Long-form

Long-form blog posts and editorials. Topics cover both personal and the world at large. 

Now go out and get her - random thoughts

Only a scant two weeks until my under graduate studies are finally over (and it only took five years!). I had a feeling this month of May will just fly by, and indeed even though it has only been the fifth day, it feels like things are quickly coming to an end. But no time to reflect on anything because I still have at least three major projects that I still need to get started (?) on! Haha it is so hard not to let apathy set in and just be like fuck it, I am graduating for sure now anyways, so why bother. But of course I am not that kind of person, and to be honest if you are that kind of person, you don't deserve your degree.

Anyways, at least I got my fun out of the way this past weekend (funny right, fun before work - the American mentality?) when I went down to LA for the Korean Music Festival. Now that I think about it, it is a shame how there is no Chinese equivalent of it. Nonetheless, I had a great time enjoying the weather (though absolutely dry) and some good music (and a chance to fanboy out loud for a bit haha). Speaking of fans, do people not have manners? I understand that may be your favorite singer singing the Korean national anthem, but have some respect and not SCREAM and YELL the whole time. 

I don't think I can live in Southern California in any permanent fashion at all (and not only because of my undying love for San Francisco). The air is just too damn dry, and it wrecks havoc with my skin. I have grew up amongst humidity all by live - South East Asia, and San Francisco (three sides water). Hence I guess I have evolutionarily adapted to having water in the air? You know you've got a problem when you have used twice as much lotion as normal and your skin is still not hydrated. I mean sure it may be nice to not be freezing all the time, but not at the expense of dehydrating your skin (and body too, drink water by the megatons). Anyways, the first breath of air I took back in the Bay Area was refreshing to say the least. 

And of course I can't live in LA because I would get beat up by a Dodger fan.

I came back to San Francisco on Sunday evening to the great news of the death of Osama Bin Laden. Personally I don't get why is his death worth so much celebration. Sure the families of the victims of 9/11 gets a measure of closure, but heck his death will not bring your love ones back, so anybody that actually derives satisfaction over Bin Laden's death is just being selfish. Trotting over the ground zero and raising a ruckus and being all patriotic is kind of excessive - it is not like we WON the war. This is not World War II, and Bin Laden is not Hitler (symbolically speaking, not in terms of being a douche). Hitler's death meant the end of the war in Europe (too bad he shot himself, no glory kill for US). Bin Laden's death as of right now means NOTHING. America is still in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Al Queda still exist (do you feel anymore reassured about our national security?)

I cannot possibly be the only person seeing the death of Bin Laden as the start of the domino falling instead of closure. I am glad that the implications of Pakistan is not escaping the mainstream media. It is more clear than ever that Pakistan did hide Bin Laden within their country, and certainly they cannot be happy about the US coming in unannounced and having a fire fight in on their soil (next Call of Duty game?). Think about this, if another country have helicoptered in a squad of elite soldiers into one of our cities (without telling us) and open fire on a suspect on their most wanted list, I don't think we would be all too happy either (Roman Polanski should be shaking in his mansion in France). How convenient the mainstream press ignored that the US basically disregarded the national sovereignty of Pakistan and just went in there (like a boss!).

It is definitely not the end of it. US - Pakistan relations, and the entire Middle East region will come to a head really soon, especially the role the West is playing (revolution!).

I have to say, having a smartphone with a data plan really boost my productivity. Not to say that I do anything important with my phone (maybe...). It just that having the phone allows me to do all the frivolous social networking and texting during times that I would otherwise have not the ability to. So instead of wasting time, I get to do my Facebook, twitter, and mail checking done and over with, giving me more productivity for when I do get situated at a place of work. Imagine all the time wasted while walking from the car - now I can check all my stuff during the walk so that once I reach home I can start doing productive stuff. So basically it is spreading the non-productivity to other times where before it would not have been possible. They say time is money, and smart phone data plan have allowed me to use it more wisely (because really, who is going to stop social networking and checking news online?)

Oh yeah, loving the weather this week. It really feels like summer is here (even though I no longer have a summer break of any kind). And of course it is the San Francisco kind of hot so it is just perfect. And of course when the girls dress in their summer clothing, it is just the best. Hot weather also makes people go out and exercise. You know what makes a hot girl even hotter? Regular exercise. It just adds mega points to the attractiveness factor. 

Sorry I'm late - random thoughts

It is what happens when you procrastinate. But not really, I did NOT procrastinate at all, and still somehow someway thing still end up piling up together. You know the semester is coming to an end when you seem to have so much stuff to do yet you don't even realize you have that much (?). Such was the timeline between this past saturday and yesterday, in which literally I had thing after thing to do, and all of them were due this week (sure I fit in cleaning my far and going to a Giants game, but otherwise I would go INSANE). 

So it was to my relive that last night I slept really well because all the stuff I had to do for school (and otherwise) was over with and now i can enjoy some time for myself (like sleeping without feeling like you still have hella stuff to do - it is a great feeling). Anyways you know how I said last week that perhaps this weekend might be a bad time to go to LA? It is actually a great time to go to LA this weekend, as I literally have nothing to do that is school related (thank you god). Sure there are big things still due, but heck I can do them later (that would be procrastination).

Anyways, I finally gave in to the hype and purchase an iPhone! I originally had said that as soon as Verizon get the iPhone, I will for sure get one (no way I am ditching to AT&T for its unreliable network, and no more mobile to mobile with my Verizon network friends). Now I originally plan to wait for the iPhone 5, which usually, would come out in June according to Apple's normal refresh cycle. But it is widely believe that the fifth generation device will not bow until September, and I realize I just cannot wait that long (not to mention my contract was up). Nonetheless, here I am with my iPhone 4, and OMG it is so cool!!!!

But really, curse Apple for making products that are beautiful and make sense (and curse them for being so darn expensive). You get over the sticker shock really quick after using any Apple device (I honestly should work at an Apple store). Anyways, now that I am a slave to the $30 dollar a month ("unlimited", right...) cellular data, you bet your ass I am going to use it as much as possible to get my money back (hello Pandora!). Going to use 3G as much as I can, even if wifi is available, and it drains the battery more. 

Speaking of battery, why are people so afraid to abuse it? It is ONLY a battery, a thing that powers your device. Stop treating it like its a baby (oh, I'm trying to save the battery, wait, I better turn off stuff I don't need). It is one of those things where it deteriorates by itself even if you don't use it. Besides, if you are worried about wasting your own energy bill, charge it at a public place (thank you Starbucks, campus, public library) and pilfer other people's electricity (not that I am condoning such theft, maybe...). You freaking paid for the device, use it comfortably and not worry so much about something as minor as battery life (please environmental groups, don't sue me. my friend is not a lawyer.. yet).

So did I mention I washed my car? Yes indeed, after 7 months in the elements (I wish I had a garage), I finally gave it the bath it probably did not deserve. I did not know the car and my wheels was this color! Is it something manly that if your car is absolutely filthy on the outside (not the inside, my car's inside is always clean... can't stand a dirty interior) that shows you actually use your car and not care about how it looks (probably ties in to the low maintenance factor). But you have to clean it sometime right? (once every half a year seems like a pretty nice schedule to me). Of course when the car was new I care more about how it looks, but nowadays as long as it runs fine I am okay with it looking like pulp. It is a tool after all, to get me from point A to point B. When you are as busy as I am (wait... doing what?), keeping the car clean (on the outside) is not that much of a priority.

Which is why in the future I will lease my automobiles. First of all my liability decrease dramatically, and I get a new car every two years, which is not so bad at all (ah, that toxic plastic bonding agent that normal people refer to as new car smell). Besides, you know every year some new car will always come out and you're like WOW, too bad I can't upgrade because I am still trying to pay off the car I have and I will take a lost if I trade it in (gap insurance, people, buy it). 

But of course it rains the day after I washed the car (I love you San Francisco!). Thankfully I had waxed it too (ouch, my arm), so the water just sort of sheeted off. But still... gir. 

Hey guys, who here does NOT stare at a monitor for house on end at night (crickets...). Well I recently found an app (for both Windows and Mac) that helps preserve your eyes in these situations. It is called f.lux (http://stereopsis.com/flux/). Basically it matches the color temperature of your monitor to your interior lighting at night, and by doing so it is much easier on your eyes. It takes awhile to get use to at first, but once you do, and you stare at a monitor that does not have f.lux installed, it is as if you are staring right into the sun (my retinas). Best of all, the app is FREE. So my friends who like to burn the midnight oil by perusing their computers in bed, use the program to save your eyes (because otherwise how else will you ogle at the opposite sex?)

Three more weeks of undergrad left. Expect reflection/nostalgia blogs in the coming weeks (yay...)