yosemite pics!!!

making pb&j lunches for the hike

fresh and ready to hike!

1 mile of walking...and still not at trailhead!

go guys and girls!!! you can do it!

lovely finale---Glacier Point. that same day, someone fell from half dome and died =(. most of the girls went back same way, but shal/bob and radu/me wanted to see more waterfalls and took the scenic 8 mile trek back, barely made it before sundown! well worth it tho!

finally, lunch at the TOP!

must soak sore feet in ice-cold water in Nevada Falls

the next morning, too exhausted to hike anymore but looking good in our "girl room"

big breakfast buffet to end the trip =)


oh i forgot to post yosemite pics!!! this was our latest "group trip" but too bad jody and alice couldn't make it. don't worry....i don't think you guys missed out too much as most of the girls have decided camping/hiking just isn't their thing!! sorry everyone!!! i had fun though!! =)

ok, must post more....

Hrm, what else is new in life after Hawaii??

Work - same old, getting more familiar with everything. Thinking of getting a 2nd job...met up with my PA classmate from midwest who works 70-80h/week and gets 1.5x overtime pay for anything 40+ hours!! Coincidentally today I was asked if I wanted to take overnight call at Redwood City Kaiser for surgical cases, and get paid 50% hourly rate for carrying pager, and full rate if I have to scrub into case. Flexible schedule, from 8pm-8am so even if i don't go in, i get paid several hundreds just for sleeping! =) still...it'll suck to be called at midnight...i'll think about it. and another co-worker offered another part-time job for me to put in PICC lines for $150-$200/line, which takes anywhere from 30 min (for the skilled) to 1-2 hours depending on difficulty! Not bad, but I'll think about it...me so very lazy.....

School - NONE!! first time in nearly 25 years, and it feels soooooo good!!!! (sorry shal) but i'm getting dumber and lazier by the minute! i don't even study at home like i'm supposed to. must go to conferences to keep up to date!

Family - dad is back from Taiwan as of yesterday, which means mom will be more off my back!! she gets so lonely without dad around, and bugs my bro and me incessentally. called my during my bday dimsum with my gfs and made me go home to wash the bathrooms. sigh. i MUST move out!! Goal: end of 2008, buy a house, gain some freedom and independence!

SO - he's starting as head coach of the newest largest badminton gym in the bay area! check it out at : www.baybadminton.com. he even has a webpage on it! great thing is he'll be busy, part of something big. not-so-great is that it is in burlingame 45min from me, and his hours contradict mine, as his job caters towards recreational time (weekdays 3-10pm, all day saturday). at least he gets sun/mon off so we can go places!! =)

Friends - you can read up on all their blogs!! =) no, it's been good, but i realize everyone is so busy and moved on with their life, there is hardly time to "hang out" just one-to-one. i owe many of these....just gotta start scheduling it!! good thing is holidays are coming soon, and we'll all reunite!!

Life - still playing some badminton, even competing in a badminton tournament this weekend! bad thing is i broke TWO rackets in one month (I have broken only one other racket my entire life, but I have broken FOUR other ppl rackets with my until-recently indestructible racket), and now i am using radu's racket. his racket is too light, and string tenson too strong, for me...and i have developed tendonitis of the R elbow/forearm. Hurts to smash or play > 2h. boohoo. hope i can last thru the tourney!

radu and i also trying to get in shape, and we started a separate running regiment. I HATE running, but after doing it for a few weeks now almost every other day, it's really not that bad. even better, i've started going back to the gym to do elliptical, weights, and yoga on my own. my mom even gave me 24h fitness membership on the day of the 5.6 quake (for my bday gift), but the quake caused some computer malfunction and my pass is not working =(. at least i still have right stuff. anyhow, after all this increase in exercise (decrease in badm to just 2x/week instead of 4), i have managed to GAIN 5 lbs!!!! it's horrible!!! i feel strong and more flexible, but i look huge!!! boohooo....radu tells me to keep sticking with it....we'll see.

new passions:
1) cooking, wanna buy food processor, better slow cooker, and maybe mixer too. i don't cook at all, i eat what mom makes or salads/deli meat/lotsa fruit/lotsa dessert! occasionally eat out. i just had "hummingbird cake" at work--it was DELICious!! banana, crushed pineapple, raisin, nut in cake, with cream cheese frosting. YUM!

2) investment....still a weak point, gotta read more on it. 401 and savings acct not enuf...must get into stocks!

3) house shopping--looking mt view or sunnyvale, under 1 million. want a small yard as i hate yardwork, but not those squashed single family homes. no condos either. i wonder how much longer the housing market will continue to suck...

long enuf entry once again. i'm tired. can't wait for turkey day although i'm on-call that wknd, but i'll get thurs/fri off! on xmas and new years are both 4-day vacations!!!! yayay!!! can't wait to snowboard!

oh my goodness, 5 months since last post???? Hawaii pics!

wow, spraypaint talent--he did it all with just spraypaint, stencils, and paper!!! in 15 minutes!!! selling for over $100 each!
lovely sunset North Shore

us with "Hurley" from "Lost"
that's me!! (j/k) so beautiful...
okay, that really is me...unsuspecting..
such long boards, and still i can't surf

surfing waikiki
practicing surfing again....
hanamua bay for snorkeling
polynesian luau (yucky overpriced food)
one of many many beautiful sunsets

this is truly embarassing!! i haven't posted in FIVE months??? okay, time for major catch-up!! actually, nothing really has happened, the highlight so far was my hawaii trip in late Sept, so above are some pics.