The Balls of My Feet are Killing Me...

...My nails are sore. I can't type faster than 30 wpm, and I cannot pick up hair, lint, or tie my shoes with my fingers. And I almost wounded my eyeballs trying to remove my eye contacts with these fake things. I have an almost-infected cut on my thumb; a cut I have no idea how I received. There's a bruise on my foot from where Joanna stepped on me when we were were learning the waltz (I guess I shouldn't have taken my shoes off). And my body is sore. Probably from trying to dance on those cursed 5- inch heels (according to Florence) and taking pictures in uncomfortable positions.

But the minor injuries were all well worth it I believe.

So formal's just a time to put on a dress and some fake eye lashes and nails, eat dry chicken, take a gazillion pictures, and, at least this year, dance the macarana? to your heart's content.

Fun =).

On a Search for the Perfect Baby Name

No, I'MMM not looking for a baby name, not at the moment at least, haha. However, my aunt and uncle have 3 or 4 months left to find the perfect name for their God-sent child; it's going to be a boy, and he's a miracle-child. They're being very nitpicky about naming this kid; they've poured over a bazillion baby name books and have yet to find " the one." My aunt's name is Sarah, and although my uncle's name is Han, I believe they should name their kid Isaac because when I think of their situation, I can't help but think about Abraham and Sarah in the Bible.

But since I've just given up on my ridiculous homework, and I've just remembered that January's almost ending and that I must update my blog once a month, and since baby names have been my mind for a while, I'll go on my own short, simple, sweet search for a couple baby names for own future kid(s).

Okay, I'm disturbed by the thought of having children. Seriously. I'm too clumsy and careless and silly to be a mother. But okay whatever. Baby names.

Melissa's Future Baby's Name Perequisite:

• Must be pronouncable by all members of family (like by my Grandma)
• Must be meaningful
• Must be unique-ish

I want 2 kids. Sigh. Why am I writing about kids. A boy and a girl. So:

My girl shall be named Hermione. Yeah, she's the girl in Harry Potter. And yeah, she's everything I would want in a daughter (in myself too, but oh well). Brainy, extremely clever, witty, sensitive, loyal, gutsy, and can survive on her own in a tent in the dead of winter.

My boy shall be named Yusseff. I think it's the spinoff Jewish name for Joseph. But I know too many Josephs, so Yusseff works better (I knew a Yusseff from my summer theatre class though, so I know it's a valid name). Joseph is my favorite character in the Bible. He's a leader, problem solver, and knows how to run away from temptation. Plus Yusseff sounds nice with Hermione. Or at least I think so.

Kay, good. I got my names for my future imaginary children. Great.

Wait. Can my grandma pronounce Hermione and Yusseff? Darn.

Today is the Last Day of 2008

I realize I've posted at least once a month ever since I started this blog, and today is the last day of December. And the last day of the year. How utterly depressing.

Hm. Actually, I'm relieved. A new year means erasing the terrible, painful memories of the previous year, the awkward moments, and regrets and what ifs. It's a new start, a new beginning, new adventures! Okay, not really. But I like to think of New Year's this way. So, Happy New Years 2009 everyone (add 5 hours to this post).

Pictures from the "Leaf Raking Party FIRST Fundraiser" in Eric's neighborhood. Eric has a really nice house; I love his balcony. He lives on View Street. And it's obvious why. Except you can't really see it in the picture. Me and Jeffrey are blocking the view. Haha.

That's George Bush (the Christmas tree). He's real; my mother gets free Christmas trees in exchange for donuts. I think he's the best Christmas tree we've ever had. Because he's proportionate. Last year's Christmas tree, Barbara Bush, was kind of crooked.

And these people are my cousins on my mom's side. There's only one boy. He's cute. But he's a spoiled brat. Actually, I think all of us are.

Some cousins from my dad's side. I'm a midget. I used to be taller than ALL those kids. Especially the two standing on the left. I hate growing up. These are the kids I grew up playing idiotic, violent, imaginery games with. Where has all the time gone?

Okay, time to go reflect. Then start an 8 page essay on Benjamin Franklin. What a way to ring in the new year huh.

Goodbye 2008. Good morning 2009.

I'm Thankful for Maroon Leaves, Fabric Softener, and Grace

Before my aunts, uncles, and David, my favorite cousin, come to eat stuff with us, I thought I'd blog...and fold a load of laundry. I've just spent the afternoon doing my favorite thing in the world: I read 2 pages of this new book I started (The Book of Ruth), and then I fell asleep for 4 hours in my warm, cozy bed with the fuzzy, staring teddy bears at my side. (By the way, I'm thankful for warm beds, books, and teddy bears.) So anyway, I decided to make myself a little useful. But you know, I love the feel of warm clothes right from the dryer. And I'm thankful for fabric softener. I'm not sure what it does (I suppose it makes your clothes softer?), but yeah, whatever it is, I'm thankful for it.

Yesterday, as my mother drove us home from school, I noticed, for the first time this year, the long row of red, orange, and golden leaves splashed across baring branches and scattered across Middle Lane. It was truly a most pretty sight; I was just disappointed I hadn't noticed before. For some reason, trees comfort me. They remind me that even though I'm a black dot on the face of the earth, I'm not alone. How they do that, I don't know. ~ Later, I watched my mother cook...she prepared Thanksgiving dinner the day before. But I don't know what she was thinking because I swear she cooked enough to feed the entire Junior class. The pot of curry she cooked (my favorite) was so big, she had to stand on a chair to add ingredients! I realized it was the first time I've ever seen my mother cook curry, and I found it utterly fascinating and comforting to watch. I offered to help, but my mother doesn't let me anywhere near the stove (I'm an abysmal cook, so I might burn the house down). But yeah, I'm thankful for pretty leaves and pretty mothers who cook pretty curries.

That's what I love about Thanksgiving, that today especially, we are thankful for the little things, things we sadly never notice on a daytoday basis. It's a nice, contentment-filled kind of feeling. And I realize Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

And I'm thankful for God's grace. That He loves us and cares for us and never leaves us and allows us to be thankful and have so many things to be thankful for.


Well, my family has eaten their fill and gone home, and I'm so full I can't even sleep. Seriously, I think we're going to have leftovers for three months. We even had 2 turkeys this year because Foodnet make a mistake and accidently gave us 16 turkeys instead of 15, so I guess you can call that a blessing. But anyway, dinner was fun. I found out my cousin's pregnant (my grandmother is going to be a great-grandmother soon), my other cousin's getting married (yay, I love weddings), my great-grandmother died sitting up (terrifying story), and that my mother would kill me if I don't marry an Asian guy (I was seriously taken aback).

All in all, this was a great Thanksgiving. I'm pretty thankful.

Up the Down Staircase

Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman; it's a novel I started reading, and I liked the title a lot. That's what life feels like sometimes huh? Walking up a down staircase. Or well, walking up the down escalator. Which is very unadvisable. Trust me.

And then again, I suppose you're able to get up to the top of the steps nevertheless. It's just trip-able and foolish-looking. No, I don't know what kind of analogy I'm trying to make.

I s2 my JV Volleyball Team (see picture). I bet you can't find a better bunch of silly, giggly, adorably cute (okay, not really) jv volleyball girls anywhere! I actually looked forward to pratices and games this year! And we beat OMI. Twice! Haha. It's so sad that it has to end when we're just starting to get really into it.

I think my life is starting to revolve around AP Bio. I started this post 3 days ago typing AP Bio notes, and now I am redoing and writing up an AP Bio lab, and yesterday I spent around 7 hours studying for AP Bio test. This is pathetically insane.

Life is hard.

Did you know they're thinking about legalizing prostitution in SF now? And that in Nevada, it is legal for parents to abandon their grown kids at police stations if they can't control them? Huhm.

My Thoughts Are In English

I wonder what language other people's thoughts are in. I mean, what if you spoke like 10 languages and you were, like, 1/10 Chinese, Scottish, Irish, Phillippino, English, Jewish...etc. And you lived in...Turkey. What language would your thoughts be in? What language are God's thoughts in?

I like being an upper-classmen. There's this feeling of confidence and a sense of, I don't know, smoothness? And then again, it's probably because I've been at CCS way too long, so maybe this is why the familiarity is really kicking in now.

If I didn't believe the government was such a sham, I'd probably be a staunch, unmoving Republican. And I'd probably vote for John McCain. Yes, now I have actual reasons behind it besides "people like the wife more than the other wife." Which isn't true anymore anyway, I think haha.

I talk too much. My tongue gets me into too much trouble.

Melissa's Summer Was Very Fun

"Harriet? Is that a banana in your trousers? Or are you just happy to see me?" (It's a banana, don't worry.) -> Haha, I'm going to miss all this.

Melissa's summer was very fun.
Melissa napped too much in the sun.

Now lazy Melissa realizes scary school's almost begun!

So poor Melissa won't have fun again until her AP homework's finally done.

Darn, I just wasted 10 minutes trying to make that poem rhyme. Okay. The next 17 days I shall not be distracted from bio reading, chinese pods, or essay writing. OH WHO AM I KIDDING.

What comes around, goes around. -> When I was, like, 6, I was too lazy to throw my gum away in the trash can, so I stuck the gum under the chimney bricks behind the TV. Now, since we are remodeling the room, I was forced to scrub that nasty, shriveled, absorbed gum off. It was horrible. Boy, did that bring back memories.