I spent too much time working on my design class. Now that the design class is over, I suddenly realize I have a lot of stuff that I need to do. Whoops.

I wish that stat was easy to understand. For me at least.

I just wanted to say that I was assaulted by a paper snowflake today. A paper snowflake created by a snow-comfortable person.

Headline: Paper snowflake damages snow-naive Californian

It\’s snowing outside!

And I finally finished my photolog from last Friday.

My step-grandmother Maria passed away yesterday from complications of cancer. But I never established a deep relationship with her. She was a small woman of 5 feet when I first met her over 9 years ago shortly after my grandmother passed away. A rather quiet old lady bundled in sweaters in California with her arm through my grandfather\’s. That was the first time I ever knew of her existence. As it was common back in the day, she was my grandfather\’s \”second\” wife when he had to leave Hong Kong to make money in Peru. She was a first generation Chinese in Peru. A secretary to fit the stereotype. At that time, my grandmother was devastated…hurt…deeply. And when my grandfather finally returned to Hong Kong after more than 20 years, María was kept as a shameful family secret.

When I was 12, she came to the Bay Area. She only spoke Spanish and could barely speak any English. My Spanish skills never matured enough to hold a fluent conversation and over the last 9 years, we barely exchanged any words except smiles at those dinners every other week. Sometimes I saw my parents shake their heads at each other when she would show up to those dinners adorned with the flashy jewelry. The house where my grandparents used to babysit me when I was young was changed from a drab Chinese-style furniture to the latest antiques. A coffee cart, a lamp with three golden flowers and a large TV chest always set at the local Spanish channel. I rarely went to the house when she arrived. I have been there probably only 4 or 5 times in the last 9 years.

And so I found out today from my sister. And sadly enough, there\’s no sorrow on our side of our family. We went through obligation and filial piety.

My parents\’ 25th wedding anniversary is on the 20th. A few years ago, my mom\’s friend had this huge surprise party for their 25th. Of course, I think my mom gave me this small *hint hint* then.

But any party like that…probably won\’t be possible until my sister and I have jobs. And money. Probably for their 30th. What is the best present to give for the 25th? Silver, right?

One thing I have learned from undergrad is if I am going to any social event, I should always try to arrive very late. This also means I avoid having to help the hosts/hostesses out (if it\’s held at a house). And I will avoid half of the social awkwardness that I could probably encounter.

Of course, this does not apply to free food events. Food is the best only at the beginning. Today was the last day of classes. And there was a holiday party for the HCII – faculty, undergrad, and grad. Great food as always. And this was yet another $5 I saved on a meal.

Should I go to a club with $1 drinks? Even though I don\’t drink? In celebration of my classmate\’s birthday and the end of all the semester projects.

And we finally handed in our final 20 page report to our professor at 8:00 pm. Days/nights of using SubEthaEdit (the best collaborative tool – not available for Windoze), tracking changes in Word, much editing….

Not to our surprise, she was still in her office. We had a lecture for an extra credit assignment at 9:30 pm.

During this lecture for the assignment, she said \”\”You won\’t have to make new pictures for this assignment, unless it takes you down a different path, which it will, so you will have to make new pictures.\”

One final presentation down. One 20 page report, one homework, one design project, one web programming project, one final report, and two finals to go.

Today I found out that Cal isn\’t going. :( No bowl at all? UMich vs. Texas now. It would have been great to see umich vs. cal only because I could laugh at my cousins when we win. Yesterday I impulsively bidded for two tickets on ebay. For all day, I was in agony (apologies to my group who noticed that I was distracted more than usual than our meeting) that I would end up with tickets that I didn\’t want. Fortunately, a few hours ago, someone outbidded me. Sorry, I don\’t want to go to the Rose Bowl, driving more than 5 hours, sleeping in a place where I won\’t feel comfortable, wake up early with this drowsy feeling…to see a team I won\’t see.

Then again, I think these tickets are highly sought after. So even if I ended up with them, I could have sold them again for double the price.

So New Year\’s in the Bay Area. Anything happening? :)