I am fed up with some socal people who are somewhat self-centered about the weather. In Berkeley, my roommate (who was from Arcadia – northern LA) complained a lot about erratic weather.

But then how about Pittsburgh! Where it can swing both ways in short moments of time. Yesterday it was around 60 degrees and today it is a freezing 30 degrees. With a little snow flurry in the morning. We exchanged weather with the west coast!

Recently, my ex-boyfriend suddenly got a kick of nostalgia and asked my friend for my phone number. I haven\’t talked to him (normally) for almost 4 years. My friend asked me first. Oddly enough, I felt nothing. He and I had too many differences. Yet now, we have changed so much, our perspectives and our experiences. So I told my friend that if he wants to find me, he can find his own way. He can always google me. What happened to those stealthy challenges? I suppose people don\’t want to seem like a stalker.

Sometimes mentioning the same person\’s name over and over doesn\’t do you any good.

Looking at my accounts, I realized all the money I saved over the last few years sort of uh disappeared? All that\’s left is my parents\’ $15,000 \”interest-free\” loan to me. Sigh. Yet I wonder is it better to take out school loans so that later on in life, I\’ll have more money to buy a house? Or is it better to pay everything in full as my parents have always taught me (the only time they have paid interest is on mortgages – no interest on credit cards, no interest on anything)? But in reality, I don\’t really intend to buy a house so soon. I intend to inherit one of my parents\’ properties. But then, I can\’t stand the thought of living in my grandparents\’ house. Where there\’s no garage for the car. Ugh, I am so snotty.

Today, I almost stabbed myself with a knife because I don\’t know how to use a can opener. This was my example of a bad product for my Interface and Interaction Design class. I manged to get one side all partially cut with the can opener. And so I was trying to use a knife to finish it off. And I almost stabbed my left hand. I keep touching the palm of my left hand, telling it that it has survived a near-death experience. I would like to also hire someone to open my cans as well as clean my floor.

Like how my sister fed me a truffle through the phone, she\’s going to feed me some cheesecake through the phone today! :D Mmmmmm! I had bakalava yesterday so my sweet tooth hasn\’t lost its kick. It\’s a good thing I am so frugal (and stingy) otherwise I would engulf the candy aisle. I remember the days of the old–when my sister and I would have 300+ pieces of candy during Halloween. And we would split it among ourselves and perhaps even going through some trading agrees for that Starburst or for that box of nerds. We always rejected chocolate tootsie rolls.

I still don\’t like chocolate that much. No chocolate cake. No brownies. No chocolate ice cream.

I got my project assignment. I am working on a multi-modal document access project sponsored by the…Navy. It was my second choice, but I am glad that I got it. When I first read the project descriptions, I was wary about working for the Navy. Considering that I am a citizen of the middle class, I haven\’t been supportative of much military action. As I learned from this oh-so-manipulative book called How to win friends and influence people, it\’s easier to win arguments through a Socratic method and other peaceful means. But I learned from 24, sometimes you have to play tough. Sometimes you got to show who is boss. Who knew that I could learn so much from a tv show?

And hopefully, anything created for the Navy doesn\’t mean it will be for military use. Hopefully, the project will influence something for the masses. Only then will I be happy.

I mean, after I finish my autobiography…

But old habits die hard. This past year has taught me that without EXTREME motivation, I can\’t get rid of my habit of procrastination.

My mom gave me a huge can of ham to take to Pittsburgh. She assured me that it would last the 10 hour trip here since after all it lasted through my grandmother\’s trip to Hong Kong. No punchline here, it did.

But despite its 97% fat free content, today I opened it and my hands ended up greasy. I cut up the ham into pieces which I separated into several freezer bags. Then I made fried rice. I feel so old making food for my lunch the following day. What happened to those days where I would stand outside my apartment building and I would see a Honda CRV literally peeling down the street. Then it would halt in front of me and a hand would extend out with a pink bag containg three styofoam boxes of fried rice. No more, I guess. All I can do now is create a pots of fried rice and pack it nicely into my Ikea containers. And eat it cold.

My first day of class! The scary thing is when you attend a class taught by two hippies. Or at least a class where an instructor giggles at almost anything.

24 today! I watched it along with other classmates in the great TIVOed glory. Now I have truly experienced how stressful it is to wait until the next episode. DVD box set, likely.

For some reason, I have been feeling incredibly uneasy back here. I don\’t say as much in social situations. Much more closed and introverted. All I want to do all day…is clean my room! Haha, never thought I would say that.

Tomorrow is my first day of class. I am slightly worried about the project course. Will it take a toll on my this semester? If everything goes through this semester, then the rest of my time here will be a breeze.

My goal of socializing less is beginning to take root. I really don\’t like being in smokey bars. I don\’t like the idea of spending my time trying to shout over the loud music. Then there\’s me struggling against the presence of alcohol.

I want to attend a date auction at cmu. Not for a date. But to find a maid! Looking at the first floor of my house, I just can\’t find the energy to clean anything. So I would like to bid on someone to CLEAN THE HOUSE. Or better yet, any takers? For a negotiable rate.

The other day, my dad ran into the family room, trying not to laugh. He led us to the piano room where we saw this on our clean white leather couches:

And then he started laughing. We called our mom down saying that it was important. \”WAAAAAAAAH!\” her face contorted in surprise. Two perfect black shapes certainly left by the huge Tare panda (long story behind how he came into my possession). In reality, they were just licorice covered marshmallows. Still sickening.

Crude potty humor does run in my family. Even the mature ones.

The winter break is coming to an end. And I did some things in the Bay Area that I should have or had wanted to do for a long time. Namely, I went to the Berkeley Bowl. I finally visited Citizen Cake (note: it was a mostly candlelit restaurant for those thinking that it was like Extraordinary Desserts in San Diego – whoops). I watched DVDs one right after another for 8 hours straight. I slept 12 hours. I named someone I used to know well Crisco.

And when I eat my mom\’s food, I eat less.

In other news, Welcome to Pittsburgh, Southwest!

On cell voicemail etiquette, I was offended today. I rarely leave messages with no content. So when I call someone and leave a message, I expect that person to listen to the message. If that person wants to save minutes for whatever reason, then do not leave a message in my voicemail saying that he or she noticed I called. At least politely hang up and listen to my message. Then call back.

Bottom line: I greatly dislike voicemail messages with absolutely no content.

I remember an incident 2 years ago when I called a friend and left a voicemail saying happy birthday. She called me the following day and left a message asking whether I had called.

Oh yeah another thing, if you can\’t access your voicemail, GO GET ACCESS. It\’s included in your plan. Please.