iPods

I'm typing away at such a late time (well to me at least), because I seriously cannot believe how crazy this is. Well, lately, my iPod has been... well, acting up lately, and it's annoying the crap out of me. So finally, my iPod just gave out. Froze. Great. I wanted it fixed right away, so I was planning on going to Best Buy to check out my warranty and such. Last time, they weren't so helpful. So, I tried everything... like banging it against a stack of paper. Niice. I thought to myself, why should I be purposely destroying something that cost a lot of money. Ok fine. Paper isn't hard. It's not like I'm dropping on wood flooring.

LO AND BEHOLD. It worked. No way. But seriously. It worked. I can't believe it. My iPod is functional again. YAY.

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bleh

I realize I've been pretty horrible this week. Not just in feeling horrible, but being horrible. Can't exactly say it's been my best week at all. Not even close. So, if I've been horrendous and irritable, I hope it looks up. I suppose it has a lot to do with just being so piled up with things, since next week is ridiculously busy. Preparing for all of that is to mentally tiring. The mind can only hold so much. Not to mention, I feel like I've been neglecting a lot of things I ought to be caring about. Yes, I know I have two midterms to worry about. I just find it so hard to choose one. Choose as in, decide which one I ought to be paying attention to. Still, paying attention in chem is getting harder and harder. I always feel like my professor doesn't really know what's going on sometimes. Without her PowerPoint slides, sometimes I doubt if she really knows what she's talking about. It definitely doesn't help me understand the material any better!

Aside from feeling horrid, I missed my mandatory community service! Really bad if you need it to stay in some programs at school. A very good and helpful one at that. So now I'm freaking out because I don't know what the consequences are. I mean, I waited for a long time, and the person never showed up. Similarly, I think the person I was supposed to be waiting for thought I never showed up. I waited where I was supposed to, and so I hope that will make a difference. I don't want people to think I'm THAT irresponsible about that. I really need my counselor to call me and talk about it. She said she'd call today, but I feel like every second is an hour, and I can't seem to relax. Not at all. I'm getting jittery, so while I wait, I can't study. So here I am, typing away, hoping to get my mind off things. GAHH. I realize my posts make less and less sense, or it seems to be just a random rant, so unimportant. Yay.

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Sense? This post doesn't make any sense

bleh I have the flu. For once, it actually came early this year. Normally, I'm sick around Halloween. Now that I think about it, it's good I'm not sick around that time. Not like I go extreme partying or anything, but who's going to pass out the candy to the children? Yess. That is my Halloween job. Fairly exciting. I was on the phone with my friend earlier, and she was at Party City, and I laughed so hard when she told me they were selling Gabriella costumes for High School Musical. Curious, I asked her what the costume actually was. I mean, was it the lab coat outfit she wore from the Scholastic Decathlon, or what, because I couldn't think of anything else that seemed "costumey" and she told me, that essentially, the costume was of a red dress and heels. Oh. Like from "We're All in This Together". Hmmm. I really don't think people will notice what you are dressed up as though. Then again, if your guy friend dresses up like Troy in his basketball jersey or your other friend goes as an East High cheerleader, then well. there you go. wow this post does not make very much sense. I think it's because I'm sorta just writing this as a way to pass the time, waiting for the movie to load. It's called "Beast and the Beauty". It's about this couple, and the girl is blind. The guy is not attractive, and he tells her that he's an attractive guy, that looks like someone he knows. She ends up getting an eye transplant (how common, exactly is that?) and she thinks her boyfriend looks entirely different! Hilarity ensues. I hope. I haven't seen this movie yet, but the premise seems fairly interesting. Who knows.

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school? what's that?!

Sad to say... that has been my thoughts lately. I've finished the Slam Dunk manga. I've finished Spring Waltz. I've picked up new shows to watch for the Fall Season. And I suppose that's the problem. I really need to stop relaxing and just hanging around all the time. Seriously. Seriously. I took a chem test on Friday, and I can't really say I feel confident about it at all. I think this may be the first time I MAJORLY fail a test. That's reallly bad. I just didn't feel like chem was important, or worth my time. I suppose that's the problem. I think Bio is 10000x more important because it's the first class that REALLY counts. I mean, it's the one class you need to take before doing anything else. So yeah, it is ridiculously frustrating. I can't lax up on that anymore. Curse me and my need to be caught up with pop culture and Korean Dramas. It really is a drug. I suppose I should just come home late now and do some studying to do some good in my life.

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I love Daniel Henney. Period. I really should stop watching dramas when I could be studying for a midterm.

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about blogging

The other day, I was browsing around facebook, and I realized how many of my friends use blogs. I know, tons of people have them, so statistically, at least one of friends would have one. Well, it just so happened, some of them have xangas, and I realized I had an inactive account, not accessed since... say 2004. It's been a long time. In any case, I logged in and I just started to read some of the old entries. It surprised me how I thought about things, or the way I thought about things. Some things stay the same, I mean, I talked a lot about movies I saw (well not really in this blog), the everyday occurances of my life, etc. It was like a blast from the past. I also thought it was hilarious how I thought the world would stop turning if I didn't blog for one day, even if my entry for that day was me fangirling or just a picture I liked. I wonder if I will ever look back 3 years from now and just read these entries, and see how much I've changed. Or not changed. It's really interesting to see how petty some thing really were, looking back, and how some things never really changed at all.

>>>>> On another note, I think my classes are okaayyy. I mean, chem is a pain to begin with, but I already know I will need to put a lot more effort into doing things. I can't slack off as much as I used to. I need to get on top of things. No more distractions. Bio is a really good class. I just love listening to my professor talk. Then again, he's British. Nonetheless, I love my group in Bio labs, and I hang on to everything my professor says. Tuesdays and Thursdays are definitely my favorite days.

[<3][Le sigh. 6 episodes left of Slam Dunk. ][L-O-V-E Rukawa!!!] [so amino acids.....][getting addicted to "Time between dog and wolf"][I still need to finish watching Hana Yori Dango. haha]

I'm in for a rough ride....

Ouch. The first day can always be pretty tough. I guess I'm just irritated that it didn't turn out as I had thought. I figured getting to school relatively early would get me a decent parking spot. Ehhh. Apparently the freshies don't understand how we do it here. Nonetheless, I discover my lab class is cancelled for the day! Excellent. I'm sleep deprived and I have nothing to do for the next 3 hours. Lovely. Still, it was really good to see the people I wanted to see, and catch up on things and what not. I should make note of this: never wear flats on a warm day. My feet were killing me. Not to mention the air conditioning in the bio class was well... not performing as I wanted. Le sigh. I don't even have chem yet and I feel like bio alone is intense.

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old school vs new school

I can't really say that I've been watching anime very much since I was obsessed with Rurouni Kenshin in the 8th grade. Nonetheless, I still take some time out of my day to watch anime sometimes. And like I've previously said, I do feel a tad nostalgic and I've been watching old anime, the good old ones I like , for example: Akazukin Chacha, Gensomaden Saiyuki (season 1), Hunter X Hunter, Slam Dunk, Sailor Moon S, Trigun, Fushigi Yuugi. To be honest, the only "recent" anime I've seen is Death Note, Samurai Champloo and Powerpuff Girls Z (well, half of it). I don't really have much of an interest in Bleach, Naruto or Full Metal Alchemist or that Haruhi thing. A bit blah for me. In any case, I wonder if it's because those older animes are simply better, or maybe it's because I liked them when I was younger, therefore, I'm emotionally attached to them? hmm. Because I'm thinking, if its because I'm just attached to them, then maybe the experience would be different when I watched it the second time around. Not necessarily. I admit, my perception of the characters and the story is a tad different. For example, I really like Akazukin Chacha and every episode seems to follow a very distinct pattern. At the beginning, there's comedy in the school, and then eventually there's some monster who attacks, Chacha transforms in the Princess Holy-Up and defeats the monster. As a kid, that pattern was totally awesome. Now's it's a bit redundant after the 10th episode, and I normally skip the part when she defeats the monster. When I watched Slam Dunk for the first time, I admit, Sakuragi was annnoying. Seriously. I suppose it had to do with the fact I was a Rukawa fangirl. Watching it again, Sakuragi is more likeable, and Rukawa's not the only character I like. You know, maybe I like the older shows more also because those shows aren't so bloody commercialized. I am so bloody sick of seeing some Narutard, or seeing a Haruhi cosplayer, or someone who knows the dance from the show.

*sigh* I suppose I'm just biased. School starts tomorrow, so I can't help but feel some type of helplessness. Geez.

[image from Slam Dunk of the Shohoku basketball team, from left to right: Rukawa Kaede, Akagi Takenori (Gori), Sakuragi Hanamichi, Mitsui Hisashi, Miyagi Ryota]

Guilty Pleasures

I really really need to stop succumbing to that stuff. Seriously. Lately, I've been watching Initial D: Fourth Stage and it's so ridiculously addicting. I find myself constantly watching the next episode because I want to know what Ryosuke's tactic will be, or how Takumi will take on the next race. Intense stuff. Not to mention, the Eurobeat songs are so catchy. It makes me want to drive ridiculously fast on the highway. Not good.

Then again, there's High School Musical. I cannot help but dance around to "We're All In This Together" and hum "What I've Been Looking For" while I'm typing this. Wow. Plus, I feel SO compelled to buy the issue of Rolling Stone with Zac Efron on the cover. I'm such a tween!!! But hey, he's around my age, so it's not as bad. Right?! haha I seriously cannot possibly wait for Friday, when the sequel comes out! "What time is it?! Summertime!" haha good stuff.

Oh oh. Meteor Garden takes me wayyyy back 3 years ago!!! I can't believe I'm still addicted to it, totally geeking out when SanCai and DaoMingSi are having a cute moment. Watching this a second time makes me reflect on the first time I watched this. Barbie Xu looks prettier than the first time I watched this. Vic's eyebrows are ridiculously bushy! Such a comparison to his other drama Silence where he looks a lot better. Vanness looks so weird too, now that I think about it, since his hair is always in his face. *sigh* I love this show.

Thankfully, I got rid of that old layout. So painful on the eyes.

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Reaquainting With a Friend

*siiiigh* It's somewhat frightening to discover there's only one month left until school starts. Well, not exactly. Nonetheless, what better way to spend the last days playing video games? haha yes, it's true. I suppose I've come to spend my days doing that since I was at my cousin's house. When there isn't really much to do, I guess games are quite comforting. It was to me. I always thought Final Fantasy X was a pretty lame game. I thought the turn based system took the fun out of gaming, but I've learned to love it. Especially since I'm somewhat bored with Final Fantasy XII at the moment. What can I say? I've had the game for a while... Nonetheless, I find it nice to actually geek over something again. I've geeked out Harry Potter for the last two weeks, and I'm ready for something new. I've been itching to play fighting games, but I'm not keen or getting my ass kicked at the arcade. LOL I hope to actually finish one of those games before school starts. Hopefully. Unless I get lazy again or bored with it. Not cool.

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summer

Summer needs to end now. Please?

I find it quite sad that I want autumn to begin. Something about just a state of stagnancy and the hot weather. Let's get things going.

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drug free?

Lately, I've been thinking about this particular subject. I suppose it's because July is the month of the Tour de France and my dad watches it everyday, and I feel obliged to watch it as well for some bonding time. I find it absolutely insane for a person to willingly submit to participating in that bike race. It's like running a marathon everyday for a month, with two rest days. To top it off, the salary never is equal to that of a star NBA player. So, I never really quite understood. I took it to mean the love of the sport. However, with years of controversy surrounding doping, I'm starting to become very suspicious of professional cycling. Last year's winner, Floyd Landis has allegations surrounding performance enhancing drugs, and the result as to whether or not he will keep the title is pending. Lance Armstrong's 1999 victory is still being suspected because of drug use. It's quite sad, really to hear these things, and despite the recent measures to prevent doping, it most likely is still continuing. How can a man crash very hard one day and within 24 hours is practically tearing up the field and winning the stage? I find it quite strange, no? I will try and keep optimistic this year, though. I just can't subject myself to cheering on one man and then weeks later discover he's cheated. Then again, the use of performance enhancing drugs is not exclusive to cycling- it's everywhere. Whatever happened to the days when athletes were so celebrated and skilled by their own talents and efforts, not because of the amount of drugs pumping in their bodies?

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Oh All the Drama!

LOL. Not real-life drama!!! No wayyyy. I've realized I don't wanna get involved with people like that anymore. Just unnecessary baggage, no? I feel like an absolute geek lately!!! I've been catching up on all the anime I haven't watched in a long time, and I'm watching Taiwanese dramas again!!!! *sigh* I really do miss those days when I would get all excited when I would watch Meteor Garden and squee when SanCai and DaoMingSi were getting all cheesy and romantic. Poor Lei! Then again, he was my favorite. And now that I'm out of school and needing something to occupy myself for a while, I decided to rewatch that drama. Excellent stuff. But I've lately gotten into a new drama, Silence, which gets me just as emotional, if not more. The theme song gets me all sad when I listen to it, but it's such a great song. I find myself in the middle of the drama, and I really don't know what I will do with myself when I watch the last episode! I am such a cheeseball! LOL

Maybe it's Anime Expo. Maybe it's the fact I went to an abandoned insane asylum just for kicks. Who knows, but the fact of the matter is, I'm obsessed with Death Note. It's ridiculously morbid sometimes, and sometimes I don't necessarily like where the story is going, but wow so addicting. It's not necessarily a drama, but I think it has to do with my love for mystery, detective work, and suspense. I do love CSI. So something like this is very appealing to me. I'm still at episode 28, but a part of me doesn't want to finish it... because I don't know what anime I will watch anymore! It's been such a long time since I've been an avid watcher... has it really been that long since I was watching Rurouni Kenshin around 2001?! Wow.

Below is the video to one of my absolutely favorite songs. Completely unrelated, but I've recently added it to my music playlist. I never really thought about it very much for a while, considering as it was Pam and Ricardo's theme in high school. But after cruising around one day, it came up on the iPod, and I fell in love all over again. I know, it's a ridiculously old song, but it's still excellent nonetheless. This live version absolutely gets me every time. Bono's face is filled with emotion the entire time he sings this. It's just amazing. Not to mention, I love the extra verse at the end. So uplifting.... Plus, now that I'm watching Friends again, I can't help but think, "it's Ross and Rachel's song!."



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The end is near!!!!!

No... I am not trying to promote the apocalypse and repenting and all of that. LOL But just a few minutes ago, it really started to sink in that Harry Potter is ending... It saddens me because this is the Fantasy series that is part of my generation, the one I took part in, and it's eventually coming to a close. Sometimes I wonder what it must have been like if I had been alive when CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien were alive and The Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia were being released.... Amazing I bet. (And to be honest, I sorta like those more...) So I want to savor the moment, and remember I took part in something huge.

In regards to the last entry, I was angry, emo and probably getting a new batch of hormones. I plan to not be that angry, really. I just wish people weren't on my case about it all the time. It would make things a lot easier for me, as to not get down about things. GEEZ. THANKS.

By the one, this is one of the absolutely best Harry Potter cosplayers I have ever seen. I honestly think this guy looks more like Harry Potter than Daniel Radcliffe. Seriously. <3>

Life Inaction

Lately, I feel like all I've been really doing is planning. For example, I've been thinking about my studying abroad options, and where I should go. At the moment, if I had to attend an overseas university connected to my school, I'm thinking of going to either of the following countries: Australia, Sweden, or Denmark. However, I also really want to attend university in Scotland, so I'm thinking maybe St. Andrews. I don't know. But, see, here's the thing: I'm taking summer school right now, and I feel I am not giving 100% in my physics class. I mean, I've met some nice people, and they really are willing to help me out. For that, I absolutely love them. However, I realize I'm always doing my labs the night before it's due, and doing my homework the day it's due, if I do it at all. And that is absolutely unacceptable! How can I be looking at overseas universities if I can't keep myself competitive with a high GPA to get in? Or getting involved with anything? I really need to start working on that. Seriously. I've been telling myself lately that I will apply for a job. Have I yet? No. Did I update my resume? No. Have I been watching poker instead? Yes. See? It's a vicious cycle, and I'm really determined to do something about life. I fear if I don't do anything, then I will end up screwed, as I will end up failing physics, end up jobless (still), and spend the rest of my life watching people make something of themselves.


Enough of this nonsense... I refuse to become a nothing. Well, I'm ready to change. Yes. Honestly. I have physics midterm on Thursday, and I don't intend on failing another one. Nope. Not me. I'm ready to whatever happens. But one day at a time, no? Laziness is a disease, mon ami.

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Arrr Matey! Part Deux

Aha! I must admit, watching Pirates 3 a second time was much better. I still did not understand the purpose of Calypso, but nonetheless, the film didn't drag in the parts I felt it did the first time. I think it's because I already knew what parts were coming. It also was interesting to hear the reaction of people during some parts, since I had already seen the film. Obviously, a lot of people cheered when Jack Sparrow showed up the first time. Sirose's reaction to Norrington dying was actually refreshing. No one I know even bothered when he died. She got all sad about it. So that affected the way I felt about the scene. This contrasts to the first time I watched the movie, where people around me were more bothered about Will stabbing the heart of Davy Jones, and when they revealed Calypso and Davy Jones' backstabbing past. This time around, that didn't bother me as much as it did the first time. I think I feed off the energy of the people around me too much.

Anways.... I loooove the El Capitan. As Kyle says, "It's the Captain." Yes, yes. It is. The ambiance was amazing. They completely pirate-ed up the El Capitan. Niice. The organ-playing guy is pretty interesting too. As Sirose says, "I wonder how much that guy makes...?" He plays really well, and he plays music from Disneyland too. I had the sudden urge to go to Disneyland after he finished playing. Also, the sound system at the El Capitan is absolutely amazing. The theater I watched Pirates 3 in at the Long Beach Towne Center had a not to great sound system. Some people even walked out because of it. I'm thinking I should go watch Ratatouille at the El Capitan when it comes out... Hmmm.

The Cast: Sara, Kyle, Siobhan, Phoebe, Sirose, Courtney, Elyse, Brittney, Ana, Marc, Myself

Highlights of the day:
1. Pirates 3. Obviously. And looking at the exhibits in the El Capitan. niiice.
2. Seeing my friends from high school, some of which I hadn't seen since graduation, sadly.
3. Meeting Sara's boyfriend. Kyle's very witty and sarcastic. hilarious.
4. Showing Sara where Staples Center is and telling her you don't buy staples there.
5. Bonding with Siobhan over Beard Papa's cream puffs
6. Freaking out because of the people wearing costumes outside the Kodak Theatre
7. Elyse being traumatized by the pirate man trying to amuse the people in line. He was on stilts. He told her to "walk between my legs. It'll make my day..." Ewww
8. Going with Sirose to buy popcorn. And then knocking over the entire salt container. So embarrassing.
9. Wasting time in the restroom, waiting for the crowd to thin. Then whoring ourselves for the camera.
10. Walking around parking lot, trying to find Kyle's car.

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Arrr Matey!

*sigh* summer... considering as I really only have one week to really relax. Stupid physics class. Well, in any case. I need to make the most of it, no? Well, yesterday, I did. I don't think I've really had a good time like that in a while. I mean, yes, we did watch Pirates 3, but I mean... the bonding was different. Shooting pool and talking about really important issues in our lives and the lives of the people close to us.

Well, here's my review on Pirates 3: I was disappointed. I mean, the second one wasn't very good, and I thought this one was just as bad, or worse than that one. This film was longer, and more convoluted than the second. I found myself confused at what was happening, and unsure who was double-crossing who. The ending truly was a surprise for me. And actually... believe it or not, but I thought Captain Barbossa was one of the best characters in the film. Interesting. I thought Chow Yun-Fat was a waste of a good actor and I was quite excited to see Keith Richards. But aside from that, I thought the plot had too much going for it and found it to be dragging in many parts.

Hoping the next movies this summer that I want to see are good:
- Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer (June 15)
- Cashback (showing at the Newport International Film Festival on June 6)
- Knocked Up (June 1)
- Surf's Up (June 8)
-Ratatouille (June 29)
-Transformers (July 6)

GAHH the list goes on.... it's over. Kirsten is bankrupt for the summer. Hope to get a job to pay it all off!

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chemistry =/= love

i will not stress over chemistry.
i will not stress over chemistry.
i will not stress over chemistry.
i will not stress over chemistry.
i will not stress over chemistry.

I figure... if i say it enough, it will end up coming true. But alas.... My head is spinning around. I NEED to be strong. I need to do well. I just need to think about what I will be doing after finals: going to Huntington Beach with my friends, watching Pirates of the Caribbean 3 and other summer blockbusters, more hanging out with friends, waiting until midnight to get the last Harry Potter book, etc.... And I will continue to avoid the fact I will be taking a physics class. Hmmm. maybe I should actually be studying instead of writing a blog entry, no?

On a completely unrelated note, I am in love with the new Maroon 5 song "Makes me Wonder". It's so infectious.

C'est la vie.

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[image of abietic acid taken from the British Museum, Department of Scientific Research]