aleshia crawfish

aihs — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 08:49:19 GMT

my uncle alwin passed away on friday. this is the 3rd death in less than a year on my father's side, and 4th death for my family in the past year and a half.

i'm sort of in a state of shock. i'm so perplexed about this - why?

ENFJ

aihs — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 04:15:31 GMT

You are:
slightly expressed extravert
moderately expressed intuitive personality
moderately expressed feeling personality
slightly expressed judging personality

Your Type is
ENFJ

Strength of the preferences %
Extraverted 11%
Intuitive 25%
Feeling 25%
Judging 1%

http://www.personalitypage.com/html/ENFJ.html

that pretty much describes me to a T.

test here:
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes3.asp

aihs — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 04:27:47 GMT

next step in adult life?

i bought a car.

aihs — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 21:01:09 GMT

i just had to repost this from art_house_queen

Characteristics of quarter-life crisis

- realizing that the pursuits of one's peers are useless
- confronting their own mortality.
- watching time slowly take its toll on their parents, only to realize they are next
- insecurity regarding the fact that their actions are meaningless
- insecurity concerning ability to love themselves, let alone another person
- insecurity regarding present accomplishments
- re-evaluation of close interpersonal relationships.
- lack of friendships or romantic relationships, sexual frustration and involuntary celibacy
- disappointment with one's job
- nostalgia for university, college, high school or elementary school life
- tendency to hold stronger opinions
- boredom with social interactions
- loss of closeness to high school and college friends.
- financially-rooted stress (overwhelming college loans, unanticipated high cost of living, etc.)
- loneliness, depression and suicidal tendencies.
- desire to have children
- a sense that everyone is, somehow, doing better than oneself
- frustration with social skills

just wanted to post this for now - i may post again sort of detailing some of my quarter life crisis issues!

aihs — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 05:35:30 GMT

to all those who have experience with sony vaios:

i'm in the market for a new laptop and i'm looking at these two:

1) Sony VAIO VPCCW22FX/P
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5608017
14.1" widescreen, light pink, intel i3 processor, 5.3 lbs, $900

PROS:
- 14.1" makes it portable
- reviews seem good, even if there aren't that many out there

CONS
- color could be better..though i could get white or black
- integrated vid card prob means i can't do anything heavy with video or games if i choose to play any
- unclear battery life

2) Sony VAIO VPCEB16FX/P
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/searchtools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5732578&body=MAIN
15.5" widescreen, metallic pink, intel i3 processor, 5.9 lbs, $900

PROS
- i like the color
- has a dedicated graphics card/better performance

CONS
- 15.5" screen is a little bigger than i'd like, though it's the max i'd go
- no reviews to speak of/use as a reference
- battery life only 3.5 hours

basically the only difference is that laptop 2 is bigger and has dedicated vid card...otherwise all other specs are pretty much the same (other than size/weight). however i'm not much of a gamer...i probably won't run anything more graphics intense than warcraft 3.

the size is an issue.. i know what 15.5" looks like and i feel like, even though it's usable and i like watching videos on it, it's a tad big for my preference. 14.1" though may or may not be too small. i'll probably go to best buy in a few days to check out similarly sized laptops to see how i feel about it though.

so does anyone happen to have any good advice? or any other laptop models i should look at? i'm looking for something:

1) attractive
2) good mobility
3) won't overheat!!!! that is the problem with my gateway, but bk thinks it's a hardware problem
4) quiet
5) good graphics etc for image editing, light gaming, video playback
6) great performance, specifically looking for intel i3 processor or higher

not necessarily in that order. any ideas?

aihs — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:25:20 GMT

i think i need to add another song to my list:

mowgli's road by marina and the diamonds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwfCjYv7gVQ

COINCIDENTALLY, she reminds me of rena LOL

tonight i went to the japanese embassy for a JET reception. that is.. a reception for everyone who helped out in the JET selection process. it was great seeing everyone again! i didn't eat all day other than a protein drink after my workout, so i ate so much food... sushi, tempura, kushiage, karaage...

we were all invited to an event at the ambassador's residence this wednesday which i'd like to go to. unfortunately..... that's the day jeff wants to go to atlantic city, so i have to really figure out what i want to do. i could either:

1) skip ambassador event, go to AC with jeff on wed - stay through til friday.
2) go to ambassador event, go to AC with jeff's mom via bus on thurs to meet with jeff - stay til friday.

i only have like half a day to think about this, so i really need to speed up my decision making process. i always have this problem. :( there are other people i want to see this week as well....

also... is it wrong that i'm excited for the bad girl's club reunion tomorrow night?! i know... it IS sad.

aihs — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 08:19:49 GMT

songs i keep playing on repeat...

say something by timbaland f/ drake
^ i feel like a sellout by liking this song.... i seriously cannot take someone who was on degrassi seriously. for real though there is something very corny about the way drake and timbaland interact or just their swag in general. still, i like the chorus a lot... so catchy!

this woman's work by maxwell
^ honestly, i am down with the kate bush version too but since maxwell's was the first i heard like what, 10 years ago? i don't remember when the song came out.. it just sorta hits me right where it needs to. i keep getting back into it (first because it was a song on so you think you can dance 2 seasons ago) and now michael lynche performed it on american idol. definitely hits me where it hurts.

all the rihgt moves by one republic
^ i just discovered this one but i love the alternate rhythms in the verses.

entire x japan guitar album
^ ahhhhh amazing.

i wonder if my choice of music is reflecting whatever stage i am in in life.
as far as life goes.... i've had some pretty big distractions lately..
been busy...mostly with working for my dad. i worked 12 hours these past 2 sundays.

everyone in the world has been talking about ff13!! i want to playyy~~

i need to decide if i'll go to atlantic city with jeff this coming up week...mixed feelings. =/

aihs — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 23:57:09 GMT

1. If you're on my friends list, I want to know 36 things about you. I don't care if we never talk, or if we already know everything about each other. Short and sweet or long and detailed, all is good.

2. Comment here with your answers and repost the questionnaire on your own journal.

01) Are you currently in a serious relationship?
02) What was your dream growing up?
03) What talent do you wish you had?
04) If I bought you a drink what would it be?
05) Favorite vegetable?
06) What was the last book you read?
07) What zodiac sign are you?
08) Any Tattoos and/or Piercings? Explain where.
09) Worst Habit?
10) If you saw me walking down the street would you offer me a ride?
11) What is your favorite sport?
12) Do you have a Pessimistic or Optimistic attitude?
13) What would you do if you were stuck in an elevator with me?
14) Worst thing to ever happen to you?
15) Tell me one weird fact about you.
16) Do you have any pets?
17) What if I showed up at your house unexpectedly?
18) What was your first impression of me?
19) Do you think clowns are cute or scary?
20) If you could change one thing about how you look, what would it be?
21) Would you be my crime partner or my conscience?
22) What color eyes do you have?
23) Ever been arrested?
24) Bottle or can soda?
25) If you won $10,000 today, what would you do with it?
26) What's your favorite place to hang out at?
27) Do you believe in ghosts?
28) Favorite thing to do in your spare time?
29) Do you swear a lot?
30) Biggest pet peeve?
31) In one word, how would you describe yourself?
32) Do you believe/appreciate romance?
33) Favourite and least favourite food?
34) Do you believe in God?
35) Will you repost this so I can fill it out and do the same for you?
36) Favourite band(s) of ALL time:

aihs — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:18:49 GMT

you are darkslateblue
#483D8B

Your dominant hue is blue, making you a good friend who people love and trust. You're good in social situations and want to fit in. Just be careful not to compromise who you are to make them happy.

Your saturation level is medium - You're not the most decisive go-getter, but you can get a job done when it's required of you. You probably don't think the world can change for you and don't want to spend too much effort trying to force it.

Your outlook on life can be bright or dark, depending on the situation. You are flexible and see things objectively.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

aihs — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 21:29:19 GMT

me: okay girls, tomorrow i won't be with you guys while you're at the HS. i'm sad!
haruno: ahhhhh....nervous..... (hides head)
me: aww don't be nervous! take pictures with your buddy and show me later ok?
everyone: ok (nod)
me: have fun!!
yuzuki: i miss aleshia...
me: (melt)

super cute!

aihs — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:26:35 GMT

so like i've mentioned before, i'm starting a temp job this friday helping out at a program that leads a study abroad trip for HS students every year. they're from a school in yokohama (japan).. about 64 students, and they'll be here for 2 weeks. that is to say, you probably won't see me for 2 weeks, and i can't hang out or anything etc. i'm excited but kind of nervous, mostly because i'm worried about if i'll be able to bond with my girls. i'll be leading a group of 9 girls (some of which MAY or may not be troublemakers), so i have a few questions since a number of you guys ARE teachers...

1) japanese students are a bit different from american ones, but do you have any tips for connecting with HS students? what types of convos/topics do you talk about? what do HS kids like? i pretty much taught JHS and elem so i'm not sure how different HS kids are. as a reference, these girls are about 16 years old.

for those of you who have taught HS kids in japan, what's popular with HS girls right now?

2) i have to buy my students (in advance) individual presents. my budget is $3 each. any idea about something they might like?

3) what kinds of activities, games, etc would be good to do with those kids in free time? i'll be living with them for 2 weeks, and i have to coordinate random activities to do during program 'downtimes' as well... card games? i have no idea!

i'd reaaallly appreciate any insight! it'll probably turn out okay, but i'm definitely one of those people who likes to be overprepared for situations i'm not used to, haha.

onegai shimasu!!!

aihs — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:54:02 GMT

for my future reference:

ozuki salon [only japanese salon in dc, but no black reviewers]
http://www.ozukisalon.com
georgetown

salon revive [vonetta (most/best reviews, afr-am hair), hiwot (2nd best reviews, natural hair, flat iron), yodit (natural, flat iron)]
http://www.salonrevive.com/
u st (near metro)

bang salon [amanda (natural hair)]
http://www.bangsalon.com
chinatown/f st (near metro)

christmas list:
good haircut
a good job
-10 pounds
eye therapy
more freedom/leeway, less guilt trips/pressure from parents
good luck and fortune

lol wishful thinking.

eventually... if i can get a job early next year, i'd like to get a laptop since mine is dying. and a car. and an apt (moving out). and an ipod touch? tho i guess i can throw that in with new years resolutions.

thanksgiving dinner was super yummy. best part, no one came over. 2nd best part, we didn't have tons of leftovers and stuff to put away. leftovers were gone pretty much by fri (because my dad took a lot to my aunt's place).

black friday shopped with my sister, and stayed up all night putting together bookshelves. we are very very handy now.

i learned a little bit about cars from my dad as he helped us refill stuff under the hood. went to advanced auto for rain-x wipers and coolant. i also exchanged my f-ed up (scratched and chipped from dropping it several times, tons of software probs including random shut downs, lagging, poor sound quality) env3 for a new env3. worst service ever.

saturday i played touch football with bk and his friends. weird because i've spent years avoiding them out of crippling fear. they were pretty nice. i had fun, and ended up going to 18th st lounge later that night because it was one of their birthdays, though turns out we didn't even meet up w/ him since he didn't show!

temp job #2 starts on friday. had orientation from 9-6 today. zoe was there (she's in job#1) and steve is also there (as a teacher). fingers crossed for good luck~

i've been eating a lot... of pizza. i need to tone it down. i swear diet starts again today... no more donuts (though i will have pizza........ :-))

aihs — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:15:34 GMT

i had an interesting week!

1. i started and finished driver's ed for the 2nd time. i mentioned this before but i did all my 6 hours of driving. now i just need to practice practice and hopefully past the test this time. i went to bowie library to practice parallel parking and 3 pt turns with my sister, but alas the car is sooo long and it was really hard to maneuver. i WAS able to do the parallel parking at about the 5th try (and after running over the cones 3x....) i'll have to practice again, and hopefully it'll be alright.

2. i turned 25. man, i feel old! i celebrated by making it a weekend long thing. on friday, some people came out to oya restaurant & lounge and i got to see people i haven't seen in forever!! i was pretty happy about that. :-) we stayed out until around 1am, and i was just glad people came out, especially since so many people couldn't make it :-(

just for my reference in years to come, people who came: erin and her bf christian, cassie and katy, el and paul, bk and brandon, tiffany, steve and his gf vanessa, and of course terri. hooray!

i probably didn't get to bed til around 330, and unfortunately couldn't really sleep that well... ended up waking up around 6 for like an hour. set my alarm for 730 but couldn't get out of bed til 815... packed dressed checked out and ate breakfast and was on the road around 10ish to get cheryl. bk, brandon, cheryl, tiffany and i + 5 hours in a car = cramped legs though. i had overworked my thighs at the gym during the week and my muscles were so locked up by the time we got to the hotel that i needed to stretch. i am soo never overclocking myself like that again!

we ate nyc pizza, wandered time square, took some pics, met up with tina and her friends, ate zeppolli (sp) and gyros (best gyro i've EVER had. hands down.) off a street vendor by the swatch. met with erika and went to singsing for japanese-style karaoke! even dj showed up and sang uptown girl with me :) tina and her friends came for a bit too.

had to meet linn around 10ish, and after grabbing more pizza (lol) we got ready to go clubbing. we had a close call where the bouncers wouldn't let us in (i found out later they were at max capacity and the boss was right outside), but i love bk because he made it work by getting the bouncer to sneak us in... granted, we tipped him $40 for it and linn and erika had to pay (a discounted) $25 each before we figured out what to do. i'm so glad it worked out though; i was almost ready to call it quits because we were standing outside for a really long time and the bouncers kept giving us the run around.

now i feel like we conquered nyc.. lol

clubbing was super fun... i love dancing! i think i might have drank too much though.... i didn't get sick, just was pretty much dead weight after like 4am~

sunday we didn't do much though we tried to go to the world trade center. what ended up happening was that we took a wrong turn and ended up through battery tunnel, had to pay the toll and ride brooklyn bridge all the way back to manhattan. a really fun detour though i do have to say, because i didn't really think i'd get to ride brooklyn bridge!

FINALLY found parking and the diner to meet up with shane~~~ that was exciting! and then headed out, got stuck in traffic and lost and had to make a detour at some point, but got home at 830pmish. a few hours after i'd wanted to get home, but well worth it!!

i just really wanted to have fun on my birthday~~ :) im glad so many people helped. thanks everyone!

PS in times square, i got to take pics with two characters from the winter cirque du soleil show for kiddies... here we are!

3. started my temp job at JET today. kinda grunt work, processing applications, but let me tell ya the types of things that will disqualify you from even getting your app read... some people get disqualified for the SMALLEST details. i felt bad about a bunch of them. if i ever reapply to JET, i'll know what to do and what NOT to do for real!

i don't get paid much, but it's something for now... and i'm just glad to stop this huge break in employment. i just hope that it doesn't affect me too badly.

4. i'm 25 now. here's hoping to a new, luckier, and more positive life. :) i believe things will fall into place in 2010, so long as i keep the ball rolling for now. aaandd i'm going to try to not let the stress of not being there yet get to me in the meantime~

keepin my head up! ooooooh child ♪

aihs — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 06:40:01 GMT

today was my first day of driving with the driving instructor. i don't remember it being this hard to stay within lanes. i hope i can get used to that soon. does anyone remember when they first started driving, and if that was hard? i also can't really seem to get how you're supposed to scan everything as well as keep in mind all the people changing lanes and doing crazy stuff around you. maybe my reaction time is too slow, but i can't really see what happens and then process what to do very fast.

so my birthday plans are sorta coming together, but i'm having a hard time feeling excited about it because of the fight i'm having. 'fight', really... i'm not going to go into detail about it, but it's really important to me that it can be resolved and we'll be ok again.

i have a 2nd temp job... did i mention the first? i can't really remember, but just in case i didn't, i'm going to be a cultural assistant, leading a group of japanese HS kids around the DC area for various stuf while they're studying abroad. that's for 2 weeks in december. starting next week, i'm going to be helping to process jet applications at the embassy. honestly, i'm not looking forward to it because the commute is not only 2 hours one way by public transportation, but also $9 round trip. and they don't pay enough for that. =/ but i need to fill in this employment gap somehow...

sorry for the lackluster posts guys. wish i had something a bit more upbeat to share!

tomorrow's another day of driving, and hopefully get some other good things done in the meantime to prepare for my bday weekend. goodnight~

aihs — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:38:14 GMT

so i'm considering trying to plan a trip to NYC for my birthday (november 14th). naturally, you guys are invited :) though i know most of you aren't even in the dc/nyc area. anyhow, i don't have specific plans and i don't even know if i want to do NYC for sure or not, but it is an option.

thing is, if i do plan on NYC, i have to figure out my plan ASAP since my birthday is in about 2 weeks... so i wanted to sort of ask around to see what people thought, since i know at least some of you have been to NYC before! (i've only gone once on a school trip)

1) would be interested in going?
2) what is the best location to get a hotel in? i'm considering getting a big room/suite so that everyone'll just share.
3) what are the best things to do (of reasonable cost)? i'm not all that into too much sightseeing, but i wouldn't mind hitting up a spot or two, a play or show, etc etc.
4) while i'm considering making it a weekend trip, i know not everyone has that luxury. but if anyone was interested in a weekend, would fri nov 13th-sun nov 15th be better, or would sat nov 14th-nov 15th be better?

any ideas or comments would be appreciated! i'm also considering other options, including karaoke party at my house or an overnight trip in DC. let me know if you have any ideas~!

aihs — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:05:53 GMT

http://www.vivre.com/product/Shop_By_Category/Shoes/Evening/Purple_Python_Latticed_Platforms

one word: wow.

aihs — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:42:05 GMT

i love this necklace. it's being given away at www.delightfully-tacky.com to celebrate getting over 100 followers on her blog. check it out; i'm feeling a bit inspired by her fashion!

speaking of fashion, now that fall is well underway and it's getting colder, i've been wanting to mix it up a bit. i randomly bought a pair of white boots for $10, and despite how it's nowhere near my style, i've forced myself to wear them. they're flats so they don't quite give off a 'go-go' vibe, and they're a step outside my comfort zone which was pretty interesting to try. anyhow, if you see me and i'm wearing something totally nowhere close to what you're used to seeing me in, this would be why. =)

i've been bitten by the shopping bug!

job search is still going going. it's definitely the #1 priority in my life at the moment. i had an interview yesterday, but based on their reaction i'm pretty sure i won't be called back for a 2nd round. they had a sheet of paper that they were writing my answers down on, and i don't know, they weren't filling it out in a way that made it seem like i was giving them the right answers. but it's no problem, if i don't get a 2nd round i won't feel bad because 1) i don't REALLY want to work there... 2) it was really good practice interviewing.

aihs — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:26:04 GMT

i would like to share with you the joy of taro froyo. yummmm.

aihs — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:06:01 GMT

saturday i went to my first ever national's game. not my first baseball game (went to an o's game once in my life), though. i literally spent the entire time sampling food since brandon got free tickets from work with $15 on each... oh man, i pigged out for real.

we also got stopped by a guy who took our picture. that was kinda weird.

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGalleryPhoto.asp?evgroupid=0&userid=nationals&gallery_id=1773533&image_id=0&pos=1

check out pics 1 and 2... i'm wearing a purple sweater so that i could root for the nats (red) and braves (blue) at the same time!!

nats lost btw, not like i watched any of the game... :P

in other news, been trying to stay focused on my job search. trying to work my channels and not let things get me down too much. i have one month to find a job that i want with these firms, and then i'm moving into plan B of my job search plan. i had an informational interview last friday, which i think went really well, and i learned a lot from the girl i interviewed. i hope it leads somewhere but i'm still going to try every other method i know in the meantime.

trypophobia - fear of holes

aihs — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 05:20:41 GMT

so for the longest time (and i can pinpoint the exact moment in my life when it all started), i've had an intense fear of holes.

i just found out today that there's a name for it: trypophobia.

it's actually one of THE worst fears that i have...

i just can't believe that it actually has a name and there are other people who are like me too!

i guess it isn't that hard to believe~

i've been reading some forums on it and people keep sharing pics and stories and things and uggghhhhhh....i want to gouge my eyes out.

aihs — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 13:54:08 GMT

a few things.

a few days ago, on 9-9-09, my uncle toto died.

he's been suffering from lung cancer for a year or so now, and there's been a few occasions where we almost lost him previous to this, but this time he left us.

i met him when i went to the philippines and stayed at his house (3 week trip when i was age 10), and we got to webcam about a month or two ago. it was strange to see the difference from my memory - he was older, naturally, but he looked older and he was bald due to the chemo i guess. when i knew him, he was working at a snack company and had a high enough position where he'd bring home tons of candy. i think my cousins might have been a little tired of it, but i thought it was amazing, since i wasn't really allowed to eat much candy when i was that young. i really liked my uncle <3 i'll remember him as a candy man.

tita pilar (i'm not sure who knows the story about her) said that when uncle toto passed, he was led away by lolo pat and both were wearing white. lolo pat (grandfather) died when i was in middle school, so it was nice to hear that he's looking down on the family.

my lola is sort of getting alzheimers i think. she has trouble remembering things: even her own age. my mom said that lola was crying a lot after uncle toto died (sad to survive your own kids), but she's not sure if lola would remember what happened in the morning... :( and that they'd have to keep telling her so that she will remember. that makes me really sad.

anyhow, my mom's in the philippines now (well, she has been) and decided to extend her stay until next saturday because of my uncle's illness, and i guess funeral preparations now.

please keep my family in your prayers <3
also, it's september 11th. it's hard to know what to say about this day. living near dc, people seem to be more affected by the crash into the pentagon than the twin towers falling. a prayer for those who lost their lives on 9/11~

secondly,

i've been keeping MIA lately, in order to stay focused while i work on my resume, cover letters, and researching companies prior to going to the smith school career fair yesterday. i didn't to bed til 530 (and did a shoddy job on my hair because shania and i didn't stop working on stuff til almost 4am, and i had to shower and iron my suit etc too) and woke up at 730 to go with my dad. took me to the office so i could print/copy off tons of resumes~

shania and i ended up going around 1230 and i met a bunch of employers i was interested in. well, not really...it ended up a little disappointing, because i didn't get to really talk to any recruiters, just people who work there (just luck of the draw). hardly anyone was taking resumes and even if you give them one, it doesn't mean that you're actually applying. i was still directed to apply online and because i'm blocked from applying online due to be an alum, i have to do it through the companies' websites and get stuck in the regular applicant job pool :( kinda lame if you ask me. i was SO nervous. i couldn't eat and felt nauseous and lightheaded from not sleeping. still, i'm glad i went because it was a good experience and i got to put my face out there - i think i won't be as nervous at the next job fair in october (the general UMD one). :)

crossing my fingers~

thirdly, i've been having to stay home a lot lately because of babysitting the guys in the basement. my dad's getting some work done and they can't really be left alone in the house, plus i have to sit around waiting to open the door for them. it's causing a lot of drama and the dust from the basement keeps sifting upstairs and hindering my breathing (random chest pain and breathing problems - i don't have asthsma as far as i know, though). i'll be happy when they finish.

fourthly, i've been spending my weekends at shadyside, which is this town by the bay. brandon's family has a house there and has been inviting me to go swimming and stuff. last weekend (labor day) i got to go sailing for the first time!! i was feeling a lil weird (not quite seasick) sometimes, but overall i had fun riding in the boats :) it was a cold cloudy and almost rainy day but it's kinda nice to be able to go swimming so frequently. i've gotten so dark this summer!

lastly, i've been trying my best to keep up my diet. by diet i mean i'm counting calories. and by counting calories i mean i'm OBSESSED with calories. i've finally gotten back to my japan weight, and by japan weight i mean the one i was right when i left in may and had PERFECT SKIN....if only things were the same now~ i need more sanma in my life. speaking of japan, i've been wanting to reconnect with japanese and need to study, but i left all my books in tokyo with my roomie yukari, who said she'd send them. i hope she didn't forget.

on a last note, does anyone who speaks japanese ever feel like anxiety or something when speaking with someone who speaks english? i sure get it, and doubly so if theyre native speakers. i don't know, i feel like i either can't get into japanese mode, or i'm just too bogged down by the thought that they're just like me? if i'm talking to someone who doesn't speak much english, i have no problems communicating, but if i know they speak english, it all goes down hill and i just can't do it. i probably need to figure out how to get over that lol

oh and on a last last note, it was really great being on campus again yesterday. we went to yami yami for bubble tea and sushi in our suits <3 <3 yummy yummy! (and ran into some other people who were at the career fair there too.. a foursome of suits) + shania's little steph

i miss college life~

aihs — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 06:53:19 GMT

tonight i went to karaoke with a bunch of people - shania, shania's bf dan, shania's cousin shuo(? it sounds like that but not sure about the chinese spelling), jiwon, gene, shin-san, jiwon's friends ray, noreen, liz, and shawn. ahhhhhh nostalgia, i miss karaoke in japan~~!! gene and shania and i failed at m-flo f. melody's 'miss you' yet again, but no big... we rocked out later on :) and dan and i had a rousing rendition of 'genie in a bottle'..

aannyyyway i just wanted to make a note of the happiness that came from karaoke for the first time since japan!!!

aihs — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:54:15 GMT

life is different, and i've kind of gotten sucked up by the stress of having to DO things i don't want to do... namely find a job! i did however feel a little motivated last week and got my learner's permit again. keeping my fingers crossed that i'll get my full license this time :)

on the job front, my hopes aren't very high in getting the kind of job i want... and actually, i don't even like talking about it at all because it just makes me feel inadequate and discouraged at having to find one in this market where my main competition are recent college grads. shania came over yesterday to work on resume/cover letters, though, so hopefully we can help each other stay focused!!

here's a small update on my life:
- i think i'm going to be working PT at my dad's office while i'm job searching.
- my mom is going to the philippines for 2.5 weeks starting today, and i want to go too. my sister and i made a video on the camcorder for our family to see~ actually tickets are REALLY cheap right now... only about $900!! however..... since i paid for my family to go to barbados (flights AND hotel) my savings is not very existent anymore so i can't exactly afford to go to the philippines. i've been back and forth for the past 2 weeks though so maybe i'll end up going... i don't know.
- i've been having several headaches these days. just thought i'd make a note of it.
- i pigged out like crazy last weekend...went to the greene turtle (local sports bar) with cheryl and literally ate/drank like 4000 calories, followed by eating tons of yummy sweets and snacks at laura's party the following day... worth it? yeah probably =)
- past month or two, i've been trying to refocus my diet efforts. i go running/walking about 3x a week (hopefully this will become 4-5x) and i'm trying to keep my cals under 1600 or 1400 if i can help it. i think i took my activity level in japan for granted because now i lead a much more sedentary lifestyle.... need to make up for it somehow! I MISS MY MAMACHARI!! no weight loss yet, but doing a decent job of maintaining for the most part...
- i think i've almost perfected my twist out... heck yeah!!!

last but not least... does anyone (or know anyone who may) want to apply for a job to be 'editing staff' for a japanese media company in DC? i got contacted by a recruiter for the job... you need business japanese pretty much and it seems administrative for the most part, but it's not what i'm looking for so i'm not pursuing it. if you know anyone though, let me know and i'll pass along the info:)

aihs — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:01:31 GMT

i really really really really really really really really

miss japan.

aihs — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 05:37:00 GMT

i went to otakon and back. highlights of the weekend were kanon wakeshima (had her sign the back of my badge), bananagrams, terri slapping cj, and a HUGE plushy octopus i bought from the squishable.com booth. in case you're interested...

http://www.squishable.com/pc/squish_octopus_15/Big_Animals/Big+Squishable+Octopus
this is the one i bought...

and worth every penny of the $46 i spent....

everyone, please meet Inktopus Lumpford Maximus.
nickname: Inky, LUMPS, Lumpy, Lumpton

my future kids are DEFINITELY getting one. or two. or maybe that 2nd one will be for me.