Thoughts on Life...

Burning Man Tickets?

approximalia — Wed, 07 May 2008 22:11:36 GMT

Hey friends! I know I'm a complete lagger, but I decided that I want to go to Burning Man for the first time this year! I'm trying to find someone selling 2 tickets at a reasonable price. Do any of you know anyone who needs to sell their tickets? Lemme know. :) xoxo, maLia

A New Beginning

approximalia — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:22:20 GMT

I came to a few important realizations today... Things that maybe should have been obvious to me, but they're much more obvious to me now. My first realization being: We're all human. People make mistakes all the time. Even GOOD people make mistakes. Life is full of misunderstandings... And misunderstandings between human beings can lead to quite a bit of unnecessary pain in this life. When that happens, you can choose to be bitter, or you can choose to learn and move forward. The great thing about life is that every day gives you a chance to begin again. You never have to make yesterday's mistakes tomorrow... The truth is, people are motivated by all kinds of things... Fear, insecurity, guilt, the desire to control others, anger, and sometimes people just do stupid things without even having malicious intent at all! The thing is, those sometimes twisted human motives don't necessarily mean that people are bad people. I'm beginning to realize that a sense of peace can only be gained through understanding... Not condemnation, not judgment, not manipulation... UNDERSTANDING. It's the people who can learn to understand others who are able to make it through the worst circumstances with grace and dignity. It's not just about understanding others, it's about learning to understand yourself. Because even WE have those silly motives, just like everyone else! But if we can learn to see through the fear, overcome the insecurity, let go of the need to control others... Then maybe then we can find some peace with ourselves. At first glance, it seems like all these crazy things have been happening to me and I have NO IDEA why. I wonder, why does my life seem to attract so much D-R-A-M-A? But when I really stop and think about it, I realize that all of these things are lessons in disguise. Intuition. Patience. Understanding. These lessons are popping up in my life and I'm finally paying attention. I didn't have to read any books or get any psychological advice in order to start seeing these lessons materialize... All I did was stop and listen. I stopped and looked at the chaos of the world around me and made the conscious choice to ask myself, "What could I be learning from this?" It sounds so cheesy and painfully obvious, but I think it's one of the secrets of life! The unfortunate truth is, human beings aren't really known for their attention to detail... Sometimes the most obvious of life lessons that the Universe seems to throw in people's faces slip by unnoticed simply because people aren't paying attention. They're living on the surface of life... Yet, they wonder why the same negative patterns surface in their lives over and over and over. I've been there. I will probably be there again, but next time I will be more prepared. I will have that much more self-awareness. Having negative patterns repeat is like being given a second chance in a way... Like being able to flip backwards in a Choose Your Own Adventure book and turn to page 26 instead, after you realize that you'll be devoured by a radioactive alien octopus on page 183. It's so easy to just feel frustrated when you find yourself dealing with the same tired issues over and over. The incredible thing is that a subtle shift in perspective can turn it into such a positive and empowering experience. I'm starting to realize my own power to create that sort of transformation in my own life. So yes, I feel hopeful. I have this wonderful opportunity to start over and literally choose my own adventure without dwelling on my past. Since I'm human, I know I will make mistakes no matter how hard I try to learn from my past ones, but I can only move forward! And hopefully I will be blessed with a tomorrow in which to start over again. :)

Frog Dreams

approximalia — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 05:40:54 GMT

I dreamed that one of my ex boyfriends picked me up at a train station and drove me to his parent's house. He is an ex that I'm not currently on good terms with... In the dream, I felt very neutral about seeing him. When we got to his parent's house, I accidentally spilled food on myself so I excused myself to the restroom. While I was in there, I accidentally dropped a decorative doily into the toilet so was trying to wash it in the sink when I heard the garbled voice of a frog. I stopped running the water to listen and a large, purple frog came out of the faucet into the sink. I was very fascinated with the creature! I was about to pick it up when I woke up. I definitely think my dreams are symbolic... And some of them are more obviously symbolic than others. I wonder what my accidentally spilling food and accidentally dropping the doily into the toilet might mean? I'm even more curious about the purple frog, hmm....

Fabulous in PINK!

approximalia — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 03:48:40 GMT

Hello to all my wonderful friends new & old! It was great seeing most of you this weekend... Anyway, I'm thrilled with the way my pix from the PINK party came out and wanted to share them with all of you! http://photobucket.com/albums/a257/maliapix/PINK/ I look forward to my next opportunity to dance my ass of in your company! Exceptionally, maLia.

20 Random Malia Facts!

approximalia — Sun, 20 Nov 2005 00:15:22 GMT

01. My middle name is Sachiko which means “Child of Bliss” in Japanese. 02. My first CD ever was Ace of Base – “The Sign”. I'm still a big fan and I own 5 of their albums (“What?! They have more than one album???”…' Yes, they do.) 03. I’m dreadfully commitment-phobic, but incredibly committed if I am ever in a relationship. On a side note, I’ve never been in a relationship that lasted a year. (Longest was 11 months.) 04. I only have one kidney. (I truly wish I could tell you I lost the other one when I was abducted by aliens or something, but I really just had an operation in 4th grade.) 05. I like to give my pets really lengthy names that contain hyphens. (i.e. Jungle-Critter-Kitty, Space-Astro-Cat, Big-Fat-Attack-Momma-Cat, etc.) 06. I have 7 piercings, 5 of which I did myself. 07. I study the Persian language as a hobby. I even know how to read and write the Arabic alphabet. (Only understand kid’s books though!) 08. I dislike almost all condiments. (i.e. ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, relish, guacamole, most salad dressings…' you get the point!) 09. Although I consider myself to be a *spicy* person, almost all the men I’ve ever dated were quite on the reserved and boring end of the personality spectrum. 10. I do not wish to procreate in this lifetime. 11. I’ve never been out of the USA. (Not even to Canada or Mexico!) 12. My latest aspiration is to become a traveling hoop performer and motivational speaker. :D 13. I have horrible short-term memory, yet I can rememember my early childhood in unusual detail. 14. I bite my fingernails. 15. I’m very thrifty, have excellent credit, and keep meticulous track of my finances. 16. I caught an opossum with my bare hands once! (I’ve actually caught a wide variety of critters you probably shouldn’t pick up, haha.) 17. I’ve always more or less enjoyed school and work. 18. I can draw. (Faces are my favorite thing to draw.) 19. Trance music gives me butterflies in my tummy. 20. I had a strangely difficult time coming up with 20 random facts about myself!

Hoop Your Way to Health & Happiness!

approximalia — Thu, 01 Sep 2005 17:08:35 GMT

Those of you who know me well are aware of the new love in my life... No, I haven't met anyone, I've discovered a passion for hula hooping! Most of us had a hula hoop when we were kids, and while they were a lot of fun back then, I'm here to tell you that hooping is STILL fun and has even MORE benefits for us now! Just be warned... Hooping is addictive! The first thing you will notice when you pick up a hula hoop again (for the first time in over 10 years for some of us) is the fact that you will have an instant smile on your face. If picking up hula hoops doesn't make you smile, just start hooping! Don't be frustrated if you can't seem to keep the hoop going at first. It's like learning to ride a bike, once you understand the physics of hooping it feels very easy and natural. It also helps to use a hoop that's the right size and weight for you. Ask to try out one of my homemade hoops so that you can feel the difference. Hula hooping is great exercise! It promotes core strength, balance, and an improved sense of rhythm. It will give you a great cardio workout while toning your hips, thighs, and waistline. The best part about hooping for exercise is that it doesn't feel like exercise. You can pick up a hoop while you watch your favorite television show. I hoop while reading, talking on the phone, or even eating! Hooping can be a great way to wake yourself up in the morning or de-stress after a long day at work. Incorporating dance into your hooping is a fantastic form of self-expression. You can learn tricks to amuse your friends. Hoop with others and you will see the way hooping brings people together in a meaningful way. Hoop for fun, hoop to unwind, hoop for exercise, hoop your way to health and happiness!

Why was I born?

approximalia — Thu, 21 Jul 2005 03:49:09 GMT

I think it's a good idea to stop and ask yourself such questions every once in a while. So, why do I think I was born into this world? Well, I'd like to think that I have some sort of meaningful purpose... When I stop and wonder what my contribution to society and the universe could possibly be, my thoughts usually lead to one thing: I want to inspire people. You see, I've always felt slightly set apart from the people around me... I think about things a little differently, I go about my daily life a little differently, and I want other people to have a chance to break free from their mundane and ordinary lives in order to view their own lives a little differently. When I look at the world around me, I see a lot of people who get up, go to work, eat their meals, and drive their cars without giving it much thought. When I look at the goals people have, I see that they want money, power, beauty, popularity, and a wide variety of material possessions. I think people want all of those things because they believe they will ultimately bring them happiness... I just happen to believe that all of those things have very little to do with true happiness when it comes down to it. When I think of happiness I think of things like appreciation for nature, cherishing a special moment, creating something beautiful, or being able to relate to another human being. I hate the greed and selfishness that has overcome society as a whole. I wish more people looked for the deeper meaning in life. That brings me back to my desire to inspire people... I have all these random ideas that go through my mind every day, some of them are negative, but a lot of them are very positive. I want to be able to share my uplifting ideas with the people I come into contact with. I want to meet other people who have similar philosophies on life. I think my creativity and ideas are a big part of the reason I was placed on this earth. -maLia