July Flys By

All you anime watchers would realize this song in an instant if Clannad and Clannad After Story left you with some tears left to pour go check out Your Lie in April-it's on Netflix :)

I haven't finished watching it though, but anime aside I really appreciate Goose House. Their YouTube channel is heart-warming. It's so natural and Hikaru Nara (the song above) is one of their originals and the entire 4 minutes and 18 seconds is uplifting.

Guess I'll be sharing quite a few videos today :) I know I'm not the only stoked for the Summer Olympics. I'm especially looking forward to the swimming, but there's always a variety of events and sometimes I watch what's on right before and after, thereby discovering a love for watching an entirely new sport. The Summer Olympics are definitely a ray of light in international cooperation this year.

Thomas Bach, IOC(Intenational Olympic Committee) President

If you haven't already check out their website: https://www.olympic.org/rio-2016
Especially when the Olympics do start-it'll keep you updated on the results, who got which medal, what event is happening when, etc...

The Olympics itself is a wonderful idea and event, but what goes into making the Olympics in our flat-screen TV's is a truth akin to worn-out, discarded cassette amidst the shiny medals.

A close friend of mine recently shared this video on Facebook and it really struck a chord with me-2016 Olympics: What Rio doesn't want the world to see

 

 People constantly tell others not to "judge a book by it's cover", but why do humans,when fed something, automatically assimilate in our minds that one single truth is full and final? I'm not saying the Olympics should be canceled. However, I do wish I wasn't living in a world where life gets polished over into a final product without the dents, the mishaps, and bruises. The world is far from perfect, but if voices in  media, governments, propaganda, international cooperation and corporations don't even acknowledge that a problem exists, how are we going to fix it?

 People always say that anybody can make a  difference-no matter what age, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, and sexuality...but isn't it hard for common people in everyday lives (who maybe read the news once a day) to discover truths in small places that are shrouded with lies. Poverty isn't problem you can wish for to go away eventually like a drought. It isn't going to fix itself. 

Common people and the important voices in our world-media, governments, etc...-need to work together to create a solution. I acknowledge the fact that many people aren't even aware what's going on around the world half the time or they couldn't care less about issues that don't affect them. You can call me idealistic or unrealistic. Is it so hard to believe countries cooperating and raising awareness of the problems before hiding them like an virus? Do the 7.4 billion people in our world, Earth,really have no answer? No solution?

 

 

  TOP 5 SUMMER VIBES PLAYLIST:

1.  Rest in Peace, Christina Grimmie. I used to watch videos of singing on YouTube when I was younger with Kurt, Sam, and other YouTube artists. Then, I saw you on the Voice. I loved your voice.

 

Just a Dream-Nelly cover by Christina Grimmie, Sam Tsui, and Kurt Hugo Schneider 

 

 

Sam Tsui's cover of Just a Dream by Nelly (For Christina)

2. Dark Necessities- Red Hot Chilli Peppers

3. Tears-Clean Bandit ft. Louisa Johnson

4. The Manual-Eddy Kim

5. (Tie) Wonder Girls-Why So Lonely(check out the original MV)

5. (Tie) Wherever you Are- ONE OK ROCK

       

All Summer Long

Public Service Announcement?

While I would love for this blog to remain completely anonymous, I know that isn’t a realistic possibility with me posting the link in some of my social media outlets. On more than one occasion, a friend or even a fellow classmate that I don’t really talk to has come up to me because of my blog. That experience has always been like a bag of MnMs for me. The primary feeling is the red-not for anger, but for embarrassment. There’s always this false sense of security when being tied into social media. You think it’s a mirror and you’ll be the only person looking into it, but the reality is a two-way glass that infinitely stretches no matter how many undo’s  or deletes. I don’t regret writing on my blog because I’ve always valued honesty above all else and I will stand by my beliefs. Just always read over what you wrote or look over what you’re about to post. I’m not saying only post motivational quotes and HD natural landscape photos, but don’t ever forget that social media is a representation of who you are. Be honest to yourself always.

 

Spring or Summer? Tortoise or Rabbit?

As usual, I haven’t posted in a while, but I will be working very hard this summer (the rest of this summer) to remedy my vices. After all it’s a new year. It’s not January 1^st I know. I don’t know what day it is, but I know the season-it’s really hard to distinguish with the schizophrenic weather- or do I? I’m kidding, it’s summer! If I ever forget, I’ll just go back High School-what time is it? Add a musical because real high school isn’t like that. Did y’all know High School Musical is coming out with a 4^th movie? They have most of the original cast except Zac Efron. The real question is: Didn’t they graduate? How are they still in high school? Not going to lie, my friends and I when the movies came out in 06’ or 07’ we used to fantasize about the Troy and Gabriella in college. College School Musical. Hmmm…it really doesn’t have the same ring to it does it? That’s a trend for me. Whatever I see first or have first, I just like better. It’s comfortable and snug. Some people might say I’m really possessive, but I think I’m more just lazy when it comes to sticking by things. For example, when I go clothes shopping, if I see something that I like-I’ll find my size, try it, buy it, and get out of the store ASAP. I usually settle on one store and buy everything I need from there.  I’m a steady customer. Hey! I’m lazy and loyal J Honestly, I’m lazy when it comes to repetitive, mundane tasks like buying clothes or organizing rooms. I put it off, but once I decide to do that task, then I complete it efficiently in the shortest amount of time possible.

Celebrating Legally Blondes 15th Anniversary

 

The first part turned into a Public Service Announcement while the second turned into a Personal Statement. I’ll label it. Maybe. This is just going to be random fluffs of happiness.

Summer Vibes Playlist:

 1)We Don't Talk Anymore-Charlie Puth ft. Selena Gomez

 

 2) I Took a Pill in Ibiza- Mike Posner (Seeb Remix)

3) Cheap Thrills-Sia ft. Sean Paul

4)Alexandros- ワタリドリ

5) Infinite-Hey,Hello

 

Coffee City

For the last two weeks, I haven't drank a single sip of coffee. More or less. I might've stolen a teeny, tiny swallow from my mom, but other than that I've been caffeine free. That is, until today. Now, this might not sound revolutionary to you, but for someone who's been a pretty regular coffee drinker of at least 2 cups a day, giving it up was hard. I gave it up for my hypothetical Lent. Why? Mainly due to health reasons, but also because of New York.

During spring break, my family and I traveled to the Big Apple for the first time. The entire city was stimulating. I could walk around all day and never get bored, unlike where I currently live. At least, in New York City, you can tell it's a city. In Houston, there's so many suburbs that it feels more like a bunch of connected miniature cities with lonely paths of highway in between. Regardless, Houston or New York, coffee remains an integral part of life.

However, there's one key difference. The coffee culture in New  York is much more unique. Of course, they have the standard Starbucks chain swarming through the city, but it's not the only coffee shop. In Houston, if you're in your car, a drive-thru Starbucks is  a safe bet and your only option. Unique coffee shops in Houston are far and in between. I'm lucky enough to live close to one of these rare gems. I enjoy getting out of my car and walking into a shop uniquely decorated while carrying the scent of the subtle bitterness in coffee. In New York, there are no drive thru's, but plenty of coffee shops. In fact, there was one right outside of our hotel next to the subway station. Talk about convenient placement.


I was ecstatic at the variety of coffee shops and drank coffee through out the day. As a coffee-lover, I drank coffee in New York more than I drank water. That's not much of an overstatement and probably not healthy. I drank so much that when I got back to Houston, I felt it was necessary to make some changes because I realized coffee had turned into an addiction. It had become a necessity to me every morning and every evening. If I didn't drink it for a weekend, my head would hurt. The first couple of days after I had withdrawn from it entirely, my head did hurt. After two weeks though, I started craving coffee more and more. In the end, I decided I need to drink less of it, but I shouldn't have to cut myself off from it entirely either because drinking coffee is a pastime I enjoy. Today, I only drank one cup of coffee and I will be trying to keep it at one cup.

Also, because I cleaned my system of caffeine I decided to do some research about coffee to be more aware of what I was actually drinking. I don't think I'll ever be able to completely give up coffee and I bet some of you are nodding your heads in agreement (while drinking a cup of coffee?). That's okay. All of us, just need to make an effort to be more knowledgeable about coffee(really, any food) and apply restraint.

Here are some of the interesting facts of coffee I found:
PROS :)

1. Webmd.com's article, The Buzz on Coffee

• "studies have shown that regular coffee drinkers can reduce their risk of Parkinson's disease by 80%, the risk of colon cancer by 25%, the risk of cirrhosis of the liver by 80%, and cut the risk of gallstones in half"
•  coffee has "antioxidants that fight disease" 

2. http://www.geeksonfood.com/about_4569435_pros-cons-coffee.html

• coffee helps cognitively ex: having better memory
• stimulates you, hence, making you less drowsy

CONS :(

1. http://www.geeksonfood.com/about_4569435_pros-cons-coffee.html

• causes sleep disturbances (don't drink before bed!)
• "Large consumption's of coffee can cause nervousness, jitters and a racing heartbeat"
• Also, for women, coffee has been linked to osteoporosis since it causes a "loss of bone density" if you drink more than 2 cups of coffee a day 
• Lastly, coffee is a diuretic which means that "the urine removes calcium from the body that must be replaced" (drink milk or eat yogurt, not just coffee!!!)

Moderation is key :D

The coffee shop in Houston: Proud Pie

Provided by: Yelp

A song that I've been jamming out to: (replace Ma City with Coff-ee ;)
BTS-Ma City