pics or it didn't happen!

I recently got an anonymous tip from my brother's friend (who I know too, supposedly), regarding my photography skillz.

??: and tell her to get a external flash and not use the ghetto one that came with the camera lawl
??: but she has a good eye for aperture setting
??: just underexposed
??: a lot of her pics are like that
??: thats one of my underexposed shots
??: theres shadows overcasting the subject, making the color washed out
??: getting a polarizer helps ..
r: it's underexposed bc i dont have flash, genius
r: and i dont need a polarizer, i have photoshop

It was amusing until I still couldn't figure out who it was. I'm usually pretty good at these things :D Anyway, before a cute Nikon D40 or D60 magically drops in my lap, I have to stick to my huge fat D1H. To show him who's boss, I considered putting together an album of some of my better shots, but alas, all of the good shots have me in them (obviously).

But here are some of them anyway. Enjoy :]













Off-topic, but:
n: did baba and mama let you pierce your ears by any chance
n: did they say when you can?
r: no
r: like never
r: why?
n: oh
n: i kinda want one
kekekekkekekekeee

why I don't (like to) compost

Those friendly green compost bins at our dining commons... yea I never really use them. At Crossroads sometimes I get peer-pressured into dumping my excess dinner into the huge bins, but at Cafe 3 I don't bother.

Because if they were really serious about not wasting food, the people working there would actually listen to you when you tell them you only want "A LITTLE BIT." Conversation Exchange I had yesterday at Crossroads:

Dining lady: rice and chicken?
Me: No rice! Just chicken
DL: *dumps rice on plate*
Me: No rice! No rice! ...awww damn it.
DL: *oblivious*

Maybe I should speak louder? Why do they always ask what you want, if they're just going to give you the same amount anyway? They always heap huge portions on my plate, and I can never finish it! Hence the extra food for compost, and hence my disinclination to compost.


stop your scooping movements!! I'm a small person and I don't need to eat moar!

at work

My first 4-hour shift at Moffit! At least I'm getting paid. Here's the plan:

First hour: cube, get 50+ solves
Status: still slow, only on 17th solve

Second hour: shop online. being here means I can justify spending money
Status: already started in first hour

Third hour: Pretend I'm coding for fun while in actuality working on CS project (2-week no homework policy for noobies)
Prediction: reveal secrets on aim, make embarrassing ranty emo blog posts

Fourth hour: Read Watchmen
Prediction: figure out how to not get mugged on way home (can I count on not waiting for night shuttle until 4am??!?!)

real post coming up laterz.

O HAI

That Valentine's Day thing is upon us. I've never actually had a vday that wasn't S.A.D. (singles appreciation day) Now I'm trying to remember what I did during this holiday...

Last year we were walking through Sproul after class when one of us got coerced into buying one of those candy rose things for a dolla. He didn't actually want the flower, so he gave it to me. Naturally my roommate wanted one too, and so our other guy friend ended up buying another one. Hell yea boys buy me flowers. I think I still have it at home somewhere.

In high school one year I managed to land two girl Valentines. Unfortunately one also had another Valentine who got her a rose (she let me hold it for a while, what a good friend). She wouldn't tell me who it was, but I later figured it out when my parents were like "hey I saw so-and-so with a rose today and he looked proud of himself." They were just friends though, so I'm sure I was still her favorite.


my ideal valentine's day candy - nerdy style

This year I will be at a most unlovable place, Stanford. Probably epic failing at my solves and programming my project. And after competition I get to find my way home by public transportation and continue coding. Sorry to disappoint everyone who keeps asking what my plans are. I plan to spend it playing with Lennie. :D

Anyway I like to think of Valentine's Day the way I think about New Year's Eve: in the future I will get to have a good real one. I am only through a quarter of my life, so plenty more years to go to a New Year's Eve party, and have a real vday. It's nice to know that I'll still have a lot of firsts, and I'm very patient.

9: maybe your stalkers will ask you out on vday
9: you should write your blog about them
9: ahahaha
r: potential valentines from blog stalkers?
First to comment gets to take me out to dinner on vday roflcakes

happy chinese new year!

"If desire did not dim the brain, nobody would ever get married, drunk, or fat. -V"

Another chance to start a new year, and I'm not married, drunk, or fat! And this is what I'm counting on.

The single Dragon will be happy to know that romance is favored this year, so you may find someone to share your experiences.
Steph: Romance is favored for you!
Me: Yay!
Me: Yay! Romance is favored!
Steph: Yay!
Me: This is so pathetic.

There will be a number of occasions that will allow you to add to your circle of friends.
More friends!

The Dragon would do well to pull in the reins on lavish spending and take a more conservative approach this year.
....no because I will have a job.


This is what I really look like.

Favorite Movies: Closer

"Do you have any children?"
"No."
"Would you like some?"
"Yes, but not today."


I first saw this picture in 2004 when the movie came out, and I knew I had to see it (because it looks so cool!). I finally did last year, and Closer has become one of my favorite movies of all time, for its clever banter, amazing performances by the actors, and raw honesty about love and relationships. Here are some of my favorite parts.


This has to be the hottest kiss I've seen in a film, all that nuzzling. Basically the guy (Dan) used to be this quiet nerdy guy until he meets Alice (Natalie Portman), and being with her transforms him into a cocky jerk who is so full of himself he just goes after random beautiful women. (boysaredumb)


"It's a lie. It's a bunch of sad strangers photographed beautifully, and all the glittery assholes who appreciate art say it's beautiful 'cause that's what they want to see. But the people in the photos are sad, and alone... But the pictures make the world seem beautiful, so... the exhibition is reassuring which makes it a lie, and everyone loves a big fat lie."

So this movie is about four people who fall in love and couple up, but two can't help but cheat on the other two. It is not for the soft-hearted, because it is very very sexual and probably very offensive too. But I think it gets right to the point about love and relationships and infidelity, more honest and direct than any other film. And with witty and cutting dialogue to go along with it.


"No one will ever love you as much as I do. Why isn't love enough?"

This is my favorite scene in the movie, with an amazing performance by Natalie Portman. She finds out that Dan has been cheating on her for a year when he just says it right to her, "This will hurt." It is heartbreaking and honest and very realistic. In real life when people break up the girl/guy doesn't just say something clever and biting and walk away like in other movies. It hurts but you just can't let go and leave, you want to hang on, you want to know all the details, exactly how/when/what happened. You want to know if anything had been real, because it's so incomprehensible that this could happen, and this scene does all that beautifully.

"You did love me?"
"I'll always love you, I hate hurting you."
"Why are you?"
"Because I'm selfish."


"How? How does it work? How do you do this to someone?"

After this you might think this movie gives a kind of a depressing view on love, but I think its honesty just addresses the truth about people. Relationships are hard and people are selfish and cruel and deceptive. None of these characters are what they appear to be.

I read a review that claimed Larry was the asshole most guys want to be, but Dan is the asshole most guys are, his petulance and immaturity lurking beneath the shy guy surface. So be careful, girls! The cute innocent ones are the ones that will turn into a huge jerk after they start a relationship with you. Not that that is the moral of this story (movie).

The moral of the story is that Natalie Portman is so so good (hot) in here....roflcakes. If there's nothing else you can get from it.

oh boy!

Finally made a trip to the library today (the public one, not the one at our high school in which we loitered yesterday), and picked up a bunch of books I had on hold. I now have two weeks to finish these. Ready set go!

Here they are, because after everything, I still love love love books:

1. Ender in Exile by Orson Scott Card

OSC is so amazing because he just keeps churning out these Ender sequels. Of course they're not as good as Ender's Game or Speaker for the Dead, but I love seeing all these different sides of Ender, from his early childhood to old age and everything in between. I also enjoy reading about the Wiggin family, so so brilliant in every move. I think Ender is the one fictional character I love and admire the most because he is so real but also too good to be real.

2. Beloved by Toni Morrison

Read Toni Morrison's Love for school this past semester, and now I'm going to give this one a try. I hear it's much better and very much a beloved book... haha punny. One of the best works in the last 25 years, according to the sticker.

3. Wicked by Gregory Maguire

I am so excited to finally see this musical in San Francisco in February, so I want to actually read the original story. Looks like a long book though, so not sure if I'll get to it. Until then, I will just listen to the amazing music.

4. Paradise Lost by John Milton

Like Tolkien's The Silmarillion, I admire anyone who has read this. Once I saw someone reading it on the bus and I had instant respect for them. It's a classic that everything else in literature derives from... something I think all book buffs should at least attempt? (Guns, Germs, and Steel was an epic fail for me so sad). This particular edition has an intro by my favorite anti-Narnia author Philip Pullman.

5. City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare

Just something I thought I'd scan over if I get bored. Read this last year. Written by one of my favorite (fanfiction) authors, whom I also met last year when she toured Berkeley. She remembered and knew who I was (loyal fan hello), fulfilling all my fangirl dreams. Though this trilogy is far from achieving the cult status of her fanfiction, still a worthy read. (Jace is so hawt like omgaww incest)

And now to brush the dust off my speedy reading skills and set them to work. Go me!