Speculate

This song is dedicated to Briana because Carlo, Vaughn, and I were trying to block out the light from her monitor one day so that her visual senses are no longer of great importance, thus heightening her auditory senses so that she could feel the crazy notes in the beginning of the song even more...hahah whilst Brian sat there, pointed and laughed . yAY! i Like the little green one!

This post is kinda late in the month. Sorry, but I've been busy... but what's new eh? Actually, this time it's been super hectic. Last week for example, I was trying to attend 24 units of class because some departments were being stubborn and not enrolling me into classes -- but as of thursday, everything is set and dandy! wooOhooO! 17 units! What was also stressful was all the filming and preparation for VSA first general meeting and also auditions and planning for TruElement. Of course, each group had it's memorable moments of triumph to nullify those stressful times. I tried out for [M]ovement too, I got chosen for a lot, but...I shall not do it, I need to draw the line to how much I can commit to groups, I want to be in sincere dedication towards a group and show my support by always being there. So i'm deciding not to join anymore things...aww thats why i'm also sad that i can't do Theater Rice . So many things to do...I wish...there was some way I could do them all, like if they all fit nicely into my schedule...it's just too many things overlap...

So the classes I'm taking this semester are: IB131, IB 131 Lab, IB 117, IDS 130, TDPS 173A, & VIET100A...Wuw...soo like...now that I write all this down, I finally see how much I'm actually taking.. DudE! Actually it's not that much, many of these classes don't require a tremendous amount of outside work time. Besides taking up a lot of time, my classes are just awesome. I'm learning from such distinguished professors...like did you know Professor Diamond (who's a neuroanatomist) was the first one to get to examine Einstein's brain? And she's done soo much and also my Scenography teacher, he designs theatrical sets from all over the world, he's actually in Minnesota or something right now...designing a set project. All this stuff blows my mind...gahH...how small i feel when they're looking down at me from such great heights?...

Congratulations to Bud, Paolo, Tina, Lisa, Rachelle, Karen, Johnson, and Emilie for making TL!! Welcome to the family! Our first meeting was hilarious yet still productive! And you guys did beyond expectations at our frist practice, we already look awesome! I'm impressed beyond words, I hope we continue to be this productive throughout the entire semester... And everyone was so supportive of each other when the choreographers displayed their styles. I miss the old TLers but... us youngins will continually carry our banner high!

Speaking of youngins....Jason, Jennifer, and I apologize to the elders of V-unit...sometimes we just can't keep up with you wild partiers. But on a happier note, VSA has been having great turn outs, things are really progressing guys! The video and dancing were so fun to be part of. It's like "What the heo?"...how'd it get this good?

Blah i think a lot can be said from my pictures so I'll describe them instead of adding a ton of verbiage without any visual references like i did above:

Les photos:

At the beginning of the summer, V-Unit took a trip to Albany bowl. Doing pirhouettes and sliding across the smooth floor was fun!
Eden Espinosa is the understudy for the 'Wicked' witch from BROADWAY! She was so good, "Defying Gravity" is a really powerful song.
Dancing with TL in the summer was awesome! We did our routine at Calapalooza with only half the people! And we hadn't practiced that routine in 3 months! TL's so awesome!
So I went to the VSA retreat not knowing very many people, but came out with a bunch of buddies. We're a big fantastically fobby family. Dang we pulled off a lot, I saw tremendous dedication in the dancing and V-Man Video. You guys are truly awesome...hehe..hopefully everyone will be as enthusiastic about culture show.
Awww Thanks to Brian, Carlo, and Vaughn for all the memorable fun times! I finally found cool Star Trek buddies! yaYy!
My first real concert! Me, Katy, and Briana @ the Kelly Clarkson concert! Damn that bronchitis, I hope she heals, can't wait to see the new "Because of You" video!
Yay! i get to model again for that photography seminar, this time not for Julie but for Carlo. I don't get it, I don't see how you guys see things sooo artistically, through the lens, it's like a different kind of beauty. You guys can take light, vision,....just plain sight....to such great heights....

"I am thinking it's a sign that the freckles
In our eyes are mirror images and when
We kiss they're perfectly aligned"
awWw we don't have freckles...

Sigh...Through all these praises, through all the jubilant pictures, you can speculate that my life is a huge sphere of happiness. And in many aspects you're right, it is...but speculation often leaves out the details, like the hardships that I had to forge through to get to this point. Was TL all fine and dandy all the time? Did everyone show up on time for VSA committments? How many days of worrying did several of us go through in Viet100A, just attending class and not knowing if we'll get in our not... dAng, I caused a lot of problems, but maybe I make up for it in the totally sincere dedication that I try to bring to everything....

We can speculate so many things about people that tend to be constantly happy, but we might not really know who they are and what they deal with when we don't see them. Like people getting their laptops stolen..it's such a huge problem. F*ckin dirrty criminals that steal other people's things. What they don't realize...it's that they're stealing someone's whole life. Their digital pictures, the hours or days of notes and assignments they worked on...the effort they put into creating digital media..all gone....how can people be that cruel?

"But everything looks perfect from for away
'come down now'
but we'll stay..."

V-Unit

rocks my socks. Seriously, I took them off tonight, along with other articles of clothing, we had fun. Guess how?! hehe. No, i'm not going to reveal our activities, you can keep on guessin'

Soo.. FINALS are almost over, I have two left. I have indeed understood and articulated the mechanics of academia this semester, more A's on papers and midterms. Thanks Briana for always being my physics buddy! =) You inspire me to push myself academically....So..I found out that I received a solid A in a writing class, which opened my eyes to the world more than anything literary. The curriculum ventured all over SouthEast Asia and explored issues through novels, short stories, articles, films, and my professor Gary's personal encounters. This class has given me a lot of hope for a future; yet, it made me realize how underrepresented the culture and stories of Vietnam are over here. I want to change that. I'm not sure how yet, but... with Andinh and Lili as inspiration, I will suceed someday.

...and actually, that's what my entry is about...inspiration. I must confess, I stole this song off of Andrew-from-UCLA's xanga. It's so good. To me, all the "you make me wanna" lines imply all the inspirations in life + plus a romantic underlying tone. And it's just sometimes "a feeling that you just can't fight", like when I cry because i miss my family when i watched a movie about people escaping into Thailand and stuff..i can't help but cry...and become inspired to tell my stories, our stories, my culture's stories...

***Slept here. Then woke up and continued this entry***
"You're the first and last thing on my mind..."
Les photos:
Frank, Jen, and I visualizing the set.
The "I ♥ Vietnam" cast
"Sriracha" dance troupe!
Practicing our spiciness...
Ethan and Kathy getting it on....on the dancefloor
Beautiful scenic and light design
woo HOo! flowers!
Di di di, di dem van hoa!
TL @ the Movement Showcase [Julia Morgan]
Bring 'em ouT! wooT!
TruElement Banquet!
Sexy dancers need sexy food....[Milano]

So yeah, thank you all who came out for the VSA culture show and all the TL performances to support me. It really means a lot to me, because I just wanna show you guys what I've been up to all this time instead of hanging out with you
TRUELEMENT really rocked this semester. Our routine was like a 'workout' --HaH!! -- and it was soo fun to dance to. My favorite choreo was to "Red Light"...which, I wasn't really even supposed to be in...hehe...visit theTL website! I've recently updated it!
"Sriracha" Vsa dancers really blew people away. I'm really proud of everyone. We so awesome man! Everyone should come support us as we take the same stage as Minh Tuyet on June 3rd in Sac-town. Click Here for the show poster.
So anyways..as we're already on the topic of these groups... I just wanna say that I'll probably be busierrrrr next semester as coordinator for TruElement again and VSA Culture Show 2006 Chairman. Soo...Come be part of the fun! Tryout for TL! Tryout for VSA hip hop or other dance groups or...possibly the orchestra. -- OH! Special thanks to Joanna for being there with me for...oh so many things!

So...some of the greatest people alive are graduating...I'll miss them soo much. Can't wait for Roochita's grad bash...it'll be awesome. It's been a semester full of partying and hard work. I'm going to miss the ID swapping with Francis and Mike and Tuyen.

...dang...

Next year's going to be so different with out the original V-unit. But I have hope, i'm inspired.... V-Unit Generation 2 will rise from the mist and make everyone proud. I especially want to thank Mike [Hoa Thai] and Lili for making me feel unconditionally welcome in this world. I love you guys soo much.

You guys "make me wanna"....be myself...

GroOove

I know i know, i'm ACTUALLY posting again in the beginning of the month. haha. well actually the month is almost 1/3 done..Let's look on the bright side 2/3's of the month left =) And in those two thirds there's a ton of performances i'm doing for TL and VSA. Be prepared for the deluge of mybooty shaking...

First things first; ACADEMICS. With all these tedious practices, I assumed my academic status would be faultering....but quite the opposite is occuring. I received another A on a paper and then I got an A on my IB 140 midterm. Also, i was more interactive in physics discussions...when i go. Haha actually i'm doing okay grade-wise, but attendance-wise....i only went to half my classes this week. Not too hot. But i think that'll be better after i get over this cold. I've had this cold for a little while now and it's just like...making my nose run like a faucet.

Next, I just want to apologize to all of my friends that I haven't paid much attention to recently. I know it's not an excuse, but I've just been crazy busy coordinating/choreographing, learning dances, memorizing lines, doing work....man. For sure we should chill after....the shows, or...haha during summer. Anyways! Check out my performances coming up, you can see what i've been up to!

VSA CULTURE SHOW
April 24th!!! My banner this month is the poster for the show! PLEASE GO! You'll learn a lot of things about Vietnamese culture if you're not Vietnamese; and even if you're Vietnamese, you might learn a lot of things you might not have known before. [No this is not just an lecture-educational show, it's actually a dramatic presentation with various acts of multi cultured dance incorporated into it] If you had to go to JUST ONE of my shows this entire year....I would want you to go to this one. This one means sooo much to me right now. PLEASE GO! I have tickets i can sell to you!

TRUELEMENT
4/5  - ASUC Show
[Lower Sproul, 12:45pm]
4/14 - Movement Showcase
[Julia Morgan, 7pm]
4/15 - FAP Preview
[cancelled]
4/16 - Cal Day
[Lower Sproul, 11:30 AM]
4/16 - CSA Culture Show
[Julia Morgan, 7:30pm]
4/18 - Danceworx Showcase
[Lower Sproul, Noon]
4/19 - Danceworx Showcase
[Lower Sproul, Noon]
4/20 - Danceworx Showcase
[Lower Sproul, 5pm]
4/20 - From All Perspectives Show
[cancelled]
4/29 - COLOR Showcase
[I-House, 7pm]

April will be crazzzzy. But it will alos be fun. I'll most likely have a lot more time to reflect afterwards, sooo for now just come enjoy my dance and dramatic works if you can. Come support me! that would make me soo happy. And i'm sure i'll have a lot more pictures for next month's post!