Thursday, January 19, 2012

And your future ain't brighter than your present, quit stressin'

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Til Death?

In February, I have 3 weddings to attend... 3 dresses to squeeze into, and 3 chances to blow it in the wedding photos.  All 3 weddings are going to be so different and unique, I'm really excited.  But it does make me look deeper into relationships...and what about these 3 that just...work... (and why none of these would work for me).  They're all around my age (20-somethings) and as couples, they compliment each other in the best way.  I can't wait until I find someone I have that type of compatibility with (but no, I'm still not sold on the idea of holy matrimony).

The first wedding has 700+ people invited, traditional Catholic ceremony, with a traditional Vietnamese reception.  My cousin and his fiance have been together for over 8 years, so in a few months, there won't be any surprises for the couple.  They are so sweet to each other, and aren't ashamed to be good to each other.  The other day, the bride posted pics of how my cousin had left her "lunch money" in the bathroom cabinet with a note...and a few feet away, another note saying there's some desert in the fridge for her.  So sweet!  I'm wondering if they bride and groom will go to the reception in the traditional Ao Dai (photo below, no, these people aren't my cousins)  I love the traditional look, but the silk is not forgiving on a lumpy body like my own.

What I love about my cousins is that they delight in the childish innocence of love. Both coming from large families with lots of siblings, they don't mind sharing space, "toys" and time.  They are on the same level, both decided school and careers were the priority, and now that they both have stable careers, they've taken that step.  It was wonderful to see them grow from young college students, to adults that are just as in love as the first day...maybe even more so.


Wedding number two, will be an intimate ceremony of 40 people , and just a dinner at a nice restaurant in Laguna Beach, CA.  The plan of the bride and groom after the dinner is to have all their friends that weren't able to attend the wedding, come in a local bar for dancing and drinking.  This couple, I've known for about 4 years, they've been together since college and they have seen some serious ups and downs.  There was a point in their relationship when it actually ended, and they were apart for some months...but when they reunited, I've never seen anything stronger. What I love about this couple is that their wedding fully represents their personalities to a tee.  Intimate. Beautiful. Close. Simple. The bride is nothing like you've seen on that show of Bridezillas, quite the opposite.  Though this is an important day for them, they only care about the fact that they will be finally solidifying their commitment to one another before a small group of close friends and family.  A passion these two share with me, is our love for our pets.  Lexie, their first bulldog (they have 3 now) will be the ring-bearer.  I'm really looking forward to this wedding and  I'm honored to be apart of this celebration.

The venue, is absolutely to die for... (this is why we live in Southern California)



The third and final wedding, are the most unique, and colorful couple I've ever known.  He is a tattoo artist, Hawaiian transplant, laid back, surfer type and 6-7 years younger than his bride.  She is energetic, creative and a wonderfully kind and talented hairstylist from San Diego, CA (with the most adorable taste ever).  They ceremony will be in beautiful San Diego, CA at a lovely resort I've always dreamed of visiting.



 They are such a great couple, I can't even begin to describe their compatibility.  Their commonality is their creativity and their love for each other...but personality-wise...this is truly and "opposites attract" scenario.  I How lovely their ceremony is at a resort, and the reception is at a traditional Asian seafood restaurant!! :) 










The Big Waste-Changed my life

I will never look at food the same way after watching the Food Network show- The Big Waste

Over 40% of the food grown in America is never eaten!! How is this possible?!?! In 2010, 48.8 million Americans lived in food insecure households, 32.6 million adults and 16.2 million children (from FeedingAmerica.org)  This show does open my eyes, that yes there is SO much waste, and the people that need to be fed, aren't getting food.  I'm sure these farmers, grocers, would not be able to make a decent living if they did sell their "blemished" produce at a better price.  Could they donate their overage?  Probably not... Would you throw a fit if you found out your son's school cafeteria made his lunch with "waste" from the farm....I thought so.  (even though this "waste" is probably fresher and healthier than what he's getting now)

On the show, these grocery owners, produce farmers, wholesellers gave all their "trash" away to these famous chefs...my question is...If I showed up at their back door, would I get the same treatment?

The problem does not lie in the amount of waste...the problem lies in the American people.  We are trained to only accept perfection.  There are so many rules and regulations that would prevent these farmers to donate produce, or for me to show up and take their trash.  What is the solution then?  Is there a solution?  I cannot accept that there is nothing we can do.

I do appreciate the things that the folks over at Freegan do...they teach "waste reclamation" and an alternate lifestyle.  Please have a read.

If you do have a chance, please catch The Big Waste on Food Network...it might change the way you look at things.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Resolutions for 2012

So again, I've been quite the wayward blogger.  Life gets too much in the way to sit down and just write.  But it is 2012, the world is about to end, so I may as well get whatever I'm thinking into the world now.

Tis' the season of resolutions, and I, like everyone else, is very gung-ho about my resolutions in January, only to have it become an "epic fail" by February.  So let's just try this again, shall we?

1. Spend less money on restaurant dining - limit eating out to 2x monthly, cook more: I've recently gone over my spending trends, and I spend an ungodly amount of money at restaurants!! And then I wonder why my bills never get paid...because I'm too busy being a fat girl and eating my money.  This particular resolution is one I am quite motivated about, since I plan to buy myself a new car for my birthday, it would be nice to have all my bills paid off by then.

2. Exercise daily - Bas Rutten's MMA workout: I am going to try to do the 28 minutes every day without wanting to kill myself.  Then hopefully, I will graduate to more difficult exercises.

3. Blog more:  Every day, I have things to say...to absolutely no one...I need to start getting back into the groove.  Obviously, I have some commitment issues that hinder my ability to write daily, but I will do my best.

4. No regrets:  I live life by the philosophy of no regrets..."because at one point, that was exactly what you wanted"  The only way I can be absolutely sure I will not regret the things that I do...is to think before I act.  To not regret my actions, I will be more sensitive to others' feelings and think of others.

That's all for this year.  Hopefully, I'll be able to stick to it!!