*rude awakening*

"...there’s no real difference between a fortune teller or a fortune cookie and any of the organized religions. They’re all equally valid or invalid, really. And equally helpful.”


Haha, I usually don't pay much attention to what Woody Allen has to say, but this excerpt from this interview totally caught my eye because it was almost exactly what I had been thinking about a few days ago. 

Q. The ideas of psychic powers and past lives, or at least people who believe in them, are central to your latest film. What got you interested in writing about them?

A. I was interested in the concept of faith in something. This sounds so bleak when I say it, but we need some delusions to keep us going. And the people who successfully delude themselves seem happier than the people who can’t. I’ve known people who have put their faith in religion and in fortune tellers. So it occurred to me that that was a good character for a movie: a woman who everything had failed for her, and all of a sudden, it turned out that a woman telling her fortune was helping her. The problem is, eventually, she’s in for a rude awakening.


and for something a bit more fun...


I'm not really a Vera Wang girl, but I love these two pieces from her new Spring collection! 

I love that distressed biker ballerina rock princess thing going on in this look. the bouffant is definitely the winning touch. 

8 splendid hours of exchanging words

I love great conversations over good food. Today was full of that. I feel so thankful.

It's so rare that I meet people who can really keep up with, understand, or challenge my way of thinking, that when I do, I know it's something to truly treasure. It gives me reassurance that my standards are there for a reason, and that I should not lower them for anyone.  

There are definitely people who meet these often assumed ridiculous expectations, and I need to focus my efforts and energy towards fostering relationships with them, because they are the people who will help me grow into a greater person. They will teach me to learn from my mistakes as well well as theirs. They will encourage me keep my pride intact because they see the importance, function, and necessity of its existence.
They will also let me know when the time is right to put away that pride, because in addition to everything, they really comprehend the beauty of sacrifice.

2NE1- 사랑은 아야야

This is one of my favorite songs from 2NE1's new album!



사랑은 아야야 from mmmpop on Vimeo.

(I had to upload it on vimeo cuz YG Entertainment banned all the audio from the album on youtube!!)

[Minzy] 사랑한다면서 왜
날 자꾸 힘들게 해
도대체 뭐가 불만인데
요즘 들어 부쩍 늘어난 간섭
참견이 날 지치게 해

[CL] Hey, 그렇게 또 며칠째 난 네 전화를 피해
I tell you what's going on
나만 행복하게 해주겠다던 네 그 약속, boy
Tell me what's up, what's up 넌 많이 달라졌어

[Dara] 너는 쉽게 넘어 가려 하지만
벌써 시간이 다 됐나 봐
Time to say good bye 못들은 척하지마
우린 이미 예전에 over, 이젠 고개를 돌려
난 이별 노랠 불러 bye my love

[Minzy] 더 높이 날 꺼야 저 멀리
달콤한 유혹에 나 속지는 않아
새로운 시작 이젠 이별의 시간
힘차게 다시 나가는 거야

[Bom] 그러니 너 역시 내게서 영원히
자유로워 지길 바래 지금 이순간
사랑은 언제나 아이야이야 아픔도 있는 거야
이제 널 잊는 거야

[CL] 부쩍 늘어난 다툼에 절로 흘러나오는 한숨
우린 서로에게 잘못 하고 있어 너도 알고 있어 그걸 that I’m better without you
반복되는 서로에게 죄가 되는 그런 싸움에서 우린 서로 이기려 해
이런 내 자신이 싫어 그래서 더 네가 미워 이젠 너를 지우려 해

[Dara] 이별도 사랑이라고 생각해줘
You'd drive me crazy
이러다가 널 미워 할거만 같아
대신 말해줄게 it's over 이젠 고개를 돌려
난 이별 노랠 불러 bye my love

[CL] 더 높이 날 꺼야 저 멀리
달콤한 유혹에 나 속지는 않아
새로운 시작 이젠 이별의 시간
힘차게 다시 나가는 거야

[Bom] 그러니 너 역시 내게서 영원히
자유로워 지길 바래 지금 이순간
사랑은 언제나 아이야이야 아픔도 있는 거야
이제 널 잊는 거야

[CL] 어딜 가든 I will think of you
언제나 늘 곁에 늘 옆에 (All right)
[Bom] 널 위해 기도해줄게 두 손 모아
행복해 영원히 영원히 영원히 함께 한다고

[Dara] 더 높이 날 꺼야 저 멀리
달콤한 유혹에 나 속지는 않아
새로운 시작 이젠 이별의 시간
힘차게 다시 나가는 거야

[Bom] 그러니 너 역시 내게서 영원히
자유로워 지길 바래 지금 이순간
사랑은 언제나 아이야이야 아픔도 있는 거야
이제 널 잊는 거야

[All] Break it down now
It's almost over now

[DARA] 난 잊지 않아 day and night
언제나 너와 함께한 추억
너와 함께한 추억

Murakami speaks

"Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back. That's part of what it means to be alive. But inside our heads - at least that's where I imagine it - there's a little room where we store those memories. A room like the stacks in this library. And to understand the workings of our own heart we have to keep on making new reference cards. We have to dust things off every once in awhile, let in fresh air, change the water in the flower vases. In other words, you'll live forever in your own private library."  (Kafka on the Shore)

grandiosity

why do i have a feeling i'm going to die very sad and unsatisfied?

sometimes i wish i could just embrace religion and brainwash myself back into it just so i could bask in the warmth of delusional comfort, but i have too much pride for that.

logically i feel life at its core is truly unnecessary but due to the nature of social constructs and so forth i have responsibilities to take care of before i leave this world.
and i care too much about the emotional state of my family and friends to do something so hurtful.
but an accidental death...
if that were to happen, i would just hope everyone would not be sad, but rather understand that maybe i am better off that way.
not because i was raised wrong or had such terrible life experiences, but because my mind has become my own worst enemy. when i'm at a stage where i think happiness only lies at the cost of reality, but am not willing to give that up, then basically i'm admitting that i don't think i can truly ever be happy. right?

maybe in the future when my pride has worn down...?

cracked out on kdramas

I started watching Playful Kiss and it's hella cute!

I was actually really scared to see Hyunjoong's acting (I was pretty much traumatized by his atrocious take on the Hanazawa Rui role in Boys Before Flowers), but 1. I expected the worst so there were no ugly surprises 2. he learned a few more facial expressions, thank heavens 3. the role fits him a lot better. Also, the actress who plays the female lead Oh Ha-ni (Jung So-min) is sooo much more likable than the Jandi character in BBF and has much better chemistry with KHJ (or rather, actually HAS chemistry with KHJ, haha). She's so expressive and adorable that it plays off his coldness really well. :). Anyway, I've seen the first two episodes and I am pleased with the direction the show is taking~. I was unsure during the first episode but the second episode was much more tightly paced and edited. 

I'm in the middle of several dramas now... Playful Kiss, My Girlfriend is a Nine-tailed Fox, I Am Legend, and Sungkyunkwan Scandal. I'm putting I Am Legend on hold for now and am thinkin of finishing it when the drama's over. It doesn't quite fit in with the other dramas (which are more youthful and fluffy) but I definitely want to finish it. It's very solid. 

My favorite overall one as of now is probably My Girlfriend is a Nine-tailed Fox, but the other two shows just came out last week so we'll see how it goes. 

Anyway , Shin Mina + Lee Seung-gi have great chemistry together! they are way too cute. it gives me the giggles. :)

this scene was hands down my favorite, though:

teeheehee :)

(my current opinion on Sungkyunkwan Scandal is summarized quite succinctly by the previous post. 'nuff said. ^__~)

My Kryptonite: Pretty boy Androgyny w/ Bad Boy Flair

From Sungkyunkwan Scandal...

Song Joong Ki as Goo Yong Ha

I love a good smirk.

adventures in dreamland

fell asleep watching Capitalism: A Love Story with Silvia on my bed

had the vividest dream about being a kick-ass cat-like ninja fighter living in a special school... 

lots of intense albeit cheesy symbolism + motifs. i would love to see it in movie form... ;)

alternate, fantastical universe

naughty teenage delinquency 

burning tree house atop body of water disaster 

epic rescue across wobbly bridge + tearful reunion

inner school drama + romance

infiltration of school in the middle of one angst-driven night by powerful group of women with unknown agenda

fierce bloodless battles with invisible swords that seemingly materialize out of thin air 

shape shifting into animals ... I think I was a cat and the other women were cats, too... so I was kinda like them?? hmmm interesting development... 

it was like X2 with a mystical Asian influence in a Scott Pilgrim-esque game fighting style 

ahahhahaha...


oh and

AHHHH I need someone to watch Scott Pilgrim with me again... someone who will laugh and get it all and make me doubly enjoy it... gaHhHH MANUELA GRACE YIM please come back and watch it with me!!! you were the best movie watching partner for it!! 

fun end of summer song (from Taeyang's new international album)

"I told her... I need you to be my new problem."

x

this song is kickinnnn! love me some hova



So I took my car out so I wouldn't drink last night...

just ended up driving back still tipsy at 5 in the morning.

hahahhahahaa what a fucking fail.

but I did eat some awesome curly fries and watched part of Zoolander at jon's place trying to sober up while he showered! hahahaa

we went to Blink for Andrew's bday and dude... hahahhaa... it was sooo ... how do I put it? hmm too hip and happenin for us? :). It was like... all of ktown's hip hop/underground rap scene performing/ mingling in there... hehe... funny... I felt so out of place but I enjoyed myself! it was fun.
Jennifer got us a table so it was very chill. we owe her big time.

Anyway... I just realized that summer's basically over.

I think this summer was the least... cohesive one ever. I can't really summarize it. It was such a mash-up of so many different people, places and events.

it was definitely not as life-changing or epic as last year... I guess that's what happens when you stay home and just hang around with old friends, huh? I mean, I loved it, but there's a part of me that's thinking... wow I really should have done more. I really should have grown more.
and I really needed more distractions.
I'm leaning much more heavily towards teaching in Korea for a year. I think I need to get away and learn to suffer on my own a bit.