oh my, ive become a bookworm! what has this world come to?

here is an excerpt that made me cry, from the book i cant put down: the time traveller's wife.

"we are walking down the street, holding hands. there's a playground at the end of the block and i run to the swings and climb on, and henry takes the one next to me, facing the opposite direction, and we swing higher and higher, passing each other, sometimes in synch and sometimes streaming past each other so fast it seems like we're going to collide, and we laugh, and laugh, and nothing can ever be sad, no one can be lost, or dead, or far away: right now we are here, and nothing can mar our perfection, or steal the joy of this perfect moment."

im not sure why the passage brought me to tears. maybe because whenever i do encounter moments that feel so perfect, i wish i could hold on to it forever, so that i dont forget the joy that i felt. maybe i just want to relive all the perfect moments.

send me your book recommendations! click on the "no comments" text at the bottom of this post.

sua c/o 2005 one month mini-reunion

for those who have heard but not seen, this is squishy, jweb's new tattoo.

after a long day at the beach, the five of us stood victorious and lanky

for our sand castle making buddies, the smelly armpits of atlas

baby i should have known, i should have cared just a little bit more

i went to my internship training session and had a chance to talk to a few high school volunteers. and they reminded me of a time when the future seemed unsure but there was still hope. sort of how i feel now, after graduating from college. i feel that i have come a long way since high school in some aspects but i am still grappling with some of the same issues that have always haunted me.

i feel extremely fortunate to live the life that i live. i am ecstatic that my friends can make trips down to visit and run around town with me and then run to other towns to see other people. i appreciate having such amazing friends who are such good people with so much love in them.

once the bf said to me, "i miss you most when im with you" and i never quite understood what that meant. but seeing my friends, after being "cut off" from them for a month, i understand now.

thank you for you

the major that she majored in don't make no money

my mother and i went to the beach last night, expecting it to be like any other full moon wandering down at the huntington beach pier. however, in the wake of our exercise sessions, we were hungry so we meandered down main street in search of a vietnamese restaurant. we were nearing the end of all the bustle, when a car accident happened, making us turn around toward pch again. we then decided to have burgers at tk burger, but alas, they were closed! we walked back down pch towards main street and decided that subway would be good if they were open. but they were not. so we went to a vietnamese restaurant, not the one we had searched for, nonetheless: what the pho. by the time we headed to the pier, we were so spent that we just walked to the nearest good view of the moon on the ocean (not even half way down) and stopped. then we left, screaming down pch.

wouldn't it be nice if we were older

westside attack! funny hogie...

and no, im not, nor was i ever, doing 'shrooms...hahaha

as you all should know by now, im pretty straight. i basically walk a straight line, not deviating too much from my own values and high standards and morals for myself. but tonight, as i overheard stories from a former teacher and thought of what ive witnessed, i felt like my path was a waste. i wondered why i didnt go crooked, why i didnt do what everyone else was doing around me. i could have enjoyed myself so much more. and i thought, even though i may have done what was "right", somewhere down the line, im gettin screwed over. won't i finish last as the nice girl? wont i get trampled on in this society because i believe that my own hard work and dedication should yield success? wont i get knocked down by all those who are running to get what they want, not caring how they do it?

::sigh::

let the rain fall down and wake my dreams

hanging with kathy...thanks for the late graduation celebration!

chilling with mindy

do you see?

ah hah!

if you couldnt tell, ive been all over the place and i havent wanted to just sit down and blurt it all out. but sometimes you eat something you shouldnt have, and it all comes out.

so here i am.

ive seriously just been all over the place and hanging out with a bunch of different people. sometimes, when its slow, it feels weird. but for the most part, im quite excited. its nice to be free of school, to know that i dont have to be studying in a few months. its nice to be free of the weight and pressure. i feel lighter.

yet, i realized last thursday that i miss salad. this is incredible for me because during the last semester, i forced myself to eat salad and i hated it. but now that its not so readily available and i guess i got used to it, i hardly eat it and it makes me very sad. i actually miss salad! eek.

and yes, i am worried about the whole job and future bit, but i have a feeling it will work itself out. as long as i dont let fear get in my way, ill find something. right?

and ive thought a lot about the friends around me at home and what i appreciate. and i feel lucky.

one perfect night this past week: i had coffee with a friend, catching up and being social. then i came home and started reading a book in bed that stole my attention. while enthralled in the book, another friend called to say hi. i finished reading the chapter and went to sleep.

what a wonderful world

alli - you have to buy this camera for ellie in japan.

day 2 of the cruise: my mom and i arrived at the green pier in avalon, catalina snapping pictures, as would be most of our time during the entire "cruise".

today was a good day.

i met up with donik, who introduced me to sua and who ive always had fun with. we went to san clemente, got off at some random exit, and found a random place to eat at. =) sweet. we went to the pier and stepped in the water. then we had baskin robbins ice cream.

then i came home and decided to print pictures for my scrapbook. so i ran around with my mom.

when i came back home again, it was time for dinner. then zee called me and i met her at the tennis courts to rally. there was a lot less pain and a lot less self-conscioueness. so it was much more fun.

i returned to the casa, where my father was asleep and my mom was organizing pictures. then i organized and cleaned. i then picked up "five people you'll meet in heaven" and now i am blogging.

you held my hand and i could feel your love

funny things that kids say in class:

after reading a story...
"what did you learn from the story?"
"everything."

after multiplying and being asked for why he carried the one, the kid said:
"because it's odd."

the end

on a gloomy day at sea, a gloomy sight.

( ) smoked a cigarette
( ) smoked a cigar
( ) smoked anything else
( ) made out with a member of the same sex
( ) crashed a car
( ) stolen a car
(X) been in love
(X) been dumped
(X) shoplifted
( ) been fired
( ) been in a fist fight
(X) snuck out of the house
(X) had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back
( ) been arrested
( ) made out with a stranger
(X) gone on a blind date
(X) lied to a friend
( ) had a crush on a teacher
(X) skipped school/class
( ) slept with a co-worker
( ) seen someone die
( ) been to Canada
(X) been to Mexico
(X) been on a plane
( ) thrown up in a bar
(X) eaten Sushi
( ) been in an abusive relationship
(X) taken painkillers
(X) love someone or miss someone right now
(X) laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by
( ) made a snow angel
( ) had a tea party
(X) flown a kite
( ) built a sand castle
(X) gone puddle jumping
(X) played dress up
( ) jumped into a pile of leaves
( ) gone [tray] sledding
(X) cheated while playing a game
(X) been lonely
( ) fallen asleep at work/school
(X) watched the sun set
(X) felt an earthquake
( ) touched a snake
(X) been tickled
(X) been robbed
( ) robbed someone
(X) been misunderstood
( ) pet a reindeer/goat
(X) won a contest
(X) run a red light
( ) been suspended from school
( ) had detention
(X) been in a car accident
( ) had braces
(X) felt like an outcast
( ) eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night
(X) had déjà vu
( ) danced in the moonlight
( ) hated the way you look
( ) witnessed a crime
( ) pole danced
(X) questioned your heart
(X) been obsessed with post-it notes
( ) squished barefoot through the mud
(X) been lost
(X) been to the opposite side of the country
(X) swam in the ocean
(X) felt like dying
(X) cried yourself to sleep
( ) played cops and robbers
(X) recently colored with crayons/colored pencils/markers
(X) sung karaoke
( ) paid for a meal with only coins
(X) done something you told yourself you wouldn't
( ) made prank phone calls
( ) laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
( ) caught a snowflake on your tongue
( ) kissed in the rain.
( ) written a letter to Santa Claus
( ) been kissed under a mistletoe
(X) watched the sun set with someone you care about
(X) blown bubbles
(X) made a bonfire on the beach
( ) crashed a party
( ) have traveled more than 5 days with a car full of people
(X) gone rollerskating
( ) had a wish come true
( ) humped a monkey
( ) worn pearls
( ) jumped off a bridge
( ) screamed penis in class
( ) ate dog/cat food
( ) told a complete stranger you loved them
(X) sang in the shower
(X) have a little black dress
( ) did it in a park or pool or motel
( ) had a dream that you married someone
(X) glued your hand to something
( ) got your tongue stuck to a flag pole
( ) kissed a fish
(X) worn the opposite sex's clothes
(X unofficially) been a cheerleader
(X) sat on a roof top
( ) had sex at a church
(X) screamed at the top of your lungs
(X) done a one-handed cartwheel
(X) talked on the phone for more than 6 hours
(X) stayed up all night
( ) didn't take a shower for a week
( ) pick and ate an apple right off the tree
(X) climbed a tree
( ) had a tree house
(X) scared to watch scary movies alone
( ) believe in ghosts
( ) have more then 30 pairs of shoes
( ) worn a really ugly outfit to school just to see what others say
( ) gone streaking
( ) played ding-dong-ditch
(X) played chicken fight
( ) been pushed into a pool with all your clothes on
( ) been told you're hot by a complete stranger
( ) broken a bone
( ) been easily amused
( ) caught a fish then ate it
( ) made porn
( ) caught a butterfly
(X) laughed so hard you cried
(X) cried so hard you laughed
( ) mooned/flashed someone
( ) had someone moon/flash you
( ) cheated on a test
(X) forgotten someone's name
( ) slept naked
(X) French braided someone’s hair
( ) gone skinny dipping in a pool
( ) been kicked out of your house
( ) mixed everything on the table, given to you by a stranger, ate it and got 20 bux

can you tell how busy i am?

coasting in the pacific to catalina.

bye bye miss american pie

conversation with myself

me: im stuck on a boat for 4 days. how can this be exciting?
me: jump off, fool, jump off.

actually, ive been enjoying myself. catalina was my favorite so far. ensenada is tomorrow. no motion sickness yet.

i started reading "on the road." it is good so far but it makes me sleepy when i read it. i wonder if ill ever be the type to want to be on the road myself.

i like being away from home because i have no one to answer to (except my mom this time) and no responsibilities. thus, i have no emotions and have been coasting. life is beautiful.

well, since i have to go now, here is the rest of the conversation i had with myself.

me: think the waiter is embarassed after saying "here you go honey...i mean uyen"?
me: duh. he ran away and stuck his head underground. he has become ostrich man.
me: i guess...
me: usually if a man is overly confident, he will make an ass out of himself when he makes the first me.

welcome to the hotel california