Week three of living in LA…

Tags

candid, career, internet, life

Sorry I have not updated in a while. I barely got the internet.

Before the internet:
“eh…I can live without it for a week.” – Week one. I spent most of my time going to yoga classes that week an cleaning.
“Ok…Wednesday is fine. I can wait another three days.” – Monday of week 2
“What? Are you kidding me? I was misinformed! I have to wait tomorrow!” – Wednesday of Week 2
“Who on earth wants to be served by lying people like you!” – Thursday of Week 2 after hearing that we were going wait until Tuesday of Week 3. Plus we were told that a technician came over on Wednesday when we were told a technician never showed up at all.
“Oh ok tomorrow between 1 to 2?” – Same day just four hours later after shopping for other internet service providers.

Before the internet, week 2 was awful. Mr. Fish needed it for school because school starts next week and he needs to look for a job. I needed it to communicate with people and read the news. Wednesday and Thursday was when I spent 8 hours on the phone total and I felt awful! Instead of going home to talk to my boyfriend, as soon as I got home I would call the internet service provider and the phone call took a lot longer than I expected. Way too long. I would even talk to them through my dinner time and it was just an awful feeling. I should be talking to my friends and family on the phone instead of talking to customer service.

Life after the internet — great. Crazy how it makes such a difference. I love getting my NY Times every morning on my Nook. I love typing on the keyboard to update on my blog, to write messages to old friends on how I’m doing, looking up things to do in LA, and also let’s mention looking up ways on how to be successful in a new job. We love watching movies off our Amazon Prime and just that feeling of being connected and aware what is going on. I feel the internet has improved our overall mood and I hope it carries itself over. Maybe the internet might help me in my practice of being more assertive.

I know I have a smart phone but using 4G and a touch screen keyboard isn’t the same. After a while, I just got tired of texting.

20 dollars groceries – I believe this would be week 5

Tags

20 dollars, Amazon Prime, budget, Capm exam, groceries, menu Monday, shopping

This week I spent 19.52.

Thank you sprouts!

In the bag:
- Green leaf lettuce
- instant oatmeal (99 cents per pound)
- 1 lb of tomatoes (on sale for 88 cents per lb)
- cucumber
- 2.4 lb of beef ($10.64)
- 1 lb pears (88 cents per lb)
- red onion
- 1 carton of eggs (not pictured)
- 3 limes (0.75)
- half gallon of vanilla coconut milk (got a dollar off coupon)

Not bad… so far, me and Mr. Fish have done a really good job being within budget. As we’ve shown, you can live off of 20 dollars worth in groceries and we’ll keep doing it.

As I told myself, I think it’s time for a food blog due to a special request.

In other news…

Have you seen the gas prices in California?

I thought it was very hard to go out this weekend. I was planning to go to LA on Sunday but instead I didn’t, I just played tennis at the park and studied for the CAPM.

Thank goodness for Amazon Prime. I think with these rising gas prices, I don’t mind buying things on the internet for deodorant and toothbrush heads and other basic things. I’ll just stick with driving my car for going to work (some days I carpool), going to the Pilates studio twice a week, groceries, and going to my CAPM exam.

Coming soon…

Tags

candid, General, rant

By popular demand on instagram and my coworkers, people want me to make a food blog.

This is a personal blog and also you could say a big glorified oversized postcard following my life going through different “stages”. Right now, I’ve got 15 days until the CAPM exam.

Also me and my friend from college wanted to do another blog, but we shall see… Right now I got to focus on my exam!

I remembered back in my senior year in college, if you were sick, people assumed you had swine flu…

Tags

20 somethings, cold, life, rant, sick, young adult

At my age of 24, female, working, and living in San Diego; if you’re sick people automatically assume you’re pregnant.

To be precise, I have the common cold. This was from results of studying and going through my Project Management classes, researching my ventures, making contacts, and exercising 3 times per week and travelling between San Diego to Los Angeles this past weekend along with the suddenly cooler, greyer weather from the last two weeks have been very hot and humid. In other words, I didn’t find time to rest when needed.

Back in college, when I stayed up late studying, I took Emergen-C packet. They definitely helped a lot otherwise, I’d be be sick all the time in college. When I would travel, I would take some form of Vitamin C in tablets or in packets. During last week, I only took the Vitamin C tablets when it was too late. When the weather starting changing and my nose started to feel stuffy. I should’ve taken those Vitamin C’s when I knew I was going to have a lot on my to-do list all colliding at once. This week is has just been more studying for Project Management Class (I’m almost done — just two more classes!) and taking care of myself and once in a while, go outside from my apartment or my lab to breathe the fresh air.

Back to the first statement, I don’t understand why people assume just because a girl in her mid-twenties, she has to be pregnant. Maybe it’s because it’s San Diego — during my three years here I have met a lot of young mothers who had kids as young as the age of 19 and now they’re my age with two kids. Never had I encountered the peer pressure and the questions of me having a kid anywhere but here and I reply back “yikes! I’m only 24!” or “oh there goes my hopes and dreams…” Then I think “shoot, he’s 24 and he has a kid. Hope he wasn’t insulted.” When people make that assumption, it is very tempting to say back “has it occurred to you that I work a full time job, study, cook, clean, and pursue multiple hobbies? Well, ALL THIS is a full time job! You guys should try it.” It’s tiring but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love keeping busy especially when I have certain goals in mind. That’s why I keep going.

Well I didn’t tell them THAT part and how my busy life factored to vulnerability to getting sick. Instead, I’ll try to lose ten pounds (or more doable, five pounds!) and tell them “yes this cold definitely got to me.” Got to start running around park on days I don’t go to the Pilates studio.

I have no problem with becoming a Waity-Katie

Tags

best self, engagement, inspire, rant, self-worth

Some days, when I’m at my boyfriend’s parents’ house, his brother remind us that we were destined to be those couples who will be together for a long time and never marry and have no kids. I thought “well what’s wrong with that?” Then the world answered.

Every week I hear a girl say, “Me and So-And-So have been together for 2 years (3 years or 1 year or  8 months or something like that) and I know he’s going to pop the question. I know it because all his family members say ‘she’s so wonderful, So-And-So, she’s the one!”

Sounds like high school levels insecurities. Why does she need him to propose to make her “problems” go away? When I say ”problems”, I really mean “you think that ring defines your self-worth.”

When you get engaged, problems don’t magically vanish as soon as the box opens. Planning weddings are very expensive and they sound so stressful — you have to find the vendor, find a good date when all your guests can show up, fight with another bride tugging the coveted dream dress or asking for a raise at work because you need more money to pay for a wedding.

The day of the wedding is pretty stressful too. I know because my friend is a wedding planner and she gets a lot of brides hiring her at the very last minute and she has to make sure the brides keep their cool and everything is going according to plan.

Then after the wedding, the problems don’t go away either. You still have to face financial problems, quality time you don’t spend your spouse problems, and quality time for yourself problems. I always hear “the house is always a mess” and “I go into the store intending to buy 50 dollars worth of groceries and I come back 150 dollars worth of groceries.” Once in a while, I hear stories about how some girl or boy cheating on their spouse and I hear their more regressive state that them cheating on their spouse isn’t wrong.

This little magical box apparently vanishes all insecurities and doubts.

I have the urge to write this because I do have everything one wants in their twenties. I am a college grad who has a job, has their own place, traveled, and still aspire and works hard for bigger things. I didn’t work and study so hard to let my whole life defined in a little box.

I remembered one week I told a girlfriend “hey did you know that Couple A have been together for 6 years (total 8 years) before they got married?” She goes “really? That’s interesting…” She made it sound so condescending that Couple A were together for 6 years before getting married and she got married after 1.5 years. Not sure what she meant by “interesting.” But if I didn’t know any better, Couple A, sure do sound like they’re newly wed couples. Would have never guessed they were together for 8 years.

To me, it was refreshing that Couple A were together for a while before getting married because being with my boyfriend for almost 2 years. I felt the pressure of having chidren and getting married off and the biological clock off my shoulders. Every day I always tell myself to put your best self forward or at least MAKE YOURSELF to be the best self. Focus on that. Don’t focus on being amazing for someone. Focus on BEING amazing.

How would I describe my blog?

Tags

accomplishments, blogging, General, goals, Rants

I’m not a fan of labels. I’m really not.

I guess I can’t quite put my blog in a label. My blog actually started as a list — a list of 101 things to do 1001 days after my last day of college. I accomplished some on my list and some I didn’t, but that’s fine. Two years after graduation, I’m not doing too shabby but it could be better and it has nothing to do with crossing off more things on the 101 thing list.

When I turned 24, I decided to write a list of things to do before I turned 25. I’ve only looked at the list during the month of September (my birthday month) and forgot about it in October and beyond. Next month I turn 25. I forgot what I wrote on my 25 things before I turned 25 but that’s all right too, I think I had a great 24th year.

I guess to me, my blog is just a self-realization, a self-improvement blog and just a focus on putting my best self forward. I write these  goals to give myself a little bit of direction but it’s not necessarily a destination. The other day, I was reading an article on the NY Times on letting go of the outcomes and expectations of your goals and focus on the process on getting there and also don’t turn your goals into expectations — it’s a sad and defeating cycle.

My blog is a one-woman show. I cook, I do Pilates, I do yoga, I run, I write, I work a full-time job, I catch up with my friends, I travel, I take photos, I study, I do my homework, I clean the dishes, and do the laundry and I wouldn’t have that any other way. You really can’t put a label on my blog. I love write my rants, share things that inspire me, share my photos of places I’ve been and writing about my frustrations, what I can do better, and of course my accomplishments — recording how far I’ve come.

Question for you: How would you describe your blog?

My little standby

Tags

fashion, Little black dress, Target, wardrobe, wardrobe staples

As I was packing for NYC and figuring out what to wear, I came across this dress:

This dress does not look very flattering on the hanger but it does flatter on the body and I think on ANY BODY!

I bought this dress in Target back when I was a freshmen in college trying to look for a dress for an end-of-the-year banquet. Wasn’t too sure when I first saw it on the hanger but when I tried it in the fitting room, it looked really nice on me.

Since then I’ve had it hibernating in my closet and haven’t worn it as much as I thought I would. I’ve bought other dresses too and wear it several times more and then they go into the pile to send to Goodwill by the end of the year but not this dress. The thing I love about this dress is that adding a pink sweater or a white sweater or even jewelry or a belt or a different pair of shoes transforms this outfit. I guess this dress has another few more years to go.

Got any wardrobe staples that just STAY in your closet?

June in pictures

Tags

babies, children, class 302, June, neighborhood, OC, pictures, random

Also known as “pictures I forgot to upload this month but been really wanting to.”

I like 3 for 35 dollars Korean food and it’s AUTHENTIC Korean food chosen by my Korean friend. I went to Orange County to visit her and I asked her “what’s your best and authentic Korean food?” And she took me to Rowland Heights. She was so shocked to find out that my only experience with Korean food was in San Diego which to her wasn’t very good, yet it was expensive. This meal (btw, this i only a quarter of what was coming) was 35 dollars would easily be 100 dollars in San Diego.

The thing I love about visiting my friend in the OC is her neighborhood. Look what you can find in her backyard! A lovely nature trail!! Ideally, I’d love to buy place there or maybe something with those similar characteristics. Never have seen so many bikes and people walking in the neighborhood too — that’s another thing on my ideal neighborhood list. Hecklers are going to hate (especially SD hecklers with their SD pride) saying “they only walk and bike everywhere because there’s nothing to do in OC!” Well…with my friend who previously lived in SD for 5 years and my boyfriend living their ALL his life, they tell me they’re bored in SD and the only thing to do there really is to party.

IN LOVE WITH CLASS 302 in Irvine!! This is flavored shaved ice — been raving about it back home and they tell me you can find snowcones like these in the fair. No! I’m not talking about ICE WATER with red syrup on top! This is milk shaved ice which has this creamy texture with condensed milk. Wanted to order a second one which was  green tea shaved ice but I did want to come back to Class 302 again and not spoil my appetite. I want to show my San Diego friends what I’m really talking about .

My boyfriend’s friend just had a baby. At 24 I still find it crazy to have kids. Of the friends I knew before moving to San Diego, I only knew one. She’s been married for about 2 years before having her first kid and wow, her kid has been growing fast — she’s three already! In San Diego, of the friends I know with kids — at least five and half of them are younger than me. I always think it’s weird for someone having kids already and I tell my boyfriend that all the time. My boyfriend says “I know a lot of people having kids for a long time” as though he’s immune to it, so he doesn’t find it weird that people YOUNGER than him and YOUNGER than me are having children. Can’t quite explain why it’s considered “weird” to have children at a young age. My mom was 23 when she had me but I don’t consider that “weird”. I think it’s because before she had me, her and my dad traveled around the world before I was born.

Speaking of more rants about babies, I feel there’s a baby boom going on too. Not sure why… It’s not like the economy is getting any better. And these people’s incomes are not that much higher than mine! Still got some student loans to pay! A nest egg to invest! Savings for my dream decorations to come alive!

MMMmmm….homemade peanut butter thanks to the Ninja Blender! Just some honey roasted peanuts and grapeseed oil!

Doesn’t this cover look so delicious — I had to buy the magazine! Can’t wait to to try out some recipes!

Our first couch surfer!

Tags

20 somethings, Couch surfing, Event, Korea, travelling, Wales

Wednesday night, my roommate went to North Park for a Couch Surfing event.

Did not know that Couch Surfing had events.

(source: johnbritton.com)

Before I get myself ahead, Couch Surfing is an international network of travelers connecting with locals. It’s a great alternative (and cheap) alternative to hotels and a tour guide. I was first told about Couch Surfing back in 2010, my friend from NorCal came to visit me told me this: “want to get acclimated everywhere you go? Try couch surfing.” It was in the back of my mind until one day another friend from college and her boyfriend decided to take this year long road trip and I hosted them when I was in San Diego. I took them around the city, to the bars, the beaches, and Balboa Park and I thought it was a lot of fun. I decided maybe this couch surfing thing was not a bad idea after all.

Go to present day, honestly, I was never as active as I thought until recently. My current roommate also has a couch surfing account and he has been a couch surfer himself.

So anyways, my roommate went to the couch surfing event because he wanted to meet fellow travelers. He actually thought the event was just a travelers only meet up. He hangs out and walks back to his car and but he stops and talks to more people and then someone said he needed a place to stay for a couple nights and that was when my roommate decided to take him in.

He’s from Wales but he was teaching in Korea for a year and is on his way back to his home country the long way by exploring the U.S. It  was really exciting to have a traveler in our apartment. We look forward to hosting more. We were sad that last night was our last night hosting him. I didn’t think the past two nights just were not enough to spend more time with our traveler.

Actually correction, the first night he knocked out as soon as he got to our place and so it was really one night to hang out with him.

I was so excited talking about hosting foreigners but, the objectives I’ve got was “he better not be a robber.”

Wrong crowd. The art of being a traveler is that your intuition become better but yet you learn how to take risks. We have had messages from people whon were interested staying at our place but we knew based on our correspondences, they were not a good match.

Or “if couch surfing is so great, then why do we stay at hotels?”

Wrong crowd. Couch surfing isn’t exactly family oriented. It’s mainly for young travelers usually solo or maybe two people. Don’t know any couches that can dorm a whole family.

Wish more people could share my excitement. Maybe that’s why I write. I write about what it mean to be a twenty-something– it’s about being excited about life. I’ll draw more upon that later.

Why does The Hunger Games matter

Tags

books, Hunger Games, reading

It is clearly not a stupid book. Maybe it might get people into reading. Maybe…

Almost everyday me and a couple of my friends like to talk about The Hunger Games where we say things like “which book are you on? And what chapter?” or “which of the books did you like better?” In the conversation, there will always be somebody who will say “What is the book about?” and I give the short answer “It’s about children that kill each other.” They either don’t say anything or tell me back “Oh, I don’t even like reading.” I give the short answer because there’s no point in giving a long answer about the trilogy if I were to get such a reply like that anyway. And I get that type of reply most of the time or the conversation turns into Twilight.

I got my boyfriend into reading The Hunger Games, then I bought Catching Fire and Mockingjay. He really enjoyed The Hunger Games because after every chapter he’ll ask me a question or make a comment or predict what’s going to happen next.

I read an article what happens to brain when reading fiction. It promotes empathy because when reading fiction, we get the opportunity to go inside someone’s thoughts and persepective and somehow find ourselves practicing empathy outside of a book.

When my boyfriend was reading Catching Fire (warning: SPOILER!), he asked me “why did the Peacekeeper shoot the man from District 11? Was it because he was whistling?” He thought it was ridiculous and I told him “It’s not too different in the real world. People get killed for doing seemingly innocent actions all the time.” Then the following day, we were watching CNN and there was a clip on an American teacher killed in Yemen. After the clip was over I told him “see? No different here!”

The best thing I like out of The Hunger Games Trilogy is inspiring people like my boyfriend to not just get into reading, but be more aware.

Still to this day, I’ll don’t understand people who don’t like to read. No matter how much I convinced them a good book. I don’t think I’ll ever understand.