red shoes, red skillet

I haven’t written here in a while. Hahahah, that’s almost always what I write here every few entries, and always what I write in my paper journal. I’m currently at SummerStart in Syracuse, and it’s good here. I’m not having a total blast, but this isn’t exactly camp. I take two classes and a seminar, and with all the walking I do and the homework I have, there’s barely time to have decent fun. I am, however, really looking forward to going to the Carousel Center mall this weekend and immersing myself in the Great American Pastime: shopping.

I’ve met some nice people here, and my teachers are all nice people. My classes seem easy but are dense–each is a semester’s worth of material compacted into six weeks! The workload is definitely heavier, even with the six weeks excuse. I’ve also been procrastinating and going to bed late, but somehow, I’ve been waking up early.

I’ve been waking up without any alarm clock help, around 6:30 in the morning. I think it’s because I’ve become so used to rising at 6:30 that now I naturally do it. But I shouldnt have to, because my classes start at 10! I don’t mind, though, I get a good amount of sleep here.

I’m actually procrastinating right now; I stopped typing up my Writing 105 homework to blog a little…I’m supposed to be reviewing a Beijing Olympics website and I can’t seem to talk about anything but colors and color schemes.

There’s a board game night/event going on tonight at 9 in the downstairs lounge, but I doubt I can make it, even though I know I should and want to socialize.

My math class! This is the most important class of my life and so far, I’ve done well. We had a very simple, one-question quiz today, which I aced because it was a homework question from two nights ago. The class is Probability & Statistics, and right now we’re learning terms and reviewing some basic things like graphs and charts and the 3 Ms. I’ve been doing well, taking notes and paying attention. I can’t help falling asleep though, but my teacher (a Master’s or PhD student here, I forget which) has a heavy Chinese accent and teaches in a boringly straightforward way. However, I chewed gum throughout the entire class and stayed awake. I guess I have to invest in some gum now…I’ll think of it as an investment in my future. HA

It’s just past 7. I’m going to go and finish my homework, then I’ll head out to Kimmel or Bird Library (gosh I love name-dropping campus buildings, I feel so smart!) to print out my homework and then I’ll shower, and finish The Joy Luck Club.

I’m really happy to finally own my own copy of it. I first read it in like, sixth grade and I’ve reread it a million times since. It’s a must-read, not only for Asian women, but for all women. The mother-daughter relationships described here are ao moving and startlingly familiar, and Amy Tan writes so well, I can’t imagine living life without this book. And I love my large copy of it–the ones I used to read were inches thick with small font and had to be held open by two hands. This one is large, soft, and floppy, and falls open simply and stays open patiently.

By the way, I am not crazy.

Aiya, I’ve dawdled enough.

But one more thing!

I’ve been using more “intelligent” vocabulary lately. This morning, in writing class, I used “bevy” and like, three other SAT-esque words in the space of ten minutes. I’m really turning collegiate, huh?

CATCH Y’ALL LATER!

I’ve always loved reading, and reading all kinds of books. As a kid, I lived in the library during the weekends, sometimes borrowing up to thirty books in a go with my brother. The recent closing of my beloved Donnell Library (see Doobybrain’s post) really up into motion the plans I had from the beginning of this year.

As a graduation present for myself, I’m going to buy as many of my favorite picture books as I can. I think it was this summer, or even earlier, when I realized that I don’t own copies of my favorite books or movies. As a kid, I’d done so much heavy borrowing and read so much that I didn’t miss or mind not having my own copy. I also never really had money to spend on books, and never got into the habit of buying books. Walking into a Barnes and Noble and seeing stacks of the same book is still a little weird for me, when at the library there’d usually only be one or two copies. But now that I have money to spend and my childhood is coming to a definite close, I need to buy these books.

I already started, with Alan Schroeder’s Lily and the Wooden Bowl, which is out of print, so I’m ridiculously happy I own it. There are so many other books I’m planning to buy, which means I should make a solid list soon and start putting money aside. This book collecting thing looks expensive–easily over $200.

But I’m ready and happy to do this. I’m going to try and sell my Fruits Basket manga and some other new, unread books to the Strand soon. I also asked Paul to let me work on Tuesdays after school, or some other day.

Ugh, money. I’ll have to seriously start saving, as well as set up a checking account, for college. I’m ridiculously glad I’m not paying for college, but I still need stuff. Wow, imagine I did have to pay for college–I’d go crazy worrying about loans and bills and not be focused on college itself!

Speaking of college, I have to pick my classes for fall and I can’t decide because there are so many interesting classes and things I want to learn about.

Going to back to my big plans, I also want to buy the DVDs for my favorite movies because I don’t own many of those, either. But I doubt I’ll get around to buying DVDs until early next year because my book collecting project is going to take time.

Writing about it is making me excited. I’m going to draw up a list now.

6:54 PM

I’m still writing a list of books I want, but I just realized that I not only want my favorite picture books, but favorite book, period. I want my Amy Tan books (which are must-reads for Asian American women) and as many Baby-Sitters Club books as I can get my hands on (though I doubt I’ll be able to get all 130 and the special, mystery, and BSC Forever ones).

I think this will be my new (expensive) hobby–collecting my favorite books. Thinking about all my favorite books is really bittersweet because I can’t just go back to the Donnell tomorrow and pick up a dozen books. I’m really beginning to see the value in owning your own books since I really thought the Donnell would be here forever–I thought I’d be taking my kids up to the awesome children’s floor or taking my parents up to their world-languages floor. And now I can’t, because a stupid high-end 11-story hotel is taking its place.

After writing up these lists, I’m going to have to find a place for all these as-yet-unbought books to be.

I can’t stop thinking about and watching the teaser trailer for the movie “Twilight.” “Twilight” is based on the first book of a series by Stephenie Meyer and…enough facts.

I saw the books in libraries and stores and their covers caught my eye, but I was sure I’d moved on from YA books, so I passed. Then I started hearing a lot of buzz on gossip sites about Robert Pattinson (aka Cedric Diggory in some vampire love story. I saw some set pictures and ogled him, but didn’t care/know much.

Then I watched the trailer on Sunday, out of curiosity.

Oh my god.

Robert Pattinson’s eyes. His eyes. I fell in love with him right there. I swear it’s like he’s looking into your soul, and in the most beautiful, serious way possible. And his eyes, his face after pushing the car away? I have no words. Near the end of the trailer, he has this insane half-smile that just…

Kristin Stewart is so beautiful. I first saw her in the movie “Catch That Kid” where she played a young mountain climber who executes a heist in order to save her dad. She looked and sounded like a tomboy then, but I’ve seen some recent photoshoots and she’s is definitely out of her awkward stage. She’s just gorgeous.

And they are gorgeous together.

And I am going to buy the book tomorrow if I have to. I can’t wait for this movie and to be immersed in this series.

Here’s the teaser trailer: