my life (devices)

I would say that I am decently tech-savvy--that is, I know enough to get by (and to satisfy my obsession to customize pretty much everything I can get my hands on).

Anyways, I wanna do a small post on the things that run my life: laptop, tablet,  ipod, and phone.

This is my laptop, Glidos:

My Surface Pro tablet, Glydis:

yes you are jelly of my screen

My ipod Kiwi: 

HTC One X (no name yet) :

That's about it for this short post. I'll post another later tonight perhaps. 

Hope everyone's having a lovely Friday night :)

the most common question

I am hoping for us

the love inside the strength of heart

Sometimes, when you wake up in the morning, you look at your agenda and think to yourself, "ugh, this is going to be a bad day without breaks." Other times, you look forward to an event for which you have been preparing. You want to be good at what you prepared because it's the little good things in life that can keep you going. That little thing can very well do that, whether it be an exam, a competition, an interview, college...

Or a marathon. 

Yesterday, April 15, 2013, was Patriot's day, and the day of the annual Boston Marathon. Normally, it is a day of spirit, determination, and accomplishment. Hundreds of thousands of people, athletes or not, gather here to enjoy racing with themselves. 

I was studying neurobiology in my dorm when I looked up on my news feed and saw a friend's status about the marathon. It read something along the lines of "I can't believe this happened....I hope everyone's ok. Prayers to the runners." The friend's habit of trolling statuses threw me off for a few minutes, but I decided to look up Google news. Indeed, some sick individual(s) had placed explosives near the finish line of the marathon and two had gone off. 

I couldn't help but immediately put everything into perspective: Boston is two hours away, 15 mins away from my home town, with innocent people running for the joy of running. I know people there; I know people whose families are participating. Not trying to be literal, but it really hit home. To an extent, no one ever thinks that such a thing could happen to themselves or their hometown. But it does, and it did. The sadness was indescribable. I know my family went to CT for the weekend, and I know that most of my other relatives are not near the Boston area during the time, yet an unshakable sadness clung to my soul. 

There were three deaths and more than a hundred injured. Pictures of the bombing flooded almost every social media site and news outlets. Everything you see was simply the fact that you wake up with the world one way, and in a blink of an eye, it was another. The worst part is the bombing didn't seemed to be targeted to specific people as the bombs went off in the sidewalks, in the very vicinity of many bystanders. 

There is no doubt that the world will turn everything into a political mess because it's a way to get powerful. Yes, while fixing the world and making the world a safer place has its political extent, when humanity shows its ugliest form, what we need to do is simply help the ones who need them, and catch the people needed to be caught. It is simply as that. 

Among the shocking photos from yesterday were people running away from the explosions, but also the heroes who run into the chaos. Whether they were the infamous Boston police, EMT, runners, or just bystanders, even in the ugly face of humanity that you still see the best side. 

Boston, society where the US began, was attacked. We mourn for the innocent who passed away and were injured, but we don't feel fear. I don't, and probably will never, understand why someone would ever think of such an act, or what they are trying to prove with an attack on Boston. I do not wish to know, and I don't think they deserved to be heard because there is no justification for what they did. I just want to tell him/her one thing: we will not go down easily. Boston is stronger than you can ever imagine. We, as humanity, are stronger than you can ever imagine. We still stand and show the world what humanity needs to be. 

You don't mess with Boston. Ever. 

small dedication

I just want to make this small dedication to a friend. A very very awesome friend. There's like no words to describe her.

I mean, aside from the few things that we all enjoy, she's so down to earth, funny, and like tolerates a boring person like me. Like seriously is she even real.

And guess what SHE LOVES FRIENDS TOO. I CAN'T

Only sad thing is that she lives rather far away, and that we don't go to the same school. And that we haven't met or spoke.

But who cares? That doesn't make her less awesome, and that's all that matters. I can't even imagine how much more awesome she can be in person if we somehow met face to face. Then we can go people watching and get wings!

Anyways, that concludes this mini dedication rant. If you don't know her (shame on you), all you have to know is that she is the bestest, no doubt one of my favorite persons in the world.

You are an amazing person, C. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise :)

mellow night reflection

I'm starting this post without a title because, well, I don't know what it should be, yet. I'll put up something when I come up with something...suitable.

I woke up rather...late today. Around 11 am, when a friend texted me saying he'll be going to the class--a review session--for questions. Yea, the class starts at 11:15 and I wanted to shower. Naturally, I chose not to go. I got up around 11:30 and showered, grabbed food around 12:30, came back, packed, and went out to study with a friend...for an exam that night.

I'l just say that it did not turn out as well as I thought it could/should/I wanted. Whatever, I guess I'll just lower my standards a bit :(

Afterwards, came back with a rather unpleasant mood but decided that I should get some wings to enjoy the rest of the night.

That was most of my day and night. Although that's not why I really want to write tonight. Yea it's almost 2 am again and I, like always, should be sleeping. But since that never happens, and that I wanna talk about a few things, I'm here. I guess I'll try to keep it short, just like life...wait no life's the longest damn thing there is. Never mind, you get the point.

I was talking to a pen pal today, just catching up and such. The topic of the future and just the idea of right and wrong--as in whether you are making the right choices in life--came up.

I don't know if anyone remembered, but my theory of...how things work, in a sense, is a "cycle" of the good and the bad. As in, when something bad happens, I believe that something good will come along to compensate that, in the future, hopefully near and apparent. Yet, I also believe the vice versa happens.

The talk made me think of how I used to make decisions, and, to an extent, how it has changed over the years. I feel like before, I just say and do what others want to hear / told me to do. I did so because I believed that was how I can make friends: to make people like me because I'm agreeable.

That was honestly a really poor way of making friends because technically, I didn't exist. I was a sum of what my friends are and want. I was like a chameleon.

Now? I do what I want. Lol.

D, it'll be ok. Everything will be ok. Don't worry too much, as that is not how one lives life.

On another note,shout up to C for being the bestest person ever. Sad how I never knew you earlier D: You are like, the best.

-----

Found this on tumblr earlier. Thought I'd share.

Sad Songs 

Once there was a boy who couldn't speak but owned a music box which held every song in all the world. One day he met a girl who had never heard a single melody in her entire life and so he decided to play her his favorite song. He watched while her face lit up with wonder as the music filled the sky and the poetry of lyrics moved her in a way she had never felt before.  

He would play his songs for her day after day and she would sit by him quietly-never seeming to mind that he could only speak to her through song. She loved everything he played for her, but of them all-she loved the sad songs best. So he began to play them more and more until eventually, sad songs were all she heard.  

One day, he noticed that it had been a very long time since her last smile. When he asked her why, she took both his hands in hers and kissed them warmly. she thanked him for gift of music and poetry but above all else--for showing her sadness because she had known neither of these things before him. But it was not time for her to go away--to find someone who could show her what happiness was.  

Do you remember the song that was playing the night we met?  

No, but I remember every song I have heard since you left.  

- Lang Leav

G'night guys :)

drift

I kinda hate how often this occurs. The drifting apart of people, intentional or unintentional.

But like you said, it happens, regardless of how much you try to do otherwise. All it takes is just a lack of effort, then you can do it.

Oh, that sounds painfully difficult, doesn't it? Got a nice ring to it as well.

I mean, you know that I'd want to say that, from what I can control and maintain, nothing will change. Yet it's gotten to the point that I don't even have a chance to say what's on my mind.

And yea, sometimes it sucks to realize that maybe you are just different people, that you tried so hard in the beginning to find a part of yourself in someone and it turns out that they're just as different as anyone else, yet the same as anyone else.

I really don't want to say that you tend to keep the friends and people who try to be in your life. Well, as cliche and sad as it sounds, I can't even refute it. I want to be able to say that, if it really comes down to it, I'll try harder, but you know, not it is no longer because it is hard to try anymore, but it is just sad how things have turned out, the realization that perhaps you have tried to save it is just...sad as well. 

Plus, you sound happy with your life, so who am I to argue?

To slide further downhill, this applies to more than one friend, as well.

Oh well, rant over.

augustus' letter

I just want to share this narrated letter, Augustus' letter to Van Houten, from The Fault in Our Stars. I'm not sure who narrated it, but it is so beautifully done.

Oh yea, spoiler alert. Don't listen if you haven't read the book.



So much feel x.x

how's life - p1

Wow so it's been a week again. Once again I apologize for such a inconsistent blogging habit. I'll try to fix that...

Anyways, first thing's first. I mentioned that I purchased a Microsoft Surface Pro last post, and I will talk about it briefly on what I feel about it, how it's functioning so far, and its cons.

Patrick-bombing everything

Starting off, it is one fantastic device. It is slightly smaller than I thought, but totally compact and portable. Here are some of its pros: screen is very high def for a device that it is, an incredibly useful usb port, front and back cameras, a magnetic charging port (like a mac), and its most important component, the digitizer. I use the digitizer to sync my notes taken with OneNote on dropbox. Best. Thing. Ever.

Great response, very fast processor for its size,  stable wifi,  and its battery life is very good for a laptop as well--about almost 4-5 hours.

Some cons: when charging, the laptop heats up quite a bit. I have a case as well so I feel like it's keeping in more of the heat. It's not really a big deal though. Also, the calibration of the pen at the corners is a bit buggy, but apparently this is common to most tablets and touchscreens. Other than these some minor setbacks, this is one of the best investments I've ever done.

Ok I had a good night today, but it is almost 3 am and I'm going to crash in honestly 10 mins. Plus I have this deadly cough that's been the past three days. My throat hurts, my stomach's muscles hate me, and I haven't been able to sleep too well. I think I might have to go to health services tomorrow...

But yea, I'll write more tomorrow morning. Have a good night everyone :)