3/3/11. Product of the Day

They had a waffle breakfast event at the BioStore on campus, and I needed to get some supplies anyway so this was an added bonus. I would never have noticed this product in the grocery store.  The lady from E&K (who was making the waffles) said they don't work well for pancakes. Oh well. They tasted good.

3/2/11. Back of Some Guy's Head and Guy Kawasaki

Watched Guy Kawasaki give a talk about his new book, Enchantment. Here are his top 10 ways to be enchanting:
1) Achieve likability
2) Achieve trustworthiness
3) Get ready
4) Launch
5) Overcome resistance
6) Endure
7) Present
8) Use technology
9) Enchant up
10) Enchant down

HI :D

I haven't blogged in a whileeee. So I think I'm going to try to post a picture and sentence every day. I know I'm not the first to do this, but I think it'll make me stop and think throughout the day.

That's a good thing because everyday seems to be a blur from when I wake up to when I go to sleep and it's making time go by wayyy too fast.

Year of the Rabbit

Chinese New Year is around the corner, and...dun dun dun dun! It's the year of the Rabbit!

I'm swamped with work right now, which alternatively means that I am easily distracted by things that are more interesting than, well, work. It doesn't help that I have to work off of my laptop, and that I need the internets.

So. Email about Chinese New Year Events at Stanford -> Realization that it's the year of the Rabbit -> Google Search about Chinese Rabbit Characteristics -> Blogging time

Some of these characteristics were weridly spot-on:

RABBIT:  (Is it me, or does this word look weird all caps?)

People born into this sign would rather work behind-the-scenes instead of being the center of attention in any situation. Do not misunderstand…the Rabbit is not a recluse. In fact, he is a reasonably friendly individual who enjoys the company of a group of good friends whether at a business dinner or a holiday party. Rabbits just like to be a part of the gang as opposed to the leader of it (yep).

Rabbits, like their animal counterparts, are quite calm people who do not exhibit aggressive behavior and will avoid confrontation at all costs. When angry about something, a Rabbit will approach it calmly and considerately, hardly ever raising his voice or becoming visibly annoyed (exception: my family). 

However, the Rabbit is quite keen and pays close attention to the situations developing around him. He is intelligent and quick and can talk himself in or out of most situations (like tickets) with no problem.

The Chinese Rabbit is one of the most stylish creatures (sort of) of the Chinese Animal Signs and finds interest in different cultures (exactly). He is classy and sophisticated, and can be found adorning one of the latest fashion magazine cover looks (not quite). Rabbits also like artistic ventures, such as painting and music and are generally quite present in these worlds (!!!). They love to express themselves, which is evident when joining them at home for a function or a cup of coffee.


They are most compatible with those born in the years of the Sheep, Pig, and Dog

THE FIRE RABBIT 1927 AND 1987
Fire adds an unspoken magnetism and mystery to the Rabbit. These creatures have a burning desire to get out there and live life to its fullest (:D). They are active and adventurous and love anything that sparks their creativity or curiosity (:D!). They can throw tantrums here and there, if provoked (only with my family), but most of the time they work very hard to avoid conflict or unpleasant confrontations. Fire Rabbits are charming and tend to push their emotions into the backs of their minds, but will speak up if necessary (yep).

From http://www.usbridalguide.com/special/chinesehoroscopes/Rabbit.htm

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In other news, I'm really craving Nian Gao:

Preferably dipped in egg/flour and pan fried.

Dreams

I was leaving to go to the airport to fly out to a research conference, and picking up two of my lab mates (the same lab mates I have in real life) along the way.

After I picked up lab mate #1, I realized that I hadn't packed for the conference. I told lab mate #1 to drop me off back at my place, pick up lab mate # 2, and then get me again (by which time, I'd be done packing).

Then I woke up because I had to pee.

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dreams mimicking real life...ugh.

Dreams

This isn't the first time this has happened to me, but I had a dream within a dream last night. With creepy undertones for the deepest dream. So I guess I had a nightmare within a dream. That's a first.

In the deepest dream, I was sitting alone on the floor of an apartment overlooking a beach (it reminded me of San Diego), painting something. I had two buckets of paint to prime the surface of the wood slab I was working on, one white, and one lilac. I had the white bucket open because I had already started prepping the wood surface, and the lilac one was closed.

I turned for a second to grab my brushes, and when I looked back, the white bucket was moved about 3 feet from where it was, there was a dark green stain on the floor, and the lilac bucket was opened. I assumed there was a ghost or something in the room and sorta started freaking out.

Then the bucket of white paint caught fire.

I woke up from that dream in my room back at my parent's house, got out of bed like normal, and turned on my light switch. It didn't work. I think I almost realized that I was still dreaming (because supposedly, lights and watches don't work in dreams), but then I woke up again here at Stanford.

My dreams are getting crazy again.

Throwback

I was cleaning my closet out today and came across these little gems.

Gundam Models

Marvel/X-Men Cards

Negatives From 2000 Trip To Acapulco

Paper Folded Stars

Tamagotchi and Slap Wrist Band

Lego Helicopter

Hotel Keys

Imaginarium Magnet Bar

McDonald Happy Meal Beanie Babies

Tae Kwon Do Belts...Never Got The Black Belt

Tae Kwon Do Broken Board

Beanie Babies, Mint Condition

McDonald Happy Meal Furbies...So Creepy

Burger King Happy Meal Pokemon (Mewtwo)

Original Nokia Phone...Snake!

5th Grade Recorder and Train Whistle

Original Gameboy, Gameboy Color, and Wario Games

Polaroid I-Zone Camera

High School Newspapers

Novelty Calendars

My First Grade Journal

Plenty More of This. Might Blog The Whole Journal.

Melty Bead Art Project Thing

Yarn Bookworms

X-Men Apocalypse Toy

Middle School Science Projects (Mrs. Irwin)

Deserved An Opening

Wallet Full of Tickets

I have more. Expect a Throwback, 2nd Edition!

Friendships

...are so interesting in that some take years to build, and others take minutes. I'm pretty grateful that we were brought together.

Just my thought of the day.

Dreams

I was moving into a new apartment on the Stanford campus - this part isn't that weird because I am getting kicked out during Spring quarter for renovations. However, parts of the dream get weirder as it progresses.

The neighborhood on campus I was moving to was called "The Elephant King" because there was a big jewel-studded elephant statue in the middle courtyard. I got out of my iCar (still the same car in the dream), unloaded some of my stuff, and then walked it to the new place.

My new room was huge and a lot nicer than what I have now. There was a furnace that burned wood (old style) in the living room, too. My new roommates were out, so I decided to get more stuff with my car.

I went back to the parking lot, but couldn't find iCar. So I pulled out my remote and walked through aisles, clicking the unlocker. At least one car in every aisle beeped, but it wasn't my car. I got curious, so I tested one car (Nissan Versa) and was even able to drive it. With Toyota keys.

I gave up, and headed back to the new apartment. Along the way, I passed one of my old professors, Drew Nelson, who looked like he was carrying an Ikea floorlamp.

When I got to the apartment, one of my roommates was there. He looked like a hipster, but in his 30s. Short and stocky, but not fat. We introduced ourselves, and his name was Scott Palmerton. That's when I woke up.
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This is the first time I've created a person in my dream. I do have projections (from Inception, haha!), but my mind never created random names for them. For some reason, his name was the only thing I remembered when I woke up, but as I was making breakfast/lunch, more of the dream started coming back and the strangeness began to be unsettling.

Also, there is no such "Elephant King" neighborhood on campus. I have no idea where that came from.

I just saw Drew Nelson that day, but haven't seen him since last June otherwise.

This is haunting me a bit - the fact that my mind has a bit more creativity in dreams now, and that it's starting to recognize strangeness (like the fact that my beeper unlocked multiple cars) while I'm dreaming. The fact that I tested a theory (that I could drive any car in the lot that beeped with my remote) is disconcerting.

I don't feel rested today, either.

Oh well. Off to lab!

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phew. Just looked in the Stanford Directory. There is no Scott Palmerton here. That would have creeped me the eff out.

Dreams

I was fixing my hair in the mirror, and then my reflection looked at me with an intense serious glare. Almost angry. Then the mirror cracked.

I know, I know. This is totally a cliche horror movie moment, but it's actually kinda scary when it happens to you personally!

Let's just say that brushing my teeth this morning was a bit unsettling.