money can't buy happiness.

2 games of bowling + spiffy bowling shoes = $12
strawberry banana pancakes @ IHOP = $6.99
spending a friday night with the greatest people on the planet after 4 hours of an ap test = priceless.

classic.

dance, duckie. dance.

defying gravity.

"something has changed within me. something is not the same. i'm through with playing by the rules of someone else's game. too late for second-guessing. too late to go back to sleep. it's time to trust my instincts, close my eyes, and leap! it's time to try defying gravity. i think i'll try defying gravity. and you can't pull me down. i'm through accepting limits cause someone says they're so. some things i cannot change, but till i try, i'll never know! too long i've been afraid of losing love i guess i've lost. well, if that's love, it comes at much too high a cost. i'd sooner buy defying gravity. kiss me goodbye, i'm defying gravity. and you can't pull me down. come with me. think of what we could do; together. unlimited. together we're unlimited. together we'll be the greatest team there's ever been. dreams the way we planned them. if we work in tandem, there's no fight we cannot win. just you and i defying gravity. with you and i defying gravity, they'll never bring us down! so if you care to find me, look to the western sky. as someone told me lately: 'everyone deserves the chance to fly!' and if i'm flying solo, at least i'm flying free. to those who'd ground me, take a message back from me. tell them how i am defying gravity. i'm flying high, defying gravity. and soon i'll match them in renown. and nobody in all of Oz. no wizard that there is or was is ever gonna bring me down..."

no more worries. no more stress. relax. take a breath. defy some gravity. trust me, it's worth it.

let's hear it for the boys.

..........WOAH, baby. that was the most freaking amazing/intense/gratifying game i have ever been to.

hour long car ride. beach in view. ipod-and-me time. nap. malibu. roaming deer. pepperdine university. firestone fieldhouse. warm up. balls hitting spectators. pizza pretzels. annoying pepperdine fans. #2 taylor wilson! what a cutie. irvine losing. down two games to nothing. "you're breaking my balls!". a million and two service errors. frustration. crazy cheering. jayson jablonski! irvine wins next game. 2-1. "man boobs!". volleyball = almost stolen. 2-2. game 5. "sideout!" "but why?" HAHHA. number 9 the butt-picker. awkward. 14-15. irvine wins next point. final score: 14-16; uc irvine dominates. we go insane. another hour long car ride. home.

pretty much one of the best saturdays ever.

rainbows & butterflies.

"beauty queen of only eighteen. she had some trouble with herself. he was always there to help her. she always belonged to someone else. i drove for miles and miles and wound up at your door. i've had you so many times but somehow i want more. i don't mind spending everyday out on your corner in the pouring rain. look for the girl with the broken smile. ask her if she wants to stay awhile. and she will be loved. she will be loved. tap on my window knock on my door. i want to make you feel beautiful. i know i tend to get so insecure. it doesn't matter anymore. it's not always rainbows and butterflies. it's compromise that moves us along. my heart is full and my door's always open. you can come anytime you want. i don't mind spending everyday out on your corner in the pouring rain. look for the girl with the broken smile. ask her if she wants to stay awhile. and she will be loved. and she will be loved. and she will be loved. and she will be loved. i know where you hide alone in your car. know all of the things that make you who you are. i know that goodbye means nothing at all. comes back and begs me to catch her every time she falls. tap on my window knock on my door. i want to make you feel beautiful. i don't mind spending everyday out on your corner in the pouring rain. look for the girl with the broken smile. ask her if she wants to stay awhile. and she will be loved. and she will be loved. and she will be loved. and she will be loved..."

thanks.

pretty much.

windy.

"don't blow away..." - the holiday.

"1...2...3!!"

happy 16th birthday, christina magalona!!
we all have those friends that we become closer to, those that drift apart from you over time, those that are newly found, and those whose relationships typically stay the same with you. and this year, christina is one of the few people i was close to last year, but got even closer to this year. others i was close to last year, but not so much this year. others have drifted. others' friendships have just started. and others i have neither gotten closer nor farther from. but not christina. this year i feel as if our friendship has gotten that much stronger. boredom is not in my vocabulary when i'm around this girl. the things we say when we're together make absolutely no sense and yet make perfect sense to us at the exact same time. our humor at times tends to be only humorous to us, but that's okay because it makes it that much more enjoyable. we stuff our faces with food when we're together and exercise together when necessary. good combination, right? yeah, she's good people.

so long, spring break.

after a much needed week of rest and relaxation, spring break is officially, dare i say it, over. tomorrow we shall once again step on to school grounds facing hours of work, racking our brains with knowledge. and i find it fascinating that i am not in the least bit dreading it as much as i thought i would. this is good, no? maybe it's because i have filled myself to a dangerously high capacity with freedom, movies, friends, family, and all of the good stuff that i missed ever-so-much while school was taking place. and i must say, i am very content with all the fun i've had this break...

movies watched:
- tmnt
- moulin rouge
- pursuit of happyness
- THE HOLIDAY
- disturbia
- never been kissed
- life is beautiful
- pretty in pink

sleepovers:
- christina's
- kimly's

family:
- VIP buffet
- mall at orange with mom and sister
- helped sister pick out prom dress (pretty! :D)

school:
- finished all homework wednesday
- got election stuff done with christina

freedom:
- beach!
- haircut.

and now, i am left with only a couple more hours until sleep must come over me and i must awaken before the sun has even risen to dive into an "ordinary" weekday. tomorrow i shall walk onto campus with those ever-so-famous-words of duckie dale lingering in my head...

"welcome to another day of higher education."

never been kissed.

"i have been beating my brains in trying to impress you people. listen gibby, kirstin, krysten, you will spend your whole lives trying to keep others down because it makes you feel more important, but why her? let me tell you about this girl. she is amazing. i was new here and she befriended me no questions asked. but you, you were only my friends after my brother, rob, told you to like me. there is a great big world out there and it won't matter if you were the most popular girl, 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."

thank you, kimly.

catch my disease.

good songs with random music videos: that's the way i like it.

haircut.

before:
after::)

as;dlgjsk.

so, personally i've never liked scary movies. well i guess it's not that i didn't like them, i just couldn't handle them. that's the way it's always been. ever since...forever. i always stayed away from scary movies whenever possible. and when i did have to watch them, my eyes would be closed for more than half of the movie. so anyway, i watched disturbia tonight. why you ask? because i watched the trailer and thought that it wouldn't be that bad. plus, jameson really really wanted to see it. so i went cause i wanted to hang. NOT SMART. i am officially staying away from scary movies until i'm two hundred and sixty five years old. the end.

may 22nd.

39 days. 2 hours. 27 minutes. 37 seconds.
"it won't be soon before long."

ready and waiting to fall.

"drowning just as fast as i can, but don't throw me a line, don't reach out your hand. cause i'm on the brink of something beautiful and i want to sing about it, but i don't know where to begin. write a letter, but the words don't come out right. try and explain how nobody can do me like...you don't understand how helpless i get since the day that we met. oh, can you feel it yet? it's never been more perfect being alive. i've never been so satisfied. i could feel something different from the first time. heaven made sense and all the words rhymed. no chance in stopping now; i'm taking it all. and now i'm caught in the air. it's a good glide. pass it up? wouldn't dare. what a wild ride. i remember being ready and waiting to fall. just like i did tonight. spinning around and around until my left was my right and up became down. with just one look you knocked me off of my feet. so unable to speak. oh, how you made me weak. though it was a while ago, i still can recall that moment so ready and waiting to fall. can you take me back in time? remembering when you captured my heart over and over again. it's never been more perfect being alive. i've never been so satisfied. i could feel something different from the first time. heaven made sense and all the words rhymed. no chance in stopping now; i'm taking it all. and now i'm caught in the air. it's a good glide. pass it up? wouldn't dare. what a wild ride. i remember being ready and waiting to fall. just like i did tonight..."

beach.

oh, spring break. how i love thee<3

persuasion.

haha, you know i had to post this hau. i've got to give it to you. this was good, my friend ;)

bueller...bueller...bueller...

(note: the video doesn't really start until 4:04)
seriously one of the best movies ever made. you are a sad, deprived child if you have never seen it. not kidding.

hugs.

the logical approach: hugging is healthy. it helps the immune system, cures depression, reduces stress, and induces sleep. it's invigorating, rejuvenating and has no unpleasant side effects. it's nothing less than a miracle painkiller. hugging is all natural; it's organic, naturally sweet, has no artificial ingredients, environmentally friendly and is 100% wholesome. hugging is the ideal gift. great for any occasion, fun to give and receive, shows you care, comes with it's own wrapping paper and, of course, is fully returnable.

trolley wood.

"out one day, walking one day. out one day with you, hallelujah. we found a wood with trolleys on wheels rolling all around the hills, hallelujah. and just as soon, it had slipped into the sleepy dusk and it's not very likely that we'll see it, we'll see it again. out one day, walking one day. out one day with you, hallelujah. we found a wood, we un-found a wood and then we cried, "oh no". and please tell me will we ever find it again? in the depths of trolley wood do trolleys still drive? gone for the day to the trolley wood; i've gone for the day to the trolley wood. the trolley wood is taking me away. out one day with you, hallelujah. we found a wood, we un-found a wood and then we cried, "oh no". and please tell me will we ever find it again? in the depths of trolley wood do trolleys still drive? out one day, walking one day. out one day with you, hallelujah..."

p.s.
happy easter, my friends.

self exploration.

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

missing pieces.

hello, my name is ___________ and i can’t live without __________. my hero is __________. if i had one wish, i would wish for ____________. i can tell you what it feel like to be ___________. if the last thing i saw before i died was ____________, i would die a happy person. sometimes i hate it when a person ___________ without caring. if ___________ were not an issue, my world would be a better place. sixteen years of living and i have yet to find the perfect _____________. i wish i could make you __________. sometimes, i feel as if ___________ is my only escape. why can’t i be more___________? i think people should care less about ______________ and more about ____________. ______________ is the way to my heart. i strive for _______________, but i don’t expect it. i’ve learned that ____________ comes from the most unexpected places. ____________ is my favorite person. i am devoted to ____________ although it may not seem like it. sometimes, it’s hard for me to ______________. if there was one person i’d want to meet, it’d be ______________. if i could describe my best friend in one word, i would use the word ____________. my biggest pet peeve is ___________. my biggest fear is ____________ and that will never change. i think that __________ is the best characteristic someone can have. the best feeling in the world is knowing that ____________. if i told you ____________, what would you say? i apologize for being so _________, but i can’t help it. i think that ___________ is the best way to vent. i wouldn’t trade my ___________ for anything. if you think you’ve _____________, think again :)

(sorry, no word bank. yeah, use your imagination...)

st. patrick's day.

"here comes a cold. break out the winter clothes and find a love to call your own. you - enter you. your cheeks a shade of pink and the rest of you in powder blue. who knows what will be, but i'll make you this guarantee. no way november will see our goodbye. when it comes to december it's obvious why no one wants to be alone at Christmas time. in the dark, on the phone you tell me the names of your brothers and your favorite colors. i'm learning you. and when it snows again, we'll take a walk outside and search the sky like children do. i'll say to you...no way november will see our goodbye. when it comes to december it's obvious why no one wants to be alone at Christmas time. and come january we're frozen inside, making new resolutions a hundred times. february, won't you be my valentine? and we'll both be safe 'til st. patrick's day. we should take a ride tonight around the town and look around at all the beautiful houses. something in the way that blue lights on a black night can make you feel more. everybody, it seems to me, just wants to be just like you and me. no one wants to be alone at Christmas time. come january we're frozen inside, making new resolutions a hundred times. february, won't you be my valentine? and if our always is all that we gave and we someday take that away, i'll be alright if it was just 'til st. patrick's day..."

(a song entitled 'st. patrick's day' on april fool's day...i know, right?)

emotions.

aching. that was what she felt throughout the entire funeral. she was unstable both physically and emotionally. on the outside, her leg wouldn’t stop shaking. her face literally hurt from rubbing her cheeks so much to wipe away the tears. her stomach was in knots and she felt sick. on the inside: heartache. she felt like curling up in a corner and crying there the rest of the day. how could it be possible that someone would have to endure this kind of pain in real life? she thought to herself. and knowing that it was a mock funeral didn‘t make it any better, but in fact made it worse in a way. because if it were a real funeral for someone she was actually close to, how would she be able to survive that kind of torture?

choking. as the ceremony progressed and the thoughts in her mind worsened, the tears poured down endlessly. her choked sobs hurt. literally. they hurt. and the stream of tears continued as she thought about each and every one of her friends and family and how she would be affected if they were no longer there. that’s what got her the most. she related everything to herself and it was all downhill from there. it scared her to think that life was fragile enough to take her loved ones from her in the blink of an eye...

coping. the funeral was over, but the tears weren't. it was possible that they might have gotten worse once she stood up. she needed someone. she looked around and went straight to a person she knew could make her feel better without any words. she walked to her row and stood there crying, waiting for her to reach her. once she got to her, she took her in her arms and cried harder than she had during the funeral. thoughts, once again, ran through her mind. what if tomorrow the very friend she held in her arms was gone? what if that was the last time she got to hug her and let her know how much she meant to her?

it's hard living with "what if's"; nothing is ever certain. things take you by surprise and you never know what will happen. you never know when goodbye really means goodbye, you never know how someone feels about you until they tell you, you never know how the decisions you make will affect others until it happens, and you never know the exact moment your life is going to end.

yes, take chances in your lives, but don't risk losing it all because of something you didn't think through. because there are few things in life that are worth risking it all for, and being able to go to a party so you can drink isn't one of those things. show some dignity and think about your actions. really think.

wise up.

the assembly didn’t have much of an effect on her. in all honesty, she was a bit bored with it. she had actually prepared herself beforehand for tears because she thought the assembly might provoke them. but it didn’t. the tears didn’t come until after the assembly...

they slowly proceeded into their cluster class and walked into a room full of deafening silence. no one said a word; no one really knew any words to say. she had been staring off into space for a few minutes, then looked up to where her teacher was. she was surprised at what she saw. her teacher was crying. the teacher began to speak to them, voice quivering, trying to keep the composure everyone knew so well. she had never seen her teacher cry before and it was all strange to her. the teacher was telling them her own stories she knew about drinking and driving. one of them was about one of her students dying in an alcohol-related car accident because the person driving the car fell asleep at the wheel and all of the people in the car being drunk. the car blew up when it ran into a tree. but how could this affect her? she hadn’t even know these people…

but to put herself in someone else’s shoes was a completely different story. what if she had been a friend to one of the 2 people that had died in that car explosion? what if that was her sister? what if that was her daughter? that’s what got her. she closed her eyes and thoughts of losing her best friend in some kind of accident like that flew into her mind. from then on the tears wouldn’t stop. then other thoughts came into her mind. how could she go on living if one second her sister was there and then the next...gone? would there even be a reason to go on living? the tears hurt. they really, really hurt.

30 minutes. that’s how long she sat there crying. and when she looked back on it, do you know what she thought? she thought about how in that 30 minutes, two more people had died from an alcohol-related car accident. Every 15 minutes. Can you hear that bell in your heads?

(athena: and just think, today was only the accident. tomorrow is the actual funeral. i’m expecting a major breakdown on my part...)

undeniable.

"it's undeniable how brilliant you are. in an unreliable world you shine like a star. it's unforgettable now that we've come this far. it's unmistakable that you're undeniable..." - mat kearney

we could be heroes...

last minute plans.

on the right is tin & on the left is a-tin. they're friends. they like to bowl together. like they did today. even though tin gives a-tin free strikes unintentionally. that's what friends do. tin makes a-tin eat too much when she's around her. she makes funny faces in her ice cream and gives inappropriate magazines to little girls to read. hahaha. just keeding. and i think i went deaf. thanks a lot justin timberlake...

...yeah that pretty much sums up my day. thank you for saving me from my homework, christina. i think my eyes would have fallen out sooner or later from all that staring.

again.

"like the sound of silence calling, i hear your voice and suddenly i'm falling, lost in a dream. like the echoes of our souls are meeting, you say those words, my heart stops beating. i wonder what it means. what could it be that comes over me? at times i can't move. at times i can hardly breathe. when you say you love me the world goes still, so still inside. and when you say you love me, for a moment there's no one else alive. you're the one i've always thought of. i don't know how, but i feel sheltered in your love. you're where i belong. and when you're with me, if i close my eyes, there are times i swear i feel like i can fly. for a moment in time, somewhere between the heavens and earth i'm frozen in time. oh, when you say those words. when you say you love me the world goes still, so still inside. and when you say you love me, for a moment there's no one else alive. and this journey that we're on, how far we've come. and i celebrate every moment. and when you say you love me, that's all you have to say. i'll always feel this way. when you say you love me, the world goes still, so still inside. and when you say you love me, in that moment i know why i'm alive. when you say you love me. when you say you love me, do you know how i love you?"

(athena: once again, josh groban has become my current infatuation...)

cramming.

the person that said cramming is no use at all knew nothing about anything. seriously, 45 minutes before the quiz, athena had a major cram session with priya and the quiz turned out amazingly easy. and over half the time we were cramming, we were cracking up like crazy. i'm talking side-splitting, tear jerking, hysterical laughter. i don't remember the last time i laughed that hard. priya chakrabarti, you made my day. i think we're geniuses.

ouch.

it's like a papercut, but deeper. literally. and yes, i care that much to blog about it.

so contagious.

"oh no, this couldn't be more unexpected. and i can tell that i've been moving in so slow. don't let it throw you off too far cause i'll be running right behind you. could this be out of line? to say you're the only one breaking me down like this? you're the only one i would take a shot on. keep me hanging on so contagiously. oh, when i'm around you i'm predictable. cause i believe in loving you at first sight. i know it's crazy but i'm hoping to, to take a hold of you. could this be out of line? to say you're the only one breaking me down like this? you're the only one i would take a shot on. keep me hanging on so contagiously. oh, you're everything i'm wanting. come to think of it, i'm aching. on account of my transgression, will you welcome this confession? could this be out of line? to say you're the only one breaking me down like this? you're the only one i would take a shot on. keep me hanging on so contagiously..."

(sometimes, it's easier to blog lyrics when you can't think of your own words to say...)

oh, sanity.

it's funny what a simple phone conversation can do for her. she's found that it's the little things that keep her sane in this crazy world. without someone to talk to tonight, she probably would have lost her mind while she stared at the mountain of homework she had yet to climb. so she thanks you many times. even if your phone call did wake her up from her nap.

sweeet :)

how can you not smile after watching this commercial?

there's hope.

"back when i had a little, i thought that i needed a lot. a little was overrated, but a lot was a little too complicated. you see, zero didn't satisfy me. a million didn't make me happy. that's when i learned a lesson; that it's all about your perception. hey, are you a pauper or a superstar? so you act, so you feel, so you are. it ain't about the size of your car. it's about the size of the faith in your heart. there's hope. it doesn't cost a thing to smile. you don't have to pay to laugh. you better thank God for that. off in the back country of brazil, i met a young brother that made me feel that i could accomplish anything. you see, just like me he wanted to sing. he had no windows and no doors. he lived a simple life and was extremely poor. on top of all of that he had no eye sight, but that didn't keep him from seein' the light. he said, 'what's it like in the USA?' and all i did was complain. he said 'living here is paradise.' he taught me paradise is in your mind. you know that there's hope. it doesn't cost a thing to smile. you don't have to pay to laugh. you better thank God for that. every time i turn on the t.v., somebody's acting crazy. if you let it, it will drive you crazy. but i'm takin' back my power today. gas prices, they just keep on rising. the government, they keep on lying. but we gotta keep on surviving. keep living our truth and do the best we can do. there's hope. it doesn't cost a thing to smile. you don't have to pay to laugh. you better thank God for that. stand up for your rights. keep shining your light. and show the world your smile..."

"normal".

"do you realize you're not normal?" - mr. ontiveros

two words: define normal. and speaking of which, who gets to define normal, anyway? the jocks? the teachers? our parents? the president? How about none of the above. you see, the thing about it is, is that the “usual standards” as to what normal really is, isn’t so standard everywhere else. in beverly hills, normal would be considered the person with the seven bedroom mansion who rolls down the street in a silver mercedes. at oxford, normal would be defined simply into late nights, study freaks, hard workers, and perfectionists. at least to the people on the outside. to me, defining the word normal would go under the category of attempting the impossible.

case-in-point? it all depends on where you’re standing. to us, oxford has no norm. some see it as rebellion central, filled with hundreds of kids out of dress code each and every day avoiding the teachers well-known for giving out dress code violations. others on the other hand really do see it as the nerd school. and in respect to the other schools, we don’t fit under normal.

but if normal means i have to wear huge logos plastered on my shirts, do my hair a certain way, or act like someone i’m not, than i think i’d rather be considered out-of-the-ordinary. but if normal means laughing uncontrollably until people look at you like your insane, running at the beach just because you like the feel of sand between your toes, or dancing like no one is watching to your favorite song, then i’m just as normal as the next guy.

but as far as i’m concerned, being normal is overrated.

cheesy moral of this blog? be yourself, my friends. cause i wouldn’t want you any other way.

junk?

and as she sorted through her belongings in her room, clearing out things in order to make space for her new bookshelves, she stumbled upon little things that brought her back to different times, places, and memories that had been stashed away for so long. a plastic bracelet she had gotten from her neighborhood best friend when she was ten. a watch she had begged her parents to get her that she quickly lost interest in. a spelling test paper from the 4th grade that she got 100% on. and other seemingly meaningless objects to a stranger on the street.

but although these things would be of no use to her now (seeing as the bracelet doesn't fit her anymore, the watch doesn't work, and her spelling skills have greatly exceeded those of a fourth grader), she can't bear to throw anything out. she has a closet shelf full of old elementary school work that she has no point in keeping, but she does anyway. her mother questions why she can't throw away those papers, but she can't explain it. she needs it, but at the same time she doesn't. haven't you ever had things you couldn't part with before simply because you felt you would regret discarding it later? even after her neighborhood friend moved away, there may come a day when a surprise visit appears and her friend wonders where that bracelet is, hoping she still has it. and although those chances are just about slim to none, she keeps it anyway because of the memories it holds. which basically applies to every other object she hoards for "absolutely no reason".

and some people would call the things she keeps stashed up in her closet and under her bed junk. but shes like to think of it more as a collection of important times. well, important to her at least. and she may not even give these objects a second glance until the next time she rearranges her room, but nevertheless, they mean something to her. and in her book, that's the best reason she could give as to why she keeps all of this "junk".

after effects.

after spending an entire afternoon in the park, i've realized that parks have this strange effect on me. not the "i can't stop taking pictures at parks because they're so unbelievably pretty" kind of effect. although, that does tend to happen every single time. i mean the kind of effect where something comes over me and i care about absolutely nothing else except getting my turn to hang upside down on the monkey bars or sliding down the slide. i watch the little kids playing in the sand and remember why i loved recess so much. i hear the sound of the ice cream truck as it passes by playing those annoying little tunes that always seem to stick in your head even after the truck is blocks away. and as that song rings through the ears of the little kids, i watch them jump off the swings or climb off the bars and chase after the huge ice cream cone mounted on top of the truck.

and after this afternoon in the park, i've also realized that i've suddenly been fascinated at the fact that i miss being a little kid so much. i haven't the slightest idea as to why this sudden fascination has appeared, but it's making me regret wishing that i could be older when i was younger. but the good thing about it is that i've learned to take things one day at a time. besides, i've found that the best things in life are worth waiting for.

congrats, minh.

you deserve every penny of that $300. you're unbelievable, my friend.

life is wonderful.

it takes a crane to build a crane. it takes two floors to make a story. it takes an egg to make a hen. it takes a hen to make an egg. there is no end to what i'm saying.

it takes a thought to make a word. and it takes some words to make an action. and it takes some work to make it work. it takes some good to make it hurt. it takes some bad for satisfaction.

ah la la la la la la life is wonderful. ah la la la la la la life goes full circle. ah la la la la life is wonderful. ah la la la la...

it takes a night to make it dawn. and it takes a day to make you yawn, brother. and it takes some old to make you young. it takes some cold to know the sun. it takes the one to have the other.

...and it takes no time to fall in love, but it takes you years to know what love is. and it takes some fears to make you trust. it takes those tears to make it rust. it takes the dust to have it polished.

ah la la la la la la life is wonderful. ah la la la la la la life goes full circle. ah la la la la la la life is wonderful. ah la la la la...

it takes some silence to make sound. and it takes a loss before you found it. and it takes a road to go nowhere. it takes a toll to make you care. it takes a hole to make a mountain.

ah la la la la la life is wonderful. ah la la la la la life goes full circle. ah la la la la la life is wonderful. ah la la la la la life is meaningful. ah la la la la la life is wonderful. ah la la la la la...

shoe size.

(yes, we're sixteen.)

every now and then, we find ourselves complaining about the trials and tribulations of being a teenager. the stress, the drama, the pimples. and when we look back on our lives, we realize we never had to worry about these nonsensical issues when we were little. now it's hard to imagine a day where we finish our homework early enough to play outside with the neighborhood kids with the sun still shining brightly. we didn't care about the way we dressed, we didn't care about the cutest boy in school, we didn't care about the tiny little pimple that would suddenly appear on school picture day, we didn't care about getting dirty, and we most certainly did not care about homework.

day after day, i wish things would be the way they used to be when i was six. the way i could be as carefree as ever without a worry in the world. i miss the days i used to play on the monkey bars or in the sand box compiling large amounts of sand and calling the masterpiece a sandcastle. i watch the younger neighborhood kids ride on their scooters as they play cops and robbers and envy their freedom. i have become a stranger to my own neighborhood because of the continuous hours i spend locked inside, away from the fresh air.

but every now and then, i experience those days that i get to feel like a little kid again. i get my nap time when i need it, a snack from my mom when i come home, and a piggy back ride from my dad. i get those moments when i randomly start singing "the wheels on the bus go round and round..." and i run around in circles for no reason. i have those days when people tell me i'm cute and other days when i act like a four year old cause i'm so hyper. and for some reason, whenever i eat a lollipop, i feel like a little kid. i don't know why exactly, but i like lollipops :)

so i say everyone should just care a little less. but i mean a little less about the things that shouldn't matter that much. for once, we should take a chance to look up to the younger kids. why? because we all can learn something from anyone. no matter if they're taller, shorter, younger, older, or anything else. and if there's one thing that a little kid could teach us, it'd be to take at least one day to act your shoe size.

favorites.

long conversations. chocolate chip cookies. smiles from across the room. hugs from behind. being hyper for no reason. cheesy surprises. self-satisfaction. sleeping early. sleeping in. no homework. acting crazy with friends. food. cute babies. laughter. listening to the rain while lying in bed. marshmallows. john mayer. mangoes. long e-mails. Christmas. summer vacation. daisies. pictures that remind you of good memories. my camera. day dreaming. inside jokes. being loved by the one you love. family. chick-flick marathons. watching a sunset. ranch. john legend. accidentally hearing someone say something nice about you. looking at the clock and seeing you still have an hour more to sleep. jason mraz. knowing you've done the right thing. random letters that make you smile. finishing homework early. reaching your goals. pie. splurging. finding money in your pocket that you didn't know was there. rambling. the color yellow. water. freedom. fresh air. amazement. the sound of waterfalls. attempting the impossible. thinking about a certain someone. wishing on everything. being barefoot. doodling. running in circles. eating ice cream on a hot summer day. knowing somebody misses you. baking. listening to music in the park. running in the rain. unplanned sleepovers. funny faces. making new friends and spending time with old ones. not caring about what other people think. weekends. making your parents proud of you. being so indecisive that you just end up buying both things. having someone to run to when your world comes crashing down. fun people. cartwheels. elephants. stuffed animals. catchy jingles. corny jokes. aimless wandering. wrapping presents. hearing my favorite song on the radio. &you :)

let's grow old together.

the old man walked into the room cautiously and quietly making sure he was not seen or heard. the bouquet of roses in his hands stood still waiting to be delivered to the one person he believed deserved them the most. i watched as he crept to the wall and hid behind it so that she would have no idea of the surprise awaiting her. then, as cautiously and quietly as he had walked into the building, he walked into the next room and gave the bouquet of roses to his wife. it was one of the cutest and most meaningful thing i had seen done on valentine's day in the longest time. and i only wish i could have someone do that for me one day...

after seeing that, i thought it was amazing at how long those two people had been in love with each other. and i found it even more amazing at the fact that throughout their time together, the love they had for each other never weakened, but only got stronger day after day. i've always wanted someone to grow old with. someone who will love me until the day i die and every day afterwards. someone who knows me inside and out, my flaws and imperfections, my weaknesses and strengths, and will stand up for me no matter what. someone who knows my life story and could recite it as if it were their own. and when i'm growing old and losing my memory, i want someone who will take walks with me hand in hand in the park reminding me of all the memorable times we shared together in our lifetime.

more than anything, i just want to be with that someone who will give me the security of knowing he will never leave my side. when he promises me forever, i want him to mean it. regrets don't exist with him because he makes me realize how amazing life is with him. in sixty years, i want to be with this mr. wonderful. and i want him to surprise me with a dozen roses just like we were teenagers again. but more importantly, i want to know he wouldn't want anything more than to be stuck with me for another eternity.

happy valentine's day, everyone.

astounding.

this i promise you.

"when the visions around you bring tears to your eyes and all that surround you are secrets and lies, i'll be your strength, i'll give you hope, keeping your faith when it's gone. the one you should call was standing here all along...and i will take you in my arms and hold you right where you belong. till the day my life is through this I promise you. i've loved you forever in lifetimes before and i promise you, never will you hurt anymore. i give you my word. i give you my heart. this is a battle we've won and with this vow, forever has now begun. just close your eyes. each loving day i know this feeling won't go away. till the day my life is through this I promise you..."

the many faces of athena.

my angry/death glare face.

my not-so-interested face.

my happily dazed face.

my 'ew' face.

my lost face.

my depressed face.

no idea what the heck this face is.

my freakishly happy face.

my evil scientist face.

my hippo face.

and then we end with the side of my face. hooray!

this presentation was brought to you by christina magalona's boredom & powered by my inability to sleep at 1:00 in the morning...