NYC: What's next...?

The return to New York City draws ever nearer as the hours, minutes, seconds tick closer to my departure from home.  While I am excited about returning to the Big Apple, it also dawns on me some of the biggest decisions of my life. Well, I'm not sure if they are that huge, but right now, it seems that way. 

Most of these decisions surround my career path in public relations.  I have so many opportunities unfolding in front of me, particularly in the realm of internships, but I'm worried about taking the wrong step or going in the wrong direction.  I'm not sure if this is even possible in this industry, especially in NYC, but that's the thing - the whole uncertainty of the situation as well as making the decision without advisory, worries me.

I'm so accustomed to talking to someone through my decisions.  It reassures me that I'm making the right decision. Yes, I know I have talked to several close friends about this situation and many of them have been very supportive (thank you!).  However, these decisions still rest on my shoulders.  It's not a team effort; it's mine.

I guess this comes with living in the "real" world.  It's time to make your own decisions and hope for the best.

I know wherever I go, it'll hopefully be a rewarding experience and hopefully have both short term as well as long term benefits for my career path.

The song "Firework" by Katy Perry has been pretty inspirational!  It just makes me feel good. It makes me think that with whatever choice I make, I will be amazing because I believed and trusted in myself in making this decision.

 

Wish me luck. Decision day is coming soon...

P.S. Speaking of internships, I know I mentioned before I'm an intern for the City Parks Foundation, which hosts community building events through the parks in all five boroughs. This internship is pretty amazing because it is a good fit for me as an event planner. Things somewhat overlap from my CPB experience, but I really enjoying learning new things every day.  It also gives a different perspective of event planning since it's mostly about publicizing the events and such.  In addition, it's really neat having an internship in Central Park. It's kinda chilly on those brisk fall mornings, especially now as the temperature drops, but it's lovely seeing the scenery...

Lovely fall colors in Central Park (Nov. 2010)

The Arsenal - it kinda looks like I work in a castle. SWEET! :D

HOME {sweet} HOME!

That's right. After a solid three months in New York City, I decided to come home for a sweet little visit between the holidays.  It's a bummer not being here for the actual holidays, but I'm glad to see my family during the holiday season.  I definitely did not want a repeat of last year's stunt where I spent every break in Portland; okay, that was only a four month hiatus away from my family.  It's just weird not traveling for more than three to four months for me.  I like to travel and be on the move, in case you couldn't tell. haha

Anyway, home is such a different pace compared to New York. I felt like I was always on the run there; everything is super fast-paced.  Back home, I'm chill and just relaxed.  Enjoying home-cooked meals, wi-fi internet, and cable television all in the comforts of home.  Seriously, I barely leave the house unless I really need to.

I'm excited to be baking again. We made some sugar cookies today. Pretty basic stuff with the Pilsbury holiday sugar cookies.  They look like little coins when you put them on the cookie sheet. So tasty though! :)

I'm ready to bake some chocolate chip cookies too. YUM! :D

Also, it's a good 30 degrees warmer here, so there's no need for heavy winter coats and tons of layers plus gloves, scarves and hats.

However, this little break ends in a couple days. I wish I made this trip longer, but I don't want to get too comfortable.  I have to return to NYC to continue following my dreams and making them come true. :)

NYC: Milestones

Alright, it has been a really long time since I've last updated, but honestly, I have been super busy with work and my internship (yeah, forgot to write a post about that).

But yeah, here's some quick milestones that have happened while in NYC.

October 5 - I started my internship with the City Parks Foundation.  It reminds me of CPB but for parks.  It's all about building community through events and activities in the parks located in the five boroughs.  It's been good so far. I'm excited about working on the project to promote the "Three Bears Holiday Bash," which is a marionette puppet production for children.  

October 5 - This date also marks my first month in NYC. How time flies!

October 9 - First time in New Jersey. I got lost, and can someone please tell me why this state doesn't believe in sidewalks? Now Shel Silverstein's book "Where the Sidewalk Ends" makes sense...

October 17 - This date marks my first month working at Macy's. I can't believe it's already been a month.  I feel like it has been longer...probably because I'm there all the time.

I guess that's all the milestones thus far! There are times when I'm walking around the city, and everything just seems so surreal.  It's so weird when I'm watching TV and recognize a place or realize I was just there.  For instance, Vh1 did their Top 20 Countdown in Max Brenner's chocolate shop, and I was there eating some chocolate pizza only days before. How awesome! haha

You try sneaking a picture in the library.

But yes, life in NYC is considerably different from California, but I'm grateful for the opportunity I've had out here.  I definitely want to make the most of it while I have the chance.

I'm heading back home for a short bit in December. It'll be nice to be home. :)

Well, it's back to those job applications in the library (where else?). Yes, even though I have a job and internship, I'm looking for something else to do. You know how I am. Busy busy all the time! ;)

NYC: Highlights

It's been a little over a week since I've been in NYC, and it has been an excellent start so far!  Let's recap some of the fun activities in the city...

I met up with Ben for lunch in lower Manhattan. It was great to have some East Coast seafood. Yum!

It was so nice outside that we even got to eat near the water with a great view of the Brooklyn Bridge.

Then we checked out the view from the top of Ben's apartment building, where a bunch of people were tanning.  Can you get tan from a New York sun?! I guess you can try, like they do in Portland. Anywho, it was a SWEET view of NYC!

Then we decided to just walk around...EVERYWHERE! It has been a while since I've walked that much. Kinda reminds me of my study abroad summers and walking all around London and Montreal. Ah. Good times! ;)

Luckily, we rested in Central Park. Whoever decided that putting parks in the middle of large cities is brilliant!  It was amazing to somewhat escape city life and enjoy the grass and sunshine! :)

Definitely coming back to daydream....

It was so great to reunite with Ben! It's been such a long time since we just hung out, especially after he graduated.  But now that we're in NYC together, we can hang out all the time...well, kinda.

I spend lots of time in the library to apply for jobs. Nothing special. I mean this library is amazing but what I do on a daily basis isn't. I think once I get on a regular schedule things might get more interesting. Maybe...

Sometimes I go to Central Park just to walk around. It's so nice. I haven't stopped to daydream though...just walking around.

I also like walking around the oh-so-crowded Times Square. I'm not sure what is it that I like about walking there. Maybe because it is a New York icon.

Good times so far.  I think one of the coolest things Ben and I did was go to Fashion's Night Out...but I'll leave that for another post. :)

BOOKS: The Bell Jar

Remember when I mentioned The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath at the beginning of my New York adventures?  Well, when I wrote about it then, I was still at the beginning of the book when Esther Greenwood, the female protagonist, was doing a magazine internship in New York City.  I had so much hope for her to see where she would go after finishing the internship and continuing her college career.  However, things took a turn for the worst.

After coming back home from New York City, Esther stopped sleeping, eating and writing for weeks.  She was going through some kind of mental condition that she was sent to a mental asylum.  The rest of the book follows her as she moves from different mental hospitals and as her condition continues to get worst.  She has suicidal thoughts as well as moments of depression.  She undergoes several sessions of shock therapy, but does it really work?

I had no idea all that was going to happen when I picked up the book.  It was an interesting read yet quite depressing to see such a strong character lose it.

When I started reading, I was thinking of all the different ways Esther and I were similar, especially since she had a magazine internship in New York City and was a college student.  It made it easy to relate to her from the get-go, but everything changed...

I read the biography of Sylvia Plath in the back of book after completing the novel and discovered that The Bell Jar was a semi-autobiography.  Some of the events in the book were parallel to those in Plath's.  I was surprised to see that those events happened to her in real life.  It's so depressing because she had it all - a good family and a successful writing career.  I wonder what makes people change so drastically in just a short period of time.

Some reviews claimed that The Bell Jar was the female version of The Catcher in the Rye, which is one of my favorite books.  I can somewhat see why they would think that because both books cover that moment in a young adult's life where his/her life changes as he/she enters adulthood, kind of like the moment I'm living in right now.  However, I think the books have different endings about how the protagonist accepts that change in his/her life.

Overall, I was surprised by the book, and I thought there were moments when I wouldn't be able to continue reading.  However, I felt a need to see what happens to Esther - to see if she gets better, to see if she returns to school, to see if she remains friends with Buddy, and more.  I'm glad I was able to finish the book though because I was having a hard time getting back into reading.

P.S. This is my first subway book.  What's next...?

JOB HUNT: HIRED!!

After a summer of applying for jobs and getting no positive responses,

I finally got a job at Macy's in New York City! :)

I interviewed with Macy's in Sacramento after coming back from Portland, and the interview went really well.  However, they did not have any openings, so they benched my application.

With no job offer yet, I figured I'd try applying for a Macy's job in NYC, home of the world's largest Macy's! What was there to lose?  Only days after sending in my application, I was surprised to get a response to schedule for an interview.

Today was the day, and everything turned out great! I'm so glad I'm finally hired!

Now it is just a matter of landing an internship...!

New York City is so full of opportunity, and I feel truly blessed to have this chance to pave this path I've been trying to unsuccessfully construct in California.  Honestly, it was so frustrating turning in all those job applications and not getting any response back or finding out I wasn't what they were looking for.  I may have mentioned this before but seriously, as a college graduate, I feel like we have this feeling that we should be hired on the spot because we're fresh and new experience that can really enhance the productivity of a company.  Maybe I'm just optimistic, but I really thought that's how it would work.  With this economy, it's a sad reality that getting a job is harder than it looks.  Congrats to all those who were able to get a job directly after graduation! I don't know how you did it, but hey! now I'm part of the club...well, sorta.  

With a new job and more to come, I can't wait to see what else happens as this NYC adventure continues! :)

NYC: Library

Check out my other blog, The Library Adventures, to find out about the New York Public Library! :)

NYC: Halfway There!

We made it to Chicago Midway! 

Did you know their internet only lasts for 20 minutes? What a bummer! All of the other airports I've been to provide free Wi-Fi.

Did you know there's a chapel inside this airport? Probably for people to pray when they get stuck here due to some crazy Midwest weather.  I can see it happening with some kind of blizzard.

Did you know that above ground pools are fairly popular in Chicago?  Flying into the airport, there were so many pools.  I wonder if they take them down in the winter time.

Gah...Internet connection just ended.  This will be posted when I reach NYC. Later! :)

NYC: En Route

Today's the day....! :)

I'm at the San Jose International Airport, waiting for my flight to Chicago/New York.  Thank goodness there's free wi-fi because we got here really early; we're talking a good two hours early.  With no one in line for tickets or security, we got through everything quickly.  Now it's just a matter of waiting...

So in the mean time...

As I embark on this journey to New York, I'm reading The Bell Jar, which just so happens to take place in New York City.  It's about a college girl who has a magazine internship. Oh boy. That's been a dream of mine; maybe I can make it happen!

I also started journal writing again.  As much fun as writing a blog, it's nice to go back to the paper and pen to jot down my thoughts of the day before going to bed.  The light of the computer keeps me up for an extended amount of time anyway.

The job search continues, but I do have an interview this week with Macy's. I'll have to give an update about that in another post...

Reading the New York Times, I found out they started building the new structures of the World Trade Center in New York City. It looks good so far! Hopefully I can check it out myself when I visit Ben, who is super stoked that I'll be there. Ah...It'll be good to see Ben and actually hang out.  Last time, he came to Portland, and I was super busy doing schoolwork and CPB events.  We didn't get to hang out much, but now that we'll be in the same city...! It'll be like ol' times in the ASUP office; well, kinda.

So I'm going to finish applying for a job with the New York Times...

See you in Chicago! ;)

NYC: What if...

...this actually happened?  That would be too crazy.  haha

Anyway, I really want to see this movie. It looks good!  Plus Justin Long and Drew Barrymore seem like a fantastic rom-com team! YAY! :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mama! :D

NYC: 3 days

Sacramento

New York City

With three days left until I leave for New York, I'm starting to feel a bit apprehensive about leaving the Golden State for the Big Apple because...

1) I have a lot to do before even preparing for the trip, like celebrate my mom's birthday, apply for jobs/internships in NYC, run errands, visit relatives and more.

2) After getting a job interview with Macy's in NYC, I thought I'd be happier, but then I started having those feelings of being stuck and not being able to come back to California. Terrible thoughts, right?

3) Applying for jobs/internships is still crazy.  Anyone apply for jobs on Craigslist have any advice??

4) Only having less than a week to prepare for this transition has been anything but relaxing, which doesn't help at all.

This is a huge opportunity, and I know I should take it with open arms because seriously, it's not every day you get a chance to go to New York to try to find your dream job. I think it's just those natural feelings before making a big move in life, like going away for college.  I probably just got so comfortable being home that I'm trying to find reasons to stay but know that NYC is where I should go if I want to gain that experience I'm looking for. 

Plus, I really want to help my auntie with her new baby. I can't wait to meet my cousin. I think this reason for going to NYC makes up for all the horrible, apprehensive thoughts I've been having.

With three days to go, I hope I find time to do everything on my to-do list.

NYC: 1 week

You might say I'm pulling a Ben Taketa - buying a one-way ticket to New York City, but it's true...

In one week, I'll be heading to the Big Apple with my Lola (grandma) to help my Auntie Junelle take care of her new baby girl.  I'm excited to meet my new cousin and to help out my family.

It's just so surreal this is happening.  I never would imagine going to NYC out of the blue like this, but I'm really excited! :D

While I'm in NYC, I'm hoping this might be an excellent opportunity to find a job/internship.  Checking out the CraigsList job listings, I'm overwhelmed with how many places are looking for interns and such.  It's great news though, especially compared to the opportunities available in Sacramento. Hopefully things will look up, and I'll finally gain that experience I've been looking for.

I'm not sure how long I'm staying in NYC because I only bought a one-way ticket, but hey...this post grad life just got an interesting twist! ;)

P.S. Pilots - NYC for Fall Break?!

Reality Check...

Being in Portland but away from all the 

UP Orientation activities was a reality check.  

I know I graduated 5 months ago, and I thought it hit me back then when I conducted my last CPB meeting.  The bittersweet feeling of graduating lingered throughout senior year, especially as the weeks got closer to that final day.

However, today, it hit me that I'm no longer a student at the University of Portland.  I LOVE the University of Portland and all my friends who are still there.  It's just weird not being on campus with them now, helping out with Orientation and welcoming the new freshmen like I have done for the past three years.

I'm thankful that I was able to see so many familiar faces while I spent time here in Portland, but I wish I was able to spend more time with them like we did before, whether it was around campus, in the library or in the basement during those crazy late nights. I won't ever forget the memories I made at the University, but I hope to continue to make new memories with the friends I made there.  I know it'll be difficult to plan out when and where we'll next meet, but I'm positive that it will happen!

Good luck this year Pilots! It'll be another great year on the Bluff! :)

JOB HUNT: New Directions

Just need to keep looking!

After much consideration and frustration with applying for jobs solely in public relations, I've decided to start applying for jobs at restaurants and stores.  It sounds like a step down from my main goals, but thinking it over, I feel like I need to do an internship before actually getting into PR.  So here's the new game plan for my job hunt: apply for internships and part-time jobs.  I need the experience from the internship and the money from the part-time job.

Do you think I'm making the right move?  I feel good about it, but at the same time, I have my doubts.

I'm a little worried that my education might be a bit much for these places, but I know of recent grads working at Nordstrom and such after graduation.  Higher education shouldn't be a factor.  Sometimes you just need a job for the time being while reaching for higher dreams and aspirations.

So far from this new plan, I've been rejected by American Eagle.  It was an Assistant Store Manager position, so I understand, especially since I don't have experience in retail but I do know how to manage people from CPB.

All the other applications are still on file.  Do these online applications actually work?  I hope so because I've submitted so many already.

As for the internship search, I'm looking for public relation agencies in the area, but it's pretty difficult.  This search might take me elsewhere which means my other search will have to relocate as well.

I want to stay close to home to save money on housing and such, but with a limit of jobs in this area, it might be more beneficial for my future to relocate.

I really did not expect all this stress and frustration after graduation.  I hoped that getting a Bachelor's Degree would mean that I'm a shoe-in for getting a job, but that certainly is not the case.  It seems that much more is needed nowadays; most importantly, you need to know someone.  It's all about networking.

Have you seen the movie POST GRAD? I feel exactly like the main character in that movie, except the whole falling in love with her neighbor deal.  That wouldn't happen here.  Anyway, it's somewhat inspiring, but only because I know exactly how it feels to be a college grad and not finding a job.

Sure, it's only been a couple months, and I know there are people who haven't found a job for years. I hope that doesn't happen to me, but if nothing comes up soon, I may need to devise another plan.

UP History

On Facebook, the University of Portland put up some old photos of the campus.  It's so interesting to see how the school has changed over the past 109 years.  UP is rich with history from its founding in 1901 to its expansion in 2009 with the purchase of River Campus, the establishment of Fields and Schoenfeldt Halls, the Bell Tower, and the renovation of the Engineering Hall (aka Shiley Hall).  Even with all these physical changes to campus, UP still rings true to its mission of Teaching, Faith and Service.

So it's fun Friday, and they made a game out of these pictures.  Whoever guessed the correct year first for each picture won!  They gave away soccer tickets to the men's game vs. Oregon on August 25. GO PILOTS!

But yeah, check this out (all photo credits go to the University of Portland archives):

1938

1950

1971

1985

1997

(I won soccer tickets by guessing this one correctly after two guesses) 

2009

Isn't it amazing to see how UP has expanded and changed over the years?  I can't wait to see where the future takes UP.  I know it will continue to grow and establish itself as a distinguished institution. 

Ah! Can't wait to visit UP in a couple weeks! See you at the game! :)

P.S. I feel like this should be on the library blog...oh well. 

JOB HUNT: Employment Fair

I was surprised to find out there was a job fair taking place in my hometown today, but I decided to check it out.

When I got there, a huge line wrapped around the building and ended in the parking lot! It was packed! So many people are unemployed in this area; it's actually over 10 percent!  In the U.S., 9.5 percent of Americans are unemployed.  I'm not sure if this number includes recent graduates but it might.  That number is extremely high, especially since unemployment should be half as much.  I know this recession and current state of the economy is still hindering the job market.

While waiting in line, a lady came out and said there was a lot of companies and great opportunities available.  It really lightened our spirits as we waited in the beaming heat.

I was really hoping to find some good information, but alas, it seemed jobs are still a bit scarce in this area.  Plus, there wasn't really anything for the industry I'm interested in.  No wonder I need to eventually relocate.  In addition, some companies and organizations that I was hoping to speak to were not there either.

Anyway, on the plus side, I got to see one of my high school classmates, Hanna Baek! She was actually helping out with Frontier Communications because she's an intern. So lucky!

Well, even though I didn't find what I was looking for at this job fair, it was still a good experience.

JOB HUNT: Info Interview with Burson-Martseller

Today I got a chance to talk to an HR Manager from Burson-Martseller, a PR agency in San Francisco, Calif., among other offices around the world.  It was an excellent opportunity to get some information about PR as well as what I need to do to boost my chances of landing a job.

From this chat, I realized that I need to get some more experience in PR by completing an internship or even some basic job experience.  I think it might be easier to get an internship first, but I'm up for anything.  I want to learn more about this field and see if it really is something I want to do.  From what I learned in my PR class and from what people have told me, it sounds like a field perfect for the skills I have, but it's just a matter of finding out myself.

I know I need to work on my interview skills, which is really important for the whole job applying process.  I've been so used to being the interviewer that I haven't worked on being interviewed in a while.  I just need to be more prepared and not so nervous.  I know my stuff, but sometimes I stumble over my words. Ah! Nerves! But with practice, I know I can do this!

So for now, my job hunt has turned into an internship hunt with some jobs thrown into the mix.

It's already August, and I'm still jobless in this post-grad life...

TRAVEL: Portland

For all my friends up in Portland (or heading that way in August for the commencement of school), I'll be visiting from August 24 to 30.

Please let me know if you're available and want to hang out.  I have a list of fun things I want to do while I'm in town, but it would be awesome if you were apart of it.

Can't wait to see you all! Hope you're doing well. :)

MOVIES: St. Elmo's Fire

Tonight I watched St. Elmo's Fire, and although, it isn't a highly reviewed film, I thought it was alright.  It follows the lives of seven friends who recently graduated from college.  All of them have different paths, but they all stick together through thick and thin.  Some of them are in relationships, while others concentrate on their careers or just have fun. 





Anyway, as I was watching, it just made realize how my friends and family are going through our post-grad lives in 2010.  Even though this movie took place in the 80s, nothing has really changed, except for maybe a little more opportunities and options to choose from after graduation.

In St. Elmo's Fire, the women of the group seemed to only have two options - career or marriage.  How limited.  Based from this movie, it seemed like the 1980s society was still strongly ran by men, but women were striving to make their way in their careers.  But either way, women were encouraged to get married soon as if there was nothing else to do after college.

In 2010, the confusion of what to do after 
college is still there after 30-ish years.  

For me, I'm on the "year-off" path, even if that may take more than one year.  I just want to gain some job experience or something to test out the waters, you know?  I'm taking it one step at a time because in this time of uncertainty, anything can happen.

For some of my friends, they are on the track of heading to med school.  It's a tough path, and they may have a couple bumps on the road.  Nevertheless, I know they'll pull through and persevere.

Other recent grads I know are volunteering or planning to around the world.  It's so cool that they have that chance to visit different places and truly make a difference in other people's lives.  I want to do this eventually, but we'll see.

Some other grads have already gotten married.  I'm glad they found that special someone and be able to spend the rest of their lives together. Best wishes to those couples! :)

Post-grad life is a confusing part of life because there are so many opportunities for grads to share and expand their experiences, yet at the same time, it seems so limited.  

A bit contradicting, but it's true...

TECHNOLOGY: The Great Cell Phone Debate

Since the beginning of this year, I've been looking forward to summer.  I would be eligible for a new cell phone along with the rest of my family, and I am definitely in need of a new phone...

I currently have an LG Shine.  When I got it in the summer of 2008, I was determined to have it for more than two years because it was more expensive compared to the free phones the rest of my family got.  I took care of it well for a while, but then I accidentally dropped it.  Although it had a mirror on the front, it never broke after all those times I dropped it.  It was really weird because I read in reviews that it breaks easily.  Maybe I just had an invincible phone; however, that wasn't the case.

Somehow the top part surrounding the mirror is detached from the mainframe.  It's still hanging onto my phone, but I don't know how it happened.  Then moisture got into my phone, which seemed to scramble the microphone and speaker.  This makes it difficult to actually talk as my friends and family know.

As much as I like my LG Shine...if I can't use the basic function of a phone, then it's time to move on... 

So I've had my eyes set on the new iPhone 4 since I found out it would be released this summer. Talk about perfect timing, right?  However, with all the media hype about its release and then the antenna problems, I decided to wait it out.

But I'm so tired of yelling at my phone to talk to my friends or having them say, "What?" or that they're only getting every other word when we're talking.  It's frustrating, you know?

I took a poll of friends on Facebook about suggestions for a new phone, and the iPhone was the clear winner! I definitely was re-convinced that it was the right choice.

Now it's just a matter of finding the funds and convincing my parents that it's worth it.

If not, this might be my backup plan...

Get one of those free phones and use that for the time being and then upgrade to an iPhone 4.  Hopefully by that time, I'll have a job so that I can pay for it and the white one will be available. ;)

*****

What do you think?  Should I just go ahead and get the iPhone 4 now or continue to wait it out with a free phone?

FRIENDS: iChat

Today, Madison finally upgraded to a MacBook Pro, and her brand-spanking new computer is super shiny and includes a place to insert memory cards for cameras! Lucky! My Mac is two years and 2 days old, and it shows with the cracks, discoloration, scratches and the thousands of files it's holding.  I always tell myself that it's just really loved because it's amazing and hasn't really failed like my HP laptop.  I think that one just needs to get rebooted or something. Darn all those random Windows updates.

ANYWAY, Madison was super excited to get her Mac up and running that we didn't wait for tomorrow to test the iChat.  We got it all figured out and started chatting, even after a few error messages.  Yeah...I'm not sure what was going on there.

Then after a while, Evan called and joined us.  I never did video chatting with two people at once.  It was sweet to see both Evan and Madison and talk to them at the same time.  I think we'll have fun experimenting with this, especially since we found out that you can record videos while chatting...

Have you seen some of the videos we have made together?  If not, here's the last one we made. I think it's probably one of the best ones. :)

YAY for iChat!  Video chatting is so cool and definitely a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, especially those who are miles away! :D

BLOG: 2 Week Hiatus

Just came back from Colorado a couple days ago and realized that I haven't updated in two weeks! Yikes!  I have several posts to put up so please bear with me.  But as for now, I'm super tired, so I'm off to bed.

Look out for those updates. :)

Good night!

HAPPY 4th of JULY!

It's America's birthday, and unlike everyone else, I'm not really doing anything to celebrate.  It's another one of those holidays where we didn't do anything. Family traditions seem to have lost their splendor.  Not sure what that's all about...

Anyway, last year during the fourth of July, I was in Canada, studying abroad for 6 weeks.  In Montreal, they had an International Fireworks Competition every Saturday night during the month of July, and since the fourth fell on a Saturday, we saw Australia's presentation that night.  How cool is that?  Even though we were abroad, we still got to see some really cool firework displays.  So basically, I celebrated the fourth in Canada, watching an Australian fireworks display.  

Doesn't get anymore international than that! Except maybe the Coldplay concert I also saw in Montreal - British band entertaining French Canadians (among others) while watching an American fireworks display (yeah, that was still going on).

Compared to last year, this year was pretty pathetic.  Oh well. At least we're going on a family vacation soon.  Hopefully that'll bring up my morale.

For now, it's not much of a holiday.  I need to get back to finishing up these job applications.  They've been sitting on the back burner for far too long.

Hope you're all having a fantastic fourth of July!

P.S. I would have made this blog post a bit more political but decided against it.  We can get into American politics later...

WORLD CUP: Quarterfinals II

Wow!  That basically describes how I felt about today's World Cup games.  Excitement. Disappointment. Frustration. Victory.  It was a day filled with lots of emotion for all teams and fans watching all around the world.

Germany vs. Argentina

The video above gives a quick review about the game (still don't understand why I couldn't share similar videos yesterday. lame).  Germany took the lead early and kept it for the entire game.  Germany moved so swiftly with the ball, finding gaps in the Argentinian defense and making plays that were executed with ease.  They made it seem easy to score those goals and send Argentina home.  

I was hoping for Argentina to score a couple goals, but none got passed the German goalie.  It was also hoping for Messi and his team to make it through to reach that same pinnacle that their manager, Maradona, was able to achieve years ago.  Sadly, their journey was put to an end today.

Paraguay vs. Spain

No video to embed this time. ESPN needs to be more consistent about the sharing feature for these videos. 

In the bracket I made, I have Spain winning the whole tournament, so I definitely cheered them on as they battled Paraguay.  Tough match. Both of them had great defense to keep the offense from scoring.  The offense of both teams also had several opportunities, but it wasn't until the second half when things changed. 

There was penalty kick drama for both teams during the match, but neither team came out with a score.  David Villa finally broke the scoreless drought in the 83' minute, giving Spain the victory!  It was tough match, but Spain came through! 

I'm glad they are still holding on.  The semifinals are not until Tuesday so another two day soccer break.  Hopefully, my withdrawals won't be as bad.  Good thing it's a holiday weekend with Independence Day tomorrow! 

The semifinals bring Germany vs. Spain and Uruguay vs. Netherlands.  More excitement! I can't believe the World Cup is coming to a close soon. A month of soccer went by so fast, but it has definitely been a joy to watch thus far. Until next time soccer fans! :)

WORLD CUP: Quarterfinals

After two days of no World Cup games, I was going through a soccer withdrawal.  Never thought I'd go through one of those, but it happen.  I didn't know what to do during that time when the World Cup usually is on.  I tried watching TV, but seriously, nothing else is on. Summer television, especially daytime television is terrible! :(

However, World Cup action is back!  I was so stoked for the first day of the quarterfinal matches! :)

Brazil vs. Netherlands

I was ready for another Brazilian win, but the Netherlands took a 2-1 win.  I thought Brazil had it in the bag when they scored a goal within the first 10 minutes.  The rest of the half was scoreless.  It was funny watching the game with my mom because they showed a close-up of Ricardo Kaká, and my mom was like, "He's cute."  Good times. :)

The second half started, and Brazil's defense slowly unraveled.  Netherlands got the equalizer (as the announcers would say) with a free kick that was headed in by Felipe Melo (an own goal!).  The Netherlands took the lead with another header - this time by their own player.  Brazil couldn't get back, and to make matters worse for them, Felipe Melo received a red card in the 72' minute.  With 10 players on the field, Brazil tried their hardest to tie-up the match, but they came up short.

It was sad to see the 5-time champs get eliminated.  I was rooting for them to make it to the Finals.  Pretty sure a bunch of people's brackets are messed up now.  Mine has been messed up from the group rounds (pretty sure I didn't do it right), but yeah.  It'll be interesting to see how far the Dutch will go now that they've conquered the #1 ranked team.  It's definitely games like this that change everything and make the World Cup so interesting to watch! LOVE IT! :)

Luckily, that wasn't the only game...

Uruguay vs. Ghana

With Ghana beating the U.S. in the last round, I was definitely rooting for Uruguay.  Plus, I really like watching Forlán and Suárez when they play.  I was watching the national anthems, and I admit that the Uruguayan anthem sounds like it tells a story. 

The first half was basically scoreless, but both teams had so many opportunities to get the ball into the net.  In the extra time before half, Ghana scored the first goal far down on the field.  Although I was unhappy about the goal, it was an impressive shot.  It's really surprising that Muslera was unable to stop it, but I suppose it was a fast moving ball. 

Ghana had a 1-0 lead over Uruguay when they came back from the half.  Ten minutes within the second half, Forlán took a free kick and bent it straight into the goal.  The ball looked like it was going to go over the crossbar but it swerved down into the net.  The game was equalized and remained that way for the rest of the match, even though both teams had several attempts on goals.  Regular time ran out, and the score was still tied.  

Going into an extra thirty minutes, it was intense to watch as both teams played their hardest, trying to get that one goal to help them move on to the semi-finals.  However, it didn't happen.  You could easily tell that both teams were getting frustrated and desperate as the number of fouls escalated.  Everyone was determined to do anything to stop the other team from winning.  This motive was best displayed in that last minute of the game.  

Ghana had possession of the ball with a free kick only meters away from the goal.  The ball goes up into the middle of the penalty box where scads of players from both teams are waiting.  

Attempt 1: Ghana header is blocked by Uruguayan goalie.

 Attempt 2: Ghana tries to kick the rebound in as Uruguayan defenders try to get the ball out of there in the mist of confusion.

Attempt 3: Ghana gets control of the ball again and aims to shoot again.  Suárez and another Uruguayan player are in the box.  As the ball soars toward the goal, Suárez plays goalie and commits a hand ball, giving Ghana a penalty kick.  Suárez also receives a red card.  

Can we say intense?! I couldn't believe it.  

Gyan took the penalty kick and missed, pushing the game to be determined by penalty kicks.  Five players from each team have one shot to make.  Ghana was so close to ending the match right there and then but no.  On to the penalty kicks...

This was so intense that I couldn't even remain in the seat.  I was standing right in front of the TV, meticulously watching each player take their shot.  For a moment I thought each player was going to make their shot, but then Muslera saved one and one of the Uruguayan shooters kicked his ball way over the crossbar.  Muslera saved another one, giving Uruguay a winning chance.  Sebastian Abreu took the last penalty kick with his soft left-footed shot, clenching the win for Uruguay!

This game had intensity from the first kick-off to the last penalty kick.  I was so into the game too - screaming and yelling at the TV, jumping up and down, etc.  This was one of the few times I got so emotional about a sporting event.

It was sad to see Ghana leave the tournament, especially since they had a whole continent's support.  They were representing Africa since they were the only African county to make it out of the group stages.  I feel like Ghana put up a good fight and making it to the quarterfinals is still really impressive.  I have a good feeling they'll be back in the next World Cup.

On Facebook and Twitter, I was checking out people's reactions to the game, and people keep saying Suárez cheated.  Even if he didn't put his hands up, he still would have been in the way of the ball making a goal.  As I mentioned early, when it comes down to it, competitive athletes will do what it takes to avoid losing, and this is exactly what Suárez did.  The ref called it correctly too; hand ball in the box results in a red card and penalty kick.  Gyan had the opportunity to bring Ghana to victory but missed it.  What's been done has been done. Suárez misses the next game as well.

I can't wait to see the next matches.  Germany take on Argentina, while Paraguay take on Spain.  Both should be excellent matches!  So excited! More World Cup news later....

P.S. I was going to include some video, but ESPN.com disabled sharing. Lame. :(

BOOKS: The Tales of Beedle the Bard

After reading Wuthering Heights, I checked out what books I haven't read on my bookshelf.  Browsing over my Harry Potter shelf (yes, I have a shelf dedicated to the lightning-scarred wizard), I found The Tales of Beedle the Bard, which I received as a Christmas gift a couple years ago.

The book is a collection of wizard fairy tales.  It was first introduced in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

I read one story a night, which was just enough to get through it in five days.  Good bedtime stories too.

I was most intrigued by "The Tale of Three Brothers" because it directly connects with The Deathly Hallows.  I recognized it within the first few sentences.  Guess I really am a Harry Potter nerd and definitely won't deny it.

Another story I found interesting was "The Warlock's Hairy Heart."  It was a bit gruesome (well, as gruesome as a children's book can be), but that was what made the story so twisted. 

Anyway, it was a quick read before finding a more challenging book.  Reviewing my bookshelf again, I found a couple unread books that were gifts or that I bought in high school.  I wanted to check out some other options I had but quickly became overwhelmed with how many books I wanted to read.  I wish my house had a database, like the library, so that I could see what books we had.  I was hoping to read The Count of Monte Cristo, but I don't think we have it.  So until my next BOOKS blog post...

TRAVEL: Future trips

One week until Colorado! 

I've never been there, unless you count the times I went to the Denver International Airport (once to change planes to Nashville and another time to change planes to New York City).  Nice airport. It'll be nice to actually step out and explore the Mile High City.  However, for this week long trip, we'll be spending time in Colorado Springs area.  

Not only that, my family and I will be attending my cousin's wedding, so the whole fambam - cousins, grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc. - will be there to celebrate!  It'll be good to see everyone because we haven't seen each other in awhile.  :)

I'm not sure what our exact itinerary holds, but I'm positive that we'll have some excellent adventures, seeing that Colorado is surrounded by wondrous natural sights, especially within the Rocky Mountains.

I'm really excited about heading to Colorado! YAY! :)

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In other travel news, I booked my flight today with Southwest (thank goodness they have awesome sales), and I'll be heading to Portland, Ore., for a week or so in August to visit my friends at the University of Portland.  I know they'll be busy with Orientation and getting ready for the beginning of the fall semester, but it'll be nice to see everyone before they are swamped with school work and such.  Another exciting trip ahead! Sweet!

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 Interesting fact about these two places:

Both of them were listed in Yahoo! 

as the top summer destinations. 

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I'm hoping for some more travel opportunities in the future.  Still need to make that travel wish list...

MOVIES: Toy Story 3

I love Toy Story 3! 

If you haven't seen it yet, you need to see it! It was AWESOME!  It was an excellent closing to the Toy Story trilogy.  Pixar did a fantastic job bringing back the beloved characters, while introducing new ones.  The storyline was great too!  It definitely takes you on a ride, trying to figure out the welfare of the toys as Andy prepares to go to college.  I'm not going to lie; I teared up at the end of the film.

I was just reminded of how I used to play with my toys and what happened to them once I out grew them.  Some of them were handed down to my younger cousins, while others were sold in garage sales or given away to family friends or children in the Philippines.  However, some are still in the house...somewhere.

I know that my Peter Pan doll is in my room.  He sits on my dresser.  I used to carry him everywhere.  I loved Peter Pan so much when I was a kid that I was him for Halloween one year.  Kinda like how Andy dressed up like Woody or Buzz. 

After watching Toy Story 3, I wondered where all my Barbie dolls went.  I think I probably played with them the most with my sister.  We enjoyed changing their clothes and creating different scenarios of families and friends.  It was fun.  I'm glad Ken was introduced in this movie.  I found it funny that he had a whole closet of clothes.  I'm pretty sure my Ken dolls only had swim shorts and if we were lucky a suit.  Pixar made some additional shorts with Ken, including Groovin' with Ken (found below) and Ken's Dating Tips. 

As we grow up, there will always be a special place for those things we grew up with - toys, childhood friends, places and more.  I'll never forget those things or the memories I made with them.  I'll always be a kid at heart. :)

BOOKS: Wuthering Heights

If there is one thing I missed while being in school, it's definitely reading for pleasure.  

I haven't been able to get into the groove of reading for years because each book was connected to a homework assignment - book reports, summer English Honors homework, chapter summaries, essay questions, papers, etc.  As much as I enjoyed reading some of those assigned books, I felt that I was often looking for that deeper meaning, instead of just enjoying the author's written word, taking in each description and truly appreciating the masterpiece that was written. Probably why I'm not a huge fan of Steinbeck (memo to self: try re-reading his work).

This might sound crazy, but even reading Harry Potter seemed like an assignment.  That was my fault though.  In summer 2007, I was determined to read the whole series before the seventh one came out.  I was a week off and then actually had to dive into the last installment.  I really enjoyed reading the whole series, but at some points of that last book, I was just like, "Man, they're still in the forest. *sigh*"

Well, with school done (for now), I've decided to try hitting the books once again and just reading for the joy of reading!

The first book on my list was Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.  I think I only have this book because I was supposed to read it for class but never got around to it.  Just kidding.  I started reading it but never passed the first two chapters because I was having difficulties following all the characters.  Finally, I read passed those first two chapters and found it to be an interesting yet complicated story.  The story follows and intertwines the lives of three generations of families living on the moors of England - lots of family drama, combined with romance, friendship and loyalty.  The relationships of the characters can get confusing at times, but I liked it.

I definitely feel accomplished after reading it.

Looking on my bookshelf, I noticed that there's actually several books that I haven't even opened.  I plan to read those books and then check out other books around the house.  Yeah...basically going to go through all the books in the house like Matilda.  Then it's off to the library! ;)

Speaking of the library, if you haven't already, you should check out this other blog I write for with my friends at UP: http://adventuresofrickandtarra.blogspot.com/.

I'm so excited for reading again! :D

WORLD CUP: USA vs. Ghana

Sad day for Team USA as they are defeated by Ghana, 2-1, in the Round of 16 in the World Cup.  They played with lots of heart and definitely made our country proud!  They certainly seemed like the underdog in some of the group matches but made it on top.  It wasn't an easy journey as they gave goals away early in the matches but found a way to equalize the score in the end.  Unfortunately, they were unable to do so today.

Although they will not be advancing in the World Cup, they have ignited an interest for soccer across the country.  Hopefully, that support for the sport will continue after the World Cup!  Before American jumped on the World Cup bandwagon, soccer didn't seem to be held at the same caliber as other sports, like football, basketball and baseball.  The rest of the world is stoked about soccer, and I really hope the sport reaches that same level as other sports in the US.  With this gathered support, maybe we can bring the Cup back to the US.  That would be pretty awesome. :)

Anyway, still a bit sad about the loss, but definitely proud of our team!

Love ya, Team USA! :)

JOB HUNT: Interview with Henry's

Henry's Farmers Market is a Southern California-based grocery store that is expanding their market into Northern California, starting in Elk Grove, Calif.  With a new store opening in August, a job fair was held to accept applications for every position. I definitely decided to take up this opportunity, since I'm really up for anything in the job market right now (well, maybe not everything but you get what I mean).

Not only were we able to turn in applications, but they were holding job interviews as well to help give them a sense of who we are and additional information to add to our application.  It will help remind them who we are when they go through the hiring process.

I hadn't interviewed for a job in a while, so this was a bit nerve-racking.  I tried to answer the questions the best to my ability, gathering skills and such from experiences I had in CPB and ASUP among others to relate to the tasks required for a grocery store employee.

I thought it went well for the most part, but there's still that one question that boggles my mind: Why should we hire you?  Especially since you're a college graduate, working at a grocery store?

I know it doesn't really make sense, but I need to start somewhere, right?

We find out in the next couple weeks if we make it to the next round. I really hope I do, but in the mean time, I'm going to continue the job search.

BEAUTY: Haircuts & Tans

Every time I get a haircut, I'm not so sure about it.  There's this uncertainty about it just because I'm not used to it.  This time was exactly like every time.  Although I gave specific instruction of how I want my hair done and knew how the final product would feel and look, I was thinking twice about the cut on the drive home.


But after washing it, I like it! It's exactly what I wanted. 

Now I just have to try to prevent split ends because I'm growing it out for who knows how long.  I'm not really sure how long I want to grow it, but we'll see how long I can go without getting frustrated and chopping it off!  I'll definitely donate it if it's the proper length. :)

P.S. You probably can't tell I cut my hair in that picture, but it's an inch shorter with fixed bangs and new layers. :)

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You also can't really tell in that picture that I'm a lot darker than when I was in Portland. Thank goodness for the California sun in the summertime!  LOVE IT! :)

Tanning has a really interesting history.  It used to be fashionable to be pale because it meant you were part of the higher classes and had the luxury of staying indoors.  On the other hand, people of lower classes were hard at work outside under the sun, causing them to tan. Somewhere along those lines, it changed, where having a tan is socially acceptable, especially in American culture.  However, some cultures still follow the tradition.

But yeah, I just like swimming and running outside...so that's different right?

WORLD CUP: USA vs. Solvenia

My daily schedule has revolved around the FIFA World Cup in South Africa since it started on June 11.  I enjoy watching the live games in the morning.  Makes me wonder why they don't show live coverage of the Olympics. It would be more fascinating to watch it right as it's happening.  That's the best part of the World Cup.  Everyone around the world is watching the action on the field at the same time.  Truly amazing! The world shares this experience together.

Today was no different. Woke up early to watch the USA go up against Slovenia.  The first half was a heartbreaker with Slovenia ending the half with 2 goals and USA - nil.  Not many teams come back after being 2 down, however, Team USA made it happen!  Donavon and Bradley score the two goals to even out the score.  Then coming off a corner kick, Edu shoots the ball into the net, giving the US a 3-2 lead.

However, the goal was called back because of a foul by an American offensive player.  Looking at all the replays, what foul?!  American fans and even the ESPN announcers are bewildered by the call.  No one can spot the call, whether it was a foul or offside.  It was a clean goal that should have given the US a win!

I was appalled by the call, like other Americans watching the game.   I just don't see where the foul was.  Throughout the game, the Mali referee made some ridiculous calls that were unnecessary for both teams.  A handful of yellow cards were handed out, even though some of the calls were just not there.  This ref may be a highly qualified ref for the African Conference, but this is the big leagues! You can't make these kind of calls at the World Cup!

This has definitely got to be one of most controversial calls ever.


With the England-Algeria match ending in a tie, USA still holds the 2nd place spot in the group with hopes of advancing to the top 16, if they defeat Algeria in the next game on June 23rd.

LET's GO USA!!!

JOB HUNT: Day ∞

 Basically. Story of my life right now.

Honestly, I have no idea how many days I've been looking for a job, but I know it has definitely been a while - probably even before summer vacation. *sigh* I know I've been applying for jobs since March, but I haven't had any luck yet. I also don't know how many jobs I've applied for. :\

So here's what is going down for my job/internship search:

• I'm trying to gain experience in journalism, public relations, event planning, or even marketing (somehow that connects with all the other fields).  
• This experience will help me narrow down what I want to focus on in grad school.
• I can also use this experience as writing material for applying to grad school as well as some stellar recommendations.
• As much as I am willing to relocate for a job, I'm looking for a job in California, particularly the Sacramento and San Francisco areas. 
• I want to find a job with a reliable company.
• Right now, I'm not too concerned about money but I probably should be. 

So far, the jobs/internships I have been applying for have fulfilled all my expectations, but I'm worried that some of these companies may be too large for them to consider a college graduate as an employee. Doesn't really make sense, does it?  After applying to all these open positions and not hearing back has been frustrating. 

This whole process is overwhelming.  Not only am I frustrated with the silence, but I'm getting overwhelmed with some of my searches.  I'll get on a roll with finding jobs, but then make a list of like 10+ job descriptions that I'm certain I am an applicable candidate for.  However, the thought of writing all those cover letters and going through the application process stresses me out! 

I really just need to get organized with these job searches and knock out each opening one at a time. 

These are some places where I've been looking for and applying for jobs:

• Time Warner
• Google
• Maloof Sports & Entertainment
• National Geographic
• Disney
• Paramount Pictures
• The Sacramento Bee
• Capitol Area Development Authority
• Oregon Metro
• World Pulse

What do you think?  Should I continue looking for jobs with big companies or focus more on local companies?  Or should I look for a basic part-time job for the time being?