Eat this, not that!

Think about what you ate today. How healthy was it? How much sodium/sugar/protein/carbohydrates/fat did you consume? I’ve never given much thought as to what goes down into my stomach, and I think the average person doesn’t really know how unhealthy their eating habits are. Especially in the US of A. I mean, we know to avoid (or at least consume in moderation) the usual no-nos like candy, chocolate, chips, cookies, cake… all the dreaded Cs. But when it comes to day-to-day stuff, like what we have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, sometimes the nutritional label can be misleading. For example, a 120-calorie packet of chips probably contains 2 or more servings, which spike the calorie count to 240 or more.

Recently, I’ve come across a particularly fascinating website, called ‘Eat This, Not That.’ The hours upon hours I’ve spent going through all the lists of what foods to eat more of and what foods to avoid could probably be put to better use, but I just couldn’t tear my eyes off the screen. I admit I’m totally addicted to this site. It’s insanely useful, especially since I’ve discovered how certain foods I thought were healthy actually aren’t at all (that means you, granola)! The food industry only has one purpose and one only, that is, to make MORE money from YOU. So they stretch the truth and print enticing phrases like ‘0g fat!’ or ‘5g whole grains’ or ‘100 calories only!’ and hide the true facts in fine print.



My entire world has been turned upside down with the discovery of this wonderful website. So here are several pointers I’ve learned that are pretty interesting.

8 foods you should eat every day:

-Spinach
-Yogurt
-Tomatoes
-Carrots
-Blueberries
-Black beans
-Walnuts
-Oats

I definitely eat spinach everyday - it's the only veggie here that's regularly edible. Plus cherry tomatoes and carrots (sometimes). I eat yogurt whenever they have it, but not so much the rest. I still have a ton of organic instant oats brought from home waiting to be consumed.

14 health foods that AREN’T:

-Bran muffin
-Chicken Caesar salad
-Tuna melt
-Chicken wrap
-Turkey burger
-Fruit smoothies
-Granola bar
-Pasta salad
-Yogurt with fruit
-Bagel with cream cheese
-Pasta primavera
-Dried fruit
-Fish sandwich
-Margarine

Okay, seriously?! I have come to the conclusion that salads aren't always healthy. In fact, with all the dressing + croutons + fried chicken people top on their veggies, the calorie count usually comes up to more than that of a burger. Not even kidding. It's scary. You know what else is scary? I have been eating most of the foods on this list! Like the muffin, and the salad, and turkey wraps, and of course granola bars (America's favorite breakfast bar), yogurt with fruit, bagels, dried mangoes... Oh my poor body must be crying out in protest.

7 habits of highly obese people:

-They choose larger plates, which provides more space to pile their food up
-They eat while looking at food, so their mind is always on food
-They eat with maximum efficiency, shoveling food into their mouths quickly so they can go for seconds
-They clean their plates, which, if you’re at a formal business meal, you shouldn’t
-They chew less
-They dive in at a buffet, instead of going around, deciding what they want
-They skip breakfast, which can increase the risk of obesity by 450%

This list is scary. I do not want to be highly obese, and so I will avoid any of these behaviors. Although... I do eat pretty fast. Tomorrow I will start by chewing 30 times before I swallow. For every bite.

6 Superfoods in disguise:

-Full-fat cheese for muscle-building nutrients
-Iceberg lettuce for antioxidants
-Mushrooms for immunity
-Pork chops to preserve muscle and lose weight
-Red-pepper flakes to reduce calorie intake
-Vinegar for antioxidants and lower blood sugar

4 Diet myths debunked:

-Chug 8 glasses of water a day. But running to the bathroom every 5 seconds gets annoying after a while. Besides, other liquids contain water too.
-Don’t drink juice – there’s tons of sugar in it. But there’s also vitamins and antioxidants, making it worth the occasional sugar rush.
-Stop eating after 7pm to prevent weight gain. But sometimes there’s just no avoiding a late dinner after a hectic day. Plus, a calorie is a calorie, no matter what time you eat it. Of course, you should still keep your meal light and not chow down on 20 Oreos.
-Have just one bite of dessert. But, let's face it - that’s just impossible. So plan ahead and skip the bread or appetizer if you’re going to indulge.

Somehow I have trouble believing this list. But hey, if it's online, it must be true, right? I have no idea.

8 Foods that help you beat stress:

-Almonds, pistachios and walnuts
-Avocados
-Skim milk
-Oatmeal
-Oranges
-Salmon
-Spinach

Not that I get stressed a lot though, especially with this light-load semester.

9 Best foods for your skin:

-Almonds. They’re good for your skin and protects against sun damage
-Flaxseeds. They iron out wrinkle lines and give you better skin
-Cooked tomatoes. They keep the skin smooth and supple
-Sweet potatoes. They smooth out wrinkles.
-Spinach. They reduce the likelihood of developing skin tumors
-Canned tuna. They keep your skin smooth and tight
-Carrots. They reduce blemishes, plus they’re good for your eyes.
-Green tea. They’re full of antioxidants, which help fight skin cancer.
-Dark chocolate. Chock full of antioxidants, they reduce skin roughness and provide protection against the sun.

Is it just me, or is this website super fascinating? Although I think it's mainly catered to American food, because it talks about all kinds of restaurants and foods here.
But oh well. Read it. It’s a total eye-opener.

P.S. I just chanced upon this riveting website called 'Fed Up With Lunch: The School Lunch Project,' and read the entire thing in minutes. It's captivating. It's by this elementary school teacher who is tired of how un-nutritious and awful school cafeteria lunches are, and she's speaking out on her blog to advocate change. I think it's incredibly brave and amazing, what she's doing.

And seeing the pictures of kids' lunches, I am really grateful for the food we get at Taylor. At least we have more choices and they're more appealing. Also, in one post, she says the kids don't get recess, and they only get one hour a week for gym class. Seriously?? These are little kids we're talking about, they NEED to run around! You can't expect them to sit around all day in the classroom! I think America's schools need a 180 degree change. No wonder there are so many obese people here. It all starts when you're young! I don't know why, but I'm getting incredibly fired up about this issue. Kids can't speak for themselves, so we have to fight for their rights!

What I fill my mind with

If you ask any of my friends here, they'll tell you I watch a ton of TV shows. I mean, I'm in America, the land of great trashy TV! I have to make full use of all the available entertainment here while I can! And I'm here to say entertainment shouldn't be viewed as all meaningless junk. Sometimes there is a little bit of entertainment value even in the trashiest TV shows, although shows like Tila Tequila's Shot at Love and I Love New York (rubbish reality dating shows) should never be seen by anyone with a lucid mind. But I think there is a line between being in the world and being of the world.

We shouldn't rope ourselves off from culture by living in a cave to avoid temptation, neither should we completely indulge in culture until it consumes our entire being. We need to at least know what's going on in popular culture to remain relevant, so knowing that teen girls are crazy over Twilight, or that college girls love to watch The Bachelor no matter how wrong the concept is, is actually important. I mean, we need to be able to relate to others and have some sort of knowledge of popular culture, because that's what everyone will be talking about. And to have some say in the conversation to connect with others, we have to actually understand what they're saying.

So that's my little rationale for watching all these TV shows. Plus sometimes you just need a little mindless entertainment to take your mind off the stresses of life.

TV Shows I am Currently Watching:

-LOST

The first time I heard about this mind-blowing show was when my brother introduced it to me, way back in season 1. I shrugged it off as another lame scary TV show that probably wouldn't last. Boy, was I wrong. I finally started getting into it sophomore year, I think, when I realized what a big deal it was on campus. Everyone who was anyone watched it, and so I thought, how bad could it be? Turns out it wasn't bad at all. I got caught up on all the seasons, and from then on, I was addicted. The show throws so many twists and turns that you're just kept on the edge of your seat the entire hour. And throughout the viewing experience, the dominating chain of thought usually goes something like this - 'no way, they did NOT just do that! that's insane!' (insert jaw dropping and eyes widening in shock)

Well, that's LOST for you. The amount of conspiracy theories and websites devoted to this show speaks volumes of its intensity and addictiveness. It's probably the only show I actually actively watch and discuss with others, because we just can't figure out what's going on... until May 22, 2010. The dreaded day when all this will end. I can't imagine what LOST fanatics will do when the show ends for good. I should add that LOST is also probably the only semi 'intelligent' show I watch, at least according to my friends.

-Grey's Anatomy

I know, I know, this show is STILL running?? It's probably in its sixth or seventh season, and I lost interest a while ago and skipped out on a few seasons, but now I'm back to watching it, mostly because it's a good way to waste time. It's changed a lot since season 1, where Meredith and gang started off as little interns, but it's pretty much heading toward a downward spiral right now. Some things just shouldn't last too long. And I've noticed that a lot of TV shows nowadays like to add a lesbian factor to their plot. What's with that?? Is it the result of the success of gay campaigning for equal rights or something?? This show has a lesbian couple, and there's one in Desperate Housewives, and a ridiculous threesome in Gossip Girl. What is going on, Hollywood???

-America's Next Top Model

What can I say, I love watching beautiful people on TV. Not that models are always pretty, but they make them pretty with piles of makeup and hairspray, and it's so fascinating to watch them transform from awkward bony girls to gorgeous supermodels in front of the camera. I love the photo shoots because they're just so ridiculous, and no one would ever wear those outfits in real life. Plus girl drama is always entertaining to watch.

-Gossip Girl

YES, Gossip girl is back, and with a vengeance! I have come to accept Serena and Nate's fickle-mindedness - I'm pretty sure they both have dated almost every other person on the show, and more. So I think they deserve each other indeed, since their relationships never seem to go past the physical. I'm glad Hilary Duff is gone, because she was just like an annoying little bug that had to be squashed. The first episode since its return was a little dry and dull, but, knowing Gossip Girl, things will probably spice up soon. xoxo

-Ugly Betty

I don't know a lot of people who watch this show (actually I don't know anyone who does), but I really genuinely like it. Maybe it's because Betty has my dream job in my dream city - working at a fashion magazine in New York City - that's why I watch it every week without fail. It's just so interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes in magazine publishing, even though I know most of it is probably exaggerated for the sake of drama. But still, I want to learn everything I can about my future dream job! Plus I love the fashion in the show.

-The Vampire Diaries

I never thought I would watch anything with vampires in it, until Twilight came along. And then my roommate in Los Angeles made me watch this, and I was kind of intrigued. Its concept started out pretty similar to that of Twilight's - a handsome, charming vegetarian vampire who falls in love with a human girl - but now it's evolved to break away from the Twilight mold. I'm still not entirely sure if I like it, I feel like its geared more toward teen girls. But it's mildly entertaining, and a good way to pass time, although it scares me occasionally, with its vampire cult and witch lore. I probably shouldn't be supporting the show huh.

-Flashforward

The show is returning on Thursday, and I am psyched!! Okay, it actually started out tremendously captivating, what with its 'the whole world blacked out on this day, and everyone who survived saw their future' slogan, but it got a little monotonous toward the end. So I'm looking forward to seeing what the writers have come up with and how they're going to hold our attention for a few more episodes.

Other honorable mentions include Glee, which is kind of like High School Musical, but WAY better. The acting is a little stiff, but the cast is incredibly interesting to watch and their songs are just riveting. Plus Matthew Morrison (the teacher) is definitely easy on the eyes, and Jane Lynch (the evil PE teacher) is seriously funny as the villain.

And What Not to Wear, which is this awesome show on the TLC channel that picks out horribly dressed people who have no fashion sense whatsoever, and gives them a makeover. I love makeover shows!! They just go to prove that everyone and anyone can be beautiful with the right hairstyle and makeup and clothes, no need for plastic surgery at all.

I am so glad someone somewhere in the past invented TV. What would we do without it? Probably find more useful ways to spend our time, but in TV's defense, I LOVE IT!

From City to Country

It was time. I stepped out of the Indiana airport, and a cool breeze swept past me as I took in my surroundings. Little did I know this was a foreshadowing of life in Indiana, where dreary wet days, bitterly frigid wind and knee-high frosty snow were the norm. Having grown up in a city that experienced year-round summers, I was in for the shock of my life when the first snow fell.

After hauling suitcases stocked with my entire wardrobe, shoe collection and lifetime supply of books, my family and I embarked on the drive to Upland, the tiny town I would call “home” for the next four years. As we sped past cars on the highway, I gazed out the window, fascinated by the small towns we passed by. I scoffed at their buildings and signs, ridiculing the humble establishments they had set up.

Since I did not make the effort to Google “life in Indiana,” the only connection I made to it was the movie character Indiana Jones. Yet, I was somehow convinced it would be similar to New York City. I entertained visions of myself living the glamorous life, sipping lattes at a classy cafe in the afternoon, and watching people stroll past, going about their day.

No doubt I was in for a rude awakening. Not only was I in foreign territory, I was also about to be immensely disappointed. As the Global Positioning System (GPS) informed us we were nearing our destination, my brows furrowed in confusion. Was not Upland supposed to be a huge metropolis, a bustling place filled with all kinds of interesting people? Why were there only farms and fields, with the occasional cow grazing next to horses? A sense of apprehension crept up on me.

The GPS must be wrong, I decided. There was no way I could live in the countryside for the next four years! But, the emotionless, computerized voice soon uttered the words I dreaded to hear: “You have reached your destination.” I gaped at my surroundings in astonishment and dismay. Most college students would be thrilled to step onto campus and plunge into their first day of orientation, but all I could think was, “There aren't any malls here!”

Where were the huge crowds? What was I supposed to do for fun? The town was like a deserted wasteland, and the only thing it seemed to possess in abundance was fields and fields of corn. My first impulse was to snatch the car keys from my dad, jump into the front seat and speed back to the airport, but then I remembered I did not know how to drive.

Simply put, my dreams were instantly crushed. Gone were the fantasies of living the glitzy, jet-setting city lifestyle. The lump in my throat kept growing as I realized this would be a challenge of monstrous proportions. It was a whole new world, one I was unfamiliar with, and quite honestly, reluctant to accept.

I longed for the hustle and bustle of the city, but I was here. I had to put an end to my complaining and welcome my new life. So I did, albeit with some hesitation. As time passed, I grew to embrace life in the countryside. Yes, Upland was as different from the city as you could get, but there was a unique and charming quality about it, something remarkable that set it apart from anything I could have imagined.

Slowly, I adapted. I battled the biting cold with my five layers of clothes, scarves and hats, I discovered the senselessness of trying to predict the ever-changing weather, I learned the benefits of making friends with people who had cars, I experienced getting lost in corn mazes, and I adapted to the smell of skunk in the car. Most of all, I appreciated the beauty of friendship, because when there was nothing to do, the alternative was spending quality time with some of the greatest people I have ever met.

On hindsight, I would have read up more on Upland before arriving. But if I had, I would have never made it to this little town and come face to face with a life changing experience. I have learned to embrace the beauty of nature, to simply sit and gaze in awe at the splendor of creation. There is a kind of peace and tranquility about the countryside, which gives me a sense of serenity I have never experienced before. City life is vastly different from country life, but both are just as amazing.

Now, when I glance out my window and see the pure blanket of snow gracefully spread out over the grass, a sense of wonder overwhelms me, and I am thankful to call Upland my home, at least for now.


-Just thought I would share a personal narrative piece I wrote for class that I'm including in my portfolio :)

Dorm Life

Living in a dorm is the ultimate college experience. You’re on your own for the first time; with no parents breathing down your throat, you can do whatever you want, whenever you want. Of course, this newfound freedom comes with strings attached, as does everything else in life. After spending the last 4 years of my life in a tiny dorm room squashed full of my belongings, I’m ready to divulge the lessons I’ve learned and the experiences I’ve had.


Advantages of dorm life at Taylor

Proximity
The dorms are as close to the classroom buildings as you can get. Any closer, and you’ll be sleeping on a desk. This makes is so much more bearable during the bitter cold of winter, when 10 seconds outside seems like an eternity and your hair immediately freezes over because you’ve just washed it (okay, maybe that only happens to me because I'm too lazy to blow dry my hair). They’re also close to the Dining Commons (most of them, anyway) and the gym, which is always convenient for you to work off that burger you just wolfed down. Basically, they’re close to everything. That’s why I can roll out of bed at 8.45am to stroll over to my 9am class.

Fellowship
You can never be lonely living in a dorm; there’s always something to do and someone to hang out with. Surrounded by people 24/7 and living with a roommate will wipe away any fears of being alone. It’s definitely a bonding experience, sharing the bathroom and learning people's little quirks. Really helps you learn how to tolerate one another and practice unconditional love. Plus there’s all the stuff like floor activities and events, movie nights, homework parties, pick-a-dates, floor retreats... And you know you’ll always have someone to sit with in the big old Dining Commons. Also, watching screaming girls run down the hallway in odd outfits is always entertaining albeit mildly shocking.

Simplicity
No need to buy groceries, pay the rent, cook or clean… Plus the rooms come furnished with beds, closets, desks, ‘free’ Internet access, and cable… That’s the life. All I have to do really is laundry. Oh yes, and we don't have to pay for laundry either. I'm sure the fee is included somewhere in our ridiculous $30,000 payment per year, but it's nice to be able to wash my clothes as many times as I want (which is once a week).

Disadvantages of dorm life at Taylor

Lack of privacy
If you are an introvert, like me, and you need time to yourself to recharge, then dorm life will take its toll on you. Constant companionship is definitely challenging, especially when there are 20 girls packed into your room for a party, and you just want to be left alone.

Roommate conflict
I’m lucky to never have had conflicts with any of my 4 roommates throughout the years, but some people have. And let me tell you, when they clash, it’s not pretty. Lots of shouting, hair pulling, and face slapping follow.

Never-ending noise
When you’re a freshman, everything is new and exciting, even at 2am on a school night. So yes, there’s plenty of noise 24/7, even during ‘quiet hours.’ From music blaring in the bathroom to people yakking on their phones to dance parties to people yelling their lungs out for no reason… Dorm life is definitely not quiet or drama-free.

Mandatory breaks
Break time comes, they kick us out the dorms, and we have to scramble to find some place to go. Great.

Mandatory meal plans
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Why do we have to pay for 3 meals a day, 7 days a week, when I don’t even use half of it?? Such a waste of money.

Random pictures of my room

Stuff on my shelves


TV + fridge, courtesy of my roomie


Fascinating photo of the door. haha.

So... dorm life does come with a ton of annoying shortcomings, but at the end of the day, it’s definitely an once-in-a-lifetime experience and the friendships you make will (hopefully) be long-lasting.

Oh life

Why do i always attract weird people??? Or, why are weird people always attracted to me??? I don't know why. but oh well. I hope this goes away soon. it's... weird.

ASTRONOMY IS OFFICIALLY OVER! FINALLY! Thank God. honestly it might have been the toughest class i've taken here at Taylor. haha. seriously. probably half due to the fact that i missed 4 days (which equals to a month since this is an intensive course over 3 weeks), and half due to the fact that i simply don't care anymore and didn't really listen in class or study for the final. OH WELL. who cares. i'm graduating soon anyway and no one in the real world really gives a crap about how i did in astronomy.

but it was fun talking to friends online during class and skyping. haha. and 'studying' for the final with a friend. omg he was absolutely distracting me the entire time and we ended up taking a ton of breaks the day before the exam. we went to Taco Bell and Starbucks at night, made tons of videos for people in facebook, had dance parties... did everything but study. haha. such fun. and then the final turned out to be super hard anyway. i didn't know the answers to half the questions, so i just guessed, and i finished the test way before everyone else (i was second to finish). and when i turned my paper in, people looked at me like, whoa, you must be a genius to finish this fast!

but i knew i didn't know the answers, and there was no point in thinking about it 'cause i still won't know the answers no matter how long i think about it. so i just chose whatever, turned in the exam, went back to my room and watched 'The Bachelor'. haha. kind of hope i don't fail the class.

although.. the software they gave us to use was pretty cool. its called Stellarium, and it allows you to see the stars, planets, and other objects in the sky at ANY TIME, from ANY PLACE on earth. cool, huh.


you can zoom in all the way to see the details on planets or the moon


you can make the constellation art appear, so like for the constellation Hercules, a picture of Hercules appears over the stars so you can see how it actually looks kind of like Hercules.


you can also make the constellation lines and labels appear so you know where they are.


and that's the view of the sky in Upland, Indiana, today, at 3.30am.

went to eat korean BBQ in Indy on wednesday night to CELEBRATE J-term being OVER!! the food was so good. and then we got more food supplies at a korean market. i bought this instant ramen called 'chapagetti'. i think its 'zha jiang mian' cause that's what it said. but i tried it yesterday, and it tasted kinda weird. so now i have 3 more packets and i don't really wanna eat them. haha.


and this is how it looks like. yes, worms. not very appetizing.

anyway, its been good having the room to myself (my roomie went home for break since she lives like 2 hours away). i mean, i get along well with my roomie, she's really nice and not crazy loud like the other freshmen. but it's just nice to have my space and be able to do whatever i want for a few days. i've been watching tv before going to bed, tossing my stuff all over the floor (which i should clean up before she gets back), sleeping as late as i want, waking up as late as i want :)

btw, she and i are SO different. in some ways. she grew up in Indiana, and she loves the countryside and wants to marry a farmer and live on a farm. i really cannot understand that. at all. how can anyone want to live on a farm for the rest of their life??? why? how? i don't- it's just- i can't understand that. all i know is, after graduation, i am bolting out of here to the city. any city. no more countryside for me. i get too restless and i keep itching to do stuff.

so anyway, yesterday we hung out at a friend's apartment and had a dance party. hahaha. and recorded videos of us dancing. it was so fun. and today we baked cookies... chocolate chip, oatmeal, and sesame. yum. i'm kinda enjoying this j-term break 'cause it's kinda nice not to have the campus overflowing with people. not really looking forward to the spring semester starting on monday, but oh well. it just means i'll be this much closer to graduating!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Snowy weekend

This weekend was a TON OF FUN!!!!!
Firstly, i got done with the astronomy test on Thursday, so i was free to RELAX!
And then we had a AAA (asian organization) meeting that night, and i got recruited to be the vice-president for next semester, so i got to meet the rest of the cabinet, most of whom i already was good friends with, so that was fun :)

On friday i went over to emily's house off-campus for a sleepover. ohhhh... it was so much fun. and SO good to see her again!! didn't realize how much i missed talking to this girl. we had a blast making dinner (chicken and mashed potatoes), watching a ton of movies, going to Handy Andy for ice cream and chocolate, talking the night away... good time catching up. Our movie choices were rather sketch though. haha. we borrowed them from her housemate... My life in ruins, which was funny, so we thought it was a good start. Then on to I Hate Valentine's Day (also starring the same girl, who's also in My Big Fat Greek Wedding), which was really cheesy and lame. And then it just went downhill from there... Tropic Thunder (so dumb we only lasted 15mins), Baby Mama (we fell asleep), and Knowing (the scariest, dumbest movie ever. it could've been suspenseful and thrilling, but they blamed it all on aliens, which was a total cop-out)

But other than that, it was fun sharing about our summer and fall experiences.
We pretty much didn't move from the bed. haha. although we did get up the next afternoon to cook angel hair pasta and chicken. YUM.

It was so nice to get off campus for a while and just chill. plus her house is so beautiful. the decorations were so cute. made me want to have a house of my own.

And then on Sunday, I went with some of the girls on the wing on a ROAD TRIP!!!!! We randomly/spontaneously decided to drive 3 hours to Louisville, Kentucky. and it was really fun. glad i went. it was just 2 cars, filled with seniors and freshmen. haha. don't know what happened to the other two classes.

We left in the morning, about 9am, stopped at Starbucks for coffee and devotions (to make up for missing church), and then drove on until we hit Kentucky. we wanted to find a non-chain restaurant we've never been to, but we ended up at Hard Rock Cafe. haha. 'cause amy's mom (she's so cute) sent us a bunch of directions to this downtown place, and we went there, but it turned out to be a bunch of bars and pubs. so that was our only choice. it was fun... the waiter was really weird. first he thought we were a dancing group, 'cause there was some sort of dance competition going on, and then since we didn't order any alcoholic drinks, he thought we were like conservative high schoolers or something. and he kept making awkward conversation. it was super entertaining. haha.

After lunch we attempted to walk around downtown and find a shopping district. we got directions and everything, but they seemed to point us into a sketchy area of town. so after walking for miles and seeing places look more and more shady, we decided shopping wasn't that worth it. so we headed back. and had more conversations and sing-alongs in the car. fun stuff. but so tiring.

I researched on more jobs when we got back, even though i was so tired. but MAN, this job search is ADDICTIVE, i tell you! seriously! i couldn't stop. i went from 11pm to 3am, desperately trying to find something, anything, that i qualify for. it's so hard 'cause most internships are unpaid and require college credit, and then apparently the media industry doesn't offer many entry level positions, and other jobs i found require a few years of experience. SIGH. i even went to check out YWAM and OM and the PeaceCorp (all mission/non-profit organizations). maybe i'll apply. sigh. i don't know. there are SO MANY directions i could go in, have no idea what to do.

Fresh off the boat

.And i'm proud to be an asiannnnn.

So one day in the NYU elevator i heard this caucasian girl exclaim loudly, 'my roommate's fresh off the boat, and she's hilarious!'
(you know, fresh off the illegal boat from asia or some other continent) and then she proceeded to talk about her weird/funny her mannerisms and actions were. and i was like, wow. i've heard ABOUT the term so many times, but i've never actually heard anyone use it! it was weird. but i wasn't offended or anything.
it takes a lot to offend me. i've learned to be more open-minded around people here. even when they say chinatown is exactly like koreatown. haha.

But then again, it always annoys me how americans are practically worshipped and adored in asia, while asians are mocked at when they arrive in the US of A. ironic, huh. one-way relationship.

Although, everyone i've met here has reacted with shock when i told them i'm from singapore. they're like, 'omg, i would never have expected that! you don't have an accent at all!'
I guess i'm becoming... one of them.
took me 3 years, but now i've made it. haha.

.Gaming.

Yesterday a bunch of people went to Dave & Busters, this game arcade/bar.. and it was totally fun!! it's been such a long time since i've been to an arcade. we played new games like 'deal or no deal,' and won a ton of tickets.
Also got hit on by tons of creepy guys. one guy offered to give us his coupons so we could exchange them for gifts, and he ended up getting my friend's number and asking her out to lunch. he was a total weirdo. kept rapping to us like he was some cool dude, but he was just a white wannabe rapper.
but anyway we took his coupons and got teddy bears and shot glasses. haha.

Also, some of my friends totally flirted with this huge, old man who claimed to be from the mafia, and he bought them like 3 free drinks each. i refused. i'm not that desperate for a free drink to flirt with some sweaty elderly man, old enough to be my grandpa. ew.
Now if he were young and cute..... that would be a different story :)

.Good work day.

Today was definitely a good day. slacked around in the office (even my manager didn't have much to do 'cause it was thursday), and read stuff on wikipedia. haha.
it was really interesting! read up on Scientology, which was full of nonsense. i mean, it had some crap that was supposedly confidential but got leaked out to the public by a former scientology member, about this guy named xenu who came to earth from another planet and put people near volcanoes and blew them up. so now their souls are floating around earth, terrorizing humans. i was like... this totally makes for some awful science fiction story. but sure, you can believe in whatever you want to!

Also read about mormonism and jehovah's witnesses. funny how i 'supposedly' learned about them in my Historic christian belief class (where i got an A), but i still have no idea who they are/what they believe in. but now i know. and they have some weird beliefs too. especially the jehovah's witnesses, which i learned, they're called that cuz they're known for their door-to-door evangelizing. fascinating, huh.

And then i had a nice long chat with my manager about office politics. apparently the higher-ups like the people to think the office environment is laidback and all, but it's really not. and this one guy who seems chill actually watches everyone to make sure they're not skiiving off. i was like, ooohhh... better make sure i look more hardworking!

But yeah, i really like my manager. she's awesome. and we talked about starting a career in NYC, and how hard it is because there's tons of cutthroat competition. and she said i was in luck, because having an internship in NYC on my resume would look much better than someone else who had an internship in like, indiana or something. cuz companies in new york like to see that you've had experience here before. so yay! now i have connections here!!!!! :)

.My resume's filling up.

I seriously can't believe i wrote so many articles between this week and last week.
Here's all the links if you're interested. after a while, they kinda all sound similar. haha.

-Organic clove salon opens in Atlanta, Georgia
http://www.julib.com/atlanta/luckycharms061609AT_email.html

-DVF boutique opens in Miami, Florida
http://www.julib.com/miami/birdwithoutwings061109MI_email.html

-Caviar Kaspia opens in Miami, Florida
http://www.julib.com/miami/kaspiasea061609MI_email.html

-Rugosa opens in the Hamptons
http://www.julib.com/hamptons/pulltherugosa061009HA_email.html

-Cadot opens in Dallas, Texas
http://www.julib.com/dallas/spacecadot061109DA_email.html

-New online design store called Functionals, from the Netherlands
http://www.julib.com/sandiego/hollandssauce060909SD_email.html

-Side bar opens in San Diego, California
http://www.julib.com/sandiego/Bsides061109SD_email.html

.Thumbs up.

Went to see the movie 'Up'...

... in 3D! and it was everything they said, and more.
everyone should TOTALLY go see it, please. it's SUCH a great movie. once again, pixar never fails to deliver. although, it costed as much as three freakin movies in sgp. ridiculous. but worth it :)

Can't decide if i wanna go see the jonas brothers perform at the Today Show...
maybe not. don't think they're worth the wait and the waking up at 4am.

ROAD TRIP TO WASHINGTON, DC THIS WEEKEND!!!!
I'm so excited. i've never been there!!! and we're gonna stay in hotels for free and see all the free museums! :)

Phantasmagorical - sequence of real/imaginary images like in a dream

Totally how i feel now. Everything's just... so surreal. bizarre. dreamlike.
i really, seriously, honestly CAN'T BELIEVE i'm leaving in 3 days!! it's so weird. this semester, like all the others, just flew by in the blink of an eye.

Had my first final today, after i slacked off ystdy. this Specialized Reporting final was definitely the easiest EVER. his study guide was basically all the questions on the exam. which, by the way, amounted to 50 points. WEAK! even our last assignment was worth 60 points! so i totally didn't bother studying much for this. haha.

so ok. on monday, i didn't have anything, so i slacked around in my room and didn't put on any makeup. and then my friends persuaded me to go to dinner... so i reluctantly trudged to the DC looking all plain and washed-out. and then... i was really quite self-conscious of my appearance cuz i was makeup-less and donning sweatpants and a huge First West sweatshirt (I don't know why it's so huge cuz it's M..but i'm like seriously drowning in it). that just got me thinking of how i'm more aware of my appearance than in the past. like, i pay more attention to my makeup, to what i wear on what days...
and i guess that isn't bad, it's just... different. from what i used to be. but then again, looking back at what i used to look like, i always can't help but cringe. at my hair, my glasses, my style of dressing... haha. i guess we all have embarrassing phases in our lives.

but anyway, this week... totally heck care about what i wear. sweatpants and sweatshirts all the way! so comfy and no one cares anyway. since everyone else is wearing the same thing. too busy studying to care how others look like. also, i got my first 'real' American sweatpants over Thanksgiving break, and I LOVE THEM!!! SOOOO comfortable. nothing beats it. i just wish sgp was cold enough so i could wear it at home too!

and today's Freelance Writing final was totally not what we expected. after our specialized final at 10am ended at 10.15am (that's how lame it was), we carpooled to Fort Wayne for the last time :( it's been really fun hanging out with these girls for 5hours every tuesday evening. so we studied, or attempted to, at the Starbucks at Barnes and Nobles... for like 3 hours. but actually we talked and joked around most of the time and took frequent study breaks. haha. and left early to have dinner at Flattop :) and i was glad we didn't study too hard, although we were pretty nervous about the final. the prof's pretty harsh and it's a freakin 4 hour credit class.

but THANK GOD there were only 4 questions!!! we had to write a query letter, a devotion, a movie review and answer another question! that's all! so we got outta there in an hour and a half. YAY :) goodbye fort wayne forever... the feeling's kinda bittersweet. will miss making fun of the weirdos in class. haha

and the campus-wide study break in the DC today was pretty darned lame. no pizza, cookies, guitar hero, Wii like last yr. only cereal, milk, hot chocolate and donuts. L-A-M-E!! so it's 1am and i'm procrastinating studying for my final tmr.

Happy Thanksgiving!

first off, let me say, I am LOVIN' this thanksgiving break!!

so we left on tues afternoon... drove for 10 whole hours straight (with one bathroom break and a dinner break)... sang along to hundreds of songs, talked about tons of random topics, and finally... we arrived at HIGH POINT, NORTH CAROLINA!!! awesomeness.

katie's house is soooo cool. i must admit, i absolutely LOVE american homes. at least all those that i've been to. they're ALL so... wonderful! comfy. cosy. beautiful. huge. they have fireplaces! cool-lookin kitchens! huge backyards! i SO wanna live here! it's just soooo...awesome.
so we reached at like 11pm. met katie's parents and sister. they're cool :) she has a crazy fat little dog called 'mia'. which means dog hair and spit all over the house. but oh well.

so wed we went grocery shopping. made our very own dinner - pigs in a blanket and mac&cheese straight from the box. the best. they came in spiderman shapes too :)


then we watched katie's awesome TV, which has like over 1000 awesome channels!! the best tv EVER!!! every single kind of show you could ever wanna watch is right here. this is like heaven on earth. got hooked on the marathon of Baby Borrowers, a show where teenage couples get to experience taking care of babies, then toddlers, then kids, then teens, then the elderly. was so interesting. they were pretty much immature and fighting all the time and the poor kids got neglected.


we also watched Holes, which was pretty awesome too. starring pre-puberty Shia Lebeouf :)
then we climbed into the hot tub in her backyard!! for like an hour plus. was so nice and relaxing. could've stayed there for hours.

ystdy was THANKSGIVING! TGIT! THANK GOD IT'S THANKSGIVING! haha. got up at noon and started cooking. we made an ENTIRE Thanksgiving meal! i am so proud of us. made turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole (it's like mashed sweet potatoes with melted marshmallows on top. the best), corn, fruit salad, bread rolls...
yup. pretty much the best thanksgiving meal ever!!! my 3rd so far this year. haha.
my first was at a lunch my friend's church prepared, second was one my wing prepared for us and the brother wing. i love thanksgiving meals. so yummy.
then we had a DDR partay :) and hot chocolate and phase 10 by the fireplace. i love fireplaces.

and today's BLACK FRIDAY!!! the best day of the year! where shops everywhere have INSANE sales!! we were gonna get up at 7.30am to rush to the mall in a kiasu fashion, but then we all kinda slept in. till noon. haha. but everything was still there when we arrived at the mall. which was PACKED. could hardly find a parking spot. got stuff from old navy, deb, forever21, bath&body works, fye, jc penneys... and now my arms hurt from carrying the bags. haha. the mall was awesome though. filled with christmas decorations and jolly cheer :)
then we had dinner at mamma mia's! yummy italian food for cheap prices and huge portions. we'll be eating leftovers for the next few days. still have turkey and stuff from last night.
watched madagascar 2 at this cheap theatre, which really wasn't that bad. and it only cost $3. was pretty nice. it was kinda funny..but also kinda lame.


And this little creature was so adorable! :)


hopefully mountain hiking tmr..but 80% chance of rain. sigh. but overall, it's been pretty good. weather's been SO nice! t-shirt weather in dec! imagine that.
God is good, all the time! :)

Random pictures from junior year :)

At Thai Smile (an awesome thai restaurant) for Halloween! Emily was an emo/goth, i was...i don't really know what i was. i guess an asian schoolgirl. again. well i was gonna be a nerd, hence the blouse n tie, but i didn't look very nerdy. heh.
and then hannah was ME! hahaha. she wore my green jacket and purple jeans and striped gloves :)

isn't emily such an AWESOME emo??? she's normally sooo cheerful so this was definitely different.

i'm so proud of these girls!!! they weren't gonna dress up for Halloween, but i persuaded them to. gave them ideas too. haha

elise as a rugby player, and katie as a hawaiian girl :)

me, dorothy and beka at flattop grille for beka's 20th bdae :)

yummy yummy food at the table

all the girls dressed up outside swallow (a co-ed dorm) ready for beka's partaayyy

all the international pple at our retreat in the woods... a few weeks ago

Halloween was fun! we got dressed up, saw all these CUTE, ADORABLE, did i mention CUTE little kids all dressed up in CUTE costumes!!!! there was an indiana jones, a nerd, a cheerleader, a laundry machine, a princess, a bunny... omg. sooo adorable. and they walked through our dorm trick-or-treating and asking for candy. hannah and i gave out snickers, butterfingers and kitkats. lots of girls on our wing dressed up and went to the DC for dinner. was so fun seeing everyone!!! i went with a bunch of girls to Thai Smile, then to Target and Walmart.. was so funny seeing all the stares we got from pple :)

today was such a good day. woke up leisurely at 2pm..lazed around. had a chick flick marathon with emily..watched john tucker must die and 10 things i hate about you..went to the Fall Fest at habecker (our president)'s backyard..they had donuts, caramel apples, apple cider, s'mores and some charlie brown movie playing. was kinda nice sitting around the bonfire.
oh. and i had my first caramel apple on friday! it was actually pretty good! it's a green apple coated with caramel all over and smothered with peanuts on top of the caramel. sticky, but yummy :)
I LOVE FALL!! the weather's cool but not too cold.

Amazed

You are more beautiful than anyone, ever
Everyday You're the same, You never change, no never
How could I ever deny the love of my Savior
You are to me everything, all I need forever
How could You be so good
There is no one like You :)

So today in chapel the speaker was talking about how she kept asking God to forgive her cuz she had 2 abortions in the past. and every chance she had to confess her sins, she would. over and over again. and then one day God spoke to her and showed her that she had forgotten to forgive someone - herself. He showed that she was actually denying His forgiveness, the forgiveness that He gave the first time she confessed her sin. And i kinda felt like i was in the same boat as her. I keep asking for forgiveness from God multiple times because i'm so afraid He didn't hear or that repenting once would not be enough cuz i'm such a sinner. Learning to forgive myself and accept God's mercy and forgiveness in my life.

On an unrelated note...

Random list of foods i've been obsessed with ever since coming to Taylor:
-Sunchips. the best ever. whole grain original
-Granola. i eat cereal with almost every meal cuz there's nothing else to eat!
-Salsa. soooo obsessed with it last semester. goes wonderfully with Sunchips.
-Choc. my bond with chocolates is eternal and nothing will ever come between us.
-Wraps. yummy and healthy! still loving it. turkey,lettuce,tomatoes,mayo,american cheese.
-String cheese. ate like 4 pieces a day at the peak of my obsession
-Oranges. My current obsession. I ate two at lunch, one at dinner and three late at night all yesterday. haha. at least it's healthy. hope i don't die of vitamin C overdose though.

Spring break '08 is over :(

Woweee. i just had an awesome spring break. IN MIAMI!!! don't know where to start!

ok so..i was really quite reluctant n unexcited to go with 55 people to miami for a lot of reasons. i didn't really know anyone in the group and they all seemed crazy and alot of them knew each other already..wasn't really looking forward to the 2days of driving to miami..not excited about doing hard labor over break when i'm supposed to rest.

BUT...God is SO good. He really is. everything really does happen for a reason. and He put me on this trip for a reason. it was awesome!!!!

so we started off last friday morning driving 5 vans for the whole day..passed by Kentucky and arrived at Georgia late at night. stayed at a shabby community centre..was soooo tired from being stuck in the van the whole day i went straight to bed. the ride wasn't so bad..got to know the 10 other people in my van pretty well since we were all squished together for hours.

Saturday morning we cleaned up around the community centre then went to work on a house for the Fuller Centre for housing. it was really cool cause they were the ones who started Habitat for Humanity so it was awesome to meet the guy who started it all. met the family whose house we were working on..they were a black family..a mum and 2 older daughters. it was pretty touching, seeing how they were all emotional/excited that we were there to help. and it really struck me that this trip wasn't just about building houses. it turned out to be a form of ministry to others. helping homeless people have a roof over their heads. and the family was SO thankful, it really made me realize that what we were doing was really God's work.

so we got to work on the roof. i was quite freaked out cause obviously i've never done this before!! so i helped pick up debris around the house with some other girls who were afraid to go on the roof too. but after a while i got bored n was itching to go up, so i did. kinda scary at first cause obviously i had visions of me falling to my death. but it was alright..hammered nails into the wooden boards. didn't really know what i was doing..but the guys were really helpful. spent the whole afternoon working. tiring! took a nap in the evening..played around at the community centre n hung out n got to know more people..

had worship and small groups in the evening..we shared about things we were thankful for..and i was just really surprised by how everyone came together so well and worked hard n never even complained. some people even did stuff like sweeping up the leaves that they didn't have to do. it was just nice to see how everyone was so willing to do whatever they could to help out.

we were talking about how Easter Sunday was the next day..but it didn't really feel like easter. everyone was saying how they normally celebrate easter with painting easter eggs n stuff..and i kinda realized how i always put emphasis on Jesus' death on the cross and how He sacrificed so much for us..but i never really thank Him for His resurrection and His victory over death. know what i mean? like i remember His act of washing away my sins but i tend to forget the other part where He rose from the dead. which is equally as important. that just struck me and i don't know how come i never realized it before.

Sunday was EASTER!!! OMG. we had such an interesting experience we'll never forget. so we went to this little church in Plains, Georgia..where JIMMY CARTER, the 39th PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES was teaching sunday school. ?!?!?!?!?!?!!!

it was a complete shock to us when we realized that. isn't that so cool???? i got to see jimmy carter! and we took group pics with him too!! although i feel sorry for him cause most of the pple in the church were visitors and they obviously only came to see him n take pics with him. i would hate to do that every sunday! plus there were Secret Service agents SWARMING the place. it felt more like a museum than a church service. this awful woman talked to us for a whole hour on what not to do when jimmy carter arrived. she became the butt of our jokes for the rest of the trip. it was like her whole life revolved around him. haha.

he was actually kinda boring in person. not as charismatic as i would have thought. and the whole service took like 3++ hours. the most boring thing EVER. but pretty hilarious. the choir was SO tone deaf. the pastor wore a creepy tie with baby heads and he was obviously trying to act like the kids love him but he was just weird. the sermon was only like 15 mins. it was really weird. everyone fell asleep at least 5 times throughout this whole ordeal. omg. such an experience.

we talked about it nonstop afterward. haha. had an Easter lunch before continuing our driving to Miami, Florida!!!! was so excited on the way there. finally reached at night and crashed at the church. all i can say is, thank God the church had air mattresses. it made our sleep sooo much better. and the guys were so nice. they gave the limited air mattresses to the girls. its times like these that i love being a girl :)

Monday was our free day!!!! went to the beach to play. sadly, it was cloudy n cold. but it was still fun. played soccer, frisbee, took walks, played in the water..got a little more tanned :) still getting to know more people. it's hard to get to know everyone cause there's like 55 of us..but i got to have some good conversations with pple. :)

got briefed by Habitat for Humanity..went to another church for dinner. they were sooo nice to make dinner for all of us! it was us Taylor pple plus 3 other groups from other universities. was cool. although the pple from the other group we worked with were....pretty darned lazy. hahaha. we were always like super excited to work, and they mostly stood around n watched us. oh well. i love our group!! we're so hyper n crazy n entertaining :)

Tuesday...first day of work!!!! worked from 7am till 3pm tues till fri. whoaa. really tiring. since miami traffic is awful, we had to get up at like 5am everyday to get ready n leave cause it takes an hour to get to anywhere in miami. hardly got any sleep this break, but it was ok.

so..mum was kinda paranoid about me going on this trip cuz construction work isn't the safest in the world, and some pple got nails stuck in their shoe, blood blisters, all kinds of injuries. and the last thing my mum wanted me to do was work on the roof. she was like, anything but that. but guess what? ironically, God had something else in mind for me. we randomly split into 5 groups to work on different houses..some pple did painting, some lay concrete/grass, some worked on the roof. and yes, my group was the one on the roof. i would've laughed if i wasn't so freaked out.

as i climbed the shaky ladder up to the roof, i was seriously terrified. the roof was like 20 times steeper than the one in Georgia!!! omg. we had 5 girls and 5 guys in our group, and the girls were all huddling together, too scared to venture anywhere. there were 2 guys working for Americorp who were helping supervise us, since we had no supervisor at our site. and they gave us the option of doing other stuff if we were uncomfortable on the roof, but i knew that wasn't an option for me. after all, i was here to challenge myself n it just wouldn't feel right if i left my group to do other stuff. so i stuck with it. and kept telling myself i'll get used to it. and I DID!!!

it was amazing. at first i totally sucked hammering nails into the tar paper cuz obviously i never touched a hammer before. but the guys were soooo encouraging n supportive. i was really touched. and i really worked hard! only took like a short break for lunch then continued working.

by the end of the day i was sore EVERYWHERE. arms sore cause hammering nails all day. fingers sore cause occasionally would hammer my fingers when i missed the nail. (but compared to others, my fingers were in great shape. a lot of people had blood blisters. thank God i was fine) back sore from bending over n hammering. knees sore from having to constantly balance and keep myself from falling to my death. it was freaky cause there were sharp pieces of wood and nails poking out from the ground surrounding the house. so if any of us fell, we would definitely be falling to our deaths. so THANK GOD we're all fine :) 

well except for this guy in our group - paul - who got his leg run over by our van in a freak accident cause they were playing a game n things just got outta control. so he had 2 broken bones n had to be rushed to the hospital. we were all scared for him. but he had SUCH a great attitude about it..he was like, thank God i've only 2 broken bones in my ankle n none in my foot..he's such a trooper. he flew home early n had surgery n now he's fine thank God. and we could really see how great the group was as we all came together to support him.

anw by the end of the trip i was so used to being on the roof..it was like our second home!! my work group was so bonded together. love it!!! everyone was so encouraging n awesome :) we were all so psyched to get on the roof every morning. it was funny to see how much we progressed. i even went all the way to the edge of the roof by the second day to hammer stuff n smear tar. i surprised even myself. was pretty cool to get outta my comfort zone n conquer my fears!! :)

 so by the end of the trip we got the roof almost done with shingles n stuff, and we painted the house..and it was pretty! yay! and my group was so awesome..we got done early on wed n sneaked off to miami beach to reward ourselves. haha. it was our little secret. i got sooo tanned! think i've never been this tan before. have like 5 different shades of color on my body from wearing different kinds of shirts everyday. got burnt on my shoulders too. miami sun is no joke!

got to try cuban food at the restaurant near where we stayed!! it was AWESOME. yummy. hung out alot with different people every night..so fun!!! went to downtown miami to this restaurant - Bubba Gump - modeled after the movie Forrest Gump. was wayy cool. everything in it was originally from the movie..and the dishes were named after stuff in the movie. wish spring break didn't have to end :(

the last day was intense! we were all called halfway through the day for a sod emergency. meaning we had to go help lay chunks of grass on the concrete. was super gross. i never knew grass came in chunks n u just lay them together like puzzle pieces! i always thought u grow them outside the house. anw..i helped move grass for a while. was super disgusting. but no one complained cause we're awesome like that :) the grass was full of fire ants, worms n other bugs that bit me. was soo glad when we got it all done. ugh. but it was just awesome to see our group come together like that n do our best even though the work was gross.

had small groups almost every night..my small group did this thing where we drew other people's names randomly n had to 'observe' them for the day to see positive stuff about them we could encourage them for. it was fun to encourage people and be encouraged. love my small group! it was pretty amazing to see how 55 of us totally bonded throughout the trip. we even had a family dinner the last day..felt like a huge, crazy family. we were fed sooo well this whole trip i totally probably gained weight. haha. although i did do hard labor everyday too. so it was a balance :)

the Habitat for Humanity staff brought us bowling to thank us for all the work we did. it felt pretty awesome to be able to be part of this whole ministry. the house i was working on was for this 20 year old girl who had two kids. so sad! and the neighborhood was kind of ghetto. there was a young girl walking around everyday in skanky clothes whom we suspected was a prostitute. and we suspected the house across from us was a drug dealer cause fancy cars kept stopping there all day for a few mins n then driving off suspiciously. it was pretty interesting.

then we drove back on sat afternoon after cleaning up..drove throughout the night nonstop and finally reached Indiana on sunday morning. super tiring man. i'm not a fan of road trips anymore. got to catch up on sleep. but felt bad for the drivers cause they had to drive so much. they were constantly stuffing themselves with candy n caffeine to keep awake. heh. went to waffle house for breakfast today.

my first experience at an all american greasy diner! had choc chip waffles n hashbrowns. was really quite greasy but good. but felt nauseated after that. first and last time there. we all came back to Taylor with mixed feelings. sad to be back for classes n cold weather. no more sun n palm trees! but glad to be back at our 'second home' and see friends again :)

so yeah! i learned so much about myself, about others, about God from this trip. glad i had the opportunity to be a part of this ministry cause it's so different from anything i've ever done. got to challenge myself physically, relationally, emotionally, spiritually..got to get out of my comfort zone..learned that i am stronger than i think i am. didn't know i was capable of sleeping on the floor, having less than 5 hours every night n still functioning, doing labor i've never done before, building relationships with people i've never met before.. i can indeed do all things through Christ who strengthens me! :)

whoa that was a long post.

thanksgiving break

break starts today! YAY. kinda excited but not really. not like everyone else is. mostly cuz they're going home to see their family and friends and i'm just goin to stay with a friend :( sometimes i get jealous of pple who can just drive home anytime on any weekend. oh well. it was my choice to come so far away anyway. at least i'm getting outta here!!! in 2 hrs! goin to chicago! till sun :)
finally. miss the city so much!! u really never appreciate what u have till u lose it. haha. but not looking forward to the 4hr drive. pray for journey mercy!

so..on the list of stupid questions americans ask..'so how do u celebrate thanksgiving at home?'
uhhh. we don't?
cuz thanksgiving is an american hol???
gosh.
but it's fun.
we had a brother/sister wing thanksgiving dinner on sun. yummy food. cornbread, sweet potatoes n marshmallows, stuffing, cake.. :) can't believe we only have 2 wks of sch left after thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!!

camping

just came back from camping in the wilderness. so proud of myself for having survived!! cuz as everyone knows, i'm deathly afraid of bugs n outside stuff! so initially didn't really wanna go..but since pple persuaded me to go..i'm easy-going like that :)
it was fun..hanging out..bonfires..s'mores..hot dogs (sorry, mum. i'll eat more organic food this week to make up for that)..walks in the wilderness..just getting away from campus n relaxing..
ooh we saw a bunch of racoons!! my first time! awfully exciting. they're so cute!

went to the hoedown..really don't get why these americans like square dancing. it's so...square. and not fun. dancing with all these old, smelly men? no thank you. trying not to judge them. cuz this is their idea of fun. but it's not where i come from. but still.. have to remind myself i have no right to judge. so..the bathroom was the MOST disgusting thing i'd ever seen in my life.

flies plastered to the walls. dead bugs on the sides of the hole they call a toilet bowl. spiders creeping n crawling everywhere. ew ew ew. i drank like a few drops of water to avoid going to the bathroom as much as possible. gross. ended up having to go in the middle of the night!!! went with another girl. we clung on to each other cuz it was dark. like cannot-see-your-own-hand type of dark. creepy. but it's times like these that i really learn to appreciate the simple things i have. and thank God i'm so blessed :) it was an adventure, sleeping in the bus. good bonding time. plus i enjoyed worshipping by the fire and sharing abt our lives. i love sitting by the fire when it's cold. it's so...fascinating :)

Give or take

this weekend was pretty cool! compared to normal upland life. ahaha.
had a poster painting partyyy to paint our TCA and other banners..ours looks pretty cool. yay! :)
had a wing dinner with girls on my floor..then outing to Tin lizzy's with some guys from the brother floor..the place was so cute!! it's like a quaint little antique ice cream place with an old jukebox and quaint antique games! loved it. got to know some guys frm our brother floor. they're cool. one guy lived in s'pore before! yay. but it was like 7 yrs ago. haha.

went to ivanhoe's after that. another ice cream place. obviously i didn't eat anymore ice cream. hung out and talked. really loudly. haha. ok and pple keep trying to set me up with the korean guys..cuz they're asian. haha seriously man. watched a movie after that..then went open housing. visiting friends in other dorms.

sat was supposed to go go-kart racing! but it rained. so we ended up shopping! which was better for me anyway. totally needed shoes. got so many cute superhero shirts for 13bucks! guess what we had for dinner. steak n shake. meaning more ice cream.

today went to this methodist church which was like 5 mins away by car..lasted one hour. haha. kinda nice in the sense that it's short and nearby, but obviously not good for long term spiritual life. sigh. the pastor preached by explaining every verse one by one. it was kinda weird. SIGH. tired of church-hopping. think i might settle for one which i found pretty ok. not wonderful, but not bad for indiana standards. had kenyan food for dinner! kind of. it reminded me of chinese food somehow. haha. went to ivanhoe's after that again. ice cream again. omg this weekend is fattening weekend. but eating is always a good way of bonding with pple :)

so my wing girls just had a Slip 'n' Slide..we taped trash bags to the floor down our hallway, put soap and water all over it, and ran and slid down the hallway. hahahaha. super fun. i banged my knee though. and now there's soap all over the bathroom and on the carpet in the hallway. and i learnt that... american girls are pretty wild. heh. but i love being in olson. so much more fun than gerig!!! makes me happy. :)

last day of freedom before classes

omg now that classes are starting tmr.. i so do not want them to start!! hahaha. anw..ystdy me n sung ah finally managed to find a ride to walmart!!! even though it was like midnight..we still appreciated it :) cuz we got carpets, food, all that useful stuff!!

AND omg i'm so totally scarred FOR LIFE!!!! on the way there, jason (who drove us) was being all scary and driving really really fast and then suddenly out of nowhere we saw a possum scuttle across the road!! and he attempted to slow down to avoid hitting the possum, but WE TOTALLY HIT IT!! it was like bump, bump. and i was screaming in terror cuz the possum is so POOR THING!!! gross gross gross. i'm traumatised. and he laughed it off!!! cuz it wasn't his first 'hit-and-run'. ewwwww.

anw today we MOVED IN!!! from like 10am to 4pm..moving stuff frm storage to our room..setting things up in the room.. now we finally have a real room!!! instead of sleeping in sleeping bags for the past few days!! YAY! super tired now though. now we have a fridge! and tons of food! and a comfy chair! only thing we're missing is a tv! but decided not to get one..cuz i'll never leave the room if we had a tv. haha. really happy about my new room. will try and take pics to show soon!!! :)

Moving!!

us at the fort wayne taylor campus.

katrina n me in teepeeing action

me, katrina n josef in the car

the teepee-ers and our efforts.

katrina,me,heather and jackie at walmart :)

today was moving day! packed all my stuff into 8 containers/boxes. yay! my room's super empty now. depressing. and dusty. ughh! but it feels gd to get everything done. all by myself too. so proud of myself. haha. threw/gave away so much stuff. i have way too much stuff! anw moving stuff to the storage place 10mins away was such a workout. carrying boxes, bags, couches, carpets in the hot sun..but we got ice cream afterwards. yay! :) watched 2 short plays put on by pple in acting classes here. was pretty gd. the first was intense n disturbing cuz it was about school shootings. but the second was hilarious!! exaggerated comedy about a love triangle. haha.

AND..i had my FIRST experience at TEE PEEing someone's house!!!! excitingggg. spontaneously went with heather,katrina,josef n jackie. 1/4 of jamaica team reunion! :) so..we got supplies at walmart..tons of toilet paper..forks..streamers..chalk..food (for us). then drove an hour to jody n quinn's (our jamaica team leaders) house n tee peed it..was pretty exhilarating. adrenaline rush. esp when their garage lights came on halfway through our efforts. scared me to death! we totally ran to the car, ready to zoom off so we wouldn't be caught. but..it was a false alarm. anw we did a pretty gd job. toilet paper all over their trees..forks all over their lawn. haha. it was pretty awesome. the drive there n back was awesome too. dance partyy in the car!! poor josef. we made him listen to old school songs like britney spears. haha.

anw saw spiderman 3 last night..was ok. kinda agreed with our sch newsletter's review of it..that it made the evil venom thingy seem..comical. it's not meant to be funny! it's meant to be disturbing and compelling! and that only happened like in the last few mins of the movie. kinda disappointing. since the venom thingy scared me the most when i used to watch spiderman cartoons. haha. i should go watch batman begins to remind myself what a real superhero movie should be like. haha. or maybe..i should start studying. after all, finals are in..one day. heh.