Happy Obama Day!

Words can't even describe my feelings right now.
I am so excited for the next 4 yearso(^^o)(o^^)o わくわく, and I haven't had this feeling in a long time. After experiencing the devastating disappointment of the Gore v. Bush debacle, I didn't really have confidence in the election process. After this election, I can safely say that my faith has been restored!!
I was so touched by Obama's speech.
Some of my favorite parts:

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.

I'm glad he addressed just how difficult this journey will be. Sometimes I get really concerned that people are raising their expectation for Obama so high that he'd never be able to achieve their expectation. Hopefully, everyone will work together to overcome these times of crisis.

We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

I truly believe that the American spirit is much stronger and much more resilient than those who attack us. This was evident by the way we handled 9/11. I have never felt more patriotic than I did today.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

ZOMG. This just hit it out of the park!! p(*＾-＾*)q

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

This just spoke to the environmentalist in me. we must CHANGE!

＼（＾ ＾）／

Right now, I'm watching Obama and Michelle's first dance...and can I say "AWWWWWWW!!"
(*^^*)ﾎﾟｯ
They are so amazing together!! Michelle is so smart and so elegant, and her dress...AMAZING! Obama is just so suave and cool.

I'm so proud to call her my First Lady and him my President!
God Bless America!

Japan vs. Korea

I'm faced with quite a dilemma.┗(；´Д｀)┛
I just found out there is this great summer program in Japan that lasts 10 weeks and would be at a language intensive school...
on the other hand...
I've already applied to Korea for the language program there.
So I've turned to blogger to help me visualize my pros and cons...

Korea
Pros:
☆ Part of the EAP program, so transfer credits are guaranteed
☆ I've never been to Korea
☆ I love Korean food
☆ I would be with UC students around my age

Cons:
★ I don't really know Korean
★ It's really HOT
★ More expensive

Japan
Pros:
☆ I already know a bit of Japanese, so I'd be able to get around easier
☆ I like Japanese food
☆ I really want to achieve some sort of Japanese fluency
☆ It would look good if I decide to apply for the JET program
☆ Cheaper

Cons:
★ The program is not a part of my school, so credits are not guaranteed
★ Age-range in program is quite vast
★ Japan is overall more expensive (maybe?)

I guess I'll have to talk to my IR major adviser and the Japanese adviser (to make sure this program is legit) to weigh my options.(?(｡_。).｡o0O?？

If there is anyone that still reads this...feel free to weigh in!!
o(￣Д￣o)(o￣Д￣)o

Apparently...I'm going to Taiwan! International Chinese Language Program at NTU.
And yes. That is my FINAL decision!!

＼(＾▽＾*)So come visit me in Taiwan!!(*＾▽＾)／

Bikram Yoga

Like I posted in my previous post, one of my goals this year is to get healthy. (||| ×ｍ×)

So far, I've started to eat my meals on time and not miss any of them. I've actually packed lunch (a turkey breast and cheese sandwich) everyday!!

So for the second part of "getting healthy", I wanted to take a P.E. class. That didn't work out too well...(it was too early!! ﾊｧ━(-д-；)━ｧ... )

...sooo instead, I started taking yoga.
While searching on daviswiki, I found that there was a yoga studio near my apartment that taught the Bikram style of yoga.

If you don't know what Bikram yoga is, this is the wiki definition:

Bikram's Yoga, also known as Hot Yoga, is a style of yoga developed by Bikram Choudhury and a Los Angeles, California based company[1]. Bikram Yoga is ideally practiced in a room heated to 105°F (40.5°C) with a humidity of 40%. Classes are guided by specific dialogue including 26 postures and two breathing exercises. Classes last approximately 90-minutes.

After one session, I am officially ADDICTED!
わあい＼(^▽^＼)(/^▽^)/わあいっ
I've never sweat so much in my life, and I worked all my muscles.
I plan on going everyday except for Mondays (too many classes that day).
Hopefully, I can keep this up!!
Pray for my willpower!
(人･_･)♡ ♡(･_･人)

New Year's Resolution ~

1. GET HEALTHY!
---This means: eat less junk food, cook more at home, bring packed lunches, exercise instead of sitting at home watching TV or "studying", and no more midnight snacking!!

2. SAVE MONEY!
---This means: no more internet shopping, no more impulse buys, and spending smart on groceries.

3. DO MUCH BETTER IN SCHOOL!
---This means: more A's, no more procrastination, and more studying.

4. BE MORE ADVENTUROUS!
---This means: saying "yes" to things I normally wouldn't say "yes" to (of course, without compromising my morals), meeting more people, doing things on my "to-do list", and being more involved in clubs.

皆さんへ、
一緒に頑張りますか？
♪（*＾ー゜)ｖ（*＾▽＾*）*☆ガンバル☆♪

A Fresh Start! 2009

(*ﾉﾟ▽ﾟ)ﾉA Happy New Year｡+.ﾟヽ(*´∀｀)ﾉﾟ.+｡
。・☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。
媽媽﹐
謝謝你不管我有多少的缺點﹐ 你還是完完全全得包容我。
我生氣的時候﹐你可以讓我微笑。
我傷心的時候﹐你卻可以讓我開心。
我覺得我們母女的關係真的非常特別。
你是我最好的朋友。
你是我最好的老師。
你是我的驕傲。
我非常感謝上帝讓你當我的媽媽。
ﾟ･:,｡★＼(^-^ )♪ありがとう♪( ^-^)/★,｡･:･ﾟ

爸爸﹐
你工作這麼辛苦都是為了要給我跟恩恩一個好的未來。
我非常感謝你你所做的一切。
我當時換了我的主修的時候﹐你還是安安靜靜得讓我歡。
雖然我知道你對我的新的主修不是很滿意﹐但是你還是用你全力來支持我。
謝謝你。
我一定不會讓你失望﹗
我今年一定會好好得唸書﹗﹗y（^ヮ^）y
(ﾉ*･▽･)ﾉ~【彡*.;~:.Йёνёг*Giνё*Цp!!.:~;.*彡】~ヽ(･▽･*ヽ)

恩恩﹐
Thank you for being such a wonderful brother!
I always look forward to picking you up from school and then (of course...) treating you to an after-school snack...(someday 恩恩...you will TREAT ME!!)(っ｀Д´)っ Σ(´Д｀；)　うあ
I have every confidence that you will grow to become a wonderful adult, because you are a pretty awesome teenager!
Whatever you choose to become in the future, I'm sure you'll be amazing at it!
Please learn some new piano songs...I really enjoy listening to you play.
If you decide to go to Taiwan and become famous...remember, I already have dibs on being your manager (that means 50%!!)(￣▼￣*)ﾆﾔｯ

To my friends,
Thanks for putting up with me for all these years...☆:*･ﾟ(●´∀｀●):*･ﾟ☆
I couldn't ask for better friends!!
Please continue to keep me updated on your lives...(Yes, I really care!!) because, as most of you know, I'm horrible with the the phone calls.(*≧∀≦*)
I love you guys, and hopefully, we'll get to hang out more in '09 (most of us are TURNING 21!!v(≧∇≦)v いえぇぇぇぇいっ♪...before me...。・゜゜⌒(ＴＯＴ）⌒゜゜・。

BFFFF!!
ナカヽ(´∀｀●)人(●´∀｀)ノヨシ

。・☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。☆。・゜☆゜・。

ヽ(^∇^*)ﾉ

☆*Merry*☆=- ★=- ヽ(^∇^*)ﾉ -=★ -=☆*X'mas*☆
ﾒﾘｰｰｰ｡･：*：･ﾟ`★(o≧□≦)o☆.｡･：*：･ﾟ`ｸﾘｽﾏｰｰｰｰｰｽ!!!!!

Merry Christmas to ALL!!

and to my brother...

☆★:ﾟ*☆※＞o(≧∇≦)人(≧∇≦)o＜※☆:ﾟ*★ ☆
HAPPY 17th BIRTHDAY!!!

If you read this...I'm probably stalking you.

Just know my friends...
even if I don't comment on your blogs/facebook/myspace/pictures/etc...
I still care about you and your life.
（●ゝω・）ﾉ【I love you guys☆】

FINAL GRADES...

TWO "A's" and a "B+"...
ゎぁぃ♪ ヾ(*⌒∇⌒)八(⌒∇⌒*)ツ ゎぁぃ♪
Pretty happy about that!!
Strangely though, I got a B+ in the class that I like the most this quarter.
and the two classes I got A's in...well...let's just say that i rarely attended class.

Now it makes me excited for next quarter!!
I will be taking...
1. Economics 1A - Intro to Microeconomics
2. History 4C - History of Western Civilization
3. Chinese 112 - Intermediate Chinese
4. Psychology 142 - Social and Personality Development
5. P.E. - Weight Training for Beginners (this has to do with my new year's resolution...which I will post sometime closer to the new year...)

Half of the classes are really just freshman courses...since I need to start from the beginning for my new double major.
So it shouldn't be TOO bad. (fingers crossed)

I've also quit one of my jobs (which was a pretty awkward thing to do...since they were like, "why did you quit THIS job instead of the OTHER job?"...), since I was able to attain an internship with the Asian American Disparity Center. I'm happy that everything is going according to plan so far. Now...if only I could get some publications with my name out...that would be excellent.

On a slightly different subject,
My dad doesn't seem too happy with the fact that I'm doubling in International Relations. Nor does he seem to like the fact that I'm a Psychology (non-science degree...a.k.a. A.B. degree) major. He keeps asking me what I'll do with these degrees and what my future is going to be like with such "useless majors" that "ANYBODY can get".
☆⌒(＞。≪)イタイ
ouch dad. ouch.

college to-do list.

I found this list of "goals" I had set for myself back when I was still a freshman...
It's pretty interesting to see what I've accomplished and what I still have yet to accomplish.

In no particular order...
1. Run a 5 k Marathon
***Now I want to Run a 10k Marathon
2. Give Blood
***I'll do this annually now...even though I'm terrified of needles :]
3. Skydive
4. Go to SkyZone
5. Go to New York
6. Go to Hawaii
7. Join the Peace Corps
8. Volunteer time abroad during breaks
9. Find Internship that really interests me
***UPDATE 12/12/08: I am interning at the Asian American Disparity Center
10. Go to a football game
***I actually find that I don't hate football as much as I used to...
11. Graduate
12. Study abroad
13. Learn a new language
14. Find something I'm passionate about to major in
***It scares me how perfect my major is for me right now...
15. Get my ears pierced
***I actually got double piercings in each lobe and a cartilage piercing...mission = accomplished :]
16. Get a tattoo
17. Ski
18. Go to Napa Valley for wine tasting
19. Find a job that I don't hate
***I'm really happy right now with my jobs...which makes me sad to say that I have to quit one of them. UCD has some AWESOME people!
20. Grow my hair out for "Locks of Love"
21. 3J's and HAM reunion
***BUT...I want another one!!
22. Join and be active in a club
23. Learn calligraphy
24. Learn how to develop photos
25. Learn how to silkscreen
26. Go to the gym regularly
27. Go to SF
***I want to GO AGAIN!!
28. Go to LA
29. Participate in the "Love Boat" tour of Taiwan
30. Learn Taiwanese
31. Go camping
32. Read a Chinese newspaper (Traditional)
33. Learn Yoga
34. Buy my parents something with my own money
35. Be Content

***I'll probably add more as I go along***

YES WE DID!!

Congratulations to the next PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA...
BARACK OBAMA!!
♪お(^O^)め(^｡^)で(^O^)と(^o^)う(^｡^)♪

On a sad note...
It doesn't look like No on Prop 8 will win...
which makes me really sad.
わ〜。°（°´д｀°）°。〜ん

Pass Time

I just signed up for all of my winter quarter classes in under 1 minute.
How freaking bomb is that?
And my schedule next year is pretty awesome...
1. History 4C
2. Chinese 112
3. Psychology 142
4. Economics 1A

And I don't start until 11:00 am!!
YES!

PROcrastination

I'm such a pro and procrastination.
I've got it down to an art form.

Right now I'm looking at lolcats and feeling the pressure to produce a kickass paper by the end of this cram session.
but seriously...the internets is bad for adhd.

The paper is about global warming...sound easy right?
WRONG.
It's about global warming and how the interaction of states plays a role in the formation/non-formation of regimes and whether or not global warming is a collective action situation.
FUCKJLDSKJFL.
This is a freshman class.
I thought it would be EASY.

I'm pretty sure this paper would have been a lot easier if I started it last week.
DAMN YOU procrastination and adhd!!

Why am I on blogspot.
I knew rehatching this blogging thing would come to no good.

Stolen Pictures...

Yay! Go Ags!


See...for real...I sat through a game of football!


Peer Advisers!!


Why do I wink when I'm intoxicated?


I don't know what we were talking about...


Again...winking...


Peer Advisers again!


I also throw up peace signs like its the end of the world.


Smexy. lol.


Why is it that I always look the most drunk in pictures?


I honestly don't remember taking this picture.


ASIAN (-w-)Y


Alex joins in on the fun!


AGGIES WIN! celebratory picture in front of the stadium...
We're trying to look gangster...
unfortunately...most of us can't pull it off...especially Marcus.ヾ(≧∇≦)ノ

Plans for the future?

(((p（＞o＜）q))) ギャアアア!!!

I found this emoticon, and I felt that it best described how I feel when people ask me what I plan on doing with a psychology degree and (in case you haven't heard) a international studies degree + Chinese minor. (Yes, I know I'm pretty much insane to declare a double major so late, I may just have to stay an extra quarter...o(TヘT o) )

I'm so tired of my family and other people hassling me about my future...

Yes.
I know I'm a JUNIOR in college now (you don't know how much that terrifies me).

and Yes.
I know that you're only asking because you want the best for me...

but since when was it a bad thing to have a bachelor's degree?
It's a start right?

On a brighter note...
Since I am trying to double major in International Relations, the school has mandated that I have to study abroad!! (*^-ﾟ)vｨｪｨ♪
(I really love these emoticons...)

So I'm thinking, since the whole Taiwan study abroad thing didn't work out, I just might go ahead and study abroad in Korea.
After all, I like Korean food, I would like to learn Korean...and I really like Korean food.
I'm just going to keep on doing what I want to do, and all the dissenters can just suck it.

And for my readers (all 2.5 of you!!)
＼(＾▽＾*)いらっしゃ～いっ(*＾▽＾)／

My weekend...

On Friday, I went to a peer social at my friend M's house. It was pretty fun for a party that did not include alcohol or dancing. I got to jump on a trampoline...I haven't done that in forever and a day.

Then on Saturday, I decided have some school spirit (which if you know me, you'll know that I have almost no school spirit to begin with) and went to a football game with some co-workers.
It was pretty exciting (probably due to the shots of vodka I took during the pre-game party) and I did a lot of cheering and awkward dancing.
(Awkward) Pictures to come...

And today (Sunday), I have to study for my calculus midterm that is on Monday.
I haven't been going to that class...since it is my only early morning class, and it is SO easy to oversleep.
I also haven't been doing the homework...since the professor does not collect it.
And...I had told myself I would study all this weekend.
So yeah...
I'm pretty much aware that I'm going to fail.