Eat, Sleep, Run, Read, TV and Repeat.

Hello my fellow blog readers!

For the past month, I have been working at my high school's summer school for big time procrastinators and slackers.  And seriously, I'm not lying about that...because the amount of work students had left, I felt no sympathy for them what so ever. (With the exception of Grade 12 students summer schooling Calculus because that shiz is hard and I would have never survived.)

Though from a full time job in the month of July, I am now unemployed once again for the month of August.  I'm not complaining though. My cousins from the UK are coming next week!!! I also have a (LONG OVERDUE) feature to write, and I will be heading to Europe for 10 days!!! (Yes, I know 10 days is not a long time for a Europe trip but I have school and tickets were cheap...and my cousins live there so why the heck not?!)

Anyways, I got my helix pierced!! It's not very special...and I actually got it a month ago...but here's a picture of it!

You can't see it very much...but it's there. I blame the glare of the sunlight and the poor quality of my webcam. Oh wells.

Anyways, I'm currently looking for a sweetheart strapless tube top to wear under sheer clothing. I am having no luck so I am turning to the internet to help me out. I would like a cheap basic...under $20 please would be preferable.  I'm looking for a bustier shape...but something more practical and comfortable.

For example, this is what I'm looking for.

 Please help a sister out!!!

My summer with a couple of shameless plugs

So it's about week two of my summer vacation and the last week before my job begins.  It isn't anything exciting, but at least it's flexible.  Next week, I will be working as a file clerk/receptionist at a law office.  Hopefully in July, I will be working at my former high school as a teacher assistant.  

I'm thankful I found something to keep me busy for the four month break I have. Finding work has been a challenge because I don't have any retail experience.  In this case, I don't really think I'll ever find a job in retail...sigh.

I won't delve too much on this topic, but if you must, watch the video above and ALL WILL BE CLEAR.

On another note, I am currently interning and contributing for Canculture, a new online magazine focusing on local arts and culture.  And even though it was by created "rival" Carleton journalists, it's all love when it comes to getting the stories and covering events.  So far, I have written two reviews for HotDocs, a film festival for international documentaries.  (You can check them out here and here)

Other than that, nothing much as been taking place...other than meeting UFC fighters Ryan Bader and Jon Fitch!!

Unfortunately, I could never be intense enough to pass off as a UFC fighter....

At least I tried.

But with more exciting news, I also met the legendary figure skater Kurt Browning!! Other figure skaters there were Jeff Buttle, Shawn Sawyer, Jamie Sale, David Pelletier and 2010 Olympic bronze medalist Joannie Rochette.  It was so awesome to meet Joannie after watching what she went through last year at the Vancouver Olympics.  Truly, what an inspiration and role model for Canadians!  What a gorgeous performance!

However, meeting Kurt Browning was probably the bigger highlight.  He is a four time Figure Skating World Champion and his skating style is simply just exquisite!

Embarrassingly enough, I was star-struck.  Just a bit.  I told him I wanted to report at the Olympics as a broadcaster and started to gush about Patrick Chan right after.  If you don't know already, Patrick Chan is another figure skater whom I love and (hopefully one day will marry....).

Of course, I'm only half joking...but a girl can always dream...

And amongst all the Royal Wedding hoopla, my friend Bethany and I also met the Royals...well, their cut-outs anyways.

Unlike most people, I was not into the hype about the Royal Wedding.  Kate and William are a beautiful couple, but all the attention from the cake, the dress, the fascinators, the flowers, the guests, the honeymoon, etc. was blown way out of proportion!  They are normal people!!!

But nonetheless, this photo was fun!

Stay tuned for more as I will posting more frequently in the summer!  Cheers!

G2 Exam

Yesterday was my G2 driver's exam.  Even though I live closer to the Lawrence and Victoria Park area, my instructor opted for the Aurora location.  It's kind of a bitch to drive up there when you aren't using the highways because it takes around 40 minutes to drive up.  To add onto that, my instructor asked me to go into small neighbourhoods to practice parallel parking and three point turns. However, I'm kind of glad I took my exam there because it was much easier.  There was less traffic,  fewer people, and the streets were not busy at all.  As well, that, my test was at 4:25 pm, close to closing time.Good thinking on my instructor's part because my test only lasted around 10 minutes. 

All I had to do was downhill park, three point turn, and back in.  And then, I passed!  It was much easier than I thought because I kind of didn't have confidence in myself.  I thought I was going to fail after hearing all those stories about people failing their G2 test three times.  It also did not help to see a grown woman bawling her eyes out for failing.  

It is honestly such a relief that I have my G2 now because I don't have to continue on with classes after the summer with university going to get in the way. It kind of proves to me that my summer hasn't been a complete waste, as I practiced practically every single day.  Now I am super excited to go cruising around town by myself!  I just have to keep careful now.

P.S.  I found the examiners really monotone.  The man I got told me I passed, and when I celebrated with an enthusiastic 'YAY!', he just looked at me like I was crazy...Oh well...I PASSED YAHOO

I'm Going to New York!!!

This summer has been pretty sporadic.  With my sister working in London, Ontario as well as my Frosh Week getting in the way, we haven't really gotten to go on our annual family vacation. Usually, we tend to go on a Caribbean cruise.  I really don't mind that we aren't going this year because I was never a big fan of family trips in the first place (well, since grade 7). 

Don't get me wrong though because I really do appreciate the opportunities I am given. It's just that as I started to grow older, my love for family vacations have started to wane.  I don't know what it is, but I tend to get really annoyed with my family when we are in a foreign area with no one else to turn to. 

I realize I sound like a big jerk here for saying I don't like traveling with my family.  I guess it mostly depends on the area we are going to. For one thing, the Caribbean weather tends to get hot and sticky.  Perhaps the weather makes me cranky.  Or maybe it's the somewhat boring sight-seeing areas we go to at times...

But now that I'm older, I'm trying really hard to actually appreciate the different types of places I get to see. It is, after all, a learning experience.

But enough with the chitter chatter!  I'm going to New York this weekend, so I know it's going to be fun! I love traveling to big cities because of the people, the sights, the shopping, and just the atmosphere! So if anyone knows any good places around New York, let me know!!  The shopping is wonderful, and maybe this time, I can get some thrifting done!  I heard the thrift stores in this city are AMAZING!

A couple of small regrets

I know I should be excited for University, and I am...but I cannot help but feel a little sad that I won't be leaving home.  It's funny how all the universities I applied to were out of town except for Ryerson University.  But the one I ended up choosing, was Ryerson.  I cannot stress how much I want to leave home, move in somewhere by myself, and just LIVE.  I want to be on my own, go out with friends, and learn how to do things myself.  Not to mention, I want to be far away from my parents, to HAVE SOME FREEDOM. 

Then why didn't I pick the schools that are out of town?  Several would ask that, and my answer is because of the program that I'm going into.  I chose the school solely for it's excellent reputation for Journalism and Broadcasting.  There has been a lot of funding put into the program; not to mention the plethora of opportunities set around Downtown Toronto. Getting into the program was even harder, as I had to set up a portfolio to get in. So you can imagine what a relief and joyous moment for me it was to learn I got accepted!

I really did have a hard time deciding which school to choose because I REALLY wanted to go out of town.  I had to do a lot of thinking, and realized that the benefits from Ryerson surpassed Carleton in terms of my education, experience, and my future.  While Carleton is a great school, I just couldn't really picture myself in that atmosphere. And did I really want to risk getting cut from Carleton's Journalism program in the second year? It was a risky position to be.  Besides, from seeing all that Ryerson Journalism can offer, it would be silly to refuse this program just to live out of town.

I have tried to make the best of my staying-at-home-situation by applying to residence at Ryerson.  But I am on the waiting list.  I've lost hope however, because the school only has 500 vacancies.  Obviously, I would not be a first choice.  This makes me a bit upset because my stay at home has been prolonged.  But come second year, I will hopefully be able to get a condo with a couple of room mates.  It would be much easier to travel, and I WOULD GET TO LEAVE HOME!! How this day is so close but yet so far....

Don't get me wrong though.  I love Downtown Toronto. It's so busy and full of life!

When Bored on a Hot Summer's Day

This summer has been pretty uneventful to say the least. Other than going to Vancouver at the beginning, which was pretty awesome, I have been living the hermit life.  Living this kind of life is relaxing at times, but it is emotionally draining.  I. AM. SO. BORED.  Most days, I am working on my part time editorial intern position for a website, going on Facebook, reading, or cooking food. On some occasions, I go out to practice my driving, as my G2 exam is on August 27th. If I'm not doing that, I'm watching Degrassi and gushing over Elijah Goldsworthy.  Which is strange, because my cousin went to school with Munro Chambers (the guy playing him)

But don't get me wrong, I do go out with friends.  It's just that most of them are working...and I am not. I feel so stupid for not taking the job I was offered because I really wanted to get an internship, which I did. However I don't even know if that's working the way I want it to be.I think I better start stepping up my game.

So today, I decided to take some photos of myself because I was bored.  And not only that, changing into ''going out clothing" is much more refreshing!  Not to mention,  I should go out and get some Vitamin C!!

Note to Self:  GET A TRIPOD.  I'm pretty bad when it comes to self-timer pictures, and the several pictures that I took came out awkward.  But in general, the whole thing was pretty awkward. I mean, a girl taking pictures of herself!  Narcissist much?

But to be honest, I am actually not a narcissist. In fact, I am quite self conscious of my appearance.  That is why I enjoy shielding myself behind sunglasses because 1. They hide my ginormous baggy eyes, and 2. They are pretty BAMF. 

However, I am quite content with the way these pictures came out after a countless amount of times.  And although I'm not very confident in my appearance, I still don't believe in using make-up.  I like to think that one day, someone will appreciate me through it all: natural looks and personality.  And besides, make-up is too much of a hassle anyways!  I like to get out of bed, look presentable, and out the door!  But in this case, I'm at home...WOE IS ME.

But on a fashion related note, I recently received some heavy bling as a graduation gift from my aunt!  It's very flashy, and I don't really know when I'll be wearing it, but I think it's pretty gorgeous. 

And there you have it. A boring day with Samantha Lui. So what kind of things should I do this summer?  Share your ideas with me =)

To mark the upcoming new year...

For most people, the New Year comes on December 31st...and if you're Chinese, it comes around late January to February.  However, if you are a student like me, the new year is generally the upcoming school year.  It's almost like the first day makes it or breaks it for you.  This all sounds a bit dramatic yes, but recently  I have decided to get a style makeover.  I'm going into my first year of university for goodness sakes and I believe that a fresh beginning should make sense!!!!!

So...away with the old, cheap dowdy clothes and in with the new.  Just so you know, I am a caring, sharing, and loving human being and did not actually throw away my old clothes.  I donated them so someone else can enjoy them.  You know what they say, 'one man's trash, is another man's treasure!' But in this case I should say 'person' as it is more open for the other sex.  

 This is me in Grade 11 at the Raptors Game.  I think I look kind of boring. 

So I got the hair down, since I cut it in Grade 12...  But I've noticed that a lot of other people are cutting it short too. Not to mention, they're getting an undercut, where they shave half of their head.  Okay, I admit that some people look good with it, but I can't imagine what it would look like when it starts to grow out...AWKWARD...

So now there's the clothes.  I should really start a section where I show people how to shop thrifty and smart, because I'm incredibly cheap. I do not like spending a lot of money on things, so you can imagine how much bad quality clothing I used to own in my closet.  But if I want to have a better looking closet filled with beautiful clothes, I should start spending a little bit more for quality.

That being said, I recently went shopping at Pacific Mall.  Pacific Mall is a large Chinese mall in Markham, Ontario, a little bit farther than Toronto.  It is one of Ontario's biggest tourist attractions.  No surprise there, because there is not a holiday when this mall is closed!  Chinese people, they are hard-working!

  But back to my shopping adventure, I decided to go there to buy a onesie because I don't see  many nice ones in Western stores. I'm not usually one to shop at Asian malls due to the crowded-ness but if I wanted to be unique, I had to give it a try!  Shopping at Pacific Mall probably isn't for everyone.  If you don't like to be bothered by persistent shop owners, you might want to reconsider. The stores are fairly small, and sometimes the sales associates can be up in your face about convincing you to purchase items.  Sometimes, they might not let you try on clothes. Don't fret though, because a lot of the store owners are pretty nice.

Maybe, except one.

I was able to try on clothing, but man, was she ever rude!  She gave me dirty looks and when I decided to give her the rejects, she just looked at me and was expecting me to buy!  Yeah, forget that.  I know I'm not the ~ideal~ Chinese looking girl but YEEEESH, you were pretty darn rude, if I say so myself!

But luck was on my side, because I did find a onesie that looked decent, and pretty cute on me.  It was...32 dollars, but my mother kept telling me it was worth the price as not a lot of people would own something like what I found.  And so, I handed over my money, and now I love it!  Plus, the saleslady was soooo much nicer! She complimented me, and said that since I was tall, I would get compliments too!  You see, I don't get many comments like that FROM ANYONE. So seeing that not everyone is be a rude biatch at Pacific Mall, I decided that I should make more trips there soon! 

By the way, I'm not very photogenic, so this picture is quite unflattering. With a few accessories and a cute jacket of some sort, maybe...my leather jacket...THIS OUTFIT WOULD BE CUTE and pretty BAD ASS ;)

Better Late Than Never

I think I'm incredibly late compared to my friends as I only watched Despicable Me today.  Since most of my friends said they couldn't watch the movie with me, I was fortunate enough to have at least one friend (ANTON) come with .  It was pretty good real-talkz and bonding time with Anton! he's honestly, one of my oldest friends!!

Despicable Me was a great movie. It was SO cute.  I actually teared up a bit near the end, when Gru realized he loved the little girls as his daughters.  I'm not going to reveal too much, in case some people haven't seen it yet.  However, the movie would have been even better, had there not been an obnoxious man laughing loudly AT EVERYTHING right next to me.  I was quite unimpressed.  When I was about to leave the theatre at the end of the credits, I could still hear him laughing. UGH. Obnoxious laughter should not be allowed in theatres.

I can see why this film received generally rave reviews but I don't exactly understand why my friend thought the movie was not very good.  Maybe she's not into that ~heartfelt~ family film genre, or maybe...she doesn't like many movies?  I would definitely consider buying this film, and I don't say that about many movies, because I could just watch it online...

Other than Despicable Me, I believe that I should jump onto the Inception train real soon. Everyone is tweeting, or facebook statusing how amazing that movie is, or how much of a "mindfuck" it is.  Nice. Just please don't ruin it for me, as I am not as up-to-date as you crazy mallrats anyways!  by the way, did you know that Scarborough Town Centre is opening up a Hot Topic?  Strange isn't it?  Not to be a bit stereotypical, but I'm afraid the store won't fare well, seeing the majority of the clientele at the mall anyways...

Well, other than watching the movie, I invited Anton over. Kind of an impulse decision nonetheless, because  my house was super messy, not to mention my mother was in her lounge wear...HAHAHA

And a final note, I'm beginning to think I''m starting to improve on my driving, but I really hope this doesn't jinx it.  I drove home today with Anton in the car.  He wasn't scared of my driving and surprisingly, I didn't get many freakouts by my father!