((little fat notebook))

Blog Action Day 2009

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: dreams, environment, future, goals, green, hopes, pictures

15 October 2009

Well, today is Blog Action Day and thousands of blogs are writing about climate change! When I get a chance, I’ll go check out what they’ve all written, but for myself, it’s all about what I can do as an individual. Certainly it’s not much on the grand scheme, but individual actions add up and I’m hoping that down the line I can start an eco-consulting firm to address this very issue and get people to change their behavior in positive ways. With enough people making enough effort, we can make a powerful impact. That’s my dream for the future.

As for now, I decided to explore the ways I’ve greened my life and what I can do to continue along that path. I’ve made a lot of small changes to my life over the years to get to this point and I plan on continuing steadily for the rest of my life. So some ways that I’ve already greened my life are…

: Oooh, I wouldn’t mind some cute ones like these! photo credit: blog.elfster.com

~ using reusable tote bags and saving all plastic bags I do get for other purposes

~ composting (I’d like to start a worm compost one day)

~ recycling (too bad so many things aren’t recyclable!)

~ unplugging everything when not in use

~ changing out light bulbs (some of the smaller ones are still traditional bulbs… are they going to make smaller energy-efficient bulbs?)

~ eating little red meat (I don’t eat much meat in general, especially beef)

~ printing only when absolutely necessary (which is hardly ever)

~ using a green service provider to power my website

: photo credit: Dan44 on flickr

In the next couple of months, I plan on implementing some new ways of improving my own sustainability. Some options may have to wait until I’ve settled a little more and know where I’ll be living for the next couple of years (namely, planting my own fruits and vegetables to eat). Each change is a step towards progress and by the time I’m 30, I hope I can proudly claim a sustainable lifestyle.

~ plant fruits/vegetables to eat

~ buy more locally

~ change shower heads

~ filter water – no more bottles! – and continue using reusable bottles

: Just me and my trusty board.

~ get a hybrid car (and try to drive less)

~ walk/bike/skate more (it’s good for your health, after all!)

~ phase out commercialized cleaning solutions for more old school ones (like using baking soda and vinegar, or those squash-looking loofahs)

~ buy an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly laptop

I’m sure there’s a lot more I can do, but this is a start! I’ll keep working on my list over the years as solutions are developed and I discover more ways that I can change my ways to leave a smaller carbon footprint in this world. I’ve begun to educate and influence those around me as well, and I intend on doing that in a greater scale further into my career! Someday I’d like to see everyone in my city living this way and a good portion of the country as well. I don’t know if I’ll live to see the world change like that, but that would certainly be amazing.

Interview

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: work

14 October 2009

Tomorrow’s my interview, so I’m busy preparing! I’m pretty well prepared, but there are just so many questions that I could be asked there’s really no way to be sure. However, as long as I keep sight of how I qualify (and would be the best candidate), I’m sure I can answer well. I just need to make sure to set myself apart from the rest, either by being more thoughtful about the position or be more eager and ready to go. I hope that I don’t blend in with the rest of the applicants!

In light of that, I am off to rest so I can be well-rested for my interview.

Pretty Woman

laelene Post in photo blog，Tags: fun, los angeles, pictures

13 October 2009

I was testing out my tree-climbing skills...

Am I a good koala bear? <br>Check out the girls in the back... such a boring shot.

Am I a good koala bear? Check out the girls in the back... such a boring shot.

Nerve-wracking!

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: advice, daddy, future, hopes, job hunting, los angeles, mommy, ucla, work

12 October 2009

Don't make me go there yet! Let me do my interview first, please. photo credit: sanfernandovalleylawyers.com

Today I got an e-mail that had me bouncing off the walls: an invitation to schedule an interview for a job I really want! It was thrilling to see it sitting there in my inbox, waiting patiently for me to open it and arrange to meet with the hiring manager for the position. I eagerly replied with a preferred time and she confirmed not long after. Suddenly, I remembered that I’m on call for jury duty this week! Frantically, I began to compose an e-mail back, bringing up the topic. I came up with as many alternatives as I could and sent it back, hoping she can be flexible with her time. Now I’m waiting here and haven’t received a response, so I anticipate she has gone to bed and I won’t know until tomorrow.

In the mean time, I’m reviewing the application information and compiling a list of my qualifications for each of their requirements. I’ll go over their website, my cover letter, and interview advice articles over the next two days as I prepare for this all-important interview. I e-mailed my parents, happily sharing the news with them and called up my mom when she was free to talk. Tomorrow I’ll be chatting with my dad, discussing possible questions I should be ready for and anything else his wisdom has to offer. After all, he’s often been in both the hiring and applying positions and can impart a lot of useful knowledge and insight.

LEED certified! Who wouldn't want to work in a building so green? photo credit: smithgroup.com

I’m also going to e-mail a former boss, who I just went to visit days ago, and see what she has to say. It’ll be nice to share the good news with her, after I gushed about the position and how much I wanted it. Besides, she works for UCLA, so maybe she’ll have some pertinent pointers to share with me. Now let’s hope I can make it to the final step and get hired! I’d be absolutely elated because this job fulfills the requirements I had outlined before. Though I said it’s not exactly my dream job (which would to be an eco-consultant, I think), it is my favorite candidate for being my first career job.

When I was talking to my mom, I was concerned that they weren’t interviewing on Friday because they were going to choose then and then rush someone into the position by Monday. That would make things difficult if I had jury duty and the manager couldn’t stay after work to interview me. My mom assured me that no company would ever be so crazy-rushed to hire someone in such a short time frame, so there must be leeway for me to interview at a later time if I must. If I get called in to serve my civic duties on Thursday, I certainly hope she’s right. I would love to get this position!

Gosh I’m nervous. I haven’t wanted something so much since Panda.

Strange obsession

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: behavior, ucla, writing

11 October 2009

Sometime last week I realized that I lost a pen that I really liked and since then I’ve been obsessed at finding it. It’s a silver and blue pen that looks quite sleek and pretty. The text says something along the lines of UCLA Alumni or something and I believe I got it at one of the alumni events I attended recently. Though the design isn’t anything too extraordinary, what I loved was the smoothness of the ink. It wrote like satin, gliding along the surface of paper, leaving a lovely blue trail of words.

Currently I’m stuck using a pen that often refuses to dispense ink and gets stuck when you try to click it in or out (so it always needs a bit of a extra boost). In comparison, the other pen was absolutely amazing and it’s a pity that I can’t locate it. I wonder if they’ll have them at the next alumni event, or even in the alumni center. I just might need to get a replacement so writing becomes a much more pleasurable experience. I suppose I could go over my extensive collection of pens that I’ve collected, but I just can’t forget about that pen and I’m fixated on finding it.

I’ve always had a bit of an office supply fetish.

Captivating hummingbirds

laelene Post in photo blog，Tags: animals, beauty, experiences, los angeles, observation, pictures, ucla

10 October 2009

One sitting, one feeding, and one hovering.

Going in for a quick dip.

Check out that hovering action!

Raspberry universe

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: food, interesting, numb3rs, observation, pictures, random

09 October 2009

golden raspberries Oh, the random facts you learn from Numb3rs! I love the little gems of quotes that I get from that show. In a recent episode, Larry was musing over raspberries because the same chemical that gives them their taste is apparently found in abundance in the universe. So, he concluded, the universe must taste like raspberries… there’s an interesting thought. Now the challenge is to test that hypothesis, but really, how do you go about tasting the universe? Oh let me just go to outer space and open up a window and stick my tongue out. Yeah…

hairy raspberry Then today I was wandering the aisles of Ralph’s and came upon a strange sight – colorless raspberries! They looked like they had gotten the “blood” drained out of them. It turns out they are just “golden raspberries” (the name makes them seem so much nicer, doesn’t it?). Curious, I had to get a (freakin’ expensive) box to try. I mean, these things just look so strange! The little hairs are so much more obvious against the light skin, so they look rather hairy. Not the most appealing of looks, but hey, they taste just fine! They just seem to lack some of the tartness that red raspberries have.

Visitation!

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: england, experiences, food, google wave, los angeles, opportunity green, philosopher, story, travel

08 October 2009

Today my dear friend Philosopher arrived from a looong trip over, from across the pond, as they would say. I encountered far more traffic than I anticipated going down and then spent 40 minutes driving in circles trying to see if he was out yet. I had neglected to tell him to wait outside for me and the poor fellow had to wait for me for an hour while I was stuck in traffic and driving around outside wondering if he had gotten his luggage! Thankfully, I finally figured it out and parked my car to go get him and that little round trip was expedient enough to render no parking fee! Brilliant.

I made a pit stop to Boston Market on the way back because I love their cornbread and chicken pot pie, but alas, they no longer have pot pies! Philo had wanted a salad that they were out of, so I got some cornbread and we headed back closer to Panda’s and ended up getting some CPK salads. I learned (too late) that the half size was not quite big enough for my appetite, so I had some of the wooonderful cornbread to supplement my meal. I think Boston Market’s cornbread is amazing – it’s soft with crunchy little bits of meal (or whatever grainy thing that is) and has a bit of sweetness to it.

When we got back, I was surprised with a box of Quality Street candies (between that and Celebrations, I could be dancing in heaven) and a bar of luscious chocolate, straight from England! Philo then went off to shower off the grime from the trip and refresh a bit before eating. We then had a lovely chat, with me sharing a lot of the things that have been interesting me in my life lately – like Google Wave, which I finally received my invitation for! After a few hours, it was getting late and he was getting tired, so we set up his little bed for the night.

I played around with Google Wave for a bit and now it’s time for me to retire as well – I’ve still got a busy day at Opportunity Green tomorrow!

Resilient life

laelene Post in photo blog，Tags: los angeles, observation, pictures, plants

07 October 2009

Taking over the sidewalk!

Stubbornly growing up on high.

Clouded

laelene Post in general blog，Tags: akpsi, environment, experiences, future, goals, google voice, google wave, green, health, job hunting, panda, pictures, work

06 October 2009

photo credit: markterrybooks.com

At moments, my mind is clouded by a foggy haze. Thoughts no longer come in lucidly and I can just imagine the transmissions in my brain slowing down. It’s hard to focus when an invisible weight sets foot on your cranium and won’t dissolve, no matter how you try. In fact, it’s almost like corn starch in water or a Chinese finger trap, where the harder you try, the more resistant it gets. So I’ve given up fighting against the current and decided that it’s time to let my weary mind rest for the night. I have no clue what has brought on this mental murkiness, but along with it I feel a sense of increased agitation and restlessness.

Snippets of thoughts run through my head – things to remember, things to do, things to… wait, what was I thinking again? A train of thought is lost just as easily as another takes its place and my mind jumps around lethargically in a way completely unlike the normal stream of thoughts that has me working at a quick pace. I remember websites I meant to visit and read, but I’ve no patience to go through the words. My left eye feels more strained than my right and that irks me. I remember moments that I was harsh or irresponsible towards Panda and I get a pang of guilt.

Too many choices lay in my path and I can’t seem to rationalize my decisions. Everything is a good path, so how do I choose just one? I want to go to all these events, but I don’t have the time and shouldn’t use the resources to. I’ve been craving ice cream all night long and never got around to getting some. I’ve wasted way too much time agonizing over when I’ll gain access to Google Wave, then researching Google Voice and MetroPCS instead. Why? Because I’m curious and wanted to learn about them. But I feel at a standstill, unable to get what I want though I know what it is that I’d love so much. A lot of that has to do with my job search.

I wouldn’t say I’ve found a dream job, but I’ve found one that fits my main specifications and sounds wonderful:

1. with UCLA

2. environment-related

3. decent pay with benefits

4. small work environment

But I haven’t heard back and it’s frustrating because I hate the whole job hunting process and I’d like to just get a job and settle a bit. Much as I enjoy what I’m doing now, there’s huge pressure from my parents to find a job. I don’t think they want anything else from me now, even if I win an award or get to do something prestigious.

I'd like some tranquility and a sense of accomplishment right about now. photo credit: healthyoga.com

My body feels out of sync and I’m getting more conscious of my unevenness. I haven’t had a proper workout for ages because I’ve been telling myself that I’ll start up a routine once I get a job. See, even I’m placing these restrictions on myself. I just want to land that job, get an apartment, get that new car, and begin a routine. Strange. I’m not one for routines and doing the same thing over and over again. But at the same time, I’d like a little more pattern in my life. Living week to week is not sustainable. So many things hinge on settling (and having money): starting to attend yoga classes, joining a massage clinic, picking up more hobbies, getting more creative with cooking, hitting up more restaurants, going to football/basketball games, getting alumni membership in Alpha Kappa Psi, reading books again… I’m putting off everything requiring money or a steady time commitment. After all, I don’t want to start something just to have to change when I do start working full-time.

First Prev 227 228 229 230 231 Next Last