5 Things I have Been Doing Instead of What I'm Supposed to Be Doing

#1 One of my all time favorite loves. Making collages. It took me the entire night but didn't feel like it. Will I regret it tomorrow? Yes. Why? Because now this means I got NOTHING done for my professor. But it's pretty. Teehee. I'm taking a picture of it now because once Linda leaves I will probably not get a chance to see my creation again. And I'm not afraid to post it here because the chances that she'll come across this blog is 0.0001%.
Downside: My computer, desk, and room in general now looks like a glitter cloud exploded.


#2 I found mysoju.com. I started watching 這裡發現愛 (Wish to See you Again). In terms of the storyline, it's ok. 還好. But I always get excited when I see scenes filmed at locations in Taipei I recognize or have been to. There's one scene in episode 3 where Michelle Chen walks out of a party. No other place but Room 18, right down to the black/red exterior and funky-cool sinks in the wraparound bathroom. Taipei's only so big, meaning there's only so many appropriate locations you can film. The same feeling occurs when I see UCLA pop up in popular media. Result of my recent rekindling with 偶像劇? No sleep until 3 AM, which makes for a very lazy Brandy the next day. Rargh. I keep telling myself I will break the pattern of unhealthy sleeping time...but it's almost 2 AM and look what I'm doing right now...


#3 A new-found obsession with yelping. Not that I didn't use Yelp before--I did a lot to find new places, but I've acquired this sudden interest in writing reviews. Every time I come back from a new place there is this irresistible desire within me to go on Yelp and recite my experiences. I find myself almost wanting to go to new places just so I can review them. What is this? Is there a name for this? Is it a syndrome?

#4 Thinking about aging. And how much I hate it. Yes, it is now approximately 2 weeks before my 24th birthday. How old that sounds. 24. 24. 24. 24. I liked the number better when it was just a popular TV action series. Or Kobe Bryant's jersey number. To a female such as myself, 24 screams 6 years away from 30. Inching toward the next 40 (if I'm lucky) years of my life that can most likely be characterized as mundane, less-than-glamorous, and more preoccupied with making ends meet than finding means to an end. If that makes any sense. Is it bad that I'm beginning to get this inkling of an urge to lie about my age?

#5 Cooking. Anyone who knows me knows that me + kitchen = a good probability for disaster. But since moving back home I've concocted a number of things that have yet to end in substantial disaster. Teriyaki chicken wings, BBQ glazed ribs, pasta. At worse they've been meh. At best they've actually been edible and even...dare I say it...good? There's this miso-ginger salmon recipe sitting on my desktop waiting to be put into action. Maybe there is hope for me after all! Tomorrow I tackle noodle soup with shrimp and fish balls, per mom's request.


PS What I'm supposed to be doing, only Buddha knows. I think it involved an assemblage of research, contacting professors in Shanghai and other interviewees, finding data, working on a book project, or some sort of combination involving all of the above? Hrm...