"Friends forever, with you everywhere"

So it's been almost a week since we've moved out of 198. It didn't really start to sink in until the last couple of days when I would wake up in my room & not be as excited because I had no roomies to say good morning/afternoon to. And there was the lack of awesome late night snacks that I had grown accustom to, like some moons over my hammy or mini tacos.

But like they say, good things don't last forever, and I feel pretty lucky to have been one of the 198 residents for 3 years. I don't know too many people that can say they lived with the same roommates in the same apartment for as long as we did. Anyways, to remember the happier times and since Mel posted her share of 198 pics, here are some of mine:

Move-in day during the summer

Derek's birthday at Roger's house 2nd year. G's.

My 21st bday. No group pic, but everyone helped pitch in & I had lots of fun, so thanks guys.

Brent Bash during 3rd year.

A 198 Christmas, 3rd year.

Happy 21st Lance!

Doin' Vegas, winter break of last year.

At my graduation <3

Moving out...

I'll keep this short, so I just want to say thanks to Mel, Lance, Brent, & Derek, and to everyone who's ever visited us the past 3 years to make my 198 experience the best that it could have been :]

Why I'm going to the gym everyday this week

So far, spring break can be summed up in the following:

Korean BBQ in honor of Team Korea vs. Team Japan

A full on BBQ the next day, just because

What we consider a "late night snack"

Including egged-up hot dogs I guess?

All because I live with these people. I nominate them as the next contenders on "Man vs. Food"

Looking back

I didn't even realize it, but I've been blogging on here for a little over a year now. I'm glad I've been able to stick to one place to just let it all out for this long, it's always fun to just look back - from what was going on about a year ago, or even my changes in writing style. That reminds me, I cringe every time I give in to the temptation to look back at my old Xanga. Oh, the embarrassment.

For the fourth time now, I've made it through fall quarter here at UCI. As much as studying sucks during 10th and finals weeks - or more accurately, trying to - I got this calming feeling a couple nights ago just walking through campus after one of my review sessions. Seeing everyone bonding together in their pajamas inside Starbucks, conversing about finals material and non-school related topics, the textbooks and notebooks intermingled with the empty coffee cups and snack boxes, how every student seems to be going through the same thing at this time...I don't know. For some (cheesy) reason, it made me think about how little time I have left here at UCI and how much I will miss it, from the good times to the academic rock bottoms, the sleepless nights due to late night bonding to those in which procrastination takes the credit.

I know I have a lot of planning to do for the future still, but for now I'm going to curl up in my spot at the 198 couch and soak "it" all in, whatever it may be.

Seems so long ago but nothing's changed :]

They Say You Want a Revolution

Last night was another one of those "late night at 198" episodes, after a little bit of wine, Captain Morgan and accompanying snacks; common topics such as philosophy and religion were discussed as usual, but in this edition of "late night" the main subject at hand seemed to be our generation as a whole. Lots of good points were brought up during our discussion 'round the table, and I just wanted to put out some things I said/wanted to say last night before they sink into the back of my brain behind population dynamics and freshwater ecology (4 more weeks of school for us, booo). Excuse the randomness of the following points, we covered a lot of ground last night and for me to try to put it into some meaningful format would be nearly impossible:

-This has been on my mind for a while, but I honestly think that if I only had one thing to strive for in life, it would be balance. I think as we go through life, ultimately what we're trying to find is a happy medium in every aspect of our lives - balance within relationships and time/energy for yourself, balance between work and play, balance between striving for more in life and being happy with/working with what you already have, etc. A reason why I believe the search for balance is important and actually works is that it applies to everyone, yet at the same time the right "balance" for one person is completely different from the next. From now on I don't think I'm necessarily going to go after what I perceive is "happiness" or "success" because I believe as long as I have that right balance in my life, all of those things should just fall into place somehow. This means trying to view the decisions in my life not in just black or white, but rather try to see the spectrum that lies between. I'm really hoping this makes sense.

-Everyone in our discussion last night pretty much identified themselves as Catholic, but all of our views on religion could not be any more different. Somewhat going along the lines of trying to find balance in my life, I often find myself in an inner conflict between the rules and traditions I was brought up with in the church and my views on religion and the world that I've garnered mostly in my college years. Then sometimes I think no matter what, religion serves its purpose for me regardless of what I believe - in the big picture, the minor discrepancies between my beliefs and what Catholicism says I "should" believe in don't really matter. My religion has still taught me to be a forgiving person, has given me a basis for my moral ground, and maybe most surprisingly, has reiterated the most that I'm human, I make mistakes and that it's okay. That's why I don't understand how people can be so close minded and judgmental of a person just because of their religious views, or even lack of them. Whatever works for you, you know?

-As for the people in our generation, I think a large part of why we're seen as indifferent to important issues in the world or even seen as just plain stupid is that we really haven't had to experience hardships like those before us; we haven't had to endure civil rights movements, serve in world wars, suffer great depressions, etc. In one way, that's a great thing because I'm sure our grandparents and ancestors did what they had to do so that our lives wouldn't be as difficult as theirs. But at the same time, I just wish it didn't take a global crisis or something to personally affect our lives before we realize how good we really have it. If there was something our generation is lacking in, I would say compassion. Too many people are seriously invested in BS nowadays, I wouldn't have such a big problem with it as long as, at the same time, they could open their eyes and just acknowledge the hardships that people from other parts of the world go through everyday. It's so easy to complain about how your parents haven't bought you the latest gadgets when you don't think about the single mothers in war torn countries struggling to put food on the table *sigh*

Spoons

is the worst game ever.

Bigtoe licking hair flossing kimchee juice downing wet willy giving highlighter tongue-ing in the armpit ice cubing feet smelling unknown refrigerator substance drinking body hair gelling FUN.

And fck actual spoons, we play with quarters.

Sorry it's been a long day, this is what I feel like right now:

The Sexy Post

Like many of the topics of my previous posts, this one is inspired by one of the "Late night at 198" talks that occur on a daily basis. Mel and I had a lot to say about this subject, and suprisingly to me, the guys did too. Anyways, we got into this debate about guys and whether they were deserving of top tier status or not. Criteria for this special classification is rather broad, but for this post I'm going to try to focus on the non-physical characteristics. Chiseled abs and such are a plus of course, but in the scheme of things, that is not what makes a great guy. Plus we watched that Victoria's Secret "What is Sexy 2008" and let me tell you, any program that dubs Tony Romo as the sexiest athlete of the year loses any credility that it might have had in the first place.

So these are some things that I personally think make a guy sexy. Whether you agree with me or not, I will attempt to make a case for each of my designations. Although I have been out of the dating game for quite a while now, I and many other females out there can still appreciate the good ones out there. So for you guys that make our hearts skip a beat and our cheeks blush, this one is for you.

Sexy is:

A guy with respect.
This is one of the top considerations on my list because I don't think there is anything sexier than a guy who knows how to treat his mom/sisters/females in his life with the utmost respect. The notion "the way a man treats his mom is the same way he will treat you" comes off pretty cliche but I would say that it holds true for the most part. To be honest, part of the allure of this type of guy is that it seems like a rarity nowadays. One of the worst things a guy can do is question a girl's character or intelligence simply based on the fact that she is a female. A girl wants to feel connected mentally, emotionally, and physically with a guy at the same level, and I don't think that can happen unless he sees her as an equal. Men and women offer different things to bring to the table, but equal nonetheless.

A guy who has passion in life.
This can be anything from an issue that a man feels strongly about to future plans that he wants to pursue to even a hobby. Guys that are passionate about something tells me that they potentially have the capacity for such things as commitment and dedication. I think it also gives girls hope that if he has this much conviction and puts time and energy about something he holds close to his heart, just imagine what he would do for you.

A guy that is talented.
Similar to being passionate about something and is pretty self-explanatory. Singing, dancing, writing, sports, designing, the arts - there's something sexy about a guy who's good at what he likes to do. Talent is something that really distinguishes one guy from another; it's easy to say "that guy is really nice" or "he's pretty cute", but it helps to set a man apart from the rest by saying "wow not everyone can do what he does". Plus any girl would want to be serenaded with a song from her crush/boyfriend or have a poem written about her - or my personal fave, have your own private dancer ;) . We like watching guys excelling in something, it does something to a girl. Haha, really.

A guy that knows humility goes a long way.
You can have all these great traits that make up a great guy but it goes out the window once arrogance comes in. There is something sexy about a guy that can be smart and talented without feeling the need to tell the whole world about it; being humble shows me that a man is comfortable with himself and does not feel threatened by other men enough to feel like he has to prove something. Confidence is still key as long he isn't trying too hard to convince the world that he is the shit. A guy that exudes quiet, inner confidence without having to say a word is very sexy.

A guy that isn't ashamed to use his mind.
The whole "acting dumb" act is attributed more to a female stereotype but many guys do this too - there are guys out there that think having knowledge about the world is lame and constitutes as "nerdy". Let me tell you, there is nothing nerdy about an intelligent guy. I think it's awesome when a guy has interesting points to say about an issue and have the intelligence and eloquence to back it up, even if i disagree with him. It's even sexier when a guy has the capability to expand my mind to new ideas and concepts. Being intelligent also means just knowing what's up - street smarts. Very few guys "get it" when it comes to how females think. A guy that has book smarts and street smarts is one of a kind.

A guy that can balance being a man and being romantic.
Sometimes a girl just wants her guy to take control, be a man and exhibit his masculinity because, well, it's hot. But some guys let their instincts get the best of them and don't know when to back down, surrender control, and just walk away from a situation. Other times a girl wants a guy to be affectionate and loving and show that he knows how to treat her better than anyone else. In this case, lots of guys can either be too clingy or not into "lovey dovey" stuff at all. A man that knows how to balance both is a great find because he can offer the best of both worlds.

For more insight on related "Late Night at 198" topics, check out our thoughts on relationships and dating on Mel's "Battle of the Sexies"

What a week

By Thursday of this past week I had already deemed it the worst week of 2008 - getting sick for what seems like the 20th time this year already, having 3 major grade-determining papers due, fcking up my sleeping pattern even more, all on top of being tired from gyming it, school and work already.

I had also been working on a major project at work, which included putting together 3 extra-large binders of over 250 documents (all of which I had to find and copy individually, then put in date order), only to get the call that the case settled 30 minutes after I had finished on Wednesday. Not only did my work go down the drain, but it also made me put aside my usual work activities which are now piling up on my desk for me to catch up on next week. Great. But once all of that was out of the way, the rest of the week actually turned out pretty fun.

First there was Ladies Night on Thursday. We didn't really decide on where to go until about half an hour before we left; due to our lack of OC nightlife knowledge we headed to a strip of bars and clubs in Fullerton. If I had to sum up the crowd in a couple phrases it would be "30-year old single white males headed for a mid-life crisis" or "creepy gangster" type folk. Needless to say, Mel, Ang and I felt a little out of place. Some memorable lines of the night include:

-"Hey my name is Michelle...I'm Ashley...nice to meet you, I'm Karen" - Mel, Ang, Me

-"So ladies, there's 3 of us, and 3 of you guys, so when you're ready, we'll be waiting for our dances right over there" - the pudgier, not-as-cool, creepier of the three stooges

-After a loooong story about losing his glasses and boring shiet, the end was "So in the end I punched a tree" - the only other Asian and his friend (who happened to be from UCI too, figures)in the vicinity with no game whatsoever

-"Hey down to fck?" - random punk we passed crossing the street

Top tier, no?

This is the point in my post where I would probably rag on the guys we met and how lame their game was. But I'm not going to do that this time because in all honesty I just took it as good fun and it was damn entertaining. So to all the guys we ran to, thanks for the laughs and good times. I'm looking forward to the next ladies night, most definitely somewhere with a different vibe and different crowd just for a new experience.

What ensued when we got home at 198 was actually just as entertaining, but a little too gay for my taste. I guess "ladies night" for us coincides with "guys night in".

This is just a small sampling of the debauchery. I'd post the rest but then the guys would find a worse way to get back at me.

The week continued to get better when Saturday came up for Brent Bash '08 for Brent's 21st. Good Hawaiian BBQ, a snazzy place, drinks, friends, a keg, Rock Band, birthday cake all over the place, and awesome dancing girls - you couldn't ask for more. Now that it's finally the 10th, I can officially say Happy Birthday Brent! I hope you enjoyed your birthday even though I'm betting you don't remember a good portion of it haha.

Now looking back, I guess this past week wasn't the worst week afterall. I'm feeling better so I get to catch up on school and work this week, then finals for the next. Hooray. And for more pics click here.

Starting with a bang

Winter quarter has finally started to kick in today. Buying books online (half.com is the way to go), planning the weekly schedule for the quarter, trying to find classes & the like make up a now all-too familiar quarterly kick-start, an attempt to get my ass back into school mode. However, I feel like the beginning of this quarter sneaked in a little too fast because this past weekend was just straight up FUN.

After I found out I had the day off last Friday, 198 & crew immediately concocted plans to take over the world (aka L.A./Hollywood for the day) - and when those plans fell through, we resorted to Roscoe's in Long Beach instead. Not a bad choice I must say. In fact, I never fathomed fried chicken & waffles to be so delectable - together. If I had any doubts at first, I was sold after a couple bites. The strip club-like pink lights and overly friendly manager - Mel & I are both "baby" according to him haha - also help add character to this beloved soul food joint.

The 'Scoes #1

The rest of Friday alternated between mock cocktail-making trials (what a tongue twister), Rock Band, taste testing, and Cranium. But the real highlight of the weekend was the 198 Cocktail Party on Saturday. To make this quick, thanks to everyone who came, I hope you guys had fun. Well by the looks of my pictures, I'm pretty sure about that haha. Also thank you to my fellow 198 peeps for helping set up, pitching in for the supplies, and my cool new LT jersey and H&M card! In the end, wanting to do something a little different from the usual resulted in pretty much a full bar at 198, good times with friends, and damn funny pictures of everyone. I posted all of the pictures on my Myspace but you can get better quality ones from my Multiply site.

Bringing sexy back.

On a totally different note, will someone please refer me to some new good music to listen to? I have most of the "popular" songs that are out right now on my iTunes, but I always end up resorting to my dependable playlists of oldies and classics (think Queen, Earth Wind & Fire, and other stuff that I will never get sick of). Maybe it's just me but the music scene right now is just not cutting it. Take R&B for example. The days when Boyz II Men & Babyface would serenade their way into every girl's heart are long gone. While the whole debate about whether hip-hop is dead remains in the forefront, R&B has withered away in the background. And who will be its saviour? Chris Brown? I like him, but I don't know about that. Ne-Yo? Good start, but still a little early to tell though. Usher? I've been long awaiting his comeback but after hearing this horrendous new track I've opted to save myself from disappointment and keep my expectations low. Really low. Like boots with the fur low.

Anyone else hear rubber duckies being raped?

And I will personally punch anyone in the face who has dubbed T-Pain the new king of R&B. Hooks, yes. R&B? Blasphemy.