Currently

I've been spending a lot of time getting stressed out about what to get people for Christmas. I'm running out of ideas, and Christmas is around the corner. I spend a lot of time wondering what a person might want, and the rest of time trying to resist sales that catches my attention.

I've been trying to budget, and I'm doing pretty well except that there is always something I need or want. I try not to eat out or buy anything that isn't necessary. 

Finals are around the corner, and it's freaking me out. I need to start studying and learning as much as possible. I am starting to go blind from looking at all the geological maps. I can't wait until winter break. Sweet freeeeeeeeeeeedom (Imagine Mel Gibson in Braveheart) is almost here. Not that I don't like school. I love school.

I need to concentrate harder on getting a job. I need to do something besides school, and it would be nice to have a little extra cash. 

Star Trek

Late in the middle of the night, my brother and I watch old episodes of Star Trek. There usually isn't anything on, so we end up watching whatever we find interesting. 

That was how we usually did things until sometime over the summer, my brother discovered that Star Trek is on every night at around 12:30am. 

When he first began to watch it, I would tease him about it. What is up with the cheesy dialogs? Why are they all talking like that? Who would watch this?

As time progressed, I started to be drawn in. I started loving the cheesy plots, and strange costumes. I slowly started looking forward to watching it every weeknight. When it wasn't playing on television, I started to Netflix it. I became addicted without even realizing it.

When the new Star Trek movie finally came out on DVD. I had to watch it right away. I love the movie. I love the show.

People have been referencing to the show for years, and I finally understand them. I finally know why people say, "Beam me up, Scotty." 

I just can't believe I waited this long to finally watch something so wonderful. At least I have a lot of free time to catch up on it now. :)

Black Friday

During Black Friday, I usually find some amazing deals on things. 

I wasn't so successful this year. There were really good deals on some things, but you had to either camp out for it or fight a giant crowd. Plus, I didn't really want to fork over the money for anything new. I need to save for Christmas presents. Which leads me to another dilemma.

I went to Black Friday this year because I usually go every year, and I was going to go with Frances anyways.

Best Buy was CRAZY. Why would anyone want to wait in that crazy line? (Never mind that we did that, it was IMPORTANT!) The lines wrapped around the store, and I didn't even think the deals were that great. All the doorbuster deals were gone by 8am, and all that was left was things that weren't really on sale.

The malls weren't as crazy, but there really weren't anything that caught my eye. The sales weren't that great. Their deals wasn't anything to get excited over, and I didn't feel the urge to hoard anything.

Black Friday is starting to become extinct. Sooner or later it'll just be a story we tell our grandkids. I'm going to be one of those grandmothers that say, "When I was your age, there used to be a thing called Black Friday..."

Gobble Gobble

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all have a safe and wonderful day. :)

I'm thankful to have my friends and family in my life. Everyone means so much to me, and I could not ask for a better network of people. I love you guys!

I'm going to spend the day visiting friends and family. That means yummy food, and a good time. Yay! I've always been a sucker for mashed potatoes. I'm going to eat a truckload today!

I'm also going to be waking up early tomorrow to shop until I drop. I'm not sure though because I am sick. Boooooo! :(

Maybe I do like It

I have to confess. I enjoy the Twilight series. Let me explain, I think the Twilight series is not really an original or even a clever story, but it has a way of keeping me interested.

I don't know what it is. I used to read about vampires, witches, werewolves, shape shifters, and wizards growing up. I think it's a subject that has always intrigued me as a child. I think a part of me has never given up that fantasy (Although I think the books I used to read are much better than the Twilight series.)

As much as I want to hate the Twilight series (because sometimes it's so silly), I can't help secretly enjoying it too.

I realized the writing isn't that great or even the plot, but I don't think I can resist a story about vampires and werewolves. No matter how hard I try to hate.

It's mindless fun for me... even when the story doesn't make an sense or when I think the characters are just so stupid. It's something that entertains me for the moment.

It does bother me though how everyone is now vampire crazy. It's just like the time when everyone went pirate crazy. Why do things I like have a way of getting spoiled?

An Eventful Camping Trip

I don't go camping often, but it's not because I don't like the outdoors. It's because I hate the cold. I despise it. I'm terrified of it. I avoid it at all cost.

So when the school decided to make a camping trip at the end of November, I thought myself crazy for agreeing to freeze to death, but I wasn't going to miss this opportunity to see the desert through a geologist's prospective.

We left on Friday, and I was extremely excited. I was secret hoping the weather wouldn't be so bad, or that I would be able to adjust to the cold. 

On our way to the campsite, we got lost. We end up taking a wrong turn, and going on a crazy hilly road that was made for fixing the electrical poles. One of the vans got stuck in the road, and the other van lost its back bumper (it later had to be duct taped back on), and made us waste an hour and a half. Luckily for me I was in the van (there were four total) that nothing went wrong in.

I was not prepared for the cutting cold, and froze that night because I wasn't wearing sufficient clothing, and my sleeping bag was a little thin. I couldn't sleep because I felt like my feet had frozen off. Frost bite anyone?

The next day we spent the day going on 3 hikes, and the weather was just perfect. When you're hiking up a mountain, a breeze is always welcomed. I was surprised to see how beautiful the desert was. 

We spend that day in the Sonoran Desert, where I got to see so many geological features. I got to see alluvial fans, desert pavement, the San Andreas Fault, and pictographs. I even got to identify rocks. Impressive huh?

It's so amazing when you look in every direction, and all you see is mountains. We got to climb inselbergs (which are HUGE BOULDER ROCKS), and play in caves. It was an adult playground.

I even got to see a rattlesnake. I am starting to become fond of snakes. Weird as they terrify me not that long ago. Don't get me wrong. I don't want them to bite me, but they are cute in their own way. My teacher even told me I should bait a chipmunk, so I could see it at a closer view.

I had a better second night, as I knew what I had to do not to freeze. I bundled my legs in my extra sweater, wore ten shirts, and turned my sleeping bag into a cave. I slept much better, but I'm not sure if it was because I was so tired or the fact that I was much warmer. I did have condensation all over my tent when I woke up, so I believe I was nice and warm during the night.

The last day camping, we spend it exploring an old mine in the Mojave (Joshua Tree) Desert. The hike was really intense, and I was pooped, but it was worth it. The view was amazing. (It's definitely hard to hike when you are trying to keep up with a bunch of guys that walk as fast as you run.)

My field journal was filled with interesting facts, and pictures that I drew. The lecture was interesting, and I did have a really good time aside from the falling, and the fact that I was still too shy to approach my teacher. SIGH.

I did poorly on my final though because I did what I always do... not read the direction or question fully. Why do I do that? It's okay though, I had a good time, and I'm trying a new thing where I don't freak/stress out over things.

I think I may want to go on the next camping trip in April. :)

Back!

I'm back from camping, and I have so much to tell! I'm just so sleepy that I'll have to post about it tomorrow. 

We had to take a final at 9:30pm, and now all I can think about is how comfortable my bed is. How I missed it when I was gone. 

Limited Cooking Ability

As a child, I admired my mother for being able to cook delicious food. I remember watching cooking shows on television, and wanted to cook like they did. I've always had a deep love for food. 

Cooking is an art. It's something you learn through practice. The ability to cook well is a skill everyone wants.

Too bad I am lacking. I can cook maybe about four dishes. I have tried to cook many things unsuccessfully, and it breaks my heart. 

I want to be able to make an amazing Thanksgiving feast. I want to be able to host parties, and make excellent dessert. Can you imagine? I'd invite people over, and we'd all have a fancy dinner. (I can dream can't I?)

I better start practicing. Maybe someday I'll make a mean pot roast. (Maybe I have to stop being a vegetarian before that happens.)

I have a hankering to make a soup. Mmmmm...

Being Late

I hate being late. I pride myself on being punctual. It's a trait that I admire in others, and one that I practice on a daily basis.

I had a class field trip yesterday to Dana Point. We were to learn about the features of Dana Point, and how they were formed. It's quite interesting actually.

I had set my alarm (at least I thought I did) to wake me up at 7:45. I had to be at the beach by 9:00.

I woke up at 8:45, and screamed all the way out the door. I hate being late. I especially hate being late for a class that I adore.

I may or may not have drove down the freeway at an alarming speed.

Being late seriously kills me. I tell you, my life is dramatic. :D

Phone

Yay, I got an amazing new phone.

It's brown and shiny, and has a touch screen. 

No, it's not an iPhone... I couldn't afford such a thing. I got a Behold2, and it's so nice! 

What makes me especially happy is that I got it for cheap. I'm such a cheap-o that anything cheap makes me happy.

That may explain my love for bargains...

Old Fashioned

I have a thing for vintage clothing. I love how beautiful they are without looking like a hoe.

I'm not talking about flapper clothing or what the hippies wore. I love watching, I Love Lucy, and seeing the way they dress. I think Jackie O was fashionable. I think I'm fascinated with black and white movies because of it.

I love the traditions and the values of the past. How families would eat meals together. When people weren't to busy for each other.

I think it's cute how guys used to court girls, and how people would go steady. What happened with the times? 

People were so well mannered back then. Everyone was polite and courteous. Girls weren't flaunting their bodies. What happened to the old fashioned values?

I love talking to old people. They are usually the most sweetest people out there. They have so much to say, and they things they say aren't silly or weird. I usually am more social towards old people. I will generally try to be friends with someone old. It's weird. I feel like I connect with them. 

I sound like such an old person. Oh, I think I was born in the wrong decade. :)

Joshua Tree National Park

Yay, so I am officially set to go camping with my Geology class on November 20-22. 

I'm going to be sleeping outdoors under the stars (no tent for me). I really enjoy star gazing, so this will be such a treat.

I'm not too sure about the bugs though. As long as they don't crawl on me, we'll get along great. I'm not sure why, but I've always been afraid of them. Maybe it's because they bite.

I'm already planning my meals, and getting my stuff together. I love having an excuse to buy a bunch of food.

Too bad I have to keep a field notebook, and take a test. I guess it'll be a nice working vacation. :)

Handy Woman

Our faucet was leaking, and my mother decided that I should finally learn how to fix the faucet. 

Thinking that I was a handy woman of some sort, I decided to take the challenge. I bought a replacement for a broke piece, and came home with the intentions of fixing the sink.

The thing is... I know very little about how one would fix a leaky faucet. I assumed that you just screw the pieces together and call it day. I thought it would be simple, and that any normal person would be able to do.

Apparently, that person would not be me.

By the time I was finished, I had stopped the leak from coming out of the faucet. I was proud. I thought I had done a great job. 

Little did I know the leak started to come out from below. I also didn't know that there was a puddle forming under the sink. 

An hour later, I realized that I needed help from my dad, and that I was no handy woman. Can't say I didn't try though.

I guess I should learn how to actually do something before I attempt it. Who knew?

Predictions

Frances and I would make predictions about the future when we were younger. We conduct a list of what we thought would be happening to us and the people around us in the next five years.

I remember how much fun it would be to go back, and reread the things we wrote about. Most of it would be silly, and some of it would later become true. It's one of the ways we kept ourselves entertained. We would also play card games for hours on end. That and walking the dog was our specialty.

Frances and I are dreamers. We would dream of the day we would become roommates. We discussed how we would decorate our house, and how one day we would die laughing while sitting in rock chairs (Doesn't everyone want to die that way?). We discussed the what we would be doing, and how we would turn out. 

Oh... I miss those days, and how the biggest goals in our lives had to do with traveling. (Boy did I go off tangent. I only meant to share the fact that I like predicting future events, but then I started walking down memory lane.)

In ten years, I would probably:

1. Traveled to at least 5 foreign countries.
2. Finally picked a career, and am sticking to it. I may be a geologist, a paralegal, a photographer, or even a bum. I better be doing something I enjoy.
3. Be married with two kids. I'll have a girl and then a boy. (Just like my family.)
4. Own a Saint Bernard named Bear. I love those dogs. They are huge and lovable.
5. Be more confident and social. (That is a goal I am currently working on. IT'S SO HARD.)
6. Drive a hybrid. 
7. Have had lasik eye surgery. If not, I will be blind.

I'm sure I'll be happy no matter what happens to me. 

Not that Young

I still sometimes get carded with I buy a lottery ticket.

Do I look like I'm 17? I'm never sure if they think I look like a kid or if they are just asking to make sure. I never know.

I asked the cashier how old I looked one day when I was purchasing a scratcher, and he told me I looked 16.

WHAT?! I think I can confidently say I do not look like a teenager. I think I really do look my age. Whenever I look in the mirror, I say, "Wow, you look 23." It's true. 

I guess I should be flattered, but I don't think I would be the type of person to freak out when I start to get wrinkles (I say that now, but maybe I wouldn't be so calm when I actually get them). 

At least they aren't telling me I look older than I am. 

It may have to do with the fact that I still eat kid meals, get excited over Disney movies, and take naps. Oh, what I would give to be a kid again. :)

Pride and Prejudice

Oh how I adore Pride and Prejudice. I've read it many times, and I still cry at the same parts. No matter how many different versions of the movie I watch, I still can never get enough of it.

It's just the most beautiful love story ever written. Mr. Darcy has the ability to make girls swoon (including me). 

Who doesn't want that kind of love? Someone who loves you for your mind, and your personality. That's the kind of love we all want.

It kind of makes me sad to see that romance novels and movies have gotten pretty skanky. I watch some of them, and come out wondering why I paid the $100,000 to watch it. I can't finish reading a lot of romance novels. 

That results in me watching the movies 1,000 times, and rereading the books a 100,000 times. There's just something so magical about Jane Austen's stories. No one has ever written anything more beautiful.

Jane Austen's stories reminds me each and every day that I don't want to settle. I want true love. :)

Lacking Basic Skills

I can't do a lot of things that must people can do in their sleep. (It doesn't stop me from doing them though.) 

I can't swim.

I can't sing.

I can't draw.

I can't dance.

But not to worry, I'm really good at other things.

I laugh often.

I can be really helpful.

I have never gotten a traffic ticket. (knock on wood)

I am silly.

And the best part is... I am really good at being ME.

If I Never Moved to America

Do you ever imagine what your life would of been like if something hadn't/had happened?

I do. Can you imagine what I would be like if my parents decided to stay in Japan?

I would probably speak broken English, and dream about visiting California. I would be one of those Japanese tourist who makes the peace sign in every picture. Wouldn't that be strange?

I would also probably be working a blue collar job because I wouldn't have been able to pay for school. Maybe even working at the same plant my parents were working at.

I might not even have ever learned to drive. Japanese people use public transportation most of the time because the streets are very congested. My parents used to take the bus, the train, or ride their bikes everywhere.

I would probably have a very different personality. I may of became a serious person. Maybe I would of became an outgoing person. Who knows, the possibilities are limitless. 

I might have been married with 3 children, living in a tiny apartment. 

What I do know though is that I wouldn't really change the life I have now. I do enjoy the things that come my way, and am looking forward to my future. I don't have very much to complain about (although it may not always seem that way).

Being More Assertive

I finally did it! I finally worked up the courage to ask my teacher for advice. I finally worked up the nerve to talk to her. It's not that she's intimidating or scary. It's just that I admire her so much, and I can be painfully shy. 

I think I'm selectively shy. It depends on who I am trying to talk to, and what my mood is like.

She gave me so much insight that I feel so silly now for not talking to her earlier. I now have a lot of my questions answered, and she made me feel like I can do anything I want to do.

That's exactly what I needed to hear. I needed to hear from someone who has been through it that as hard as it is, it is extremely rewarding.

She also advised me that I should break out of my shell. It has been a goal of mine for a long time, but I am actually going to put it in action today. 

Yes, you heard me. I will talk to someone new in my class today. I will make an attempt to be more social and approachable. 

I'm just trying to be a better person, and fix the flaws that I know I have. It's extremely hard though, and it's sometimes painful to force myself to do something I don't want to do. I'm not even sure why it's so hard for me, but I think it's about time I did something about it.

Motion Sickness

I am extremely dizzy right now, and I am feeling just awful. Being really dizzy right now reminded me of how I am prone to motion sickness.

When I was living in Japan, my family took me on their company trip to Mt. Fuji, where I proceeded to throw up in their boss' car. That was a memorable trip.

I get a major headache whenever I try to read in a moving car. Never ask me to read directions for you unless you want me to get sick in your car.

I remember taking train rides as a child in Japan. I remember always asking my mom if I could get off because I didn't feel well.

My family once went on a family trip to Canada. When I looked out of the plane's window to see clouds, I threw up, and then became very upset when my brother refused to pull the blinds down. Seeing the clouds below the plane gave me a very uneasy feeling.

I hate bus rides because the buses are usually jerky. I don't know how anyone can stand sitting in something so shakey. It's like a mini earthquake whenever I am on a bus. I must give credit to some buses though. Some of them are really smooth, and are much more enjoyable to ride in than my own car.

I probably would get motion sickness if I was ever to skip for too long. Apparently, I get motion sickness almost anywhere. 

Oh, the tragic life of Hang. At least I know what to avoid...

Huh?

No one came to my house last night. I didn't see any trick-o-treaters in the the neighborhood, and I was left with a bunch of pringles that I do not know what to do with. (I was giving out pringles because I thought chips are more exciting when you already have a bag full of candy.) Luckily I didn't buy that many, but am now confused with what the kids in my neighborhood do on Halloween.

I thought, at least I can go to the Halloween clearance sale after Halloween.

I went to Target this morning thinking I can snag some cheap candy. 

I wait for these sales after every major holiday. (I especially love the after Christmas sale. It may have to do with the fact that I love wrapping paper, boxes, and gift bags.) Everything is usually marked down 50%. I would then proceed to put everything in my cart, and later would have to convince myself that I didn't need 99.9% of what was in my cart. It is an internal battle that I looked forward to every year.

When I got to Target I saw that the candies were only marked down 30%. What?! Why?! That's not even cheap at all! It's only a few cents cheaper than the sale price on Halloween day. 

I was heartbroken. I was devastate. I was even confused because everyone was buying a cartful of candy when it wasn't even that cheap.

Wow, I sound like a complete cheap-o. It's just that I don't really eat candy, but when it's really cheap, I can't resist having a few piece of candy. I guess I can survive without it.

Oh recession, what have you done to the economy?