It's been 3 days since my surgury and I must say... this is a voluntary surgury I must recommend to ex-peer non-seers.

• No squinting to tell time across the room
  
• No waking up to find myself almost strangled by my frames
  
• No more hair dents
  
• No more not recognizing people, well by accident anyway
  
• No glasses under safety goggles
  
• No smudgy eye shadow views
  
• No forgetting them at the restaurants
  
• No more being afraid of sitting on them
  
• No glares
  
• No not being able to wear sunglasses and see
  
• No pinches from the frames under hats
  
• No more asking the person next to me in class what that word is on the white board if I left my glasses at home
  
• No squinting at my new flat screen tv
  
• No more not enjoying the beautiful view from my apartment

Thank you, Lasik surgeon.

However, I always felt that wearing glasses fooled my professors into thinking that I am somewhat smarter than I appear. I have always found men to look more sophisticated in glasses. Did I just sign away my sophistication? If I don't have black dorky glasses on my face, will I be subjected to the prejudice of looking stupid even though I have previously fooled people? The glare of glasses has also saved me from people noticing that I have fallen asleep. Useful in meetings and class.

I wonder if wearing glasses while I study actually motivates me to study since I FEEL smarter. I like to think that my glasses just had a placebo-effect on my intelligence level and that I have more control over my mind than that. I might consider keeping the frames and replacing the lenses with clear glass. That way, if I am ever in a situation where I need to be intimidating and intelligent, I will have my secret weapon available with one quick dive into the purse.

I WILL miss how the glasses shielded my eyes from rain and snow outside.

All you people, yes, YOU PEOPLE, who have never had to wear glasses all the time will never know just how good this feels.

Categorized: Products

The great thing about IKEA is that I bought my complete bedroom set for under $300. What's the bad thing you ask? Everything comes in pieces and the likelihood of one not purchasing all of the components that are necessary to assemble your product are highly probable. Case in point: I bought a beautiful medium brown platform bed that requires no bed springs. After the sales associate told me that I would only need a slatted base with the 3 marked packages, I was on my way to assembling this beautiful bed for my restful pleasure. However, while D was putting it together for me (trust me, I would have loved to assemble it myself, but I had homework), we realized that I was missing a midbeam.

Why do I need this midbeam? No midbeam = nothing for the slatted base to lay on = nothing for the matress to lay on. Thus, my mattress is sitting in the middle of my platform bed on the floor. Thus, every morning I wake up in a crib in my big girl apartment. Thus, I now have a love/hate thing for IKEA. In a commercial and business sense, I commend them. They are making drive back to IKEA to purchase the necessary midbeam where I will be tempted to make many more purchases. And yes, I WILL BUY. Evil. Corporate monsters trapping the poor victimized shopaholics of this fine capitalist country. Next time, I am writing down all the names of the sales associates of whom I speak.

I cannot make a trip out to IKEA for another 2 weeks. This big girl will continue sleeping in her crib in the meantime. On the positive side, I won't roll over the edge of my bed!

Oh, and explain to me this. Heat rises, duh. My heating vent in my bedroom is at the top of my ceiling. Does this mean I am heating the apartment above me? Let's assume yes. Well I AM paying a low flat heating fee. And I guess I AM stealing that apartment's internet.

We'll call it even.

Categorized: Product

I did it. I moved into my own apartment @ the Plaza downtown. This past weekend was incredibly busy. Friday after work, we taped and moved in the necessitites. Of course, Friday night was reserved for catching up with college buddies who moved away. I had not seen many people for months. November and December was full of travelling and vacation. Let's say that getting out on the dance floor with my favorites was overdue (even if I had to carry 'em home) .

Saturday, while waking up in a stupor, we painted and then I visited with another college buddy. It's weird to say that. Anyway, I hadn't seen Rick since his wedding in September so a visit to his beautiful new home was refreshing. Finally on Sunday, Vic, Boss, and D helped me pack my tiny little 10' Uhaul and we filled my 10th floor apartment at Plaza. P.S. You guys were awesome, thanks.

The move has been bittersweet. I am so excited to be taking care of my own place. It's practically newly furnished (once I buy the furniture) and it has an amazing view of downtown... Ice skating down to Van Andel. Gym, hot tub, pool, covered parking, covered walkways, Starbucks, free BOB passes...? Yes, please. I am at that part in my life where I need to do this. I am starting here with a year lease, but since grad school started, I think that I will be here for at least that much longer. Even my profs are asking me what the hell I am doing back in their classes already. I'll have to post pictures of the new pad once you can see more than boxes.

The bitter part comes in leaving that big peach duplex at Union. We had some goooooood times there, didn't we girls? I don't know if the next residents are going to top the memorable drunkfests that ensued there (pudding, liquor, douchebag, and many other parties come to mind), but "may 603 never die". I'll never forget our falling ceiling and basement door. I'll never forget the broken laundry washer and dryer and my attempts at rodent extermination via D-con. I'll never forget coming home to see my roommates passed out on the living room couch after a long night of studying. I'll always remember living up my college career in that house with my wifey, my girlies, others, and Ron. How about that groggy morning when I found a depants-ed drunk girl on my sofa? Or those times when people biffed it down my stairs. Cat sitting videos, making costumes, being driven to McDonald's when someone clogged the toilet, stolen goods, girl's nights with the housewives & grey's... Damn, we had some good times.

But undergrad is over and while that doesn't necessitate the end of partying, I am at a different stage. I moved out once at 17 to experience the first independence. Now, at 22, I need some other kind of independence. I have a great solid job where I can develop my skills while attemping to finish my masters. I have a steady relationship with someone I grow crazier about every single day. Didn't think I would ever say that would you? I need to live alone before I start the next chapter, whatever that may be. It will help with the studies and now I can finally do some laps in the pool again. Anyone interested in seeing me in a swimcap? Ehh, didn't think so.

I was practically bursting out of that bedroom in the duplex... I mean, I did. I believe Vic's comments were, "Is that a box dedicated to hangers?" "You have boxes labeled hats and purses... and clothes. Lots of it." And the girls will be down the street until they decide to leave the city. I'll be busy juggling school and work as always. The next few weekends are dedicated to out of towners in Lansing and Detroit. My favorite holiday will be coming up soon and that means a lot of thinking.

Next Big Dates:

• Paying respects to my late grandmother. Miss you, Ba Ngoai. Chau nho Ba Ngoai nhieu.
• Lasik Eye Surgury on Saturday - I will FINALLY be able to see you suckas at the bar in the dark!
• Visiting D's rents & the Barrys on Saturday
• Celebrating my favorite holiday with my family in Detroit

Goals:

• Get completely unpacked and settled in before Chinese New Year.
• Keep up with not procrastination on homework.
• Fill the apartment up so that I can invite the ladies over asap.

Categorized: Events

I have decided that due to my newfound life stage of "real world" and my many amusing trips to the bathroom at work, I will have blogs entitled the "Office Space Series".

Episode 1. Location: Women's bathroom. I AM a chick, you know.

Woman 1: Oh hey!!!
Woman 2: How are you?
Woman 1: EXCELLENT! Rob is at my computer right now getting me a NEW KEYBOARD!!!!
Woman 2: How exciting... wireless? What was wrong with your old one?
Woman 1: Yes it's wireless. The Z would stick and so I kept having random Zzzzzzzzzzz's written in everything.
Woman 2: Oh no, that is horrible!
Woman 1: AND the left shift key never shifted! He's even throwing in a wireless mouse!

?
End Episode 1.

At least they washed their hands...

Not going to lie... I am budgeted for the newest & fastest PC soon and I am quite happy for Woman 1. I don't think that I am getting a wireless mouse though. Hmm. I am definitely going out with friends this weekend to reitorate the fact that I am 22, not 30.

P.S. Yay for Victoria's Secret Sale. And this Rocket Scientist Cheerleader is pretty cool too. She is an enginerd for NASA during the week and an NFL cheerleader on the weekends. Beauty and brains are NOT mutally exclusive. I rest my case.

Categorized: Work

So last year, I noted all of the new and crazy things that I did during 2005. It was only appropriate that 2006 deserve the same appreciation...


Saw my friends get married...
Sarah & Chaz - Sept 16

Erica & Rick - Sept 09


Graduated with honors with a BSE at 21


Walked with Pomp & Circumstance. Blurry because Karen took this from the screen!



Interviewed and landed a great job!

Made my first trip to Europe, Germany to be exact on my company's tab! Woohoo!



Slept in the engineering school for several consecutive nights


Enjoyed a late Valentine's Day in Chicago
Visited the John Hancock Building for the first time and ate dinner overlooking the city!


Actually updated this website!!!

Started a scrapbook

Clubbed it up in Pontiac with my sister!


Fell in love


Built a Chair Testing Machine


Spent TONS of money... again


Pulled many all-nighters

Went Salsa Dancing!!!!

Threw some crazy parties...
Douchebag Party


Liquor Party


Halloween Party



Co-hosted an awesome Grand Haven Cookout



Rode in my first Limo for my 22nd! (Also the best birthday ever!)



Made a cookie-making machine


Played with African condoms


Had some old-time reunions
Bowling with Kin

Alexis came to my birthday!

Mad Hts Reunion!


Cooked a lot!

Visited with an "our generation" newborn... Meet Baby Joe


Met a TON of new people!!

Threw a surprise VIP party


Nearly had a heart attack when Monte's closed

Printed 1000+ pictures! (Sam's Club - only $0.14 a print!)


Played flippy cup at the head table of a wedding (Girls WON!)


Got my first bouquet delivered to work


Developed a 3 phase coffeemaker... such a nerd.

Mini-golfed with my sister!


Had a potent shot of herbal liquor @ Olay's grad party

Visited family in Pennsylvania. All my cousins are getting big!


Said goodbye to my grandmother, RIP Nhieu Thi Le.


Killed my love fern, orchid, rather


Got addicted to LOST, Beauty & The Geek, and stayed addicted to Grey's Anatomy

Had my first taste of caviar... quite yummy on a sour cream potato, I'd say


Went to Sarah's Bridal Shower

Went to my first New Years Eve celebration in Chicago


Learned that eating undercooked calamari before drinking is not the best idea

Had to call the cops because fukkers stole our keg and thought they could get away with it
9-1-1

Went to my first A Cappella concert @ State

Made a yearbook for my graduating class

Went on a triple date with my mom and sister

Had fun camping with these knuckleheads in Scottville


It was another amazing year. I definitely won't forget this one! The scrapbook that I made for the past year has grown exponentially. Thanks for the good times...

Categorized: Events, Friends, Family

Dear Ma'am,

Just because you wandered here in a nice suit with old-woman taste... does not mean you are allowed to pee without washing your hands. I hope that I do not have to shake your hand or touch a door handle after you. I hope that you do not put food in your mouth with those unwashed hands.

Sincerely health-concerned co-worker,
Thao

I am not a germ freak, but if you choose to be lazy and not wash your hands on a daily basis, at least pretend to wash your hands while there are other people present in the bathroom. Otherwise, you will be subjected to a mental "Ew". I don't care if you went into the stall to pick a deep and annoying wedgie, come out and wash your hands. Thanks. That is all.

Categorized: Work