I had a delightfully tiring day tearing up the slopes in Tahoe.
However, standing in many many long lines made me realize something. Lots and lots of people are grumpy. Lots of people nag at each other, pick at each others little faults, complain about conditions that they can do nothing about...I admit that I often commit these crimes, but being around so many people today made me notice that there are more people like this in the world than I am happy with.
Why can't we just try and be happy? Times may get you down but I feel like there's always a bright side, and if there's not a bright side, hopefully there's a good friend and a stack of fresh-baked cookies to get you through.
What I'm saying is, I realize that we as humans are faulty. We make mistakes all the time, because that's how we learn. The thing that I am afraid of is making the mistake of not being happy. Too many times I've been frustrated with things outside of my power, things that I can easily forget about in the coming minutes. But I let these things occupy my mind and get me tangled within myself, so rather than enjoying the happy times that are flying by, I'm caught up in a mess that is easily forgettable.
This post is rather cliche, I suppose, because to sum it all up, I guess you could just say "don't worry, be happy."
But waiting in line with grouchy strangers today made me wonder how many people are really, genuinely happy. Do they find joy in their lives, every day? Do they even look for it anymore?
Amidst the freezing toes and fingers, the icy windshields and soggy pants, the unfortunate stomachache and random moments of eating shit, I had a fantastic time today. It was a perfect release, and it made me happy in ways too complex to put in words.
Other things that made me happy:
-cute, bundled babies being pulled in the snow
-muscle memory not failing me
-perfect fields of untouched snow
-POWDER, baby! (:
I hope joy is something I never forget how to find.
12.27.2008
12.25.2008
christmas day
Merry Christmas, all!
Is it just me, or is Christmas rather uneventful? This isn't necessarily a negative thing, believe me, I appreciate the uneventful days just as much as the days jam-packed with fun. But in my history, Christmas has always been a day when everyone just sits back and takes a breath. Which is good; most of us are living life too quickly without truly appreciating the present.
I woke up nice and late today, quite a change from the days when my sister and I would wake up at six in the morning to start opening presents. Presents were not a focus this year; I guess the real gift of the season is that I'm with my family and friends. Cheesy, perhaps, but I truly couldn't be any happier. Plus, gifts can be overrated. Cards, on the other hand, are too often underrated. I appreciate a heartfelt and well-written card much more than the big box attached...because cards are for keeps! And I like reading what other people write.
Plus, I keep cards for ages and ages. I still have birthday cards from when I was in seventh grade packed away, and any letters I get are stored similarly. I stumbled upon a letter I received from my pen-pal soldier in April 2007 and it made me wonder where he is and how he's doing...I hope he's with his loved ones. I can't remember why we lost contact. And I will admit, it worries me a tad.
Anyway, after a delicious Christmas lunch (my mom went all out and cooked rack of lamb, mmm!) I went driving with my dad. Quality father-daughter bonding time, no? I haven't practiced driving in quite a while so I was a little rusty to begin with, but I got more and more comfortable as I continued practicing. License, here I come! License is one of the words I spell incorrectly ALL the time. Thank goodness for Firefox's spell check feature.
My family + Crystal (who actually might be a distant relation, hahahah) are leaving for Tahoe early tomorrow morning. I can't wait to hit the slopes once more! Hopefully I won't fall on my face and be a complete failure and then some, but as I learned today with my driving, going back to something you haven't done in a while isn't easy as pie.
I hope you all had happy days as well. (:
Is it just me, or is Christmas rather uneventful? This isn't necessarily a negative thing, believe me, I appreciate the uneventful days just as much as the days jam-packed with fun. But in my history, Christmas has always been a day when everyone just sits back and takes a breath. Which is good; most of us are living life too quickly without truly appreciating the present.
I woke up nice and late today, quite a change from the days when my sister and I would wake up at six in the morning to start opening presents. Presents were not a focus this year; I guess the real gift of the season is that I'm with my family and friends. Cheesy, perhaps, but I truly couldn't be any happier. Plus, gifts can be overrated. Cards, on the other hand, are too often underrated. I appreciate a heartfelt and well-written card much more than the big box attached...because cards are for keeps! And I like reading what other people write.
Plus, I keep cards for ages and ages. I still have birthday cards from when I was in seventh grade packed away, and any letters I get are stored similarly. I stumbled upon a letter I received from my pen-pal soldier in April 2007 and it made me wonder where he is and how he's doing...I hope he's with his loved ones. I can't remember why we lost contact. And I will admit, it worries me a tad.
Anyway, after a delicious Christmas lunch (my mom went all out and cooked rack of lamb, mmm!) I went driving with my dad. Quality father-daughter bonding time, no? I haven't practiced driving in quite a while so I was a little rusty to begin with, but I got more and more comfortable as I continued practicing. License, here I come! License is one of the words I spell incorrectly ALL the time. Thank goodness for Firefox's spell check feature.
My family + Crystal (who actually might be a distant relation, hahahah) are leaving for Tahoe early tomorrow morning. I can't wait to hit the slopes once more! Hopefully I won't fall on my face and be a complete failure and then some, but as I learned today with my driving, going back to something you haven't done in a while isn't easy as pie.
I hope you all had happy days as well. (:
12.18.2008
it is hard to type
because my fingers are so cold. Haha, I exaggerate. But it is thirty-six degrees in Cupertino. It should not be this cold. Is this allowed?
Despite this BITING cold weather, I am actually enjoying myself, and hoping for rain for once in my life. Because rain usually means snow at higher/colder elevations, correct? And that means that we can take another trip up Montebello and frolic in the snow once more! I was there just a couple nights ago and there was a bit of it that hadn't melted yet. YAY! (:
Besides the late night hill adventures, Donut Wheel has been frequented twice in the past two days. The first night, I went with Richa and Tiffo and we got kicked out by the worker in cropped denim. He was giving us death glares all night, probably for our excessive laughter. Also the fact that we made fun of his "NO GAMES" sign might have been a factor. But still, we felt like badasses. And we were there for a good hour before he kicked us out, so no real loss. Haha. The second night I went with Meher, Katherine, Crystal, and Kevin and we managed to not get kicked out! He did, however, give us our donuts in take-out bags, probably an indication that our company was NOT welcome. Oh well.
The mall has also been quite a popular hot spot for me! And by hot spot, I mean a place where I somehow lose money surprisingly quickly. I need to be better at this. But I'm stimulating our economy! That's what I keep telling my dad, haha. Mr. Chiang taught me well last year.
Being home makes me happy. And it sucks to be stupid and not realize how much your friends really mean to you and how much fun you have doing nothing with them and how much they make you smile until you have to be ripped apart from them for a good four months. But hi, I'm stupid, and I kind of just realized now how awesome my friends are. Congrats, stay friends with me plzthx.
Winter break is pretty much just what I needed right now.
Despite this BITING cold weather, I am actually enjoying myself, and hoping for rain for once in my life. Because rain usually means snow at higher/colder elevations, correct? And that means that we can take another trip up Montebello and frolic in the snow once more! I was there just a couple nights ago and there was a bit of it that hadn't melted yet. YAY! (:
Besides the late night hill adventures, Donut Wheel has been frequented twice in the past two days. The first night, I went with Richa and Tiffo and we got kicked out by the worker in cropped denim. He was giving us death glares all night, probably for our excessive laughter. Also the fact that we made fun of his "NO GAMES" sign might have been a factor. But still, we felt like badasses. And we were there for a good hour before he kicked us out, so no real loss. Haha. The second night I went with Meher, Katherine, Crystal, and Kevin and we managed to not get kicked out! He did, however, give us our donuts in take-out bags, probably an indication that our company was NOT welcome. Oh well.
The mall has also been quite a popular hot spot for me! And by hot spot, I mean a place where I somehow lose money surprisingly quickly. I need to be better at this. But I'm stimulating our economy! That's what I keep telling my dad, haha. Mr. Chiang taught me well last year.
Being home makes me happy. And it sucks to be stupid and not realize how much your friends really mean to you and how much fun you have doing nothing with them and how much they make you smile until you have to be ripped apart from them for a good four months. But hi, I'm stupid, and I kind of just realized now how awesome my friends are. Congrats, stay friends with me plzthx.
Winter break is pretty much just what I needed right now.
12.14.2008
here again
I don't know whether or not I'm at home when I'm at Cupertino still! And in all honesty I'm not even in Cupertino, I'm in Santa Clara. Which causes confusion for poor little me. I live way too far. ):
I feel like wherever you go there will just be people you love and who (hopefully) love you back. That's where home is, I guess.
I think I'm in an incredibly crappy mood! But I will push on, regardless.
SO fall quarter is over, and I did learn a lot. Not necessarily book-knowledge but like...life knowledge. Haha, hooray for experience beating you in the face with a brick. That was a little harsh, fall quarter was nothing like that! I coasted along for the most part with some bumps along the way, but that is generally how things go for me anyhow.
Lessons learned?
1. Know how to focus on yourself and what you need to take care of. IE, if you have class early in the morning the next day, do NOT stay up until 4am with people who don't have class until the afternoon. Not really the best idea.
2. Don't spend so much money. Seriously. I NEED A JOB.
3. Eating ramen overly much isn't really the best idea. Not really.
4. TIME MANAGEMENT is crucial! But we have all heard that one before, duh.
5. Yes, college is different. Adjustments must be made, do not be so surprised/naive.
Goals for next quarter:
-sign up for dance classes
-go to the ARC regularly
-work on not eating super late at night
-work on not staying up super late, for that matter.
-be on top of my schoolwork
Okay...I'm done but not really. Boo. I think a really nice long nap would help me. I'm not in the cheeriest of spirits. \=
I feel like wherever you go there will just be people you love and who (hopefully) love you back. That's where home is, I guess.
I think I'm in an incredibly crappy mood! But I will push on, regardless.
SO fall quarter is over, and I did learn a lot. Not necessarily book-knowledge but like...life knowledge. Haha, hooray for experience beating you in the face with a brick. That was a little harsh, fall quarter was nothing like that! I coasted along for the most part with some bumps along the way, but that is generally how things go for me anyhow.
Lessons learned?
1. Know how to focus on yourself and what you need to take care of. IE, if you have class early in the morning the next day, do NOT stay up until 4am with people who don't have class until the afternoon. Not really the best idea.
2. Don't spend so much money. Seriously. I NEED A JOB.
3. Eating ramen overly much isn't really the best idea. Not really.
4. TIME MANAGEMENT is crucial! But we have all heard that one before, duh.
5. Yes, college is different. Adjustments must be made, do not be so surprised/naive.
Goals for next quarter:
-sign up for dance classes
-go to the ARC regularly
-work on not eating super late at night
-work on not staying up super late, for that matter.
-be on top of my schoolwork
Okay...I'm done but not really. Boo. I think a really nice long nap would help me. I'm not in the cheeriest of spirits. \=
12.09.2008
finals, yay!
Finals week is like a constant pajama party.
There is no need to even leave the hall, unless it is for food or delicious peppermint cookies. I have been in my pajamas pretty much since I woke up at one, and since then, I have been in my bed about half the time. Which I really, really enjoy. There is no motivation to look nice at all, or to even bother putting together any outfits. I could probably pack all my regular clothes and survive until Saturday with sweats and Hanes T-shirts...but I won't. Cause I'm too lazy to dig out my suitcase.
However, the emptiness is rather disconcerting. My last final is Friday at 4pm so I'm going about my day with a rather dark cloud looming ahead. The knowledge that I have this final in the last possible slot makes life a little harder. And yet, every time I turn on my computer to start studying, I seem to stray from the path and end up on facebook or watching ten episodes of How I Met Your Mother instead.
OH, life. I hope the rest of you are experiencing the success in studying/testing that I seem to lack.
There is no need to even leave the hall, unless it is for food or delicious peppermint cookies. I have been in my pajamas pretty much since I woke up at one, and since then, I have been in my bed about half the time. Which I really, really enjoy. There is no motivation to look nice at all, or to even bother putting together any outfits. I could probably pack all my regular clothes and survive until Saturday with sweats and Hanes T-shirts...but I won't. Cause I'm too lazy to dig out my suitcase.
However, the emptiness is rather disconcerting. My last final is Friday at 4pm so I'm going about my day with a rather dark cloud looming ahead. The knowledge that I have this final in the last possible slot makes life a little harder. And yet, every time I turn on my computer to start studying, I seem to stray from the path and end up on facebook or watching ten episodes of How I Met Your Mother instead.
OH, life. I hope the rest of you are experiencing the success in studying/testing that I seem to lack.
12.07.2008
study break!
Yeah so I've only been studying for like 20 minutes so far, what up! A girl deserves a good blogging break every once in a while.
My first final is tomorrow at 8 in the morning, hoorah.
And I am at the same place where very little seems to matter to me. The future seems rich and promising and far away, yet still within my reach. I am very excited to grow up and all that good stuff but this excitement does not translate into me being motivated in the present day. Hah.
I'm in the study room and I realize some people have very annoying study habits. Whispering along to your music is definitely not allowed, along with small dancing motions. It's very distracting and I want to yell at him to stop, dammit.
Also, people lacking common sense or practicality tend to annoy me a teensy bit.
And NO, I'm not in a grumpy mood. I just don't want to study. ):
Other than this week being finals week, I'm actually pretty excited for it. My finals fill the first and last spots offered (Monday 8am and Friday 4pm) and so I kind of have a fat span of empty space in between. Yes I will be studying, but not for 24 hours every day, so I'm pretty ready to enjoy some free time.
Oddly enough, I am not as excited for winter break as I was for Thanksgiving break.
My first final is tomorrow at 8 in the morning, hoorah.
And I am at the same place where very little seems to matter to me. The future seems rich and promising and far away, yet still within my reach. I am very excited to grow up and all that good stuff but this excitement does not translate into me being motivated in the present day. Hah.
I'm in the study room and I realize some people have very annoying study habits. Whispering along to your music is definitely not allowed, along with small dancing motions. It's very distracting and I want to yell at him to stop, dammit.
Also, people lacking common sense or practicality tend to annoy me a teensy bit.
And NO, I'm not in a grumpy mood. I just don't want to study. ):
Other than this week being finals week, I'm actually pretty excited for it. My finals fill the first and last spots offered (Monday 8am and Friday 4pm) and so I kind of have a fat span of empty space in between. Yes I will be studying, but not for 24 hours every day, so I'm pretty ready to enjoy some free time.
Oddly enough, I am not as excited for winter break as I was for Thanksgiving break.
12.04.2008
holiday cheer
My suite, view down the staircase, and the common room. (:
My hall is amazing with decor and Christmas spirit! We sang Christmas carols tonight as our hall was judged for holiday decoration. And we ripped up paper and pretended it was snow and made snow angels and sang and danced and dressed up, and it was super cute! This was right after our hall banquet where we all got dolled up and pigged out. My hall seriously rockkkks.<3
Pretty much I am filled to the brim with holiday cheer! And optimism in general.
Like the fact that I missed one and a half out of two classes today don't phase me none! Also I am increasingly optimistic about my essay due Saturday and my bio final on Monday, both of which require much more work on my part. Does that tell you what a good mood I am in right now? I feel like I can do accomplish anything! All I have to do is get around to doing it..haha.
It might be the caffeine talking. I had a double shot Starbucks thingy today and perhaps the caffeine is hyping me up into some over-energetic/optimistic freak of nature. Could be that.
The Best Day by Taylor Swift is such a cute, simply happy song. Simple happiness is hard to come by, and I wish I could embody that feeling of peaceful, quiet joy the way that she does in this song. Appreciation of the smaller moments and simple pleasures is really important!
The Secret Santa gift I got! How scandy, as my friend Monique would say. Hahaha
12.03.2008
it rains when you're here and it rains when you're gone
Don't ask me to explain the title, it would take waaay too much effort. All I have to say for myself is that Taylor Swift is the greatest. Also, this blows my mind: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSfhyjKr7pE&feature=PlayList&p=7A8772C4056060AD&index=0. Favorite! This paragraph made no sense.
Everyone is at the hall dinner tonight, but I decided to skip out on it and opt for a study sesh/quick dinner duo. So that is what I am doing, except for that first part. Catching up on blogs seems a much more worthwhile way to pass the time, and I truly can not concentrate on studying when the leaves of my Caesar salad are the size of my face. (Seriously, eating this salad is ridiculous. Dressing splatters everywhere when I attempt to force even one oversized leaf into my mouth.)
I signed up for classes! Winter quarter consists of Management, Psych, and Humanities Core. I'm looking forward to next quarter, but not everyone else is. It's going to be BULLY for a ton of people and everyone will be studying all the time or at class or labs and we will have no time to socialize! Yeah, right...that's what they say now. But you know for sure that we'll be staying up late doing nothing as always.
So I stayed up until 4 AM yesterday, not studying. Duh. I was doing this riddle website with a couple friends and I strongly encourage you to attempt it! There are 20 questions and yes, it took us quite a while, but I do enjoy a good riddle. Too bad I am stubborn with things like this and ABSOLUTELY MUST finish all the riddles even though it is 4 in the morning and I have completely disregarded studying! Anyway. Here is the link: http://urlriddle.googlepages.com/
This late bedtime was really not a good idea. Instead of waking up at 7 to turn in my housing application as planned, I woke up at 10. So I missed the ideal housing app turn-in time as well as a shopping date at the vendor fair! ): After the fastest shower I've ever taken I went to class and then to Albertson's and finally onto a shuttle to Vista Del Campo, my apartment complex for next year.
VDC is freaking sweet. I don't really know what else to say other than that. Hopefully I'm going to be living in a 4 bed/2 bath apartment with Lesley, Sarah, and Jacki. I'm super excited to decorate and have my own room for the first time in seventeen years!! I kid you not.
I made it to the vendor fair eventually and bought another scarf to add to the stuff I bought yesterday. I spend way too much money, thanks. Stimulating the economy is definitely a top priority for me.
All the halls in Middle Earth are being judged tomorrow for their holiday decor. Our hall is pretty decked out; we have a wreath, stockings for everyone, giant candycanes, dangling dreidles, a tree, lights EVERYWHERE, and more! Today I sat for a good hour and made longlonglongg paper chains to hang on the banister and I must say it is pretty fab. Snowflake cutting is happening later in the night and I am thuper exthited! It seems like I am getting very into the holiday season this year, or maybe it is only because my hall is so damn cute. Anyway, paper-chain making was very therapeutic and it made me feel crafty, so the hour spent really was for a good cause.
I have progressed into a state of mind where little matters to me other than the right now. I really like being busy and having things to occupy me; the slow days are nice every so often, but a schedule with something always happening keeps me content and prevents me from focusing on things I really shouldn't focus on. Hoorah.
Also, hoorah for bandwagon hopping:
post a memory of me as a comment for this entry.
it can be anything you want.
maybe your first, maybe your favorite.
& post this to your journal and see what people remember of you.
Everyone is at the hall dinner tonight, but I decided to skip out on it and opt for a study sesh/quick dinner duo. So that is what I am doing, except for that first part. Catching up on blogs seems a much more worthwhile way to pass the time, and I truly can not concentrate on studying when the leaves of my Caesar salad are the size of my face. (Seriously, eating this salad is ridiculous. Dressing splatters everywhere when I attempt to force even one oversized leaf into my mouth.)
I signed up for classes! Winter quarter consists of Management, Psych, and Humanities Core. I'm looking forward to next quarter, but not everyone else is. It's going to be BULLY for a ton of people and everyone will be studying all the time or at class or labs and we will have no time to socialize! Yeah, right...that's what they say now. But you know for sure that we'll be staying up late doing nothing as always.
So I stayed up until 4 AM yesterday, not studying. Duh. I was doing this riddle website with a couple friends and I strongly encourage you to attempt it! There are 20 questions and yes, it took us quite a while, but I do enjoy a good riddle. Too bad I am stubborn with things like this and ABSOLUTELY MUST finish all the riddles even though it is 4 in the morning and I have completely disregarded studying! Anyway. Here is the link: http://urlriddle.googlepages.com/
This late bedtime was really not a good idea. Instead of waking up at 7 to turn in my housing application as planned, I woke up at 10. So I missed the ideal housing app turn-in time as well as a shopping date at the vendor fair! ): After the fastest shower I've ever taken I went to class and then to Albertson's and finally onto a shuttle to Vista Del Campo, my apartment complex for next year.
VDC is freaking sweet. I don't really know what else to say other than that. Hopefully I'm going to be living in a 4 bed/2 bath apartment with Lesley, Sarah, and Jacki. I'm super excited to decorate and have my own room for the first time in seventeen years!! I kid you not.
I made it to the vendor fair eventually and bought another scarf to add to the stuff I bought yesterday. I spend way too much money, thanks. Stimulating the economy is definitely a top priority for me.
All the halls in Middle Earth are being judged tomorrow for their holiday decor. Our hall is pretty decked out; we have a wreath, stockings for everyone, giant candycanes, dangling dreidles, a tree, lights EVERYWHERE, and more! Today I sat for a good hour and made longlonglongg paper chains to hang on the banister and I must say it is pretty fab. Snowflake cutting is happening later in the night and I am thuper exthited! It seems like I am getting very into the holiday season this year, or maybe it is only because my hall is so damn cute. Anyway, paper-chain making was very therapeutic and it made me feel crafty, so the hour spent really was for a good cause.
I have progressed into a state of mind where little matters to me other than the right now. I really like being busy and having things to occupy me; the slow days are nice every so often, but a schedule with something always happening keeps me content and prevents me from focusing on things I really shouldn't focus on. Hoorah.
Also, hoorah for bandwagon hopping:
post a memory of me as a comment for this entry.
it can be anything you want.
maybe your first, maybe your favorite.
& post this to your journal and see what people remember of you.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)