slightly obligatory new year's eve post

2011 for me was a big year of change. giant whirlwind of emotions - excitement of moving, grief due to loss, eagerness to explore, heartache of loneliness, intrigue of new hobbies, frustration at injuries... some were great, some were downright depressing.


revisiting my 2011 goals...
1. do at least one active thing per week - semi-FAIL
first half of the year, yes. 2nd half, not so much
2. travel once every 2 months - DONE!
milwaukee (2/5), twin cities (4/8), new orleans (5/6), new york (5/18), move to seattle (6/9-not exactly traveling, but let's count it), vancouver (7/30), new york (8/20), los angeles (10/20), san francisco (11/23), austin/houston (12/24)
3. finish at least one book every 2 months - FAIL
this goal fizzled in 2nd half of the year, but I did read 4 books...
4. actively pursue a real FT job - DONE!
started a new one 6/13/11
5. finish some console games currently collecting dust - FAIL
this was hard to do in the 2nd half of the year due to lack of a TV...


so. definitely need to improve on working towards my goals.


decreeing new 2012 goals...
1. call my mother at minimum once a month, work towards once a week
2. travel once every 2 months (this was a fun one from last year)
3. pickup a new activity (once the knee fully heals)
4. finish games and projects that i start
5. read 5 books


have a happy new year!

pre-christmas tens

1. new slew of photos. december always gets crazy
2. i like the excitement of seattle, but i do miss my wisconsin friends and the simpler life of the midwest.
3. seattle taxi drivers have my vote as the worst drivers in the city
4. curse you human nature for being attracted to new and shiny things even though you already have everything you need
5. "done is better than perfect" - something i need to keep in mind
6. in several lineups of watches, my favorites were always the most expensive ones, i.e. priced in the $1,500s while the rest were $300s. apparently i have expensive tastes in watches. sigh.
7. bad years cycle
8. chronic pain also cycles (re: knees)
9. how computers work circa 1978. what a gem
10. i stay up too late nowadays. the fatigue is catching up...

texas, here i come!

randomness is the internet

collection of links i haven't posted...

tribute to calvin and hobbes creator - puts me in the spirit =)
and to continue that spirit... damon claus made me lol
if ever you wanted an evil fireplace... here you go
awesomely crazy slide in japan
realistically over-encumbered link... and that's why it's a fun game
something everyone could use... google tips!

Hello December!

We are well into December. I've been a bit lazy lately.

1. Thanksgiving photos are finally up. I took a lot this year...
2. pack rat-ness and indecison runs strong in my family
3. i do quite love the ability to walk to places i eat or shop at
4. update on my knee... i was able to run to catch a bus today with no pain!
5. it's the first time since my laser eye surgery that i need to get my eyes checked... right eye has not been happy. farewell 2 years of corrective lens-free lifestyle.
6. december is always so busy. i have so much i want to do, and so little time
7. i volunteered to do gift wrapping and it was fun! must do it again
8. impulsive purchases have gone rampant this month
9. occupy needs to die or get organized
10. gonna be in houston 12/25-12/26 and austin 12/27-1/3. haven't been back to TX in two years...

11 minus 1 is 10

pre-holiday craziness list of tens

1. had an awesome weekend hanging out with my visiting friends - photos!
2. did not realize that skyward sword theme is the reverse of zelda's theme...
3. this strand of hair was white until i quit my stressful job in 2010. i have been using it as a reminder of how long it's been since i made the bold decision to quit. it will be cut off at my next haircut and i'm actually a bit sad to part wtih it
4. my apartment is FINALLY clean after 5 months! (pics 1 2 3)
5. looking at my recent photos... i really need a camera with image stabilizer. also, i need to clean my camera lens
6. i've got two days to undo my weekend food damage to prepare for thanksgiving's food damage
7. i WILL get a TV on cyber monday... eh, if the price is right
8. the PM in me is screaming at the developers and testers, including myself. no good
9. there are so many choices to define what you will become
10. this thanksgiving, i am thankful for having such dedicated parents in my life, for without their efforts i could not do what i want at my own pace under my own roof and appreciate life for what it is

links gathering dust

how to wear a scarf - friend sent this a while back, but now i'm starting to take notes
infographs of people's thoughts about infringement
reddit's way to find kentucky on a map
some programmer-related career advice (it's long but has some decent takeaways)
and because i am a futurama fan... the alignment chart

on 111111

1. intriguing moment of the day - coming back from lunch and seeing 1:11p 11-11-11 on my work phone
1. i finally finished my first box of floss. hooray, my teeth feel healthier!
1. yea, i should invest in a kitchenaid considering how much i bake nowadays
1. seeing the numbering monotony yet?
1. heal, you stupid knee...
1. another reason why i want a dog - cute!

fin.

today is 11022011 (the american way)

holy palindrome, batman! let's spin out ten random thoughts!

1. added some more photos... the seattle adventure continues

2. my manager/lead count at work since starting in june - 6 (7 if you count helping out on a project)

3. i had been looking forward to life in a day for a while, and now you can watch the whole thing! all sorts of cultures, emotions, hilarity, sometimes graphic (warning, not for the feint of heart). it's very enlightening

4. heeeeere comes the raaaaaiin

5. knee update - currently strengthening, probably at 75% now

6. friends visiting in a couple weeks - i'm really looking excited to see them!!! =D

7. this month i will really strive to lose a couple pounds...

8. just looked at my resolutions for this year... doing/did 3/5, it will be hard to make up "do at least one active thing per week". does walking to the bus stop and uphill to work count?

9. also looked at my 30 before 30... completed 10/30. i should actively work to complete these

10. katsu curry is a delicious japanese comfort food i wish i grew up with

ten still seems like a lot. maybe i should cut it back down to 5... or somewhere in between.

The LA times

had an awesome trip recently to LA visiting friends. some of the highlights:
- lots of random photos
- zelda 25th anniversary concert and vip seats
- drunk comments that turned into an inside joke
- finding neil patrick harris' hollywood star
- chicken 'n waffles at roscoe's
- super cute husky-corgi mix
- daikokuya ramen
- Amy Adams and light paparazzi at the airport

recent tens

1. i am soooo done with technical support... very glad my career is shifting
2. latest photos of fall
3. signed up for sketchbook project 2012 out of impulse. fun times ahead
4. i need to remind myself that you don't replace your friends, you make new ones
5. seeing Jonathan Frakes in person at a sci-fi pops concert was a lot of fun. seeing him run around the audience then scream "GHOSTBUSTERS" one row in front of me - priceless
6. jealousy of other people's adventures is getting in my way
7. heal, body, heal!
8. small companies are good in that individual needs are addressed... but the whole system lacks structure and process
9. fight!
10. new goal - get more than 5hrs of sleep each night

linkies r us

hahaha peeling a head of garlic in less than 10 seconds works and it's fun!
10 ways to lower your lifespan - i'm screwed, 7/10 apply to me
super awesome elevator that they should make more of
self-sufficient dog, we got a smart one there

inevitable fears

i'm scared of growing old
i've become painfully aware of this recently... now i understand why i have grown increasingly impatient with my life. i want to explore and travel and experience life while i'm still young and mobile. i don't want to lose my self-sufficiency......

on a related note, i don't think i will make my october goal to lose 2-3 lbs. my knees have given up on me which makes me very inactive. argh.

all going along with this year's theme of "life's big changes"

10th month of the year

new list of 10 general and random things i wish to share with the general public

1. i have successfully fulfilled my goal for september (eat out 6 meals max in a week). had to say 'no' to many lunches in anticipation of dinner outings to do it. october's goal is to eat less/exercise off 2-3 lbs...
2. added some photos - seattle sunset pictures and ride the ducks tour. and thus concludes the sunny season of the city
3. trips planned: LA 10/20-10/23, SF 11/23-11/29, ATX (tentatively) 12/24-1/1
4. i need to start using my groupon/livingsocial vouchers
5. disappointed that ulrich schnauss couldn't make decibel festival, but tycho was fun
6. i suck at texting. also, i'm learning swype on the android
7. so begins the awkward transition period from tech support to QA. then comes the mentoring and buddy system. it's only been 3.5 months since i started. wee.
8. recently had an out-of-body experience where i dreamt i was floating... weird, cool, and eerie
9. piroshkis are delicious
10. i have way too many hobbies and interests and am too restless to focus on one at a time

and completely random - synchronized walking. if you're short on time, just skip to 1:37. the rest of it will just make you feel like an insignificant pixel in a video on the net.
so that's how they learn to walk in crowds... i see, i see.

Ten on Tuesday - Vacations

because i can, and because i've been thinking about travel a lot recently
borrowed from linda@curious-notions which is from roots and rings

1. What is your dream vacation?
Go see the mountains and country side of China/Asia. Or, go to Europe for a month and wander

2. What has been your favorite trip so far in your life?
One of my fondest is Taiwan in 2007 for Christmas, New Years, and fun with friends and family

3. If you and one of your best friends could go anywhere in the world for one week, where would it be and why?
Japan because I admire the food and culture and language

4. Have you ever booked a trip using an online deal? How did it go?
Hmm, does Expedia or Orbitz count? Then yes, it worked and I got my slightly cheaper flight

5. What’s your favorite thing to do while you’re on vacation?
Eat the food, then experience the culture

6. Have you ever missed an opportunity to take a trip that you regret? 
Yes, two orchestra trips in high school, a ski resort and Europe

7. You travel far away from home and get stranded with no way to buy anything, what’s the one thing you can’t live without?
Camera. Assuming I'll eventually go home, I want pictures of where I'm stranded because it will likely be isolated and untraveled territory

8. What’s one of your favorite traveling memories?
Resting in London on a bench, then being asked to mimic my roommate, and both my friend and I made the exact same face on camera

9. All included resort or backpacking? Why?
Both? Probably resort, but I do want to try backpacking once

10. Are you more of a lie on the beach kind of person on vacation, or do you prefer to see the sights?
See the sights, unless there is nothing else to do but lie on a beach. The Caribbean particularly comes to mind.

hello world. or something

1. i'm shifting careers in a month. this year as been VERY eventful, and it's only 3/4 done...
2. daiso is a dangerous $1.50 store
3. my sense of perfectionism is also hindering my growth
4. the older i get, the better i am able to tell another person's age
5. i should stop buying fruit-infused chocolates because they are never as good as i think they will be
6. seattle's central library has a very intriguing design. i like it
7. dwelling on the past goes no where. people move on, i need to move forward too
8. my waistline expands fast when i wear khakis all the time. jeans give me a frame of reference.
9. scrapped princess novels are childish but fun
10. sometimes i feel like all this time i've just been running away

september tens

1. this year is really flying by...
2. still in vacation mode from my trip to ny. labor day weekend did not help. anyhow here are some photos
3. i'm happy to report that i have stronger walking legs now, and was able to peruse many stretches of NYC with no problems
4. my goal for this month is to eat at home more often by capping myself at 6 meals out max in a week (lunch & dinner) (yes, still pretty generous...)
5. next set of big purchases - TV, smartphone, vacuum, and lots of airplane tickets
6. spotify is pretty neat
7. i miss my parmesan oregano bread at subway
8. managed to bike ~7 miles on flat roads. got pretty tired towards the end tho
9. hurricanes and fires and other disasters everywhere. oh my...
10. i can feel myself wasting away, hanging on to the past, and falling into routine again... just highly unmotivated recently

neato links

whoa it's september already.

playing online games as an adult - yea, pretty much...

bored at work? make weapons from paperclips

ok go and the muppets - baa-aark?

if ever i buy a house with a basement, i'm getting this puzzle

katamari desk organizer DIY project looks fun

cartography of the world - globaia - very neat

10 things learned from packing

here are 10 things i've learned from packing my parents' house and cleaning out boxes from 5+ years ago

1. before microsoft office, there was lotus symphony

2. i actually read quite a decent amount of books when i was a kid

3. how to be a pack rat = keep all (and i mean ALL) things that might be useful, such as receipts, paperwork, cables, maps, postcards, pictures, VHS and cassette tapes, floor plans, boxes, magazines, books, floppies, sauce packs, utensils..............

4. how to be a pack rat #2 - have one item and two backups in case that one breaks

5. how to be a pack rat #3 - buy tons of clothing when they're on sale and never wear them (i am somewhat guilty of this)

6. you only know so much about your family history as your parents tell you... ex., old photos and family trees are completely lost on me now

7. how to fill your fridge - buy all your food from costco

8. i used to weigh more, and now i know why. my parents fed me a lot of food!

9. classic gender stereotyping annoys me. men are not the only gender that can pack computer parts. in fact, i probably know more about computers than 50% of men out there. thanks for the vote of confidence.

10. hurricane irene really does not want to let anyone in or out of nyc :(

interesting links i've saved up

interesting study on decision fatigue..

the whole world in a minute makes me want to travel

cool depiction of the tree of life for hyrule

want to feel nostalgic about solitaire?

i am a sucker for tiny things

10 thoughts galore

1. i'll be in new york for the next 10 days to help pack my mother's house. it's going to be my last time in the area for a long while. i'm going to miss visiting regularly... it has become home away from home

2. finally finished clash of kings. i really want to watch the HBO series now...

3. music from pixar's Up will forever invoke bittersweet emotions

4. dear seattle - if being green is your goal, why are all of your stairwells locked, forcing people to use elevators to get anywhere?

5. i need a new personal phone, but should i upgrade to a smart phone when though i already lug my work's blackberry?

6. ok, so no more buying nice-to-haves. only the must-haves-to-live. except during vacation.

7. traffic patterns in seattle outright suck

8. i may be obsessed with food, since all of my planning revolves around meals

9. cupcakes are fun to make. see?

10. it's still hard to believe that it's been 3 months since craziness started. here's to more random things life throws out

seattle + 2 months

it's been 2 months since i moved to seattle. time really does fly. lesse... interesting things that have happened?

- work has picked up some pace

- really enjoying walking next to pike place market each day from work

- attended many meetups for general outings and board games

- experiencied the seattle freeze first hand

- feeling some dejavu between now and when i first moved to madison

- took a food trip to vancouver

- watched a little bit of the blue angels

- lots of shopping and splurging, still

- i now have a number of groupon/livingsocial vouchers...

so goes the life of moving to a new city.

a quick 10 thoughts

1. photos update: seattle firsts additions and vancouver

2. it's august, and summer has just begun in seattle. sigh.

3. the best parts about ikea furniture is the price and the fact that you get to build it

4. soon i will have a tan on the left side of my face because that's where the sun shines when walking to/from work

5. despite all the walking, i do need to find some more vigorous activity

6. sometimes i think politicians forgot how to compromise

7. this cat is quite amusing

8. the jade plants are starting to grow. hooray, i didn't kill them!

9. i read very slowly

10. back to the old bumming habits. rebuilding is tough

intriguing links laying around

the work life simplified - sad but true sometimes

sunscreen infograph now that the sun is out

if link had a portal gun... oh the possibilities

our memory banks are changing

best of all... pomeranian puppies! aww those lil' balls of fluff

10 thoughts? sure why not

1. long overdue set of photos taken since moving to seattle

2. green tea tiramisu at hiroki was delicious

3. just tried google+, there are certainly lots of neat and promising features. guess i'll be playing with it more soon

4. playing piano is an important de-stressor for me

5. the apartment is almost complete. just need a TV and to actually organize/clean/decorate the place

6. my career path is divided again between two contrasting roles. which way to go?

7. i wonder when i should start switching over to blu-ray. seems so costly to replace dvds though

8. the perfectionist inside is affecting my judgement

9. while the nation is baking and melting alive, i am wondering why it isn't warmer here...

10. it's been two months of many big life changes, and they're still coming

one month sure flies fast

time sure flies

1. i'd really like a new career or to be able to define what my current one is

2. moving here at the beginning of summer is REALLY skewing my image of typical seattle weather

3. my wallet is crying because i've been shopping too much for apt stuff. yet i still want more

4. yes, it will take me a good year to feel settled again

5. i'd prefer to hear the loud train coming by than the constant ringing of cross signals

6. this short work week seemed really rough for everyone i know

7. i'm surprised that companies still use dial-up as standard data transfer protocol

8. won $25 playing blackjack at a local casino. gambling is fun... teehee

9. future trainers - please don't just create ppt videos that read off the text on the screen

10. people with offices should close their door so you don't overhear personal calls and reading off corporate credit cards...

a few various links

landing your kid in therapy points out many interesting things about our generation

similarities of harry potter and star wars. ah the generations

lord of the rings lego style - wow...

human hair necklaces... ah, bayonetta's inspiration

inspiring 10 rules of life i've already forgotten

i don't play WoW but this made me lol

the links, they come

i am guilty of perfectionism

meet eguchi aimi, part of the giant japanese group AKB48

the history of the world on toilet paper

tips about tipping - for those travels i want to take sometime

your walk provides clues on your health

watch out for those birds... they're sneaky

week 2 report

10 things since moving to seattle

1. sunny beautiful weather does exist, as does awesome views of mount rainier and the bay just minutes from my apartment. teehee

2. geeked out at Play! A Video Game Concert with the seattle symphony

3. scrabble is enjoyable no matter who you play with

4. having light outside at 10pm really screws up my internal clock

5. volunteered at a food bank, filling and packing bags with rice. mmm rice

6. i am now comfortable walking to work 2mi each day, so long as the weather cooperates

7. i chuckle at my car's low mileage discount, because it started low and will be even lower due to my walkable commute

8. generally sad that groceries are more expensive here

9. i need a new career. hopefully this place will foster that

10. i've decided that whereever i live, it must have a fresh mango source.

week 1 report

i completely lost my patience with movers on friday. the desk worker told me delivery on friday, so i took the day off work, but then got a call from the movers that they would unload saturday morning. i was NOT happy and could not think straight for a while.

but... i made the most of friday and took care of registration, car things, and went shopping! some highlights of the rest of the weekend:

- bought furniture from ikea, finally (previously took people there and never got anything for myself)

- found daiso (japanese dollar store)

- found 99 ranch (huge chinese supermarket chain)

- saw mount rainier while driving on a clear sunny day

- finally got basic supplies from target

- mangoes are deeeelicious

- today i have a 101.4 fever. oops.

also, today feels very empty. it's been a month already, and i miss him dearly.

linkie time

super mario bros found the hydrant

the plains' milky way views make it worth visiting

i don't play chess, but i'd like this zelda-themed set

bored in an airport? the escalator bit looked fun

zombie finger, oh noes!

hey kids! go the F to sleep!

never a dull moment

just moved to seattle. many interesting things so far.

- weather is generally stagnant - cloudy and mild

- the workplace changes very quickly, for example starting with a different manager than who hired me

- people on buses tend to be quite rude...

- carrying around bedding and shopping is tiring

- i have been spoiled by cars and spacious living

more to come, once i get slightly more motivation to explore...

reset button

attempts to go back to normalcy... 10 thoughts!

1. the reset button has been hit. welcome, self, to the beginning of a new city life

2. photos up for new york travels and my madison farewells

3. i keep waking up at 5am sharp, regardless of timezone. don't know why, but it's getting annoying =P

4. it's always that you appreciate/enjoy things only once you've lost it

5. the goal is to splurge on urban living for a year, then go back to the more familiar suburban living

6. that said, i have been quite spoiled in terms of living space and comfort

7. one guy was so absorbed by his phone he tried to walk up the down escalator. i didn't say anything, instead i watched him almost trip and chuckled. i may be evil.

8. too many choices makes me overwhelmed

9. too many new things lately makes me want to revert to the familiar

10. there are seriously a lot of dogs in seattle

hectic

A lot of stuff has happened in the past few weeks. I do mean a LOT. Random things happened, planned things didn't. I'm excited about moving, stressed about logistics, sad about recent passings, depressed about relationships, and I'm already missing friends and this city. My emotions are so jumbled that I have no idea how I'll be when people speak to me.

Just one more week until I start my new job in a new city with new faces. Nothing has worked out completely the way I wanted to. Wish I could fast forward five months to get over this heartache and stress. I want to get back to normalcy, however close I can get to it.

The one thing I am clinging to now is the old adage that "time will heal all". Which it does. But unfortunately, it takes time...

linkies again

it's been a while... this blog needs some love and links

statistics of the world recalculated into a village of 100

i'm into dog vids lately: baby voice, i love you, and ultimate dog tease... yea? yea?

depressing but touching, regardless of what stage you're at... strangers again

top 5 regrets on the death bed - so enjoy life now.

and another giant swing

hectic weekends means life needs to make it more hectic. then any form of planning goes out the window. ugh.

getting overwhelmed

with my giant move coming up, i am starting to feel overwhelmed. today's 10 thoughts theme is, what is contributing to that? (with general latest intrigues)

1. heat exhaustion during jazz fest last weekend showed me that my body does not handle the southern heat anymore. still, i had a great time in new orleans! photos coming soon here.

2. you don't realize, until you are moving away from something, how much you really enjoyed that something.

3. from here on out there will be no more normalcy. i'm already missing all of the things that i've grown to like here

4. anime convention coming up and i am actually making a costume, despite my lack of time

5. i need to schedule a move date with some moving company

6. ...and then, figure out what apt i'm moving to

7. i have about 1 week free with which i want to plan some trip. haven't started planning yet...

8. emotional swings are getting stronger as time whirls by

9. i'd like to plan a last huzzah for friends here but haven't figured out what and where

10. i am already so tired of planning...

links to intrigues

adorable penguin - wait for the end...

sugar gliders and cool whip containers

the eyeballing game - i am at 4.12

holy balancing sticks act

for my future self, here's how to learn to juggle...

47 facts about yourself - kinda long, they also put user interface spins to it, but still interesting

and a giant swing

last saturday marked my 1 year anniversary of leaving my super stressful job.

today i got an offer for a new salaried FT job.

still hesitant on some moving and social aspects... but otherwise, hooray! =)

next month is going to be super busy.

variety of stuff

latest happenings and thoughts x10

1. new laptop! nice and light and thin and plays sc2 with no annoying flashy lines.

2. warmer weather wholly welcomed. until it got cold and snowed again

3. general laziness shows up around the waist quickly. it makes me sad

4. went to the mall of america recently. interestingly, my money went mostly to candy and meals than clothing

5. i baked mojito and grapefruit yogurt cupcakes for a bake sale. both quite delicious. and yes, that does fulfill some of my 30 before 30...

6. and on that note, i've added more photos for spring

7. the controversy surrounding JCrew's pink nail polish on a young boy is dumb and ridiculous

8. just wow

9. the internet tends to drain all my short attention span nowadays

10. i hate having to make a decision where, either way i go, i will be sad about something

four ones day

today is 4/11/11, and time for some link jots

toy photography - very inspirational! toys are fun

lego photography - inspirational

could use a few pointers on how to quit the internet

the classic extroverts versus introverts discussion

sign me up for tempest freerunning academy!

this internet revenge made me smile a bit

still an ISTJ, though when i first haphazardly took the test i was an ISFJ. (take test)

E/I score E = 0 I = 10

S/N score S = 14 N = 6

T/F score T = 11 F = 9

J/P score J = 14 P = 6

and on a random note... new laptop to play with!

30 before 30

i'm about to complete some items in my 30 before 30 list, so i figured i'd post them to make the list official.

1. start a 365 photos project

2. move to a new city

3. learn another foreign language

4. travel to europe

5. ride a hot air balloon

6. read 2-3 more books in the song of ice and fire series

7. visit austin

8. make mojito cupcakes

9. acquire a navy blue coat

10. acquire a touchscreen device (ex. tablet, smartphone...)

11. finish writing my list of 100 things to do before i die (currently at 77)

12. replace my dying dell laptop

13. create a new website/blog of some form

14. go sky diving

15. figure out my favorite kind of wine

16. buy a hat at sacred feather (one of madison's longest standing stores on state street)

17. acquire a new camera

18. bake for a bake sale

19. consolidate burned media into 1-3 TB hard drives

20. (related to above) organize my music files

21. sell some of my crafts

22. build a small board game collection

23. organize/display my vinyl toys

24. win money at a casino poker table

25. finish making 1000 cranes

26. attend an anime convention

27. finish epic mickey

28. pick up a new physical activity (ex. team sports, martial arts...)

29. memorize the chinese pinyin system

30. paint my ansem figurine

ready, set, go!

decisions

it's april now. i have some big decisions to make within the next few weeks. guess i've been putting them off for too too long. also i'm being super ambitious and too stubborn to concede to smaller goals. wish i had a clear path to go towards. i never know what i want.

late night linkies

just woke up from what is deemed my personal trap-warm blanket in the evening...

sunk cost fallacy explains our poor decision making skills

compilation of 10 awesome inventions, some way cooler than others

interesting perspective on how to build an emr, properly

tv settings-i've always wondered why newer tvs bother me

i'll take edible pens, though they probably won't last long

mmm mah na mah na... oh.

miscellaneous jots

10 seemed like too many, now 5 seems too few.

1. japan, stay strong

2. going to new orleans 5/6-5/10!

3. current book: the art of happiness by his holiness the dalai lama and cutler

4. current game: okamiden for ds

5. current new hobby: rock climbing

6. i still lack patience for things that are (and are not) happening

7. morning showers are cold, evening showers are half warm... this apt has such terrible water heating

8. ever since my massage, i have been more sensitive to my body's aches and pains. it's as if the massage now forces me to go back for more to alleviate the aches. argh!

9. thunder, lightning, and rain are surprisingly soothing

10. delicious ramen add-ins... mmmm my standard is egg and veggies (usually napa)

vows for self

today's list of five - vows to myself, about myself, for myself

1. i will keep in touch with friends more, like greet people happy birthday on facebook

2. i will finish at least one book and one game within the next two weeks

3. i will go outside and exercise more

4. i will stop fearing the next step and work towards it instead

5. i will get more sleep

and one extra tidbit... yes, i am still an istj.

the randoms

face recognition test - i was 74%, not as bad as i thought...

infograph on how to spot a liar

on motivating employees, and no it's not just about money

to all the nerds out there, check your attitude

i liked this explanation of social media

cyclical nature

i seem to go through a cyclical mental state of composure.

starts with happy-go-lucky, then moving forward with goals, then frustration because nothing goes the way i want, then anger towards trivial things and self, then realization at my irrationality, then longing for social interactions, then back to happy-go-lucky...

hoping something will break this cycle.

on a different note, it's getting warm enough to walk around outside...

some links that i've had sitting around

insights on the introvert mind

sometimes you just have to give up

conception of piracy is interesting

this describes me and my chemistry degree precisely

science behind traffic jams. hmm i've driven half of those worst roads...

mario w/ modern sfx. it made me smile

where did february go?

february disappeared quicker than bad milk going down the drain. it always goes by so fast... sigh.

1. a recent conversation made me evaluate what i do with my time nowadays. it's never just one activity, but it is consistently hours spent perusing internet content. perhaps i should cut that down. it's like the tv time - huge time suck of entertainment

2. on a financial note, i finally put a large sum of money into savings. first time since leaving my salaried job. hooray! (might be shortlived though with trips and insurance payments coming up...)

3. it also dawned on me that i've been working at my contract job for six months now. happy half-year to me?

4. i'm getting nervous-nausea just from the idea of moving cities again. i guess i'll never adjust to big life changes well

5. i am very patient with clients and the elderly, but super impatient with my own life and goals

some interesting reads

the pudu is so cute!

dumped not down exploring the emotion of rejection

designer staircases (atmos) look really nice

mistakes that introverts (like myself) make

fake smiles don't improve happiness, as previously thought. sad.

on pirating anime - totally agree with the translation/dubbing parts

(late addition) some tips to think like a shrink

overwhelmed lately by things that could be done. it makes me not want to do any of them. why does my mind work that way?

walla walla

crashing at night lately. woke up on a second wind. random thoughts ensue!

1. i always desire what i do not have. this goes for material items, job locations, social circles, etc.

2. i have picked up way too many hobbies recently. just finished a baking spree, and on the radar is scrapbook, figurine painting, jigsaw puzzles, rock climbing, traveling, reading, cake decorating, foreign language classes, photography, video games... weeeeee

3. it's surreal having the nation's eyes on your city because of protests

4. warmer weather needs to come sooner so i can start exercising outdoors again. plus i will be not as inclined to fall asleep under the blankets during the evening...

5. time flies faster and faster the older you get...

valentine's baking spree

this year i decided to go all out in terms of making sweets for valentine's day... so i ended up making 27 chocolate covered pretzel sticks, 21 pieces of hershey's and snaps, and two decorated cookie cakes.

more pictures over on picasa.

yaaaaay sugar highs!

new randoms

mario kart irl... woooow

amuzing legend of zelda 80s movie trailer. basket case indeed

which also led me to find inglorious plummers. let's go!

and finally, deindividuation for the mob crowds

the past 18 days with egypt were mezmerizing.

also picking up too many new hobbies. more on that later

couple of links

glorified eggs to watch

living the designed lifestyle

on a more personal level, newer photos, including the snowpocalypse and milwaukee photos

on an even more personal level, my body continually reminds me that i'm getting old...

for your reading pleasure

make an alien abduction lamp!

workplace laziness - wait really? 39% would quit if fb was blocked??

credit card codes - dividing by 10 part really does work...

the dalai lama on countering stress

five emotions invented by the internet - so true

how handwriting relates to personality

sketchbook project completed

i finished my sketchbook project, hooray! a sample of my book...

if you go to the tour, look for my book under the Lines and Grids theme

11111!

i will leave as many links as there are 1's in the date today.

1. pictures of the city of ani and its history

1. cool typography animation for a random review

1. video from undercity exploring other sides of nyc

1. google book archive offers differences between sexes

1. excerpt on a book about chinese parenting - while not completely valid for me, i can relate to some of the methods and its effects

minor format change

since 10 thoughts was getting difficult (and sometimes meaningless to post), i am only going to do 5 from now on. it makes more sense in my head.

1. my christmas photos are up here. also updated my general 2010 album. exploring san francisco on my own made me appreciate more of what it has to offer

2. i have been having lots of odd dreams lately including going back to work at my stressful job, 200/20 vision, extreme social circle shifts, other weirdness. guess it matches my recent unsettled feeling

3. video games no longer excite me the way they used to. now it feels like "been there, done that", or i am forcing myself to finish them

4. sketchbook deadline in a week, and 25 pages left! wee...

5. a lesson on snobbiness (courtesy of my friend at Curious Notions). i think i keep to myself often because of fear of scrutiny. what i hate is that i do it to others too.

and because i just stumbled on it, the life in a day project looks intriguing.

internet videos

the internet, it is full of cool videos that awe and intrigue me.

the awl compiled a lot of cool videos. if you're short on time, check out words and pixels for sure. ok go's white knuckles too if you haven't seen it.

this cat got pwned by puppies =)

cool little lego film

relax the chicken, neat little trick (and yes i realize it has many levels of wrong=P)

(forgot one) the power of music

new year feels the same as last year. whoopee.

1-1-11

the first day of the first month of 2011 requires some reflections and resolutions

five highlights of the past year:

1. quit my stressful job and became much happier

2. took a real summer break and tried several new activities

3. minimized my belongings

4. shifted relationships, but kept lasting friendships

5. had laser eye surgery and still seeing 20/20

five resolutions for the new year:

1. do at least one active thing per week

2. travel once every 2 months

3. finish at least one book every 2 months

4. actively pursue a real FT job

5. finish some console games currently collecting dust

happy new year everyone!