Since 2008 has been by far the best year I’ve ever had, it’s only appropriate for me to discuss the events that has made this year the finest.
The difference between this year and all the other years before that were the people I’ve met. I have met a lot of great people in 2008 and I still keep in touch with them on a normal basis surprisingly. And with their help, I had the opportunity to finally go out and experience life for the first time like a 20-year-old person should.
Before 2008, I did go out on occasions, but it wasn’t enough, and it certainly wasn’t enough to shut my sister up when she reiterated, “You need to get out more” to me nearly every single day. Before 2008, I had about one friend, and I didn’t even like that friend very much. I’ll be honest here and admit that I was a complete douche back then. I had a bizarre fucked up phase where I had very low tolerance for people and I just didn’t care…as a result for my lack of a social life.
By the end of 2007, that only friend told me I was unreliable and heartless, and that I should start thinking about other people’s feelings. So I took her advice by adding it to my new year’s resolution (I actually do follow them) for 2008 after I had gotten rid of her for good (jk =P). Things were different since then.
Back to the point, here are some of the highlights of my 2008, in chronological order:
1. Going to The Renaissance Faire
It almost felt like I was dropped off into a historic period by a time machine when I first walked into the festival. People there are really, really into the Renaissance culture (they don’t call it Renaissance Faire for nothing right?), like, there was a huge parade for Queen Elizabeth I, and when people saw her, sitting elegantly in her extravagant throne carried by six men, everyone was cheering like hell as if she was the actual queen of England. It was sweet! When everyone else is into it and having a blast, it’s hard not to have a good time.
The food there was scrumptious, ridiculously calorific, but scrumptious. And since I’m the person that likes old-fashion looking knick knacks, it was shopping heaven for me. Every booth had something I wanted to buy, and if I could, I would buy the whole fair. What a fun experience. I’m planning to go again in 2009.
2. Meeting long lost cousins
My parents wanted me to go to a relative’s (who I barely know) wedding, and since I had nothing planned, I decided to go. When we arrived, I was seated to a table of people who were all around my age, I connected with most of them, and later found out they were all my distant cousins (my grandpa and their grandma were siblings). It was so weird! But it was so good! We all hung out after the wedding. I still talk to them from time to time.
3. Going to Comic-Con and Video Games Live
Ah, the start of something awesome. I went on a trip to San Diego with a group of people I didn’t know all too well at the time, but we eventually became good friends. There are a lot of great things to point out that happened at Con and VGL (such as meeting my favorite comic book artists, bumping into online friends on accident, buying lots of cool shit, getting lots of cool free shit, etc, etc~!!!), but for the most part, the people I came with totally made the trip worthwhile and I am awfully grateful that we are all still keeping in touch. We are also planning to go to the convention again in 2009.
4. Being in Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold” music video.
I like Katy Perry, I like her music, and to get a photo with her and make a quick appearance in her latest music video is quite a feat for me. I met two great girls there, and they’ve kept me entertained while we waiting for hours to shoot. To end the night, one of the girls convinced the group of paparazzis to snap photos of us as they waiting for Katy to come out of the chapel.
5. Karaoke, roller skating, pool, and bowling nights
I’ve actually never done any of the four until this year, and now I know why people are so hooked on them. They’re fun! Shit, they are fun. Although, roller skating in a roller rink is a little more hazardous than fun, I don’t know how many bruises I’ve received from hurtling into walls and people, but they were bruises of joy.
6. Painting the “Jawws” mural
I’ve always wanted to paint teeth over my original mural, and since most of my friends were too busy to help paint it, I called one of my former classmates from painting class, Hai, about the project and he was ecstatic to paint it with me. I was more than happy when the teeth were done since I didn’t expect it to look that good! Not only did I get awesome mural out of that experience, but also Hai and I became closer as friends.
7. Going to Six Flags Magic Mountain
It was my first time going to Six Flags and boy did I have a kickass time. The thrills of getting scared shitless as you’re soaring through the sky, then instantly plummeting towards the ground following by a woozy vertical loop is more than I can muster.
8. Scaring people (not kids! grownups) on Halloween
I scared A LOT of people when I was dressed up as a zombified Snow White, and if I didn’t get screams, I got a lot of petrifying stares and side comments such as, “Holy shit look at her.” By the end of Halloween night, I felt like I succeeded…in scaring people.
9. Going to Spike TV’s Video Game Awards
Without Brooke (who I acted with on the last project), I would have never gone and had such a marvelous time. She’s been inviting me to movie premieres, private parties, and awards show, so huge, huge thanks to Brooke; I don’t know how I can ever repay her.
10. Going to a Metallica concert
Matt wanted to invite me to a Metallica concert, only problem was, I don’t listen to Metallica! Being the good sport he is, he sent me a few Metallica songs that might be playing at the concert, so I can get a feel for their music. Their songs, overall, were ok, some good ones and some…meh. When we were there at the concert, the first song they played totally blew me away, and so did the rest of them. Their music sounds really good live.
I don’t know, maybe it’s a combination of watching Metallica fans go berserk, head banging and throwing their fists in the air; watching a plethora of super lasers discharging out of hovering coffins suspended from the ceiling; and feeling the unremitting pulsation and pounding of their awesomely raucous and intensifying music. Just the energy that I’ve felt at the Metallica concert, compared to all the other concerts I’ve been to, is beyond description, and I’m glad I got the opportunity to experience it for myself. Thank you for a good time Matt, if you’re reading this.
All in all, 2008 has been pretty good to me, and I can only hope it’ll be as good as 2009.
Happy New Years everybody.
There’s something that films can rarely make me do, and that’s crying. Two films I can only remember that actually made me cry a lot were “The Lion King” and “Wall-E” (“The Lion King” probably doesn’t count because that was in first grade). Now, I can proudly add Benjamin Button to the list of films that jerked my tears, because it did, in fact, made me cry like a little baby. I even bawled in the beginning of the film when I saw Benjamin as a seven year old. Just seeing the image of a child (he was born “old” and ages in reverse) who’s unable to walk or even stand up, because he had a 70 year old something weak and shriveled up body was already emotional for me. I was immediately drawn in to Brad Pitt’s character, and I was convinced that he was an actual child, and not of an elderly man despite his appearance.
I really liked the way modern India was depicted. It revealed the cold harsh reality of child exploitation, greed and violence. And thorough out the film, we see the nation develop into an economic power country. The visuals were vibrant and flourishing; it captured the mountains of garbage and waste, it captured the fast moving trains, it captured the ridged roofs of shanty towns, and other parts of the country where tourists rarely gets to see.
