Self-Reflection – 10/9/2007

With the experiences I’ve grown so greatly from these last few years, I’ve really come to appreciate that change is often one of the best things for me. Sometimes, things happen without any plan or preparation. Learn to cut the rope, right? All your life, people teach you to prepare for college, to prepare for work. No one ever teaches you how to prepare to abandon ship. One of the greatest times of growth came after one of the biggest downfalls in my life. A LOT has happened in the last few months and I hope that this will be the opportunity for another advantageous growth spurt.

I do web development work at a company that makes college applications online now, something that I find to be really interesting, stimulating, and challenging. I feel that when it comes to choosing a job, I often underestimate myself and I doubt my own abilities. Maybe for that reason, I’ve never had a job where I truly feel like there’s a lot of room for me to cultivate my skills, where I can really push myself to see how far I can go. I mean, don’t get me wrong. I’ve been here for less than a month so I can barely say what this place has to offer me. But I guess what’s different this time is that I actually feel 100% optimistic that I can GROW–mentally, skillfully, dynamically. Let’s hope I’m right. If not, I’m already working on another game plan that I finally realize is something a lot greater than I’ve ever considered…

Additionally, I’ve been serious about setting up goals for myself every week and actually accomplishing these goals. (The key is to make LISTS! and to cross things OFF!) Yesterday, I’ve signed up for a tour of CCA later on this month to hopefully get me started in researching a little bit more about what I want to pursue. Again, I’m feeling really optimistic that I can accomplish a tremendous amount in the next two to three months. I’m feeling really GOOD about all these things. (The trick is to accomplish as much as possible individually while the boyfriend is away!)

Productivity feels GOOD.

Accomplishments feel GOOD.

Gaining back the tummy I lost in a week of diligence due to two days of feasting is NOT COOL.

Hey girl, I’m baking a cake and it tastes kinda bitter. Can you put your finger in it for the right amount of sweetness? Last day @ GSA with my Rooms He misses my PMSing. First Rain in SF Vdawg AJ & E-jeh He totally loves my attention. 1:56:700. I still lose. The New People Ring of Chicken. The Oracle Plane. Condemned to the Sun!

This is SO past my bedtime…

Alright, here’s the deal.

I snore.

A LOT.

I won’t get into detail about Veronica’s techniques to get me to stop snoring in the middle of the night. And I won’t discuss how Henry gets 0 sleep when I pass out at 9PM at his apt.

Before, it was the tonsils that blocked my nasal passage, but I know I still snore. I feel it. I wake myself up from it. I KNOW. Sure, there’s nasal strips but they only dull it out… but it still goes on… and on… and on… Truth is: my snoring is INVINCIBLE!

Scientist invents computer pillow to stop snoring

Wed Oct 3, 2:14 PM ET

BERLIN (Reuters) – A German scientist has come up with a solution for snoring — a computerized pillow that shifts the head’s sleeping position until the noise stops.

Daryoush Bazargani, professor of computer science at the University of Rostock and the pillow’s inventor, was displaying a prototype of his pillow at a health conference in Germany on Wednesday.

“The pillow is attached to a computer, which is the size of a book, rests on a bedside table, and analyses snoring noises,” Bazargani told Reuters.

“The computer then reduces or enlarges air compartments within the pillow to facilitate nasal airflow to minimize snoring as the user shifts during sleep,” he said.

The ergonomic pillow can also be used for neck massages.

Bazargani said several U.S. firms were interested in manufacturing the pillow.

“I invented it because I snore,” he said. “I tried all sorts of products, but nothing worked. I hope people who use it will sleep more peacefully.”

I definitely have 0 problem sleeping peacefully. It’s the people around me that I feel so guilty about :~(

Maybe if I ever move in with anyone again, house-warming present? :DD

“We have to go BACK!”

Happy Autumn Moon Festival Day or whatever it is–I dunno… that day when you eat mooncakes or whatever.

Continuing with two posts ago… big changes are in play.

One of them is the fact that I’ve been eating out every night for the last month and half with the exception of like five nights since Henry’s been back home. My, my, we do LOVE to eat, don’t we? Not to mention that he’s long since discovered that the key to my heart is food. Yum yum.

With that said, I just had my annual physical check-up and surprise surprise, I’ve gained 10 lbs in the last year. Haaaaaahahaha. Anyway. Starting next week, I’m determined to start jogging the Lake again.

Also along the lines of self-improvement, I gotta start learning how to save money better. I need to start budgeting my money if I’m intent on saving money to go to school again. Despite popular belief, I do pay my parents for rent. And with my dinky little paycheck, I pay them about 20% of my monthly income. The rest? Commuting costs, and food food food. For the sake of my health and my wallet, I really NEED to stop eating so much. And I really need to start dedicating a specific portion of my paychecks to go directly to savings or I’m never gonna get anywhere at this point. Maybe I can even come up with a $ goal for each month. Which also means I need to not go out as much and just be at home (Double Dash challenges are welcome to entertain me).

To be honest, I’ve been trying to implement these things for a while but man every time I’m about to start, I keep making exceptions like “Oh, well this big event is coming up, I’ll just wait until after that.” And then another big event comes up, etc. I totally need to get back to being self-disciplined.

There’s also a few other things I need to do to get started with the art stuff: talk to an art school admissions counselor [goal date to be set], enroll in art class for next semester [tbd], make two more pieces for my portfolio by the end of the year [Dec 2007], go check out National Portfolio Day [Jan 2008].

I should also start eating fruit every day and being strict about my sleep times again.

That should be enough for me to handle for a while. Now… onto the goodies. Things to look forward to:

  • Late-Oct/Early-Nov — Possible socal trip?
  • Nov 30-Dec 3 — Bday in Vegas?
  • Dec 11 — LOST Season 3 DVDs! >:O~
  • Early 2008 — Mario Kart for the Wii!!
  • Feb 2008 –LOST Season 4 BEGINS!
  • Sometime 2008 — The Sixth Album O_O_O_O_O
  • ??? — my hair will finally get long

I’m glad that Heroes is back to have a weekly thing to look forward to again, but kinda not because it totally ties me down! I’ve seriously been going through some major Lost withdrawals tho… I mean, I had a dream the other night that I was sooooo pissed off at Locke because he killed someone, and I got washed away in some lake and while I was underwater, I saw that the Others were watching me. *shudder* It needs to come back soooooonnn!!

Maps

Kate

And to follow up on the last post about Mario Kart… slowly cutting off a few seconds every time… I’m gonna rock you, Peacock.

Sept 2007 Yoshi Circuit Records

Left Right Left Right Left Right

In the winter of 2003, something happened that changed the rest of my life. First, I won a free platinum Gamecube at UCLA’s Casino Night. Then, I got Mario Kart Double Dash.

For 90% of that winter break, it was endless Double Dashing. We were all newbs with the exception of like two people who had the game a few weeks longer than the rest of us. We played lots of co-op games and we talked a tremendous amount of shit every time we played. Man, I totally SUCKED back then. So, when we weren’t playing at night, I was busy practicing on my own in the mornings and afternoons. I mean come on, I needed to get in on all the crap talk too! >:(

I pretty much sucked even until the end of winter break. So, I went back to UCLA and practiced practiced practiced until I got better. Next time I went back home for break, I was finally able to keep up with the rest of the guys. All that Double Dashing at Steven’s place finally played off!

Anyway, to say the least (haha), I got pretty awesome at Double Dash–not gonna lie. But Peacock had left a mean ghost on my memory card for Yoshi’s Circuit. That stage is hands down the best drifting map ever… Anyway, it took me a year to beat his stupid ghost and I forgot to save my own ghost!)%&!@# Either way, I beat it.

Three years later, our subletter Bobby spent days and nights playing Double Dash at e-303 and also beat Peacock’s ghost. At this point, V was starting to get really good at Karting and I refused to play against her ever again because I was the one that taught her how to play and it would just be shameful if I lost–WHATEVER! So I stopped playing and didn’t feel like getting whooped by Bobby either. His Yoshi Circuit time: 1:04

I told Peacock that Bobby rocked his ghost, and that I too had beat it a while back. The first day I hung out with Peacock since he moved back to the Bay, he said, “I challenge you!!” Oh heeeeeeeeeeeeellllllll naw. It’s on.

Being MONTHS since I’ve last played, Henry got me to practice every day to get back to where I used to be (omg this is like some Rocky moment where I had to get back in shape and work off all the years of built-up fat or something). After a few weeks of putting Peacock off, I played him again last night.

Omg he was sooo rusty the first two cups. But when it came to the Star cup, he got his groove back and left me in the dust, just like how he used to–jerk. We were done “warming up” and it was clearly time to get down to business. Time trial: Yoshi Circuit. Load Bobby’s ghost.

After one or two tries, Peacock beat Bobby’s record by 4 seconds and even unlocked the Nintendo creators’ ghost. Then, he beat his previous record by a few milliseconds. Standing record is now 1:59:07. My fastest last night was 2:06. I hate you Peacock.

Anyway, all of this is to say that I’m getting addicted to Karting again, which is probably the best thing to prepare for wii Mario Kart when it comes out.

Fucking Blue Shells
“Fucking Blue Shells” by xkcd comics

It’s GREAT to have someone to race with again. Time for my comeback… *cracks knuckles*

Big Changes for September 2007

A tremendous amount of things have been shaken up this month, namely my job situation. We didn’t get a rather large grant we were all expecting, and four people had to be laid off, me included. To a non-profit org, that’s a huge cut, just about 50% of our staff.

I admit that this is kind of an opportunity for me to step out and pursue my personal goals for some more art development but it is nevertheless unfortunate for the organization.

So… that’s been the last few weeks. My health insurance coverage ends next week so I’ve been cramming in all my doctor appointments diligently. On top of that, I spent a week planning for the LMAONADE BBQ (yeah, talk about priorities, right?) and Henry’s leaving for Riverside in a few days.

LMAONADE was awesome, as expected! Ivan and I got to Tillman around 11AM last Saturday morning to scout out the scene. Thank GOODNESS we got there early cuz we probably wouldn’t have gotten any tables there if we got there later. (PHEW! hahah) Did you know that reserving one table there for three hours is $120? UHH yeah that’s why we didn’t do that.

It was a splendid time with volleyball, football, short basketball, four square, meat, meat, meat (including steak, oysters, hot links, and lots and lots of chicken), and a ridiculous amount of alcohol. Around 8:30PM, we shuffled over to our house, where Vincent, Scott, Ivan, and two of Ivan’s coworkers played drunken wiibowling: every time someone gets a strike, everyone else drinks; every time you get a gutter ball, you drink. They of course decided to drink with the Remy Martin. I went to shower for 20 mins and when I came out they stopped wiiing and went on to holdem (using Settler pieces), followed by an intense game of Settlers!

kird, dren, alvin, lori Jacob & James Sarah, Mauricio, Nova Lowell kids UCLA folks jeremiah henny how did she not move? scott henry & steven

In other news, I’ve totally been on a puppy craving. Lindsay, a suitemate at work, recently got a little 6 month old Chihuahua, which I usually totally don’t care much for, but man… this little girl’s so irresistible. She’s got ears little black ears like a bat. Wilson next door has a dog too. Goodness… if there’s one thing I’ve been waiting for my whole life is to live on my own and prepare myself for having a dog. I’m still waiting for that day!

Okay it’s 4:30AM and I have to go do a blood test at 9AM. I need to get my hair cut tomorrow… it’s driving me nuts.