Friday, June 30, 2006

Retired!

Imagine dedicating 32 years of your life to the same corporation. That must be what it's like when you've found your career at your ideal work place. For 30+ years, BF's mom worked her way up to Tax Director of IHOP. However, today she retired. Her position was so big that they actually hired 2 people to replace her, each with multiple degrees and credentials. She never even got her CPA. What a woman.

Funny because I can't see her as being the power woman b/c she's so sweet and gentle. I only catch glimpses of the aggression when she tells stories of how "mean" she is at work. My jaw drops everytime she tells a story ending up with a MAN crying.

That made me think, too ~ must women be that aggressive to work her way up to a high-power position? I'm certainly under that impression. Within the law firms, women HAVE to be aggressive or else the other women and men will eat them alive. My uncle's niece, an attorney, once told me that she found being an Asian and a woman in a law firm was one of the biggest challenges she faced in her life. I truly believe that, having witnessed how most of the women in the law firms I worked at have been. The unaggressive ones left.

As cheesy as it sounds, I also believe passion plays a large hand. If a woman isn't passionate about her work, she might as well call it quits already. Now, BF's mom was definitely passionate about her work. Heck, she LOVED doing everyone's tax return "for fun." Now that's almost insane. Not to mention, IHOP was an amazing corporation to work for.

Too bad she doesn't get a lifetime of free meals to IHOP. If she did, I'd totally assume her identity!

Anywho, BF and I visited his parents today, and I saw them one last time before they moved to Las Vegas to retire. BF actually decided literally at the last minute to go with them and come back on Sunday. I would've loved to go, but I actually prefer the coooOOooool refreshing Kern River Water over the 110 degree LV weather!

Happy retirement to the BF's parents!

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Kicks just like the BF

Today, BF and I headed on over to the South Bay Galleria to do some "Summer shopping." I had no idea that BF shops both at the beginning of Summer and Winter. "Always," he said. I thought he just shopped every time he was heading to Vegas. I guess I think that b/c for the past 4 years, his best friend's had a birthday "party" in Vegas, and it just happened to coincide with BF's Summer shopping spree.

Anywho, he bought me a new pair of kicks today! I got a pair of all white shell-toed Adidas. He swears that I keep biting him, though. So what if he got a pair of black Chucks before me? And a pair of all white shell-toed Adidas before me? =P So what if I just like to match him? :D

Oh! Some very good news is that I found my Dooney & Bourke purse! Best friend gave the purse to her bridal party last year. I was recently looking for it to use again, and I couldn't find it. Somehow, it's been sitting in BF's trunk for some time. He saw the monogram "DB" on the purse bag so he calls it my Douche Bag. :( He has a great way of making expensive things appear quite distasteful.

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

First Day of Clinic (again)

I thought I wasn't gonna be able to hack it today b/c I didn't complete my Lesson Plans until about an hour before! To add to my procrastination, I helped my bro prepare for BIL's birthday party yesterday. That was tons of fun with LOTS of good food! I picked up a mocha cake from a Vietnamese bakery on Garvey/San Gabriel and a lemon bundt cake from Costco. (Costco rules!) I had a slight meltdown at the bakery, though. I bought an 8" diameter cake for 17 people, knowing that it wouldn't be enough. Why in the world did I not just buy the strawberry sheet cake that would have been enough? I'm not sure. Subconsciously, I think it's b/c I really wanted the mocha cake. I'm so not a good on-the-spot thinker.

Today went pretty well (in comparison to the previous quarters first days). I got to test out the Psycholinguistic approach to Tx with my first little kid. I botched it up just a little bit so hopefully next time, I'll stick to my guns.

Speaking of guns, I've been working my arms out. :D I hope my minimal muscles come in handy this weekend when I go white water rafting.

My second client admitted she had a hard time saying my name. I don't blame her. For some reason, people have a difficult time hearing my name over the phone. Heck, people still don't hear me when I tell them face-to-face. Much more, Asian adults have an especially challenging time. I told her that my gramma still can't say my name. Instead, she calls me, "Sedo." :)

Maybe I'm the one that isn't articulating my name well. :(

The funny thing is that I spelled my name for her and wrote underneath, "Share Roll," to help her pronounce it. That totally brought me back to the RED days when I had to yell above the 120 dB bass thumping to tell people what my name is. Once I said, "y'know, like you wanna share a roll? But without the 'a'," I'd instantly see a light bulb turn on.

Not that she was into that scene, but she totally articulated my name perfectly after I wrote that out.

Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Summer Quarter

Summer break has loOOOoOOOOoong been over. In fact, I already finished one class (one-week intensive course). Two more to go!

My mind is still in summer break mode, though. Instead of prepping for the first day of clinic, I procrastinated by helping my bro prep for BIL's b-day party. :) The other day, I bought 2 6-packs of Stellas and the cashier didn't card me. :( Do I really look over 30?? I already went to the mall twice for the gift, and I bought 2 cakes today. It's great to be a full-time, unemployed student.

But now I'm tired. I've also been sleeping earlier and earlier. Midnight =O

Must go to sleep; tmrw's the first day of clinic and I gotta wake up early to prep for clinic. Oh! And I went to school two days caffeine-free!!!!! I can't remember when the last time that happened!

Sunday, June 11, 2006

Officially on Summer Break

So far, my break is starting off nicely. On Friday night, we went to the Bonaventure for a little R&R. All the cats came out to play! Even some homies that I haven't seen for over 2 years b/c I've been balled and chained...to the books. (A long-time friend said, "Cheers to that!" as I bumped my water bottle to to her cocktail). As the GF of the birthday boy, I was DD...so I had 1.5 Jack & Cokes. And a buffalo wing "from the upstairs steakhouse," compliments of my bro & bro-in-law. :)

"Just to show face," we hit Avalon around midnight for RED's 6th anniversary, and even though 3:30 A.M. has been my typical bed-time, I was beyond sober and tired by 2:30. You know I'm over the scene b/c I quickly kicked off the Frederick's of Hollywood stilettos to rock the Adidas. Kind of like a flashback of New Year's Eve, when I was dressed to the nines from the ankles up. At least this time, it really was dark enough for people to not see...plus people were too FUBAR to know the difference, like that I'm 3.5 inches shorter than I let on to be.

We had an awesome time. I saw more peeps that I really haven't seen for over 3 years or more. They look the same, though -- not any more sober nor any less shady. Haha! To pass time, I got down w/ Baby J (or rather, she freaked me w/o me knowing), and Kuya M and I talked trash about the weird people there (b/c I'm so great at it).

It's been so long that I've forgotten how that scene is. Some dudes seriously looked older than my dad. Very creepy. Lots of fake tans and other fake body parts (well, we were a few yards away from the corner of Hollywood and Vine.) Lots of random loners staring and wanting to chat the second you make eye contact; therefore, I did not look anybody in the eye. Plus, there's the 20 second rule. If somebody talks to another person for more than 20 seconds, they must be acquainted. Any less? Just a random stranger/loner wanting to bum a smoke, ask for Stuff, chat b/c he's FUBAR, etc.

We got home a little before 4, just in time for me to get a little shut-eye before my most traumatizing dental appointment. Sitting under the drill made me regress about 15 years, when Dentist Aunty fixed my jacked up teeth all the time. OMG, if I have kids, they are soOoOOOOooOO getting their teeth capped. Dentist Aunty confirmed again that I have zero wisdom teeth. In fact, I am also missing two molars. Is that why I eat so gosh darn slow?

We also had lunch w/ a family friend and his family in MP, where I boosted up my cholesterol level another 5 points. We had dinner at Dentist Aunty and Doctor Uncle's house, whence I convinced middle cousin to become a neurosurgeon or neurologist so we could work together. In the waaaaay long run.

She said she'd do it. I think she was just humoring me, though. In the short run, her and I are going to work on our tans next Sunday morning at future teacher-cousin's graduation. I wonder if it'd be too dressed down to wear a tank top and shorts. M/b I'll don my 3.5 inch stilettos to dress it up.

Thursday, June 08, 2006

It's da BF's birfamaday!

Today was BF's birthday, and I sent in my last take-home final just in the nick of time (in the morning). After that, we had a nice, chillaxed day. He doesn't like to make his birthdays a big deal so we usually don't do anything (which is exactly what he wants). I got him In-n-Out, rented movies, and cleaned our place up (since I neglect all house-duties for 10 weeks after the quarter begins). Actually, I got him GWF a month or two ago. He's not one to wait for gifts for his birthday nor Christmas.

Tmrw will be the celebration with the homies. I will secretly be celebrating the end of my first year of grad school, though. (Unfortunately) I am DD so maybe there won't be much celebrating. At least with ETOH...

Sad that I can't disassociate celebrations with ETOH!

Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Reflex

Although I meant to finish my last final today, I drafted it and then gave up.

I was totally not feeling it since I stayed up late last night and had to meet my prof a little early this morning. I was on my way to school, and as I turned into the alley to get onto the street, a white truck turned in. Alley Courtesy Rules are for two cars to slow down and figure out who wants to get out of the way. An added bonus is when you receive a "thank you" wave when you move out of the way.

I thought the truck was the one that always parks by the gas station at the beginning of the alley, but I slowed down anyways since he started to turn into his "usual" parking spot...but the driver gave me a "hurry the F up" wave. I was shocked (and probably said something not nice), but I sped up to pass. As I drove past him, he flipped me off!

That's the one thing that I have a great reflexive response to...I gave him the finger right back.

What gives, man?

3 Down

1 more to go. Just one more final.

Actually, it's a take-home final. I finished my first take-home final consisting of 6 essays, about an hour ago...or rather, gave up on it. I started working on my 2nd take-home final, but since I "had to" finish the kahlua and vodka so that I could recycle the 2 bottles, I made myself a very stiff White Russian (The Big Lebewski rules). So, my diagnosing voice disorders for 4 cases came to a halt. Well, I managed to diagnose 2, but haven't gotten to the other 2.

Don't worry; they're not real cases, and besides, I'm not studying to become an M.D.

My one-week long Summer Break is so close!

Saturday, June 03, 2006

Wrap-up

My first year of grad school is coming to an end...although I can't see it just yet, since I still need to get through finals. At about 3:30 A.M. this morning, I reached the point of "Que Sera, Sera" so studying for voice disorders has been slow, but alrighty.

Yesterday, I went to the COMD banquet that honored the 2nd year grads and other special guests. One of the honored guests read a powerful poem -- in my perpetual state of anxiety & stress that causes me to be extremely sappy (& bipolar), I found this poem very inspirational:

Our Deepest Fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won't feel unsure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to
manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence
automatically liberates others.

by Marianne Williamson
A Return to Love

Thursday, June 01, 2006

Chicken butt

Yesterday was my last day with the kiddos, and I totally had separation anxiety (which I kind of anticipated). I guess I did make a difference w/ Bawler. She goes around home and school, telling others what I said.
"Cheryl says no crying!"
"Cheryl says no yelling!
"No hitting!"

Etc. Pu-hahaha! Awesome. Rumor has it that she actually screamed, "I want Cheryl!!!" at the end of the session, when I was still with Mom. Who knows - m/b next quarter, my classmate will have to use me as her reward. Haha!

My 2nd kiddo was such a jokester. When I went outside to get her, she said, "guess what!"
"What?"
"CHICKEN BUTT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" and then her 2 y/o sis did the same thing w/ me.

Boy, I wonder what kind of kids (or adults) I will get next quarter.