disclaimer

Hmmmm...I just read all of this and I sound like such a horrible person and really I'm not that bad. I hope people can find some humor, or pity, in all this and not think the worst of me.

fairytale wedding

I delayed my departure to Japan for my brother's wedding. The date was changed by 2 weeks because they finally got the reception hall they originally wanted. Luckily all this time my ticket to Japan has just been on hold because of the VISA application. And so all I had to do was ask my research director if I could arrive later.

If I couldn't make it to the wedding though I'm sure my brother would think it was the end of the world. Sometimes I'm amazed by how strong his family ties are. And he's so kind and genuine, even when he was a thug :), that it's hard to say no to him. So although I was very against the engagement, my brother still insisted that all his sisters be bridesmaids and if I wasn't able to change my ticket I would've atleast made a sincere effort to come back for the wedding.

When he first told me about her I honestly thought he was joking. Then I spent several months hurting his feelings, questioning his reasons for wanting to marry her. Asking him how he knew he was in love because I just couldn't comprehend it. I was a bit superficial and didn't understand what his attraction to her was. But she's a very caring, down-to-earth person. And they've been living together for almost 3 years now and have known each other as neighbors/friends since middle school. They even take turns cooking dinner. Maybe there aren't fireworks, I don't think they'll ever be crazy in love with each other but they seem to work well together. I have no doubt they'll have a long happy marriage. I guess I just wanted him to have that good ol' fairy tale love. Maybe I'm just worried that if he, and several other friends and family, couldn't find it then I might have to settle too.

can i just have my food?

Another bad food service guy encounter today. Offering me free food, as if I'd give him my phone number in exchange for some french fries, then asking me a lot of personal questions while he repeatedly mispronounced my name (which he learned from my meal card) and he and his co-workers watched my every move. I wasn't even looking that great. But, besides the occasional stalker who forces me to go without my daily smoothie, I respect the fact that they are atleast bold and very confident.

I have nothing against blue-collar workers, I just prefer suits :)
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Why are there gummy bears and gummy worms but no gummy cats or ants or spiders or butterflies or dogs?
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I'm roommate-free for 9 days!
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swimming or work

A couple of weeks ago I got a second job. I wasn't really looking for one...My job #1 boss had to find someone asap and the project happened to be for one of my favorite japanese sensei who really wanted a japanese/chinese student to do the job. So all I had to do was say yes by email. Actually I got my first job pretty easily too. I went to the office one morning, filled out an application, had an interview, was hired, trained, and started working all in less than an hour and a half.

Many times this summer I wanted to quit my 6hr per week job so it's actually hard to believe that I'd take on a second job. But nothing's better than setting your own hours. I schedule job #2 around my favorite swimming time for that day :) I have my own security cards and keys so some days I come in at 11am, others at 6pm. I work as long as I want and I don't have to report to anyone. I just have to finish the project: After scanning/editing them, I use photoshop and imageready to create short calligraphy animations of about 200 chinese characters. Not only is it fun, it's also helping me (re)learn some chinese.

the back bay and roommates

I only have 2.5 more weeks in Boston so I'm trying to take in as much as possible while I still can. Strangely that's beginning to mean that I want to spend more time alone rather than with friends. I'll miss little things like my roofdeck naps overlooking the Charles, reading in Boston Common, window-shopping on newbury, swimming almost everyday etc. And I can't share most of those things.

Anyway all of my close friends, besides 2, aren't anywhere near Boston this summer so I've been spending my time with old acquaintances, friends of friends, very new friends from last semester, housemate friends, and my roommate. The roommate experience has been very enlightening and fun but also difficult and tiring. Before this summer I only lived with strangers once: Fall of freshmen year, and they weren't complete strangers because I knew them from FLP. So the first day my roommate arrived, it was so weird (and unexpected) that I actually slept somewhere else. And even though we've spent a lot of time together I've shared very little of my personal life with her considering how much I know about her's. Lately though I've been doing my best to minimize the awake time that we're actually in the same room because having a high-strung and very very talkative roommate is like another job. 20 minutes ago I had to talk her thru another emotional meltdown over the silliest thing. Maybe I should be a psychiatrist instead of an engineer :-)