:: Pedantic Platitudes ::

:: Saturday, January 31, 2004 ::

Apparently, they have competitions in Australia to see who can do the "badger dance" the best and the longest without tiring out.

:: SL 8:59 PM [+] ::
...

Today, I watched some television. I then went with a good friend of mine (Friend A) to SLO-town, where she went to see a movie and I went to the Barnes and Noble bookstore. I got some lunch at Woodstock's Pizza and walked by the Mission and its gardens and the creek for some reflection time. There was a wedding being held at the Mission. It was such a beautiful day; it wasn't exactly warm, but it was just nice. The trees were waving to the gentle breeze. I then settled in Barnes and Noble and finished reading Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them by Al Franken. It's such a great book, and it makes me so upset about the state of affairs in our country. Sigh.

After Friend A finished her movie, we headed over to Cal Poly to visit another friend (Friend B), but Friend A and I got a bit lost because we couldn't find a dirt parking lot, which turned out to be an asphalt parking lot. We stopped by the office, and they let us make a phone call to find out where we were going. Friend A and I got there and saw Friend B and her boyfriend and his friends. They were having a barbecue, but they found it difficult to get a fire going. Friend A and I spent much of the time playing a variety of games such as chess, checkers, tic-tac-toe, dominos, and speed. I then ate a hamburger with bacon (Thank god for bacon... you did such a wonderful job!). After chatting for a bit, we headed into the dormitory of Friend B's boyfriend because it had become dark and cold outside. We admired... well... stared at the random panties draped on upside-down plastic flamingos hanging from the ceiling in their living room. Indeed, it was surreal, but I shall not divulge any more details, lest I slip into the realm of unwarranted passive-aggressiveness. I do concede, however, that the Mondrian-style art created from colored electrical tape was rather clever. After a short conversation and tour, Friend A and I left the dormitory and returned to our respective homes.

Tonight, I spent some time doing some writing and watching random snippets of what my sister was watching on television (The Parent Trap remake and The Matrix) and what my mother was watching on television (some Lifetime movie about a girl who was falsely accused of a crime committed by her mother's abusive and married secret lover and now must redeem herself in the eyes of the law and disapproving society). I then did some reading and watched some more Dilbert episodes.

BLEARGH!

Quote of the Day: "My esophagus hurts!"

:: SL 8:39 PM [+] ::
...

It's time for the disturbing Shockwave animation of the week!

The tune is familiar, but now see it with strange new animation!

Irrational Exuberance

:: SL 11:53 AM [+] ::
...

I found this Homeland Security Terror Alert Level indicator spoof to be cute and hilarious.

:: SL 11:51 AM [+] ::
...

I spent most of today doing some reading and studying. I took appropriate breaks by watching a little bit of television. At night, my sister and my mother and I sat down and had dinner together. My sister watched the Disney Channel show Kim Possible.

Tonight, I did some more reading. I then worked on clearing out my e-mails because I am over quota. I then watched an episode of Dilbert, the cartoon.

Quote of the Day: "Is that a dog wearing a cast?!"

:: SL 8:02 AM [+] ::
...

Today, I went to Santa Maria with my mother and father to get some things that my father was going to take to Taiwan. There, I saw a boxed set of the complete Dilbert series. I have always enjoyed the comic strip, and the television cartoon adaptation is absolutely hilarious with its sardonic workspace banter. I got that and the new Britney Spears CD because she has a "toxic" grip on me. After having lunch together, my mother and I said goodbye to my father, who then drove off to Los Angeles, where he will go with my uncle to Taiwan to attend my late uncle’s funeral.

My mother and I then went to the Santa Maria mall and the Pismo Beach Outlets, where my mother had to conduct some shopping business. She dropped me off in San Luis Obispo, and I went to Barnes and Noble and read from Al Franken’s wonderfully hilarious book, Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them. I still haven’t finished the book, but I only have a few more chapters left.

After walking around Farmers Market a bit, I met up with my friend, and I got a Jamba Juice (Mango-A-Go-Go), while she got tea from Starbucks. We had some Solo Stix at Pizza Solo, and then my friend’s boyfriend stopped by.

Tonight, I taught my sister a little bit about politics. I then listened a bit to my new CD and went to bed early because I was feeling tired (still not adjusted to West Coast time).

Quote of the Day: "Sail with me!"

:: SL 11:43 PM [+] ::
...

Wow, what a long day. I set off in the early morning for the Boston Logan International Airport, taking all my bags on the subway and arriving about an hour and a half before my flight. Yesterday, I had learned that my flight at 7 a.m. was cancelled, so I was booked on this later flight at 9:30 a.m. Ironically, the expected heavy snow that prompted the airline to cancel my original flight did not come until 8:30 a.m. Had they kept the 7 a.m. flight, the plane would have gotten out of Boston so much more easily. But I boarded the 9:30 flight, and they did all the de-icing procedures, spraying this chemical on the plane to melt all the snow and ice that had already piled on the airplane in the short amount of time since the snowstorm began.

Well, as luck would have it, the airplane experienced some engine problems right before take-off. In fact, the plane actually started to accelerate on the runway, preparing to take flight, before stopping suddenly when the monitors indicated engine trouble. We went back to our gate, and the mechanics inspected the engine. After all was done, the plane had to be de-iced once again, and we finally left Boston after a 3-hour delay.

This flight took me across the country to San Francisco. While landing, we flew over the salt farms just south of the bay. It was so neat to see the pools of water because they were all different colors! I'm not sure why the saltwater was colored, but there was a huge field of red water, another field of orange water, then yellow, green, and even blue! It was so beautiful in a colorful yet strange way. Because of the earlier delay, I was to miss my connecting flight to Los Angeles, but they held the flight to Los Angeles because there were so many people on my flight who needed to take that flight and missed it due to the delay. While taking off to Los Angeles, we got a wonderful view of the Bay Area and the city of San Francisco, complete with the Golden Gate Bridge and the TransAmerica Pyramid.

After a stop in Los Angeles, I got on a plane to San Luis Obispo. I got home at about 7. It's too bad my flight from Boston to Los Angeles was cancelled; it would have made the trip so much easier and efficient, since I wouldn't have to flight down from San Francisco to Los Angeles and then back up to San Luis Obispo. I had massive headache from all the traveling and probably from not getting any sleep last night, but I'm so glad to be home. Sooo glad to be back in California.

Tonight, I had dinner and then watched a DVD of musicals.

Quote of the Day: "I have to go now; I have a disease!"

:: SL 4:03 AM [+] ::
...

Today, I got up, had a meal, and then crammed for a couple of hours for my Chinese final this afternoon. I went to the final, which was a bit long for the three hours allotted. It's strange how time passes so fast when you're taking an exam.

After the exam, I went back to my room, got some things settled, and then went to have dinner with a friend I haven't seen in a very long time. Following dinner, I joined a good group of friends who were celebrating the end of finals with a "Pirate Party." We started by watching Pirates of the Caribbean on DVD in Quincy House.

After a break, I received a call informing me that my flight tomorrow morning had been cancelled due to weather concerns. The Northeast is supposed to receive a huge storm tomorrow; I guess they were anticipating it to be really bad. The airline company helped me reschedule, but now instead of arriving at 1 in the early afternoon, I will arrive in San Luis Obispo at 6:30. The trip is going to take forever. My father is going to Taiwan, but he scheduled his flight for Thursday evening, so I will still get to see him.

I then went to a continuation of said party, where my friends made "grog" and enjoyed hard tack and garnish (Triscuits with canned cheese). We then all played Ganguro Girl, which I am warning you is an extremely hilarious, disturbing, offensive, sexist, and sexual online game. It takes forever to play, and it takes forever to describe. I've heard it gets pretty dirty, but I haven't gotten far enough in the game to see it for myself. Let's just say that if you've got a lot of free time or want a conversation piece at your next party, try out this game.

I missed my friend's huge Jell-o shot party, and that was a bummer, but I did get to hang out with some really good friends. I then spent some time with another group of friends in the Leverett House dining hall, where we had an enjoyable conversation into the early morning. I then finished up my laundry and finished packing for my big journey home tomorrow.

Quote of the Day: "You're smart! You did very well on verbal!"

:: SL 3:02 PM [+] ::
...

My mother told me my uncle died this morning. He had a brain tumor that had been operated on several times already, and his condition just got worse and worse. He fell into a coma a few weeks ago, and never got out of it.

He was a teacher, very knowledgeable. He was a nice man. I never really got to know him because he lived in Taiwan; I only saw him the few times I went there. He traveled extensively; once he showed me pictures of his adventures in China and Mongolia and the huge sand dunes there and taught me a little about Mongolian culture. I'll always remember that.

Some lyrics from Vienna Teng: "Say Uncle"

everyone agrees it came too soon
it was only meant to be an intersection
you kept fear of death in back pocket of your jeans
in the palm of your hand, affection

it came like a sudden gust of wind
leaving them, bewildered, to ask how
I recall last time we met you said we'd meet again
the irony is only bitter now

these days everyone cries "say uncle"
they want to touch your spirit lest it die
for this your sons and widow gather with us at the table
to form a healing circle for our new demise
these days everyone cries "say uncle"
I retrieve the memories quickly as I can
add them to the portrait we all draw in our minds
your body gone, but we shall keep the man

I close my eyes and hope they do not fade
these remnants of a voice and of a smile
images of landscape cloaked in forest green
like your life unfolding mile by mile

a fierce embrace, a word of thanks
a cheerful whistle and hours in a van
somehow these pieces must bring back the man you were
though the ocean claims your ashes on the sand

these days everyone cries "say uncle"
they want to touch your spirit lest it die
for this your sons and widow gather with us at the table
to form a healing circle for our new demise
these days everyone cries "say uncle"
I retrieve the memories quickly as I can
add them to the portrait we all draw in our minds
your body gone, but we shall keep the man

:: SL 2:58 PM [+] ::
...

Dare I say that the weather was actually nice today? Well, it was much warmer today than it has been these past few weeks, but it's still pretty chilly.

I lied. It got dark and then it became unbearably cold again, especially with the wind.

Blah. And so my blog continues its downward spiral, turning into a fraught-with-angst collection of complaints about my malaise.

Yuck. I look and feel like a middle-aged man.

Well, I spent all of today cramming for my Chinese writing exam tomorrow afternoon. I also went to a couple of appointments. Tonight, I was hungry, so I went to get some pizza as a late night snack.

Quote of the Day: "Conservatives are, like, weird."

:: SL 12:34 PM [+] ::
...

From the CD booklet:

No day but today.

Jonathan Larson

February 4, 1960 – January 25, 1996

Jonathan Larson was intensely passionate about living life, creating music and changing his part of the world – Broadway and musical theater. The exuberance, the passion and the philosophy of RENT are clear reflections of his life and the way he chose to live it. Jonathan's sudden, unexpected death on the very day his dream came true is a sobering reminder to make the most of the time we have. Listen to his music, reach out to your community, and celebrate all the love in your life.

No day but today.

:: SL 10:51 AM [+] ::
...

Today, I listened to a lot of music and studied madly for my Chinese writing exam on Tuesday.

Bleargh. Another day of not feeling well. I wonder if mayonnaise goes well with malaise.

I saw this today; how fitting...



Sigh.

Tonight, I went with my friend to The Crimson, where they were celebrating the final press run for the 130th guard, as in the final paper of this year's staff. Next year's staff will start putting out the paper when we get back from break. We stayed into the late night, waiting until the press began running. It was neat to see the new color presses running. Then people went around signing copies of the final issue.

Quote of the Day: "Crunk up the bass!"

:: SL 5:14 AM [+] ::
...

Wow, I can't believe it's Saturday. Because I had an exam today, it felt like a weekday. Gee, I still can't believe we had exams on a Saturday.

This afternoon, after doing some last-minute cramming, I went to take my final exam for Justice, my moral reasoning class. During the review sessions, the teaching fellows had handed out copies of previous exams, so I didn't feel totally unprepared.

Following the grueling three hour exam, I went and had dinner with my friend at Quincy House. Afterwards, I met up with some friends at the Leverett House dining hall. I ended up hanging out with two sets of friends; it seemed as if everyone was there!

Tonight, I went to a nice little tea party with my friends. Many of them are finished with exams (I still have one on Tuesday afternoon), so they wanted a chance to relax. We enjoyed drinks and chocolate and shared delightfully humorous stories. We also played a very amusing game regarding my friend's mom; I'll have to share it with everyone soon.

Quote of the Day: "Office Space had a token Indian, and he didn't even own the damn company!"

:: SL 5:38 PM [+] ::
...

I liked how this article says that John Kerry is "the perfect California candidate."

:: SL 7:15 PM [+] ::
...

Win a Date with Tad Hamilton is released in theaters today. Everyone go see it! I recommend this cute comedy for a good escape from the winter cold.

:: SL 3:55 PM [+] ::
...

It's time for the disturbing Shockwave animation of the week!

To celebrate this year of the monkey, I offer the following:

Little Red Monkey!

Yep... use that euphonium!

:: SL 1:32 AM [+] ::
...

Today, I studied madly one last day for my moral reasoning final tomorrow. In the afternoon, I attended a review session for my Chinese writing class. I then watched some more video lectures online to review.

It was difficult to carry on because I felt really miserable due to the new medication I started today. Nevertheless, I persevered and tried to study.

Quote of the Day: "Sentient beings only!"

:: SL 1:32 AM [+] ::
...

Happy Chinese New Year! It is the year of the monkey. Yesterday, I received in the mail a red envelope with money inside from my parents per the Chinese New Year tradition.

Today, I studied more for my moral reasoning exam on Saturday. I enjoyed lunch with some friends I haven't talked to in some time, and then I watched some lectures online. Dinner was most enjoyable... to celebrate Chinese New Year, the dining hall went all out with their pseudo-Chinese food extravaganza. The food itself wasn't bad, but if its likeness to real Chinese food was mild at best.

Tonight, I went to another review session for my moral reasoning class. It was a bit long-winded, but it was good for reminding me of how much work I still have to do. Late tonight, at about 2 a.m., the fire alarm went off, and all of us residents of G tower at Leverett House evacuated the building and gathered outside in the freezing cold. We couldn't stand the temperature, so we congregated in the lobby of the F tower. It must have been an entertaining sight, all of us crowded in there. We joked and conversed with our neighbors, many who had already gone to bed and were in their sleepwear. Then, the firefighters gave the "all clear" and let us back into our rooms. I then stayed up even later continuing my studies.

Quote of the Day: "I appreciate your charming lack of knowledge about the sex trade."

:: SL 6:32 PM [+] ::
...

Today was another day of mad studying for my upcoming finals. I took a nice lunch break with a good friend, and we chatted about websites and other matters.

This evening, I went to dinner with a big group of friends. We shared some amusing stories, and then I went to try to pick up some medication, but the prescription had been written incorrectly, so I left, but then they forgot to return my Harvard ID card before they closed, so I had a bit of a problem. I managed to get my card returned.

Tonight, a couple of my friends invited me to a mini-Bjork party, where we enjoyed Brussels cookies and watched a documentary about Bjork and her life and career. I didn't really know much about the Icelandic pop star, but I have seen her style and heard her song It's Oh So Quiet, and I liked it a lot. I really enjoyed the documentary, and I hope to hear some more of her electronica songs. We then watched some of her music videos. Her music videos are all so creative and surreal; they are so imaginative.

Quote of the Day: "My babies all have dents in their heads, but I like to think of them as dimples."

:: SL 5:34 PM [+] ::
...

Disturbing image of the day: Life on Mars

:: SL 1:31 PM [+] ::
...

Today, I studied more for my moral reasoning class. Thank goodness for lecture videos online, where I can review course material. In the evening, I had a quick dinner with some friends, and then I went to a review session for my moral reasoning class. It was a good chance to discuss material, except for one student who wouldn't stop asking questions that should have been asked on his own time. Alas.

Tonight, I went to the Institute of Politics to watch with a large group this year's State of the Union Address. While the speech is supposed to inspire hope and optimism for the future, I left feeling fearful and dreading what is left of the current administration and the extreme-right agenda it seeks to pursue. It was heartening to hear applause after mention of the Patriot Act expiring soon, hissing after a proposal for abstinence programs, and outright booing after his mention of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages.

After watching the Democratic Response, I went back to my room and did some more studying. I then went to bed early because I was tired.

Quote of the Day: "What is the going rate for virginity?"

:: SL 9:39 AM [+] ::
...

Big night in politics tonight as Senator John F. Kerry wins the Iowa caucases, Representative Dick Gephardt considers dropping out of the race, Gov. Howard Dean doesn't do as well as the media had predicted earlier, and Sen. Edwards takes a surprising second place.

:: SL 7:26 PM [+] ::
...

A heartening story about Japanese troops entering Iraq. It was nice to read about the spirit of international welcome and cooperation, even though the mission is controversial.

"The manager of a mosque down a muddy side street near the market, Karim Mohammad Ali, said he would ordinarily be opposed to the presence of more foreign troops in Iraq.

'But the Japanese are different - they are here to build, not destroy,' he said."

:: SL 11:27 AM [+] ::
...

It's so weird to see Santa Maria being talked about so much on national news due to the Michael Jackson trial.

First there was the shark attack over the summer, then there was the huge earthquake, and now the Michael Jackson thing; the Central Coast is getting national attention, but not for the most wonderful things!

And just tody, I found this article on CNN.com about Jack LaLanne, who lives in Morro Bay. The article's dateline is Morro Bay, too!

:: SL 4:40 AM [+] ::
...

Today, I for some reason got up earlier than I had expected. I started studying for my moral reasoning final, which is this Saturday. I watched some of the videos online, and started planning for a presentation I have to give at a review session tomorrow. The philosopher I was assigned to was John Locke... property rights and such.

Tonight, I had dinner with a bunch of my friends; they had this wonderful vegetable stir-fry udon noodles dish that I enjoyed thoroughly. Lunch's basmati rice with curry chicken and the taco bar were quite pleasant. I haven't had tacos in quite some time.

Quote of the Day: "You're a chip off the old potato."

:: SL 2:27 AM [+] ::
...

Some heartening news, just when I thought the country was caught in a stranglehold of the Republican machine. Hopefully, people are starting to realize that our country is headed in the wrong direction.

These 30-second spots (finalists in a contest from MoveOn.org) are quite effective in getting the point across that we need to get rid of the Bush administration. I enjoyed "In My Country," "Desktop," "Pop Quiz," and best of all "What Are We Teaching Our Children?"

:: SL 9:10 AM [+] ::
...

I think the week of intense frigidity is coming to a close, and today it is snowing, which usually makes the air feel not as cold, for some reason.

Today, I managed to have all three meals of the day. I studied some of my Chinese vocabulary, because I have a final in that class coming up. I also went for a walk to get some exercise.

It's not as cold as it was earlier this week. I'm glad tomorrow is a holiday and a new week.

Quote of the Day: "My future looks like a turd."

:: SL 9:08 AM [+] ::
...

Um, wow.

Who knew that the badgers would make an appearance at the upcoming Twilight Zone Tower of Terror attraction at Disney's California Adventure?

:: SL 7:32 PM [+] ::
...

Ugh. This has been one of the most craptacular weeks ever. Thank goodness that it's almost over.

Well, today was the first day of exams. After staying up to finish my psychology paper, I turned it in and had lunch. I then took a nap in the afternoon.

After dinner, I worked on studying some Chinese. I then turned in early because I was so tired.

Quote of the Day: "How dare you call me a vulgar fraction?!"

:: SL 7:29 PM [+] ::
...

It's time for the disturbing Shockwave animation of the week!

It's been around for a while, but it's still good:

All your base are belong to us!

It actually makes quite a good techno song...

I appreciate the "wonders of Photoshop" slideshow in this video.

:: SL 3:10 PM [+] ::
...

Today, I wrote a paper for my psychology sophomore tutorial. It was more of a research paper, and I had to sort through a lot of documents to find what I wanted.

In the afternoon, I went to a review session for my Chinese writing class. It's going to be tough remembering all the characters for the finals!

This has been a tough week. There are the pressures of finals, which begin tomorrow, and on top of that the weather has been just unbearable. Record lows, wind chills last night of -29, etc.

A few hours after dinner, I went to a donut party, where they served Dunkin' Donuts for the entire house. Everyone was there, enjoying their fill of donuts. I enjoyed a Boston cream donut - my favorite kind.

Tonight, despite the below-zero wind chill warnings, hundreds of students gathered in Harvard Yard for Primal Scream, the Harvard College tradition where students run around Harvard Yard in the nude at midnight on the night before finals begin.

A lot of officials had warned students not to participate this year because it was so cold (one can begin to develop frostbite after just 15 minutes in this weather). Nevertheless, quite a few students still participated. I don't know how they did it; I was wearing layers upon layers of clothes but was still cold!

Quote of the Day: "You know I love you, but we're just not from the same potato!"

:: SL 7:16 AM [+] ::
...

Today, I went to breakfast after staying up to do work on my portfolio for Chinese class. I had a meeting at noon, and then I went to lunch. After finishing my portfolio, I took the shuttle (to avoid the freezing cold). I then went to an appointment.

It's supposed to reach record lows tonight, with a wind chill of -40. Apparently, you can get frostbite from just a few minutes of such frigidity.

I decided to have frozen yogurt after dinner. Tonight the dining hall had this new New York Cheesecake flavor, so I knew I had to try some. When I walked outside, the frozen yogurt on my cake cone actually became more firm! It was an unusual experience, since frozen yogurt usually softens as you eat it because it melts. However, this time, the longer I was outside, the more solid and cold the frozen yogurt became because of the record low temperatures. The dessert was still tasty, though, and I quickly got myself indoors and back in my room before the cold got to me too badly.

Quote of the Day: "An all-you-can-eat buffet is a challenge, and you are the only obstacle."

:: SL 2:06 PM [+] ::
...

Well, it's official; it looks like I'll be back home in wonderful California from January 28 to February 3! I get a week off after finals before the spring semester begins, and I'm looking forward to spending it back in California. This is more than welcome news after this week's below-zero weather.

And what a cold week it's been. Apparently, tomorrow will be the coldest day ever. Wow, last year, it was the worst winter in goodness knows how long with regards to the snow and sheer duration, and this year it's the worst in terms of low temperatures. Crazy weather.

Today, I worked madly on getting my Chinese portfolio in order for my interview tomorrow. I also dined with some friends in Quincy House. They had gnocchi, little Italian potato dumplings, which I tried for the first time, as well as apple crisp, which was a nice dessert.

Quote of the Day: "It's loose tea for loose women!"

:: SL 12:45 PM [+] ::
...

Today, I took a break from work and went to see a movie. I was invited to preview the film Win a Date with Tad Hamilton before it is released (it is released January 23), so I went into town to go the preview party. It was a cute teen comedy that had quite a few humorous moments. Topher Grace, who plays the role of Pete, was great; his expressions and sarcasm throughout the movie made it all the funnier. I would definitely recommend it.

I then went to a birthday party for one of my friends. We all enjoyed pizza and lime-flavored tortilla chips. I then went to bed early because it had been a long day, and I felt exhausted.

Quote of the Day: "Heroin brownies... bet you can't eat just one."

:: SL 2:54 AM [+] ::
...

Aww, isn't it cute?

I just discovered a real trip: Open up three badger Shockwave animations in different windows.

One badger animation playing is disturbing, running two badger animations simultaneously is mind-numbing, and having three badger animations play at once will make you go completely crazy.

:: SL 7:15 AM [+] ::
...

This morning, I had a nice breakfast with a lot of tea. I also had Lucky Charms breakfast cereal. I then did some work. I met up with a good friend for lunch, and we chatted for some time.

After taking a nap, I did some more work. I went out for a pizza break later in the evening because I was hungry. I also chatted a bit online.

Quote of the Day: "It's like a boob job for cranberries!"

:: SL 7:04 AM [+] ::
...

For all those Lord of the Rings fans... who happen to love badgers... comes the perfect marriage:

Badger: Special Edition

That was the funniest thing I've seen in a while.

And there's more! Check out the Lego badger!

Be sure to watch the movie!

:: SL 9:44 PM [+] ::
...

I hate jet lag.

Today was another day of busy work, punctuated by dinner with friends and a study break later on in the evening. We had tea and chatted a bit. I was fooling around with my friend's Rubik's Cube, and that challenged me for some time. I managed to get one side completed, but I didn't know how to proceed further. Tonight, I also started organizing my papers just to be sure I have everything right to study.

It's been a cold week, and although it wasn't so bad today, it just started to snow. Alas.

Quote of the Day: "This will just be a long Latin joke with no punch line for you guys."

:: SL 9:43 PM [+] ::
...

According to news reports, today was the coldest day in a decade in Boston. Luckily, I didn't spend as much of it outside as I did yesterday walking to the library.

Today, I worked on my Chinese essay, which was difficult to write. I also had dinner with some people I haven't seen since I got back from vacation. Tonight's snack was pretty good: a vegetable platter with ranch sauce.

After completing my composition in Chinese characters, I spent some time looking up airfares for a potential trip home after finals.

Quote of the Day: "He isn't just the epitome of emo; he is emo."

:: SL 6:25 PM [+] ::
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Yay! Read my story in The Crimson today:

T Fares Rise To $1.25

Hmm... They still can't get my name right.

:: SL 1:25 AM [+] ::
...

It's Friday, and that means that it's time for the disturbing Shockwave animation of the week:

Roger's Bug/Big Adventure

:: SL 1:20 AM [+] ::
...

Today, I went to Hilles Library all the way in the Quad to do some research. It was freezing today. I don't believe I've ever been in such cold weather. The temperature hit the below-zero mark today, and the wind is harsh and unforgiving, making the cold even more unbearable. Looking at the skin on my hands after walking outside without the protection of gloves, I realized that they looked like the hands of a 50-year-old. Alas.

Tonight, I went to dinner at Quincy House with some of my friends. They had Tazo ginger/green tea! It was an unexpected surprise. We played "Telephone" around the table and had some good laughs. Later this evening, I had to ride the shuttle back to the Quad to return some library items on reserve that I checked out earlier today. With all the stops, it took me about 45 minutes. Despite the freezing weather, the dining hall served smoothies tonight for a study break snack, so I went over to Quincy House to get a cup. It wasn't bad, but I miss Jamba Juice so much.

Quote of the Day: "Little girls make mistakes... that's where other little girls come from."

:: SL 1:08 AM [+] ::
...

Bad news headline of the day: Rose's lies make truth hard to find

No, really?

:: SL 12:39 AM [+] ::
...

Today, I went to The Crimson newspaper and wrote a news story! The story is about the recent increase in the fare to ride the T (Boston's subway system). It's kinda old news, but the editors wanted to cover it. I really lucked out this time; all the people I wanted to talk to in my story were available and gave really great quotes. I then went to the Harvard Square T stop to interview people, and although it was freezing cold in the station, I toughed it out and got some quotes. It really was freezing today. I could hardly walk a block outdoors. I'll have to remember to wear a hat when I go out because my head starts to hurt because it's so cold. I finished the story in record time and had it edited after dinner. It passed pretty well with my editor, who made only minor changes. I can't wait to see my name in The Crimson again! Tonight, some of my friends got together for a mini tea party. It was fun to chat and drink tea. Then it was time for mad studying.

Quote of the Day: "I'm pregnant... in my arm!"

:: SL 12:15 AM [+] ::
...

Last night, I had a dream about badgers.

OK, I really didn't, but I needed an excuse to have this mind-numbing music playing in the background.

Love it? Hate it? Let me know...

Today, I went into town to see Urinetown: The Musical! Despite the strange title, it was a hilarious production. Urinetown was originally an off-Broadway musical, but it eventually made its way to Broadway. The touring company is here for a couple of weeks, and I caught its second performance in Boston. I waited in line for the cool $25 student rush tickets the theater offers and ended up getting a front row, center seat! It was so exciting.

The musical is about a dystopian town that faces a water shortage so severe that the residents are charged "a fee to pee." Thus, the wealthy live wonderful lives, while the poor are oppressed and are not allowed to urinate unless they come up with the money. Thus, the poor start a revolt to give themselves the right to urinate when they want, where they want, and for as much and as long as they want. The musical kept making fun of itself and other musicals, and I could not stop laughing. The songs were pretty catchy, too. I might consider getting the cast album. It's too bad the show on Broadway is closing soon because the theater is being demolished to make way for a new skyscraper. I can see this show running for quite some time.

After the show, I went to a nearby supermarket to get a snack. I then headed back to my dorm. Once again, it is freezing, and the wind is blowing so hard. Walking back from the T stop nearly made my fingers freeze.

Quote of the Day: "Mom, if you were a Spice Girl, you'd be Old Spice!"

:: SL 1:31 AM [+] ::
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I spent most of today sleeping because I slept so little on the overnight flight. In the late afternoon, I got up and started to unpack, putting my nicely folded clothes away. I then accompanied my friends to dinner. We chatted for a long time at the dinner table. Almost everyone was back from break.

Tonight, I got a lot of my stuff in order. I also spent a lot of time on the computer, catching up on news, etc. I hadn't been on the computer that much over break. My friends down the hall hosted a tea party tonight. We enjoyed chocolates and snacks that everyone brought back from break. I had some wonderful chai tea with some milk and sugar, and I also tried some neat orange chocolate balls, as well as this fancy gourmet chocolate from Seattle. I then opened up this bag of white chocolate bark with chunks of orange candy inside. It was all so delightful! I need to start exercising tomorrow to get rid of all the calories!

I haven't been out much today, but it is freezing cold outside. It started snowing this evening, but it soon stopped. Circumstances have made me upset this evening, and unable to sleep, I stayed up all night writing.

Quote of the Day: "I'm not a plus size; I'm a minus size!"

:: SL 4:18 PM [+] ::
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Yay, my story was on the front page of The Tribune today! The online version is available here.

:: SL 9:00 PM [+] ::
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Today was my last day in California for some time. Alas.

I spent the afternoon packing. I had to get all my stuff from my grandparents' house, where I had been staying. I also cleaned out my backpack, which suffered from a little spill.

I ate some Danish pastries, some cheesecake ice cream, and other delicious foods from home. After playing a few more minutes of Super Mario Brothers 2: Yoshi's Island, I finished the entire game. I then got my luggage into the van, and we headed in the late afternoon to the SLO County airport.

My flight left at 7 p.m. and I got to LAX at a little before 8. There, I ran into a couple of friends who were on the same flight as me from Los Angeles to Boston. I got something to eat, and then we boarded the plane. The flight, as usual, had a fair amount of children on it, and although they were quiet for much of the flight, they began to scream and cry as babies are wont to do as soon as I wanted to go to sleep on this overnight flight.

We arrived at about 5 in the morning here in Boston, and my friends and I shared a cab back to school. I was really tired, so I went to sleep, just as the sun was starting to rise.

Quote of the Day: "Your mom is so easy; she's easier than a core class."

:: SL 4:13 PM [+] ::
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Today was my last full day at home for a while. It was kind of sad. I slept in and then began doing some studying. I took some breaks by playing video games and chatting on the computer.

Tonight, my family and I went to this really nice Japanese restaurant in SLO-town. I haven't had Japanese food in quite some time, and the dinner deal was most excellent. There were a wide variety of appetizers, and the main course included so many things like teriyaki chicken, California rolls, shrimp tempura, and this wonderful tofu-like dessert. We also got an order of sashimi. I had too much wasabi, though.

Quote of the Day: "Pollinate me! Buzz! Buzz!"

:: SL 4:11 PM [+] ::
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Today, my sister wanted to go to Santa Barbara to go shopping, so I went with my mother and her on the day excursion. We stopped in Santa Maria to go to Costco, where we got lunch from the food court. We then continued to Solvang, where my mother bought some pastries. On the way back to Highway 101 from Solvang, we stopped by "Ostrichland," which is this cute little tourist trap of an ostrich farm. We visited the adorable emus and ostriches. They would occasionally crane their long necks out beyond the fence, but with their goofy looks, I couldn't imagine that there would be any danger. Seeing the fun emus and ostriches totally made my day.

We then continued to Santa Barbara, where my sister and mother went to shop at the May Robinson department store and the La Cumbre Plaza promenade next door. I didn't purchase anything, but I admired the atmospheric shopping area. My sister then wanted to go to downtown Santa Barbara on State Street, where she shopped around for what she wanted. I noticed what wonderful architecture Santa Barbara has. Many of the buildings are just beautiful. Extending from the main street, there are a lot of smaller back areas, too, filled with little hidden shops, restaurants, and atmospheric mini-courtyards that are most reminiscent of New Orleans Square at Disneyland, especially with everything still decorated for the holiday season. There were a lot of small fountains everywhere, too.

We had dinner at a little Italian restaurant downtown. It had a beautiful patio, and although it was pretty chilly outside, the heaters made it nice to dine outdoors. I had a salmon and penne pasta dish; the salmon was wonderful, especially with its pesto sauce and pine nuts, but the pasta was too gummy and chewy for my tastes. We had tiramisu for dessert. We then made the long drive home back to Morro Bay.

Quote of the Day: "You're a long-hair; you must smoke."

:: SL 10:17 PM [+] ::
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It's Friday, and that means it's time for the disturbing Shockwave animation of the week!

This week's disturbing Shockwave animation: Badger 2!

And you thought the original one was disturbing! I always knew there was something creepy about those badgers...

If you watch it long enough, you might actually see the snake... snake... oh, wretched snake...

:: SL 8:47 PM [+] ::
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Today, I went to work. I finished up my story about the blind man. At noon, I went to a goodbye lunch for one of our page designers. It was held at Novo, and we were seated inside for the first time, probably because of the damp weather (we are usually seated outside because the outdoor, creekside patio is so beautiful). I had a turkey chipotle avocado croissant melt with a side salad enlivened by vinaigrette dressing.

After lunch, I wrapped up my feature story and then started doing some copy editing for the features desk. There was a lot to do, but I got it done by the end of my shift. I then said goodbye to the remaining people in the office and went home. At home, I wasted time watching television and typing on the computer. I watched this really cool special on the Discovery Channel concerning thrill rides at the Walt Disney World Resort. It was a bit annoying because they had this "neurophysiologist" try to analyze (via photos and videos of people on the rides) what kinds of emotions the riders are experiencing and the correlating hormones that are being released. Whatever.

Quote of the Day: "GODcha!"

:: SL 8:46 PM [+] ::
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It's 2004!!!

After sleeping into the afternoon, I woke up and started working on studying Chinese. My sister was watching the Punk'd marathon on MTV, so I watched a couple of episodes. As much as I despise pranks and Ashton Kutcher, I have to admit that there is something addictive in that show.

This evening, we had a wonderful pizza dinner. I then proceeded to watch some more television, listen to music, use the computer, and study more Chinese.

Quote of the Day: "Seven inches of sparkly fun!"

:: SL 3:18 AM [+] ::
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