Movies, sequels, and... threequels?

Some movies should be left alone, because their sequels and those that follow after just do not live up to the original film's greatness. Case in point: Bring It On. The first movie was great in its time - funny, original, and interesting - but the follow-ups don't make the cut at all.

There's Bring it on - Again, Bring it on - All or nothing, Bring it on - In it to win it, Bring it on - Fight to the finish... It's like a never ending stream of mediocre wannabes, all featuring the same plot, just different actors. I'm not unashamed to admit that I own probably 3/4 of the above movies, but hey, they make pretty good background noise when working on class assignments.

I really don't know why Hayden Panettiere agreed to do the movie. Watching her dance and cheer was a bit awkward, but I guess that's why the film pretty much went straight to DVD.

There's also the Shrek movies, all four of them, which progressively get worse. I don't know why they didn't stop at magic number 3.

 

I remember being pleasantly entertained by the first one, with its unexpected hero, somewhat disappointed with the second one, with the annoying Prince Charming and the Fairy Godmother, completely umimpressed with the third one, so much so that I don't even remember what it was about... And the latest one totally lost my attention about 15 minutes into the movie.

More honorable mentions include Legally Blonde 2: Red, White, and Blonde (which just about killed the legacy of the first one). But I still love Reese Witherspoon. She's gorgeous and absolutely talented.

Despite these failures, great movie sequels do exist. Like the Toy Story trilogy, the amazing X-Men trilogy (which opened my eyes to the sensational world of X-Men comics), and Spiderman 1 & 2 (the third one is excluded because it was downright awful).

I also liked Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, and I actually thought it was better than the first one. Maybe it was because I saw the second one first and the first one probably appealed more to the generation before me. Or maybe it was because the lead guy, Diego Luna, looks like this.

I mean, who wouldn't want to watch a movie starring him??

Anyway, all this was inspired by my viewing of Twilight: Eclipse today. I read all four Twilight books a while ago, so I didn't remember a thing about the third book, but I was super duper excited about the latest movie. It just brought back awesome memories of last year, when I saw the entire cast at the Twilight: New Moon premiere in LA. Good times.

The movie was actually pretty good. An improvement from the second one, which was an improvement from the first one. Plus I totally think Bella is stupid to go for the cold, soulless vampire when she has the hot (in every sense of the word) werewolf right in front of her. So I was glad to see Jacob finally getting some action, even though I know the ending isn't great for him.

*spoilers ahead*
The fourth book was a total disappointment, what with its weird half-vampy baby, Jacob's pedophile behavior, and the horribly anti-climactic Volturi retreat, but... I'm excited to see how this much-anticipated series will end on the big screen.

And on another movie-related note, since I have all this free time now, I recently watched:

• Hot Rod
  Another one of those idiotic comedies my brothers love. It was mildly entertaining, seeing this grown man acting like a kid, attempting all those stunts, failing miserably, and still thinking he's all that.

• When in Rome
  I thought the premise was kind of cute, but those stereotypical guys who chased after her were kind of predictable and boring. It could've been better.

• The Other Boleyn Girl
  This was, hands down, the MOST fascinating movie I've seen in a while. Sometimes I get distracted while watching a movie, and I go on facebook or chat with friends or do something on the side... But during this movie, I was completely captivated. It was just absolutely compelling. The storyline, the acting, everything was brilliant. Great story about ambition, greed, innocence, temptation... all set in ancient times. I was so caught up in the entire thing that I even googled the story after the movie ended, and I found out it was loosely based on a true story. What can I say, I'm a sucker for true stories.

• Leap Year
  Remember how I just said I usually get distracted while watching movies? Well, I was totally distracted when watching this. It wasn't very interesting at all. Very predictable and monotonous. I already forgot most of it, and I literally just watched it.

• Remember Me
  Okay, so, I'm not a huge fan of R.Pat, so I was a little reluctant to watch this. But I'd heard good things about it, so I decided to put aside my prejudice and take a chance. And although R.Pat was his usual Twilight self, all mysterious and brooding, the storyline was actually rather riveting. And the ending just blew me away. I literally had goosebumps on my skin.

• Kick Ass
  This was another one of my brother's favorite, i.e., stupid movie. Violent, horrific, and downright dumb. I don't know who produces these movies, really.

People watching escapades

Human nature is so fascinating. I love observing strangers and watching them interact with others. Sometimes when I’m bored at Sarpino’s I look at the people in the food court and make up life stories for them, like where they came from, how their childhood was, what career they're in, what they're thinking about... the possibilities are endless.

Also, it’s funny and mildly entertaining to see how different customers behave differently when they stop by Sarpino’s.

• Some of them are on a mission – they know exactly what kind of pizza they want, whether they want to eat it there or take it away, and they sometimes even have the exact change to pay – so they take and go, no questions asked.

• Some of them – I call them the ‘flightys’ – are so fickle that they have to scrutinize every single pizza and its ingredients before picking one out. These people also usually choose the piece of pizza they want, which is normally the one that looks freshest/biggest (so they get more bang for their buck). They can be incredibly polite and friendly – some of them make jokes about their indecisiveness – or they can be taking all the time in the world to discuss their eating plans with whoever they are with, leaving me to stare at the pizzas, the lights, the cash register… anything to avoid eye contact with them for fear of, god forbid, scaring them away by pressuring them with my stare.
  
  I like to predict what these people will choose; it's interesting, watching them stare at the pizzas as if the pizzas themselves will call out to them to help them in their decision-making. You can practically see the wheels turning in their minds as they go from one pizza to the next, and back to the first one.

• Some of them (the more rude or annoying ones,) will walk past, stare for a second, ignore my ‘hi’ and glower in response to my friendly smile, and then walk away as if the pizza has offended them in another life.

• Some of them (the rare ones), are extremely skittish, and will jump nervously and scamper away the moment I open my mouth. It’s as if they think I will devour them if they dare to ask me a question about the pizzas.

• Some of them (also rather rare) are Muslims, and they will walk up to the store in a determined manner and ask me 1001 questions about our halal meat – where it’s from, what it’s made of, and demand to see certification so they can be assured it is truly halal, and not (gasp) pork.

Yeah... that's how I spend my time.

Funny inventions

I saw pictures of these Japanese inventions online, and I could not stop laughing for the life of me.

A toilet paper hat thingy?? I wonder if anyone really used that.

But this is my fave: The baby-outfit-floor-cleaner. The innocent look on that little baby's face is just priceless. It's like he's wondering why on earth his parents want him to crawl all over the floor. Haha.

What I wouldn't give for a voice like this

Brooke Fraser.

Absolutely adore her voice. It's incredible, it's amazing, and I wish to God I could sing like her. If I had a voice like hers, I would be singing every second of every day. And my life would be somewhat like a Disney musical :)

A friend introduced me to this song a while ago - Shadowfeet - and I really love the lyrics. That's what I like about her; she doesn't just sing wonderfully, her songs are actually meaningful and inspiring.

When the world has fallen out from under me
I'll be found in you, still standing
Every fear and accusation under my feet
when time and space are through
I'll be found in you 

I like that she branched out from Hillsong and did her own thing, although I think she's a little underrated. I don't know why more people haven't heard of her. Every time I listen to songs like 'Desert Song' and 'Lord of Lords' and 'Lead me to the Cross,' I can't help but feel God tugging at my heart strings.

Spirit now living
And dwelling within me
Keep my eyes fixed
Ever on Jesus' face
Let not the things of this world
Ever sway me
I'll run 'til I finish the race

Easier said than done... but I'm trying.

Sunday escapades

I love Sundays. 

Because...
1. It's a day off from work.
2. I get to explore Perth and discover all it has to offer

And so I found out not all of Perth looks like this...

The first Sunday it was just mom and me at church, and afterwards we got lost in the city (even with the help of a GPS).
But we ended up a quaint little area in the city called Subiaco, explored the markets, and then went to Harbortown, an outlet mall. We tried some Japanese ramen, which was really salty and just overall bad. And I got a pair of black heeled boots :)

The second Sunday it was still mom and me, and this time the legendary Pastor Benny Ho preached; he was pretty funny. Afterwards we went to the Fremantle markets and had Japanese ramen again, this time it was delicious. We also tried a spinach-mushroom-tomato-cheese crepe - BEST tasting crepe I have ever had! It marked the start of mom's obsession with making crepes and perfecting them. We've been having crepes a lot for breakfast - with nutella, chocolate, bananas, even tuna.

This Sunday all of us went to church, brother and cousins included. We had a picnic lunch at a lake with mom's cell group afterwards. Hamburgers, hot dogs, satay, subway sandwiches, homemade sandwiches, carbonara, bee hoon, pasta, fruit salad... It was a feast.
And the lake was so pretty; it was filled with adorable little ducks and the sky was so blue it looked like it was photoshopped.

We went to the movies later and watched Toy Story 3! It was excellent, just like every other Disney/Pixar movie.

Seriously, I have yet to find any horribly bad movie by Pixar or Disney. Films like Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, and Up were pretty much awesome. Except maybe Wall-E, which was a tad too boring for me, with its lack of dialogue in the first half. Although... even though everyone else said they cried, I didn't. I was waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the part where I was supposed to cry, but it never came. The last part was a little nostalgic, but not really terribly sad. Overall, a great movie though.

During the ride back, a huge truck packed to the brim with sheep passed us by. I was very much amused, for some reason. Those poor little squashed sheep.

And then... home sweet home.

Food makes the world go round

Some people say 'money makes the world go round,' I say that's false. Because food definitely triumphs money in the area of connecting people and building relationships. Think about it. When was the last time you shared a bonding moment with someone? It was probably over a cup of coffee, a bowl of noodles, a plate of pasta, a mug of hot chocolate... You get the point.

All that to say... I am learning more about food now than ever. Everyday I discover something new about cooking via the amazing TV show - Masterchef Australia! It's incredible the way they make cooking look so fun and interesting.

So I tried my hand at cooking. I helped my mom make dinner sometimes... And now I have graduated from simply washing the dishes to washing the veggies to chopping them up to stir frying them to making my own chapati (Indian pancakes) from chapati flour and water and other stuff! It tasted good too. I was proud of my achievements. It's actually kind of exciting, making dinner every night.

Plus we get to have different types of food for dinner; so far we've had chapati and minced beef, curry vegetables and rice, Japanese ramen noodle soup, turkey porridge, stir fried vegetables and rice, baked chicken and lettuce... 
And last night someone brought over red bean soup with orange peel. It was especially good to have that in this cold-as-ice, uninsulated house.

Having homemade food is definitely an improvement from all that American junk food I've been consuming over the past 4 years. Just thinking about pasta or burgers or fries or macaroni and cheese makes me pale.

So the fact that Sarpino's is located right by Sumo Sushi is total cause for rejoicing. Now I can have all the tuna/chicken teriyaki sushi I want, anytime I want! (There's a Chinese buffet-style place too, but the food looks like it's awfully greasy and loaded with salt, just the way Americans love it, so naturally I avoid it like it's the plague).
I love that the soy sauce from the sushi place comes in a little fish-shaped packet :)

Sometimes we get sushi or bubble tea for free too, because my mom has made friends with all the other asian stall-owners in the food court (of course). It's like our very own little asian food community. The plus is that we get free food occasionally, because we all exchange stuff at the end of the day - a good way to get rid of leftovers.

I'm sure they're as sick of sushi/chinese stir fry as we are of pizza and pasta. Everyday, the aroma of freshly baked pizza wafts into my nostrils, and I feel like it haunts me even after work. You can just call me a walking, talking, breathing pizza, because I smell like oil and grease; my pores are probably clogged with pizza oil too. Not cool.

But I still get a kick out of making pizzas and selling them. As long as I'm busy doing something, I'm not complaining.  
So I found something new to do when I'm bored at work - BAKE!

Baking is so much fun, and yet so hard. It's so easy to get things wrong, especially when you don't know how to change the temperature on the oven! Today I baked chocolate chocolate chip muffins and berry cheesecake muffins in the oven at a whopping 220 degrees celsius. They were burnt on the outside and undercooked on the inside. Stupid oven. But they still tasted alright... just didn't look so appetizing.
And the other day I baked chocolate chip cookies and oatmeal nut cookies... Same thing happened. Looked awful but tasted not-so-bad.

I have resolved to slowly improve my baking skills. I will be baking up a storm in the days to come!

To end with a quote - as a wise friend of mine (named Cartoon) once said, while grabbing all the candy she could, "I love food!"
I couldn't agree more.

Pizza-making Adventures

It's been... what... 2 weeks since I first came to Perth? I think so. Not sure though. It's hard to tell because the days just pass by ridiculously quickly and it's becoming rather monotonous.

This is what I do everyday:

Wake up at the break of dawn (okay, 9am).
Go to the pizzeria.
Start making pizzas.
Sell pizzas.
Make more pizzas.
Sell more pizzas.
Make even more pizzas.
Sell even more pizzas.
Clean up.
Go home.
Help make dinner.
Wash up.
Shower.
Go online/watch a movie/watch TV.
Bug my brother. Persuade him to use face mask to remove pimples.
Sleep.

And repeat cycle the next day.

Unless I go to the office, in which case it will be:

Wake up at the break of dawn.
Go to the office.
Surf the net.
Do some data entry/filing.
Eat lunch.
Pretend to work/look busy typing on the computer.
Watch a movie while doing more data entry/accounting.
Go home.
Help make dinner.
Wash up.
Shower.
Go online/watch a movie/watch TV.
Bug my brother. Persuade him to use face mask to remove pimples. 
Sleep.

Relaxing? Boring? Happening?

Well, at least today was exciting. We worked from 9am to 9pm because Thursdays are the only days malls in Perth open late (I have no idea why they don't do it on Fridays), and so people kept coming all day to buy pizzas. Which was much appreciated, because being busy is definitely preferable to sitting down all day bored out of my mind (like on Mondays or Tuesdays, when no one apparently is in the mood to eat pizzas).

So minus the burn wounds I got from accidentally touching the blistering hot pizza pans, and my poor, throbbing sore feet, I'd say today was a good day.  
And I thank God for that.

A turning point in life?

This past week, I watched the movie "From Paris With Love" with my brother, and it was rather mediocre, as far as action movies go. The plot was predictable, the acting was uninspiring, and the dialogue left much to be desired. But I was still entertained, even if it was because of John Travolta's bold and brazen character. I don't think I've ever seen him in a role quite like that before, because his most memorable roles (to me, at least) were the dancing dude from Grease and the man-turned-woman on Hairspray, and so to watch him act all arrogant and unrefined was pretty amusing. 

Anyway, movie aside, the reason I mentioned the film was because there was a particular scene in which Jonathan Rhys Meyers’ girlfriend-turned-spy/suicidal-terrorist reveals her motives for joining the dark side. She tells him that all her life she never knew what her ultimate purpose was, and she never had some sort of final goal she wanted to achieve during her time on earth. But one day, she met this religious guy, and it was right at that moment that she knew. She understood her life’s calling. She claimed that was the turning point in her life where everything in the past didn’t matter, because she acknowledged, without a doubt, her purpose in life. And from then on she worked toward fulfilling the reason she was put on this earth.

That pretty much blew my mind. It was incredible. Intense and thought provoking. I might be the only person who appreciated that scene, but hey, it somewhat redeemed an otherwise C-grade movie for me.

It got me thinking: Is there such a thing as a turning point in life?  
A clearly defined moment where we turn our backs on our past and look forward to the future with a new and heightened sense of purpose? An instance of absolute significance that undermines everything we ever believed in and gives us a distinct zeal for life?

I have no idea. Maybe it’s one definite moment, maybe it’s a process, maybe it’s a lifelong journey toward discovering our life’s calling. But whatever it is, I sure would like to determine mine, because I’ve been feeling rather aimless lately, seeing as how I am a fresh graduate and my first 'job' right out of college is working in a pizza place in Perth, Australia, voted one of the most boring places on the face of the earth (by me). 

I just think there's got to be more to life than simply settling for whatever career you fall into. And yes, I think my generation and my parents' generation are worlds apart. Their mindset is to work to earn money and provide for their family -- very practical. Our mindset is to find a career we are passionate about and love doing, no matter how low the salary is or how bad the working conditions are -- very idealistic. But I don't mind being idealistic, because I'd rather live my life with purpose. I'd rather live in a cardboard box and do something I absolutely love everyday than settle into a cubicle and waste my life away earning big bucks but not enjoying any moment of it.


So yes, my goal right now is to find a goal for my life. Because you know what they say, a person without purpose is like a log of wood drifting into the vastness of the ocean until it is completely lost and overwhelmed by the water.

Okay, no one really says that. I just made it up. But you know what I mean. I just want to unearth my purpose in life, if that’s not too much to ask for.

My bucket list

As inspired by the movie, "The Bucket List," (I haven't seen the movie, I'm just inspired by its premise) I've written a list myself, before I 'kick the bucket' and go to be with Jesus. But hopefully that won't happen anytime soon, because there's so much I want to do in life.

My Bucket List

-Watch an NBA basketball game live.
-Travel to Kenya or any other African country, explore the place and experience the culture.
-Spend a year doing a missions trip somewhere in the world, helping others in need.
-Go to Venice and ride a gondola.
-Learn ballroom dancing.
-Go skydiving.
-Learn how to use a gun (just for the heck of it).
-Try fencing.
-Learn karate.
-Learn Spanish. Or Korean.
-Ride in a submarine.
-Learn how to surf.
-Jump off a cliff.
-Work on a movie set.
-Visit the Grand Canyon.
-Visit the pyramids of Egypt.
-Visit the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil.
-Go to Germany during Oktoberfest.
-Celebrate Mardi Gras.
-Go to DisneyWorld in Florida again.
-Go on a road trip and visit all the states in America I haven’t been to.
-Visit Antarctica (after visiting Africa), so I can say I’ve been to every continent in the world.
-Vacation in the Carribean.
-Get certified as a bartender.
-Learn how to cook well.
-Learn how to drive eventually.
-Smoke weed (in a country where it’s legal, just to try it out).
-Go crazy in Las Vegas.
-Swim with dolphins. I will completely get over my absurd fear of the ocean one day.
-Go dog sledding in Alaska.
-Experience first-hand fashion week in NYC.
-Watch a world cup match live.
-Get a tattoo (just a tiny one).
-Help a complete stranger and ask for nothing in return.
-Make an impact on someone’s life unknowingly.
-Find my talents and make full use of them.
-Smile everyday and make others smile too.
-Fall in love.
-Find joy in everything.
-Live life to the fullest.
-Be thankful for everything.

I'm sure there's more, but this is it for now.


What I've already ticked off my bucket list:

-Visited Europe – France: Paris, Italy: Rome, Vatican City, Florence, Germany: Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Greece: Athens
-Went to Disney World/Disney Land/Universal Studios/Six Flags/Disney Sea.
-Lived in New York City.
-Went on a cruise.
-Lived in Los Angeles and interned in the film industry.
-Visited the Sydney Opera House.
-Went on a mission trip to Jamaica and Miami.
-Visited the Eiffel Tower.
-Visited the Louvre.
-Visited the ruins of Greece.
-Went into the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.
-Visited churches and places where Jesus went to in Jerusalem.
-Explored the Coliseum in Rome.
-Visited a concentration camp in Munich.

-Went clubbing in Indiana, NYC, LA, Tokyo, Las Vegas, Hawaii, Bangkok, Singapore.
-Met random strangers and had a meal with them (their treat, of course).
-Let strangers buy drinks for me.
-Stayed over at a stranger’s house.  
(Long story. I know, it could’ve ended badly if they’d turned out to be psychos, but they were pretty cool).
-Got drunk for the first time in NYC.
-Did stupid things when drunk.

-Held a koala bear in Australia (it pooped all over me).
-Broke a bone (three bones, to be exact, and at three different times).
-Dyed my hair (bright red, too).
-Had curly (well, wavy) hair.
-Baked cookies at midnight for study parties.
-Broke school rules and didn’t get caught.
-Sang karaoke in front of a bar full of strangers.
-Danced on stage in front of people (for Airband/for chapel/in a club).
-Sang/played guitar on stage in front of people (for chapel).
-Formed a band called Neveah – 'heaven' spelled backwards - for Taylor Christian Artists and performed regularly as a ministry to others.
-Talked to a Greek hunk on a motorcycle.
-Tossed a coin in the Trevi Fountain in Rome.
-Ate gelato on the Spanish Steps in Rome.
-Went sledding down the ice during winter.
-Led worship.
-Made money by my own hard work – first job ever – Yami Yogurt.
-Taught others how to speak Singlish.
-Had dance parties in classrooms.
-Gambled in a Las Vegas casino.

-Experienced the first fall of snow, snow fights, made snow angels and snowmen.
-Experienced leaves turning red and then falling off as the seasons changed.
-Been in two places at once (every time I crossed a state line in the US).
-Celebrated Cinco de Mayo.
-Made friends with people from all over the world.
-Saw the New York Yankees play a baseball game in their brand new stadium.
-Watched a live football game at college (it was actually exciting when we won the game).
-Had people offer me marijuana, cigarettes and tobacco.
-Wrote an entire full-length screenplay (a romantic comedy).
-Produced a short film and attended its premiere + after party on Sunset Boulevard 
(granted, it was for school, but still cool all the same).
-Attended a film festival in LA.
-Went to several movie premieres in Hollywood.
-Saw several glamorous movie stars on the red carpet during premieres.
-Sat in the same movie theatre as Hollywood stars like Jennifer Garner and Drew Barrymore.
-Went to the movies for free.
-Celebrated Thanksgiving, complete with home cooked meal.
-Went to all kinds of concerts, from Fall Out Boy to Lady Gaga to Backstreet Boys to Pussycat Dolls to The Fray.
-Met up with random strangers from chat rooms.
-Had a pen pal from a different country.
-Went to several TV show tapings, like The Jay Leno Show, The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien and Jimmy Kimmel Live.
-Attended the CNN Heroes award show in the Kodak Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.
-Got surprised by a surprise 21st birthday party thrown by friends.
-Saw the legendary David Copperfield in action.


Can’t wait to add more to this growing list :)

I'm a city girl

After my attempts at living in the countryside... in the cornfields of Indiana and the quiet streets of Perth... I have decided that, without a doubt, the country is not for me. Yes, it's nice to sit and relax for a bit, but I just get too fidgety and my inner city girl squirms around in her seat, wanting to be let loose someplace where there are tons of people at all hours, bright lights, things to do, and adventures to experience.

It's only been a week and already I miss going to the mall anytime I want, meeting up with friends for a meal or a movie, even walking around the city aimlessly. I just want something to do, anything, other than watch TV from 7pm-midnight for lack of anything better to do. And I keep thinking about how much fun I was having, this time last year, in the city that never sleeps, good old New York City. Ohhhh good times. But it's okay.

Life will get more exciting soon. It just has to. Hopefully I will hear back from the schools in Korea soon so I can go teach English in Seoul!! And be reunited with friends!! And get to travel and be with cute little kids everyday!!


Look how ridiculously ADORABLE these little kiddos are!! I just want to hug them and squeeze their cheeks and bottle their cuteness up!!

I still have no idea how I'm going to teach a class full of hyped up kids, but... I'm sure I can learn as things progress... right? If it's meant to be, it will happen.

So today I'm grateful for this restful period of my life, where I get to chillax (chill out and relax) and think about what meaningful things I wish to do with my life.

Technology

Today, I'm thankful for the invention of technology. Although many could argue that some forms of technology have taken away our personal interaction and some aspects of our humanity, I'm glad we have televisions, computers, refrigerators, microwaves, ovens, cars, phones... Can't imagine a life without all these.

Worst Reality TV Shows

I can’t imagine a time before reality TV, can you? Shows like ‘Survivor’ and ‘The Amazing Race’ have been around for countless seasons, and I really can’t remember what was on TV before these entertaining shows came on. I know reality TV has a bad reputation, seeing as how they’re full of catfights, backstabbing, and deliciously bitchy moments. And of course there are piles and piles of money to be won at the end.

It really brings out the worst behavior in humankind, motivated by money, the ‘root of all evil.’ But there are decent shows, like the above two mentioned, as well as ‘The Biggest Loser,’ which encourages people to lose weight and lead a healthy lifestyles (motivated by a cash prize), and ‘The Bachelor,’ which I view as harmless entertainment but others see it as a demeaning spectacle of relationships. Okay, I guess when I say ‘decent,’ I mean somewhat less undignified than the trashy shows listed below.

Temptation Island



I watched a few episodes of this show back in the day, when it was seen as shocking and controversial because of its content in a time where people were still conservative. But bring this show back now and people wouldn’t bat an eyelid. It’s about unmarried couples who are brought to an island where they experience temptations from the opposite sex, and their love is put to the test. Obviously some people failed. Sounds like real life – I don’t know why these people needed to be brought to an island when they could’ve faced those temptations anywhere. Well, I guess people tempting each other in bikinis and speedos is more entertaining than if they were in thick coats and jackets.

The Real Housewives of…



Really. I don’t know why there’s so much hype surrounding this. Ridiculously rich housewives going shopping, bitching about one another, going for manicures… Who really cares. And why are we helping them get even richer by supporting their pointless show??

Farmer Wants a Wife



When I first saw the preview for this series, I thought, “Wow, those TV producers must be getting desperate, or else their creative juices must be running on empty.” They put a Missouri farmer on TV, looking for love and choosing between several city girls… Right. It’s basically ‘The Bachelor’ in the cornfields. As interesting as watching my toenails grow.

My Super Sweet 16



Okay, first off, I have to admit I watch this series whenever I can. I know everyone else hates seeing those spoilt teenagers throwing ridiculously huge parties and receiving insane gifts like a car and some celebrity performing at their shindig, but… I just love laughing at how bratty they are, and how their parents give them whatever they want, not knowing they’re just raising their kids to be the next bimbo Paris Hilton. But it does get annoying at times, watching them toss so much cash out the window like its water. I mean, their freaking party could probably feed thousands of starving people for years, but do they care? No, they just want to scream at everyone and boss them all around and rub their decadent lifestyles in everyone’s faces! Okay, I may or may not be a teeny bit jealous of how insanely rich they are.

My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé



This poor girl, Randi Coy, agreed to have a fake marriage with fiancé, Steve, in order to win some money. Things would’ve gone much smoother if Steve played along, but little did she know that he was an actor who fit the title perfectly. Big and horrendously obnoxious in every way, he scared her unsuspecting family to tears. But they put up with it, and everyone won money in the end. I think I actually watched every episode of this one (I must’ve been bored), and it was rather painful. This is one instance where the end goal is not worth the traumatic journey.

The Swan



A mix of Extreme Makeover and every pageant contest known to humankind, this series was downright distressing to watch. I gave up after one episode. Just seeing those poor women with low self esteem go under the knife to become ‘beautiful’ by society’s standards was heartbreaking. My humble opinion has always been, say NO to plastic surgery. I think we were all created beautiful, and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Seriously, a good haircut, contacts, and some makeup can change your life. I speak from experience. AND THEN, after they become unrecognizable after surgery, they enter into The Swan pageant to see who’s the most beautiful. Superficial. And talk about an immediate blow to your self-esteem. Can you imagine how awful they would feel if they went through all that surgery and STILL didn’t win the pageant??

Dating in the Dark



I didn’t plan on watching this one; I thought the premise was ludicrous, but someone told me to watch it for pure entertainment’s sake, and so I did. The show brings 3 men and 3 women into a house, and they never get to see the opposite sex until the final reveal. Their only interaction is in a dark room, where they talk, snuggle, play games, make out, etc. So obviously some couples connect, and emotions are stirred… Until they reveal their physical appearances to each other. And the ugly superficiality of humanity surfaces. Most of the time, the not-so-attractive person is left alone while the other leaves because, despite what we try to tell ourselves about inner beauty, we are a shallow generation. Everything about the show is cringe-worthy, because we all know the ugly person is just waiting to be rejected. I was relieved when the show finally ended.

Who Wants to Marry a Stranger

(This show must've been pretty obscure. Or else it was taken off air after one episode, because I couldn't find any picture of it at all.)

I just saw an episode of this show last night, and it was so absurd I totally had to include it in this list. Actually, this was what inspired me to make the list in the first place. It starts off with a woman planning her marriage. Sounds normal, right? But wait, she has no idea who the groom is. How she can plan a marriage around that, I have no idea. So it gets better – her mother, her best friend, and her sister get to meet 5 charming guys, interview them and their families in a mere 3 days, and pick one to marry the ‘lucky’ lady.

Filled with stressful moments, tense situations, and awkward circumstances, it’s actually a little entertaining, once you get past how sorry you feel for the bride. She must be paid a heck of a lot of money to do this, otherwise she’s either hearing her biological clock ticking fast and she's completely desperate to get married or she’s plain insane. I mean, meeting her husband at the altar for the first time? Not getting a chance to even see or talk to each other before they say ‘I do???’ It was definitely NOT the happiest day of their lives. And the shocker – both actually said yes. They probably thought if the marriage didn't work out, they could just get a quickie divorce. Seriously, marriage is becoming nothing but a piece of paper these days.

A Shot at Love with Tila Tequila



Oh boy. I was introduced to this outrageous MTV series in Chicago over sophomore year fall break, and I remember the girls being addicted to it. So I decided to give it a try, to see how good or bad it was. And it was BAD. It’s basically like ‘The Bachelorette,’ only this crazy Tila Tequila person is bisexual and gets intimate with girls and guys alike in the house. Talk about a messed up world. Needless to say, I wasn’t much of a fan.

I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here



I saw half of an episode once, mostly propelled by curiosity as to how Speidi (Heidi and Spencer from The Hills) were doing on the show. And my interest totally waned after mere minutes. This show just screams ‘desperate D-list actors trying to get into the limelight again.’ I didn’t even recognize anyone on the show except Speidi and Janice Dickinson, former catty America’s Next Top Model judge. The show’s concept was similar to Survivor’s, except with way less interesting people.

Are You Hot?: The Search for America’s Sexiest People


I'm guessing these are the 'hot' guys



The title says it all. Guys and girls would go on stage before a panel of judges, who would tell them if they were physically ‘hot’ or ‘not,’ AND THAT WAS IT. Superficiality at its proudest. There is seriously nothing redeeming about this show. I mean, who are the judges to say who is hot and who is not???

Marriage Ref



My friend showed me an episode of this once, and it was so absurd, we laughed our heads off. Basically, couples who cannot resolve their domestic arguments bring their case before a panel of judges (as well as the entire world), who will help them decide who wins. And some of their disputes are completely ridiculous, such as the husband who wanted a stripper pole installed in the bedroom because he wanted his wife to spice things up (of course the wife was horrified and appropriately indignant, but the husband won in the end), and the crazy husband who loved his dog so much he stuffed and preserved the dog after it died, and put it in a shrine in their house so he could see his dead stuffed dog everyday (if I were the wife, I would run away screaming immediately, and yes, she won of course). Oh the things people do. Amazes me sometimes.

So yeah, I don’t know why these reality TV shows are on air, but hey, if ever you’re really really really bored, and you've already plucked out all your hair and counted every speckle of dust in the room, then there’s always the last option of the trashy reality TV show.

Random movie quotes

Americans love to quote movies. Sometimes I wish I were as good as them at memorizing all these classic movie lines. It's like they can watch a movie a few times and start quoting it every chance they get. Me, I don't even remember a line from any of my favorite movies. Well, I guess I know Forrest Gump's "Life is like a box of chocolates - you never know what you're gonna get," and Star Wars' "May the force be with you," but everyone who's ever watched a movie knows that.

So anyway, even though I don't memorize movie quotes word for word, there are several movie quotes that kind of stuck out to me over the years...

The Devil Wears Prada


LOVE this film. I'd say it was Anne Hathaway's breakthrough from being typecast as 'the girl from The Princess Diaries.' Although it intimidates me a little, thinking about how cutthroat the magazine industry is.
So there's this scene where Miranda's assistant talks about her obsession with her body image, and she goes, "I'm on this new diet, it's very effective. I don't eat anything, and when I feel like I'm about to faint, I eat a cube of cheese... I'm one stomach flu away from reaching my goal weight."
Painfully true reflection of society today.

When Harry Met Sally



Classic friends-turned-to-lovers story. I liked the part when Harry turned up at the party in the end and told Sally, after years of friendship and on-off relationships, "I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."

Hitch



One of the better romantic comedies - original and not as cheesy as other films. And you can tell that I'm somewhat of a romantic, because I liked when Hitch said, "So how does it happen, great love? Nobody knows... But what I can tell you is that it happens in the blink of an eye. One moment you're enjoying your life, and the next you're wondering how you ever lived without them."

Mean Girls



I don't know what it is about this movie, but it's owned by practically every girl on campus at Taylor. I guess it's a pretty true and ironic portrayal of girls and high school. So there's this part where Cady gets a revelation after doing a complete 180 and realizing she was becoming 'plastic,' and she says, "Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier. Calling someone stupid doesn't make you any smarter."
Totally agree. Whoever said sticks and stones will break your bones, but words won't hurt, was completely lying.

500 Days of Summer



I just watched this movie again, and I love everything about it. The cinematography, the music, the actors and the acting, the plot, and the wicked dialogue. Although I kind of disagreed with what the narrator said at the end, "Most days of the year are unremarkable. They begin and they end with no lasting memory made in between. Most days have no impact on the course of a life."
I think everything we do has an impact - on our lives and on others'. Even the smallest, most insignificant things. So although sometimes we go through days that feel mundane and monotonous, I think they still have some sort of impact, because I believe everything happens for a reason, and it's that sort of mindset that helps you through the ups and downs of life. I mean, if you didn't believe things had an ultimate purpose or goal, then really what's the point of life at all?

Never Been Kissed



Okay I realized all my movies on this list are somewhat romantic comedies, but so what. They have good value too, especially when geeky Josie Geller tells her co-workers about how she's waiting for the right guy to come along and sweep her off her feet, and she says, "That thing, that moment, when you kiss someone and everything around becomes hazy and the only thing in focus is you and this person and you realize that that person is the only person that you're supposed to kiss for the rest of your life, and for one moment you get this amazing gift and you want to laugh and you want to cry because you feel so lucky that you found it and so scared that that it will go away all at the same time."
I used to think she was such an idealist and a dreamer, but now I think the world could use more people like that.

I also liked what she said at prom, when she declared to the high school kids that "There is a big world out there... bigger than prom, bigger than high school, and it won't matter if you were the prom queen, the quarterback of the football team, or the biggest nerd in school. Find out who you are and try not to be afraid of it."
So true. School totally doesn't matter. Who you were in high school or college doesn't matter, because you can totally reinvent yourself when you step out into 'the real world.'

Spiderman 3



Not the best Spiderman movie, but it had a crazy interesting quote. I think it was when Spidey was attacked by the black venom and went bad, and he said something like, "If you want forgiveness, get a religion."
Um, pretty sure I don't agree with that. Forgiveness is universal; we forgive each other, and God forgives us. It's not some rule within some religion. But then again, he said it when he was 'evil,' so I guess it makes sense that it would be controversial.

Zoolander



Ben Stiller cracks me up here. He's so incredibly stupid, it's actually funny. Like when he sees the model version of a center he's building, and he exclaims in genuine indignation, "What is this?? A center for ants? How can we be expected to teach children to learn how to read... if they can't even fit inside the building??"
His innocence/ignorance is hilarious.

Dumb and Dumber



Classic idiotic comedy, but oh so funny. Jim Carrey at his finest, channeling the stupidity of Lloyd. Like when he tries to hit on Mary.

Lloyd: What do you think the chances are of a guy like you and a girl like me... ending up together?
Mary: Well, Lloyd, that's difficult to say. I mean, we don't really...
Lloyd: Hit me with it! Just give it to me straight! I came a long way just to see you, Mary. The least you can do is level with me. What are my chances?
Mary: Not good.
Lloyd: You mean, not good like one out of a hundred?
Mary: I'd say more like one out of a million.
(pause)
Lloyd: So you're telling me there's a chance??? YEAH!


And when Harry tries to read the map to tell Lloyd where to go, he says, "According to the map, we've only gone 4 inches."

Hahaha.
I don't know how scriptwriters think of such great funny stuff.

Work and Pain

Since I forgot to write up a thanksgiving yesterday, I’ll do two today.



Yesterday, I went to the Sarpino’s office to help out with the business’ bookkeeping and accounting. I sorted through messy files, entered data into the computer, wrote down a bunch of numbers, and most of all, realized I never want to be an accountant. Ever. Just thinking about data entry and numbers gives me a headache. And all those big words… About legal stuff and banking stuff and business stuff… I don’t think I could set up my own business. Too much detail that I couldn't care about. I’m just happy to be the writer and let others handle the boring side of the business.

So I’m thankful I chose the right major in college, because I never once regretted it. People always say the average person switches majors at least 5 to 7 times in college, but I never even thought about the possibility. So yes, I’m definitely glad to be holding the degree that suits me to a tee.

Today, I woke up with a familiar blinding pain in my abdomen.
Hello period, you’re right on time, every three weeks you haunt me relentlessly like a ghost.
Well, it’s okay. This time, I will try to be thankful that at least I can feel pain, and I’m not numb in the physical sense, as well as the emotional or mental sense. I think one of the scariest things that could happen to a person is to become numb… To pain, suffering, hurt, sorrow, rejection, anger, emotions. Because once you’ve reached that stage, there’s no telling what evils you’re capable of. I mean, a person who’s numb won’t feel any remorse or horror for their actions, and who knows what they’ll do then. I think that’s what happened to most of the murderers and criminals in the world. The idea of another human being hurting or suffering just doesn’t affect them anymore, and so that’s why they’re able to dish out such cruel and grotesque punishments even on innocent people.

It’s sick, really, and sometimes it makes me nauseous, hearing about all the preposterous stories about abominations going on around the world. It also sparks off a tiny bit of curiosity in me, because you really have to wonder what it was that made those people the way they are today. Was it a nightmarish childhood? An abusive parent? Being rejected all their life? There must be something significant that happened in each and every one of their lives that caused them to become to numb, because I don’t believe anyone could just wake up one day and decide to go on a killing spree. That kind of monstrous behavior takes years of shaping and molding, propelled by all kinds of pain and suffering in the person’s life.

Actually, this is kind of interesting. Maybe I should’ve been a psychologist. That was my initial idea anyway, before entering into college… Until I realized that to obtain a psychology degree one had to take several math classes, such as statistics, and so I hurriedly pushed the idea out of my brain immediately, because the trauma of going through statistics in junior college was still fresh in my mind.

But I do wish I could read people better, so I could interpret things in between the lines and understand what their words really mean. I’m a little oblivious to things sometimes. I guess it’s just my apathetic nature showing forth. And yes, I do wish I wasn’t so indifferent. A teacher once called me that in primary school – indifferent. I had to look it up in the dictionary, and when I realized it meant unconcerned and having no interest, I was tremendously indignant. But now I think she might have been right. Maybe if I were less apathetic my life would be going places already. But for now I’m just content with drifting along and doing whatever…

I wonder why I don’t have the drive and determination like some other people. Maybe it’s because I’ve grown up in a comfortable home and I’ve had things handed to me all my life. Like a good friend once said to me, ‘Blessings always reign down on your life.’ And while I laughed it off at the time, I think she was probably right, because I’ve been so blessed with good grades and wonderful opportunities all my life even though I don’t deserve any of it. So I guess I’ve been taking things for granted. Time to get off the couch and get my hands dirty.

Thankful

Yesterday I read this blog about being thankful for the little things in life everyday, and I've decided to copy it and start a daily thanksgiving post. Because I think having a spirit of gratefulness is essential in life, and I don't want to end up a bitter and miserable old lady one day.

So today I'm thankful for the new experience of learning how to make pizzas. Last week I learned how to make dough, cut it, roll it, put it into trays. I also served customers and handled the cash register. Today I crafted the pizzas, each with different ingredients, and baked them in the oven. It was kind of exhilarating, but it might get old after a while. Oh well. For now, at least, I'm enjoying making pizzas, seeing my finished products displayed in the window, and smiling at people who buy them, while I bite back the urge to point and yell, 'I made that! Yes, me! It's good, yes???'

I'm also thankful that I have food to eat at every meal, and that I have a house to live in and warm water to shower in. Because these two cute little adolescent boys came up to Sarpino's today, and asked me if they could have a pizza for free. They stared up at me with huge, doleful, puppy dog eyes, and I almost shouted, "Yes, take it! Or you know what, you can have all of them for free, you poor little cute things!!"

But I didn't, because we're running a business, not a soup kitchen, and I told them to come back later, when we're closing and when the manager (my mom) was around. My heart sank to my toes when they bowed their heads forlornly and trudged away. I hoped they would return, but they didn't, and I wish I could've given them the pizza. But then mom had already been giving them free pizzas, and doing it on a regular basis might make them dependent on freebies... and we all know in life there is no such thing as a freebie. Everything costs you something. So I guess they have to learn to work for what they want, but still... it kind of reminded me of what I read one day about this woman who didn't want kids, because "what kind of horrid person would want to bring innocent children into this evil, corrupt world of ours?" And while I agreed with her to a certain extent (because I don't want 9 months of absolute physical torture), I think kids make the world a better place.

So I was initially going to do a thanksgiving for one thing per day, but hey, there shouldn't be a limit on thankfulness, right? God knows we can all be a little more appreciative toward others.

So I'm thankful for this experience of working in Australia. Granted, it's not the most happening place in the world, and some people probably look down on me, a college graduate, working at a pizza place, but you can't please everyone. Plus life is way more fun when you travel and take up adventures, instead of going straight to a 9-5 job, holed up in a tiny cubicle, typing your life away day by day.

Anyway, I got to meet this young couple from Italy, Giulia and Enrico, from Rome and Florence respectively. They're so cool, I loved hearing about their life experiences. They had like a year in between undergraduate school and graduate school, and so they decided to travel to Australia and work while seeing the sights. Why they came to Perth, I have no idea. Well, actually I do - it's because Enrico had relatives here. But still. Of all places. (Giulia told me once they went to a pub on a SATURDAY night and it closed at MIDNIGHT!! Oh the horror!!)

So anyway, they worked at Sarpino's and explored Perth for the past few months, and they're going to travel for 2 weeks before they head back to Italy. And Giulia's going to study her Masters in Engineering in Sweden and Denmark. HOW COOL IS THAT. And they speak Italian, which makes them even cooler. haha. And Enrico took up English when he first came here, and his English speaking ability is pretty good. I'm always amazed at people who go to other countries and start picking up their native language, because I stink at languages, well except English of course. Enrico was the one who taught me how to make dough, and he was funny. He said it was a boring job and I should bring an iPod to work. He also said something along the lines of, 'I never want to see/smell another pizza ever again in my life,' which is ironic because he lives in Italy, land of pizzas.

And so I was talking to Giulia for a while, when mom came back (she takes random breaks to go shopping for 'essential stuff'), lugging a shopping cart filled to the brim with pillows and what not. Good to know that while I have been working she went shopping. And then Giulia told me she always does that.

Once she came back hauling chairs to bring back to Singapore, and when Giulia was like, 'Does Singapore not sell chairs?' Mom huffed and puffed and replied, 'Not this kind!!'
Haha. Mom cracks me up sometimes.

Life in Perth

Hello, familiar countryside. Otherwise better known as Perth, Australia.

I have to say I didn't know what to expect, coming to Perth. It was just something to do, to get away from the humidity of Singapore, an excuse to give to others when they ask me what I'm going to do with my life now that I'm a college graduate. But it's good that I didn't have any expectations, because this place would have crushed them. It's a little scary, the way Perth reminds me of Upland, Indiana, the place I recently escaped from and swore I would never return to (unless it was for the weekend to visit good friends).

My first thought when we were driving from the airport to the house was, "This place looks suspiciously like Indiana!" With its terrace houses, spread out properties, tons of abandoned land, even an animal or two wandering around in the grass along the road. It's just my luck - to go halfway around the world only to end up in Upland, Indiana, No. 2., only this time it's worse because I don't have friends here and I'm forced to work at a pizza place SIX days a week, 9am to 5pm, getting paid by my own parents, which is pointless cause it's like family money. And then everything here closes at 5pm SHARP, even the sun says goodnight and goes to sleep, and so I'm left with the entire evening and night to myself. The TV has a grand total of FOUR channels, I didn't bring any of my movie DVDs with me, all my favorite TV shows have ended their seasons in May, so yeah.

I have to find something productive to do with my time. Like frantically searching the web to find something that will get me away from here in the fall. Because this is only temporary. No way am I staying here until next year, much less for the rest of my life. I'm in my twenties, for crying out loud, I need to be somewhere exciting, where I can meet crazy new people and go on adventures and take risks. New York City, anyone?

For the 100th time, how I wish I had a friend who would travel the world with me (backpacking) and work in different countries to make money for our adventures. WHY DONT I HAVE ANY FRIENDS LIKE THAT. Why are all my friends going straight from school to work? Doesn't anyone want to explore this great big world and experience things beyond their comfort zone???

Anyway, I'm not bitter or anything. I don't regret coming here. I love the cold weather, because it means no more sweating profusely every second of every day, like in Singapore. Unless I'm on the elliptical in the house, which I'm tremendously grateful for, because it means something else to do at night, plus it's good exercise in the comfort of home. Also, since I have bundles of time every night, I will be learning how to cook! Healthy lifestyle, here I come! And of course I'm happy to be spending time with my mom and brothers, whom I haven't seen since last year. In some ways they've changed, in many ways they haven't. My little brothers are all grown up now. Makes me feel a little old.

So... During my time here, however long I'm staying, I will accomplish my goals!

Goal #1: Eat healthy and workout everyday. (Unless it's sunday, then maybe I will take a break)

Goal #2: Make money from Sarpino's and maybe find another job so I can make money from other people... And make enough of it that I can move to New York City or somewhere by next summer.

Goal #3: Take a class or find a new hobby to occupy the ridiculous amounts of free time I have. Life is too short to sleep.

Post-graduation return home

It feels really weird to be back home after being in Indiana and New York and France and Germany. But I guess it's good to be home. Home is where the heart is, after all. Plus there's great food here. Also great friends and family.
After all that traveling in the last 4 years, I can safely say nowhere can beat Singapore in terms of food. There's seriously all kinds of food you can ever ask for here, and they're all of pretty good quality.


cousins :)

So I did the usual stuff... met up with friends, ate tons of dim sum/ramen/sushi/every asian food imaginable, watched a ton of movies - Prince of Persia, The Karate Kid, Killers, and The A-Team. Gotta love the cheap movies here. Also did some shopping, gotta love the annual Great Singapore Sale.

Watched a NTU chinese hall production, which was actually rather interesting and I surprised myself because I understood it and didn't fall asleep! Went to Sentosa with cousins on a rainy day, saw some of the completed construction on the resorts and on Universal Studios, it looked pretty good. Went to church and heard all about the crazy changes happening... as usual. Did my hair and had a facial... and got lost trying to find the places alone. And met up with a Taylor friend who's here for a summer camp job. It's been a pretty packed 10 days, going out everyday and meeting different people for lunch and dinner. But it's been good. I like being busy. Keeps me from thinking about other things, like how I'm a college graduate and I still don't have a job and I have no idea what to do with my life.

So... after being here only about a week and a half, I'm kind of bored. And ready to go on to someplace new. I don't know why but I'm just always itching to travel and go places and meet new people and experience new things and SEE THE WORLD!

I think I've definitely gotten more adventurous and brave in the last four years. I mean, I liked traveling in the past, but it was more of just going on vacation with the family. Now I wanna live somewhere, immerse myself in the culture, do crazy things, before I actually settle down and live a boring life. haha. I don't know. I've been researching things I can do, like working abroad, interning abroad, working and traveling, working at resorts/cruise ships, and they all sound so wonderfully exciting! I can't decide! Plus they all require money, of course. sigh. Why is it so hard to find a job that allows you to travel and get paid at the same time?!

Oh well. Kind of excited about going to perth, since it's a new place to be explored and new experiences await me. And I'll get to see my two little brothers who hardly talk to me since they're always in front of the TV/their computer but I still love them anyway. But I don't know anyone there, except for my family, so... it could potentially be boring. And since I'm not going to school or anything, there's not really a place I could meet new people, except at church I guess. So here's hoping perth will be a good time :)

Goodbye Singapore, see you.... sometime.