Wanna split a pineapple?

After MANY months of sending out resumes and cover letters and getting rejections (or no response at all), I have finally gotten a job offer!  Soon, I will be negotiating starting salary and starting date.  The Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations (part of University Relations), called me this morning to make me an offer.  Unfortunately, he called me early, and I was asleep, so by the time I picked up the phone, it had stopped ringing.  Still, I prefer this wake-up call over yesterday's when my mom called to talk bo me about credit card fraud.  So, holy shit, I HAVE A JOB!!!!

Also, I thought this news warranted a new userpic.  If you haven't all seen Psych, go watch it now.  It is an AMAZING show, and I can't hype it up enough.  I love it.  Go watch it.


:) 

I'm feeling horribly sentimental and sad about being done with college.  I'm packing stuff into boxes, stuff that I've kept since the dorms.  These past four years have been incredibly stressful and sometimes awful, but overall I had a good time.  A great time.  I never want to forget these moments, and I know that nothing else will ever really compare.  Having a real job will be exciting and I'll finally be making enough money to pay all of my rent, but I'm going to miss this.  For 19 years I've been a student.  This isn't something a person can just easily get over or move away from.  At least I'm staying in Berkeley.  I don't know how I could handle giving all of this up right now.  I'll be around, but I won't be a student.  

It doesn't help that so many of my friends are moving away.  Dammit.

Well folks, it's official.  I'm now a UC Berkeley alum!!!!  After four stressful years, I'm finally done.  It's taken a while for this fact to sink in, but I finally think it has.

I'm staying in Berkeley next year, but it's going to be strange.  So many of my friends are leaving, and I'm not sure how I should feel about staying.  On the one hand, I can't imagine living anywhere else right now.  Berkeley has gotten under my skin, and I can't seem to rid myself of it.  I'm not sure I would even want to if I could.  However, I feel like, by staying here, people may think I'm not really growing up.  Do I have to physically change my location in order to move on?  My other option would be to move back home and try to find a job in the surrounding area, but that's virtually impossible.  I could move to Seattle and start a new life there, but I think I'm not yet ready to take big risks.  So, staying in Berkeley seemed like the most logical solution.  We'll see what happens.

To all of my friends who are leaving Cal: I'm going to miss you!!  This isn't like high school where we all had a common home to go back to.  Most of us aren't originally from Berkeley, so there would be no real reason to ever return.  I guess this is why I should be thankful for AIM and Facebook and everything else that helps me stay in touch with old friends.  It's going to be weird without them around, but at least we'll still be able to talk to each other.  

Anyway, enough of this.  I'm going to enjoy my first few days of being a graduate.  The real world will start soon, and then I won't have much time to enjoy it.  For now though, I'm just proud I finished.  

Congratulations to everyone else who graduated!!!  :)

Well folks, the day we've awaited is finally here.  Assuming I don't fail my econ final on Friday (*fingers and toes crossed*), I will never have to take an undergraduate class again!!!  My last (hopefully) class ended today at 3:30, and despite the panic and nostalgia, I'm actually incredibly proud of myself.  I can't say I'm perfectly happy with how things have turned out, but I'm still proud that I made it this far.  Now, on to finals and then...REAL LIFE!!!

In a week and a half, I'll have a BA. How the hell did this happen? I don't have any idea how 4 years has gone by so quickly. While I'm proud of myself and happy I won't have to take tests anymore (at least for a while), I'm having a hard time coming to terms with all of this. I think it's a good idea to post a few entries about these past few years. I'm afraid that I'll forget them someday. There are so many things to remember, that I can only write down a few. Some things need too much explaining.

( FIRST YEAR )

so...tonight's my last night in 201. it's kind of not bothering me, though. normally, i attach a lot of sentimental value to a place. i think i have with this place, but after tarini left, moving out was just the next step. i already moved on mentally. this apartment has been good to us these last 2 years. right now, it looks like a shithole because it's messy as hell. i know the new place will be great though. it looks really nice with the furniture in it, and my room is bigger than i thought. i just hope i can keep it clean.

tarini's moving to the east tomorrow. she's sad that she's leaving california, which is understandable. oh well. let's just hope the bitch visits.

My Twin really is the best. I miss you, Lauren! I'm feeling pretty nostalgic today. Last weekend, I had my potluck/party thing. Yvette, Des, and Nahid were there. It was like high school, only with the addition of many other cool, fun people, and a total lack of drama. Of course, it would have been perfect if my Twin had been there too, but that's okay. I still had an awesome evening!

Midterms suck, but there aren't many better feelings than the relief after finishing that last test. I am currently listening to Tears for Fears and working on an art project. Life is good again, for a while, at least.

So, I turned 21 yesterday, for those of you who didn't know. It was very anti-climactic, which is why I'm only just writing an entry about it. I spent all of the day in class or at work, and after having dinner with my aunt (didn't even get carded for ordering a glass of wine) I came home to a quiet apartment and did my work. It wasn't a bad day in general, but it totally didn't feel like my birthday. Oh well. Hopefully, Tarini and I and whoever else will do something this weekend that doesn't involve homework. Also, on the 25th, I'm having a birthday potluck, which will be fun, I'm sure. I can't remember the last time I had a birthday party/gathering. Freshman year of high school? Middle school? No idea.

In honor of Valentine's Day, Moujan, Sandra, and I joined hundreds of other people in a giant public pillow fight in San Francisco. It was awesome! Feathers everywhere, people running and screaming as if in midieval battles, and camera crews recording the action. It was briefly on the news tonight too. We couldn't stay for very long, and my head still hurts, but it was an amusing evening. It's on wikipedia too. Check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillow_Fight_Club

HAPPY POTATO BURRITO ANNIVERSARY, MOUJAN!! One year ago today, my roommate and I decided to look up "potato" on allrecipes.com. We had potatoes and not much else to use, and we didn't want to starve. So, we found a recipe that looked okay, and we decided to try it out. We didn't have all of the ingredients, but we thought we could improvise. BIG mistake. We created crap. From the union of potatoes, tortillas, cumin, tomatoes, and other ingredients, a demon spawn was born. This spawn was the Potato Burrito. I shudder now in memory. It was awful, the worst combination of tastes we had ever combined. My tongue seemed to have crawled back into my throat and died. We were being punished, but we didn't ever figure out what for. We may never know.

So, everyone, please join us in remembering (or pretending to remember) this special day. February 5, 2005. That day we stumbled upon something so horrible, so disgusting, so positively evil, and we will never, ever forget it.

How is it that in two weeks from today I will be 21 years old? That doesn't seem right. I remember my 16th birthday. Twenty-one. Wow. I know every year I write some entry about how I don't feel any older. This is kind of depressing though. After people turn 21, they don't want to get any older. Birthdays become bad things after this year. Despite this, I'm going to try to make the most of this year. My actual birthday (February 13th) will be uneventful, but I'll make up for it on the following weekends, I hope.

Other than this upcoming special day, my life is kinda blah. Classes suck and work is tiring and physically painful (I stand up for 3 hours, bending over binders, travel brochures, and copy machines). It could be much worse though, as I know. I'm just tired as I'm writing this. Long day.

I always seem to write journal entries while listening to Damien Rice. Weird.

Edit: Stolen from Moujan:

Classes started yesterday and I'm already slightly unhappy about them. English is going to be an annoying waste of time, and History would be good if the professor was a tad more interesting than the inside of my eyelids. Mondays and Wednesdays will be very long, but probably not too painful with Thai, work, and Art. Of course, if I take this bellydancing class that Tarini wants me to take, I'll go from 10am to 8:30pm on Wednesdays with two very short breaks between classes/work. 17 units and 10 hours of work a week. I know people do more than that all the time and survive. I know myself though. I anticipate many a breakdown during the semester.

The people upstairs are sumo wrestling again. I wish they wouldn't fall so loudly. I can't hear myself think.

Wow. It's been a month since I updated this. Actually, I'm typing this sentence 8 minutes before the month mark. I probably just won't hit "update" until it's officially January 11. Anyway, my procrastination bit me in the ass again. I was going to buy my ticket for one of the SF Sketchfest shows tonight but I think it's sold out. Yay! There are still tickets left for the 10:30 one, but if I can't get someone to go with me, I'm not going to buy them. I have no intentions of walking through San Francisco at 10pm by myself. Way to go, Rachel! Next time don't take so long to decide something.

I've basically sat on my ass all break. I've eaten too. Shit. Eating and sitting. Great. It's a good thing my apartment doesn't have food in it. It's a great thing that campus is a 12 minute fast walk (up hill) from where I live. Damn it all.

I'm bored out of my fucking mind. All I want to do is go up to Berkeley and hang out with my friends before school starts. The parents don't think that's as great of an idea as I do, however. Fuck.

Well, I'm going to waste four more minutes with this window thingy open before I update (see third sentence of entry). Then I'm going to bed. Hooray for early morning dentist appointments! I just LOVE teeth cleanings!!!!!

Dammit. I REALLY want to see Brokeback Mountain, but I can't see it before I go down South. The closest theatres showing it are in LA. I don't even drive so that's out. Either I see it next Friday in Berkeley (by myself because everyone, including me, has finals the following Monday or Tuesday), or I wait until it comes out on DVD. Dammit, dammit, dammit.

I'm procrastinating again. Crap. GO BACK TO WORK, RACHEL!

I almost got hit by a car yesterday while walking. It was my turn to walk too. Figures. I jaywalk ALL the time and I almost get hit by a maniac who turns left right behind me. I was nearing the center divider and this bitch was speeding while making a left turn. Instead of waiting for me to clear a few more feet, just to be safe, she sped up. If I hadn't noticed her speeding up and taken an extra step just in case, she would have hit me. I could have literally reached out and smacked her window. I felt the car whoosh by me. I didn't even get a chance to flip her off or anything afterwards. I was just too shocked. I turned around very quickly and stared at her retreating car with my mouth open in shock. Stupid fucking bitch!!!!! It didn't really register with me until I got home. I was a little shaken up about it then. I can still see her unconcerned bitchy face. I hate that woman.

In other news, Thanksgiving was crazy. Too many people at my house and too much stress. I think we're having Christmas at my house too this year. That should be fun, actually. I love having Christmas at my house. Gathering around the presents under the tree on Christmas morning is wonderful. My dog runs around, chasing balls of wrapping paper that my cousins throw around the room. Christmas music plays in the background, and the smell of coffee and my mom's wassle (it's a warm, citrus/cinnamon/clove drink that I LOOOOOOOOOVE) hangs in the air. I'm not going home for winter until the night of the 20th, so it'll be nice to not have to pack again to go somewhere else for Christmas. I'm just sad that I'm not going to Thailand this winter. I miss Thailand like crazy.

For those of you who haven't heard of Kite Runner, well, wake up. For those of you who have heard of it but haven't read it yet, go out and buy it, dammit. It seriously is one of the best books I've ever read in my life. That's saying something, because I've read MANY amazing books. It's a wonderful book, and I thank Nahid for telling me about it months ago. I just never got the chance to read it until recently. It's awesome. Go read it.

Finals start next week. I can't believe this semester is over. I'm in denial about that. I'm not going to see a lot of my friends from Thai class anymore. That makes me sad. We've sort of become a multiracial family in there. I love everyone in that class. And the end of the semester means no more Max (my econ professor, for those of you who think I'm referring to a random guy). He's a cartoon character. I believe it. Still, I'm ready to go home and see my friends in Ventura. I haven't seen some people in forever. I think it's been over a year since I've seen Tanya, which is absolutely ridiculous.

I've rambled enough. This entry has no main subject, as usual. I apologize for my jumbled thoughts.

YAY! MY COUSIN KELSEY IS GOING TO SFSU! That means she'll be close by! Woot!

I also finally got my new Converses today. My mom hid chocolate and socks in the box too (you can never have too much chocolate, and all of my socks have holes in them). I love my mom.

Last night, I went to an Indian cultural show at the I-house. All the proceeds (it's a non-profit organization) go to Asha for Education, an organization that helps ensure education for India's children. Tickets cost 10 bucks, and I ended up spending an additional 20 bucks on three pairs of earrings. All of that money was donated to Asha, so I feel good. The show was fantastic! I had a lot of fun, even though some freakishly tall white woman with an enormous head was sitting in front of me. At the show, I saw one of the hottest men alive. No joke. He is beautiful! We had eye contact and I melted on the spot. So, so hot. He was wearing black too. Dear God. Hot Indian man wearing black. In addition to that guy, as Tarini and I were walking back, I saw another gorgeous man. He smiled at me, and I died. Yay for my lameness! I'm so lame. Whatever. Here I am getting all happy and excited about the fact that two hot men shared eye contact with me. Most girls have more interesting things to be excited about. Good job, Rachel. You're officially the lamest person ever. Woot.

Now, time for some coffee and a late breakfast. I get to clean the bathroom today. Yay.

so...the only time I really get officially asked out (well, semi-officially), it's by a CREEPY ASS HAIRY GUY WEARING A TIGHT HAWAIIAN SHIRT. Fuck. The girl I was sharing a table with at the FSM Cafe told me, after he left, that she knows the people he lives with. Apparently, he's really, really odd and his housemates want to kick him out. Terrific.

CREEPY ASS HAIRY GUY: Hey. Can I ask you a question?
ME: Okay...
GUY: Are you single? Cuz I think my friend would really like you.
ME: Uh...
GUY: Yeah, so, maybe we can go have coffee sometime and you can answer a questionnaire thing. You know, of what you like and stuff. Do you have time for coffee and a survey right now?
ME: Uh...Actually, I'm studying for a midterm. I have a midterm in 20 minutes. So, I'm kinda busy. Sorry.
GUY: Maybe another time then.
ME: ...

What the fuck? Coffee and a survey? His "friend"? Oh, and my midterm's actually tomorrow, not today. I just didn't feel like telling him that he was greasy and sleazy and hairy and wearing a skin-tight Hawaiian shirt with his reddish blonde chest hair poking out.

Why, oh why can't a NORMAL man be interested in me? WHY?!?!?

I HAVE A JOB. I HAVE A MOTHERFUCKING JOB!!!! YAY ME!

Basically, it's just a job doing data entry and other office work for a department in the alumni house. Still, I get paid for working 9 hours a week. I'm starting Thursday. Yay!

I'm sitting here waiting for a rack of lamb. Literally. I kid you not. I'm going to offer no explanation, because I don't want to.

Moujan and I had a Facebook Wall War just now. We wrote strange things on each other's walls and tried to flood our calmail accounts. Of course, all postings have been deleted, but I copied and pasted a few into a Word document so I could remember them forever. Actually, these are just quotes from Moujan that I wrote down and posted on her wall, before she deleted them. I make no sense. I need sleep.

"They should remove your liver and place it next to Vladimir Lenin's face as a reminder to society of your immaculate conception of conspicuous consumption (big word big word big word)...raping cat. No. I'm gonna delete that. Rachel has a hormone disfiguration."

"Snap the ass. Watch yourself.

"I want to be a Pope, just so I can slaaaaam. Are you writing what I'm saying?"

"Where'd you put it? Is it in your AIM profile? Where'd you go? I'm afraid of you."

The last one was said when she found out that I'm posting her crazy quotes. Awesome. She can't touch this journal entry. No deleting here!!!!