Warm fuzzy feeling doesn't just come from chocolate :P

An e-mail from my grandaunt put a huge smile on my face this morning - a much welcomed change after a week of sulking and fake-smiling. She has informed me that I have successfully helped her reconnect with her long-lost friend. Actually, I did not do very much on my end except to search on the white pages online and crossing my fingers that the search result was actually the right person that I have hoped to be. I am, however, glad that I was able to do something nice for her (after all the Hermes scarves and sandals that she had handed down to me from my last visit to her home - inconveniently 18-hour flight away).

As minor as my deed was - I plan to enjoy every last bit of this warm fuzzy feeling I get from doing something nice for somebody.

Batatinha

Batatinha - that's my capoeira nickname. It is common for capoeiristas to have nicknames to disguise their real identities (just like superheroes - haha). The actual history behind the nicknames came about during the prohibition of capoeira during the times of slavery until 1930s - capoeiristas went by their nicknames rather than their real names to escape prosecution from playing capoeira (if caught).

The literal translation of Batatinha is "little potato" (funny). However, in my case (well, at least according to my instructor who gave me the nickname), it's supposed to be a reference to Pebbles (from the Flinstones) - who is called Batatinha in Brazil. Apparently, I look like Pebbles - that's how I earned the nickname.

Next time we meet at a roda, I am Batatinha to you.

"He couldn't take my boop-oop-a-doop away!" - Betty Boop

All I want to do is....

All I want to do is to escape to Paris - sit at the Tulleries Park and stare blankly into the pond all day....until the day that the Universe decides that it's time to start showering me with kindness (again)....

Sticky situations

I have always been a magnet for sticky situations (i.e. typically embarrassing moments that you heard of or read about but can't imagine that situations like these actually do happen to real people). Yes - that was me (and hopefully that ended as of yesterday). As of this moment, I am changing that stigma from inside out - from this day, I will be a magnet for everything good, wonderful, and pleasant that is to come into my life.

A prime example of an inopportune situation was when my hair caught on fire at the office Christmas party at a job where I just started. Lucky for me, a co-worker's spouse was quick to put the fire out before major damage took place. I remained calm throughout the entire ordeal and was able to laugh off the situation - in order words, I prefer to think that I handled the situation with grace. Through my experience of having faced numerous inconvenient situations, I learn that it is not what happened that matters, it is how I handle these inconveniences that make me who I am - someone who hopefully rise above the situation and be an inspiration to others. Of course, having supportive family and friends always help...

Yesterday I was presented with the stickiest of all sticky situations - took me the whole evening (lucky for me with good company of my dear cousin M and wise friend Y) and a night's sleep to wrap my head around it (which shouldn't have been required - since it is a simple choice - a clear and obvious one). Lucky for me, I came to clear sense and am walking away from a potentially disastrous situation. Good always prevails over evil :)

"May we delve into our depth to fight through the shadows to find our vibrante selves"

Pain in the ass :(

I, literally, suffer from pain in the ass. Seriously, I think I may have pulled a muscle on my left bum cheek (sorry for getting so graphic) on Tuesday night from capoeira. After taking a few months off from capoeira to heal my psyche, I have decided to go back to capoeira training this week. I had a good class on Tuesday - I actually had a lot of fun. Surprisingly, I still remember the moves. We practiced take-downs and I was thrown to the ground so many times - I giggled everytime I hit the floor (the other capoeristas probably thought that I was out of my mind). After class, I walked home with a smile on my face despite of a very sore bum, a pulled muscle, plus a few bruises.

The pulled muscle injury is hurting my yoga practice (I can do full split on one side but not the other due to the tight hamstring on the back of my left quad) - oh yeah, it's also hurting my strut especially in heels (haha). From time to time, I subconsciously rubbed my left bum in public to soothe the pain without thinking that people may actually see what I was doing - I hope that those who caught me in the act weren't thinking that I was so in awe with my own bum that I can't keep my hands of it.

Ahhhhh - I just want to be injury-free again!!!!! (both physically and emotionally)

Connect

My attempt to connect ended up in a disconnection from the other end - dead silence greeting my "hello"....

One disconnection however leads to reconnection to things that have been neglected of lates - it may be tough to find but there will be a glimmer of that silver lining in the dark clouds of a rainy day... All that is left is to believe...

How happy are you?

Take the following quiz to find the answer to the question of "How happy are you?" -

Rate each statement below from a scale of 1 to 7 (1 being the lowest level of agreement to 7 being the highest):

1. In most ways, my life is close to ideal.
2. The conditions of my life are excellent.
3. I am satisfied with my life.
4. So far, I have gotten the important things I want in life.
5. If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.

If your total score is 31 and higher, then you are extremely satisfied with your life. If you score under 15, you are dissatisfied.

Note: I borrowed this quiz from the Oprah show - the quiz was developed by Ed Diener at the University of Illinois. (Now that I have given proper credit to the author of the quiz, I hope I don't get sued over posting it without permission).

Don't worry if you did not score at least 31 or higher, because it is never too late to be happy. The following tips were suggested on the discussion on how to be happy:

• Overcome "destination addiction" (i.e. "living in the not-now").
• Let go of the past, we have to give up all hopes for a perfect past.
• Stop the pursuit of happiness, it is already within yourself. All you have to do is to connect to the place in which you feel happy.
• Practice self-acceptance.
• Take a vow of kindness - be kinder to yourself and to others.

Enjoy being happy! :)

Faking it...

Best blush ever (at least for now) - I just picked up my supply replenishment today. I have graduated from the innocent pink Dandelion blush from Benefit to the much more adult suitable Orgasm by Nars. The blush is advertised as to emulate the afterglow of an adult pleasurable physical activity (haha). If you happen to bump into me and notice that special glow, it's the blush - I'm just faking it ;P

A year older....

Today marks another year that has gone by - another year older but none the wiser. Physically, I feel better than ever - honestly, I don't feel a day over the age of twenty-seven. Twenty-seven being the age that I started my yoga practice. I still remember my first yoga class at the Sports Club of Canada on King and Yonge in Toronto. The teacher was Andrea and it was a beginner's class. I still remember struggling through my first class - the hour seemed to go by so slowly. My pre-class thought of yoga being easy vanished ten minutes into class - after a few downward dogs, my wrists were burning. I could barely do any postures that require strength. In spite of feeling as if I was in hell, I did walked out of class feeling happier and lighter. That was my first yoga experience. Since then, I have been practicing yoga regularly especially lately (having too much free time on hand). Yoga has become such a big part of my daily life that I can't even imagine my life without it. Hopefully it had helped me into becoming a better person - most certainly it had given me increased confidence in my own physical ability and believing in possibilities. I thank the teachers who not only inspired me in my asanas (physical side of yoga) but also the beautiful spiritual aspect of yoga.

On a different note, I should really thank my parents for bringing me into this world and to have given me all the guidance throughout the years. No thank-yous will ever be enough to show my gratitude towards my parents for all the opportunities that they have provided and continue to provide for me. I am so lucky to have these two incredible individuals as my parents.

Aww.....

I came across this photograph as I was going through the photos from my trip to Asia last November. Aren't these little girls simply adorable?



Everybody needs a hug sometimes. A little compassion brings all of us a little closer and inspires greater understanding towards one another...


(Hmm...should I start to be concerned about my writing style - it seems to be dangerously swerving into the Hallmark zone - fromage)

Sidewalk Diva

Walking around the downtown core at rush hour, often to and from work, have you noticed those fine ladies with great ballerina-like postures who strut instead of walk, who check themselves out on the reflective surfaces on the side of the buildings and give themselves that ever so approving smile, who never move aside for oncoming pedestrians? These are Sidewalk Divas - which personally I think it's an improved terminology to "who do these bitches think they are".

By the way, I will only step aside for children and puppies on my walks ;D

Another self-adoration moment...

Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose)

Eka Pada Koundinyasana (One-legged Arm Balance for Koundinya)

Sirsasana III (Tripod Headstand)

Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One-legged Pigeon Pose)

Not quite Yogajournal ready yet but certainly work in progress... Namaste