Friday, August 12, 2011

Surfing in Costa Rica

I got back from Costa Rica a week ago and have been lethargic ever since. Now that I'm getting my butt back into gear, I am here to update this blog and provide you some mild entertainment.

Costa Rica was a very relaxing vacation trip, as they all should be. It was a good balance of excursions and exploring the city, and chillaxing at the hotel and rolling around on the beach. I went surfing for the very first time and it was definitely one of the highlights of the trip. We paid for two hours of lessons; the first hour mostly consisting of everyone wiping out (and collecting video footage of said wipe-outs), and in the second hour, we started to get a better hang of it and stay on top of our boards for longer than five seconds.

I got a handful of funny Costa Rica stories to tell, but for the sake of having material to update this blog with, I'm going to space it out. So I'll leave you with this little comic strip.



 

True story.

I jumped off the board, thinking it was a good place to get off. As it turns out, I grossly underestimated how deep the water was and ended up cannon-balling smack onto the sand. My butt was ridiculously sore afterwards. It may have been the stupidest way I've ever injured my tushy. 



Friday, July 22, 2011

A week of food, sun, beaches, and general chillaxing


This, my friends, is a photo of a beach in Costa Rica, where I plan to be doing exactly what this chick is doing for the next week. 

I know I haven't been updating as of late but I plan to make it up to you all when I come back, hopefully with a handful of stories, photos, and mini-comic strips to entertain you with. I've been experiencing a little cabin fever, being stuck in the house with nowhere to go so it's nice to be able to go the Caribbean (which I've been longing to go to forevers!) and clock in some beach time. When I'm not slapping on sunscreen and taking advantage of the elasticity of the waistband of my pants, I shall be frolicking in the sun and beach waters. Or sitting on the hotel steps with a scuba mask strapped around my face, waiting for the rain to stop.

I hope I don't come back all poo-colored. That would make me sad. :(


Sunday, July 17, 2011

FIFA Women's World Cup with Dad - Liveblog

I'm watching the FIFA Women's World Cup: USA vs. Japan with Dad. I can only imagine the stream of strange things that will come out of his mouth so I thought I'd do a Liveblog and share them with you.

12:15pm - Dad's searching the channels looking for the game, crying, "Nooooooo!" because we don't have cable and can't find it on any of the major networks. I come to the rescue and introduce him to live streaming on espn.com. It's 40 minutes ino the game. You know, you usually hear comments about how the child does or says something like their parent, and it's endearing. Here, Dad sounded alarmingly like Brother. And it was disturbing.

12:32pm - Dad says it might be better that Japan loses so they can get more tsunami relief aid.

12:47pm - Dad just informed me that in history, Japan and the US have had 19 matches. Three ties. And 16 losses.

12:57pm - Dad just said, "huh, there are no pretty ladies here."

1:10pm - US scores first goal. "Agggghhh! It's because their legs are too short! They can't run fast enough!"

1:22pm - Japan scores. Dad and I high-five. I'm confused as to whose side I'm on. Dad: "HAHAHA! What a lucky ball!" I don't understand what he means.

1:28pm - I think I got excited by Japan's first goal because I didn't expect them to score at all. :\

1:32pm - Japanese dude in the crowd suddenly jumps up screaming because he sees himself on camera. That was funny.

1:33pm - Overtime. Just an informational tidbit. Both Dad and I have some sentimental connection with Japan. Ten months study abroad for me, of course. And Dad's lived in Japan since he was around 18 for 10-ish years (for university and work). So that's probably why Dad's rooting for Japan. Maybe I technically should be rooting for U.S.A. However, I think I'm rooting for Japan because Dad is. And I have a soft spot for underdogs.

1:38pm - Dad: "Blegh. There's nothing in the house to drink. No beer. :( "

1:43pm - No beer. So we're eating sliced apples instead. RAWR. WE ARE MEN.

1:46pm - Me: "Wow. They're really sweaty. Like soaking wet." I bite into an apple slice and the juice squirts out and all over the keyboard. Dad: "That was disgusting."

1:52pm - GOALLL! (I'm just gonna cheer for both. :D)

1:57pm - Just sent a Facebook message to my Japanese host mom telling her Dad is rooting for Japan.

2:07pm - Japan just scored! Holy crap, this is such a close game. That was a pretty epic shot too.

2:10pm - Sister just joined us in watching the game: "This is the first red card issued in a Women's Finals? Seriously? They give it out during the Men's all the time."

2:15pm - Penalty kicks. Dad: "Aren't they kicking too close??"

2:17pm - About Japan's goalie, me: "Awww, her haircut's so cute. :)"

2:19pm - OHH! Damn, Japan has a really strong goalie.

2:22pm - JAPAN WON! Oh damn! I'm pretty shocked. Totally didn't see it coming. The Japan team is dogpiling each other. Dad: "OMG! I wanna jump in there too!"

What a good game. :) So happy for Japan. But a really good effort on the USA's part. Japan's goalkeeper gonna be a national hero now.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Tapas and Backseat Driving

A while back I was in San Francisco and ate tapas for the first time. It was delicious. It was expensive. And to be honest, I think it was fusion. Nonetheless, it was still good food and a good experience. I'm hoping next time, I'll be able to find a more authentic Spanish tapas place. Also, later that night, I ate tacos that I'm convinced were magical.

...Not in the illegal sense. In the Abacadabra and Harry Potter sense.

Raw tuna and mango tacos. Or maybe it was Ahi, I don't remember.

Cubed sea bass. My God, this was heaven in my mouth.


Pork cheeks. My friend and I had a brief discussion on whether it was face cheeks or butt cheeks. We agreed on butt cheeks.


We also had mini sliders and fries but I don't have photos of those because I was too busy eating forgot. 

In other news, my teenage brother just got his driver's license and I decided to let him drive the other day. Now, I hate it when other people do it to me too, but I guess since I'm his older sister and I occasionally enjoy exercising my power and seniority over him, I couldn't help but do a little backseat driving. Which leads to this week's comic strip. 



(Yes, I used stick figures and not my usual comic style. Sorry, I got lazy.)


I think I may have to start writing my anecdotes down. I had a bunch of little funny tidbits stored up from the past few weeks, but when it came down to writing or drawing them out, I would forget the punchline or the entire story altogether. It's pretty annoying.


Friday, July 1, 2011

Move over, Donkey Kong

I fought. I cried. I conquered.

The bunny is now doing his number 1's and most of his number 2's in the litter box. Donkey Kong got nothing on me. *Victory dance*

However, the entire litter box dilemma may have been a bit of my fault. It turned out that I had been setting up his cage wrong and the bunny thought the entire cage was his litter box, hence the number 1's and number 2's being everywhere. But nonetheless, problem's been solved. There's still the occasional accident but I think he's still adjusting to his new interiors.

I would also like to share that the bunny and I shared some very sweet bonding time earlier tonight. For a good 20 minutes, he just laid on my bed and snuggled under my hand while I petted him and scratched around his ears. That's the longest he has ever sat still while being five inches next to me. And the calmest. Earlier this morning he was giving me a headache, jumping around like a five year-old who just found all the Halloween candy his parents had stashed away. Or a junkie who just found his parents' meth lab.

Although I may have given him a wee bit too many blueberries a bit before. So then I guess those 20 minutes of calmness was just him crashing from his sugar high. Huh.

You would think that given complaining I do about the universe never cutting me a break, I'd stop deconstructing my personal victories.


Monday, June 27, 2011

On the brink of insanity

The rabbit's been drinking a tank-load of water in the past two hours and so I've been sitting outside his cage on surveillance, waiting for him to pee. Then my dad came into my room.

Dad: What are you doing?
Me: Waiting for the rabbit to pee.
Dad: How do you know when he's gonna pee.
Me: I just know. I'm training him to pee into the litter box
Dad: How?
Me: By shoving him into the litter box when he's about to pee.
Dad: ...Are you crazy?!

I would like to take this moment to point out that dedication is often misconstrued as insanity.

Though I probably shouldn't tell him that I've been sitting and waiting here for the past hour.

UPDATE: How is he not peeing yet?!?

UPDATE #2: Now he's napping. I'm starting to question his being as a rabbit. Way too spiteful. Incarnation of evil seems more accurate.

UPDATE #3: I went out for five seconds to grab a snack. In those five seconds, he decided to pee. Wow. It is on. Like Donkey Kong.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

There's a flaw in this plan somewhere...

I need spontaneity in my life. You know what would make my life more spontaneous? Spontaneous trips to New York, Cabo, or the Bahamas.

But to make spontaneous trips I need money. *Looks in bank account*

What if I just say 'spontaneous' a couple of more times?

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

All-out Battle

I've been spending less and less time in my room and more time outside in my living room? Why? I'm litter box-training my rabbit. And it is the most annoying thing ever. Actually, no, that's a lie. The most annoying thing ever is that my rabbit pees and poos RIGHT outside his litter box. I swear, this long-eared furry bastard of cuteness is way cleverer than he pretends to be because I know in my pudgy gut that he's doing this out of spite. He is literally doing his number 1's and 2's only two centimeters away from edge of his litter box. Right now, those two centimeters are the bane of my existence.

So I've been spending the last few days sitting on the floor with Mr. McPooperson's (not his real name) cage right next to me. I've had him for almost two years now so I know the signs when he's about to pee. So my afternoons now consist of me watching Satan's Furball (should be his real name) at the corner of my eye, occasionally lunging into the cage, screaming, "NOOOOO!' and throwing him into his litter box.

People say that rabbits are fragile creatures and can actually die of fright. I'm not worried though. Knowing my relationship with the universe/God/life in general, I'm sure this rabbit has nerves of steel and will live a long, wallet-drying, life. How else will he continue to annoy me, pee outside his litter box, and chew through my favorite T-shirts?

However, to his credit, he does do his business in the cage and not on the carpet. And he's so incredibly cute that I think there should be an 11th Commandment about how it's a sin to be that cute. And sometimes he'll hop up to me and lick my knees. And he does this thing that my dog does that I love, where he'll push his little head under my hand because he wants me to pet him. And when he lays down, he doesn't actually lay down. It's more of him falling onto his side, and it's hilarious to watch.

Okay, I kind of love him. But it's love/hate relationship.

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Always, ALWAYS, forget something

Guess what?? I cooked dinner today! Yes, it is special despite being a common occurrence. Applaud anyways.

Something's brewing in the oven...

 
It's Mexican lasagna!! ...Yeah, I don't know.

 
It was a Mexican lasagna of yum. :)

Every time I cook I always forget something. Usually it's my camera and I don't remember I was suppose to take a photo until after I finish eating. Very annoying. But this time, I DID remember to whip out my camera. Victory, right? Except after taking the lasagna out of the oven, I forgot to add the chopped tomato toppings that I so lovingly prepared while waiting for the lasagna to bake in the oven. It was pretty distressing. By the time I realized that I forgot, I was already full. I ate another small piece anyways to try it with the tomatoes. It was amazing. ;(

Oh and what is a Mexican lasagna, you ask? Really you just replace the lasagna pasta with tortilla. It's like a opened burrito in a pan with layers. Layers of yum. <3


Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Quest for sweet dairy desserts

Over the weekend, I took a family trip to Lakeport on the recommendation of my mom's co-worker. Apparently Clearlake is super pretty. And their eggs are more yummy and fresh.

Final verdict? The few hours we spent at the Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco for lunch on the way home was more fun than the two days we spent in Lakeport. To quote my mother: "Lake Tahoe is prettier."

However, I never been to a small town like Lakeport before. I felt like I was in an episode of Gilmore Girls. Their Main Street was less than a mile long and everything closes before 8pm. Some even earlier. This was particularly annoying when my brother and I had a mighty crave for some ice cream, and so we ventured down Main Street. To be honest, I thought it would be cute to sit in a small town ice cream parlor, digging into an ice cream sundae while eyeing the local eye candy (Oh! Maybe I'll find my own Dean...did he ever have a last name?) on a warm Saturday afternoon. Felt like a very small town-y thing to do and wouldn't be something I'd be able to do in my more urban hometown.

Well, it turned out I wouldn't be able to fulfill my Gilmore Girl fantasies because both of the ice cream parlors we found had closed at 2pm and 4pm, respectively. My brother and I ended up going up to the first gas station/convenience store we saw and buying our corporate manufactured ice cream bars there. Oh, and that's not even the best part. When we reached the convenience store, there was a hand-written "Be right back. Come back later," sign taped to the door. So we stood outside the door and waited.

If I was religious, I think that would have been the breaking point for me. No higher deity stands between me and my food cravings.

Also, 80% of the male population there had 40-inch waistlines and rode Harley-Davidsons. It was a good trip.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Arrreeeb-- Oh.

I got a Best Buy giftcard so time for some bikini-fication. 


I've been playing this for the past week and I realized that I much prefer to play-dance alone. When I'm alone, I can freely pretend I'm a dancing superstar, and that my gyrating hips and nonexistent unparalleled sense of rhythm can move mountains. 

  
It's always my dad who catches me mid-dance too. 



It's easier to dance like no one's watching when no one's actually watching. 

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Foil Surprise!

In my quest to lead a more healthy lifestyle (read: get a hot bod), I've been following the email newsletter of Hungry Girl and I bought a few of her cookbooks. I don't follow her recipes word for word since some of them are a bit high in sodium, so I just adjust them accordingly. I have to admit, it annoys me when people think that food can't be delicious and healthy at the same time. I then brandish my Hungry Girl cookbooks proudly and shove it into their faces.

I cooked dinner tonight using one of her recipes.

 
Hmmm, mysterious foil packets...

 
Gasp! It's SALMON!
 
 
A lot of her recipes have cute names, this one being "Crazy Pineapple Salmon Teriyaki." This may not be one of them. 


I also added some Italian seasoning. In addition to the high sodium levels, the one other small complaint I would have to make is that some of her recipes can be a little lacking in flavor. I like my food to be rich in flavor and am a lover of spices so I always add a little something something whenever I'm using one of her recipes. 

In other news, we finally switched our internet and now it's wheeeeeeeee super fast! So fan-freaking-tastic. Am now watching all these youtube videos and streaming videos to take advantage of all this high-speed gloriousness. It's nice not having to wait 15 minutes for a 3 minute video clip to load.


Tuesday, June 7, 2011

In a perfect world...

Am currently sketching while watching Zombieland. It would be awesome if I got paid doing this. Or got paid in general.

Slow day today.

I was putting away the dishes when I made a suggestion to my pops.

"Can we put all the dishes in the upper cabinets instead of the lower cabinets?"
"Why?"
"I don't like having to bend down to get the dishes or put them away."
"What??"
"It's too low! I have to go all the way down and crouch!"

I always wonder about the reasons why my father's respect for me goes down little by little. This may be one of them.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Food baby solution = Zumba??

I've been seeing commercials on TV for Zumba Fitness for the Wii. Since it's the summertime, they're saying things about getting bikini-ready, etc. Not that being ready for the bikini-season is my goal. Honestly, I'd prefer a hot bod year-round.

 


...I'm getting around to it.



Saturday, June 4, 2011

It's a Korean Fiesta!

(See what I did there with the title? Heehee.)

My parents have been watching this food-related Korean drama and it's affecting what we've been having for dinner as of late. A few nights ago, my dad called out from their bedroom (my room is right next to theirs),

"Do you know bibimbap?"
"Yeah."
"Do you know how to cook it?"
"I can make it."
"I want to eat it."
"..."

So last night, I made bibimbap for my mother and passive-aggressive father. It's a very straightforward and simple recipe, and to be honest, involves very little cooking. Don't take my word for this, but I don't think there's a real strict recipe for it. Just take whatever meat and veggies you find in the fridge, throw it into a bowl with some red pepper paste, sesame oil, and rice, and then mix it all together.

And yes that is a huge metal mixing bowl. Was really hard to mix it around thoroughly and have the contents stay inside the bowl. Glad to have my handy and super eager vacuum cleaner on stand-by (read: my dog). 


I really enjoy simple recipes like these. Sure, the fancy ones are fun to try out and experiment with, but sometimes, when time isn't a luxury, it's nice to be able to just throw something together and for it to turn out just as flavorful and delicious. 

In other news, I went to watch X-Men: First Class today and it was surprisingly good. There were some cheesy parts, and it definitely had its flaws, but it was still a very entertaining movie with a very solid cast. Definitely makes up for the abominable fail that was X-3 and Wolverine (Origins). *Shudders*

There were also some cameos that I was really (but delightfully) surprised by. I'm usually very up-to-date when it comes to movies (am a semi-movie nerd) but I definitely didn't see some of this stuff coming. Not that it's a bad thing. I'm usually not a stickler for spoilers unless it's for movies that I plan to watch in the theater. It makes for a more rewarding movie-going experience. Like this one was. :)


Friday, June 3, 2011

Maybe if I dig down enough, I can disappear into the armchair...

So, to continue where I left off yesterday.

Like I said before, I had gone to library to take advantage of the free wi-fi. I found an armchair, snuggled in comfortably, and whipped out my laptop. And then, a nice elderly chap took the chair next to me and began reading his newspaper. Now, I should mention, earlier that day, I ate a Fiber One bar for breakfast, and after this incident, I'm starting to think that these bars may be packing a wee bit more fiber than my body can handle. Why do I say that? Well as you may or may not know, when you eat too much fiber, you can get a little bit...farty.

 
"Bu--!"

Fortunately, it was just a tiny one. You know, like the ones where if it feels like you just let a small air pocket. 

 
"Omigodomigodomigod."

Kinda embarrassing still, but I thought as long as I don't call any attention to it, I can just pretend it didn't happen. Or it wasn't me. But then...

 
"Bu--Bu--!"
"Weh. Kill me now."

Double whammy.


See? This is what happens when I go out in public. The universe waits for me to leave the house and then gleefully unleashes its huge sack of pranks. 



Thursday, June 2, 2011

Weird? No! ...Eclectic

 
How I drain my tofu. :D

Last night I made tofu/ground chicken burger patties, a recipe I picked up from my host mom when I was staying in Japan. Healthy AND delicious?? You must be thinking, 'Blasphemy!' But alas my friends, I bring you proof that it is possible. Well, actually I ate the proof but that is why we have cameras. 

 
You know, I realized while I was making this how unappetizing these dishes look at the start of the cooking process. 

When making these patties, I usually bounce from using ground chicken to ground turkey depending on which one is cheaper at the time, and for me at least, there's not enough of a discrepancy in taste between the two for me to adamantly stick to just one. The story of a poor recent graduate, ladies and gentlemen. But what I love about making this recipe is how versatile it actually is. Just the tofu and ground meat by itself can be rather bland, so it's the sauce or the spices that anchor the recipe. I'm an vocal advocate behind spices and sauces so this recipe gives me the license to be really creative in how I want this dish to end up tasting. Love this. It's really exciting because there's literally a gazillion different things you can try out. Really. A gazillion. Exactly. Maybe. I'll tally them up as I go along. 

Before adding the sauce.

I was lazy last night so I just mixed Ponzu with a dash of sugar for the sauce. Ha ha...

In other news, I mentioned before how I've been experiencing internet woes at home and it has finally pushed me to take refuge at my local library to use their more reliable (and free) wi-fi. It's nice in that I can get out of the house. It sucks because it involves me moving my lazy bum and leaving the lovely comforts of my beloved bed. 

I've been complaining mentioning my internet problems to my dad and we're switching providers next week so I'll be able to be spoiled in high-speed internet soon enough. Also Comcast Cable is doing a promo at the moment, so it all works out. And yes, that was my attempt to appear not spoiled. Seriously, some times I wish I was (I'm currently pining after a $800+ tablet). 

Oh and of course, as per usual, leaving the confines of my home resulted in a slightly embarrassing incident. I feel this incident deserves the glorification of a mini-comic strip. So stay tuned.

And it involves farting.

Friday, May 27, 2011

Spicy food

I had been craving Korean food and decided to try my hand at making Tteok Bok Ki. Tteok Bok Ki (떡볶이)is a popular Korean dish that you can find practically anywhere. It usually consists of sliced rice cakes, fish cakes, and gochujang, a hot paste made from chili peppers. You can then add meat, boiled eggs, mushrooms, and what have you. This dish was actually the first dish I ate when I arrived in Korea, and I ate it again in Lotte World. Deeelicious. :)

I found the recipe and it's a fairly simple recipe. However, I found the tubular rice cakes to be of a slightly different consistency than the sliced ones, and a little trickier to cook. I think for next time, I may just stick with the sliced ones for simplicity's sake.


The recipe was for two servings but since I was cooking for my family, I just double the ingredients. Simple enough, right? Turns out it was way too spicy for my brother. One bite was enough for him to shoot for the fridge for water. But I think it turned out quite well for a first attempt, and now I know how I can tweak the recipe more to my liking. 

If anyone's interested, this is the recipe I followed: Migi's Kitchen. If you don't want to go out and buy fish broth, you can substitute it with water and a bit of soy sauce. What you can also do is mix hon-dashi with water to make the broth. Hon-dashi is a Japanese fish soup stock, and I have a huge stash of it at home so I decided to make use of it. If you happen to have it in your kitchen, it should work great. 

However, speaking of spicy foods, I realized something that happens a lot when I eat really spicy food, particularly Korean or Thai food.


I can't stop. No matter how much pain I'm in, I can't stop eating it. It makes me wonder if I'm subconsciously a masochist. I just realized that I forgot to draw in the snot running down my nose. When I eat something really spicy, I get major runny nose. It's incredibly attractive.


Additional note: Ohmygod you guys, it took me ONE FRIKKIN' HOUR to get this pencil sketch from my brain to this blog. I had to download the scanner software for my parents' printer (because I couldn't be bothered to turn on another computer just to scan this one tiny thing) and since I'm having internet issues at the moment, it took an entire prehistoric age. And you know what? It didn't even finish downloading! My dad ended up scanning the sketch with his computer and giving it to me via an USB driver.

I seriously need to get a new tablet so I can just sketch these damn things straight into my computer. 

This would be a good time for things to start falling into my lap. Please? :D



Thursday, May 26, 2011

I am a book snob.

A few days ago, an 50% off coupon from Borders arrived in my inbox, which is extremely rare considering the biggest discount they give out via coupons is 40%. So I hopped into my car to my nearest Borders to take advantage of said super awesome coupon and buy myself a GMAT prep book. Yes, my life is very exciting. Try not to be too jealous.

It was around the time when I was trying to choose between Kaplan and the Princeton Review (there is no difference between them, I swear to you) when I suddenly realized something. I keep scourging for deals or really, just for ways for me to get the biggest bang for my buck, when all along, there's a way for me to get these books, that I will only use once, for absolutely free. I can go to the library. Yeah, I was face-palming myself too.

Since I was already at Borders and I didn't want to let the coupon go to waste, I started to browse around. I'll be honest though, I hate doing that. Whenever I walk into a bookstore with no specific book in mind to buy, it's always difficult and lengthy process. Why? Because I'm a book snob.

There are people who look to read books that they can relate to. Those books are usually the contemporary and slice-of-life types. And then there are those who read books as a form of escapism. I'm the later. For me, reading is a chance to lose myself completely in another world, and for a few hours a day, shut off from reality. Which is also why I'm a slow reader. Don't think I'm a book snob? Hold on. I'm just easing you in.

Good concepts and solid plot lines aren't enough for me. I'm technical reader as well, meaning I'm a stickler for grammar, dialogue, tone, and diction. Having a good story on your hands is great and everything, but you have to be able to tell it well too. If I'm going to spend the next couple of days reading your 400-page book, please do me a favor and exclude the purple prose, Mary Sues, and abusive use of the comma. (I understand the comma is a tricky thing to conquer, but if there's more than five commas in your sentence and you're not listing things, there's a problem.)

Now I'm not so snobbish that I'm incapable of reading fluff books (why else would I still browse the YA section?) and it's not fair to condemn a book because of a misplaced hyphen. So usually I try to find books where there's a decent balance. While I enjoy a story that is well-written, what I enjoy even more is being able to dissect and analyze it. So it's easy for me to overlook technical flaws if I'm being wowed by awesome character depth and strong stories. However, finding the right balance is still really difficult for me and I usually find something to nitpick about.

I want to clear about something though. I'm not on some aggressive quest for the perfect book or anything. I'm not trying to do that, and it's not even about that. What I'm trying to do is avoid the books that will make me want to pull out my eyeballs and swirl around the slush my brain reduced to with chopsticks. Like I said before, I'm a slow reader, so nothing irks me more than a book that wastes my time. I will actually look up a book on Amazon first to try to get a feel for it before I decide if I want to read it or not. If you still don't get why I'm making such a big deal out of books, let me sum it up like this: I love books like I love food. If you make me crappy food, I will vomit on you. If you make me read a crappy book, I will vomit on you. And throw the book at you.

So now I had a 50% off coupon in my hand and no idea what book to buy. Then I remembered that I wanted to read Tina Fey's Bossypants book. I had read an excerpt that I thought was hilarious and had heard generally great things about it. The universe must've remembered this before I did because when I found her book, I saw it was currently 30% off and you can't combine discounts. Grr. Fine, I'll just wait for it to come out on paperback. (...Or go to the library.)

Then I thought, 'Oh, I'll look at the best sellers section! If these books have sold a gazillion copies, they gotta have something to show for.' I reached the section and began looking through the titles. Huh. Yeah, when a book is on the best seller's list, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's a good book. It can just mean that a lot people have crappy questionable tastes in books.

In the end, after an hour and a half and circling the perimeter of Borders four times, I left the store empty handed. And $3 dollars poorer (gas).

Monday, May 23, 2011

You love horseback riding? I ride horses ALL the time!

I came to the realization today that job searching is a lot like dating.

Usually at first, we prefer a job that within our major, similar to how we prefer guys (or girls) that are close to our "type." But sometimes, life is unpredictable and we end up somewhere we least expect; it's like sometimes how we think we like a certain type and suddenly find ourselves attracted to someone we least expect.

Given I'm in the midst of job searching right now, I'm starting to see the parallels between that and dating. We go out and see what jobs are available, and then narrow down to the ones that suit our liking. If we find a job that we like, we put ourselves out there and try to make the best first impression possible, dishing out our education and career background and brag about the things we've accomplished. It can be especially intimidating when the job is from some top-tier company or agency and we feel like we're going out of our league. However, we give them our contact information and just hope for the best. The entire ordeal is even more nerve-wracking when it's a job we really want. We're constantly checking our emails, or our phones for messages, waiting for any kind of sign that they're as interested in us as we are in them.

Follow-up emails are tricky as well because you want to strike a balance. You want to be forward in showing your interest (because passiveness can cost you big time) but you don't want to be so forward that you come across as desperate (even if you are).

And then, oh snap. Inbox (1). It's from your potential future employer. Butterflies in stomach. You got a phone interview. Cue whooping while pulling out embarrassing dance moves that haven't seen the light of day since eighth grade (at least in public). But even if it's not face-to-face, the phone interview can be just as nerve-wracking. You want to come across as charming, not underwhelming. You try to be funny and make them laugh; you want to maintain enough of their interest to be granted an in-person meet. You probably Google them to see what their story is and so you can have a better grip of what to talk about (not that you'd admit to it).

If you manage to get the in-person interview, major score! But now it's back to panicking. You make sure you're looking your best, classy with natural make-up. You come to the interview early and minutes before, you're still nervous as ever. You want to maintain your charm and wit because this first meeting is crucial - it's a meeting that will determine whether this will be a start of a relationship that can possibly last a few years, even a lifetime. You might even make a small fib here or there to make yourself look more appealing. "You love horseback riding? I love horseback riding too!" Although actually, the last time you rode a horse was when you were nine. And it might have been a donkey.

Whether it's dating or job-hunting, they both can be pretty stressful, especially when you feel like you're in a runt. I'm currently in the middle of searching for a job and honestly, waiting to hear back from them is starting to wear on me, especially when I think I might actually have a shot. It's extremely exciting, but stressful as well. I starting to feel like the longer I wait, the more I want it. Maybe deep inside, I know it's because it's really just moving further and further out of  my reach as more times passes by. But I guess, just like dating, if you don't hear back from them after a while, you just have to move on and look around for other job opportunities, and convince yourself it just wasn't meant to be.

And then pull out the cookies and totally not non-fat ice-cream. (It's becoming an emotional process. Totally not being melodramatic.)

Friday, May 20, 2011

Retail Therapy

I'm immensely grateful for stress-relievers such as retail therapy. I find it extremely effective. Until I remember that I'm spending money that I don't have. Then I get stressed again.

It's a vicious cycle, really.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Atticus Finch

You guys remember To Kill A Mockingbird? You probably read it in high school and you probably watched the 1962 film adaptation of it as well. Anyways, remember Atticus Finch, portrayed by Gregory Finch?

 

Did you guys know when he was younger, he looked like THIS??

 

Holy good-looking man, batman. And he's not even in color!



Where are all the guys like him in Hollywood??

Monday, May 16, 2011

I want shoes. Pretty pretty shoes.

I wish I had the freedom to just go out and buy pretty shoes without worrying about the consequences. Sigh.

I really need to get a job.

Or a husband who is an oil tycoon prince.

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Words With Friends

It fills me with glee and anticipation when I come up with a word and placement that will destroy the other player while I'm waiting for them to play their turn. >:D



I'm bored, not evil. I promise.

Bad omens?

I was driving to the Borders in Milpitas to take advantage of the massive sale they were having since they were closing down when on the highway, I saw roadkill. Not a big thing. Actually, I see roadkill almost every time I drive on the highway so it doesn't bother me that much. It's just this time there was two of them, one after the other, and I feel like they were relatively fresh with their gross bloody guts out and everything. Poor things. What if they were just an innocent couple that wanted to take a walk along a busy highway? I guess the universe couldn't even give them that.

It also made me think back to all the superstitious things my mom talks about all the time. Just FYI, this is a woman who went back into the temple to pray for me because I couldn't see the Buddha popping out from those trippy optical illusion pictures (and you have to stare at them for a while for the sorta 3D image to pop out at you) and thought a demon was possessing me. After seeing the consecutive roadkills, I started to wonder if the luck I've been having recently was now going to turn around.

Well. The GMAT test prep books that I came to the Milpitas Borders for were all sold out, so that was a bummer. And the only copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies that I've been wanting to read that I could find was in Spanish. Don't think my hardships are trivial! I was totally frustrated at the time.


Conversation with my dad of the week:

My dad walks in on me playing Just Dance 2 for the Wii.

Dad: "You know, every time I see you dance, it makes me laugh."
Me: "I'm exercising! Are you saying you don't want me to exercise??"
Dad: "No. I want you to get round and round so you'll roll."

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Blog revamped. I'm back. I guess

So my travel blog pretty much went defunct. Stating the obvious, I know. However, miraculously enough, I got a few requests to start up my blog again. You guys just can't get enough of me, huh? ;)

Haha, yeah, don't answer that.

I will admit though, in the past few months, I'd get that small nagging urge to blog. I'd end up revisiting this small poor neglected spot of cyperspace, feel ashamed of how pathetic it had become, and then lose all motivation. Then, when a few people asked me about my blog, I thought, 'Sure, why not? I'll tweak it around and start it up again when I have the time.' Well, I have the time now. Also, my stories are too long to put into a single Facebook status.

Also, no goal this time. If you were a former reader of this blog, you would know that me making goals is only a way to see them not be reached. Instead, I'll just be taking it easy and using this blog as a tool to share my stories with you. And probably pictures of food.

So, 'Sushi Trail' has now returned to fulfill your procrastination needs whether you are studying or bored at work. I think midterms are coming up soon for Pacific pharmacy students, so I'll try to gather a handful of stories when the time comes so you guys can study unconducively (it's not a word, I know).

Right. Here we go.