On February 5th, 2008, I will be casting my vote for Senator Barack Obama.
I have faith in him to unite our country and to rebuild relationships with other countries. Honestly, I can't imagine other countries trusting Hillary Clinton, considering that she voted for the Iraq War years ago. And while many of the Democrats are leaning towards Hillary, I worry that when the November 4th election comes, it will be another close race and the president will be a Republican, whose goals hardly share any similarities to mine. Knowing that Barack Obama wins the hearts of many people, regardless of whether they're in the Republican Party or Democratic party or whatever party, gives me comfort and hope that we will finally have a president whose goals are means to achieve peace...and that is a president I can identify with and support.
And while I don't agree with all of his plans for all the issues, I can say that overall, of all the candidates available, Barack Obama's plans best match my goals and my idea of what peace is. After looking at his take on issues from the Iraq War to curbing global warming to health care...as well as his perspective of humanity, I can say that yup, I'm going to throw my vote behind Barack Obama. I can't see any other candidate leading our country as well as Barack Obama can.
I'm sad. I feel like I'm in the strangest, most unfamiliar state of discomfort and unhappiness of how my life is going. Almost nothing is familiar, and I don't know if I can keep up.
Lyrics that somewhat describe how I feel:
So little time Try to understand that I'm trying to make a move to stay in the game I try to stay awake and remember my name But everybody's changing and I don't feel the same
You're gone from here and soon you will disappear Cause everybody's changing And I don't feel right." -Keane
[19 May 2007|06:52pm]
After visiting my ES teacher's environmentally friendly home last year, I've been daydreaming about building my own eco-friendly home someday, too. Like, daydreaming a LOT. It helps that it's now trendy to be earth-friendly, and all the magazines are always suggesting ideas of what you can do, so it's always in front of my face.
So I was bored today, decided to visit the website of One World Design, the green architect firm that built my teacher's house. And there are some REALLY GORGEOUS HOMES that I am in love with! So beautiful, the fact that they're sustainable buildings is just a bonus. My gosh.
I want to build and live in my dream home already =( Oh well. Give me 9 or 10 years. =D
[09 Feb 2007|11:54am]
"Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one's head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no to-morrow. To forget time, to forgive life, to be at peace." -Oscar Wilde
Here's another one:
"I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things; then I shall be one of those who make things beautiful" -Friedrich Niezsche
[22 Jan 2007|02:11pm]
Excerpts of private journal entires I never finished writing:
Lately, for no particular reason, I've been wondering what it'd be like if I were blind. To begin with, my thoughts of many people would change. The nicest people wouldn't be the innocent-looking girls with bright smiles, but the ones who talk to me in a cheerful voice that quickly warms my heart. Body language would be ignored, and commucation would be based solely on tone of voice, choice of words, and perhaps touch.
And now I'm wondering what the world would be like if all human beings were blind. Would we all be kinder to each other, more considerate of each other's feelings? Maybe girls would stop spending hours putting on make-up and shopping for the best clothes (like me haha) and spend more time making each other laugh and just talk instead. Maybe when children slide down the playground slide, they'll take more notice of the wind slapping the face and the rush of falling down the metal slope.
-October 10, 2006
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Friends:
I have awesome friends. Now, I have no clue what I've done to win the respect or love of these amazing, too-good-for-me people, but somehow I'm surrounded by them. I just have to say a huge THANKS for our friendships; it has made all the difference to me.
Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule to voluntarily cook Thai curry for me and bring it to my workplace. Thanks for bringing extra food for me everyday and feeding me chicken crackers (haha!) or Vietnamese sandwiches & desserts cause you worry I'll forget to eat. Thanks for handwriting an entire chemistry notebook for me *within 7 hours* when I was overwhelmed with my school work and couldn't handle everything myself. (Although, I later learned that was a complete waste - I had simply misunderstood my teacher - haha!) Actually, I'm thankful I had not one, but TWO friends who voluntarily sat next to me in a tiny study room for 8 hours straight and took turns writing in my notebook until their fingers couldn't move. In fact, I'm thankful one Ohlone friend even traveled to De Anza with me so that I could drive in the carpool lane and to help me get my work done!
Thanks for getting breakfast or lunch or dinner with me at school, even when you don't feel like eating, just so that I have enjoyable company during my meals. Thanks for always laughing at the smallest things with me that the average person wouldn't laugh at. Thanks for voluntarily spending your Friday and Saturday nights to be my study buddy, instead of going to the movies, so that I would succeed and have enjoyable company. Thanks for worrying about me, being considerate of me, and remembering little details about me. Thanks for giving my heart a warm, loved feeling that you just can't buy or fake.
-December 10, 2006
------------------------------------------------ an email i got:
anyway, i'm really glad we're best friends wendy. best friends are hard to find and the ones i've had in the past just don't match up to ours in quality. =D maybe it's also cuz when we're younger, our criteria for best friends are different. i dunno. it's hard for me to be close to someone but i'm really glad we are close and can share everything with eachother. =) that's a really nice kind of freedom and comfort. and yeah, the best thing about being best friends (yeah im using that phrase a lot) is that we're there for eachother and (yeah especially since we're single, at least we can go on fun "dates" hehe) whereas bfs sort of just come and go (kinda sad, but true). so thank you for being there for me and showing me how to appreciate the little things in the world (which sometimes i find i have a seriously hard time doing). i think that quality really makes you shine and a very positive influence as well.
-August 11, 2006
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There's nothing fun about growing up. I don't look forward to maturity, responsibilities, bills, and legal right to drink.
I belong to green grasses, swingsets that fit my butt, gameboards, and kool-aid.
-August 3, 2006
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"I EVEN TOLD SEAN IT WAS THE BEST DATE I'VE EVER HAD" -Amanda Cheong
HAHAHA. I'M THE BEST DATE EVER! =P (We went to watch The Music Man)
-July 08, 2006
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i think i've finally found an explanation of why i can't be best friends with my old best friends.
i think it's because both individuals change, right in front of each other's eyes.
unfortunately, by the time both individuals acknowledge that things have changed - we realize that we don't know each other anymore.
and we're back to square one.
what is that, you ask? why, strangers of course.
-January 25, 2006
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In conclusion, you know you're a horrible writer when you read your old entries and don't know what the freak you were talking about. lol. not the ones i posted above - these, i definitely remember =]
[16 Oct 2006|08:40pm]
me trying to be an environmentalist:
so today in my chemistry class, my teacher began talking about alternative sources of energy, such as uranium, solar energy, and wind power. i began to pay attention, of course, since this was more interesting and related more directly to my major than the other usual chemistry topics. he eventually ended his soapbox, moved onto another problem relating to hydrogen, and said "remind me to go back to this topic (hydrogen) later." nobody reminded him, of course, and since i suspected he was going to discuss how hydrogen is possibly another source of energy, i stayed after class and began talking to him. (very unlike my character - i only talk to certain teachers, most of the time the young, popular, lively ones). so we began talking while he was cleaning up since i was curious of what he had to say, blah blah...and in the middle of our conversation he threw a THICK stack of extra photocopies into the trash can.
this really bugs me. ever since day one of class, i noticed that my teacher would pass out worksheets to the entire lecture class, then discard the THICK stack of the extras into a trash can. not a recycling bin, but a trash can. granted, there isn't a recycling bin in the class, but still. i find this very hypocritical, since de anza college boasts about being THE environmentally friendly leader of the entire NATION (we have a very "green" sustainable building), and the chemistry department takes place in another newly built, partially-green building. so i would expect the chemistry teachers to practice environmentalism, especially since all the chemistry teachers and students follow strict orders to not illegally discard our toxic chemical lab waste down the drain anymore... (the santa clara county district is angry at us for doing that, when we should be discarding them properly into containers instead....but that's another story.) and besides, my teacher talked about global warming anyway, so i thought he would've cared.
so i worked up the guts to jokingly ask, "aren't you going to recycle that?" (at least, i hope it came across as jokingly, otherwise it'd be bitchy of me huh.) i mean, that's not even a hint, right? i STRAIGHT OUT asked him to recycle! to my disgust, he said "NOPE. but you can if you'd like."
ugh. so what was an environmental-studies major to do? i picked up the papers from the trash can - (not all of them, shame on me - just the ones easy to grab) and nicely said "bye" (i doubt he heard me) and left the class.
now, i'm worried about many things. although i'm proud of myself for standing up for my beliefs (uhh if that counts for standing up), i wish i made it clear that i'm not hating on him, acting like a snotty preacher. i mean, that's no way to encourage somebody to recycle. i figured that the only way i can repair the damage is if i stay after class another time and nicely ask him questions about class, (and by nicely i mean smile a lot? laugh a lot? say "thanks, and have a wonderful day?" i dont know)...but also begin a habit of quietly picking up his recyclables after him every day, to get my point across. (besides, he doesn't even have good aim - most of the time, when he tosses the papers into the trashcan, they spill over onto the floor, which i think is very inconsiderate to our custodians!)
bleh. i need advice from my old environmental studies teacher - how to be "inspirational" (for lack of a better word) without being a nagging bitch. any advice would be appreciated (if anybody even read all of that)...thanks!
"Life is like photography, we use the negative to develop."
[20 Sep 2006|10:44pm]
The remarkable thing is that we really love our neighbor as ourselves: we do unto others as we do unto ourselves. We hate others when we hate ourselves. We are tolerant toward others when we tolerate ourselves. We forgive others when we forgive ourselves. We are prone to sacrifice others when we are ready to sacrifice ourselves.
-Eric Hoffer
[16 Sep 2006|10:38pm]
I've been pretty lazy with updating my LJ with pictures this summer [yeah I'm still in summer mode haha]...but today I hiked up Coyote Hills, and the view was seriously amazing. I was on top of the hill, and every direction I turned in, it was either a view of the bay or a view of Fremont/Union City/Hayward from a bird's perspective. So I just have to share my pictures :) enjoy!
BOYZ II MEN SANG TO ME. AND THEIR VOICE IS AMAZING LIVE.
Okay okay, you probably figured out that they didn't sing to me me live...but I think I caught him catching my eyes a couple times ;) (AND NOBODY CAN TELL ME I'M WRONG, SO SHADDAP.)
For pictures of our lovely day, please check out Jenn's LJ here: ( Pictures )
For videos of the Boyz II Men concert, scroll down...
Cute video of Jenn and the whole crowd singing along to the end of the song! Sigh. I loved the atmosphere of ##,### strangers crooning to the same tune as Boyz II Men.
I spent hours using the Google search engine to find the perfect picture of my ideal beautiful summer day...but I couldn't find one.
So I decided to personally paint one instead!
To you, from yours truly.
Like the little lady bug on the side? =) Every single stroke was hand-painted myself. No copy & pasting here!
Oh man. If this was the county-fair or something (which I know it's not worthy of, don't worry), there'd be a little sign that says "Wendy Lao. Age 19. lol. how embarassing.
Actually, I'm not quite satisfied with this picture. Expect another one coming up soon! But seriously, I mean it when I say have a nice day =D I'm in suuuch a good mood.
I know, I know. I should major in computer graphics, huh =D
"Every close friendship offers the same fundamental thrill; someone has singled you out and chosen you, someone who had no obligation to do so." -Jenny Offill and Elissa Schappell
My heart thawed out a little when I read that quote =]
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How exciting!! I'll be taking Introduction to Comparative Religion this fall quarter. Yay - an opportunity to learn about all the bajillion religions out there, why people "pick" the religion they claim, etc. I'm thankful I have the opportunity to take general education classes that have nothing to do with my major, only because I'm at a community college. YAY!! Guess I shouldn't complain too much =] A student's comment on ratemyprofessor.com: "You can expect your belief systems to be challenged, if not stripped to the bone. But that is good because it helps develop conviction in beliefs that are worth having while questioning our more fuzzy beliefs. Very interesting class." okay dokay. I'm ready. bye bye.
I truly appreciate the gorgeous view of sunsets after a semester away from Ohlone. I started summer classes there, and it's the most wonderful surprise - to walk out of a dull class and be caught off guard by the warm glow of the orange, pink, and purple tones. The things I take for granted.
This summer, I'm making it my goal to hike up Mission Peak whenever I can. I want to stand on top of the mountain, soak in the scenery, and just take pleasure in watching the colors of the sky change. I think I will.
Some people define the value of their worth by making others feel inferior.
Others define the value of their worth by making others feel better about themselves.
=) That is all.
[21 Jun 2006|02:58am]
rowan-james's cute. his mom called me today and asked me to babysit sometime this week. before we can finish our conversation, i hear him in the background saying he wants to talk to me, maybe even tugging her shirt, and his mom finally lets him have the phone. he goes, "wendy...i miss you. tomorrow's wednesday. are you coming tomorrow?" hahaha. he's smart. i used to babysit him every wednesday, and his mom would tell me that every tuesday night when she tucked him into bed, he'd ask if i was coming tomorrow. he'd say he was looking forward to see me. AHH. she'd also tell me that if he ever misbehaved, she'd threaten him and say that i wouldn't come over to play tomorrow, and he'd shape up real fast. haha, this totally melts my heart. i love being loved. 3 year olds are the best.
then i realize that ten years down the road, he's going to be embarrassed he ever had a babysitter, and he'd probably pretend he didn't know me if we passed each other at the mall. where he'll be strutting around New Park Mall with this other teeny bopping friends. *mumbles swear words* i'd probably embarrass him and scream out, I WAS THE FIRST BEST FRIEND YOU EVER HAD! haha jk.
I can't stand jay walkers. There has suddenly been a massive bloom of jay walkers in my Ardenwood neighborhood. I hate how I'll be driving down the road and as I accelerate... I suddenly have to slam on my brakes, causing a domino effect of the rest of the cars behind me. Why? Because a teeny-bopping, thug-wannabe kid will decide that that is the perfect moment to cross the middle of the road... He'll (majority of them is a he) give me a smirk, stare me down with his eyes, and take his sweet sweet time crossing the road as slow as possible, because he's taking advantage of the fact that he KNOWS nobody will dare to run him over. The way they give me that smug look is like a challange that infuriates me, it's as if they're saying "yea what bitch? what you gonna do? nanana" grrrrr.
ONE DAY, i'm going to accidentally run them over, and be hysterical and flip out so bad that i'd rather commit suicide than report it. honestly, knowing myself, that's probably what i'd naturally do. and he'll be sprawling on the floor and some kind stranger in the car behind me will stop and help him up. (hope they won't copy down my license plate number!) OR rather yet, ONE DAY, some drunk driver will run them over and kill them and feel good about it. and even though in the court's eyes the drunk driver was "guilty" and the jay-walking pedestrian was "innocent," i'll be laughing at the dead's person face and be like "HAHA YOU'RE DEAD."
//end of vent.
okay, i apologize for all the horrible things i said and didn't mean. i have sympathy for old people who can't help but walk slowly, but despise those who deliberately walk slower than grandparents just to piss the drivers off. Seriously, one day, somebody WILL tragically be run over and be DEAD. and it won't be a matter of who was "right" or "wrong" anymore, but a matter of "dead" or "alive." yea. who's the winner now? mmhmm. okay, i guess the only thing i can do is pray that they'll grow up and i'll understand them better and hope that nobody gets hurt -_- (just cause i don't want my insurance to hike up haha jk) hmm, i wonder if i can call the police and ask for more patrolling in certain streets. yea.
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