Jason's Daily Notes

Stayed in Glassell Park.
Saturday: Dropped off our printer at the electronics recycling center/program. Shopped at Ross and TJ Maxx with mom. I got new socks and a tie. Didn't get a new dress shirt though.
Watched Bill Maher, 30 Rock and other NBC shows. Spent the evening watching music videos on youtube.
Dinner at Senor Fish (because Polka was full). I had a tofu burrito which I enjoyed.
The party bus was cancelled. Instead, Ruchi had a party. But I really didn't feel like driving to the westside yet again.
Unreciprocated.

Sunday: Church. eh.
It was chilly and drizzly. Ate potato tacos and taquitos. Watched more TV and fell asleep at 2pm. What a nap.
I'm expecting Ty and Dean (the Aussies) to return to LA (they're in San Diego)! Should be a blast.
I just got a letter stating my credit score. It's good!

Picked up Ruchi after work last night. Then to the apartment. For happy hour, I chose SF Saloon. Ruchi, Matthias and I went first, then Felix and his visiting friend Esther met us. Duke and Butler were both playing at the same time (NCAA tournament). There was a misunderstanding with the tip. Oh lame.
We just went back to the apartment and drank. Played king's cup. Lisa came. Marie came. Steph and Julie came. "Let's do the fork in the garbage disposal" - apparently we were stomping around too loudly. We were up til 3am. Marie was drunk. Esther was emotional. Ruchi was Ruchi. Slept on the futon. She joined.

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Work. 8:30am. Same old stuff - busy as ever. Answering shareholder calls all day.
Working on LSE financial aid / scholarship application.

Music: Allstar Weekend - Not Your Birthday
Lunch: leftover pad thai from Wednesday night.
Weather: rained last night. The air smells really good today - fresh and cool, but the sun is warm. Just perfect.
Ben & Jerry's (in the mall) is CLOSED!!! SADNESS!
I could go out (to Hollywood, with Stephanie and co.) tonight. But I just want to rest.

It rained yesterday. I stayed at work until 6:45. But traffic did not clear around 7pm like it usually does. Traffic was way worse than usual. I didn't get home until 8:15. I took La Cienega - 10 freeway. Met up with Michelle and Diane. We went on a quest for food, but the restaurants were closed. Sad face. We settled on Panang. I got tofu pad thai (my dish of the moment).

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I need to start thinking in metric measurements. Also saying "mobile" instead of "cell phone", etc.
There's a new bar - Mom's Bar - near our apartment, on Santa Monica and Bundy!
Lunch: Leftover Panda Express
Music: Mike Posner - Cooler Than Me

Slept at the apartment last night. On the futon. Felix was in SD (and took my sleeping bags). So I just slept wearing a sweatshirt with my socks still on.
Watched Scent of a Woman. Interesting movie, and what good acting by Al Pacino - hoo yah!
The sink is broken. Pipes need to be replaced.

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Drove to work 8:40. Much quicker of a commute than coming from Glassell Park, that's for sure.
My tattoo is all scabbed up. It looks nasty.
Work is still insanely busy. I'm inundated all day with phone calls from these Chinese company shareholders.
It's supposed to rain this afternoon (afternoon update: yes, it's raining). Another storm arrives tomorrow night into Friday.
Applied for a student loan through Sallie Mae. Hopefully this will help me get my student visa before June.
God. I'm going to be over $50,000 in debt.
News: Elisabeth Taylor died. The Lakers beat the Suns in triple overtime.
Music: The Beatles - Saw Her Standing There

Driving back to Glassell tonight. Staying at work late, hoping for the rain to clear and traffic to let up.

The flash mob yesterday was amazing. I left work at 2pm, and got there just in time (they only were allowed to have 200 people; I was number 196). It was at the Americana. The rain held off (showers were in the vicinity), but it was breezy and very chilly, like 56°F. We practiced in the parking garage. I met Caroline and Trish, 2 friends (from Texas and NY) who volunteer at NPR. We flash mobbed. Twice. Then I hung out with Janelle and Claudia, friends and former coworkers from the South Bay.
The surprise: Far East Movement actually showed up and performed a mini-concert! Twice (for the TV cameras)! It was really fun; we started flash mobbing again!
Drove home, 7pm. Mom made chicken. She left for some prayer Lenten thing. I listened to music.

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Woke up 7:10. Left for work 7:45. Traffic was unusually horrendous on the 10 (backed up all the way to Vermont!) so I got off at La Brea and took that to Pico. Still, I didn't get to work until 9:35. That's right - NEARLY TWO HOURS DRIVING TO WORK. WTF.
So many shareholders calling today (and everyday). These damn Chinese companies commit so much fraud, the stock trading has been halted and people just keep calling me for answers!!! There is SO much work. So much.
I found someone on CouchSurfing who wants to do a Scandinavia road trip this summer! I told him that I want to join!
Work is so busy - I will have a backlog of things to do for DAYS.
Lunch: leftover sausage stir fry and rice.
Met Cameron and Andy, the new administrative staff at the office. They seem like nice guys (and are very artsy, gay-acting movie industry types).
Stayed at work til 7:15pm. Figuring out financial aid and visa stuff for the UK.

Busy at work. Lots to do. And I'm leaving early today to participate in my flash mob.
Gotta officially accept my LSE offer!
Compsed a memo re: Balboa (B of A subsidiary doing fraud with force-placed insurance)
They're interviewing a guy - for my position? no; for the summer associate position.
I have to write up a job posting for my job.
Lunch: Sausage stir-fry thingy with rice (again, thanks mom).

Transferred money to my mom's account. Should help with my financial aid package - I think?

Music: Far East Movement - Like a G6; Bruno Mars - Marry You

Friday night: rehearsal in Noho for the flash mob.

Saturday
FLASH MOB. 9am. Hollywood. I found a parking space a block away - no restrictions, no meter!
3 hours of rehearsals. It was so much fun. I met Jamie - who goes to CSUN.
After the mob, I ran into Fernanda who was filming a web series with her film class friends. They asked me to be in it! I was a passer-by who gave some spare dollars to a derelict "super loser".
Met Brian, Thai food on Vermont. Then we went to my house, then to the Galleria ("Let's Go to the Mall!"). Brian had to leave with Ruben, as they were watching the King's game.
I got a Fosters freeze smoothie. My body was really sore.

Sunday
Rain.
Stayed in bed; I was sore.
My tattoo is cracked and scabbing up. It's also starting to peel. My mom doesn't know, and I intend to keep it that way.
Heavy heavy rain and lots of wind. This really is quite a storm. My mom left to go shopping in Arcadia (Rosemead?) with some of the titas. I drove to Fosters Freeze and got another smoothie (and fries). It was POURING rain.
Watched The Fighter. Then The Amazing Race continued in China.

Music: Allstar Weekend - Not Your Birthday; Rebecca Black - Friday; Robin Sparkles - Let's Go to the Mall; Far East Movement - Like a G6.

FELIX IS BACK! He didn't go to SF this weekend (because of the weather). I met his brother, Christian. We went to Barney's Beanery last night. Lots of UCLA people there. Hard to talk to everybody. Showed off my tatto, but people were more interested in seeing Felix again.

It's Friday, Friday. Gotta get down on Friday.
My tattoo is slightly sore. I'm trying to keep it lotioned.
Work is yet again incredibly busy.
Summation upload. And I had to research and write a memo within 1 hour! (No previous notice!) Then I had to take part in a conference call! Ugh!
Lunch: Soy corn dogs and lentil soup. At Mrs. Winston's, the guy in front of my correctly guessed the price of his food and got it for free!
I finally finished reading The Omnivore's Dilemma.
I'M FLASH MOBBING TOMORROW. Gotta learn the dance (trying to practice at my desk when no one is looking).
Music: Rebecca Black (of course!); Flo Rida and David Guetta - Club Can't Handle Me

Went to the tattoo parlor last night. After having a quick Tommy's run with Matthew.
Got my tattoo! Michell came, then Adrian and Priscilla. We stayed until 3am, as Adrian got his as well! Irish car bombs to celebrate St. Paddy's. Nirvana. Nate Dogg RIP. I went to the bank and Jack in the Box.
Awesome.
Didn't get much sleep.

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Drove to work 8:20-9:25-ish. Took Alvarado to Olympic.
It's cool in the morning but slightly misty/hazy. It's starting to feel like summer.
It's nice to have a car :)
WORK IS INCREDIBLY BUSY AGAIN!
Lunch: Tofu and fried rice (w/ bacon), thanks to mom.
Music: Rebecca Black - Friday (seriously, it's now an infectious song
March Madness has begun. Especially at the office.
WORKING WORKING WORKING. Summation upload issues, taking up the entire day! I'm at the office late (until 7pm).

Celebrating St. Patrick's tonight at Barney's Beanery.

It was Adrian's birthday last night. I left work at 6:15, stopped by the apartment (no one was there), left around 7:15 to pick up Angela, and we arrived in West Covina at 8:45. Had drinks (had to sneak in to the happy hour section), and guess who was there but Gabriel, Adrian's little brother. He has a gf, Tori.
Then we went to Chatterbox, a nearby dive bar. And you can tell it's cheap. It looks like a high school theater set. Ang and I couldn't get my car lighter to work. Naomi was there, recovering from her breakup. Ouch. Drove Ang back home. Midnight. She's likely starting a film program in Burbank, but for the moment is collecting unemployment. I wanted to get a tattoo, but no time. So today, maybe I will...
Got back to the apartment, 1am. Jan's 2 friends, Julian and Lara, were there sleeping on the floor. Felix was back!!! (presumably) with his brother, but I didn't see them since it was so late and I left for work before they were up.

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Actually when I woke, Felix was in the shower, and I really had to pee, so I just drove to work. No shower, no toothbrushing. I feel gnarly.
News: The Fukushima nuclear reactor is really dangerous. Radiation is spreading.
Learning / accepting the gray area in life - and in my diet: I'm flexitarian. It's ok. It's good. Few things are totally black or white anyway.
Lunch: Mrs Winston's. Eaten while working on this new and crazy summation upload with Jack and Ryan.
IT'S BUSY AT WORK. THE SHAREHOLDERS DON'T STOP CALLING.
And I have several things to research!
The weather is nice, like 68 and sunny with some haze.
Work work work. The press release game.
At work til 6:20. Long, busy day. I just need to chill.

I'm gonna try to get my tattoo tonight.

Music: Rebecca Black - Friday; Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Drove back to Glassell. Stressful! And holy shit, I can't believe what happened to me. I GOT ANOTHER FUCKING TICKET. I am pissed off, yeah, but oddly, I also now feel afraid. As if everything I've been doing, the way I've been driving, who I am, has been all wrong. And now who am I?
Aaron and uncle Chinggoy went to the Lakers game. Mom worked late so I took Sheena and a couple aunties to the Eagle Rock Plaza to buy some Goldilocks. We then went straight to Full House for dinner. Tried to get Sheena to drive, but no.

I feel like an adult. Like my actions suddenly now have consequences.

Busy morning - shareholders calling.
Picking up sunglasses at Toscanova restaurant.

"Break the rules, find your way, change the world"

Lunch: [with the relatives] Baja Fresh. They saw Hollywood and Aaron got a parking ticket. Now they're off back to San Diego and to Virginia.

Back to work. Daylight saving time messed me up this morning and yesterday. The Virginia relatives arrived around 8:30am, just as I was leaving for work. The house is now so clean.
Got to work around 9:45. No parking spaces :/

I have so much on my mind. Telling people at work about LSE.
Had a conference call re: nVidia chips in HP computers. No answer.

Planning my trip to Iceland! Emailed Juratele!
I want a waterproof camera. And a DSLR. And roller blades.
News: Disaster continues to unfold in Japan. Nuclear meltdown possible?

So everybody at work now knows about LSE. Jack was remarkably hostile and critical of my decision. Asking, "why? What is your plan with it? You know LSE's reputation is slipping?"
Lionel pulled me into his office, asked me to close the door behind me, and said "I want to congratulate anyone who sits in that chair and doesn't go to law school."

Flash mob this weekend! Dinner with family tonight.

Friday night: Went out with Louise. Her good bye night (with me). Had Johnny Rockets.
Then to the Cat & Fiddle. Met Patricia and Parrish.

Saturday: Up early (6am) to go to San Diego for the Wedding.

Nice ceremony. Small and somewhat intimiate garden wedding. It was warm and sunny. Maddie made a big deal about the weather in Seattle being as it always is in Seattle. There was an open bar for the first hour. We then rested for a bit in the hotel rooms before going out - dinner was at a small hole-in-the-wall burrito shop. Yum. Then to Mission Beach / Pacific Beach. It was cold but Uncle Em and I and Aaron got our feet into the water at least.

Drove back to LA around 9-10pm.

Sunday: At home. Helped clean the house a bit.

Music: Muse - Feelin' Good

Artwalk last night. Picked up Michelle and Diane in Silver Lake. Met Matthias there. Saw Tim Cardenas.


8.9 earthquake struck Japan. Tsunami. Unbelievable images. There's a tsunami advisory for California.

My coworker's wife died. Wow.

Lunch: Trimana veggie burger and fries. $6.04.

I DID IT. I TOLD MY FIRM THAT I'M LEAVING.

Got accepted to City University London!

Oh, LA, so full of pretty people. Saw some young people with megaphones just outside the mall - PETA protesters? I saw a car being filmed as it drove by.
I registered for the 2012 Olympics tickets.
Looking up music festivals to visit this summer; I'm not that turned on by the lineups.
Music: Lady Gaga - Born This Way; Metro Station - California

Went to Father's Office last night. With Louise. It was packed. Definitely not a comfortable place to hang out. Met Stephanie and Paulina there.
Then milkshakes at Cafe 50's.

I got pulled over by the police. FUCK.

I AM NOT HAPPY.

New word: Povertous

I couldn't sleep well last night. Had too much of a big dinner, and the milkshakes didn't help. Plus, I was worrying non-stop about this traffic ticket and MY UPCOMING COURT DATE!!!! So yeah, I couldn't sleep because I was too fucking pissed. At the system. At the world. At myself.

I feel like a failure.

Lunch: with Jenn. Drove to Chipotle at 11:30 am. The coupon I had had expired. FAIL.

I saw my bike in Westwood. Louise?

I let Stephanie borrow my credit card to pay for her flights. She came over after lunch to pay me back in cash.
Talked to mom. She calmed me down. A lot.
Music: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge; Mumford and Sons - The Cave

So I got pulled over by the police last night. For making a u-turn in front of a police car, causing the policeman to step on his brakes. As a result, I have been feeling angry, depressed, and like a failure. I've been trying to vent to my friends, and they've replied with variations of "that sucks," and it has helped me feel better a little bit, but I still felt really dejected, and frankly like a failure.

Well, I just got off the phone with my mom, and told her about my experience. And I expected her to be hard on me, expressing some sort of disappointment in what I've done wrong. But she didn't. She simply said, "oh well - that's part of life. It happens to everyone." And she said it with the resigned certainty that only comes with life experience. She knows that it's not a good thing, but it's not a major life setback, and that it's not worth it to waste my energy worrying about it. In a matter of seconds, the weight of my guilt and anger simply lifted off of me. None of my friends could have done that. Only mom. So as much as I may feel embarrased by her, or feel that she's out-of-touch with our current generation; I really have to acknowledge that my mom knows a thing or two about life. And I'd be all the wiser to pay attention to what she says.

Went to Tommy's last night with Matthias. Louise didn't make it back in time and just insisted that we go without her.

--

I walked to work today. I would have biked, but Louise took the bike. She also took the laptop with her, for a skype interview.
I don't know what the hell I'm doing this summer. Really.
Lunch: Jenn came to visit me! Korean BBQ at the mall food court.
Cassy got accepted to Harvard! :)

It's really warm. Borderline hot.


I love it. I'm wearing shorts today.

Father's Office tonight. Gotta walk back to the apartment first.

Went to Norms last night with Louise. The Apple Pan was closed (on Mondays?!) so I detoured us to Norms. Louise now has a list of LA places to visit, this being her last week here.
Uploaded some pics to Shutterfly, so that I can compile a photo book as I have been meaning to do.
It was really windy last night. As we were driving, there was a palm tree next to the Westside Pavilion that was bent almost halfway over, looking like it was really about to snap!

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The Chuck DVD wouldn't play. So I just mailed it back to Netflix.
My usual parking spaces were taken this morning. I felt irked. Funny how the little things in life are the ones that make or break your day. (This is probably partly why so many wealthy people are unhappy.)
Bloomberg training this morning. I didn't really want to do it, so I tried to avoid it. But I had to find a case, and with three people looking over my shoulder, I felt really uncomfortable doing my job.

Can I write left handed? (yes - but badly and slowly)
Lunch: leftover pita from yesterday. meh. it's soggy and the meat is tough.
I'm feeling negative. Going through a negative phase. Just in a foul mood today. And in theory, things are going so well for me in my life.
I still haven't told the firm that I'm leaving.
The weather is nice. It could be warmer, though.

Slept at my West LA apartment last night. Went for a night drive to the Palisades. Windows down, music loud, no cares, the ocean on one side - THIS IS WHAT I'LL MISS ABOUT LOS ANGELES.
Didn't go out or anything. Watched TAR and Daniel Tosh. The Lakers beat the first-place Spurs in a blowout.

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Music: 30 Seconds to Mars - Closer to the Edge
I voted. Well, mailed in my vote-by-mail ballot. But I didn't put a stamp on it. Fucking cheap-ass election office, you're not going to make me have to pay to vote. Even if it is only $0.44.
Lunch: Big Fat Pita. They are a big fat ripoff. Charged me $9.75 for something listed on the menu as $8.50. I spoke with the owner, who said that they were updating the menus and that what I ordered was a "special." What the hell. At least I got My $1.25 back.

I'm sleepy and feeling melancholy this afternoon. Feeling lonely. Thinking about my life. Do people, my friends, really need me?


http://fuckyeahnouns.com/

Fri night: Good luck bar. Got to announce my plans to leave. Realized that it's actually sad, because I'm probably not going to be back in LA for years. Didn't think about that :(

No Joshua Tree camping this weekend.

Saturday: Home.
Southwest regional Barista Championships at Siren Studios in Hollywood. Cool. Felt like I was on the set of a Food Network TV show.
Vegan dinner in Silverlake. Me, MM, Omri, Daniela, and their (former) manager Sara. I had a reuben sandwich. I was so hungry, it was scarfed down almost instantly. Yum.
Then, gelato. So sweet. So rich. Walked around, I was gonna get a tattoo, but the shop was already closed. Hung out at Omri's and reminisced about the 90s. No where to watch a movie. I drove Daniela home.

Sunday: Got dragged to church. I don't have the heart to tell everyone there that I totally despise the Catholic Church, and religious institutions in general. The hypocrisy of it is unbelievable. Had Thai food afterwards. Gave advice to the DeLeon family about their upcoming trip to London. Wish I were there already.
Cleaned my room (relatives are coming to visit this next weekend) and headed to West LA. Not much else going on.

SBS meeting last night. Then Maria (from CL) came to look at the elliptical. No deal (yet?).
Stayed at my mom's house.
Dreamt that I was at Loyola. High school, weird.
Slept in. Again?! 9:30pm - 8:30am. HOW AM I SLEEPING SO MUCH?!

It was late and a Friday, so I took a gamble: Drove the freeway in to work. It was clear and fast, at least until I got off at La Cienega. It was 9:45 when I arrived at work.

Music: The Kooks - Naive; Daft Punk - Harder Better Faster Stronger
Lunch: Fuddruckers veggie burger
The weather is perfect. 72 and sunny.
Dinner with Adrian and co. tonight.
Happy about life. And things. :)

I am addicted to sleep.

Fell asleep on the futon at 7:15pm. Woke up at 9:15 as Modern Family was on (I had left the TV on).
Fell asleep again at 10:15. Woke up 7:15 am.
That's 11 hours of sleep. It felt damn good.
Watched the premiere of The Amazing Race on my laptop this morning.

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I should read the Koran.
Lunch: Subway footlong.

Jenn got accepted to San Diego; Cassy got into Cal!
Music: Cold War Kids - Royal Blue. Seriously, I heard this song this morning on NPR and simply had to find out who it was. And I've been listening to it all day. I don't know why, but I find it amazing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS8NYRLU-xs

Be careful what you wish for: A few days ago I just wanted to get better from my flu. And I really just wanted to be able to sleep a lot, like 14 hours, to get fully better.
Well, last night, I came to the apartment after work, lay down on the futon, and fell asleep as Louise browsed on the laptop. Before I knew it, almost 3 hours had gone by. I groggily watched some American Idol and then went to IHOP with Ruchi for free pancakes. Ihop tried to close us out but it was still 9:30. Ate, dropped off Ruchi and returned to the apartment. I slept 9 hours more. It felt great.

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Now at work. I'm still sleepy.
News: Charlie Sheen is "bi-winning"
I'm happy. I love this time of year. Longer days, better weather.
Lunch: Trader Joe's Indian fare and bread with mayo. Yum (?)
I'm SO SLEEPY today. Just wanna doze off...
Music: Ke$ha (I know...); Radiohead

Yeah... I'm totally napping at work. Yawn.

Stayed at the apt last night. Watched HIMYM, Anthony Bourdain and slept. I needed the rest. My body is still healing.

Happy new month!
I'm still kinda sick. Randomly very tired. A bit of a cough hanging around.
Lunch: Chipotle run (w/ coupon) with Andy, Ryan, and Harry.

Sandra's back in Germany now.
The weather is nice. Not as chilly.
... I can notice the sun higher in the sky. And the longer days. Yay.
I can't stop smiling, thinking about my life and what's gonna happen the rest of this year.

Oscars last night. Brian came over. We trove to Hollywood. Went to Canter's. And Sheddy's. It was cold. Lisa arrived at the apartment, Felix's friend from Germany. Said bye to Sandra.

I feel weird. Surreal. Fidgety. Unable to focus. Energized but also sleepy.
I'm just so drugged-up. Stupid flu.
I feel like a 10-year-old. My brain is racing but I can't focus on one thing.
12:30pm and I feel inexplicably euphoric. Thinking about Europe this summer.
Music: Linkin Park - Waiting for the End
Lunch: Canned chicken soup.
I'm still drugged and feel out-of-body.
Let me try to concentrate on work...

Sick. Stayed in. Watched TV, rested. Had soup.

Groan


Sunday: Still sick but not as bad.

Oscars.
Brian came over. Met up with Patricia, Sandra, and Matthias. They were in the crowd in Hollywood Blvd. We went to Canter's. Then to Sheddy's. Dan was there. I just had soup and hot water. Then back to West LA. Hung out for a little bit. Then that was it.

Went to Leaf Organics last night with Laura and Sandra (whom we picked up). Then to the Fox Hills Mall. No soy milkshakes at Millions of Milkshakes, so we got Hawaiian coffee and cocoa instead. Watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I rested through much of the movie and Laura chatted on the phone with her friend Justin in Portland (while Sandra watched with Matthias).

I'm sick. Really. Coughing. Taking lots of Vitamin C.

Left work early: 12:30. I am really in no condition to be at work today. Drove home, slowly (my mind was not moving fast at all). It took 1 hour, even with little traffic. It had begun to sprinkle rain. Stopped by Tommy's to get something warm and greasy in my stomach. I felt very nauseous.
Laid in bed the whole afternoon, groaning in pain, waiting for my mom to arrive from work with medicinal relief.
Music: Sigur Ros; Explosions in the Sky.

I'm getting congrats all around for my acceptance into LSE. People seem much more impressed than I thought they would be.

I'm also feeling sick.
Watched Valentine's Day last night. Went to Cafe 50's with Laura and her CS friend Morgan.
Music: Kelly Clarkson - My Life Would Suck Without You

Night hike to Hollywood sign, after getting vegan food last night. Sandra was feeling ill.

Music: Saves the Day - Anywhere with You; Trey Songz - Bottoms Up

I GOT INTO LSE. NOTHING ELSE MATTERS!

:)

Tired from a very eventful weekend.
News: Libya protests, now they're violent. Devastating earthquake in New Zealand (Christchurch)
Music: Die Ärzte - Wie Es Geht
Lunch: Trimana sushi - spicy tuna
Today I am 8698 days old.
Going hiking to the Hollywood Sign tonight with Laura and Sandra.