RHS Reunion

Outfit of the day: Heritage 1981 blouse (size S), Ambiance Apparel tights (size S), Buffalo by David Bitton skirt (size S), Zenana Outfitters vest (size M), Astor belt (size S), and Michael Kor boots (size 6.5).

Fried Avocado taco from Torchy's~!

^The gang!

Afterwards, I took J, R, and S to Navratri, which was this really cool Indian festival with a bunch of dancing. S taught us how to "move," and even though it was mostly a failure, it was a valid effort. We were completely underdressed for the occasion, and since we had arrived in the middle of the festival, the rhythm was a little too quick for us amateurs.

I told "the boys" that I'd keep my distance from them so all the cute brown chicks wouldn't get the wrong idea and think that they're not available, but as it turned out, they had very little success tonight anyway, haha. What a shame!

In the end, we went to Potbelly's to slurp up some shakes and talk. All in all, it was a fun night. Just your typical Friday night, I suppose!

Ups and Downs

Recent frustrations:

• The fact that I took the stupid-ass PTCB test, received the pharmacy technician license, and now can't find a job anywhere. I've tried following up with Riverside's HEB, Walgreens, and CVS Pharmacy weekly, and they always seem to have an excuse to turn me away - "oh, we just hired two new pharm techs a week ago" or "the manager's not in right now". A told me that the key is persistence and timing, but I'm running out of time and I can only be persistent for so long before it gets downright annoying...
• Recommendation letters. This is tied in with my lack of work experience. I have two professors and my academic adviser who are willing to write letters of recommendation for me, but I don't know any pharmacists...
• The application is due on November 1st. I'm not ready at all. I'm not ready. I don't want to submit it in yet. I don't know if I'm ready to be thrown in there and judged and interviewed. My personal statement is bullshit. My resume is stupid. I'm really scared; I don't want to stay here for an extra year...
• Philosophy of the Arts is a very stupid class. And stupidly enough, my only two grades in that class are B's, which makes me angrier at myself. I don't know what they expect from me! I wish I could be more... I dunno, artsy, I guess. I really do want all A's this semester.
• My mom is lonely and keeps calling/txting me to the point where it's practically spam now. I wish I could help out, but I, uhm... do have a life. Haha. My dad's coming back soon though, hopefully she'll stop yelling at me for not calling her more frequently.

And now the ups:

• I am really enjoying Organic Chemistry and Rhetoric of Satire classes, as weird as that might sound. I'm almost disappointed whenever the hour is up... I'm surprised at myself, I've never particularly enjoyed any of my classes last year. But I think it's because my professors are awesome and make class fun.
• Honestly, I have been quite happy lately, despite freaking out over PharmCAS stuff. I guess I can thank the guy I'm dating right now who is fun and smart, and the friends who invite me to cool events, and UT for providing free food and swag. I've always enjoyed college life so much more than high school life, but now I just really feel like it's the environment I belong in. Part of the reason is because of all that sweet freedom and independence - I do whatever I want, whenever I want, and it's pretty fucking awesome. Even better because my parents won't be on my back either.

Anyway, tonight I have an Organic Chemistry study session with J, and then I'm going out to eat at Buca di Beppo with Rudester and Jelly, to celebrate the end of our "Round I" midterms. I'm really looking forward to the weekend too - can't wait for Ramen Tatsuya with A and M! :)

Gimme some of that sweet sweet cat-lovin'!

Austin City Limits: Friday

La Condensa's Avocado/Black Bean Torta! Different from what I thought it'd be, and I really hate hot dog buns and spiciness and black beans, but aside from that, I enjoyed it.

 Hammocks!

Bahaha GoodPop's Hibiscus Mint! I liked it (despite R insisting that it tasted like toothpaste) but thought that this could easily be a hit-or-miss. The flavor is unique and not saccharine, which is awesome, but then again, I am partial to both hibiscus and mint. And while it's great that it's made with organic ingredients, $4 is ridiculous for an ice bar of this proportion.

R's snowcone!

 

ACL was fun! We got to watch Jake Bugg, The Black Angels, Vampire Weekend, and Muse perform, which was really really cool. But I wouldn't really advise anyone to pay the full $225 for a ticket-wristband, especially since it's unlikely that you'd stay there the entire weekend... The only reason why I'd go again next year is if somebody sells it for a great price, like $60 or something. Still, I'm glad I had the experience and now I can go brag to my friends about how awesome it was!

The Weekend

On Saturday, I went with A to Yaya Cafe. Originally, the plan had been Plucker's with C and A, my old friends from stats class, but then C had work and he canceled. And since A and I are no big eaters for wings... we ended up trying the cafe with my nickname.

Outfit: Unknown brand tshirt from China, DKNY Jeans jean jacket (size S), Free the Revolution pants (size 1), Ecco shoes (size 8), and Harajuku bag.

Yummm pork crepe!!

Then on Sunday, R and I went to watch The Book of Mormon, which was just a great performance, with excellent singers and dancers and some hilarious dialogue. Afterwards, we ate at Conan's, which was also awesome because they had deep-dish pizza which convinced me to eat the crust of one of the two pizza slices I had (a big deal if you know me, because I never eat the crusts!).

Outfit: Energie tank top (size S), H&M skirt (size 4), BCBG cardigan (size XS), Astor belt (size S), Bandolino heels (size 7), Guess purse.

Pretty awesome weekend. In between the fun, I just studied intensely (since I knew I'd be looking forward to another chunk of fun in my time slot later on in the day), and so I feel ready and prepped up. Can't wait until next weekend, ACL!!

The Past Week

So on Sunday last week, I went with M to Mozart's Coffee Roasters, which had a really cool hipster vibe to it and a nice scenic view outside, but was so overpriced. Still, I'm glad to have finally tried it out!

Yiding top (from China), American Eagle artist jeans (size 0), and American eagle flats (size S).

Jingshang top (from China), Love from Ya-Ya shorts (size 3), and Daphne sandals.

Motivi dress, unknown brand cardigan, Sugar wedges (size 7), and Astor belt (size S).

Unknown brand shirt-dress (from China), Poof! tights (size S), Ecco shoes (size 8), and optional DKNY Jeans jean jacket (size S).

Yumm glorious Waffle Wednesday!

Rue 21 top (size S), Abercrombie & Fitch skirt (size 0), Talbots belt (size S), and Naturalizer heels (size 7).

Anyway... I've always been pretty happy with my life, but lately I'm just feeling really good about everything. Except stupid Philosophy class. But other than that... yeah.

Old Pecan Street Festival

The original plan had been to meet up with M and then pick E and R up since they lived further west... But then M's brother got strep, and E's boyfriend made a surprise visit, and everything just kinda got screwy... But I kept thinking, "Nothing's going to stop me from enjoying this festival, especially since this was all that had been keeping me together during hell week," and so I told R he could either cancel or come with me, and he was smart enough to decide to go anyway!

It was a lot of fun. So much walking around, and so many vendors. The food, the fashion, the arts, and just random quirky shit. I loved it.

Got free yogurt with Chobani's! My hair was so messed-up by the end of the festival...

"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini (2003)

Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to the present, The Kite Runner is the unforgettable and beautifully told story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant, is a Hazara -- a shunned ethnic minority. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them. When Amir and his father flee the country for a new life in California, Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. And yet he cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him.

The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship and betrayal, and about the price of loyalty. It is about the bonds between fathers and sons, and the power of fathers over sons -- their love, their sacrifices, and their lies. Written against a backdrop of history that has not been told in fiction before, The Kite Runner describes the rich culture and beauty of a land in the process of being destroyed. But through the devastation, Khaled Hosseini offers hope: through the novel's faith in the power of reading and storytelling, and in the possibilities he shows us for redemption.

•  Very moving; regret and guilt are some powerful emotions, and they are evoked to the maximum here. Reading this, I remembered my own similar experiences, which was strange and sad but also very satisfying.
• The landscape of Afghanistan is beautifully depicted, and its downfall to the Taliban absolutely tragic. Culturally, this book is rich. I learned a lot of things that I had not known before, like the ethnic clash between Hazara and Pashtun and interesting Afghani beliefs.
• There is a shocking scene in there that really stood out to me. It contributed a lot to the story, and I was amazed at how much I was capable of feeling just because of that scene. No matter how brutal or vulgar it may seem, I believe that it really made the story stand out from many others - because the author dared to take such a risk.
• The language is fluid and consistent with the narration, and the main character's voice develops well. It's so relatable, the way he grows up and matures: you fall in love as he falls in love, you feel that sick pounding feeling of guilt when he does, you achieve redemption when he does.
• I do have one objection, however, and it is about the way the Taliban is depicted in this book. Of course, I'm no expert in such a controversial subject matter, but I felt as if the main antagonist, Assef, was too one-dimensional and static. He doesn't seem to change at all through the course of the story, and though his motivations are explained quite concisely, he represents the Taliban, a group of people who are more complex than his simple greedy/religious motives.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars!

Follow Me!

Outfit of the day: Papaya sweater (size M), H&M skirt (size 4), Naturalizer heels (size 7), and Roxy glasses.

Made a new friend yesterday :) I really like the way he talks... haha is that a weird thing to like?? Well, whatever.