Kite Running and Citizen Thai

  We flew a kite this weekend and it was so relaxing. Stressful because I didn't want to let to and afraid that the string would snap, but relaxing seeing the kite being carried by the wind.
It makes me think a lot about how I handle life situations. I tend to worry about things and want to keep them tied down with a string. I want to keep control and I'm scared that things will fall apart when times get tough. But at the same time, I know the wind is carrying the kite. I can't see the wind, but I see the effects of the wind. I know that with God, certain things don't require such an effort to make it take flight, but He just carries it. I need to constantly be reminded of it. Just as at church on Sunday, while singing the hymns. Every day, I need to tell myself the Gospel and Jesus' loving sacrifice or else I'll lose sight of the central issues.

In other news, we ate with a bunch of friends at another Zagat Rated Restaurant: Citizen Thai and the Monkey. Located in North Beach, this tops Osha Thai and Marnee Thai on style and ambiance. It's an amazing place for a party. There were at least four large parties there. This two story restaurant has a downstairs bar/dining room along with a full upstairs. They offer a seasonal menu which includes things like Pumpkin and Chicken curry served in the pumpkin. Their appetizers were very good. The Chef's Sampler was huge and included lots of fried stuff, mango salad with a sweet oil and peanut sauce on the side. I ordered the Scallop with Yellow Curry and tried the Pad Thai. The scallops were fried and served in the curry so they turned out to be a little too soggy for my taste, but all in all, the yellow curry was just spicy enough and just sweet enough to eat with plain rice. (I know, I MIXED my food, it's a big step). This is also a good date place if you wanted to spend time in North Beach but not in the mood for Italian Food. But I think it's better and more festive for large parties.

Opera in the Ballpark

Friday I did a once-in-a-lifetime act. I stood where Barry Bonds hit his record-breaking homerun, ran around to the bases and sat on the UBER soft grass that is ATT park.

Why?

Opera in the Park. Samson and Delilah were having their closing night at the SF Opera House and they decided to simulcast to ATT park for free. It was pretty awesome. What was even more awesome were these:
 
YES THAT'S RIGHT. Gilroy Garlic Fries. Highly recommended. So Good.

There's

activity going on in the empty lot across the street from my house.

YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS...

PUMPKIN PATCH!!!!!!!!!

ergo...

PUMPKIN SWEETS TO GO AROUND!!!!!!!

::claps hands::

Symmetry

So I decided to buy a pair of new bookcases because I have a BUTTLOAD of books and other stuff to store. So of course, only having 1.5 years left here at UCSF, I decide to go with the cheapest possible option: Ikea Flarke Bookshelves ($20 ea). After four hours, the dust has settled, carpet vacuumed and all parts more or less put together.
 
The symmetry is breathtaking isn't it?

New pictures on Picasa. Check it out.

Classes

I have a problem. That's usually first step when dealing with problems, right? I have a problem. What's my problem? Not going to class. So far this quarter we've had 15 hours of class and I've missed 6 of them.

Today I had class at 8 and I ended up getting go class at 10. went to 2 hours of class. My reasoning for today's miss was that all of the classes have lectures of the audio. And I have a long day today with class, work and all of that.

But I've come to realize that I overestimate what I can do efficiently without getting stressed out. I've effectively become on "school" mode and automatically on school mode, i'm five hundred billion times more stressed than "work" mode or "summer" mode. I need to evaluate why that is. But anyway, my point being is that I have a limit to all the "stuff" I can do and multitasking may not be one of my strengths, either is trying to maintain a sane demeanor during school and having to "preform."

At any rate... we're going backpacking this weekend. Needless to say, it's going to be beautiful. :)

Beauty in the Brokenness

City Church has this special ministry called "Open Forum." And tonight it was a conversation with artist, Makoto Fujimura at the DeYoung Museum. It was the artist's reflections on September 11th. He lived three blocks from ground zero and his studio is 9 blocks. I'm once again reminded to stop and reflect before moving on from something. An event that he had with another japanese artist after the terror was this idea of a Japanese Tea Room. It was a place of "shalom" as he called it, a place for dialogue, for learning and an exchange of ideas over tea. A place for someone to express themselves, to engage and to process what they've gone through, what God has taught them. I think people need that. I especially think I need that.

Food Critic

Ever since moving to San Francisco, I've wanted to sample the UBER-good cuisine the city has to offer. I had my eye on the Zagat Restaurant book but never bought it until last week. So here's the first of many potential reviews of restaurants.

I guess I'm a foodie at heart.

A16 (Chestnut Street, Marina District)

All I gotta say is this is one of the most Yuppy restaurants I've ever been to. It's basically a restaurant of twenty-somethings and those young at heart craving some good Italian Food especially from the Campolino region of Italy. I wanted to come here because it's near my work and everytime I pass by it (even during the day) it's full of people and yesterday we had an occasion to. Well not really, but it was fun. All I gotta say is their homemade pasta is amazing. It was in this proscuitto base tomato sauce topped with grated mozzarella cheese. The noodles had enough gluten in it such that when you bite into it, it doesn't fall apart, but it's just the right level of chewy. We also tried the Marguerita Pizza. It was a little charred for my taste, but the thin crust and everything together was still pretty good.

The ambiance is nice and the waiters are trendy. All in all, I think it's a really good date place. (Winnie, I know you, Debbie and Yoona still doubt my standards of what constitutes as "date-y" but I'm sure this one is. :D)

Clean White Porcelain

 
Yes that's right. Our pink, squishy, germy cesspool of a toilet seat is gone.

And the replacement? A clean, cool, white toilet has replaced it.

Our bathroom is good, finally. :)

Photos

Hi.

Photos posted from my summer:

Vacation in China

Central Asia!!!

Quotations

"In a word, live together in the forgiveness of your sins, for without it no human fellowship, least of all a marriage, can survive. Don't insist on your rights, don't blame each other, don't judge or condemn each other, don't find fault with each other, but accept each other as you are, and forgive each other every day from the bottom of your hearts." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer.

Friends

One of my favorite pictures.

Dude, I'm freaking Jetlagged.

Yes that's right. So recounting the sleep cycles.... slept on Saturday morning at 2am, got up at 7am, went back to sleep at 1pm, got up at 5pm, went to bed on Sunday morning at 1am, got up at 6am, went back to bed at 12pm, woke up at 8pm, went back to bed on Monday at 1am, got up at FREAKING 5:41 AM.

that's NOT what i'm freaking talking about. shooooooot.


THIS is what happens when you slide down a mountain on your butt. Oh well, now I have a more expensive pair of jeans (according to abercrombie and fitch) and a memory out of it.

In case you didn't know...

Kyrgyzstan is here.

My new "special" friend.

Issy-Kul, Kyrgyzstan

Coming Home

Living abroad is a very interesting concept. My roots are not in the place where I am inhabiting, and yet I've gotten into a routine and have made friends and found my niche (more or less). It is unfamiliar, yet a place where I am forced to adapt to. I am here being stretched to fit into a mold that I've never tried on.

I feel like that's a lot like how we Christians should approach our lives. I heard somewhere that our home is not of this world. That we are merely pilgrims here. We are born, we live and we die for one purpose: God. I guess those are all the thoughts in my head right now (besides the prospect of sleeping in my own bed with my baby blanket, talking to friends without having to worry about the cost and seeing familiar sights).

At any rate, in about...17 hours familiarity shall return. :)

In 8 hours

I will be leaving on a big boeing 777 probably... maybe 747 to fly across the pacific ocean to the big closed country in Asia for 2 weeks and then a smaller country in central asia for 4 mo.

Pray for me.

In the last week or so.. it's been a whirlwind from finals to preparing to actually leaving.

So for the next 6 weeks, I'll be taking a brief hiatus. But on that note, I'll leave you with a beef wellington. Hopefully that will be interesting enough to look at for the next month or so.

Coming to terms...

I'm coming to terms with the fact that I really do like the color pink.
I'm coming to terms with the fact that I'm a girl and I get emotional.

Coming to terms...
About 10 months ago, I posted this.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.
(Psalm 1:2-3)

This passage has been on the forefront of my mind this past year. It was my goal, it was something I wanted God to change about me and I prayed for it every night.

I feel like God has answered so many prayers this past year and taught me what it is to live abundantly abiding in Christ.

I remember in August, I was feeling really down. It was hard just to get out of bed in the morning. That feeling sucks. That hopelessness. But I think it was necessary for me to feel that way in order for God to teach me about his unconditional Love and what grace is.

I think fall quarter was all about working through and throwing out all of the skeletons in my closet. Any old shame that I was carrying, anxieties that have plagued me since childhood. But through all of that, there were good moments. In those moments, I felt like I was breathing oxygen for the first time. I could see and feel the warmth of the sun and I didn't have a care in the world. But they were just moments at a time.

Winter quarter was the transition. Moments of joy turned into days and weeks with sadness peppered within. I found community that was joyful and settlers. Haahaa, settlers is fun. I think everyone should play. It wasn't just that the game was fun, but it was the environment we had, the community. THAT was when I laughed until my side hurt. :)

Spring quarter was SO GOOOOOOOD. Now I feel like my default is joy and contentment. God is good. He's blessed me with so much and sometimes I can't help but smile and remember how good God is. I hope I never loose that. I never want to take God's power, love and grace for granted. I never ever want to take advantage of the people close to me. I want always to be thankful.

Psalm 1 was the theme of this year and it's been a good year.

Done and done.

I'M DONE I'M DONE! EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! :D

1) San Tung with the roomates tonight!
2) Biking to Sausalito tomorrow!
3) Big Red next week!

yayayayayayayay!!!!

Reflections to come shortly.

but... ::dance dance:: I'M DONE~!!

Chinese food? Really?

I have nothing interesting to say, except...

I CAN MAKE METH NOW!

So sad. So easy. That makes it even sadder.

Sunny Days

it's june already? what the heck?

time travels fast. sometimes i feel like as i age, time passes a lot faster, scary but exciting at the same time.

I have nothing really substantial to say just because I've been cramming my brain with information...

The upperclassmen were right, Farm school gets harder with each quarter. It's not the fact that the concepts are hard, but the sheeeeeeeeeeeeeer volume of information that we need to learn and retain is a little unsettling.

mreh... i need to keep the perspective that I'm doing it all for God. and all of this is a gift from God, NOT to be taken for granted.

Oh Crap! Finals are in a week!

!!!! >_<

from the Weekend

 

FoodTV

I love being home because I can sit and watch FoodTV all day. Like right now. I'm watching All Star Grill - South Beach. OMG...grilled bruschetta, Parsley Spice Rub over Chicken, Chocolate chip cookie s'mores, grilled pork tenderloin with coconut/tomato salad, grilled artichoke with parsley sauce.

One of these days... I'm going to make a full on Italian Meal: appetizer, entree, dessert, the whole 9 years.

Another thing that I love about being home is sitting in front of the piano. Like all good Asian children, I took piano lessons growing up. All two years. Granted, I'm not grade 10 in CM or whatever, but I love just sitting in front of the piano with just me, worship song chords and my voice. It's the best time of worship. I find that more often than not, these are the times of sweetest worship when I'm just by myself either in front of the piano or with just my guitar. It's even cooler when my parents come and sing along, too. Very informal, very relaxed, very uninhibited. I love it.

I <3 Torrance

Why?

because my parents are there
because it's 5 minutes away from the beach
it's familiar
there's a park across the street

and i'm going there this weekend.

so blessed, I am.

Thanks God :)

Checklists

So I've told a number of people that I have a list of things to do in San Francisco before I graduate. And another person asked if I had a list of things to do before I die. And another person asked if I had it in writing. Ok here goes:
Things to do in SF before I graduate:
1) Climb Half Dome
2) Run bay to breakers at least once more
3) To do this
4) Go Sailing in the Bay
5) See fireworks from Teasure Island
6) Go to Suite 181
7) Legion of Honor
8) go Camping somewhere...real tent, real campsite.
9) Buy something from the new Bloomingdales
10) Go to Fillmore Jazz Festival
11) Run Nike Women's Marathon (maybe half marathon...)
12) Go to Vegas and play as a legal adult, none of this under 18 stuff

Things to do before I die:
1) Read and finish Modern Library's Top 100 Models
2) Tour Italy
3) Snowboard in the Alps
4) See AnkorWat
5) Sleep the whole night in a hammock
6) Raise a kid well
7) To save a life somehow

I'll think of more stuff later. :)

Last Weekend

Roz for Choice

No, I'm not advocating a woman's right to choose, but I've come across a very interesting epiphany this past weekend. I can choose. I have the choice on how I react to certain situations even though sometimes I always thought i was "made" to react a certain way. I can choose my future husband. Even though it feels counterintuitive to me, I have the choice to say yes or no instead of thinking that any guy that "chooses me" is a keeper. That's what's been my downfall in the past. I have the choice to accept things and I have the choice to be joyful.

This is what free will feels like. Kind of liberating.

But you know how you know there's organic vegetables, but you still get the cheaper vegetables? You still don't get the organic vegetables (even though they might be better) because you're comfortable with the cheaper vegetables. I feel that way sometimes with this newfound freedom. I'm still in the habit of not choosing... not even considering my choices. That's an interesting habit to break.

God has brought me such a long way from that bad place, but this past weekend, he's reminded me that I'm not fine yet. That i'm still a work in progress and I definitely can't provide my own joy. It's funny how amazing His timing is.

Quick Case!

RC is a 24 yo female who comes into your office complaining of dizziness, tingling hands and feeling "cold". She appears to be lethargic, her lips and conjunctiva is pale. upon physical examination reveals everything in normal limits. She has a history of irregular menses. The latest cycle started today. She also donated blood yesterday.

What do you recommend?

Yup, that's me.
Current therapy includes:
Liberal Amounts of Fluid
Ferrous Fumarate 86mg. (27mg elemental FE)

Anything else I should do?

Worst Joke Ever

But I still laugh EVERY TIME.

 

Representative Conversation
Roz: Hey.. my mom left some updog in the freezer, what to try some?
Person A: What's updog?
Roz: Oh, nothing much, wanna go to the beach?
Person A: LAAAAAAME

dude... gets me every time.

Invisible

I've felt invisible so many times before, but these children... are truly invisible. Abducted in their homes, schools, and trained to fight in the LRA. I can't imagine having to walk 10 miles every night just to find a safe place to sleep.
I was looking at the bracelet campaign and one of the bracelets is about a girl named Rosalyn. It's eerie to know that someone with my name has been abducted, raped or even killed because of this war.

Walking Contradiction

So I'm walking along Parnassus Ave. and at the bus stop, I see a man dressed in jeans and a T-shirt that says.. "Trust me, I'm a Doctor." and he's smoking.

Pharmacists are supposed to have really good memories. Mine sucks. 2 weeks ago, I forgot my keys THREE TIMES that week. THREE TIMES, I had to call one of my roomates or landlord to let me in. Now I have a sign in the stairwell saying "Keys, Wallet, Cell Phone" to remind me.

Early Alzheimers?

Learning Impaired

::vent::

I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING FOR THERAPEUTICS!!!

a;lsdkfj jk;a lkdfj

so frustrating.

::end vent::

Loneliness

I feel my loneliness more acutely when every member of my family is more than 2000 miles away.

Today, I went to class (well, some of it), went to work and came home. I did most stuff by myself, not really talking to anyone. But i've been feeling it since yesterday night when my family scattered all over the rest of the world.

Even though i was still kind of far from everyone before yesterday, I still felt like there was a connection.

Anyway...on a more positive note, if you want a prayer letter for my summer endeavors, let me know.

picture post part quatre

From the biggest m&m store in the world. They have this machine that "deciphers" your color mood. I think mine is pretty accurate.









FAO Swartz. Unfortunately, we only spent like 6min in the store and the giant keyboard was closed. but the Patrick the Pups were available, so we take a picture. The lighting in this picture is amazing. Good job!









WHEN YOU CAME?!!?!!?!
is the motto of this trip? Why? I dunno.. maybe 'cause we're travelling in NYC... FoB sTyLe~!!!

Picture Post Part Trois

We <3 NY!!! Taken at the Statue of Liberty. Skyline of Manhattan in the background.










Taken at Ground Zero. Apologize for the language, but I feel like it kind of hits home what my generation thinks, how we think and what we think about. Pretty powerful.








Serendipity. Aside from the UBER-rude host, the frozen hot chocolate was awesome. And so is this picture. (taken by Aileen)









We're at the met. There were 2 free pedestals, so we're now egyptian gods! Then people started copying us which made the experience pretty funny.

Picture Post Part Deax

Iceskating at the Roc. do the roc-away... and lean back.. and lean back.... ok cheesy. sorry, I just burst into booty song sometimes. I love this picture, too. Except a creepy street vendor didn't take it like the one in Friends.







Taken at Max Brenner's. That you see us eating is a crepe with chocolate and hazelnut. Yes, I guess you can say it's nutella. but House made nutella!!!








SLUMBER PARTY!!! We all look beautiful without makeup. I had a really good time spending time with these girls and just having fun. Good job with the bonding. :)

PICTURE POST!

Myun Hwa came! I'm sorry again for making you wait for the restaurant for so long, but it was SOOOOO good to see you! :)
As you can see... the corn in the cob in our mouths, and we are very happy. This is the BEST corn on the cob ever. Grilled, smothered with cheese and paprika. OMG so good.
(Cafe Habana - Soho)





The 4 of us (-Christina) at bar 13 with the BEST DJ EVAR! This is how I kicked off my Birthday. Fun stuff.









This is all of us (-Winnie) in Central Park. I love the composition of this picture. The sole male in the picture is Joe. He's one of Christina's friends from college and is an AWESOME tourguide. THANKS JOECHENGOD!!!







Winnie, Julie and I on some ledge at Club Duvet. This is how I finished off my birthday. DJ not as good, but it was fun, nevertheless.

2 encouraging things

let it go,
let it roll right off your shoulder
don’t you know
the hardest part is over
let it in,
let your clarity define you
in the end
we will only just remember how it feels

our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain

let it slide,
let your troubles fall behind you
let it shine
until you feel it all around you
and i don’t mind
if it’s me you need to turn to
we’ll get by,
it’s the heart that really matters in the end

our lives are made
in these small hours
these little wonders,
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away,
but these small hours,
these small hours still remain

all of my regret
will wash away some how
but i can not forget
the way i feel right now

in these small hours
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away but these small hours
these small hours, still remain,
still remain
these little wonders
these twists & turns of fate
time falls away
but these small hours
these little wonders still remain
-Rob Thomas

"Look into my, Lord. In obedience to your will I recall this and confess to you. May my soul now adhere to you. You detached it from the birdlime which held me fast in death. How unhappy it was! Your scalpel cut to the quick of the wound, so that I should have leave all these ambitions and be converted to you, who are 'above all things' (Rom 9:5) and without whom all things are nothing, and that by conversion I should be healed."
-St. Augustine

4Seasons

The 4 seasons is a really popular metaphor for life. Why? Because it fits so well.

I dunno...

I feel like my life so far has gone through Spring (being born), Summer (growing up), Fall (High School, parts of college), Winter (parts of college and first year of pharmacy school) and now the season has come back to Spring.

Bringing in another cliche, spring really does come in like a lion and out like a lamb. I feel like the frost is melting from my psyche and shoots are growing. Am I establishing roots in the bay area? I dunno. But I feel like I'm in that transition between winter and spring. Where it rains a lot, there's a lot of growth and hopefully some flowering coming soon and some snow still left on the ground. Episodes of sadness, of wanting not to live anymore, extreme tiredness, burntoutness and fatigue have plagued my bones these past few years and I'm ready for Spring.

I'm ready for the growth, for the growing pains that shape one's character. I still hurt, but i've come to realize that the hurt is good. People who have lived charmed lives don't know what it feels like to hurt and their joy is taken for granted. I never EVER want to take the joy that I've recieved for granted. ever.

and that, again is too poetic for my own good.

time for pho!.... pho' shizzle.

Buzz

This morning was abuzz. The classroom was swimming with both excitement and disappointment. Everyone was asking everyone else "where are you going?" Today was the day the list was posted. The list of the rotation site assignments. We're placed in one of 6 sites: San Francisco, South Bay, LA/OC, Fresno, Davis and San Diego. Yesterday we were all nervous.

Where am I going?

I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying. :)

Blue Like Jazz

I guess I have a lot to say considering I updated about 12 hrs ago.

But on the plane ride to and fro NY, I started and finished Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. Yes, I'm still working on Anna Karenina and Confessions. But I borrowed the book for spring break (THANKS JEN!!) and thought I should read it. It reads a lot like a blog. But the book is interesting in that it is written from life in the first person. It's unexpectedly candid and he is very real and honest about his faith. This book is the manifestation of Phil 2:12. Donald Miller continues to work out his salvation with fear and trembling and its very apparent in his book.

Something that I don't exactly agree with is his description of is salvation as being "Christian Spirituality" and comparing it to the negatively connoted "Christianity" and "Fundamentalism." I think it is still possible to be a fundamentalist christian and still have liberal ideas about social justice and politics. I dunno, it's just me. As some people would describe me as a "utopian idealist."

Gosh... that was dang academic. I think it's a good read. God works in subtle ways in the U.S. and this book is a testament to it.

What else was I going to talk about?

oh yeah,

So I AM going to try this reading one non science book a quarter thing. Even though therapeutics (the ugly monster that will probably be my profession in the next 5 years) I still want to be well rounded and experience everything from art to literature to good music. BTW, Duncan Shiek is playing at the independent in April. Anyone want to come with me?

OH YEAH, i wanted to talk about goals this quarter...

It's the year of the pig and I just turned 24. Excuse me if this sounds self absorbed, but this is going to be MY YEAR. Yes, that's right. So prepare, people. I actually always wanted to say that and no I have nothing interesting to follow it up with. oh well. Goes to show how deep I am. :P

WHEN YOU CAME?!

Travellers:
Aileen
Christina
Julie
Roz
Winnie

Tourguide:
Joe Cheng(od)

Restaurants:
Spice
Cafe Habana
Afghan House
Gray's Papaya
Il Something Trattoria
Burmese House
Pommes Frites
So-lang Tang (in NY K-town)
Squisito Pizza
Hot Dog Stand
Nuts4Nuts
Empenada Mama's
Yeah! Shanghai (xiao long bao.. makes me want to say.. PEACE OUT, A TOWN!)

Desserts:
Cafe Lola
Serendipity 3
Max Benner's Chocolates
Rice to Riches
Lindt Store
M&M Store

Attractions:
Rent on Broadway
Times Square
Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island
East Villiage
Chinatown
Watching a street fight
Ground Zero
SHOPPING!!!
Guggenheim
the Met
J. Lo, her booty and her emaciated husband

Bars/Clubs:
Crocodile Lounge
Club Duvet
Bar 13
230 5th Ave

I <3
N Y

All my bags are packed

and i'm ready to go...

GOING TO NEW YORK CITY FOR SPRING BREAK!!!!!

::dance, dance::

OMG, I'M BEYOND EXCITED! :)

oh my goodness... i can't believe I'm spending my birthday in the Big Apple. OMG, I'm SOOOOOOOOOOO excited. :)

Listen

You're calling me to lay aside the worries of my day
To quiet down my busy mind and finding a hiding place
Worthy, you are Worthy

I crave God's voice. I hear so many other voices in my head that God's voice has become almost silent and it saddens me. Unashamed Love is a song that I can sing from my heart because I get caught up so easily with my busy mind. A vortex of swirling thoughts that are sometimes false, sometimes negative and sometimes not a clear perception of reality.

The thing is.... i've come to the point where I don't trust ANY of my thoughts. I don't trust my judgment, I don't trust my decision-making skills. It's almost like learning to think all over again.

This just means that I need to be more vigilant in filling my thoughts with words of God and really being able lay aside the worries of my day. Being secure in knowing that the Cross is all I need for security, for worth. At City Church we've been studying Galatians and the point of it was that Paul was trying to make it a point that our spiritual lives started in the Spirit, it shouldn't end in the flesh (Gal. 3) That my salvation is not Christ + something but Christ alone. In Christ alone my hope is found.

Anyway, I've procrastinated long enough. I should actually listen to myself and start studying right now. :P

Mango

I found my future dog. If no one adopts her, I will.
Meet Mango. She's from the Rocket Dog Rescue Adoption agency from SF. She's 20-25 pounds and about 1.5 years old. Look at those eyes. Look at her ears.
I love her and I want to take her home with me. This is my outlet of procrastination 'cause I can't study for more than 30 min at a time... and my eyes are getting increasingly worse. But isn't she sweet?

We have the same temperament, and she's even from TAIWAN! ^_^

::sigh:: if only I had the time to take care of a dog.

She's completely house broken, too!!
Maybe I can teach her how to follow mandarin commands so we can be chinese together, like my old dog Lili.

And mango. I love that name. It's so cute.


In other news, I've fallen in love with Dmitry Shostakovich. Heard a piano concerto and a symphony and I was hooked. No more of this prodigy Mozart Classical stuff anymore. I've moved on to the brooding Russian composers like Shostakovich, Dvorak and Rachmaninov. My String Quartet Concertos is coming in the mail. SCORE!! Just in time for finals. :)

Highlighter Rant

Being a student, highlighters are very important to me. Since for as long as I can remember, I've been on a quest to search for the best highlighter. Alas, to no avail, I've found only failures in the field of highlighting.

::sigh::

Know any good highlighter brands?

Catalyst

Sometimes I ask myself, how come I didn't discover this sooner?
It usually applies to positive things like a fantastic study venue, a good hole-in-the-wall restaurant or even better...a good group of friends.
After a year of pharmacy school, we needed the perfect catalyst to bring us all together. It was good for all of us. Good in different ways, but it's something that I'm not about to let go of. I love you guys. Hope we can hang out soon. :)

In other news, my psuedo Lent abandonment is studying at places where it costs money to purchase a caffeinated beverage. Why is it pseudo? 'cause there's no real spiritual reason why I've given up studying at cafes, only financial. It just happens to coincide with the Lenten season. so spiritual, i know. So i've been studying at home and in the library. Saves a LOT of money. For a student on loans, that helps.

This next weekend will be perfect to go to the snow. I went last weekend and the powder was thigh deep in some areas but driving down was a bear. Snow, sleet, wind and going at an average of 3mph. Not fun when you're ischemic in the uterus. But since the weather's been good, there'll be a break in the blizzarding and Tahoe will be perfect for those of you seeking excitement on pillows of white powder. Falling couldn't be more fun.

An update on going abroad this summer. I decided about 6 months ago that I'm going overseas. Where? I don't know. I'm praying for a partner to go with me to South Asia (i don't want to go alone for safety reasons.... and it'll be nice to have company to serve with). I do.... I have a special heart for people who don't live in the luxury I have hear and I've always yearned to live more simply, to be exposed to what injustice is and to somehow help to stop it. The more I think about going abroad, the more excited I get, even though I don't know where the Lord wants me to go yet. But right now, I'm almost certain that He wants me to go. I've always thought, I want to leave a mark on this world for Christ and for everything that he's done in my life and this is one of the most tangible ways I can. So many people have left their mark on my life and God has been gracious in showing me His power, grace and love, I can't possibly think of doing anything else.

SAR

SAR = Structure Activity Relationships.

AND I HAVE ONE!!!! ::raving gf post ahead:: <3<3<3

I <3 pharm chem. I <3 it so much that I'm getting tested on it on the day of LOOOOOOOVEEEE. I've been sleeping with pharm chem every night and it's been the FREAKING BEST I'VE EVER HAD!!!!

i know.. how inappropriate is my post right now. but you have to understand... i'm shellshocked from the volume of exams we've had in the past month. excuse my inappropriateness.... but i <3 pharm chem. I love it so much that i think about it every moment of every day. even when i'm spending time in other classes.

oh well.

Fear and Music

Yay for BMG! Got my midterm madness care package today of 6 cds all for 5.99 free shipping and handling.

Brandon Heath: unknown.. but very very good.
City on a Hill: The gathering
Michael Buble: It's Time
Casting Crowns: Lifesong
John Mayer: Continuum
Caedmon's Call: In the Company of Angels

The last one is 'cause I miss Christina, Jeff, Kev and hanging out in Kev's Camry.

Now on to fear:

Fear is crippling. I've lived in fear. Fear of judgment, fear of rejection, fear of death, fear of the dark. (strangely enough... not fear of public speaking). But the fighting part of me laughs in the face of fear and in a sense... I'll hurl myself down a double black and not look back.

I can't imagine people living under the cloud of fear their whole life. Eventually it's gonna come, bite you in the butt and you'll have to face it. I was scared.. i had 2 choices: run or face it.
Which one's worse?
running is better in the short term.
facing is better in the long term.

Whatever you're afraid of...face it. Hurl yourself down the mountain telling yourself that you'll eventually get down. You'll get hurt (maybe), but going down that slope successfully will be satisfying beyond measure.

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."

3 minute post

Things have been hectic.

It's been a very very eventful few weeks so far and yeah...

But on a more relaxing note, I got my first professional massage ever a couple days ago and OH MY GOODNESS, it was awesome. The therapist did pressure point myotherapy to relieve soreness from boarding in Tahoe. it felt like I was being pricked with a needle, and then all of a sudden this overwhelming sense of relaxation came from my muscles. Wow, I think I'm gonna get a massage everytime I come back from Tahoe. Maybe even after midterms. Once a week would be awesome, but of course I don't have the time OR money.

Anyway, times up. Gotta go!