Fams and Cams

My grandpa was/is a professional photographer (read: hella baller). Check out his old school SLR - a foreign object to most of us, but the only kind of camera he really knows how to use. He picked up my Canon T1i, looked at the display, and promptly handed it back. Then he called me a youngin' (in Chinese) and told me that technology is not his friend.

This is how I spent a good chunk of my day after Christmas - taking family portraits, drinking Asian tea, ogling my grandpa's camera and my uncle's lenses, and squeezing in some time for MCAT study. That's actually how I spend most family holidays (minus the MCAT study). This morning, we woke up early for dim sum before sending the fams back to LA. My grandma force fed me everything on the table in an attempt to fatten me up, something that also happens every holiday despite my protests.

I can't believe the holidays are coming to an end and the new year is just around the corner. I realized I didn't make new year's resolutions last year (hence an unproductive year?), so I should start making mine for 2011 now. Better start early before I forget... I have the working memory of a 92-year-old nowadays.

photo adventures in SF

1. Alex's Nikon, 2. compensation lens, 3. Union Square ice rink, 4. tiny child, 5. hide and seek, 6. gossip girl, 7. Neiman Marcus ornaments, 8. being stupid, 9. brief SF sunshine, 10. snowflakes at Westfield (photo cred: Alex), 11. Toy Story clouds, 12. cutest kid ever

Went on my first legit photo adventure today! Legit because I finally have my own camera to play with. Alex and I ventured into downtown San Francisco with two cameras and one umbrella. Through waves of heavy drizzle, we shot at the ice skating rink, the Neiman Marcus tree, Westfield mall, the Contemporary Jewish Museum, and the waterfall outside the Metreon. But mostly I just took stalker photos of small children. It must be adorable child season because they are everywhere!

So I should be asleep right now. I've been trying to regulate/correct my sleep cycle, but it's really hard. Of course, blogging at 3 in the morning does not help the cause any.

Canon T1i and Thanksgiving

Spent Thanksgiving break with family and friends and my new baby. Learning how to use this baby is harder than I thought, but that's okay. [insert huge toothy smile here]

Things I'm thankful for:

- a mostly smooth drive home

- indoor heating or a really heavy pile of blankets

- homemade garlic bread and honey baked ham

- lit-up houses

- reflective tree ornaments

- my new 'I heart Paris' socks

- crepes and napping three times in one day

- nonstop Christmas music on the radio

things i heart

I'm kind of obsessed with hearts. They just tend to show up everywhere - on my jewelry, in letters and emails, even in the form of refrigerator magnets. I don't know, maybe hearts are actually obsessed with me. But the point is... I have a midterm on Friday, so naturally I shop online and come up with a list of things I heart at the moment. I am the worst best procrastinator ever.

1. A key to my heart because jewelry really is the key to every girl's heart. The website no longer has the mini version, which I posted a while ago and is really a lot cuter. I hope they still have them in store.

2. A heart of gold to inspire warm fuzzies on the inside even when it's freezing outside. A reminder that there are nice people out there, so maybe it's okay to trust in mankind every once in a while.

3. An open heart to accept new challenges as they present themselves. And as a reminder to not hit that slow walker in front of you. It's not his fault he's so slow.

4. They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but I'm pretty sure this applies to women as well. When all else fails, snack your troubles away, and these hearty cupcakes may be just my cup of tea.

Hiatus

If you haven't noticed by now, I think you should cross "good at noticing things" off your resume, a la Tag from Friends.

Putting my blog to sleep for a little while so I can study for the MCAT... so at least one of us is getting sleep.

Fishy

1) light coming into my grandma's garden. 2) grandma's chilies. 3) grandpa fixes everything. 4) sleepy Honey. 5) meet fishy

H went home for the weekend, so I babysat her pretty DSLR. I took it to my grandparents' house and took lots of pretty pictures. I really enjoyed my day of family, relaxing, and Chinese food after a stressful week of finals, long hours in lab, and not much sleep. I came home with a new friend, a betta fish that my vampire boyfriend named Casper, like the friendly ghost. But I know my apartment-mates are still going to call him Timmy because they have bettas named Cosmo and Wanda. Still, I end up calling him Fishy all the time because that's the first name that comes to mind. Original, I know. I name like a 5-year-old.

Love and Lessons

This picture was taken with Lil J's new camera, which is as gorgeous as the pictures it takes. I like this picture because it shows off my new "love" ring and my new apartment-mate, K. She is special because she is the best cook ever and loves to cook for people. Which is oddly coincidental because I love being cooked for.

In other news, I learned a few important things this past week. Just thought I'd share some of it.

1. There is a running path in a park near my apartment. It's shaded by trees and it's wonderful.
2. Playing on swings after running may be the best feeling ever.
3. Rendezvous beef nachos, though good pre-sweat-session, are even better after a workout.
4. Gmail's canned response system is genius.
5. Trader Joe's sour cream spinach dip fixes everything.
6. My health would probably improve tenfold if Volcano Tea House's crack boba was more than a 5 minute drive from my apartment.
7. If there's a knock on the door in the morning, answer it no matter how early it may be. As in, don't assume the knocker will just think no one is home and go away. (Because it could be your building manager, who lets himself in to fix the sink and then finds you looking all confused and disheveled in your sleep boxers and morning hair.)