Holiday Post #4: Bite that Apple!

Perhaps the one great thing that has happened during Thanksgiving this year was a stress-free New York trip. Together with Sora, us two watched the Macy’s Parade, dined on lobsters for lunch, watched the Big Fish musical, and walked a great deal in search of the Hello Kitty store. Sharing new experiences with a good friend can really contribute to some of the best memories. We talked and laughed a lot, not to mention, got into a slight diarrhea trouble (not me though). I’d say the hostel served us well too, though we were shivering out butts off due to the heater failure. No biggie, neither of us threw a fuss.

Our trip had to end on an awkward fashion though. Stupid Greyhound bus broke down and it took us an extra three hours to get home. I tried contacting customer service, and the lady in charge was rude as hell. Pulease, if you cannot do your customers some service, don’t bother hiring people to do it okay? You’re losing yourself some valuable patrons to Megabus and Boltbus. I’d rather pay more for Amtrak, than to deal with people like you.

That’s all fine still. I’m alive, well and ready to hit the sack by nightfall. Anything to get away from the freezing cold.

Mic off,
Vonnie S.

Holiday Post #3: Shopping In

With the birth of online stores, my opinion of actual store visits has lost its vitals. Perhaps not with the Malaysian audiences though, then again slowly but surely assimilation will happen in the near future. I digress. I need a new winter jacket. Been wearing the same thing since 11’ winter, but the thing is still handy. People, if it ain’t broken why throw it? Hah, that line didn’t sit well with my mother of course and she said, “it’s not nice wearing the same thing again and again!  Did you see your winter holiday photos?”

She’s right. Files after files of the same attire; though inside they differ, there is no way to tell. Does it matter tho? I gave up. If it’s time for shopping, I’ll graciously do it. So here, I got myself these things online:

~ Room divider: to split the space in half;
~ Greeting cards: to return the favor;
~ Printer ink: for the Canon;
~ Fuzzy socks: to keep warm;
~ Frying pan: for the roomie’s dishes;
~ Foam bath soap: for the sleepy mood.

Everything but the damn jacket. LOL.

Lots of love,
Vonnie S.

Holiday Post #2: Stomach Stuffers

In celebration of final’s end, Vickson, S and I got together for a trip to Bonchon. It is this quaint little restaurant situated at the county region. Pretty much inaccessible if you lack self-transportation; the journey alone narrowly clocks in five minutes more of an anime episode. And yet for food, we’ll travel far. Well, Vickson has been talking about this one place that serves awesome fried chicken every time we meet. And for some random urge to have Asian food, I rang up the man and laid out an itinerary that befits a good day out.

To start, I offered to pay for dinner. The driver is more inclined to show up for free food. Asians; we sure know how to mess with each other. I played the good fool to throw a celebration party for finals’ end and for taking in a new roommate. Then again, if that’s the one way to get him to come round, I’d do it all over again. My roommate had a blast for sure, she did a great deal of shopping of Indian spices. Of course, I splurged a lot myself too. Snacks that reminded me of home and convenient food are must grabs at H Mart. I sure as hell did my bank account some damage, but hey, at least everyone went home happy.

And crabs for Monday dinner? Hooo yeah!

Peppermint suckers,
Vonnie S. 

Holiday Post #1: Not Alone

Tis the season to lay off the study cap and sleep. Finals turned tails and left after some brutal showdown. I am physically exhausted, the narcoleptic symptoms kicked in particularly strong during car rides. I am mentally tired yet not completely done with the challenge of grad school. I am hungrier than ever because of the cold temperatures outside. I am also happier than before because so much has happened this month! Now I can talk about it post per post. Bear with me okay?

#1 New Roommate

She’s no pet I adopted from the streets. Perhaps it kinda ended up that way. I was notified two weeks prior to her arrival that she needed a roommate, but I wasn’t prepared for her presence at my lobby. A phone call the night before to say that she was flying into Bmore, and the next day saw her moved in (while being accompanied by ChaiS and friends).

I gave her the ‘talk’; a short version of an interview. I rather lay everything down clearly, for several reasons. I told her so in a subtle way, “break these rules and I’m sorry, but you have to leave.” Since she moved in during my finals week, I was left huffing and puffing my way through things. Gotta rush that project, havta write that paper, stay up! Roommate, S passed the initiation test with flying colors. S slept like a log while I jacked the electricity bill with lights on for hours on end.

She’s a year older. And already at the ripe age for marriage, according to Indian culture. I believe that her future husband would be glad to know he’ll be taking more than just a pretty girl home. S is great at cooking, and now primarily handles my dinner. I have to add that she willingly do so, for her current love is to no boyfriend but to cook good food. There, I rest my case.

Perhaps the best thing about having this roommate is filling that loneliness void. I lacked human companions in general since my move into Bmore. Although, her stay is going to be temporary (four months top), I am sure that agreeing to taking her in as a roommate is probably one of the best decision I’ve made for my sanity.

Holiday stress,
Vonnie S.

Q: They are so different from my friends...

Twenty five more post till I meet my target goal of 80%. I'll leave the remainder blog post in December. That’s great because I disapprove of this month with much grit. It’s a warzone. And I am developing some weird PTSD symptoms as time goes on. Weird…

Anyway, I had fun talking to that one naughty professor during a bus ride home. Since I managed to convince myself that the mishap is entirely my fault alone, I am on good talking terms with her. So we did chat. Initially about my troubled research paper, but I deviated the topic because that topic triggers awful chills. Instead we talked about anime. No kidding. But I am glad to have that conversation, something besides academic talk. Consider it rapport building, I guess.

She’s better,
Vonnie S.

Q: Oh... Sell the ore ah?

The leaves are raiding every nook and cranny of the streets. Like any sensible living being, they stayed away from the roads as though to say that those belong to cars. Fall is my favorite season of the year, but not when it is coupled with deadlines and work, now that combination just stresses me out. But forget that, you’ve been reading the same thrash right? Most likely you’re dealing with the same garbage; then again you might have bigger problems. This is my degree of first world problem; despite it not being larger in magnitude of severity compared to a starving nation, I am still stressing about it.

Sometimes one would just have to sit oneself down and tell oneself that you are not going to die if those problems go unsolved.

Look up,
Vonnie S.

Q: I am not going to accept this...

Lately I haven’t had good sleep. I especially lost more last night after an email from my professor. Just in case I don’t get caught saying what’s what; I’ll save it for the end of the semester to talk about it. Let’s just say that my fellow cohorts are not liking her much either. These anxiety tell me that I have not been doing things right. Then again, I feel like this all the time. My sweaty palms are good indications of those feelings.

I suppose the only time that they actually go away is when I have closed a particular life chapter. Either that or when I am certain of some outcome. Right now, I am in the middle of both, that’s why I am left like that, a nervous wreck.

Don’t come just yet Santa! I am not ready for you yet!

Unemployed,
Vonnie S.