Day 30: Death Rice

January 30, 2011
Sushi with the family today. Rice mixed with a chunk of wasabi and soy sauce. Rock paper scissors bokbulbok. Whoever loses has to take a bite. One of our many family restaurant traditions. Makes these outings a bit more memorable.

Day 29: Tick Tock

January 29, 2011
This white clock occupies the most barren wall of our house. But it's quite something, staring up at white nothingness and seeing this device, summoning our every movement; we always have things to do, places to be. We can stop the machine all we want, but the natural mechanism of time never leaves our midst.

Day 28: Peace Art

January 28, 2011
Drove to UC Santa Cruz with Elevate to perform for Isang Himig's Hidden Voices, hosted by UCSC's Filipino Student Association. Someone drew these on a white board, the best white board art I've ever seen. A pretty eventful night filled with lost remotes, cheering fangirls, and monte cristos. I got back to Berkeley at 4am the next day.

Day 27: Greener Grass

January 27, 2011
Today I was the first time I had enough time - and guts - to take a nap on Memorial Glade. I have to say it was quite the revelatory experience. And I also realized I forgot to bring my memory card, so this was taken with my phone. But nonetheless, today was filled with wraps, generous gaps, naps, and flaps (in the original book, Pinocchio). Sorry, I just had to make that rhyme. 

Day 26: Legitimate Motion

January 26, 2011
It's pretty neat going to a school that can adequately provide students with lab materials that properly demonstrate the workings of scientific phenomena. This magnetic cart illustrates kinematics, including centrifugal force and vectors. Physics just got a little interesting.

Day 25: Privileged Student

January 25, 2011
Sometimes I wake up and think, "Oh my God, I'm a student here at UC Berkeley." Today was one of those days. To wake up and step on one of the most prestigious institutions of higher learning and think, "this is my school." And it was perfect weather for reflection, too. But I don't know why the Campanile looks crooked.. I was positive I took a straight shot.

Day 24: Privileged Building

January 24, 2011
Passed by this old-fashioned cabin-esque building on the way to my music class today. It turns out this is Faculty Club, not a lecture hall. But, hidden in the dense foliage that is UC Berkeley's plant life, this very much looks like a haven. Especially on a tiring day like today. 

Day 23: Ultimate Redundancy

January 23, 2011
Fourth floor of Deutsch Hall at Unit 1. Of all the rooms I decided to look at, I decide to look at the room with a Michael in it. I have met more Michaels in my life than anyone else (and at Berkeley, no less). In fact, the most common guys' name at UC Berkeley is Michael. And worst of all, I help compose this statistic.

Day 22: Sugar Coated

January 22, 2011
Sometimes advertisers amaze me. This is on the bag for one of my favorite candies: Sour Punch. Sure, there's no fat. but there are other unpleasant things in this. I think this is primarily why I am not going into marketing or business of any kind. I am terrible at avoiding the truth. No sugar coating for me. Hit me with your best shot.

Day 21: Expecto Patronum

January 21, 2011
I was so happy to get out of Pimentel after taking chemistry there last semester. But when I found out I'd be in Pimentel every day of the week (for math AND physics) this semester, I was not thrilled. But little things like this sign makes my day there less painful. I'm very excited to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in the summer! 

Day 20: Troubled Water

January 20, 2011
Berkeley's own Strawberry Creek, where I spent my Friday afternoons with my ES10 class during fall semester. I miss that class the most. But like that bridge over troubled water, I have to lay me down. Move forward. It's a new semester. New possibilities. Almost done with the first week. Let's do this.

Day 19: Embrace Extinction

January 19, 2011
I had my first seminar on extinctions today at VLSB, conveniently located by the paleontology museum. The building is widely recognized because of this huge T-Rex fossil. Now would be a good time to explain that I am a fanatic for stuff like this. Not just dinosaurs, but the realm of extinctions and endangered animals. Are we in the midst of another mass extinction? My favorite. Want a good twist on extinction? Read the original Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. 

Day 18: First Meal

January 18, 2011
First day of classes today, and what better way to start than with a hot bowl of kao soi from Cafe 3? Actually, this is how I concluded my first day of classes. But it was well worth waiting for! I'll definitely be coming back for more of this as the semester progresses. (Kao soi is a Burmese-influenced dish with noodles, chicken, cilantro, onions, lime, mushroom, and a coconut milk/curry-type sauce.)

Day 17: Colorful Metaphor

January 17, 2011
To conclude my winter break, Rachel and I went out on a photo safari at a nearby park/trail. Here begins my spring semester, a breath of fresh air after a bleak winter. Time to emerge from hibernation. I really liked the color composition of this photo.

Day 16: Hidden Windows

January 16, 2011
Probably one of the most unique features of my room is the presence of these old-fashioned glass windows - what you might find inside a church or older buildings. I've never really taken the time to look at them up close. However, knowing that this is my last night at home makes me appreciate it just a little more.

Day 15: Reliving Childhood

January 15, 2011
Sat down with the family today and watched some old videos shot from 1997-98. I was 5. Time has passed at such an unbelievable rate. Even this camcorder is ancient, but it was top-notch technology only 10 years ago. If only time would pause, even for a short time.

Day 14: Lazy Day

January 14, 2011
Meet Pepper. She turned 7 yesterday. All she does is nap and eat now. She yawned right before I took the photo. I'm going to miss waking up to this when I go back to college. 

Day 13: Musical Aspirations

January 13, 2011
I recently auditioned for Cube Entertainment (a Korean entertainment company) via Youtube. Making it past this preliminary round depends on the number of views and likes the video has. So far, my video is faring well, as views are doubling by the day, and the likes are consistently climbing. I have to say, this support system I have is unbelievable; this wouldn't be possible without the friends I have. Fingers crossed, wish me luck! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1IR8jG1DuQ)

Day 12: Indoor Foliage

January 12, 2011
Hypothetically, I could explore my house all day and not get bored. We have an indoor jungle, complete with  the dense foliage, and even the insects (only sometimes). It's nice to know we have a piece of the great outdoors right in the comforts of home. My dad says it's healthy to live alongside plants. After all, it's what man used to do before all this industrial junk happened.

Day 11: Failed Hobby

January 11, 2011
Before the conclusion of my fall semester, I promised myself I would learn to play guitar this winter break. I return to school in exactly a week, and I have only learned to play three chords. Not exactly my idea of progress. Maybe I'll finally sit myself down and learn during the summer! 

Day 10: Death Star

January 10, 2011
Visited UC Davis, and some old friends showed us around campus. We eventually ended up at the Social Sciences building, dubbed the "Death Star." Apparently it's shaped like a star when viewed aerially. It's also known to be extremely maze-like, losing people within its many corridors and rooms. It was a day well spent with some great people. [Photo taken by Tracy Chan; I was recording via Flip]

Day 9: Bedside Sentinels

January 9, 2011
I wake up to these two every morning. On the left is Stitch. Elim got it for me when she was in China last summer. On the right is Donald Duck, I got it for my birthday when I went to Disney World during freshman year. These two never leave my bed; reassurance that the good times never really leave you. 

Day 8: Unspoiled Wilderness

January 8, 2011
A little pond located by a park in Hercules. As Hercules becomes a more urban town (to our dismay), woodland surrounding this little wildlife oasis is being demolished for living space that is neither necessary nor aesthetic. I'm concerned that this pond will be drained next. Do you see the ducks in the water? This scene takes me back to my environmental sciences class. In the future I hope to be preserving and restoring these habitats. 

Day 7: Inspirational Message

January 7, 2011
Stephanie got me this for Christmas, and I wore it for the first time today! It references the Robot Unicorn Attack game. Fun stuff.

Day 6: Vet Visit

January 6, 2011
Songi (aka Sugar) had a check-up today. Unlike Pepper, she's extremely calm with the vets and gave them no trouble at all. But it turns out she has uber-sensitive skin. Those ears are near-albino status..

Day 5: Ubiquitous Warmth

January 5, 2011
Baby it's cold outside, but these pigs in a blanket are warm! At a little "AiRlevate" get-together at a friend's house in Oakland. Way to get out of the cold and see familiar faces. It's a type of warmth undaunted by the weather.

Day 4: Comfort Zone

January 4, 2011
Visited some old faces at the high school today. I miss high school, especially this classroom. My sanctuary. So many memories from here it's ridiculous.

Day 3: Midnight Dining

January 3, 2011
Midnight snack with the parents. Fish sticks with our oh-so-reliable Tabasco sauce. In all honesty this sure beats the late nights they have back at Berkeley.

Day 2: Digital Throwback

January 2, 2011
I woke up to these this morning. In the era of digital music, it's hard to see CDs anymore. I guess it's a good thing that we have a whole archive of these downstairs. Time to rip them to my laptop!

Day 1: Snowy Canvas

January 1, 2011
Drove up to Lake Tahoe with my family for the New Year. Snow and reflection. It's time to start over.

365 in 2011

I realized, a tad too late into the year 2010, that the 365project had already begun. A project, a documentary of one's life, via photos, for every day of the year. One of my friends decided to tackle the project (successfully, I might add), stating that 2010 was a landmark year for her -- senior year, graduation, the beginnings of college -- it was a well-documented photo blog. Although I regret not doing the same for what may have been the most eventful year of my life, I will document the year 2011 in photos. What I do from now on will truly impact the paths I lead, the choices I make, the life I live. 2010 may have been the year to live it up, but I believe this year I will live it down, sideways, and in any other ways possible. This blog will capture just that. My triumphs as well as my defeats. I will challenge myself. Deviate. It's just about time. Time to break paradigm.