FNF with Big Bro

Today was one of those rare days where both my bro and my significant others are away. FBIL left yesterday for a 6-week internship in Ghana, as part of his MSW program. BF left yesterday for Vegas to visit his folks, meet a client, and g2 a bachelor's party. =X So today was a big bro/lil sis day. :)

Today, I did some more late spring-cleaning and finished my reset diet! I also anxiously waited all day to go on a walk at the beach with my bro. Around 6:30, he picked me up and we did his typical Venice to Santa Monica walk, but the fun part is that we stopped by the rings! (I may be mistaken, but I told Bro that these are the rings that Mark swings on every lunch). My bro encouraged me to try them. With much cajoling, I ended up beginning with the "easier" rings (a few inches closer to the ground and closer-spaced together). I was able to go all the way to the end and back (sans fancy 360 at the last ring to bring myself back around). Then, I climbed 4/5 of the nearby rope!! I was so close to the top!! (I think if I hadn't stopped and hung on for dear life every few seconds to laugh, I would've been even closer to the top.) That was first time ever climbing a rope; not too bad for these wimpy arms who can barely lift her own bowling ball any more. I didn't even think I could get up halfway! The last challenge was the "tougher" rings. I almost didn't make it but when I landed, a bystander (who rudely cut in front of me) commented, "Good job! I didn't think you'd make it!" Um, thanks, I think.

Anywho, I managed to catch some shots of my bro in action. :) (I am doing my best to get used to the fact that I have a camera. The last camera I had was from my HS graduation, 10 years ago! Also from my bro!)

We spent a while longer at the rings and rope, than we expected, so we saw an unusual sight -- the sun set beyond the Malibu mountains, rather than the Pacific Ocean. It was beautiful. I haven't watched the sun set since probably last summer.

Afterwards, we rushed back to my place while I changed and then we picked Lynnielove up and headed to Hollywood Park. I was very excited because it was my first time at the horse races, and for some unknown reason, I've wanted to go ever since college. Not only that, but I had passed Hollywood Park at least 3 times a week when I was interning in the hood. But to actually be there for its purpose was awesome!

It was really exciting to watch a few races, hear the crowd cheer, and see the upsets at the last millisecond. Dude, what I would've given to actually touch one of the horses...! My bro says they are beautiful up close. At the bigger championship races, he has gotten to take pictures with the horse owners. (That is as close as he will get to a horse; ironically, he is severely allergic to horses!)

Immediately after the last race, Berlin performed on a stage in the lower area so we moshed in the pit for a little bit (well, not really moshed, but we were in the pit!). I love any live concert so even though I only knew 1.5 songs, it was still awesome, fun, and beautiful.



I didn't get any great shots of the lead singer, but I think my bro did. It was really neat b/c she sang while she sat atop some dude's shoulders, and she wandered amongst the crowd for 1.5 songs. Unfortunately, we were like 3 people too far back for her to reach out and touch my hand. Boo!

All in all, quite an eventful evening and night! It just makes me appreciate -- once again -- being done with school (for now).

I did it!

1. I dropped off my application with my future employer! It's weird to be sought out for a job, rather than the other way around. A few years ago, I thought I'd be working behind a desk at a dead-end job forever. Today, I am looking forward to a career full of excitement, challenges, and great experiences. I haven't decided which population(s) I would like to work with; that will come in good time. For now, I'm just going through the formal application process (i.e., rule out felonies, infectious diseases, etc.). Here's hoping my Credential posts soon, too.
   
2. I am on the last stretch of my 5-day Reset diet! I never thought I could do this. For reals, I have NEVER dieted in my life, let alone drink shakes to replace meals. I have tried several times in my life to eat healthier, but my self-control and will-power is relatively nonexistent. Even when I watched BF do the Reset diet a few weeks ago, I felt so sorry for him and indulged in comfort foods for him. That's what a dedicated junk food junkie I am.
   

There are several clarifications and elaborations to #2:

• Verbal Commitment. Now I see what psychologists refer to as the power in verbal commitment. FILs insisted on giving me a grad gift, but I did not want anything (compliments of the Asian humility gene), so we agreed on the USANA Reset "program." Since Monday, I have had a shake (with tons of fiber) to replace a meal, a nutritional snack bar in between meals, a cup of strawberries, and a cup of veggies (cauliflower or carrots). The shakes are actually pretty tasty (strawberry, French vanilla, or dutch chocolate) and I already love eating fruit and vegetables so it's not so bad. It's the hunger pains that are hard to deal with.
  
• Diet? As far as I know, this reset diet is not a diet designed to lose weight (although it can happen for some). For me, it is truly what it is marketed as -- to reset people on a healthier diet. It's weird, but I have lost cravings for junk food. This is not to say that I don't get hungry or starving throughout the day, but the weird thing is that I really haven't craved for junk food or any other food I typically eat. The only thing I want to eat is blanched cauliflower. LOL I just hope I can stick to low-glycemic meals and snacks and continue to eat healthy to lower this dang cholesterol of mine.
  
• Exhaustion. I am a total high-glycemic, junk-food junkie. So when I get tired, I eat (usually junk food). Well, there ain't anything to eat when I'm hungry, so (psychologically?) I get physically weak. I.e., We went bowling on Tuesday and my first game was pretty good, but I felt like my ball weighed twice as much as it usually does. Next game, I kept dropping my ball. During the last game, I could barely lift my ball and kept dropping it. For the first time in my bowling career, I actually told BF (at the beginning of the 3rd game) that I didn't want to bowl after that because I was so weak! We usually bowl 4-5 games at the least and not once have I ever complained about my ball being heavy and wanting to stop bowling! Back to my point -- the only thing I can do when I'm tired and hungry is drink water.
• Bloated Hippo. It is dang hard to drink at least 64 oz. of water! I am supposed to drink between 64 - 80 oz. I don't think I've reached 64 oz. any day. Yesterday, I must've really skimped on the water b/c I woke up feeling like I had a mad hangover. Did I party last night and not even know it?
• Temptations. I distinctly recall that when BF was resetting his body, I did not taunt nor tempt him (he lamented once about how agonizing it was to see me eating pita chips when he couldn't eat anything, so after that, I ate out of view). He, on the other hand, acts like a 6 y/o! "Nyah nyah, I'm hungry and I can eat whatever I want!" was what I heard one night before I crashed from exhaustion. He also seriously forgets that I'm on this diet and will be like, "Stop by Jack-in-the-Box and get me a Jumbo Jack and onion rings, and why don't you get those 2 tacos that you like so much?" Not funny! The worst: "If you're so hungry, just tell me what you want right now and I'll go get it. Right now. Ice-cream?" Dude! I think I deserve 2 gold stars for not only making it through this diet without cheating, but for putting up with intentional taunts!
• Okay, truth be told, he does that as a test of my will b/c he knows that I can be pretty stubborn, yet have no will-power when it comes to food so in a sadistic way, he is just helping me get to the finish line. At least that's what I've psyched myself out to think.
  

Drinks in Shards

Yesterday, BF and I went on our annual home improvement spree and we picked up new silverware, beverageware, and other knick-knacks.

En route, wee had a lovely spousal spat at Target, over which beverageware to purchase. Call it childhood issues, but I just don't like cups made from acrylic, plastic, or similar material. I like drinking from a glass cup. (Styrofoam is the worst.)

BF insisted on polycarbonate cups based on one redeeming characteristic -- they are virtually unbreakable. You know you've been living together too long when your S.O. knows what can and cannot survive under the same roof.

Glass simply breaks around me. I've broken so many glasses...to the point that I don't even have to lift a finger and they quiver in fear, topple over, and break. Classic example (no exaggeration): I washed a mug, one of 3 remaining glasses, and a plate. I hadn't even touched the glass, when it slid about an inch in the sink, and then toppled over and broke! I couldn't believe it.

Good thing the breaking a mirror curse isn't the same as breaking glass. Did I mention I've broken 3 mirrors in high school? I don't think BF knows that either...

It's not fair

Two injustices~

First injustice: California law deems a domestic partnership as a legal relationship between same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples in which one partner is 62 years of age or more. When I was working in the 2nd law firm, I was fortunate to have BF deemed as my Domestic Partner simply b/c we had been living together for at least 3 years. Therefore, he was legally covered under my insurance policy. Recently, I asked a potential employer if Domestic Partners are covered under my potential insurance policy. She indicated that whatever California deems as a Domestic Partner is likely what they consider. After I checked out California's law, I chuckled to BF, telling him that the potential employer may think that he is a she because I had forgotten/adopted the law firm's definition, rather than California's definition.

Well, now that I am pretty set on working for this other potential employer, I was very upset to see that they, too, go by California's definition. Re-phrase: I am upset by California's definition. I find it unjust for same-sex couples to be recognized as a domestic partnership, regardless of how many years they have been together (as long as they have filed an application with the registry) whereas BF and I, who have been together for 5.5 years and meet Criteria 1-4 and 6, cannot file the same application and be considered as Domestic Partners.

This may force us to elope before September. Maybe we'll elope in China. I already told him, no cheesy elopement (i.e., TV-style: drive-thru in Vegas with an Elvis impersonator).

2nd injustice: I have more white hairs than Aunt and Uncle of Genius Cousins (53 and 58, respectively). Along the same note, people often ask, "who's older?" when my bro and I are side-by-side. He is almost 3 years older than me. Fortunately, he has bought me a spa package, and he testifies that the 3rd treatment got rid of his wrinkles! I am looking forward to that treatment. Come to think of it, that means I must look like 5 years older than my bro right now (or he looks 5 years younger).

Vending Machine

The other day, when I was shopping for Younger Genius Cousin's grad gift, I speed-walked through Macy's. A vending machine the span of 2.5 soda machines caught my eyes.

Ladies and gentlemen, you can now purchase iPods (and related Apple products) via vending machines.

Now I've seen it all.

Congratulations to PVPHS Valedictorian!

Congratulations to Cousin Andrew on graduating from high school...as valedictorian and with a gang of special honors and distinctions!

Andrew is the youngest of this generation in the family. I was just thinking of him when I was at Gramma's a few days ago. Whenever I go on a walk/jog around the odd-shaped block (Gramma's residential blocks are tricky and odd-shaped -- there are many dead-ends), I remember the first time Doctor Cousin and Bro went around the block (15 years ago). They took Andrew in his stroller...and unintentionally pushed him uphill into the many dead-ends. When they finally got home, they were exhausted from their adventure.

Years later, Andrew is graduating from HS and heading off to Stanford. We are all so proud of him. Congratulations, Andrew!

.·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·..·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·. .·:*¨¨*:·.

I don't know a happier Gramma for the graduating class of 2007. This year, Ama "graduated" 5 grandchildren: 1 from UC Hastings law school, 1 from Berkeley (med-school destination TBD), 1 from HS to Stanford, 1 from elementary school to JH, and yours truly.

Beginning Fall, another grandchild (Older Genius Cousin) will begin a joint JD-MBA program at Stanford and the oldest child of Aunty Dentist will begin her M.A. in Education.

Post-Grad

Life post-grad is great! It is far better than life post-Praxis. :)

Yesterday, bro, Ama, Dad, and I went to Enterprise Fish Co. for a yummy lobster dinner and then Pinkberry for dessert. Talk about a typical West L.A. (non-student) Monday evening. :) I brought Ama home and she had me laughing for pretty much the entire evening.

Today, after 10 non-guilty hours of beauty rest, I got up and washed Elsa. Later, Ama and I went out. Our first stop was Home Depot. Although Home Depot has some great things, I really don't like going there. I pout when I have to go. The worst was having to today only b/c I don't like shopping, much more shopping at a place that I don't like and looking for things that I have no clue about (today I learned that a cement-smoother is called a trowel). I like looking at/shopping for cute and sparkly things. Trowels and fertilizer spreaders aren't very cute, sparkly, nor fun. Thankfully, customer service was excellent so finding things wasn't so hard.

Although we were already tired, we trekked over to Ontario Mills to look for younger genius cousin's HS graduation gift. We only made it through 1/4 of the mall before turning around and calling it a day (b/c we still had one more stop). While shopping with Ama, I realized how I shop both like Ama and Dad (which are opposite extremes). I like to shop at my pace but I also like to touch every little thing that catches my eye...which is why I enjoy shopping alone; I can zip through stores like no tomorrow, until I get caught in one store...where I will spend an hour or longer b/c I must touch every little thing.

Our last stop was Costco, one of my favorite places to shop (shopping at a place I like with things that I love). The best part of the trip (aside from purchasing a few things that's actually cheaper at this location) was trying to pick out a watermelon. Preface: My dad picks out the best watermelons but, according to gramma, since Dad is leaving for China tmrw, there is no one to buy her watermelons so she must buy one for herself. Preface: I am the worst at picking watermelons, hands down. I have never bought a watermelon in my life just b/c I have no faith in my watermelon picking abilities. I know there are "rules" but I just can't get them straight (e.g., the thinner/closer the stripes better; the more hollow sounding when you knock/slap, the juicier?). So gramma and I stood there knocking on a bunch of them and finally picked one. In line, I said to gramma in Taiwanese, dang! Look at the lady behind us; she picked a HUGE one! We laughed at how small our watermelon is (despite them all being the same price). Just to make myself better, I said to gramma, well, at least ours is greener. I hope ours really is good.

Anywho, we finally made it home around 8:30 P.M. Big props for Ama for shopping for almost 4 hours! (I, too, must applaud myself for shopping that long. If I were alone, I would've been home after 2 hours.)

I'm having a blast w/ Ama. The saga with Ama continues tmrw. :)

Happy Birthday to the Best BF Ever!

Today is BF's big 30th birthday!

(He doesn't like big hoop-las but since he doesn't read this blog anyways, I'm going to continue with my big sap-fest.)

I am so proud of all the things that he has accomplished for himself before he turned 30. I've only known him for 5 years, yet I've seen him change for the better in so many respects. Most of all, I'm so happy that he has accomplished what he envisioned doing before he turned 30. He is successful with his own company...albeit a small company (he is the CEO, Art Director, Graphic Artist, etc.). Actually, his company also consists of an assistant somewhere in the Midwest, an Executive Personal Assistant (yours truly), and Lil F (office decoration and in-house therapist).

I have so much faith and optimism in the even bigger things he will accomplish in the next 10 years. I love him to pieces and am excited that at the turn of this decade in his life, we are beginning a new chapter in our lives together.

He is the best BF ever! XXOOxOXo

Graduation

The day has finally arrived!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Class of 2007!!!

Last Week of Rehab

My last week of rehab had quite a sobering effect on me. After 11 weeks of flying by the seat of my panties and learning through trial-and-error, asking dumb questions (which I am particularly a G at), and researching (what did we used to do w/o the internet?), I realized how much I've learned this past quarter...and how much more I need to learn.

It was really scary yet exhilarating for doctors and patients' family members to speak to me as if I was the professional (did they know that when I introduced myself as Graduate Student, it meant I did not have my degree nor license yet?). But my MC was right -- the more I speak, the more confidence I gain, and the more I realize that I actually do know what I'm talking about. Well, for the most part.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

On Tuesday, many of us went to Grand Lux for a good-bye lunch for me and the PT Student. It was a little hectic for me (as are many of my days) b/c I had crammed all of my rounds in the AM and was unexpectedly expected at a family conference right after lunch. After that, I zoomed over to school for my Oral Defense...which I thankfully passed with a bit of head-nodding in agreement to my own statements.

On Wednesday, I couldn't believe I only had one more day and I couldn't wait until Thursday. On Thursday, I couldn't believe it was my last day. It was like any other one of my "bad" days...where I made one mistake after another. i.e., I misunderstood one not-the-brightest-crayon-in-the-box doc for saying he'd take out my patient's G-tube instead of trach. i.e., I explained aspiration precautions to my patient, which sent him almost into an anxiety attack (suddenly, he could "feel" himself silently aspirating). A few other mishaps took place, but fortunately, I walked out at 4 P.M. with an "A" in this chapter/quarter of my life and felt proud of myself for doing the best that I could have.

In celebration, I stopped by Carl's Jr. to buy BF a 6 dollar burger (after all, it was Burger Day and as BF swears, "all good things happen on Burger Day") and myself some fried zucchinis (I've decided that those are one of my favorite foods). Soon after, FBIL, Guh, and I went to the Walt Disney Concert Hall to listen to the Los Angeles Master Chorale in Sounds of the City. It was very interesting, relaxing, and wonderful. I think I once told my bro that someday, I want to get season tickets to the concert hall. Wouldn't that be nice?

That night, I got home and completely crashed. I fell asleep with the thought of graduating the next day...!