Day 31: Fight v. Flight

The photograph from my handphone appeared far too dark to see anything, because of the backlight, so I did this.

Something fascinating happened in the hallway earlier. Well, not the exactly, but a, since it was at the 4000 building but anyway, I was looking for my interviewee's room, which I failed to locate for some odd reason, and as I turned around to check the names on the door once more, a student (or maybe a resident...) came out onto the hallway and started shouting all of a sudden. It took me a while to realize that he was venting his frustrations to "the students of UNL," and that he's urging them to "stop lying" and "be a friend."

That sent me walking back to my room.

Sure, there might have been a really small brawl, though the chances of that ever happening in the residence halls (I just remembered people don't use the word "dorms" here... hmm) are really remote. But somehow, I kept having the sensation of being followed when I was walking back to my room. My thoughts directed me straight to bed, for some reason, under the security of the covers (and I actually fell asleep... Sheesh).

When I look back, it was nothing more than a random rant, which lasted less than a minute. But that fear of it erupting into something terrifying mobilized my feet. Was it his choice of words, or just the vibes he's emitting? Can we sense anger, essentially? Well sure, there are many instances where things can be scary even without the person talking, like a stalker or a mob (I'm not making sense here for some reason... hmm).

Y'know what? I need a shower. Yes, that's what I need. I just woke up and the first thing I did was to post on my blog. No wonder my thoughts are all messed up. Sheesh...

Day 30: Only one day left, what shall I wear?

Alright, January has been a pretty lackluster month... I'll try to come up with something more "extravagant" for February. I have a couple in mind, though I'm not sure if the weather would permit me such pleasures. But I'm definitely taking the formal out of the six, since my only excuse for wearing them would be the near absent requirement for NSE training. Hence, I consider them uniforms. Since, I won't need to wear formally unless they require me to, which has happened only twice - once for the interview, and another for the photoshoot.

In fact, I might've appeared as overdressed last Friday, since everyone was complimenting the outfit, yet I knew not a reason to wear it. Though, really, I'd must prefer something with more color. Maybe it's time to take out the obnoxious yellow cardigan... Even I feel slightly uncomfortable in its presence. I shall need some time to consider...

Day 29: Gotta get that scholarship application done!

I've been putting that off for ages. But otherwise, nothing much happened today, besides the fact that I woke up at 4pm. Off to finish up some schoolwork now~

Day 28: I knew I should've done this earlier

I did somehow believe that I would be late for today's post, and it was true. But anyhow, here's a brief slide reel of my narcissism:

Me understand shirt and tie same color, very difficult to see, but me like it nonetheless. Heck, it's the only reason why I chose a white belt so the color would pop. The cardigan was unexpected though. It did create more weightage to the entire look, because I thought it'd be cold just to wear the shirt out. Well, I was wrong, for it was a pretty splendid day outside today.

And just when I thought it would last, apparently we're in for some snow again on Sunday night. Sigh... the weather's messing with us.

I believe I have many more things to say, but the words aren't spilling out as fluently as they should be. Really, it's a sign of...

TIREDNESS.

Good night people...

Day 27: Out with ye, o' Malory!

I don't remember being this perpetually tired. I've been wearing my pajamas (well, the top half) for the past three days already. See that bit of red there? It comes from:

It's the tee for the College of Arts & Sciences. Pretty neat actually, though I've been using it solely for sleep.

...

GAWD I need to wash my hair. Not that I haven't been lathering it with shampoo lately, but I do need to get it fixed.

But, we're finally done and over with Le Morte D'Arthur and we'll be moving on with Lord Alfred Tennyson's Idylls of the King. Now, this one's going to be a lot more like Beowulf, since the entire thing's a poem. Yet, it's Tennyson... so it must be good. Wishful thinking once again.

Day 26: Ka-BooM...

That was a very flat and dreary ka-boom, by the way... Anyhow:

I do have a matching beanie for the scarf, but it's the one beanie that makes my face look like an egg. Me no want look like Humpty-Dumpty. Hmph.

Well, the gruesome texts of Carlyle and Emerson have passed so now it's on to signal the end of Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur as well. Gawd they're dreary... And I'm TIRED! ~!@#$%#@!~

Oh, and I didn't bother changing out of my pajamas because I didn't sleep. These texts would be driving me to imminent insanity, I say... And now, it's time for my overdue shower. I feel... gross.

Day 25: Drained

Okay, today's picture is really not representative of what I wore today because I only had this on for the sole reason that I woke up late. I mean, I certainly had time to prepare for class and all, but I didn't do the whole wake-up-and-cleanse-self ritual... thingy. Anyway, I wore the red-striped shirt and the navy cardigan from afternoon onwards. I forgot to take a picture before I stripped down to my pajamas. I have so so so much to read...

The Victorian age is fascinating, thankfully, so I guess that should keep me fairly awake throughout the night. 80 pages of sheer history. Not including the other stuff I have to read for Carlyle and Emerson. And I also have a paper to write on these. It's film theory all over... I still remember that one night when I had to finish the reading on Bordwell's... 160 pages in one night. Absolute misery.

Which reminds me. I actually made the effort to read every single word for today's NSE seminar. Heck, I even constructed specific notes for it. And yet, we breezed through the readings without the usual small group discussions, which would've contributed to our grades. Oh, the agony! If I anticipated this, I would've concentrated on Dr. White's class instead! ARGH.

Oh well... back to me readings...

Day 24: I HAVE SO MUCH TO READ!

I'm sorry, I had to rant a little there. It's just... too much for me to absorb at the moment. But before that, here's what I had on today:

My mouth seems scrunched up in the first photo, and I look so... so... rotund in the second. Incoming eggs and pans in my direction. But that's the other necklace I've been meaning to put on for a while now. Looks different. Though I still don't know what to make of it. Hmm... it looks slightly better on this other grey turtleneck that I have. I'll be sure to try that on once I have it as one of my six items.

Alright, allow me to list the things I need done by tomorrow:

1. Finish two weeks worth of Le Morte D'Arthur. I'm so so so so behind on this.

2. Read a chapter of Paul Yoon's Once the Shore. Not a bad book, and I'm actually studying ahead, so that's comforting.

3. Write 600 words for Laurus. I'm writing a short fiction every night until Wednesday for publication. Wishful thinking on my part, but hey, I'm trying.

4. Finish my readings for NSE training and memorize all 28 majors available to the College of Agricultural Science. Gawd help me.

And here are the things I need done, well I hope to be, by Wednesday:

1. Readings for Modernity. She warned us they will be heavy. I'm so so so screwed.

2. Friggin' start on that scholarship application.

3. Edit script for Malaysian Night. I thought I washed my hands off this thing...

4. Make a Chinese New Year for grandma back home. I like to use the word grandma. It sounds so... child-like.

5. Blog. Hah. Even this is becoming tiresome. ... Kidding.

6. Find my interviewees for NSE seminar.

7. Prepare presentation for NSE seminar. <- This is my fault really, because I didn't have to do it, but I jumped in head first. Ugh...

Awesome. Now that I have listed most of the major stuff, I think I can slowly cancel them off as I complete them one by one. What an excruciating game this turned out to be.

For linguistics today, I thought about the nature of writing. Not typing to say the least, but how technology and instant messaging have transformed the way we communicate. Though more interestingly, imagine what would happen if all assignments in elementary and high schools were typed, not written? Already, at this very moment, some students' handwriting are indecipherable even by the most accomplished logographers. If dependency on the printed word increases exponentially, what then of the written manuscript? Would it cease to exist? What a frightening thought that is.

Day 23: A little everyday, goes a long way

Corny, but I guess it's true. Though I find it extremely hard to do. Well, mainly because I'm severely lazy about my work, even though I'm quite the perfectionist. In other words, they're all perfectly last-minute.

I'm not saying that the things I'm doing now are essentially last-minute work... yet. I'm still reading ahead for some of my courses. Still, there's this eminent feeling that I'll be dragging my work as I drift by the semester. I sincerely hope that wouldn't happen.

...

Wow, how very ludicrous indeed. Like I'm warning myself not to procrastinate, when I am convinced that I would, when I hope I wouldn't. Hah... Right.

Oh wow, y'know, sometimes I feel a slight bit guilty for actually typing this. But there are times when I have done pretty embarrassing things in my room when no one's around, and laugh to myself over sheer hilarity. Though I'm confident that my roomie clearly takes the trophy. I... can't even aptly describe his... tai chi movements as he listens to... "stuff" from his earphones and twirls with fantastic hand movements in front of a board full of pictures (friends, he's told me) and prayers for them. How very... kind of him to perform such a thing. I'm sure they will greatly benefit from his... dance.

Right, 2 minutes of roomie awesomeness has passed and back to things more pivotal in my life.

As I said, I tend to procrastinate. Hah! As if anyone would deny that. But, I'm actually glad that I managed to submit a story for this short fiction competition hosted by the NPR, and I'm anxious to hear the results. Granted, this is participated by thousands of writers across all fifty states, but that anxiety is paired with excitement as well. The prospects of actually seeing my short piece posted on their website is reward enough for me, let alone win the prize. Oh well, spoils big or small, I'll gladly receive them. We'll see what happens.

Day 22: I'm hooked

I went back to Red Mango again today, just because it reminded me of the desserts I used to have back in Malaysia. It's different, of course, from what I had back then. But it brought back the flavors from my memories, so that's good enough.

I was contemplative if I would've gone in just my shorts and flip flops and a hoodie, with the hood down, as I always wear it. It was snowing, so it wasn't as cold as it would've been. But it wasn't heavy, but light, like how I imagined a thin veil of silk drifting, gliding through the air as it softly falls to the ground. I went out with a pair of jeans and shoes and the hoodie.

Oh, and by the way, "hoodie" refers to the one that I only wear around the halls, or when I wake up late and am too lazy to dress up for class. It has a zipper so it's simple and fast.

Students were still flocking the place, signifying its popularity. And four of its flavors have changed, trading pineapple, coconut, tangomonium and something else for irish creme, amaretto, somona strawberries and banana. I was undecided for a combination of the first two, and the last two with vanilla. I chose the latter. The banana yogurt reminded me of cough medicine I used to take back home, though.

But it was worth the walk in the snow. I miss the flavors so, so much.

Day 21: Red Mango

Okay, so it was divine. But only because I've not tasted real fruit in a long time that such biasness materialized itself. Yet... the mangoes... were awesome. I'm definitely going back tomorrow to get some more. I do have a few qualms though. The price, no doubt, cannot escape my Chinese gaze. Gosh that sounded so stereotypical, ethnocentric even, but it's true. Yogurtland only costed me 30 cents per ounce, Red Mango was 45. And yes, I know it's yogurt, but anything that tints my vanilla sour will immediately receive my disapproval. Though with that being said, it kinda forces me to pick only the tropical fruits they had to offer, which is good.

Alright, back to clothes. Here's what I wore:

I completely forgot about my sleeveless zip-hoodie, so I thought of putting it on with the red jacket. Now, I know some of you might be thinking that I'm breaking a rule or something, but I didn't want to wear my wool coats today, and there was some sun for a while, so I thought what the heck. Though typing it now, I do realize that it is hard to defend my choice for the day, even if I only wore them when I was out (so that would make them nothing more than outerwear). But in the spirit of the project, I shall not wear the blue sleeveless again unless it's a part of my six items.

Day 20: No amount of caffeine could've prevented it

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I slept. And I paid tremendously for it. Not that my grades are affected, heck no, but my pride in maintaining a zero-absence has been shattered within the first two weeks of the semester. Brilliant. With that said, I've been in my pajamas the entire day, and the only work I got done was the laundry, which was shoved into two washing machines at 3.00am.

I tried to read the books. I even had a mug of coffee on the table. But I just couldn't. The readings weren't dreadful, but I was tired. And the previous all-nighter had taken its toll on me. Oh well, tonight's another eventful one, where I'll be finishing another book and a paper. Wish me luck.

Day 19: It's always nice to have a friend smile

Absolute bollocks, I forgot to take today's picture. But it was exceptionally cold today, so I wasn't really concerned with what I was wearing, so long as there were enough layers. So aside from the singlet and black shirt, I wore the black turtleneck with the navy cardigan. Though I didn't take off my wool coat when I was class either...

Had lunch with Jennifer today, and did a lil' bit of my counseling again. I say... the best rewards are always a thoughtful expression and a heartfelt smile, which was what I received, and I'm glad for that.

I'm currently torn between two options: Sleep, or eat Gardetto's while reading Le Morte D'Arthur. My tummy's telling the latter, though my eyes disagree. What shall I choose?

Day 18: Distracted...

I've been so distracted with the latest Final Fantasy trailers, that I forgot to upload these on time. Yes, I am a huge fan of the franchise. It's the only thing that would coerce me to get a PS3.

But anyway, I only wore this shirt for the first half of the day, because for the later half, I'd have to pick a completely different attire apart from my regular six items because I had to pick something colorful for the NSE photoshoot. At first, I thought it would be an eyesore to wear so much color, but it worked out surprisingly well, and I received compliments for it, so all's well. I didn't take a picture of meself then, unfortunately, though once the group pictures come in, I'll definitely post it here.

But if one must know, I wore the colorful plaid shirt I had, with a red-and-black plaid tie, and the black-with-red-and-white-stripes belt.

The seminar was okay. I'm a little disappointed with the grade I got for my first blog assignment though. Yes, we have to blog for grades. Hah, and here I thought I could escape from all that through blogging. Granted, it was only the first draft, and everyone else got low grades too, I shouldn't be too concerned. But that friggin' annoying, narcissistic biatch of me couldn't bear to look at a 34/40. Gaaaaahhhh...

Well, at least she said that she liked my narration. If she didn't, I might've killed myself for making a laughing stock out of my future English degree with a concentration in creative writing. Hah... haha... ha... ha...

I need to really whoop my ass into writing, and not just for class purposes. I should really consider publishing, and damn do I have to get those words typed down. Kristy brought up a really good point: I should compile and edit all of the conversations we've had together on Skype. Really, natural jokes look and sound much better than trying to squeeze one out like that itty-bit of shampoo left stuck at the bottom of a bottle.

Day 17: A convergence of personalities

I completely forgot to take a picture of what I wore today, I'm sorry. Even though it's a national holiday, I spent a majority of the afternoon and evening with my fellow NSE leaders for our little retreat at the East Campus. Basically, I wore the black turtleneck with the owl necklace. Pretty simple, really.

I can't believe how much I've missed out on campus. The East Campus looks gorgeous! It's far more picturesque than the City Campus. Even the trees look lovely in winter. It does remind me a little of the trip to Sequoia National Park, where there was nothing but trees and a splendid white expanse. In fact, walking around the East Campus brings a pleasant calmness to me, like I could breathe better all of a sudden. I would definitely enjoy a walk around the area, if only I didn't have to take a bus to get there.

But the retreat was fun. I can't think of a better word to describe it. The socializing can get a little tiresome, but the fun never stops. It's such an odd feeling that I can't even transcribe it properly, but let's just say, that it was better than my expectations. In fact, I admit that I was a little intimidated by the eight-hour retreat. I had been curious as to what we can do in so much time. But it was time well spent, for everyone got to know everyone better, and I'm glad for the diversity in personalities that gathered in the room.

In which, there was one girl who reminded me instantly of Hilda Suarez, Betty's sister from Ugly Betty. She was just too darn adorable with that sassy attitude she carried around her. Everything about her just makes me wanna laugh, or at the very least smile a lot, because she really looked as if she came out right from a television sitcom and said "Who you lookin' at?" in a feisty manner. Awesome. Just the kind of person you wanna be instant friends with.

And now, I must return to my books. My humbling books. It's Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur this time, another book that I've been meaning to explore since Maura's class. Pray, that it shall be interesting enough to keep my eyelids open and to shut an impending yawn.

Day 16: Down with a book

A lovely, lovely book. Though most of the chapters seemed depressing, with meaning though, the final chapter was the one that seals the narration wonderfully. I can't praise Lahiri enough for her specificity in detail and scene. How an epileptic lives alone in the storage room of a dingy apartment or how the Victorian survived both wars and lived to see man placing a flag on the moon.

Buy, or at least borrow, the Interpreter of Maladies. Really, it's worth it. Why, I'm all the more excited and inspired to write my own glimpses of Malaysian life after reading this.

Day 15: I played pool!

But I don't have the pictures to prove it, unfortunately. Not that there was ever a need to snap photos to begin with. Manu and Justine just called me out so I joined them for a bit. Other than that, it's been a pretty boring day.

Day 14: Should I make it a concern of mine?

Okay, so I didn't wear the necklace today. In fact, I didn't really bother much with my clothing options today since I only had one short class. Hence, the wool cardigan works fine enough for the two minute journey back and forth Andrews. Some of you might consider this as an "item" in itself, but it's actually warm enough for me that I don't wear it indoors (I'd perspire if I did) so I'm wearing it as I would my other wool coats.

I'm a little concerned with this year's Malaysian Night. Though I've promised myself to not officially bind myself into composing another musical as I did last year, I can't exactly release the entire responsibility on the committee as well. So I offered assistance should the need arise, but I made sure they understood that it does not mean that I'll be at the helm of the production.

And so, they had a writer for the entire sketch. Ideally, the script for the production would've been completed by winter break. However, none have heard from the writer ever since the start of the semester, and he's apparently avoiding the committee. Though I've relinquish my title as director, I find it a real pity that the situation would come to this, and I can't stop feeling partly guilty for the entire break up between writer and organizer. Was there a misunderstanding? If there is, I know nothing of the sort. Yet this confounds me all the more so.

On a side note, my mother's feeling pretty darn happy lately, which is a good thing of course. I guess it's part and parcel of having secured a relatively stable economic foundation, not that we were in a state of deprivation to begin with, but it is rather pleasant to see her quirky self once again...

Day 13: On Jhumpa Lahiri

My bed was so comfortable that I couldn't bear to leave its hypnotic influence. Hence, the cap. I think I'll be wearing something similar tomorrow as well, only with a different necklace. Though I'm not too sure if this other one that I have in mind would be any more visible than the seams on this shirt.

Anyway, I've only read the first three chapters of Interpreter of Maladies and I'm positively entertained and beguiled by Lahiri's prose. There're so much in her stories that I can relate too, especially the food. My parents and I used to frequent Indian restaurants a lot, so I did get that insatiable sensation when her characters prepared masala or chutney. I can almost taste it from her words itself, and her attention to the quirky habits of each individual character enlivens her tales.

What I appreciate most about her book, however, would be her management with Indians and Indian culture. She doesn't explicitly mentions the ethnicity of her characters; rather, her characters just happen to be regular individuals, who just happen to be Indian. I can imagine how her characters depict the typical immigrant scene in the States, with one chapter having an Indian American family visit India, only to act no differently from a regular tourist.

I sometimes wish I could mimic those descriptive moments that Lahiri imbued in her collection. The child who didn't brush her teeth because she feared that she would wash away her prayer for a family friend; the indifferent mother who took off her right sandal and used her toes to scratch the back of her left foot. Goodness... to read great literature brings such bliss~

Speaking of which, I've had my first taste of the Arthurian legend today. The class started with a "brief" introduction on the probable origins of Arthur and his knights, from Geoffrey of Monmouth's The History of the Kings of Britain. Frankly, it's Beowulf all over, only that this isn't an epic poem, which makes the reading a little easier. It's written as a historic account of the early monarchs after all. During the class, Dr. Lyons (who happens to be my honors advisor as well) previewed photographs of certain locations in England that pertain to the legend itself. On that note, myths involve gods while legends incorporate pre-existing individuals.

To my surprise, this course actually provides the opportunity to students who enrolled for the class to travel to England during the first week of summer holidays. Alas, I begin work on the 9th of May so unless the trip is organized on a date before then, I shan't be able to participate on a journey through England's most mythical (and astoundingly beautiful) sites. We would presumably visit Arthur's birthplace and the supposed site for Camelot. How profoundly romantic~

But the greatest sham, at least for me since I wouldn't be able to go, is that the trip doesn't end in the UK; it would most likely conclude in Paris. Now I have been to France, and I did venture to see all the major sites including Versailles. But to lose out on such an opportunity again is so agonizing... I'd wish I hadn't known this trip would take place then...

Ah... c'est la vie...

Day 12: First day of classes... in vogue

Well, more or less. Though I'm starting to feel less so... But I do like the small addition for today (much thanks to the backlight, it's difficult to see that I'm actually wearing the navy cardigan):

So I wore what I wore almost everyday during the first five days of January. Only difference between now and then is that I got to accessorize, and this was one accessory I have not touched in the longest time, probably because it could only be worn with a dark-colored turtleneck, ideally.

Yet, somehow, the picture perturbs me. The more I look at the shape of the necklace, the more I see Ronald McDonald.

Moving on. I'm very happy with, well, at least three out of four of my classes. My linguistics professor is sweet, my short story professor is quirky and the one who teaches me modernity is just too cute! Every single word that's uttered by her makes me laugh nervously (cackle, almost) in a class that's too serious to be cheerful. I had to use a book to shield my smile. But yes, my classes are wonderful, I'm happy to say. And tomorrow, I will be participating in my fourth - the honors seminar.

How is it possible that I got a completely different set of books for another class instead of my own? And to my astonishment, I couldn't even remember enrolling for a seminar on Arthurian legends. Well, the memory did start to kick in very slowly, but it's still very blurry. All I remember was checking through available options and there were honors seminars for English majors, and that I picked one over the other. So how come I can't remember the requirement to buy The History of the Kings of Britain?

On that note, I do like the readings for this class, particularly because I've known these books from a previous course I've taken on British literature, so it's only fitting that I should read them now. Yet the absurdity of my oversight confounds me still...

...

I see, I get it now. During the implied pause with the ellipsis, I've sought out the reason for my ridiculous error. It's friggin' listed as "Cultural Phenomena." I suppose I should assume from now on that everything pertaining to a cultural phenomenon must include the Arthurian myth. How very... accurate.

Day 11: Because I'm hungry

Picture's a little blurry. But I like it anyway. I'm glad this was one combination that worked out nicely.

More often than not, a friend would pass by my table in the dining center and ask me "why are you eating alone?" The answer is simple really. Because I'm hungry. That and also because I'm quite the slow eater. I'd much rather savor flavor (though that's an increasingly difficult thing to do around here) than practice gluttony with alacrity. And besides, I like to chew. It's therapeutic, if done properly; if not, it can get rather tiresome.

However, I do notice the ongoing trend of having to dine with another. Trend might be an understatement here, now that I think of it. Pressure's a better description. If so, I'm either immune or just plain indifferent to that lonesome feeling some get whenever they're holding a sandwich and watching nervously around (though probably zoning out) the cacophonous dining area. But I really am curious to know: Who sets these rules?

I mean, I am quite sociable if I want to and need to. But I don't see a reason to be constantly smiling at everyone every time. Honestly, it's tiresome and I do appreciate some time alone. And satisfying hunger is an activity I'd prefer to do at my own pace. In fact, I usually obtain fresh new ideas when I'm eating. This one's one of those moments. The idea of having a meal with a significant other is comforting, indefinitely; but if there isn't a significant other, I'd much rather sit back and enjoy my meal.

As... much as I can.

Speaking of which, the oranges are disgusting. The peel is so thick that my fingernails hurt trying to peel it open. And there's this waxy flavor on the fruit itself that disturbs my palate. I finished it, of course, but I doubt it if I'm ever going to pick up another one of those anytime soon. Why today though? Well, they look particularly orange today, so I thought that after a semester of inedible fruit the dining hall services would have to upgrade their standards. I am wrong to assume, apparently.

Hah... the irony of contemplating food, yet being severely critical about it. C'est la vie.

The weather is bitter today. A 5-minute walk under the misleading sunshine feels like a reluctant adventure through a thorn bush. The infinitesimal flakes feel like glass shards ripping through skin, and the frigid air petrifies the neck. Wear scarves, people. Of course, I made the unwise decision to traverse between buildings without mufflers so my ears felt like foreign appendages threatening to break off like Tostitos.

But I'm now back in the comfort of internal heating, and I'm not sure if I'm still up for the gym later in the evening. My god, it's almost four already? I have (well, not have really) to finish two books by tomorrow and I'm barely done with one. Until another wintry day then~

Day 10: Second day of classes won't initiate either.

Before I begin, I'm actually switching my pink gradient plaid shirt (what a mouthful...) for this, only because the former didn't appear as formal as I imagined it.

That and I've never worn the pink shirt yet, so I'm switching. I remembered that I'll be required to dress formally for a picture session with the other NSE leaders, and I don't want to get sacked just because I'm mismatched from the rest of the group.

Who da thunk today's snow fall would affect tomorrow's classes? Just one night and the whole scene at UNL changed. Well, I suppose it does look more like winter now than ever.

Day 9: First day of classes won't happen after all.

Remember when I said Lincoln (or... was it Nebraska in general?) was having a pretty mild winter this year? Well, I'm wrong apparently. UNL's shutting down tomorrow due to the heavy snow so naturally, all the boys are happy. Though really, there's two sides to "happiness." All of the work will be postponed until a later date, something I do not look forward to. Already, a lecturer emailed me a new schedule for class, and that we'd have to finish a book by next week.

Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter of Maladies. Another Pulitzer Prize winner. I'll notify if it's any good.

Day 8: Aww... so soon?

I realized I haven't posted images of January's six items so there they are. Nothing much today otherwise. I went to the gym in shorts and it wasn't too bad. Though I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep that up next week, since the forecast looks icy. Other than that, I've been wrapping my books for the new semester, and that tower of books is still sitting on my desk. I figured I could use some motivation when I come back from class everyday.

Sigh... Another semester begins. I'm both excited and a wee bit reluctant. Maybe because I know I won't be getting much sleep again. It's not going to be homework this time, but grad. school application. And I have my NSE training to boot. So even though I'm officially enrolled in only four classes, I'm really taking six.

...

Oh my.

Day 7: I'm a Star Wars fan.

I keep forgetting to take pictures of what I wore during the day. An unseemly habit, I know, especially since this blog is all about pictures and clothes and what we do with them when we're dreadfully bored. At any rate, I wore mainly the black turtleneck, and never went out of my room except during lunch and dinner, both of which I endeavored a healthy conversation with a good friend of mine, Jaclyn.

I've recently developed a insatiable appetite for everything Star Wars. Well, at least the main trilogies developed by Lucas. I don't read the comics for that matter not because I dislike them, but only because I never had the reason to. I can finally say: I've watched all six films and I liked them immensely. To a certain degree, the original trilogy was far better compared to the sequels, even without impressive CGI. Though I must say that my enthusiasm for the series grew from the sleek designs of the Naboo starships from The Phantom Menace. I've always loved the royal star cruisers. Of course, any hardcore enthusiast would be critical on my rather general terminology for the starships. Hence, I shall attempt to be more specific.

Ahem.

I'm quite taken in with the elegance presented by the J-type 327 Nubian Royal Starship developed by the Theed Palace Space Vessel Engineering Corps. A representation of Nubian diplomacy and its pacifistic philosophy, the vessel carries no weapons, and relies severely on its sheer speed to elude any possible attacks. Completely covered in chromium, the yacht is a status symbol in itself, conferred only to the Queen of Naboo.

Or, in much simpler terms...

The spaceship's design was inspired by the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. Here's a comparison:

Fiction always looks so much better than fact, doesn't it? Maybe that's why I write.

Day 6: The size of my library doubled.

This is my desk/library. This collection excludes magazines and an entire box of books which I didn't bother taking a picture of. But let us assume that these are the books that I take out and read regularly.

Here're my textbooks for this semester:

Twenty-four. This mess excludes at least four more books that I didn't add, because I already have them and they're already on the shelf. Pooh is right to be surprised. How in the world am I going to finish all of these in one semester? I don't even have a place for them in my room. How very... tiresome indeed. Oh well, 'tis the life of an English major.

I'm very surprised with this year's winter. Lincoln's been spared with much of the cold snap this season. I even walked out to the bookstore in shorts and flip flops. In other words, I had a pretty lethargic day, in which, I didn't bother changing out of my pajamas.

I know I'm supposed to post something else but I can't remember what... Hmm. I can't blame it on jet lag because I don't usually suffer from jet lags. Though... I am rather sleepy at the moment...

Day 5: What a terrifying flight!

Couple of things I've missed out in yesterday's post... Firstly, I forgot to upload this photo that I took at Claremont Village. How very exciting indeed! I'm quite taken in by the lead actress after her stint as Alice. And now, she'll be acting as Jane Eyre. I'm looking forward to it.

Secondly, for the past five days of January, I've been wearing the same thing whenever I go out - Either just the black turtleneck or it paired with the blue cardigan. Today, it was just the turtleneck with the wool coat. I had expected Nebraskan weather to be cold.

The flight from LA to Phoenix was terrifying. It was definitely topping my list of frightening flights, and I have been globetrotting all my life so I know how bad turbulence can sometimes be. Until this particular journey. About 30 minutes after take off, the ride became a little bumpy. I wasn't bothered by the occasional rough massage. The elderly passenger seated on my left didn't seem to care much as well. And then, it got rougher. For five seconds, at least that was what it felt, the plane rocked so hard, I thought the wings were falling off. All I heard was the captain leaving a brief message, urging everyone to strap on their belts. Two minutes later, there were panicking gasps from the seat behind me. I held on tightly to my seat. The elderly lady on the left, grabbed my hand.

I later learnt her name to be Irene, and she had mine. Small talk was all that's required to slowly brush away anxiety, still tugging on our hearts. What it felt like then seemed impossible mid-air. I was in a mini bus filled with people glued to each other's sticky bodies, the sweaty stench floating about inside, and we were traveling in the Malaysian countryside, on roads that never received attention from the Ministry of Transportation. The only thing is, we were all 30,ooo feet above sea level. And it was a loooong way down.

But we made it. Thank goodness for that. And I came back to my room, which was still surprisingly neat. Just as I left it. Well, at least, my section of the room that is. I... don't think I would like to mention the details about my roommate's side. In fact, I might consider vacuuming. Again.

Day 4: I'm a little biased

Not too bad, eh? Well, that's only because some of the flowers were not from the botanical garden itself... Oh, and by the way, this was where I went:

I've set the Huntington Library as a benchmark. As a result, I wasn't very impressed with the arrangement of this garden. It was beautiful, no doubt. But Huntington's cacti collection puts Santa Ana's to shame. Their specimens in the desert oasis were healthy, but lacked the grandeur presented in Huntington.

Ah, but what am I saying? I'm being far too critical... This place deserves some credit. I can only blame myself for choosing winter as the season to visit. Everything looked green, if that's any way to describe a garden, and I greatly appreciated the amount of walking I did. Conifer enthusiasts, this is the place for you. I was frankly surprised to find out they had a single coast redwood tree and a couple of giant sequoias. Though... I might be swapping those figures.

Nonetheless, it was the perfect day to be out. For a long time, the weather forecast finally showed "Sunny," with a high of 62. I was content. Definitely one of the better ways to end my winter vacation in LA.

Here are a few more post-worthy pictures I've snapped form the garden:

I'm still waiting for that nymph to pop up anytime now...

My only frustration from this brisk walk was that I couldn't seem to locate the crucifixion thorn, a rare shrub apparently. Then again, it is a shrub, and I'm no expert horticulturalist. How am I supposed to find such a thing when I couldn't even locate myself on the map?

About noon, I began my journey to the neighboring Claremont Village, which is supposed to be somewhat like Omaha's Old Market area. Pretty neat place. I even got a chance to snap this:

The best part about the village was that it had a bookshop. And the best thing about this book shop is that it sells rare and used books at a standard price. $4 on all hardcovers and $2 on paperbacks. Regardless of their condition. In other words, I walked away with these three beauties: Mark Twain's The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and Iliad's The Odyssey.

Now I have all three of these, but the books by Twain were collectibles, and The Odyssey was brand new. In fact, it looked as if someone bought it out of B&N, changed his/her mind about after paying for it, and dropped it off at this bookstore. I got this friggin' thing for only $2. How can anyone say no to that?

The cafe latte wasn't mine, unfortunately.

Day 3: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc anyone?

Perhaps it had a well-established history, but what I saw in this winery was nothing more than a simple wine shop. I was disappointed. I didn't even get to taste wine. And vineyard's an overstatement. The grapevines I saw looked more like a vegetable patch in some neighbor's backyard. Then again, this is the wintry season. What could I expect?

As one can see, there weren't any tours to welcome my arrival so I basically exited the place with a bunch of papers a lecturer would've given to me should I have taken "Wine Tasting 101." The lady working there was kind enough to introduce to me some interesting facts about wine tasting though. Thank goodness I'm a reader. Now I know about the three "Ss" when drinking wine and that white oak is the preferred wood to construct barrels for wine aging.

But I had a far more constructive time with the pot of flowers on the right, as you can see from the pictures below.

That's it. My next investment shall be a Canon Powershot A480. If only it didn't consume so many AA batteries, it would've been a most treasured item. And I realized I haven't been using it at its fullest potential...

There, much better. Compared to my camera phone, this nifty little gadget produces... actually, just about the same quality of images, really. Well, just about the same when I'm taking portraits, otherwise the camera really does intensify the hues and texture of the images.

Tomorrow will be my last day at Rancho Cucamonga. Oh~ how my heart bleeds for this place. The bed which I slept on for the past three weeks is amazing. Not great for the spine but gawd does it make me sleep more. An activity I sorely miss and will miss in the near future.