Today, I finally got my Internet access and cable TV. I was so excited that I decided to stay up late till 12 am. (not a big deal for most of you, right?!) But can you imagine how difficult it is to live alone in a small, southern city with fewer than 2 friends (fairly new friends) and with no cooker or digital entertainment? Well, you might say "how about reading a book?" After more than 10-hour of work, I get lazy and only want to be a couch-potato sitting in front of TV surfing the Internet or chatting with friends over IM. (I plan to change my lifestyle but probably not in the winter.)
I met my neighbors last Sunday. It was freezing that morning. I needed to do my laundry and had asked for landlady's help to unlock the laundry room. Unfortunately, after I put the soap in, I realized that the washer requires another card to turn it on. Not knowing what to do. I decided to knock my neighbor's door. I remembered I've seen her once before I moved in. She opened the door with a big warm smile. I tried to borrow the card from her but she said she had the washer and dryer so I can just use hers. So three of us (another girl is her roommate) had a nice, Sunday morning conversation. Thanks for the laundry incident!
Both of them like outdoor activities, especially the girl from Alaska. Yes, she is from Alaska originally living in the igloo and having a polar bear as her childhood pet. Just kidding! She said Alaska is similar to Charlotte but with fewer tall buildings. We talked about dessert, snowboarding, rock-climbing and earthquake. Alaska gets large earthquakes times to times. (almost 9.0 !!) She is a bridge engineer. Her roommate is a web designer. I told them that they should work together to design a stylish, modern bridge for Charlotte.
They had a cat, too. I happened to mention to them I saw a cat hiding on our 2nd floor on Friday night. I brought it a towel but I cannot find any food for cats. They were shocked and said that was the night they lost their cat and found it stayed near a towel. No wonder I felt familiar when I saw their cat this morning. It was a nice coincidence and I am so glad that the little cat is safe and warm now.
I have been pretty busy these three weeks. I got my friend's e-mail today with the story of her trip to Thailand. Probably I should start planning my trip to refresh myself. Any suggestion?
2005/01/09
2005/1/7 Yummy Sushi!
Yummy Sushi Night
I met a very nice girl, Rho. She is originally from Philippine but her whole family is in California for many many years. It was quite a coincidence how Rho and I met each other. One Thursday night, I left my keys at the office and had just bought a lot of groceries, I stood in front of the apartment wondering what to do. Rho just came out from the gym and I asked her whether she has the leasing office phone number and explained to her my situation. She told me if I trust her, I can leave my groceries at her place and go back to the office to grab the keys. ... After I came back with my keys, I gave her a ring to pick up my groceries and we had a great conversation at her well-decorated place. After that, we become friends. So I hope it is a good start of my Charlotte network.
Anyway, we went to this nice sushi place, called Nikki, yesterday and it was a lot of fun. Most of the chefs are from Japan. But the owner is a Korean and her husband is a Danish/Japanese mix. Rho said most of the people here are so friendly that she comes here quite often. Rho is really a lively and friendly person. She knows almost everyone in the restaurant.
Rho has also invited a guy whom she just started dating with. We sat on the counter where we can watch the chef preparing sushi. It was my first time to eat sushi and chatted with the chefs. The sushi/ sashimi were awesome. What surprises me is that Rho and her bf, an American, love "Fried Shrimp Heads." They can even teach me how to enjoy those shrimp heads. I guess it is because it tastes like crunchy potato chips.
I seldom really "cook" recently since if I cook too large a portion, I will end up eating more. Another problem is that it is also strange to go to a restaurant alone. So I think I will need to decorate my dining place nicely so that even if I carry out the food, I can enjoy the atmosphere of a nice restaurant at my own place. That's my small project now.
2005/01/02
2005/01/01
2005/01/01 First Diary Entry in 2005
It is 6 p.m. now and I am sitting at the dining table typing my first diary entry in 2005. Yesterday, there was a “Noon Year’s Eve” for family and children. I took off from work earlier around noon and sat on the bench in the street enjoying my polish sausage sandwich. It was a nice, warm sunny day. I counted down with kids and their parents at 12 p.m. Happy 2005!!
In the evening, I still believed the old tradition that we need to clean up the house before the New Year. So I spent some time cleaning up the house and washing the dishes. As for count-down event, although I was worried about going out alone late at night, I checked the live local news and decided to join the crowd. I walked down the street and saw many people line up to get a glass of beer or a funnel cake.
Walking around the street aimlessly in the last few hours of 2004, I found that those Starbucks employees are the only people I know at that time. Since I was a loyal customer, they know me by my name, too. But obviously, they were really busy. I watched them over the window and decided to head towards the other side of the street. Music was loud and some people were dancing happily on the street. I took some pictures but then felt a bit uneasy to stand on the street alone. I called a few friends and happily, Pan picked up the phone. It was nice to have someone to say Happy New Year to. No worry, with the loneliness, I still had my smile on in the first minute of 2005.
I went to bed late but woke up this morning with the first beam of sunshine and said Happy New Year to myself quietly. I started to bake a carrot cake and did my laundry. The carrot cake mix went out pretty well. I enjoyed it with some milk. I played the CD that I borrowed from the library, Ella Fitzgerald’s jazz music. Suddenly, I realized that jazz is not the type of music when you feel lonely. Honestly, I felt quite empty recently but I told myself things will turn better after I settle down at the new place where I plan to move in soon.
I have already got several plans for my new life – Chinese calligraphy, hand-craft, painting, baking and exercising so I am pretty looking forward to the changes of pace. However, I know that life has changed a little bit too fast for me to catch up from the second half of 2004 – internship, moving, last quarter of school, job hunting, working from home, going back to Taiwan, working at Chicago, graduating from school, relocating to Charlotte, house-hunting, new colleagues and environment and lastly, all those friendship and emotion binding. I guess I am quite overwhelmed by these fast-changing life events.
With the coming of 2005, I pray for being happy, healthy and wise. In other words, as the old saying goes, early to bed and early to rise – my 2005 New Year’s resolution.
Happy New Year! I am so lucky to have you as my friends and family.
In the evening, I still believed the old tradition that we need to clean up the house before the New Year. So I spent some time cleaning up the house and washing the dishes. As for count-down event, although I was worried about going out alone late at night, I checked the live local news and decided to join the crowd. I walked down the street and saw many people line up to get a glass of beer or a funnel cake.
Walking around the street aimlessly in the last few hours of 2004, I found that those Starbucks employees are the only people I know at that time. Since I was a loyal customer, they know me by my name, too. But obviously, they were really busy. I watched them over the window and decided to head towards the other side of the street. Music was loud and some people were dancing happily on the street. I took some pictures but then felt a bit uneasy to stand on the street alone. I called a few friends and happily, Pan picked up the phone. It was nice to have someone to say Happy New Year to. No worry, with the loneliness, I still had my smile on in the first minute of 2005.
I went to bed late but woke up this morning with the first beam of sunshine and said Happy New Year to myself quietly. I started to bake a carrot cake and did my laundry. The carrot cake mix went out pretty well. I enjoyed it with some milk. I played the CD that I borrowed from the library, Ella Fitzgerald’s jazz music. Suddenly, I realized that jazz is not the type of music when you feel lonely. Honestly, I felt quite empty recently but I told myself things will turn better after I settle down at the new place where I plan to move in soon.
I have already got several plans for my new life – Chinese calligraphy, hand-craft, painting, baking and exercising so I am pretty looking forward to the changes of pace. However, I know that life has changed a little bit too fast for me to catch up from the second half of 2004 – internship, moving, last quarter of school, job hunting, working from home, going back to Taiwan, working at Chicago, graduating from school, relocating to Charlotte, house-hunting, new colleagues and environment and lastly, all those friendship and emotion binding. I guess I am quite overwhelmed by these fast-changing life events.
With the coming of 2005, I pray for being happy, healthy and wise. In other words, as the old saying goes, early to bed and early to rise – my 2005 New Year’s resolution.
Happy New Year! I am so lucky to have you as my friends and family.
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