Douceur de vivre

Swallow your bullets and go on.

You know that really crisp water-y smell after rain? I love that. I LOVE that.

Yesterday, my friend and I were walking when out of nowhere, it started raining! Of course, it is a little unnerving to see rain in La Jolla. You really know that global warming or something like that is throwing off the weather. We ran for cover and sheltered by an archway next to a cafe before we resolved to go in for hot chocolate. We sat it out, sipping hot chocolate, eating hazelnut wafers, attempting to study but ended up talking. When we walked out finally, there was this amazing crisp, cold, almost biting chill with the smell of clean, washed-down rain (It’s probably not clean rain, I know but I love to think it is). And the whole night, I cracked open the window a bit to let all that fresh air blow in (I hope my roommate wasn’t too cold…).

And I felt so excited! I can feel the onset of holidays coming. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years. Birthdays and parties (or birthday parties). Of course the calendar tells me these things every day but you KNOW it’s holiday time in California when you can smell that cold air. When people eat tangerines and oranges (is that just me? I always think of tangerines during Christmas). When you eat dinners inside with your friends. 

Cozy, much? :) 

Till we meet again. 

- As I’m learning more and more, I’m finding that there are not enough words in the English language to express myself anymore. In other words, when I was younger, I didn’t have much to think about and therefore, my limited vocabulary was sufficient. But as I think, wonder, and discover more, the absence of precise words is increasingly prominent. Scientifically, pressure is force per unit of area (P = F/A). As the area increases, the pressure weakens. As the span of thoughts (area) widens, the ability to express oneself (weakens), assuming the amount of vocabulary (force) remains constant. Of course, one’s vocabulary does increase overtime but we learn the most when we’re young. Nerdy much?

- I’m enjoying life these days, not thinking so much about what comes after. There is so much here that I want to enjoy, relish, and even struggle with before having to worry about another lifetime. If you get my drift. If not, no biggy. But movie nights in bed, pool games, dinner with friends, cooking with someone, reading on warm grass, learning new things, running in the dark, so much to do! Of all things, I hope I never take time for granted. 

- I did not like The Town. It was very cliche andnI am very disappointed. Two hours of my life that I will never get back.

- In search of wall design inspiration for my (and Anne’s) room! Do you have any suggestions? :) 

- If you go to UCSD and have extra space for classes, take Sociology of Food! It’s such an amazing class. Which makes you realize how much we are aware of but simply don’t have the tools to articulate ourselves…until we are educated at least. 

- Pool is ridiculously calming and fun. 

- In need of new music. Mellow, acoustic. Or happy, upbeat. Actually, anything is welcome at this point. Help? :)

- My children’s literature class has officially killed fairy tales by reading the original forms of fairy tales. Like Snow White. Did you know that, in order to punish the evil queen, she heated iron sandals in hot coal and made her dance in them until she died? :O That ain’t Disney’s Snow White.

- My family is calling. Goodbye and have a lovely weekend!

This is … 3 hours late. But I wanted to post this.

Around the sixth grade, we stopped really celebrating birthdays. We did a dinner and the cake but it was not as important as it was when I was much younger. And when I got to college, it was weird timing because it was in the beginning of the year when I had just left all my friends and did not know too many people here.

I thought this year would pretty much be the same because it’s the end of zero week and everyone is still very busy settling in. But life continues to surprise me with so many amazing people in my life! I think it’s the biggest celebration of my birthday in a very long time, twenty-four perfect consecutive hours (really, I think I only slept 4 hours of those 24 hours). 

Thank you to my lovely crew (whose apartment has become basically my second home) who toasted with me at midnight, made pancakes/waffles/hashbrowns as my birthday came to a close at midnight, who screamed and clutched with me as we watched Sixth Sense, for making this one among the best I’ve had. 

Thank you to my lovely apartmentmates who celebrated with me all day with our beach events, presents, and spontaneous cooking. You guys are awesome, sweet, adorable, and such beautiful girls, inside and out. 

Thank you to all the lovely friends who made this day special. For surprising me. For celebrating with me, wherever you are. For being an amazing part of my life. You know I love you :) 

And as another year draws to a close and a new one begins, I am reminded of a quote I recently read and have had in my mind: Beautiful young people are accidents of nature but beautiful old people are works of art. 

I hope this new year shapes, challenges, and paints me into a better person so I may one day become a work of art, molded and shaped by experiences rather than by chance. Thank you, world! 

UCSD, year 2! Whoot :)