Top ten things I have planned for my 3 weeks between semesters

I turned in my final tonight, and I feel great. I have 3 weeks until summer semester starts...I better make the most of them! [This degree is gonna take me forever...I can only have care-free enjoyment in 3-5 week increments for the next 4 years.]

10. Get rid of lots of stuff.
9. Buy some stuff.
8. Learn how to make risotto.
7. Go jogging after work.
6. Trim my hair.
5. Shoot another roll of film.
4. Paint some new things for my walls.
3. Get a frozen yogurt from SpoonMe.
2. Rent movies I missed out on (Lars and the Real Girl, Becoming Jane, Penelope, August Rush).
1. Lay in the park and read.

[photo by me]

Beach dreams

Shoot, these photos I just got developed from that disposable camera I took to Newport Beach last September are really making me crave summer. Well, summer as long as it involves a vacation.

(Sorry Cat, your husband was in this one, but I cropped him out because he was messing up the photo.)

• On a Monday

One morning I woke up to discover a little bird frantically flying around in my balcony room. I was frightened and didn't quite know how to handle the situation, but I finally was able to dash in and open a window, letting the bird, which must have squeezed in through a round hole meant for a cooler tube, fly back to freedom. Despite my confusion and fiercely pounding heart, I thought it was pretty special. I told Linda about it later that day, and she said that when a bird comes into your home, it means that something new is coming into your life.

I've been thinking about this all day because for the past two nights my sleep has been interrupted by the tiniest flutter of wings against my window. Wings of a creature trapped between the window and the curtain. I didn't want to get up in the dark to find out what it was and then have to let it out, opening my ground-floor window to the insecurity of the city night. I have forced myself to sleep for two nights, listening to the little flutter against the glass. This morning when the sun started to stream through my yellow curtains, I heard the sound again, and without even thinking, walked to my window and pulled back the curtain. With blurry eyes I regarded the moth, opened my window and let it leave. Then I returned to my bed for ten more minutes of fitful dreams.

A bird means new things; what does a moth mean? Something old?

China Sunday • That red ring

My ring is made of red jade. It shows up in many of my self-portraits (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11) - that's because I wear it every day. I don't care if it matches my clothes or not, but in my opinion, a red ring can go with most anything. It's a tad too big but I've gotten so used to it, wearing it every day for over 4 years.

I bought this ring in China one day when I was shopping at some outdoor Zichuan markets with my friend Chen. I decided I needed some Chinese jewelry for souvenirs, so I stopped at a ring stand to find some for my sisters and me. I picked three I liked, this red one for me and green ones for each of my sisters, and I asked how much. The seller told me 30 yuan for the three. That was the equivalent of just less than four dollars, so I was ready to happily hand over the money. Then Chen stopped me and said the man was charging me way too much, and started to barter with him. I wasn't confident enough in my bartering skills or my Chinese skills yet, so I just waited until Chen told me "the three for six yuan." I was a little incredulous but I bought them, and that's how I got three jade rings for about 75¢.

Oh beb

Happy 1st birthday to my sweet nephew Matthew!

He's the best baby that ever happened to me.

New photo endeavors

I feel kind of bad because on almost every post I refer you over to my flickr page, and you might be getting sick of it. But when I get a new hobby it becomes consuming for a while. And now! Since it's May, I'm starting a new photo-a-day. In April I did the self-portraits, which were fun, and I still want to take lots of those, but not every day. Because some days I am, like, ugly. I like the idea of picking a theme for the month though - it makes me work harder and guarantees that I won't end up taking a photo of the sidewalk or my windowsill every day, or some other nonsense. So for May, it will be color month. Each day will have a main color as its focus.

So far, pink and green:

Also worth mentioning: I shot a roll of film on my dad's old Yashica SLR, the one I used in high school for my photography classes. It was really fun and I love how the photos turned out. But film and developing cost $ and you have to be more careful!

Flickr users - input needed!

As some of you might have gathered, I'm in a class called Information Retrieval, and we've been studying database design, classification, subject access, metadata, usability, basically everything related to information retrieval. For part of my final exam, I have to write about a non-library based online database interface and its usability. My professor listed Flickr as an option, and naturally I'm choosing that, since I'm a regular Flickr user.

I have a few ideas, but I thought it would be great to get input from some of you Flickr users, if you have time. Consider the interface of Flickr - think about layout, tagging, the search tools, help, and whether certain features afford or constrain usability. In other words, what works for you and what doesn't? What is confusing or doesn't give natural mapping clues for usability? Do you feel left in the dark over certain features? I would also love to hear from non-users and get a first-timer's perspective. If you take a quick look at the Flickr home page or a member's photostream page, do you think it's easy to figure out? Any input would be much appreciated!

P.S. Look! I'm a guest on the noticing project... day one, fourth from bottom. Day two, fourth down.
P.P.S. Thanks for your nice comments on my previous post. It's good to know many of you feel the same way.

Sunday musings

You might want to know that I've been sitting here for ten minutes trying to figure out what to write for the first sentence of this post. If you want to know the truth, I'm suddenly at a loss for what I want to blog about. I seem to have forgotten why I have this blog and what I want to do with it. There has been plenty going on in my life and my head, but the thing is, I don't have the desire to write about it here much. I could tell you about the gorgeous spring weather. Or how I got two new dresses and they're really great. I could tell you about how I did that cleanse for 6 days and then ended it by eating pepperoni pizza and chocolate ice cream. I could tell you about this summer internship that I would really love but am not quite eligible for, and how every time I tell someone about it, they tell me to apply anyway and then I hesitate and and come up with reasons why not to. I could tell you about how I'm going to try out film again. Or about how I just finished reading The Catcher in the Rye and that the narrator's tone and catch phrases are creeping into my thoughts and even into my writing in this post. Or how I'm worried about writing 12 pages for my final exam. I could tell you about the small disappointment that was this evening, or the nice brunch I went to this morning. And how I used to hate grape juice but right now it's my favorite drink. But these are not really things I feel like discussing with the world.

In the meantime, while I try to figure out what I want to do with this weird blog-apathy, please continue to check out my photostream, which I diligently update, because recently I feel like posting snapshots and a few short thoughts is a more attractive medium for me.

I'm still here, just not knowing what to write.

He wanted to hire me..or something

Pretty pictures from my walk yesterday.

And while I was taking some pictures, this guy came driving slowly past me, a youngish guy in a real nice car (I never trust guys with real nice cars), and he started to roll his window down, all the while keeping his eyes on me. Then he pulled into the driveway I was about to pass. I thought he was maybe going to bust me for taking photos on the property of the business college (not that that would be illegal). He said, "Are you taking personal photos?" and I said (staying about 8 feet away), "Yes, just for fun." And he said, "I work with a lot of girls who get their pictures taken all the time" (whah?) "and also with some people in music" (so...whah?) "and it would be good to know someone who does photography." (Whew). I said "Oh, I'm really just an amateur, not professional at all." And he was like, "Well okay, have a nice day," and drove away slowly.

Hmmm....could have been my big break? Should I have handed him a moo card?

Probably not, this guy was less than classy and more than creepy.

Spring cleaning

This week I'm doing a cleansing diet. Lately my eating habits haven't really been what they should be and I want to get my body back on track, plus this just feels right to do in the spring. It's not one of those cleanses where all you have is juice for 3 days or where you take some scary concoction to clear you out. This is a very reasonable and safe cleanse. I did it a couple of years ago and it was hard to adjust to at first, but it's easier this time. I eliminate dairy, meat, most carbohydrates and fats, sugars, and anything refined or processed. I eat some whole grains, beans, and nuts to get protein and feel more full, but try to focus on fruits and vegetables. I increase my water and juice (and bring my own water to work, since the water there tastes really metallic...I should probably stop drinking that altogether). I've got 2 days down, and I'm hoping to go for 5-7. When you think about it, this is probably what our diets should be like all the time, but that's really no fun and takes a lot of discipline (and $). I just like to think of this as clearing out, giving me a fresh start, and making my system better equipped to handle the cheeseburgers and fries I will inevitably be eating down the road.

These are my meal plans:

Breakfast: juice and frozen fruit smoothie with ground flaxseed and spinach, oatmeal with banana and strawberry slices

Lunch: leftover soup or stir-fry from previous night's dinner, an apple and carrot sticks

Dinner: mung bean and wheat soup (it's really filling and easy to make, and mung beans are great for cleansing), or mixed vegetables stir-fried with vinegar over brown rice or millet, or curried lentils, some strawberries or an orange

Snacks: grape juice, carrots and celery, apples, oranges, applesauce, raw almonds and walnuts

See here for more information on this type of cleanse.

Books and brunch

This morning I got up bright and early for the library semi-annual used book sale. I got these 15 books for $10, a steal! Some people are so gross, they go there with shopping carts which they load to overflowing. I like to employ selectivity and restraint.

For myself I bought the Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Doyle, A Circle of Quiet and Two-Part Invention by Madleine L'Engle, Collected Stories of Tennessee Williams, Arrow of God by Chinua Achebe, a nice little hardback of Turn of the Screw by Henry James, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston, The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros (which I forgot I already have), Austenland by Shannon Hale, Aesop's Fables, and a beautiful hardback The Decameron by Boccacio. For my mom I snagged copies of A Girl Named Zippy by Haven Kimmel, Peace Like a River by Leif Enger (two family favorites), Bleak House by Dickens (another family favorite), and Roots by Alex Haley (she loves that Kunta Kinte).

After I had cleaned my apartment and done some other Saturday tasks, Mom and Dad picked me up and we went to Elizabeth's Bakery and Tea shop for a little lunch to celebrate the life of our kitty Kizlet (who, in our voiceovers, always spoke in accents from various parts of the world). I had Cadbury hot chocolate and a cheese scone. Dad had hot chocolate and a flapjack (which is like an oatmeal cookie, not a pancake), and Mom had soup of the day (tomato basil) and a house salad.

Kiz

You had more nicknames than any other pet or person I know.

You let us make lots of little hats out of tinfoil and put them on you.

I have that weird scar from when you scratched me on the chest, but it wasn't really your fault.

You climbed on my lap and purred whenever I was crying.

You were our sis and granny too.

We loved it when you ran around really fast and your tail got all puffy.

You let us walk you around on your hind feet.
You let little kids whack on your ears.

You could magically jump up to that outside kitchen windowsill up through your last weeks, even though it's really high and made of brick.

You followed us halfway to school when we were little.

We had you for 18 years, pretty much as long as we've had Meg!

You were the best, Schmiz, we'll miss you and hope to see you

again!

Spring spring spring!

Today it was absolutely spring. Let's not talk about the 25° temperature drop and possible snow that's coming in the next couple of days. Let's talk about how today I ate lunch outside for the first time this year and how wonderful it was, if a little lot windy. Let's talk about how my arms got some color.

One thing I really need right now is a place at home to sit outside. I want to read, study, and eat outside. This is one thing I don't like about urban apartment-building living - I have no place to sit out. No! Not the front yard, it would look ridiculous, and the homeless people across the street would be staring me in the face. Not the back "yard" with the picnic table, again would look ridiculous and I don't want to watch everyone drive in, park their cars, and walk past me to the back door. I could drive to the park, but yes, more homeless people, and it's a little far to take my dinner. Let's not forget all the dogs.

"In the meantime I got it hard, second-floor living without a yard..." - Feist, Mushaboom

Someday a yard...but right now a porch or balcony is all I'm asking for!

(springy photos by me)

China Sunday • The songs

I'd like to bring it back.

When I wasn't teaching, exploring, at the park, eating out, or loafing around with Adam or Linda, I was in this room, probably sitting at that computer watching bootleg VCDs, playing Yahoo Chinese Checkers, looking up teaching tips and activities, or instant messaging my family. I listened to music. I didn't have a large music collection back then, and I brought with me a few favorite CDs (consisting mostly of James Taylor and Loreena McKennitt...true). Well on this computer's media player was some music left by previous teachers in that apartment. It was an interesting assortment of songs, and I drank them up. You know how they say smells can trigger specific memories instantly? So can songs of course, but in general any of these songs bring back the whole of my living in this apartment, not necessarily the whole of my living in China and the entire experience, but the little life and routine I carved out in my 4th-story, tile-floored, hard-mattressed, balcony with clothesline, constantly dusty, rag mop, extra-bedroomed apartment, my first time living alone. Sitting cross-legged on my chair, eating scrambled eggs and rice.

These are the songs.

Galileo - Indigo Girls

Forever - Ben Harper

Satellites - Dave Matthews

Christmas Song - Dave Matthews

Great Beyond - REM

We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel

Mr. Jones (acoustic) - Counting Crows

Walking in Memphis - Mark Cohn

Great songs, great memories!

Some other music is permanently linked with my time there too; Adam constantly played Jack Johnson's Brushfire Fairytales in his apartment, the Tracy Chapman incident ("Fast Car" deserves a post of its own), Linda's VCD music video concerts of U2 and Mariah Carey, the evening of watching Pink Floyd's "The Wall" video album while Linda was dyeing my hair "Floweriness Red"...I could get nightmares about "We Don't Need No Education," and the time I was riding my bike and heard BSB "I Want it That Way" being blasted from a little shop and I couldn't help singing along, and when I sang Faith Hill's "There You'll Be" for the students at English Evening and was presented with bouquets of plastic flowers.

Apartment inspection

I received notice on my door that the apartments in my building would be inspected today between 10 and 1.

We've never had an inspection before, in the 2.25 years I've lived here.

Apparently the owners of the property want to look at all the units.

So I cleaned up nicely for them.

The kitchen table isn't usually that tidy.

I hope I don't get in trouble for painting the insides of those shelves blue.

Please bless they don't open my closets!