ever since that facial (see prev. post), i've been feeling weird vibes from.. everywhere. maybe it's the TV, internet, magazines, or just simply walking on the street. and it sounds dumb, really dumb, but..
am i supposed to be making myself look beautiful?
i've heard the whole spiel (sp?) about inner beauty. i'm not talking about that. i'm talking about the i-don't-care-if-i'm-shallow-as-long-as-i'm-as-beautiful-as-the-next-cosmo-girl kind of beauty. you know, taipei IS a city after all, and i suppose city girls care about their looks a lot more. and then there's the saying, "there are no ugly girls, only lazy ones." which brings me to ask the question, can a girl be beautiful without any effort? say, spend 30 seconds brushing her hair, no make-up, spend another 60 seconds figuring out what to wear, and not wear any sunblock. then out the door we go. and there you have it, a shelley. maybe that's always been ok, but now that i'm legally 18, and going onto college, is that still ok?
i'm not opposed to make-up, but i don't feel like actively learning about it. much less is my motivation to wake up 15 min. earlier everyday to APPLY the makeup. and even if i wanted to do all this, i also find makeup artists (those people who stand at those shiny white counters) to be extremely intimidating, and makeup itself to be way out of my budget. so call me lazy, but call me ugly?
i DO care about how i look but i don't feel like putting anything on my face. is this.. normal?? to makeup experts out there, this is a cry for help.
facially challenged,
Shellz
8.31.2003
8.29.2003
facial
i had a facial today. it was a promotional thing so it was free! hrm.. i always thought facials were like massages, where you just lie there and enjoy. but was i WRONG.
it hurt! i always knew i had blackheads but never really cared about them since no one else seemed to notice anyway. apparently, to get rid of those things no one sees, girls have to undergo a lot of pain. >_< yes.
so my face probably looks much more radiant and feels smoother or whatever, but i really don't see the difference. not at all. sometimes i wish i were a guy.
it hurt! i always knew i had blackheads but never really cared about them since no one else seemed to notice anyway. apparently, to get rid of those things no one sees, girls have to undergo a lot of pain. >_< yes.
so my face probably looks much more radiant and feels smoother or whatever, but i really don't see the difference. not at all. sometimes i wish i were a guy.
well it looks like i can't write chinese on here. >:O a d;fiawoe;iafjeowijaoeiwjoaiwejoaiew
so, here is the link.
so, here is the link.
evo
it's funny how memories work, isn't it?
the way you can think about something and remember the taste, the smell, the air. at that exact moment. the way you can look at an object and remember how you held it in your hands on that day, that today as you hold it, you know he once held it too. the way you can close your eyes and just breathe in his smell, as if he's right there next to you. and you just breathe. even though you know he's not there, you breathe. and you remember.
and then it seems as if that is all you need to go on.
the way you can think about something and remember the taste, the smell, the air. at that exact moment. the way you can look at an object and remember how you held it in your hands on that day, that today as you hold it, you know he once held it too. the way you can close your eyes and just breathe in his smell, as if he's right there next to you. and you just breathe. even though you know he's not there, you breathe. and you remember.
and then it seems as if that is all you need to go on.
8.27.2003
majors, etc.
for the sake of convenience, i used berkeley's schedule planner for my NTU schedule. ^^;; yes i still feel very much attached to berkeley-ness.
anyway, if you're curious enough, you can view my schedule here.
i talked to the intl. students person today.. it looks like they weren't in charge of the admission process, so they don't know why all the business majors spots went to hong kong/malaysia/indonesia countries and not US or canada. and they said that 30% of the intl. students want to switch majors, which shows there's a big problem in the admission process. but anyway, i DID get more information about exactly what it means to transfer as an intl. student, but looks like it's still up to my first-year academics to decide where i go. and if i choose an easier major to transfer into (as opposed to intl. business, top 5%) then it might be a better idea... after all, i can't disregard the adjustment period. gah >_< soooo it is a semi easier way out but.. it's also the more possible way.
*disappointed and hopeful at the same time*
anyway, if you're curious enough, you can view my schedule here.
i talked to the intl. students person today.. it looks like they weren't in charge of the admission process, so they don't know why all the business majors spots went to hong kong/malaysia/indonesia countries and not US or canada. and they said that 30% of the intl. students want to switch majors, which shows there's a big problem in the admission process. but anyway, i DID get more information about exactly what it means to transfer as an intl. student, but looks like it's still up to my first-year academics to decide where i go. and if i choose an easier major to transfer into (as opposed to intl. business, top 5%) then it might be a better idea... after all, i can't disregard the adjustment period. gah >_< soooo it is a semi easier way out but.. it's also the more possible way.
*disappointed and hopeful at the same time*
8.25.2003
language barriers
i might be able to transfer into international business - i'm going to be able to talk to the guy in charge of intl. students on wednesday. hopefully the process will be simpler than if i had to compete with people in my own class to get in. my sister just gave me a "coaching session" on how to present my case to them and stuff.. why oh why do i have to do all this explaining in chinese... *beads of sweat collect on forehead* so i guess that berkeley admission letter was useful after all.. all is not in vain.
is it because of the language difference? i feel less confident here for some reason.. it's almost as if i'm losing part of myself.. i'm more afraid of arguing/competing now.. gah i don't know why.. >_< i feel like everyone else has an advantage over me, and that's because they can speak their mind and express themselves exactly the way they want to. when i.. i'm struggling with words and get stuck in the middle of the sentence when that specific english word is just screaming in capital letters inside my head. and sometimes i give up and just say the english translation but i get blank stares and then i'm afraid that i made the mistake every asian person makes when they visit their mother country, and that is acting arrogant as if english is superior to chinese. but why am i so much less aggressive now? and will i ever be able to make this place my home?
i knew it was going to be tough.. that's what i tell myself everytime i run into some problem that even a 12-year-old would be able to solve just because they've always lived here. like today i had to ask my dad how to address an envelope the chinese way (vertically). >_< gosh i feel like an idiot. just as big an idiot as the time when i first moved to america and i didn't even know how to yell at those kids who cut in front of me because i didn't know how to complain. but i just keep telling myself that this is exactly WHY i came here.. because i want to get to know the people, the culture, just how exactly to survive in the city of taipei, without the help of parents or older siblings (as was always the case when i came back just to visit). and i know everyone makes mistakes.. so why can't i allow myself to make mistakes too?
is it because of the language difference? i feel less confident here for some reason.. it's almost as if i'm losing part of myself.. i'm more afraid of arguing/competing now.. gah i don't know why.. >_< i feel like everyone else has an advantage over me, and that's because they can speak their mind and express themselves exactly the way they want to. when i.. i'm struggling with words and get stuck in the middle of the sentence when that specific english word is just screaming in capital letters inside my head. and sometimes i give up and just say the english translation but i get blank stares and then i'm afraid that i made the mistake every asian person makes when they visit their mother country, and that is acting arrogant as if english is superior to chinese. but why am i so much less aggressive now? and will i ever be able to make this place my home?
i knew it was going to be tough.. that's what i tell myself everytime i run into some problem that even a 12-year-old would be able to solve just because they've always lived here. like today i had to ask my dad how to address an envelope the chinese way (vertically). >_< gosh i feel like an idiot. just as big an idiot as the time when i first moved to america and i didn't even know how to yell at those kids who cut in front of me because i didn't know how to complain. but i just keep telling myself that this is exactly WHY i came here.. because i want to get to know the people, the culture, just how exactly to survive in the city of taipei, without the help of parents or older siblings (as was always the case when i came back just to visit). and i know everyone makes mistakes.. so why can't i allow myself to make mistakes too?
8.24.2003
8.21.2003
8.20.2003
i got a haircut
and it looks very, very different. layered, highlighted, different part.
new fobbish look!
new fobbish look!
8.19.2003
jap major girls
the japanese mini-orientation today was quite an eye-opener. many observations made by me..
first we met at the metro station.. then they took us to this big building with a lot of conference rooms, where they had a lot of snacks and drinks ready, and each leader introduced herself. i say herself because the entire room was filled with girls. of the 50ish people in the jap major, there are only 8 guys, and that is a lot for this year.. last year they had 2 guys only. it was a like a freakin sorority in there.. such great contrast to my orientation at cal, where i only met one other girl in my major.
nevertheless, the girls were very nice. they take care of you very well.. and i thought calso thoroughly walked us through the entire class registration process.. today we were spoon-fed everything we needed to know so that almost no reading on your own was required.. very different. they also had people talk about every professor of the classes we're going to take, telling us which one will let you sleep, which one has extremist ideals, which one doesn't take roll, which one gives what kind of grades..
i surprised myself by being extremely shy. when i stood up to introduce myself to everyone there, and i mentioned the part about me being an intl. student who just moved here from cali, everyone in the room went "whoaaaaaa..." apparently, it's a big deal.
but anyway, i was also surprised at how much chinese i understood. because they used so many slang words and they talk SO FAST. >_< like if they say the teacher gives "sweet" grades it means it's pretty loose. bu tsuo kan, literally translated not bad see, is supposed to mean something that looks pretty good. everyone was so fobbish but i must say, fobbish girls are so cute!! ^___^ they all have very white skin and cute little pigtails with hairclips and talk in sweet high-pitched voices and they all look so.. young! like little girls. and they all huddle together. since everone's a girl, the jap major girls reminded me of having sisterhood power. it was weird but they were very nice.
i realized that if i don't make a conscious effort to make friends, it'll be kinda hard.. especially since they seem to be intimidated by me somehow..
if i want to double-major in intl. business, i have to be within the top 5% of my class. >"<
first we met at the metro station.. then they took us to this big building with a lot of conference rooms, where they had a lot of snacks and drinks ready, and each leader introduced herself. i say herself because the entire room was filled with girls. of the 50ish people in the jap major, there are only 8 guys, and that is a lot for this year.. last year they had 2 guys only. it was a like a freakin sorority in there.. such great contrast to my orientation at cal, where i only met one other girl in my major.
nevertheless, the girls were very nice. they take care of you very well.. and i thought calso thoroughly walked us through the entire class registration process.. today we were spoon-fed everything we needed to know so that almost no reading on your own was required.. very different. they also had people talk about every professor of the classes we're going to take, telling us which one will let you sleep, which one has extremist ideals, which one doesn't take roll, which one gives what kind of grades..
i surprised myself by being extremely shy. when i stood up to introduce myself to everyone there, and i mentioned the part about me being an intl. student who just moved here from cali, everyone in the room went "whoaaaaaa..." apparently, it's a big deal.
but anyway, i was also surprised at how much chinese i understood. because they used so many slang words and they talk SO FAST. >_< like if they say the teacher gives "sweet" grades it means it's pretty loose. bu tsuo kan, literally translated not bad see, is supposed to mean something that looks pretty good. everyone was so fobbish but i must say, fobbish girls are so cute!! ^___^ they all have very white skin and cute little pigtails with hairclips and talk in sweet high-pitched voices and they all look so.. young! like little girls. and they all huddle together. since everone's a girl, the jap major girls reminded me of having sisterhood power. it was weird but they were very nice.
i realized that if i don't make a conscious effort to make friends, it'll be kinda hard.. especially since they seem to be intimidated by me somehow..
if i want to double-major in intl. business, i have to be within the top 5% of my class. >"<
8.18.2003
be a fob
i don't think i'm quite used to the fact that i'm actually going to be staying here for a while.. i also don't know if i should view my surroundings as someone back in a familiar place or someone trying to adjust to a completely new environment. it may not seem like it really matters from what perspective i view things, but it does.
when i talk to people, it almost feels as if i never really left this place, because it's not as if i'm beginning to learn chinese while living here. in surface everyday conversation, you probably won't be able to tell that i just moved here from america unless you're an expert linguist or something. but if you were to refer to something as simple as, say, a well-known road name, i woudn't know where that is, and it's things like that which set me apart. i suppose there are some things you just wouldn't know unless you've lived in that place for a while, and it's that familiarity that i lack.
i know these things take time and i would eventually become more and more familiar as time goes by, but i'm just in such a hurry. i'm in a hurry to absorb the latest music, the slang, the recent happenings, the fashion trend, where to shop and where not to shop, where to eat what and what's the best way to get there.. i'm in a hurry to develop these habits of living. but why? does it make me feel more like a taiwanese rather than a tourist? why is it so important that i have to feel like i'm just like everyone else who's lived here for most of their lives?
and yet all this time back in tino i was going for being unique. now that i sort of achieved that by being here, not really fitting in, i find myself wanting to conform again. that's so strange... i used to get such a kick out of doing something different, and now that i AM somewhat different, i'd give anything to go back to my fobbish self.
they've always taught you that surface things don't define what you are. the clothes you wear, the language you speak, the things you eat, what you look like, etc. don't really dictate your identity. so what tells me who i am then? i guess the question i've been struggling with for so many years has come back to haunt me again: am i american or taiwanese?
maybe it's because i feel as if i should be totally at home here, so if i make myself look and act really fobbish, i will feel more like a taiwanese. and that's supposed to be good because.. i feel like this is what i SHOULD be. but somehow.. i'm not really sure if i am.
i went to NTU this morning. not the first time i've been there, but the first time i looked at it as my school.
when i talk to people, it almost feels as if i never really left this place, because it's not as if i'm beginning to learn chinese while living here. in surface everyday conversation, you probably won't be able to tell that i just moved here from america unless you're an expert linguist or something. but if you were to refer to something as simple as, say, a well-known road name, i woudn't know where that is, and it's things like that which set me apart. i suppose there are some things you just wouldn't know unless you've lived in that place for a while, and it's that familiarity that i lack.
i know these things take time and i would eventually become more and more familiar as time goes by, but i'm just in such a hurry. i'm in a hurry to absorb the latest music, the slang, the recent happenings, the fashion trend, where to shop and where not to shop, where to eat what and what's the best way to get there.. i'm in a hurry to develop these habits of living. but why? does it make me feel more like a taiwanese rather than a tourist? why is it so important that i have to feel like i'm just like everyone else who's lived here for most of their lives?
and yet all this time back in tino i was going for being unique. now that i sort of achieved that by being here, not really fitting in, i find myself wanting to conform again. that's so strange... i used to get such a kick out of doing something different, and now that i AM somewhat different, i'd give anything to go back to my fobbish self.
they've always taught you that surface things don't define what you are. the clothes you wear, the language you speak, the things you eat, what you look like, etc. don't really dictate your identity. so what tells me who i am then? i guess the question i've been struggling with for so many years has come back to haunt me again: am i american or taiwanese?
maybe it's because i feel as if i should be totally at home here, so if i make myself look and act really fobbish, i will feel more like a taiwanese. and that's supposed to be good because.. i feel like this is what i SHOULD be. but somehow.. i'm not really sure if i am.
i went to NTU this morning. not the first time i've been there, but the first time i looked at it as my school.
8.15.2003
preliminary report
i am here!! it is so HOT. no, hot is an understatement. it is boiling. the heat is stifling. i walked out of the airport and MY GLASSES FOGGED UP. it's as if i walked into a sauna or something.. and immediately i can feel all the tiny little microscopic droplets of water clinging onto every square inch of my body, as if my entire body was wrapped by seran-wrap. disgusting. >_<
but now i'm sitting in an air-conditioned room, calmly typing out this message. i checked some blogs and i got so sad reading them.. you guys, i'm not going off to die!! and i'll still be updating this blog and checking email and on aim and everything, all you have to do is calculate time difference.. taiwan is 15 hours ahead of pacific time so just add 3 hours and flip the am/pm and voila! oh yeah and my chinese new year break lasts for a whole month. A WHOLE MONTH OF HEXAGON REUNION TIME! er.. hopefully all corners will be reunited.. ^_^
oh yeah and i was right about sitting in the aisle seat chrissy.. *sweatdrop* i sat next to a mother and lil boy, who had to go out like every 30 minutes. i was like GAH!!!! never again shall i choose to sit next to the aisle. -__-;; but alas, i am here and i ate my favorite breakfast that i cried over when i first got to america 9 years ago.. then i read over some NTU info and my head started hurting from the overwhelming amount of formal chinese reading.. so i took a nap and now i'm here.
thank you guys for SO MANY things.. for angela's scrapbook, for chrissy's scrapbook, for alex and tangy's "something that starts with a T and ends with a Y," for the pocky that i saved, for the american CD and goodbye CD, for instant replays, for feeding me KFC, for being my body pillow (i hope you didn't get in trouble!), for revealing to me your deepest darkest (or is it whitest?) secrets, for the indecisive lunch wheel that is now filled with memories, for the tiffany one-day-only $20 sale (yeah right haha), for the business woman quotes AND post-its, for the hugo cologne and c*****, for teaching me how to play CS, for offering the cute pink scented tissues at just the right time, for force-feeding me candy, for the hug every five minutes, for so many rides i had to bug you guys with, and last, THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING SUCH DEPENDABLE, UNFORGETTABLE, SAPPY, HELPFUL, I-WILL-DO-ANYTHING-FOR-YOU-SHELLEY FRIENDS!
i will miss you guys.. but i will be coming back in only FIVE months and i might be able to stay for THREE WEEKS!!!! until then, keep in touch or else. >:)
but now i'm sitting in an air-conditioned room, calmly typing out this message. i checked some blogs and i got so sad reading them.. you guys, i'm not going off to die!! and i'll still be updating this blog and checking email and on aim and everything, all you have to do is calculate time difference.. taiwan is 15 hours ahead of pacific time so just add 3 hours and flip the am/pm and voila! oh yeah and my chinese new year break lasts for a whole month. A WHOLE MONTH OF HEXAGON REUNION TIME! er.. hopefully all corners will be reunited.. ^_^
oh yeah and i was right about sitting in the aisle seat chrissy.. *sweatdrop* i sat next to a mother and lil boy, who had to go out like every 30 minutes. i was like GAH!!!! never again shall i choose to sit next to the aisle. -__-;; but alas, i am here and i ate my favorite breakfast that i cried over when i first got to america 9 years ago.. then i read over some NTU info and my head started hurting from the overwhelming amount of formal chinese reading.. so i took a nap and now i'm here.
thank you guys for SO MANY things.. for angela's scrapbook, for chrissy's scrapbook, for alex and tangy's "something that starts with a T and ends with a Y," for the pocky that i saved, for the american CD and goodbye CD, for instant replays, for feeding me KFC, for being my body pillow (i hope you didn't get in trouble!), for revealing to me your deepest darkest (or is it whitest?) secrets, for the indecisive lunch wheel that is now filled with memories, for the tiffany one-day-only $20 sale (yeah right haha), for the business woman quotes AND post-its, for the hugo cologne and c*****, for teaching me how to play CS, for offering the cute pink scented tissues at just the right time, for force-feeding me candy, for the hug every five minutes, for so many rides i had to bug you guys with, and last, THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING SUCH DEPENDABLE, UNFORGETTABLE, SAPPY, HELPFUL, I-WILL-DO-ANYTHING-FOR-YOU-SHELLEY FRIENDS!
i will miss you guys.. but i will be coming back in only FIVE months and i might be able to stay for THREE WEEKS!!!! until then, keep in touch or else. >:)
8.13.2003
tangy & alex
tangy and alex both did me huge favors by helping me pack today.. i felt sort of bad at one point cuz i was just going, do this do that! but thanks you guys!! ^___^
tomorrow is "Shelley Wish Day," which is basically a day where i can make tangy and alex do WHATEVER i want them to do, as long as they don't get arrested. hehehee *evil cackling* i need some ideas! ^^;;
tomorrow is "Shelley Wish Day," which is basically a day where i can make tangy and alex do WHATEVER i want them to do, as long as they don't get arrested. hehehee *evil cackling* i need some ideas! ^^;;
8.12.2003
dive in
i suppose this is the way to go - just keep doing and hoping. going forward. that's why our eyes aren't at the back of our heads right?
so take a dive, even if you don't know how deep the water is.
so take a dive, even if you don't know how deep the water is.
*homer voice* mmm... monopoly...
everything you need to know from property hit frequency to payback percentage, from mortgage priorities to housing shortages.
all explained here. enjoy! XD
all explained here. enjoy! XD
i've been posting so much! haha here is charlton when he was a little baby: http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2003-08-11
paint!
One day a blonde comes out of the tanning salon. She wants to make some money so she goes to one of the rich neighborhoods. She rings the door bell and say, "HI,is there anything I could do for your house or u???"
The man thinks and says, "Sure, can paint my porch. You will find all the stuff in the garage."
The girl says, "O.K., How much will you pay me?"
The man says, "How much does fifty bucks sound?"
The quickly agrees and get straight to work. The wife who had heard the conversation inside says, "50 bucks, I hope she knows the porch goes all around the house!"
25 minutes later the girl knocks on the door and says, "O.K. I am done. Can I have my money now?"
surprised the man replies, "O.K. Let me get the money"
he comes back and the girl says as she is leaving, "By the way, it's a Ferrari, not a Porch!"
The man thinks and says, "Sure, can paint my porch. You will find all the stuff in the garage."
The girl says, "O.K., How much will you pay me?"
The man says, "How much does fifty bucks sound?"
The quickly agrees and get straight to work. The wife who had heard the conversation inside says, "50 bucks, I hope she knows the porch goes all around the house!"
25 minutes later the girl knocks on the door and says, "O.K. I am done. Can I have my money now?"
surprised the man replies, "O.K. Let me get the money"
he comes back and the girl says as she is leaving, "By the way, it's a Ferrari, not a Porch!"
8.11.2003
you buy car now
get Power Rider(tm) and other used furniture for FREE when you buy a car from us! limited time offer, some restrictions may apply
for sale:
'94 Honda Accord EX
79,000 mi, 4 doors
$5600
'96 Toyota Corolla
40,000 mi, 4 doors
$4300
prices according to the Blue Book -25%
for sale:
'94 Honda Accord EX
79,000 mi, 4 doors
$5600
'96 Toyota Corolla
40,000 mi, 4 doors
$4300
prices according to the Blue Book -25%
did you know...
have you guys noticed that the google ads banner on the top of the page is based on the content of that page? because i just noticed that mine has "timpani mallets for less" and tangy's has poker game rules and kafung's has "you like monkeys?" ad. hehhehehe it's a very interesting advertising method because this way google has a bigger possibility of reaching the right audience with the right message. just click on "ads by google" in the lil banner if you want to learn more.
so hungry.. dinner soon with church friends.
so hungry.. dinner soon with church friends.
dixie chicks - landslide
I took my love and I took it down
I climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well the landslide brought me down
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love
Can the child within my heart rise above
Can I sail thru the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life
Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
I'm getting older too
Well...
Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
I'm getting older, too
Well I'm getting older too
So, take this love and take it down
Yeah and if you climb a mountain and ya turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Well the landslide brought me down
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Well maybe
Well maybe
Well maybe the landslide will bring you down
I climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well the landslide brought me down
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love
Can the child within my heart rise above
Can I sail thru the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life
Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
I'm getting older too
Well...
Well, I've been afraid of changing 'cause I built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
I'm getting older, too
Well I'm getting older too
So, take this love and take it down
Yeah and if you climb a mountain and ya turn around
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Well the landslide brought me down
And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills
Well maybe
Well maybe
Well maybe the landslide will bring you down
8.09.2003
8.07.2003
cys
visiting cys summer rehearsal today was quite an experience. maybe it's because it's the first time, or seeing friends/teachers, or simply because it is cys. this organization which has helped to put so many overprotected asian kids into the great colleges they choose is still there (obviously that is only a minor part of the goodness of cys, duh), and i feel like it's always going to be there. i don't quite know how to explain it. asian music-loving kids come and go like a river flowing through the organization, we create the current and it in turn empowers us.. but the teachers, like mr. eylar and artie, are like the trees that grow by the bank, because they are unmoving, and they watch the river flow, watching little bubbles pop up and travel down, and they watch over us and teach us. i don't think i've ever really appreciated teachers, but seeing the oh-so-familiar cys rehearsal reminded me that without them, i wouldn't have had all the wonderful experiences in cys.
and the people.. at the risk of sounding like a "how to get into college" pamphlet, one of the great things about joining extra-curricular activities is the people you meet, because they love what they're doing just as much as you do. it's different than some random person you meet at, say, a bar because you recognize that commonality and you build upon it. i guess that's why i made so many friends in cys, because it is just EASY to talk to people. and artie, the percussion instructor, is just wonderful. the first thing he did when he saw me was give me a big warm hug. he was with me when i went through the stanford application process (rec), then through not getting in, then through the decision to go to berkeley, then through the decision to NOT go to berkeley.
what is it about music that brings people together so well? we make friends through singing in a choir, dancing to music at a club, sleeping together (literally) during marching band competitions, and of course, playing in an orchestra like cys. i guess the reason i feel so strongly about this is because i was in the percussion section, and the team work of orchestral percussionists during some particular pieces is like no other. i'm not exaggerating this, but when it comes to concert time and the conductor cues you and expects you to hit something, you better be able to trust that the percussionist next to you has already handed you the mallets you need. yes, it can be as simple as that. handing mallets. or passing the triangle. or turning the snare on. if it's a percussion solo or ensemble, one person screwing up = the entire section screws up.
i don't even know why i feel this way all of a sudden. maybe it's seeing the people i worked so closely with, hauling timpani cases and a whole truckful of equipment in the past years. i really do wish them the best and i just know they will do great under the direction of mr. eylar and artie. i will miss them so much and i'm confident they will carry on cys' tradition of excellent music for years to come. what a happy entry.
and the people.. at the risk of sounding like a "how to get into college" pamphlet, one of the great things about joining extra-curricular activities is the people you meet, because they love what they're doing just as much as you do. it's different than some random person you meet at, say, a bar because you recognize that commonality and you build upon it. i guess that's why i made so many friends in cys, because it is just EASY to talk to people. and artie, the percussion instructor, is just wonderful. the first thing he did when he saw me was give me a big warm hug. he was with me when i went through the stanford application process (rec), then through not getting in, then through the decision to go to berkeley, then through the decision to NOT go to berkeley.
what is it about music that brings people together so well? we make friends through singing in a choir, dancing to music at a club, sleeping together (literally) during marching band competitions, and of course, playing in an orchestra like cys. i guess the reason i feel so strongly about this is because i was in the percussion section, and the team work of orchestral percussionists during some particular pieces is like no other. i'm not exaggerating this, but when it comes to concert time and the conductor cues you and expects you to hit something, you better be able to trust that the percussionist next to you has already handed you the mallets you need. yes, it can be as simple as that. handing mallets. or passing the triangle. or turning the snare on. if it's a percussion solo or ensemble, one person screwing up = the entire section screws up.
i don't even know why i feel this way all of a sudden. maybe it's seeing the people i worked so closely with, hauling timpani cases and a whole truckful of equipment in the past years. i really do wish them the best and i just know they will do great under the direction of mr. eylar and artie. i will miss them so much and i'm confident they will carry on cys' tradition of excellent music for years to come. what a happy entry.
8.06.2003
peretti.. like pretty!
why does it seem like tiffany is the only jewelry company in the entire world?! the little light blue box with the white ribbon, infamous in every soap opera, movie, everywhere. well, after thoroughly surfing around on the tiffany website, i officially declare that i am in love with elsa peretti.
yes, reinforceing the "women like shiny objects" stereotype. what fun.
i think i will visit the cys rehearsal tomorrow. :D
yes, reinforceing the "women like shiny objects" stereotype. what fun.
i think i will visit the cys rehearsal tomorrow. :D
8.05.2003
try to remember
Try to remember the kind of September
when life was slow and oh, so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
when grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
when you were a tender and callow fellow,
Try to remember and if you remember the follow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
that no one wept except the willow.
Try to remember when life was so tender that
dreams were kept beside your pillow.
Try to remember when life was so tender that
love was an ember about to billow.
Try to remember and if you remember then follow.
Deep in December it's nice to remember
altho you know the snow will follow.
Deep in December it's nice to remember
without the hurt the heart is hollow.
Deep in December it's nice to remember
the fire of September that made us mellow.
Deep in December our hearts should remember and follow.
when life was slow and oh, so mellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
when grass was green and grain was yellow.
Try to remember the kind of September
when you were a tender and callow fellow,
Try to remember and if you remember the follow.
Try to remember when life was so tender
that no one wept except the willow.
Try to remember when life was so tender that
dreams were kept beside your pillow.
Try to remember when life was so tender that
love was an ember about to billow.
Try to remember and if you remember then follow.
Deep in December it's nice to remember
altho you know the snow will follow.
Deep in December it's nice to remember
without the hurt the heart is hollow.
Deep in December it's nice to remember
the fire of September that made us mellow.
Deep in December our hearts should remember and follow.
cancelled
"Your registration has been cancelled.
"Thank you for using Tele-BEARS on the WEB."
yes, i suppose i did not really have to cancel my registration, i could just withdraw for one semester and that way i won't have to reapply if i change my mind. but i know the road ahead is much harder (at least in the beginning) than what i would have had to face if i chose to go to berkeley. so this is perhaps the only way for me to toughen up and go through with it all. somehow, even though i may not want to leave now, i know that in the end this is for the best, and i will know that i made the right decision. i just have to.. get through this first.
"Thank you for using Tele-BEARS on the WEB."
yes, i suppose i did not really have to cancel my registration, i could just withdraw for one semester and that way i won't have to reapply if i change my mind. but i know the road ahead is much harder (at least in the beginning) than what i would have had to face if i chose to go to berkeley. so this is perhaps the only way for me to toughen up and go through with it all. somehow, even though i may not want to leave now, i know that in the end this is for the best, and i will know that i made the right decision. i just have to.. get through this first.
starting over
the need for blog privacy has been resolved. *wink* thank you for your patience.
i am back. :)
i am back. :)