February 19, 2006 - As Kelly Clarkson said (or sung):
I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly/ I'll do what it takes til' I touch the sky
I'll make a wish/ Take a chance/ Make a change/ and breakaway
Sometimes life is about taking that chance, making that change. It's scary, because you're venturing into the unknown. You're out of the comfort zone, out of an environment where you feel safe, where you feel so sure of yourself. But if you're forever stuck in that zone, you will never know what lies beyond - something greater, something better could be waiting for you at the other side - just hoping, and praying that you would take the chance, make that change, and breakaway.
Of course, you have to make sure that breaking away is worth it - as in, it has to make you happy. Life is too short to be unhappy all the time - when you know that something is out there, within reach, that could make you happy, you just have take the opportunity and go for it - i.e. take a chance, make that change, and breakaway.
I guess that's the motto that I have been living on the past couple of years. Like my friend Joyce said, we all just want to be happy - and isn't being happy what life is all about. It's a really scary world out there - you don't know what's going to happen, you don't know if you'll get hurt - but unless you go and venture out of that comfort zone, you might miss out on a lot of good things - things that you could never even possibly imagine.
So thanks Kelly, I will take a chance, make that change, and breakaway =)
February 14, 2006 - In honour of Valentine's Day, I thought I would blog about some of my favourite cheesiest, sappiest ballads that I somehow, still listen to - often in a regular basis. Maybe it's the lyrics, or maybe because these songs were there for me through some of my worst times. But I couldn't help it, whenever these songs pop up on my I-Tune, or on the radio, I would just sing along. So here are some of my all-time favourites:
1) You and Me - Lifehouse
All of the things that I want to say just aren't coming out right
I'm tripping on words
You've got my head spinning
I don't know where to go from here
Cause it's you and me and all of the people with nothing to do
Nothing to prove
And it's you and me and all of the people
And I don't know why, I can't keep my eyes off of you
Why I like it: This is definitely one of my current favourites! Perhaps it's because Lifehouse has always been one of my favourite bands. But the lyrics here just got to me - it definitely highlights all those feelings of uncertainty, of "I'm not sure why I'm feeling like this but I just do." Wow I feel like such a sap just writing this.
2) My Love - Westlife
An empty street
An empty house
A hole inside my heart
I'm all alone and the rooms are getting smaller
So i say a little prayer, and hope my dreams will take me there
Where the skies are blue to see you once again, my love
Overseas from coast to coast, to find the place I love the most,
Where the fields are green, to see you once again, my love.
Why I like it: This song goes way back with me, back to a time when "an empty street, an empty house, a hole inside my heart" pretty much described how I was feeling. "Overseas from coast to coast.." also resonate, particularly the "..to see you once again" part. Sigh. The song still haunts me today.
3) As Long as You Love Me - Backstreet Boys
Although loneliness has always been a friend of mine
I'm leaving my life in your hands
People say I'm crazy and that I am blind
Risking it all in a glance
And how you got me blind is still a mystery
I can't get you out of my head
Don't care what is written in your history
As long as you're here with me
Why I like it: The lyrics says it all - I mean how much sweeter do you want to get? Again, it pretty much talks about taking a chance, taking a risk - and just go with it!
4) The Ghost of You and Me - BB Mak
I didn'’t mean to fall in love with you
And baby there's a name for what you put me through
It isn'’t love, it'’s robbery
I'm sleeping with the ghost of you and me
Why I like it: It's bitter, I know. But like "My Love", this song was with me for a long time, during those dark days several years ago. I particularly like the last two lines of the first verse.
5) Never Had A Dream Come True - S Club 7
I never had a dream come true
Till that day that I found you
Even though I pretend that I've moved on
You'll always be my baby
I never found the words to say
You're the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where love takes me to
A part of me will always be with you
Why I like it: Again, a little too sappy I know. The title along probably makes you want to gag. I like the last 2 lines the best though. The rest is a little too much even for me, but this song was on mp3 players for the longest time - and still is.
6) My Everything - 98 Degrees
The loneliness of nights alone
The search for strength to carry on
My every hope has seemed to die
My eyes had no more tears to cry
Then like the sun shining up above
You surrounded me with your endless love
Coz all the things I couldn't see are now so clear to me
Why I like it: This was THE song not that many Valentine's ago. I still remember I was sitting on the bus that Valentine's Day, listening to the song, thinking how great life is. I still like it - especially the verses in between the chorus. - but it's funny how all those feelings behind the song back then has long disappeared.
And now for my all time favourite, chessey, sappy song:
7) This I Promise You - N'Sync
When 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,
Is standing here all alone...
Why I like it: I could post the lyrics to the entire song here. I mean, what's there not to like about it if you're looking for a little sappiness - he's promising to be there for you, for the rest of your life, telling you that his arms is where you belong. Sheesh. I know - pass me a bucket so I could throw up now - but yet, I still like it - it gets to me. I know, pathetic eh?
Well at least I didn't put James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" in here! hehehe.
Happy Valentine's Day =)
February 12, 2006 - Are you watching the Olympics?
Chances are you are either drawn to the hype, or you simply don't care. For me though, I have to admit that I am definitely drawn to the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics. Compare to previous Olympics though, these games seem to have a much lower profile (as compared to say Salt Lake City in 2002). Perhaps it's because the games are being played out in Europe, in a little town that no one has really heard of; or maybe because these games are really looked upon as the precursor to Vancouver 2010 - which we all know will be what the entire country will pay attention to in just 4 years.
Personally, I find the Winter Olympics much more interesting than the Summer Games. I guess the primary reason is that Canada does much much better in the Winter Olympics. I also think the winter sports are much cooler to watch - I can't think of anything sports that are in the Winter Games that I don't like watching, whereas for the Summer Games, the only ones that I really care to watch are swimming, diving, and beach volleyball. Plus, am I the only ones who think the winter athletes are much hotter than the summer ones?
Watching the Olympics also brings this warm fuzzy feeling too - maybe it's because I know I will never win an Olympic medal - but also the games bring the world together, and for 2 weeks, we focus our attention on these athletes - on friendship, on sportsmanship, and on cooperation - something that we definitely don't see regularly enough on tv.
So here are some my favourite memories from watching the Olympics over the years. My earliest goes back to 1994, since I don't quite remember watching the games before then...
1994 - Lillehammer, Norway: Who can forget the Nancy Kerrigan-Tonya Harding skating scandal that took centre stage at these Olympics. The one thing I remember was Tonya Harding failing miserably in the finals (her laces broke or something?) while Nancy Kerrigan went on to win a silver medal.
1996- Atlanta, USA: I was in summer school that year when the Olympics took place. My best memory of those games was our teacher actually stopping his lesson so we could watch Donovan Bailey run the 100m heat trials. Bailey went on to win the gold medal - which I watched from home.
1998 - Nagano, Japan: Elvis Stojko won the silver medal despite his injuries was remarkable to watch. Ross Rebagaliati won gold in snowboarding (which I watched live in the morning) but is probably remember by most as the athlete who "inhaled" but not "smoked" pot. Michelle Kwan, who I had a big crush on growing up, lost the gold medal to 15 year old Tara Lipinski in figure skating.
2000- Sydney, Australia: Best memory was watching Simon Whitfield winning the gold medal in triathlon on my way out that night. The course was memorable since it featured great views of the Sydney Harbour. I remember watching rowing, but that's pretty much it.
2002- Salt Lake City, USA: Aside from the gold medal hockey game (which I think everyone watched), my best memory is probably watching Jamie Sale and David Pelletier skate to their well deserved, though belated gold medal. The two probably owe their medal to the media, who advocated endlessly for the pair. These games also forever changed the way figure skating is judged.
2004- Athens, Greece: I don't have any memories of these games, aside from how much I would love to check out Athens. This of course, coincides with Athens being Canada's worst Olympic performance in recent memory.
So there you go, and for the next two weeks, I'll probably watch more sports that I have in the past 6 months. And maybe, just maybe, watching the Olympics will entice me enough to go out there and try a new sport - anyone up for ski jumping?
February 3, 2006 - This week couldn't have gone by fast enough. Even though I had a relatively short work week (I called in sick on Monday), it felt like it just would not end. I guess it didn't help that things have been kinda weird lately and then on Thursday morning, my mom called to tell me that my sister's in the hospital! So let's do a quick recap of what happened...
Monday: It was nice spending a day in the apartment doing nothing. Sure I was suffering from killer headaches, but it was great just sitting around, watching tv, surfing the web. You're probably thinking: that's what you do everyday though, Felix! it's true, but it feels so different when you're doing it DURING THE DAY, when you know you're supposed to be at work.
Tuesday: Things are getting better with regards to the things that I was going through (re: last blog). It really helped that I was able to talk about it and it also helped that I had some time to think it through. I think I'm feeling much better now and I think the issues have been settled...
Wednesday: Even though I was away on Monday, work has been unusually slow this week for some reason. I spent most of today just sitting around, reading reports that weren't really useful nor important. I have a feeling I'll pay for this though...
Thursday: So my mom woke me up at 7 am this morning to let me know my sister was rushed to the ER last night. Apparently the flu virus got into her heart and was causing her heart to beat at an abnormally rapid pace. It was even scarier when she told me that the doctor had tried 2 different types of drugs and both of them have failed to lower her heart rate and her fever. When she called, they were still waiting for the cardiologist to show up (gotta love our waiting times at the hospital). Eventually though, the cardiologist showed up, ran a whole bunch of tests on my sister, and sent her home (after of course giving her this other drug which eventually lowered her heart rate and fever). But it was scary - since I was totally out of the loop and I felt like there was nothing I could do. I did offer to go back up to Markham to see them, but my parents said I wouldn't be of much help anyway (which is true). They did call me with updates though, so that was good. But still, it was definitely scary.
Friday: So today's finally Friday. I decided to go home early to see my sister. It was nice to see she's doing ok. It also made me think: despite, how much she annoys me on a regular basis, I think we really do care for each other. And now that I've moved out and we don't see each other as often, our relationship has even improved - as in we're more civil to each other than we ever have been. It's nice actually. hmm..does that mean we've finally grown up?
