The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency

I am a avid reader of Alexander McCall Smith's The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series so I was very excited to finally watch the HBO drama version of the series.

I was afraid that it would be boring at first.
It would be so easy for it to be bad.

But it was very well done!
The portrayal of the characters and the acting was great!
It follows the book very well and I couldn't ask for anything more! ^^

I borrowed the DVD set of the entire first season from the library and just finished watching the first disc (containing episodes 1 & 2) tonight. I can't to watch more!

I love Ruche

First Day of School

Funny because it happened the day after my baby brother just finished school. XD

I was a little nervous, but it's pretty cool so far! The teacher is really young, pretty, sweet, and extremely FOB. She can't really speak English - it always has to be mixed with some Korean words. But I think it's for the better because it forces us students to pick up the language faster and learn from it. :P

We began the class with her blasting kdrama pop music from Youtube (an OST song from Boys Over Flowers) and watching a video of random clips from Full House. Because she is young, she is inexperienced...but I can tell that she tries her best to make class fun. ^^ We went over the syllabus, where I learned that if you turn in late homework, you have to provide snacks for everyone in class. Throughout the semester, she will have us take turns playing a Korean song from Youtube during 'breaks.' I know I'll have a lot of songs to share with everyone haha...

The teacher also asked the class the reason why people were taking this class and they said stuff like, "My mom is making me," and "I needed a summer class to take." (Like omg. And I'm taking this class for pure enjoyment...) The teacher was like, "Aren't you guys taking this class because you have some interest in Korea? I know some people want to take this class because they like Super Junior or Dong Bang Shin Gi..."

(Kyahh, but I will never admit it. ^.~)

I bumped into two of my friends before class. One of them was surprised and asked me, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm taking class."

She looked at me incredulously, "Aren't you going to enjoy your summer?"

LOL, but I am...>>; Haha... and anyway, I can say the same for her since we met each other at the bookstore buying textbooks. XP

I know that the hardest part about learning Korean is getting familiar with the alphabet...but I can do it! ^o^

After class, I hung out with my friends at Satura Cake to gossip talk because we had a lot of catching up to do! ^^

I ate so much junk food/dessert today again...so bad.

Sweet stuff in the morning, then frozen yogurt, then azuki danish (I couldn't resist anything azuki even though it didn't have much azuki) and NY cheesecake from Satura Cake. It's all very delicious but...! XD

Aloha From the Top of the World

Today, I went hiking at Makapu'u! The hike was easy, windy, and so much fun!

Not to mention...the view was beautiful~ *o*



There was one tree, among the field of dead ones, that bloomed red flowers.

Recently

These past few days have been so lax that I feel guilty. I'm so used to being stressed and not having enough time to do everything... but now, I have no obligations to do anything! :O I have to remind myself that this is what a 'vacation' is all about...I went shopping, watched dramas, read manga, played around Waikiki till 1am, and relaxed in the Marriott pool and hot tub. I also did my share of lying around at home, studying (because I have nothing better to do! XP)

I even had time to do some grocery shopping...and time to do laundry the old-fashioned way (stomping on clothes with running hot water + soap.) And had a late dim sum lunch with my mother (miraculously, we did not get into a huge argument!)

Surprisingly, I did not get a chance to hang out with my friends here yet (except for that one shopping trip)~ it has only been with my friends at Willamette. >.< I was free today, but I think everyone else had plans. I ended up spending the entire day reading the driver's manual. It was SO BORING but I was determined to read the entire book and answer all 171 practice questions in the back. I only took a half hour break for an episode of Friends and voilà! I finally finished around 2pm! It took great discipline! I heard that my little brother did not have the patience for the book~ but I have a feeling that he will make a better driver than me anyway. It makes me feel a bit sad knowing that I always have to put in that extra effort while others breeze past~ Everyone keeps telling me that it's common sense but I actually had a difficult time with the questions. Unfortunately, I do not have a very logical brain. ^^;

After finishing the driver's manual, I continued studying Japanese and going over the chapters that were not covered in class. I am on a chapter about asking and giving directions so I had to look at more maps and signs. UGH. I felt like I was done with this after closing the driver's manual! XP I can't tell directions to save my life (IN ENGLISH) so I don't know why I'm trying to teach myself this in Japanese. It was very confusing, but I managed to make it through half a chapter. ^^

But enough lying around! I start summer school next week! D:

Hurrah for consumerism...!

Oh, how I love to shop. I suffered from shopping deprivation while I was in Oregon and desperately needed to satisfy my urge now that I'm home! On the day after my flight back, my bestie and I went shopping...for nine hours straight.

It was wonderful.

I spent more than a hundred dollars, but I realize that a large part of that money went toward buying presents for friends! One of my favorite things to do is shop for friends - especially if I see something that reminds me of them or something that I know they like. I can splurge on others more easily than I can splurge on myself... I wish I loved myself more. D:




This grey studded purse will be a belated birthday gift for my other bestie because it reminded me of her. She is the only friend who really tried to keep in contact with me while I was away. She is the friend that I could call 2am in the morning when I felt scared and wanted to be comforted. She is the one I saw the most over winter break. The purse just gets cuter each time I look at it so I hope she likes it as much as I do!


Earrings from Downtown Market
It's my favorite place to shop for earrings! The pink pair on the left is for me. My bestie bought a matching green pair.


These earrings are not my style, but I really like the unique and edgy design. I bought them for a friend who would appreciate them. ;)


A pencil case for a friend in Washington.

I also bought an adorable pair of sneakers and flats. I like the color of the sneakers and the starry cut-outs of the flats.


Onitsuka Tiger Sneakers


Soda Flats


Facial products from Japan

We actually bumped into our other friend while we were at the mall and followed her to Thinker Tots, her workplace. We bought matching scrubbies! I bought the frog while they got a pig and a duck. Tee hee!


Frog Scrubby



We had the most amazing lunch at Shirokiya, my favorite place to eat! We ate sweet potato obanyaki (which is like a pancake pastry with sweet potato filling), teriyaki chicken onigiri, and chicken summer rolls with delicious peanut sauce.

Everything was yummy, but I think the highlight of our day was this...


Osekihan Manju

Basically, it is a manju with azuki bean filling covered in okowa. It is a combination of my favorite foods and it is ridiculously good!!!

I didn't take a picture of it, but I also bought a floppy sun hat, which I will probably use every four months out of the year and only when I'm home. ^^ My bestie and I also exchanged presents - I bought her a bag and she bought me a lion pillow (that my sister insists resembles me because of the small eyes and big cheeks). <3

GAHHHH.

I still need new leggings (my current pair has a large hole) and shorts, but I don't think I should do any more shopping for a while...

Back Home in the Aloha State!

It feels so weird to be back home!!!

I feel great because I spent all of yesterday cleaning and packing after my final microeconomics exam. It was exhausting! There were maybe two questions that I couldn't answer, but at this point, I didn't care anymore. I just wanted to be done!

This summer I need:

- Korean classes at UH ($1168)
- a new camera ($600~700)
- Taiko lessons ($100~150)
- a new cellphone ($100~200)
- YMCA ($12~22)
- Driver's license ($5???)
- to go shopping (you know, in general XP)
= ~ $2325

Why do I have to be so expensive...

Junsu's English Skills

Junsu, I want you. :)

Ate a bunch of cookies cupcake waffle cone huge ass cinnamon roll donut cheesecake mochi jelly. Omg sugar overload someone should stop this monster. D:

And this was just the sweets. Not counting the fried chicken and pizza.

All in one day.

Gosh I feel gross.