1. Keep in contact better. I’m awful at this. I usually dump my phone in my bag and forget to check it until I’m setting my alarm for the next day. I need to get better about replying to emails too.
2. Eat better.
3. Raise a plant.
4. Fix my sites. I’m very diligent when it comes to working on sites at work or for other people. But when it comes to my own sites, I can’t bring myself to cross-browser check or fix broken links.
5. Fix my room. It makes me sad when it’s 9am and sunny outside, but in my room it looks like it’s 2am and we’re in the middle of a lunar eclipse.
6. Learn how to hold a conversation. Examples of my excellent conversational skills:

(At the grocery-store checkout, where I bought four bottles of wine because you got a free bag.)
Outgoing cashier: Hey! Having a big party tonight?
Me: Umm…no.

(Walking down the street, I spot a co-worker and wave.)
Her: How are you?
Me: Good! What about you?
Her: Good!
Me: Good!
Her: Good!

Yesterday I had dinner with my friend Rosalin. Whenever I eat with her I’m guaranteed two things: good company and delicious food. Earlier that week I was kicking myself because my classmate told me about the Final Fantasy concert a month ago, yet when I went to get tickets the week before (I didn’t think he was that popular!), they were sold out. They also said there were no standby tickets either. After dinner, I thought I would mosey on over to the venue and try my luck.

It seemed a bit shady at first. I asked the man at the door, who told me to go stand near the garbage cans off to the side and wait, which I did. And the guy who let me in said I could just pay him later since I didn’t have any cash on me. Shady or not, I was so happy I got to see Owen Pallett. He was amazing as usual (but, I miss the overhead projector he sometimes used for visuals). And did not make eye contact with the audience per usual, which I think is endearing. I secretly wish I was an attractive gay gentleman so I could have a shot at winning his heart.

1. Attended my first pug meetup

2. Ate at The French Laundry

3. Went to Paris

4. Went to Portland

5. Got a new computer

6. Got a promotion at work

7. Left San Francisco

8. Moved to New York

9. Vacationed in the Caribbean

10. Ate the famous fried chicken at Momofuku (thanks Rosalin)

11. Spent New Year’s Eve with my best friends

This is an amusing read: Readers by Author. Speaking of music (see Readers by Author > Murakami), I own two albums and have heard of five (including the two I have) from this list. Commence cowering in unhipness.

Hermes is infected with the random shutdown syndrome, so I’m checking him in over the break so they can run diagnostics. Hope all goes well!

Here are pictures from my iPhone that I’ve been meaning to post but haven’t. They’re in a somewhat chronological order from most recent to oldest.

Father’s Office, Culver City:

Saul brought me cupcakes on my birthday. How sweet is he?

From my favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Brodard:

People said that it would be difficult to work in the NY office because of all the noise; there are about 50 salespeople talking on headsets for 8 hours a day. But I think the most distracting part is the view (also, I have really good earbuds):

The many stages of my Halloween costume:

One of his better days:

Domo-kun + rain + abusive drunk people =

When we dropped him off on Broadway, pedestrians yelled, “Nooo, you can’t throw that away!” I was a little teary-eyed.

Happy holidays everyone!

via designboom

I want to do something I’m good at, but after taking a variety of classes, I realized the only thing I’m good at is web development and crocheting food. The people at school are really amazing and talented and I don’t belong there. I’m thinking of working full-time instead, and on weekends at Michael’s so I can still get my creative fix.

Sorry I’m such a Debbie Downer in this post, but I’ve just been feeling defeated these past few days and have no one to tell.

I also miss my friends in San Francisco. I don’t click very well with people here.

I also feel like I’ve said the previous sentence when I first moved to San Francisco, but replaced San Francisco with Los Angeles.

/end pity party

My favorite cover:

If he plays Peach, Plum, Pear my week will be made.

Not related to New York, but still neat:
xkcd: creepy

Also, how the heck do I get rid of this Russian porn ad on my site? How long has it been there? The fact that it makes my HTML invalid bothers me more than its actual presence.

So far, I love New York, especially now that the weather is reminiscent of San Francisco’s.

I was warned about New York summers, but I thought I’d be fine since I was raised in an area where temperatures often broke 100, and a household where we didn’t turn on the air conditioner unless our house was at full occupancy, and one or more of us was on the verge of a heat stroke. Well, in short, I’m extremely thankful I was only here for two days in August.

When I told my co-workers I was moving to New York, one of the first things they asked was whether or not I would visit ‘Disiac Lounge. It’s sort of an inside joke, but ‘Disiac Lounge is a pretty big part of our work cycle, and the best part is that they have no idea. They wanted me to wear my Yelp jacket and meet the owner and take photos, but I think I need to take it one step at a time. I visited last week and was a little too excited to be there that the bartender gave me quizzical looks– to do the aforementioned would probably be overkill.

I met someone who knew right away that I’m from California because I definitely have a “Cali vibe”. I don’t know what a Cali vibe is, but I’ll take it as a compliment. I do tend to say “like” a lot.

My mom was concerned because she had a dream where I was walking next to her and suddenly disappeared. And now I find myself overly paranoid walking home, wondering if today will be the day where I vanish into thin air. I’ve already asked my roommate to adopt my stuffed animals in the event of an emergency.

Kathy, I saw someone who looked just like Mickey at Trader Joe’s today. I even circled him, staring, waiting for a sign of recognition, but alas, it wasn’t him.