Normality
Class started on Thursday this quarter. I was working for my Uncle over the break and I didn't want to go back on Wednesday and lose out on 700 bucks worth of pay towards the end of the week. So I elected to just skip the 1st day of class. I'll come back on Sunday. I only have the one math class anyway so it shouldn't be a big deal. I emailed the professor to let him know I had a doctor's appointment on Thursday which was perfectly true. He never emailed me back which I thought was no big deal since the class wasn't all that important to me.
Lo and behold I check online on the first day of class and I had been dropped from all my classes. I was stupid and I was lazy, that's why I was dropped from all my classes. I figured I had plenty of time to pay for classes so I just thought I would do it later when I came back to LA. No compassion at administration. They just said go back to your professors and add. 2 upper division classes were no trouble at all to add. Math was a little tougher but the teacher was considerate and let me back in even though he had like 20 people on the waiting list.
Physics 204 was a little different. I remember sitting outside class waiting for the professor and a girl walked up to the room. Another girl came up to her and said.
"Hey, I didn't know you were in this class."
To which she replied, "Yeah the class was full when I tried to register but I checked this morning and someone dropped, so I added."
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's my spot!!! I didn't drop! stupid school dropped me. During class, the professor didn't seem to care who was in or not in his class. He didn't take roll at all. He just had everyone sign his add list which gives you permission to add. So of course, I went online to add the class and it said it was full.
Again Nam's age old State University wisdom comes through for me. He said just keep checking and someone might drop. Finally after the umpteenth time, at 5 o'clock today one week after the quarter started I finally have my original schedule back.
Funny, before I kept worrying about not getting back into my classes and how good it would feel to have it taken care of. Now, I'm just worried those idiots at admin will drop me again.
New cars for everyone
Ying-Ying watches movies with a very careful eye. She is often able to predict what happens next. Wonder if thrillers still entice her since she knows what's going to happen.
Kim mentions a little blurb about going to San Diego. I am more inclined to believe that it's going to happen versus Sacramento. Still, I think she will end up buying a new car sometime next year instead.
Jack has been Jack and always will be Jack but he gets closure. He's the rock in my life.
Nam has a lot of cool new stuff. He asked me to go look at used cars one weekend. He couldn't wait and went without me. Told me the car was nasty looking on the inside. I predict that he will also get a new car sometime around December.
Lisa likes to play group games. I do too. I like Lisa, she's fun.
Deepak is buying a a Mini Cooper S. I wholly disagree with the abomination of a forced induction vehicle propelled by a sludgebox. But then again, I have an auto WRX.
Hien and Matt are getting married. They sold their $300k townhouse of 2 years for $519k and put the difference as down payment on their million dollar home. Which is a new but small 4 bedroom house in San Ramon. That's how you get into your dream home. I hope Nam listens to my advice. Hien parked a new 06 Camry in the garage next to Matt's Avalon. Ugh... can you say family?
Lee has been busy traveling the world and singing karaoke and playing piano and hiking and walking around new cities and rafting and kayaking and practicing Chinese and volunteering and meeting new people and trying new things. Essentially, the same things I like to do. She and I have a lot in common. All my friends have been trying to hook her up with someone. They don't understand why such a wonderful girl is single. They just don't understand that no one man can keep up with her.
Hoang is Hoang and will always be Hoang, the female rock in my life.
My aunt from Vietnam just got her license so another round of musical cars ensues.
Uncle - Tercel
Aunt - 87 Corolla
West - 98 Corolla, he doesn't like the truck anymore
Dad - Frontier
Sister - WRX, she doesn't like the Rodeo anymore
Me - Rodeo, me likes 4x4 SUV to go skiing, gas guzzler? who cares? I drive 5 miles a week.
Mom gets a new Civic or Corolla. We're keeping costs low, so manual crank windows please. Since the 06 Civic just came out, the 05 Civic is the likely purchase since it will go for a nice discount. I predict a good year for the auto industry, at least from my 7 degrees.
Where are you?
Did I ever tell you that time I was in the Vatican with Deepak, Nga, and So? We were walking along the sidewalk and there was this dude in front of us walking hecka slow. I was annoyed so I pushed my way ahead of him and nearly tripped over his blind walking stick.
Today I was sitting next to the door in class because I wanted an easy exit in case I couldn't add. This woman walks in with her dog. My head works slowly so bear with me. First, I thought you can't bring animals in here. Then I realized, it must be a seeing-eye dog, so it's ok. The dog bumped into me and then the woman ran into me. Hey lady, watch where you're going. The professor then said, "Would someone like to give up their seat for her?" And finally, it dawned on me that she couldn't see. I stood up and lead her into my seat.
I have absolved myself of my previous sin.
Cash goes in and cash goes in again
Verbatim is not my middle name.
Scene 1: Sushi restaurant with Jack's Japanese chick
Check arrives and Nam whips out his credit card while everyone tosses him cash.
Deepak: How come you never have any money?
Nam: Because I don't have time to go to the bank. I only go to deposit my paycheck.
Fast forward a week.
Scene 2: BJ's at Oakridge
Check arrives and Nam whips out his credit card while everyone tosses him cash.
Me: Wait a minute you don't have any cash? What happened to all the money from the Japanese restaurant?
Nam: I deposited my paycheck the next day so I deposited all the cash too.
More cause and effect
I always thought wearing sandals barefoot is fobbish. Nam says it's a faux pas to wear socks and sandals. So I thought, let's give barefoot a try, it's easier that way. I've just realized why my feet have begun to stink. Back to socks I go. I wonder how girls get away with wearing shoes without socks and no smell.
Start with Asian black hair.
Mix with blond dye first.
Let set 45 minutes
Next add Burgundy dye.
End with original Asian black.
Huh?
Now give up dying hair.
John wants an Ipod Shuffle but can't justify buying one when he already has an mp3 player.
Sister wants an mp3 player.
Nice how things go well together.
Now to find the cheapest price.
Traffic fun
It feels good to be in the driver's seat again. The other day, I saw an accord change lanes right into a p/u truck. The truck braked just in time. Now, everyone knows you don't mess with p/u trucks on the highway, they're one of the most dangerous drivers on the road. The truck promptly retaliated by going around the accord and nearly sideswiped it. The accord swerved just in time. Later in the day another accord and I met when our lanes began to merge into one. I was half a car in front of it. So I felt I had the right of way. If it wanted to pass me up, all it had to do was speed up. I wasn't going very fast. So I just wedged my way in. She honked like a hurt baby. Idiot.
Yesterday was when the fun started. I was in the left lane in a small 4 lane highway going 65. I know that's slow, but I was passing a semi on the right. This sexy new Mercedes SL500 came barreling down the left lane. There was still enough space between me and the semi for the SL to pass me up on the right. But instead it high beamed me. Alright, I get it, sir. I'll get out of your way as soon as I pass up the semi. As I was passing the semi the SL relentlessly high beamed me. It ran up dangerously close to my bumper swerving left and right. I saw hand gestures in the rearview mirror. That's it sir, you've unleashed my wrath. I began to match the speed of the truck and blocked him in. As the highway opened up into 8 lanes, I used a nearby camry to surround him. Heheh, I learned this from what happened to Ky coming home from bowling. Eventually though, his V8 muscle overwhelms the little Toyota fort I built for him. Now, Nam knows what you're supposed to do to a car that is going slow in the fast lane. You pass it up and then cut in just barely missing it so that the car has to brake hard. The SL comes up next to me getting ready to cut me off. Predicting his next step, I slowly edge close to the right side of my lane. This completely throws off his maneuver as he realizes he's really going to hit me. So picture an SL swerving to the left and then quickly swerving to the right while gassing it hard. By the time he gets in front of me, he's so far ahead, he can't even give me a decent brake job. I chuckled hard. Who in their right mind would allow their $125,000 car to come in contact with an old dusty Corolla?
Return to Order
First day I came home, I went dim sum with Ying-Ying's parents.
I didn't want to.
It felt weird.
Like meeting your girlfriend's parents for the first time.
Her dad talks a lot.
But he stays got quiet with me there.
We went to Fry's afterwards to find an impossibly cheap laser printer
Fixed her internet (again) and cable tv
Second day dim sum again with Nam, Jack, and Ky.
I vowed that I would never eat at Mayflower ever again.
I have strong memories of the waiters rushing us to finish the last time I was there.
They said they would leave us alone if we paid first.
And so we did.
They continued to rush us.
By crowding around the table, trying to clear things.
I thought to myself, if they were gonna eat there.
I'm just gonna sit.
Jack said my memories were faulty.
I don't agree but he made sense so I can't argue with it.
One time only I ate.
They had some incredibly good service.
Still, I will never eat there again.
Went to test drive the MX-5 at Stevens Creek Mazda.
Salesman was incredibly uncooperative.
Can't blame him though.
Four young adults.
And Nam kept insisting the word "maybe" buying
When he asked who wanted to buy the car.
Which made him wary about letting Ky test drive.
If I were in the market for a Mazda, I'd go to another dealer.
Nam called the next morning to test drive BMW's.
No thanks, even worse service at a luxury dealer.
Jack is talking about detoxifying himself by fasting and drinking only fruit juices.
Pure quackery.
I don't know why people are so easily duped into these stupid voodoo schemes
Why is Kevin Trudeau's book a #1 seller?
He's been convicted of fraud and writing bad checks.
The government has taken him to court over his false claims on some of his products
He wrote a mega memory book?
What does that have to do with health?
When did he become an expert at what makes people sick?
But I agree with what Dr. Dean Edele says.
He says Americas are so easily taken in by these false claims
Because we have it too good here.
We don't have to worry about cholera in the water.
We don't have to worry about food shortage.
So we have to find other things to worry about.
Things like electicity in the wires, mercury in our fillings, etc.
Anyway, I'm off on a tangent
At least Jack won't be wasting money on his venture.
His stomach will be lighter, but his pocketbook won't be.
Rubber news
Luckily, I decided to take my dirty laundry out to the car the day before I went home. Good thing because I found a flat tire. I have this stupid way of thinking that bad things come in 3's, so I was a little fearful. Anyway, I slapped on the spare donut and headed over to a gas station. I was gonna put in 50 cents and hopefully pump up the tire. Again, luckily this other dude was there pumping his tire already so I just used up the leftover time from him. The hole was big so it was to no avail. I didn't have to waste the price of a can of coke. The hole is on the side of the tire, meaning it can't be fixed. It has to be replaced. To further the dilemma, it was one of the new tires my dad bought shortly before I came down to LA. There are two really bald tires in the back that could go flat, but no, it has to be the new one. Cost me 63 bucks for a new one the next day. But all is well again.
