fLOweRS!!

I invited some friends to my apartment to have dinner tonight, and the flowers are what I got from one girl. They are so beautiful! But I always feel sad when they die, so I'd rather have a present that doesn't die so soon. My baby Ivy is still very energetic.

By the way, these flowers lived for a week. Their lives ended on Mar. 2. :(

scHOol BUs

Today I found out that the school bus that picks up the children in family housing stops at the parking lot that my apartment is facing. It was around 3:20 in the afternoon. I'm sure it's the time that the children finish their school. Very different timing from what we have in Taiwan, isn't it?!

I love the location of my apartment, it's very interesting to have an apartment facing the parking lot actually. You can not only check on your own car once in a while, but also check on what other are doing (in a not strange way). For example, there was one very snowy day that even the school was closed for two days in a row, and people who wanted to go out were stuck in the snow. Literally "stuck"!! I saw a friend in trouble, so I went downstairs once. Also, people living in unit 4 seems to be awfully rich! Audi, Toyota, Honda, and a couple of sports car, I sincerely want to know what their parents are doing for a living.

RUnnINg nOSe

Since yesterday, I got this non-stop running nose going on. I took some medicine and felt better today, but still have to clean and blow my nose kinda frequently. Therefore, I ended up putting a mask on my nose.

It was so dry and fragile, if I don't think of a way to moisture it, I think it's gonna bleed or something. It's so bazaar that my nose is so dry but there still is tons of water coming out of it.

My feeling is telling me that I'm going to get well tomorrow though.

bITteR SweET!!

As a poor student studying abroad, especially those who are waiting for an Optional Practical Training job, I have no choice but to make my own dessert when I feel like having it. This time, I made a totally-hand-made "chocolate mousse pie" (well, except for the original pie crust). It's not so time consuming, and you get to control the amount of sugar. I put none this time. Little piece of heaven is here.

baNQueT, FeaST, or WHatEVer YOu cALl iT

When I go to Mitsuwa, the Japanese marketplace in Chicago, one thing that I always buy is salmon sashimi. I had to work on Friday and Saturday, so today was the best timing to enjoy my raw salmon. I'm totally not a master in cutting raw fish, so this is the best I can do. I was so anxious to have it that I almost forgot to take a picture of it. Fortunately, I remembered to take a picture when there were three pieces left. Very expensive stuff!! 20 USD per lb. This was the smallest one there, and it took almost 4 USD. Gosh I miss home!! If I spent 4 USD, I get a whole case of it.

P.S. The background on the right is Natto. Awesome stuff!!

oOOooPS!!

Remember yesterday I got a new coffee table from IKEA? It was actually a pretty big one, it almost doesn't fit into my car. Today, on the way to work I found this....

What a disaster! The automatic window is still automatic though. I gotta go to a car's body shop to see how much it takes to get a new one.

ChiCAgo trIP

After a crazy busy night at the restaurant on Valentine's day, I felt like taking a walk somewhere. Nope, I didn't walk to Chicago of course, but literally, you know.

The first place was Woodfield shopping mall. Didn't need to buy anything, but I think window shopping could be fun, too. Trying on new clothes, but not having responsibility to buy anything. :)

IKEA was the next stop for this trip. The focus here was basically on coffee tables, because I can't keep on having meals on my study desk!! Except for the suitable coffee table, I also found cushions, and mattresses. The coffee table cost 40 USD, cushions 4 for each, and the mattress like the one on the TV table 2 for a piece. By the way, I found that the TV table that I bought from a moving sale was just 2 dollars cheaper than a new one. I knew it because it was bought from IKEA.

Na, that can't be my room. It's one of the sample rooms in IKEA.

Now this, is my real living room. The paper bag next to the TV table is from A&F (carpet 20 USD/ Walmart).

The last stop was planned to be China town in Chicago; however, due to the time, weather and my condition, it had to end at Mitsuwa, a Japanese marketplace. It's one of my favorite places at Chicago, a must go place. Dinner was solved there, but since I was too eager and hungry to eat, I didn't take any pictures of the meal. Very expensive meal, though. Just normal quality and quantity, it costs 10 USD on average. Oh well, I'm not eating like this everyday anyway. So, please forgive me. How come I felt so guilty?

MouTAinS FouND in TErrE HauTE!

You gotta be kidding me!! Classes was canceled two days in a roll? If I were still a student, I would ask the school to refund my tuition.

Since I borrowed a couple of DVDs that were already overdue from school, I really had to go to school to drop it or something. Plus, I had to talk to my professors about my recommendation letters, and I had to go to graduate school to get my graduate transcript. So many things to do, so I went to school with hope that those offices were open for me. But they all weren't. However, that's how I found white mountains in the library's parking lot.

Snow is such a bright stuff that I had to have my sunglasses on.

It was a really beautiful weather, I just couldn't understand why the school was closed today as well. There was tons of snow though. People got stuck every where. I got stuck on the way to work today, too. Yeah, tell me about it!! Working on Valentine's Day?! Oh, well, it's the best chance to earn good tips!! It was crazy busy today, but I still had fun at work. Yep, good time or bad time, still enjoying every moment of my life.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

WIntER stORm wARniNG

Something that hasn't happened for 30 years happened today in the afternoon. That is, ISU closed in the afternoon due to the weather.

Campus Closed
Due to inclement weather, Indiana State University will close offices at noon today, February 13.
All afternoon and evening classes are canceled. Essential
university services, including but not limited to public safety, residence halls and the power plant, will remain in operation.
Supervisors of services designated as essential are responsible for maintaining sufficient staff to keep the operations in service.

It doesn't look so bad in the afternoon actually. Furthermore, I remember having this kind of weather last year when I still had to go to school, when school didn't close because of weather.

According to the weather report, this is what they say:

Statement as of 10:11 PM EST on February 13, 2007
... Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until midnight EST tonight... ... Blowing Snow Advisory in effect until 12 PM EST Wednesday... The National Weather Service in Indianapolis has issued a blowing Snow Advisory... which is in effect until 12 PM EST Wednesday. A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until midnight EST tonight. Winter storm conditions will persist through midnight as the storm system moves across the region. Additional accumulating snow of 1 to 2 inches is expected along with blowing and drifting snow tonight.The heaviest snow should end around midnight. However... light snow may persist through early Wednesday morning and blowing snow will continue overnight.A Winter Storm Warning means significant amounts of snow... are expected or occurring. Strong winds are also possible. This will make travel very hazardous or impossible.A blowing Snow Advisory means that visibilities will be limited due to strong winds blowing snow around. Use caution when traveling... especially in open areas.

I think they're exaggerating. So I went out to do my shopping for milk and band aid and other stuffs. It was my first time to drive in snowy weather. It took time to shuffle off the ice frozen on the car windows, but after that, everything went pretty fast. Except for the driving part though. It has to stay slow. But it was very interesting to drive on snowy and mushy roads. Short distance, it's OK. To Chicago or Indianapolis, I don't think so.



Despite the fact that I think the weather report is exaggerating the weather situation, I think the weather nowadays are getting really weird.

A ParCEl fULl oF LovE

This morning, I received a global express package in front of my apartment door. The post lady delivered it directly to me. It was from Taiwan. From my family.


I've gotten lots of gifts, including a red envelope with lucky money for Chinese New Year. Also, there was a Chinese new year card. Oh, I love the greeting card that has all the family members' message.

Surprisingly, I found a few pictures taken from home in the new camera. Then, I noticed how much I actually miss home all these time I'm not there.

Thank y'all~~ I hope you're having fun in Korea now. Hope it's snowing here now, coz it is here in Terre Haute. Love y'all!!

jUSt fOR fuN

This is gonna be my first embedded video clip. Hahaha... I finally learnt how to do it.

Title: Love Sucks

I found this video clip when I was browsing other people's blogs. I love to read other people's articles, just to see how the lives are going for the other people on earth.

baCK to THe oLD daYS

I felt back to the old days when I saw this printer in the computer lab located in the community center. The community center is in the basement of our building. I think I just got lucky to be assigned to this unit of family housing. We have three other units, but this is the one that has community center in the basement. We as lo have a fitness center, we can borrow games down there. It was said that there's a big TV there, but I didn't open the TV cabinet to see how big it was. If the printer is this old, I don't think the TV would be any newer than that. :P

But anyway, I will check it out again some other time. At least everything can be used for free. Cool place for sure!!

sWEet!!

I tried to make dorayaki (Chinese: 銅鑼燒) today!! Aren't they gorgeous? It was fun and they really do "look like" dorayaki. They tasted nice when they're still warm; however, after cooling down in the fridge, the bread part of it became hard. I think it's because I made them with pancake powder. Maybe pancakes are meant to be eaten when they are hot. (Sigh......) I think I won't be able to have fresh dorayaki in the States. Somebody give me the recipe to make the outer part of dorayaki...!!

SnoWY daY!!

It's been a while since the last time it snowed this much. The weather is really weird this year, and I think people all over the world can feel it. The snow flakes today were big, and it just turned out white in no time. The news report said that Terre Haute got almost 3.2" of snow.

After a couple of hours, a beast came out to shuffle the snow.

People had to go out for shopping, class, or whatever it is. If you want to go out, you'd better go out at least 10 minutes in advance. Because you will have to heat up your engine first, and shuffle off most of the snow on your car so that you can get a good vision when you're driving.

suPEr bOWl cOMes TO an ENd

People went crazy these days because Indianapolis Colts got to the super bowl game. You can notice people around you are dressing whatever it is that has the Colts mark on it. Not to mention the restaurant business went crazy yesterday. People kept rushing in all the time. I think it's because today is the day for super bowl, and people won't want to come out for food unless there's beer and a TV. We have several sports bar around in town. I think their business is crazy today.

Well, I haven't told you how Colts did for today's game. They won! 29 to 17 with Chicago Bears. Unbelievable! The game was interesting, but above all, the commercial were stupid but awesome. It is said that you will have to pay millions of dollars for merely 5 seconds. Could you believe that?!

Colts fans wait outside the RCA Dome
to attend a rally for the Super Bowl champions.

From:http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/specials

/playoffs/2006/02/05/bc.fbn.superbowl.coltsp.ap/index.html

Right after the Colts won the game, there begin to be some commercials that sales Colts' championship souvenir. What a business!

a lITtlE TOur To whERe i'M LivINg

This time I'd like to give you an as-complete-as possible tour to where I'm living now. To begin with, this is what you're going to see if you look into my front door.

Then, if you step out of my apartment and take a left, this is what you're going to see.

My apartment, fortunately, is at the very end of the building. Therefore, I have an exit door right next to my door. And if you follow down the stairs, it will lead you to the parking lot. This is the view you will see once you step out of the building. By the way, the first two windows that you can see on the left side of the 2nd floor, is my apartment.

Above, is the left side of my apartment. If you step out of my apartment and take a right, this is what you are going to see.

When you open that door at the end of the hallway, you will pass by the laundry room on your left side.

We have both washers and dryers in the laundry room. You have to open the door with your apartment key, coz it locks every time the door's closed. No matter which machine you wanna use, it is 75 cents for each time. Not that bad. At least it's cheaper then washing and drying off campus.

Once you pass the laundry room, if you don't want to take the elevator, you can take the stairs, which is what I always like to do if I don't have heavy stuffs with me.

Once you get to 1st floor, you will see the mail boxes on your right hand. I was lucky today, coz the postlady was there when I went down stairs.

If you take the right side way to get out of the building, this is here you're going to get out of.

Well, how do you think of the place I'm staying now? This is the university apartment. I'm staying in a single apartment, which is around 470 USD per month. But if you can find a roommate, it will be half-off the price to live in a double-bedroom apartment.

COntEnt buT Sad ALl aT The SAme TIme

You know why I felt that way today? Because I finished my favorite Taiwanese drink today. :(

I got it at a Asian market near my hotel in Boston, I was so excited when I saw it. And without thinking, I immediately bought two bottles. It's 2.79 USD per bottle, which is much more expensive than you can would get in Taiwan, but I still bought it. As my dad always says, if it make you happy, then why not?!

When I finished it, I felt as empty as the bottle is. Oh well, I think that's life, can't always get what you want.

ThreE THinGs tHAt i LOve ABout MY neW ApaRTmenT

Today, I'd like to talk about three things that I found fantastic about my new apartment.

First of all, I love the closet right next to the entrance door.

This is of course not particular to merely my apartment, every house or apartment are designed like this in America. In the States, when it gets to winter, it's always freezing cold outside and fairly warm when you get indoor. Therefore, the first thing you always want to do is to take off your jacket when you get home, or visit somebody's house. The closet next to the entrance makes it easy for you and your guest to take off the heavy jackets. Furthermore, it also makes it easy when you go out or when your guests leave, nobody can forget about the jackets.

Secondly, my favorite part is in the bathroom, the mirror.

It's not only a mirror, it also has a little storage space behind it. The whole thing is made of wood, and texture makes it very delicate. In addition, if you look at the three lights above the mirror, you would feel like a superstar. Every time I'm standing in front of the mirror, I feel like I'm going to put up make-up for a performance later on.

Last but not the least, I love my whole kitchen.

I've got a big enough oven under the stove, I've got garbage disposal, a huge fridge, and I've got a little bar table next to the stove. The little bar table divides the kitchen and the living room, but still keeps the space open. I love that design. If I am going to design my own house, I will have this bar table between kitchen and living room, so that I won't feel like cooking along for my family, my guests or whoever it is.

my BAbies...

Allow me to introduce you to my babies...

Aren't they beautiful?

I bought them at a supercenter market yesterday. My baby on the left is called Cineraria, and the right one is Ivy. I think I just love life too much. I have been thinking about keeping a dog, but I know I won't be able to do that in a short time. My situation now, especially for the financial aspect, certainly doesn't allow me to have one. As a result, I found myself something alive. It doesn't need anything more than water and love.

Their birthday is Jan. 30, 2007, and I will be keeping you posted about their growth once in a while. I'm going to love them everyday with love, and hope that they will live a long life, coz they will be sticking to me all the time from now on.