I’m at camp right now. SIG at Berkeley to be precise. It’s been an awesome time. Last day here. I will miss it here. So much has happened. I mean the first week was so slow. Then it went faster on the second week. And this week has gone by like a blur.

I am excited to go home and just simply sleep. Sleep for 10 hours straight with no interruptions or beeping alarms. Ugh.

Will write more later.

When I first read the back cover summary of the book and then the first few pages inside, I started to form this image of the stereotypical Man vs. Wild adventure story. I didn’t actually know the full details of the 1996 disaster, not being old enough to even know what Mt. Everest even was. Via hints from my mom and ravings online, I gathered that it was an account about some expedition that had some importance and moral standing.

However, despite my first impressions, I soon began to be enveloped in Krakauer’s story. The descriptions of the landscape and the Hillary Step left me lost and befuzzled (an emotion thatI would experience many times while trying to formulate the images of the rock and ice faces of Everest). But by the end of the first chapter, the reader (more specifically, I) was left wondering what all led up to the fateful moment. Itching to know more, I was drawn into the brilliant descriptions of the personalities of the team members of Adventure Consultants (and other expeditions at Base Camp). I grew attached to the likes of Andy Harris and Rob Hall, the junior and head guide of Adventure Consultants, respectively. Then from there, the illustration of the Sherpa community and their smattered English. Base Camp soon grew and enveloped my own mind. The people that were introduced all had real backgrounds and personalities. Not one was a Mary Sue (one who is infallible). They all had real histories to them, that made me all the more attracted to them. But in the back of my head, I heard my conscience continually remind me that (by then I had figured out what happened via Wikipedia) many were fated to die.

Before reading the book, I had in my head this preconception that mountaineering was something for the outdoorsy fellow who spent his entire childhood shooting grizzlies in his backyard and cooking rabbit stew over a campfire. To shed light on the sport, Krakauer also noted how flawed these notions were. His descriptions of the actual process of climbing up to Camp 1 or the bottleneck at the Hillary Step. Not only was I introduced to the real process of reaching what many call the “roof of the world,” I realized how misplaced my ideas were.

As I started to read the ascent portion of the book, I stopped to think. In the two day span of reading the book, not only had I familiarized myself with Hall and Harris, but even the weaker Pittman and arrogant Russian Boukreev were familiar to me. The previous chapters highlighting the woes of the oxygen depriving altitudes were menacing and the fatigue and injuries that Krakauer suffered seemed to foreshadow that what was to come.

The scenes about the Everest squall were so vivid. I could literally see (or not see, depending on which way you put it) into the blizzard that the Adventure Consultants went through. On the other hand, the blinding cold and mental and physical exhaustion that the mountaineers described is beyond me. I cannot imagine what it was like to climb the tallest mountain in the world and come back through blazing winds and ice. As I read the book, it was like, I was watching the whole action sequence play out in a 360 degree theater. I could see everything that was happening and seemingly understood the standpoints of Krakauer as he battled through those two fateful days, but I was unable to actually comprehend what he was talking about. It was like…a surrealistic trance I was in. I suppose that it was a good thing that happened, as putting the reader inside the book is what an author’s job is.

Overall, I would rate this book very high. Not many nonfiction stories can draw me into its grasps. The accounts that Krakauer revealed were inspiring yet shocking. In the end, I was left with a true sense of awe, revulsion, and sympathy. Bravo!

Another note, that was a bitter pill, was a message I received on my Honesty Box on Facebook. As many people know, the Honesty Box application allows users to submit anonymous mesages to their friends. For me, I don’t receive that many messages. Usually, they just say I’ m quiet and joking ones from my friends. But I got up and happened to check it this morning. I got one from a black symbol (which I can never understand what gender this means they are) that said I was a fat Asian. This was really cruel and I immediately sought revenge. After hours of searching for hacks into the Honesty Box, I finally burned up my fury…But I just…I can’t understand why any of my friends would ever say anything like that to me.

Finals

Finals

Finals

Finals

Finals

Finals

The end of the year exams that test students on knowledge from the start of semester two to the end. And right now, I’m feeling that immense feeling.

Our school goes through finals in the three last days of school.

Day 1: History, Foreign Language (for me it will be Spanish)
Day 2: English, Science (for me it will be Biology)
Day 3: Mathematics

We start in the wee hours of the morning and finish at lunchtime. The whole ordeal is just…crazy. And I just got back from a four day trip to Michigan for the FPS international tournament. It was great. I didn’t place or anything, but got 3rd in my division for group scenario writing. Next year, I will definitely move up! Anyway, not only am I suffering from sleep deprivation, but my shoulders hurt from carrying my locker’s worth of contents on my back. And I had a meltdown while driving home. I don’t know why but I suddenly began crying. I really hate hormones…

I haven’t been doing very well in Spanish, so if I don’t do well on my exam now, I will be dropped from Honors. This scares me because I have worked so hard this year to stay in Honors Spanish, and I don’t want all my work to go to waste.

Except, this weekend, I found out that I was borderline on failing out of Honors Spanish! I moved up to Honors this year, but only because my previous teacher sucked and thought I was a sweet, Asian nerd. This year, I was shocked to find myself struggling to stay afloat in Honors.

We’ve learned so much, and I feel like drowning in information. Especially with finals coming up. My tutor told me that if I did not do well on the final, I would not be able to go into Honors next year. This scares me because I’ve worked so hard, and I really want to stay in Honors. I would do anything!

Anyway, after tutoring, my mother and I went to a reunion with our long time friends. I had a really fun time, and it was so pleasant. We talked about our own lives (probably bragging discreetly) and such. We had a great lunch, and it was yummy.

Then, my mom and I went into the city to DSW shoes. I needed some shoes to match my grad. dress. I found a really cute pair of white heels. They aren’t exactly flats, but not stilletos either. I <3 them. And I also got a pair of slip on Union shoes that resemble Converse. They are black with white peace signs on them.

And finally, I went to go see Night at the Museum, Battle of the Smithsonian. I loved the sequel as much as the first one. I thought it would be a lot like those movies that fail in the second and if a third one comes out, makes a slight comeback. I’m kind of referencing Shrek (yes, bash me. But that’s what I think) and Pirates of the Caribbean. The screenwriters for this movie are so clever. Although, I’m sure I wasn’t the only one weirded out when Ben Stiller began making out with the mannequin Amelia Earhart. I was like: O__e. What…are their babies going to be half wax?! I totally rofl-ed when the two monkeys began slapping Stiller and he started slapping them back! Another part I loved is the nostalgic feeling I got because I just visited the Smithsonian Museums in D.C. and I love seeing all the figures come to life. I could’ve used a little more action of the previous cast, but I loved the Kah Mun Rah guy! His accent was hilarious. It had that lispy, exotic air that makes me crack up. Oh. And the Thinker was HOT! XDDD! Brandon! Dude! No! It’s Brun-don! Hahah! Larry’s got some kick ass flashlight moves.

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Let’s start with Kyle XY. The script is beautiful! Amazing! Or rather was. Was. Because stupid ABC: Family canceled it at its PRIME! WHY! WHY DIDN’T THEY GET RID OF the stupid show…what was it?

Life of an American teenager? I hate shows like that that idealize teen pregnancy. Especially since its portrayal is totally inaccurate. Anyways, I fell in love with the plot line. I was really rooting for the KylexJessi, especially since they kind of came from the same pods. I thought Amanda was kind of the side girl who didn’t really deserve Kyle. But I really thought that the ending of the last season sucked! Because the last scene ended with Kyle nearly killing Cassidy! First, we find out that they are planning to make all these clones of Kyle! And then there is the strained relations between Amanda and Jessi. Really. This is just…AHHH! I hate cliffhangers!

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NCIS is equally awesome. I only just found started watching it heavily. It all began when Catherine, Connie, Jan, and I went on the school trip to DC and watched it late at night. Back then, I didn’t understand why there were two different female characters: Ziva and Caitlin. But I think I prefer Ziva.

Not only does she bring some of the foreign nature of NCIS into the show, and the running gag about her English colloquialisms crack me up. ZivaxTony! Although I was really shocked to find out how Caitlin died. The whole Ari deal was a very interesting part of the show.

The show has that funny side and slight continuous plotline, but otherwise is like CSI and House where it does not have a follow up plot line.

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HOUSE! OMG! My favorite out of the previous two dramas by far. I love having an anti-hero as a protagonist. It’s funny because I’ve only known about House for a year. But I love the sarcastic, Vicodin-loving House. Although he can be so stubborn, I just am attracted to his character. Plus, his antics in the clinic is awesome. But season five was just…shocking. First I find out that Kutner “died” while I was away on a two week vacation.

The season five finale was definitely a shocker. I know that I wasn’t the only Huddy supporter shouting sailor words at the T.V. when House has his epiphany, especially when it wasn’t even medical related. We all were rooting for Huddy in the episode before the finale when Huddy finally broke through after House’s painful detox. I mean, we all knew it was coming. Huddy fans everywhere were just relieved the writers had decided to push it into existence now.

Of course, House had been hallucinating for a while. Admittedly, it was a great plot twist to create the sex scene as a hallucination. Totally unpredictable. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one confused when the lipstick House had played with the entire episode suddenly turned into a Vicodin bottle.

Then there was that medical situation. Alien Hand syndrome. Classic! I would so love to have half of my brain pay attention! Although I definitely wouldn’t enjoy whacking my loved ones unexpectedly.

My mom has the box set of videos of episodes 4-6. That’s how I first heard of Star Wars. Seeing the precious copies stand ominously on the wooden shelf in the T.V. room. I actually watched them. I suppose that the “special effects” were the best at the time. And admittedly, George Lucas is a great director.

Hayden Christensen as Anakin Skywalker, a Jedi in the Star Wars series

Okay. Fine. I did watch the 3rd episode in theathers. The volcano scene was epic! I think my sister only liked it because she thought Hayden Christensen was hot. I think he looks like a hippy with long hair. XD

An organization that helps build wells in nations all over the world

Instead of receiving useless, unneeded presents for his birthday, he asked everyone to donate 33 dollars to him. He used that money to build a well in Africa. Now, he has built hundreds of wells all over the world in areas where people do not have enough safe, drinkable water. I’m kind of proud (I’ve donated $49 dollars) to be helping with the cause.

Well anyway, I came in this really cute black, V-neck shirt with abstract thread designs from Express. And it had a blue cami and design, so I fit the bill. Everyone was really cute…although Jamie was dressed in this…skimpy halter top that I doubted was school-appropriate. I’ve kind of given up on her though.

There was a picture booth. I took 2 shifts. Each picture was $2 dollars. What happened was you stand in front of a really cute backdrop and we took a picture. Then we printed it out on a little mini printer.

My best friends got one with me!Well now I’m sooooo tired. Because I woke up early because some guy dialed a wrong number and got me. @______@

The DJ was the usual guy. He set up his stand and had all these lights flaring everywhere. Catherine loves that guy because he has a long ponytail. Usually he plays really good songs, but this time they were all rap…I hate rap! It’s not even music! Just beats and bad cussing. That’s all. I don’t see why people are so into it.  I didn’t win anything at the lottery either. I really wanted an Itunes gift card. But we can’t all win. No one danced with me at a slow dance, not that I expected them to. And…that’s that.

But ever since last summer when she went to SIG at Berkley, she hasn’t been the same. Catherine and Connie both noticed it. She started wearing tight fitting, Abercrombie camies. Her attitude was more distant and dismissive. And she started hanging out with the populars. Ugh.

It’s been about a month since she left our group. I’m relieved that I don’t have to deal with her drama and all the awkwardness. She seriously didn’t talk to me for several days at a time! But I feel really angry as well. We’re writing a paper in expos class about momentous parts of our life. I’m writing about her transformation, and it’s digging up all these negative, ugly emotions that I had for her, but buried.

I want to tell her that she was stupid. I want to ask her why she left; if it was because her new “Asian popular” group attracted her because they are more prone to drama and boys, or because we aren’t with the “in crowd.” Either way, I can’t imagine that I actually believed Jan was a loyal friend! I’m angry at myself as well.

Besides friend trouble, I’m kind of worried about my grad dresses. I’m feeling self conscious…I wonder if its because I’m a teenager. When those thin girls believe they are fat, they usually aren’t. But I don’t know what I am. I don’t know. And I hate what I’m feeling.