Ginger Journal: 05/10/2013

School has been pwning me so bad, but I ain't gonna be defeated! It's true I've been busy this past month, especially with my seminar course giving me loads of research to do for my project on top of chapters upon chapters of reading. Ah well. So the initial excitement of school is gone. It's already cold as heck, and I'm struggling with my unhealthy love/hate for rain. I love the rain sometimes, especially when it pours like a waterfall. I love just watching the powerful currents cleanse the world, letting go of all its frustrations. I love it when I'm outside with my umbrella and the rain pitter patters. I love the crispness of the air after the rain has stopped. But alas, everything good can also be bad in excess. First things first: please follow me on twitter...I'm so lonely @_therealgc

Now on to my update: a week ago, I went to IVCFs membership meeting. Unfortunately, I was feeling really sick so I couldn't stay for the whole thing. I cancelled tutor and I just went home to sleep.

My two beautiful gurls Scabby and GG wearing my scarf

My student Anna made me a really beautiful card and she said that I needed to put this up on my blog. Anna is super talented. She's still in elementary and she's already sewing her own cosplay costumes and drawing anime.

I went to a TaLK reunion the other day. I met two researchers/recruiters from the EPIK program from Korea and they gave me Psy socks! I looooove Korean socks, you don't even know how bomb they are. I just wanted to model them on my dog.

Sneezy Homie

I was walking home from school and I found these. Oreos and brownies are two of my favourite sweets. Yet this thing combined two of the greatest desserts on earth and still managed to ruin it.
 

I love ambitious, determined people. This one included:

this boy is desperate to study

Has anybody gone to this before? Is it worth giving a go??

A pancake my sister Hamela so generously made for me:

ALSO: I finally took the plunge and went on to become a full fledged bluenette. Kidding. I'm just trying to come up with a costume for Halloween.

That's all y'all - see ya again next week!

TBT: Reflection on Perception

I am truly sad to say that Xanga has died. If you want to know how I got into blogging, I must say that Xanga was my first and foremost love that immersed me into this online culture. I truly loved it there. I spent the good chunk of my high school days ranting, reflecting, and just expressing my hurt and frustrations but also joys to my little computer screen. It helped me grow, it helped me understand myself better. So I decided that from time to time I will post little bits and pieces of the files I had managed to save from my Xanga account (it is on to Xanga 2.0 now, but I think accounts are still accessible). 

I don't think that I titled this piece, but I know that I was in a phase where I was lost and I didn't really know who I was. Now please remember that I wrote these a long time ago, and perhaps I've matured and perhaps my understanding of life has changed, but nevertheless how you feel at a certain moment is still significant. Single moments can shape you into a different person. Moments that last only seconds can still manage to  be beautiful and touching.

Hehe, well I guess all the rain has been making me all nostalgic and pensive, but it's sunny now! Have a great Thursday!!

  - yours, Ginger

Steph's Thoughts: Friendship

As I get older, I realize who my true friends are and the more I appreciate having them in my life. Ginger, obviously, being one of them. (I will write a separate post on why Ginger is such an awesome friend). However, after an incident that happened last year, I am less open to friendships and relationships. It’s just harder for me to trust people.

A friend is easy to make. Just have a few things in common, be nice to one another, and you’re set. Friendship accepted. However, a true friend is like finding someone to love, it’s much harder. In my opinion, a true and good friend is one who ultimately wants you to be happy and helps you to become a better person, much like how your significant other should, too. They lend you their ear when you’re heartbroken or just when you need to rant, Ginger’s specialty. They’re the ones who know when and how to give you criticism when necessary. They’re just awesome.

I’m still relatively young and have a lot to learn about life. So, let’s just say I’m not an expert when it comes to friendship and many other things. I was deeply betrayed once by someone whom I considered a close friend for almost 10 years. Despite warnings from friends for many years, I ignored them all and let this “friendship” drain the life out of me until in just the span of a minute, it all dawned on me and it was over. It’s a pain that has subsided over the past year, however, it does not erase many years of memories and the memory of that betrayal.

I often think about that friend and wish that our friendship really was as genuine I had thought it was all those years. I wonder what we’d be like if the incident had not happened. Alas, the incident did happen, an apology was never told, and I was deeply hurt. Only thing to do is just be grateful of the true friends who remain true and supportive.

So, here’s a shout out to SMAACCS + MS who are the best friends I could ever ask for. Honestly, I never knew how lucky I am until recently. You are all so awesome in all your quirky ways. You’ve been the rock in my life, my hugs, my inner peace, my everything-good-in-my-life. Thank you.

sweater weather

I guess this is a trend that you've noticed: Ham and I are not really big on accessories. Except if we had to, we would have paired this outfit with our pair of snake earrings from Urban Outfitters that I cannot seem to find right now. Alas, for dangling earrings they are pretty small so they're not that noticeable anyways. This is our transition piece into fall. We wanted to look cool and casual while still being able to retain some sort of heat in the evening.

Ham's boyfriend made the shirt for her. He took a plain black crew neck and sewed a patterned piece of fabric for the breast pocket. I love the twist of dorky with chic. The sweater vest was indeed from the men's section, and it was probably meant for grandpas, but what's wrong with getting inspired by our elders? :P

So I guess we've finally acknowledged Fall's arrival. Hello, there. Feel free to stay for a bit (or leave).

- Ginger

Shirt: handmade
Vest: Thrifted
Jeans: Winners
Boots: Aldo or Spring (same company)

Steph's Thoughts: Boys and the Friend Zone

I’m a major fan of British Youtubers. One of them is Sprinkle of Glitter, Louise, who also writes pretty awesome blogs. Her most recent one is on boys. An area in which, at the age of 22, I am still very lost.

Despite having a few close guy friends and often being considered as “one of the guys,” I honestly don’t get them still when it comes to relationships. Some of them are the most amazing friends ever, but they’re not so great to their girlfriends. Ginger and I believe that all guys are (excuse the language in this blog) douchebags. It’s just a matter of what level of douchebagginess they are. Now, don’t worry guys. We also believe it is the same with girls and bitchiness. And...we can be just as confusing when it comes to relationships.

Now then, back to the content of Louise’s blog. One of the questions her followers asked really struck out with me: I like one of my close guy friends, who I think used to like me a while ago but I'm not sure if he still does. What should I do? Personally, I know from experience that falling for a friend is a really scary thing. You want more than the current friendship, yet you’re afraid of the risks especially since things are already going…relatively well.

Louise responded to the initial question by saying: If you're brave- tell him how you feel. If you're not- hint. A LOT. I love a bit of risk so I'd just out and out say it. It could turn out REALLY well! 

I’m definitely a part of the not-brave crew. I’m basically such a wuss that I don’t even hint. I am extremely pro-“friendship to love” because I think it works for me. But like I said, it can get scary when you’re in the friend zone ESPECIALLY when competition and jealousy come into play. In my case, I tense up (not good), I freeze (really not good), and I become emo (definitely not what Louise would condone). Basically, I allow myself to stay in the friendzone. I got lucky once by getting out of it, but I had also been stuck for a really long time with my first crush but that one doesn’t really count since I think I wasn’t ready to date yet with that guy. I was just a kid!

Even now, I do the same thing. But I think I’ll just go with the flow which surprisingly worked that one time. Anyways, I guess what I’m getting at is: do what feels right to you. Don’t force anything, but don’t be pushed around either. If it’s meant to work out it will, just have hope and faith in yourself…and hope that boy you like is smart enough to like you back and ask you out!

Wishing you all the best,

Steph

Steph's Weekend 09/20-09/21

This past weekend I attended a couple clubs' Icebreakers. Icebreakers are usually opening events for student clubs to let everyone meet other members and executives of the club. They're generally pretty fun and well executed. So, definitely check some out.

The first one I attended was a club I was president of last year. This year I helped out as team leader. It made me realize I do miss being a part of my big family and organizing events. However, being a club executive of a VERY social club can be tiring and stressful. As much as I learned from this club especially as president, I'm glad I retired. I just need to mellow out from a somewhat dramatic year.

Back to the icebreaker. The turnout was even better than last year. My team really got along with each other. We took lots of cute pictures at the photobooth where the lovely event coordination designed to look like the Milky Way. Unfortunately, the prizes were not as great as before, but everyone does things differently and the important thing is that the event itself was a success.

How do I look with a 'stache?

The next day, I attended another icebreaker of a friend''s club. This friend was president the same year as me and we became pretty good friends so I tend to show my support at his club's events. I really liked how they promoted Taiwanese culture by naming the groups with Taiwanese aboriginal tribes and incorporated Monopoly into the event. We all went to dinner after, but I was REALLY tired by then, so I went home after having my fill of all you can eat sushi.

Some other stuff happened during the weekend, but it's pretty personal. I'll most likely write another blog related to it. Anyways, before I sign off, here's a song that I've been enjoying the past month.

Toodles~

- Steph Chu

Ramen Burger

I'm actually not much of a cook, but I made myself an open-faced ramen burger the other day. I usually don't like to follow any sort of recipe very closely (unless it's baking!), so I base my creations loosely on others' recipes and then add twists of my own. I followed Sorted's Ramen Burger recipe,  except I added cheese and my special sauce (teriyaki, siracha, sweet balsamic reduction, dash of salt and pepper and honey). The egg really made the burger special though in my opinion. Also, don't go without the original ramen packet soup base. Make sure that you add that in there somehow. I also added some chipotle mayo. Hamela deemed this the Asian double down. Haha.

To be honest, I didn't eat the other ramen bun, it was super delicious but I just didn't need it. Overall I think this burger deserves an 8/10. I really want to try the Cronuts next, but they're like the trashy version of a macaron/super fancy version of a regular donut. Either way, it seems difficult to make and even more unhealthy than my ramen burger.

- your Ginger