Summer, where'd you go?

It's gotten a bit cooler. There are significantly less friends in Holmdel. Costco is starting to sell Halloween and Christmas items. *sigh* All this points to one thing: summer's over. Of course, I'm excited to go back to school and see friends, but I'm not looking forward to academic suicide this semester, or rather the next four semesters. In addition to a heavy courseload, it's again time to start thinking about and planning next summer, including attending company info sessions and career fairs, and all that other fun stuff that comes with recruiting. Maybe this year I'll be as lucky as last, getting a job offer in October. Then, I won't need to participate in the recruiting craze in February. At least my new and improved resume is about finished.

Oh I wish I could be like one of my friends. One who doesn't think much about the future, but rather lives for the moment. I wonder what life would be like if I went to RU. Penn people are just too overachieving.

Enough moping.

One goal I'm setting for this semester is to keep better in touch with hometown friends. I realized how much they mean to me, and really how easy it is to just hop onto a train to visit them.

Mr. DJ in the Linkin Park

My favorite Taiwan variety show. I'm gonna miss watching them everyday.

Best dancer of the group:

High quality

Drop the beat

I haven't had this much fun in a long while.

After being MIA for most of the summer from hometown crew hang outs, finally got a chance to chill with them this week. It's exhilarating to be so immature at times. A good escape from reality. This is probably why I always try to hang out with them at least once during school breaks. No image to care about, just being ridiculous and immature and laughing about it at the same time. It's a completely different atmosphere from hanging out with Penn friends. For example, they still use my high school nickname Wangy. It's almost like time traveling back to the high school days. I'm gonna miss it.

Daniel Henney, you're not a creep.

One of my favorite halfies. Can't wait to see him in X-men next May.

(Those hosts need to tone it down a bit. XD)

A Hurdler's Pain

It seems like there are mixed reactions (disappointment, anger, disbelief, etc) to Liu Xiang's injury (as seen in the NYTimes video). But, the one response that really bothered me was the gentleman who said Liu Xiang was faking it and that he was afraid to lose his prestigious status in the hearts of many if he got a silver or bronze. It's incomprehensible to me first why someone like him would fake an injury, knowing all Chinese eyes were on him. And secondly, why someone would think he was faking it. Jeez, give the guy a break.

Emotionless

I think to many, I appear pretty emotionless. Why do I act like this? because I hate letting my emotions take control of me, specifically ones that aren't very pleasant. So, I rarely reveal my emotions because I'm suppressing them, but I find other ways to release these unpleasant feelings. I'd rather not affect other people. For example, if I could right now, I would go run 6 miles to work this off. I wonder what my mom meant when she said I should be more selfish. Whatever, perhaps Epik High's One can calm me down.

*edit: Nevermind. I've found the best medicine - cheesy Taiwanese dramas - to dispel these crappy feelings. I still believe in fairytale endings. =]

Flashback - July 4th, 2001

This is who I was obsessed with back then. I remember practicing the dance with my buddies. Good times, good times. And no, the lead singer isn't a girl.

Because you're worth it.

Tomorrow's my last day of work at L'Oreal. I must say I'm filled with mixed feelings. A part of me wants to be done and get some sleep before school starts, while a part of me doesn't want to leave the homey, friendly environment in 159T. Waking up everyday at 7am and working for 9 hours have taken a toll on my energy level. I'm barely awake after 5pm. But, looking back, it really wasn't all that bad. Take out the busy, stressful days, it was like I was at science camp, studying hair.

And, everyone is quite friendly (or at least they try to act like it). Everyone says "hello, good morning" and "bye, good night". Also, for example, my two colleagues in the texture lab. One never speaks bad about other people and uses cute words to describe food, like "ooohhh tasty" or "bursting with flavor". Okay, those phrases don't sound cute, but the way she says them is cute. The other colleague is so easily amused, always laughing and chuckling at her desk. Then, there's my manager, always bursting with energy. I can hear him laughing next door. And, the chocolates on his desk are oh so delicious and full of sugar to keep us awake. What really makes me remember him is his complete support of me. He really was a confidence booster for me, which helped dispel my nervousness during rehearsals and before the actual presentation. He hasn't stopped talking about how I had the best presentation and blew everyone away. I believe him. And, there's the AVP. She has the best French accent ever. And, she's always smiling and laughing. People seem so happy at L'Oreal. Maybe they geniunely are, or they wouldn't have stayed for 7, 10, 13, or even more years. As a last but not least dedication, I'd like to mention my mentor. On a business level, she's probably one of the more hardworking people I met. So, she worked me just as hard, which is a good thing or I wouldn't have accomplished so much. Lots to write on the resume. :)

Thank you everyone, I had a good time. Time does fly when you're having fun. Too bad it took me so long to climb out of my shell and start getting to know people better. I will miss this place. Who knows what lies in the future, but maybe L'Oreal will be a part of mine.

Till we meet again.

Flashback - April 20th, 2006

So while looking for a ruler in my bedroom, I stumbled upon my senior year planner. Wow...flipping through it overflowed my brain with memories from senior year. For example, I have one page listing what APs the colleges I applied to accepted. Then, there were people's birthdays and Rain's RaiNY Day concert. Lol, you can tell when AP season hit when there were days empty from hw assignments, but filled with "STUDY!" Then, there was a page filled with frustrated scribbles. Once AP week was over, my planner empty of work, but filled with random doodles from my forensics class (non-AP, so we were still learning stuff in June). I guess Vanessa, Julie, and I were really bored, because we filled a page with "Love you, love me, love V" And, Vanessa seemed to hijacked my planner because there was a week covered with "Love V, Love V even more, Love V even even more" She also labeled prom day as "Love Day" Good times, good times. But what really made me want to blog about this was what was written on April 20th, 2006. It says, "does it mean I like him if I feel the need to stay up late just to talk to him? *confused*" Okay, it kinda looks like my handwriting, but it's mind boggling to me that I'd write that in something as public as my planner. Lol, strange. If I did write that, what was I thinking about back then? High school feels like ages ago.

Lucky - Jason Mraz featuring Colbie Caillat

Jason:
"Do you hear me,
I'm talking to you
Across the water across the deep blue ocean
Under the open sky, oh my, baby I'm trying

Colbie:
Boy I hear you in my dreams
I feel your whisper across the sea
I keep you with me in my heart
You make it easier when life gets hard"

Cuute :D

Jason Mraz in the 'Delphia October 16th!

As the internship draws to a close....

I realized just how long it takes for me to get comfortable around strangers and new people. I was basically MIA for 8 weeks of the internship in that I didn't really talk or interact with the other interns. I just wasn't interested in having awkward, dry conversations. But, this week, I had a bit less work to do. So, I started chatting with the other interns in my building. And, it wasn't as awkward as I had thought it'd be. We had a nice conversation about bands/singers that we listen to, and from that, I actually found some new good music. So, it basically took me 8 weeks to come out of my shell. Lol, I sound like a hermit crab. I'm actually feeling a bit sentimental that the internship is ending just as I was getting acclimated to it. And, it's a bit sad that I probably/may never see/talk to some of the interns after next week.

Actually, the saddest part is that I won't have 50% employee discount anymore. So, if you dear reader want anything from L'Oreal, I can send you a catalog. Time to sell my company: We sell a wide variety of brands - 29 to be exact. For guys, I especially recommend Armani's Acqua Di Gio eau de toilette. For girls, Lancome or Kiehl's seems to be quite sought after.

Peace out.

I'm a teen? Really?

I think I'm reaching the point when I feel like age no longer dictates how old someone, mentally at least. I may be only 19 physically, but I sure don't feel like so. When I was 17, I'm pretty sure I acted like a 17 year-old, a typical teenager with a driving permit. I didn't care or want to think about the future, such as what I wanted to study or do. So when it came time to apply to college, I more or less tried to prolong the decision. First, get into a decent college, then decide what to do. And I'm actually still procrastinating on that decision. I have one more semester to decide, but till then, eh whatever.

Back to the topic of discussion. I think if I asked anyone to take a guess at how old I was, they'd probably be off by 5 years at least due to the way I talk, what I talk about, or how I act. Sometimes, I mistaken myself to be older than my friends when I'm not. For example, I talk about putting my summer earnings into one of those accounts that I can't touch till I'm 59, so I'll have money then. Teenagers don't do that. 20 year olds don't do that. A friend of mine, 1 year my elder, told me to go on a shopping spree with the few thousand I made this summer. But, all I can think about is buying a new ipod, and then saving the rest. But who knows what the world is going to be like when I'm 59? Should I splurge now because of this uncertainty? No, that's not how I roll. Should I live for today instead of tomorrow? Probably, but I'll still save the money. Now, I just need to figure out how to properly invest that money. Stocks? bonds? mutual funds? Okay, I sound like I'm a 40+ year old man. Great. I should probably start acting like I'm 19, given that there's only one month and a few days before I turn 20.

低潮 - mood swing?

不知道為什麼突然覺得很低落, 很想哭的感覺. 這兩天, 心情也不是很好, 開心不起來. 不知道原因, 所以沒跟別人談. 心裡面好像有很多雜唸, 可是拼不出一個所以然. *嘆氣* 今天, 媽媽還說我臉色不是很好看. 因該是因為心情全寫在臉上吧. 我真希望可以快點脫離這個低潮, 不要影響到身邊關心我的人或工作. 唉喲, 我不要變成emo的人. 也許痛快的哭一場發洩一下, 我會覺得好過一點. 我真是個怪人. Or maybe, it's just a mood swing. *shrugs*

*edit: After chatting a bit with a friend, I realize that I've probably just caught another case of thinking too much. Mmhmm, I'm feeling better already.

開不了口

Sometimes I wish I had a life coach of some sort, who could give me third person objective advice. Parents and friends are often biased, which discourages me from telling them stuff. I think the more important part is if the stuff relates to the person. For example, if someone does something that bothers me, I won't tell them. One reason is to avoid conflict. Another is I don't like telling people what to do. So instead of talking it out, I just end up writing my thoughts in a word doc somewhere, hoping I'll feel better ranting out. Why does that make me sound like such a loner?

The Fortune Cookie Game (In Bed)

I couldn't help but chuckle at this one:

"Strike the iron while hot (in bed)."