Posts
Discovery: the window in our room makes the most painful noise known to mankind upon opening/closing. Imagine your token "fingernails down a chalkboard," but at a pitch twice more shrill.
Reason for discovery: guy belting out the In-N-Out jingle in a semi-operatic style; guy blasting lil' Wayne; more drunk people walking the streets.
On any other night, I'd be more tolerable of the noise, probably find jingle guy amusing, but I have a migraine at the moment because of my sleep deprivation.
I just realized I missed Heroes and Boston Legal last night, and I have no t.v. yet to watch House and Fringe tonight. Heart sighs.
On a brighter note, Netflix is really as fast as they claim! My eyes actually widened when I saw the red envelope in my mailbox.
Current film: Married Life. I'll watch anything with Chris Cooper.
23 September 2008
Getting settled...
It's only Tuesday of zero week and I am exhausted. I think I've slept 11 hours in the past three days, but not without reason.
Saturday was move-in day. Unfortunately random roommate #1 beat Kim and I to the punch and took the significantly larger bedroom, with larger bathroom and walk-in closet also in the room. I cried inside. However, I've come to accept this reality and have settled in comfortably. I do appreciate that the kitchen is fairly spacious (in square footage, but certainly not in cabinet space, which is dreadful) as well as the living room and oddly long balcony. Fireplace, too, with pretty marble frame!
Markus had his birthday/apartment kickback that evening. Four hours of a Filipino karaoke program with very limited American song choices. Not only were the majorty of English songs by Tony Bennett (respect, love him), but the lyrics to any song we chose were also in good old Engrish. I'm sure an Asian person input what they thought they were hearing. So very amusing.
The party went into the wee hours of morning ending with an hour of big booty--I'd never played before, but coming up with ridiculous rules to make the game more difficult was more entertaining than you could imagine.
On Sunday I drove back home from LA for the first time, all by meself! I consider it Megan's driving adventure No. 2: missed the 405, had to go all the way to Pico to catch the freeway again; almost exited off Grand Ave when I got to downtown. Fischerspooner's "Cloud" is playing right now on my speaker, how appropriate for me: "I lost myself...you can't see how..." I'm a generally confused and flighty person. Actually, I wouldn't say flighty, for that implies that I'm irresponsible, which, I think and hope I am not. Maybe a little spacey 40% of the time, awkward 98% of the time. Everything tends to come together, though.
Bruin Bash was a huge success. Wristbanding for the film was a doozy as usual. I've become increasingly more comfortable raising my voice to a crowd and saying no to those who don't make the cut-off. I absolutely loved Eagle Eye up until the last five minutes. Reminded me of the awful ending to War of the Worlds.
As usual, I made my way to the activities fair for my annual "stuff a bag with everything the clubs/orgs are giving away" event. But! I took less crap, I really did. Only THREE pens, two highlighters, two post-its, a pom pom, some candy, and a UN flag. This is a huge improvement from 20+ pens, 10+ post-its, and Ann Rynd's Atlas Shrugged, which sits somewhere at home and will probably never be read. I tabled with Susan for USAC's voter reg.; got sunburned. Now I feel unpleasantly warm and flushed all day.
Had work too early in the morning. Snoozed from 7:30am-8am in three minute intervals, gasping each time because I thought I'd slept through my shift. I have yet to get a grasp on the amount of time it will take me to walk to various places on campus from my new home. Fortunately, I am starting to master the map of apartments and their not-so-parallel streets. I am not looking foward to opening again tomorrow morning. Sigh.
I still don't have pots and pans, but I am holding back from eating bowl noodles 3 times a day. I've been microwaving whatever I can and have been eating a great deal of Honey Bunches of Oats. Thank you Markus for saving me last night and letting me cook in your kitchen! Once I get cooking tools, I'll probably never leave my apartment.
We are having a mandatory apartment meeting tonight, including "fun, games, prizes" and meeting and mingling. I don't really want to go, but I should make the effort. Afterward, I'll be making a driving trip to Ralph's to buy groceries--driving, only because this is my initial stock-up trip and I won't be able to carry everything back. My dad recently gave me the budget speech, so I am nervous about having to be economical and officially manage my finances and spending. Although, I have already been penny-pinching over food for a while, making dinner decisions based on what coupons I have. My wallet explodes with them because I constantly collect. Maybe that's sad, but I is poor.
I plan to enjoy the rest of zero week as much as possible, as exhausting as it may be. Come Monday, the reality of fall quarter will sink in, as well as the burdensome knowledge that I cannot possible do everything I want to do. The activity count is high: CEC, radio news, SEBN, post office, the blogsite that Danny and I are attempting to have up and running by next week, oh, and classes, of course.
In addition to those committments, I desperately want to be more involved with sevice activities--I picked up about eight flyers for different service clubs and projects at the fair. Obviously, to commit to all of them is impossible, but I am set on joining at least one, as well as enrolling in just one recreation class. I have very little faith in myself that I'll keep up pilates in the apartment even though my mat is here. Also, I must force myself to run at Drake at least twice a week so I don't deteriorate into complete sloth this year.
Nap time. Need the beauty rest before I meet and mingle with people? Hah. I just want the bags under my eyes to go down a bit to create the illusion of a person who sleeps.
Note to self: my first Netflix movie should be arriving today! Anticipation! Now, if I could only find my mailbox key...
Saturday was move-in day. Unfortunately random roommate #1 beat Kim and I to the punch and took the significantly larger bedroom, with larger bathroom and walk-in closet also in the room. I cried inside. However, I've come to accept this reality and have settled in comfortably. I do appreciate that the kitchen is fairly spacious (in square footage, but certainly not in cabinet space, which is dreadful) as well as the living room and oddly long balcony. Fireplace, too, with pretty marble frame!
Markus had his birthday/apartment kickback that evening. Four hours of a Filipino karaoke program with very limited American song choices. Not only were the majorty of English songs by Tony Bennett (respect, love him), but the lyrics to any song we chose were also in good old Engrish. I'm sure an Asian person input what they thought they were hearing. So very amusing.
The party went into the wee hours of morning ending with an hour of big booty--I'd never played before, but coming up with ridiculous rules to make the game more difficult was more entertaining than you could imagine.
On Sunday I drove back home from LA for the first time, all by meself! I consider it Megan's driving adventure No. 2: missed the 405, had to go all the way to Pico to catch the freeway again; almost exited off Grand Ave when I got to downtown. Fischerspooner's "Cloud" is playing right now on my speaker, how appropriate for me: "I lost myself...you can't see how..." I'm a generally confused and flighty person. Actually, I wouldn't say flighty, for that implies that I'm irresponsible, which, I think and hope I am not. Maybe a little spacey 40% of the time, awkward 98% of the time. Everything tends to come together, though.
Bruin Bash was a huge success. Wristbanding for the film was a doozy as usual. I've become increasingly more comfortable raising my voice to a crowd and saying no to those who don't make the cut-off. I absolutely loved Eagle Eye up until the last five minutes. Reminded me of the awful ending to War of the Worlds.
As usual, I made my way to the activities fair for my annual "stuff a bag with everything the clubs/orgs are giving away" event. But! I took less crap, I really did. Only THREE pens, two highlighters, two post-its, a pom pom, some candy, and a UN flag. This is a huge improvement from 20+ pens, 10+ post-its, and Ann Rynd's Atlas Shrugged, which sits somewhere at home and will probably never be read. I tabled with Susan for USAC's voter reg.; got sunburned. Now I feel unpleasantly warm and flushed all day.
Had work too early in the morning. Snoozed from 7:30am-8am in three minute intervals, gasping each time because I thought I'd slept through my shift. I have yet to get a grasp on the amount of time it will take me to walk to various places on campus from my new home. Fortunately, I am starting to master the map of apartments and their not-so-parallel streets. I am not looking foward to opening again tomorrow morning. Sigh.
I still don't have pots and pans, but I am holding back from eating bowl noodles 3 times a day. I've been microwaving whatever I can and have been eating a great deal of Honey Bunches of Oats. Thank you Markus for saving me last night and letting me cook in your kitchen! Once I get cooking tools, I'll probably never leave my apartment.
We are having a mandatory apartment meeting tonight, including "fun, games, prizes" and meeting and mingling. I don't really want to go, but I should make the effort. Afterward, I'll be making a driving trip to Ralph's to buy groceries--driving, only because this is my initial stock-up trip and I won't be able to carry everything back. My dad recently gave me the budget speech, so I am nervous about having to be economical and officially manage my finances and spending. Although, I have already been penny-pinching over food for a while, making dinner decisions based on what coupons I have. My wallet explodes with them because I constantly collect. Maybe that's sad, but I is poor.
I plan to enjoy the rest of zero week as much as possible, as exhausting as it may be. Come Monday, the reality of fall quarter will sink in, as well as the burdensome knowledge that I cannot possible do everything I want to do. The activity count is high: CEC, radio news, SEBN, post office, the blogsite that Danny and I are attempting to have up and running by next week, oh, and classes, of course.
In addition to those committments, I desperately want to be more involved with sevice activities--I picked up about eight flyers for different service clubs and projects at the fair. Obviously, to commit to all of them is impossible, but I am set on joining at least one, as well as enrolling in just one recreation class. I have very little faith in myself that I'll keep up pilates in the apartment even though my mat is here. Also, I must force myself to run at Drake at least twice a week so I don't deteriorate into complete sloth this year.
Nap time. Need the beauty rest before I meet and mingle with people? Hah. I just want the bags under my eyes to go down a bit to create the illusion of a person who sleeps.
Note to self: my first Netflix movie should be arriving today! Anticipation! Now, if I could only find my mailbox key...
18 September 2008
Tuesday, Wednesday, happy days!
I hate driving. I drove back home from LA on Tuesday. Seconds after getting on the 405, one has to merge right away, or one will get right back off the exit. I pulled a Clueless-type move and did that thing where I looked wayyy over my left shoulder as my car drifted wayyyy right, almost making that exit! Success!
Freeway merging = scary. Everything else is fine.
Toyota Matrix has wonderful gas mileage, but boy, trying to accelerate past 40 is depressing.
If you see me on the freeway, please, be kind and speed up so I may merge behind you. Trust me, it's best for both of us.
- - - - - - - - - -
Disneyland yesterday was such good fun. My pass expired that day, so Steph and I figured we'd make the most of it. We participated in all sorts of shenanigans, climbing things, sneaking a shortcut back into the two minute line of Space Mountain, exiting through the back path of Minnie's house--a lovely spot for pictures if any of you get the chance. This back way led us to the most gigantic cartoonish gates we'd ever seen. It was one of the highlights of the day, not topping the most delicious $3.00 churro. So hot and fresh and sugary sweet! I only noticed after an hour exploring Toontown that so many sugar granules had fallen and stuck to my arms.I really enjoyed that churro.
I'd also never been in Chip 'N Dale's (haha!) Treehouse before. Even after 20 years of going to Disneyland, there are still new things to do. I love that. Although, I'm sure I've already experienced some of these "new" activities when I was younger and my mom would take me to Disneyland almost once a month; Chuck E' Cheese almost every week. So much dedication, I'm very grateful. I do remember that she used to put me on top of the large garbage cans to dance around during the Electrical Parade since she was neither tall nor crazy enough to put a shaking child on her shoulder for the whole duration of that lightfest. I still cannot forgive Disney for taking away the parade, but at least Fantasia is still there. The new parade song, "Welcome" by Phil Collins and the fireworks show have also helped to ease the pain.
Steph and I had quite a day. We ate lunch at the dumpling house in Buena Park before Disneyland, indulged in In-N-Out for dinner, then had the famous fruit shaved ice, or "ghwa-il-bing-soo" if anyone wants to order it sometime in the future.
- - - - - - - - -
Today will be unbelievably busy. Lunch with Noah, finally! Figuring-out-what-to-do-with-apartment session with Kim. We are meeting at a TBD Target location midway between Riverside and elderly folkville where I live.
Steph and I went a little overboard last night and made ridiculous plans for today. Downtown Fullerton in no particular order: Buffalo Exchange, park, museum, open studio at the vintage jewelry store; Streamer's live jazz cafe, testing out the spa attached to Cafe Java Bru? We do wonder how all the asian people come out glowing and looking so fresh as we scarf down our fruity treat.
Trying to accomplish all of these is unrealistic, so we will be winging the activities based on how far and fast our feet take us around downtown.
- - - - - - - - -
Oh wow, the pungent smell of mom's coffee brewing is definitely waking me up, mostly because I find the scent disgusting.
I've got VH1 videos playing on t.v. The string instrumental on "Viva la vida" is oddly inspiring; the song really gets me going for some reason.
It is now 7:45am.
I've stayed up all night and now I'm actually going to take a nap before lunch.
Surprise!!!! Betcha didn't see that coming! Oh, no wait, i've failed miserably like this before. I do need to get in a good nap before I start the day at 10:45am. Today will be hectic but I am excited to see what will happen as I drive all over the place, freeway here, freeway there.
Wish me luck!
Freeway merging = scary. Everything else is fine.
Toyota Matrix has wonderful gas mileage, but boy, trying to accelerate past 40 is depressing.
If you see me on the freeway, please, be kind and speed up so I may merge behind you. Trust me, it's best for both of us.
- - - - - - - - - -
Disneyland yesterday was such good fun. My pass expired that day, so Steph and I figured we'd make the most of it. We participated in all sorts of shenanigans, climbing things, sneaking a shortcut back into the two minute line of Space Mountain, exiting through the back path of Minnie's house--a lovely spot for pictures if any of you get the chance. This back way led us to the most gigantic cartoonish gates we'd ever seen. It was one of the highlights of the day, not topping the most delicious $3.00 churro. So hot and fresh and sugary sweet! I only noticed after an hour exploring Toontown that so many sugar granules had fallen and stuck to my arms.I really enjoyed that churro.
I'd also never been in Chip 'N Dale's (haha!) Treehouse before. Even after 20 years of going to Disneyland, there are still new things to do. I love that. Although, I'm sure I've already experienced some of these "new" activities when I was younger and my mom would take me to Disneyland almost once a month; Chuck E' Cheese almost every week. So much dedication, I'm very grateful. I do remember that she used to put me on top of the large garbage cans to dance around during the Electrical Parade since she was neither tall nor crazy enough to put a shaking child on her shoulder for the whole duration of that lightfest. I still cannot forgive Disney for taking away the parade, but at least Fantasia is still there. The new parade song, "Welcome" by Phil Collins and the fireworks show have also helped to ease the pain.
Steph and I had quite a day. We ate lunch at the dumpling house in Buena Park before Disneyland, indulged in In-N-Out for dinner, then had the famous fruit shaved ice, or "ghwa-il-bing-soo" if anyone wants to order it sometime in the future.
- - - - - - - - -
Today will be unbelievably busy. Lunch with Noah, finally! Figuring-out-what-to-do-with-apartment session with Kim. We are meeting at a TBD Target location midway between Riverside and elderly folkville where I live.
Steph and I went a little overboard last night and made ridiculous plans for today. Downtown Fullerton in no particular order: Buffalo Exchange, park, museum, open studio at the vintage jewelry store; Streamer's live jazz cafe, testing out the spa attached to Cafe Java Bru? We do wonder how all the asian people come out glowing and looking so fresh as we scarf down our fruity treat.
Trying to accomplish all of these is unrealistic, so we will be winging the activities based on how far and fast our feet take us around downtown.
- - - - - - - - -
Oh wow, the pungent smell of mom's coffee brewing is definitely waking me up, mostly because I find the scent disgusting.
I've got VH1 videos playing on t.v. The string instrumental on "Viva la vida" is oddly inspiring; the song really gets me going for some reason.
It is now 7:45am.
I've stayed up all night and now I'm actually going to take a nap before lunch.
Surprise!!!! Betcha didn't see that coming! Oh, no wait, i've failed miserably like this before. I do need to get in a good nap before I start the day at 10:45am. Today will be hectic but I am excited to see what will happen as I drive all over the place, freeway here, freeway there.
Wish me luck!
15 September 2008
Ob-la-di-bla-da
Aldrin, I am so jealous of your single R.A. room. So spacious. You can do a safe cartwheel across the floor, not that I've been trying...
Observation of the day: People like to send odd-shaped packages to different countries. Luckily, I can rely on handy, USPS programmed computer to tell me which customs form they need. There is no recognizable pattern or logic to the decision, though. Flat documents to Spain being mailed Priority need a large one, but the same to Finland require the small? I suppose Finland would be less picky. China seems to always require a large form. They must be suspicious and much more curious about things entering their country.
Also amusing: seeing people write descriptions of package contents in, yes, that's right, engrish!
- - - - - - - - - -
I managed to squeeze in a few movies during the few days I was at home.
Persepolis was amazing, though, I was way too distracted and my French is nowhere near good enough to understand little, animated Marjane. I will have to re-watch that with English subtitles. I definitely recommend this movie! It's witty and French, so of course, everything sounds better.
Waitress. Surprisingly lovely! I missed the screening at Melnitz two years ago, and have been anxious to see it. I always knew Keri Russell was talented, not just because of her legit reputation as a Mickey Mouse Club alum. Adrienne Shelley succeeded as a triple threat. The film was well-written, directed, and acted. Plus, it incorporated so many delicious looking pies. Jeremy Sisto is starting to grow on me. He rubbed me off the wrong way in Clueless because he got with Amber--ew! Then he went on to play Jesus, looking like the son of Fabio. Six Feet Under saved him, in my opinion, and he's pretty decent in Law & Order as well.
HBO On Demand, I shall miss you when I move in. I watched The Devil Wears Prada for the umpteenth time, then decided to reread the novel--also recommended. There are always exceptional adaptations, but I haven't yet come across a film that can capture the heart of a book.
- - - - - - - - - -
Wifey and I had a classy dinner at Panda Express. I found my fortune most ironic and amusing.
"Your career plans look bright." I reckon a wise panda must be speaking of future, not current plans. Current plans are lacking. Kara, did you sneak that fortune cookie in there?!
We also broke a cookie together. This one leaves me feeling slightly confused.
"An important word of advice may come from a child." Whenever I see a kid from now on, I will expect them to approach me and drop pearls of wisdom. I'll take anything. I'm sure a child's view on life is much less distorted or at least less bleak.
- - - - -
Last, but not least, Gossip Girl. alksdfkajs! I watched it alone on Aldrin's snazzy t.v. and I'm certain that I gasped out loud about three times. Don't judge me.
I look foward to a bright and early day at work tomorrow. Fortune cookie might just be onto something. My boss let me know that if all else fails, I can pursue a career in the United States Postal Service! If I do, I will pursue said career on the East Coast styling these.
Observation of the day: People like to send odd-shaped packages to different countries. Luckily, I can rely on handy, USPS programmed computer to tell me which customs form they need. There is no recognizable pattern or logic to the decision, though. Flat documents to Spain being mailed Priority need a large one, but the same to Finland require the small? I suppose Finland would be less picky. China seems to always require a large form. They must be suspicious and much more curious about things entering their country.
Also amusing: seeing people write descriptions of package contents in, yes, that's right, engrish!
- - - - - - - - - -
I managed to squeeze in a few movies during the few days I was at home.
Persepolis was amazing, though, I was way too distracted and my French is nowhere near good enough to understand little, animated Marjane. I will have to re-watch that with English subtitles. I definitely recommend this movie! It's witty and French, so of course, everything sounds better.
Waitress. Surprisingly lovely! I missed the screening at Melnitz two years ago, and have been anxious to see it. I always knew Keri Russell was talented, not just because of her legit reputation as a Mickey Mouse Club alum. Adrienne Shelley succeeded as a triple threat. The film was well-written, directed, and acted. Plus, it incorporated so many delicious looking pies. Jeremy Sisto is starting to grow on me. He rubbed me off the wrong way in Clueless because he got with Amber--ew! Then he went on to play Jesus, looking like the son of Fabio. Six Feet Under saved him, in my opinion, and he's pretty decent in Law & Order as well.
HBO On Demand, I shall miss you when I move in. I watched The Devil Wears Prada for the umpteenth time, then decided to reread the novel--also recommended. There are always exceptional adaptations, but I haven't yet come across a film that can capture the heart of a book.
- - - - - - - - - -
Wifey and I had a classy dinner at Panda Express. I found my fortune most ironic and amusing.
"Your career plans look bright." I reckon a wise panda must be speaking of future, not current plans. Current plans are lacking. Kara, did you sneak that fortune cookie in there?!
We also broke a cookie together. This one leaves me feeling slightly confused.
"An important word of advice may come from a child." Whenever I see a kid from now on, I will expect them to approach me and drop pearls of wisdom. I'll take anything. I'm sure a child's view on life is much less distorted or at least less bleak.
- - - - -
Last, but not least, Gossip Girl. alksdfkajs! I watched it alone on Aldrin's snazzy t.v. and I'm certain that I gasped out loud about three times. Don't judge me.
I look foward to a bright and early day at work tomorrow. Fortune cookie might just be onto something. My boss let me know that if all else fails, I can pursue a career in the United States Postal Service! If I do, I will pursue said career on the East Coast styling these.
14 September 2008
There was a hat in my pizzookie, I'd appreciate another one
I successfully slept through my entire morning and spent the bulk of my afternoon transferring everything from my external hard drive to an internally bigger, physically smaller one. I've named the newbie, Cody, after my first dog. Flashback to Cody.
I adopted him from the pound as my high school graduation present. I was deciding between little Cody and one of the older dogs--a beautiful, white husky mutt with a scratch by its eye, probably from some injury or, worse, abuse.
Pounds are horrible. The older dogs seem to have given up trying to get the attention of people walking by. I would have chosen the elder, but I'm so easily amused, and seeing Cody spin around in circles chasing his tail won him tons of brownie points.
Let's just say Cody was like an ADHD puppy on crack. He literally peed every time someone came out to the backyard to see him. He'd always relieve himself one inch off the training pads we set down all over the house. We concluded he was missing a few nuts and bolts up there.
The pound labeled him as a Cocker Spaniel mix. Lies! Aside from his energy, he looked nothing like one.
In the end, he was a bit too much to handle and our backyard was just not enough for him. Dogs need the room to run around, especially Cody. I miss his floppy ears and that puzzled look he made, while tilting his head sideways. I mimic this confused look often; I think we were meant for each other.
--------------
I'm still trying to transfer eighty some gigs of music. One day I need to go through my library and delete everything I REALLY don't listen to, or anything that I know will never grow on me.
Knowing my bad habits, how I can never throw anything away with that silly excuse, "I might need/use/listen to it later," the project pare-down-music will probably fail miserably.
Dum dee dum...I'm not quite sure what else I did this afternoon, but a hearty lunch snuck in there and I might as well list the foods: Tilapia, yum! Sausages, rice, bread, and glazed donut pop-em's for dessert. Disgusting to say I didn't regret eating any of these things, but I'll probably regret my general eating habits in about five years when my metabolism shuts down.
-------
Dinner was much more exciting. Happy 23rd Nick! I was finally able to catch up with my good ol' Fairmont buddies. I always laugh so much with them. Nick invited us all to BJs to celebrate, lots of laughs, stories, odd-topic conversations, the usual. Of course political Nick started us up on that path, but honestly, this election is scary. I'll save my views for another day, a political post?
The food was delicious. I always love a deep dish pizza and pizzookie. Next time we will order "Sweet Pig" or "The Great White." I would love to see a whole cooked pig lying on a cheese pizza, or perhaps a shark fin sitting on top.
------
Browsing through the channel guide, I find my choices quite unappealing:
Sarah Palin: American Woman; a remake of Miracle on 34th Street (I don't understand why people remake such classics); Paris Hilton BFF casting.
I'll probably have to go back to LA to work tomorrow, spend the night and work again Tuesday morning. Sighhhhh. I really hope I can find a cover, otherwise, so much for being home.
On the bright side, I'll get to crash on Aldy's brand spankin' new Ikea sofa bed!
Night, night everyone!
I adopted him from the pound as my high school graduation present. I was deciding between little Cody and one of the older dogs--a beautiful, white husky mutt with a scratch by its eye, probably from some injury or, worse, abuse.
Pounds are horrible. The older dogs seem to have given up trying to get the attention of people walking by. I would have chosen the elder, but I'm so easily amused, and seeing Cody spin around in circles chasing his tail won him tons of brownie points.
Let's just say Cody was like an ADHD puppy on crack. He literally peed every time someone came out to the backyard to see him. He'd always relieve himself one inch off the training pads we set down all over the house. We concluded he was missing a few nuts and bolts up there.
The pound labeled him as a Cocker Spaniel mix. Lies! Aside from his energy, he looked nothing like one.
In the end, he was a bit too much to handle and our backyard was just not enough for him. Dogs need the room to run around, especially Cody. I miss his floppy ears and that puzzled look he made, while tilting his head sideways. I mimic this confused look often; I think we were meant for each other.
--------------
I'm still trying to transfer eighty some gigs of music. One day I need to go through my library and delete everything I REALLY don't listen to, or anything that I know will never grow on me.
Knowing my bad habits, how I can never throw anything away with that silly excuse, "I might need/use/listen to it later," the project pare-down-music will probably fail miserably.
Dum dee dum...I'm not quite sure what else I did this afternoon, but a hearty lunch snuck in there and I might as well list the foods: Tilapia, yum! Sausages, rice, bread, and glazed donut pop-em's for dessert. Disgusting to say I didn't regret eating any of these things, but I'll probably regret my general eating habits in about five years when my metabolism shuts down.
-------
Dinner was much more exciting. Happy 23rd Nick! I was finally able to catch up with my good ol' Fairmont buddies. I always laugh so much with them. Nick invited us all to BJs to celebrate, lots of laughs, stories, odd-topic conversations, the usual. Of course political Nick started us up on that path, but honestly, this election is scary. I'll save my views for another day, a political post?
The food was delicious. I always love a deep dish pizza and pizzookie. Next time we will order "Sweet Pig" or "The Great White." I would love to see a whole cooked pig lying on a cheese pizza, or perhaps a shark fin sitting on top.
------
Browsing through the channel guide, I find my choices quite unappealing:
Sarah Palin: American Woman; a remake of Miracle on 34th Street (I don't understand why people remake such classics); Paris Hilton BFF casting.
I'll probably have to go back to LA to work tomorrow, spend the night and work again Tuesday morning. Sighhhhh. I really hope I can find a cover, otherwise, so much for being home.
On the bright side, I'll get to crash on Aldy's brand spankin' new Ikea sofa bed!
Night, night everyone!
13 September 2008
This is Megan speaking, how may I help you?
I woke up at 3:00pm, and now I am writing my second post 26 days later. FAIL.
So prepare yourself for a ridiculously long blog of the past 26 days in the life of Megan.
---------------
Finally home. I must maximize this week! My goals are simple: eat as much Korean food as I possibly can, and somehow go to Disneyland 4 times before my pass expires on Wednesday.
Balloon: $7.
Churro + chocolate dipping sauce $3.50.
Screaming obnoxiously on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and still laughing at the cheesy script I've memorized on the Jungle Cruise: priceless.
Session C was a bad choice.
Though I enjoy it way more than I should, a dilemma which I'll address later, the post office job has definitely been a silver lining to the past six weeks.
It fulfills my childhood dream of having a job someday where I could do the following fancy things: stamp stuff, swipe cards, fill out forms with signatures, cashier, and best of all....peel stickers and stick them on things--stickers referring to postage, CPU labels, and additional USPS goodies from confirmations to customs forms.
Of course, when I was this young and ambitious, I'd go around with my Sanrio and Lisa Frank sticker books, spreading my tacky flair on our t.v., dining table, my aunt etc...
Like most other little girls, I loved doodling and practicing my curly cursive signature and would pick up empty forms from EVERYWHERE so I could fill them out at home, pretend to round-date and swipe a fake credit card.
Oh, and how could I forget. I'd bake play-dough food, serve it on plastic Keroppi plates, slap on my awesometastic IKEA apron and serve my customers (i.e. reluctant parents and overly accommodating grandma who unfortunately bit into my beautiful play-dough cookie and went as far as chewing for a good 30 seconds). The make-believe restaurant satisfied my one-man business dream of cooking, wearing an apron, getting to put a notepad in my pocket, setting a table, and most importantly, cashiering!
I was quite the starry-eyed child. Ask my parents. I wanted to be a librarian or cashier or bank teller, because their job duties included some of those "cool" tasks which are all now incorporated at the post office. Can anyone say, dream job? =/
It's also nice to see some familiar faces--T.A.'s, professors, friends, peers--as well as all the diverse, international visitors on campus during the summer. I've made use of my semi-fluency in Korean, and my embarrassingly broken French, but whatever I said seemed to have made sense to the lady buying stamps for France. Except for the extremely cranky customers, I'm glad to serve and work with everyone else.
Basically, it's great. That's where I keep coming back to the same dilemma: What am I doing with my life!? With every job, internship, and volunteer work I've taken on, I've realized that one, I need to work with people, and two, I'm good with people. Everyone's got something. I love to service and accommodate..."Post Office Express, this is Megan speaking."
Interning at LA Film Festival got me thinking about that route, maybe running a hotel someday. I would go berserk from the design to customer service. Danny would have to be my design consultant.
Obviously, I've always loved teaching and working with children and I have some closure knowing that I can always turn to teaching after college. I could have gone to any Cal State or community college, received credentials and gone into teaching right away, but the last thing I want is to grow sick of teaching.
As much as I love the entertainment industry, I don't necessarily want to form a life's career in it if I cannot work in the creative department, and that is very unlikely =/
Life is such a pickle, and I know so many people are in the same pickle.
I just don't want to disappoint my parents and jump around as a temp for 3 years after I graduate college because I have no idea what the heck I want to do. The fact that I just turned 20 is certainly not helping.
My parents went through so much more, worked so much harder by their twenties than I have. They both came from Korea, plunged straight into college at the age of 18.
Both were barely speaking English and my mom excelled in literature and writing poetry of all things. She passed Shakespeare with a Korean-English dictionary. I still have a hard time just reading Shakespeare and would love to buy Shakespeare for dummies. Plus, she's incredibly computer savvy and taught math at my elem/JH school. Yes, I was in her class for two years! She never called on me. *tear*
And my dad...sigh. Cal Berkeley undergrad to UCLA grad to USC law.
His two younger brothers, doctor and engineer. What am I doing?!?
-------------
Aaaanyway, back to being home. My more substantial goals for this short week:
Read
-6 week's worth of the Los Angeles Times because the subscription actually went through...
-Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
-The Little Prince in French because i love it / French 4 approaches and I'm screwed.
Watch
-Persepolis
-Brokeback Mountain. sorry Aldo! I will bring it back when I move in.
-Waitress. again because it is a darling film and I was distracted while watching it last night on On Demand (I'm going to miss HBO so much when I move in).
Write
-this freakin' blog, one post a day because my life is going to be that interesting...
-a short film for le directeur? i will try, i promise!
-more so get back into writing. I will be rummaging through my 20 year's worth of boxes to find my old poetry book and short stories I started writing when I was just a lass in 5th grade.
Eat
-anything
-everything
Misc
-play the piano everyday.
--As much as my dad and I fought about lessons and practicing, I know that music always made us both happy. Of course, just about everyone in my family played piano, but for my dad, it's not about playing to compete. He really just wants me to enjoy music and be able to sit down and play a tune to relax. I certainly do not want 10 years of lessons, competitions, festivals, and so very many recitals (stockings, grandma sweater, flowery dress and all) to have been a waste.
--Flighty, let's definitely look into sharing a keyboard.
---------------
Some memories from this summer session:
"Megan, you're 20 years old! You're gonna have to start putting yourself out there!" -Maral, after I refused to tag along with her to a party because "I'll just stand there and be sober and awkward"
"So hot." -Markus, after Slipknot came on the VMAs with their Hannibal masks, though he insists he was referring to how hot the apt. was
Those darn garlic cheese rolls from Italian Express +
don't ask it was 2 a.m. and we couldn't contain our laughter.
Righteous despite the overall hate from the critics. The dynamic duo has paid their dues and can do whatever they want. It can't be any worse than Lakeview Terrace, oh Samuel L.
Thanks again Alex!
Earning 5th place in Word Challenge. So many hours of my life dedicated to solving anagrams, with hopes that I have decreased the chances of getting Alzheimer's.
A simple, lovely birthday dinner.
Finally making it to the beach, just once, the entire summer. Thanks, Danny.
Living in l'hôtel de Sproul and getting to know so many of the front deskers.
Every family gathering. They keep me grounded.
The one time we went to Tiger Heat.
such simple, easy living.
Last, but not least...
but it shall never top
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
And now, an unnecessarily long, short story. I'd just like to say that this was the first time this has ever happened to me, and I was so panicked, even though I'm sure this happens daily for other people. So please enjoy this tale about me in all my fumbling glory.
I was working in the post office on Tuesday and this guy walks in wanting to sell textbooks as so many people have been doing all summer. He doesn't know how to go about this, and he hasn't discovered the magical, USPS secret of media mail. He is also extremely confused about how to package his textbooks.
I'm technically not supposed to suggest the cheapest options for the customer in terms of revealing the media mail option or advising that they can find more variety of packaging at the UCLA store, but I do anyway. I explain all the options he's got. We test out boxes and envelopes. I send him downstairs to the store, he comes back, deciding to go with the unmarked boxes we sell.
Up to this point, it had been pretty slow in the Post Office, people just buying stamps or mailing out small packets and such, which my co-worker was handling as I continued to help this guy.
Finally, the rush of the day came. There was a fairly long line out the door. The same guy comes back in ready to mail out his books. I recognized him, of course, greeted him with a friendly "hey, you're back."
Print, print, print. Stamp, stamp, stamp. Toss, toss, toss, his packages into the media mail bag.
I hand him his receipt, say my usual, "Thanks, have a good one!"
Then he replies, "So, I usually never do this..." I'm sure at this point, whoever is reading this can guess how this phrase usually ends. Of course, I'm completely oblivious, expecting him to just leave after he finishes his sentence. "...but would you like to have coffee sometime?"
First thought, "Ew, coffee." Then, I realize what he just said and now everything becomes incredibly awkward. Pretty embarrassing how the rest of it goes down.
I literally don't say anything for about a minute, starting to process the next package. The most I can get out is a sad, "--uh. uhmm..." I see the line of customers out the door and try to send him off. "I'm really busy right now."
Duh, Megan. But I couldn't think of anything else.
I'm pretty much panicking and dying of awkwardness inside. Finally he offers his number. I don't even think of giving him mine. He is nice, but I'm too freaked out by what is happening because this doesn't happen to me. This happens in movies and Gossip Girl. So awkward. Soooo drama.
Of course, there aren't any post-its or loose paper lying around and I'm panicking trying to help the next customer at the same time. So I fumble around and just give him the back of a CPU label to write on, because he's still just standing there. Aghhh, still dying inside.
He then offers his hand, "I'm Tony." I shake it, "Megan, nice meeting you."
I don't want to come off sounding mean in any way, but I was SO relieved when he left. Is it horrible to say that I didn't really intend to call him back, because I have no idea how to handle anything like that and it would have the most awkward cup of coffee, hot chocolate for me, ever. Unfortunately the label, given that it was going to be trash anyway, did get thrown out during closing.
Given my luck, and how much Jesus loves me, he'll come to the post office again and I'll have to be just as awkwardly charming as I was this time. Perhaps an extra minute before I reply with "uhm." Or even better, "I'm still busy," when the post office is bustling with one customer buying a stamp.
I do appreciate the compliment though. That was probably the most exciting social incident I've had in the boy department since getting asked to Homecoming with a fake report to a locker filled with: lime green skittles, a Canada Dry Ginger Ale, and other awesome snacks which the guy knew I liked. That was far less awkward, though, and much more appreciated.
I've concluded that e-harmony.com will lead to future happiness. If those ridiculously good-looking couples on t.v. could find true love, then by golly, so can I. If for some odd reason, e-harmony rejects me based on something unacceptable on my profile, I'm glad to know that match.com will gladly take me. Though, the fact that they'll take anyone is a bit janky/skeevy--two new words I learned this summer. Don't worry, you won't be hearing those words coming out of my mouth to describe anything "shady" or "sketch."
Until tomorrow, bye bye blog.
So prepare yourself for a ridiculously long blog of the past 26 days in the life of Megan.
---------------
Finally home. I must maximize this week! My goals are simple: eat as much Korean food as I possibly can, and somehow go to Disneyland 4 times before my pass expires on Wednesday.
Balloon: $7.
Churro + chocolate dipping sauce $3.50.
Screaming obnoxiously on Mr. Toad's Wild Ride and still laughing at the cheesy script I've memorized on the Jungle Cruise: priceless.
Session C was a bad choice.
Though I enjoy it way more than I should, a dilemma which I'll address later, the post office job has definitely been a silver lining to the past six weeks.
It fulfills my childhood dream of having a job someday where I could do the following fancy things: stamp stuff, swipe cards, fill out forms with signatures, cashier, and best of all....peel stickers and stick them on things--stickers referring to postage, CPU labels, and additional USPS goodies from confirmations to customs forms.
Of course, when I was this young and ambitious, I'd go around with my Sanrio and Lisa Frank sticker books, spreading my tacky flair on our t.v., dining table, my aunt etc...
Like most other little girls, I loved doodling and practicing my curly cursive signature and would pick up empty forms from EVERYWHERE so I could fill them out at home, pretend to round-date and swipe a fake credit card.
Oh, and how could I forget. I'd bake play-dough food, serve it on plastic Keroppi plates, slap on my awesometastic IKEA apron and serve my customers (i.e. reluctant parents and overly accommodating grandma who unfortunately bit into my beautiful play-dough cookie and went as far as chewing for a good 30 seconds). The make-believe restaurant satisfied my one-man business dream of cooking, wearing an apron, getting to put a notepad in my pocket, setting a table, and most importantly, cashiering!
I was quite the starry-eyed child. Ask my parents. I wanted to be a librarian or cashier or bank teller, because their job duties included some of those "cool" tasks which are all now incorporated at the post office. Can anyone say, dream job? =/
It's also nice to see some familiar faces--T.A.'s, professors, friends, peers--as well as all the diverse, international visitors on campus during the summer. I've made use of my semi-fluency in Korean, and my embarrassingly broken French, but whatever I said seemed to have made sense to the lady buying stamps for France. Except for the extremely cranky customers, I'm glad to serve and work with everyone else.
Basically, it's great. That's where I keep coming back to the same dilemma: What am I doing with my life!? With every job, internship, and volunteer work I've taken on, I've realized that one, I need to work with people, and two, I'm good with people. Everyone's got something. I love to service and accommodate..."Post Office Express, this is Megan speaking."
Interning at LA Film Festival got me thinking about that route, maybe running a hotel someday. I would go berserk from the design to customer service. Danny would have to be my design consultant.
Obviously, I've always loved teaching and working with children and I have some closure knowing that I can always turn to teaching after college. I could have gone to any Cal State or community college, received credentials and gone into teaching right away, but the last thing I want is to grow sick of teaching.
As much as I love the entertainment industry, I don't necessarily want to form a life's career in it if I cannot work in the creative department, and that is very unlikely =/
Life is such a pickle, and I know so many people are in the same pickle.
I just don't want to disappoint my parents and jump around as a temp for 3 years after I graduate college because I have no idea what the heck I want to do. The fact that I just turned 20 is certainly not helping.
My parents went through so much more, worked so much harder by their twenties than I have. They both came from Korea, plunged straight into college at the age of 18.
Both were barely speaking English and my mom excelled in literature and writing poetry of all things. She passed Shakespeare with a Korean-English dictionary. I still have a hard time just reading Shakespeare and would love to buy Shakespeare for dummies. Plus, she's incredibly computer savvy and taught math at my elem/JH school. Yes, I was in her class for two years! She never called on me. *tear*
And my dad...sigh. Cal Berkeley undergrad to UCLA grad to USC law.
His two younger brothers, doctor and engineer. What am I doing?!?
-------------
Aaaanyway, back to being home. My more substantial goals for this short week:
Read
-6 week's worth of the Los Angeles Times because the subscription actually went through...
-Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
-The Little Prince in French because i love it / French 4 approaches and I'm screwed.
Watch
-Persepolis
-Brokeback Mountain. sorry Aldo! I will bring it back when I move in.
-Waitress. again because it is a darling film and I was distracted while watching it last night on On Demand (I'm going to miss HBO so much when I move in).
Write
-this freakin' blog, one post a day because my life is going to be that interesting...
-a short film for le directeur? i will try, i promise!
-more so get back into writing. I will be rummaging through my 20 year's worth of boxes to find my old poetry book and short stories I started writing when I was just a lass in 5th grade.
Eat
-anything
-everything
Misc
-play the piano everyday.
--As much as my dad and I fought about lessons and practicing, I know that music always made us both happy. Of course, just about everyone in my family played piano, but for my dad, it's not about playing to compete. He really just wants me to enjoy music and be able to sit down and play a tune to relax. I certainly do not want 10 years of lessons, competitions, festivals, and so very many recitals (stockings, grandma sweater, flowery dress and all) to have been a waste.
--Flighty, let's definitely look into sharing a keyboard.
---------------
Some memories from this summer session:
"Megan, you're 20 years old! You're gonna have to start putting yourself out there!" -Maral, after I refused to tag along with her to a party because "I'll just stand there and be sober and awkward"
"So hot." -Markus, after Slipknot came on the VMAs with their Hannibal masks, though he insists he was referring to how hot the apt. was
Those darn garlic cheese rolls from Italian Express +
don't ask it was 2 a.m. and we couldn't contain our laughter.
Righteous despite the overall hate from the critics. The dynamic duo has paid their dues and can do whatever they want. It can't be any worse than Lakeview Terrace, oh Samuel L.
Thanks again Alex!
Earning 5th place in Word Challenge. So many hours of my life dedicated to solving anagrams, with hopes that I have decreased the chances of getting Alzheimer's.
A simple, lovely birthday dinner.
Finally making it to the beach, just once, the entire summer. Thanks, Danny.
Living in l'hôtel de Sproul and getting to know so many of the front deskers.
Every family gathering. They keep me grounded.
The one time we went to Tiger Heat.
such simple, easy living.
Last, but not least...
but it shall never top
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
And now, an unnecessarily long, short story. I'd just like to say that this was the first time this has ever happened to me, and I was so panicked, even though I'm sure this happens daily for other people. So please enjoy this tale about me in all my fumbling glory.
I was working in the post office on Tuesday and this guy walks in wanting to sell textbooks as so many people have been doing all summer. He doesn't know how to go about this, and he hasn't discovered the magical, USPS secret of media mail. He is also extremely confused about how to package his textbooks.
I'm technically not supposed to suggest the cheapest options for the customer in terms of revealing the media mail option or advising that they can find more variety of packaging at the UCLA store, but I do anyway. I explain all the options he's got. We test out boxes and envelopes. I send him downstairs to the store, he comes back, deciding to go with the unmarked boxes we sell.
Up to this point, it had been pretty slow in the Post Office, people just buying stamps or mailing out small packets and such, which my co-worker was handling as I continued to help this guy.
Finally, the rush of the day came. There was a fairly long line out the door. The same guy comes back in ready to mail out his books. I recognized him, of course, greeted him with a friendly "hey, you're back."
Print, print, print. Stamp, stamp, stamp. Toss, toss, toss, his packages into the media mail bag.
I hand him his receipt, say my usual, "Thanks, have a good one!"
Then he replies, "So, I usually never do this..." I'm sure at this point, whoever is reading this can guess how this phrase usually ends. Of course, I'm completely oblivious, expecting him to just leave after he finishes his sentence. "...but would you like to have coffee sometime?"
First thought, "Ew, coffee." Then, I realize what he just said and now everything becomes incredibly awkward. Pretty embarrassing how the rest of it goes down.
I literally don't say anything for about a minute, starting to process the next package. The most I can get out is a sad, "--uh. uhmm..." I see the line of customers out the door and try to send him off. "I'm really busy right now."
Duh, Megan. But I couldn't think of anything else.
I'm pretty much panicking and dying of awkwardness inside. Finally he offers his number. I don't even think of giving him mine. He is nice, but I'm too freaked out by what is happening because this doesn't happen to me. This happens in movies and Gossip Girl. So awkward. Soooo drama.
Of course, there aren't any post-its or loose paper lying around and I'm panicking trying to help the next customer at the same time. So I fumble around and just give him the back of a CPU label to write on, because he's still just standing there. Aghhh, still dying inside.
He then offers his hand, "I'm Tony." I shake it, "Megan, nice meeting you."
I don't want to come off sounding mean in any way, but I was SO relieved when he left. Is it horrible to say that I didn't really intend to call him back, because I have no idea how to handle anything like that and it would have the most awkward cup of coffee, hot chocolate for me, ever. Unfortunately the label, given that it was going to be trash anyway, did get thrown out during closing.
Given my luck, and how much Jesus loves me, he'll come to the post office again and I'll have to be just as awkwardly charming as I was this time. Perhaps an extra minute before I reply with "uhm." Or even better, "I'm still busy," when the post office is bustling with one customer buying a stamp.
I do appreciate the compliment though. That was probably the most exciting social incident I've had in the boy department since getting asked to Homecoming with a fake report to a locker filled with: lime green skittles, a Canada Dry Ginger Ale, and other awesome snacks which the guy knew I liked. That was far less awkward, though, and much more appreciated.
I've concluded that e-harmony.com will lead to future happiness. If those ridiculously good-looking couples on t.v. could find true love, then by golly, so can I. If for some odd reason, e-harmony rejects me based on something unacceptable on my profile, I'm glad to know that match.com will gladly take me. Though, the fact that they'll take anyone is a bit janky/skeevy--two new words I learned this summer. Don't worry, you won't be hearing those words coming out of my mouth to describe anything "shady" or "sketch."
Until tomorrow, bye bye blog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
