30.11.11
24.11.11
Love love love
Those who know me know I'm a sucker for romance. Not cheesy stuff, like flowers and chocolates, but really really cute, well-thought out things.
A friend of mine (my bromance actually) recently showed me this website about 10 relationship words that can't be translated into English, and it was so adorable I thought I should share!
Mamihlapinatapei (Yagan, an indigenous language of Tierra del Fuego): The wordless yet meaningful look shared by two people who desire to initiate something, but are both reluctant to start.
Oh yes, this is an exquisite word, compressing a thrilling and scary relationship moment. It’s that delicious, cusp-y moment of imminent seduction. Neither of you has mustered the courage to make a move, yet. Hands haven’t been placed on knees; you’ve not kissed. But you’ve both conveyed enough to know that it will happen soon… very soon.
Yuanfen (Chinese): A relationship by fate or destiny. This is a complex concept. It draws on principles of predetermination in Chinese culture, which dictate relationships, encounters and affinities, mostly among lovers and friends.
But interestingly, “fate” isn’t the same thing as “destiny.” Even if lovers are fated to find each other they may not end up together. The proverb, “have fate without destiny,” describes couples who meet, but who don’t stay together, for whatever reason. It’s interesting, to distinguish in love between the fated and the destined. Romantic comedies, of course, confound the two.
Cafuné (Brazilian Portuguese): The act of tenderly running your fingers through someone's hair.
Retrouvailles (French): The happiness of meeting again after a long time.
This is such a basic concept, and so familiar to the growing ranks of commuter relationships, or to a relationship of lovers, who see each other only periodically for intense bursts of pleasure. I’m surprised we don’t have any equivalent word for this subset of relationship bliss. It’s a handy one for modern life.
Ilunga (Bantu): A person who is willing to forgive abuse the first time; tolerate it the second time, but never a third time.
Apparently, in 2004, this word won the award as the world’s most difficult to translate. Although at first, it does seem have a clear phrase equivalent in English (the “three strikes and you’re out” policy), ilunga conveys a subtler concept, because the feelings are different with each “strike.” The word elegantly conveys the progression toward intolerance, and the different shades of emotion that we feel at each stop along the way.
La Douleur Exquise (French): The heart-wrenching pain of wanting someone you can’t have. La douleur exquise gets at the emotional heartache, specifically, of being the one whose love is unreciprocated.
Koi No Yokan (Japanese): The sense upon first meeting a person that the two of you are going to fall into love.
This is different than “love at first sight,” since it implies that you might have a sense of imminent love, somewhere down the road, without yet feeling it. The term captures the intimation of inevitable love in the future, rather than the instant attraction implied by love at first sight.
Ya’aburnee (Arabic): “You bury me.” It’s a declaration of one’s hope that they’ll die before another person, because of how difficult it would be to live without them.
The online dictionary that lists this word calls it “morbid and beautiful.” It’s the “How Could I Live Without You?” slickly insincere cliché of dating, polished into a more earnest, poetic term.
Forelsket: (Norwegian): The euphoria you experience when you’re first falling in love.
This is a wonderful term for that blissful state, when all your senses are acute for the beloved, the pins and needles thrill of the novelty. There’s a phrase in English for this, but it’s clunky. It’s “New Relationship Energy,” or NRE.
Saudade (Portuguese): The feeling of longing for someone that you love and is lost. Another linguist describes it as a "vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist."
It’s interesting that saudade accommodates in one word the haunting desire for a lost love, or for an imaginary, impossible, never-to-be-experienced love. Whether the object has been lost or will never exist, it feels the same to the seeker, and leaves her in the same place: She has a desire with no future. Saudade doesn’t distinguish between a ghost, and a fantasy. Nor do our broken hearts, much of the time.
Romantic, isn't it?
A friend of mine (my bromance actually) recently showed me this website about 10 relationship words that can't be translated into English, and it was so adorable I thought I should share!
Mamihlapinatapei (Yagan, an indigenous language of Tierra del Fuego): The wordless yet meaningful look shared by two people who desire to initiate something, but are both reluctant to start.
Oh yes, this is an exquisite word, compressing a thrilling and scary relationship moment. It’s that delicious, cusp-y moment of imminent seduction. Neither of you has mustered the courage to make a move, yet. Hands haven’t been placed on knees; you’ve not kissed. But you’ve both conveyed enough to know that it will happen soon… very soon.
Yuanfen (Chinese): A relationship by fate or destiny. This is a complex concept. It draws on principles of predetermination in Chinese culture, which dictate relationships, encounters and affinities, mostly among lovers and friends.
But interestingly, “fate” isn’t the same thing as “destiny.” Even if lovers are fated to find each other they may not end up together. The proverb, “have fate without destiny,” describes couples who meet, but who don’t stay together, for whatever reason. It’s interesting, to distinguish in love between the fated and the destined. Romantic comedies, of course, confound the two.
Cafuné (Brazilian Portuguese): The act of tenderly running your fingers through someone's hair.
Retrouvailles (French): The happiness of meeting again after a long time.
This is such a basic concept, and so familiar to the growing ranks of commuter relationships, or to a relationship of lovers, who see each other only periodically for intense bursts of pleasure. I’m surprised we don’t have any equivalent word for this subset of relationship bliss. It’s a handy one for modern life.
Ilunga (Bantu): A person who is willing to forgive abuse the first time; tolerate it the second time, but never a third time.
Apparently, in 2004, this word won the award as the world’s most difficult to translate. Although at first, it does seem have a clear phrase equivalent in English (the “three strikes and you’re out” policy), ilunga conveys a subtler concept, because the feelings are different with each “strike.” The word elegantly conveys the progression toward intolerance, and the different shades of emotion that we feel at each stop along the way.
La Douleur Exquise (French): The heart-wrenching pain of wanting someone you can’t have. La douleur exquise gets at the emotional heartache, specifically, of being the one whose love is unreciprocated.
Koi No Yokan (Japanese): The sense upon first meeting a person that the two of you are going to fall into love.
This is different than “love at first sight,” since it implies that you might have a sense of imminent love, somewhere down the road, without yet feeling it. The term captures the intimation of inevitable love in the future, rather than the instant attraction implied by love at first sight.
Ya’aburnee (Arabic): “You bury me.” It’s a declaration of one’s hope that they’ll die before another person, because of how difficult it would be to live without them.
The online dictionary that lists this word calls it “morbid and beautiful.” It’s the “How Could I Live Without You?” slickly insincere cliché of dating, polished into a more earnest, poetic term.
Forelsket: (Norwegian): The euphoria you experience when you’re first falling in love.
This is a wonderful term for that blissful state, when all your senses are acute for the beloved, the pins and needles thrill of the novelty. There’s a phrase in English for this, but it’s clunky. It’s “New Relationship Energy,” or NRE.
Saudade (Portuguese): The feeling of longing for someone that you love and is lost. Another linguist describes it as a "vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist."
It’s interesting that saudade accommodates in one word the haunting desire for a lost love, or for an imaginary, impossible, never-to-be-experienced love. Whether the object has been lost or will never exist, it feels the same to the seeker, and leaves her in the same place: She has a desire with no future. Saudade doesn’t distinguish between a ghost, and a fantasy. Nor do our broken hearts, much of the time.
Romantic, isn't it?
22.11.11
#4: Attend both chem eng banquets
Chemical engineering hosts two banquets every year. I only ever manage to attend one. So this year, I'm doing BOTH. Here is part 1, the fall banquet.
Here's a few pictures from our chemical engineering fall banquet, held at a DELICIOUS restaurant called Steak Frites. Let me emphasize delicious again.
Here's a few pictures from our chemical engineering fall banquet, held at a DELICIOUS restaurant called Steak Frites. Let me emphasize delicious again.
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| My Arabic Besties |
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| My main girl Massie |
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| I messed up the red eye fix thing, now most of my friends have scary eyes! |
#25: Go to Circus
Not A circus, just Circus. As in Montreal's very own afterhours club. Ya, no big deal, it opens at 2am and closes at 10am. One day I want to just stand outside at 10am and see who/what comes out..
Anyways a few weeks ago, three friends and myself finally ventured to it after a fabulous dancing outing, and I made it in. TIL FOUR AM. I felt like a pretty big deal being up so late. However, the photos of our evening are a little silly due to overconsumption to alcohol and thus not appropriate for this blog. Fortunately there's no pictures of me, just my friends, so only they can be blackmailed with this. Not me!
P.S. It's been two weeks and I'm still trying to catch up on sleep.
Anyways a few weeks ago, three friends and myself finally ventured to it after a fabulous dancing outing, and I made it in. TIL FOUR AM. I felt like a pretty big deal being up so late. However, the photos of our evening are a little silly due to overconsumption to alcohol and thus not appropriate for this blog. Fortunately there's no pictures of me, just my friends, so only they can be blackmailed with this. Not me!
P.S. It's been two weeks and I'm still trying to catch up on sleep.
13.11.11
Lights on
I think part of why I love Christmas time so much is because of all the pretty lights everywhere. They just make me all soothed and peaceful. Probably because bad things can't happen during Christmas. It's like a rule, no? Anyways, here are some cute pictures that leave me feeling very calm and blissful.
6.11.11
#12: Attend 4Floors
4Floors is a McGill tradition usually fulfilled in first year, but for some reason I was off doing other things... I do remember having a midterm November 1st that year. Totally scarred me.
Anyways so the concept is that they turn our four-floor student building into a giant Halloween bash with a different dj on every floor. And lots of candy. And drunk people.
So this year I lined up early and got my ticket before it sold out, procured myself a costume, and I attended! One more thing done!!
Anyways so the concept is that they turn our four-floor student building into a giant Halloween bash with a different dj on every floor. And lots of candy. And drunk people.
So this year I lined up early and got my ticket before it sold out, procured myself a costume, and I attended! One more thing done!!
4.11.11
I love: bows
Anyone who knows me knows I adore bows, so I'm not even sure why it took me so long to make this post...
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| Forget me not rings are the cutest, most romantic notion to me. |
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| This is the most subtle bow ever. |
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| Love this. |
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| Booties. |
1.11.11
Seasonly plump... all year round
First off, I have to mention I should totally be studying right now, but of course it's in those life-or-death moments that I get my best inspiration. So I am just not to be held accountable for what happens tomorrow. When I become a famous writer, it'll look cool, I swear mom!
Anyhow! The initial inspiration for today's little talk is from a poster I saw around McGill today, mentioning a "fat talk free zone." Basically McGill is now creating areas where stuff like "I hate my body", "I look pregnant", "I'm on a diet, I can't eat that" and the likes are forbidden. At first I thought, "well with all these _____-free zones, soon we won't be able to speak AT ALL", but then actually I changed my mind.
The freshman fifteen didn't hit me until last year, when my courses got seriously intense and my social life seriously diminished. Like Miranda in that Lizzie McGuire episode, I felt like food was the only thing I still had control over. And then somehow I used that control to lose control? Anyways. This year I'm trying really hard to get back on track, but it's tough because I'm so busy I have to make decisions like gym vs. sleep. I got my gym membership. I just have yet to make it there. AT LEAST I'M HONEST ABOUT IT. So it's been tough, I got all weight conscious for a bit, and then I began seeing it a lot around me. From sick gym obsessions to eating, like, one carrot per day, I see it all in my program. There's also the weird diets like only eating soup, or thinking water is a meal.
Then on top of that people are constantly talking about their bodies, like how they gained 0.000001 lb and their size 00 doesn't fit anymore and the world must therefore end... It just drives me nuts. If I didn't like food so much, I would have definitely developed some eating disorder by now. Unfortunately lettuce and me are not on the best of terms, so that's never gonna happen.
Ok I got slightly side-tracked here. My point is fat free zone = warranted. And tell me where it is, I should probably make that my new living space.
But what I'd like to get at tonight is that I've noticed it's all a sham. People are Miranda, they try to control their weight, but there's other, bigger issues.... 100% of the time. For someone who doesn't really believe in endless complaints when there's a solution, I'm not a fan of avoiding one's problems. If you're overly stressed, see someone about it. If you're tired, take a nap (Josh reference from Project Runway). If you're lonely, get involved. There's an easy fix for most of the problems people have. And for some reason everyone chooses to go and take the difficult route, make themselves miserable over it, and focus elsewhere.
So people, let's shed the pounds..... by shedding the dead weight. Whatever the issue, I swear there's a solution. But you have to want to fix it permanently...
...not just diet for a while.
Anyhow! The initial inspiration for today's little talk is from a poster I saw around McGill today, mentioning a "fat talk free zone." Basically McGill is now creating areas where stuff like "I hate my body", "I look pregnant", "I'm on a diet, I can't eat that" and the likes are forbidden. At first I thought, "well with all these _____-free zones, soon we won't be able to speak AT ALL", but then actually I changed my mind.
The freshman fifteen didn't hit me until last year, when my courses got seriously intense and my social life seriously diminished. Like Miranda in that Lizzie McGuire episode, I felt like food was the only thing I still had control over. And then somehow I used that control to lose control? Anyways. This year I'm trying really hard to get back on track, but it's tough because I'm so busy I have to make decisions like gym vs. sleep. I got my gym membership. I just have yet to make it there. AT LEAST I'M HONEST ABOUT IT. So it's been tough, I got all weight conscious for a bit, and then I began seeing it a lot around me. From sick gym obsessions to eating, like, one carrot per day, I see it all in my program. There's also the weird diets like only eating soup, or thinking water is a meal.
Then on top of that people are constantly talking about their bodies, like how they gained 0.000001 lb and their size 00 doesn't fit anymore and the world must therefore end... It just drives me nuts. If I didn't like food so much, I would have definitely developed some eating disorder by now. Unfortunately lettuce and me are not on the best of terms, so that's never gonna happen.
Ok I got slightly side-tracked here. My point is fat free zone = warranted. And tell me where it is, I should probably make that my new living space.
But what I'd like to get at tonight is that I've noticed it's all a sham. People are Miranda, they try to control their weight, but there's other, bigger issues.... 100% of the time. For someone who doesn't really believe in endless complaints when there's a solution, I'm not a fan of avoiding one's problems. If you're overly stressed, see someone about it. If you're tired, take a nap (Josh reference from Project Runway). If you're lonely, get involved. There's an easy fix for most of the problems people have. And for some reason everyone chooses to go and take the difficult route, make themselves miserable over it, and focus elsewhere.
So people, let's shed the pounds..... by shedding the dead weight. Whatever the issue, I swear there's a solution. But you have to want to fix it permanently...
...not just diet for a while.
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| The poster that inspired this post! |
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