Today is the first day of the semester and already I'm feeling overwhelmed. Got done with my first homework assignment of the semester around 9am and I'm already having to read two chapters for another class, with three discussion responses for another class.

Ok, maybe I'm not so confident with this semester anymore, but I am still sticking to my goal. Even if that means giving up my weekends of going out. I gotta do what I gotta do.

*****

I was online looking at my classes and I saw in big bold letters:

"Study abroad in Australia Fall 2010"

I think I'm going to start saving up for that. Australia, has been one of my all time destinations where I want to visit, and what a better way to experience the continent and country by studying there for a semester? It's better than visiting for a week.

"When you need to say the “L” word, call your mom.”

— Cappie from the show “Greek”

In-N-Out

*sad face* I didn't get the pleasure of trying this while I was in Vegas...Maybe in November when I'm out in California.

It's not how it use to be when Xanga was the in thing. and I have too many! From xanga, livejournal, this, twitter, facebook notes, and now I recently fell into the whole tumblr thing. Too many blogs to keep track of. But even with all of that, blogging isn't the same. Not as many people blog (atleast the people I know) but I'm fine with that. I like having strangers read my things, because they don't have a judgement on who I am before reading my stuff.

But it would be nice to have more friends on these things!

***

School starts in three days. I'm excited to get back and put my brain to use, but then it's going to be a tough semester. The most classes I've ever taken while working full time was four, but now I'm taking fix and three extra credits, so we'll see how this semester goes. I'm expecting myself to get atleast three A's and only allowing myself to get one B, and when I accomplish that goal I'm treating myself to a trip on a cruise out in the Bahamas. I'll go by myself if I have to, my brain will get fried if I don't take a nice break on the beach. -Another reason why I took two week long trips this summer. 1. to reward myself after a job well done for spring semester of '09 and 2. to get myself ready for the tough times ahead for fall semester of '09.

School here I come, I am ready for you!

...but some students aren't:

• 85% of the students reported feeling stress in their daily lives in recent months, with worries about grades, school work, money and relationships the big culprits.
  
• At the same time, 42% said they had felt down, depressed or hopeless several days during the past two weeks.
  
• 13% showed signs of being at risk for at least mild depression, based on the students’ answers to a series of questions that medical practitioners use to diagnose depressive illness.


• 11% had had thoughts that they’d be better off dead or about hurting themselves.
  

YIKES! Sorry Kiddos, but if you think you got it bad, someone out there has got it worse.

I missed my ortho appointment this morning. Every missed appointment is $25 + a month longer of having my braces on. Like I haven't had these things on long enough!!!

***

Gemini - August 20, 2009

Your energy and spunk should finally be returning after a couple days of feeling slightly down, dear Gemini. You should enjoy a good mood all day, and your powers of persuasion are strong. There is an extra boost of energy behind your emotions and you will find that this could lead to some sort of transformation deep within. Whatever you do, do it with passion. Let your courageous nature shine through.

I'm scared as hell to want you, but here I am, wanting you anyway. And fear means I have something to lose, right? And I don’t want to lose you. So this is it, this is love. Giving you the power to break me, but trusting you not to.

-Unknown

Sometimes you have to love someone other than yourself. Sometimes you have to learn to be selfless. Maybe sacrifice is what love is all about. It'll be hard, but seeing the other person happy is my kind of selfish.

Beautiful

I'm not one to ever take a compliment easily. I think they're cheap and cheesy, kind of like a pick-up line. But today, one day that I feel not like myself, wearing no make-up, with eyes puffed up, and bloodshot from hardly any sleep the night before. A customer walked up to my window after finished with another window, asked what nationality I was, and told me that I was beautiful.

Thank you customer, but I already knew that.

There is three kinds of beautiful in life. The people who are beautiful through their looks, the people who are beautiful through their personalities, and there are the people who are blessed with both traits. I, consider myself to be the second option. I was blessed with a beautiful personality, and I use my personality quite well to get the things I want in life.

and I wouldn't want to have it any other way. Yes, looks can you places and people, but I believe without a beautiful personality, it certainately won't keep you there.

Take for an example, dating someone. Many people take looks into consideration as their first thing they look for in a potential date, but for myself, if you are smoking hot and you have a dull or ugly personality, I sure as hell won't want anything to do with you after the first date.

When words fail; Music speaks

"I packed my bag, I’m on my way. I am prepared for any season. I am prepared to stay. Here is my heart, my beating heart"

"Well, I was crazy about you then and now. The craziest thing of all, over ten years have gone byAnd you're still mine, we're locked in time. Let's rewind."

"Nocturnal creatures are not so prudent. The moon's my teacher and Im her student."

"Ay, todo lo que he hecho por tí. Fue una tortura perderte. Y me duele tanto que sea así. Sigue llorando perdón. Yo, yo, no voy a llorar hoy por tí."

"Now it seems to me, that you know just what to say. Words are only words, can you show me something else. Can you swear to me that you'll always be this way. Show me how you feel, more than ever baby."

I wear my heart for all to see,

But for no one to possess

Song obsession

I know your type

Boy, you're dangerous

Yeah, you're the guy

I'd be stupid to trust

but just one night couldn't be so wrong

You make me wanna lose control

What it takes to be succesful

What does it take to be number one? And stay there!
From the book The Little Red Book of Selling By: Jeffrey Gitomer

1. A contagious positive attitude. I believe that I am blessed and that positive things will happen in my life. Because I believe that positive things will happen to me. they do!

2. Excited about the prospect of helping others. Sincerely caring. When I have appointments, I want to help my prospective customers solve a problem, get better service, increase productivity, etc. I believe that they can sense that I want to help them and not "sell them something."

3. Self-assured, not arrogant. Confidence. I know that I can achieve whatever I decide to and am willing to work hard for. I believe in myself and my abilities. My personal motto is "They can, who believe they can. I believe I can."

4. I like people and they like me. People like me right away. I'm not a threat to them. And I 'm not perceived as "salesy." Being able to relate to people, ALL people. I don't try to "type" people; I just try to "like" them.

5. Not just "book smart." Being able to assess and solve real-world problems. Being able to prioritize and decide which things (prospects) to spend time on and which not to. Work smarter, not harder.

6. If I'm not having fun, what's the point? I have often been described as "easily amused." I think this is one of my best characteristics. I find joy in almost everything.

7. I do everything full-force. I sweat when I work and I sweat when I dance. 110% is the minimum acceptable standard. If something is worthwhile, I give it everything I have.

8. Unspoken integrity. Visibly honest. I try to be honest and ethical in everything that I do. I feel that being trustworthy and honorable is a strong statement of character. I try to always keep my promises. Hopefully, my word means something to others, because it means EVERYTHING to me.

9. I concentrate on the details without getting caught up in them. Beyond organized. Detail is vital to my success. It sounds minute, but it's HUGE. I keep things in order so I can function error-free. I try not to waste time or energy by trying to find things twice or pick up dropped balls.

10. I'm kid-like happy on the inside. I have the enthusiasm of a 2-year-old with a college degree and a business card. I am the eternam cheerleader for myself and others. I want everyone to win (except my competition).

***

Eversince I could work legally, selling has always been apart of the job description. So it's obvious that knowing how to sell will make me successful in almost any job that I've had and even with the jobs that I will have.

and while I'm reading this book, and this part of the book, I can't help but feel that I obtain all of the traits Gitomer swears by to be successful as a salesperson. --Maybe that's one of the reasons why I've been so successful with my numbers. I just don't like selling for no reason..If there's a benefit to the customer then I'm all for it.

End of the Month, End of the Summer

So here it is again, the end of the month, but this isn't just any other month. This month marks the nearing end of summer. With only one month left to do whatever I can fit into my full time work schedule, I still have a lot of uncrossed things on my to do list. But from the looks of it, I doubt I'll be getting everything crossed off. The next two weeks will consist of working, closing on my loan, and two trips out of Minnesota. I'm excited to have my first loan close, and of course the two trips. I've already taken a trip in the beginning of summer, to celebrate mine, T's, and myself making it through yet another full blown semester of school (40 hours of work a week + 14 credits and I still managed to make it to work everyday, two A's, 1 B, and 1 C --which was because of attendence for an 8am class).

Here are a few things I'd like to accomplish before summer ends:

[]-hit 200 in bowling
[]-mini golfing!!
[]-get out on the lake (jetskiing, pontooning, boating)
[]-more swimming

If I get those four crossed off, I'll be satisfied with my summer...totally looking foward to my trip to Vegas...after that I'm already planning out my next trip during winter break. If I can get all A's and one B this semester I'm treating myself to a trip on a cruise to the Bahamas, Hawaii, or Mexico (keep in mind I'll be taking 16 credits + 40 hours of work a week, no one I know has a crazy schedule like mine and still pull off A's and B's...cause I'm boss lady). And once I graduate, it's going to be Australia. I've swam with dolphins this summer, two summers from now it'll be swimming with sharks.

Vegas...I have all of my attire picked out, I've been shopping like crazy the past few weeks, purchasing dresses for day and night and I think I have everything, all but a few more bikini's and I'll be set. Let's hope the airline won't lose my luggage again...if they have something to say aobut me not checking in my 50lbs bag, I'm going to say "SUCK IT!!! The past few times I've been flying and checked in my bag ya'll lost it so unless you wanna pay be 3 grand for my luggage I suggest you suck a dick." I don't know what it is, it just happens to me!

ok ok it's getting late. I have a date w/the bf and the guys to eat dim sum tomorrow morning, plus more shopping for Vegas attire.

Nothings new, People will always be people

How disappointing some things and some people can be, but you just gotta shrug and move on.

There's no place like home

Minneapolis, MN St. Louis, MO

Before moving out of Minnesota, I thought it was a horrible state. Having moved there unwillingly at 3 months old from the sunny state of California, Minnesota was all that I knew. I wasn't born there, but I was raised there all of my life. Family from both sides: mom and dad are all there, friends whom I grew up with since we were in diapers are there, I pretty much know Minneapolis, St. Paul, and their suburbs inside and out. If you had all of that what on earth would make you move out of the state right? I only have two answers for you: curiosity and the strive to be independent.

Like many young adults who grew up in one state all of their lives, Minnesota was all I knew. I wanted to see what was out there besides the Mini Apple (gotten it's nickname b/c of the Twin Cities: Minneapolis & St. Paul, it's a "mini New York City"). I didn't want to move somewhere where I didn't know anyone, so I chose St. Louis. Why St. Louis you ask? Well, after a year of being here I honestly don't know why I chose this city, but I bet if you asked me about a year ago I would've known the answer. I only knew one person here and it was my uncle Jimmy, everyone else I've met along way I've had to use to my charms, and personality to win them over (okay ha ha right?).

Independence, oh where do I start? Eversince I've learned how to make money on my own I've been striving to be independent. I guess it's just apart of how I was raised and is in my personality. I hate hate hate depending on others for things. Whether it be financially, mentally, emotionally, or just me needing a ride from someone to get somewhere, I hate asking people for things, or leaning on someone for something. I guess I think it makes you more vulnerable and fragile so I don't want to put myself in that position. But boy did moving out of my parents' house let alone the same state they were in make me more independent as a person (which I won't list out), even my parents have seen the difference, and it makes me really happy to see them proud of me.

I won't go into anymore details of what made me move out of the place where my everything was but the pro's and con's. I guess you really don't know what you've got until it's gone!

What I missed about Minnesota:

• the 10,000+ lakes; I really really do miss running around lake calhoun, jetskiing, boating, fishing, bbq'ing, pontooning, swimming, or just plain old driving by the lakes in the spring/summer
• the cleanliness; I know this probably sounds really stupid, but after living in STL boy have I missed the cleanliness of MN..from parks to parking lots or the malls MN is just cleaner
• the nightlife; the nightlife in MN really was just that much better than STL's...no offense but the clubs down here are whack unless I take 6 shots of unknown drinks and 5 patron shots like the previous weekend then maybe I'll dance my ass off and have fun.
• Sushi Tango; I love their yummy green muscles (I actually missed this so much that I found a similar recipe online which I will be trying out asap) and oysters...everytime I visit I've had to make a stop.
• living in the suburbs; I miss the private hill that my parents' house is on. I miss not having to know how to parallel park a car
• Mystic Lake; not the gambling or the hundreds of asians that go there everyday, but the weekly all you can eat seafood buffet, mMmMMm prime rib, oysters, and crab legs here I come!
• MOA; I love how all of my favorite stores are all under one roof! one stop shop
• no sales tax; sure it may only be a couple of dollars, but a couple of dollars here and there really do add up! i bought a pair of booties the other day and the sales tax was nearly $7.00!!! that's lunch.
• Cub Foods; their prices are REALLY "everyday low prices" . Schnucks prices just can't compare.
• MN state fair; corn on the cob covered in butter and salt, cheese curds, funnel cakes, tons of deep fried food on a stick, fair like type rides, concerts..whats not to love? I haven't been to the Great Minnesota Get together in two years now and everytime Labor day weekend rolls around I'm tempted to buy a plane ticket up there for a day just so I can goto the fair.

What I will miss about St. Louis, MO:

• Steak 'N Shake; their Frisco melt is the reason why I gained 10lbs
• working Downtown; I love working in the business-ish atmosphere, plus the hours of operartions downtown seems to run on (no work on weekends!!!)
• the closeness of everything; everything is so close together that driving 20minutes out to my uncle's restaurant for lunch/dinner seems like a road trip. saves on gas!
• the fujiyama roll from Nippon Tei; that roll is my favorite all time sushi roll. i don't know whats in it but I know the roll is breaded and deep fried...YUM. Plus this restaurant seems to be the only good sushi restaurant in STL
• pride in the STL Cardinals; I love how they have so much pride in their team whether they're winning or losing. oh and how much they hate the Chicago Cubs.
• Harry's Cheesecakes; best strawberry cheesecakes in the WORLD. i bought one for chairty in our buildings cake walk thing and I killed the cake.

What I didn't miss about MN:

• money is everything to everyone here; it seems like 90% of the asian community just wanna get rich and everything is about money. how annoying.
• the super cold freezing temps plus the snow; there was a point in life where i loved the snow, but that was when I could jump in the snow, build snow forts on the deck of my house and have a big snowball fight with all of the kids on our block but since those days are over, i hate it.

What I won't miss about MO:

• the drivers; 90% of these people need to go back and retake their road test. you don't know how many i just wanna get out of the car w/a bat and smash these people's windshields.
• hwy 64/40 construction; it was one of the most used highways in the STL metro and they close half of it down for construction for a year and then after that they'll be closing the other half down..bringing the traffic to all the little inside roads.

come back later for the entire entry. it's getting late and I'm getting tired. ::yawns::

Cancun, Mexico

View's off the balcony of my room:


The lagoon area


The first pool plus swim up bar and some of the restaurants and stuff


The first/main beach

If you guys haven't gone yet, go! It's such an experience. This was only my second time out of the U.S., my first time was to Vietnam almost five years ago. And I'm still trying to save up to go back there again.

I want need a polaroid camera!



But they no longer make em. and There's none @ wal-mart/target. My only hope is ebay and i hate buying used shit. argh.

Greed

I just got done reading Eclipse the third book of the Twilight saga. I must say towards the end I got so angry and me being the opinionated person that I am, I just had the urge to read as fast as I can, finish the book and then write about it. It must've been the writer instinct inside of me.

The last few chapters of the novel made me so indignant that I had to pause set the book down and tell myself to breathe, I had to keep telling myself that it was just a book. I don't what has gotten into me, feeling like these made up, fictional characters had any say in my emotions. Again, Stephenie Meyer is a genius. I'm hooked, the Twilight saga is my drug now.

I don't know how anyone (actually I do because I see it all the time) could be so avaricious, and I don't know how Edward could put up with that. I believe that everyone is selfish no matter how hard they try but you should know to only be avaricious to a certain point...But you don't know how happy I was to read:

He's like a drug for you, Bella." his voice was still gentle, not at all critical. "I can see that you can't live without him now, It's too late. But I would have been healthier for you. Not a drug; I would have been the air, the sun."
The corner of my mouth turned up in a wistfull half-smile. "I used to think of you that way, you know. Like the sun. My person sun. You balanced out the clouds nicely for me."
He sighed. "The clouds I can handle. But I can't fight with an eclipse."

Yes, the one I wanted her to be with, for her to see the whole that he was right for is, and will always be. Selfish people really irritate me, well people that are more selfish than they need to be.

***

I don't see how anyone could cheat emotionally and physically. How hard is it to think of the other person and tell them you don't think things will work out and then go do whatever it is that you needed with the other person. I also don't understand how another person could put themselves in a position where they were to pick between two people. You know when someone likes you, and normally if I knew someone was interested and I was already with someone else, I'd push them away. I guess some people aren't smart...er I mean selfless enough to do that. I could never put myself in a position to fall for someone other than the person that I am already with. It's all made with the decisions you make and the choices you have made that winds up like that. Just don't make those choices and decisions and you won't put yourself in the place. It's funny because people who do put themselves in that position actually feel bad for themselves like they don't know what to do and that it's a horrbile thing...yes it's a horrbile thing but bitch please, you put yourself there so don't start crying now hoe.

Hooked

Most of my time has been consumed lately.

It's either I'm in the kitchen trying out new recipes for dinner, or else my face is sinked into Twilight. A very very addictive book. I haven't touched a book to read for leisure since last summer and I'm glad I picked up on this one. I can't wait for the movie to come out. I saw the trailer, I wish Edward Cullen was more like a James Franco, but hey not everyone can be that beautiful. haha. It's just how Stephenie Meyer have been describing him, it got me intrigued but he's not beautiful at all in the movie!

It's been a bad day for me to bring this book in to work to read on my down time, because 1)It's the 15th of the month, meaning everyone gets paid and 2) it's a friday, everyone's trying to get their deposit in or they're trying to cash their checks. And I keep getting interrupted and when I do I get really annoyed. I just gave this man a snickered looked when he walked in and came to my counter, I couldn't help it, the book is that interesting and has me glued to it.

If I finish this on the weekend, I'm making a stop at Borders to get the sequal, I don't care if everyone has said it wasn't worth the money.