So my plan to take a picture at 6.06 am or pm on 06/06/06 blew up.
I was fast asleep in the morning, too exhausted to get up early after spending the whole day shopping with my mom and aunt on Monday. In the afternoon, I was driving them around on their second round of shopping spree. ...

It's OK though.... I'm looking forward to 8 am of 08/08/08 now.... think it'll be a better number for me. My plan is basically still the same though.. Gonna try to find apt # 8-08 of block 8 or 88 in the city.
Boy would my dad love that....

Anyway, can't write too much this time. It's 11.30 and I need to get up at 4 am, to get ready and drive my parents to the airport.
Hope I don't doze off on the way back.

My mom's new hobby

My mom seems to have taken up travelling as a new interest of hers. After her two trips to US when I was still working there, she has recently decided to go on a China tour without my dad, just with her friends. She went up Huang shan without any help ( I heard there are people who can carry you up for a fee).If only you knew what she was like before, you'd be just as impressed as I am right now. Although I suspect her confidence might be slightly supported by the fact that my dad was in Shanghai at the time (so if anything happens, it will be easier for him to go and get her). It is seriously a huge change in her attitude towards travelling. And today, I've just found out that she's going to Hongkong with my dad next week!Way to go, Mom!

I'm really glad she's starting to travel. You see, my dad loves to travel. We used to joke that the reason he travels back and forth to Singapore is because he likes Changi and he likes the airlines' service.
However, my mom never liked travelling before. Regardless of how anyone tries to convince her how beautiful a particular place is, she would never budge. I suspect that has more to do with fear though. I think she was nervous about the idea of being away from her comfort zone, but anyway now that my mom seems to have managed to get over it and taken on more interests in travelling, then maybe it'll be easier to convince my parents to travel more. It's about time they enjoy themselves more after working so hard and busting their ass off for the whole family.

I hope they'd go to Japan this autumn. The pictures I've seen are so pretty and I bet they'd love the fall colors.

Anyway gotta run now. I have to meet my cousin to give her my belated b'day gift: A silver necklace with a real four-leave clover pressed inside the glass pendant for luck.

I hope she'll like it.
If not, there will be no more gifts from me in the future. haha...

Put Your Record On

I LUURVVE Corrine Bailey Rae's Put Your Record On!!!!

Long lost relatives

This afternoon was spent waiting for the agent to come with a potential buyer for my sis-in-law's condo. Well, not the whole afternoon....
Anyway, there was no cable service in the unit so I had to resort to local channels, but precisely for that reason, I stumbled upon my beloved show... the Gilmore Girls!

Words cannot express the joy that I felt.....
I sat there with my big-butt glued to the chair and only moved once to let the agent in. It was like seeing some long lost relatives again....
I have forgotten how much I miss the usual light-speed bantering between Lorelai and Rory, Luke with his scruffy looks, grumpy Michel, crazy Kirk, and kaypoh Emily Gilmore.
It's crazy how I'm referring to them as though they are my friends....

I need a life...

endless rambling

I finally got through my exams for this term. My last group paper was finalized and submitted last Saturday, after a farewell dinner that was not attended by the person leaving town (quite sad, actually....). Anyway he did show up for a round of beers with those of us who stayed for a second session at CQ. Afterwards, I was the only one who agreed to go with him to MOS (simply because he looked so depressed and could really use some fun). He reminded me of how I felt during my last days in Chi-town last year. I wonder if people picked up my horribly sad vibes .... I did my best to hide it, but after seeing how it was with this friend of mine, I supposed it was a futile attempt.

Overall, the past 4-month period has been quite fun. The highlight I suppose has gotta be the field trip. I wish we could do it all over again.
I can't believe I only have one more semester to go (hopefully...). After which, another final decision has to be made. Well, actually, it's gonna be made in the next few weeks I suppose.

I must say, with all that I've observed and gone through, I think I'm just a teeny-weeny bit more ready to go home.... Must admit I still have my reservations though. Just a couple of things I still can't let go of. A bit tough to do that, when it involves your dreams and your interests.

I will though, when the time comes. I will. I promise. I owe them at least that much.

For now, I'm just gonna focus on my to-do list for the next 2 days.
I've got so much to do: Gotta get a document notarized, be a cameraman this Sunday, after I shop for gifts ( YOU GIRLS HAD BETTER STOP PUMPING OUT BABIES!!! I'M GETTING BROKE HERE!!!YOU KNOW I CAN'T SAY NO TO THEM AND THEIR CHUBBY CHEEKS AND TOOTHLESS SMILES!!!!!). Afterwards, I'll still need to do some last-minute shopping for food stuff on Monday morning, before taking off on a flight back home in the afternoon.

One thing I really look forward though, aside from the trip, is the supper we're planning this Saturday. Hope it will be fun.

I'm a lazy ass!

Something struck me as I was driving home the other day.

It never occured to me before that the fact that I really enjoy driving might actually be a clear indication of how lazy I am. With all my complaints about what other things I could be doing with the time I spend waiting for and riding on the bus, I managed to trick myself into believing that I simply aim for more efficient use of my time or something within the line.

But you see, I've just realized that the reality could very likely be simply that I am so lazy that I just want to sit in a car and let the scenery change around me.

I want things to change without me doing anything but sit and watch.... Well, ok... perhaps maybe minor stuff like stepping on the accelerator? Hitting the brake once in a while?
MY GOSH!!!
I'm one damn-lazy ass!!!!

GEEZ!!!

Tomorrow is my last exam for this semester.
My brain is not working though and I don't know what to do. I have never felt this dumb before in my whole life... (well, except that one time in second grade... let's not even talk about it).
I have been calling my friends and bugging them with silly questions.
I wonder if I have some brain disorder, some disease... I don't know some virus is eating up my brain, perhaps?
I don't know why my brain is so not in tune right now...
Actually I don't know where my brain is right now. It's a wonder to me that I can actually still write this.
Alzheimer?
That's scary...
God help me tomorrow,.... please... pretty pretty please....

Brain crash

My brain had decided to crash on me.... just like a really beat-up computer. It has decided to quit and disregard any data entry from me.
I wish this was only my imagination... but it sure looks like it's for real...

Counting down

Starting count down now.... less than 60 hours away before my execution, i.e. the start of finals.
Instead of studying for it, I'm writing about counting down.
Great.
I can just picture my results now...

Eyes of Mordor

Is it just me or does this look like the "Eyes of Mordor" to you?

There's no need to answer...
And the answer to your question is yes, I am crazy about the LOTR. Not the book though. Can't seem to finish it hard as I try. I prefer my brother's collection of David Edding's Sparhawk. I mean Edding made him sounds like such a cool dude.

Anywho, I lurrrrrve LOTR the movie.
Somehow it's almost equal to all the HK gangster movies I used to watch when I was little. It's all Andy Lau's fault that in the 4th grade I told my dad I wanted to be a gangster with an AK47 and a really nice big flashy red bike....
I didn't realize I was gonna be doomed by getting banned from ever getting my hands on a real bike as a result. (Was never interested in any lady scooters....)

Geez... how did I digress so far ?? (Pretend to be surprised now....)

I guess... I like the idea of being in a kick-ass group and torture people. hahah.... neah... I think it's just the result from being the nerdy geek with very few friends in school. Think I just grew up wishing I belong to a certain group of some sort.

Anyway, the eyes of mordor was actually a failed attempt to capture the full moon a few days ago. I think my shaky hands are comparable to those of a 90 year old. I really have no idea why I tremble so much.
The one below is also another failure, but I don't care.... I like it, and that's what matters.














Star. Moon. Earth.

Moro

Earlier this month I took a trip back to the island where my maternal great grandparents used to live. I used to look forward to going to this place when I was little as I would be having so much fun there.
As Madonna would say, " This used to be my playground....."

So excited!
I watched one of the first episodes of Grey's Anatomy on Starworld today. I have actually seen it before, but anyway....finally something I can look forward to.
I didn't get a chance to keep track of this show when I was in Chicago. Maybe this time I can....
The bad news is...I'm gonna be away in about 3 weeks.
I hope my brother has it in his cable subscription back home.

By the way, I went to the temple yesterday by myself. It was quite an interesting experience.

Behind the scenes of my nightmare

GOSH....
Now I'm a bit relieved. Just realized that the nightmare I mentioned won't be part of any deja-vu, since it seems to be induced.
What I noticed with my dreams that turn in to deja-vus is that they usually don't have any events or occasions that I think could have induced them.

I think this nightmare came about because I dozed off listening to this discussion on Chicago's KissFM regarding the cases of unnecessary deaths... with this violence in the rap world ( in Detroit, I believe), the drag racing on State St (man,... I'm a bit worried for some of my old neighbours in my previous apartment building. I hope everyone's ok), people having problem getting emergency medical assistance from 911.

It was just so upsetting to listen to the recorded 911 calls, but I can't help but feel slightly for the operators. I mean, I wonder if they were just really having a bad day or stressed out about something and made a really bad call at work. Although the recordings really stressed me out, I kinda find it even more upsetting to hear some of the unbelieveable comments made by people who called in or messaged the radio: Among them a guy who insisted that it is their rights to drag race on a public street, saying that there's nothing anyone can do to stop them, and another who I think admitted to drag racing WITHOUT driving license?!?!? There was also a lady caller who cheerfully called in and kinda' suggested that it sorta' levels out the situation, comparing it to people who were killed in an accident involving LICENSED older drivers.WTH?!?!?!

I'm just upset.
I was involved in an accident before a few years ago. Luckily the person survived with a dislocated hip and minor injuries according to what the doctor told me. I remember crying the whole night that night.

I don't drag race. I might go beyond the speed limit once in a while nowadays on the expressway, but only when there is really the need to. Even then, it doesn't go to an absurd triple digit figure. And it definitely does not happen on a public street with pedestrians around.
I must make a note to myself to drive even more carefully in the future.

I guess it might be a good idea to try to remember this more often. I can't remember where I heard or read it, but it sure sounds Oprah-y to me:
Driving is a privilege, not a right.
Now I wonder if it came from some public service announcement. Geez... some really bad memory that I have. Wonder if my brain is running on some old pc from pre-pentium era....

My nightmare

A really bad nightmare woke me up just now.
It was a really bad one.... and it's a bit scary since some of the details are still freshly etched in my mind.
Actually it was one heck of a story, with two subplots that I don't think are related. One has a murder cover-up plot and one has a conspiracy theory thing involving more victims (GEEZ.... roomie! Look what your bf has done to me! And to think I only browsed through the websites he mentioned for a few brief minutes).
Going back to my dream-based dejavu, this is exactly why I don't like them. Hopefully no part of this won't turn out to be part of any future dejavu, since there was an old friend involved as one of the victims.
Hopefully this will be like one of my notorious nightmare of my whole family being captured and turned into zombies...
(Hey,... what can I say, I was 13, ok?!?!?).

If women ruled the world....

I got these in one of those chain e-mails, and I love them!!
I hope I don't get into trouble for not quoting the sources, as I have no idea where they came from originally.
Well, since the email suggested further sharing of these images, I figures posting them here would be more effective.

IF WOMEN RULED THE WORLD....


















































































































I must say, what a better world it would be.....

free lunch part deux

On hindsight, apparently the offer for free dinner was not directed to me.
(So embarassing...)
I just happened to be lucky enough that I have a weird name and someone remembered me. Must remember to thank my mom for this crazy idea of her ( the name, I mean).
Anyway, it was the best and most scrumptious dinner I've ever had.
D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!
I would highly recommend this price to anyone, if not for the tab which I did not get to see, although I doubt I want to know....
Anyway, as we were saying during dinner, it's really a good place to go if you want to impress your future or potential in-laws.
YUM.YUM.YUM. Three YUMs Up!

Free lunch

When someone who used to keep saying there's no such thing as a free lunch offers you a free dinner instead.
Should you be suspicious?

Blast from the past part deux

One of the buildings I miss the most...














I got distracted on my way home from class one evening, and here's the reason. I like this picture because it looks like there's some exorcism work going on on the top of the JH building.
















I wish they could splurge on tulips like these over here.....
















Didn't really want to include this one, but I just really love this picture my friend took of me at one of the gift shops in Galena. Especially since one he is in the picture, without noticing it himself. hahaha.....thanks for taking the picture, and it does really look good on you, gir!
hehehehe.... Anyway, what I really like about the picture is the word on the tiara. In case you can't see it, it says: Bachelorette.

I'm obsessed

I'm in love!

I'm in love!

I'm in love....
with pink guava!

hahaha....

sorry for the possibly misleading statement,but I'm seriously in love. Close to being obsessed actually....

The thing is nobody in my family even eats guava, I think. And hard as I try for the past 2 days, I can't figure out when the first time was that I gave it a try. I know it was not that long ago, but I can't remember....

Geez! Talk about some short memory span....

Blast from the Past

I finally transferred the pictures on my cell phone the other day.
Can't help but feel all nostalgic ....











A once very familiar view from outside the window at work...












I remember clearly how I used to look forward to any movement from this side of the platform...












It's not a very good picture due to the low resolution, but there was huge rainbow over Lake Michigan, taken while riding in the back seat of my friend's car....











This picture of the church on Dearborn was taken on my way home from my French class. The whole downtown was covered in soot-like snow flakes. Tons of nice,tiny, light and dry snow flakes that float in the air beautifully instead of those wet and heavy ones that just fall flat on the ground *splat*.












The park across the street...












and the view from yet another familiar "El" platform , as what I would see when I used to go for a dose of "mango freeze with pearl".... yup, even during winter....