WELCOME.... Enjoy your Visit!

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ABOUT.ME...

The name is Khanh.
Born beneath the scales.
Been breathing for almost 20something years.
Humanizing at Ryerson University.
Attributes a candid, positive and surreal nature.
Pleasures grace and beauty in all simple possessions.
Captivated by Michael.
Gifted with loving friends.

This is me, exactly as you can see. No change in shape or form, well.. maybe now and then the shape sort of shifts here and there a bit.. hehe. Although a certain someone doesn't feel the same way and thinks otherwise! *rolls her eyes*

I'm VIETNAMESE folks!!! My name is Khanh (with the accent!). Khanh is a common Vietnamese name often given to the male gender (I'm not jealous a`). Don't ask me about my name, I didn't get to choose it! I asked my mom why on earth was I given this name. She simply stated that not a lot of girls are given this name and also, because she couldn't come up with a 'better' one for me at the time. For the longest time, I've tried to convince myself that she just wanted me to be 'unique'. But overtime, I've grown into it, like I've grown into so many other things. I've come to accept myself the way I am. It's a name. It was given to me. This is me.

My childhood was nothing all that significant that I'd regret if I didn't talk about it. A few embarassing and teary moments now and then. Other than that, it was just another ordinary childhood, perhaps, with a few deviations here and there. Nothing much.

However, about six years ago, I've made one of the weirdest decisions in my entire life. I chose to go to an all-girl high school (yeah yeah, you don't understand!) I'm not even sure what was it that drove me towards that decision (and no, it's not 'cause I hate guys). Perhaps I just wanted to test a few theories. You're probably thinking: what kind of theory were you looking to test at an all-girl school, right? Well, I don't give a care what you think! Looking back, it was a fine experience. I probably wouldn't want to change anything even if I'd been given the chance - with an exception of having a differnt calculus teacher (I personally hated the man!). At Loretto, I've had my share of work and friends. Those were my days at Loretto.

I am currently attending Ryerson University, located in the heart of Toronto. This is my first year and, also, my very first step in persuing my four-year degree in a B. Comm., particularly oriented for Business Management students. My decisions in terms of school have been somewhat quite trivial. For the past few years, I just couldn't seem to pin point a specific field that I really wanted to go into. I eventually decided that business was the safest bet for me as far as time was concerned. So here I am. I'm glad Thanh and I are going to the same school. I've known her my entire life, yet, we were never given the chance to go to school together. Let's drop our books and hit the mall, Thanh!

I don't know what else I could possibly tell you at this point and time. My mind is half empty at the moment. I'm pretty content with where I am today. I enjoying going to the places I go to. I like the most of the things I do. I love those whom I can call 'friends'.

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ABOUT.YOU...

This section is supposed to be a little spot for something you guys would often call 'shout out'. I don't feel like rambling on about stuff you guys already know. So gonna keep it nice and simple ---> Even though I feel like hating you at times and loving you at other times... there's nothing more comforting than having to walk a long and bumpy road, turn over and still be able to see you guys by my side. Also, there are some special others *wink wink*. Distance is no excuse where friendship is concerned. Through the toughest times of my life, my friends were the main forces that kept me up and smiling. Thanks guys.

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ABOUT.US...

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ABOUT.LIFE...

<<<<The Window>>>> (Author unknown)

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour a day to drain the fluids from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation. And every afternoon when the man in the bed next to the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed would live for those one-hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the outside world. The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake, the man had said. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Lovers walked arm in arm amid flowers of every color of the rainbow. Grand old trees graced the landscape, and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance. As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by. Although the other man could not hear the band, he could see it in his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Unexpectedly, an alien thought entered his head: Why should hehave all the pleasure of seeing everything while I never get to see anything? It didn't seem fair. As the thought fermented, the man felt ashamed at first. But as the days passed and he missed seeing more sights, his envy eroded into resentment and soon turned him sour. He began to brood and found himself unable to sleep. He should be by that window - and that thought now controlled his life.

Late one night, as he lay staring at the ceiling, the man by the window began to cough. He was choking on the fluid in his lungs. The other man watched in the dimly lit room as the struggling man by the window groped for the button to call for help. Listening from across the room, he never moved, never pushed his own button which would have brought the nurse running. In less than five minutes, the coughing and choking stopped, along with the sound of breathing. Now, there was only silence--deathly silence.

The following morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths. When she found the lifeless body of the man by the window, she was saddened and called the hospital attendant to take it away--no words, no fuss. As soon as it seemed appropriate, the man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look. Finally, he would have the joy of seeing it all himself. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall.

Moral of the story:

The pursuit of happiness is a matter of choice...it is a positive attitude we consciously choose to express. It is not a gift that gets delivered to our doorstep each morning, nor does it come through the window. And I am certain that our circumstances are just a small part of what makes us joyful. If we wait for them to get just right, we will never find lasting joy.

The pursuit of happiness is an inward journey. Our minds are like programs, awaiting the code that will determine behaviors; like bank vaults awaiting our deposits. If we regularly deposit positive, encouraging, and uplifting thoughts, if we continue to bite our lips just before we begin to grumble and complain, if we shoot down that seemingly harmless negative thought as it germinates, we will find that there is much to rejoice about. !

<<<<The Obstacle In Our Path>>>>

In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it.

Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse lying in the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understand.

Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's condition.

Below are several of poems that I found on the net, as well as ones written by friends.

A woman
A woman makes her own path
toward happiness,
She does not tip-toe.
She does not tread lightly on her path.
She does not take baby steps.
She pounds with each long stride
making her presence known;
revealing her intent.
She does not side-step obstacles-
she obliterates them.
She pauses only to aid those who
have fallen before her.
But, She does not linger over
those who prefer failure
She marches on,
Making her own path.

Almost Love | by: Magaly Sanchez ,cuba (translated by Margaret Randall)
It happens sometimes; a pair of eyes a profile
someone we don’t know and see only once
or every afternoon.
Someone we met, it was just like that:
a hand on yours
some hasty words.
But someone who became a part of you
and now there’s no seeing that face without paling
without trembling hands
and it’s almost love.

The Dream | by: Theodore Roethke
I
I met her as a blossom on a stem
Before she ever breathed, and in that dream
The mind remembers from a deeper sleep:
Eye learned from eye, cold lip from sensual lip.
My dream divided on a point of fire;
Light hardened on the water where we were;
A bird sang low; the moonlight sifted in;
The water rippled, and she rippled on.

A Perfect Moment | by: Joy Anne M.
snow white clouds slowly drifting up above...
the crashing waves of pure crystal blue water
against the sharp worn rocks on the shore...
warm golden rays of the sun...
you.
me.
lying unders the cool shade of a new day,
the island breeze drowns noises of
imperfection and artificiality.
here, and now,
there is only
beauty and truth.
the white bed of sand tells stories of infinite
happiness and laughter in each embedded footprint of time.
tropical green leaves and blooming summer flowers
dance amidst the calming whispers of the wind;
paradise of endless love and fulfilled promises.
birds sing sweet songs of missed yellow days of bliss...
as we inhale each fragrant scent of this perfect moment;
of just
you,
and me.
here,
and now.
forever.

Misguided Heart | by: Joy Anne M.
i don't know when this empty space in my chest,
in my soul, will ever hold the mysteries,
the miseries, and the joys of love.
if my only motivation for love is to fulfill this
void hungrily gnawing my very being,
my heart will wither amongst the red thorns,
and judgmental baracudas of the night;
as time plays a foolish game with my
already frail heart.
i don't know what the future days hold,
but dark stormy nights and deafening black words
from the past sometimes strike the grey room in my
heart, often inevitably chaining me from reaching
new days of sweet memories;
but...
i am yearning for more,
for something different;
to change this familiar misguided heart i possess.
life is shaking my body as well as my mind to dance
in the moonlight of new heights,
to cross boundaries, go beyond the 'norm'...
for love;
and still remain...
human.

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ABOUT.LOVE...

Let me think...

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ABOUT.MUSIC...

No One Else Comes Close - Alex To

Heaven (remix) - DJ Sammy

Cho Em ñÜ®c Mãi Yêu Anh (remix) - DJ LazzieBoi

PhÓ CÛ V¡ng Anh - CÄm Ly

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ABOUT.HAPPINESS...

There are not too many happy moments in life. They are usually sweet, short and elusive. Most of the time we know they were happy ones long after they're gone. It happens, however, that a happy moment materializes and we're fully aware. We know it's happy. While it's happening.

In order to lead a truly happy life, you have to be aware of special moments when they come along and enjoy them to the fullest, and work toward other special moments.

It doesn't matter how popular, good-looking, rich, or influential you are – you will never be happy every second of your life. This is a very important realization that will help you start right away to enjoy your life more than ever.

Be happy now!
In life, it's not about being happy all the time. No one can do that. Only in fairy tales are people happy all the time. You – like everyone else in the world – live for the few happy moments in your life. Only when you admit this fact will you truly appreciate how valuable these special moments are. The circumstances in your life may never be a great deal better than they are right now. This is why you have to enjoy the «here and now». You have to be happy now.

The journey is the goal
We will always be faced with challenges in our lives, and we will even experience some dark moments. But this is exactly what makes our lives exciting and full of variety. If everything were perfect all the time, we would quickly become bored and sabotage ourselves. Unfortunately, this is often the case with children who are spoiled by wealthy parents. Have you heard the old saying «The journey is the goal»? It means we should enjoy the present and be happy when special moments come along.

Be alert
We are so busy all the time that we often don't notice special moments at all, or we do so with just one eye open. This is usually the case with those smaller special moments. Keep your eyes and ears open at all times, and you will notice these moments the instant they happen.
Sadly, many people don't do this, even though they actually live for these special moments – those moments about which Goethe's Faust said: «Please stay awhile, you're so wonderful!» Ignoring them would be a critical mistake. We want to encourage you to become more aware of the special moments in your life and to enjoy them to the fullest.

Cultivate these moments
It's impossible to experience happy moments all the time, of course, but you can increase the frequency with which they occur by doing the right things every day to encourage them to come along. Taking the necessary steps every day is therefore a move in the right direction. Most special moments have to do with people – with your family, good friends, your boss, your customers, etcetera. One way to encourage special moments to come along is to be proactive. In other words, improve your communication skills, be more easy-going, cultivate your charisma, etcetera.

Enjoy these moments to the fullest
When you experience one of these special moments, make it a point to enjoy it to the fullest. Take pictures or record a video to document your experience. I recommend that you carry a small pocket camera with you at all times, like I do, so you will be prepared to capture those special moments that pop out of nowhere.

Be grateful!
Be thankful for these special moments. Be grateful for all the good things in your life. This is very important, because it will help you to truly enjoy your life. If you're not thankful, you see, you may acquire possessions and lots of grand experiences in your life, but you might not enjoy them as much. What good does it do you if you stay in nicer and nicer hotels or drive nicer and nicer cars, if you can't enjoy them?! – So, be grateful! Then you will truly enjoy your life to the fullest!

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AABOUT.OTHERS...

School
Ryerson University - www.ryerson.ca
Vietnamese Student Association at Ryerson - stw.ryerson.ca/~vsar
Ryerson Korean Student Association - home.freechal.com/ruksa
Universities Vietnamese Student Association - www.uvsa.org

Viet Stuff
Viet Chat - www.vietchat.com
Vietmedia Account/Viet Chat Registration - www.vietmedia.com
Vietnamese Font - www.vps.net

Chinese Stuff
SPC - Chinese Movies & Series Reviews - www.spcnet.tv
Taiwanese, HK Actors - http://www.starfigures.com

Music
Download Kazaa - www.kazaa.com
Viet Lyrics - www.vncentral.com
English Lyrics - www.lyrics.ch

Shopping
Guess - www.guess.com
Club Monaco - www.clubmonaco.com
Jean Machine - www.jeanmachine.com
Aldo - www.aldoshoes.com

Toronto
Toronto Life - www.toronto.com
Toronto Maple Leafs - www.torontomapleleafs.com
Tonic Night Club - www.tonicnightclub.com
Viva Night Club - www.vivanightclub.com/events.shtml

Others
Soompi - http://soompi.com/forums

Greetings
Blue Mountain - www.bluemountain.com
E-Greetings - www.egreetings.com
Hallmark - www.hallmark.com