Heart attack in the morning, heart attack in the afternoon
People on the road today were idiots. I almost died twice. That is all.
Lost my title-making privileges for awhile
Last post's title was dumb. Don't let me do that again.
I have to do some stuff for a client, then do some work for the AOE website, clean some stuff, then I'm headed to Tech for the weekend.
That's all I really have to say. I thought there was something else, something more substantial, but there wasn't.
Happy Friday.
Something functional
(Somewhat) exciting news (for some people): 53LunaStation.com is officially up and running!
It's actually not my favorite thing to look at just yet, and I don't quite have the "warm fuzzies" as Kim would say, but I was in kind of a small hurry to get it up because my dad started recommending me to his peers. They've expressed interest in my services, so I figured I'd better at least get something functional up. I hope you all like it. I think the final version will end up look extremely different from this. And way better.
Where'd my day go
This one time today I went to get my hair cut at 4:00pm. The wait time was estimated to be thirty minutes. Ninety minutes later, I got my hair cut.
So I'm pretty much loving being Webmaster of AOE. Everyone is being so helpful and loving with ideas for the new design. :)
My weekend is quickly becoming filled with fun events. Yayuh for three day weekends!
Suck.
I just don't have anything to write about. I've tried for a couple days now, and just...nothing.
I've nothing I want to write about and nothing you'd want to read. Suck.
Also, I am going to stop saying suck as the replacement for a choice expletive. It sounds too much like, well, you know.
Someone always turns around and shouts,
"WHAT did you say?!"
"I said, 'suck'."
"OH SURE."
I don't curse. I'd rather say something entertaining to express my grief.
ANYWAY. Don't tell anyone that I'm about to go watch The Bachelor. See ya.
I miss this girl
I miss Emily so much! She's off in a magical world carrying out her internship with Disney. Impressive? Um, yes.
Anywho, she's coming home to visit for the weekend! I'm so excited, I can't wait. We are going to do fun activities such as going to karaoke. Bring me to Friday, please.
Milestones
One of my favorite feelings in life is the feeling you get when you reach a milestone. A milestone that redefines your sense of self, renews your self-confidence, your sense of adventure, and motivates you to keep loving life.
Yesterday I was lucky enough to experience two milestones:
1. My undergrad research paper gets accepted to a conference. For three years of my undergrad, I participated in a program at the CoC called Intel Scholars where I am paired with another undergrad student and a PhD "mentor" to pursue a topic of research. We explore that area of research, form a hypothesis on a specific topic, test the hypothesis, do presentations, compete against other Intel Scholars, etc. It's basically a glorified science fair. (I always loved science fairs).
At my last ever competition (you compete in three, one for each year in the program), I was the only "senior" whose project didn't place in any of the categories. I always attributed that to the topic of my research: "Characterizing and Understanding Game Reviews." Not exactly the most technical topic - others were doing research with robots, redefining the way search engines work, etc which is what the judges were apparently looking for.
My first year in the program, I told my mentor that what I wanted to get out of the program was a published paper, something I could put on my resume that said I made a significant contribution to the project, and that I did what I did and I did it well.
Yesterday, I finally got the reinforcement that I was craving, and I got it in a form that none of the other senior scholars got: acceptance to a conference. (Not that they tried). Getting accepted to this conference was very important to me. Now I feel confident that my research wasn't inferior to everyone else - it was just less technical, a different flavor, and it was good enough to be accepted into a conference. That's all I wanted.
2. I sing in front of people - for the first time in my life. I absolutely love singing, so much that I never sang for anyone in my life for fear that I would suck at it...and I didn't want to know if I did. Add to that the fact that I suffer from social anxiety and you can see how this has always been a terrifying idea to me.
Last night me and my friends all went out for (Asian-style) karaoke. This is the second time they've done it in the past month. The first time I opted out because I was terrified. I couldn't imagine singing in front of so many people. That's so many opportunities to get rejected. I agreed to go with them last night, as terrified as I was. (Yesterday was horrible, in all the anticipation I tried to make myself sick and lose my voice and find any excuse not to go).
Finally we got there, went into our little booth, everyone starts choosing songs and getting up there in pairs to sing. David and I go up to sing "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence. I was going to sing the guy part and he was going to sing the girl part. When it came time for me to sing my part, I somehow forgot the song I knew so well (even though the words were on the screen) and my voice wouldn't come out. David sang the whole song alone and then we sat down. Emily (as sweet as she is) kept trying to find songs that she and I could sing together, songs that I would be comfortable with. She was so willing to sing anything that I would sing - then she knew she found the perfect song: "Hands" by Jewel.
So we went up there, somehow I found my voice, and we sang the entire song together. (Except for the part where Emily sneakily turned off her microphone so that I was the only one singing!) But then it was over and everyone told me I have such a pretty voice and why didn't I ever sing before. :)
So that's that. And I couldn't be happier.
January 06, 2009 :: Tuesday
People on the road today were idiots. I almost died twice. That is all.
Posted by Amanda at 7:20 pm in life
0 comments
Lost my title-making privileges for awhile
January 09, 2009 :: Friday
Last post's title was dumb. Don't let me do that again.
I have to do some stuff for a client, then do some work for the AOE website, clean some stuff, then I'm headed to Tech for the weekend.
That's all I really have to say. I thought there was something else, something more substantial, but there wasn't.
Happy Friday.
Posted by Amanda at 5:03 pm in life
0 comments
Something functional
January 11, 2009 :: Sunday
(Somewhat) exciting news (for some people): 53LunaStation.com is officially up and running!
It's actually not my favorite thing to look at just yet, and I don't quite have the "warm fuzzies" as Kim would say, but I was in kind of a small hurry to get it up because my dad started recommending me to his peers. They've expressed interest in my services, so I figured I'd better at least get something functional up. I hope you all like it. I think the final version will end up look extremely different from this. And way better.
Posted by Amanda at 5:18 pm in 53 Luna Station
0 comments
Where'd my day go
January 12, 2009 :: Monday
This one time today I went to get my hair cut at 4:00pm. The wait time was estimated to be thirty minutes. Ninety minutes later, I got my hair cut.
So I'm pretty much loving being Webmaster of AOE. Everyone is being so helpful and loving with ideas for the new design. :)
My weekend is quickly becoming filled with fun events. Yayuh for three day weekends!
Posted by Amanda at 7:36 pm in life
0 comments
Suck.
January 26, 2009 :: Monday
I just don't have anything to write about. I've tried for a couple days now, and just...nothing.
I've nothing I want to write about and nothing you'd want to read. Suck.
Also, I am going to stop saying suck as the replacement for a choice expletive. It sounds too much like, well, you know.
Someone always turns around and shouts,
"WHAT did you say?!"
"I said, 'suck'."
"OH SURE."
I don't curse. I'd rather say something entertaining to express my grief.
ANYWAY. Don't tell anyone that I'm about to go watch The Bachelor. See ya.
Posted by Amanda at 7:26 pm in life
0 comments
I miss this girl
January 28, 2009 :: Wednesday
I miss Emily so much! She's off in a magical world carrying out her internship with Disney. Impressive? Um, yes.
Anywho, she's coming home to visit for the weekend! I'm so excited, I can't wait. We are going to do fun activities such as going to karaoke. Bring me to Friday, please.
Posted by Amanda at 9:53 pm in life
0 comments
Milestones
January 31, 2009 :: Saturday
One of my favorite feelings in life is the feeling you get when you reach a milestone. A milestone that redefines your sense of self, renews your self-confidence, your sense of adventure, and motivates you to keep loving life.
Yesterday I was lucky enough to experience two milestones:
1. My undergrad research paper gets accepted to a conference. For three years of my undergrad, I participated in a program at the CoC called Intel Scholars where I am paired with another undergrad student and a PhD "mentor" to pursue a topic of research. We explore that area of research, form a hypothesis on a specific topic, test the hypothesis, do presentations, compete against other Intel Scholars, etc. It's basically a glorified science fair. (I always loved science fairs).
At my last ever competition (you compete in three, one for each year in the program), I was the only "senior" whose project didn't place in any of the categories. I always attributed that to the topic of my research: "Characterizing and Understanding Game Reviews." Not exactly the most technical topic - others were doing research with robots, redefining the way search engines work, etc which is what the judges were apparently looking for.
My first year in the program, I told my mentor that what I wanted to get out of the program was a published paper, something I could put on my resume that said I made a significant contribution to the project, and that I did what I did and I did it well.
Yesterday, I finally got the reinforcement that I was craving, and I got it in a form that none of the other senior scholars got: acceptance to a conference. (Not that they tried). Getting accepted to this conference was very important to me. Now I feel confident that my research wasn't inferior to everyone else - it was just less technical, a different flavor, and it was good enough to be accepted into a conference. That's all I wanted.
2. I sing in front of people - for the first time in my life. I absolutely love singing, so much that I never sang for anyone in my life for fear that I would suck at it...and I didn't want to know if I did. Add to that the fact that I suffer from social anxiety and you can see how this has always been a terrifying idea to me.
Last night me and my friends all went out for (Asian-style) karaoke. This is the second time they've done it in the past month. The first time I opted out because I was terrified. I couldn't imagine singing in front of so many people. That's so many opportunities to get rejected. I agreed to go with them last night, as terrified as I was. (Yesterday was horrible, in all the anticipation I tried to make myself sick and lose my voice and find any excuse not to go).
Finally we got there, went into our little booth, everyone starts choosing songs and getting up there in pairs to sing. David and I go up to sing "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence. I was going to sing the guy part and he was going to sing the girl part. When it came time for me to sing my part, I somehow forgot the song I knew so well (even though the words were on the screen) and my voice wouldn't come out. David sang the whole song alone and then we sat down. Emily (as sweet as she is) kept trying to find songs that she and I could sing together, songs that I would be comfortable with. She was so willing to sing anything that I would sing - then she knew she found the perfect song: "Hands" by Jewel.
So we went up there, somehow I found my voice, and we sang the entire song together. (Except for the part where Emily sneakily turned off her microphone so that I was the only one singing!) But then it was over and everyone told me I have such a pretty voice and why didn't I ever sing before. :)
So that's that. And I couldn't be happier.
Posted by Amanda at 3:08 pm in life
0 comments
