I am. The years leading up to now have been pretty amazing but as it so happens, my goal is to top the previous year. How do I plan to do that? Simple. Surround and fill myself with anything and everything positive, continue to cross off things on my bucket list, and step closer to my dreams while smiling, laughing and loving before, after and in-between it all.

I am so over letting negativity poison my heart and mind and I am going to do whatever it takes to keep it out of my life. If you care to join me, I have some ways that might help!

1. Unnecessary negativity.

Do you have that one person, whether or not they’re your friend or coworker, who just spills negativity all the time? There’s always something wrong with this, a problem with that, and their incessant whining and complaining can get to a point where it can turn your good mood into a bad one. Well EFF THAT! If you don’t feel like it’s your place to say anything, walk away with a smile. If they are someone you care about, for the love of God, SAY SOMETHING!

“People who truly care about you will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. We’re not trying to get in your good books, we’re trying to help you write a better story.”

Seriously though, the people you surround yourself is really important. If you want to be mellow, hang out with mellow people. If you want to find like-minded people who are chasing down their dreams and are working hard to get there, HOLLA. Negativity is extremely poisonous and toxic, in whatever form it comes in – people, environment, music, etc. Above all, negativity is unnecessary. Say goodbye today, forever.

2. In sight, in mind.

For example, if your goal is to get fit and lose that weight you’ve been complaining about all year, well guess what, only you can make yourself get there. Don’t expect to go to the gym for a week straight and then be disappointed and defeated that you haven’t lost 15 pounds. Fitness isn’t an overnight achievement, it’s about being persistent and consistent. Surround yourself with end results by making it visual, things you can physically see. Follow fitness accounts on Instagram so you are constantly reminded of what you want to achieve or go to the gym with someone who’s already got it down. I like seeing my friends post photos of their progress, it makes me want to work harder, not to beat them but to be motivated like they are. Also, I’m not going to go to the gym with someone who is planning to walk on a treadmill for half an hour and call it quits. What’s the opposite of “out of sight, out of mind?”

3. A messy mind.

How cluttered is your room? Can you even see your floor? Can you locate those files at your work desk right away? I always say, “a place for everything and everything in its place.” How hard is it to put away that jacket you’re about to take off as opposed to waiting until it all builds up, then wasting an entire day “cleaning”? I hated when my friends couldn’t come out because they had to “clean their room”. My friends always make fun of how much crap I have in my room but they also praise me on how organized it all is. Whatever floats your boat, just don’t let your cluttered mess clutter your mind.

4. Stay healthy – in moderation.

I am the queen of junk food. I have a basket of goodies within arms reach of my bed. It’s awful; I seriously need to get rid of it. Either way, I will never give up the food I love. Instead, I will compensate. I don’t remember the last time I drank pop, it honestly does not even appeal to me anymore and I have a new found love for kale and Asian sesame dressing (not together). Although I haven’t given up all the not-so-great food in my life, it just leaves me to be more open-minded and conscious of better and healthier food. Feeling an improvement in health and diet can really affect the rest of your lifestyle.

5. Be active.

I normally play on two teams year long. Whether it’s soccer or volleyball, basketball or dodgeball, I NEED my sports. It keeps me active and it helps sets a better weekly routine. Aside from the exercise, I always make new friends and feel some form of accomplishment after a game or practice. Maybe I improved on my touches or my team won all our games in volleyball, little things like that it feel like you’re progressing and your exercise has purpose. If you’re not a team sport kind of person, there are so many other forms of being active you can engage yourself in. There’s hiking, yoga, biking, running, etc. Do it alone, with a friend or a group of friends, set a routine, it’ll feel great once you’re done. Remember, the hardest part is always getting there.

6. Now is now.

My mother used to always yell at me for procrastinating – Okay I lied, she still does. “Later” would always be my response until she came to my room and dragged me by my ears. It only took many years for me to understand why she seemed so impatient. She was just trying to get that procrastination gland out of my body before it settled in for good. And it makes total sense now. Like I said with keeping clean, why put your jacket away later when you can do it now? The more you procrastinate, the bigger it all builds to a point where you’ll have to dig yourself out of your own mess. Someone texts you? Answer as soon as you can. A friend asks for a favour? Get on it! Just think if it were the other way around.

7. Do what you love and do it often.

I often ask people if they have hobbies or just things that they’ve always wanted to try or get into. I usually encourage them to keep it up or get into it. I play the piano and guitar and never really let myself have the time to just jam. But once I do, I forget how much I love and it actually soothes my soul and everything becomes peaceful and calm in my life again, even if it is just for that time. In a life where everything is so fast-paced and on-going, it’s really important to have personal time where you can let your mind relax. Whether it’s scrapbooking, a musical instrument, reading, building things, make time for it! You can always improve with music, you can create memories with scrapbooks, you can learn through a novel or even have a new piece of unique furniture! It’s a feel-good thing and who doesn’t want to feel good?

8. Wake up dancing.

Do me a favour and do not make your favourite song your alarm clock. Some might say that your favourite song will help wake you up. I’m on the flipside. If getting up in the morning isn’t your favourite thing to do, don’t wake up to your favourite song because eventually, it won’t be your favourite song anymore. Instead, once you’re up, play music that makes you happy. I have a whole bunch of happy songs from Proud Mary to Secret Smile by Rascal Flatts. Music can really set the tone for your morning and possibly the rest of your day. Create a playlist of songs that can’t help but make you smile or jump up and dance like you’re in a music video.

9. “You look sick.”

My friends always tell me I dress like a homeless person. It’s true. Growing up playing sports, sweat pants and hoodies were just natural and convenient. I’ve just grown to love them and be comfortable in them. The only thing is … they make me kind of lazy. It’s the same reason I don’t wear a wetsuit when I teach swimming lessons. When I have a wetsuit on, I’m warm and I just want to hug myself and stay warm.  I made a promise to myself that I’d put a little bit more effort into how I dress and look because it definitely affects how I feel and hence how I act. Even though I have no fashion sense, I feel like you can never go wrong with jeans and a tee. It’s actually kind of the same reason I wear a little bit more makeup when I’m feeling ill or sick. If I’m sick, I feel sick. Obviously. But if I’m sick and I know I look sick, that’s just going to make me feel even more sick. You still following me? So by not succumbing to how I feel, it actually helps me get over how I feel. I think I lost myself. But hopefully you get it.

10. Pay it forward.

Random acts of kindness will make the world a better place. Whether you give up your seat on the bus for someone in more need or you tell someone you think they look nice or that that hairstyle looks good on them, it will go for miles. In turn, your good attitude will encourage their good attitude which can be forever passed on. I saw this video a while ago but it is such an amazing video of paying it forward. Please take a few minutes to watch it! J

All in all, be the person that you want to be. Only you can make that happen. Be inspired to inspire. Now go have the best year of your life.

After I was able to calm my mind and heart, I thought about what was most important to me and then everything became clear; the rest didn’t matter. I need to face my demons so I can break free from the chains around my heart. You’ll realize that your demons are the ones you summoned yourself and only you can send them back to where they belong; out of your life. Today I am going to make that happen so that tomorrow, when the day is new, I can move on.

I’ve dealt with my ghosts and I’ve faced all my demons

Finally content with a past I regret

I’ve found you find strength in your moments of weakness

For once I’m at peace with myself

I’ve been burdened with blame

Trapped in the past for too long

I’m moving on

I’ve lived in this place and I know all the faces

Each one is different but they’re always the same

They mean me no harm but it’s time that I face it

They’ll never allow me to change

But I never dreamed home

Would end up where I don’t belong

I’m moving on

At last I can see life has been patiently waiting for me

And I know there’s no guarantees but I’m not alone

There comes a time in everyone’s life

When all you can see are the years passing by

And I have made up my mind that those days are gone

I sold what I could and packed what I couldn’t

Stopped to fill up on my way out of town

I’ve loved like I should but lived like I shouldn’t

I had to lose everything to find out

Maybe forgiveness will me

Somewhere down this road

I’m moving on

- I’m moving on – Rascal Flatts

I hope you all can do the same and find peace with your mind and heart. The only thing holding you back from being truly happy is yourself. Life is really a beautiful thing and how you live it is up to you.

Happy New Year

Photo by Trevor Do

Day one: We arrived in Honolulu in the early evening and it turns out the Pearl Harbour Memorial Parade was going on so it took us a little longer than normal to get to our hotel, the Modern Honolulu. If you ever get a chance to stay there, I must recommend it! It is extremely nice with a 24 hour pool and a 21+ pool as well.

The Modern Honolulu

The view from my room.

That night, we met up with a local friend who brought us to Home Bar and Grill. BEST NEGITORO EVER. Seriously, I went back the next day for more.

Negitoro from Home Bar + Grill

After food and a lot of booze, we went to Nocturna, a bar that had karaoke. One of the local friends really wanted to sing Hero by Mariah Carey so I tried my best to do her part while he had a great rendition of his own. Right after that next door, we went to the Manor, where the official World of Dance pre-party was. That was when I bumped into the homies Andrew Garcia, JR Aquino and his girl Denise, JP Goldstein, Jeremy Passion and crew. I didn’t tell them I was going to be in Hawaii so they were surprised to see me! I only told Jeremy and he was the first to spot me! I also met a whole bunch of awesome people and Pat Lam and I might have run through sprinklers outside the club and he may have slipped and fallen. MAYBE.

Taken from JR’s instagram

Booboo and I

Day two: A few years ago, I met an awesome group of guys in Playa del Carmen and we became the best of friends. To this day, we remain in touch and they’ve come to Vancouver a couple times. When I posted on Facebook that I was going to be in Hawaii, Rocky messaged me and said that they were there as well! So on Saturday, I cabbed over to their hotel and their friends (from Vancouver Island) picked us all up and we drove out to North Shore … to SKYDIVE! Honestly, the most exhilarating experience EVER. Around 15,000 feet in the air, you get to free fall for over a minute over the beautiful island of Oahu and then coast your way down and enjoy the view. Before we had gotten onto the airplane, I asked my tandem if we could do flips and he said yes! So after we somersaulted sideways out of the plane, we did three back flips! Never in this entire experience did I feel any ounce of fear. I’ve been bungee jumping and that is WAY worse! It kind of felt like I was riding my motorcycle … minus the bike, minus the ground. I think it’s because I always ride with my visor up because I love the feeling of wind on my face and the wind is really in your face when you’re free falling from 15,000 feet in the sky. Anyway, obviously I’m safe and nothing bad happened! If you ever get out to Hawaii, head to North Shore and work up the courage to jump out of an airplane. It’s amazing. Make sure you hit up Pacific Skydiving Hawaii!

The classroom prior to skydiving.

Dane, Danika and I getting harnessed up!

Dane, Rocky, me, Andy, Adam about to board the plane.

And away we goooooooooo …

I might be enjoying this.

Coconuts and Go Canucks!

After skydiving, we kept driving along and we went to Pipeline and caught Pipe Masters, a surf competition. The waves were HUGE! I can’t remember how many feet but all I kept thinking was that if that was me out there, I’d be turning the water around me yellow. Sorry, not a good visual. After surfing, we hit up a couple shrimp shack joints (Romy’s) and a fruit stand!

Pipe Masters

Pipeline.

Shrimp!

That night was the World of Dance Hawaii event; the final stop of the American tour. The dancers were amazing and the crowd was vibrant! JR and Andrew performed alongside Brian Puspos, and Mos Wanted killed the stage. They’re all like … kind of good at dancing and/or singing. Afterwards, we ended up at Addiction, to Ginza(sp?) and finally we walked over to Zippy’s where I fell asleep at the table and then proceeded to eat three wontons from my extremely large bowl of wonton and noodle soup. What the hell was I thinking ordering that?

A special performance by Andrew Garcia and JR Aquino.

Day three: I went to the pool because the sun was out and laid there for about an hour while I watched a bunch of girls practice for their fashion show later that afternoon.

This might be kind of a creeper pic.

After that, we went to meet Dannie Riel and her boyfriend for lunch and the Thai food was soooooo good, I want to go back for more! I think it was called Phuket Thai. I had the tom yum soup, some sticky rice and something else and seriously, it was so good. After that, the WOD troops regrouped and on the persistence of Myron, we all went to the Chief’s Luau. I’m glad we all decided to go because it was a lot of fun and a luau sounds like an experience you want to have when you go to Hawaii. They pick you up on a bus from your hotel and drive you out. You get a necklace of shells, a chance to get tattooed (I don’t know if they were real tattoos), and more. Dannie and I were more interested in the hula lesson! We were front row and the best … obviously. Maybe. Finally, we were all seated and while they provided us with Hawaiian music via a live band, we got to feast! The food was great! At one point in the night, I slid past the gate and went down to the beach. I’m glad I went because the water was surrounded by old hardened lava! It was like another planet, black smooth rocky stuff everywhere. It was kind of dangerous to walk on in the dark but it was worth it. For the rest of the show, TK Nguyen had gone on stage to be a hula dancer and that was pretty much the highlight of the luau experience. When we got back to the hotel around 9pm, I was out like a light.

The bus ride up.

Dannie and I, pig ceremony, WOD crew and more.

Day four: After having an amazing Poke bowl at Tamura’s, we drove up to Hanauma Bay to snorkel and finally spend some time on the beach. Seriously, this place is absolutely breathtaking.

Hanauma Bay

;

“The Hanauma Crater was created about 32,000 years ago during the Honolulu volcanic series, the latest (and perhaps final) burst of volcanic activity to occur on Oʻahu. Tens of thousands of years ago, a series of volcanic vents opened along the southeast shoreline of Oʻahu. Unlike the gentle lava flows currently building the island of Hawaiʻi, the late-stage eruptions on Oʻahu were violent explosions. The volcanic vents that formed Hanauma Crater opened on the sea floor. Upwelling magma vaporized the ocean water and steam explosions atomized the magma into fine ash. The explosions built cones of

ash, which solidified into tuff. The eruptions shattered the sea floor—coral reef and basalt—and scattered pieces that are now embedded in the tuff. Wave erosion eventually cut through the low, southeast wall of the crater, forming the current bay.”

– Wikipedia

We went snorkeling and even hung out with turtles. By hanging out, I mean we followed them like floating creepers. Finally being able to swim in Hawaiian waters, it was a great way to end the trip. If you are ever in Waikiki, I recommend ALL OF THE ABOVE, including the food. Until next time Hawaii, aloha and mahalo!

Ps, MAD LOVE to all my friends and my new friends I got to spend time with on this trip. Thank you for making it extremely memorable, I hope to see y’all soon! Come out to Vancouver, eh?! (Them Americans love that one)</p

The last time I wrote was when I was leaving town for LA, and this time, tis true again but instead of LA, I’m hitting the island of Hawaii. I’ll be going for only the weekend for World of Dance (WOD) Hawaii representing WOD Canada. The Canadian tour still has Montreal to go but Hawaii is the grand finale. I’m looking forward to seeing WOD in America because I’ve never been to any and I know it’s absolutely insane. It will also be my first time in Hawaii. Tomorrow this time, I will be in Honolulu!

Once I come back to Vancouver, I only have from Tuesday until Saturday left in town for almost all of December! On Sunday, I’ll be taking off again on a real vacation with Dane to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico! I’m extremely excited for this because I’m pretty sure all we’ll be doing is soaking up as much sun as we can before we have to return to reality aka winter in Vancouver. The day after we come back from Mexico, we’re driving straight to Vernon for Christmas!

I’m keeping this post short but the point of this is to let you know that I’m ready to get back into the blog world! I’ve been away for too long and I have a lot to say. Please join me in my crazy life again? I promise I won’t leave you again!

Until next time, be nice. I realized that if you let yourself, your day can be better than you imagined. True story. Aloha!

Don’t mind the video, mind what’s about to come.

By some miracle, I am going to be in Los Angeles for game 3 and 4 of round one of the Stanley Cup playoffs while the Vancouver Canucks play the LA Kings! I’m going to be doing as much blogging and vlogging as I can to keep you guys in the loop of what’s the haps when we’re out of town. Feel free to drop any suggestions via twitter or comments of things you want to see. I apologize for how lame my video skills are but it’ll do, I hope!

Feel free to follow me on Twitter @amienguyen and the Province @theprovince for which I’ll be blogging for!

I’m so excited to do this, I hope you guys can join me on this ride because I know it’s going to be insane. Thanks again for your support!

As a true fan, I’m sure this is what you might feel too as well as know that heartbreak and recovery was not an easy process. I dreamed for years and years to get to the Stanley Cup finals and it was within the grasps of our fingertips. If you truly love the Vancouver Canucks, your blue and green heart must have shattered into a million pieces like mine, and the only way to mend is with that cup they call Stanley.

Well folks, that time is here again and the only way we’re going to get through this is if we stick together, believe in blue and support our men on the ice. Although impossible, try to be as positive as you can so we can strengthen the right attitude as a city.

When we won our last game against Edmonton, I know everyone was glued to the TV as we watched the final minutes of San Jose versus LA because the loser would be playing us in the first round of the playoffs. Secretly, I was chanting for San Jose to win only because I thought it might be a possibility to travel to LA to catch a game. And possible it was because guess what?! I just booked my flight to LA and I’ll be in attendance at Staples Center for game 3 and 4! I can’t believe it! Everything worked out so perfectly, it almost creeps me out. You see, my work is shut down for maintenance for the entire month of April so it was meant to be!

And what is making it even more exciting? The Province reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in covering my road trip via blogging, vlogging and tweeting. I only had to think about it for all of half a second and of course my answer was YES! So here I am, loud and proud to be documenting my trip from everything from the preparation to the games themselves. I put together a quick little video to show two things: 1) What to expect from my trip to LA for the playoff games and 2) How much of a noob I am when it comes to actually vlogging. I promise you, I will do my best to make it better. 

So here are some things I’m going to kindly ask from you:

1) If you’d like, follow me on Twitter @amienguyen and the Province: @theprovince

2) Send me a tweet or post a comment if you have any suggestions of what you’d want to see in LA or in my playoff coverage in general.

Until then, GO CANUCKS GO!!!!! 

I don’t know what it is but for the past … two and a half months, I’ve come across some pretty funny and unfortunate events. Funny because things keep happening one after another; unfortunate because I’ve had to endure pain, many hours of missed work and not being 100%.

I’m going to bring us back to December. I can’t remember the date but it all began with the weekend it was Kitti’s birthday. She was celebrating up in Whistler and both Michelle and I were hesitant to take our cars because we were experiencing some weird sounds with the brake. Since mine was the better one off, we decided to take my car. So three of us trekked our way up the Sea to Sky Highway at 10pm at night. PS, what an incredibly smooth ride. I can’t wait to ride the bike up on a clear, sunny day.

Now let’s fast forward to going home.

It’s Sunday and I had just dropped Michelle off at home. My car sounds like every animal in the world dying at the same time any time I braked. I wanted to leave my car and run away. On the way home, I ask my dad if I can take his work truck because I really badly wanted to make it to my last soccer game before the winter break. I trade cars, drop Steph at home and make it to my game before half time.

Do you know what time it is? Time to get your truck clock fixed, pops.

Now we’re at the last few minutes of the game and my team is down without a single goal. Next thing you know, my right forward is on a breakaway and she is flanked by two defensemen (women?). I come barreling down center lane and she taps it over to me. As the keeper comes towards me, I try to bring the ball around her and take a shot. A few feet away, she saves it by kicking it … right into my face.

All I remember is hitting the ground, looking up to see what happens next and watching the ball trickle past the goal line. I roll onto my back and with straight arms, point straight up into the sky. I get up and run back to the middle and ask, “Who scored that?” (I wasn’t sure if my teammate had tapped it in)

“Um … You did. By the way, your mouth is bleeding.”

The second she said that, I staggered to the side, was extremely dizzy, and all of a sudden, this sudden surge of pain hit my mouth and jaw and I couldn’t stand up straight. I subbed out and sat down while my teammates told me I may have a concussion. Meh. So the game ends and I hop back into my dad’s truck and on the way home, I suddenly feel extremely nauseous. I know that’s a sign of a concussion. I decide to be responsible about it and drove myself to the ER. Mind you, this entire time my phone is dead. I just got the iPhone and had not gotten used to the short-lived battery life. I couldn’t tell anyone what was going on.

I get to the VGH, park the truck and check in with the Triage nurse. From the time I had from the waiting room to my X-rays–which was no longer than 10 minutes–I was able to quickly charge my phone and text my family and closest friends. In the end, turns out I had a mild concussion and slightly dislocated jaw. Whatever, at least I went out in style! How many people can say they scored with their mouth … ? Okay, maybe a lot. But this is different.

On the stretcher, waiting to go in for X-rays.

More battle wounds on the take-down.

You wanna know what the crazy part of all of this was? No, not the crazy time we had in Whistler. Not the ghetto truck. Not the concussion or dislocated jaw. Not the goal off the mouth. The craziest part of all this was that somehow, somewhy, but it turns out Michelle and I had the exact same car problem — our routers were on the brink of destruction and we had to change our brake pads. WEIRD. I mean, what are the chances of that happening to us at the exact same time? Anyway.

Which leads to today.

Since this incident, I’ve gotten extremely sick where I got fevers, chills, body aches, everything congested, headaches, etc, I got into a snowboarding accident that left me with five stitches in my right shin and a nasty abrasion in my left, I got a goose egg bump on my forehead from walking into a shelf and now I’m able to write this post because I couldn’t go into work today due to some kind of allergic reaction/infection that has me looking like Jay-Z with swollen lips.

Exhale.

I’ll get into the snowboarding incident soon, it’s a good one with lots of awesome pictures. All I gotta say is be thankful for what we take advantage of everyday — a healthy body. I can’t wait to be 100% so I can tear shit up again. Wait for it.

Take care!

Exhale.

I don’t know why I agree to do it, but tonight’s dating auction will be my third. Who do I think I am? “Yo. Buy me.”

I can’t remember what year it was when I did my first dating auction at SFU for CAC but that was an experience I’ll never forget. The thing is, they get each auctionee to perform some kind of skill or something to show. I don’t know why, and it makes no sense now, but I sang Irreplaceable by Beyonce. This song is not really Valentine’s day material and the fact that I’m not a singer makes it even more awkward. But, lo and behold, somebody bid on me for $300! The date itself was even more awkward but that’s a whole different story.

Click on this link of an interview I did with the Peak (SFU Student Newspaper) about the CAC Dating Auctions: http://www.the-peak.ca/tag/vol-128-issue-7/page/2/

Yes. The second time I did it was the following year. They told me that the charity was for the Canucks Kids and come on, am I really going to say no? So there I was, in a Canucks jersey and a guitar. I started off with Smelly Cat by Phoebe Bouffet as a joke. Apparently the crowd thought it was hilarious. I didn’t beat my record for this time, I was bid on for $240. This date was a little better because he was actually a cool guy and we had a lot of things to talk about. We’re actually still friends to this day, although I haven’t heard from him in a while!

This year my friends asked me to be a part of their fundraiser because they’re partaking in the Ride to Conquer Cancer and they’re putting on a dating auction in efforts to raise money for their team.

Click on the flyer to go to the event page and find out more details. It’s happening TONIGHT and it would be amazing if you could make my life easier and not have me awkwardly stand there while I look helpless and beg with my eyes for people to buy me. With the entrance ticket, you get a free drink and we can hang out! Hosted by yours truly and the beautiful DJ Flipout, also one of the auctionees with music by the equally beautiful DJ Yurie, also another auctionee! The dates are preset with dinner and a great activity. Some dates might have you flying in the air in a helicopter or experience the ultimate Canucks date with the ultimate Canucks fan (that would be me).

So please for the love of God, date us for a good cause and we’ll try our best not to make things awkward. We are nice people, we won’t bite! See you tonight!!!

Harsh right? Well, somebody has to be.

Has anyone ever told you straight up to your face that you gotta quit whining and complaining about the petty bullshit that you think is making your life awful? Well, maybe in nicer words but the message still holds.

“People who truly care about you will tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. We’re not trying to get in your good books, we’re trying to help you write a better story.”

Back when I was in high school, I let people get the worst of me. I was young and naive and being liked and popular was important. I could never have admitted it then but I’m older (and I hope wiser) now and I can finally see how ridiculous that attidude was. I went through some really dark days in my younger years when I let the judgement of others define who I was. I began to believe them, that I was never good enough. That I was a nobody. Well, look at me now. You know why I’m not a nobody now? This has nothing to do with popularity or fame, it has to do with how I see and feel about myself. I’m no longer a nobody because to me, I’m not just anybody.

I have gone through my own personal tribulations in the recent years, from car accidents that have put me out of use for months to emotional tear and wear from relationships. I take each and every negative experience and flip it, and try to make the best of it. Although I’m still suffering from my car accident injuries, I can appreciate more how fragile life can be and how it can be taken away in seconds. From my failed relationships, I can learn from them and take what is important and move forward.

I don’t believe that life is just existence, the state of being. I believe that life is about growing each and every day and to stand still is a waste of time that you will never get back. Believe me when I say that life is too precious. Yes, you hear things like this over and over again but if you think about it, the reason why they’re so “cliche” is because they hold truth. If these words had no meaning, nobody would say them. I’m sick, my tailbone is messed up, I’ve got five stitches in my right shin and a nasty abrasion on my left. This could be a lot worse. I can walk. I can speak. I can hear, feel, taste. I have no right to complain and if you are able of these things as well, then we’re all good.

There has been some drama that I’ve seen arise within the last couple of months. Some things that cannot be explained nor comprehended and others that just make me feel sad. Sad because it is completely unnecessary. If people could prioritize what is truly important in their lives, there would be no need for heavy hearts or angry tears. In a few years, will any of this matter? If the world ended tomorrow, would it be the last thing on your mind? I ask you one thing and one thing only: F*ck that noise. If people are trying to bring you down, don’t entertain their fantasies by succumbing to their petty ways. If bringing misfortune to others is a big deal to them, why are you even letting these types of people anywhere near your life? F*ck that noise. Surround yourself with positivity, with support and love. The best thing in life is good company, friends and family that make it so obvious what is important. Don’t stoop down to any level beneath you. If you let it happen, that’s on you and from there on, you have nobody to blame but yourself. Always be the bigger person, take the higher route. After all is said and done, keep your eyes forward and don’t look back.

I am happy. Despite certain things that could easily have created a negative impact in my life, I am extremely happy. I am creating my own fortune by getting it done myself.

“If you’re looking for a helping hand, there’s one right at the end of your arm. – Adam Christing via @JutingTsang (@iheartquotes)“

So once again, f*ck that noise. And don’t worry, be happy.

Peace and love to you all.

The first time I received a voicemail-text-converted message, I was so confused. I was wondering why my friend had all of a sudden become such a fob and decided to add in random question marks sandwiched by brackets. It didn’t make any sense. Eventually I came to realize that it was a feature that my phone was doing now and I guess I thought it was kind of cool.  The bracketed question marks definitely throw me off and a lot of the time, the message gets lost in translation — literally. So imagine my surprise–and shock–when I finished reading this one from H&R Block telling me they were at a new location. I was reading it and I was kind of confused, as I’m sure you can understand why.

First of all, my name is not Simon. Second of all, yes, I have been a little laid back in terms of my work load but that does not give you the right to call me lazy. (How do you even know this?) And third of all … HOW RUDE! I would never call my worst enemy the “C” word, that’s just mean! And lastly, after all this, you have the audacity to think I’ll do further business with you? Psh. Get the funk outta here, foo!

But … I tend to give everyone the benefit of the doubt, whether they deserve it or not. So I took the time to listen to my voicemail. Poor lady, she had a pretty heavy Chinese accent and she was stammering on her words a little bit so that obviously didn’t help the situation. If you read back and do it in a Chinese accent, “It’s Shana Black” = H&R Block. Also, turns out she actually said:

“So whenever you are ready, you can either walk in or you can call us to make an appointment …”

I have no idea where the cruel words came from. Anyway, I thought this was pretty damn gold and I had to share it with you all. By the way, I apologize for completely slacking on my blog game. I’m so far behind and I fully intend on catching up although I’m sure they will mainly be photos without a hefty story to back it up. I got really sick last week and the week before and now I’m hobbling around like a penguin because of my new stitches and slashes to my shins. Awesome story. It’ll be for yesterday, which I will conjure up quite soon. Until then, happy Tuesday! I’m debating whether or not I want to watch the River tonight … I don’t do too well with scary stuff. Like your face. Okay bye.