Painting the Dullness

Music makes me happy.

Never has it failed to add color in my life. (:

Undefined Reality

I don't think I'll want to dream for a while again.

They've been either bad ones or nightmares. One night, I was running through a haunted campus and the next thing you know, I escape only to find myself trapped again. Mindtricks? No, I'm still dreaming. Damn.

I guess what goes comes around. Life has been particularly good but apparently, not so much in my dreams.

No Way Left

"When things look ugly, I look a little closer.
When things look unlikely, I keep looking.
When things look near impossible, I try anyway.
And when there isn't a way possible?

I MAKE ONE."

The Flute

You're at the center of attention. Everyone's watching.
Nervously, you begin to play, fearful of the disapproval and criticism as you hold the flute with your very hands.

A glace up, and you see all eyes have had contact with you the whole time. A sweat breaks out.
You notice the sharps and flats that aren't supposed to flow in the melodic atmosphere, but you continue playing anyways, staying wary.

Suddenly, you realize those penetrating glares out there aren't what you think. They're wide open, slightly twinkling from the tears. You squint, and look down. Slowly, but surely, the letter "u" widens and a smile takes shape.

Deep inside the audience was something you failed to see. Admiration and awe was always there since the moment the crowd gathered. "But how?" you ask, it never happened before. You think. Maybe it's just this group of people today. They smile, they stand and offer their presence because--oh, that's it!

Others have stood in front of you before, not necessarily always grinning. You don't know if they like the squeaking or soft tone from your flute. However, you're sure that the very same admiration here now was there last time. Proof? Their stationary presence indicates their interest.

Just because things don't appear a way doesn't mean it's like that.

With a burst of confidence, you stand up higher--flute still in hand--and play louder.

Y'all Git Off Ma' Property

That's right, don't even think of it.
(Photo courtesy of Derek Szeto)

...And no, we San Jose residents don't talk like Southerners.

Full Speed Ahead!

People may try to hurt you, scar you, and intimidate you.
Don't take any of it.

Instead, you decide to push it aside and reach out for what you've been chasing all along. You're not going to stop for these obstacles; you're who you want to be, you're in control.

Live to the fullest, love without any shame, and shine for those who seek your light.


Just keep hanging on, because that's what nature does, too.

Delirious Franticness

I've lost a piece of paper with some contact information on it and I can't find it.

What's driving me absolutely NUTS is that I'm looking in the same place where I found it not to be. Time's a-runnin' out. So many things to do, so little time.

I despise you, time. So much.

Californian Adventures

I saw Transformers today. Not really a fan of it but have to agree it was pretty satisfying to the eye. The reason why I watched it in the first place was because a friend from Annandale, Virginia who I met while on my Japan homestay was visiting California, and I agreed to meet up with her.

The girl is Elizabeth, and she took her brother, Eric, along with her. Unfortunately, she drank some Nuoc Mia (sugarcane juice) at a Vietnamese restaurant and had food poisoning so her stomach was giving her a bad time. She told us to go on ahead and watch a movie while she stayed home to rest, and would catch us up later.



These are scenes from the movie. Eric and I sat in the movie theater from 2:40 to 5:20. It was a LOONG one. I liked it, though.

We took the light rail to downtown after, and it was such a joy to see it full of life. (In fact, it was even hard walking!) I never knew music could liven the city this much on a single day.

I wonder what all the people here must've look like from the office buildings high above. A scrambled TV channel? Ants? In-sync bobble heads? Whatever. There's a lot, that's all that matters.


And so I gave him a tour of my city, took pictures, and waited for Elizabeth to come. But in doing so, two marine recruiters suddenly approached us--as if they were going to mug us--, started boasting about the U.S. Marines and how we should join.

Sorry, no. I have a future somewhere else, and I'm too skinny. Bummer for you.

So I politely hushed them away, dragging Eric with me because he couldn't get out of their grapple of him by eye contact.


I met Elizabeth at St. Joseph's Church and we took the train to Japantown from downtown. Shopped at Nijiya's Market, did some more touring, dined in at a Ramen restaurant. Yup. I had Egg Rolls (from outside the store). Spoke Japanese along the way, too; but received some stares from non-Asian pedestrians so I just went plain English.


The restaurant, it looks like a bar, no?



Ahh, what a day. :)