Reading, End of Work, and Then Some.

In 4 hours, I will officially be done with work.

How excellent.

I spent nine week, five days a week, for 8.5 hours in an office doing random shinanigans. And today is my last day.

I had some hella good tempura at some small store that only sits 12 people called Ten-Asa and now I feel like a beached whale. No, that's a lie. I don't quite feel like that, but close enough, I suppose. Nonetheless, I'm full, sleepy, just finished another book, and it is officially 1:30 pm, which means really, in four hours, I will be outta here.

That also means that in less than a week, I will be back in California.

My gosh, this summer went by quickly.

Speaking of quick summers, I think it's about time to update ye ol' reading list again.

(sorry, I'm feeling rather British right now on the account that I've just finished a book written by a Brit)

Ze Ol' Reading List

• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• A New Earth by Eckharte Tolle
• Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger
• The Path of Love by Deepak Chopra
• Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
• Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Olivier Relin
• Freakanomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
• If The Show Fits by Stephanie Rowe
• Marriage By Design by Lynn Michaels
• The Teachings of Don Juanby Carlos Castaneda
• Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum
• Babyville by Jane Green

The once-i-get-back-to-stanford list

• One Hundred Demons by Lynda Barry
• The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
• Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer

And now I'm super, super sleepy.

But I should clean my desk.

Gah.

bjs

Is Michael Phelps a Douche?

Found via my new time waster, digg.com

Is Michael Phelps a Douche?

So to be honest, I haven't been in the US during this Phelps fever, as I am currently basking in Japan under the heat of another noteworthy swimmer, Kitajima.

That said, however, just like Blagg mentioned, I don't want to sound un-patriotic, but really... 8 Gold Medals, what could possibly be going through this guy's head!? I'm sure he can't help that he keeps getting offers to go on TV, but man. *shakes head*

I have a problem with cocky people. I really do. Not to say that I'm not cocky myself, but cocky people piss me off.

Also, Phelps in all of those photos just look plain awkward. it's actually rather unfortunate.

And while we're speaking of cocky athletes of Beijin 2008, what a about the Jamaican runner, Usain Bolt. See attached article from the NYTimes.

I really didn't like how he ended the 100 meter race. The last 10 meters, he ran as if the whole race was a joke! Think about all of those people who trained for four years. I realize he's good, and fast, and that's why he can do that, but have some damn respect, man!

That said, can I run that quickly in the 100 meter dash or win 8 gold medals? No.

But I'm glad SOMEONE is talking about the (possibly) cocky attitude of these Olympians!

bjs

Shakespeare <3s Snoop Dogg

These are the times when I question my humor.

I would love this shirt

Find out more about this design: Elizabethan Homies

bjs

Done With Work!... Kind of...

Yay!

I just turned in my 50 page website analysis that consumed by life (not really) for the past 8.5 weeks at work. The response I got was so-so, as in, my boss wasn't jumping up and down for joy (perhaps because it took me so long to finish) but she seemed to have positive vibes from it. She also said she was going to read it - that, I highly doubt.

Nonetheless, this means all big projects for works is done, and all I need to do now and proofread the random documents they send me and make sure that there are no silly mistakes. And that will conclude my 9 week internship at one of the top 10 international law firms in America.

chan chan.

Otherwise...

I had a very fulfilling summer.

I actually didn't think I'd enjoy my summer this much (how much? this much). I mean, I knew it would be fun but I didn't think it will be this great of a summer.

Honestly, I didn't do much, in terms of 'summery' things. I went out a few times, watched Batman, met up with friends, spent lots of quality time with family, and did a lot of talking and writing.

I realized that in the past year, as much as I thought I was being myself, there was a part of me that was lost. I'm not quite sure what 'part' that really is. But when I got back to Japan and did some talking with friends and family, I realized that I was missing something.

My sense of self.

This isn't in the sense of "no self confidence." It's more like... well...

When I got to college, 90% of the fun came from the fact that I could just be myself without the same judgement that came with HS. In HS, I was 'myself' in a sense because that was the only 'me' I knew, but I was definitely putting on a facade of the "good grades, class president, renaissance" persona. And I was fine with it.

But once I got to college, I got to really explore "me."

And then this past year, I was still "me," but I was catering to people's needs. I was slowly going back to my patterns in HS where I did things for people in the way they'd want me to do it. I said things that I knew would make people happy, and I didn't say things when they should've been said.

This is not the 'me' I discovered Freshman year.

So.

Since I know what the problem is/was, I'm ready for it this time.

I reestablished my idea of what a 'family' is.
I closed some doors with a relationship that needed to be closed.
I did some good talking with some good people who are brutally honest but amazing all at the same time.
I will be leaving for my Junior year with some sadness of leaving my family (something that hasn't happened in 4 years) and read to be 'me' again, pumped to have 94 babies who will look up to me and think that I'm cool.

Just think: What would Adriana do?

As Nikki so plainly put it: our lives are JUST starting.

Amen, sister.

I am pumped for the end of the work week, pumped to pack and spend more quality time with family, and pumped for this year.

This summer was - amazing.

bjs

Shout out from KINA!

WOOOOOOAH!

I got a shout out type thing from Kina. Like so:

undefined Says:

August 11th, 2008 at 11:30 pm
*OOPS!* this is kina, not anonymous. sorry about that.

@thomas_in_taipei
no… its not too normal to walk around singing in the streets here… haha, we got some weird looks.
@blew
we’re in santa monica :)
@cassie
welcome!! i hope to get to oahu or japan someday!!
@becki
squirrel fishing!? fun!!
@andy
aw, you’ve been missed. i hope you’re doing well.

WOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH! This is so cool. Love it.

That just made my day.

Please visit Kina's Blog and support this amazing artist!

bjs

The Imperial Death March

Honestly, I hadn't expected much from this summer.

Lo and behold, it had exceeded my expectations. Too many moments to mention all in one post, but I felt I should share some.

I went to dinner the other night with three of my friends: (N), (K), and (J).

My friend, (N), was telling a story about a mutual friend of all of ours who apparently has had his share of interesting roommates. So she goes on to tell a story about one of them and she goes,

(N): yeah, I guess his roommate was getting it on and of course he can hear it... but more interestingly, guess what song they were having sex to?

At this point (K), (J), and I all leaned in ready for the punch line.

(N): The Imperial Death March!

She did not fail us.

(K) and (J) both look at each other, and the next moment of one of them starts singing The Imperial Death March while the other chimes in with "I am your father..."

Perhaps a twist on the common phrase: Who's your daddy?

We continued the conversation and decided that this was, indeed, every boy's fantasy: to have sex to the Imperial Death March with a girl dressed up as Princess Leah circa Star Wars 5 a la Jabba the Hut.

I am personally an Obi Wan Fan.

Later, (J) asks (K):

(J): Yo! what was that weird dream you had? You wrote it on our facebook thread and then didn't follow up.
(K): oh yeah... Well i thought it was cool then, but maybe not any more.
(J): C'mon man.
(K): okay... So I had this dream that I was being chased by Aliens. Like the ones from Aliens vs. Predators
(N)+(C): And?
(K): That's it.

Another moment from our good friend, (K).

A few nights back, (J) suddenly expressed to (N) how he wanted to go to a Foam Party - a frat party normality.

(K) proceeds to join in and exclaim how he, too, wants to have a 'Phone Party.'

A phone party?

(J) and (N) went along with him, thinking it was funny, and kept talking about how great a Phone Party would be.

It has been a week since that incident.

(K) still does not realize that a Foam Party does not equal a Phone Party, and that Phone Parties, do not exist. Well perhaps they do, in the form of a conference call.

I will miss these three.

bjs

Tokyo Graffiti

My Cousin introduced to the most interesting and amazing magazine of all time.

I would share it with you, but it doesn't have a great website.

No, it's more like... it's so artsy fartsy and hidden that they don't show much on the website.

But it's an amazing magazine - one that I didn't know that Japan was capable of.

This magazine makes me excited to go home and read.

And now, I might embark on the biggest adventure yet.

I'm excited.

Scared.

But excited, and so incredibly pumped.

bjs

I Hear... Wedding Bells!

Yes, I hear wedding bells.

But not for me.

i know, *phew* right?

i was doing a 360 in my social circle and realized that many of my friends/people i know are beginning to get engaged or married.

Well, I guess if you think about it, I will turn 21 soon. And the US of A is a community where marriage at 19 is not a weird thing. Soon enough, the wedding invitations will start pouring in...

That said, I'm excited for all those people getting married. Hey, if you can find that someone, then by all means, grab 'em before they disappear.

But personally, I'm a bit too young still.

Marriage, in theory, is a life time commitment. Except now, it's hard to tell what it really is. It also depends on whether you get married as christians, muslims, jews, hindus, shintos, etc. But technically, marriage is a life time commitment. Can I really commit that much to one person?

Honestly, yes.

But my family history points to - no.

I'm not saying that because lots of poeple on my mother's side of the family are divorced, it means that i'm going to have the same fate. The aunt and uncle that i live with right now are HS sweethearts. Thus, they don't assume that their kids (my cousins) will break up with their bf/gf right now, cuz they can speak from personal experience that it is very possible.

Marrying my HS bf is most likely not going to happen.

However, think about it - a life time commitment to one person. What does that mean? i don't even know...

If I got married in the next 2 years...

Meh. I don't think i want to even go there.

bjs

Kina and Books!

First of all...

AHHHH! This new Kina and David Choi Collabo is so cute! big fan, big fan.

i could go on and on, but instead, i'm going to let you see you for yourself. click the youtube.



YAY! So cute!

that said.

Books List Updated... AGAIN. what can I say, i'm a hard core reader this summer. and it's been AMAZING.

• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• A New Earth by Eckharte Tolle
• Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger
• The Path of Love by Deepak Chopra
• Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
• Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Olivier Relin
• Freakanomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
• If The Show Fits by Stephanie Rowe
• Marriage By Design by Lynn Michaels
• The Teachings of Don Juan by Carlos Castaneda ( this is only half a strike out cuz i'm not done with part two. but it's too intense, so i have to do it in parts)
• Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum
• One Hundred Demons by Lynda Barry
• The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
• Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer

That's it for now.

1.5 more week of work left, and then some major packing and I'm back to Stanford. HOLLA!

bjs

Video Blog 3 --> CHANGE in URL

Video Blog #3, yo!

but first.

DOMAIN NAME CHANGE

my blog is now under the url: http://hippieinbloom.blogspot.com

SO...

maluhiauhane.blogspot.com

but instead

hippieinbloom.blogspot.com

same blog, different url.

cool!

now video blog!

Updated Reading List and Random Musings of the Start of August

Happy August, friends!

Reading List, updated :D I've semi-finished Don Juan. It's too intense, I have to do it in two parts. i have 50 pages or so left - the analysis. But i finished another book first. oops.

• One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
• A New Earth by Eckharte Tolle
• Chasing Harry Winston by Lauren Weisberger
• The Path of Love by Deepak Chopra
• Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell
• Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Olivier Relin
• Freakanomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner
• If The Show Fits by Stephanie Rowe
• Marriage By Design by Lynn Michaels
• Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum
• The Teachings of Don Juan by Carlos Castaneda
• One Hundred Demons by Lynda Barry
• The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
• Drinking Coffee Elsewhere by ZZ Packer

So I thought this would be my first August post, but it wasn't. oops. oh well.

Frolicked in the woods this weekend. It was nice to breathe some fresh air for once. And I also got to go to the onsen and introduce my cousin to ethnic clothing. haha. He has debuted in his "thai pants." I'm so proud.

So if today is the 4th, that means I have... 24 days, almost exactly 3 weeks, left until I go back to school. I'm having mixed feelings. I'm really looking forward to this next year. I get to be an RA - finally - after wanting to be one since senior year of HS. But it also means leaving this fabrication that I call 'home' that I hadn't felt so comfortable in forever. I still don't like holidays, don't get me wrong. It's just a bummer that this 'home' that I can feel 'at home' at is 8 hours and 2000 dollars from Stanford. Damn it.

Oh well. The best I can do now is try to thoroughly enjoy the three weeks I have left, do those things that I need to do, and go back to Stanny with a fresh mind, fresh body, and the self-confidence and willingness to do things. I am going to remember who I am as 'I' and not in relation to other people. It will be good. I sense good things. It will be marvelous.

bjs

rioN - Updated!

Bom Dia! (not really, cuz it's not morning)

Check out the new and improved, digg-able, media-infused music and tech blog!

rioN

and for some silly fun --> Click Here

Out of town for the weekends homies, see you on monday

bjs