Holiday Wishes

Before I go, I forgot to mention that I hope you all have a very merry Christmas, and a happy new year. I am sad to be missing it all, but I hope you all will have a safe holiday. Eat a piece of pie for me... and maybe some turkey too. I know that I'll be eating something Vietnamese. (Not that it's a bad thing.)

See Ya Later!

Looks like it's time for me to leave. It's time to say goodbye, and hope that I won't get stuck there any longer than I have to be due to the snow storms. (That would suck.)

I will be gone for the next three weeks to Canada, but I am hopeful that I will have fun, and that it will be a pleasant trip. No use dreading it, it's only going to make leaving home that much harder.

It will be interesting to live with the snow again. That hasn't happened since I lived in Japan about 19 years ago, so I have very little memory of it at all. I just hope that it'll be fine, and that I won't be stuck shoveling the driveway everyday.

So wish me luck. I'll definitely will be needing it. I will definitely be missing you all, so don't forget about me. ;)

Tea Party

Yesterday was spent being completely girly and whimsical. We decided to surprise a friend on her birthday, so we took her to the Huntington Library. The Huntington Library is a botanical garden. It's an enormous place.

We had 5 different kind of sandwiches, salads, fruit, dessert, and tea for lunch. It was like we were in a Jane Austen novel. It was a really romantic setting, and it was a great day for a tea party. The weather was nice and warm.

There is just something about sipping tea on a nice hot day, and staring out into the rose garden.

We then spent the day hiking around. There was a Japanese garden, a Chinese garden, an Australian garden, a lily pond, a cactus garden (where a prickly cactus decided to poke my leg.), and even a green house. There was just so much to see that by the end of the day, I was completely worn out. I could barely take another step.

It was nice to get away and do something that wasn't typical of my daily life. I love gardens and spending time with the girls. :)

Packing Galore

I was just packing, and I have decided that I am a terrible packer. Why did I pack 8 shirts, but no sweaters?

I keep wanting to take things out of my suitcase to add a coat, but I can't seem to take anything out. I need 4 pairs of jeans right? I need 12 bras and 8 pairs of socks. Never mind that they have a washing machine, I need all of those things. I apparently do not find the importance of a sweater.

I seriously don't know how to prioritize. I'm going to end up with no socks somehow. I just know it. Hahaha.

Where Have I been?

I have been no where in particular. Just enjoying my time away from school and work. As much as I'll miss work, it'll be nice to get a little break. A break from everything.

I only have a few more days to enjoy until I am sent to Canada where I will be enjoying cold weather. The closer the day comes to my departure, the more at peace I am with it. I don't want to leave, but maybe this will be a good break from things that are stressing me out at home.

I have lots of plans for the next few days, and I am looking forward to the birthday party, the family party, the sleepover, and a hundred other things.

I'm also happy to announce that I did really well this semester, and got the grades I wanted in my classes. My constant whining, my pain, and my hard work paid off. I love it when that happens. :)

Sicky is My Middle Name

I don't know what it is, but I can always count on getting sick every winter. It's never the little colds either. It's always something that makes me so sick, it impairs my hearing, makes me tired, and makes me a little bit insane.

I hate being sick, and I feel so helpless when I do get sick.

On a happier note, I have only one final left, and although I have no studied for it yet, I have a good feeling about it. That only means winter break is coming, and I'll get to veg out! :)

So please bare with me if I don't post for a few days. I am just so very sick and I should hopefully be studying for my final.

Clean Sheets

A lot of things in life makes me happy, but few of them make me as happy as clean sheets. (On a side note: I have a joke for you all. What did the blanket says when it fell off the bed? "OH SHEET!" Hahahaha!)

I love the smell of freshly washed laundry, but the best feeling in the world is when you sleep on crispy fresh sheets, and fuzzy clean blankets. That is when I get the best night sleep. There's just something about sleeping on a clean bed.

I think that's why hotels are always fun for me. The beds are always nicely made and clean smelling (if you pretend they have nothing gross on them, and hope that there are no bed bugs).

I'm just so happy when I get to sleep on freshly washed linens. :D

Who I Am

I am a crier. I am overly emotional. I am irrational. I am passive aggressive. I am overly sensitive. I am silly. I am awkward. I am an extremely flawed person.

The older I get the better I understand myself. I may not know why I do half the things I do, and a lot of times I can't help the way I feel, but I do know that I am not a bad person.

I do not know how people see me in their eyes, and a lot of times I fear the judgments they have on me. The fear of being disliked constantly lingers in my thought. It may also be the reason why I am such a pushover, and why I can never say no. I know it stems from being insecure.

I realize that it is naive to be such a people pleaser as I can never make everyone happy. I shouldn't try so hard to please the people that don't matter to me. I know this, so I will somehow find a way to change. As corny as it sounds... I know I need to grow up. I need to change what I know is not healthy.

It's scary getting older because you then start to realize how many responsibilities you have. I know I should already know who I am, and where I should be, but I often find myself being lost. I am often unsure of what I should be doing, and it's making me fall behind. I feel like I have to play a game of catch up with life, but I never am able to catch up. How is it possible that someone who is almost a quarter of a century is confused on who she is, and where she is going?

I don't know if getting older is making me more sympathetic or more emotional, but I have this urge to try to help the world in some way. Maybe it's the fact that I know more about what is going on in the world that it makes me want to help everyone. It doesn't matter what the reason is. I guess what matters is the fact that I want to make a difference. Whether it's by buying Toms shoes so that a kid somewhere in the world can have a pair of shoes or maybe growing out my hair to donate it someone with cancer or giving money to KIVA to give someone a chance to survive.

Life is tough, and I see it more every single day of my life. I see how hard my parents work for me, and how fortunate I am to be blessed with all the amazing fortunes in my life. I may not be wealthy, but I have the best support group. With everyday, I realize more and more how important the people in my life. I hope each and every one of them knows how much I love them. :)

Wish List

I don't expect anything for Christmas, but it's always nice to think of things that you wish you had. I think that's why I enjoy window shopping so much, it's like I can pretend I have all the things that I want.

I really want a bunch of camping gears. I don't know what it is, but I love looking at tents, head lamps, and camping clothing. Is that weird?

I wish I could afford a nice fancy DSLR camera. Where am I going to find thousands of dollars to spare? Definitely won't be happening anytime soon.

I need shoes. I'm the kind of girl who wears flip flops all year long, but my feet are starting to get cracked. I need to get a pair of normal shoes, and some running shoes. You should see the running shoes I currently am using. One word: EWWWWW. They are pretty old.

Have I told you I love coats and jeans?! I feel the need to stock up on them since it is winter, and my closet is rather... well... lacking. I also had to throw out a lot of things that had holes in them.

How nice would a trip to somewhere warm be right now? Maybe some fun under the sun in Australia or a nice safari trip in South Africa. Sounds like paradise.

Oh, all the things that I would love to have. I guess I just have to wait to get them all... someday. :)

Finals are Taking Over

Oh dear. I have so much to study for in such a short amount of time that I am freaking out a little bit. I know I should be studying right this second, instead I am online looking at things that I am not going to buy.

What is wrong with me?

Christmas is around the corner, and I wish that I could buy everyone I love something, but I know that I am flat broke. It's cruel, really.

I try to study, I do, but then I just do a million other things, and then get distracted for hours. I know, I know... for shame!

On a side note, I did just come back from the Matt Maher concert, and I had a lot of fun. It was nice to see that there are still a lot of young catholic people, and that they were really involved in the catholic church.

December, Already?!

I am seriously not prepared for the year to end (or to go to Canada). I can't believe that the year is already almost coming to end. It still doesn't seem like it should be Christmas time. The Christmas music confuses me, and I feel like I am still in summer mode.

I do love the holidays though, and there is one good thing about being in Canada for Christmas. I'll actually have a white Christmas. :)

There are millions of reasons why I love the holidays, and one of them is that fact that a lot of things are cheaper during the holidays. Believe it or not, but I stock up on bath and beauty products during the holidays.

I love buying gift sets of razors, shampoos, and deodorant. I realize that what I am saying may sound really strange, but hear me out. During the holidays companies make their product in gift sets that are much cheaper than their normal, daily packaging. My razors generally cost about $9 for a set of 3, but when I buy the Christmas gift set, I get 5 razors and a bunch of random knick knacks for $8. WHAT A DEAL!

It gets even better. No one buys razor gift sets for people, so by the time Christmas is over, there is a bunch of stock left. That means that the gift sets eventually gets marked down to 50%! That is when the hoarder in me buys a truckload of stuff.

Don't even get me started on the after Christmas sales. It's my favorite time to shop, and that's when I end up with a ridiculous amount of stuff that I probably don't need. It's when I stock up on car washing kits, razors, deodorant, chap sticks, etc.

I am a little bitter to be missing out on the after Christmas sale here at home. :(

Class Registration

My date to register for classes is tomorrow, and I still haven't decided on my classes. I know that there are a few classes I have to take, and a few that I would like to take for fun.

I still have a mountain of papers to grade, laundry to do, finals to study for.

Ekkk. I just have so much to do that even the thought of registering for classes is stressing me out!

Matt Maher

I don't talk about my religious beliefs often, so please bare with me if you are sensitive about religion.

It's not because I don't believe in God (that I don't talk about my religious beliefs). I am a Catholic, but I am not the kind of person who preaches.

I volunteer my time to church. I sometime tutor kids at a church, and have been known to make taquitos for their church fairs. I love God in my own way.

A lot of people may not know this, but I actually LOVE religious music. I don't mean the music you hear at church (I wouldn't be able to deal with the chanting all day), but the music you would hear on the Christian radio stations.

It's actually very hard to find a good Catholic singer. There are a lot of wonderful Christian singers (I love Steven Curtis Chapman. I saw him in concert once. He was awesome). I sometimes have an urge to listen to something religious, and when I want to listen to a good Catholic artist... Matt Maher is right up that alley.

When I heard about a charity concert Matt Maher is having at a nearby church, I couldn't resist. I called my friend, and we decided that we had to go. How could we pass up something like this?

So now we have plans for next Friday night. :)

Favorite Moments

I have been extremely busy lately. Doing what? I'm not even sure. Do you ever feel like you are always doing something, but when you stop to think about what you have done, you don't really recall what you have been doing?

I know that I grade a lot for my job, and that I have a lot of friends that I see on a regular/ semi-regular basis. I know that I spend a lot of time at school and the gym, but when I really think about it, it's almost as if I haven't been doing much.

Because I have been so busy lately, I haven't had a lot of time to self indulge. I haven't read in awhile, watched any Korean dramas (It's tragic! I LOVE Korean dramas) nor have I been watching television or movies at home unless I have it as background noise when I am painting my nails or grading.

Because I have been running around like a mad woman for the last month, I forgot how nice it was to lounge around the house in pajamas all day, and watch movies while cuddled up in my bed. How nice it is to get the do nothing. Really people, there isn't enough time to do all the nothing you want in the world. Sure it's nice to be busy and productive, but being lazy is so refreshing sometimes.

I love lazy days when I can lay in bed and watch shows on my laptop. I love reading in bed until I fall asleep, and I especially love the warm and cozy my bed is. I am reminded every time I have to get out of bed how cold it is.

I just wished I had more of these days, but then again... it wouldn't be so much fun if I always had lazy days. ;)

P.S. Happy birthday, "Sleetha"! Let's dance the night away.

Too Much Madness

Black Friday was terrible. The stores were extremely crowded, the sales weren't that great, and there was barely any product on the selves.

I spent part of my day at all the major stores, but I did not buy one thing for myself. Granted I bought a DSi, but I bought it for someone else. I am rather disappointed. I wanted to buy some cheap winter clothing (I desperately need some), and maybe find some irresistible bargains.

I will never understand the popularity of Black Friday. I understand that people want a great bargain, but the bargains these days don't even seem that great to me. If there is even a great bargain, the quantities are limited.

Maybe I'm a bitter melon because I don't have money to buy anything. Hahahaha.

Happy Gobble Gobble Day!

It's Thanksgiving, and I am so thankful for so many things in my life. Even thought a lot of terrible things have happened to me this year, I know that at the same time a lot of wonderful things happened to me too.

I am thankful for the people in my life. Especially the people that have always been supportive of me. I am thankful for my job, my health, and all of the wonderful things that I am blessed with. I know that I am lucky enough to have a car and a warm bed.

I won't be staying in my warm bed tonight though. I'm going to venture out for some deals in a few hours. I know this is insane, and that I might freeze in the night. Don't judge me though, I doing someone else a favor. I am going out in the middle of the night to buy something for someone else. Wait, that doesn't make me seem any less crazy...

I just hope it won't be a crazy morning, and that I can crawl back to sleeping right after my purchase. :)

KIVA

After going to the Museum of Tolerance, I feel this urge to help the world in some way, no matter how little it is. It's the holidays, and it's the time of giving.

I have joined Kiva (Kiva.org) where you loan a tiny amount of money to someone in need in 3rd world country. Whether it's for a tractor for their farm, materials to build a home or supplies for their factory.

It's amazing how a small amount will impact a life. I have been on the website for hours, and I just love the idea of helping these people achieve a better life. A small amount of money will help them be able to do something big.

I just have to give up eating out for a week, and I will be able to change someone's life. That sounds like the perfect thing to do for the holidays. :)

My Tears are Rewarded with Sushi

I finally made it to the Museum of Tolerance. It has been a goal of mine for many years because the museum had banned my middle school on the year I was suppose to go. Apparently, some children were insensitive to the content of the material, but I digress.

I have always known that going to the Museum of Tolerance would break my heart, and that I would probably be extremely touched. I am deeply touched. I was moved to tears, and my heart is always going to be a little bit heavier after today. I realize that there is a lot of problems in the world, and that there is no way for it to be fully solved anytime soon, but my heart still hopes. I still want to know about it because the first step of solving anything is realizing the problem.

When we first entered the parking structure of the museum, I was shocked by how tight the security was. I had to show my driver's license, and even open up my trunk. That became understandable as I could see the hate posters all around the neighborhoods near by. I was extremely shocked to see the protests toward the museum. I had thought that we were more tolerant as a whole, at least at this time and age.

How my heart broke as I went through the tour that have you go through Germany during the rise of Hitler. In the beginning of the tour, they give you a card of a child. You are then to follow the life of the child to the very end. (My child died in the gas chamber at the young age of 12.) How my heart ache as I heard stories about babies being thrown out the windows of hospitals, and the tragic fate of many Jewish lives. I couldn't stop the tears as I listened to a survivor tell me about the last time to spoke to her father and brother. I could only imagine how much it would hurt if I was in that survivor's shoes. I have a father and a brother that I love to pieces. I could never imagine being torn from them.

I left the museum in such a dark funk. It hurts to know that we humans can treat each other so harshly. The survivor said one line that I will always remember. She said that instead of learning from the mistakes of the Jewish Genocide, people just learned how to do it better. How sad is the world we live in?

The traffic home further my funk, but my dear friends rewarded me with sushi. I have been craving it for months, and that plate of sashimi was... oh-so-gooood.

I had a wonderful experience, and I am glad to have gone. I will just have to find a way to make the world a little bit better. I know I need to be more current on the world news. Even if it's a little hard to swallow sometimes.

I Love a Good Deal

I'm excited for Black Friday, but I don't even think I can afford to buy anything. I will just have to be okay with window shopping. (That is a bit depressing.) I know that there's a lot of great deals out there because I have already seen a lot of the ads. Check out: http://www.blackfriday.info/

Oh dear, I wish I could afford a TV or a fancy camera or even a GPS. I realize that I don't really need any of those things, but it would just be nice to have.

I think it's the crazy shopper in me. If things are on sale, I want it. It doesn't matter if I need it or not. I just think it's such a great deal that I shouldn't pass it up. Luckily for me, I generally don't have any money to spare. I think I need help.

So because I can't afford anything, I hope someone else gets an amazing deal, so that I can live vicariously through you.

So that just means that I will be window shopping with my BFF. I have fun with her no matter what we do, so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing her. :)

Sleeping Patterns

I don't know what it is, but I can't sleep the way I used to sleep. I know this is terrible, but I used to stay up really late in the summer, and sleep until 11 the next morning. I was a creature of the night.

Lately I have been sleeping somewhat late, and waking up really early. I can't help it. I just naturally wake up early even when I don't have to. It's like I know I have a lot of things to do, and my body is telling me to do it right away. Maybe it's the fact that I have to wake up somewhat early for my classes in the morning.

I have been living on 3 hours of sleep for the last three days. I feel ok, but I know that I am extremely tired. There is just so much to do, and I seriously don't have enough hours in a day. It's tragic.

I am going to try to go back to a regular routine. I need sleep.

I Love Harry Potter

I can't wait to see HARRY POTTER tonight. I've been waiting for a long time for this movie to come out, and I am so extremely excited! I even bought the tickets (I love discount tickets from school) well in advance, and am counting the minutes until I get to see it. I know it's going to be bittersweet because this will be the second to last movie, and I don't know what I will look forward to after this. My life will be over! (Dramatic much?)

I also look forward to hanging out with my friends, and being done with my geology test tomorrow afternoon. I am looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend. :)

English Breakfast

I'm obsessed with breakfast food, and that means that I usually want it 24/7. I eat breakfast food for lunch and dinner. The weird thing is that I usually never eat breakfast food for breakfast. I never wake up early enough to eat breakfast, so I enjoy it during the day.

A while back, my brother introduced me to the English breakfast at a local English pub. We love that place, but I usually order vegetarian Shepard's pie or something else of that sort.

Their English breakfast was amazing. I LOVE English baked beans. They are so much better than the American ones, and the beans aren't too grainy. There was fried eggs, sauted mushrooms, sauted tomatoes, toast, etc. It is just heavenly although you should not eat it all the time.

Because it's so expensive, my brother and I made our own version at home today for dinner. My eggs didn't come out as well as I hoped, but everything else came out perfect. I realize that breakfast food isn't hard to make, but it's definitely an accomplishment for my brother and I. We can barely feed ourselves most of the time.

I just need to have an English breakfast in England someday. :)

Jobs, Jobs, and Then More Jobs.

I was just thinking how nice my job was when I started to think back to all of the terrible jobs I have had before. I went through a lot of jobs growing up, and I don't think I was ever as happy as I am now with my current job. I know that it's just a part time job, and that it can be extremely overwhelming, but it's something that I don't mind most of the time.

I started working when I was 16. I remember begging my father to take me to work at a certain theme park in Buena Park. Looking back I feel terrible because my dad had to drive and pick me up. I probably made like $20 a day, and that was probably how much gas I used. Good thing I only did that for a summer.

I then started to work at a movie theater across the street from my house. I remember having a lot of fun working there. The people there were nice, and I practically saw every movie made that year.

I then moved on to the theme park that is near my home. A certain mouse lives there. Although the job was demanding, I think I made a pretty chunk of money, but I eventually moved on.

Coffee was my middle name for awhile. I got so good at it that I even became a shift lead. It was nice job, but it really wasn't worth the drive.

Then I moved on to seafood restaurant, clothing store near my house, and teaching little kids in an after school program. (Now that was really fun. We would do crazy science experiments, and the kids were adorable. Probably my second favorite job.) Which then somehow lead me to work at a call center. (That place made me cry.)

I eventually got a cashier job at school which was a really nice job. I would handle school fees, and was paid handsomely. I really liked that job, but it was only temporary.

After working at all those jobs I became burned out. I had save a nice lump of money by that time, and decided to take a little break from working.

All was well until I started needing money again. I really didn't want to work with food or retail, so I had to find some other way to make money. I eventually met an amazingly teacher who changed me life. She offered me a job as an instructional assistant, and the rest is history.

I love what I do, and I am so thankful to have my job. Geology is just so much fun! :)

Newport Back Bay

I love going to little hidden gems. Places that you would normally not think to go to. I love seeing what is out there, and it's even better when it's in your own backyard (figuratively speaking).

I went on an extra credit trip to the Newport Back Bay yesterday to learn that I lived 20 minutes away from an estuary. It's amazing how many species of birds, plants, and animals there are there. I definitely never saw a great egret in person before (I was a little excited) or even a bush tit. (I got a fit of giggles when I heard that. Yes, I have a maturity level of a 12 year old.)

It actually turned out the be a nice morning with a few of my awesome classmates K and D, and adorable tour guides (I have a weakness for silly old people). Our tour guide kept showing us all the scary plants that would kill us. Apparently the bay is the place to be if you want to kill someone.

The rest of the day was fun because it involved going out, and eating a giant banana split. I don't think it's humanly possible for anyone to eat a huge giant banana split by themselves. It's just too much of a good thing. :)


Can you see my pure unadulterated joy?

Illness is My Middle Name

I have the cause of the sniffles. The weather has finally caught up with me, and my nose is completely clogged up, and is refusing to work with me.

It may not help that I don't wear shoes or the fact that I am prone to getting sick whenever the weather changes. I lie, I tend to get sick all the time.

Summer was nice, I didn't spend any time being sick, and I had such a good time getting a tan under the sun. Oh how I wish we were going into warm weather rather than the cold.

I shouldn't complain so much though, California barely gets cold. It makes me look forward to the bitter cold of Canada. I think that shall be an interesting experience for my immune system. Maybe I can rock the "wearing a hundred layers" look. Haha.

You know what's the worst part about getting sick? Not being able to taste your food. :(

Getting Hit

I don't know what it is about this week, but people are crashing into my car left and right. Actually, it has only been happening on the right side of my car.

Earlier this week when I was in Costco, a lady crashed her shopping cart into the passenger side of my car, and nearly gave me a heart attack. She just crashed into my car, adjusted the cart, and then continued walking away as if nothing had happened. I can't believe she didn't even apologize. It's not like she didn't know I was there. I was at a stop sign waiting to exit the parking lot.

Earlier today, two boys on a bike (one was riding the bike, and the other was sitting on the handle bar) crashed into my car when I was stopped at a stop sign by my house. That really did give me a heart attack because I was afraid I had ran them over (even though I couldn't have done that in a stopped car), and my brother was screaming on the top of his lungs. Luckily they just tapped my car, and rode away.

I think I had enough heart attacks to last me for awhile now...

Turn of Events

I get stressed easily. When I do, I tend to be really tense and on edge. Any little thing will put me over the top. I have been overwhelmed with everything that has been going on. Everything is piling on, and it's making me tired.

Although I was feeling like crap for the last few days, I decided to keep up with my daily routines and work out really hard. I think that helped. I love working out so hard that you become extremely sweaty. Is it weird to like being sweaty after a workout? A lot of people complain about it being gross, but I think it's really attractive.

Mariana and I decided we wanted to eat dinner after our workout and decided to walk to the nearest fast food restaurant. As we were walking off of campus, I found $40 on the ground. Can you imagine my excitement? I almost cried from the joy.

$40 could buy me clothing, nail polish, shoes, food, and a thousand other thing. Although I do feel bad for the person that lost it, I am happy that I found it.

And just because of that, my day turned out so much better. :)

Dia de los Muertos

I got my first glimpse of a carnival celebration of Dia de los Muertos yesterday. In Santa Ana, 4th St. is commonly known as a very Latin oriented street. It's where you go if you want some really good Mexican food or a great discount on baptism clothes. (It's where we shopped during Jonathan's baptism.)

When my friend and I got there, we were surprised to see how pack the street was. There were so many amazingly decorate alters. During dia de los Muertos, families usually make altars honoring the dead. The alters were beautiful... full of beautiful pictures, delicious food, and creative props. I was extremely amused.

The street was full of vendors, and we had a wide selection of food and merchandise. There was even a booth where you could get face painting done of skulls and other related themes.

The music was loud, and a lot of the Latins were AMAZING dancers. I definitely want to take a few dancing lessons. Salsa, anyone?

I really had no expectations as to how the carnival would turn out because the people I was with hadn't been to one either. We were all pleasantly surprised, and had a wonderful time. I think we'd always have a good time as long as there was food involved. :)

P.S. I saw a lot of strawberries and cream. I know someone out there wants them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hahaha.

I Can't Say No

... and everyone knows it. At least my family knows how to get me to do things they want me too. (My mother has learned to cry after menopause. It works every time. I'm a sucker.)

I've been trying to weasel my way out of going to Canada for the last month. I keep telling my parents I didn't want to go, and that I'm going to die in the bitter Canadian cold. I'm a pansy, I need California weather to thrive!

I have been trying to no avail! My cousin even started calling me all the time. She's pretty pissed that I don't pick up the phone most of the time, and has started calling me at 6:30am when she knows my mom is home, and that my mom will make me pick up the phone.

I eventually gave up, and told them I would only go for two weeks. It was really hard for me to give up civilization during the summer. I had no internet, I couldn't make calls, and I missed home.

So because I am the biggest pushover on the planet, and because I was never any good at getting myself out of things... I somehow agreed to stay in Canada for three weeks instead of the two weeks that I originally agreed to. How does this happen? SIGH.

So it looks like I'm going to be going to Canada for three weeks in Dec/Jan.

Free Stuff

My favorite word in the English language is probably the word free. I love free things, and I can never resist anything free. Even if I don't need it. It may also have to do with the fact that I am a pack rat, and claim everything is collectible. (I "collect" everything.)

Just today in the mail, I got some free contact solution, deodorant, and a coupon for a free box of those wet toilet papers. It has been a good day for free things for me.

I usually spend a few minutes each day on slickdeals looking for a bargain and free stuff. I realize that I have a lot of free time on my hands, but I can't help it. I love cheap and free things. Although most of the time it's a bad thing because I end up buying things I don't need just because it's "cheap".

I could never resist a good bargain. :)

Weakness: Ice Cream

I was never a person who loved to eat sweets. Now... I am not saying I don't like sweets, but I usually have a lunch/dinner so big that I never have room for dessert. I'm generally not a snacker either. I eat regular meals, and that's about it.

I've never been a candy person. I will usually turn you down if you were to offer me any candy. I don't even eat that much chocolate (I eat dark chocolate sometimes in rare cases), cookies or cake. I just never crave it.

But I have a weakness... I love ice cream. I love it on rainy days, sunny days, and normal days. I always want a nice scoop of ice cream no matter what time it is. Ice cream is my great weakness (except for peach pie), and I crave it all the time.

I currently have the biggest craving for a banana split. I have been dreaming about the hot fudge, the whip cream, and those nuts... I want one so bad, I am almost willing to spend a ridiculous amount of money to get one.

Oh, how I wish I had a banana split right now! I will never have a Beyonce body at this point! Hahahaha.

Lazy Pants

Lately I have been in some sort of lazy funk. It takes me a little bit longer to grade my papers. I am slower at getting myself to study. I am just pure lazy for the last week. I even woke up at noon one day. (I really enjoyed sleeping in.)

I used to wake up really early to go to school, but now I wake up super late, giving myself only minutes to spare by the time I get into class. It's true... I am doing things that are completely unlike me. Procrastination has not been in my vocabulary in a long time.

I haven't even took off my Halloween nail polish, and put on a fresh new coat of something awesome. I religiously paint my nails! I can see chips in my nail. THE HORROR!

What has become of me?!

I've been noticing my behavior for the last week, and I know that I need to start getting busier. First step to actually finish this pile of paper I need to grade, and start studying for my quiz next week. I need to get busy!

Halloween Block Party Madness

My friends and decided to go to LA for Halloween to be in the largest Halloween party in the world. Little did we know how stressful it would be just to find parking. My goodness it drove me to madness looking for a parking lot. I could feel my irritation build up, but I couldn't stop it.

Parking was terrible. We got to West Hollywood in an hour, but were stuck in traffic for another hour looking for a parking spot. The streets were narrow, and it was just so congested. We were so desperate for a parking spot that we were willing to pay to park, but when we asked the parking lots how much it would be to park, they told us... wait for it... it would cost $50. NO JOKE. That only further my irritation, and made me more determined to find a parking spot.

We eventually did find a spot far, far, far away and had to walk about 2-3 miles just to get to the block party. I don't know what I was expecting, but there were so many people that you could barely even walk a step without bumping into anyone. It was packed, and we ended up walking another few miles.

The costumes there were amazing! We saw so many elaborate costumes that I think I spend the night staring at everyone. A lot of the gay men wore barely anything. It was fine because they had the most amazing toned bodies I've ever seen. The gay men had sluttier outfits then the women there, and that made me laugh. I have never seen so many amazingly sculpted men's bodies in my life. There were Waldos, Batmans, Alice, miners, terrorists, Sarah Palins, etc.

We ended walking until our feet hurt, and we were actually pooped out by 11pm. I even forgot to bring my camera because my brother borrowed it for a project and forgot to give it back to me. (Which is a total bummer because I would have had a lot of interesting pictures.) A lot of people ended up talking to me. I know that my costume was not as elaborate as other people's, but I think people find pumpkins silly? Silly enough to talk to me or yell at me from across the street? Either way, I was amused that they were amused, and I ended up having an exciting night.

The block party is fun, but it required a lot of walking, being in a VERY crowded area, and breathing in smoke and weed. I don't know if I would want to do it again, but I did enjoy myself.

Happy Halloween!

I went home on Saturday night at around 10:30, and was overwhelmed by how many police officers were out there. I just couldn't believe how many check points, and pulled over cars there were. Just on my drive home that night, I counted 6 cars being pulled over, and it's not even Halloween yet!

I've never been a big on celebrating Halloween because I never really had the money to spend on a costume. I don't think I ever bought a proper costume in my entire life. I have random things in the house that I make into costumes, but that is not the same.

This year, I borrowed a pumpkin costume, and it seriously give me the giggles when I see it. It's not skanky, not fancy, but is exactly the kind of thing I like. :)

I am pretty excited to do something new for Halloween, and I love that I am going to be walking around as a pumpkin.

Have a safe and fabulous Halloween. Don't get drunk, but if you do... be smart, and don't drive.

Winter break: Canada

I have been summoned to go to Canada this winter for a month. During the summer I had foolishly agreed to come back to Canada after being stuck there for two weeks. For some reason I was convinced that Canada was the place I should be living. I was brainwashed, I tell you. Don't get me wrong, Canada is amazing, and I love being there, but I really can't spend 24 hours a day baby sitting. It drove me nuts, and it felt so nice to go home after that two weeks.

It's not that I don't love my family because I do. I love them and I do love spending time with them, but I really wanted to be home for Christmas and New Year. I want to spend that time with my family, friends, loved ones. (Plus I hate the cold, and I know Canada is freezing in the winter.)

I tried to convince my mother to let me stay home, and to somehow find an excuse for me to stay home. My dad at first told me to stay home, but then he suddenly demand that I go. I made a promise, and I should honor it. I know this, but it doesn't make me want to stay home any less.

Stop Calling!

I should have specified yesterday when I stated that I love getting phone calls because that is not necessarily true.

Since it is getting closer to the the state election (I am a registered voter), I have been receiving phone calls from my home number every 30 minutes. It's true. All different campaign people are calling me left and right to try to convince me they are the best candidate.

It makes me CRAZY. I already know who I am voting for, and no amount of you talking to me will really sway my mind. Especially since you are calling me at odd hours. That does not make me like you more. It has the opposite effect actually.

I just want the home phone to stop ringing. I hate telemarketers and I want them to go away...

Phone Calls

I love receiving phone calls. I realize that I am bad at making and returning phone calls sometimes, but I really love it when I receive phone calls from someone I want to hear from.

I can spend hours on phone. I can talk until my phone is dead, and still have more to say. I am a motormouth. It's true. I think Frances and I used to get into trouble during middle and high school because we would talk nonstop. Still do.

I just received a phone call from someone I hadn't heard from in months, and it was just so nice to catch up. I love it when you can talk to friends that you haven't seen in ages, and it's like no time has even passed.

I love phone calls and I love getting phone calls from my BFF, friends I haven't seen in awhile, and those random calls from drunk people (not that anyone that has ever done that to me. I just assume it would be fun to receive calls from them).

Don't even get me started on texting...

Amazing Race

Lately I have been really addicted to watching the Amazing Race. I watch it religiously and I can't help but watch all the extras online.

I've always watched the Amazing Race, but lately I've been obsessed. Partly it's because I like watching KevJumba (YouTube) and his dad, and partly because I've been really dreaming about traveling.

I so badly want to go to Africa, and it's so astonishing to me that that these people get to go to so many amazing places for free. How I wish I was one of them, but I highly doubt I have a personality for TV.

I also love to watch the drama unfold as the teams get more and more competitive. It's hilarious to me when I see them trash talk everyone. Where do they find these people?

The older I get, the itchier I am about traveling. I want to travel the whole wide world, and I have barely went anywhere yet. I still have so much to see in the U.S., and I need to get out of North America and explore some other continents.

I'm sure you have heard me talk about this a million times, but the Amazing Race just makes me want to do the extreme. I want to go on dog sleds and run around the globe.

Green Hats

I've borrowed a cute costume for Halloween this year. As I do not generally dress up or have ever really bought a costume, I am totally excited to finally be dressed up to something that is nothing random things I find at home. I usually do the pajama costume or put on a lab coat and pretend I'm a scientist. Not very clever... I know.

This year I am going to be a nice, big pumpkin. I'm going to be bright, orange, and irresistible! I'm totally excited too as my friends and I are planning on going to the block party in LA for Halloween. How exciting, I'm finally doing something adult-like for Halloween. It looks like I've finally given up treat-o-treating this year. (Hey, don't judge me even though I usually trick-o-treat from kids that are much younger than I am...)

The only problem I am having is finding a green hat that I can pass off as the pumpkin's stem. I see cute hats at the store, but it's always some ridiculous price, and I really am in no mood to spend $20 on a hat that I would barely use.

Maybe I will have to resort to making a paper hat. No one will judge me if I walk around with a homemade paper hat, right? You all wouldn't pretend not to know me? Besides... it's Halloween! Isn't it okay to be weird during this time of the year? :)

Reunited and it Feels so GOOD

I love it when people randomly come for a visit, and it's even better when they are my Godmother and her husband.

It was amazing because I haven't talked to them since I was 16. I didn't know where they were or how they have been. I didn't know how to contact them because we just lost touch over the years. They moved around a lot, and people get busy.

What is really freaky is that the only reason we found each other again was through of Facebook. They had created a Facebook just so they could post some pictures of their family, and somehow I found it. It's awesome what Facebook is capable of doing, and I bet it has reacquainted a lot of people.

I loved catching up with them, and finding out the things we had in common. We all have a deep love for food, and my Godmother's husband is a geologist. He moved to Alabama because he wanted to live by a lake that holds a 320 million year old limestone that contains many, many fossils that used to be in the Gulf of Mexico.

It has been so much fun hanging out with them, and having them spend a lot of time with me. I love how they invited me over to Alabama so we can go canoeing to find fossils. I am just so excited meeting them again, and having this time to hang out with them. I learned so many things about fossil hunting, and I love having someone who is willing to teach me more about geology! YAY!

Feeling the Love

I've always known that I had great friends, but I don't think I ever fully realize how blessed I truly am.

I realize how amazing my friends are when I am most vulnerable. I have friends that will always call to check up on me. I have friends that willing give me money to make sure I have tires during the rainy season. I have friends who cook for me when she knows I'm too busy to do so.

I have the best of friends, and I am really grateful for all of them. I am really lucky to have such thoughtful friends, and I love them dearly.

Thank you, Anh for that gift card. It means so much to me that you are so willing to help without even hesitating. You're the older sister I've always wished I had.

Baptism

I just spent the whole day recovering from a baptism that occurred yesterday. I never knew how much effort was put into a party or how the Latins love to party. I got my first glimpse yesterday.

There was just so much planning and money involved. The food was homemade. The favors and chocolate lollipops were homemade. Everything took so much time and effort, and I barely helped (Yet I became so tired from all my "hard" work).

Everything had to be rented and reserved from the tables to the bounce house. We had to think of so many different activities to do with the children and find ways to amuse them for hours. Children have a 5 second attention span, and it made it difficult for me to keep up.

We played musical chairs, pin the donkey, and I even volunteered for face painting! What was I thinking? I have no artistic abilities, and could not even do what the kids requested for. How on Earth was I suppose to paint a pony? Hahahaha.

The food was amazing though, and even though I stuck out like a sore thumb, I felt like I belonged. We ate cake, and played with the kids. I even got into the bounce house by the end of the night. Who ever said anyone was ever too old to jump around?

It turned out to be really fun, but super tiring because I couldn't even get up the next morning. I even woke up with aches and pain. I'm getting OLD, and I'm starting to feel the effects.

Next time I know just to attend a party, and never try to plan one. It is an huge task that I am unfit to take. Hahaha.

Zoom, Zoom, Boom!

This month has certainly not have been my month. I almost want to laugh when I think about all my car troubles, and how everything occurred right when my warranty ended. How do the car people do it? How do they plan it out so perfectly?

My car decided to die on me yesterday while I was at the bank. It was quite embarrassing as there were a million people to witness it, and I had to call my brother for backup. (He has the AAA card!)

We found out later that the problem wasn't that big and I needed a new battery. So we had the mechanic do his magic on the alternator/starter thingy (I don't know mechanic lingo!), and went home to change the battery ourselves.

I'm always proud when I can do something on my own! I love changing my own battery, spark plugs, etc. It's like I am taking care of my car, and I love that. I love taking care of my things.

All is well, and I have recovered from that little bank incident. I still need to change its filter and get new tires. I hate how expensive it is to maintain a car. It almost kills me every time I have to fix something. It's because my bank account protests!

Favorite Season

My favorite season is finally here, and I am actually enjoying the beautiful weather we are having. I know that winter is around the corner (least favorite season), and that I need to enjoy that California warm weather for as long as it last.

I am a pure pansy when it comes to cold weather. I can't stand it! People tell me to bundle up, but it's seriously never warm enough for me. But fall weather is just perfect... not too warm, and not to cold.

I especially love to step on crunchy leaves during evening strolls. Even though the leaves don't really change colors in California, I can appreciate the beauty of fall. There is no allergies during fall (unlike spring), and I love seeing all the holidays that are associated with the season.

Halloween is just around the corner, and I can't wait to celebrate it! It's the time of year where we all can dress up, and eat an unhealthy amount of chocolate. Now how can anyone hate that?

Thanksgiving is in a little over a month which means that I can spend some time with my family, and eat a ridiculous amount of food. I love the holidays and all the joys it brings to me!

I just adore fall, and I can't wait until it's cool enough for me to drink my first cup of apple cider!

Chocolate Lollipops

My friend and I have been trying to conquer making chocolate lollipops (Or as she says it... Paleta) for a baptism on Sunday.

You all know that I lack creativity, and I am also really impatient when it comes to crafting. It also didn't help that I only made chocolate lollipops once, and they turned out terrible.

Our first batch came out pretty ugly, but we got better with every batch. We were attempting to make lollipops with two different colors, and the colors had a tendency to mix with each other at first. We explored different techniques until we actually made some pretty nice lollipops.

All in all, it was a fun experience. I love that feeling of accomplishment when I actually created something beautiful. I almost want to tell people not to eat it, but I know that would be asking for too much.

I think I should pick up chocolate making for a hobby. It's actually a lot of fun! Especially when you get to lick the spoon! :)

OCD

It's Thursday morning (12:15am), and I am already feeling the itch to study for my quiz and test next week. I know that I have the weekend to study, but I may be freaking out a tad bit because I know that I have a lot of things to do this weekend.

I have been resisting the urge to go take out my notebook and start studying right now. I realize that I should be going to bed, but I'm bothered.

I always get this way for my Geology class, and I realize this isn't even worth posting about, but it's seriously always in the gray area (from black and white) in terms of OCD.

It's like I'm trying to prove something to myself, and it's a bit mad. Why am I competing with myself? Why do I have to beat myself? It's crazy I tell you. It's like I make some ridiculous goals for my and then force myself to achieve them. I am never happy with just an A, I have to get the highest grade.

It's sick, I tell you. I can't resist the urge to be the very best in all my Geology classes. I don't feel like way when I am in any other class. You should see me in my math class. Total slacker.

I think I need help. Crazy person alert. (Hahahaha.)

Contacts

I am so tired of being blind. I can't see anything without my glasses or contacts. I believe I am legally blind, and without my glasses I cannot function.

Contacts are great but they're a double edge sword to me. I hate wearing contacts with a passion. It always dries out my eyes, and I always feel it in my eye. I have chronic dry eyes, so contacts will never be that comfortable to be. Although they look much nicer than having to wear glasses, so I bear with it.

I usually like to wear my glasses, but even that is a curse. It's hard to watch 3-D movies, sleep with them on, and they tend to break over time. They aren't really all that attractive either.

Oh how I wish I had perfect vision (I am jealous of my brother.) because then I would never have to worry about my eyes, but I don't... so I just have to suffer and bear it.

I dream about some day being able to get laser eye surgery, but that would mean I have to wait until my eyes stabilizes (plus I need money).

Maybe I can keep trying for the perfect pair of contacts. Every single one I've tried have failed on me eventually, but something has to turn up eventually. Right?

Camping Gear

I am currently flat broke, and I know I will not recover for some time as I still have a lot of things I have to take care of. I know I need a new set of tires pronto!

Even without money, I am always constantly looking up camping gears that I want. I really want a camping chair, a sleeping pad, a headlamp, and of course a 3-4 person tent.

I realize that I have no money, and a strange fixation on camping gear. I don't know what it is. Being ready at a drop of hat for an impromptu camping trip? I am not really not sure, but I have been suppressing my wants for awhile now.

Oh, if I could buy the things I wanted... I'd have a lot of camping gear. Hahahaha.

Spontaneous Saturday

It's Saturday night, and we had just finished celebrating my mother's birthday. I never really have plans on the weekend or do anything all that exciting most of the time.

Last night as I was already in my pajamas and lying in bed with my computer, in a chat with my friend, he invites me to go watch a movie with him. We were both already dressed for bed, but he randomly brought up that he wanted to see 'Easy A'.

I have been wanting to see that for awhile, and was surprised that my friend actually wanted to see that. I should have known better because he even watches the Disney channel.

So at 11:00 pm, we decide to watch a total teen chick flick. What surprised us was that there were so many middle aged men and groups of teenage boys watching the movie with us. I didn't even think that anyone would be really watching the movie, and it totally caught me off guard. I may have snickered a little bit.

The movie ended up being pretty amusing (not that I would watch it again and again), and it was nice to actually do something on a Saturday night. :)

Happy Birthday, Mama!

Today is my mother's 60th birthday! It is a little bittersweet for me as I do not want my mother to age. I want her to be with me forever and ever, and I never want to think that I may not have her in my life someday.

I love my mama, and I know she will never read my blog or ever really know how much she means to me. I cherish her, and I am very lucky to have her as my mother.

She shares a birthday with John Lennon, whom which I am not a very big fan of. I am convinced that he and Yoko Ono ruined the Beatles (my favorite band), and can never forgive them for it. (Inside joke)

Anyways, this was basically a post about me loving my mother. I love you, Ma.

Car Troubles and a Lost Kitten

Oh I hate when I have car trouble. It's always so very frightening when you don't know what is wrong with you or how and if you are able to fix it. I had just took it to get it checked at the dealers a few days ago, but it's still choking in protest. Every time I try to start my car, it chokes and struggles to turn on.

I can't afford another mishap. I am completely broke as it is, and I wouldn't even know who to turn to if I need to get it fixed.

It has been damping my mood, and I just wish that money was not so much of an issue all the time. I need to win the lottery. So far all those lottery tickets I bought have not been paying off.

I did find a really cute kitten yesterday on a walk around my neighborhood. There was a random kitten (It seriously looked like a tiny mountain lion with its striped tail and coloring.) wandering around.

Of course being the crazy person that I was and never being the kind of person that think things through, I decided to approach and call the little kitten. It actually came up to me, rolled onto its back, and let me pet him/her. The cat was adorable, and I soon decided I was in love. I was so enamored that I even named him/her.

Don't judge me when I tell you what I named it. Just remember that I am a strange person with a weird sense of humor. I named the cat, Homeless. The cat liked it. It would run up to me every time I yelled his/her name.

The kitten followed me everywhere. It rub its scent all over me, and I was just madly in love. Even though I knew that the cat probably belonged to someone, and that I would not be able to keep it, I wanted so badly to keep it. If only, but it came time to let it go.

I am not even a cat person, but I can't suppress my longing for that cat.

Fancy Dining

My friend and I are always eating out. We cannot cook for the life of us, and we always have cravings for delicious food. I don't want to say we a are a food snob (we try to get the best foods for cheap), but we can really be critical of what we eat. We enjoy most food, but there are some things we rather not have.

We are addicted to a place that we just discovered at the Orange Circle. Byblos anyone? It is a little tiny Mediterranean restaurant with amazing humus, and it currently our go to place for meals.

Last night we decided to go have dinner there, but it was closed when we got there. Why do half the restaurant in the Orange Circle close so early? What restaurant is closed by 6? How my heart ached.

There was nothing left for us to do, but to walk around and just randomly walk into a restaurant. We didn't really have any particular cravings.

Wandering down the street we decided to walk into this random restaurant. It was called the Citrus City Grille. There was a a sign that stated that everything was 50% off that day. Ummm... I love bargains, and I love food. What a winning combination!

When we walked into the restaurant, we realized how under dressed we were. Why is everyone wearing business attire? Why do I stick out like a sore thumb? That was when I saw the menu. Fancy food with prices that I could never afford? Thank goodness it was 50% off.

When we were seated, we both decided to order a pasta dish. Carbs is our friend not our enemy. In the middle of our meal, the light started to dim. It was romantic I admit, and my friend and I both ended up giggling. That's what happens when you have two girls that are extremely easily amused. We end up giggling when the lights dim, when we realize we don't know which utensil to use for each course. (Such hopeless girls we are.)

Our food was lovely, and I really had a nice experience. My friend and I never go anywhere fancy, and it was nice to actually do something out of the ordinary. I love random events that end well. It makes me smile when I think back to that little romantic dinner. :)

Galaxy Game

Have I declared my love to to soccer lately? If I haven't, I want you to know that I truly, madly, deeply love soccer (and maybe all of the players too).

My friends and I finally went to a soccer game yesterday, and it was so much fun. It is such an underrated sport, and I am often left wondering why. The players are gorgeous. The sport is exciting. Plus, everyone else in the world loves the sport.

We went to a Galaxy vs Chivas game, and I sat through half of the game in anticipation. The Galaxy had to win (I have a MAJOR crush on Landon Donovan), and the game was really close.

The Galaxy did end up winning, and David Beckham did surprise me by scoring. Overall, the game was fabulous. Fabulous enough for me to lose my voice, and fall madly in love with all the soccer players.

I had so much fun, and I am already planning the next 100 games that I will be attending. :)

Japanese American National Museum

My brother had a project to do at a museum, and he decided to bring me along. I think he knows how much I love museums, and how I love to go to new places.

It was such an amazing experience for me as I didn't know how much the Japanese had to go through after Pearl Harbor. I've always known that Asians had to go through a lot of racism, but I never knew how much the Japanese had to go through. it makes me want to cry for every person who had to go to concentration camp, be sold into slavery, or beaten for their skin color

Although I'm not Japanese, I've always had in interest in their culture because I was born there. Japan will always have a little piece of my heart.

The more I learn about people and their mistreatment of other people, the more it makes me really sad. It's starting to become clear to me that racism is my pet peeve. I hate when other people judge you by your skin. I hate when people make assumption about you because of your race. I hate how intolerant people are. It makes me insane just to think about it.

I love people that don't see color, and when I see a mixed baby... it makes my heart melt. As cheesy and impossible as it sounds, I wish that everyone could just love each other, and that no one ever has to suffer because of what race they were born into. How I wish that was truly possible.

I Wish I Were a Millionaire

Sometimes I have those days where I think life is kicking me from behind, and where I feel completely down because my problems keep adding up. Those days when you can't sleep because you are so worried about your problems.

Well, I've been having those days for a year now. The year started off bad, and the bad luck kept coming and coming. How many accidents do I have to get into that are not my fault? I am still not over my burglary. I just want the madness to end. I am not asking for wonderful things to happen (Although that would be nice), I am just praying that my bad luck ends.

The newest edition to my problem is that my fairly new (3 years old) car is now having problems. My warranty covers me up to 36,000 miles, and guess how many miles are on my car? 40,220. GREAT. The moment my warranty ends, the car starts to rattle. It's making popcorn sounds, and is struggling to start. I fear it's early death.

It's currently sitting at the dealers right now. I have to pay $105 just so they can look at it. OH MAN, that hurts.

Of course my car starts to have issues right when we decide to use all of our resources to fix my brother's car. OH GOODNESS GRACIOUS. I need a hug.

I am just crossing my fingers that the problem isn't that big, and that I will be able to afford whatever it is that it's going to cost. I know I am basically a Negative Nelly on this post, but I just have the urge to rant. I'm so tired of my bad luck streak.

Time Management

I have trouble gaging time, and it sometimes can be quite ridiculous. I don't mean that I am a procrastinator. I generally always do my homework early, I am usually almost always on time when I meet people, and I have never been late to any important meetings or interviews.

The problem that I have is that I can never go to bed at a decent time. Don't get me wrong... I LOVE to sleep. I just can't help myself from spending a ridiculous amount of time on the internet, starting a 4 hour movie at 1 AM, or sometimes having the need to finish a book early in the morning. I apparently like to be most active in the middle of the night.

That wouldn't be such a bad thing if I hadn't decided to take a bunch of morning classes. It also doesn't help that I have never been a morning person. I am very unpleasant in the morning, and am often too sleepy to even function.

Knowing all of this, do I even attempt to go to bed right now? Nope. I know that I have to wake up in a few hours, but I still can't get myself to go to bed. Instead I am choosing to be crabby and sleep deprived in the morning. Oh man, you would think I would have learned by now...

And that is why I am finishing the last three hours of a four hour Jane Austen movie I am watching. :D

Epic Death

I often think of interesting ways to die. I realize that this is a morbid topic, but I know it's going to happen someday. I think it makes dying not seem so terrible if you can kind of joke about. I fear dying, and maybe it's my way of lightening the mood.

I think it would be awesome to die by any large animal attack. Wouldn't it be fantastic to tell people you knew someone who got mauled by a bear, eaten by a shark or chased by a lion? I just wouldn't want to die by any tiny creatures. I think getting eaten by ants would be a horrible way to die.

I think I love geology so much because I love natural disasters. It is really sad and heart breaking when people die. I don't want them to die, but I think it would be such an awesome way for me to die. I would love to die in a volcano! Volcanoes are strangely beautiful, and if I really had to die, this would be it.

I plan on living to a hundred, and I hope I will live to fulfill all my dreams and wishes. BUT if I had to die, I'd want to die an interesting death.

Taquitos?

I spent last night volunteering at a local church. I am trying to be more active in my community and actually do things that matter. Why not? I have the time, and I could always do a few extra things.

I actually had a fun time making chicken taquitos. We got to shred the chicken, mash the potatoes, roll them up, and assemble them into nice rows. Where else am I going to learn how to make taquitos? I know for a fact that my parents can't make them, and it would be nice to learn to make something new.

It's always nice to give your time away because you always get something back. I even picked up a few Spanish phrases that I'll be sure to use! :)

Candy Store

I found a cute retro candy store in the Orange Circle today. My friends and I were just looking for a place to hang out because we wanted to resist all the cute stores. We are currently trying to budget, but we were a lost cause when we saw the candy store.

Can love at first sight be this profound? Can I love a candy store so much that I want to buy everything? How my heart ached from joy.

They had giant gummy bears, all the old fashioned candy and sodas, Batman ring pops, and a billion other things that I haven't seen in years.

Love should always feel like this: a sugar rush. I feel like I'm a kid a candy store... except that I'm an adult at a candy store.

I think everyone needs a Orange Candy Company in their life. :)

Constantly Hungry

I don't know what it is, but ever since I started working out I am hungry 99% of the day. Every waking moment is consumed with how hungry I am. I seriously am always eating.

I try not to eat things that are terrible for me, but I constantly crave chicken. Why is it that I keep wanting chicken? Chicken sandwiches, chicken salad, chicken with rice, grilled chicken, chicken soup... I can go on for days.

I usually get so hungry in class that I have to pat my stomach in other to comfort it with the promise that I will feed it as soon as I can. The things I have to do for love...

I spend the day resisting food, and dreaming about where and what I want to eat. How my life is consumed by food. I don't know whether that's a bad or good thing. Haha.

In My Deams

I don't usually remember my dream often because I tend to forget a lot of things on a daily basis. I forget the names of my professors after the class ends. I forgot to pick up the milk at the grocery store. I forget what I was going to tell my mother in mid-sentence. I forget a lot of things. I'm just a generally forgetful person.

The only way I can remember something is if someone keeps reminding me, I write it down, or if I had the same dream twice.

There's nothing that strange about my dream if I really think about it... I am usually hanging out with my friends, and talking about the meaning of life. You know, everyday things. But the thing is... I have a completely different personality. Am I crazy? Can you be someone completely different in your dreams?

I apparently cussed like a sailor, drink like pirate, and smoked like a chimney. WHO IS THAT PERSON? It freaks me out because I keep dreaming that I am that version of Hang. That version of me scares the present version of me. (Wait... did that even make any sense?!) Is she my alter ego?

Oh man, I don't know what is wrong with my subconscious, but I better not dream that again. Hahaha.

Jamba Heaven

I love it when I find great deals. I love that feeling when you feel like you cheated the system (not really, but it feels like it), and am getting something for a ridiculous price.

My favorite word in the world is: free. I just love it when I go to restaurant and they give me something for free. It can be something as small as a cookie or as big as a free meal. I just love it when that happens, and will automatically love you if you ever give me something for free.

I love to drink Jamba Juice (Caribbean Passion anyone?), and am always looking forward to when they have BOGO deals. I am always on slickdeals.net looking for amazing deals because I love cheap stuff.

That is why I have been drinking a large quantity of Jamba Juice in the last few days. I just love a good deal, and can never pass it up.

Bar Night

I'm just doing all the things I've never done before in the last few months. I have decided to be more open about things, and just try out as many things as I can. I only live once, and 2012 is just around the corner. I should be living it up before the world comes to an end (I do not actually believe this will happen).

Yesterday, I decided to crash a birthday celebration, and go to a bar for the first time ever. I am 24 years old, and I just went to a bar for the first time.

Can I say that I actually enjoyed it? I love playing pool and dancing to random songs is apparently something I enjoy doing. I'm not a drinker, but I'm a dancer. It's like I don't need the alcohol to dance like a crazy person. I am naturally a crazy person most of the time.

I'm just surprised that I actually enjoy going out into the night scene sometimes. I've always imagined that I would hate it. I wouldn't say I love it either, but it I can see it being fun once in awhile. :)

My Weakness: Coats

I am not a clothes shopper by any means. Grocery shopping... yes. Clothes shopping... no. I like having nice things, but I barely ever have the money to buy nice, new, beautiful things. I wish I had the money to buy whatever I wanted whenever I wanted. Don't we all want that?

I can usually resist buying things that I don't generally need. I know my bank account protests whenever I make a purchase, so I generally don't ever shop.

A friend decided a few days ago that we should go window shopping to kill some time before we meet other people for dinner. BAD IDEA. I had forgotten that is now fall, and that cooler weather is just around the corner.

All I saw were awesome coats everywhere. Never mind that most of the coats cost more than a week worth of pay. I just had to try on every single one, and fell in love over and over that day.

I really, really, really want a raincoat from Macy's, but it cost $75. How that hurt, but my longing for it cannot be suppressed. I am telling myself that I won't go back for it, but I can't stop thinking about it. I just hope I don't go back...

Love For Food

Someone mentioned on my trip a few days ago that he noticed that Asian girls love to eat. He mentioned that we as a whole are willing to eat at any given moment, and that we don't hold back when we eat.

The conversation got me thinking. I really am the kind of person that is deeply in love with food, and that a good meal can make my day.

Food has a big impact in my life. I know that sounds terrible, but I can't help it... I live for good food. I think about my meals. I love yelp. I have been cutting back on unhealthy food, and it has been terrible for my spirits.

I envy the people that can eat whatever they want with very minimal exercise. I want to be them.

Isn't life about being happy? Well, my happiness just involves me going to eat at different places. :)

Soccer

I recently found a great new appreciation for soccer (it may have to do with the really attractive men), and it has become something I really enjoy watching.

My heart still misses the World Cup, and I really can't believe that it's going to be another 4 years before it comes back. Maybe I will win the lottery by then, and will be able to actually go to the World Cup.

To lessen my pain, I will be going to a Galaxy game next month. (It's mostly to see Landon Donovan and David Beckham.) I can't wait to finally be able to go to my first soccer game in person.

I've never been that fond of watching sports on television, but it's a whole different thing when you go to actual games. Everyone is so into it, and I may be a bit fond of foods sold at games. It's the only time I appreciate baseball, basketball, hockey, etc.

I just can't wait! I'm pretty excited, and I am definitely looking forward to it! :)

Vacation is Over. :(

I had the most amazing time in Zion, and saying it was eventful is an understatement. I had so much fun that I seriously cannot even express it into words.

The Zion house leaves me breathless every time I go there. I've seen it many times before, but I just can't get over the beauty of it all. When will I ever get to stay in a house with a theater, sauna, or exercise room again? It really is my dream house.

The first day we were there, Frances and I decided to go off on our own hike. We did it in our own (more like mine) pace. We went into a hidden canyon, and picnicked on tuna and crackers.

We spent a long time inside of Zion National Park waiting for our friends to come, so that we would get a ride home. They never did come, (it wasn't their fault, they were blocked from entering) so we went home on the free shuttle bus.

Don't even get me started on the food. We ate so much that I was convinced that all that hiking wouldn't be able to burn off all the stuff I ate. I never went hungry, and there was always something delicious to eat.

The next few days after that were spent exercising on long hikes, sitting by the river, star gazing in rocking chairs from the balcony, enjoying the view on the hammock, sitting by the fire pit, playing board games, eating too much food, watching 10 minutes of movie, and playing pool.

I always become a little bitter when it's time to go home. I never know if and when I'll ever be back, and that hurts me a little inside.

I had an amazing time, and met so many new and interesting people. I just love little vacations, and am really appreciating the host for inviting me over. Thank you, Jason. :)

Vacation Time

After my class and meeting today, I will be able to finally go on my vacation to Zion National Park in Utah. I'm just so excited, and I just can't wait to get out there.

I plan on doing a lot of hikes, and a lot of lazy nothings in the afternoon. After all, isn't that what vacation is all about?

I just packed for like a year, and I realize that I have too many things with me, but I can't help it... I want to bring everything just in case. You know, I might need 20 pair of socks, or those shorts that I never wear.

I also found some awesome snacks for the ride there. Does anyone remember Bugles? I found a giant bag, and plan on eating a truckload in the car. I'm going to eat that and tuna on crackers. How I love to eat random things...

I'm going to be gone for the next 4 days, and I can't wait!

Geology Club

Is it nerdy that I am excited that someone I know is starting up a geology club, and asked me if I wanted to be vice president?

What? A club where we can take hikes and go camping? How exciting! I'm so excited to be able to be in a club with people who loves rocks? That isn't weird, right?

I'm excited about new things, and I hope this will turn out well. I'm sure it will...

Hikes vs Gym

I love hikes. I love being outdoor, and challenging myself. Every time I want to quit climbing a mountain, I know that I can't... I still have to get back to the car. I also love the reward you get whenever you climb on top of a mountain; you get a great view. I just love being outdoors. I love the trees, the mountains, the rocks, the animals, and even the stress I put on myself.

The gym is a whole different matter. I don't really like the gym, but I know it's good for me. I dread going on the treadmill, and I hate how the gym is always so full. I can barely breathe without sniffing someone's body odor. I love how I can get into the music, and work out really hard without even noticing it. There is no pretty sceneries, but I like how I can work on my arms.

I guess I really need a balance of both, but I really don't like going to the gym or hiking when it's really hot. I just need to force myself into doing more, so I can someday get into shape.

Only When I Dance...

Depending on how I feel, I can be an extremely shy and awkward person or I can be bubbly and outgoing when I first meet someone. It all depends on the situation, but normally I am a bit more on the reserve side. You are only privileged with my crazy side after you have known me for awhile.

But then I discovered dancing. I LOVE to dance. Don't get me wrong, I am not a lady of the night who likes to pick up guys or get so drunk that I pass out. I've been sheltered most of my life, and I don't think I am even capable of doing something scandalous.

When I go to a party/club, I can't help but dance. I just love the music, the crowd, and how everyone is mingling in the dance floor. On the dance floor, I can talk to anyone, dance with anyone, and be perfectly fine with talking to strangers.

I dance terribly, but it doesn't stop me from running around like a mad person on the dance floor. I sing to every song I know, and I dance awkwardly to every song that I like (which is a lot). I am constantly giggling with my friends, and I always have the best time.

You should see me when they play "I Like It" by Enrique Iglesias. I just love that song, and I will always dance to it. No matter if it's in the car, in my bedroom or in a club.

Who knew I was someone who would love dancing? I sure didn't or else I would have tried it earlier.