First Dates

My sociologists prof had us in a discussion about what makes up a first date. Somewhere between the tried and true "dinner and a movie" and the innovative "shoulder counting", I started thinking back to my last first date.

We've decided to meet at Burrard station earlier that day. Since I was a bit late (seems like a trend lately), we've started playing marco polo in Royal centre with texts. After about 5 minutes, we saw each other and proceeded. First we went to Pacific centre, checked out hoodies and tablets, while visiting friends. Without much plan, we've walked around downtown before deciding to go down to English bay. 

It was a cloudy day with the occasional sprinkles; great weather for the both of us really. I could never get people who would wish for sun every day; FFS just move to California then if you're just going to complain about the weather. We had a great walk down the length of second beach, before stopping at a playground to sit on the swings. We talked about everything that popped into our head: the weird tree on top of the apartment building, the swine flu, having an apartment downtown so it'd be possible to bike around everyday. I felt great, since I haven't been able to have so much fun since most of sci one scattered a couple of weeks back.

When we were pretty tired from walking, we decided to head up Davies in search of food. I was pretty surprised when we ended up in front of Stepho's, as that's kinda where I wanted to go (Stepho's being where my lab supervisors took me for my last meal with the Granvillites). The atmosphere is great, although a bit quieter than the last time I went, which made it seem slightly less authentically Greek. The food was great; generous portions and yummy. Conversation led to our five year plans: software engineering and micro-bi-ochem (one combination or the other). I obviously made fun of the CompSci degree, which earned me quite a few punches throughout the afternoon. Of course, the guy picked up the cheque. 

After dinner, I showed off St Paul's (probably the most eye opening month for me) before trying to catch my last 491 home. In my hurry, I got completely drenched by a bus passing over a puddle, which of course earned me quite a bit of laughs and ridicules. 

That afternoon had everything that should happen on a first date: mindless wandering, open conversation, great food, and a bit of humility. 

There was nothing that seemed scripted like the Westminster dog show or Ryan Seacrest. 

There was nothing that was uncharacteristically extreme like back hair laser removal or tattoos.

There was nothing that seemed threatening like a crazy hobo or an ex-child molestation attorney.

It was perfect.

Except that I didn't realise that it was a date.

-----------

Maybe it wasn't. Maybe I'm just being incredibly presumptuous. 

I saw and had dinner with a mutual friend at UBC the next day. She and I chatted about courses, then out of the blues, an awkward question. I panicked, although, was quite confused. Revelations and lies were exchanged, and I started thinking about what the night before meant. I made an excuse to leave due to class (which was true, but not really the reason I wanted to get out of there). 

Moral of the story? 

I hate how girls gossip and are generally confusing.

And that I feel like I lost someone after that night.

Short Rant #1

For my treasurer orientation, the coordinator decided to use doodle as a way to schedule people. I was the third person to sign up, and as luck will have it, I got a time slot that I kinda liked. I checked again today, turns out, 5 of the 6 people who signed up after me decided to all pick the same time slot that I did. :@ Can't they realize that there's a reason there's that many dates and times, and for the trends in the first 3 people's schedule?

Hopefully I don't have to go through orientation with that many people, because this is something that goes a lot smoother if it's one-on-one or at least in a small group.

The Special People I Surround Myself With

So you guys are going to hate me for my title in a minute, but like I care.

I try to surround myself with amazing people, partly because they always know how to bring up my spirits, and partly because it'd be motivation to aspire to something greater.

Case #1. He's an honest to goodness nice guy. Good set of morals on him, and cherishes the friendships he does foster (think Yang mating for life-esque). Got a decent head on him too. Wanting to go into Physiology and got a solid set of grades to back that up.

Case #2. She really does steal my dreams and make them real. She's a quasi-stagehand, and has been for years. She's uber talented at music (great on the bass clarinet even though that's like her 23rd instrument) and would have been studying music if it wasn't for the source of money. She *could* go into microbi and kick ass at it... as a last resort.

Why mention these two? He's got a learning disorder and she, on top of being a little OCD, can't even tell the difference between left and right (imagine getting driven home for the first time and having to give directions).

I'm slightly sick of all of these preferential hiring and "equal" opportunities. People who have disabilities or setbacks should not have an easier time getting what they want than their equals without the d&s. Not when there are people like case #1 and 2, who are above average, despite their downfalls, who are perfectly capable of getting a job in their own right.

Conversely, (because I am racist I can say this) I have no problems with companies that prefer to hire white males. This doesn't make *them* racist/sexist, they are simply hiring the best men for the job. White males are often received better than their coloured/fairer counterpart in business transactions. So in a way, being white & male are attributes that are just enough to make someone's resume slightly more appealing.

That's about all I have to say about that topic. What else can I include? Vote tomorrow (although by the time you've read this it might already be too late). It doesn't really matter who you like, just get your voice out there, whether it be STV (what I'm voting for) or FPTP, or Liberal NDP Conservative Communism or Green (who I'm voting for), take part so you have a right to bitch.

Also, slightly more important (OMG, something more important than the stupid system put in place by the Poli scientists and sociologists of the world?): Go out there and do some reading. Find a great blog that makes you feel in ways that you didn't know words can make you. Yours truly tries to blog stuff that might be interesting, but he is by no means good. Go out and look, for your Ethans that can be on a beach with Camerons, sharing a music player just as Snow Patrol echoes his sentiment of "Would you lie with me, and just forget the world?"

Galstaff, you have entered the door to the north. You are now by yourself, standing in a dark room.

Long quote in title, most of you probably won't know it (and if you google it, I'm sure you'll be disappointed). And now, another long quote:

"I'm gonna base this moment on who I'm stuck in a room with. It's what life is, it's a series of rooms. And who we get stuck in those rooms with adds up to what our lives are"

Some of you might know where this is from, those of you who don't, googling this one might not be a bad idea.

So, it's finally sinking in/official. I'm an SOS now. Hell, I think I did slightly better than survived, but that's a different story. I haven't really been able to fully celebrate that fact, because of the person that didn't quite become an SOS. In any other instance I'd be spamming SOS everywhere: facebook, msn, etc. But this time, it doesn't feel right, making it a very bittersweet way to end the winter session. 

Who you are, is really a conglomeration of everything that has happened and everyone that you have met: circumstantial. There's no fighting it. Hermits become very similar due to their lack of people that mold them to become something. 

Next year, as we all split into our separate fields, we're still going to be a big part of each other. After spending 8 months together, from good times to bad, we have left a big imprint of ourselves. We might not end up friends/close in a few years, but just by having interacted in the setting that we have been in will make you a different person than if you didn't go through science one.

Go out there, live, love, be loved. Never ever say science one have not help shape the person you are then, because it has. And if during "then" you are rich, I'm Justin Chang!

Fight 53:59

I was going to post a post about what people post on blogs, but my blog ate said post. I perhaps will rewrite it, but now, I'm going to write something about fighting.

Do it. Please. For the love of god and all things lovable, fight.

If you're 5 years old and losing lots of blood from a door closing/bomb incident, fight to stay conscious.

If you're rejected from a job, fight the system.

If you're a teen that just learnt that your grandma died 2 weeks ago, fight the tears.

If you have cancer, fight.

Fight club has one rule, and life is similar. Fight; being put on this Earth, that's about all you could do. Keep on fighting til your lungs drew their last breath, your heart, its last beat. Find what it is that is worth living for, worth dying for, worth killing for, worth going to hell for.

Charisma

I helped someone edit their resume recently. I did not particularly like this person, but I did rip it to shreds like I would for a true friend. I rediscovered my hate for planning 10. It is an incredibly tedious task to speak the lingo. Much like the field of academic writing, you might be confronted with loads of jargons (among the discussion of the current state of knowledge, and the multiple noun phrases). The transferable skills are among the most prominent ones. "Communication skills", "People person", or "Interpersonal abilities" are a dime a dozen. Those are just contrived terms that are closed to being cliché. But really, they are just blanket terms cover something that is a lot more useful: Charisma. 

(as an aside, this post is about charisma to me. People described below may or may not seem charismatic to you, but to me, they mean the world).

My cousin LinKai always seemed slightly too happy to the rest of the world. He really does enjoy life as much as he can. He would go out of his way to show me how to play with his video games (I believe it was in his house that I developed my button mashing habits) whenever we'd visit. He really made those long trips to his house a trip worth taking. He does his best to teach me to smile. And that point I really don't have much to do. I'd go to school, or go to my parents' work. Going to a friend's house? basically didn't happen. I don't think I've been to more than 1 person's house before I came to Canada.

As I went back to visit, he'd always try to take me around on his motorcycle as much as he can (when he's off work basically). He works in a bakery, not because he can't find something better, but because he honestly loves his work. He's the type of guy where he's genuinely nice enough that you'd be able to see that he's not doing it for the tips. Of course, tons of girls flock to the bakery to flirt with him, but he's really just an extremely chill guy. 

Of course, if he was white, he'd be something like Cory. He is probably the person most confident enough to be able to just walk up to a stranger and start a conversation. He treats mcdonald cashiers with as much courtesy as a high end waiter would for their customers. He has the most contagious laugh; you can't help but smile when he's around. He was my youth worker for a while, and I try to get him to drive me home as often as possible. Not cause I'm lazy or anything and walking home isn't a hassle, but because it gives about 5 minutes worth of great heart to heart conversations. He's always take pride in himself, because everyday he strives to be a better man. He exudes confidence and likebility, a truly born "people person".

I've met the guitar man a while ago; I'm pretty sure this was before the math assignment regarding convergence was due, although I could be wrong. All I remember was I was craving some pho. I first saw him when he was talking to a couple who thinks he's crazy, so he left them be. Few seconds later, I was having some troubles crossing the street (don't ask) and he came over and said "there's safety in numbers" and we moved on. He started making up songs off the top of his head and sang them; I was as giddy as a 5 year old again. Some people might not give him the time of their day, but I honestly believed he was a great entertainer. We talked, and I learnt that apparently some douchebags coming out of a bar broke his guitar so now he's only singing to earn money until he can save up for another guitar. There is a lightness in his songs and spirit. Fast forward to Friday, on my way to my mom's office I saw him again (I was also going towards pho). He looks good; got a down payment for another guitar, and his face looks even more brilliant than before. He played me a song, and concluded with "keep on smiling, cause that's the only thing you can control".  If you guys are ever around Richmond and you see this guy, be sure to give him some of your change.

It could be worse

"It could be worse", such an awesome statement in that it's optimistic and pessimistic at the exact same time!

Drawing the right MO but then going with your (wrong) intuition? At least you didn't think carbons have 6 electrons.

Snakes on a plane? Snakes on EVERY plane.

Failing your sci one physics final? Could be failing out of CSP.

Don't have the job you want? Could have the job you hate.

Can't dance backwards? Try doing it in heels.

Hooker ran off with your wallet? could've ran off with your heart.

Need to monitor your heart on an ECG? it could have a sampling rate of 3 Hz.

Think you play DotA too much? At least you're not Shoujun.

Someone take off your weapon? Both of them? They could do it a second time.

Skinning your knee when you tripped while running? could epic fail at puddle jumping.

References to RENT, XKCD, weird al, and sin city.