Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Car-less Rant
In result of not having a car at school, I decided to take OCTA to get to my class that was north of campus (i.e. not really considered part of campus). Thinking I'd be on time by merely busing for 5 minutes and walking for 10, it ended up with me being a half hour late and a few blocks further than I expected to be at. All I have to say is public transportation and budget cuts are beginning to look like a complete nightmare. School life just got a little harder to satisfy.
In light of my transportation disaster and feeling completely stranded, I'm glad there are good people out there, especially here in Irvine. Thanks to Kris, Aness, and Elaine for helping me out today. And of course, Lewis for making my horrid day a better one!
Monday, September 28, 2009
Facebook Paranoia
I just received an email from a former TA:
"Hi All,
I am fine with you adding me on Facebook if that's your preferred way of getting help. But if you're adding me, can you state which class you're from so I know it is safe to add you? I've had situations where people were not in my class, used my Facebook to locate me, and then snuck into my apartment dressed as a dinosaur and stole my food. I just want to be safe in this crazy world. Thanks. -T. "
I wonder if that actually happened to him.
"Hi All,
I am fine with you adding me on Facebook if that's your preferred way of getting help. But if you're adding me, can you state which class you're from so I know it is safe to add you? I've had situations where people were not in my class, used my Facebook to locate me, and then snuck into my apartment dressed as a dinosaur and stole my food. I just want to be safe in this crazy world. Thanks. -T. "
I wonder if that actually happened to him.
Sleep Deprivation
It doesn't really handicap you unless you have the motivation to overcome it and act on the little bit of energy you have left. My last thought after reading 40 pages from Moorcroft's Understanding Sleep and Dreaming. I dare say that your attention span is cut short for that lack of sleep; how obvious.
Instead of reading ahead for Psych 121S, I started to aimlessly search for more blogs to follow. I stumbled onto some Tumblr accounts and envy their rad layouts. Step it up Blogger! And as for a blast from the past, I went to check my LiveJournal to see if anyone's updated. Souri, my dear, you are the only active LJer I know of! At least you have She & Sou going on. C'est tres magnifique. My LiveJournal was dedicated to my "overly dramatic queen days" for sure, with some trickling of early college days. This blog is for the present and I'm sure Tumblr is going to be a future territory if I ever decide to "grow" in the virtual world.
These two entries from my Livejournal made me seriously laugh. Read here and here. At least that blog makes a good time capsule.
Instead of reading ahead for Psych 121S, I started to aimlessly search for more blogs to follow. I stumbled onto some Tumblr accounts and envy their rad layouts. Step it up Blogger! And as for a blast from the past, I went to check my LiveJournal to see if anyone's updated. Souri, my dear, you are the only active LJer I know of! At least you have She & Sou going on. C'est tres magnifique. My LiveJournal was dedicated to my "overly dramatic queen days" for sure, with some trickling of early college days. This blog is for the present and I'm sure Tumblr is going to be a future territory if I ever decide to "grow" in the virtual world.
These two entries from my Livejournal made me seriously laugh. Read here and here. At least that blog makes a good time capsule.
Mass on the Plaza
Last night is going to be one of those nights that I'm going to feel nostalgic about years from now. After weeks of endless practice at Interfaith on campus with 28 other people, we finally had our performance for our friends, families, and the guests Father JF invited from the Dioceses of Orange. I think singing (and praying) helps me reinstate my faith. There was so much love and praise last night, it was wonderful. Lewis and my mom were there! I love you guys for coming! I definitely sang my heart out. I'm going to miss UCC choir a lot. Our numbers are going to fluctuate for sure when the quarter kicks in full gear, but hopefully I can drop by a few Sundays to sing with them.
Here's a few from last night (credit to Chris Beltran):
Go Mass on the Plaza 2009!
Here's a few from last night (credit to Chris Beltran):
Go Mass on the Plaza 2009!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Last Fall Quarter
It's my first day of my last fall quarter as an undergrad! This is probably over everyone else's Facebook or Twitter updates I'm sure. I've only had 2 of my 4 classes today: Sleep & dream and experimental psych. If ratemyprofessors.com could have an updated website, I'd totally join to review my professors and their classes. Yelping UC campuses-- maybe not a good idea.
Thinking about how Yelp is turning out is scary. They're bribing business owners to join Yelp so those businesses can get rid of bad reviews. I forgot what the consequences were, but the end results of "bad Yelpers" could end up like Christopher Norberg. Poor guy, it's not that I wouldn't take time out to write up a "six paragraph review" about a place, but I wouldn't want to get sued over it. I did end up in a similar situation when someone from a vet hospital contacted me and asked me to "take down my offensive review because I was discrediting the staff". Honestly, if it has to do with the HIPAA or health privacy policies, then don't let medical offices or large institutions post their business on Yelp.
Anyway, I'm off topic. So back to how my first two classes went. Sleep & dream seems like a fun class, we're only relying on one book so I hope this will lighten my workload. My professor sounds like Jimmy Fallon (as pointed out by Charles). Class ended after 30 minutes of introduction. One hour break. My next class is experimental psych, 6 units of pure terror. Just kidding, the expected workload is crazy, but I'm up for it. Our first lab is going to be on the Stroop Effect! That's going to be awesome :). Next week I'll see how child clinical psych is like and ADHD in children at the child development center, yay!
Thinking about how Yelp is turning out is scary. They're bribing business owners to join Yelp so those businesses can get rid of bad reviews. I forgot what the consequences were, but the end results of "bad Yelpers" could end up like Christopher Norberg. Poor guy, it's not that I wouldn't take time out to write up a "six paragraph review" about a place, but I wouldn't want to get sued over it. I did end up in a similar situation when someone from a vet hospital contacted me and asked me to "take down my offensive review because I was discrediting the staff". Honestly, if it has to do with the HIPAA or health privacy policies, then don't let medical offices or large institutions post their business on Yelp.
Anyway, I'm off topic. So back to how my first two classes went. Sleep & dream seems like a fun class, we're only relying on one book so I hope this will lighten my workload. My professor sounds like Jimmy Fallon (as pointed out by Charles). Class ended after 30 minutes of introduction. One hour break. My next class is experimental psych, 6 units of pure terror. Just kidding, the expected workload is crazy, but I'm up for it. Our first lab is going to be on the Stroop Effect! That's going to be awesome :). Next week I'll see how child clinical psych is like and ADHD in children at the child development center, yay!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Walkout Thursday
It is unsettling to see higher education suddenly being limited due to this economy. There isn't a department on campus that hasn't been threatened by budget cuts. Everyone is being affected. I honestly thought it was a joke when I found out our tuition fees could go up by 45%. Higher education for a higher price (but with limited resources). So where's our benefit in this? We don't even know how limited it's going to be yet, the Board of Regents can do anything to make ends meet.
And don't even get me started about the job market. The demands for higher education are there, but the rewards of getting that degree are questionable. Of course nothing is always secure, but how big is your ball park of where you're going to be once you're given that diploma?
As a student, I've been working at the humanities library on campus for 2 years. Even without the budget crisis looming over our heads a few years back, we were still struggling then to compete with other schools on campus to gain some sort of recognition. If we don't stand out, why would our university want to keep us later on? You suddenly understand how serious it is when some of the staff decide to leave on their own and move out-of-state to avoid the pink slip. It is even disheartening to hear what they say now. The board plans to slowly cut back on office hours and then the staff. What else? Department by department? We make up the practicality of this university. Without us, the art of research would be diminished.
Before all of this, rumor had it that they wanted to expand us and accumulate bigger and newer resources. Now all we can do is sit and twiddle our thumbs until they rub dry.
That's just the libraries here on campus.
It worries me to ask which school on campus is worth keeping then? Fingers could automatically point to humanities or social sciences. Is there going to be another repeat of the 1990s like when the UC campuses were trying to figure out if ethnics studies was worth keeping? It was nearly 40 years ago then that when the Third World Liberation Front was fighting for such a department to exist at San Francisco State. And mind you, UC Irvine welcomed the Asian American Studies department back in 2002!
When that battle comes, which campus is going to stand against the hypothetical cut?
Right now the only campus I know of that seems active enough to go against the present conditions of our education is good ol' UC Berkeley. They have a website for crying out loud. Who is leading this walkout that's supposed to happen tomorrow? Is our campus going to do anything? I do realize, of course, that a nonviolent movement may not budge the Board of Regents with their decisions, but at least it'll make a statement. Hopefully a bold one.
And don't even get me started about the job market. The demands for higher education are there, but the rewards of getting that degree are questionable. Of course nothing is always secure, but how big is your ball park of where you're going to be once you're given that diploma?
As a student, I've been working at the humanities library on campus for 2 years. Even without the budget crisis looming over our heads a few years back, we were still struggling then to compete with other schools on campus to gain some sort of recognition. If we don't stand out, why would our university want to keep us later on? You suddenly understand how serious it is when some of the staff decide to leave on their own and move out-of-state to avoid the pink slip. It is even disheartening to hear what they say now. The board plans to slowly cut back on office hours and then the staff. What else? Department by department? We make up the practicality of this university. Without us, the art of research would be diminished.
Before all of this, rumor had it that they wanted to expand us and accumulate bigger and newer resources. Now all we can do is sit and twiddle our thumbs until they rub dry.
That's just the libraries here on campus.
It worries me to ask which school on campus is worth keeping then? Fingers could automatically point to humanities or social sciences. Is there going to be another repeat of the 1990s like when the UC campuses were trying to figure out if ethnics studies was worth keeping? It was nearly 40 years ago then that when the Third World Liberation Front was fighting for such a department to exist at San Francisco State. And mind you, UC Irvine welcomed the Asian American Studies department back in 2002!
When that battle comes, which campus is going to stand against the hypothetical cut?
Right now the only campus I know of that seems active enough to go against the present conditions of our education is good ol' UC Berkeley. They have a website for crying out loud. Who is leading this walkout that's supposed to happen tomorrow? Is our campus going to do anything? I do realize, of course, that a nonviolent movement may not budge the Board of Regents with their decisions, but at least it'll make a statement. Hopefully a bold one.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Technically Untitled
After years of pouring my incessant rants and "over-140-character-Tweets" here, I realized I should have a more concrete topic or topics to write about. It just seems more professional and it should at least be more coherent anyway. I've narrowed it down to three interests: psychology, Asian American/ethnic studies, and food.
How am I going to keep up with this I do not know. Once in a while I'll have long, legitimate posts about any of those topics, but for the most part I tend to ramble on as if I'm replacing my diaries, which by the way, I've stopped writing in. I think I've lost nearly four chapters (years) of my life.
What a shame.
My Livejournal is still floating around, but having it separate from this one is like having two email addresses, you might as well forward your posts to the other blog. So that's the end of that, this might as well be an addition to my new school year's resolution and former Lenten decision: blog more subjects that are worthwhile to read.
Ah! And also spruce up my blog a little too, it's a bit dull :(.
How am I going to keep up with this I do not know. Once in a while I'll have long, legitimate posts about any of those topics, but for the most part I tend to ramble on as if I'm replacing my diaries, which by the way, I've stopped writing in. I think I've lost nearly four chapters (years) of my life.
What a shame.
My Livejournal is still floating around, but having it separate from this one is like having two email addresses, you might as well forward your posts to the other blog. So that's the end of that, this might as well be an addition to my new school year's resolution and former Lenten decision: blog more subjects that are worthwhile to read.
Ah! And also spruce up my blog a little too, it's a bit dull :(.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Brownies and Carpet Cleaner
At 8:00 sharp the gardeners get started on maintaining the greenery out back. Even with my windows closed the room reverberates unholy sounds of leaf blowers and people yelling. There's some light peeking in through the blinds. I roll around for a bit and believed I was back into my REM cycle. A half hour passes and my annoying cell alarm goes off. Fumbling for the ignore option, I snooze for 10 more minutes. By 8:35 I'm mumbling into my pillow and force myself to get up knowing I'm never going to get back to sleep. Grumpy and groggy I try not to slip off the ladder. I land on my feet with a light thud and I'm off to brush my teeth.
End scene of a typical Monday morning.
Today was a little different. I actually woke up earlier than I intended to and decided to bake. Cure the Mondays and bring back that unhealthy optimism for a better day. I already baked peanut butter cookies for UCC Choir yesterday for practice and that brought smiles all around so I figured I'd spread that at the office, too. I'm in a giving kind of mood.
Brownies and M&Ms, how could you go wrong? I baked to my hearts content. While waiting for them to cool I watched some "Big Bang Theory". That just upped my mood like no other. Once the brownies were ready I wrapped them up for Lewis and my co-workers :). Same reaction and more with the brownies. If I could have a career out of keeping people happy and feel loved I'm all for it.
On a note about carpet cleaning, our apartment is finally getting the last cleaning touches it deserves! I feel like a pseudo-Monica-Gellar from "Friends". I wish I was there to help my roommate out. I'd have such a field day. And for other big news, my mom and aunt are coming to visit this weekend so I couldn't be happier! No need for that extra shot of endorphins, 'cause I made them already!
End scene of a typical Monday morning.
Today was a little different. I actually woke up earlier than I intended to and decided to bake. Cure the Mondays and bring back that unhealthy optimism for a better day. I already baked peanut butter cookies for UCC Choir yesterday for practice and that brought smiles all around so I figured I'd spread that at the office, too. I'm in a giving kind of mood.
Brownies and M&Ms, how could you go wrong? I baked to my hearts content. While waiting for them to cool I watched some "Big Bang Theory". That just upped my mood like no other. Once the brownies were ready I wrapped them up for Lewis and my co-workers :). Same reaction and more with the brownies. If I could have a career out of keeping people happy and feel loved I'm all for it.
On a note about carpet cleaning, our apartment is finally getting the last cleaning touches it deserves! I feel like a pseudo-Monica-Gellar from "Friends". I wish I was there to help my roommate out. I'd have such a field day. And for other big news, my mom and aunt are coming to visit this weekend so I couldn't be happier! No need for that extra shot of endorphins, 'cause I made them already!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Bubble Gum
Bubble gum is going to be the new metaphor of this quarter. Cheesy and gross, right? I feel like being chewed out, shaped, and molded into this elastic heap. The other image was of a caricature of me banging my head on the desk repeatedly right now..."someone's got the case of the Mondays" everyday.
On another note, The Huffington Post wrote about how "the happiness levels of men and women are significantly different". Apparently women are less happier than men are. I'd have to agree with them, but only for today.
I feel like a Debby Downer. Where'd my optimism go?
On another note, The Huffington Post wrote about how "the happiness levels of men and women are significantly different". Apparently women are less happier than men are. I'd have to agree with them, but only for today.
I feel like a Debby Downer. Where'd my optimism go?
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