[十八] 恭喜發財

I wish I could write more often.. but I usually have time or creative ability to write as often as I like. Usually a page of writing can easily take me a couple of hours to write. Anyways, I don't know where I was going with that..


So this past Monday was New Year! At least it was if you happen to be Asian. Or a weird other that happens to follow the Lunar Calendar. 新年快樂，恭喜發財，紅包拿來。 Well, that last part stopped applying to me in 7th grade.. :( Just makes me feel older.










I've already sent in my applications to my major schools of choice: Stanford, UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Irvine, and Yale. (That's right, I just used the Oxford Comma. Take That society..) The original plan was also to apply to BYU (Brigham Young University). However, I've decided, for several reasons, that I can no longer see myself going there as a full time student. First off, it's Not an anti-LDS (Mormon) thing. I have a deep respect for the Church. Plenty of my best friends and the nicest people I've met since moving to Utah have been LDS. Of course some of the craziest have also come from them. hahaha Of course that goes for any group of people though. xD (Jihadists, Crusaders, WBC, Robert Jeffress, get the point?) Anyways, my problems pretty much stem from what they call the Honor Code.


1: Dress and Grooming Standards


"Men: A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained. Clothing is inappropriate when it is sleeveless, revealing, or form fitting. Shorts must be knee-length or longer. Hairstyles should be clean and neat, avoiding extreme styles or colors, and trimmed above the collar, leaving the ear uncovered. Sideburns should not extend below the earlobe or onto the cheek. If worn, moustaches should be neatly trimmed and may not extend beyond or below the corners of the mouth. Men are expected to be clean-shaven; beards are not acceptable. Earrings and other body piercing are not acceptable. Shoes should be worn in all public campus areas.


Women: A clean and well-cared-for appearance should be maintained. Clothing is inappropriate when it is sleeveless, strapless, backless, or revealing; has slits above the knee; or is form fitting. Dresses, skirts, and shorts must be knee-length or longer. Hairstyles should be clean and neat, avoiding extremes in styles or colors. Excessive ear piercing (more than one per ear) and all other body piercing are not acceptable. Shoes should be worn in all public campus areas."






I don't really have much of a problem with this one. The only thing that bothers me about it is this standard of "modesty" in the culture; specifically the extreme to which some people I've met have taken it. I'm not implying that I feel everyone should suddenly go nudist or strip down. But if a girl wants to wear short shorts/skirt or form fitting clothes, why not let her? Clothes are clothes, and if you're the one to freak out and point out the "immodesty" to her, doesn't it just show that you always think of the smallest things sexually? 0__o Pervert..






2: Conduct


"Students must abstain from the use of alcohol, tobacco, and illegal substances and from the intentional misuse or abuse of any substance. Sexual misconduct; obscene or indecent conduct or expressions; disorderly or disruptive conduct; participation in gambling activities; involvement with pornographic, erotic, indecent, or offensive material; and any other conduct or action inconsistent with the principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Honor Code is not permitted."






Again, I don't really have a problem with this one. Actually, not a problem at all. :D I just remember that when I moved here I found it kinda funny how tea (not explicitly mentioned above) was forbidden (since I pretty much grew up with it). 喝茶 ftw






3: Homosexual Behavior


"Brigham Young University will respond to homosexual behavior rather than to feelings or attraction and welcomes as full members of the university community all whose behavior meets university standards. Members of the university community can remain in good Honor Code standing if they conduct their lives in a manner consistent with gospel principles and the Honor Code.


One's stated same-gender attraction is not an Honor Code issue. However, the Honor Code requires all members of the university community to manifest a strict commitment to the law of chastity. Homosexual behavior is inappropriate and violates the Honor Code. Homosexual behavior includes not only sexual relations between members of the same sex, but all forms of physical intimacy that give expression to homosexual feelings."


This is the One. The ultimate factor in my decision. Everything about these two paragraphs deeply disturbs me and screams homophobic. I recently asked a friend: What do you have against gay people? He told me: "I don't know. I think it's just wrong.." And I wonder if it's religion speaking? Either way, I don't blame him. That's simply how he was raised to think and thinking that way doesn't necessarily make him a bad person.




That being said, I do not happen to be gay. Or bisexual.. Feeling terrible that I even feel the need to "defend" myself.. but yea.. in case there were any questions coming out of that. ahaha






My solo piano recital finally came and passed. I went fine except for two major fails where I had to start over the song.. I felt like an idiot, especially since it went by perfectly fine during rehearsals. >__< I dedicated the recital, especially one of the pieces to five of my classmates that our school has lost this year.

Here's the piece:


Several family friends came. I think a couple of my classmate's families came. Quite a few friends also showed up. Some didn't show. :( (Gwenny if you read this, you're super lame coz you said you would come this time ahaha) (If Lily and Miranda happen to read this 我想念妳們了! :O 早日得再看對嗎?!) 喜歡的人也來了. >_^ And Cindy and Cynthia gave me a cow pillow pet that came with a cheesy poem that I totally love right now. xD It is "It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!" soft! oo yea~ LOL To end this ridiculously long blog post: I named it (him?) Pomegranate. ;)

[十七] 如何告訴

這是我第一用漢字的次。 記得， 我的中文說/寫/看/聽/etc. 還不好了。 所以， 不要罵我好不好？ 這禮拜的故事： 就一個月前，我恐怕喜歡上我好朋友。我先告訴別的好朋友。 她先告訴我應該坦承了。 前此，每一我坦承了的次真壞結束了。 所以這次我當然就回答 "不可以!" 從那時間以後，她每天嘲笑我。 可是，我近來想啊想啊。 現在恐怕想要告訴她。 今年是我最後還是高中學生的的年。 無妨坦白了。 所以，我現在再想啊想啊。 我如何告訴朋友喜歡她? 每人一定從來問這個問題吧..

[十六] 新年快樂

As of now, it is year A.D. 2012.  I want to address a couple things.

Apocalypse Theorizers:

Nothing I write on a small personal blog with only 2 followers can probably change your thoughts on this, BUT I will write to you anyway.  First of all, if you believe that crap about the Mayan calendar, you're a lazy idiot who can't do his own research.  The Long Count calendar does Not end completely this year.  It simply begins a new cycle (which I realize means ending an old cycle so partial credit to you on that).  So heed my warning now.  Don't be like the Y2K "believers" who quit their jobs and sold everything for bomb shelters.  You will most likely regret it.  If you still refuse to listen..  well God help you..  xD

New Year Resolutions:

I'm pretty sure 99% of these actually end in miserable failure, or just plain forgotten about.  I don't remember what mine was from last year.  However, I DO remember remembering halfway through the year and thinking, "haha  forgot I even made that resolution."  The reason these fail for most people is because most people are way too vague about what exactly they are going to do to accomplish their goal.  Therefore, they may feel as if they are accomplishing something, but in reality they're just replacing old bad habits with new ones having similar effects.  xD  This year I will definitely try my hardest to stick to my resolution.  My resolution is this: No more missed assignments, especially in Calculus, sick/absent days excluded.  It's a specific enough goal and should have a decent motive to accomplish it.  It's not like my future could depend on that right? (<----sarcasm)

新年快樂:

In all my rant talk I forgot to say: Happy New Year!  It was almost my sister's birthday on January 1 so, 妹生日快樂!  :D   Yea, New Year's Day birthday, how lucky is that right?

My Problems (Feel free to skip reading this part.  It's not like I'll find out you skipped reading it and get offended right?):

FREAKING AP CALCULUS!!!   *ragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerageragerage*  I like my new teacher but it doesn't help my situation when she isn't too sure about what to do on a lot of stuff still!  I did not particularly like my old teacher but i hatehatehate mid-year teacher changes!  They complicate everything.  >__<  It's currently the only class I'm struggling with, and the end of the semester is in 2.5 weeks.  Wish me LUCK.

High School Life in General:

I and a couple of friends are trying to get a Key Club founded in our school, since we unfortunately did not have one to begin with.  We had a meeting today after school about it finally.  Hopefully we have a good foundation for it to really kick off of next year.  Today I had band class and forgot my instrument at home.. So I did chores for my teacher.  He had me organize all the music sheets that got turned in from Christmas.  It was so Annoying!  It's actually someone's job on the band council to do it..  Who would Ever want to sign up for that?!  0_o  

I've also just realized, it's January and there has been no permanent snow all "winter".  I hate snow so I'm not complaining, but it's still pretty weird.  This better not mean snow in June.  -__-  Speaking of January.. MY SENIOR YEAR IS PRETTY MUCH HALFWAY DONE!  :O   That is super crazy to think about..

On a final unrelated school drama note:

I've been thinking about it a while, and I realize that I've developed a crush on someone I know..  So I told one of my best friends about it.  The next day she did what most best friends would do and TOTALLY BLACKMAILED ME ABOUT IT.  >:0    >:I   Wow.  hahaha  Thanks Khanh..  0__o