Tuesday, August 31, 2010

wedding bells


Photo from Green Go's blog

The past few days have been quite eventful. A couple of friends and I decorated The Garrison for our friends' wedding party. We did the best we could to spruce up what is usually just another dingy rock club. The party, in itself, was also amazing. I regrettably didn't take much photos, and I have yet to finish up the roll of film I used that night.

Yesterday's turn of events also ended up the most amusing - mainly due to the hilarity of friends. Among other things, Ra Ra Riot played the Mod Club and surprisingly did a lot of Rhumb Line songs (which never disappoint). I also interviewed them earlier today, which turned out really well despite the fact that Cooper, the resident Golden Retriever at the Arts & Crafts offices wanted my head for lunch.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

cozy.



"As you think, you travel, and as you love, you attract. You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you."

I spent the last weekend and a few days with one of my best friends, right in the heart of Montreal. The idea sparked inside of a coffee shop, and merged into a last-minute-spur-of-the-moment quest. The antagonizing rain and strenuous walking left me begging for home soil, but I got to spend time with a good friend, and the wonderful French culture right inside of Canada.
Needless to say, the adventure was worth the travelling time. The new people we met, from all walks of life, and the different landscapes that blew away my mind; our adventure was perfect for a couple of days.
I wouldn't change this experience at all.

Travel is absolutely vital to human growth.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Surprise

Sunday, August 22, 2010

winding down summer

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Summer's almost over, and I'm more than ready to change seasons.

Friday, August 20, 2010

(l)one(ly)

walking home

It made me start to wonder if there were other people so lonely so close. I thought about "Eleanor Rigby." It's true, where do they all come from? And where do they all belong?
- Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close

Thursday, August 19, 2010

dog days are over

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This week has been full to the brim. Not much web-lingering to be had, which is kind of good but not really after looking at an inbox full of unanswered e-mails.

The photo above was taken on the same day as The Big Morning Benders Chill Day. A bit unrelated, but I thought it was a good photo.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

the unexplored sea.



Every day we slaughter our finest impulses.

That is why we get a heart-ache when we read those lines written by the hand of a master and recognize them as our own, as the tender shoots which we stifled because we lacked the faith to believe in our own powers, our own criterion of truth and beauty…We are all part of creation, all kings, all poets, all musicians; we have only to open up to discover what is already there.


Henry Miller was a very bright man.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

To live is to battle with trolls...

in the vaults of heart and brain.
To write: that is to sit in judgement over one's self.

- Henrik Ibsen
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Wednesday, August 11, 2010

in the same vein of miscommunication


This is taken from a Godard film that I have not seen. Not really sure if I ever will in the future, though since I've pretty much lost all interest in Godard after watching "Weekend" a while ago.
I just thought the dialogue above illustrated much of my previous musings.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

expressing frustration over the unexpressed

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The irony!

I guess what I'm trying to say is that words have the ability to betray. Always, I try and try to make myself clear only to make out a blur. Sometimes, I wish in secret that some aspects of life could be borrowed from science fiction. To live in a world where people can just transmit thoughts mentally without the need to use words. A place of quiet understanding.

Monday, August 9, 2010

crooked eyes.



"True freedom and the end of suffering is living in such a way as if you had completely chosen whatever you feel or experience at this moment. This inner alignment with Now is the end of suffering. Is suffering really necessary? Yes and no. If you had not suffered as you have, there would be no depth to you as a human being, no humility, no compassion. You would not be reading this now. Suffering cracks open the shell of ego, and then comes a point when it has served its purpose. Suffering is necessary until you realize it is unnecessary."

Every person in their lifetime will experience suffering. It happens on a daily basis. When we make sacrifices for others, or when we give up for ourselves to grow and mature, we are suffering. Though it may seem that suffering is nothing but a painful memory, it is suffering that can be justified as a factor in human growth.
We suffer to grow, we suffer to realize, we suffer to acknowledge what kind of life we have, and how to make necessary changes.

I suggest you all to pick up one of Eckhart Tolle's books on self-realization, and spiritual/emotional balance. It really does turn your lazy Sundays right-side up.

Sunday, August 8, 2010

another sunday

what's on a desk
Sundays have essentially become time for one's self. It has become a routine to walk around the neighbourhood, books and magazines in tow. Usually, I head to the nearby school's field or playground, sit under a tree and read. But it drizzled a little bit this morning, so I went to the nearest Starbucks.


Reading in popular coffee shops such as this is never ideal, and sometimes, you can't help but overhear seemingly compelling life-conversations at the table next to yours. It's a different kind of entertainment, which also depends largely on one's patience/level of tolerance.


I snapped the photo above after getting back, just to test the natural light streaming from my east-facing window. There's nothing particularly special about it, except for the guanĂ¡bana milkshake my dad made earlier. The last time I had this fruit was in ice cream form when I went to Ecuador for a school trip. It's currently giving me nostalgic vibes.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

intricate words

web on pier
Most conflicts arise from miscommunication. Oftentimes, it's because we say what we don't mean. Regularly overlooked and shrugged off as insignificant, the craft of speech is in fact quite intricate, if you really think about it. And with intricacy comes difficulty and inevitable frustration. A "Freudian slip" or one incorrect usage of a word can intensify the tension in an argument or take a discussion into an unanticipated direction.

Of course, time also plays a vital part in communication. Saying the wrong thing at the wrong time is too common a mistake - a human obstacle that cannot be averted so easily. Especially when caught up in an intensely crucial moment where overwrought emotions are involved, our minds and mouths race correspondingly. We stagger in search for the right things to say. And sometimes, words just fail to convey what we really mean to express. Most of the time, a word can be too strong, too weak, or can pertain to something else completely irrelevant.

And when we opt to keep our thoughts to ourselves and say nothing at all, what becomes of such thoughts, ideas, opinions? There's only so much we can remember, and it's not like we can command our minds to stop thinking. A vow of silence won't achieve anything either. So, we're forced to speak and express ourselves inaccurately. Say whatever we want and hope that our delivery captures the gist of what we truly mean.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Ice cream and music attribute to a great summer.

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I'm gradually getting back to the swing of things. My mild insomnia that transpired over the course of the past few months has essentially gone away. Thanks to copious amounts of allergy medication and a fully-booked, tiresome vacation schedule (oxymoron?). Waking up in the early morn like the rest of the world is so refreshing. And of course, nothing beats a hearty breakfast to kick-start a day.

I met Myra early in the afternoon today to catch up and exchange stories, naturally. We stopped by Public Butter in Parkdale just to browse and potentially shop. Myra almost bought a cute little hat straight from the '60s, but she eventually decided against it. That girl. She promises to post more on this here blog, by the way - under the condition of having me point a gun to her head, so to speak. (Her terms, not mine.)
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Fast forward to the Big Chill, where The Morning Benders were set to play a free performance - by way of Soundscapes - we all got our much-needed fix of ice cream. The weather wasn't as unbearable as it was in Washington, DC or Woodbridge, VA, where I just recently visited, but it wasn't entirely pleasant either. Hints of nimbus clouds formed to tease us, but it didn't pour. Thank goodness.
Chris from The Morning Benders
The acoustic performance was short and sweet. I think everyone thereafter all proceeded down to Union Station for Metric's "worst-kept-secret" show. By the time we arrived, the streets were already filled with thousands of psyched fans and curious passersby. Unimpressed and totally beat by the increasing temperatures, we didn't stay too long in the sea of people.

reluctant.


"You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection." - Buddha

I am determined that by the end of the summer, I will become more fluent in understanding the art of buddhist philosophy, with regards to their view on anatta, or "insubstantiality of the ego".

To develop one's self, is actually one of the most challenging aspects of self-realization. Although we may be comfortable with our bodies, and who we are, we still face the many insecurities - many on a daily basis.
Personally, I always seem to find anything and everything to stress over; whether it'd be about school, family, friends, or even little events that come on a rare note, stress piles up, and leaves me feeling a little more insecure about myself.

As I sat on my desk and read hundreds of passages concerning buddhist philosophy, I realized that my mind suddenly cleared: It's fascinating how words can play a vital role in manipulating our emotions. Throughout the time reading up Buddhist Philosophy, I came across these words from Thich Nhat Hanh:

"Live your daily life in a way that you never lose yourself. When you are carried away with your worries, fears, cravings, anger, and desire, you run away from yourself and you lose yourself. The practice is always to go back to oneself."

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

I never realize...

how much I like being home unless I've been somewhere really different for a while.
- Juno

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