Open Diary - jolie_laide

first mobile entry

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

After months without my cell phone, I decided that it was time to buy a replacement phone. The old one was broken accidentally and I didn't have a replacement plan. Took a chance on amazon, and got a phone that was exactly like my previous one. Its working well. I tend to keep that way. The world didn't end (even though the mayan calender was just marking the end of an astrological period, not the end of the world). Hopefully there's not nutzos out there who are disappointed that it didn't. :) If only it's ushering in an age where society can reflect on its issues without causing unnecessary conflicts and shutting down before real change could occur. Let's get back to my mundane life. Got to leave work early today since it was really slow. Reflected on the winter solstice and gamed for a bit. Good day for me, all in all.

10/30/2012

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Today started out better than yesterday. I wasn't able to come to work in the morning, so I worked a busier than usual closing shift. The coffee shop was filled with the people without electricity in their homes. We ran out of food in the morning because we were the only food place open. My manager told me that the line extended out the door.

It was busy tonight with people looking for a place to charge their phones and use the internet. Even though that kind of made me sad for them, it made my job seem like a community center. People were being friendly and I was able to have honest conversations with our patrons. It was a nice night.

Checked my email and found one from CareerBuilder.com. Apparently there is an opening in an apartment leasing office in DC. It's for lower income apartments, but the benefits and possible pay seemed alright. A part of me wants to avoid applying for the job while another part of me wants to check it out at least.

Thinking about going to a couple of meetups for different interests that I have. However, I'd have to take the subway and a couple of buses for some. I'm going to look for more local meetups.

Curiosity

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What drives me? Curiosity and the need to play with something. It seems like a simple conclusion, but hindsight can make anything seem like one. Today I decided to change my approach when learning new concepts.

Instead of trying to cram everything (which is tiresome) and then regurgitate information (which doesn't help when it comes to learning new programs), I read the information with a bit of curiosity and the need to make something new. With the former approach, it kills whatever motivation I had to do something. With the latter, I want to consume everything to get my new "toy" to work in the way I wanted it to. The way of doing things has no room for judging my progress. That used to eat me alive, mentally. Self monitoring my progress actually hinders it for me.

Yesterday I downloaded Blender ( a 3D animation / modeling package) to get some practice in making my own models. Today I started a tutorial for the modeling aspect of it. After playing around with the program, it seems like I've learned more than when I actively tried to absorb something. Pursuing an interest is more satisfying and engaging than what I was doing before. Just because a hobby of mine is becoming more of a career doesn't mean that I have to start thinking of it as a dreary job. The spark has been lit again!

While typing the last sentence, I felt dread. Dreading that this is just premature, and I'm just in a good mood today. Then I remembered that my moodiness is in check right now, and that I've been slowly making healthier lifestyle choices.

At the moment, I'm looking forward to NaNoWriMo. Not submitting something in the hope to become famous, but to cross off writing a novel on my life goal list.

Bye Bye Birdie!

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Around 5am this morning, I was sitting outside my job waiting for my supervisor to unlock the door. I was just sitting there reading my book until the newspaper deliveryman said something as he threw the papers down the hall. Wasn't paying attention to what he said, but I looked up in the direction of the newspapers and saw a small starling walking down the hall. It was stopping to peck at what goodies left behind by humans on the ground. The poor thing's feathers were disheveled and it's walk was a little wobbly. Unfortunately I didn't have any food on me. Otherwise I would've left a food trail leading outside the door.

It was walking close to the door, I mean within 3 ft of the doors, when I decided to help it out. So there I was holding the door open, pleading with the poor bird to just walk out the door. Then my supervisor arrived, and I enlisted her help with the situation. She started to walk behind the bird slowly making it walk closer towards the bird. However, less than a foot away from the outdoors, it decides that the best course of action was to fly directly up.

I hope the bird makes its way outside. Those doors are opened and closed a lot during the day, so it could happen.

In other news, I decided to participate in NaNoWriMo. I've always wanted to do it awhile back, but I wasn't up for the challenge.

Grocery Shopping with Mom

Sat, 13 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Every time we go to the grocery store, my mother tends to leave her cart abruptly in the middle of the aisle or anywhere that could inconvenience other people. I remember getting anxious as a young kid about it. It's like once she thinks of something to get, she immediately goes to it and decides that the cart is in her way. She's not doing it on purpose, though, and gets a little embarrassed when she catches herself doing it.

Friday morning we went grocery shopping, and I had to move the cart out of the way a little more than usual. However, I think it was because the cart was heavier than usual. I didn't really need that much from there, but my mom needed to get a bunch of stuff.

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Got this flat iron spray for my hair. Might try it tomorrow. Wish me luck! Haha!