The plan was that we wold get there at 12:30, we didn't. That being said, we ate lunch in Little Tokyo, good ramen, annoying kinda expensive parking. Then after lunch we went to Hollywood
Despite Eric's panicking, we actually got there very early (2pm). There were only about 15 people in line when we arrived, so we picked up our wristbands, and shopped around a bit before actually getting into line. By then there were about 25 people in front of us, not too bad.
Then we had to find ways to kill 3.5 hours. It involved watching Bolt (cute doggy), playing Final Fantasy Crisis Core, and hollering at the KIISFM cameras that came around. The wait actually wasn't too bad. I got a hat. There was some person with a drawing of Utada that she wanted us to sign.
When we got inside, we were pretty close to the front. Then we just chilled and relaxed for like 20 minutes while people behind us got inside. Then Sisanie (KIISFM girl) came, announced tha Utada would arrive shortly. Then Utada came and the crowd went crazy.
It definitely was a crazy crowd. Very very high energy. Lots of cheers and entertaining signs. She would talk about her song, then play it, and we would cheer. In a few of the songs, she would sing along and then the crowd would cheer. Then once she responded to the crowd cheer with her own cheer. Then for one of the songs, we managed to get the sea aneame motion going with the crowd. After she played a few songs and explained them, it was time for Q&A. We had some pretty fun questions with some pretty entertaining responses.
Then, Sisanie said that she would be taking pictures with everyone. That's when the whole event went downhill. for starters, there wasn't a line. So it was just a big blog of people. So security decided, well, well just form a line, and everyone not in that line of theirs would be forced to the end. So that would be me. Pretty retarded way of making a line, especially paying no regard to who came first. Then, after she left, they announced that she had to catch a plane to NY and already left. Then they said they had some autographed pictures at the store exits. When the crowd moved to the store exits, security came out and pushed everyone out, the closed the doors. The remaining people inside couldn't leave, and people outside were forced to disperse by security cause they didn't like us standing around. People inside had the oppertunity to get an Utada makeup bag.
All in all, at the end, it didn't matter who came earlier, it just all came down to luck if you could see her or not. I just happened to be terribly unlucky. So no picture, no autograph, no nothing. At least I got to see her, and the event was pretty fun. Car ride to dinner was pretty emo and depressing. Dinner was pretty gloomy and ansty. Then we had to speed back so Eric could watch Watchmen.
spring break - wedding and BoA
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Wedding:
The wedding was huge. Lots and lots of people. It was also insanely well organized and coordinated. There were tons of people in the background making sure everything is going as planned, and if something went wrong it got corrected rather quickly. Take my word for it when I say everything was insanely well coordinated--we had a 9 page schedule and a 4 page wedding staff helper contact list that got revised several times that we were all following that detailed every small event at the wedding and which team should be doing what at what time. There were also tons of people running around in the background doing things while the main crowd is elsewhere doing stuff. The even crazier part is that everything was coordinated by friends of the bride, the only time family had to do anything was a few of us guys transporting the gifts.
I got up at 9:30-ish... I was supposed to be ready by 9:30. Then I spent an hour trying to make my hair look half decent and iron my clothes. My sister was a bridesmaid, so she had to get up at 6 to get ready. Other than that, the rest of the day was pretty much standing around and looking pretty for photos, lots and lots of photos, as to be expected from 5 professional photographers constantly being around and everyone else having their point-and-clicks. When I looked at the pictures my parents took (one camera per parent), we had some pretty funny facial expressions inbetween pictures. There was also a lot of pretty random bad pictures too, and we wern't even the center of attention.
On the side note, we always got reseved parking wherever we went cause we were bridal party/family. :P
The banquet had good food (and also lots and lots of people). We had peking duck, shark fin soup, lobster, chicken, and more stuff I can't really remember at the moment, but no wine/champaine (sadly). I think we ended up having 9 courses. The people were seated from the most important to least inportant, next to people they might know. So the bridal party was table 1, family and close family friends took up tables 2-4, and people that didn't look terribly interested or in place was table 47 (last table). Bride, groom, maid of honor, best man, and heads of immediate family were on stage. Guess where I was placed? Table 45. Apparently there wasnt enough space up at the bridal party table for my sister, so she ended up being back there with me. My other cousin (who was a groomsman) was also back there with me cause he didn't want to sit up there with the bridal party. The people sitting at our table honestly thought we were not very important people (like themselves) to be sitting at one of the end tables. Then when the maid of honor acknowledged all the family members and had them stand, then they all realized we were kinda pretty important people. Then after that, we were always the first people to get food served to us, because the back of the room was closer to the kitchen, and we had important people sitting at the table. So they served us first, then they served from front to back. So the tables next to us were not very happy.
I ended getting back home at a little past midnight. Long long day.
---
BoA:
Ok, so, I pretty much slept through several snoozes on my alarm. Had to do a few things to all the wedding pictures we took for parents (which was when I realized how funny our pictures turned out cause most of them were candid). Then Eric texted and I had to take a quick shower and eat and dress. Yeah, 10 minutes behind schedule. Oh well not that it would've mattered because...
When we arrived (3 hours early) there was already a decent size line formed. We were on the 3 side of the store. She ended up comming 1.5 hours late. She only managed to get through 1.5 sides of the store before she just left. So I had to fight for a few posters cause I was not leaving empty handed. Yeah, I didn't even get to see her.
At least it was only BoA...
The wedding was huge. Lots and lots of people. It was also insanely well organized and coordinated. There were tons of people in the background making sure everything is going as planned, and if something went wrong it got corrected rather quickly. Take my word for it when I say everything was insanely well coordinated--we had a 9 page schedule and a 4 page wedding staff helper contact list that got revised several times that we were all following that detailed every small event at the wedding and which team should be doing what at what time. There were also tons of people running around in the background doing things while the main crowd is elsewhere doing stuff. The even crazier part is that everything was coordinated by friends of the bride, the only time family had to do anything was a few of us guys transporting the gifts.
I got up at 9:30-ish... I was supposed to be ready by 9:30. Then I spent an hour trying to make my hair look half decent and iron my clothes. My sister was a bridesmaid, so she had to get up at 6 to get ready. Other than that, the rest of the day was pretty much standing around and looking pretty for photos, lots and lots of photos, as to be expected from 5 professional photographers constantly being around and everyone else having their point-and-clicks. When I looked at the pictures my parents took (one camera per parent), we had some pretty funny facial expressions inbetween pictures. There was also a lot of pretty random bad pictures too, and we wern't even the center of attention.
On the side note, we always got reseved parking wherever we went cause we were bridal party/family. :P
The banquet had good food (and also lots and lots of people). We had peking duck, shark fin soup, lobster, chicken, and more stuff I can't really remember at the moment, but no wine/champaine (sadly). I think we ended up having 9 courses. The people were seated from the most important to least inportant, next to people they might know. So the bridal party was table 1, family and close family friends took up tables 2-4, and people that didn't look terribly interested or in place was table 47 (last table). Bride, groom, maid of honor, best man, and heads of immediate family were on stage. Guess where I was placed? Table 45. Apparently there wasnt enough space up at the bridal party table for my sister, so she ended up being back there with me. My other cousin (who was a groomsman) was also back there with me cause he didn't want to sit up there with the bridal party. The people sitting at our table honestly thought we were not very important people (like themselves) to be sitting at one of the end tables. Then when the maid of honor acknowledged all the family members and had them stand, then they all realized we were kinda pretty important people. Then after that, we were always the first people to get food served to us, because the back of the room was closer to the kitchen, and we had important people sitting at the table. So they served us first, then they served from front to back. So the tables next to us were not very happy.
I ended getting back home at a little past midnight. Long long day.
---
BoA:
Ok, so, I pretty much slept through several snoozes on my alarm. Had to do a few things to all the wedding pictures we took for parents (which was when I realized how funny our pictures turned out cause most of them were candid). Then Eric texted and I had to take a quick shower and eat and dress. Yeah, 10 minutes behind schedule. Oh well not that it would've mattered because...
When we arrived (3 hours early) there was already a decent size line formed. We were on the 3 side of the store. She ended up comming 1.5 hours late. She only managed to get through 1.5 sides of the store before she just left. So I had to fight for a few posters cause I was not leaving empty handed. Yeah, I didn't even get to see her.
At least it was only BoA...
finals week @ a party school
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We've been getting really nice weather all this week: mid to high 70s, sunny, with a slight breeze. Everyone's also done with classes, and most of us know better than to abuse a certain substance we all seem to love so much (though, if you want a party, it still isn't too difficult to find I'm sure). Dead week is over, so we all kinda pretend quiet hours doesn't exist; besides, quiet hours makes it kinda boring. It's winter quarter, we all know the routine by now.
So what really goes on here during finals week? It certainly doesn't look like we study.
Most of us try to convince ourselves into studying by staying around studying material (ie, hide in room/library). But there's such nice weather outside, might as well open the window and door to let the wind flow through the room, everyone else is doing it. So everyone in the hall has their doors and windows open. No one really studies quietly in their room, or even studies in some cases. So, the hall is filled with music, guitar, and videogame sounds, mixed in with the light conversations and occasional outbursts. Outside, people are just lazily sleeping on the lawn trying to tan, throwing footballs around, or playing volleyball/soccer.
No one seems like they're studying. It never seems that way here. We've become so talented at studying in secret and coordinating our breaks that no one suspects a thing. This also happens to be the time when we get lots of visitors on tours walking around. The school just seems like this laid back beach resort.
It kinda is.
---
Anyone know anyone that got accepted to SB this year?
So what really goes on here during finals week? It certainly doesn't look like we study.
Most of us try to convince ourselves into studying by staying around studying material (ie, hide in room/library). But there's such nice weather outside, might as well open the window and door to let the wind flow through the room, everyone else is doing it. So everyone in the hall has their doors and windows open. No one really studies quietly in their room, or even studies in some cases. So, the hall is filled with music, guitar, and videogame sounds, mixed in with the light conversations and occasional outbursts. Outside, people are just lazily sleeping on the lawn trying to tan, throwing footballs around, or playing volleyball/soccer.
No one seems like they're studying. It never seems that way here. We've become so talented at studying in secret and coordinating our breaks that no one suspects a thing. This also happens to be the time when we get lots of visitors on tours walking around. The school just seems like this laid back beach resort.
It kinda is.
---
Anyone know anyone that got accepted to SB this year?
hikki addiction
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Last time I looked at my most played list, it looked like this...
So what happens when Ms. Utada Hikaru releases a new album during finals week? This happens.
Notice a certain artist appear many times on that list?
Yeah, she took over my most played list... and finals week isn't over yet... BUT AS SOON AS IT ENDS WHICH I HOPE IT DOES SOON WE GET TO SEE HER. :D
So what happens when Ms. Utada Hikaru releases a new album during finals week? This happens.
Notice a certain artist appear many times on that list?Yeah, she took over my most played list... and finals week isn't over yet... BUT AS SOON AS IT ENDS WHICH I HOPE IT DOES SOON WE GET TO SEE HER. :D
dead week winter 09
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There's a few things I've noticed with blogs, you can either update them so much so that people no longer care about what you write, or they simply get overwhelmed by the huge amount of content, or, you can not update regularly and people forget about it. Most blogs fall into one or the other.
Now, I've also noticed that I update this blog a lot more often when I'm busy. It just goes to show how unproductive I am when I actually have stuff I should be doing. Since it is dead week, and I have huge piles of work I need to get done, this blog got a lot of activity these past few days (facebook too, lots of spam everywhere).
The plus side is dead week is almost done with, and all my major assignments are nearing completion (or already completed). Next comes the finals, which should be considerably less stressful, but potentially more deadly.
Though I prefer finals over major assignments, I'm actually able to efficiently cram for materials, my rush work is just absolute crap. My study skills are still horrible though.
After dead week, I got 4 full, classless, (hopefully) eventless, days for me to study for my 3 finals--computer science, physics, and math. Computer science should be easy. No hand written programs, example exam questions are online, multiple choice. Math tests tend to be fairly straightforward. If I study the material extensively, it shouldn't be too bad. Both those classes are curved overall, so that could always save my ass in the end, or just make me pleasently surprised. Now physics, that will be hit or miss. Either I get lucky, or I don't. Hopefully I get problems I know how to tackle, instead of problems I have to painfully figure out. No curve either. So he could chose super hard problems and just fail everyone if he really wanted to (nothing's stopping him either).
Can't wait till spring break.
Now, I've also noticed that I update this blog a lot more often when I'm busy. It just goes to show how unproductive I am when I actually have stuff I should be doing. Since it is dead week, and I have huge piles of work I need to get done, this blog got a lot of activity these past few days (facebook too, lots of spam everywhere).
The plus side is dead week is almost done with, and all my major assignments are nearing completion (or already completed). Next comes the finals, which should be considerably less stressful, but potentially more deadly.
Though I prefer finals over major assignments, I'm actually able to efficiently cram for materials, my rush work is just absolute crap. My study skills are still horrible though.
After dead week, I got 4 full, classless, (hopefully) eventless, days for me to study for my 3 finals--computer science, physics, and math. Computer science should be easy. No hand written programs, example exam questions are online, multiple choice. Math tests tend to be fairly straightforward. If I study the material extensively, it shouldn't be too bad. Both those classes are curved overall, so that could always save my ass in the end, or just make me pleasently surprised. Now physics, that will be hit or miss. Either I get lucky, or I don't. Hopefully I get problems I know how to tackle, instead of problems I have to painfully figure out. No curve either. So he could chose super hard problems and just fail everyone if he really wanted to (nothing's stopping him either).
Can't wait till spring break.
my top 20 most played (within the last 4 months)
|
So I decided to open my most played list on winamp.. some interesting stuff in there. This list stated when I last reformated my computer (which was sometime in Fall Quarter)... oh, might as well add some commentary while I'm at it, cause its no fun reading just a list.
20. JJ Lin 林俊傑 - 不潮不用花錢 @ 26 spins
Shit on my sofa. Shallow song still has a good beat to it, now if it had some depth, then it would be a great song. Oh well.
20. melody. - miss you (nagareboshi REMIX) @ 26 spins
cute song.. DJ play that music louder.
18. Utada - Come Back To Me @ 27 spins
I'm surprised this is up here, considering how this only came out a few weeks ago.. used to be my favorite Utada english song.. until Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence came out.. which might get replaced by something else cause that album's looking pretty damn good.
18. F4 - 在這裡等你 @ 27 spins
I didn't even realize this song got that many plays.. huh.
18. Magnetic North - So long @ 27 spins
Who said asians couldn't rap in English? oh, and it samples Naruto music.
15. Utada Hikaru - Passion(Opening Version) @ 28 spins
The darker stanza included in the opening version makes it so much better than the original version, and after the battle version isn't as upbeat as I like my music to be. Trippy music video (for the original version anyways). My heart's a battleground. I need more affection than you know. Play the song backwards with the kingdom hearts opening and its even more trippy.
14. Tank - 鬥牛 · 要不要 @ 29 spins
This used to be on the top of my list.. and it used to have more plays than the next 19 songs combined.. at like, 300+ spins.. cause some evil person named connie wanted me to try to learn to sing it. Yeah, didn't happen, but I played the song a bunch of time trying.
14. Jam Hsiao 蕭敬騰 - Blues @ 29 spins
Can the soul of the man play the right kind of blues? This song is fun to sing along to.
14. Epik High - 혼 (Soul) @ 29 spins
The piano background is so pretty in the beginning, then its the strings... and I love how string instrument sound like. What about the rap? Oh, that's pretty badass too.
11. DBSK - Bolero @ 30 spins
Pretty song. One of the very few slow DBSK songs I like.
11. Utada Hikaru - Heart Station @ 30 spins
The lyrics for this song are so well written.. and Utada has a pretty voice.. and the way she sings it is all jumpy and flowy and stuff. ♥ Heart-do-Sta-shion. :D
9. Nan Quan Mama 南拳媽媽 - 破曉 @ 32 spins
南拳媽馬 has some pretty nice stuff, but like, I always only like bits and pieces of their songs. This one is bass-heavy and it has drums and piano and some other instrument that I can't even identify.. but it's all about the drums and piano anyways. I like it when guys rap, and girls sing, cause girls have prettier voices, but girls can rap too.. but they need to rap with their pretty voice, not with a boring monotone sharp voice.
8. melody. - HOPE @ 33 spins
I think I played this a lot during last finals week. You can do it if you try, take one step at a time. It's also very claming..
8. Danson Tang 唐禹哲 - 情报 @ 33 spins
I love the beat and background music for this song. It sounds awesome when I have the subwoofer on. You can hear it throughout the whole song too.
6. DBSK - Wrong Number @ 34 spins
Jae raps! He raps! Now there's two of them that raps. :D Yes Clarice, my inner Yunho fanboy loves the music video.
5. Judy Chou 周定緯 - 寂寞包廂 @ 35 spins
This and 情报 and a bunch of Epik High stuff and some other stuff made up my car playlist for a while, needless to say, I was a pretty aggressive driver with that playlist.
4. Big Bang - 거짓말 (Lies) @ 36 spins
My sister loves playing this song on my computer... which makes me wonder where Haru Haru disappeared off to.
3. Show Luo 羅志祥 - 潮男正傳 @ 54 spins
Wow, huge jump in number of plays. This was on my driving playlist too. I want this to be my theme song when I walk into a building or something. Haha.
2. Utada Hikaru - Heart Station @ 57 spins
Yes. Heart Station is on here twice. I think this one is the album version and the one down there is the single version. I honestly can't tell the two versions apart, not that they were meant to be different anyways... This technically is my most played song. Both versions just happen to be right next to each other on my playlist and I just click one. Shouldn't be too surprising?
1. Epik High - One @ 58 spins
I love Jisun's voice in the chorus. It has nice lyrics too. It also has sexy bass and background music. This is what happens when good lyrics meets good support music with a good female voice.
Then I wonder what would happen if there was a list that displayed most plays by artist... that would be interesting. I think Ayumi Hamasaki might come out on top on that list.
Hope this gives people a view on what kinds of music I like playing. (recommend me music!)
20. JJ Lin 林俊傑 - 不潮不用花錢 @ 26 spins
Shit on my sofa. Shallow song still has a good beat to it, now if it had some depth, then it would be a great song. Oh well.
20. melody. - miss you (nagareboshi REMIX) @ 26 spins
cute song.. DJ play that music louder.
18. Utada - Come Back To Me @ 27 spins
I'm surprised this is up here, considering how this only came out a few weeks ago.. used to be my favorite Utada english song.. until Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence came out.. which might get replaced by something else cause that album's looking pretty damn good.
18. F4 - 在這裡等你 @ 27 spins
I didn't even realize this song got that many plays.. huh.
18. Magnetic North - So long @ 27 spins
Who said asians couldn't rap in English? oh, and it samples Naruto music.
15. Utada Hikaru - Passion(Opening Version) @ 28 spins
The darker stanza included in the opening version makes it so much better than the original version, and after the battle version isn't as upbeat as I like my music to be. Trippy music video (for the original version anyways). My heart's a battleground. I need more affection than you know. Play the song backwards with the kingdom hearts opening and its even more trippy.
14. Tank - 鬥牛 · 要不要 @ 29 spins
This used to be on the top of my list.. and it used to have more plays than the next 19 songs combined.. at like, 300+ spins.. cause some evil person named connie wanted me to try to learn to sing it. Yeah, didn't happen, but I played the song a bunch of time trying.
14. Jam Hsiao 蕭敬騰 - Blues @ 29 spins
Can the soul of the man play the right kind of blues? This song is fun to sing along to.
14. Epik High - 혼 (Soul) @ 29 spins
The piano background is so pretty in the beginning, then its the strings... and I love how string instrument sound like. What about the rap? Oh, that's pretty badass too.
11. DBSK - Bolero @ 30 spins
Pretty song. One of the very few slow DBSK songs I like.
11. Utada Hikaru - Heart Station @ 30 spins
The lyrics for this song are so well written.. and Utada has a pretty voice.. and the way she sings it is all jumpy and flowy and stuff. ♥ Heart-do-Sta-shion. :D
9. Nan Quan Mama 南拳媽媽 - 破曉 @ 32 spins
南拳媽馬 has some pretty nice stuff, but like, I always only like bits and pieces of their songs. This one is bass-heavy and it has drums and piano and some other instrument that I can't even identify.. but it's all about the drums and piano anyways. I like it when guys rap, and girls sing, cause girls have prettier voices, but girls can rap too.. but they need to rap with their pretty voice, not with a boring monotone sharp voice.
8. melody. - HOPE @ 33 spins
I think I played this a lot during last finals week. You can do it if you try, take one step at a time. It's also very claming..
8. Danson Tang 唐禹哲 - 情报 @ 33 spins
I love the beat and background music for this song. It sounds awesome when I have the subwoofer on. You can hear it throughout the whole song too.
6. DBSK - Wrong Number @ 34 spins
Jae raps! He raps! Now there's two of them that raps. :D Yes Clarice, my inner Yunho fanboy loves the music video.
5. Judy Chou 周定緯 - 寂寞包廂 @ 35 spins
This and 情报 and a bunch of Epik High stuff and some other stuff made up my car playlist for a while, needless to say, I was a pretty aggressive driver with that playlist.
4. Big Bang - 거짓말 (Lies) @ 36 spins
My sister loves playing this song on my computer... which makes me wonder where Haru Haru disappeared off to.
3. Show Luo 羅志祥 - 潮男正傳 @ 54 spins
Wow, huge jump in number of plays. This was on my driving playlist too. I want this to be my theme song when I walk into a building or something. Haha.
2. Utada Hikaru - Heart Station @ 57 spins
Yes. Heart Station is on here twice. I think this one is the album version and the one down there is the single version. I honestly can't tell the two versions apart, not that they were meant to be different anyways... This technically is my most played song. Both versions just happen to be right next to each other on my playlist and I just click one. Shouldn't be too surprising?
1. Epik High - One @ 58 spins
I love Jisun's voice in the chorus. It has nice lyrics too. It also has sexy bass and background music. This is what happens when good lyrics meets good support music with a good female voice.
Then I wonder what would happen if there was a list that displayed most plays by artist... that would be interesting. I think Ayumi Hamasaki might come out on top on that list.
Hope this gives people a view on what kinds of music I like playing. (recommend me music!)
my plan of (counter)attack for my speeding ticket
tickets
|
Nothing. I got nothing.
So my statement on the request for written trial will simply be, "I am not guilty." Then, hope that the officer is too lazy to file paperwork and I get the case dismissed. If he does happen to file a statement, well, I have a request for a new trial ready at hand as soon as he does.
This buys me about 3 months worth of time to brainstorm my court appearance if it gets that far. I got some ideas at hand, but I'm not going to thoroughly think them out unless I need to.
So my statement on the request for written trial will simply be, "I am not guilty." Then, hope that the officer is too lazy to file paperwork and I get the case dismissed. If he does happen to file a statement, well, I have a request for a new trial ready at hand as soon as he does.
This buys me about 3 months worth of time to brainstorm my court appearance if it gets that far. I got some ideas at hand, but I'm not going to thoroughly think them out unless I need to.
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