Creative Canvas

Christmas

2012-01-04T15:04:00.001-06:00

Location: Greenbrier, Arkansas

Spent Christmas with the Neals and their relatives :) Read more about it here.

I want some pretty Christmas lights in my bedroom!

The Christmas cake sitting on the counter was Taylor's masterpiece. She'd spent all night baking it, patiently waiting for the sugar to caramelize and then skillfully smothering the caramelized icing on her cake.

One of the homemade dips

Gracie looking adorable in her Christmas hat and collar

Within seconds, both the hat and collar had to go because Gracie didn't like them. Lol.

Aunt Sandy, the vibrant woman who radiates a room just by entering it.

Little Annie sitting by the fireplace. The toys and treats behind her were gifts for both dogs.

This is Jayden.

She received a makeup set for Christmas and insisted on putting on makeup by herself. Too bad I didn't have a picture of the aftermath.

Frosty the Snowman!

Had one of the best Christmases ;)

All photos were taken with a Canon T2i.

Saturday Morning

2011-12-27T13:28:00.000-06:00

Location: Conway, Arkansas

Spent one pretty Saturday morning with Andrea, Holly and Dana. :) The sun was beaming, the wind was blowing gently through the barren branches and the last leaves were slowly falling to the ground. I'd left my coat at home, but I'm glad you can't see me shivering in the photos.

Being silly :)

Precious :)

Holly!

Andrea

Dana

All photos were taken with a Canon T2i.

Sohji's Graduation

2011-12-18T16:52:00.002-06:00

Location: University of Central Arkansas, Conway

My dear friend Sohji Izumi graduated with a masters in Health Science yesterday! I'm so proud of him.

After Sohji left the stage, I took pictures of random people just for fun. ;)

I liked her hat.

The other masters graduates

And that wraps up the graduation pictures here. Sohji will be leaving for Japan at the end of the month and I probably won't see him in a long, long time. He'll be missed for sure.

Good luck in everything you do, buddy. It's been a pleasure knowing you and I hope to see you again!

Take care. :)

All pictures were taken with a Canon T2i.

The Windy City

2011-12-10T01:14:00.001-06:00

Location: Chicago, USA

My friends and I did a roadtrip to the Windy City over Thanksgiving break :) It was FREEZING COLD TO THE BONE. Chicago is so much busier and crazier than Conway! The drivers honked at everything. People flooded the streets on Black Friday, making it almost impossible to walk. But big cities enthrall me. I would love to go back.
Oh, and I took these pictures on Thanksgiving day. The city was surprisingly quiet on Thanksgiving though. It was almost like a ghost town.

(Sohji, Doris, Dana)

Walked through the park to get to the Field Museum

Really cool stuff on the wall

Spent all afternoon at the Field Museum. There was so much to see!

The museum's souvenir shopped had some cool stuff.

Sure, these puffy little owls were cute. But $12? Come on. :(

One day, I'll skate in an open skating rink like this :)

This was an accidental shot. My shutter speed was really low, but hey, it's kinda cool isn't it? :)

I don't know if I'll ever achieve the bokeh effect with my 18-55mm lens. But I tried. :)

All photos were taken with a Canon T2i.

The Vintage Garden 2

2011-12-05T23:27:00.001-06:00

Location: Australia and America

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Hello!

2011-12-05T23:23:00.001-06:00

I'm really sorry I haven't updated in a month. This is unforgiveable :P But I've been so busy! I have several final projects due this week and then next week I have finals. Yes, the semester's passing really fast.

And I promise I'll update soon! I'm going to post some pictures of my Chicago trip once finals are over :)

In the meantime, I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the Vintage Garden photos above. :)

The Vintage Garden

2011-11-04T17:23:00.000-05:00

Location: All over Arkansas

If you're having a bad day/week, just know that seasons change, and better days are sure to come. :) Don't fret, don't frown, don't pout. Just put on a smile and be thankful you've come this far.

All pictures were taken with a Canon Ixus 80, iPhone 3GS and Canon T2i.

Thanks for viewing!

Country

2011-10-25T03:56:00.000-05:00

Location: Searcy, Arkansas

All pictures were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Album: Mexican 2000 Ballet Folklorico

2011-10-14T00:13:00.002-05:00

Location: University of Central Arkansas

All pictures were taken with a Canon T2i Rebel.

Album: Faulkner County Parade

2011-09-21T21:27:00.000-05:00

Location: Conway, Arkansas

Yesterday, I followed a friend downtown to take pictures of the parade for our Basic Press Photography class. I was shooting in Manual Mode the entire time. It's so challenging shooting in Manual on a DSLR but my lecturer wanted us to play with the aperture and shutter speed.

All pictures were taken with a... Canon T2i! :D

Splendor

2011-09-15T00:31:00.001-05:00

Location: Conway, Arkansas

A few days ago, the evening skyline was just a splendor to behold; shades of purple, pink and gold layered the sky, a perfect masterpiece of God's creation.

A beautiful moment like that is rare. How often do you see a sunset so vivid and breathtaking that you have to stop to take a picture before the moment fades? Moments like that are fleeting, just like many of the good moments that we experience.

Always cherish a good moment because it's a gift, a reminder that life is a mystery waiting to be unraveled at the seams.

Life is beautiful. Embrace it. Don't let go.

God reveals His majesty through His creations.

I was in the car on the way to Walmart, if you must know. :)

Taken with the iPhone.

Have a fabulous week ahead, people!

Hope

2011-09-09T01:35:00.000-05:00

We're all artists.

We're painting on our canvas of life everyday. We color it with the brightest and darkest moments of our lives.

It's okay if you've made mistakes. We all do.
But this is a pretty big canvas, so there's lots of space for new beginnings! :)

Whenever the going gets tough, take a step back and look at the big picture: evaluate your accomplishments and see how far you've come.

You'll be amazed.

All pictures were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

PS: I think daisies are cute.

Be Right Back

2011-08-30T22:50:00.001-05:00

Hey, I just arrived in sweet old Arkansas two weeks ago. I'm afraid I won't be posting any pictures for a while because I've been really busy with classes. Apparently, cramming six classes in one semester isn't going to be easy.

But I'll do my best to upload new pictures as soon as I can, so please stay tuned!

Thanks, and have a wonderful week wherever you are! :)

Love and best wishes,
Carissa.

Album: Summer Romance

2011-08-17T07:13:00.001-05:00

Location: Sentul and Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Yesterday, I did a photoshoot with my best friends and their boyfriends. Nothing fancy, just two couples in love and a girl who enjoys photographing couples in love. :)

Read more about the photoshoot here.

Shots of me and my besties:

The couples <3

Shots of Vivian and Tim:

Shots of June and Guan Lim:

The team =)

All photos posted here were taken with Canon digital cameras. More pictures soon!

The Vintage Experiment

2011-08-13T03:33:00.000-05:00

Location: Melbourne, Australia

So I've been trying out some "vintage" effects on Photoshop. Toggled with the layers and colors... and ta-da! Presenting some of my recent experiments of the week:

Do tell me what you think :)

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Pulse

2011-08-09T02:08:00.000-05:00

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Toyed with the manual settings of my digital camera one night as my boyfriend and I were cruising through the city and thought I'd share some of the slow-shutter shots with you. Let's just call them impulsive, abstract shots because they seem to have a life of their own.

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Album: Healesville Sanctuary

2011-08-08T07:08:00.001-05:00

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Went on a roadtrip to Healesville Sanctuary, located about an hour from the city. The sanctuary is home to some of Australia's wildlife such as kangaroos, koalas, platypuses, tasmanian devils and more.

Are koalas cute?

That's a hypothetical question. Yes, if you're referring to cartoons and plushies.

No, if you're talking about REAL koalas.

PS: I heard they emit a very loud, disturbing roar which contrasts their "adorable" physique portrayed in drawings.

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Still waiting patiently for a Canon 550D :)

Album: Phillip Island

2011-07-12T06:25:00.001-05:00

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Hello from Aussieland! It's currently 11'C (52'F) now. Yes, it's smack in the middle of winter and I'm shivering in the house. :P

Last weekend, my friends and I went on a roadtrip to Phillip Island, located 2 hours away from the hustle and bustle of the big Melbourne city.

We stopped by the lovely beach for some pictures. There was a cold front that afternoon, so all of us were shuddering beneath multiple layers of clothes. But it was definitely worth it. :)

Once again, thanks for viewing and feel free to drop comments! :)

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Album: Orchard Road

2011-06-28T01:40:00.001-05:00

Location: Singapore

I visited my relatives in Singapore last weekend and my cousins, Calvin and Sabrina took me to Orchard Road. Orchard Road has changed a lot over the years, but it still remains as Singapore's busiest shopping paradise. So, let me guide you on this quick virtual tour of Orchard Road!

(I toyed with the Sepia, B&W and high-contrast settings this time. :) Comments are greatly appreciated!)

Welcome to Orchard Road!

Skyscrapers

Nothing special; just a restaurant. :P

The "historical" side of Orchard Road.

After a humid afternoon outside, my cousins and I decided to have lunch at one of the malls.

I was told they have awesome chocolate frappucinos.

There were professional photos on display, so we checked them out.

(I want a DSLR so bad!)

Gorgeous lanterns.

Japanese food :) I just thought the lantern was cool.

After a heavy lunch, the three of us grabbed ice creams at Cold Stone Creamery.

Calvin's strawberry cheesecake ice cream.

Here are the 3 troopers who trotted around Orchard Road all afternoon under the scalding hot Singapore sun. They definitely deserved an ice cream break :)

Sabrina

Calvin

Yours truly

Thank you for viewing! I'm off to Aussie for a month. Will do my best to upload pics of Melbourne :)

Have a great week ahead.

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Album: Beverly Hills

2011-06-21T09:07:00.000-05:00

Location: California, USA

Visited the city of angels last Christmas and hopped on a tour bus to Beverly Hills, home of Hollywood's rich&famous. Because the bus barely stopped, I had to take really quick shots of the area and cross my fingers that the pictures would turn out alright. Lol. Would have loved to pace the glamorous streets of Beverly Hills but that wasn't included in the package. =/ Oh well! I hope you like the photos! :)

The entrance to the Playboy Mansion. This was the best view I could get; I'm sorry guys.

Somebody famous lives here... can't remember who though.

Same goes to this sweet thing.

Show stopper. Eye Candy. Call it whatever you like!

I'm pretty sure I've seen this restaurant in a film...

And that's Beverly Hills in 5 minutes for ya! ;)

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Album: Snippets of San Francisco

2011-06-20T08:45:00.000-05:00

Location: California, USA

SAN FRANCISCO is GORGEOUS.

From the morning skyline...

...To the bay...

...To the bustling city itself.

The glorious Golden Gate Bridge.

It was a freezing morning in winter when I went there.

Chinatown was bursting with colors and life.

I could tell you this is Hong Kong and you would believe me. :P

The malls were pretty.

It was one big, busy city alright. But I loved it.

Up up here we go. Let's flyyy.

I miss Christmas in San Francisco.

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80 and iPhone 3GS.

Album: Alcatraz Island

2011-06-20T08:33:00.000-05:00

Location: San Francisco, USA

Situated on an island just 1.5 miles off San Francisco, Alcatraz, known as the "Rock", was home to some of the most notorious prisoners, like “Scarface” Al Capone, “Birdman” Robert Stroud, George “Machine Gun” Kelly and Alvin “Creep Karpis” Karpowicz.

Welcome to Alcatraz Island.

Somehow, I couldn't help thinking of Shutter Island.

This used to be a watchtower.

The forbidden area.

These were the ex-inmates who guided us on our audio tour. The audio tour lasted approximately 2 and half hours. We walked around with headphones, listening intently to the recorded voices guiding us where to go. Each new destination was accompanied with solemn flashbacks of the past.

View of San Francisco from a small window in the prison.

In the dark halls of the prison, a window outside Al Capone’s cell was the glimmer of hope to many. Peeking through the little rectangle, I could see the city of San Francisco sitting proudly in a distance. The inmates would say that they yearned to swim across the waters, whether shark-infested or not, to the thriving city. Sometimes, they could hear the laughter and city buzz. At night, the spectacular city lights just made them miss the city even more.

“I used to stare at it for hours, sometimes. Freedom felt so near, yet it was so far,” an inmate’s voice drifted sadly through the headphones.

The courtyard was a place of leisure. Prisoners would take a stroll and enjoy the fresh air, or play cards.

This island has seen and heard so much. I believe that there are more mysteries wedged between the dingy walls that have not been exposed to public. Whatever they are, they will remain a secret of Alcatraz for as long as it lives.

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Album: Toad Suck Daze

2011-06-20T04:28:00.010-05:00

Location: Arkansas, USA

Toad Suck Daze is a carnival held annually in Conway. I had the privilege to attend my first Toad Suck Daze in May! There was an interesting variety of food, activities and items for sale. Oh, and I got a henna tattoo of a butterfly as a little souvenir! ;)

Beanie Babies for sale!

I was more interested in the jewelry holder than the jewelry itself.

Flowers carved out of WOOD. ;)

Having my first funnel cake. It tasted like fried donuts and powdered sugar.

Let's not think about calories for a second, alright? ;)

They sold FRIED SNICKER BARS and FRIED OREOS too.

The wonderful Taylor and I :)

UCA had its own booth too.

There are several things wrong with this pup. #1: pierced ears. #2: It's wearing a BRACELET for a dog collar. #3: It has painted claws.

A snowcone in Arkansas is very much like a slurpee in Malaysia.

Done! :)

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80 and iPhone 3GS.

Album: Latoya Marshall

2011-06-20T04:27:00.005-05:00

Location: Arkansas, USA

Toward the end of the spring semester, I did a simple photoshoot for my classmate, the lovely model in the photos. All the shots were taken in Conway, Arkansas. We went to the railroad track and Hendrix College. Comments are greatly appreciated :)

Latoya: Let me know if the train's comin'.

Me: Sure.

Goodbye, railroad track. Off to Hendrix College for the rest of the shoot.

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Album: An Afternoon With The Holga

2011-06-20T03:49:00.009-05:00

Location: University of Central Arkansas, USA

One late March, Dana and I went on a little photoshoot around campus. The theme of the shoot was her new Holga, the bright pink camera in most of the photographs. ;) Feel free to leave comments below. Thank you!

Credits to Dana Lee.

All pictures were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Album: Laurel Park

2011-03-25T14:55:00.003-05:00

Location: Arkansas, USA

Doris and I went for an evening stroll in Laurel Park two days ago. Next time, I'm going there for a picnic.

Guys having a game of Frisbee

Kite sailing in the wind

Comfort :)

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Album: Spring

2011-03-24T01:29:00.005-05:00

Location: University of Central Arkansas, USA

Spring is a lovely season. You'll see flowers blooming, grass turning green, birds flying freely in the blue horizon. You can smell the clean air and taste the freshness. Then you glance up into the sky and see the sun beaming warmly upon you. That's a feeling I'll never forget. These pictures were taken today on campus! :)
Fresh tulips outside the library, fuschia-colored leaves hanging from the that mysterious tree, and I almost pissed off a selfish bee because I was standing by the orange tulips for 30 seconds. Lol.

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Writing: First Love

2011-03-23T23:39:00.013-05:00

I wrote this fiction for my Creative Writing class. It’s about a teenage girl who falls in love for the first time. I know it’s a tad long, but I hope you’ll enjoy it!

“I love you,” Kyle whispered, and I sucked on those three words; believing that I was really in love for the first time.

At sixteen, I was a hopeless romantic. In my defense, I’d watched too many sappy romance movies, read a zillion mushy paperbacks and witnessed my own friends fall in love. On my checklist of things to accomplish before graduating high school, I’d penned down: Have a real boyfriend.

I wanted someone to text me in the middle of the night, telling me he couldn’t sleep because he missed me. I wanted someone to send me roses and a teddy bear on Valentine’s Day. I wanted someone to tell me I was beautiful; regardless whether I had makeup on or not. I wanted a hand to hold, a heart to cherish and a reason to believe that love really existed. I was that cheesy.

Kyle and I had met at a friend’s party when we were fourteen, but we vaguely remembered each other. Two years later, he viewed my MySpace profile and started emailing me. Our virtual conversations revolved around casual topics; school, food, music, hobbies, dislikes, and finally, until he asked for my number.

After several weeks of flirty texts, he asked me on a date. He had a good sense of humor, and he was way cuter than most of the guys in my school. So, I said yes. After I hit “send”, I wondered why my heart was beating so fast.

Our first date took place in the mall. When Kyle walked over to me, butterflies fluttered in my stomach. He was taller and more handsome than I remembered. His black hair was spiked. He wore a striped formal shirt over faded blue jeans and clean Polo sneakers. His arms were roped with muscle. The sign of a rebel sparkled in his right earlobe; a tiny silver dice, which seemed to wink at me when he leaned in for a hug. I caught a whiff of citrus in his cologne; he smelled fresh, assertive and sharp. I found myself wondering if he possessed those qualities.

Within the first hour, I already learned that he was picky with his coffee. He wanted an espresso, so I suggested McDonalds since we were standing right in front of the huge neon M.

“Hmm, I like the one at Starbucks,” he said.

So we headed to the east side of the mall, ascended two sets of escalators and walked another twenty minutes before we finally arrived in front of the overpriced shop. I was wearing the most uncomfortable pair of three-inched killer heels and my feet were starting to ache from tottering around so much.

He’d rather fork out $6 for a medium-sized espresso at Starbucks than pay $1 for a large espresso at McDonalds.

He bought me a double chocolate chip Frappuccino, and I waited with my chilled drink in hand as he grabbed several sachets of sugar and creamer from the counter.

“Have you tasted the espresso at McDonalds?” I asked as he led me to an empty table beside the glass wall. “Is it like, really bad or something?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never tried it actually. I’m a Starbucks person. I like their coffee here. I’m sure it’s way better than McDonalds,” he replied, emptying the sugar and creamer into the black liquid before him. Then he picked up the little plastic spoon and stirred until the black espresso became a vortex of caramel brown with white streaks of foam.

I learned that he came from a wealthy family of four; his father was a traveling businessman, his mother was a housewife who lived on shopping, spa treatments and fancy dinners with her other friends, and his older brother was currently hiking some snowy mountain in Switzerland with his friends.

As we continued getting to know each other, I realized that his past relationships – all five of them – had been bitter-sweet, just like the espresso he was drinking. I was amused at how comfortable he appeared as he talked about them. He even told me the names of his ex-girlfriends and what they were like. His last girlfriend, Lily, was two years younger and had got him suspended from school when she called him into an empty classroom several days after they broke up, and started kissing him fervently until someone told on them. I never stopped to question the truth of it, even when he said he had tried to push her away but she held on to his arm and refused to stop.

As I gazed into his face; taking in the high bridge of his nose, the plumpness of his lips, I found myself lost in his dark brown eyes. If eyes were the mirrors of the soul, his soul was profound, mysterious and inviting. I wanted to know him more and I wanted to see more of him. It was at that moment that I realized I’d fallen for him.

I didn’t care about how many girls he’d kissed or how many girls he’d said “I love you” to. I didn’t care about his history of failed relationships.

I only cared about the future that was about to unfold.

***

Two hours later, we sat in the dark cinema waiting for Death Note to begin. There was so much irony in our first date; discussing ex-girlfriends, lying about the pained expression on my face because I didn’t want him to think I was silly for suffering in my own shoes (worst heels ever), and watching a Japanese psychological thriller featuring a demonic guardian angel and a psychopath.

As the hundredth advertisement flashed before our eyes, Kyle leaned toward me and whispered the magic words, “Lindsey, I really like you... can you be girlfriend?”

At that moment, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I tried not to beam so widely or to give away my enthusiasm.

“Well… I will, if you promise me one thing.”

“What’s that?”

I found myself staring into his eyes again. “Promise you’ll take care of me.”

His lips parted into a grin. “Of course I’ll take care of you,” he laughed. “It won’t make sense if I asked you to be my girlfriend and then left you on your own.”

He threaded his fingers between mine and I felt the reassuring warmth of his palm.

What I’d really meant to say was: Here is my heart, I’m giving it to you and I hope you’ll realize how fragile it is for someone who has never loved before. Please don’t break it. It’s the only one I have.

***

Three weeks into our relationship, we were on our fifth date, and leaning against the metal railing overseeing the large oval of the skating rink three floors beneath us. We had an aerial view of the rink. As I watched the skaters glide across the slippery ice on their thin, sharp blades, I realized that time had gone by really quickly since Kyle and I became an item.

Everything was running smoothly so far; we’d meet up once or twice a week at the mall, and because neither of us had a car yet, there weren’t many exciting places we could go even though we lived in a thriving city. The mall was our favorite spot because we could catch a movie, window-shop and grab a pretzel or two whenever we were hungry. It was funny how we hadn’t had a proper meal together yet. I was about to ask him if he wanted Japanese or Italian for lunch, when he put his hands on my waist and turned me around so that my face was just inches from his.

I hadn’t kissed him yet. He knew that I wasn’t ready for such a big leap. We’d talked about this before. I wanted my first kiss to be really perfect. I still believed everything could be perfect if you wanted it to be.

Suddenly, he pressed his mouth against mine. My eyes widened in shock. I almost turned my head away, but he was my boyfriend and I didn’t want to offend him if I broke the kiss. It wasn’t as perfect as I’d dreamed it would be. He snaked his tongue into my mouth and I pretended to enjoy it, even though I was secretly relieved when it ended. There, I just lost my first kiss and it sucked.

“Why didn’t you ask first?” I whispered, blushing from the public make out. But that couldn’t top my disappointment at his next words.

He shrugged. “You’re my girlfriend.”

It was his nonchalant tone that stung me like acid. I felt my insides corroding slowly. He didn’t care about me. He only cared about himself.

Reality dawned upon me and I found myself thinking, maybe I don’t really know him at all.

***

Every time he told me I was beautiful, or that he loved me, I would swell to the seams with belief that nobody else could possibly make my life more complete.

I loved his dark brown eyes and the way they sparkled when they were fixed on me. I loved the smell of his cologne; I soon learned that he was a big fan of Ralph Lauren. I loved the way he slipped his arm around my waist when we walked, and the way he gently brushed loose strands away from my face. I loved it when he called me at night just to hear my voice. I loved it whenever he told me I was the only girl for him, and none of his ex-girlfriends had ever made him feel that way. I loved him, and he knew it.

When the new semester of school started, my parents forbid me to go out so much. I had a big exam coming up in several months – one that would determine whether I got into college or not – it was a matter of life or death. I thought that Kyle would understand. We could still text throughout the day and chat on the phone at night.

However, he stopped texting and calling so often, and our tunnel of communication was slowly bricked shut. I knew that something was amiss when he told me he was too busy with schoolwork.

My hunch told me he had been spending his free time on that online game that he swore he’d gotten out of his system – World of Warcraft or something like that. I wasn’t sure what hurt more; knowing that he was lying to me or knowing that he preferred his game over me.

He vanished off the face of the earth for a couple of days, leaving me hanging in the dark, grasping on to the thin ropes of memories. Then out of the blue, he came online one day and said, “Hey, how are you?” We chatted casually for several minutes, both acting like friends instead of the couple we were two months ago.

Then, a string of words in red Comic Sans font flashed on the screen: Do you think this is working out?

All the words that I wanted to say congealed at the bottom of my stomach, like a boulder blocking the exit from a cavern. I wanted to say We can still work things out if we want to, but I stared at his question on the screen and after much thought, decided it was best to say: No, I don’t.

Not to my relief, he said: Me too. I think it’s best if we just end it here.

He signed off with a friendly “Take care of yourself and see you around!” while I sat there, zombie-eyed and still in shock.

Did we just break up over the internet?

Two months ago, he’d asked me to be his girlfriend and I was ecstatic. Then, two minutes ago, he’d performed euthanasia; he yanked the cord from our relationship before I could catch my breath. I wasn’t ready to let it die even though I knew it went down in flames weeks ago.

Slowly, I rose to my feet and staggered into the bathroom. I shut the door and turned on the tap, letting the rush of water drown my sobs. I hadn’t cried like that in years. The tears streamed down my face like a waterfall. Five minutes later, I glanced up in the mirror and saw my red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes. Fresh tears were leaking at the sides. The tip of my nose was pink. I took a deep breath and splashed some cold water onto my face, hoping to wake up from this nightmare. I never did.

For five months, I replayed the ghost of our two-month-old relationship in my head. My friends told me he wasn’t worth my tears. They told me to forget about him, to move on. Believe me, I tried. Yet, it was more painful to let go than to hold on. I kept wondering what would happen if I stopped missing him. I wasn’t ready to throw our memories away.

He was the first guy that I fell head over heels for. He was the first guy who held my heart. He was the first guy I kissed. He was the first guy I thought I loved.

It took me a long time to get over the breakup. Tubs of Haagen Daaz ice cream and mounds of chocolate did not help. I was still an emotional wreck whenever I listened to love songs. I still cried at sappy movies. I could never enter Starbucks without thinking of him.

But thanks to him, I learned about love.

I learned that you shouldn’t plunge heart-first into a relationship with someone you barely even know.

I learned that love is a dream so sharp and true that it could cut you when you least expect it to.

I learned that loving is so short but forgetting is so long, just as the poet Pablo Neruda said.

I learned that when you give your heart away, you will never have it back the same way.

I learned that you can float in the skies of love today and drown in the seas of sorrow tomorrow.

I learned that a fairytale beginning doesn’t always have a fairytale ending.

And I learned that sometimes, you have to fall in love with the wrong guy so that when the right one finally arrives, you’ll know.

I don’t need a handsome guy who wears Polo and sips Starbucks and has a wallet loaded with $100 notes. I don’t need someone who tells me I’m beautiful or lavishes me with presents.

I just need someone who will hold my hand through thick and thin, cherish my fragile heart and love me just the way I am.

If it weren’t for Kyle, I wouldn’t have known that true love existed out of his arms.

Date: Mar 2011

Album: Gray Sky Morning

2011-03-23T23:06:00.010-05:00

Location: Arkansas, USA

I spent the weekend with Taylor's family in Greenbrier, located in the countryside. The morning before Taylor and I headed back to our dorm, we took some pictures in her backyard. The yard was complete with a tall round tub (swimming pool) and a wooden deck built by her father.

Credits to Taylor Neal.

"So she sailed away, into a gray sky morning," Best I Ever Had by Vertical Horizon. Remember that song? I've got it stuck in my head.

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Album: Winter Wonderland

2011-03-23T22:49:00.009-05:00

Location: University of Central Arkansas, USA

Credits to Dana Lee for this picture.

The weekend when snow still blanketed the ground and the temperature was -4'C. All you need is a good friend and a camera to have some fun ;)

All photos were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.

Cupcake's Adventures

2011-03-23T22:06:00.009-05:00

Location: University of Central Arkansas, USA

Meet Cupcake, the dual-hearted monkey from Memphis ;)

All pictures were taken with a Canon Ixus 80.