It's hard to believe that at one point, our house was only about ten miles away from the fires. I've been watching the news and reading the newspapers, and it's pretty bad. Starbucks is organizing volunteers among the partners, and I'm going to see if I can help out. The Red Cross is asking for a lot of things, one of which I really want to give but can't.
Since it's been less than a month since I last gave blood, I can't for another few weeks. But San Bernardino County is really short. So I'm asking you all to help:
Please donate blood.
I know some of you can't, but for those of you who can but won't, please consider this as a favor to me. Thanks.
Friday, October 31, 2003
Wednesday, October 29, 2003
New updated schedule (accurate this time!):
Wed -- school
Thu -- 2:45 to 6:45 pm
Fri -- 6:30 pm to 12:15 am (anybody have a good cheap costume idea?)
Sat -- 12:30 pm to 4:45 pm
Sun -- church, then 7 to 11:15 pm
So now that I'm finally working (somewhat) why am I still keeping vampire hours? It started with catching up on some taped shows from last week, and then I expected to sleep in on a Tuesday morning, for once, but then at 7:30 I get a call from work asking me to come in. So I work for 3.5 hours, and then I come home, crash, and wake up in darkness. I know I said that December is my favorite month and that I prefer winter over summer, but there's one thing about winter that I absolutely hate. You'll probably read me rant about it for weeks on end, which usually happens after the time change, but I don't like the early sunset. Maybe it's because I tend to suffer from mild SAD (seasonal affective disorder) around this time.
Nothin' much more to say, so I'll just rant:
The new Toys-R-Us commercials: There is no helium in a hot-air balloon!
Justin Timberlake: It's "with you" not "wit chu"!
Beyonce: No rant, I just really hate the song "Baby Boy," and what the heck was she doing at the RMAs?
The RMAs: That was a really really REALLY pointless awards show!
TV movies: I can't believe they've already greenlighted a movie about the Cubs fan who caught that ball!
'kay, that's it.
Wed -- school
Thu -- 2:45 to 6:45 pm
Fri -- 6:30 pm to 12:15 am (anybody have a good cheap costume idea?)
Sat -- 12:30 pm to 4:45 pm
Sun -- church, then 7 to 11:15 pm
So now that I'm finally working (somewhat) why am I still keeping vampire hours? It started with catching up on some taped shows from last week, and then I expected to sleep in on a Tuesday morning, for once, but then at 7:30 I get a call from work asking me to come in. So I work for 3.5 hours, and then I come home, crash, and wake up in darkness. I know I said that December is my favorite month and that I prefer winter over summer, but there's one thing about winter that I absolutely hate. You'll probably read me rant about it for weeks on end, which usually happens after the time change, but I don't like the early sunset. Maybe it's because I tend to suffer from mild SAD (seasonal affective disorder) around this time.
Nothin' much more to say, so I'll just rant:
The new Toys-R-Us commercials: There is no helium in a hot-air balloon!
Justin Timberlake: It's "with you" not "wit chu"!
Beyonce: No rant, I just really hate the song "Baby Boy," and what the heck was she doing at the RMAs?
The RMAs: That was a really really REALLY pointless awards show!
TV movies: I can't believe they've already greenlighted a movie about the Cubs fan who caught that ball!
'kay, that's it.
Monday, October 27, 2003
So the sky is falling in Southern California. Flames lick at our borders, a rain of ash falls steadily, and today's setting sun was an eery bright red. I think the Apocalypse has come. The first sign was when we elected an inexperienced action movie star as governor.
Recent spending has left my finances stretched to the limit. Perhaps I shouldn't have bought that Wacom tablet from Ebay. I don't necessarily need it, but drawing with the tablet versus the mouse is like the difference between a sable brush and a crayola poster paint brush. *sigh. If only being an artist could be cheaper. My biggest expense? Entertainment. I mean, I don't regret any of the spending on that, but boy, it does take its toll.
I saw Mystic River for a class assignment. It's pretty good. We had a long discussion about who was the hero, because from the beginning, Sean Penn's character is seen as the hero while Tim Robbins's character is the villain. But the story is complex, and we had a long discussion about whether or not the hero of a story has to be a good guy.
Last week's Smallville was a letdown, after all those commercials about Clark and Lana skinny-dipping. I mean, it was classic Smallville, but I was expecting something big. Waiting for sweeps, I guess. Angel was pretty good, too. The writing was classic Whedon, with such gems as Fred pretending to be scared by Spike to spare his feelings, and Spike crying out, "Hey, I invented what-goes-bump-in-the-night." I still have a few more hours of TV to catch up on. Sad, yes, I know. This is why I shouldn't start watching new shows. X-Men: Evolution is coming along interestingly in terms of storyline. I liked it better when it was more "mutants in high school" cuz otherwise it's going to be too much like the early 90's X-Men cartoon. (I really hated the voices on there, esp Xavier and Wolverine cuz they sounded all squeaky.) But they had a preview of Rogue's new powers (it'll be interesting how she develops them, since in the comics she's supposed to have got them before she came to the Institute), as well as Jean's turn as Phoenix. I just hope they won't go all soap-opera-melodramatic-exploded-universe like the earlier cartoon. Ach, too much TV.
My schedule for this week (it's not exact as I don't have it written in front of me):
Mon -- school
Tue -- no work!
Wed -- school
Thu -- 4:15 to 8:45 am (I'm not sure about this one)
Fri -- 8:15 pm to 12:15 am (It may start earlier)
Sat -- 11:30 to 4 pm
Sun -- church, then 7 to 11:15 pm
Recent spending has left my finances stretched to the limit. Perhaps I shouldn't have bought that Wacom tablet from Ebay. I don't necessarily need it, but drawing with the tablet versus the mouse is like the difference between a sable brush and a crayola poster paint brush. *sigh. If only being an artist could be cheaper. My biggest expense? Entertainment. I mean, I don't regret any of the spending on that, but boy, it does take its toll.
I saw Mystic River for a class assignment. It's pretty good. We had a long discussion about who was the hero, because from the beginning, Sean Penn's character is seen as the hero while Tim Robbins's character is the villain. But the story is complex, and we had a long discussion about whether or not the hero of a story has to be a good guy.
Last week's Smallville was a letdown, after all those commercials about Clark and Lana skinny-dipping. I mean, it was classic Smallville, but I was expecting something big. Waiting for sweeps, I guess. Angel was pretty good, too. The writing was classic Whedon, with such gems as Fred pretending to be scared by Spike to spare his feelings, and Spike crying out, "Hey, I invented what-goes-bump-in-the-night." I still have a few more hours of TV to catch up on. Sad, yes, I know. This is why I shouldn't start watching new shows. X-Men: Evolution is coming along interestingly in terms of storyline. I liked it better when it was more "mutants in high school" cuz otherwise it's going to be too much like the early 90's X-Men cartoon. (I really hated the voices on there, esp Xavier and Wolverine cuz they sounded all squeaky.) But they had a preview of Rogue's new powers (it'll be interesting how she develops them, since in the comics she's supposed to have got them before she came to the Institute), as well as Jean's turn as Phoenix. I just hope they won't go all soap-opera-melodramatic-exploded-universe like the earlier cartoon. Ach, too much TV.
My schedule for this week (it's not exact as I don't have it written in front of me):
Mon -- school
Tue -- no work!
Wed -- school
Thu -- 4:15 to 8:45 am (I'm not sure about this one)
Fri -- 8:15 pm to 12:15 am (It may start earlier)
Sat -- 11:30 to 4 pm
Sun -- church, then 7 to 11:15 pm
Thursday, October 23, 2003
I learned an interesting thing last week that I haven't posted yet:
I am the oldest person at my store. Well, there might be one other girl who is also 24, but otherwise, I am the oldest. Yes, I am older than my married-with-a-4-year-old-daughter store manager. Apparently, she' only 23. Everybody else is 19 to 22, except one guy who is only 17. At the Chino Hills store, I think the ages of the baristas are a bit higher on average (there are a lot more married women) but it's still pretty young. When I had that temp job in Ontario, I met one 24-yr-old who was married with a baby, and one who seemed younger than me who already had two kids (she had her first at 15). It's really weird for me and I can't relate cuz when I was 19, I was barely growing up but these girls were having babies. But I realize that that's the norm more than the exception. But we don't see that on TV cuz, with the exception of Roseanne, working class people just ain't funny.
The Albertson's strike is causing the Holiday rush to start early. The morning rush started early today, and it was absolutely crazy. But at least that means I'm getting more hours. I'm scheduled to work the closing shift on Halloween. Fun. They're encouraging us to dress up, but I'm not sure what to wear. I was thinking of just drawing a lightning scar on my forehead and putting tape on my glasses. Anyway, from past experiences, they say that it'll be quiet early on while the parents are out trick-or-treating with their kids, but afterwards... mad rush to wash the evening away with coffee. Yikes.
Okay, so tired... and Erica where are you???
I am the oldest person at my store. Well, there might be one other girl who is also 24, but otherwise, I am the oldest. Yes, I am older than my married-with-a-4-year-old-daughter store manager. Apparently, she' only 23. Everybody else is 19 to 22, except one guy who is only 17. At the Chino Hills store, I think the ages of the baristas are a bit higher on average (there are a lot more married women) but it's still pretty young. When I had that temp job in Ontario, I met one 24-yr-old who was married with a baby, and one who seemed younger than me who already had two kids (she had her first at 15). It's really weird for me and I can't relate cuz when I was 19, I was barely growing up but these girls were having babies. But I realize that that's the norm more than the exception. But we don't see that on TV cuz, with the exception of Roseanne, working class people just ain't funny.
The Albertson's strike is causing the Holiday rush to start early. The morning rush started early today, and it was absolutely crazy. But at least that means I'm getting more hours. I'm scheduled to work the closing shift on Halloween. Fun. They're encouraging us to dress up, but I'm not sure what to wear. I was thinking of just drawing a lightning scar on my forehead and putting tape on my glasses. Anyway, from past experiences, they say that it'll be quiet early on while the parents are out trick-or-treating with their kids, but afterwards... mad rush to wash the evening away with coffee. Yikes.
Okay, so tired... and Erica where are you???
Christine, I know you like to lurk around blogs w/o leaving comments, but this is for you:
1. WHAT IS YOUR Middle name?
Officially, it's Jin, which is what I went by 'til college.
2. WHAT kind of PANTS ARE YOU WEARING and what color?
Lounge around shorts, though earlier I had milk-splattered black corduroy pants.
3. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
I am one of the millions who bought Clay Aiken's CD last week. That's right, I ain't ashamed. I like it, 'kay? If you's got a problem wid dat, well, now, we's jus' migh' hafta do sumptin' about dat.
4. WHAT ARE THE LAST 4 DIGITS OF YOUR PHONE NUMBER?
Uh... why? Oh, for those of you that don't know, I got a new cell phone and number. E-mail me if you don't know and wanna know.
5. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE:
Venti Iced Soy White Mocha. Oh... ate? Turkey jerky last night.
6. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Hot pink, cuz I'm neither.
7. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW?
Why the heck is it so hot???
8. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Two of my bestest friends. And no, it ain't you. (J/K!!!)
9. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX?
Height... and build....
10. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU THIS?
Technically, I wasn't sent this.
11. HOW ARE YOU TODAY?
Tired.
12. FAVORITE DRINK?
Iced Soy Chai Latte, Tazoberry Creme Frappuccino, and Bailey's Fizz.
14. FAVORITE SPORTS?
To do: leisure bicycling, hankido; To watch: Figure skating
15. HAIR COLOR?
Dark brown with blond highlights with black roots with strands of gray hair
16. EYE COLOR?
Brown
17. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Sometimes, though if I can save up for LASIK soon enough, then never!
18. SIBLINGS AND THEIR AGES?
Sister -- 27
Brother-in-law -- 28
Brother -- 25
19. FAVORITE MONTH?
December, cuz there's holiday music on the radio, holiday decorations everywhere, and the weather is nice and crisp.
20. FAVORITE FOOD?
Galbi, sul-lung-tang, hwe-dup-bap, sushi, in-n-out burgers, steak, cheesecake, black cherry ice cream, the aforementioned drinks, clam chowda, chocolate... shall I go on?
21. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Holes -- watch it!
22. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?
Christmas
23. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT?
Yep, though from what I hear, I can appear too intimidating for other people to ask out. Which only strengthens my theory that I will be single forever. And surprisingly, I'm not unhappy at that thought.
24. DO YOU LIKE SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING.
Happy ending, definitely. Scary movies, cheesy as they are, just ain't entertaining. I am not one of those people that have fun getting scared.
25. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Winter all the way. Has anybody else experienced an Inland Empire summer? I didn't think so.
26. HUGS OR KISSES?
Sure, just not in public... unless it's me. (Hypocrite alert!)
28. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?
Yes, please.
29. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO WRITE BACK?
Y'know, it'd be a lot easier just posting it to your blog. And if you don't have a blog... then get one!
30. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
The regulars will comment (please)?
31. WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
The strangers that lurk this site.
32. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?
The Writer's Journey, Understanding Comics, and Becoming a Titus 2 Woman, for school and church, though I hope to go through the Artemis Fowl books during break.
33. WHAT'S ON YOUR SCREEN SAVER?
Nothing.
34. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
Monopoly and its various incarnations.
35. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT?
Came back from school, snacked, talked on the phone, watched TV. The usual.
36. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Vanilla, coffee, fresh laundry.
37. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?
I'm so tired... I can't believe I have to wake up.
1. WHAT IS YOUR Middle name?
Officially, it's Jin, which is what I went by 'til college.
2. WHAT kind of PANTS ARE YOU WEARING and what color?
Lounge around shorts, though earlier I had milk-splattered black corduroy pants.
3. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
I am one of the millions who bought Clay Aiken's CD last week. That's right, I ain't ashamed. I like it, 'kay? If you's got a problem wid dat, well, now, we's jus' migh' hafta do sumptin' about dat.
4. WHAT ARE THE LAST 4 DIGITS OF YOUR PHONE NUMBER?
Uh... why? Oh, for those of you that don't know, I got a new cell phone and number. E-mail me if you don't know and wanna know.
5. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE:
Venti Iced Soy White Mocha. Oh... ate? Turkey jerky last night.
6. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Hot pink, cuz I'm neither.
7. HOW IS THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW?
Why the heck is it so hot???
8. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Two of my bestest friends. And no, it ain't you. (J/K!!!)
9. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT THE OPPOSITE SEX?
Height... and build....
10. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU THIS?
Technically, I wasn't sent this.
11. HOW ARE YOU TODAY?
Tired.
12. FAVORITE DRINK?
Iced Soy Chai Latte, Tazoberry Creme Frappuccino, and Bailey's Fizz.
14. FAVORITE SPORTS?
To do: leisure bicycling, hankido; To watch: Figure skating
15. HAIR COLOR?
Dark brown with blond highlights with black roots with strands of gray hair
16. EYE COLOR?
Brown
17. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Sometimes, though if I can save up for LASIK soon enough, then never!
18. SIBLINGS AND THEIR AGES?
Sister -- 27
Brother-in-law -- 28
Brother -- 25
19. FAVORITE MONTH?
December, cuz there's holiday music on the radio, holiday decorations everywhere, and the weather is nice and crisp.
20. FAVORITE FOOD?
Galbi, sul-lung-tang, hwe-dup-bap, sushi, in-n-out burgers, steak, cheesecake, black cherry ice cream, the aforementioned drinks, clam chowda, chocolate... shall I go on?
21. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Holes -- watch it!
22. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?
Christmas
23. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT?
Yep, though from what I hear, I can appear too intimidating for other people to ask out. Which only strengthens my theory that I will be single forever. And surprisingly, I'm not unhappy at that thought.
24. DO YOU LIKE SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING.
Happy ending, definitely. Scary movies, cheesy as they are, just ain't entertaining. I am not one of those people that have fun getting scared.
25. SUMMER OR WINTER?
Winter all the way. Has anybody else experienced an Inland Empire summer? I didn't think so.
26. HUGS OR KISSES?
Sure, just not in public... unless it's me. (Hypocrite alert!)
28. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?
Yes, please.
29. DO YOU WANT YOUR FRIENDS TO WRITE BACK?
Y'know, it'd be a lot easier just posting it to your blog. And if you don't have a blog... then get one!
30. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
The regulars will comment (please)?
31. WHO IS LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
The strangers that lurk this site.
32. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?
The Writer's Journey, Understanding Comics, and Becoming a Titus 2 Woman, for school and church, though I hope to go through the Artemis Fowl books during break.
33. WHAT'S ON YOUR SCREEN SAVER?
Nothing.
34. FAVORITE BOARD GAME?
Monopoly and its various incarnations.
35. WHAT DID YOU DO LAST NIGHT?
Came back from school, snacked, talked on the phone, watched TV. The usual.
36. FAVORITE SMELLS?
Vanilla, coffee, fresh laundry.
37. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?
I'm so tired... I can't believe I have to wake up.
Monday, October 20, 2003
This week's schedule:
Mon -- School
Tue -- 7:30 am to 12ish (forgot the exact time)
Wed -- School
Thu -- 4:15 to 8:45 am
Fri -- 4:15 to 9 am, church activity at 7:30 pm
Sat -- nuthin' though I've been called in to work the past two weeks
Sun -- church
I am soooo old now cuz I've hurt my back... again. I think it was when I reached for something high and I over-stretched a muscle. Ouch. My dad massaged it last night (more like abused it) but it felt ok this morning. It just got worse in the air-conditioned school building.
Last Saturday I picked up a shift at the store in Chino Hills. Even though we're only like a mile apart, there's a big world of difference. For one thing? People tip better. I can certainly understand why they figure it's an additional buck an hour. The last two times I picked up my tips, it was less than that. The clientele there is different, too. The ethnic makeup of our two cities are similar, but instead of Mexicans, they have Asians. And lots of Koreans. I've never seen so many Korean customers in the six hours I was there.
There's also news regarding my church that most of you won't care about. But nevertheless, I have to write about it. Though it's still tentative, there may be a split at our church. More like, the EM (English Ministry -- basically the 1.5 to 2nd generation English-speaking Koreans) is going to split away from the church. Oof. I'm leaning towards leaving with them but not without hesitation. After all, I do have history there, even if there isn't much loyalty. And my parents attend the KM (Korean Ministry), even though from what I hear things ain't very Christian. One of the things that Paul (the apostle, St. Paul to the Catholics) really frowned upon was gossip, and unfortunately, Korean culture is rampant with it. It would take severe, conscious effort to get rid of it, and they haven't made any move towards it. Even my mom hates that the only thing they do whenever there's a get-together is gossip.
But I thought, ok, we're separate ministries, I think ours is very Bible-oriented and people are making a big effort at Paul's request (Romans 12:1-2), I feel people are actually growing spiritually there. However, we learned that the politics of the KM have been leaking into the EM, and things have come to a showdown.
I really hope we don't have to tear our congregation apart.
BTW, yes I'm a hypocrite. I'm not like the church I attend. But I'd rather attend this church than a more liberal one, just cuz I know this church can keep me from going overboard. But I like my role as wrench-thrower just so that the other people around me aren't just taking the conservative stance cuz the church is.
************
(huff puff) Whew, dodged the bullet there! I forgot that my parking meter had run out an hour ago. I rushed out and luckily, no parking ticket! Whoo-hoo! I think I'll end my blog on this happy note. :)
Mon -- School
Tue -- 7:30 am to 12ish (forgot the exact time)
Wed -- School
Thu -- 4:15 to 8:45 am
Fri -- 4:15 to 9 am, church activity at 7:30 pm
Sat -- nuthin' though I've been called in to work the past two weeks
Sun -- church
I am soooo old now cuz I've hurt my back... again. I think it was when I reached for something high and I over-stretched a muscle. Ouch. My dad massaged it last night (more like abused it) but it felt ok this morning. It just got worse in the air-conditioned school building.
Last Saturday I picked up a shift at the store in Chino Hills. Even though we're only like a mile apart, there's a big world of difference. For one thing? People tip better. I can certainly understand why they figure it's an additional buck an hour. The last two times I picked up my tips, it was less than that. The clientele there is different, too. The ethnic makeup of our two cities are similar, but instead of Mexicans, they have Asians. And lots of Koreans. I've never seen so many Korean customers in the six hours I was there.
There's also news regarding my church that most of you won't care about. But nevertheless, I have to write about it. Though it's still tentative, there may be a split at our church. More like, the EM (English Ministry -- basically the 1.5 to 2nd generation English-speaking Koreans) is going to split away from the church. Oof. I'm leaning towards leaving with them but not without hesitation. After all, I do have history there, even if there isn't much loyalty. And my parents attend the KM (Korean Ministry), even though from what I hear things ain't very Christian. One of the things that Paul (the apostle, St. Paul to the Catholics) really frowned upon was gossip, and unfortunately, Korean culture is rampant with it. It would take severe, conscious effort to get rid of it, and they haven't made any move towards it. Even my mom hates that the only thing they do whenever there's a get-together is gossip.
But I thought, ok, we're separate ministries, I think ours is very Bible-oriented and people are making a big effort at Paul's request (Romans 12:1-2), I feel people are actually growing spiritually there. However, we learned that the politics of the KM have been leaking into the EM, and things have come to a showdown.
I really hope we don't have to tear our congregation apart.
BTW, yes I'm a hypocrite. I'm not like the church I attend. But I'd rather attend this church than a more liberal one, just cuz I know this church can keep me from going overboard. But I like my role as wrench-thrower just so that the other people around me aren't just taking the conservative stance cuz the church is.
************
(huff puff) Whew, dodged the bullet there! I forgot that my parking meter had run out an hour ago. I rushed out and luckily, no parking ticket! Whoo-hoo! I think I'll end my blog on this happy note. :)
Wednesday, October 15, 2003
Actually, Beno, it's not stolen since we all get a free pound of coffee per week. But it's suppose to be for personal consumption, not for selling. I think. And Count Whateley, yes, I'm thankful for your generosity, I'm just saying I don't think it was worth $40 in general.
Update on this week's schedule:
So I didn't go to the meeting today cuz my manager let me skip it and go to the Chino Hills store meeting instead. So...
Thu -- 6:45 to 10:45 pm (I found out the actual time)
Fri -- 4:15 to 9:00 am, and then meeting probably around 6 or 7
But... I'm still open Saturday, so please come visit me! Let's hang out! Unless you're a creepy stalker!
BTW, the link Count Whateley provided is sooooooo creepy. They actually have memorials to Matthew Shepard and Diane Whipple about them going to hell. I felt really angry and really sad. Such Pharisees.... That, ladies and gentlemen, is why Christians are not trusted in this country. Those bigots and hatemongers give Jesus a bad name.
On a lighter note, we saw Casablanca in class today. It's so weird. I've never seen the movie before, yet I knew so many of the lines cuz they've been quoted so much. Our teacher said to take a closer look at it again to note the way the filmmaking was done. There's a lot of subtleties in filmmaking that go virtually unnoticed. It's kinda hard when we're storyboarding just how it's so easy to mess up, yet when the finished product comes out, if it's well done, you hardly notice anything. Perhaps one day I can call myself an expert in this field.
Ok, I'm getting kicked out of the computer lab now.
Update on this week's schedule:
So I didn't go to the meeting today cuz my manager let me skip it and go to the Chino Hills store meeting instead. So...
Thu -- 6:45 to 10:45 pm (I found out the actual time)
Fri -- 4:15 to 9:00 am, and then meeting probably around 6 or 7
But... I'm still open Saturday, so please come visit me! Let's hang out! Unless you're a creepy stalker!
BTW, the link Count Whateley provided is sooooooo creepy. They actually have memorials to Matthew Shepard and Diane Whipple about them going to hell. I felt really angry and really sad. Such Pharisees.... That, ladies and gentlemen, is why Christians are not trusted in this country. Those bigots and hatemongers give Jesus a bad name.
On a lighter note, we saw Casablanca in class today. It's so weird. I've never seen the movie before, yet I knew so many of the lines cuz they've been quoted so much. Our teacher said to take a closer look at it again to note the way the filmmaking was done. There's a lot of subtleties in filmmaking that go virtually unnoticed. It's kinda hard when we're storyboarding just how it's so easy to mess up, yet when the finished product comes out, if it's well done, you hardly notice anything. Perhaps one day I can call myself an expert in this field.
Ok, I'm getting kicked out of the computer lab now.
Monday, October 13, 2003
Last Saturday night I went to Knott's Halloween Haunt (more commonly known as Knott's Scary Farm) with Robert and his date. Our group was supposed to include her friend and her boyfriend, but they ditched us, so it ended up being a threesome.
I so need a man. (ha ha... ha)
Anyway, it was a fun experience, though I don't think worth the $40 ticket. I'm thinking it would be fun to work as a monster there, though as the kind that walks around, not the kind stuck inside a haunted house. The lines were rather long, though some weren't as long as they claimed. The show we watched was pretty good so I think if I ever go again (which... will be in another 10 years?) I'll watch the shows rather than go through the haunted houses. I started pre-emptedly screaming before a turn just to prepare myself for getting spooked. But towards the end, I figure out, they're more likely to jump out at you if you look them in the eye or touch the walls.
I came home at 3:30 am, crashed, and woke up in time to be late to church... as usual. But afterwards, I felt odd -- I was tired but I couldn't fall asleep. I did fall asleep around midnight and woke up around 10 am. So now I've got one of those slept-too-much headaches. Such ironies.
Y'know what sucks about Knott's Scary Farm? Too damn many couples making out in lines. You know who you are!
Schedule for the week:
Mon -- school
Tue -- 4:15 to 8:45 am
Wed -- skipping school, meeting 5:30 to 7:30 w/ betta-be-worth-four-dolla dinner
Thur -- afternoon shift (forgot the time)
Fri -- 4:15 to 8:45 am
Sat -- forgot... nuthin', I think
Sun -- church in morn
I so need a man. (ha ha... ha)
Anyway, it was a fun experience, though I don't think worth the $40 ticket. I'm thinking it would be fun to work as a monster there, though as the kind that walks around, not the kind stuck inside a haunted house. The lines were rather long, though some weren't as long as they claimed. The show we watched was pretty good so I think if I ever go again (which... will be in another 10 years?) I'll watch the shows rather than go through the haunted houses. I started pre-emptedly screaming before a turn just to prepare myself for getting spooked. But towards the end, I figure out, they're more likely to jump out at you if you look them in the eye or touch the walls.
I came home at 3:30 am, crashed, and woke up in time to be late to church... as usual. But afterwards, I felt odd -- I was tired but I couldn't fall asleep. I did fall asleep around midnight and woke up around 10 am. So now I've got one of those slept-too-much headaches. Such ironies.
Y'know what sucks about Knott's Scary Farm? Too damn many couples making out in lines. You know who you are!
Schedule for the week:
Mon -- school
Tue -- 4:15 to 8:45 am
Wed -- skipping school, meeting 5:30 to 7:30 w/ betta-be-worth-four-dolla dinner
Thur -- afternoon shift (forgot the time)
Fri -- 4:15 to 8:45 am
Sat -- forgot... nuthin', I think
Sun -- church in morn
Friday, October 10, 2003
Short post in regards to comments:
Thanks for the link, You-Know-Who, but it's not helpful as I am not living in the Bay Area. The entertainment industry, for the most part, is in Los Angeles.
Anyway, as for the work meeting, it's on everybody's schedule, so we're getting paid for it, it's like a shift, yadda yadda, I just hope it's worth it. They say that we're going out to dinner afterwards. I wonder if enough people wanted to donate $4 out of their tips to pay for it. I certainly wasn't going to donate. Let the leads, who have more hours and higher wages, make the donations.
Speaking of hours, due to the store manager's daughter being sick today, I got extra hours. Now that's a new experience. I actually got 8 hours, though I may end up getting an extra five minutes in overtime. One bad thing? I think I got jacked out of a 10 min break. What's the law for 8 hours, cuz I just got a paid 10 and an unpaid 30-min lunch?
One thing I figured out, the rate of fun at work depends on who you're working with. I figured that out. Even Starbucks can be bearable with the right people.
Thanks for the link, You-Know-Who, but it's not helpful as I am not living in the Bay Area. The entertainment industry, for the most part, is in Los Angeles.
Anyway, as for the work meeting, it's on everybody's schedule, so we're getting paid for it, it's like a shift, yadda yadda, I just hope it's worth it. They say that we're going out to dinner afterwards. I wonder if enough people wanted to donate $4 out of their tips to pay for it. I certainly wasn't going to donate. Let the leads, who have more hours and higher wages, make the donations.
Speaking of hours, due to the store manager's daughter being sick today, I got extra hours. Now that's a new experience. I actually got 8 hours, though I may end up getting an extra five minutes in overtime. One bad thing? I think I got jacked out of a 10 min break. What's the law for 8 hours, cuz I just got a paid 10 and an unpaid 30-min lunch?
One thing I figured out, the rate of fun at work depends on who you're working with. I figured that out. Even Starbucks can be bearable with the right people.
Wednesday, October 08, 2003
Stupid enetations! You can't click the submit button more than once, or reload the page, without it posting your comment multiple times. Erg.
Anyway, I don't know how God works, and I'm not sure if he's telling me something, but it turns out, the two classes I have on Wednesdays does not physically require my presence next week. I mean, I'd be missing out on valuable work time and I'd have to call other people for the homework assignment, but I don't have to turn anything in next week. So that means that I can skip next Wednesday to attend my store's holiday meeting.
Yep, I'm skipping school to attend a meeting. Aye caramba.
The store manager stressed that it's reeeeally important, and that if I do miss it, then I'd have to spend a couple of hours with her one-on-one to make up for it. Other people are just going to skip their classes, but they don't drive all the way out to frickin' Santa Monica.
Funnily enough, the guy who I sit next to in my Storyboarding class turns out is a lead at a Starbucks in Culver City. He's a lead there, but he says that he's been there too long and looks at it with the same cynicism that I'm starting to cultivate. It makes me feel better, though, cuz it seems like 4 out of the 5 leads at my stores are waaaaay too gung-ho about Starbucks. And the one lead that's not is the second-in-command, so he can't really express his cynicism.
What Dante, the guy in my class, told me was that in his store, and at various stores around Hollywood and LA, they get celebrity regulars. For instance, John Travolta used to be a regular at his store. So when he asked me if we had any celebrity regulars, I just replied, it's Chino, the closest person we've got to a celebrity is the mayor. (Not that I even know who that is, though he did come on the news when that whole thing about The OC was going on.)
Y'know what I'm thinking? I oughtta transfer to a store in Hollywood or LA. Cuz in addition to celebrities, producers, directors, and scriptwriters are regulars at some stores. And as I've learned for weeks at my Storytelling class, the key to getting employment is networking.
But... I'm sure you see the problem here. There's no way I could afford to live on my own on Starbucks wages. Even if I do sell my pound-o-coffee-per-week on the side.
Anyway, I don't know how God works, and I'm not sure if he's telling me something, but it turns out, the two classes I have on Wednesdays does not physically require my presence next week. I mean, I'd be missing out on valuable work time and I'd have to call other people for the homework assignment, but I don't have to turn anything in next week. So that means that I can skip next Wednesday to attend my store's holiday meeting.
Yep, I'm skipping school to attend a meeting. Aye caramba.
The store manager stressed that it's reeeeally important, and that if I do miss it, then I'd have to spend a couple of hours with her one-on-one to make up for it. Other people are just going to skip their classes, but they don't drive all the way out to frickin' Santa Monica.
Funnily enough, the guy who I sit next to in my Storyboarding class turns out is a lead at a Starbucks in Culver City. He's a lead there, but he says that he's been there too long and looks at it with the same cynicism that I'm starting to cultivate. It makes me feel better, though, cuz it seems like 4 out of the 5 leads at my stores are waaaaay too gung-ho about Starbucks. And the one lead that's not is the second-in-command, so he can't really express his cynicism.
What Dante, the guy in my class, told me was that in his store, and at various stores around Hollywood and LA, they get celebrity regulars. For instance, John Travolta used to be a regular at his store. So when he asked me if we had any celebrity regulars, I just replied, it's Chino, the closest person we've got to a celebrity is the mayor. (Not that I even know who that is, though he did come on the news when that whole thing about The OC was going on.)
Y'know what I'm thinking? I oughtta transfer to a store in Hollywood or LA. Cuz in addition to celebrities, producers, directors, and scriptwriters are regulars at some stores. And as I've learned for weeks at my Storytelling class, the key to getting employment is networking.
But... I'm sure you see the problem here. There's no way I could afford to live on my own on Starbucks wages. Even if I do sell my pound-o-coffee-per-week on the side.
Sunday, October 05, 2003
Okay, so Holes the movie isn't as good as Holes the book, but since Louis Sachar also wrote the screenplay, it's pretty damn close. As my brother can attest to (and he's pretty finicky when it comes to movies) it's a good movie. And I attest, it's a damn good book. Damn. Hell. Yeah. (Geez people, do I have to buy them for you for Christmas?)
Well, there is one problem with the movie and basically it's why a book can't completely translate into a movie. The story is about Stanley Yelnats (it's a palindrome) and his adventure, but there are tons of backstories on his great-great-grandfather, his great-grandfather, on his friend Zero, and the history of Camp Greenlake, and the clever thing is how they all inter-relate. But when you translate that into a movie, you've got a ton of characters and a lot of explanations that you have to make sure gets understood. So a lot of the subleties were lost. And it's the subtleties that make it a great book.
Changing the subject, the wedding yesterday of a church member was pretty good. It was the first "Korean" wedding where I actually knew the people getting married and they weren't relatives. All you Korean people know what I mean when I say "Korean" wedding, but for you non-Korean-folk, basically, the main difference is, it's usually held at a church, the mothers are in han-boks and light the candles in the beginning, the bride-and-groom have that unity candle-lighting ceremony, they both wear gloves, there was a Korean buffet, and no dancing. It was all quick and over with in under 3 hours, though I came early and stayed later to help.
I had woken up at 4 am yesterday, actually, to be at work by 4:45. After I was done, I wanted to take a nap, but I couldn't because of errands and whatnot, and I was trying to get to the church as early as possible to help. At the end of the day, I was so tired that I fell asleep for a second on the exit ramp for home. I watched a bit of TV, but I was so tired that I ended up going to bed around 9:30, though I was interrupted twice by phone calls. (Sorry Erica) I was hoping that going to bed early could help me wake up earlier to do my Bible study before church, but I ended up waking up later than usual, so not only did I just throw on some clothes and makeup, but I was so late that I missed out on praise. And I'm feeling tired still. Bleh.
My schedule for next week:
Mon -- school
Tue -- 4:15 to 9 am
Wed -- school
Thu -- 4:15 to 9 am
Fri -- 2 to 6 pm
Sat -- nuthin' (maybe I'll go hiking in the morning)
Sun -- church then homework
Saturday's shift had a lead that I haven't worked with, because otherwise I would remember her stickler-for-the-rules attitude. It seems like every move I made required correction. She did complement me once, though. The thing is, it didn't seem any more than usual, but it just seemed that way cuz the way she talked was a lot like how the boss guy did in Office Space. I don't know if they train leads to talk that way, but there's another one that talks like that, too. And since it's snapshot season (snapshot=secret shopper report), it's going to be worse.
I wouldn't mind getting out of retail. If only tutoring was more steady. Like if I could get 10 to 20 hours of it a week or something. I'm seriously considering whether or not medical, stocks, and discounts is enough of an incentive to stay.
Well, there is one problem with the movie and basically it's why a book can't completely translate into a movie. The story is about Stanley Yelnats (it's a palindrome) and his adventure, but there are tons of backstories on his great-great-grandfather, his great-grandfather, on his friend Zero, and the history of Camp Greenlake, and the clever thing is how they all inter-relate. But when you translate that into a movie, you've got a ton of characters and a lot of explanations that you have to make sure gets understood. So a lot of the subleties were lost. And it's the subtleties that make it a great book.
Changing the subject, the wedding yesterday of a church member was pretty good. It was the first "Korean" wedding where I actually knew the people getting married and they weren't relatives. All you Korean people know what I mean when I say "Korean" wedding, but for you non-Korean-folk, basically, the main difference is, it's usually held at a church, the mothers are in han-boks and light the candles in the beginning, the bride-and-groom have that unity candle-lighting ceremony, they both wear gloves, there was a Korean buffet, and no dancing. It was all quick and over with in under 3 hours, though I came early and stayed later to help.
I had woken up at 4 am yesterday, actually, to be at work by 4:45. After I was done, I wanted to take a nap, but I couldn't because of errands and whatnot, and I was trying to get to the church as early as possible to help. At the end of the day, I was so tired that I fell asleep for a second on the exit ramp for home. I watched a bit of TV, but I was so tired that I ended up going to bed around 9:30, though I was interrupted twice by phone calls. (Sorry Erica) I was hoping that going to bed early could help me wake up earlier to do my Bible study before church, but I ended up waking up later than usual, so not only did I just throw on some clothes and makeup, but I was so late that I missed out on praise. And I'm feeling tired still. Bleh.
My schedule for next week:
Mon -- school
Tue -- 4:15 to 9 am
Wed -- school
Thu -- 4:15 to 9 am
Fri -- 2 to 6 pm
Sat -- nuthin' (maybe I'll go hiking in the morning)
Sun -- church then homework
Saturday's shift had a lead that I haven't worked with, because otherwise I would remember her stickler-for-the-rules attitude. It seems like every move I made required correction. She did complement me once, though. The thing is, it didn't seem any more than usual, but it just seemed that way cuz the way she talked was a lot like how the boss guy did in Office Space. I don't know if they train leads to talk that way, but there's another one that talks like that, too. And since it's snapshot season (snapshot=secret shopper report), it's going to be worse.
I wouldn't mind getting out of retail. If only tutoring was more steady. Like if I could get 10 to 20 hours of it a week or something. I'm seriously considering whether or not medical, stocks, and discounts is enough of an incentive to stay.
Friday, October 03, 2003
That bruise on the donation spot isn't so big. I have a slight soreness in that elbow joint, but I think that's from work and not the needle. Sometimes, when I'm tamping the espresso grounds (which means that I'm using this little thing to press down hard on the individual brewer) and my arm is at a 90-degree angle with my elbow facing up and my upper-arm parallel to the ground, I feel a little tingle right above my elbow. Kinda like when you stretch and your joints pop. Anyway, it doesn't hurt, but I wonder if it will lead to something. There was this whole thing about repetitive-stress injury prevention that we had to read, but a lot of it is hard to put into practice. The only one we seem to be doing is not working the bar for more than 30 mins at a time, though I think that has to do more with the customer flow than anything else. And they kicked me out 45 mins early yesterday, and an hour and 20 mins early today! This sucks. It seems like an obsession with the manager/leads to save labor hours. So meanwhile, I'm getting less than 18 hrs a week, and next week it's even worse. Sigh.
On a different note, I watched Bowling for Columbine last week (Robert's DVD), and it's a really good documentary. And it raises a lot of thoughtful questions. What was especially an interesting point was that of the developed countries that have less than 150 gun-related deaths (or is it homicides) per year, Canada doesn't have strict gun-control and in fact has more guns per capita than the US. Yet the US has over eleven-thousand gun deaths per year, while they have around 115.
I also rented a couple of DVDs cuz I had a coupon that expired on Tuesday. I've only watched one, which is Bend It Like Beckham. It's a pretty good movie, though I had to turn on the subtitles after 5 mins cuz I had a hard time understanding what they were saying. Reminds me of Kelly Bundy taking an English-to-English dictionary on their family trip to England. I think it hit home with a lot of young people, because no matter which culture you come from, especially if you are dual-cultured, when what you want and what your parents want are different, problems (and possibly hilarity) ensues. I did learn a new term, though. Slag is British for slut, I'm assuming. So perhaps I'll go around calling people bloody slags. Heh heh.
One more thing, there is a reason why Starbucks is making bank. A tall drip (the small size) is $1.40. The cost of the coffee is approximately 8¢, and the cost of the cup is 10¢, and if we assume the lid and the sleeve add up to 5¢, and since it takes 2 min for a Barista to take the order and fill the cup and give it to the customer (which is about 22¢), then the profit for each tall drip is 95¢, or 68% profit. (BTW, this is a low estimate, since one of the leads said that the net profit from drip coffee is the price - 8¢, which would be a 94% profit.)
Next time, I'm getting soy in all my drinks. Normally they charge 30¢ extra. I think for my slightly-above-minimum-wage wage, I deserve soy. Besides, I don't need a reason for my lactose intolerance to flare up.
On a different note, I watched Bowling for Columbine last week (Robert's DVD), and it's a really good documentary. And it raises a lot of thoughtful questions. What was especially an interesting point was that of the developed countries that have less than 150 gun-related deaths (or is it homicides) per year, Canada doesn't have strict gun-control and in fact has more guns per capita than the US. Yet the US has over eleven-thousand gun deaths per year, while they have around 115.
I also rented a couple of DVDs cuz I had a coupon that expired on Tuesday. I've only watched one, which is Bend It Like Beckham. It's a pretty good movie, though I had to turn on the subtitles after 5 mins cuz I had a hard time understanding what they were saying. Reminds me of Kelly Bundy taking an English-to-English dictionary on their family trip to England. I think it hit home with a lot of young people, because no matter which culture you come from, especially if you are dual-cultured, when what you want and what your parents want are different, problems (and possibly hilarity) ensues. I did learn a new term, though. Slag is British for slut, I'm assuming. So perhaps I'll go around calling people bloody slags. Heh heh.
One more thing, there is a reason why Starbucks is making bank. A tall drip (the small size) is $1.40. The cost of the coffee is approximately 8¢, and the cost of the cup is 10¢, and if we assume the lid and the sleeve add up to 5¢, and since it takes 2 min for a Barista to take the order and fill the cup and give it to the customer (which is about 22¢), then the profit for each tall drip is 95¢, or 68% profit. (BTW, this is a low estimate, since one of the leads said that the net profit from drip coffee is the price - 8¢, which would be a 94% profit.)
Next time, I'm getting soy in all my drinks. Normally they charge 30¢ extra. I think for my slightly-above-minimum-wage wage, I deserve soy. Besides, I don't need a reason for my lactose intolerance to flare up.
Wednesday, October 01, 2003
Boy do I have a story for you today. So I actually picked up the SMC weekly newspaper The Corsair during the break of my first class. Well, in there was an article about how the refridgeration system of the Irvine Red Cross Blood Bank had failed and they ended up with a blood-shortage crisis. Anyway, in order to restock the supply, they are holding a blood mobile drive on the main campus today and tomorrow. Well, not having given blood since 9/11, I figured this was a good enough cause to take the shuttle to the main campus and impart some of my precious bodily fluid.
One thing, I don't know why, but donating blood takes a minimum of one hour, even though the actual donation process takes only about 10-15 mins. It's not even just answering the questions, filling out the paperwork, and taking your vitals. It's that there's a long wait in between each step. Anyway, I only had an hour to donate before the last shuttle left, so it was cutting it close, but I felt convicted about this cause.
Anyway, while I was waiting, I had my sandwich and some water. And after an hour, I finally went in to donate. (At which point I realized that taking the shuttle back was now out, and I'll have to walk the 1.25 miles back.) Well, here's my mistake. You're suppose to be well-hydrated, but the only water I had up to that point was the half-liter bottle water with my sandwich. A half-liter is approximately a pint, and a pint is what I had to donate.
For those of you medically inclined, you might have guessed it. I tend to bleed pretty slowly. I normally have low blood pressure. And I didn't drink enough water. So, after a painful 30 mins, I had just 43 mL to go 'til I filled the bag, and the plebotemists were massaging my arm and hand to get my circulation up, when my vein collapsed.
Argh. All that pain and trouble, and they can't even use that bag. (Which sucks cuz even though it's not regulation-sized, it's still good blood.) And afterwards, I had to sit around with an ice bag strapped to my arm while the nurse told me that I'm going to have a big bruise tomorrow.
The lesson? Drink a lot of water while waiting to donate blood!
I kept asking complete strangers if they could give me a ride to the Academy campus since I didn't want to pass out in the middle of my 20-min walk. But in the end, I didn't pass out, although I was more than a half-hour late for my class.
But even though this donation was a lot of trouble, I will donate again! There is always a blood shortage in California, and even though I'm A+ and therefore not as useful as an O-, I will try to give whenever possible. So for you sissies out there (you know who you are!), the pain is minimal compared to the good you'll do, so donate! They've already got so many limitations on who can donate (just added SARS and West Nile, in addition to Mad Cow which eliminates western Europe) that if I can, I'd feel guilty if I'm not. Besides, they give you cookies!
On a different note, fun links:
Map to Mordor
Project Genesis
One thing, I don't know why, but donating blood takes a minimum of one hour, even though the actual donation process takes only about 10-15 mins. It's not even just answering the questions, filling out the paperwork, and taking your vitals. It's that there's a long wait in between each step. Anyway, I only had an hour to donate before the last shuttle left, so it was cutting it close, but I felt convicted about this cause.
Anyway, while I was waiting, I had my sandwich and some water. And after an hour, I finally went in to donate. (At which point I realized that taking the shuttle back was now out, and I'll have to walk the 1.25 miles back.) Well, here's my mistake. You're suppose to be well-hydrated, but the only water I had up to that point was the half-liter bottle water with my sandwich. A half-liter is approximately a pint, and a pint is what I had to donate.
For those of you medically inclined, you might have guessed it. I tend to bleed pretty slowly. I normally have low blood pressure. And I didn't drink enough water. So, after a painful 30 mins, I had just 43 mL to go 'til I filled the bag, and the plebotemists were massaging my arm and hand to get my circulation up, when my vein collapsed.
Argh. All that pain and trouble, and they can't even use that bag. (Which sucks cuz even though it's not regulation-sized, it's still good blood.) And afterwards, I had to sit around with an ice bag strapped to my arm while the nurse told me that I'm going to have a big bruise tomorrow.
The lesson? Drink a lot of water while waiting to donate blood!
I kept asking complete strangers if they could give me a ride to the Academy campus since I didn't want to pass out in the middle of my 20-min walk. But in the end, I didn't pass out, although I was more than a half-hour late for my class.
But even though this donation was a lot of trouble, I will donate again! There is always a blood shortage in California, and even though I'm A+ and therefore not as useful as an O-, I will try to give whenever possible. So for you sissies out there (you know who you are!), the pain is minimal compared to the good you'll do, so donate! They've already got so many limitations on who can donate (just added SARS and West Nile, in addition to Mad Cow which eliminates western Europe) that if I can, I'd feel guilty if I'm not. Besides, they give you cookies!
On a different note, fun links:
Map to Mordor
Project Genesis
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