I am an Asian-American college student majoring in Technical Communications at the University of Washington. My Spring Quarter 05 Schedule: posTComm, TC 403, TC 407, ARCH 251, ESS 495.
All I need to do is find a PAID summer internship and I'm set!
Okay, I'm admitting that yeah, I didn't blog yesterday. I was too busy out partying ;). In the morning I had a quick dentist app. to see when I needed to get my wisdom teeth out (whenever I want), and then me and my dad went and had Pasco pho. Ahhhh, it was great, I haven't had pho in a really long time and I also got my dad to change his mind and like pho. Basically he had had a stigma against noodles in soup, he likes them fried, but I taught him to make a masterpiece of each bite. To very carefully put in just the right amount of noodles in the spoon, and a piece of meat and then get some soup in the spoon too. The only way to eat pho.
Dan's whole family and my brother and I went to see the 3rd Matrix, and so in preparation, since David had seen the 2nd one but not the first (shocking I know), and since we happen to OWN the 1st one, I plopped him down and watched it with him. After the movie, I went to Dan's and we all had leftover turkey in sandwiches with lots of mayo...mmmm.
Here's a poem for yesterday:
Are You Drinking?
washed-up, on shore, the old yellow notebook
out again
I write from the bed
as I did last
year.
will see the doctor,
Monday.
"yes, doctor, weak legs, vertigo, head-
aches and my back
hurts."
"are you drinking?" he will ask.
"are you getting your
exercise, your
vitamins?"
I think that I am just ill
with life, the same stale yet
fluctuating
factors.
even at the track
I watch the horses run by
and it seems
meaningless.
I leave early after buying tickets on the
remaining races.
"taking off?" asks the motel
clerk.
"yes, it's boring,"
I tell him.
"If you think it's boring
out there," he tells me, "you oughta be
back here."
so here I am
propped up against my pillows
again
just an old guy
just an old writer
with a yellow
notebook.
something is
walking across the
floor
toward
me.
oh, it's just
my cat
this
time.
--Charles Bukowski
So now, today I was supposed to wake up early so Dan could come over at 8:30 and we could go get my license renewed....but I forgot to turn on my alarm, so I woke up instead AT 8:30, because he called and so I told him I needed 1/2 hour to get ready. I swear, I took the shortest shower of the year, no more than 6 or 7 minutes, a complete normal shower, just incredibly crunched. Anyway, we must have spent a good 15 minutes driving up and down Clearwater and then finally calling his mom because we were so lost. The Dept of Licensing is so evil. There's no way we would have found it without help, I mean, it's hidden behind this horrifically ugly square building. And the sign that says Dept of Licencing is lying propped up on the ground. I hate the fact that my licence is going to be the ugly vertical one now, but I guess my picture came out pretty good. I was completely starved at this point so we went to IHOP and had brunch. Dan made fun of me because in 2 1/2 cups of coffee, I managed to use over 50% (I think 12) of the real white sugar packets present and 7 creams. By the time I thought to take a picture for you, faithful blog reader, we were almost to the register. Then we went to the Allied Arts Gallery and made fun of a few of the paintings. Then I got to go shopping!....at Safeway ;). I really did need to go, and it's great, because everything that I bought, when I got home, I stuffed in the big suitcase that I'm going to take to China, and since I'm flying, it'll won't be hard to get it back to Haggett. Lotta canned corn :D! Then we made a quick stop at 7-11 and I had to go in with him because he was too embarrassed for some weird reason to go in by himself and get a Slurpee. His complaint? It was the weekend and 1 in the afternoon. My answer? It's a Slurpee. The reasoning escapes me...
My family had hot pot tonight, pretty much our Thanksgiving since last night we went to our neighbors and mooched off of them instead ;). It was crazy, near the end, we basically got into this huge discussion about the four inflections of Mandarin and while I think it helped Dan a lot, it just made my head hurt after a while. Grammer does that to you. And I've been playing a lot of pool these last few days too. I didn't win as many as I would have liked, but I guess that just means that Dan's improving :). :P He's on his way to being officially great at everything. ;) Sickening I know.
IT'S SATURDAY! And you know what that means! Time for another one of Feiya's crazy poems (or if I'm too lazy, someone else's). :P Unfortunately, I haven't had time to ask anyone to donate a poem, so I guess I'll just make one up right now. The time is 10:15 PM....I'll try to do it as quickly as possible and not have it suck.
My Excuse
So...I didn't blog yesterday.
-I'm sorry!!! I suck I suck I suck. Stop reading me.
Actually, I just couldn't be bothered. I partied too hard.
So...I'm getting married.
-It was the Eiffel Tower! 4th of July! Who wouldn't?
Actually, I believe he's a manifestation of God's Love for me. --->Get over it.
So...I suck at Smash Bros, Mario Tennis, Mario Kart & basically any multi-player vid game.
-I haven't seriously played video games for years! My skillz be lackin'.
Actually, I haven't seriously played video games for years! My skillz be lackin'.
So...this poem is terrible.
-*hangs head in shame*
Actually, I think it's clever. I enjoy exercising my right to be a shade insane as an artist.
The first part of the day was spent with Dan and his whole family on his mom's side, really good food....ahhhh, the salad is to die for!!! And now, we're just about to head off to the second party of the day, across the street at Jason's! Yay for Asian parties, karaoke, ping-pong, and good food. And I even got to watch part of the FL vs. TX football game and an awesome touchdown right before half time. Okay...yeah gotta go :D!
Unknown @ 6:40:00 PM
Woot!! I'm FINALLY packed. I think for sure this time I'm taking a lot less things back, and a few items I'm taking so I can leave them at home. Christina's giving me a ride to the airport, so that totally rocks. I'm really super hoping that I didn't forget anything. I'll keep you posted on that.
I think it's finally time. This is a poem that I found while riding bus #75 to Northgate for Steve and Matt's birthday party probably almost a month ago.
Landmarks
Steam from a sun-warmed fence
Dead branches leaved with dewy webs
Hill not quite seen in whiteness
What I remember
won’t lead me back
--Paul Backstrom (Kirkland) on bus #75
I enjoy it a lot because of the imagery and how it's haiku-like. And the fact that I got it while I was riding public transit. It'd be interesting to be a bus driver, you'd get to eavesdrop on hundreds of people every day.
:) Today, after Bio class, I went with Rachel again to get her allergy shot and then we went to the Northgate Mall together. We went mostly to get long johns for my trip, so I won't be freezing in China, but I also managed to buy some CK undies and a superbly cute black lacy tank. It's technically lingerie, but that style is SO in fashion right now. I'll make sure to pack it when I go home tomorrow. Rachel was so great for accompanying me and walking all around the mall :). It was fun, although it would have been really great if we had had a few more hours to just wander around and look at clothes and try on shoes and stuff like that. A true shopping experience.
Unknown @ 10:42:00 PM
Hope is a tattered flag and a dream of time.
Hope is a heartspun word, the rainbow, the shadblow in white
The evening star inviolable over the coal mines,
The shimmer of northern lights across a bitter winter night,
The blue hills beyond the smoke of the steel works,
The birds who go on singing to their mates in peace, war, peace,
The ten-cent crocus bulb blooming in a used-car salesroom,
The horseshoe over the door, the luckpiece in the pocket,
The kiss and the comforting laugh and resolve—
Hope is an echo, hope ties itself yonder, yonder.
The spring grass showing itself where least expected,
The rolling fluff of white clouds on a changeable sky,
The broadcast of strings from Japan, bells from Moscow,
Of the voice of the prime minister of Sweden carried
Across the sea in behalf of a world family of nations
And children singing chorals of the Christ child
And Bach being broadcast from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
And tall skyscrapers practically empty of tenants
And the hands of strong men groping for handholds
And the Salvation Army singing God loves us…
*sigh* I am so exhausted. I've been pretty much gone all day. Crammed like crazy for my O.Chem midterm this morning for about 45 minutes, then I took the test...there weren't 5 100/100's this time, just one 99/100. Then English, and immediately afterwards, I talked to my English prof about my midterm essay which was a long time ago then I had a hurried lunch went to bio, got my bio midterm back :P, not good at all, I did 0.25 pts worse. Then I wrote my Gospel choir paper while being elated that I now have a plane ticket bought for my mission trip and catching up on some e-mails. Finished the essay with a few minutes to spare, went to choir, then ate a hurried dinner (see a trend here?) then went to Bible study, which wasn't so much a study of the Bible, as it was a hands on type thing :). We made sandwiches and packaged them and other stuff and went DOWNTOWN and gave them out to the homeless. It was hardcore yo, cuz it was raining and really windy, but I found one! My group gave one to this guy that was digging in a dumpster in an alley way for ciggies. He was nice, his name is Tom. If you feel like God is laying it on your heart, go ahead and pray for him. Then I came back to Haggett and washed dishes. Yay fun.
Now, analysis on today's poem...
ahhhh, the first time I read this poem in Blizard's class Soph year I was just like, wow. Hardcore. I really like the imagery :) "sad slave" it's just so cute. The actual context of the poem I think is cool, up to a certain point. If you view the poem as a cute, silly, mushy thing, then it's funny in a really super cute way. More serious and it gets a little too much. Like Tip #12 & 13, you want to have your own life somewhere along the road, or else you're just like a leach. Otherwise, I enjoy this poem lots and it makes me really glad that I get to see Dan really soon. Rock out! Thanksgiving is going to be great. Great food, I'll get to see all of my family and my almost-in-law family and possibly Megan. AND DAN!!! :-* Which reminds me, :p, I am always so annoyed when I don't get to see him for a long long time and then when I do get to see him, it's like freak! I forgot how to kiss. And we spend like the first while re-learning. I mean, it's kind of cute in a way but at the same time I can't wait until we're married and joined at the hip so that we'll never forget how to kiss. *Awwwww!* Yeah, I can just hear you now. Just tell me if I'm getting too much into the "It's so cute I want to hurl" with my descriptions.
Being Your Slave
Being your slave, what should I do but tend
Upon the hours and times of your desire?
I have no precious time at all to spend,
Nor services to do, till you require.
Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour
Whilst I, my sovereign, watch the clock for you,
Nor think the bitterness of absence sour
When you have bid your servant once adieu;
Nor dare I question with my jealous thought
Where you may be, or your affairs suppose,
But, like a sad slave, stay and think of nought
Save, where you are how happy you make those.
So true a fool is love that in your will,
Though you do any thing, he thinks no ill.
More than ever I'm fired up to do this mission. I really hope it works out, Big John's having some trouble procuring tickets. But even in these beginning stages I've realized what it's like to depend on God to supply my needs. There no way I'd be able to raise any money on my own, I mean, even in my letter it says "prayerfully consider". It's all dependent on what amount God lays on their heart to give. And I've read stories about missionaries (which I plan to read again to prepare) and I want to get a taste of that joy, that crazy joy, joy in the midst of hardship, of opposition, of situations which would cause anyone else to despair. But like the quote Pastor Shin read, which I'll paraphrase here, never despair, because despair is a paralyizing emotion. Just grit your teeth and continue to fight the good fight. Which makes me think of two of my favorite verses, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith."--2 Timothy 4:7 and "Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." 1 Corinthians 9:26-27.
Unknown @ 11:26:00 PM
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tree,
Or softly lightens o'er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.
And on that cheek, and o'er that brow
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
--George Gordon, Lord Byron
I love the first line of this poem, "She walks in beauty, like the night". It's a good place to put a break, and also, it gives a kind of mysterious dark seductive tint over the whole poem. And I'm glad that it is a rhyming poem, because the lines give you a feeling of smooth movement, like her walk.
Unknown @ 1:05:00 PM
Fifi 
Saturday, November 29, 2003
