Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Gift Box from Japan


Yeah, tons of decent Japanese stuff arrived! Thank YO as always. I will be able to have nice Japanese Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow by myself. DS usually invites me for Thanksgiving dinner, but she is traveling over Thanksgiving with her family this year, and no one else has invited me. Oh well, that's OK because now I have lots of Japanese stuff, which makes me happy. Yay!

Second Accident Witnessed

That intersection must be famous for car accidents. I mean by that intersection the intersection is near my favorite supermarket. I turn left at the intersection toward the parking lot of the supermarket, and I usually sit on the left-turn lane for a while, waiting for the traffic arrow going green. As usual, I was siting there in very front because the arrow was red. But, the two lines next to me were running because their lights were green. Suddenly, I heard the noise of car crash. A minivan next to me was crashed on the left side by a truck changing lanes from the far right. The truck driver mustn't have checked traffic before he changed lanes.

I also witnessed a car accident at the same interaction in the beginning of this month or later last month. I was again sitting on the left-turn lane. A car came from left to right when the lights just turned from yellow to red. And a car on the far right lane started driving forward because its traffic light turned green. Then, this car hit the side of another car from left. I assume the car on the far right couldn't see the other car approaching because there were two cars left next to the car.

Anyway, I have to drive carefully. Well, even I drive carefully, if others don't, I will be in trouble. Please drive safe, everyone!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Nice Surprise


Social media are interesting. I don't frequently update my status or check "friends"' status or even log in, but social media sometimes bring nice surprises.

Today, I got a "friend" request from GT through LinkedIn (well, I don't think LinkedIn calls this friend request, which sounds really Facebook). Anyway, after more than 15 years of no communication, I got a message from GT. It is totally out of blue, but social media make this possible. It's amazing he remembers me after all those years. And, it feels good to think that someone thinks about me :) This kind of little, tiny, trivial thing keeps me going.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Feel Better


Today was an interesting day.

Last night, I was desperate, looking for someone to talk and somewhere to go, but no one was available. Today, at the regular lunch meeting, I saw SB. I called him last night, but I was transferred to his voice mail. He explained that he couldn't pick up the phone because he was in the board meeting, and it was too late to call me back. OK, I accept whatever excuse.

Then, when I came home from the meeting, I got a call from D. I also called him last night, but again I was transferred to his voice mail. He told me he didn't realize my call because his phone was on vibration mode while in the library. When he found my voice mail, it was too late to call back. So, he called me back today. How nice of him! Furthermore, he patiently listened to my complaints. He is a sweet person, I know that.

Interestingly enough, I ran into SA who I also called yesterday on campus. I haven't seen him for long, maybe more than a year, but this happened right after the miserable night. It's an interesting quirk of fate. Anyway, I feel good to talk with him. I feel really good to talk with all of them.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Give Me A Break!

Tuesdays are exercise days. I went to YMCA to attend my favorite class and came home around 6:45. It was around 7:00 when I got out of a shower. When I opened the bathroom door, I found my roommate and her friend in the living room. Again?! Two nights in a row?! Give me a break.

My roommate was about to cook something like cookies or whatever. I went like, "Are you going to use the kitchen? This is my dinner time, you know." Then, she said, "Are you OK?" What do you mean by "Are you OK?"? With "Whatever," I went to my room and changed my clothes to leave the apartment.

At the front door, my roommate said like, "Are you going back to school?" That snapped my patience. "Where else can I go (dumb ass!←this is the voice in my mind)?" Trying to pulling myself together, I told her that I'd appreciate if she tells me beforehand when she invites her friends, and I left.

I didn't want to go back to the library, two nights in a row. I called everyone who seemed available, but no one was available when I needed! I reluctantly went back to the library. Geez, I felt miserable.

When I finally got out of the library around 11:00, I found my phone got a voice mail. That was from DS. I called her and told her what happened today and yesterday, which made me feel better.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Introduction Chapter

Another chapter is down! Well, I just submitted it to my chair, and I don't know what he will say about it. If he doesn't like it, of course, I have to rewrite, ughhhhh!

Let Me Stay at Home

After a long, stressful day, I came back home around 8:00. I found my roommate was cooking with her friend, with music on. Shit. I just wanted to have a glass of wine quietly in my room, but it seemed not doable. You know what I did? I went back to the library again. Yeah, the library is my primary home now.

It was frustrating not to be able to relax at home, but it turned out OK because I could force myself to start working on another chapter of my dissertation. I will finish my dissertation by June!

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Method Chapter

OK, after revising twice, I finally submitted my method chapter (the first chapter that I wrote for my dissertation!) to my committee chair! Ugh, I'm already scared of what feedback I will get from him. The first draft was just a crap. But, the second draft became much more like "dissertation" thanks to GM's suggestions. So, the third draft, which is what I submitted to my chair, should be better. Ahhh, I hope it'd go OK with my chair.

Friday, November 12, 2010

More Pressure?!

Congrats on GM. He defended his dissertation this afternoon and officially left school! Oh my Buddah, my cohort is really fast, which gives me a lot of pressure, good pressure I should say.

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Coco, My Starbucks Name


OK, since I got a Starbucks card, I regularly go to Starbucks. My nearest Starbucks is busy whenever I go. So, when they take orders, they ask customers' names so that they can call customers' names when their orders are ready. The problem is, baristas never catch my name correctly. When my order comes to an end, a barista calls, "Tall soy latte for ... um, ah, what?!"

It's funny. My name is everyday name in Japan, but here, it's not. Everyone has a hard time to catch it.

Anyway, in order to have my order correctly, I have come to a Starbucks name: Coco. This is originally created by my friend's daughter who was four years old back then, a few years ago now. She tried hard to pronounce my name with her mother's help, and finally she said, "Coco Moco." Well done! I like it.

So, I took only Coco from it because the Moco part would confuse Starbucks staff. Now, Starbucks staff calls when my order is ready, "Tall soy latte for Coco!" Alrighty.

Monday, November 8, 2010

BOA Sucks


Why BOA is always trying to suck money from ordinary people?! Since when BOA took $25 from me for nothing, I have completely lost trust in BOA.

Tonight, I got a call from a BOA sales person. He was offering me a program that protects me from identity thefts and enhance my credit record. But, the trick was, they will charge me $20 something after 30 days. The guy said, I have to call 1-800 number to cancel if I don't want it. So, I told him, "I don't want to bother myself to call whatever number to cancel it in 30 days! Cancel it now!"

I know that person was just cheap labor of BOA, maybe in India, and the real bad entity is BOA, not this person. BOA elicits and allergic reaction from me. BOA is evil!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Football Crazy People


I don't care about football at all until it affects me. But, this weekend it did, jeez.

During the weekend, the parking lot near the library become free. In other words, you can park your car without permission and for free. Who comes to campus during the weekend? Only nerds like me, right?

But, I realized today that there is other type of nerds. That is, football nerds!

Expecting there would be plenty of room in that parking lot, I drove there. And, I found there was no empty spot at all, AT ALL! Cars sitting in the parking lot carried green and yellow stuff and/or a college flag. That means, those cars are football fans'. I should have known that there would be a football game this afternoon, damn ass ... See, I don't care about football games at all.

Anyway, because I couldn't find a free parking spot, I drove back to my apartment, parked the car in my parking spot, and biked back to the library. What a waste of time and gas!

After I went back to campus and before I shut myself in the library cell, I went to Starbucks to get some coffee. Baristas were talking about how crazy their business was in this morning. Compared with that hectic morning, the time when I was there was almost like spooky, they said. Yeah, they were right. Whenever I'm there, there is a long line. But not this afternoon. I was served immediately, without making a line. Yes, it was spooky. By the way, they told me that there was a long line even out of the shop in this morning. Wow.

Renee Got Older


What happened to Renee Zellweger?! She hasn't been perfect beauty, but charming. But, in this movie, the color of her face is weird, like reddish brownish? And, her face color doesn't match the color of the rest of her body (neck, hands, etc.). Creepy, and she looks much older than she really is.

Too much about her appearance? OK, story. The story is creepy also. I don't like this kind of kid. Who likes this kind of kid, anyway? The story doesn't well explain why this girl gets that power to kill people and manipulate people to kill people. If this girl dies, this evil thing (?) also dies? I don't know. Renee Zellweger will be treated as a crazy person like other adults around this girl afterward? I don't know.

Simply put, this movie is not so convincing. Well, it's just another thriller. What do you expect?

Friday, November 5, 2010

Lowest Motivation Level Recorded

Ahhhhh, I just want to get out of my miserable life here.

OK, one of my committee members told me that I have to rewrite this (one of my dissertation chapters). I appreciate her suggestions, but I'm simply tired of doing this kind of unrewarding, unproductive stuff. I feel like I'm doing the same thing again and again and again for nothing. No one will appreciate my work. No one pays attention to my work in the first place! Even if I finish this thing, I don't see any future beyond that. Don't take me wrong. I really appreciate people who have helped me including my committee members, interviewees, friends, and family. But, right now, I feel like nothing.

I don't understand myself why I came back to school to do this for nothing. Sigh ...

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Starbucks Card


OK, I'm using a Starbucks Card. When was it? Some time last month, someone gave it to me, and I started using it.

Yesterday, I got an email from Starbucks by saying that I was promoted to Green Level whatever it means. But, I realized that there are some benefits of being Green Level, again whatever it means. One benefit goes, "We'll add flavored syrup to your drink, or customize with soy milk, for free." Wow, this is good news. I don't care about syrup at all, but I do soy milk. I usually have soy latte at Starbucks. And, I know Starbucks adds 50 cents for soy milk. A 12 ounce cafe latte is $2.50, and with soy milk, it becomes $3.00. So, I usually pay $3.00.

I was wondering how a barista knows I'm Green Level and qualified for 50 cents discount. But anyway, I went to a Starbucks this afternoon to have, of course, soy latte. I ordered as usual, "Can I get a tall soy latte?," sticking out my Starbucks card. And, the barista said, "It's gonna be $2.50." I remember it was before he swiped my card. Then, how could he know I'm qualified for discount?! Or, simply, he may have forgot to add 50 cents? I didn't want to mess things up, so I just kept my mouth shut there. But, I will try again anytime soon to see if they make a discount for me from now on.

Starbucks Card Revisited


Wow, I didn't notice, but I have gotten several discounts already!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Jayson Blair



For future use, maybe, if I stay in university ... Well, who knows?