Is it because they're Chinese, or are my parents just a whole other category of frustrating? OMFG. FML, etc.
Ceasing communication until the steam stops blowing out of my ears.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
week 32: Lady Gaga - Poker Face
way overdue.
on london: i love this city. can't believe i'll be leaving in less than a month. i almost don't want to leave.
on lse: exams are a pain in the ass. mainly because all the non-studying i've done is coming back to bite me in the ass. ouch.
on life: i just want to know - when the hell am i ever going to be content with what i'm doing, how i'm doing, where i'm going, who i am? is this a genetic disorder of mine, or is this clarity of mind only reserved for those lying on their deathbeds? ugh. annoying.
on love: ha. well, the security guard at a grocery store asked for my number the other day. that went nowhere.
unapologetically yours,
xx
on london: i love this city. can't believe i'll be leaving in less than a month. i almost don't want to leave.
on lse: exams are a pain in the ass. mainly because all the non-studying i've done is coming back to bite me in the ass. ouch.
on life: i just want to know - when the hell am i ever going to be content with what i'm doing, how i'm doing, where i'm going, who i am? is this a genetic disorder of mine, or is this clarity of mind only reserved for those lying on their deathbeds? ugh. annoying.
on love: ha. well, the security guard at a grocery store asked for my number the other day. that went nowhere.
unapologetically yours,
xx
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Traveling: Holland edition
I went to the Netherlands for 5 days - here's the bare bones version of what went down. Although Holland is only a province of the Netherlands, the three major cities I went to - Amsterdam, The Hague and Delft - are all in Holland. And the people there call it Holland.
Friday: Flew into Amsterdam, checked into hostel, had dinner at an "Argentinian" restaurant (of which there are many), and walked around, incl. through the Red Light District as nonchalantly as possible. (Not alone, obviously.)
Saturday: Walked around - visited Anne Frank House (I will never forget it), had lunch at a great Thai place (note to self: learn to make tom yum kung) - and took canal boat tour of city. Fell asleep.
Sunday: Walked around some more - visited Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum and saw The Night Watch and Starry Night - then took train to Den Haag (The Hague). Met up with other LSE students on a trip sponsored by Law Society.
Monday: Met people at the CICC (Coalition for the International Criminal Court), went to the ICC and sat in on hearing of former DRC president Lubanga.
Tuesday: Spent morning off exploring small city of Delft (known for churches and pottery), then met with chief prosecutor of the ICC Luis Moreno-Ocampo (cool guy), talked about possible (now, actual) issuing of arrest warrant against current Sudanese president Al-Bashir. At night, wandered around The Hague (city with the coolest stadhuis I've ever seen).
Wednesday: Toured the Peace Palace (seat of the ICJ, a.k.a. my future workplace if I work hard enough), then walked to the Dutch seaside. Back in London by evening.
Friday: Flew into Amsterdam, checked into hostel, had dinner at an "Argentinian" restaurant (of which there are many), and walked around, incl. through the Red Light District as nonchalantly as possible. (Not alone, obviously.)
Saturday: Walked around - visited Anne Frank House (I will never forget it), had lunch at a great Thai place (note to self: learn to make tom yum kung) - and took canal boat tour of city. Fell asleep.
Sunday: Walked around some more - visited Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum and saw The Night Watch and Starry Night - then took train to Den Haag (The Hague). Met up with other LSE students on a trip sponsored by Law Society.
Monday: Met people at the CICC (Coalition for the International Criminal Court), went to the ICC and sat in on hearing of former DRC president Lubanga.
Tuesday: Spent morning off exploring small city of Delft (known for churches and pottery), then met with chief prosecutor of the ICC Luis Moreno-Ocampo (cool guy), talked about possible (now, actual) issuing of arrest warrant against current Sudanese president Al-Bashir. At night, wandered around The Hague (city with the coolest stadhuis I've ever seen).
Wednesday: Toured the Peace Palace (seat of the ICJ, a.k.a. my future workplace if I work hard enough), then walked to the Dutch seaside. Back in London by evening.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
01.20.09: President Obama
Thoughts on the inauguration:
President Obama's speech was inspirational, but not emotional. My head was moved, not my heart. (Sometimes those are the best ones.)
For the first time in my entire life, I felt more American than I did Chinese. That, to me, says something. HUGE.
Proud to be a/an (Chinese-)American!
peace OUT!
xx jeanne
President Obama's speech was inspirational, but not emotional. My head was moved, not my heart. (Sometimes those are the best ones.)
For the first time in my entire life, I felt more American than I did Chinese. That, to me, says something. HUGE.
Proud to be a/an (Chinese-)American!
peace OUT!
xx jeanne
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Traveling: England edition
Carol (Cui Meng) came to visit, and this is the bare bones version of what we did. One day I'll come back and elaborate.
12/31: British Museum
12/31: Sound of Music
12/31: New Year's Eve on the Thames
1/1: Greenwich
1/1: walk along the Thames - St. Paul's Cathedral
1/2: Buckingham Palace
1/2: Madame Tussaud's
1/3: National Gallery
12/31: British Museum
12/31: Sound of Music
12/31: New Year's Eve on the Thames
1/1: Greenwich
1/1: walk along the Thames - St. Paul's Cathedral
1/2: Buckingham Palace
1/2: Madame Tussaud's
1/3: National Gallery
Thursday, January 1, 2009
in 2009, I will...
1) Never forget to count my blessings.
2) "Have confidence that is disproportionate to my looks and abilities."
3) Communicate openly and honestly in all situations.
4) Get everything in writing. (Especially gym contracts.)
5) Be less judgmental of others, give others the benefit of the doubt.
6) Have a thicker skin.
7) Never lose sight of my objectives - or my ideals - and pursue them with integrity.
8) Make peace with God. Or at least try to.
“The idols of today are unmistakable - self-esteem without effort, fame without achievement, sex without consequences, wealth without responsibility, pleasure without struggle and experience without commitment.”
2) "Have confidence that is disproportionate to my looks and abilities."
3) Communicate openly and honestly in all situations.
4) Get everything in writing. (Especially gym contracts.)
5) Be less judgmental of others, give others the benefit of the doubt.
6) Have a thicker skin.
7) Never lose sight of my objectives - or my ideals - and pursue them with integrity.
8) Make peace with God. Or at least try to.
“The idols of today are unmistakable - self-esteem without effort, fame without achievement, sex without consequences, wealth without responsibility, pleasure without struggle and experience without commitment.”
Friday, December 12, 2008
ballet and theatre and London: Sleeping Beauty and Twelfth Night and many things to do
Before I forget...
Last week, I went to see Sleeping Beauty at the Coliseum Theatre. Actually grew up listening to this ballet (as well as the greatest hits of Bob Marley), which is what happens when your recently immigrated, non-English speaking parents go into a used music store in early 90s and pick out CDs at random. Nevertheless, the ballet was beautifull, the dancers wonderful and the music divine. I managed to get a great seat front and center in the first row of the balcony. But: who knew that after Sleeping Beauty wakes up, there's what seems like another 800 minutes of show? As far as I'm concerned, 'prince wakes princess/prince and princess dance a little dance at the castle/sail off into the sunset' would suffice. But nooo, before they can dance, the royal feline pair must dance, then Mr. cat by himself, then Mrs. cat, then they dance together again, then the royal parakeets (alone, alone, together), then the men and women at court (alone, along, together), then a few more pairs I can't remember (I was beginning to fall asleep), then the fairy (thank God the ballet version only has one).... LAA DEE-effing DAH. By the time it was finally over, I was about ready to pull my hair out. Clearly, I am not as cultured as I would seem/pretend to be. Ballets may not be for sissies, but they're also not for people who can't sit still.
Interestingly enough, I had no problem sitting through an equally long production of Twelfth Night on Monday night. I forgot how much I loved this play, as well as Shakespeare and his genius in general. Things to remember about Twelfth Night: different-sex fraternal twins mistaken for each other; Malvolio (Olivia's servant, played by Derek Jacobi) being majorly screwed over, and yellow stockings. Teeheehee.
Having gone to see Ivanov, Oedipus, Wicked, Sleeping Beauty and Twelfth Night (and taping of BBC show) is my only excuse for not travelling out of the English isle this term. Major weak sauce, I know. Have also been to Tower Bridge, crossed many other bridges, meandered through Piccadilly/Leceister/Trafalgar Squares and Regent Street and Covent Garden, and toured the Tower of London (but missed the Crown Jewels! I'm still shaking my head in disbelief and disappointment). But that's just the tip of the iceberg...
Places in London/England still worth visiting: Buckingham Palace, British Museum, Tate Modern, National (Portrait) Gallery, Sherlock Holmes Museum, Imperial War Museum (?), Camden Market, Portobello Road Market, Oxford Street (read: Primark), Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Hyde Park, St. James' Park, (insert name of ) some Garden, the London Eye... I know I'm missing others. Haven't even explored Chinatown decently enough to call myself Chinese. Not to mention I will not be getting on that plane back to the States come June if I fail to visit the "beautiful grounds at Pemberley"! (The actual estate is in Northern England, but no matter.)
Friends are coming to visit over New Year's and Easter break, so I will definitely be knocking more off this list. First'll be New Year's Eve at Trafalgar Square, which better live up to all its hype. (If not, champagne'll do the trick.) If the London list is this long, I can't even wrap my head around continental Europe. All that's set as far as that's concerned is a Paris 'mini-break' in March with Toni. But what about Geneva, Brussels, Amsterdam, The Hague, Prague, Istanbul, Athens, Florence, Rome, Venice, Milan, Naples, Munich, Berlin, and Moscow and St. Petersburg? Sigh, just like me to leave everything until the last minute.
So much to do, so little time...
- JT -
Last week, I went to see Sleeping Beauty at the Coliseum Theatre. Actually grew up listening to this ballet (as well as the greatest hits of Bob Marley), which is what happens when your recently immigrated, non-English speaking parents go into a used music store in early 90s and pick out CDs at random. Nevertheless, the ballet was beautifull, the dancers wonderful and the music divine. I managed to get a great seat front and center in the first row of the balcony. But: who knew that after Sleeping Beauty wakes up, there's what seems like another 800 minutes of show? As far as I'm concerned, 'prince wakes princess/prince and princess dance a little dance at the castle/sail off into the sunset' would suffice. But nooo, before they can dance, the royal feline pair must dance, then Mr. cat by himself, then Mrs. cat, then they dance together again, then the royal parakeets (alone, alone, together), then the men and women at court (alone, along, together), then a few more pairs I can't remember (I was beginning to fall asleep), then the fairy (thank God the ballet version only has one).... LAA DEE-effing DAH. By the time it was finally over, I was about ready to pull my hair out. Clearly, I am not as cultured as I would seem/pretend to be. Ballets may not be for sissies, but they're also not for people who can't sit still.
Interestingly enough, I had no problem sitting through an equally long production of Twelfth Night on Monday night. I forgot how much I loved this play, as well as Shakespeare and his genius in general. Things to remember about Twelfth Night: different-sex fraternal twins mistaken for each other; Malvolio (Olivia's servant, played by Derek Jacobi) being majorly screwed over, and yellow stockings. Teeheehee.
Having gone to see Ivanov, Oedipus, Wicked, Sleeping Beauty and Twelfth Night (and taping of BBC show) is my only excuse for not travelling out of the English isle this term. Major weak sauce, I know. Have also been to Tower Bridge, crossed many other bridges, meandered through Piccadilly/Leceister/Trafalgar Squares and Regent Street and Covent Garden, and toured the Tower of London (but missed the Crown Jewels! I'm still shaking my head in disbelief and disappointment). But that's just the tip of the iceberg...
Places in London/England still worth visiting: Buckingham Palace, British Museum, Tate Modern, National (Portrait) Gallery, Sherlock Holmes Museum, Imperial War Museum (?), Camden Market, Portobello Road Market, Oxford Street (read: Primark), Westminster Abbey, Houses of Parliament, Hyde Park, St. James' Park, (insert name of ) some Garden, the London Eye... I know I'm missing others. Haven't even explored Chinatown decently enough to call myself Chinese. Not to mention I will not be getting on that plane back to the States come June if I fail to visit the "beautiful grounds at Pemberley"! (The actual estate is in Northern England, but no matter.)
Friends are coming to visit over New Year's and Easter break, so I will definitely be knocking more off this list. First'll be New Year's Eve at Trafalgar Square, which better live up to all its hype. (If not, champagne'll do the trick.) If the London list is this long, I can't even wrap my head around continental Europe. All that's set as far as that's concerned is a Paris 'mini-break' in March with Toni. But what about Geneva, Brussels, Amsterdam, The Hague, Prague, Istanbul, Athens, Florence, Rome, Venice, Milan, Naples, Munich, Berlin, and Moscow and St. Petersburg? Sigh, just like me to leave everything until the last minute.
So much to do, so little time...
- JT -
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