Quick Update

I've been working fulltime a little over 6 months now, and sometimes when I think about all the hours of sleep I lost during that time I die a little bit inside...

Okay, so not really. But let me tell you, it's amazing how much more you're willing to push yourself & stay on your toes when you're getting paid to do it. Shouldn't be that way but maybe I should have pretended I was getting paid to take my microbiology and ochem finals. If only I took that approach in regards to blogging. I really do miss writing though, out of all things school-related.

The funny thing about being at work all the time now is that before, I was so excited to get out into the "real world", like I was supposed to undergo this transformation and would magically become enlightened in...I don't know what. Something. That turned out to be not true for me. Now, with the change in climate across California campuses thanks to ignorant people being ignorant, budget cuts, etc., I feel like I'm missing out on some real issues that affect almost every 20-something I know. I just feel very out of the loop not experiencing anything firsthand.

Nevertheless, I am very thankful to have graduated and thankful for my job, one reason being that I can finally save a good amount of money. I don't do it to the degree that I'd like to, but anything to be one step closer to being on my own... You'd think that as you get older your parents would reason with you more and you wouldn't argue as much. That's false too.

Live it off the wall

Happy New Year everyone! I wish I didn't end the year sounding so bitter but at least I can leave that negativity behind now & start with a clean slate. Definitely looking forward to what 2010 will bring - the good, the bad, the fugly - I'm up for a challenge.

Probably should've done this earlier, but here's an end of the year survey just for kicks.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? Lots of firsts (& some "only-once's") this year. Graduation, landed my first full-time job, lots of "growing up" stuff. Oh yeah, and I've never had to completely overhaul a 13-page original fictional story the night before it was due (successfully too!) 2010 has some big shoes to fill.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't have any specific resolutions except these, and they still sound good to me.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? No.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes.

5. What countries did you visit? Didn't travel in 2009. Boo.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Patience, faith that things will work themselves out.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory and why? June 13 - BioSci Commencement. October 24 - day of bad news.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Again, graduating and job. Getting my grown-woman on.

9. What was your biggest failure? It's still difficult for me to open up and express my feelings sometimes. I need to fix that since it affects important relationships, especially with my parents.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing noteworthy.

11. What was the best thing you bought? My MyTouch! For as long as I've had a cell phone, I've never bought an upgraded phone until this year. I could always rely on Raf for his hand-me-downs, even though I'd always lose them :/ And not gonna lie I really like my Marc by Marc Jacobs bag.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My brother. He graduated this year too and started college at UCI. He's one person I don't worry about too much because he has a good head on his shoulders.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Cheaters. 2009 was their year I swear, all over the news as well as things I'd hear about.

14. Where did most of your money go? Now a good portion of it goes to my savings, but at 198 I swear it all went to food. It's hard to resist AYCE Korean BBQ, Le Dip, Yardhouse Happy Hour, Yen Sushi, & all of our other favorite spots in The Vine (I miss it :/) I also have a bad online shopping habit.

15. What did you really, really, really get excited about? SF weekend earlier in the year. Starting my new job. Glee & the American Idol finale with Kradam lol.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009? If you know me then you won't be surprised if I say anything by Lady Gaga.

17. Compared to this time last year are you:
Happier? About the same but for different reasons.
Thinner? A little bit, didn't indulge as much this holiday season.
Richer? Yup.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Save money, blog, work out, make an effort to keep in touch with friends. BALANCE.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Judge, complain, worry about things that are out of my hands anyway.

20. How did you spend Christmas? With my family & watched Avatar in 3D.

21. How will you be spending new years? Spent it with Raf & his family at JV's dad's house.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009? Daily.

23. How many one-night stands? No thanks.

24. What was your favorite TV program? LOST, Glee, SYTYCD, Chuck, most of Discovery Channel.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No

26. What was the best book you read? I enjoyed "Animal Farm" & "House of Leaves". I also really liked this book of short stories by Raymond Carver.

27. What was your biggest musical discovery? No artists in particular but I usually rely on Jay to send me some dope stuff, & he doesn't disappoint with his findings.

28. What did you want and you got? A job. It's a plus that I actually like it.

29. What did you want and not get? Respect from a few people. To be able to manage my time better.

30. What was your favorite film of this year? UP, Star Trek, District 9. I have more on my "to watch" list.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old did you turn? Turned 23, had a little shindig at Confidential.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Not feeling so restricted at times (sometimes due to other people, other times myself).

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Classy & cute.

34. What kept you sane? I could always turn to Raf or Jay.

35. Which celebrity did you fancy the most? They come and go but it's always Johnny<3>

36. What political issue stirred you the most? Oh man. The ongoing debate on marriage equality, women's rights. See here for examples.

37. Who did you miss? Now that I'm back at home I miss the good times in Irvine.

38. Who was the best new person you met? I like all the people I met this year. I won't stroke any egos by naming names lol.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009: You can never tell those close to your heart "I love you" too much.

40. Quote or Song Lyric that sums up your year: “So tonight gotta leave that nine to five upon the shelf and just enjoy yourself, groove, let the madness in the music get to you,
life ain't so bad at all.”

"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 :]

Not my Proudest Moment, But

I just cranked out a 12-page lab report from scratch for my 9am lab this morning. And you know I didn't even start anything until the wee hours of the night. Had I attempted this in high school, I probably would've given up and not shown up to class. But thanks to the great skills I've learned these past 4 years, I honestly believe that anything is possible.

Thanks college!

A New (& Healthy) Obsession

Like I mentioned about 2 posts down, I've made this pact with myself about purchasing some new books every paycheck, which is about every 2.5 weeks. I'm not sure exactly what's come over me, but I've welcomed this idea a lot more than any other "bright idea" I've had. I've picked up 5 new books since, and I get excited even more each time I step into a bookstore to see what catches my eye next. Call me a nerd, whatever, I don't mind.



Did something just magically click in my head all of a sudden? To be honest I'm not really sure. I've always liked to "read for fun" every now and then, it's just that I guess I haven't had much extra time with the cycle of school and work and going out and family time and however else I've spent/wasted my time that has shaped my college life.

I think almost being done with college is part of this transformation. It's like, despite all that I've learned these past 4 years, going back to high school even, sometimes I just feel like "That's it? Isn't there more to just...learn?" There's so much stuff out there that I feel like I need a better understanding of - how different religions view the world, gender issues, issues of our generation, politics in general, issues that will affect the future, mistakes of the past, etymology, various philosophies, personal stories of people around the globe or even if it's just reading literary classics. I just feel like I need more of something, anything to fulfill this unexplainable void in my head.

"A good book has no ending". ~R.D. Cumming