florence

reality hits home

2008-01-05T18:19:20Z

Your Classification for the Term

Advisor:	Cutler, Janice :

Class:	Senior

College:	College of Arts and Science

Degree:	Bachelor of Arts

Major:	Biochemistry

	Middle Eastern Studies

i was always a semester ahead because of ap credits...

but wow...EEEP! i remember senior year of high school like it was yesterday!

scheduling dilemma

2007-12-29T05:44:16Z

currently, the schedule is:

Physics Lecture MW 9:30~10:45
Physics Lab/REciation MW 1:00~2:50
Arabic MTWR 11:00~12:15
Introduction to Global Public Health R 12:30~3:15
Topics: Inquisitions in Medieval Mediterranean TR 3:30~4:45

i'm looking to change the last two:
Physics Lecture MW 9:30~10:45
Physics Lab/REciation MW 1:00~2:50
Arabic MTWR 11:00~12:15
Biochemistry II TR 4:55~6:30
Gender and Sexuality in Medival Islamic Societies

reasons to keep original:
1. it might be easier taking global public health than biochemistryII
2. i will be fulfilling my middle eastern and islamic studies requirement by taking the topics seminar

reasons to change schedule
1. gender and sexuality seems to be much more interesting. and as mainak mentioned, the class is taught by an old professor who could potentially leave for tenure/retire... so i should seize the opportunity
2. boichemistry would be fulfilling my chem major requirements...

opinions??

thanks guys!

weekend after physics and biochem

2007-11-10T23:09:39Z

i have great friends... i must say that. i'm awkward, inarticulate, and easily flustered, but they still accept it... too bad i couldn't spend that much time with them this weekend since i was on the run to see my dad...

some quotes from the weekend:
"Jesus... what a hottie..."

" nu(4) ge(4) please" (that please)

"he never cried"
"... "
"wait... really?"
"it was like me watching lion king!"

"A courtney... that's kinda creepy"

"do yourself a favor, get a beer"

"if my husband has a boring last name, my kids will take my last name"

too good....

italianflower @ 2007-11-03T21:26:00

2007-11-04T01:44:17Z

today was a good day...
true, i spent the entire day in the library having a quality love affair with my biochemistry textbook, but it was a good day nontheless.

1) i was productive in the library and i wasn't lonely at all (thanks nandini!)
2) i had a fun lunch break and 6 hours later, had a long dinner with some funny (in a sardonic sort of way) people
3) i found my long spandex running pants!!!!!!

much love ya'll

on boys

2007-10-21T13:36:37Z

after an unexpectantly long cnversation with a friend, i realized that when i want a boy, it usually isn't because i want a relationship. it's because it would be nice if someone made me feel pretty, desireable, attractive... someone to curl up next to and just hold because when someone is there next to me, i feel safer and more secure.

it's very bad... i shouldn't want/depend on guys to make me feel good about myself. i have fantastic friends and ultimately, i have to remind myself that i am God's daughter and my confidence and self reliance should stem from that instead. of course, everything is easier said than done... i don't need a man. at least, not right now... all in God's timing eh?

besides, who needs a man when you have a gigantic soft teddy bear that was made in taiwan?

of tampons... squeamish males beware

2007-10-17T22:58:57Z

in case you didn't read the subject., i'll warn you again:
this is about tampons... males (and females) who are uncomfortable with these topics, please stay tuned for my next riveting entry...

so it was less than a year ago when i finally gathered the courage to start using tampons... of course, my roomates yelling out me outside the bathroom helped motivate me...
ever since then, i found that tampons were much more comfortable than pads and evetually, they became easy to use. yay~

but strangely enough... recently, i have been having trouble getting the tampon in. it's been painful, awkward, and leaky. i know for a fact it has nothing to do with the brand since i alternate between playtex and tampax and both have worked out well for me previously...
is something wrong with my vagina?

one of the reasons i hate getting my period is because i feel like i am contributing more waste than usual to the already polluted earth. all the plastic that goes into wrapping tampons and pads just depressed... my bodily functions are ruining the earth... i was going to work myself up to using ob and then the femme cup thing... but judging by how painful it is to put in a tampon, i doubt i can manange to shove a silicon cup inside of me

is that too much information??

oh geca... help me.

life so far

2007-10-09T12:01:18Z

i in the middle of an emotional/spiritual roller coaster. nothing is down right awful like it was last year.... well, i havent gotten any of my midterms back yet, so nothing can be downright awful ;-)

i guess i've been questioning a lot about serving God through remnant westside church/fellowship. before getting into serving, i thought this was going to be an excellent opportunity to give back to my christian community and serve God. yet, right now, in the begining of my apprenticeship to become a small group leader, i no longer know how i feel about remnant.

people are... frightfully passionate, which is never a bad thing, but i feel like i don't see action. i know i'm not being the better person by pointing fingers and criticizing, but that is not my goal. my point in this entry is to write down how i feel and what i see. i guess remnant is also a little cliquey, but again, which fellowship/club isn't? i remember talking to one of the girls and she said, "i'm living with another girl from XXX fellowship, and we get along so well... even though she's from another fellowship... there's no competition or anything."
um... excuse me for being oblivious, but was there competition amongst the fellowships for members? and why in the world would you be so surprised that you live in harmony with another girl from a different fellowship? we're not from different worlds... we just belong to different clubs. i live with two random suitemates that housing assigns me for three years already and there is no reason for me to be surprise that i get along with them... am i making any sense?

ugh...
i dunno what i'm doing any more.
obviously i still love God, but is serving through remnant the best thing for me?

shower...class...midterm...

miss you all

so...

2007-09-28T21:37:02Z

the common question has been "do you have a boyfriend?"

maybe the next time someone asks me that question, i should say, "no. but i do have a girlfriend!"

haha... just kidding...

i realized that out of the leader/apprentices of my small group (bible study), i am not only the only girl, but i am also the only single person. that just shows you how much easier it is for guys than it is for girls at nyu. haha.

oh nyu...

RA fears, worries

2007-09-23T00:37:54Z

my friend's resident committed suicide this morning... every RA's worst nightmare.

keep him (my friend), and the resident's family in your prayers.

chad and i are on call/duty... pray for a smooth night.

curly hair

2007-09-15T23:44:14Z

mainak: tip number one--you look nice with your hair curly. next time you go out, curl your hair
me: what?! when did i ever curl... oh....
mainak: prom! right? for prom
me: wow... how do you remember that? i bet jason doesn't even remember.
mainak: don't underestimate me!

two days later...

me: so i was having a conversation with mainak the other day and he brought up something really surprising
jason: oh? what?
me (light bulb goes off in my head): mainak told me i looked nice with my hair curly. do you remember when i curled my hair?
jason: no... wait... what kind of curls? loose?
me: yea... loose-ish
jason: um.... hmm....no.... i don't think you ever did,
*pause*
me: ohhhhh... you are in so much trouble

italianflower @ 2007-09-15T00:31:00

2007-09-15T04:32:02Z

wang lee hom is my hero. i will marry him right now if he proposed.

so... how long has it been?

2007-09-11T23:32:49Z

a while.
it's been quite long since i updated... i think the last time i did was when i first got to taiwan in early july.

for those of you who care:

1)yes, i survived the horrendous sophomore year and am now a junior
2)i'm an RA in nyu's lafayette residence hall. i like my residents because they are, so far, very sweet and friendly
3) i'm not running competitively any more although i still run for fun (and yes, my right ankle still looks freakishly deformed when i bend it at certain angles)
4) i have two suitemates who are different from last year but just as wonderful (although no experience can ever replace 606)
5) i'm taking piano and 3 science classes

well... i guess that's about all the update anyone really needs. life is pretty good... although i am well aware of the stress that can pile on any minute and squash me completely...

shreya left for scotland to study abroad yesterday. i missed her call cause i was in a meeting with my acde (assisstant boss of residence hall) so i called her back as i was walking through the lobby of my dorm. i stopped by the front desk and sat on the heating unit and said good bye and wish her luck... then i turned around and put my head down on the front desk, seeking comfort from the cool surface and jake (fellow ra and writer extroadinaire) who works at the front desk.
he patted my arm and said, "don't cry"
i denied it. "i'm not going to cry."
"you sure?"
"yes"
"your eyes are getting glassy..."
"well... i'm not going to cry... i have to catch the bus up to campus now"
as i was walking away, he called after me, "keep smiling flo! come back if you miss the bus!"

i was worried because a handful of my friends are going abroad this year and even though i don't see them throughout the school year, it's nice to know that we can be there for each other when needed.
but you know what?
this year isn't going to be lonely at all. as cheesy as it sounds, nyu actually did manage to build a community, even if the community is only within 22 RAs, 5 peer educators, and 2 professional staff of a 1040-student residence hall.

much love to my staff.

much love to my friends, especially to those studying abroad.
shreya, lauren, bzhao: best of luck my darlings.

biochemistry calls

i'm at my aunt's and i forgot to bring a book

2007-07-02T12:40:49Z

i'm bored...

BOYISH:
[ ] You like being sweaty
[x] You love hoodies and jeans.
[ ] Dogs are better than cats.
[ ] It's funny when people get hurt.
[x] You've played with/against boys on a team.
[x] Shopping is torture.
[ ] Sad movies suck.
[ ]You own an XBox/Playstation/Gamecube/Nintendo64/Nintendowii.
[ ] At some point in time, you wanted to be a firefighter
[ ] You own a baseball bat, a football, a soccer ball, and/or a basketball.
[x] You used to be obsessed with Power Rangers.
[x] You watch sports on TV.
[ ] Gory movies are awesome.
[x] You only go to your dad for advice.
[ ] You own like a trillion jerseys.
[ ] You like going to football games.
[ ] You used to/do collect trading cards.
[ ] Baggy pants are cool.
[ ] Fire is cool.
[ ] You don't babysit.
[ ] It's kinda weird to have sleepovers with a bunch of people.
[ ] Green, black, red, blue or silver are your favorite color(s).
[x] You don't care about your hair sometimes.
[x] You love to go crazy and not care what people think.
[x] Contact sports are fun.
Total: 9

GIRLISH:
[ ] You wear lip gloss.
[ ] You love to shop all the time.
[ ] You wear eyeliner
[x] You buy different colored tops.
[ ] You have some of the same shirts in different colours.
[ ] You don't ever shop at Wal Mart.
[x] You wear the color pink.
[x] You consider cheerleading a sport.
[ ] You hate wearing the plain clothes.
[ ] You like hanging out at the mall.
[ ] You like getting manicures and/or pedicures.
[ ] You like wearing jewelry.
[x] Skirts are a part of your wardrobe.
[ ] Shopping is one of your favorite hobbies.
[ ] It takes you around thirty minutes to get ready to go out.
[x] You smile a lot more than you should.
[ ] You have more then ten pairs of shoes/sandals
[x] You own fuzzy stuffed animals.
[ ] You like to read celebrity magazines.
[x] Colouring is fun.
[ ] You only play computer games where you get to dress up your character.
[x] You have tried to be "rebellious" at least once in your life.
[ ] Sports are boring.
[ ] You are in style.
[ ] You think embryos are gross.
Total: 8

...
well... i'm pretty even.

man... i'm bored. i can't believe i forgot my book. at least taiwan has good television. :P

italianflower @ 2007-06-17T10:17:00

2007-06-17T14:18:28Z

i.am.a.fool.

italianflower @ 2007-06-15T09:20:00

2007-06-15T13:21:14Z

1 . Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!


2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans . If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM . Toss it away from you....chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!



3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.


4.Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.) DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.




a. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.


5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot or parking garage:


A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.


B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.


C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out.



IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)


6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)


7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, preferably in a zigzag pattern!


8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP! It may get you raped or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well-educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.



9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her "Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door."


The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get run over. The policeman said, "We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it , but have had several calls by women saying that they hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.


Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying baby ----This
should be taken seriously because the Crying Baby theory was mentioned on America's Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled the serial killer in Louisiana.


I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going to send this to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as well.

rape!

2007-06-15T13:20:30Z

i found this on one of the rwc sister's xanga.
please read (yes, boys too)

Sandi Vivion

Through a Rapist's Eyes (No Joke)



This is important information for females of ALL ages .


A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:



1) The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle. They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed . They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair Women with short hair are not common targets.


2) The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who's clothing is easy to remove quickly . Many of them carry scissors around specifically to cut clothing.


3) They also look for women on their cell phone , searching through their purse, or doing other activities while walking because they are off-guard and can be easily overpowered.

4) Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early morning, between 5:00a.m. and 8:30a.m.

5) The number one place women are abducted from/attacked is grocery store parking lots . Number two: is office parking lots/garages. Number three: is public restrooms.


6) The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to another location where they don't have to worry about getting caught.


7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.



8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming.


9) These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas , or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.

Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you're not worth it.


10) Several defense mechanisms he taught us are: If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question , like what time is it, or make general small talk: "I can't believe it is so cold out here," "we're in for a bad winter." Now you've seen their face and could identify them in a line-up; you lose appeal as a target.


11) If someone is coming toward you , hold out your hands in front of you and yell STOP or STAY BACK ! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back.
Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

12) If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes) , yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.


13) If someone grabs you , you can't beat them with strength but you can by outsmarting them . If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the
arm (between the elbow and armpit) OR in the upper inner thigh VERY VERY HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands - the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it - it hurts.


14) After the initial hit, always GO for the GROIN . I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble and he's out of there.


15) When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible . The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.


16) Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings , take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don't dismiss it, go with your instincts!!!


You may feel a little silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

italianflower @ 2007-06-11T23:07:00

2007-06-12T03:09:11Z

ladies and gentlemen!

with two weeks left to go, it has finally sunk in:

I AM GOING HOME!!!

taiwan: 6/27~8/11

i'm pissed, can you tell?

2007-06-09T14:04:09Z

Our challenges, I am certain, are also well known. NYUs annual budget,
excluding the medical center, is $1.8 billion. Some 63 percent of that budget
comes from tuition charges, a far larger percentage than is the case at many of
our peer institutions. The value of NYUs endowment is some $2.0 billion; a
large sum, but on a per capita basis a modest amount -- only $52,000/student --
compared to $252,000/student at the University of Pennsylvania, $280,000/student
at Columbia, $1.6 million/student at Yale, and $1.9 million/student at
Princeton. This reality figures constantly in our plans, and challenges our
creativity and dedication to the common weal.
well, gee, figure out how to invest better... you have one of the best business schools in the nation, i'm sure you can tweak the numbers and figure out how to be more efficient. also, if you stopped charging an arm and a leg for tuition so your students won't have to take out loans that they will still be repaying when they turn 40, maybe they will be willing to donate some. on the matter of donation, stop calling my mother during the school year for donations! she's paying my tuition already, isn't that enough? and i don't thin upenn, yale, and princeton are counted as "our peers"

We know how much an education at NYU means to our students. I teach
undergraduates, including freshmen, and I know that for many students, attending
NYU was the major goal of their high school years. We also are keenly aware of
how much every additional dollar of tuition can burden a family of modest means,
and that our high tuition challenges our goal of maintaining an economically
diverse student body. Our budget deliberations occur with these realities very
much at the forefront of our thoughts, and we strive to keep tuition increases
as low as possible.

dude... if you are "keenly aware", why do you still raise the tuition like none other? students have to transfer out to finish their education because the tuition is too high. so these kids work their butts off to get into their "dream school" and you totally dash their dreams because they realize they can't afford to continue studying at nyu. and i thin 5.5% increase of the already 25,000+ and a 5% increase overall is not a small increase.

man i'm not happy.

italianflower @ 2007-06-05T10:13:00

2007-06-05T14:19:31Z

Again she fled, but swift he came.
Tinuviel! Tunuveil!
He called her by her elvish name;
And there she halted listening.
One moment stood she, and a spell
And doom fell on Tinuviel
That in his arms arms lay glistening

As Beren looked into her eyes
Within the shadows of her hair
The trembling starlight of the skies
He saw there mirrored shimmering.
Tinuviel the elven-fair,
Immortal aiden elven-wise
About him case her shadowy hair
And arms like silver glimmering.

Long was the way that fate them bore,
O'er stony mountains cold and frey
Through halls of iron and darkling door,
And woods of nighshade morrowless
The Sundering Seas between them lay
And yet at last they met once more,
And long ago they passed away
In the forest singing sorrowless.

~Fellowship of the Ring J.R.R Tolkien

summer plans

2007-05-10T23:27:39Z

5/13~5/24 New Berlin, NY: I will be tagging alongside a large animal veterinarian who started his own horse hospital and breeding farm. A little apprehensive, but hopefully all will be okay and I won't be completely incompetent

5/25~6/26 Plainsboro, NJ: Working at the golf course (again); possibly vising roomates or have them visit me

6/27~8/11 Taiwan: interning at Taiwan University at a D.V.M professor's lab; will be commuting between hsinchu and Taipei a lot

8/12~8/17 Plainsboro, NJ: more work; readjusting to time zone

8/18 New York, NY: return to school

it's been a hellish year but thank God it's over. my final semester grades are not out yet... but whatever they are, i hope that God will comfort me and give me courage.

italianflower @ 2007-04-08T23:24:00

2007-04-09T03:24:41Z

it's been a rough year...
whenever i feel sad, i do this...

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VnaCUPr3q6s"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VnaCUPr3q6s" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

i memorized every word already.

almost done

italianflower @ 2007-02-15T18:26:00

2007-02-15T23:27:51Z

one day...

my mother told me i can't (shouldn't) marry a certain boy who is a very dear friend.

... "but mom... we're not even dating..."

"i know. but i still think you shouldn't"

haha...

orgo exam 1 tomorrow. *cries*

italianflower @ 2006-12-18T18:30:00

2006-12-18T22:30:50Z

i miss taiwan so much

i dont know if i actually miss taiwan because it's taiwna or if it's because taiwan=childhood. i had this talk with jodi before... about being disillusioned...

taiwan is so messed up now and there are all these little things about it that rubs me the wrong way... last summer when i went back, i saw flaws here and there. but come on, no society is perfect. but i still feel such a deep attachment and love for taiwan. i could stay up all night long before the plane trip back home to taiwan, giggling at the thought of how nice it would be to be there again.

i dislike the skinny/feminine boys there, i dislike the government, i dislike how the education system works, and i dislike how people feel like they can point out your physical flaws in public (you know, cause that's totally not rude), i hate the media, the ignorance, and the apathy. i dislike taiwan in a way every american born and raised asian might dislike their mother country once in awhile.

but deep deep down, i love taiwan... i still think if given a choice to live in one place for the rest of my life, i would choose taiwan. hands down. in a heart beat.

i'm so homesick...

and i need to study...

RWC FOOTBALL!

2006-11-05T02:19:02Z

mascot: The Leaf, represented by Sherry Chung

mascot: the leaf represneted by Jacob Kim

Loyal Fans huddled against the cold

sophomore offensive alignment

we turned out jerseys inside out so we can be set apart from the church we were playing against
oh yea... maria, catherin, and i corn rowed our hair... we went up to harlem together friday afternoon

DEFENSE!!!!!!!!!!!
!

Small Group + Yvonne with flags on her head

the team... (too bad my memory card filled up and i didnt get the one with our coaches :( )

sophomore offensive alignment showing off our rows after we won our last game:

peace out guys. God is good

italianflower @ 2006-09-29T16:51:00

2006-09-29T20:52:02Z

marsmartians319: florence,

Auto response from italianflower39: orgoing

love notes and encouragment are welcome!

marsmartians319: i love you
marsmartians319: yours truly,
marsmartians319: brian

2 hours later..

italianflower39: *tear
italianflower39: that's so sweet
marsmartians319: i loved orgo
marsmartians319: you can come running into my arms for help
marsmartians319: or if you just feel like it