tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76733396660184320182024-03-05T01:09:49.289-08:00whirlwindthis is the whirlwind through life.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-10923829773378438442010-12-10T08:04:00.000-08:002011-11-29T04:32:37.648-08:00Tasks at HandFour final examinations over two days come between me and more than a month long winter break. Even though there aren't any plans at the moment, I'm looking forward to break even if it only consists of me lounging around at home.<br />
<br />
However, there are a few things I need to get done over break...I really need to find a job. After leaving my job as a security monitor, I haven't had the time to apply for anything yet. I have found a few so far on Callisto, but I still need to revise my resume and work on my cover letter (another two things to work on). With that is also my major transfer application, but before I can do that, I need to meet with the department advisor as well as my college advisor (another two things to do). Then, I'll be able to work on my application.<br />
<br />
I'm sure there are many more things to take care of over break, but it will definitely be worth the time and effort. It is all for the better.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-48861894047329841852010-12-06T16:51:00.000-08:002010-12-06T16:51:06.335-08:00DecemberDecember is finally here, which marks the end of another semester as well as the end of another year.<br />
<br />
There is still much left to be done in this semester. A mere seven days and four finals separate me from winter break. The thought of only having one more week to play catch up on a semester's worth of material is daunting, but at the same time, the thought of winter break pushes me to study harder.<br />
<br />
Let's make this week a great one.<br />
<br />
Also, an update on Voices of Light, Part Two will be coming soon (hopefully in the next few days). Click <a href="http://whirlowind.blogspot.com/2008/11/music-mucus-and-phelgm.html">HERE</a> For Part One.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-8004129170005670482010-07-23T02:24:00.000-07:002010-07-23T02:24:44.345-07:00New DesignI should mention that my blog has a new design. Gotta shake things up from time to time to keep it interesting. Like everything else in life, my blog had to have a blue color scheme. Maybe one of these I'll change it to another color, but blue is my favorite color.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-28433015619967825622010-07-21T08:20:00.000-07:002010-07-21T08:20:31.697-07:00Movin' OutIt's been nearly two and a half months since my last update and so much has happened since then! Even though I should be studying physics for my midterm on Monday (it sounds early, but I have like 4 chapters of material to catch up on), but I decided to spare a few minutes to update.<br />
<br />
I have finally have housing figured out! After browsing through Craigslist looking for a suitable place, I received a call from my friend Kliulai about an opening at Gaia. That was Monday morning, so on Thursday I went to take a look at the apartment. Thursday was also the day I got into a fender bender coming home from Berkeley. Is it a sign?<br />
<br />
Anyways, it seemed like the perfect fit. It's a really nice three bedroom loft with a view of the city. I'll be living with four awesome people and it'll be a crazy time judging from the party a week ago. This time around, I won't have a roommate. The room's too small for another person and it's time for me to have some space to myself after two years of living with someone else in cramped quarters.<br />
<br />
After my background check went through, I signed the lease this past Saturday. I have to get renter's insurance before I can get the keys. Time to look for furniture! I feel like I'm growing up!Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-61849488567230821162010-05-04T01:23:00.000-07:002010-05-04T01:27:10.016-07:00Meet Me HalfwayAre two years of college almost over? Come May 14th, I will be done with another year at UC Berkeley. This year was not any easier than the one before and it will only get tougher.<br /><br />Reflecting back, these last two years have been somewhat of a blur. So much has happened, but I can recall so little in detail. There are those notable college milestones like getting the first A in a class, failing an first exam for the first time, failing a class for the first time, but there are also those funny, random, odd moments that occur in between. It's those little things that have been clouded over by struggles, personal battles, and other seemingly more important concerns.<br /><br />Time passes so quickly that there are times I can't even remember how it passed. Zoom. And once it hits me, the weekend has ended, it's 9pm Sunday evening and I haven't finished any of my work. Not even my math assignment due the next morning at 8am. There are so many times when I can't even wake up that early to attend math discussion.<br /><br />This semester, I've had math discussion three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) at 8am on the other side of campus. Because I'm not much of a morning person (even though I like to think of myself as one), my attendance has not been spectacular especially since I've slept through most of them and missed at least four or five quizzes in the past month or so. There are mornings when my friend will call to wake me up at 7:30am...and I will pick up the phone, mumble a few words, go back to sleep, wake up at 11am and freak the fuck out. More than once have I wondered if he called or not and then check my call records to see that I actually picked up.<br /><br />My sleep schedule has been turned on its head. There are times when I'm in Etcheverry until 2am working on my group final project or a weekly assignment for my engineering graphic design class. Sleepless nights and missed quizzes, all for a three-unit class. Is it worth? I'm not sure. Most days I don't get to bed until 5am, but it's an improvement from my all-nighters from last semester. I'm getting some sleep, but not getting all my work done. My lack of sleep affects my mood and my mood in turn changes my motivation.<br /><br />Because of the design class, I've pulled so many late nighters for the group project and assignment. I've spent 14 out of the last 24 hours in that building finishing up the engineering drawings for our project. We were there from 9pm until 5am. It didn't help that a few group members were gone either out of the town for the weekend or out partying (?!?!?!) instead. I have pretty much lived in that building this semester slaving away for things that are worth so little points. I have to strive to earn as many points as I can, and at the same time not disappoint my teammates who are working just as hard.<br /><br />In these past two years, my personal standards have gone down the drain. There are entire days when I have no desire to attend lecture or discussion. Looking through my notes, my attendance was impeccable before spring break. But after the onslaught of the second wave of midterms, I had no motivation to learn. With no parent to supervise what I'm doing, it makes it easier for me to slack off. <br /><br />In high school, I was able to get so much done. I was able to participate in so much. The first thing after I got home was to watch TV and then promptly work on my math assignment. I was able to get my homework done relatively early and sleep at a decent hour around midnight or so. Granted this was partly because my mom would always check up on me to see if I was finishing up.<br /><br />In college, it is much easier because I have to look out after myself. If I am not keeping up, then I am the one falling behind. There is no person to hold my hand to make sure I finish all that I need to do. I am still learning to be more independent and find that spark to drive me through the toughest material because my response to any concepts or material relatively challenging is to give up and to come back to it which rarely happens. Those trouble spots build up and I fall more and more behind.<br /><br />My lack of interest in the classes I'm taking might be a contributing factor to my performance in the classes. Some material which I have already learned still seems foreign and new. This is a good indication that mechanical engineering or engineering in general might not be a good idea. However, a part of me wants to tough it out for just one more semester and see if things change for the better. But I need to make sure that it doesn't hurt me in the long run. There is still time this semester to improve and catch up on all that I missed. <br /><br />One more week. There is one more week for me to learn four weeks of math material and also review the rest I've already forgotten. I must push through and do well. There is still so much left to do that requires my attention like housing (which I still haven't found yet), but I must find a balance to things and manage it all. I can't let my worrying about housing get in the way of my studying. There is still time. <br /><br />Here's to the last two weeks of the school year. One week of studying and one week of exams. After that, it will be time to party...or rather get ready for summer school.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-76123677325935112872010-04-04T13:18:00.000-07:002010-04-04T13:20:00.711-07:00A Brighter FutureGreat. On the day that I plan on going into the city, it rains. Why couldn't have it rained YESTERDAY? Seriously...<br /><br />Anyways, recently I've been getting good news from many of my friends. My friend Dylan, with whom I volunteered at The Tech, is now a realtor!! He works for Prudential and has his own office. It's been a while since I spoke with him and he im-ed me on Facebook to tell me the news. To think that he's practically the same age as me and he's already working professionally while still in school( majoring in electrical engineering). Maybe I should take the test to get a realtor's license.<br /><br />And this morning, my friend Sophia im-ed to tell me that she's going to South Africa for study abroad. She had been put on the waiting list and was expectantly waiting to hear back. She was determined to go and was planning to apply through the university. I guess she found out this morning and is leaving in mid-July. How exciting!! It's hard to imagine studying and living in another US state let alone a foreign country... considering I've lived in the Bay Area my entire life, and now that I'm going to college here as well. It would be nice to have a change of environment maybe for just a couple years.<br /><br />Hearing the news from my friends make me excited for them, but at the same time disheartened for myself. I'm struggling to keep up with school and can manage little else besides school. My hope is that things will change in the near future and I'll be able to get back on track. Many important decisions are coming up. Most of them are short term, but still are very important for me.<br /><br />It's the start of a new month. And April is when I will find out whether or not I'll be able to make the next leap to a different future. But in the meantime, there are still next year's classes and housing to figure out! Here's to hoping for a brighter future!Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-34251241581296110312010-04-03T02:49:00.000-07:002010-04-03T02:59:49.150-07:00American Idiot Changes: Berkeley Rep vs. Broadway<div style="text-align: left; ">American Idiot began previews on Broadway a week and a half ago to a fairly strong attendance (76.8% capacity for the first five performances). Let's hope it will continue strong all throughout previews and after opening night April 20th. There have been a few changes that I've noticed between the run on Berkeley Rep and its current state on Broadway. I've listed the ones I've noticed below:</div><br />1. <b>American Idiot</b> - they changed the parts for the beginning. Johnny doesn't sing the first few lines.<br />2. Johnny’s monologues are now shared by Will and Tunny. (For the most part.)<br />3. Dates have been added at the beginning of each monologue. I don't like the addition of the dates before each monologue...maybe it'll grown on me, but it just seems unnecessary.<br />4. <b>Tales of Another Broken Home</b> - addition of drum solo + guitar<br />5. <b>Last Night on Earth</b> – Didn’t notice any changes! So glad because it's one of my favorite songs from the show.<br />6. <b>Boulevard of Broken Dreams</b> – Tunny (I think) sing/repeats “City of the damned” a few times at the end of the song when it transitions to "Favorite Son"<br />7. <b>Last of the American Girls/She's a Rebel</b> - The creative team have had some trouble perfecting this scene/song. There have been numerous changes throughout the run at Berkeley with a late addition of Last of the American Girls a week before closing. According to various tweets from cast members on April 1st (April Fools joke?) that a new version went into the show that night.<br />8. <b>Rock and Roll Girlfriend</b> - Will exclaims "What the fuck?" (I'm assuming when Heather enters. It's a nice addition. - According to a friend, Heather and Miguel's character come out in a black box representing a TV set and he uses Heather as an instrument.)<br />9. Otherwise, nothing else has changed musically that I could notice. Most of harmonies and orchestrations have stayed.<br />10. <b>Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)</b> - Song was added after curtain call during the last week and a half of the run at Berkeley Rep. It seems like it isn't included anymore.<br /><br />Only 17 days until opening night!<div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPU4nisrr5G_2sTdOyvjUIYf9-Ft3cnmrMqBylAGtaRyLzhewOJ1FXqAiFUhhIf-hHdijidwJ9fTGduto2doJJ9lZU_V_Elvmbw9KMwWHXe3EbloMcViaZYtBx2QRD3tt0_jOI5u6jFg0/s1600/american-idiot-sf-2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPU4nisrr5G_2sTdOyvjUIYf9-Ft3cnmrMqBylAGtaRyLzhewOJ1FXqAiFUhhIf-hHdijidwJ9fTGduto2doJJ9lZU_V_Elvmbw9KMwWHXe3EbloMcViaZYtBx2QRD3tt0_jOI5u6jFg0/s320/american-idiot-sf-2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455848698842549442" /></a></div>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-80340711727030252562010-03-24T15:33:00.000-07:002010-03-24T15:33:46.602-07:00Another Californian AdventureIt's been a while since I last changed the photo of the header. In celebration of Disney's California Adventure's expansion, I decided it would be fitting to change it to a photo of the front entrance which will eventually be gone (around October/November of this year) to make way for the new entrance. The concept art is below. The concept is turn Sunshine Plaza into Buena Vista Street and to evoke Los Angeles as Walt Disney saw it when he arrived in California in the early 1920's. There will also be a 1920-style red trolley traveling through Buena Vista Street and Hollywoodland (current Hollywood Picture Backlot). Be sure to catch the current entrance before it disappears in October!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://adisneyland.disney.go.com/media/dlr_v0200/en_US/blueskycellar/media/3-DCAEntrance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://adisneyland.disney.go.com/media/dlr_v0200/en_US/blueskycellar/media/3-DCAEntrance.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-55980280114772232972010-03-23T14:14:00.000-07:002010-03-23T14:15:36.699-07:00American Idiot Sound CheckThe 'Idiot Interns' posted a <a href="http://www.twitvid.com/F911E">video</a> of the opening number of American Idiot from today's sound check. The show starts previews tomorrow (March 24th) and opens April 20th at the St. Jame's Theatre. According to Playbill's twitter account, they are allowing filming and photo taking during the invited performance. I've noticed a few differences from the Berkeley run:<br /><div><ul><li>Lighting has changed drastically...it's been amped up and now more colorful</li><li>Johnny no longer sings the opening lines from the song</li><li>Will, Tunny, and Johnny are no longer watching individual TV sets. Rather, they're facing the back wall</li><li>Slight costumes changes -- Brian Charles Johnson now wears a red shirt</li><li>TV placement on the back wall seems similar</li><li>No major changes in choreography or blocking</li></ul><div><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.twitvid.com/player/F911E"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.twitvid.com/player/F911E" quality="high" allowscriptaccess="always" allowNetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" height="344" width="425"></object></div></div></embed>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-46741026619127310592010-03-13T11:52:00.000-08:002010-03-13T11:52:48.658-08:00WondermazementThrough my Twitter feed, I am always finding random, hilarious, weird, interesting content. There was no way to collect these things in case I wanted to refer back to it. Thus, <a href="http://wondermazement.tumblr.com/">Wondermazement</a> was created. I try to update from time to time, but it all depends on how often I find stuff to post.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-83861958128215595252010-03-09T04:47:00.000-08:002010-03-23T14:18:32.519-07:00One of Those NightsTonight is one of those that I feel like staying up. The coffee might have contributed to my alertness and I have been fairly productive. This semester has been a drastic change from the previous one...seldom am I pulling all-nighters and rushing to finish assignments. Now, my body just shuts down on me and I fall instantly asleep. How convenient. This has contributed to more than one incomplete assignment, mostly those for programming.<br /><br />Matlab (programming in general, rather) is not any easier the second time around. I still have trouble grasping various concepts such as recursion and least squares regression. Programming is basically conceptual math and physics. We have to spend countless hours writing functions that calculate fairly simple tasks such as matrix multiplication and solving linear equations. It just does not interest me whatsoever. At least now I know I hate two things with a burning passion: organic chemistry and now programming. At least my engineering graphics design class is somewhat fun.<br /><br />On a different note, I haven't been very successful in keeping with my New Year's goals/resolutions. My plan was to work out at least once every two weeks...at the time it seemed like a practical goal. Even then, I haven't exercised once since the new year began. In the past, I've been fairly good with keeping up with my goals, but after entering college, I have been much lazier. I would much rather watch a TV show or movie for hours on end than spend just 15 minutes running. My lack of motivation is also very evident in this very blog. Posts are few and far between. This is all going to change (I hope). I will try to update more often and start exercising...soon.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-47086055068279503962010-02-01T17:49:00.000-08:002010-02-01T17:49:18.217-08:00Up and comingA post is long over due...it's been more than three months since my last one. Time has been passing by and I haven't been able to record it all...a whirlwind of thoughts linger in my mind, with no where to go.Without writing them down, they are all lost among a sea of memories.<br />
<br />
Soon...Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-5733772376965013922009-10-23T05:07:00.000-07:002010-03-23T14:19:38.986-07:00RecursionYet another late night and my third update in less than 36 hours. Like every other all nighter I've pulled this semester (which is literally every other day), I am at a dead end trying to figure out the correct coding for my programming assignment... For my programming class, we are assigned an assignment each week which contains problems where we have to code to perform a certain task/function. These packets with the prompts are getting thicker...let's take a tally shall we?<br /><br />Assignment #1<br />Assigned: August 31st, Due: September 11th<br />(11 days)<br />Pages: 5<br /><br />Assignment #2<br />Assigned: September 11th, Due: September 18th<br />(7 days)<br />Pages: 6<br /><br />Assignment #3<br />Assigned: September 18th, Due: September 25th<br />(7 days)<br />Pages: 10<br /><br />Assignment #4<br />Assigned: September 25th, Due: October 2nd<br />(7 days)<br />Pages: 9<br /><br />Assignment #5<br />Assigned: October 2nd, Due: October 14th<br />(12 days)<br />Pages: 10<br /><br />Assignment #6<br />Assigned: October 16th, Due: October 25th<br />(7 days)<br />Pages: 18<br /><br />If you couldn't tell, we are assigned a new assignment the day our previous one is due. These assignments haven't gotten any easier and at the same time, they are getting longer and longer (for the most part). It is a guarantee that at least forty-eight hours leading up to the due date, I get no sleep. My next one is due in seven hours yet I have barely finished a few problems. One of the parts deals with recursive functions, which are functions that call itself (in a loop). It is trial and error. If one command does not work, then try one after another. Essentially if you don't use the right commands, you could be going at it for hours on end to no avail...that is happening to me right now.<br /><br />It doesn't help me that I had to turn in the past two assignments for this class incomplete...there are only seven weeks or so in the semester and I am struggling in all three of my technical courses...looks like I really need to pick up the game and get some help...some sleep would be nice.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-41528813483827326592009-10-22T16:32:00.000-07:002009-10-22T16:49:00.381-07:00Death and TaxesToday is a big day for me; after much hesitation and struggle, I finally declared my minor in Theater & Performance Studies! For a long time, a part of me was conflicted in minoring in theater and also not falling behind in the classes I need to take for my major. Since the year started, I have a lot to consider and to think through in regards to academics, the ideal career, life, and certain personal issues.<br />
<br />
This past weekend, I visited home for the first time after the second week of school; for the most part, it was good to see my parents again. I finally brought up the idea of minoring in theater to my parents. Suprisingly, they were somewhat receptive to the idea. Both of them mentioned that I should minor if I am interested, but also make sure to keep up with schoolwork. In addition, my mom added that although she is fine with me minoring, I can't major in theater, reasoning that I wouldn't be able to make money<br />
<br />
I don't completely agree with her. A career shouldn't solely be about money; it should also be something one is passionate about. The key is to find the balance between following a passion and also having a well-paid job. As long as I'm not starving and going into poverty, I should be able to pursue what I want even if it isn't a high-paying job. For the most part, money isn't the key to happiness. It can definitely help with being happy, but it is also the cause of problems and arguments.<br />
<br />
So my compromise is to major in engineering (pursuing a job as an Imagineer, I hope) and to minor in theater. That way, I can follow my interests in acting and not completely drown in the depths of science, math, and technology. It's only the first day...we'll see how everything turns out...<br />
<br />
But in regards to the minor, I have shown some dismay with the department. I feel that they try to be too "innovative" and "cutting edge" and ends up failing in what it sets out to be. There isn't much variety in the styles of pieces which in turns shuts out a lot of possibility and appreciation for theater. More popular plays and musicals are never produced here on campus by the department. Because of this focus on this mindset of being innvoative, it draws on selected few who will take the effort to explore this theater. Thus, the appreciation for the arts and theater of campus is very selective. Very few people know about the department or choose to see shows. Let's hope my views of TDPS will change sometime in the next two and a half years and that I will end up eventually embracing theater on campus.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-54452076279924949622009-10-21T21:15:00.000-07:002009-10-21T21:16:18.789-07:00My Current PlaylistSongs I absolutely CAN'T stop listening to....these five songs have been on my playlist and on endless repeat for the last three weeks or more...I have been recommending "Somebody to Love" to everyone.<br />
<br />
1. Keep Holding On<br />
2. Somebody to Love<br />
3. It's My Life/Confessions, Part II<br />
4. Halo/Walking on Sunshine<br />
5. No Air<br />
<br />
All by Glee Cast. The soundtrack (volume 1 -- five in total) will be out November 2nd. I have yet to pre-order it, which contains select songs from this first season. SO EXCITED to get it. Without a doubt, I will be listening to it on endless looping repeat.<br />
<br />
More than one person has referred to the GLEE-ified versions of the songs as similar to "Kidz Bop". Quite the contrary. Well, I guess to give them credit, there is the similarity of both having an ensemble singing group, but the GLEE versions re-invent the songs and keep them upbeat, unlike "Kidz Bop". By the way, have you seen the music videos?? They are HORRENDOUS...it is literally kids in front of a green screen jumping around and doing motions...<br />
<br />
There are plans for a music tour with the cast. If that happens, I AM THERE! -- no question about it. I'll probably be the sole college guy amongst a group of tweens. Whatever... In addition, Jonathan Groff will be starring in at least five episodes and Joss Whedon will be directing an upcoming episode!<br />
<br />
Catch it every Wednesday 9/8c on FOX. I know, I sound like a commercial.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-43935013267971520122009-10-18T21:46:00.000-07:002009-10-18T21:49:21.226-07:00The Next Big One<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Bay_Bridge_collapse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Bay_Bridge_collapse.jpg" width="213" /></a>On October 17, 1989 at 5:04pm, a slip along the San Andrea fault in the Santa Cruz Mountains caused a fateful 6.9 earthquake that would be remembered for years to come. There were 57 deaths as a direct result of the quake and thousands of injuries. The most deaths occurred on the Nimitz Freeway (Interstate-880) where the upper deck collapsed on the lower, killing 42 people. In addition, a 50-foot long section of the Bay Bridge collapsed resulting in one fatality. An estimated $6 billion of damages occurred, which at the time was the most expensive natural disaster in the history of the United States.<br /><br />As the 10th anniversary of the Loma Prieta quake passes, let us remember the deaths that occurred as a result. And with the next big one's imminent arrival, be prepared so we can minimize the damages and respond accordingly.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-54306984367047188012009-09-21T02:37:00.000-07:002009-09-21T02:37:12.004-07:00Long and boringI have discovered that I seldom post on here; entries are separated my three or more week gaps. And when I do take the effort to write, my posts are long and lacking substance. My guess is that no one reads this blog...but why do I post on here? As I have said before, it's a way to gather my thoughts...and fantasize about my ideal life in an indirect way.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-11036051666837949352009-09-21T02:32:00.000-07:002009-09-21T02:32:47.182-07:00Lack thereofThe semester started nearly a month ago (and the rest of the UCs only start this week). Since then, school/academics has been keeping me busy. I am taking 16 units with three technical courses (physics, electronics, programming) and one humanities course. So far, the pace is manageable, but after the first midterm, everything will start picking up. It is bad enough having a physics problem set AND program coding both due on Friday. With that, a problem set for electronics is due every two weeks or so. Thus, I need to manage my time carefully.<div><br />
</div><div>With the organizations I have already joined, I had to re-evaluate my participation in each. This semester, even though it was a tough decision, I am putting Men's Chorale on hold. Mondays are busy enough with two labs and a total of eight hours of class from 9am to 8pm. It would be hard to fit rehearsal in the one-hour slot I have between physics lab and electronics lab. Besides, with my course load, I might not even be able to attend concerts, performances, gigs, etc.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Luckily, the requirements for Rally Comm and Rotaract are minimal. For the most part, I can participate as much as time allows. I have gone to one out of two football games...and I have yet to attend a volleyball game. Our team has been doing well, winning five consecutive matches thus far. The requirements for Rally Comm are the Homecoming and Bonfire Rallies while Rotaract requires two events per semester to be active. For now, I'll fulfill the minimum and do more as I have time.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The only time cruncher is Barestage. This semester I am part of the public relations committee. As of now, there are four of us altogether; a few more might be joining our team. Our task is to actively promote our group as well as upcoming auditions/productions to the campus. There are quite a few people to share the work, but it still requires my active participation with flyering and such. In addition, I'm marketing director for Brighton Beach Memoirs. Unfortunately, I won't be auditioning for any productions this semester. But I hope I will be able to next semester for Into the Woods. </div><div><br />
</div><div>For now, I just need to get through this semester. My lack of motivation isn't helping me with getting things done. It has gotten to the point where I will waste my time away doing nothing productive, which then adversely affects my academic performance. This became apparent while doing MasteringPhysics, an online program for physics problems. I ran out of time and hastily turned in the problem set somewhat completed. Because of my procrastination, I was pressed for time and did not have enough time to work out the problems myself. Each week I tell myself to start working and studying earlier, but it never happens. I know that if I don't pick things up, it will come back and get me.</div><div><br />
</div><div>It's getting late...around 2:30am. Must get back to work and figure out my problem set for electronics. This class has me going around in circles. I am having such a hard time understanding the concepts...it's taking me such a long time to learn the material, yet I avoid doing the homework by going on the computer...it's gonna be a long night...</div>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-81655300177390813552009-08-29T01:19:00.000-07:002009-08-29T01:25:06.716-07:00Back at BerkeleyA month has passed since my last post. Time sure does fly. So much has happened since then; the most significant being the start of a new academic year. As mentioned in my previous posts, summer was spent back in Berkeley taking summer classes, most specifically, organic chemistry. It has been a tough battle, but I was victorious the second time around. I used knowledge from the first encounter to my benefit, so it was slightly easier the second time around. Especially since the professor whittled down the material to the basics.<br />
<br />
Anyways, I have been back in Berkeley for a week now. This year, I am living in campus housing: a double in Unit 2 Griffiths. The living conditions haven't been too shabby. My bed is currently lofted (it was like that when I got there), but I am most likely unlofting it. I am paranoid of injuring myself while climbing up and down to my bed when I am half-awake or half-asleep. Still need to talk to my roommate about that. And things are going pretty well with my roommate. He's fairly quiet. This past week, I've been so extremely busy with Welcome Week events, so I haven't been in the room all that much. I feel really bad for leaving him and not interacting with him much. This will change after this week is over. I hope.<br />
<br />
This year, there is still empty space left in my closet and drawers! I've learned my lesson from last year and minimized what I brought to school. Let's hope it stays this way and I don't accumulate too much more stuff. It set me aback when moving out that I filled the entire Honda Odyssey with stuff from my dorm room. There was no free space besides a seat for the driver and a passenger. I am NOT going to let that happen again. This is just one of MANY things I learned from my experience at Berkeley this past year.<br />
<br />
This year, I am looking forward to:<br />
<div><ul><li>more food options (not necessarily BETTER food though)</li>
<li>using my meal points to get Peet's</li>
<li>meeting my floor mates and hopefully getting along with them</li>
<li>Theater 119: Asian/American Performance Across Media!<br />
</li>
<li>taking more courses for my Acting and Performance Studies minor</li>
<li>my technical courses (even though they're not THAT interesting, my professors seem to know what they're doing)</li>
</ul><div>Things to be missed:</div><div><ul><li>late night at Foothill (still haven't tried steak plate)</li>
<li>an ice machine, especially on hot days</li>
</ul></div></div><div>On the other hand, there are things not to be missed:</div><div><ul><li>long treks up many flights of stairs, to and from Foothill to class, meetings, and any other event</li>
<li>the lack of food options on North side (Foothill area)</li>
<li>crappy food at Foothill</li>
</ul><div>There is probably much more I'm missing on these lists...forgive me. I still need to finalize my class schedule for this semester. It depends on the lone class that I'm wait listed for. Once I get off the waiting list, everything will fall into place. For once, I am looking forward to taking my technical courses because all of my professors seem like they know what they're doing. In addition, they're all fairly interesting, especially my Asian/American Performance professor/class. In development...</div></div>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-77864851576843440402009-07-25T23:32:00.000-07:002009-07-25T23:59:59.685-07:00Just saying......ochem is still in the pain in the ass. Can't wait to be over and done with it. The next exam is on Wednesday. Now, I'm slowly working my way through the material and hoping to understand it. Everything has mixed into this giant melting pot of reactions which I'm hoping will sort itself out (with some effort) in the next day or two.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-77892546275410496572009-07-18T18:24:00.000-07:002009-07-25T23:59:38.761-07:00An Unexpected WarningThis past week I received a letter, but I did not personally receive it. Rather, it was forwarded to me by my dad. I wasn’t expecting to receive this letter and surely, this was not the manner I wanted to learn of it. The content of the letter shook me and this was the first time I understood the severity of the situation. Who knew that this could be happening to me?<br /><br />This past year has been rough; it has been a whirlwind of a ride. College wasn’t all that it turned out to be. During the application process, I wanted to be over with it and get into a college. There was a lot of pressure from parents as well as myself to do well and I did not want to disappoint them. I was naïve in thinking that once I got into college, things would fall nicely into place.<br /><br />I had always been hesitant to come to UC Berkeley in the first place; a part of me wanted to be far away from home in a different place, to start from a clean slate. A school where I wouldn’t constantly be followed by shadows from my past. In high school, everyone had known each other for so many years starting from middle school and even from elementary school. I felt like I had to conform to a mold that already had been laid out for me. There was no room to expand or grow and I was hoping to start over in college. However, it was difficult being so close to home (being only an hour away) and at the same time surrounded by so many peers from high school.<br /><br />First semester consisted of weekly outings to San Francisco, my sole outlet to turn to whenever I needed to escape the frustrations of Berkeley. There was the occasional phone call to friends from high school, but that could only help to a certain extent. I joined several groups in hopes of making friends, but the effort was fickle. Luckily, the musical Spring Awakening was in the city and it was the one thing to keep my going. During the run of the musical here, I attended many performances to keep myself motivated. I barely got by in the fall and hoped that the following semester would be a little easier after the past several months of biting my way through courses.<br /><br />Throughout the semester, I had second doubts of continuing with Bioengineering. A part of me enjoyed the biology aspect; a part of me enjoyed the technical aspect of engineering. However, I wasn’t so sure I enjoyed it as much when the two sides collided. When it came to choose classes for the spring, I decided to venture away from technical courses and explore the humanities to give myself time to decide.<br /><br />January came and spring semester began. I was dead wrong in thinking that things would be any easier. Towards the beginning of the semester, a part of me was hoping for some change. Change came before I could even realize it. It all happened so fast; things started and ended quickly. It was a growing experience for me. During that time, there was a lot of exploration of myself and who I really was. Some issues had never come up before and I was left there trying to piece things together. There was a lot to consider and was an emotional time for me. A lot of questions left unanswered. I know I’m being vague, but it’s difficult to find the right words.<br /><br />I tried to pick myself back up and had the musical to keep my mind busy. It took me a while to move on, but I had little time to dwell on all that had happened. However, during this time, I had met new people. A lot of new people. Little did I know that there would be one person out of many that I would ultimately turn to and that I would encounter another person along the way.<br /><br />This semester, even though I was taking a lighter course load, for some reason, I was having even more difficulty than before which became more apparent as the semester went on. Classes were too much to handle even though I was taking several classes P/NP. Organic chemistry was a constant struggle. There was so much material to learn and I had no time at all. I also got cast in the musical, City of Angels, and rehearsals consumed a large chunk of time, especially towards the end of the semester. But it was my way to get through organic chemistry, my way of escaping the reality. I knew that I was falling fast. Sooner or later I would hit the ground. And it came by means of the letter.<br /><br />After many rough nights with the help of my two friends, I somehow made it through the semester. I don’t know what I would have done without them. Many times I didn’t know where to turn, and I have had to rely on them to keep me going. I am very grateful that they have been very accepting and letting me be apart of their lives. There have been so many fun and interesting times getting to hang out with them. This summer would not have been the same if it weren’t for them. I constantly feel bad because I feel like I’m intruding on their live. There is so much more that I want to say, but can’t express myself properly in words.<br /><br />If I want to continue on at UC Berkeley, I know that changes have to be made. I will need to get my priorities straightened out. Time management will be very important as well. I will need to find the balance between academics and life, making sure I do well in courses, but also setting time aside to be with friends. This upcoming semester will be crucial since my performance will ultimately decide the outcome. I disappointed many people along the way, including people very close to me. This shouldn’t have happened and I know things could have be different. I need to put the pieces back together and work harder. There are still many decisions left to be made, many questions left to be answered. It won’t get any easier, but I am determined to navigate my way out of this difficult situation.<br /><br />I know this post probably made no sense at all, but this is my way of gathering my thoughts.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-60269775852532519112009-07-12T00:59:00.000-07:002009-07-12T00:59:26.369-07:00Luck of the DrawLast Wednesday after finishing up my ochem midterm, I decided to trek it over to the city and take the day off. I thought I might as well lotto for Wicked since I would already be around the area. Promptly at 5:30pm (since it was an 8pm show), I headed over to the theater, got my slip of paper and filled it out. All this time, I was on the phone with my friend Christina, informing her of what was happening. (She had won the lotto a week and a half earlier.) I placed my slip in the box and lingered until 6pm rolled around.<br />
<br />
The time came and the usher drew out the names one by one, pausing for several minutes in between each pick. The lucky people bought two tickets each and soon only single seats were left. Many people refused the single seats because they wanted to sit next to their friends and family, but I didn't mind. It gave me one more chance of winning. All of a sudden, I heard the usher call my name. Christina had told me to let her know if I won. Without thinking, I yelled out "I WON THE LOTTO!" and jumped up and down to some laughter and chuckle, but I didn't care. This was my first time lotto-ing and I had won!! My mind was totally unprepared since I wasn't expecting to win the lotto. I paid my $25 and received my ticket. It was mind boggling to think that I would be watching the show that night. Most of my friends had all seen the show the previous weekend because of the July 4th discount, and this was my chance. I had seen the show for the first time back in March with my two friends.<br />
<br />
The show was still spectacular the second time around. My seat was L 21 in the side orchestra. I wasn't able to see the action in upstage right, but then again, not much action occurs in that area. This time I saw the Teal Wicks as Elphaba and Glinda standby, Natalie Daradich in the lead roles. Last time it was Kendra Kassebaum and Vicki Noon. In addition, the understudies went on for Madame Morrible (Fiama Fricano) and midwife (Laura Dysarczyck). I like how Natalie has a higher voice than Kendra, but Kendra's a little more perky and "blonde" as Glinda. Teal was a great Elphaba; she has a fantastic voice, but I prefer Vicki. I don't know if it's because I saw Vicki as Elphaba first...<br />
<br />
After both our experiences lotto-ing, Christina and I came to the conclusion that there's a phenomenon known as "solo luck". She lotto-ed for many times in groups for Wicked, but never won. However, the one time that she lottos out of the blue by herself, she wins. The same thing happened for me; I lotto-ed without any plans in mind and happened to win. So we think that there is a force or luck that helps you win when you go alone. This is just our speculation, but I don't know how well our theory holds up. :)<br />
<br />
Did I mention that I received a button that says "I won the WICKED lottery!" for winning the lotto?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bfAVhm7ByFKAzaoH3EqCy4uvHLHI9DlzQbVoS7syocqunODvJ7h4F_ucpV6Zt6zYe7JBKk8P3O686HeRpRmFNkLICb6XpNmbJYtmcvCQ3ct1oV6qjUbGhVFZ0WHSvEEDhYt0oTaGZuc/s1600-h/IMG_1328.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bfAVhm7ByFKAzaoH3EqCy4uvHLHI9DlzQbVoS7syocqunODvJ7h4F_ucpV6Zt6zYe7JBKk8P3O686HeRpRmFNkLICb6XpNmbJYtmcvCQ3ct1oV6qjUbGhVFZ0WHSvEEDhYt0oTaGZuc/s320/IMG_1328.JPG" /></a></div>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com1Civic Center, San Francisco, CA, USA37.777981369914208 -122.415900081396137.777848869914209 -122.41612808139611 37.778113869914208 -122.4156720813961tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-46369083630544139542009-06-22T23:34:00.000-07:002009-06-22T23:34:27.048-07:00Success!Who knew five weeks would pass by so quickly? In a blink of an eye, I am back in Berkeley taking summer classes. Luckily, the apartment I'm staying at is in a great location on north side of campus.<br />
<br />
I survived my first day of ochem lecture and ochem lab. Only eight more weeks to go! This is my attempt to look at this situation in a positive attitude so I'll be able to get survive the next two months. The first exam is in two weeks from Wednesday. The second one is three weeks after that and the last exam is another three weeks later.<br />
<br />
For some odd reason, I'm looking forward to spending the summer here at Berkeley, mainly because I have such great friends that make life much more enjoyable. A quick trip to IKEA turns into an excursion looking for decorative items. Yes, my two friends spent over $100 on decorations for their new apartment. A fifth of that was spent on wall stickers. Only they can manage to do such a thing. :D<br />
<br />
After summer session is over, I have one week to recuperate and prepare to move back up for the fall semester. Here's to the next eight weeks!Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-78190583683791880542009-06-16T02:06:00.000-07:002009-06-16T02:19:32.151-07:00The Last WeekThis is my last week of summer since I start summer classes at Berkeley next Monday. So I've been rushing around trying to accomplish things before I leave like cooking, running errands, doing last minute shopping, etc.<br /><br />On Sunday, I went to the Santa Clara International Invitational to see Michael Phelps and other Olympians. Kirsty Coventry, Ryan Lochte, and many Cal swimmers were competing as well. Two big security guards followed Michael Phelps wherever he went. There were rumors that he would sign autographs, but unfortunately did not. They didn't even allow cameras around him, so we ended up taking photos from behind the fence. In addition, from what we heard, people don't have a very good impression of him.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX81cdjX4RpOV2cWIh-4xK21oWIwvWKmrrLJEhqCsr2TKccBk7Vs4puAH622l5w-DsLH6QaHCNsusY-rRl1zjbHXv8fxzHcsTwm9P0_4MkYh04jzv0tAWxZaDJ7dCZz-FhS943R-fhVMg/s1600-h/IMG_1221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX81cdjX4RpOV2cWIh-4xK21oWIwvWKmrrLJEhqCsr2TKccBk7Vs4puAH622l5w-DsLH6QaHCNsusY-rRl1zjbHXv8fxzHcsTwm9P0_4MkYh04jzv0tAWxZaDJ7dCZz-FhS943R-fhVMg/s320/IMG_1221.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Kirsty Conventry, Zimbabwean Olympic gold-medalist in 200m backstroke (world record holder)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWeG-gzk6isQjkQRHkW3jXRBd5A-U6LvrMdPV6UQqbwUFeE7NlbhaSSCYYYT2jLXJFIL9lMWBtIgIe7p2wvWP8Ch5EGHEeqtoylqMEOm4shGuS8y2EICykzQ1Tv_S9lY-oOfUSInzSG6k/s1600-h/IMG_1234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWeG-gzk6isQjkQRHkW3jXRBd5A-U6LvrMdPV6UQqbwUFeE7NlbhaSSCYYYT2jLXJFIL9lMWBtIgIe7p2wvWP8Ch5EGHEeqtoylqMEOm4shGuS8y2EICykzQ1Tv_S9lY-oOfUSInzSG6k/s320/IMG_1234.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">400m backstroke - Michael Phelps is in Lane 6, the one with the white swimcap</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5gzs7oF_K8O_TqOE_1pRD-qaSuqfcM-QYjL0rjRLfIdkABwCRbfqISSW7RVnlsD_XF-9jbMn_a5FbmF8iJoLtgJl27lC-G_1OwkRyl2mDOBy7EaKiX4lQQPxUTzO8EO7Zh4KGl1Fa9g/s1600-h/IMG_1241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5gzs7oF_K8O_TqOE_1pRD-qaSuqfcM-QYjL0rjRLfIdkABwCRbfqISSW7RVnlsD_XF-9jbMn_a5FbmF8iJoLtgJl27lC-G_1OwkRyl2mDOBy7EaKiX4lQQPxUTzO8EO7Zh4KGl1Fa9g/s320/IMG_1241.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ryan Lochte doing an interview afterwinning the 400m backstroke</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96kyEQ0JTpQwJ2lvOeLHEpHO7u4Md17X548Gj72ewlLqkeCPnOwB2yH6pWF3NfzjJfhPQVAubEnGaQeXeOYoHCdvbkVdS5Dm8c1jCDuSF1l6OOyGn5SdK0E_XNPsXZg90AsLA5EyE4OA/s1600-h/IMG_1249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96kyEQ0JTpQwJ2lvOeLHEpHO7u4Md17X548Gj72ewlLqkeCPnOwB2yH6pWF3NfzjJfhPQVAubEnGaQeXeOYoHCdvbkVdS5Dm8c1jCDuSF1l6OOyGn5SdK0E_XNPsXZg90AsLA5EyE4OA/s320/IMG_1249.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Michael Phelps getting checked</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTSPhHdYt2qobiU8XBR2MCFMXjKM1oXBrleM1K-86Srfv3V9wi-X4rQIK1K-b2Bh2rFmj41tol10uwbTf1qO78Y0R3hl_yueM51zaNtEtEXQ60XjVTnzBQGXbkfuIoDgUOhFJVnVvxZk/s1600-h/IMG_1253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZTSPhHdYt2qobiU8XBR2MCFMXjKM1oXBrleM1K-86Srfv3V9wi-X4rQIK1K-b2Bh2rFmj41tol10uwbTf1qO78Y0R3hl_yueM51zaNtEtEXQ60XjVTnzBQGXbkfuIoDgUOhFJVnVvxZk/s320/IMG_1253.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cal swimmers - GO BEARS!</div><br />Since summer started, I've been meaning to cook, but have been too lazy. However, today for dinner, I made Italian Baked Chicken with Rotini. This was adapted from Giada De Laurentiis' recipe, Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina, that I found on Food Network's database. The dish turned out very successful and tasted very good too. Hopefully I'll be able to do more cooking in the next couple of days.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEQuVNbVmNiiAySftzjb8_zfP89Numw-NtgyPaIL4tTcZJjFcCN6s_LjWk2EHa6M1w71g-EYjSuIjeixL4UqYJtLGX4CsUlib9DnsZ_YIBe8otJ3G8WvuS_Ki52uRY8FMgd7f8PKVeQ0/s1600-h/IMG_1258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaEQuVNbVmNiiAySftzjb8_zfP89Numw-NtgyPaIL4tTcZJjFcCN6s_LjWk2EHa6M1w71g-EYjSuIjeixL4UqYJtLGX4CsUlib9DnsZ_YIBe8otJ3G8WvuS_Ki52uRY8FMgd7f8PKVeQ0/s320/IMG_1258.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD8j2D8OUWTIVNTS5XceH4NZy3BQfv8sXEtktU_TxzBfaHW1fa0gtQJNZ7tXSff5U724n1VS5EPuVZ5XjLy3jG9B0ibf4PvfF3uaYPEZtR99psu4ZIOaXLi2JmNaBGL-gdtWtniTLLe-c/s1600-h/IMG_1269.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD8j2D8OUWTIVNTS5XceH4NZy3BQfv8sXEtktU_TxzBfaHW1fa0gtQJNZ7tXSff5U724n1VS5EPuVZ5XjLy3jG9B0ibf4PvfF3uaYPEZtR99psu4ZIOaXLi2JmNaBGL-gdtWtniTLLe-c/s320/IMG_1269.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm heading up Friday evening/night. There is still things left to do. Laundry needs to be washed; my clothes need to packed once they're washed. Finish packing my possessions to bring up. This time I am limiting myself and bringing much less than what I brought back home. Let's hope I don't fill up another van moving back at the end of the summer.</div>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673339666018432018.post-12567685897396432742009-06-14T02:06:00.000-07:002009-06-14T02:16:04.856-07:00And All Shall Know the Wonder (Again)A few days ago, to my surprise, I found out that SPRING AWAKENING IS COMING TO SAN JOSE! Something that I did not think was possible is now coming true!! It is coming to the Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown San Jose from October 28th to November 1st. I am definitely going to see it when it comes.<br /><br />After AMTSJ closed its doors last year, I thought that it would take a while for musicals to return to San Jose. But I did not have to wait for long! Luckily, the Nederlander Organization worked with Team San Jose to bring Broadway tours to the city. The organization operates theaters in New York City, San Diego, Los Angeles, and many other cities across the nation. The inaugural season includes MONTY PYTHON'S SPAMALOT, SPRING AWAKENING, RIVERDANCE, AVENUE Q, and LEGALLY BLONDE. Although the shows will only be playing for a week each, it is a start and I am hoping that attendance and demand will increase thus resulting in longer stays.<br /><br />Because of the rarity of Broadway tours in San Jose and the closure of AMT, my hopes of Spring Awakening coming to San Jose, let alone Bay Area, were slim. After I learned about this news, I called all my friends to notify them of the good news and to hopefully bring them along.Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03672273881375115856noreply@blogger.com0