Again, random.

A week has passed since I came back to Hawaii! I know I blog very infrequently and spontaneously, so I apologize for those who do read my blog. ^^; I did plan to blog more about my life at Willamette, but I was far too busy to actually sit in front of the computer and type up everything that has happened to me. I planned to write many entries, including one about my Thanksgiving weekend, but that was so long ago that it is not longer relevant. I admire those who can continue to blog consistently!

Everyone keeps asking me how I am enjoying my break so far. The nice answer would be, "Great!"

And of course. I am back home in Hawaii, where my family and friends are. I should be happy, right? But to be honest, my real answer for last week would be, "Not really..."

I am glad I got to see my friends again and I did many incredibly fun things with them! I ate pho, drink bubble tea, took purikura, exchanged Christmas presents, watched movies, sang karaoke, did some mochi pounding, and chilled at the mall. I was also ready to tell everyone many stories! But I was never in the mood to really talk. I was always feeling down. Maybe it is because of PMS. Or maybe it is because I am living with my family again, where everyone is angry and irritated all the time. Or maybe it is the environment I live in, with homeless peoples and drug addicts lurking around left and right. Thankfully, the weird mood I was in is gone now.

I have been unproductive these past few days. It is terrible, really. The heat is getting a bit unbearable (I think I really do need to wear just a bikini around the house!) and it puts me in such a lazy mood. It feels too hot to do anything! XD I ran by the ocean three times since summer winter break started and it feels great! I would do it everyday, but it is difficult for me to wake up early enough in the mornings. XD

Today was fun! I spent the day working on a drawing that I kept redoing (that wasn't fun, but I am a perfectionist so I couldn't help myself...) and then I met up with Chunnie. We were planning to do a photo shoot at the beach as the sun sets, but clouds covered the sky and it started to rain. It was okay, though, because we spent some time chatting over yogurt at Tutti Frutti. We had a lot of catching up to do so we talked a lot! ^^

At night, I spend time watching dramas with my big sister. <3 I am currently watching three dramas, all of which I highly recommend!!!



OHITORISAMA: I started watching this with Kayla and Micah at Willamette, and then I watched all six episodes again with my sister. This is my first time watching a drama starring Mizuki Arisa and I really like her! I can relate to her character and she always provides many laughs! This is a fun romantic comedy!


MR. BRAIN: I've been wanting to watch this before I left for Willamette, but there was no time! I waited until I came home again because I really wanted to see it with my big sis, haha. Since it stars Kimura Takuya, I knew it had to be good (he never fails!) And it doesn't disappoint! If you enjoyed Galileo or Kiina, you will be sure to love this one! They all feature a main character who is a genius, but has his or her own eccentricities! Every case has been extremely interesting so far...! Every episode provides an educational psychology lesson. I find myself saying, "Hey! I learned that in class!" XP



WHEN IT'S AT NIGHT: I took a break from Korean dramas for a while because they were a bit too much. To get me to watch a Korean drama, the plot has to be interesting (and not too predictable), the acting excellent, and the main character NOT annoying. It is difficult to find a drama that fits this criteria, but I thought I would give this one a try because I love Kim Sun Ah and the plot is different from anything else I have seen. I hate the typical Korean drama.

I still cannot believe 2009 is ending! It was a very eventful year...a good one. ^^ I grew alot, experienced many firsts, met many new people, and made many new friends! II hope 2010 will be just as good, if not better! My resolution for the new year is always the same...always strive for the best!

Now I am off to watch some drama...

病気になる? いやだ!

I think I might have gotten ahead of myself while I'm here, away from home.

First of all, I amazed myself by being able to survive such cold weather because I've never experienced weather colder than 60 degrees before. Since the climate gets colder than 40 degrees here and I wear about the same amount of clothes I would at home, I'd like to think that I've gotten used to the coldness. Second of all, I suffer from congestion everyday at home, but I've never experienced anything of that sort since coming here. Is my dorm room less dusty than my room at home? Is Oregon air better than Hawaii air? Third, I do not have my mother here to nag me about my eating habits. So I eat whatever. I am still more healthy than my brother and sister on most days because I love my fruits and vegetables... but I've also been eating junk food to save money. Donuts for breakfast, fries for lunch, and poptarts for dinner? Not good.

とにかく, いまちょっと気分が悪い. 咽がいたくて, お腹もいたい. I did have a very long and tiring trip to Portland on Saturday and drank the water, which I later found out was tested positive for e.coli. Maybe I received a little poisoning. こわい!

I really do not want to get sick. My throat is funny right now, which is always a sign that I will get sick because all of the other symptoms come after that.

I ate a humble breakfast today: an orange and oatmeal sprinkled with raisins.

I think I am sick if I can willingly shove oatmeal down my throat.

I hate oatmeal.

Friends @ Willamette

The scariest thought for me is imagining what it would be like if I did not go to Willamette. Until the last minute, I never felt like I truly chose Willamette - it just happened because the other schools became unappealing. I had doubts about whether I was making the right decision to come to Oregon because I came blind, having never visited campus and not knowing anyone at the school. The student population is smaller than my high school and consisted of only 7% Asians. I was worried that I would not be able to make friends who share the same interests as me. All of my close friends in Hawaii chose to stay in Hawaii. I was the only one in the group leaving. It would have been the safe decision.

But I am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone because I could not have been more wrong about everything! Everything I was worried about came out to be the exact opposite so it is working out great for me. :)

During the first two months at Willamette, I became so close to four people that it felt like we have been together for years rather than...two months. What would four years feel like? I guess it is different from back home, since we live on campus. We'll be seeing each other whether we like it or not! XD It is strange that many of my friends here are guys, when I barely had any guy friends at home and when there are more girls than boys attending school. In fact, the two people who I feel closest to and who have the most in common with me are guys. But it makes me happy.

In the first two months, we were really clique-y (even named ourselves "AwesomeSauceScooter Gang" or "ASS Gang" for short). They make me laugh so hard and so often, more than I have ever laughed back at home or in my life. We were together almost 24/7. I would return to my dorm to sleep around 2 AM, only to wake up at 7AM to join them for breakfast the next morning. I guess that is the exciting part of college life! There is really no one to tell you what to do; you are responsible for yourself. It makes me happy.

Fortunately, I no longer only stay in my room for five hours to sleep. I know it is not healthy and I would have died if I kept this up. The funny thing is that I felt closer to everyone in the first two months than now. There seems to be a divide in our group between the Hawaii kids and the mainland kids. Again, I am stuck in the middle because I do not like this division at all. I do not like the idea of our group breaking up. Ugh, drama. It always happens.

We did plan a Disneyland trip for spring break. I am hoping it will happen because it would be my first road trip, my first time in California, and my first time at an amusment park. Woot.

I really hope we do not get sick of each other. I really hope I am simply overthinking things because it is the only thing making me sad.

Tigercity

Tigercity came to perform at our school! My sister is a big fan of this group. I remember liking some of their songs, with my favorites being Are you Sensation and Other Girls. ^^ The band was supposed to start playing at 8pm and I arrived at 7:50pm. No one was there! LOL. I learned that indie groups like this will start playing whenever they feel like it. I made a note for future reference not to show up early anymore. XP

It was around 9pm when the music started playing and I felt really awkward because 1) I did not know anybody there except for my roommate and 2) I was at the outer edge of the big circle. None of my friends were familiar with Tigercity, but now I realize that I should have dragged them along anyway!

I knew I had to stay until the end so I danced for about forty minutes before they stopped and Neon Indian came on. I was able to get a picture with the lead vocalist of Tigercity! ^^ They had really nice t-shirts ($20) and CDs ($10). I told him that I didn't have enough money, so he kept discounting the shirt until it was $10! (As long as I didn't tell anybody, haha! Yay!)

They had two CDs on the table and I bought their newest album, Ancient Lover. It is autographed by the lead vocalist and will be shipped to my dear sister in Hawaiiiii! <3

Ohana (Part Two)

During Ohana, we stayed at the 4-H center:



There were about 35 of us, including the Ohana leaders, staying at the Cascara House. There weren't enough beds for everyone upstairs so many boys had to sleep on mattresses in the main room (I felt bad!) We had quite a few deer sightings (very exciting!) but they always leaped away when we came too close. Jordan told Kayla and me stories of Big Foot and how schools in pacific northwest require you to take a class that teaches you how to protect yourself from Big Foot. We had a very difficult time believing him because it just seems so ridiculous!

Monday, August 24, 2009

We toured the campus!



The Star Trees:


I was very excited to finally visit the famous Star Trees! The Star Trees are comprised of five Giant Sequoia trees (the largest trees in the world!) that create a star shape where it meets the sky. Legend says that couples kissing under the tree will experience lasting love. I would love to be kissed under the Star Trees someday! X)


Goudy Commons:

This is where I usually have my meals! They always have really good food (maybe it's a bad thing...) and we have all-you-can-eat meals six days a week. I still haven't learned to control myself because there are so many things I want to eat! In the end, I have to suffer every night with a tummy ache.

More campus pictures? :)



After our tour around school, we went shopping at Lancaster Mall! :)

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

On the very next day, we went shopping (AGAIN!) at Woodburn Mall. I bought meeself a sexy pair of water-resistant boots. It is made up of leather (the quality of shoes is very important to me!) and lined with synthetic fur (which is good for me, because I'm usually allergic). I am lovin' the no-sales tax!!!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

On this day, we were given the option to switch with another Jump Start activity so I was in NOSOCO, which is a group that did community service. I went to the Chemawa Indian School and beautified their campus by pulling weeds! I remember feeling very lonely, though, because Jordan and Kayla were still in the Ohana group...doing more shopping! XD

Ohana was the best experience I've had in my life! No, not because of the shopping (although, that was fun!) We bonded with everyone, made so many new friends, and created so many memories. The most intimate moment we had together was that one night we all got around in a circle and revealed some personal information about ourselves that we normally would not reveal to others. People mentioned a lot of depressing things, but it was amazing how everyone opened up to the rest of the group. <3

Ohana definitely helped ease the transition of moving to school.It is definitely a nice feeling to walk on campus and be able to greet familiar faces while other freshmen are still unfamiliar with the school and its people.

Ohana (Part One)

I finally found some time to blog! Yay! Only three weeks passed since I arrived in Salem, Oregon, but it felt like months! So much has happened that I don't know where to begin!

I'll start with my flight to Salem, which was horrible, mainly because my parents were being incredibly exasperating. I even broke down and cried because I couldn't take it. I had to tell myself that I only needed to deal with this for a few more hours before they leave. ><

I live in WISH (Willamette International Studies House), which used to be a sorority house:



My new home looks so cute! ^^ When you open the front door, you are immediately greeted by the grand staircase. The chandelier adds to the wonderful ambiance. You can feel like a princess every time you walk up or down those steps. Truthfully, it makes me feel a bit self-conscious!



Since we arrived a bit earlier than the registration time, we got to explore the campus. AND I SAW A SQUIRREL FOR THE FIRST TIME.



I didn't have my camera with me at the time, so I used my cellphone. The camera on my phone loads slowly, so the squirrel was running away by the time I was able to snap the picture. It held an acorn in its hands (awww...)

Sunday, August 23, 2009

On our first day in Ohana(the pre-orientation program), we went on a trip to Portland and visited Powell's (an enormous bookstore that took up an entire city block), the Saturday & Sunday Market, and Uwajimaya (a Japanese department store that kicks ass).

Jordan (from Washington), Kayla (from Hawaii like me), and I raided the manga section at Powell's. The selection actually wasn't that impressive so I was a tad disappointed. But manga is still manga! <3



After the bookstore, we headed to the market, which was alright. I found the people there more interesting than the stands!


Street performers



We still had some time left after we explored all of the stalls so we decided to take a walk down the park. We were not prepared for what we saw as a result of our innocent detour. Apparently, it was National Topless Day. I have no idea if they made this up themselves, but there were a bunch of people sitting together on the grass...naked. A woman approached me and handed me a flyer. I did not realize she was topless until she came closer. That was when I realized that she had painted flowers on her breasts. I didn't take the flyer. (Kyahh!) >_< We continued down the park and saw another naked man heading in our direction. He was riding on a bicycle and carrying a sign that read, "Free your minds! Take off your clothes!" He told us to take it off, but we were like, nuh-uh. Getting naked in public will definitely NOT free my mind...

It was definitely an interesting experience. We met up with the rest of the Ohana gang to take a picture. A random guy (furthest man on the left) also jumped into the picture...just cuz. Portlanders are weird! >__<;



Then it was off to Uwajimaya, where I apparently freaked out.

"You were so excited there, jeez!"

Haha.

But!

You cannot blame me! When we walked through the entrance, there were shelves of Hawaiian chocolates and other local merchandise from Hawaii. Apparently, it was Hawaii Week. It was definitely a pleasant surprise to see stuff from back home! <3


Shelves of goodies

There was a Kinokuniya Bookstore inside Uwajimaya. <3 I spent, like, $72 on Crimson Hero and Aka Chan to Boku manga, a Totoro hat, an adorable coffee mug set for a friend, strawberry snacks, a box of CHOKOBI, and the Ponyo artbook. Fun stuff. I would love to go again again again...!!!

I am happy that Oregon is such a beautiful place. ^^

Leaving for Oregon...

I finally finished packing (seven hours before my flight! yay!) I panicked earlier because I got many scoldings from my mom and my sister for packing so late...I almost thought I wouldn't make it in time! And I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to fit everything in my luggage! (Who knew I had so many clothes? Why do I stand in front of the mirror everyday, thinking I have nothing to wear?)

My biggest fear right now is that I forgot something. And though I'll spend only one day with my parents (thank goodness it isn't more than that), I hope everything runs smoothly (highly unlikely, but...!)

I've never been away from home like this, so I'm not sure what to expect. I can't imagine how I would feel not seeing my friends and not coming home every night to see my sister. I think I might actually start using my webcam!

Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't get to blog as much as I wanted to over the summer. I did plan a Part Two to go with Part One but I ran out of time. >3<

I predict tonight and the next few days will be super chaotic. WU has many activities planned for us so I'll be busy for the next few weeks, but I will try to blog the first chance I get! ^^

Wish me luck!

Selling on eBay!!!

I finally opened my eBay account (couldn't wait until I turned 18!) so I can sell some of the things I won't be able to bring with me to college. (Yay for summer cleaning?) It is my first time using eBay so everything was a bit confusing at first (even with that eBay for Dummies book!) but I think I got it after listing the third item. Boy, it's actually pretty hard work. I always manage to go past midnight by the time I finish! ^^;

Most of the items are all brand new items! I think I started the auctions at reasonably low price. Since I will be leaving on the 21st, I can't afford to have the auction last for more than five days. If someone bids on it, it will be a bargain for them, haha. :/ I know I'm not going to be making much money from this...

Here are the items I've listed on eBay:


A teen novel called, "Hero-Type" by Barry Lyga.


A yellow graphic tee that is simply too small for me. :(


The beautiful clutch that I bought for prom from a very chic boutique. I love this, but I will probably never use it again...


I bought this on a whim from Sanrio. It was too cute to resist! There's no reason for me to sell this other than the fact that I have so many bags; it's starting to get a bit ridiculous...!


It's a short auction, so I hope there will be bidders! Wish me luck guys! ^^

(If you're interested too, that's great! *winkwink*)

My 18th birthday

I turned 18 this past Sunday! ^_^

I found this on my table:



This unexpected surprise left me dumbfounded and I asked my sister, Jenny, if this was from her. She adamantly denied having anything to do with it. We were both confused as to where it came from because I didn't remember this being on my table just a short while ago. The items seemed to have appeared by magic!

It turns out that it was from my baby brother. He even allowed me to hug him! *SHOCKED* (Allow me to explain...he's usually an angry, angsty teenage boy.)

Yesterday was a little more special because it was the first time I celebrated my birthday! It felt strange and even a little...selfish to have people gather for, well, you. I always see characters in movies, dramas, and books celebrating their birthdays. The birthday boy/girl dons a party hat and is surrounded by their families and friends. There are colorful balloons, streamers, and of course, the birthday cake. Many people may take this for granted and expect this on their birthdays, but that kind of thing is alien to me.

I still never had a birthday cake before, but my friends and I did go to Seoul Garden Yakiniku for lunch. I even managed to drag my brother out of the house~ yay. ^_^



For yakiniku, we ordered brisket and cow tongue. I had wondered for the longest time what brisket was. I am happy that I finally got to identify it and conclude that I do not like it. I actually really enjoyed the cow tongue, which, according to my friend, is not really the tongue. They just call it that. But, like, why? LOL.



We formed a Doraemon-look-alike using the semi-raw onions that were left! XD

After stuffing our faces and taking a few group pictures, we headed off to Century Center to take purikura (print club stickers)!



There are many purikura places in Harajuku but this is the first to open in Hawaii! Yay! (Even though I'm leaving soon...) ^^; Purikura is fun, but expensive. One sticker sheet is $8. Since it is the grand opening, they cost $6 until the end of this month. I plan to take a couple more pictures with my friends before leaving. ^^

I think we spent about an hour there before we left and headed for GS Studios in Waikiki. Since I've been obsessing over the song 君がいるだけで by 米米CLUB recently, I was happy to find it right away by chance! (Fate?!)

We ended up singing for four hours! Everyone was pooped!

When I came home, I immediately ate and read my sister's fourteen-paged research paper about the Uigher conflict in China. Such conflicts make me very sad and I can't say I'm proud to be Chinese. (But I'm proud to be an American!)

After reading the essay, I ogled over the purikura I took earlier and opened my presents.

I received an owl hoodie that says, "Owl love you" in the back. How clever.

This year, my friends chipped in and bought me this together:




THEY ARE THE CRAZIEST PEOPLE EVER.
It's the coolest present I've ever received.



And they just knew I wanted it because I've ogled over these beautiful jewelry display stands whenever we go shopping. I knew I could never afford it though, because a nice one like this costs approximately $60 - $80!!!

Did I say they were crazy?!

I also received tea from Wai Chu dear, which smelled oh-so-good, and a pair of owl earrings. (Wow, everyone knows I like owls, huh?)

FYI, I also like elephants and lions...and most recently, lionhead rabbits. =3



They're so unbelievably cute!

Fall Course Schedule

Okay, yayy, I finally have my schedule down. :D

CS 141 Introduction to Programming
Mon, Wed, Fri
9:10 am - 10:10 am

JAPN 231 Intermediate Japanese I
Mon, Wed, Fri
11:30 am - 12:30 pm

EXSA 084X Tai Chi
Mon, Wed
12:40 pm - 1:40 pm

IDS 101 College Colloquium - Making the Grade
Tues, Thurs
12:50 pm - 2:20 pm

PSYC 210 Introduction to Psychology
Tues, Thurs
2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Willamette Hawaii Club Summer Picnic

During the weeks prior to today, I felt nervous whenever I thought about the picnic. I am very shy when it comes to meeting new people. So I tried not to think about it and I think that helped. ^^ I should stop thinking that people scare me.

I spent the morning baking arare cookies (I baked them on Saturday afternoon and they turned out to be quite delicious so I made a second batch) for the picnic. ^^ Then I had my dad drive me over to Waikiki. I was lost at first, but I eventually found where the picnic was held. I saw some familiar faces~ they were people that I've met and friended through Facebook. *laughs* We ate, chatted, learned more about Willamette and the Hawaii Club's future activities. (I look forward to all the no-sales-tax shopping trips! Hurrah!) We also did a scavenger hunt through Waikiki~ those are always fun! =3

Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures because they were taken on someone else's camera, but some of the things that I remembered from our scavenger hunt list include:

PICTURES WITH...
- A Japanese tourist holding a peace sign
- A life guard and a surfer holding their surfboard.
- A tourist with a horrible sunburn.
- Man in speedo. (NEVER THOUGHT I'D EVER GO SEARCHING FOR ONE IN MY LIFE!)
- Bride and groom (did not see one! D:)

In the end, we were second place with 30/40 points. The winner had 39/40 points (how did they do it???) Anyway, everyone's really awesome. I'm really excited to move to Oregon and experience four seasons for the first time. I'll see the leaves turn orange in the fall, snow in the winter, and cherry blossoms in the spring. Yay! ^^

P.S. While I was walking down Waikiki after the picnic, I noticed that one of the guys walking in front of me stopped to pick a hibiscus flower from a bush. He then proceeded to stick it behind his friend's ear. I found this pretty amusing so I snuck a picture from behind. ^^



Countdown: ONLY SEVENTEEN DAYS BEFORE I LEAVE HAWAII!!!

Summer Break (Part One)

Wow, it has definitely been a while since I last blogged. A month and a half of summer has already passed by so quickly. Soon, I will be leaving Hawaii and heading off to Oregon! There are so many things to think about, but I need to learn to think about the right things and not focus on the wrong things. ^_^;

Our housing assignments are supposed to be mailed to us in the second week of August, but someone found out how to access that information so all of us know where we will be staying. Blitz Bearcat (the helpful school mascot that provides us information about the school and answers our questions) tells us that the housing assignments listed online are only tentative and not official, so it might change later on. But because of this, I found out who my roommate is prematurely! She's very different from me, but she seems like an amazing person. ^_^ She's very athletic and into sports (Maybe some of her skills will rub on me? Haha. Maybe!)

Summer's actually not too bad! I like that I never got "bored" yet (except at work, where I feel incredibly lonely) and that I'm kept busy. I like being productive and feeling useful. When I'm not working, I make sure that I have plans to hang out with friends instead of lying around at home (which is what I've always done in the past). I've been going out a lot more lately (which is why less time is spent online and why I haven't blogged in a while...) There are those who have a great social life and also manage to blog frequently. I'd like to know their secret because I can't do that.

Anyway, I have a lot of catching up to do since my last blog post! Here's what I've been up to:

May 25, 2009
There was prom. It could have been better in many ways. Lots of drama happened between my friends, but I was kept in the dark about it until after prom was over. The food = terrible.



June 7, 2009
Graduation! Yay! It still hasn't hit me that I'm not in high school anymore. I did not cry.



June 9, 2009
I carried a 21 lb watermelon to my friend's place for a surprise birthday party. Below is a picture of me and my muscular arms (in all seriousness, I was dying but I smiled for the camera anyway).



June 10, 2009
I went to the movie premiere of The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds with my older sister Jenny, Alden, and Erica. To my surprise, I really enjoyed the movie! <3

June 11, 2009
I got sick from hanging out with peeps who went to Project Grad (a virus spread and infected all of them!) but I desperately wanted to attend Janelle's grad party anyway. Her party was at Chin's Restaurant located across from Kahala Mall. When I arrived, guess what I found out? Janelle wasn't able to attend her own grad party because she was too sick (and staying home according to doctor's orders!) Everyone at the table I sat on was also sick. :O But the food was good. We had buffet.

June 14, 2009
I finished watching the live-action drama, Hotaru no Hikari. I didn't like the manga very much, but I loved the drama. <3 Everyone should see it!



Right now, I'm watching another Japanese mystery drama called Kiina. It is very similar to Galileo, but I don't mind because it is fun to watch. I find the cases easier to solve!

June 20, 2009
I attended Erica's grad party at Nice Day Chinese Seafood Restaurant located in Liliha Square. I bought Erica a bouquet of yellow camellias at the supermarket right next door (convenient much? LOL!) I was very jealous because the food was so good. I kept thinking, why couldn't my parents have ordered these things at my grad party? They made me feel like a picky eater. I just think they didn't order the right food. The only problem with Erica's party was...there was too much food. I ate so much that I felt like my stomach was going to burst (literally!) There were NINE dishes in all.



Left to right, top to bottom: 1) Appetizer: spring roll, pork, jellyfish, 2) Egg drop soup, 3) Honey walnut shrimp, 4)Shoyu chicken with shrimp fries, 5) Shrimp, 6) Crab/lobster noodle dish, 7) Sweet and sour beef with onions, 8) Seafood and vegetables dish, 9) Mango pudding.

June 22, 2009
My first sleepover! It was at Alden's place. It was memorable because we took a midnight trip to Walmart and hung out in the toys section. (Like, wtf right? XD)

June 23, 2009
Okay, it wasn't really much of a sleepover because I didn't really sleep (I just closed my eyes). I had work starting at 1PM and someone warned me, "Don't fall asleep at work!" I scoffed at them because I didn't think that would happen (I felt alright). I didn't realize I was falling asleep until I hit my head against the wall. I could barely keep my eyes open.

June 24, 2009
Lanikai beach outing with Chun! She's the only person who can convince me to go to the beach and into the water. The beach was beautiful so I'm glad I came. I actually had fun and enjoyable (having sand in your bikini was not though).



July 6, 2009
I visited my baby cousin, Daphne, who was born on July 2, 2009 at around 11AM. <3 It was the first time I've ever held a baby. She is very tiny and I couldn't believe that what I was holding my arms was...alive. It was a very humbling experience. Meeting her made me think that everything else in life was unimportant and none of my dramas or worries mattered. Only she mattered. She was very sweet and calm. I love her.



July 14, 2009
I went to Cha no Ma Teahouse located in Waikiki with Kara and Jenni. I was very excited! I originally thought the owner was Japanese until he heard me speaking Chinese and replied in Chinese. It turns out he is Taiwanese! He's a very nice and friendly. The best part of the teahouse was the laid back atmosphere and wonderful ambience. Although we were the only customers, it felt really comfortable. And the desserts!



I ordered the green tea jelly, which is topped with whipped cream sprinkled with matcha powder and anko on the side. I was surprised when I tasted the jelly because jelly is usually sweet. Not only was this green tea jelly not sweet, it was downright bitter. Even if one is not fond of sweet things, one might think to add a little bit of sweetener simply to balance out the taste and get rid of the bitterness. But the owner apparently used purely matcha powder, and nothing else. It made me think of my friend Joyce, who constantly complains about things being too sweet. I thought, this is perfect for her.



When my dessert arrived, I spent some time staring at it first. The owner noticed my hesitation and laughed, "Eat it, eat it!"

When I took my first bite, I immediately exclaimed, "Oh my gosh, this is bitter!"

The owner laughed again and said, "Yes, your dessert is the only one that is not sweet." He points to Kara's parfait and said, "That is sweet. Yours is not. Hahaha!"

My friends were worried about me, but I assured them that I liked it (which is partly the truth). There is an art to eating this dessert. Each scoop should contain a bit of jelly, cream, and an (which helps balance out the bitterness). At first, I was a little scared of all that whipped cream, but it turned out to be the lightest whipped cream I've ever tasted and almost everything was consumed. My only complaint was that there was not enough an. Overall, this was a very enjoyable, if not pricy, experience. I can't wait to go again! ^o^

In between these days, I did A LOT of shopping (need to hold back so I can do more shopping in Oregon!) and watched a lot of movies. Fun stuff.

I don't know what happened to 'studying for a driver's permit' and 'learning how to drive'. I think I'm still scared. But there's still the rest of summer, right? ^o^

P.S. I finally changed the layout. I was being entirely selfish with it, because I didn't worry about whether visitors would like it or not. I only thought about what I wanted. It looks pretty simple, but I actually spent about three days on it. ^^ The image was drawn the night before my trip to the teahouse. I actually saw the same kind of teapot there (by pure coincidence).

If you've read this far, congratulations! This blog post actually took several days to finish...and now I'm finally done! Whew. Until next time~!

I sent in my reply yesterday. I'm going to Willamette University! :)

Rambling about a very important decision I have to make...

I am having such a difficult time deciding which school to go to that my head is spinning! I hate vacillating between schools and not knowing what I want to do. I like Seattle University because its location is very appealing – I heard Seattle is interesting and fun. There are cafes, shops, museums, and plenty of things to do. It’s a city city, like Honolulu. I also like that there are many Asian students attending the university (I even spotted ‘anime club’ in Seattle U’s list of student organizations). The cons? I don’t feel like Seattle U really wants me there. They have been giving me a difficult time with the financial aid, and I’ve already emailed and phoned them numerous times. Although the deadline is tomorrow, they still weren’t able to give me a definite answer about my financial aid...only that they would “probably” be able to give me the federal pell grant (they already made it clear that I will not be receiving the SEOG and ACG). I don’t feel comfortable being left hanging like this - it makes me feel so anxious! I can’t believe their doing this to me! Do they want me to come to their school or not? I also don’t feel too eager to take their required religion and philosophy classes. These are core classes and six of them are needed to graduate. I don’t want to waste money on theology classes...!

Willamette University, on the other hand, has been treating me extremely well from the beginning. I received calls and emails from a student representative and from the admissions office asking if I needed any help or if I had any questions. Their financial aid package was the most impressive – a whopping $44,000 that covers all of my expenses! I wouldn’t even need to apply for any more additional outside scholarships! However, this is a liberal arts university and I am not sure I want a liberal arts education (it’ll be like taking high school all over again – and there won’t be a major focus on your selected major). I’ll have to admit that one of the reasons why I was attracted to Willamette was because of the big exchange program they do with a Tokyo University – there are many Japanese students attending! (Gosh, I am such a Japan freak. I can’t help but be obsessed.) The school is also very small (less than 2,000 students!) This can be a good or bad thing, depending on whether you have an optimistic or pessimistic perspective. One student said, “After one month of attending Willamette, you start to see the same faces everyday,” and “It’s like one big family!” Yes, everyone is open and friendly. But with a school so small, I have my doubts about whether I would “fit in” and whether the environment will start to feel suffocating. (Of course, this is just my own stupid insecurities and if there are any problems making friends, it’ll be me and not them.) The size and environment might also mean I’ll be living a sheltered life, and isn’t the point of going away for college to explore the outside world? I feel like Seattle can give me that experience that Salem wouldn’t.

Although I am leaning toward Seattle U, I don't feel good waiting to hear for a response from them while rejecting a perfectly fantastic financial aid package from Willamette University...especially when Seattle U hasn't even given me a straight answer yet!

Oh, what should I do?!

I anticipated that April would be a stressful month, but that did not make it any less stressful for me to go through! The stress and lack of sleep has even caused me to become sick. I missed one day of school and many days of work. I know that I have to take better care of myself~

You would think that because it is the end of April, I would have made my college decision already...but no, I actually haven’t. I’ve talked to many people about the three schools, weighed the pros and cons of each one, compared financial aid letters, and thought and thought about it. In fact, it is what occupies my mind day and night. Throughout the month, I’ve reached moments when I thought I’ve finally made my decision. But I always end up surprising myself with one thing or the other...and right now, I’m back to square one!!! Tomorrow, I will see the college counselor and try to solve this crisis. I desperately want to end this headache once and for all!

I also desperately need to study for the upcoming AP Calculus exam, but a major case of senioritis hit me and I’ve been finding it extremely difficult to concentrate on studying.

Happier notes:



Tracy bought me a beautiful rose on Wednesday and came over to give it to me on the day I was sick. It was a ‘thank-you’ present for the earrings I bought her~ but she didn’t have to do this for me because that’s what a ‘present’ is supposed to be right? She is so sweet! <3

Sara invited me and another friend to her family barbeque on the beach today! It was my first barbeque and the food was so delicious!!! There were chicken drumsticks, short ribs, chicken and apple sausages (strange as that sounds, it’s insanely good and one of my favorites!), bacon wrapped mushrooms, grilled corn and asparagus, ocean salad, sushi, kimchi daikon, and of course, rice. YUM~! I spent the entire day eating and well, doing nothing. It was strange because I’m not used to doing ‘nothing’ but I guess I needed the break.

BACK TO SCHOOL TOMORROW. G’NIGHT.

Update on Prom Dress 2

It's finally over.

Right at this moment, I might be the most grateful girl in the world.

My co-worker (who, BTW, is the most awesome person I have ever met) went with me to Claudette's during her lunch break. When we first arrived, Claudette was not there. Eventually, she did come back and started to lecture me and my co-worker. I felt so scared. There were multiple times when I thought that I should just forget it and give up. But my co-worker kept reassuring me that it was okay. Claudette spoke for such a long time that I thought we would never get my $50 back.

Toward the end of her long lecture, she was saying, "You are her mother...you should understand how young girls are like. I know, because I am a mother too. They are always changing their minds! I cannot run a business this way."

My co-worker fired back, "I understand. But don't you think $50 is a big price to pay so she could learn her lesson? $50 is a lot of money for her."

Because my co-worker didn't give up, they were able to eventually reach a compromise and Claudette gave me $25 back!!!

She said, "In all of my 29 years of doing business, I have never broken my policy. This is the first time I am doing this and I am only doing this for you."

Although it was not the full $50, it was better than trying to exchange it for some accessories and I was simply happy to get anything back at all. I guess Claudette will keep the extra $25 for the time wasted.

It was a lesson that I learned and I will try to keep my head strong and not give in to peer pressure. I am normally a very careful spender, but this incident will definitely keep me aware of how I am using my money.

Update on Prom Dress

I bought a prom dress today!

But it is not the one from Claudette's - it is from BCBG Max Azria! XD I bought it for $220 with 20% off! Even if I lose the $50 deposit I made at Claudette's, it would still be $30 cheaper than if I bought the dress at Claudette's. :) I tried on five dresses at the store and four out of five of them fit me perfectly so no alterations are necessary! XD I am so happy that there were actually my sizes in the store (I didn't see any size 0's at Chinatown and Ala Moana).


I bought a XXS navy blue ruched bodice strapless long gown. I've always wanted a dress with a ruched design (I don't know why, but I'm really attracted to the fabric gathering!) The dress is also not backless with a V-cut, so I won't feel as cold and self-conscious. It was also the first time I picked something out myself because every time I went prom dress shopping, it was always my friends or my sister pulling dresses out for me. There is no beading on this gown, which means I can go all out on the accessories (bling, bling, baby!) ^o^

Tomorrow, I will be heading down to Claudette's to tell her that I do not want the dress anymore (I wonder if she will try to offer me a bigger discount then?) I doubt that she will let me have my $50 back (she was pretty adamant about that last time) but my friend says it doesn't hurt to try. =/

(If I do get it back, I will cry big tears of relief and happiness.)

Well, wish me luck guys!

Shopping for Prom Dresses

Spring break officially starts tomorrow, but I've already found a prom dress! I did not expect to find one because I thought I would buy one at Waikele, where the dresses were much cheaper. But we did hit six stores! :)

We started out in Chinatown with Downtown Fashion, Do's Formal, and Local Design Formal Wear. Then we headed toward Ala Moana and went into Princess Brides, Party Dress by Claudette, and Masako Formals.

I found my dress in the store that I've always wanted to go inside, which was Party Dress by Claudette. Their dresses were more expensive, but they sell designer dresses that are of higher quality (this is especially evident when you compare the dresses to the ones being sold in Chinatown.)

I didn't actually find the dress myself - it was more like Joyce and my sister found it. They both insisted that I try it on because the back of the dress was so beautiful - there's a tail!



It is a black satin chiffon dress, designed by Niki Livas from the Niki collection. Niki Livas is also known for her Zum Zum collection, but I think her Niki collection is more sophisticated. My sister and Joyce were really enthusiastic about the dress, saying that it looked stunning on me. I was still a little confused because it broke all of the rules that my sister had previously set:

1) Never wear black to senior prom.
2) Don't wear anything with V-cuts because they don't flatter your body.
3) You only look nice in pastel colors.

I also broke one of my own rules because my budget was originally $200 and the dress cost approximately $300. However, my sister was only too eager to buy it for me because she thought it looked so beautiful on me. Honestly, as of right now, my sister and Joyce are more crazy about the dress than me. Other people's opinions easily influence me, and I've been under my sister's influence and thought for a very long time. I still feel strange that I'm breaking all the rules for this dress...is it really that special? It contradicted everything that I was supposed to be looking for in a dress! Maybe it is the kind of dress that I will start to like more and more over time.

I was overwhelmed by my sister and Joyce's enthusiasm and before I knew it, had set a deposit of $50 on the dress. I regret doing this - I should have been more firm (my biggest wish is to become less vulnerable against aggressive salespeople) because the dress is very pricey for such a simple design. I should have asked for a discount because almost every place we went to offered us discounts. I looked up the dress online and found three different stores that sold it for approximately $178! I spoke my concerns about the price more than once, but my sister reassured me that she would pay for it. That was beside the point - money is still money and I don't feel right using hers. Her eagerness made it simply too easy to fall for the trap. Would it be too late to ask for a discount?

After Claudette's, we stopped at Yu Chun, a Korean restaurant, for lunch. I was tempted by the thought of having jajamyun. I was made a mistake though - the restaurant served naengmyeon - black noodles made from kudzu root and not black bean sauce noodles. The food was good, but very pricey. We also a had an unpleasant experience with paying because the waitress made a big fuss and insisted on a 15% tip (when we were going to pay them tips anyway, but her attitude!) She busted out her calculator and calculated our bill down to the last penny. Even with the calculator, she gave one of my friends the wrong change. Communication was also not very good because we didn't understand what she was trying to tell us. A $20 meal for me and my sister became a $25 meal. I suggest that they let us know that the restaurant charges a 15% tip on the menu so that customers would know beforehand. I had the exact same experience at Little Village Noodle House, an upscale restaurant at Chinatown, because they made us pay for the bill, and then gave it back because we also needed to add the required extra 15% tip. How were we supposed to know that we had to pay it if they didn't have it written down somewhere? And why not include it in the bill in the first place? It is all very frustrating. We thought the food at Yu Chun was good, so there was a possibility of us coming back - but not anymore. Yu Chun Restaurant just lost five customers. And if anyone still plans to go, I suggest you bring a calculator with you.

We walked over to Masako's after lunch, where Wai Chu and Yuen Ni found their dress. I love many of the dresses Wai Chu tried on - the green one at Downtown Fashion, and the magenta one at Masako Formals. The magenta one was lovely- silky and smooth satin chiffon with a beautiful shade of pink (in fact, this is my favorite color!) with an elegant tulip twist in the front and a mermaid-like finish. The dress was also 50% off from $165!!! I am very happy for her, but also very envious at the same time.

(Ho, ho, I just realized that Wai Chu strayed from what she was going to buy - a green gown because green was her favorite color. I guess you can never say anything about the dress you'll have because the one you end up buying may be completely different!)

Yuen Ni looked very cute and stunning in a short pink gown (made "long" because she is sooo petite) but because it was a bridesmaid dress and not a prom dress, there was no discount offered for the $195 price tag. She did not buy it. :( Although senior prom is a formal event that requires all seniors to wear a long gown, Yuen Ni was able to look at both short and long dresses because of her height! (Short dresses would fit her perfectly while long dresses needed to be altered - or she would have to wear six inch heels.) In the end, she placed a hold for a similar dress that is a burgundy color for $165.

Happy News

I won first place in the Teen Tech Week Photography Contest! :D I actually submitted one of my older pictures since I didn't have time to take new ones (plus, my brain was lacking inspiration!) It features a plane's engine:


The photo was taken during my trip to the Hickam Air Force Base two years ago (Wow! I did not realize that it was this long ago...)


My prize is a Domo-kun USB flash drive (1GB).

I told my friend that if I won first place, I would give it to her, but now I'm having second thoughts because...

I bought a pink Dell laptop and it came today!


I've been using my sister's computer all this time and saving my things there, but now I'll definitely need a USB to store my files.

The laptop still in its cardboard packaging so I didn't use it yet, but I just know it'll be fantastic! :)

15th Annual Honolulu Festival 2009

Although the Honolulu Festival was held on both Saturday and Sunday, I only got to check it out on Sunday since I was at Dole Plantation on Saturday. I've never been to the Honolulu Festival before. I did participate in the grand parade two years ago, but that was about it. I didn't get to watch any performances and I didn't get to go to the craft fair.


I went to the Hawaii Convention Center with Chunnie. Attracted by the sound of the upbeat drums and music, we checked out the performances first. I love Tahitian dancing (I wish I could be a dancer myself, ha!) Watching the girls perform reminded me greatly of the movie, "Hula Girls." It's a great movie so if you didn't watch it yet, GO SEE IT! :)


After watching them perform, we hit the first booth, which featured wedding bouquets created by some very talented women in Japan! Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures because I was afraid they weren't allowed (especially in cases like these, when it is someone's work and they don't want people to steal) but even if I did take pictures, I can imagine that the pictures wouldn't do justice to just how crazy-beautiful they were in real life. They literally took my breath away. The Japanese woman at the booth was also very beautiful, and I loved her swishy red skirt (とても可愛い!!!) She handed Chunnie and me clipboards and asked us to vote for our top three favorite. It was very difficult to choose the three favorites because they were all so beautiful made. In fact, they remind me of how George Koizumi (from Ai Yazawa's Paradise Kiss)'s handiwork might have been if he was not a character in a manga but an actual person. There was even a bouquet with blue roses (which happened to be both my favorite and Chunnie's favorite)!

The next one displayed brush work and it made me miss writing calligraphy very much. I want to start teaching myself how to paint pictures very soon. One of the women by the booth noticed us staring and immediately started speaking rapidly in Japanese. I couldn't say anything in response, but I understood that she was telling us to wait if we wanted to give it a try.

We moved to the next one, which featured oshibana art (I will definitely google this when I have more time). "Oshibana" means pressed flower in Japanese. My sister taught me how to press flowers when I was little, but it was NOTHING compared to the extent these artists went through. It was unbelievable. I met Tomoko Iwahashi, who pointed out some of her artwork (they happen to be my favorite out of the bunch). I tried telling her with my lame Japanese that I thought her work was beautiful.

"きれい!!!"

"すごいです!!!"

LOL.

By then, it was getting close to twelve, when the Doraemon movie was due to start. As we walked over, a maid from the Maid Cafe approached us to hand us some flyers. This was the second (or third?) one since there were maids standing by the entrance who gave Chunnie some flyers already. I made a mental note to check them out after the movie was over.

We ended up watching the movie with a bunch of little kids and their parents (only a few people our age). Doraemon himself made an appearance before and after the movie. We had to call his name and shout silly things like, "Doraeemonn! Doraemon!! Come on out! Come on out!" Hehe. Not much people joined in on the shouting but I cried out! I didn't care that people looked at me~ it feels good to be a kid again. :) The movie was pretty good~ I enjoyed it. ^^ We even got to take pictures with him, which really made my day!!!


By the time the movie ended, it was 2 so I was crazy hungry. Chunnie and I went to AAA Local BBQ by Don Quijote and ate a plate of grilled garlic chicken before heading back to the center. But when we got back, we discovered that many people were leaving and learned that it closed at 3! :( I was a bit upset that I didn't get to look at all the booths, especially since I enjoyed all of the ones I did see. They really exceeded my expectations and unlike many craft fairs, were interactive and involved the visitors. And the maid cafe! Noo!

To cheer myself up, I think of standing next to Doraemon. :)

Dole Plantation

Saturday. Rainy morning. Members of the Japanese Club are sitting on a 52 Wahiawa Circle Isle, armed with their iPod nanos and touches, and DS games to keep themselves occupied during the one-hour long journey to Dole Plantation. While we were on the bus, the rain poured harder and harder. It made me feel sad because I was hoping the weather would get better. What fun is it to walk through the Pineapple Maze when it is raining?





According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the Pineapple maze is the world's largest maze. I found it surprising that the largest maze would be found on the tiny island of Oahu! :) The maze was a lot more difficult than I imagined it would be and I relied on Wai Chu to find our way in and out of the maze (thank you dear, you're my hero!) I seriously would not have been able to get out without her!


The above picture shows Wai Chu marking our route on the little map the ticket lady gave us. I thought that it would be easy with the map, but everything is still very confusing! Since it was raining (on and off, little drizzles) when we were in the maze, we had to walk through wet mud and large puddles. Sometimes, there would be some small openings between the bushes, which made me feel very...happy (and excited?) for some reason. Wai Chu pointed out that it was like in the movie, "My Neighbor Totoro." I realized that that must be it. :)

We finished the maze in about an hour half and ate afterward. For lunch, I had Sara's delicious musubi, a chocolate-covered pineapple stick that I bought for $2.50, my bento, and some of sensei's chili cheese fries. I was so full~! XD


We went on the Pineapple Express, a fully narrated twenty-minute train ride tour that took us around the plantation (two miles!) I didn't pay too much attention to the audio explaining the history of pineapples because the scenery and rain distracted me. The one thing I did catch was that the dirt is red because it is filled with iron and other kinds of nutrients that help the pineapples grow.

I put together a collection of the photos I snapped on the train ride:




After the train ride, we took a closer look at some of the pineapples that were growing by the fish pond. There were different breeds of pineapples from all over the world! You can see my snapshots here. I regret not jotting down notes on each snapshot so that I could remember where each pineapple came from. I only took note of the pineapples from Vietnam and Hawaii. Sensei eventually left us, while we stayed behind to look at the shops. Well, it was one shop in particular that I got really excited about. It was a stand that sold beautiful Swarovski crystal and other beaded jewelry. The owner, a Korean woman, explained that many of the jewelry are her own original creations so you can't find them anywhere else. :) Not only do I love her work, I really respect people who make things by hand (my sister and I do it too and understand all the time and work that goes into making something!) The prices are also very decent! I surprised myself by talking to her because I usually shy away from people, especially salespeople. But I was even bold enough to speak a little Korean!

She immediately asked, "Where are you from?"
I replied, "Here." XD

I couldn't stop myself from staring at all of the jewelry and I had a difficult time deciding what to buy. I only brought $40 with me and if I wanted to buy a lot, it meant I had to buy the somewhat cheaper items.

Here's what I picked out:

I like how pretty these earrings ($9) are and I bought them with my sister in mind, who said that she wanted pretty stud earrings. (There is no harm in getting them in case she isn't crazy about them because I am!)


I had to buy this ring ($12) for Jenni, who was supposed to be there with us that day but couldn't make it because she was sick (for a whole week!) :( I really missed her there~ and a gift should cheer her up. I get sick very easily (at least once a year) so I know how horrible it feels. Brown is her favorite color and the design of the ring is so lovely I wanted to buy a pair for myself (BUT NO! MUST RESIST!) And I did because I didn't have enough money anyway. XP If Jenni wore a brown dress to prom, wouldn't the ring look lovely with it?


I was jealous that my sister owned so many pretty necklaces so I wanted to get one for myself (especially one that is a Swarovski crystal. :) Since I didn't know the color of my prom dress (and I might just wear this to prom), I chose a clear octagon shaped crystal (that turns blue against black) necklace ($10). <3

Before we left, I exclaimed, "I can so easily spend $300 here!" and the Korean lady laughed,"Yes, I'll bet you would." She also said that she could tell, among all of my friends, that I was the "shopper." >__<

The really beautiful and intricately designed ones were $45. People might gasp at the price tag, but high-quality beads are expensive and many places don't sell them cheaper. I've tried beading before, and failed miserably. I wonder how long she takes on one project. She showed me some of her current projects and explained that she wanted to go back to Korea to take some classes and learn new beading techniques. "Many of the women in Korea do handmade jewelry like this and it is very beautiful."

One of my friends, who tried on an expensive choker, didn't have enough money with her and really wanted to come back to buy a necklace for prom.

I asked, "You want to take an hour bus ride all the way out to Wahiawa just to buy jewelry?"

"YES!!!"

Honestly, I would like to do that too and preferably when I have a prom dress already. But it feels a bit silly to visit a pineapple plantation, not for the pineapples, but for...

Well, girls will be girls and I like pretty things. So maybe. :)