Searching

I want to find a place under a big tree on a grassy field--those types of places where no one can hear me sing or see me dance. Preferably one with a spectacular view.

Reading has been impossible for me with the sounds of the city jungle.

And that day shall come! (:

Everlasting Impressions

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Maya Angelou

So,

"Let the people live in your heart."

Japanese Proverb

Unpitiful Scorn

A several days ago, Anita warned me right after school to be careful when commuting home by bicycle.

"Those drivers are dangerous!"

Yeah, I know.
Bay Area drivers suck.
I know that for a fact, and I'm delighted she's on the same page. When I cycle, I'm always prepared and always waiting for Murphy (a generic Bay Area driver I call) to mess up and do something stupid. That's how I ride safely. But I do thank courteous ones with a smile and a slight nod.

Drivers here do all certain kinds of unsafe lane changes, right of way violations--especially against pedestrians, and aggressive swerving. But one of the worst aspects of their operation of a motor vehicle is their lack of attention.


Just like that. (I had to put 'fail' in there somewhere.)


As I walk up to the large gym gates, I see cars from the opposite direction turning left from the turn lane, only to realize the gate into the school is locked. With nowhere else to go, cars pile up and trap themselves like rats.

It gets better: as one car enters the trap, another one pulls up behind it, trapping it in and a chain reaction multiplies. Once the other drivers behind finally realize it's locked, they make a complete U-turn and go away, leaving the trapped animals frantically trying to do anything they can to escape the non-collision pileup. Two cars back up with their white taillights on, and one car does a U-turn, blocking through way traffic. Angry drivers honk. And the next thing you know, it's a dog eat dog world. So for any reckless drivers reading this, I have no sympathy for you whatsoever should a law enforcement officer pull you over. Learn your lesson now before you hit a pedestrian.

But other times, violations themselves can be pretty hilarious. Like this parking job.

Guess who that is!

Except For...

English fulfills its name as the language of irregularities and continues to fool even us Americans. Abby and I were wondering about the conjugation of "lie" and "lay" with an interesting ending to the discussion.

Abby (19:30:29): i got schooled
Me (19:30:32): BY JIMMY

Muahahaha.

For those grammatically inclined, this will help (present, past, past participle; intransitive and transitive, respectively):
lie, lay, lain; lay, laid, laid.

So many rules, it's ridiculous. Japanese only has two irregular verbs.


And earlier today I accidentally called her sister "Jackie." Dear Jesus, I felt so embarrassed.


Back to my college lecture for physics and physiology homework. D:
But, but wait! During the lecture, the professor made a jaw-dropping hilarious comment regarding sig-figs (significant digits):

"I just kinda--uh--sig figs are kinda like pornography to me. I know it when I see it but I can't define it."

Life is full of surprises. ;)

Boom Boom Pow!

Thunder. 4 AM today. That picture is the actual storm that occurred early in the morning.

Drawn in my own world lying in my room, I was singing something with other people near the theater at the school. Yes, I was doing a musical out of nowhere. Dreams are weird, aren't they? Then, rumble rumble! My eyes pop open and I guess someone's pulling their recycle bin outside. But it echoed! Thunder, perhaps? Soon enough, I see flashes followed by more loud, muffled madness outside. I freak out. I've seen worse thunderstorms in Okinawa but since I haven't seen one in about a year, cold adrenaline rushes through my veins immediately.

I'm extremely horrified (worried that it might strike near) but I'm enjoying this light show. An urge to escape--somehow--but at the same time an urge to yearn. It's a rare feeling witnessing the mighty power of an electric storm.

So, let's get to the facts. The storm in the county caused 20 grass fires, striking in the Eastern Foothills (those golden hills you see to the east) near Mount Hamilton, which explains why they were partially muffled. But in San Francisco, lightning struck a power transformer, causing a chain reaction in which led to two cars exploding. I can imagine the man living in an apartment on the street where the incident happened with his eyes bulging out based on his interview by CBS 5. His reaction--funny stuff.

As for my dream, I would not have remembered it had I not signed online to ask my friends if they heard the thunder. Phew, I wasn't the only one. After the confirmation, I dashed out of bed to shut my windows which were OPEN at the time because I didn't want rain to fall in, and disconnected every single electronic charging in my bedroom. A fried phone would be bad. Real bad.

(Photo by Terry Rodery)

Slack Year

Despite reducing the amount of AP classes by one, my senior year does not feel like school at all. Everyday at school is an ordinary day of summer. Just a bit of uniqueness sprinkled on, though.


Take Wednesday for example. We cycled to downtown and blended in as SJSU students, ate and paid no tax at BK and Jamba Juice--isn't that awesome? Besides, lunch in high school tastes like cheap microwave food anyways. Ended up stumbling upon two friends from middle school when I least expected it and met with my two cousins some two hours later. ("It's raining men!" LOL) Everyday, I eat something different, at someplace different.
Aside: There's a supermarket opening on the corner of 2nd and San Fernando streets. Looks like a Safeway on the first floor of the 88 high rise. Sweet.

For me, there still is no transition from summer break to school. I'm on a marathon! And apparently, some of my friends are, too.


And that one less AP class I took out? English. Notice the difference between a college-level course and a regular high school course.

Last Year

This Year
I'm turning dumber by the day.



And today is September the 11th. God bless those affected.

This City of Mine

You sure have grown.


This place is like San Francisco now. Hordes of people, floods of jaywalkers, you know, all that stuff.

Survivor

I am thankful that my heart still beats and for the fact that I live in a house. An innocent, little ride to Starbucks down in Milpitas on East Calaveras Boulevard drove me (and I'm not making this up) to the edge of my sanity.

It was today that I truly screamed out loud and groaned for the first time in pain, as a wounded soldier would on the battlefield, for several seconds. It was today that I temporarily lost my ability to focus my vision, and that I couldn't speak clearly and mumbled unintelligibly. My body is still in excruciating pain.

I've always thought I could go everywhere, anywhere. And I still believe that. But what I failed to see was that the mind goes great distances in which the body cannot. Preparation is a vital necessity.

Just when all things seemed over, my house nearly burned today. All my fault. I'm too scared to touch anything anymore, and sadness has overtaken me.


I am unbelievably stupid.