From left to right: with the cutest little girl ever, Tatum; BT girls and AJ; more BT and Jack Dong; herra Darian and rouva Vivian…oh and Dustin and AJ I guess.
Maliwat graduation party! First time I ever tried turon…so delicious *___* Good friends, good food, good music = good night :)
Thank you Breakthrough for making my first and last experience at Bridge JRs an unforgettable one. Our hard work paid off the moment we stepped off the stage. Winning first place is only one great memory out of the countless other great memories I made today…cotton trees and Jacki’s shoes, sleeping in the dressing room with a bra on my face, AJ drooling, building a chair tent over Carlo, plastic bag…plastic bag…plastic bag, honey badger don’t curr, DISAPPOINTED, we tryna PHO-nction, telling riddles, dancing on a ridiculously small stage, raaaatchet, listening to Apple and his deep-as-the-ocean-talks at in-n-out, etc. etc. etc.
Sigh I couldn’t care less about placing, but I’m just grateful to see that there are people who appreciate feel-good medleys. Dance shouldn’t always be about going hard. Thank you to our wonderful directors for always keeping us on the right track :’)
Growing up, my mother was always the miracle-believer - the one who saw God’s blessings everywhere. Even in the most mundane places…like when we managed to find a parking space in a crowded lot. To be honest, I always thought she was silly for doing so. But lately, I’ve realized that it’s the little things (even something as little as finding a parking space) that make me realize that I am truly blessed.
Things don’t always just fall into place. Life can easily spiral downwards, with or without our efforts. I’m happy to say my life is finally working itself out right now and I am incredibly appreciative and thankful for my blessings. Thank You for always watching over me, even though I don’t deserve it.
Yay finally put a hold on a Costa Verde apartment with @dustinyu @meganguaranooo @dominasty! No longer homeless for the next yearr. So excited to live with all these BREAKTHROUGH kiddos :) and so excited for a massive housewarming party? Yeah yeah? ;D
If there’s one truth
I’ve learned in my 19 years of life, it’s that we all struggle with our own demons. Plato - “Be kind; for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” So next time you feel overwhelmed, reach out. There is a really good chance something is going through or has gone through the same thing.
You are never alone.
I didn’t leave San Diego until 9 pm last night because Susan and I both wanted to take Vinh’s class and therefore I didn’t arrive in San Jose until 3 am and then when I got home I couldn’t fall asleep till 4 am because of that nasty Rockstar energy drink but then my mom woke me up at 7:30 am this morning with kisses and then she put the cat on my bed and then started crying because she was so happy to see me. Running on 3 hours of sleep right meow but it’s never felt better to be home :’)
Dance musings.
Last night during the drive back from Ultimate Brawl, Dustin and I had a long discussion on whether or not it is right for us to be spending so much time on dance. For a long time now, we’ve been questioning our reasons for dancing. Is it right to spend so much time and effort on what our parents and many of our peers deem a “hobby”, when we should really be focusing all of our attention on our education and preparing for our future? While doing some MUCH NEEDED studying this morning, I came across this statement in my EDS reader:
“The activities and relationships most influential to identity development are those in which youth are most invested and through which they experience the deepest gratification.”
-Michael Nakkula, Identity and Possibility
It’s funny…whenever I meet new people and they say, “Tell us your name and something interesting about yourself”, I immediately respond with, “My name is Vivian and I love to dance”. Dance is as much a part of my identity as say…being Chinese. Much like my ethnicity, being a dancer feels just as natural as if I were born into it.
My happiest and most satisfying moments in life all stem from dance. A productive rehearsal, a fun team bonding session, a successful performance…these things give my life color. My social life, the community I am a part of, the topic of all my conversations, the way I spend the majority of my free time, even the exercise I get - all of it revolves around dance. It’s difficult for me to express in words the magnitude of which dance is a part of my life without sounding corny. A life without dance seems meaningless. I always ask myself, “What would I be doing if I wasn’t dancing?” and quite frankly, I can never think of a proper replacement. Studying, eating, exercising, drawing, reading, shopping, or partying? The gratification I receive from these activities pale in comparison to the gratification I receive from dance.
Someday, I’ll grow beyond that identity-developing-youth described in the Nakkula quote. Instead, I’ll be an adult with adult responsibilities and worries. When that day comes, I’ll know when to hang up the towel and stop dancing. But when the dancing is over, the community, friends and memories will still remain. I rest assured that dance will always be a part of my identity.
Find your passion, and stick with it for as long as it remains your passion.
Thoughts.
I want love. But not just any type of love. I want a love that will make me a stronger, kinder, wiser, and more considerate person. I want love with a person who values me. Who views me as unique, one of a kind. Someone who can bring out and enhance my best qualities, but still love me despite my worst.
@sssusan if you see this, I just want you to know that I actually changed out of my sweats to go get tofu soup with you. That’s true love right there
Seriously, I love Trai’s haircuts. I’m never really good at explaining what I want but he always gives me a haircut that I love! Heh heh so happy :3
