Friday 29 July 2011

Toronto Track and Field Meet

Okay. So...I've been totally slacking on this blog but I have a legitimate excuse!! The past month has been incredibly busy.  I was working full time and was doing a lot of family stuff.  Therefore, I haven't had the time to update the blog very often.

So you know...this is like three weeks late.

Anyone who knows me knows that track is a sport I love and am passionate about.  On July 13, 2011, I got to volunteer at the Toronto International Track and Field Meet at Varsity Stadium.  Competitors included the likes of hurdlers Perdita Felicien, Phylicia George (a Mary Ward alumni!), sprinter Walter Dix, Shot putter Dylan Armstrong and several other talented runners from the United States, Kenya, and Jamaica. 

At the meet, my duty was to hand out results to the reporters.  Being a journalism student, I made this my opportunity to be a part of the media scrum so I could see how it would be like to work at big sporting events as a journalist. I even did a little networking with a recent Rye Journalism grad!!

And boy, did I run a lot that day!!  However, I felt the meet took in too many volunteers.  So many slackers GEEZ.

Nonetheless, it was a good experience. I even got to meet last year's World No. 1 hurdler Priscilla Lopes-Schliep!! She didn't compete that day because she's pregnant. She's super nice!!

Fun fact:  I ran my first and only OFSAA at this stadium!! *bittersweet*

All the boys here have the same outfit!! SO CUTE!!!! :') 

Tuesday 19 July 2011

Harry Potter ends: A Part of My Childhood is Over.

Watching the final installment of the Harry Potter saga on Sunday has left me in a nostalgic yet depressed mood.

I'm no longer embarrassed to say this but Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, the Weasleys, Draco Malfoy, Voldemort, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore, etc have been a great part of my literary adventures when I was a child and an adolescent.

Some boys used to tease me at school because I loved reading...but you know what?! I'm not ASHAMED ANYMORE. (Okay, I was never ashamed...but offended when they called me a nerd). And with that, I am admitting on this very blog post that I am depressed that the series is no longer continuing.

Thank you J.K Rowling for writing such an amazing saga with so much detail and developing your characters as if they were real human beings, just like us.  I feel so connected to Harry, Ron and Hermione...almost as if I could be one of their friends whenever I pop open a Harry Potter novel.

Thank you J.K Rowling for writing it in a way, that made me completely and 100 per cent content.  The only thing I would comment on was that it was too short!! I really am curious as to what happened after the Second Wizarding War. How did Harry and Ginny heal together?  How did Ron and Hermione's relationship develop??

Particularly, I am interested especially in Ron and Hermione.  I have always had a hunch since the second book that they would end up together.  But since the Goblet of Fire, I solidly became a HUGE Ron/Hermione shipper. That's the beauty of books I think.  They offer an escape to reality and just gives you such a nice feeling of nostalgia.  (AND if anyone who doesn't ship Ron/Hermione...I will happily debate over this in the comment sections ;] )

Okay, so now that I have finished gushing over the series in my confusing little word vomit up above...let me talk about the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2.  (THERE MAY BE SPOILERS SO PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS)

Part 1 was amazing, simply put.  Like Daniel Radcliffe said in an interview with Tribute Magazine, it was a "slow-burning drama", which I really, really enjoyed.  I loved the adrenaline involved when they were being chased by the Snatchers, the tension between the friends as they look for Horcruxes and for the romantic in me, the development of Ron and Hermione's ever-growing feelings for each other.

I mean really?  Didn't you just melt at the way he looks at her?!



The way they bicker??

OR THAT LOVELY SPEECH HE GIVES WHEN HE RETURNS??

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFcwZH0MpYE

Ron has always been my favourite. He's such a dork. And I love dorks. He's so funny and sarcastic...and UGHH I love HIM. AND RUPERT GRINT. I want my very own Ron Weasley. Or Rupert Grint. I don't mind. I want THEM BOTH!! (Must. Watch. All. His. Other. Stuff.)

And on to Part 2...the thing I was most looking forward to was Neville Longbottom and of course the kiss by Ron and Hermione.  I won't say much...but I wish they shot it better.  But yest, they did do it justice and I am happy enough.

But Neville!! (AKA Matthew Lewis). My..have you grown into a handsome man.  UGH.  Another big fangirl crush on you. I MEAN LOOK AT THIS. LOOK AT THIS.

WHAT A BABE. SERIOUSLY.

 AHHH. The series was just too perfect.  The movies, a bit less than perfect...but of course books are better than the movies.  Go and watch Harry Potter!! And for those who haven't read all the books, it's never too late to start ;)

P.S.  This makes me laugh on a daily basis.

P.P.S Thank you again, J.K Rowling. for these books.  Stories like these make me love reading.

Monday 11 July 2011

Things I will never Understand: Part 1

I don't understand why people get all sensitive over personal and touchy questions when they are clearly open to it when they make a Formspring account.

Honestly, how can you get SO offended when someone asks you a question you don't like anonymously when you are clearly putting yourself out there for that to happen? 

The whole point of Formspring is the allow people to ask you a question they wouldn't normally ask in public because they were too scared, shy or simply thinking about it in their heads but didn't have the chance to ask you. 

Taking the syntactical message of a question and misinterpreting it by blowing it completely out of proportion is such a redundant thing to do when you are clearly subject to criticism and potential offensive questions when you decide to make an account where people can ask you "ANYTHING" they want.

And besides that, why does it even matter if you get an offensive question? You can either choose to reply in a humourous way, reply honestly, or just delete it in general as it is none of their business. You don't have to act immaturely and shoot back calling someone a terrible name or to cuss them out. Honestly, did you seriously expect less when you signed up for a Formspring account?

I'm beginning to sound extremely repetitive here so I'm hoping y' all get the gist of what I'm trying to convey here.  Just to make it more clear...whenever I get a hater comment, I don't reply back at all or I try to reply with the least minimal amount of effort.  Because honestly, shooting back will only cause more drama and will not prove anyone wrong.

That being said, I actually disabled my Formspring account. Not because I was getting a lot of insulting questions, but because I felt that I had better things to do than to badger people to ask me questions. In fact, I wish there was a way to permanently disable my Formspring just so I can keep things to myself. And if anyone needs to ask, then just ask me in person.

Friday 8 July 2011

Stupid things I do: Episode 1

We're only human. I get it.

But sometimes, I do things that I really question about. Stupid things I should have known if I had thought two seconds about.

But nooo...I don't.

The other day, I was shopping at the local Goodwill.

(For those of you who think it's gross...yeah...it is actually sometimes really gross.  But I like to think that once you wash it once or twice, it will be good as new!!)

I like a good thrift store find. But when it's something that is used and priced over 10 bucks, I'm not going to buy it unless it is extremely special. 

So while I was at the Goodwill for its 50% off sale, I found this beautiful sheer oversized navy blue blouse selling for six bucks (regular $12).  Even though I knew similar blouses were selling for 60 bucks, this would be a steal right?

Apparently I didn't think so at the time.  I wanted to get it even more discounted because I noticed some loose strings.  But DOOOYY. Of course there would be loose strings. It's a freakin' thrift store!!

So this was me after lining up for 10 minutes.

ME:  Is it possible to get a discount because there are some loose strings?

Cashier: (sighs) Ma'am.  This is a thrift store so of course there will be loose strings. We don't do quality check.

ME:  Uh..okay.. (red face)

BAM. And just like that, I was embarrassed in front of a crowd of people lining up. (IDIOTIC ME)

But honestly. Who else is like me and wants the very best deal at all times?  Okay, so maybe I shouldn't have bargained for a six dollar shirt that was already discounted AND for charity...but I guess I just couldn't help myself.

Unfortunately, I don't think this really draws people away from the stereotype that Asians are cheap.

Wednesday 6 July 2011

Humidity Sucks.

You know what's been bothering me lately?

The weather.

The hot, humid and sticky weather in all of it's summertime glory.

I'm a fan of the summer season, but not when it becomes muggy outside. 
In fact, call me crazy but, I sometimes hate the sun when it's shining too much.  Does that even make any sense? 

Probably doesn't, but let me tell you why I hate the current weather Torontonians are currently experiencing.

The thing is, I'm a runner.  Not an amazing runner, but I enjoy running recreationally. Currently, I am trying to get my 5km time down from 22-23 minutes to 20 minutes or less.  Is that so much to ask for?

But NOOOO, it has to be disgustingly humid and hot outside.  It makes it hard for me to breathe.

The other day, it was 29 degrees (Celsius by the way because I am Canadian) outside.  My friend wanted to go for a 10 km run and I honestly think he's crazy.  There's no way running a 10km in weather like that is healthy.

 Honestly, I don't even know why I agreed to it in the first place.  I had to stop less than halfway into the run! And then, I felt extremely weak and lazy for not finishing.  I felt sluggish and slow. 

You see what this is doing to me?!  I need my daily run!!  Or else, I will never be fit again nor will I reach my goal!!!!

So weather, please go back to normal. PRETTY PLEASE??

Love,
Samantha

P.S: I don't think this post makes a lot of sense because I'm tired but wanted to update this blog.

P.P.S. I blame global warming.