and
With every breath
Someone who'll help me see things
In a different light
All the things I detest
I will almost like
I don't want to be tied
To anyones strings
I'm carefully trying to steer clear of
Those things
But when I'm asleep
I want somebody
Who will put their arms around me
And kiss me tenderly
Though things like this
Make me sick
In a case like this
Ill get away with it

This song is definitely one of my favourites. As I read the lyrics, I can hear myself say, "Yes, yes! I want a guy like that...exactly like that." Seems like the perfect guy for me :)

What I Want (I'm talking emotional needs here, not physical)

In a guy...
He's gotta be kind in every possible way. A good & a bad boy. Someone who accepts me for who I am/who I want to be. A charmer. A lover. A friend. Someone who is gallant and gives me respect. Thoughtful & Sweet, but not mushy. He's gotta have a real sense of humour. Someone who knows when to be funny & when he needs to be serious. Someone who knows how to carry himself in front of others. Somebody who cares about me. Who listens to whatever I have to say. Who will give me support. Will not hesitate to speak his mind. Who loves his family as much as I love mine. Who also loves my family. Who is smart, intelligent and can carry conversations. Who's ambitious and has goals in life. Who also wants to settle down when we're older and start a family. Who will ask me to go on dates, even when there is really no occasion. Someone who will stand up for me. Who will give me the greatest surprises. Who will warm me with his hugs; hug me tight and not let go too early nor too late. Who will treat me like a princess :). I want someone who I can grow with and experience life with. Someone who will bring me to places I've never been. Someone honest and trustworthy. Someone who can be random/spontaneous with me. Someone who enjoys life as much as I do. Someone who believes in me. Someone who will be there for me no matter what. Who will never be tired of saying "I love you". Someone who can bring me tears of joy. Someone who can simply make me smile. Someone whom I can share everything with, even my whole life. and last but no the least, someone who will surprise me with a cute little puppy on that one special day. Haha!

I think I have found all but one of these from my #1. My #1. My Ian :) It's our 15th 'monthsary' today. Happy 15th to us!!! :) I'm so very happy that we have reached this point.
All I can say is, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!!! & I will continue to love you (as long as you do the same) :)

What a Girl Wants

2007-05-22T02:03:00.000-04:00

I was browsing through imeem.com and I came across this song:

Hearing this song again...it puts a smile on my face. & I don't know why. If you listen to the words of the song, you'd figure out that it's obviously dedicated to males more than it is for females. But nevertheless, this song has meaning. I think this song proves that there really are sensitive and caring guys out there; more than you could imagine! & that makes me happy, that should make all the females in the world happy! :)

This song obviously is directed to those men (if you could call them that) who lacks sensitivity, love, and all that good stuff. Those who cannot (or unwilling) to give enough love and care for their partner. I mean, why have one if you can't satisfy her? What's the point? Of course, this doesn't only apply to men. I'm sure there are those women who just don't seem to consider their partner's feelings. Selfishness comes into play & causes us to ignore certain values. Being self-centered is the one thing that shouldn't be present in relationships. It's sorta like, a recipe for disaster. Very bad. If you only care for one person which is yourself, it is unlikely that having a long-term relationship will work for you. One should learn to care about others as much as one cares about one's self. I know, it's true that you cannot love others if you can't love yourself. But there's a fine line between loving yourself so much and loving only yourself. Being in a relationship is not the same as being on a one-way street. It shouldn't be. Being in a relationship is like being on a two-way street. It has to be that both are giving and receiving. To give is to receive.

Anyway, what does a girl really want/need? I mean in terms of emotional needs. What do you think?

Mother's Day, etc.

2007-05-14T00:04:00.000-04:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in the world!!! :)

This mother's day, each of us (my sister, brother, and I) gave my mom a small present. My brother gave her a cute crafty mother's day "card" AND a cute little vase he made at school. My sister gave my mom a nicely decorated card (she is so artsy!) She even made my mom a poem and she made this cute little magnet. (Too bad I didn't get to take pictures of their gifts...maybe later)
My gift was last minute. I got her a nice bag (big purse) from H&M. I actually also liked it so I said to myself that if she doesn't like it, I will use it (haha). But when I gave it to her, she liked it! So, I'm happy AND she said I can also use it whenever I want :)

WEEKEND UPDATE

So on Friday, I met up with Ian at Square One bus terminal. During weekdays, Ian stays at his residence at Waterloo because he can't afford to drive to and from school every single day -- he would waste so much time and he won't have enough time to do all his work! My (our) favourite day is Friday. Y'know why? 'Coz that's the day we get to see each other! If we're lucky we get to see each other twice a week. But Fridays are the best because it's almost always that we get to see each other. :)
So this past Friday, I took the bus to meet up with Ian. He arrived at the terminal a little earlier than me. We met up at around 5 pm. We went window shopping. haha! oh, and we had to go get him some new jeans because he desperately needed one! (hihi) We got a good deal because the store that we went to (Bluenotes) had a jeans sale so all of the jeans are $10 off. He ended up paying only $20 for his new jeans! So after that we just walked around the mall a little bit more, and when we finally got tired, we went to get my mom's present. After that, we went straight to his car and went to Applebee's to eat dinner. His treat! :) (thanks baby) He drove me home right after and stayed over for a bit. He left at around 2am and that was the end of our night! Fun night, I must say. Thanks for the night!

Saturday...was a boring day. I don't think I did anything special. I was home all day probably watching TV. Haha. Unfortunately, Ian couldn't come over because he had dinner with his family. Saturday was a "so-so" day. Didn't do much.

Today, Sunday, was sort of eventful. First, I slept in (again)...and that, my friends is the reason my family and I are always late for church. (err, guilty) But nevertheless, we still went to attend mass. It was nice seeing some familiar faces again. After the mass, we met up with our family friends to eat lunch. I asked Ian to join us as well. We're like one big happy family. (haha cheesy). Lunch went well...I ate a lot! Ian drove us (my sis, bro & I) home, while my parents went driving around to look for open houses. We got home at around 2:30 and Ian had to leave at 4:30, so we had a bit of time left. We just chilled and watched TV. It's nice just cuddling with him. Even when words aren't spoken, there is still a connection. :) We ate ice cream and took lots of funny pictures. Haha. Once he sends it to me, I shall post it on here. :) It's really cute actually. Too bad he had to leave so early :( At this very moment, he is at Waterloo again. Damn, back to those 30-minute phone calls. Ugh, I hate those. I can't wait for next Friday again! 4 more days! :)

Dear Dumb Diary,

2007-05-10T22:30:00.000-04:00

Im sad, angry, annoyed, and frustrated.

What should I do? Help.

Here are 2 photos (of me) that I've edited just today. Was bored and I wanna get back to Photoshop-ing. :) Simple, black and white.

4 in the Morning

2007-05-10T17:40:00.000-04:00

photos from gwenstefani.com

I LOVE GWEN STEFANI!!! & I LOVE HER SONG 4 IN THE MORNING! I just want to share with you her [new] song and video. She is so beautiful!!! I love her, her music, and her fashion! ♥ :)

That's a RAP! (late entry)

2007-05-07T16:30:00.000-04:00

Okay, I know it's a little too late now. I just got super sad after game 6 & didn't dare write about it. I've recovered & now I can finally write (haha, exagg!) Anyway, if you have seen that last game, wow you'd know how intense it was, especially in the last minute! Damn. I didn't like the part when Parker missed 2 free throws! He usually gets it in...but what the hell happened??? That was very crucial. But that's okay. I'm still your #1 fan! :) I also didn't like how R. Jefferson got that (easy) shot in. After the shot, there was only about 8 seconds left. TIMEOUT. I thought they made their play. Clock starts ticking again. 8...7...6 to Calderon..5...4...3...2 supposedly to Bosh..1...0. NO BUZZER BEATER. No shots taken, even. I almost cried. Well, not really but I was really sad because I really, really thought they would advance to game 7. It was SO close! The game ended at Nets98-97Raptors.
Here's a clip of the last seconds of Game 6, if you didn't get a chance to see it.

Raptors losing Game 6 was a total bummer but they played an awesome season! They've got great players. Now all they need is practice, practice, and more practice. I'm sure they'll be in on the 2008 Playoffs. (It's called strong faith hehe :)) I ♥ THE RAPTORS!
Oh by the way, is it true that MoPete is leaving Toronto??? I want MoPete to stay! Well, all I've got to say is good luck for the Raptors next season. I can't wait!

Raptors vs. Nets (Nets lead 2-0)

2007-04-29T02:02:00.000-04:00

Yes, being the basketball fanatic that I am (of course, not as big of fan as Ian) I must have an entry on Raptor's basketball. (Yay, Raptors!!!)

First of all, it was such a big deal that they are the 2006-2007 Atlantic Division Champions. That then lead them to get into the NBA 2007 Playoffs! Woohoo! I cannot believe that after 5 long years...here they are on the first round of the playoffs!

Their current match-up is with the New Jersey Nets (boo, VC!). The first two games were played here in Toronto. How I wish I could've watched (as if!). I didn't exactly watch the first game, unfortunately, and they lost to NJ. (maybe that's why they lost?) haha. The score was 96-91. But I did watch the second game & they won! It was so intense. It was pretty close too because they only beat the Nets by 5 points. Thanks to TJ Ford who scored a lot (I just can't remember how many) in the 4th quarter. The score was 89-83. The third game pretty much was a mission for the Raptors (c'mon what happened to defense? & no more hesitating, CB4!). Oh, if only...Ah well, the final score was 102-89. Horrible. :( I felt really sad, 'cause they just had to win that game..but they didn't. I just wished that the rumours about Kidd not being able to play because of his sore knee was true. Maybe we could've had a chance. I was tres disappointed! :(

Now, we'll just have to wait in see until their game later at 7:30pm ET. All Raptors fans must watch!!! It's too bad that their not playing home court, another advantage for the Nets. We shall see tonight! Bring it on! Go Raptors! Go CB4! Go TJ Ford! Go Anthony Parker! (as I am your #1 fan! too bad I could only watch you on my HDTV) hehe ;)

By the way, congratulations to Toronto Raptors coach, Sam Mitchell for being named this year's Coach of the Year! Wooot!

Check this out. It's from Game 2. Watch Bosh block the ball, and then Parker shoots a 3!

Question, do YOU think Anthony Parker is underrated? Or is that just in the US?

Hehe, just needed a reason to put up pics of A.P :)

My VisualDNA

2007-04-24T23:13:00.001-04:00

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

The Weekend

2007-04-24T02:54:00.000-04:00

Sunday, April 22, 2007

HAPPY 14TH MONTHSARY BABY!!!!

Sorry, a little late, but it's better late than never! :) I love you baby! Wow, it's been 14 months. It seems like after our anniversary, time has been going by slowly. Is that a bad thing? Hope not. I think it's just that we've sort of reached a milestone - being the 1st year. We've had so many ups and downs - more ups though. I'm glad I've met you. I'm happy you came into my life. I'm ecstatic that you've taken the initiative (I'm sure it took some guts) to talk to me/ask me out a year and 2 months ago. If not, we wouldn't be together right now. So, I thank you for that, and for every thing (big & small) you've done for me. You have been very supportive with everything I do and thank you for that also. I know I may be insane at times, but you know me...so thanks for staying with me even though sometimes you "couldn't take it anymore". Sorry. :( Ok, well, all I really wanted to say is that I LOVE YOU and I'm so happy that we're together. :) You make me happy. You put a twinkle in my eye. You make my smile light up the room. You put "sweet" in my dreams. :) I hope I do the same for you too :) Happy 14th! :)

So on Saturday, Ian and I didn't really do anything because he couldn't come over. Too bad :( But Ian invited me to see his sisters' piano duet on Sunday.

On Sunday, we did so many things! First, I went to church with my family to supposedly attend the 11:30 mass. Knowing the turtle-ish family that we are, we ended up going to the later mass which normally starts at 12. But we got there even later and the mass was almost midway. Yikes, we're so bad. But I got my prayers done, so I don't feel as bad :)

After, Ian and I decided to meet up somewhere so that we can go to the church where her sisters are playing a piano duet. It was my first time watching them play together. They were so good! Their piece was awesome! & it sounded really complicated. They also got 1st place! Yup, they were that good :) So after that we went back to Ian's place because her sister had to pack up her stuff before we drive her to downtown. It was around 3:20 when we left their place. We had no idea it would take THAT long to go to downtown. It was already 4:30 and we were still on the road. The traffic was just horrible! It felt exhausting just looking at how many cars there are on the road. I bet Ian felt so tired after. So around 5, we dropped off her sister at the place of her concert, and we headed up to Yorkdale. Traffic wasn't as bad then (thank God we didn't have to take the same route back). I saw the place where Ian's currently working...finally! It was big and he told me he had a nice view of the golf course from his office window :P

So maybe around 20 minutes later, we arrive Yorkdale mall. The mall closes at 6pm. Great, we had less than an hour to shop. Therefore, all we did was walk around and the first thing we did was use the washroom. Haha. So we walked around the mall and left just a little before 6, so that we wouldn't be stuck in a jam when people start leaving the mall AND because we were starving. We were both craving for Japanese food. We love Japanese food! It sorta became a tradition, eating Japanese food on our special day :) I'm actually liking that tradition.
Long story short, it left me feeling like a fatass at the end of the day. I felt like a pregnant woman (not that I know how that feels like) I even started to walk like one! Haha After, we strolled for a bit to "digest" the food in our now fat tummies. Then we met up with his dad and sister to have dessert. Dessert?!? I was so hesitant, because I knew I would blow up if I ate more food. Haha. But Ian gave me some of his crepe and a piece of the french toast. They were good; I wish I could've eaten more, but maybe next time. After that, we made our way home, and I got home right before 10pm :) Ian stayed for a bit only 'cause he had to sleep early to wake up early for work the next day.

It was such a nice day. I spent it with my lover :) Even though not everything went well (like our trip to Yorkdale), I still had fun! Thanks for taking me to places! Next stop: Vaughn Mills? ;) We'll see. Maybe this Friday? Before you leave for school? :) Love you babe ♥ I had fun! Many more of these to come!

"I have a big head and little arms..."

2007-04-22T02:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I went out with my loverboo. We haven't gone to the theatres for quite a while. I think the last movie we saw together was X-Men3. Haha. Anyway, so he asked me if I wanted to go see Meet the Robinsons, and of course I said yes. So after work, he went home and dressed up & I was getting ready too. And then at around 5:30pm he came to my house to pick me up so we can go to the theatre. The movie would be starting at 7pm so we had enough time to grab a McFlurry on the way there. (Yeah, it was completely my idea) And yea, we used the movie tickets he got us for Valentine's. Well, it's about time. So we got there on time, a little earlier but that was fine because we got our popcorn and drinks. The popcorn was awesome because it had butter AND all the other flavours! :) You might think it's disgusting but Ian & I thought it was perfect :) So anyway, we got there and there weren't really a lot of people - which was kind of a good thing, I suppose? At least there were no noisy people. I love watching the trailers. There weren't that many; probably 4. They also showed a Mickey Mouse episode. It was so old school but it was still quite entertaining. Read our conversation as the show started:
Ian: Omg, I hate Mickey's voice.
Diandra: Haha. I know right, it's so tiny!
Ian: Yea, same with Donald. Can't even understand what he's saying.
Diandra: (kept eating popcorn)
Goofy appears on screen.
Ian: Yeah, then the dumb one gets the normal voice.
Both: lots of giggling

So here's a bit on what the movie's all about:

Meet the Robinsons

When Lewis meets a mysterious boy from the future named Wilbur Robinson, the two travel forward in time where Lewis discovers the amazing secret of the Robinson family. Lewis is a brilliant twelve-year-old with a surprising number of clever inventions to his credit. His latest and most ambitious project is the Memory Scanner, which he hopes will retrieve early memories of his mother and maybe even reveal why she put him up for adoption. But before he can get his answer, his invention is stolen by the dastardly Bowler Hat Guy and his diabolical hat - and constant companion - Doris. Lewis has all but given up hope in his future when a mysterious boy named Wilbur Robinson whisks our bewildered hero away in a time machine and the two travel forward in time to spend a day with Wilbur's eccentric family. In a world filled with flying cars and floating cities, they hunt down Bowler Hat Guy, save the future and uncover the amazing secret of Lewis' future family.
http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1809417093/details

My movie review:
4.5 stars
The movie was awesome! It fulfilled my kid-at-heartness. hee :) The graphics was very well done too. I loved the characters, especially the frog and the cute dino. Haha. It was based on this book called "A Day with Wilbur Robinson". Maybe kids should be reading up on that. That must be a good read too. So I really recommend this movie - especially if you want to keep in touch with your childish side & if you love cartoons! You'd enjoy this movie. It's fun, clever, and heartwarming (you'll know what I mean once you see it) :)
You too should go MEET THE ROBINSONS! :)

Ian loved it as well.
Ian: funny, meaningful (in a way), there's like an "ahhh..." reaction [okayy there Ian]

A Recap of Hell Week

2007-04-21T17:24:00.000-04:00

The past week was really hell week for me. Although it wasn't so bad; well it wasn't THAT bad. So my final exam schedule looks like this:
Tuesday, April 17th - Biology (8 am - 11am)
Wednesday, April 18th - Psychology (8 am - 11 am) AND Psychoanalysis (4 pm - 6pm)
Thursday, April 19th - Philosophy (12 noon - 3 pm)
Thursday, April 26th - Sociology (8 pm - 10 pm)

My sleepless nights started exactly a week ago, last Saturday. I started studying for Biology. Biology wasn't that bad a course to review, considering it was not cumulative - I was really glad about that because I didn't have to study the whole course over again. I only had to review about 10 lectures. Not bad, right? So as I expected, at the end of the day, I only finished reviewing 3 lectures. I had 7 left. So the next day came and I wasn't that worried yet. I continued reviewing for Biology. Still, at the end of the day, I didn't finish studying BUT I actually started reading for Psychology since the final exam for that is cumulative (which i really hated, btw. It was such a b!tch.) Monday came and I realize I only have that whole day to finish off reviewing for Biology and at least be done half way for Psychology. I was surprised because we actually got through everything in that course. I guess paying for the textbook was worth it since I actually read the entire 700ish-page book. Now you can imagine how much intense studying I'd done in the span of 2 days. Even though that was partly my fault...well I guess it was ~~entirely~~ my fault ;p Anyway................so Monday night, I finished studying for Biology and partly finished reviewing for Psychology. I had so many booklets, textbooks, papers in front of me to help me review for Psychology but all I actually used were the textbook and the concept charts..oh and the past exam too which of course, I didn't finish because it was a whole 20-pg multiple choice questions. Eek. At least I had an insight as to how my exam is going to look like. It was very scary.

First exam day: Biology. Surprisingly, I was calm and my pulse wasn't racing for the first time. Which means that I actually know my stuff. I had hoped so. They alloted 3 hours for the exam but I was done after an hour and a half. I took my time and looked over my stuff. I ended up leaving at the 2nd hour. I didn't think it was that hard. Some questions were tricky which required more thinking, most were ok-ish and there were a couple that I couldn't answer so I had to utilize my guessing skills. hah! :) So I got home and I started reviewing right away because I knew I had still had so much to go through for Psychology. And I also had to prepare for the essay-based exam on Psychoanalysis the next afternoon. I start to panic but never worried - k maybe a little, but I almost-right-away pulled myself back together. I think this was the night I only slept for 3 hours? Most probably.

Second exam day: Psychology & Psychoanalysis. Not surprisingly, I was groggy and exhausted when I got to school. # 1 no-no for an exam-taker. I got to school an hour early and ate my breakfast there, read a bit more and just rested to calm my nerves. 8 am came and it was exam time. I wasn't as calm as I was the day before but still, I still held myself pretty well. I sat near the front so that nothing would distract me, which was a clever idea because you really don't want anything to distract you when you're taking a 160-multiple choice exam. It was so boring!!! I was sitting there, reading, trying to concentrate and wondering to myself 'when is this going to end!!" Well, guess what? I was only on the 11th page! There were 9 more pages left! The exam took me about 2 hours and a bit to finish. Phew, that was the longest multiple choice-based exam I've ever written. At 11, I left the exam room and picked a spot where I can eat and prepare for my next exam. I had 5 loooong hours to spend all by myself and my "Freud's Psychoanalysis Lectures". I didn't actually start preparing until the 2nd hour I was sitting there. I was so bored out of my mind that the only thing left for me to do was to people-watch. Also because my mp3 player lost battery after the hour. :( Long story short, I finished preparing for the essays and I was just waiting for the time to pass so I can finally finish this exam and move on to the next one. At 4pm I came into the exam room, a little nervous because I knew I should've prepared more. But I think I still pulled it off. I wrote down everything I had in mind - which took up 7 whole pages. The cost? my sore hand! My all-caring beau picked me up from school after and dropped me home. When I got home, I took a nap because I was super exhausted from writing 2 exams. I woke up at around 9ish pm. I started studying maybe an hour later, and ended up sleeping at 4 in the morning. I woke up at 9am and got to school at 11.

Last exam of the week: Philosophy. Finally, the last day! I was so anxious & I couldn't wait to finish the exam and leave the school and finally be free! for the rest of the week anyway. The test was again 3 hours long and I finished after an hour and 45 mins and waited a bit for my friend because she drove me back home. Ta da! that was the end of it (for this week). That's most of it anyway. I'm so happy. I only have 1 more exam left and that's Sociology. I don't think I would be studying until Monday. ;p I still want to relax and enjoy the sunny spring weather :) I'm also glad that the weather is getting better! Bye-bye winter cold, hello warm weather!

P.S. Will be posting my weekend entry soon. :)

Start of Something New

2007-04-12T15:13:00.000-04:00

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."
Seneca (Roman Philosopher)

About the title: "Start of Something New" :: No, not the one from Disney's Highschool Musical, ok? Just to clarify that ;p It's MY brand-new start :)

I have no recollection whatsoever of what inspired me and how it inspired me to write again - blogging, i mean. It was like that light bulb lighting up on top of my head - ding ding! idea!

First Entry

I was supposed to "launch" my blog site on April 1st, but because of a tremendous amount of school work dumped on me, I wasn't able to. Today is not a really special day, no special reason why I am starting this today; but it's just that today is my first free day to do anything I want 'cause classes ended yesterday (woopdeedoo). Anyway, I was thinking of continuing my old blog site "diandrababes.blogspot.com" (yes, it's still alive), but so much of the past was documented on that blog and i don't want to continue from that. Plus, I feel like a different person from that sixteen-year-old Diandra & I wanted to start fresh, hence this site!
I struggled coming up with a name for my blog. I wanted it to be smart, catchy, almost mind-boggling, and what did I end up with? "iamdiandra". WOW, that's SO original. Haha. I think I just got tired of making up names that sounds overly sophisticated or just plain stupid. And plus, since it's MY site and MY blog, it shall have my name on the site name :) Oh and another thing I struggled with...the layout! Being the super picky/choosy person that I am, I looked through tons and tons of blogger layouts from http://blogskins.com. There were a lot of good ones and not-so-good ones. I actually chose this sort of girly layout that says "glamorous" or something like that...but I changed my mind again and chose this "circle of life" layout 'cause it means more to me. :) So, thank you to that person who made this layout! I will eventually change it to another one, but not anytime soon.

Updates

I hope this blog would be a more permanent one, unlike the old one. The only reason I stopped anyway was the fact that I was super duper busy with school, and that didn't subside until now. No kidding. Two years have passed since I last wrote an entry - I thought it's about time again! I enjoy writing, too bad I am not able to do it often. Two years have passed, and I am now 18 going on 19. And I still feel like a kid at heart! I am now a Freshman going to Sophomore - how time flies! Of course with only 8 months of school, I get 4 months of vacation! Transition? Well starting university wasn't THAT much of a big deal for me, but it was still pretty big. I was one of the lucky ones (in my opinion anyway) who got to stay home - not having to worry about going out to get some groceries, doing the laundry, or what microwavable food to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (okay, maybe a little exaggerated, but you know what I mean). But I'm sure their social life is better than mine. At least, when you live in residence, you get to meet tons of new people, or your prospective best friend. It must be fun. Still, I'm not gonna lie. I like living at home, where I can lay on my super comfortable bed, not having to worry about going out to get some groceries, and thanks to my mom, I am eating good food (most of it anyway).
More of School
During my freshman year at the University of Toronto, I took some pretty interesting courses, some not really. I took 7 courses in total which added up to 5 credits:

Psychology - my favourite! a LOT of reading, but really interesting.
Sociology - an "ok" course. Half theories, half statistics. At least now I know how to use that statistical program SPSS.
Philosophy - very interesting, makes you think a lot & sometimes confusing. Nonetheless, I enjoyed it.
Biology152 & 153 - least favourite in terms of marks. Half about evolution, half on diversity of organisms (the more interesting one).
Linguistics - err, it should have been easy.
Psychoanalysis - All about Sigmund Freud and his theories. A bit boring but love the prof.

Now it's April and exams are just around the corner. Mine starts on April 17-19, 26.

Okay, so this blog is really, really long now. Maybe I should update you more later. Give your eyes a bit of rest and check back later on! :)

Enjoy my next entries! :)

{ It's all about Taking Chances }

Really???

Back on track!

I need a love song right now.

Hairstyle Hunt

Where will amazing happen this year?

This just in!!!! Awesomeness!

Random shenags.

Birthday plans!

The Weekend that was

Back on track!

Under Construction.

Study mode. Studying blues.

on break.

How well do I know Ian?

I won't last a day without YOU

spam sushi anyone?

busy bee.

Tagmania

On sleeping in and the All-Star Weekend.

twenty five.

MIA

Ohmygosh.

What makes for a great girlfriend?

New Beginnings & Happy Never Endings

Hello 2009!

2008: The Year in Review

Project 365

{Winter} Wonderland

{Charlie} bit me!

11 days 'til {christmas}!

{Watch out}

s t r e s s e d e s s e r t s

{Boots} from Down Under!

Go Team {Shiet}!

I'll be on {hiatus}.

i{heart}Maxxi

Snow, snow, go away...come again another..decade.

Getting bored.

Dark, cold, and gloomy

My hands are freezing/I miss you

In Control

M*A*S*H

New Look to iamdiandra

emotional rollercoaster

The Balancing Act

Three Little Birds

i'm swamped + random shenanigans

Updates, updates, & more updates!

So Excited! :)

Grrr-ness.

Driving, etc.

Just a short note.

PETcetera

"Diandra is trying not to freak out."

Montreal, Quebec City, & Ottawa Weekend

Life is hard.

getting karma through my dreams.

call me princess backfire.

This and that. .

Results

Your answers suggest you are a Counsellor

Summary of Counsellors

More about Counsellors

Counsellor Careers

Overall results

Birthday, Long Weekend, Canada day ... and then some.

Updates, etc.

just a quickie.

I'm Back!

Guess who's back!

iPod? nuh-uh!

Baby, that's what love is all about

4 Ways To Strengthen Your Relationship

On Zodiac Signs: Cancer

On the dark side.... Changeable and moody Overemotional and touchy Clinging and unable to let go

I Want Somebody...

What a Girl Wants

Mother's Day, etc.

Dear Dumb Diary,

MAS*H

On the dark side....

Changeable and moody
Overemotional and touchy
Clinging and unable to let go