Day 151: Times Ten

May 31, 2011
I can't even put into words how proud I am of my two yearbook proteges. They really outdid themselves with this year's yearbook. Especially when it's the school's tenth anniversary book, a job well done is an understatement.

Day 150: Sweet Stuff

May 30, 2011
I went out with a friend today to SF Creamery in Walnut Creek for lunch, followed by this Candie Train Sundae. This place is known for its ice cream and it's famous Kitchen Sink Challenge. I won't be attempting the challenge anytime soon, but it was great finally sit in at the popular restaurant. 

Day 149: Green Snackage

May 29, 2011
Romaine lettuce with some grilled chicken, salami, olives, Parmesan cheese, and Italian dressing. A satisfying midnight snack!

Day 148: Serious Slumber

May 28, 2011
Sleep, it's infectious. And dangerous. But I can't seem to get enough of it.

Day 147: Summer Work

May 27, 2011
You know you're lazy when spider webs begin to form on the shrubs in your front yard. Time to get work. It's summer, all right.

Day 146: Life Size

May 26, 2011
My mission project from fourth grade. Ladies and gents, Mission Santa Cruz. This looks so realistic it could be an actual mission for all I know. Never overlook the small and helpless. Here, everything is larger than life.
I can't believe I didn't notice the thumbtack resting cozily by the base of the fountain. 

Day 145: Different Perspectives

May 25, 2011
I took these two photos within a minute of each other, at about 8pm. My dad genuinely believed that they were taken during dawn and dusk (respectively). 'Tis the magic of flash. 'Tis the magic of perspectives. If we all could only learn to appreciate the different perspectives this world has to offer.

Day 144: Sleepless Nights

May 24, 2011
As hard as I try, I just can't sleep early anymore. I know it's summer, but I need the daytime to actually get things done!

Day 143: Love Confessions

May 23, 2011
As I continue to clean up my room, I'm finding things that I once treasured dearly, but are currently gathering dust in the shadows. This was the first love confession I ever got from someone. I hold it very dear to my heart; she and I are very close friends now.

Day 142: Literary Conquests

May 22, 2011
This has been sitting on my bookshelf since I was about eight years old. A tribute to reading and exploring new depths of your imagination. That's one of my goals for the summer: to get a lot of pleasure reading done.

Day 141: Lazy Summer

May 21, 2011
What better way to spend a three-and-a-half-month summer break than to read Calvin and Hobbes! This one is ironically yet appropriately titled, "The Days are Just Packed." With nothing to do, I have absolutely everything to do! I want to get a game of Calvinball going!

Day 140: Making Breakfast

May 20, 2011
I proved to my entire family that I am capable of surviving on my own. I made my own pancakes, batter and all! No longer will I starve when I'm stranded at home by myself. An incredible feat for someone like me. On a sidenote, Judgment Day was a complete joke. 

Day 139: Final Flight

May 19, 2011
Steph and I stayed up until around four in the morning just talking, a great way to finish my Chicago visit. A moonlit walk by Lake Michigan, eerie, but enchanting all the same. I had an excruciating trip back, wedged between two strangers, constantly looking out the window hoping to see some familiar California topography. This was taken while flying over the Rocky Mountains. And now, my California summer begins!

Day 138: Field Excursion

May 18, 2011

After much deliberation, Stephy and I decided to visit the Field Museum for my last day in Chicago. There were all sorts of exhibits on science and anthropology, from the ancient Egyptians to ants to extinctions. Definitely my points of interest. Pictured above is Sue, the most complete T-Rex fossil to be found/constructed. The second photo is from my favorite exhibit, the one on evolution. Conclusion: plants are much better than animals from a Darwinian standpoint. And I can't leave out the amazing food I had while I was in Chicago, either. A Philly cheesesteak sandwich from Philly's Best, probably the best I've ever had. A day well spent!

Day 137: High End

May 17, 2011
Stephy took me to the Magnificent Mile, located in downtown Chicago, a shopping district with many malls, restaurants, tourist traps, and a picturesque view of the Chicago River. We then explored the malls (mostly high-end) and had dinner at MityNice. The best taste of Chicago!

Day 136: Freezing Heights

May 16, 2011
I confirmed today that my feet belong on the ground. Stephanie took me to downtown Chicago and up Willis Tower (formerly known as Sears Tower), the tallest building in the US. Frankly, I was mortified, but I toughed it out and even took photos on the protruding glass boxes! Afterwards, we took a walk around the NU campus, a beautiful sight in the springtime. The only problem I had was the cold. 

Day 135: Wildcat Welcome

May 15, 2011
As soon as finals came to an end I jumped on an eastward plane to visit Stephy at Northwestern! Unfortunately, there was not as much to see at NU compared to Chicago. After seeing Lake Michigan, the dining halls, and Tech (the science department), we were off to the Windy City!

Day 134: Home Bound

May 14, 2011
Move-out day in the UC Berkeley dormitories. I was out by 9:30am. Farewell, Clark Kerr. It was great living here for the past year. However, I'm ready to go back home and enjoy the summer. 

Day 133: Agonizing Finals

May 13, 2011
My very last final of my freshman year. I had to take it at Haas Pavilion with about a thousand other kids. Unfortunately, the math final did not play to my favor. I am now extremely scared to see my final grades. On a different note, I feel this is the only time I'll ever step foot in Haas Pavilion.

Day 132: Almost Even

May 12, 2011
I thought it would be impossible to exhaust my meal points. Definitely a miracle that I got down to eight cents! This is the last receipt I received before my last dinner at the dining commons. Great way to end the year.

Day 131: Neglected Nails

May 11, 2011
I neglected my nails during RRR and finals week. The result? The longest nails I have ever had in my life. And a strange dent on my left middle finger. I have no idea how it got there. It doesn't hurt, but I like to run my finger over the dent.

Day 130: No Doors

May 10, 2011
I was roaming Clark Kerr after my music final today when I found this stairway leading to no doorway. Reminded me of the Winchester Mystery House. In any case, I can't believe my days here are numbered. Move-out day is this Saturday!

Day 129: Steak Plates

May 9, 2011
This is a steak plate from Foothill's late night. For $6.50 in meal points, it's really really good steak. Well worth the money. I was so amazed by the taste; by far the best food the Berkeley dining commons has to offer.

Day 128: Mom's Calendar

May 8, 2011
Mother's Day! This year I put together a personalized calendar and ordered it for my mom. I think other than cards made at school and breakfast in bed, it's the first time I've actually sat down and made something for her. It was fun bringing back my yearbook intuition to design the different months! Now it just has to arrive in the mail! I'm really excited to see it.

Day 127: Surviving Finals

May 7, 2011
I wrote my finals schedule on my white board so it glares at me whenever I'm at my desk. But to no avail; I watched Survivor pretty much all of Saturday, using up a considerable amount of bandwidth for the first time, and simultaneously wasting time that I could have used for finals.

Day 126: High Speed

May 6, 2011
Berkeley's Internet has the fastest bandwidth speed I've ever seen! I'll be sad to let this go once I move out of the dorms. Streaming, uploading, downloading, it moves so much faster than my Internet back home. Even if I don't have bandwidth restrictions.

Day 125: White Space

May 5, 2011
It's funny how this is how my "pin-up" wall has looked the entire year. I hope to take advantage of my wall space when I return home. I have many more pictures and posters whatnot to put up. I'll have an excuse to execute real-life yearbook-style designs on my wall. Better avoid that trapped white space!

Day 124: Playing Dead

May 4, 2011
Meet my dog. She likes to play dead. Sunbathing in the backyard was on her agenda; coming back inside was not.

Day 123: Dead Plants

May 3, 2011
My family (including myself) is extremely lazy. We always start projects (like gardening, in this case) ambitiously, but the plans almost undoubtedly fall through. This hanging plant is a victim of our laziness.

Day 122: Elevate Rising

May 2, 2011
My a cappella group, Elevate, had its first live show tonight. The turnout was great, and I was on a natural high knowing I  made it into AiR. We almost had a full house! The audience was awesome, and the program flowed smoothly. It was a fun night, and ultimately a GREAT year with Elevate. The name says it all: we're on the rise (I came up with the show name!). Phil wrote (and drew) "Elevate, On the Rise," and Anthony attempted to draw all of us. Fun times, I'll miss it!

Day 121: Breathe AiR

May 1, 2011
What a great way to start off the month! This was the call I was waiting for last semester, a call from Artists in Resonance (AiR) with the good news that I made the group. After a long day of callbacks with a sore throat, I got this call at 6:20. Initiation followed, and now I am officially a member of AiR.