my head is swimming...

Mostly because I took some pain killers earlier and now I'm feeling the after-effects. These are kind of strong when they're working and I'm usually a bit loopy and drunk. But when they start wearing off, I become so spacey and...I don't even know how to describe it. My whole body feels weird and my head feels like it's swimming. I don't know what that means, but that's what comes to mind. Don't ask.
These are menstrual pills from Target, by the way. I don't like taking them because of the woozy side affects, but I didn't have my usual pills.

Add on that today is Mari's last day so she's been trying to teach me and Miki everything she does with True Religion. It's not that it's hard...it's just hard to explain and it's A LOT. It's something you have to do in order to learn and get the hang of it along the way. Yeah. My brain is going to break because of all this. My brain already broke yesterday because of Nagahata's little informative meeting. ~___~

And THEN add on all this other unpleasant stuff I'm going through. I'm glad we don't have work tomorrow or Friday. Hopefully I can give my head a break. But I kind of have to work on my ASL presentation, too...ugh. It's been really hard. I still don't know what I'm doing or what I want. TT_______TT

I guess that's it...bye.

Uncertainty

I have no idea what I'm doing right now or why...

I really don't.


Yep...bye.

happy november!

Aaand now it's November. Damn...

Well, my Halloween wasn't super eventful. At work we all kind of got into the spirit and dressed up. I just wanted to wear my white wig (that I used for Eve) and make a cool outfit. So I wore one of my Black Milk leggings, a Style Stalker blouse, Jeffrey Cambell Litas and my wig. I guess you can say I was a slave to fashion since everything I had on was brand name stuff. But I thought I looked pretty cute =P. At night I just went to George's house and we had Panera while watching Coraline.

 This was Halloween at my work. A random bunch, but very festive.

At work, we've finally settled in. We moved in last Monday and things are starting to become normal. One of the biggest headaches (for me, at least) was dealing with UPS and DHL pick-ups. I think it's finally done...at least I hope. It's mostly the girls constantly asking me if they're coming to pick up today.

Um...this month's activities and events:

Lily's birthday
Cirque du Soleil's Dralion
Disneyland with friends
George's birthday
PMX
Thanksgiving

Since I didn't finish this post on Friday, I can write about Dralion! It was so cool! It wasn't in a tent (this was a special arena-adaptation tour) which was a bit of a bummer since I love walking into the tent and feeling like I'm somewhere else. The tent really adds to the magic. But the show was still amazing nonetheless. Although, honestly, I think I was expecting a little bit too much. I used to watch it quite a bit on tv when I was little, and it looked freaking awesome. It still did, don't get me wrong, but something was lacking. I don't know if it was the empty arena seating in the background or what. I bet it would've been a little bit cooler under the big top.

 This was the only picture I got. One of their trailers as we drove away.

After the show, I did a few things around the house, then went to Disneyland! Everyone was already there and I think we got there around...I really can't remember. 7? We got breadbowl for dinner, went on a few rides with everyone, then after Finding Nemo, I got really tired. All I wanted was to sleep. But we putted around some stores and then finally left before 12am.

PMX is this coming weekend. I'm excited, but not. Jun isn't going at all because she has a wedding to attend so it's going to feel weird without her. Right now (and I don't expect it to change) there are only four people in our room. That has NEVER happened before. We have never been within legal room capacity. So yeah, it's a little bit more expensive than we'd all like, but things came up for everyone else who had to drop out.

Oh and last Friday, we had lunch with Meiko at the old building. Kind of a last get together before construction starts. Towards the end we took some pictures...

This is everyone (minus a few) who basically worked there.

This is Toyoshima. That's our new boss, second from the left.

And this is Toyoshima again. Our new boss is going to have to learn how to be silly...

And I think that's it for now...bye! ♥

HEC-TIC

Things at work right now are crazy. Our office looks like a storage room and it feels like I haven't done much work in the past week and a half. Or maybe I just haven't been super busy so I don't actually have stuff to do...

Our moving day actually got pushed back a week so it's now next Monday. I barely started packing my things into boxes and emptying my desk. Our office is a freaking disasterous mess. We have stacks of boxes everywhere and it's become a maze to get to the other side of the room. I actually don't have that many boxes since I don't have a lot of past work like everyone else. So far, I've only packed most of one box and I think I'll only need one or two more. Maybe three if I'm underestimating...but I doubt it.

So, since the month is half over, I can go over most things I listed out in my last entry.

BSB Cruise booking went somewhat smoothly. Chris was supposed to get it started but for some reason, she wasn't able to log in and she was getting angry. Once I got to work, I was able to get in and book our room. Our same room from last year wasn't available to choose from and there was only one room left on that same deck. I kept refreshing until it came back and then snatched it up. We are now officially going to next year's cruise with ALL FIVE Backstreet Boys!

Deaf coffee night at The Block was interesting. We talked to a couple more people than in the past. My friend talked to this nice old man who, in the end, seemed to try and set her up with his son (who was about 15 years older than her). And I got to talk to a seemingly nice deaf guy who only wanted my number. Sorry buddy. We found Gustavo again and chatted with him and a couple other people. It was definitely something we could write about in our papers.

Possible Disneyland trip with elementary school friends? Yep, told you it wouldn't happen. Those boys said they weren't able to financially since they started something new with their clothing line and wanted to focus on that. That's cool...I guess. And then they complain when we can't come out LAST MINUTE to their little shindigs. Mmhmm.

Mickey's Halloween Party was fun! I only got to enjoy about three hours since I had to attend in downtown and didn't get to leave until 6pm. I was furious when I found out I had to attend. I was planning to leave my office at 6pm, then I would've had a little bit more time. But downtown? That's a whole other thing. But it was fun. I can tell you our costume idea now! George and I were Wall-E and Eve!!! I gotta admit, I think I looked pretty darn cute in that white, bob-cut wig. The people who understood our costumes seemed to think it was pretty cute and clever. ^____^

And that's it so far. OH! I saw a new movie this month. The Perks of Being a Wallflower. So far, I've seen it four times. That's how much I love it. The first time, I cried. Several times. Everytime I finish watching it, I get this feeling...that's a little hard to describe. I feel like going out with friends and driving around or having house parties. Or just doing something different like lie on top of a car roof and watch the stars. I've never done that and I've always wanted to. I don't know. I get this feeling like I want to just go out all night and do crazy things.

Okay, that's it for now...bye! ♥

happy october!

And to celebrate, I bought a pumpkin spice frappuccino from Starbucks! (any excuse, really)

So...I think I've been under some stress lately. I can't say for sure, since I've never dealt with "real" stress, but I think the past couple weeks kind of got to me. I've never thought of myself to have a lot of stress. I think my life is pretty normal, if not down right peachy compared to others. I have it easy, really. I don't have much to worry about, so when I get a few things that come at me at once, it's considered a little stressful. Also, I never thought of myself as one for depression. It was actually suggested that it might be a possibility. I was genuinely surprised. Again, since I think of my life as easy-going, I never imagined I would have depression, mild or severe. At least, not at this point in my life. And that got me thinking...even if it were true, I think I would be the type to deny it and not do anything about it.

Aaaand I just lost where I was going with this. Basically, it's not a big deal. I'm usually a chipper person who gets the occasional bad day.

Also, I feel like I messed up with something. I can't be certain, but I feel most of it was my fault. But that's also a bit of a downer, so I won't get into it.

Instead, I'll list out my plans for the month!

Backstreet Boys Cruise booking goes on sale in 2 days!!! I emailed the company organizing it asking if we could request a certain room and I was told that this year, we'd be able to select our room at booking. I emailed again asking if this one particular room would be available and she said it should be. FINGERS CROSSED!!! Me and my friend want the same room as last time. It was just in such a good location.

Deaf Coffee Night at the Block in Orange in two Fridays. Me and my friend haven't gone since June and another classmate says he wants to join so hopefully it'll be fun and I can carry a decent conversation.

Possible Disneyland trip with my elementary school friends. This one is up in the air since those people are so last minute. I actually think it won't happen (even though we kind of planned it) and will be surprised if it does.

Mickey's Halloween Party at Disneyland on the 15th! For this, I am praying that I don't have to work late. At the moment I am waiting for a client's reply if they're coming to LA that week. If they don't, GREAT! Then I only have to help my other coworker and it's easier/less stress to leave on time. If they do...then I will cry.

Moving day for Toyoshima. This isn't exactly a fun event, but it's something. We're moving to a temporary building for about 10 months while they tear down the current one and build a shiny new one. It's about 5 minutes away and while we're sharing the floor with a couple other companies, we'll be the only ones in the office space. The only good thing I guess is that we're literally right next door to our inspection company so that should make it easier when things come up.

And Halloween. It's on a freaking Wednesday this year. But I have a costume in mind! It's going to be a pair costume with my boyfriend (and I'm not saying what it is until we finish it...or we decide not to do it anymore). If we finish it in time, we're going to wear it to the Disneyland thing. If not, then whatever Halloween event after and then maybe PMX. I think it'll be cute.

For now, those are the only plans I know of. Not much actually...oh well, hopefully more stuff comes up.

Okay, that's it for now...bye! ♥

unpleasant mornings...

That's not exactly something you want to start your day with.

I don't even know where to begin. I've talked about this countless times and have always said the same type of thing, over and over. It's basically work. Since we have a new boss coming in about a month, our current boss wants to put in motion a lot of things before he leaves (although he won't be leaving for another year, at least). One of those things is giving me more responsibility. Ya~~~~y -_____________- I hate that word. I also hate being told what to do. If I'm told to do something, I automatically want to to the opposite. I just seem to have a problem with authority. I think part of it comes from my dad...

Anyways, more responsibility includes going to MAGIC in February. I've never been to MAGIC in February because I always have school. Now he really wants me to go (for experience or whatever) but I don't plan on missing school. I have no idea what my classes will be like next semester, but I already have trouble with school (mostly my willpower and motivation to stay) so I don't want to mess with that. Also, I'm taking sign language so it's kind of hard if you miss a day, let alone a week.

This is not the kind of thing I want to deal with in the morning. This isn't the kind of thing I want to deal with at all! I'll deal with it when the time comes. Don't bring it up 5 months before, let it linger and then bring it up every so often. It just makes me hate it more and more.

And my mom bringing it up again this morning? Not helping. I already feel so unsure in my life, I don't need to be reminded first thing when I get to work. I wanted to cry. I can't cry at work. If I don't let it out, it kinda stays there all day until I completely forget about it or get to finally cry.

Okay, that's it...bye.

unnecessary shopping

...for makeup!

So there's something out there right now that I kind of want. Key word: want. Not need or "have to have". Just want. If something has the words "disney" or "disney collaboration" or "limited edition", it's going to get my attention. If something has all three? Well, you can bet that I'm going to be looking into it! And that's exactly what this following piece of pretty has...

Disney Cinderella Collection by Sephora

Storylook Eyeshadow Palette

Um, yes please! Cinderella wasn't even my favorite movie or princess and I really want this! Mostly because it is Disney AND limited edition. It's also $55. But I have a gift card for $50. See where I'm going with this? I think a gift card is meant for things you don't need or would particularly buy yourself because it's too expensive. It's free money for goodness sake! Also, there's 20 eyeshadows so it'd be about $2.75 each (granted the eyeshadows amount is really small).

The only thing holding me back is...do I really want it? I mean, yeah, it's pretty and again, limited edition. But maybe I can buy something I'd actually use more. I bought an Alice in Wonderland palette that Urban Decay did a couple years ago and lately, I rarely use it. I've been leaning towards more neutral colors, which kind of makes me sad. I like having fun with colors but I also don't have time in the morning to work on a nice eye look. Anyways, maybe I don't have to buy it.

This collection also came out with a 4 piece lipstick set ($25), an eyeshadow quad ($30), a 6 piece mini nailpolish set ($24.50), a really pretty compact mirror ($20), and a perfume($19-$58). And here's my "why I don't need them" list...

I can do without the lipsticks since I don't wear them enough. 

Though the colors are nice, I didn't really care enough for all of them to pay that much. 

The nail polishes are mostly glitters and I think I have enough nail polish at the moment. 

I can't bring myself to pay that much for a mirror I will hardly use. 

I don't want to buy the perfume without actually smelling it first.

So I guess the only thing I might get use out of this collection would be the perfume IF I like it. 

Hm, I guess writing things out like this helps me decide if I should get something or not. So...for now, I'll hold back and pass. I do have enough eyeshadows that I don't use often enough. I should get through some of those first.

Okay, that's it for now...bye! ♥

Hawaii~

My Hawaiian weekend was great! I went to Hawai'i for the first time Sept 7th-10th.

It was super short and we didn't actually do much, but it was relaxing and very nice. We stayed in Ko Olina with our boss and his wife in their timeshare at the Marriott Beach Club Resort. It is so nice! There is a lagoon RIGHT there for the hotel guests and it's within walking distance of the Disney Aulani Resort! Which me and my mom went to the first morning. We slipped past the keycard gate to the pool area and walked around. Then we wandered a bit in the lobby and gift shop and it's official, I am staying there one day.

Before we went, I kept saying I didn't want to just lay out on the beach and do nothing. I wanted to go out. But as soon as we got there, everything was so nice and chill that I didn't want to do anything. Our boss likes to go snorkeling and looking at the fishies and he had a couple extra masks and a snorkel (heh, that's a funny word) so I borrowed them. Since I can't swim, I borrowed an inner tube from his wife (who can't swim either) and we went out to the lagoon. As soon as I got used to sticking my face in the water and being able to breathe at the same time, it was amazing. It was like a whole new world!!! And as cheesy as that sounds, I decided right then and there that I will learn how to swim and go snorkeling for real in the future. It was incredible! I saw angel fish and a cute little puffer fish!

We got some shaved ice afterwards and while we were just sitting on the chairs, it POURED out of nowhere! Big, huge raindrops. Not that wimpy sprinkle we get in LA when it "rains". Everyone ran indoors from the beach and pool area. It wasn't cold either, so after I realized I was already wet and wearing a bathing suit, I gave my towel to my mom and just walked in the rain. It was so nice.

In the evening I watched the most beautiful sunset I've ever seen. I actually saw the sun sink into the ocean. The horizon is so clear there. No marine layer, no fog, and no Catalina Island to get in the way. The sky and ocean have a distinct separation and the sun just gets smaller and smaller. For dinner we ate at a restaurant in the hotel.

The next day was beach again. This time we tried the right side of the lagoon to look for sea turtles. But my boss said there weren't as many fish so we went back to the left side. More fishies, but no sea turtles. I really wanted to see one. We were going out later so I went back to the room to start getting ready.

We went to Waikiki beach (just to look) and walked around there for a little bit. Then we went to the Ala Moana shopping center. Oh my gosh, there were SO many expensive stores! I've never seen all those stores in one place before. It was a rich tourist's dream! Chanel, Gucci, Prada, Hermes, Dior...I could go on. But at the same time, it was all the same as LA. I saw they had Gilly Hicks and after hearing about it through a friend, I wanted to stop in. There's only one in the LA area and that's at the Americana, which is a bit far and I can't even remember the last time I went (if ever...). Gilly Hicks isn't something spectacular. It's like the intimates store of Hollister. Even though I don't shop at Hollister/Abercrombie, I can definitely shop at Gilly Hicks. So many cute undies and bras, sweaters and PJs. I found a cute cardigan and pajama set so my mom got those for me.

Dinner was at a Japanese katsu restaurant. It was pretty good. After getting lost one more time, because seriously, the whole day as long as we were in the car, we did not get to our destination right away. Our boss and his wife are not the best navigators or communicators.

The third and final day, we went to a different lagoon (four lagoons over) called Paradise Cove...so I guess that makes it a cove? I actually don't know the difference or what they techinically are. But this one was a lot smaller and public. The water was a lot shallower and apparently there were a lot more fish. I didn't feel like getting my face and hair wet that day since we were going home later. Me and my mom just relaxed on the beach while the other two went snorkeling. Then, a sea turtle made its way onto the beach!!! They made an announcement saying we can look and take pictures but to stay 2 meters away, and they set up little orange cones. I finally saw my sea turtle! I didn't see one swimming or swim with one (which I think I heard there were some swimming in the water), but I saw a live, wild sea turtle! My goal was met and I was happy. ^__________^

We went back to our hotel after a couple hours, but not before stopping at an ABC Market to do some last minute gift shopping. Back at the hotel, we went to a jacuzzi first and warmed up a little bit before laying out in the shade. Everyone else fell asleep but I kept myself awake with my phone. We went to the beach one last time just for a little bit before me and my mom had to start packing.

The hotel does welcome parties every Monday since most people move in/out during the weekend and stay the week. We were able to watch a little bit of it before having to leave to the airport. Our boss was nice enough to drive us to the airport. There we had some Starbucks and waited to board the plane. It was an 8pm flight with an arrival time of around 5:30am Tuesday. I tried to sleep, I really did. But I could just not get comfortable. I think I got maybe a total of 2 hours of bad sleep. I wouldn't be surprised if it was actually more and just didn't feel like it. Worst part was, when we got home, we had to get ready for work already. I was DEAD. I was sooo sleepy and I had class later! There was no way I was going to survive. All through work I felt pretty useless. I got some stuff done but I can't be certain on the quality of it. Before school, I got a Frappe from McDonald's and surprisingly, I was not falling asleep at all in class!

But that's my brief recap of my Hawaiian weekend. I am definitely going back one day and staying at Aulani. Okay, that was long...bye! ♥

birthday recap

So my birthday has finally come and gone. I turned 23 on the 23rd. And ever since I realized I would have a day where my age and birth date would be the same, I decided to make that year special. Especially when I compared it to my friends whose age/birth dates had already passed. I figured I'd be old enough to do what I wanted.

My actual birthday wasn't super eventful, but it wasn't a letdown like last year. So that was the first thing I needed to accomplish. I was still in Las Vegas, but I wasn't working all day. Our office was at a lounge and when it turned midnight, all the girls came up from behind singing happy birthday with a little cupcake and candle in hand. I loved it! It was really cute and we took a bunch of pictures. In the morning, I got to finally sleep in after days of sleeping late and waking up early. I slept in so much that I only had time to get ready and get to the airport. My mom wanted to eat lunch, but oops. My flight back home and quick and Kelly picked me up from the airport. I only had a short time before I had to leave again for my birthday dinner at BJ's. Kelly, Cookie, Alberto and Benji came! (George had work, Amanda fell asleep and she was Jun's ride). It was a nice, chill dinner with lots of laughing. I was so tired though.

The next day, I met up with Kelly and Amanda at Tea Station just to hang out. After I texted Rafael, they invited us over to chill and play beer pong. They said they would celebrate my birthday but I was fine with just hanging out and not getting blamed for not drinking during beer pong. But everyone did tell me happy birthday and that made me happy. Me and Kelly stayed until about 4am. Yeah...we weren't going to be at Disneyland very early.

I tried waking up early on Saturday, I really did. But I was just too tired that I kept falling back asleep. I finally forced myself to get up and get ready. Me and George finally got to the Disneyland Hotel around 2pm so it was perfect for check-in time since our room was ready! We met up with everyone for lunch at Tangaroa Terrace. Then we went to DCA and rode Mickey's Fun Wheel! It wasn't as scary as I remembered (probably because we didn't even make a full round), but it was fun screaming with everyone and laughing at Jun's frightened face. It was a really fun day. And I think I looked pretty freaking adorable! hahaha! I had a dinner date with Georgie at the Carthay Circle Restaurant. It was definitely different. Everything on the menu was unique and it was hard to decide what I could eat. Then we danced and partied at Mad T Party until closing.

We were supposed to do Early Entry the next morning but I knew for sure I wouldn't be able to wake up. I wasn't sure about everyone else. I was kind of hoping they wouldn't wake up...haha! And they didn't! Since George slept a lot the previous day, he was able to wake up way before everyone else and he told me everyone was still asleep. I breathed a sigh of relief and went back to sleep for another hour. Then it was breakfast time so of course, I got room service!!! I decided a long time ago I would get the Mickey shaped waffle. It was yummy! We got a late start (not surprising) and barely checked-out in time. We went back to DCA first before going into Disneyland. We actually spent the whole day on the left side of the park, mainly in Critter Country, Frontierland and Adventureland. I don't think we stepped foot past Fantasyland and only went to Tomorrowland for Star Tours and to take the Monorail back at the end of the night.

I was so tired by the end of the night. I was trying not to nod off at the wheel! I got home and simply knocked the eff out. But! It was SUCH a fun birthday weekend. People kept asking me what I wanted to do and I got to call all the shots. It was nice ^__^ The only thing I realized today was that I never got a cake with candles to blow out. Yeah, I got a candle here and there on a dessert, but being surprised, blowing out candles and cutting cake is another one of those things that completes a birthday to me. Georgie said we could get an ice cream cake from Cold Stone.

Okay, that's it for now...bye! ♥

birthday plans

So I got the OK from my boss to come home early from Las Vegas after the MAGIC show!

He doesn't know my real reason (and he won't either, because I have another reason made up) and since he never asked, I'm not going to say anything. I just bought my plane ticket and even though it was a little pricey for what it is, my mom was nice enough to pay for it. SO. I will be home from Vegas and free to do what I want on my birthday! I will have the evening to do whatever I want.

But so far, all I have in mind is dinner somewhere with my friends. =P I want to do something, but I can't think of anything. I have my Disneyland weekend right after, but you know me and my deal with doing things on my actual birthday. So I'm trying to think of something I can do with my friends.

Find a place to "release" my floating lanterns? (and "release" because I thought of a safer way to have fun with them...light fishing line!)
Go dancing somewhere?
Mess around at a park or beach?
Late-night dessert somewhere?

No idea. Hopefully I can decide on something soon! Okay...bye! ♥

summer inspiration

I like looking through the Free People blog sometimes for certain entries under "Saturday DO".

Every Saturday, they post an entry with something you can do. Whether it be big, like taking a road trip with your friends or something small and simple like taking a cold shower after indulging in the summer heat all day. Simple things like that make me really happy and make me want to do everything.

But August is already here and there aren't that many more weeks left in summer (like I've mentioned before, September is officially school-starting month, so I like to do everything in August). So there's that feeling again...that feeling to do every possible summery thing right this instant.

happy summer...bye! ♥

Black Milk Clothing

So I just made my first purchase from Black Milk Clothing and my first birthday gift to myself.

Every purchase I make this month will be justified as a birthday present to ME! And I started with Black Milk Purple Galaxy Leggings. I hope they fit alright. I was in between sizes on a lot of the measurements so I sized up. I've seen a lot of pictures of tiny girls wearing those leggings so hopefully a small fits fine.

Apparently they're going to release some new items next week...I don't know if that's a good thing. I haven't even received what I ordered and I'm already thinking about what I might like from the new stuff. Thing is, it's kind of pricey. With the international shipping plus exchange rate, my purchase came out to about $90+ USD.

But yes, birthday month equals fun stuff. ^________^

That's it...bye! ♥

it's August!!!

Ahhhh!!! It's August already! Where is the time going??? Where is -summer- going???

I guess it's time to list out what activities I have so far in August. But I don't think I have very much going on at the moment.

Oh my gosh, I just looked through my calendar and I don't have much of anything going on! The biggest events so far are going to Las Vegas for the MAGIC Show and my birthday. And those are both around the third week of the month! That's a little depressing. I want stuff to do. I guess I can talk about my birthday a little bit.

Again, MAGIC runs into my birthday. It WOULDN'T have but they decided to extend the show an extra day because apparently they got enough comments/concerns/complaints that three days wasn't enough time to do everything. So now it runs Monday - Thursday and my birthday is on Thursday. I seriously almost started crying when I found out it ended on my birthday. I had one of the worst birthdays last year and I vowed to myself that the next one would be better. I don't care if I have to work in the morning, but I will fly my ass home later in the day and go out on my actual birthday and enjoy it. (Doing something on my -actual- birthday is kind of a big deal to me.) I'm totally okay with a small dinner with some friends, as long as I am out of Vegas and away from work.

Then the fun continues on the weekend! I got a 2-bedroom suite at the Disneyland Hotel so I plan to spend the whole weekend between both parks. AND since we're going to be hotel guests, we can take advantage of early entry and run around one of the parks a whole hour before regular admission people. Carsland anyone?? But yeah, I'm hoping that'll be a lot of fun. I love staying in hotels for special occasions and I absolutely love getting room service. I don't know why. I know it's expensive but I feel like I'm being pampered; having my food brought to me in my room all fancy. I especially like getting breakfast because I'm lazy and by the time I get ready to leave the room, it's no longer breakfast time.

But I feel like I need to fill my month with more activities! August is the last summer month before school starts again and even though I've been going to summer school, I still have that elementary-school-mentality where summer means doing a lot more with your friends and staying out late.

So that's it for now...bye! ♥

The Wanted

(yes, I am this bored with nothing to do to write two entries in one day)

I've been listening to The Wanted's EP through Youtube videos all day. And I must say, I LOVE it. Every song sounds so good. They're catchy and dancey and some give me a happy feeling. And I love the music videos. They're also really good to watch. Ahhhh, I've found a new summer album!

EDIT 7/23: So I actually purchased the album off Amazon when I got home. I have never purchased a digital album online before. But it was only like, $4! Best quality and I support the band. I've been listening to it non-stop whenever I get in my car!

Okay, that's it...bye! ♥

tattoo

So I went ahead and got my tattoo last night. I think I decided by the end of Tuesday that I wanted to just get it already.

It says, "take to the sky" and I found a font I liked. It's from the Owl City song, "To The Sky" from the movie, Legend of the Guardians. Everytime I hear that song, it makes me feel happy and sometimes reminds me of the movie. The movie was absolutely beautiful visually. The time it must've taken to do whatever they needed to do to get all the details of individual feathers on the owls is probably ridiculous. But the end result is amazing. I've always had a thing for flying, since it's not something humans can do naturally, and I'm sure half the world has this fascination as well, but the song and movie just lets me believe certain things for a little bit. Like they could be possible. And right now, I smile everytime I look at it. I'm glad I got it.

Short entry, but that's it...bye! ♥

life...

is so freaking interesting. Sometimes, it's surreal. No, really.

Also, I've started to realize that, I don't take some things as seriously as I probably should. Yeah, sometimes I seem like a hard-ass, stick in the mud, who gets all bent out of shape over the slightest deviation from a plan, but that's when it involves other people. It's hard to explain, but I noticed it's when I'm central in the situation or when I'm the decision maker. The only couple of examples I have (that I can think of right now) may not be the best since they're similar and might just be a coincidental pattern, but here they are:

When it came time to deciding where to go for high school or college, I honestly didn't have a direction. I just kind of went with the flow and went where my friends went. When I was asked in my high school interview, why I chose that school, I honestly didn't have an answer. I already used the standard, "I heard it's a good school, I got good recommendations, good learning environment, etc" so when I was asked for something else, I actually froze. I sat in that chair, for what seemed like 30 minutes (but really was probably 3 mins...which is longer than the comfortable, socially acceptable allotted time), between my parents who were probably panicking because I wasn't answering. I never did answer that particular question. I sat there long enough where the teacher gave me a break and said we could move on.

I think college might have been a little worse, but maybe not so much at the same time. Easier, because if you graduated high school, passed your SATs/ACTs, and were only trying to get into some CSU school, you got in. Worse, because by the end of high school, I was only doing enough work to get by. I really didn't care after a certain point. I was undecided on a college and I think I just settled on CSU Long Beach because a friend was going there (which, in the end, she didn't end up going to after all).

And a few other little things (or maybe not so little in actuality), I've noticed I don't take so seriously. That's why I say it sometimes seems surreal. People making such a big fuss over some things that seem kind of trivial in the end. Or maybe...I don't know. I think I'm thinking too much again. God, I sound like a freaking hippie.

I think I've come close to a decision on my next tattoo! I know what, where, and I think I've decided on the font. I just have to stop being lazy and actually go to a place and get it done.

Okay, that should be enough for now...bye! ♥

happy july

aaand now it's July.

So Anime Expo has come and gone again. It...wasn't the best AX I've been to. First off, the X Games were the same weekend, in the SAME AREA. So we were basically forced to take the long way around everything to get to the convention center. We stayed at the JW Marriott for convenience and we didn't exactly get to experience it. Which means we'll just have to stay there again next year! =P

We got there kind of late on Friday. Actually, just late enough where we missed the closing time for badge pick-up. Which meant we couldn't go to the AMVs, which was one of the few things I actually wanted to do. As for my outfits, I wore my gypsy skirt with a reddish-orange tank (folded up to show some tummy), and some of those super flat sandals with white straps I found at Payless for $9! I was kind of going for a summery look with the bright top and accessories. My other outfit was a black, bodycon dress with my stripe blazer and stripe Litas. I put my hair in a high ponytail and wore red lipstick. I think it was pretty cute. Too bad I don't have a full-body shot of the whole outfit. George says that means I'll just have to wear it again and we'll have a photoshoot.

The only other thing I wanted to do was go support Tweek when he DJ'ed the dance. The dance line was ridiculously long! We were honestly in line longer than we stayed at the dance. And the dance line was probably more fun. As the line got smaller and people were getting bored and antsy, we started making our own entertainment. People would run up and down the lines trying to get the wave going. We would just yell and make the whole place echo (I don't know if it was from something, but it was fun). Well, we got to the front of the line JUST as it turned 12am and Tweek's set ended. He was outside the door as we were being let in! We decided to stay and enjoy a little bit since we did wait all that time. We danced and got nice and sweaty, then left only because we had to pee.

And the rest was okay.

July 4th was interesting. For the past 5 years, I had always been at AX so I never thought about what to do. But since it decided to fall on a freaking Wednesday this year, I was kind of at a loss what to do. Luckily Kelly had one of her small, last minute "parties" at her place. We ate pizza on the roof while watching fireworks (my first time on a roof!), and later lit our own. George had his camera so we had fun trying to spell stuff out with sparklers.

Then we played soda/water pong. That got a little difficult later because it was just so much soda. At the very end we just started bouncing ping pong balls off the walls trying to make it into cups scattered across the table.

On Saturday I went to Disneyland again with my coworker. It was fun. I think we did a lot. I can't tell anymore unless I sit down and count what we did. We didn't watch any nighttime shows, but we watched the Aladdin show. We had about 2 rides breakdown while we were in line and 1 was broken when we got to it. We eventually went back and rode everything. I was so tired though. I didn't get very good sleep much of last week and I only got about 4 hours before Disneyland.

The rest of my Saturdays in July are now pretty booked. This Saturday is my company barbeque, next Saturday is Kelly's barbeque party, and the week after that is beach day!!! I REALLY hope the weather is nice that day. I hope the weather is nice all month. All summer!

Okay, that's it...bye! ♥

officially summer

As of Wednesday, the 20th, summer has "officially" began. And there is only one week left in June and I feel like I haven't done much of anything summery! Sure, my May was jam-packed with events every weekend, but I'm having a bit of a slow month. I don't really want to wait until July either (not that I have much of a choice). I feel like once July starts, I only have a short time until summer's over. But I don't know if it makes much difference. I'm still going to work and since I'm taking summer school, not much has changed really. I miss the days when we were all little and summer meant doing absolutely jack. I guess some people still do that. I wish I had that freedom with my perks now. How perfect would that be, right?

Anime Expo is next weekend. Again, I don't have much of anything planned during it. I haven't even really been putting together any sort of outfit like I usually do. I'm usually scouring clothing sites for ideas and pieces I can use. I have a couple key pieces I want to use at home, like the striped blazer (paired with my Litas) I bought a few months ago and a raggedy, gypsy-esque skirt I got at the Renn Faire. I haven't actually completed the outfit though.

I've actually been trying to get a little more fit this month, but after suddenly running last week, I kind of messed up my foot so I had to rest this week. Which is a total buzz-kill right when I'm trying to make it a routine and get into the habit. Last week me and my coworkers went to yoga (which we've been doing for a little over a month now), then on Tuesday, me and Kelly went walking around her neighborhood. Wednesday, me and Miki went walking/slight jogging around her neighborhood. We recruited more by Thursday and there were four of us walking and jogging around Torrance. That's when I strained some muscle in my foot I didn't even know I had. I've been limping a little and trying not to put much weight on it to make it better, but I did Zumba on Tuesday night and it didn't exactly make it worse, but I know it didn't help the healing, hehe. I was slightly limping again the next day. xD

I'm going to Disneyland with Mari tomorrow. Her pass is going to expire soon and she hasn't gone nearly enough since having it. I think she might have gone enough to "pay it off", but again, not nearly enough. I'm excited to see Carsland! I want to go on Radiator Springs Racers but I heard you have to get there at opening to even get fastpasses! And this summer both parks open at 8AM! Yeah...I kind of wanted to go so she could ride it, but they'll be there for awhile. I think I can wait a little bit. I hope my foot doesn't get too bothered tomorrow.

Oh my god I want to do summery stuff!! I want to go to Disneyland A LOT with my friends. Big groups and nothing but laughing at stupid stuff. I want to go to the beach on a hot day and have barbeques and go to parties! I'm currently obsessed with a song by Owl City, ft Carley Rae Jepson called Good Time. It just sounds so fun and happy and I like to think that's what my summer can be like- good times no matter what. I've also been looking at tattoos the past couple days, thinking of my next one. I kind of know what I'd like but I don't know where I'd place it. I'd also have to either hide it or just put it out there and make my dad accept it. hehehe...bad, I know. =P

Okay, that should do it. Until next time...bye! ♥ 

New York!

So here's my long over-due post on my trip to New York.

I went with Janeen and Regina over Memorial Day weekend for 5 days to visit Lily. I think that's quite a trip. It's just longer than a 3-day weekend trip and it's about enough for working ppl/college kids to cram in all the major sites before starting to get sick of each other.

So the first major stop on our second day (since we arrived in the evening of Thursday) was Grand Central Terminal (no longer called "station" apparently, but I like the sound of "station" more).

- this is me in Grand Central Terminal -

Then we walked to the New York Public Library, passed by Bryant Park and made our way to Times Square. After that we made our way to Chelsea where Lily's work was. The Flat Iron Building was right there and for some reason, I've always wanted to see that since I was little. That was one of my iconic things of New York. 

- this is me showing off the Flat Iron Building -

Lily had to go to work so we were left on our own to explore and get lost. Thanks to Regina though, we never got lost. She was on top of it! She had her phone out the entire time with a map and subway map and told us exactly where to go. We walked the High Line, saw the Empire State Building, got some delicious macarons, walked around St. Patrick's Cathedral, and saw Times Square at night before meeting up with Lily again to head back to Astoria to have dinner at the oldest beer garden. Click to read the rest as it will be picture heavy...

quick recap

Okay, so surprise surprise, I didn't update for any of the events. May really is a busy month now that I look back on it. In addition to those events I listed, I had several smaller outings that just filled up my nights more. We all know in-depth updates won't happen at this point, so this will be a long entry summarizing each event.

Las Vegas
FUUUNNNNNNN!!!! We spent two nights in the penthouse suite and just relaxed. We sunbathed, cooled off in the pool, cooked in the jacuzzi where we inadvertently joined a massive family from Texas and had the coolest 58 year old dad buy us drinks. We got all fancy and ate at nice restaurants, ordered room service (which kind of spoiled our appetites for dinner), and went to the Secret Garden Habitat and saw all the cute dolphins and tigers and lions.

Stanley Cup Playoff Game
By now, anyone who follows hockey will obviously know the Kings swept the Blues with that fourth game and went on to the next round. Right now they're up 3-1. They lost the most recent game. The game was so much fun. We sat right at the red line, about 10 rows back and saw almost everything. When it got to a point where they were just running out the clock, everyone was going crazy. I was jumping up and down, waving our rally towels. Then silver streamers shot out at the end of the game. It was cool.

Cirque du Soleil's Totem
Oh my gosh that show was amazing. First off, my car made it to San Diego and back and the drive wasn't as bad as I thought. Although I would not want to do it by myself. But the show was so cool. It had me holding my breath and left me with my mouth hanging open half the time. I was so tense and nervous for most of the show, but it was SO cool. It's hard to go through and explain it without going into so much detail, but it was just amazing.

Renaissance Faire
This was a last minute thing with Kelly. She got free tickets from Steph and we went on the last Saturday. We didn't dress up and we didn't stay the whole day. We hung out with Brian a little and did some expensive shopping. I bought the skirt I saw last year and just had to have. I tried on several variations and sizes and finally decided on one. It was pricey but it was just one of those purchases that didn't have to be logical. I'll find times and ways to wear it to make it worth the money. Kelly was pretty happy with the new corset she bought herself.

Bats Days
As usual I took absolutely forever getting ready. Partly because I woke up later than planned and then I proceeded to actually not get ready for a good 30 minutes. We went to the SAPS fiesta first for breakfast/lunch (dressed up, mind you- oh, we got looks alright). We finally got to Disneyland and randomly bumped into Derrick and Lisa at the parking structure. We did things to entertain us until Raven showed up but apparently the booger only texts one of us, the one whose phone didn't happen to be working, and won't answer any other incoming calls/texts. So we were waiting for maybe 2 hours, calling constantly, wondering where the hell he was. Guess where we found him? Haunted Manion smoke hole. Not surprising, right? We hung out with him for the rest of the day and ran into Derrick and Lisa again when we were waiting for Fantasmic. The 5 of us hung out together until we finally left. And boy was I tired. I didn't get much sleep the night before after the fiesta and with this late night, I was totally late to my first class on Monday.

New York is happening in two days. Maybe 1 1/2 now. It hasn't hit me completely, but it's slowly creeping up on me. Mostly the fact that I have to do my month's worth of laundry and start packing. I don't know what to bring!!! I won't make any promises about blogging while I'm there, but if there comes a night where we just happen to be chilling at Lily's place, I might do an update.

But until the next update...bye! ♥

busy month ahead!

So May has arrived. Damn, that was quick.

May seems to be very busy for me. At least in terms of travelling and events; not so much daily things. I'll outline everything here and try my absolute best to blog about each one afterwards.

ラス・ベガス いあん旅行!!! Company trip to Las Vegas!!!
And this is NOT a business trip! It's a mini-vacation! This is our second one, actually. Our first company trip was last year and it was great. We're doing the same thing pretty much. 2 nights in the Tower Suite at the Mirage Hotel with delicious dinner and pool-side lounging. I honestly am very excited for some reason. We're actually taking off two work days to go which is a major plus! I've been a little unhappy with my weight/body lately so I'm not super excited to get into a bathing suit (especially next to my skinny Japanese coworkers) but I'll just wear a cover-up and worry about exercise when I come back.

Stanley Cup Playoff Round 2, Game 4 - Kings vs. Blues with George!
I just had to. We've been to about 4 games this season and after seeing the win of the Kings last night, I decided we just HAD to go to a playoff game. Neither of us have been to a playoff game and even though (supposedly) Kings don't do the greatest at home and Blues do better on the road, I figure it'll be fun just to say we went to a playoff game (once we get over the depression if the Kings lose). But they're up 2-0 right now, so hopefully it won't be bad.

Cirque du Soleil's Totem in San Diego with George!
I am also very excited about this. I love Cirque du Soleil and I've never seen this show and it's under the Grand Chapiteau (big top) which I love even more. I bought the tickets awhile back when I saw that they were going to be in SoCal. It was either San Diego or San Jose and San Diego is much closer. George has never seen a Cirque show, so hopefully he'll enjoy it.

Bats Day at Disneyland
This isn't exactly a major thing, but I figure why not just write my plans for all of May. Hopefully plans don't fall through and Kelly and I can go and hang out with Raven again.

New York trip with Janeen and Regina to visit Lily!!!
This is probably the biggest thing in May and I am so excited for it. I've never been to New York and the fact I get to be with friends when I explore it makes it so much better. We're going for 5 days and I just know it's going to be crazy. Hopefully we don't get lost or have anything bad happen to us, haha.

So there you go. I have 5 events to look forward to in May. And the Vegas trip is happening the day after tomorrow! I just have to get through tomorrow's school day and get done whatever needs getting done at work. Then I can go home and pack and get ready for our early departure on Thursday.

Until next time...bye! ♥

4 years...

and a week since i was late in posting this. ^^;

it has been four years since i've "officially" been with George. i met him about six months before him asking me out and we started off as friends. that's what i thought at least. George seemed to have other intentions, hahaha. but he got close to me by becoming a friend and getting to know me. he listened to me talk about the guys i was currently crushing on and gave me advice. that must've been hard to do! he was trying to be more than friends and there i was, talking about other guys i liked. but he said that was okay and he was supportive. he said as long as he saw me happy, that was fine with him. but George was in the back of my mind. i guess we flirted in a very non-direct, subtle way...i think. i can't really remember and i'm horrible at reading signs. i tend to be in denial when i think someone likes me.

we first used Japan Club, where we first met, as a time and place for us to meet unplanned. we both didn't really care for Japan Club, we just knew the other would be there, so we'd go. heck, i had my mom drive me back to school in the evening just so i could go. of course, she didn't know my real reason. we would just watch movies or dramas on his laptop. sometimes there'd be a third friend there.

when december came and the semester ended, we had winter break and it seemed like we talked on the phone almost every night. and it never really got boring either. George likes to talk and when you get him on a certain subject, he can go on for hours. so i just sat there, listening to him. most of the time it was interesting stuff so i was actually listening. then it was the end of the january and the start of the next semester. i remember it was the first week back when George called me after class to meet up to say hi. i waited for him in front of the bookstore and i remember being nervous to see him. for the first time i was nervous to see him! that told me something. i just got self-conscious all of a sudden and couldn't really look at him.

i can't really remember details from there to sometime in the middle of february. but we went on a date to the top of Signal Hill to look at the city lights. i think around that time i suggested we "date" instead of go right into a relationship. i guess it's an old fashioned way of thinking since i couldn't really explain it myself. but i guess the best way to put it would be "exclusive dating", without the boyfriend/girlfriend titles. George was new to that, but willing. we had our first valentine's day where he gave me a rose and a picture album for us to fill up.

after some confusion on what to do (on my part) and some frustration (on George's part, because of me), he took the leap, or rather, took the run down the hill to ask me to be his girlfriend. (awwwwwww)

because i got to know him those 6 months prior, i think i was already comfortable with him. but again, i can't really remember much. i probably have some of this written in my journal at home. either way, these past 4 years have been so much fun. i know i've grown A LOT thanks to George and hopefully i've helped him see some things differently (although, probably not much =P ). he's become a very important part in my life. you know how couples say that the other person is not only their bf/gf/wife/husband/whatever, but also their best friend? i always wanted that and i think i was waiting for the that to happen with George. but after thinking recently, i think it just kind of happened without me realizing it. sure, sometimes he drives me up the wall, but i wouldn't know what to do without him. he's my boyfriend and my best friend. but simply, he's my Georgie.

i love you ♥

spring cleaning

something i desperately want and need right about now.

starting with my room. i always complain and say i have too much stuff in my room, and that's true, i do. i have so much stuff that i don't know what to do with it, nor do i have the space for it. i've been slowly trying to get rid of things, like donating clothes or stuffed animals, but i just have so much stuff that it doesn't really look like i've made much (or ANY) progress. and i know i'm repeating myself. i can't remember if i've already written about this or not, but it's something i've turned over in my head, over and over again.
and the stuff that's left after an attempt at cleaning a corner, it's stuff i just can't part with. i try to tell myself i'll never use it, wear it, need it...but sometimes it's a random gift or has some memory attached to it. if the gift is too random and enough time has passed, i'm sometimes able to let it go.

there's also my mom's sewing machine in my room. that little area i can't really help since it's not mine. but things are just piling on top of and under the desk and ironing board. i'm not going to die if i don't clean it up immediately, since some things haven't moved in over 2 years. no lie. if i think about it, i haven't touched some things in over 2-3 years. but when i'm kind of in a bad mood or something, i wish i didn't have so much clutter in my room because that just adds to it. i want a nice, clean(er), neat(er) room i can sometimes get away to. or at least not feel overwhelmed by.

i feel like i want to clean my life out in general. i can't really explain what i mean by that. it's not like i have any people i want to cut ties or make ammends with. maybe a part of it is work. this is also something i probably have written about in the past.

i don't want to be stuck here at toyoshima. meaning i don't want to make this my career. but because it's easy compared to other jobs out there, i'm spoiled and i don't want to leave. i'd rather bitch and moan about it than leave and take matters into my own hands. i get decent money from here and it's very lax. i've never had to go through an interview or submit a resume. but i don't want them to rely on me. i probably won't leave for awhile since i plan to stay here while i'm going to school. but then comes the question of, "how long will you be in school?" and i don't know the answer to that. it'll take as long as it takes, is what i think. i'm still living at home so it's not like i have any major bills to pay. i paid for everything for school for this semester (books, tuition, parking) and i pay for my disney pass. everything else, my mom takes care of for me. so the money from this job is kind of like, i don't know the word for it, spare(?) money. i sometimes put some of my paycheck into my savings and the rest i get to do with it what i want.

theeennnnn....when i get to this point in my train of thought, it gets to be too much and i usually stop. give up and distract myself with something else to get my mind off of it. i feel so unsure of my life right now. yeah i'm only 22, but when people around me seem to be getting their shit together, i makes it harder.

sigh. i'm going to stop. until next time, bye!

getting ready for spring...

wardrobe-wise at least.

yesterday i felt like going out shopping with my mom so i convinced her to go to del amo mall and we did a little shopping at forever21. maybe not a little price-wise, but we got quite a few pieces for what we paid. i thought i'd share what we bought with pictures!

i went in wanting to look at the necklaces and maybe pick up one or two statement necklaces. i only have simple, thin chained necklaces with a little charm. so i wanted something bigger. well, as soon as we walk in the store, i see the blazer i saw on the site.

 it actually looks decent and very bold. the fabric has a nice feel and it fits pretty nicely.

also, forever21 has the WORST styling. ever. that first picture makes her look fat and is very unflattering. with how the S fit me, she needs an XS. trust me, it looks better than it does on her. anyways, i got that because it would go great with my striped JCs. i can't wait to pair them together with a black bodycon dress.

i saw these little cuties and felt like spring was here. they also have a slightly more rounder shape than typical wayfarers. that with the bright print makes it really cute.

then i found this plastic black bow ring and plastic yellow heart ring. the bow just looks really playful and the yellow of the ring, again, screams spring. my mom got a red bow and a purple heart. she also liked this fabric flower ring. (of course we're going to switch and share)

since i was trying on the rings with the little paper backing attached, i guess it fit snugger than it would without. so when i got home, the bow still fit okay, but the heart is so much bigger than i thought! i wonder if there's a way to make it fit better...somehow.

i could only find one necklace that was along the lines of what i was looking for and something i actually liked. aaand...up until yesterday it was on the website. i know it's a slightly older style so it might've finally sold out. this one has a similar style. it's painted on gold shaped flowers, not jewels or stones. it's also multi-colored with pastel colors so again, springy.

i also got this simple, yet amazing yellow pullover sweater. coming from a darks/black dominated wardrobe this winter, this is the cutest thing i own right now that i can't wait to wear. the model is wearing an S and i got an L because it looked a little better with some slouch and baggyness (and the sleeves are actually long enough on the L). also, it's not as pastel as it looks online. it's like, the perfect shade of yellow. not pastel and not bright.

i think pairing the sweater with the sunglasses and my light-washed, cutoff denim shorts would be SO CUTE. i can't decide what shoes to wear though. super casual would be some cute flat sandals and then some wedge sandals would give it a little more girly flare.

oh, i almost forgot. this last piece isn't from forever21 but i wanted to add it to my spring-obsessed post. it's a watch from the brand time will tell. i actually got through wholesale through my work. lucky!

 it's such a cute light, baby blue color. again, pair this with everything else i just listed (minus the blazer) and i'd have the most colorful outfit i've worn in months.

okay, that's it of my shopping. bye! ♥

Finding Neverland

i watched that movie last night since it was on one of the movie channels. i can't remember when i really watched it last, but i know it's been a while.

i don't really like watching it because it's sad and makes me cry, but i kind of forced myself to watch it last night because it's a really nice story and has that whole, Peter Pan thing going on. sure enough, i started crying at some parts that a normal person probably wouldn't cry at. maybe because i knew what was going to happen and how it would end. i was pretty much sobbing at the end of the movie.

watching it again last night made me realize how beautiful of a movie it really is. i guess i just really like the whole Neverland and Peter Pan concept. i like certain movies of Peter Pan better than others, though. for example, the classic disney animated one is cute, but kind of annoying at some points. tinkerbell is a straight up bitch for the most part (i like her personality more in the newer Tinkerbell movies, before she meets peter pan...although i do want to see some story of how they meet). i really liked the live-action movie of peter pan with jeremy sumpter. yeah, he was cute and all, but i liked it for more than that. i liked how it seemed a bit more "real" and raw with the costumes and set of neverland. i've only seen Hook once and i can't remember most of it. i might've fallen asleep or just not paid attention. those who've seen it say it's really good (and are usually shocked when i say i haven't seen it/don't really like it) and i'm sure if i took the time to watch it, i'd like it too. hm, i can't think of any other peter pan stories...

but yeah, finding neverland is really good. i might be more partial to it because of a few things though. the time and place is very old and i love looking at the fashion (after a quick search, it takes place in london, 1903). i think the title is also really nice and simple. and just the overall child-likeness of johnny depp's character, j.m. barrie, makes it enjoyable.

clearly i have nothing bad to say about this movie and am just going to start repeating myself. but i wanted to write about something regarding it.

on my list of things to do before i die, i have "meet peter pan and go to neverland". i kind of had this thought in the back of my head that when i finally get to see neverland, it'll be in the same way that kate winslet's character, sylvia, did. which is basically dying. kind of morbid, i know. but i can add, "to die would be an awfully big adventure" to the end of that and make it not so depressing. i was already ecstatic when i went to london and walked through kensington gardens and hyde park and saw the peter pan statue.

okay, i think i'm done. bye!

happy valentine's day! ♥♥♥

happy hearts day!!!

this is the day i get to overkill in hearts, pinks, girlyness, and chocolate. not that i don't do those things normally, but on this day, i like to combine ALL of it together so it's pretty obvious i'm excited about the occasion. for example, i did my nails last night!

valentine nails~

(and yeah...i don't have the Japan entry or the ALA entry up yet. don't count on it [for all one of you who -might- read my blog] since i'm too lazy and i want to blog about other things)

so me and george already had our valentine's day dinner on saturday when he came over and we cooked a delicious meal. but you know, you can't -not- do anything on the actual day, so we're probably going to dinner at the original fish company. i also have a little surprise for him. hehe, i'll take a picture when i give it to him and post it next time. anyways, here's a little update of yesterday.

i started my first day at el camino yesterday. it was weird. i panicked looking for parking (as usual) but found a spot with plenty of time to calm down and relax. the teacher was about 15 mins late for my first class. we were all standing in the hallway, thinking the same thing. "where the hell is our teacher?! there's no note...the class isn't cancelled, is it??" at about 11:15, a woman, who i assumed was the teacher, comes down the hall and lets us in. i take a seat in the back and then i hear a booming male voice, "hello! good morning!" and i'm thinking that is -not- the teacher's voice...then i see her signing and notice the man up front is an interpreter.

so for my deaf cultures class, my teacher is profoundly deaf and we have two interpreters for the whole semester. it was definitely interesting trying to watch her and catch what signs i recognized. also took a mental note to try and sit closer or towards the ends of the rows so i can see her sign. we don't need to know sign for the class. she just happens to be a deaf teacher. i also won't know if i'm in the class or not until tomorrow. about 5 people didn't show up, but she has to wait until the second class to drop them and add people from the waitlist. i don't even know what number i am on the waitlist. i kind of wish she went through some of the top names or something.

my second class is already a lot more intense seeming. it's intermediate sign language. i don't know "how deaf" our teacher is and i couldn't catch from her story is she was born deaf or not. i couldn't really understand about half of what she said. she signed faster than i'm used to and used a lot of signs i wasn't familiar with. she seems nice though. she told us to raise our hands if we didn't understand her. even if we keep raising our hands, one after the other, taking up a lot of time, she doesn't care. she wants us to understand her and to learn. hopefully i'll be able to learn a lot from the class.

i was also on waitlist for this class. two people didn't show up and she added 4 people from the waitlist. i was the last name she called and those who didn't get called couldn't be added. lucky!!! i'm so glad i at least got into one class.

anyways, i'm already kind of nervous about the projects for the asl class. one of them is to attend a deaf event and interact with one deaf person. the first event i thought of was Deaf Day at Disneyland. i've never been (not that i know of at least, although i think i was one year because i saw A LOT of ppl signing) and i don't know how i would go about talking to a deaf person. especially since i'm so inexeperienced and don't want to seem like an idiot to someone. but that would be a fun since i go to disneyland a lot anyway. i just want to go with someone who knows sign too...i wonder if i'll make a friend (or even aquaintance) in the class. oh yeah! we're not allowed to use our voice in the class. which, you know, makes sense and all...but since i'm used to just talking to my classmates, asking "how do you sign" or "what's..." not being able to talk seems like it'll take twice as long to communicate with everyone. @_@

okay, bye! ♥

Backstreet Boys Cruise 2011

fair warning: since it took so long for me to get around to this, it's not going to be painstakingly detailed as it could be (which is a good thing since it'll cut it down to about 1/2 of what it could've been) but it probably will be more detailed than you care for it to be. 

after first finding out about the cruise early last year, i was determined to go. i got really lucky that Christine liked the Backstreet Boys just as much and was just as willing to go. we started planning and booked our cabin and paid the deposit around april when the booking first started (literally. we were refreshing the page like crazy until we were able to get through).

fast forward to december 1st when chris spent the night and we left for LAX early the next morning to arrive in Miami later in the day. we decided it was safer to arrive the night before the cruise to avoid any complications or mishaps with our flight and transportation. so we stayed the night at the Port of Miami Holiday Inn and did nothing but eat and lounge/sleep. and while we were at the baggage claim, we spotted AJ! and since we didn't want to bother him, we became the papparazzi and took a picture of me with him conveniently in the background. then after thinking of what would be normal to say, we passed him on our way out and Chris said, "hey AJ. we're really excited for the cruise!" and he said, "thank you!"

day 1: the next morning, we took our time getting ready and started to slowly realize we were actually going on our first cruise as arrived and saw the ship, went through the boarding process and saw the ridiculous number of girls at the terminal. i felt like i was at my all-girls high school again except this was all ages. this is going to get long, so click to read the rest...

happy new year!

i should have done this before, but you know me and procrastination! anyways, happy new year! it's the year of the dragon (my mommy's year) and that means next year is year of the snake (me! and half of my friends).

i have a couple posts that should be up already, but i wanted to write about the events in my actual journal first. and since that took a long time, the blog was put on hold. but i finally finished the BSB cruise entry around christmas and i'm halfway through my Japan trip. after those i'll put up my brief review (it's not really a review, but i can't find a better word for it) of Anime LA.

so if you're interested, look out for those. i hope everyone has a wonderful 2012. i'm going to try and make sure this year is good. last year was great. plenty of happy, fun moments, and some not-so-great moments. i hope to god the bad events don't repeat. but the things that are inevitable (like my birthday), i'm determined to make much better. when i was in japan, i got an omikuji at new year's and it was dai-kichi, so i'm using that as a starting point and making sure everything is good. at least for the first month or so while i'm still feeling it xD then laziness will probably kick in.

okay, see you later!