My First Week

Got into my dorms at 1am on Tuesday.
Tuesday was a blur (woke up around 10ish and walked around outside in PJs.....NEWSFLASH: in BOSTON, NO ONE WALKS AROUND IN SWEATS!)

Wednesday: Full day

Thursday: Full day (went to bed around 3)
Friday: Full day (went to bed around 3)
Saturday: full day.  (useless writing workshop, then cohort happy hour, then passed out in a huddle on my bed, then went to the hurricane irene party)

So, let's see.
My 2 boxes still haven't arrived.

I don't have certain essentials.

I love it here.

Kinda stressed about classes/internships, but making some *good* friends.
Thankful.

I forgot what I wanted to write on my list..........

OH i love my cohort and my program director is pretty amazing.

I'm happy.

I love private school.  I'm gonna make sure my kids go to a public school and learn to earn their education.  hah.

Getting excited about projects/research .... gonna try to test the waters for The Mind Garden.


I feel *very* California.  Too relaxed.  I say "like" and "dude".  Good thing I don't say hella.  I said "noob" and they didn't know what i meant.  But i DID feel like a noob.  I didn't bring an umbrella (still in my bag) b/c.. come on, it's SUmmer!  I don't have rainboots yet.. and yeah.

but yeah. :)

Visit!

-.- but i love it here!

Me: If I got a PhD -
Alice: you for suuuuure won't be getting married
Me: wait what really?
Alice: for suuuuure.
Me: no.
Alice: Dude I think so!
Me: nooo are you sure?
Alice: Yes.  yeah you for SURE can kiss your eggs goodbye because you won't be using any

random memory i'd like to keep

Bohyun and I got out of the car.
IT was dark.
I looked at the driveway and there was a black cat.  Uh oh. I think.  Bad luck!
It was heaving.  Hairball. I think. Gross.
It kept heaving. Poor cat. I think.
It threw up finally, not a hairball but a big glob of orangey brown gook. AHHH. I scream.
The cat runs away.  AHH! I scream.  This is probably REALLY bad luck. a black cat crosses my path and throws up in front of me!
Sarah screamed too. REally loud.
Then as we walk, the cat follows.  Then it leaves.  Whew. I think.
THEN suddenly it appears and follows as I turn into the Emeryville house.  I pick up the pace.
Sarah and I run into the house.  We ran in our heels.  We ran.  Away from the throwup black cat.

(The throw up black cat earlier went back to sniff its vomit. Gross.  You know what they say about a dog that returns to its vomit... I thought a cat would be smarter...)

Hey Everyone,
I'm here.  It was all in all a nice flight.  My bags ALL fit and Kathy and Grace helped me run a BUNCH of errands before I left!  In the first leg, I got stuck between a 79 y/o man with a French wife of 50 years and a larger white boy.  The man likes bourbon and ferraris and talking about the war.  I tried to sleep most of the trip.

Then I had an hour before the next flight, but pretty much just made it in time as they were boarding and chilled in my seat before take off.
I dozed on and off then too and listened to an old podcast of EBCB's Spotlight.  It was bittersweet (Nate and Frank MCing, Pedro interviewing Frances, Cass's "Realization", and Ebony's announcements).  

When I got off the plane, I got my bright pink bags RIGHT away... but then, I had the wrong phone number for Veronica (my pickup) and just waited at the airport....... and kiinda worried, but kinda didn't. B/c honestly, they speak English here, and that makes a HUGE difference.  And Veronica and PaulJ just came!  and got me!

And I'm in Cronkhite (used to be the all women's dorm for Radcliffe)!  3rd floor. A little closet of a room. Overlooking a sweet corner.  Right next to the Kitchen, across from a bathroom, near the elevator.  Sweet!  It's a little confusing b/c MA law states that you need keys for the stairs.  And certain stairs don't allow the keys, and.. there's swiping.  Oh, Cronkhite is kind of like a low-key version of Dwinelle.  My 3rd floor is only accessible through walking across the 2nd floor first.  Oh well. Adventure.  Basically, the front desk girl (Rebecca) knows me already b/c I kept on getting lost, having to go back down to the first floor, and walk back in through the lobby.

I probably won't be writing lengthy updates, but right now I'm procrastinating looking through courses and such.  Love you all!  Not too homesick... b/c seriously, Boston right now is kind of like Palo Alto.  Pretty, cute, quaint buildings.  People speak English.
I think the people speaking English part helps a lot. hahahahaha

The lights got brighter and brighter!

My door!

My room.

My view!

another milestone.

So after lots of stress and craziness, today I moved ALL 26 of my boxes into Christine, Natalie and Junny's attic.  (Thank you so much girls for your hospitality, flexibility, care, and love!!)  You're probably thinking 26? What the.  Let me explain.  Only 7 of them were large boxes.  The rest were small.  some "boxes" were really just a backpack or a sleeping mat, that I still marked with my tag.
Anyway, I chatted with CMyung, and we always have the most eventful conversations.

Since everything was last minute, I managed to stick everything into my little Honda Accord and then proceeded to lug each box up the stairs.  Then, I had to carry it up the ladder into their attic.  The first box I tried to take up (the really heavy one) caused a lot of drama.  I couldn't go up or down and my leg was shaking badly.  It was frightening.  I finally figured out how to get it up there... and then I took a quick breather and went down to get the rest of the boxes.

As I carried them up, I realized, that dude, I never have to get married.  I am bonafide self-sufficient.  I'm carrying 20+lb boxes up the stairs UP A ladder and storing it in an attic!  Like a GI Joe!  Christine (half-heartedly) countered, "It's not about carrying boxes, it's about companionship."  But I feel like I have better companionship elsewhere.  I voiced those thoughts.  Then she responded (a little too enthusiastically), "NO DOn't say that!! But YEah! I feel like that too!  I have a feeling that it's gonna be you, me, and Grace Son living together in the future."   I cracked up at that.  What a life.  I bet Grace would get mad and tell me to take her off the list.

Anyway, afterwards my hands were tingly, I was sweaty, but I was done!  All under an hour!  But I think I broke their ladder (but apparently Junny's strong and can fix it?  I guess if not, John can?).

Then I chatted a bit with le Myung.  I think I thought a lot though, these past few days.  Especially with my mom gone, me moving out, etc etc, and just reflecting and feeling isolated and alone (granted, this was late at night and I wasn't at the best emotional state).... sometimes I wonder if I'm independent because I put myself in this situation or if it's because others leave me alone.  And then I wonder what the purpose of relationships and friendships are, if they continue to pass.  I used to think relationships were like ponds, that simply grow deeper or shallower (depending on the rainfall or sun).  But now, I see it more like a river, where different currents intertwine for a time, but then move on.

Anyway, I'm moved, I'm packed.  They say "it's only ten months" but ten months is still a really long time.  I also am afraid of the reality that I may not come back.  If I'm not coming back, I want to know NOW and not 8 months from now.  I don't want to find out in April that I'm staying in Boston.  I feel like the more I want to return though, the more I'll have to stay.  That's how my life works!  Whatever I want, I don't really get.

Where will I BE?  People tease me about marriage (don't worry, a guy would never be my reason for staying in Boston.. I mean really?  Changing my life plans for a person I've known for like.. a few months?  No thank you.  I'm 24, not 44.  Plus, Janet said she's gonna sabotage any relationship I have there, so I guess that's that.  Lastly, I want to be the one with the advanced, frivolous degree.. a real man wouldn't be wasting his time in academia - he should focus on fixing a toilet (I mean if I'm saving money by cooking, he should save me on car and house upkeep!). HAHA. )... but I'm thinking.. I'm like almost too self-sufficient to need to be married.  In fact, I can fix my own car, carry my own boxes, build my own shelf... I have applecare so I don't have to worry about computers.  And if I can't.. my dad can.

So I guess until my dad dies, I can stay single and be relatively happy.

Unless this guy comes along.

  But otherwise. meh.

Anyway, til next time.

smile smile smile

yesterday i went to SJC and went to the parking lot.
it's $2 for 30 minutes. SO cheap. RIGHT next to baggage claims

when i ran in, there was no line. just a pleasant woman.
i got my backpack. everything was in it.
she was shocked when i said my laptop was in it.
i guess you're never supposed to check in a laptop b/c there's no reimbursement. eeps!

smile smile smile

this morning, i couldn't open the backpack zipper very well.  realized nailpolish leaked on it.
opened my smaller pocket, saw that nailpolish had broken in a very bizarre way but the bottle didn't cut me b/c the nailpolish had leaked over it!

I had put it into the smaller pocket so it only got on the bottom of my sandals but not on my clothes!

my eyeshadow had also exploded.. but b/c i had kept it in a small makeup bag, only that stuff was covered in the dark fine powder.


I really have no idea how this happened.. but I do realize, NEVER check in a backpack, and ALWAYS compartmentalize!

I was so happy at the small blessings in my life.


I mean, yes, stinky stuff happened, but they pale in comparison to what COULD have happened!

a wonderful weekend (final Socal trip of 2011)

Well, let me qualify my title: it was a wonderful weekend but ended up incredibly sucky, (no) thanks to Southwest.

I'll finish this later.

But:

Friday:
- picked up belated bday present to myself from UPS
- drove down.
* i LOVE the 5 drive.
the masses of sunflowers on the side of the I-5
the lack of traffic in the afternoon when the lanes are condensed to one
spanish music
news
cheesy christian c(h)ontemporary
rihanna
country
the radio stations along the I-5 are BOMB di-juh-tee!
- went to Forage with John Chizz and caught up
- went to some hookah bar/cafe with fcs Joy and caught up (with bad coffee, an okay crepe, and suffocatingly sweet hookah smoke that drifted in from other tables.)

Saturday:
- drove to the wedding with no issues with Abe (who never goes over 65!  we were still super on time!)
- lovely lovely lovely wedding. (i was genuinely very very happy for charles and christine.)
- fun, engaging, lively reception
good catching up with my class at my table
great MCs
everybody were great sports.
- OC Fair with people
i realized i'm still scarred from last year's OC fair, where i made quite the first impression on Jen ex-Han.
urghle. so, i shied away from fried food
made Grace Dwej and Beekerz walk with me as i looked for Jumz
- Jumz&My Disney Date
Jenny is qualiTee.
"do you like caramel apples?" - yes
"do you like apple pie?" - yes
"do you like apple pie caramel apples?" - no ... how would I know?! -_- :)
we saw edward cullen twins
we watched / listened to various live musics
we tried out every freaking sample at sephora -_-
we consumed apples, kettle corn, and mojitos at various joints
we looked at disney princess propaganda and PERUSED THE LEGO STORE I LOVE LEGOS
we saw fireworks!
my blase attitude towards disneyland and fireworks was semiii converted.  not entirely though.
i found a girl after my own trashy-music-heart.  (she can bust out to country, nicki minaj, rihanna, and bruno mars with the best of them. HAH!)
by the time we got home, i was assaulted by her crazy dogs.
and my voice was gone and i was tired, but being the good host she is, she insisted i stay up and engage in "girl talk" and not fall asleep on her, like i did last time.... but seriously, i always fall asleep on her b/c .. well, we girl talk all the time.  (when girls talk, is that not girl talk?)

Sunday
- waking up surrounded by dogs snuggled against you is surprisingly heartmelting
- found jenny and crawled into her bed and Bubba got mad but calmed down and then the dogs snuggled around us again and we slept some more.
- drove to starbucks
- john picked me up and he explained such SWEET things about why he was attracted to his special lady friend.  i think john's the only person who could sincerely say these things, and i have no urge to tease or barf, but i'm just.. encouraged and happified.
- ate brunch with some ebcoc munchkins and listened to reallllly bad jokes that are only funny b/c they laugh so hard.
- caught up with china esther lee..... and it was good. encouraged by how good it was / how good it is now as she's phasing back in... (for me, in retrospect, easing back into ebcb after TW was really hard.  especially since it felt like people were really busy with their lives and my close friends had left... i love you alicklee; God sovereignly didn't let you find a job until I was all nice and adjusted.  i also love you 201 girls of americana.  you are the most selflessly serving girls i have ever met.. in my...  LIFE!)
- EBCOC - so sweet.  loved seeing pastor dennis, dawn, and joy again.  and then of course the other members.  PD started on a series on the Attributes of God - of God's holiness.  It was good, but i was getting realllllly sleepy. so i pinched myself.  now my arm is covered with tiny welts.  but, it was a good sermon - and i think i remember everything.  so i feel pretty accomplished.  i'd rather pinch myself than drink coffee.
- dinner with joy at Hilton Checkers restaurant
SO . SLOW.
but.
YUMMY
but..

i was running tight at LAX
but THEN
there was
(out of all the people with various issues in front of me)
- 2 european girls who had to pay extra b/c their luggage was too heavy
- a central/south american couple who had to rearrange the stuff in their luggage
- a mexican couple who.. i think had passport/ID issues (from what my eavesdropping ears could gather as they quietly stood while 2 men were speaking with them. yikes)
- an obese couple who didn't realize that they could move forward and not hold up the lines since there was an extra kiosk

in addition to a lot of other people.
also there were 4 ppl working.
one lady was old and definitely having difficulty with checking people and luggage in
another lady, after helping the european girls, left.
TWO men were working with the mexican couple
leaving.. only..... ONE (old) lady to help the rest of the people milling about.
It didn't help that the lady who left would occasionally walk by and joke around with the old lady.
please, i know, if you have other things to do, at least... don't rub it into our faces that you're not helping us by distracting the old lady and joking around with her!  you may be able to multi-task, that old lady could not!

and.
so.
in the end.
my bag was marked late.

this was a backpack
it held (among other things).
a macbook
hair curling iron
contact solution (large bottle)
facewash (12 oz)
face lotion (7 oz)

i think i wouldn't've been able to carry it on.... (and when i was reasoning, i thought, it's such a hassle to carry-on a laptop, i'll just check it in.. plus i can't carry it on.  i have liquids and gels and a potentially dangerous curling iron!)
but.. could i have?
or should I just have chucked the $25 worth of toiletries....

This question is niggling the back of my mind.

would that have been worth not having to....

meekly/prettily ask if i can cut twice in the TSA line
grabbing my bags and shoes and sprinting through LAX barefoot (while 2 people cheered)
making it on time since the flight was delayed (and running into Tony - a humorous twist of fate since i had just bade him farewell yesterday and told him matter-of-factly that i would most likely never see him again)
having to scan the check in luggage pick up area
wait in the southwest line
be told that since it was a late check in, it's my fault and they can't do anything about it.. and even though i half-heartedly brought up the fact that it's not my fault that their lines are slow at LAX AND that their workers are incompetent.. but yeah, no, this is SJC.  if i have issues with LAX, have to bring it up with them.

I get to call back in about my bag and figure out when i can come back to pick it up (probably will have to take some time off work and park the car and walk in and wait in the office = more time and money and lost income).

i REALLY hope they don't lose the backpack... because i'd be very sad.
it has a dress, a new mbpro, my glasses, and a favorite pair of jeans.


Okay,
now.
i'm kind of sad.


I wonder.  if i had just gone directly to carry-on, even though it would've been a hassle to unload the laptop, ... it wouldn't be worth all this extra driving hassle.
i'm sad.
i want to call southwest and complain
i could've complained at LAX.
but..
i was too tired.

next time, i should video camera the ridiculous line waiting.... then they'd understand it wasn't my fault.
boo.
hoo.
and yes, i'd like some cheese with this whine.

today

after an impromptu shopping trip at stanford (which could be successful or unsuccessful, depending on how you look at it), i treated myself to haagen daaz for dinner.

i tried a few flavors and then settled on cookie dough and belgium chocolate chocolate.  the belgium chocolate chocolate made me audibly say "whoa".  I regret not just getting belgium chocolate chocolate.

anyway, instead of going home, i decided to sit outside.  it was a little past 8 but still bright.  i felt like corporate, material-girl, America.  or at least, very palo alto.  

i went to stanford to buy a pair of oxfords.  i thought urban outfitters was there.... and it will be, but right now they're still mid-construction. :(  i went to macy's, opted not to buy tights but interested in checking out more like these).  then stopped by lucky and ended up buying 2 pairs of jeans.  (might return one pair, probably won't. Hah!)  oh! and i picked up my free birthday cake bubble bath gift from sephora.  that was fun. i waltzed to the front and said, "it's my birthday! can i pick up my gift!"   as i was walking with my bag from sephora to lucky, i passed starbucks and had a passing thought, doesn't starbucks do birthday gifts too?  what's up with this?  where's my birthday present free drink?!!!!!.  I was tempted to walk in an say IT WAS MY BIRTHDAY YESTERDAY!  but i didn't.

Anyway, i was thinking about my purchases and exceedingly happy and comfortable.  I couldn't find a pair of oxfords at aldo's, macy's, or at bloomingdale's.  but now i have jeans.  and i was eating ice cream.  and THEN, as my tongue curled around the flakes of chocolate, i realized something amazing.

THIS delicious belgium chocolate chocolate flavor was familiar!  It is the CLOSEST i will ever get to swiss chocolate ice cream from Movenpick that I used to eat in Taiwan!  It makes sense!  Belgium and Switzerland are NEIGHBORS.  And.... the flavor was ALMOST identical.  the Movenpick is definitely stronger chocolate and the sheets of chocolate are more delicate (and thus crackly), but this Haagen Daaz Belgium chocolate chocolate DEFINITELY shares a similar quality.

I was very happy.

Also, if anyone knows how to get movenpick in the states.... PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!!!!!!!!