Well, summer 09 was short. On my last day of summer, I woke up in Soo Jin's apartment, left to exercise, then met up with her again to help her move. The first task of the day was moving her bed. It turns out that moving her bed entailed disassembling it. It was the most useful I have ever felt in one of these "let's help people!" situations. Usually I stand to the side and either take pictures or make comments. Most people would probably agree that it benefits all parties that way.
U-haul driving with Soo Jin was fun. I'm always very amazed when one of my college friends drives for the first time. It's just weird to think that I will never know what they were like pre-drivers license. We went back to her apt to move everything into the U-haul. Things were so hectic that we never had a chance to cry about leaving her last college apartment. Goodbye, apartment that I essentially lived in for two weeks of the year!
Then, we drove off to SF. It was the first time I have ever helped a friend move into a non-college apartment. I don't even recall helping a friend move into a college apt, actually. But SADNESS. It's like I'm helping someone be farther away from me! Her apt was very cozy feeling - many naps will be had in there, I'm sure. Actually, she and Janie are leading the busy business life so I don't think there will be any time for naps!
After some very tiring moving, we walked to Japantown and Soo Jin treated us to delicious ramen. Yum yum. I need to make more dishes using my (possibly expired) miso paste. I think if I could make miso ramen for dinner, I would be very happy.
I was terrified that my summer would be very lonely. It turns out that I hung out with people every day, except for the day I flew home to Arcadia, because my flight was before Soo Jin's wake up time. Kristen pointed out that I think I'm going to be lonely, but I'm going to see her tomorrow, her and Christina on Tuesday, and possibly Leneve on Wednesday. THANKS FRIENDS. PLEASE KEEP MAKING PLANS WITH ME!
Li-Ting said that she is planning to make random socal trips with Soo Jin in the fall so we can meet up with Andria. I REALLY HOPE SO! But I will be sad if Deloitte keeps Soo Jin busy.
Aw man, I wanted to sleep at 11 but I'll be sleeping at midnight I guess. Work tomorrow - I hope I don't forget and end up going to the gym, and then 20 minutes into the elliptical, I'll think "HOLY FUCK I'M SUPPOSED TO BE AT WORK!"
I want to post a picture of me and Soo Jin. One comes to mind, but I was told never to post it, so here's my paint-drawn version of it. Believe me when I say, it IS that bad.
Goodbye friends no longer in Berkeley ... my goodbye has extended for many days ...
I went to Costco today - very fortunate timing. I had to buy Microsoft Office and they just happen to be $30 off this month. Still cost $90 though. It makes me very annoyed to have to buy Microsoft Office, especially when I have had to buy it before.
I like to walk by the home and garden section in Costco, because that is often where the RANDOMEST shit is sold. Decorative things that look like very unique items that you think you wouldn't often see in people's yards. And then you realize they are being sold en masse at Costcos around the world. There was the fugliest thing ever. I tried to find it on Costco's website but it wasn't posted. This is the closest thing I could find on Amazon.com:
They're decorative mushrooms for the garden! The costco ones weren't so colorful, but the idea is still the same: stick three giant mushrooms in your yard. I wondered, who is going to buy this? Then I realized that the next time I visit Arcadia, I will probably spot a few on people's yards, especially if there's a coupon for it over the summer.
There was also a demonstration for ladders. Tons and tons of ladders of different heights and uses. There was one that extended ALL the way to the roof of Costco. And Costco roofs are RIDICULOUSLY high. WHO is going to buy that ladder? Ladders that high should be specially ordered, not bought at Costco.
My shopping spree is kind of over. I go back to Berkeley tomorrow and start work on Monday. I didn't buy any nice tops ... I will make do with what I have. I think I just have to dress fairly nicely the first few days, maybe the first week, then gradually shift into t-shirts.
I now feel TERRIBLE about all the things I've bought! Well actually, I have to say I like my H&M jeans a lot more than I anticipated. I apologize H&M - I judged your jeans before ever trying them on. Surprisingly, I do not feel like I'm wearing a burlap bag, which is what I expected. But I read an article on nytimes.com about people who are trying to get by in this recession. I think they have one every week (and I read them every week, fully knowing I am just going to depress myself) - how are the unemployed getting by? how are college students getting by? how are people who took pay cuts but still have jobs getting by? how are people who still have jobs but think they might get laid of getting by? So many reminders of the economy. I look around my room and think about my apartment at Berkeley and wonder, how much of the stuff I bought is crap? I probably could have saved thousands of dollars if I were more thrifty. But I guess fashion is an investment. I figure, people's peak buying time should probably be around 20-30, it is just unfortunate that I am 20-30 during a recession.
I'm in SD right now, living at Danny's place. I spent the past few days shopping. A LOT of shopping! Maybe I am just clothes crazy right now, but I think that there are tons of sales now! But every time I go into a store, I see what I just bought for cheaper. I kind of want to go through my entire closet and throw out everything that I don't like. Ideally, I would be able to sell them for the price I bought them for, and I could use that money to buy more clothes.
Skinny jeans, layering tank tops, and flats have been on my TO BUY list for a long, long time. Well, I went to Target and was kind of amazed at how many shoes I liked. I bought two flats, two sandals, a hoodie that I'm currently wearing (WHY CAN'T I STOP BUYING HOODIES!? My excuse is that it's in an un-meltang like bright blue color), and a tank top. Then I went to H&M and bought $15 jeans, but I had a gift card so it was only $2.23! Wonderful. Then a pair of sandals at NY&Co that was slightly cheaper than my Target ones! I had to go home to eat lunch, so I couldn't go to other stores, but I feel like I could have ended up spending several hundred dollars more.
Then today I went to Westfield again, this time the UTC one, and bought another pair of skinny jeans. I feel like my ass is not suited for skinny jeans. The thinness of my legs just makes my ass look MUCH, MUCH larger. I also wanted a pair of A&F jeans. It is depressing that I had to reach so high up to reach my size. Clearly I am not the typical A&F sized customer. I ended up not buying the jeans though, even though they were the perfect length and made my lower body look REALLY good. First, they were ripped jeans, and I don't think that style is for 20+ professionals. Second, they gave me a muffintop.
My finance grade came in. WTF I GOT A B+! That makes me wonder, if I had gone to more than two lectures, would I have been able to get an A-? Sigh. But I went to most of my accounting courses and didn't get A's in those, so whatever.
I realized that my face is REALLY FAT. GAHHHH
Ok, well I was going to say "I better start eating less!" but now we're off to eat Chipotle. Haha...
This song was on The City, which I DO NOT and HAVE NEVER watched.
I had planned on writing an entry about all my graduating friends but last night I was exhausted when I finally went home around 2am , this morning I was busy cleaning, packing, and rushing to the airport, and now I'm tired from getting used to a new laptop. I keep looking over my first paragraph (which I have now deleted because it was comparatively unimportant) and changing little words here and there, because I have no idea how to say the things I really want to say. I don't know whether I should write like it's a normal blog, or direct it to the people reading it, because I know that the people I want to address usually read my blog. I've also written cards to the same people, so I don't know what more I can say and at the same time, there are tons of things that I want to say but don't know how to put in words. Anyhoo...
TO MY GRADUATED FRIENDS of Berkeley! I'm going to miss all of you guys so much! There is a weird limbo where some of you guys are staying in Berkeley for the summer, some of you are in the Bay Area, and some of you guys are going back to SoCal. Whatever category you belong to, we're either no longer walking distance from each other, or we have to plan around work schedules. BOO LIFE! So it never really hit me until last night that you guys are really graduated and moving on with your lives and heading into the real world. I think it was when Andria dropped me off at my apt and we were both like "OMG IT'S REAL." Perhaps remnants of Wine Day had some contribution to my overwhelming emotions.
I can't really imagine going back to school where I won't have weekly RCSA excom meetings, and I can't walk over to Laura/Soo Jin's for random "study" session sleepovers, or call up people to eat at restaurants randomly. Every year I think to myself "AHH my friends are graduating! I'm not going to have any friends next year!" It's what I thought my junior year would be like, but junior year turned out to be one of the best years of my life (socially, probably not the best academically or career wise HAHA). Every year I think I'm going to be lonely, but I end up making really great friends. I guess by that extrapolation, that means I'm going to have even better friends next year. HAHA JK, it's IMPOSIBLE!
I've done a ton of stuff this year that I wouldn't have ever had the chance to do if it weren't for all of you guys! Mostly alcohol related. Somehow I became friends with people who are always down to do things and plan all of it! I think out of the innumerable things we have ever done together, I planned only one, Food Marathon. AMAZING! I love how all our plans seem to spring up from nowhere. I think my last day in Berkeley before the summer was pretty representative of the fun we have: I woke up at Soo Jin/Laura's, then Napa for wine tasting in perfect weather on a pretty perfect day, then Trader Joe's with Soo Jin, then broke into Memorial Stadium and drank more wine, and finally ended the night at Andria's, watching Ray take apart her bed :)
On Thursday last week I woke up and kind of panicked because I was like "OMG did I make the wrong choice? Maybe I should have booked my flight for immediately after my final. I'm not going to be doing anything these next few days!" I should have never worried. My last few days in Berkeley were packed and super fun, and I'm really glad to have attended people's graduations and spent those last few days together. I hope everyone attends MY graduation next year! When I saw Laura, Soo Jin and Kristen walk across the Greek Theater, I was like omg ... they're not going to be here next year. Who am I going to make fun of Haas with? Also, I was thinking, "who am I going to walk with next year?! I know no one!" If you guys have robes, can you guys come back and walk with me? RELIVE THE EXPERIENCE!
Ideally I will have a job next year and during our precious free time, we will still be able to hang out. It will be difficult, but it will be worth it! Plus we'd have more money to throw around frivolously. I say we rent a beach house every year during one of the three day weekends that we will learn to desparately long for.
I don't know what I want to say in this entry! I hope you guys just know how much I am going to miss you and how grateful I am that I have met you all.
LAURA and SOO JIN: Do you realize that in the last week of school, except for one day (ONE LONELLLYYY DAY), we hung out together EVERY DAY FOR EIGHT DAYS? My gosh. Perhaps it was a good thing we got to know each other towards the end of school. It would have been depressing if we had peaked in the middle of the year. THANKS for all the times you guys have blown up Janie's air mattress for me. And all the times you guys tucked me in. You two are a super cute roommate pair! "Did you cry when Laura left?" "Almost! I saw Laura wipe away her eyes as she was pulling away" HEHEHEHE SO CUTE!!! Who am I going to eat banana bread and cornbread with next year?! I want to hear all the inside gossip at your jobs! Thanks for introducing me to Re: The Auditors. What an addiction. LAURA, MOVE TO SF! SOO JIN, DON'T MOVE TO THE SUBURBS! Just kidding, I know life moves on. Even if it is painful and lonely. KRISTEN, RCSA PRESIDENT: I think I first started thinking of you as a pretty good friend when you came to that annoying ASUC budget proposal. You were telling me about your job search and I was like "wow! She is telling me about her personal issues, how nice of her. We're better friends than I thought!" Turns out, you just like to talk. HAHA But I'm glad you do because I am more than happy to listen. Your stories are amazing. As far as I'm aware, you are probably the friend who learned MOST quickly just how easily I cave into peer pressure. Thanks for all the times you've pushed me towards doing something fun. You always know what's best for me. Seriously, the world needs to have a Kristen frequency so we all know how to run our lives more efficiently. You're amazing! Thanks for planning so many things - my junior year would not have been the same without you.
ANDRIA and CHRISTINA: EX COM! I love how we're always down to do things. Christina, you are a wonderful drunk. We totally saw you trip on the way back to your apartment. Your comments are hilarious and I really wish there were a way for us to see all of your thoughts. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize that you were Korean. Andria, you laugh at all my jokes and it makes me feel good about myself. I'm glad to have known you since my freshman year, and honestly, you were the only good friend I had in RCSA when I was going in as a junior. But next year, I won't have you anymore! Sadness. We've had tons of memories together as RCSA excom, but I guess in particular, SO CAL 09 was pretty bomb! I loved spending money with you guys. We need to do it again. You know, once we're no longer broke.
LENEVE and NAOMI: As far as I know, you two do not read this blog. I've been staring at this blog window for the past two hours so I'm not going to write this. But if either of you happen upon this, know that I HEART YOU
All my pictures are on my old laptop so I can't post FAVORITES of the year. Has this gone on for too long? I need to stop living in the past and think of the future!
I came home today and saw an email from my mom with no subject. This is what she wrote:
Melissa,
Do me a big favor!
I need to plan and deliver an individual presentation about a state in the US. This presentation will include:
name of state and its history
a student-generated map
products and resources
statistics (eg. population)
famous people from the state
pros and cons of living in the state
I plan to choose "Arizona" state. If I were a travel agent, I would convince people to visit this state. ( I can pick any states except Ca, or do you have any preference)
All I need is a 5- minute speech. Help me! I have no time to do this. I'll tell you the details tonight.
Mom
I can't believe my mom is asking me to do her homework for me. I have never had to do anyone's homework. MY MOM IS BULLYING ME
