:: The Princess Diaries ::

:: 31.8.03 ::

after shopping with my oppa, we stopped by cousin hong's to see his new jeep wrangler. i forgot how long it had been since i last saw him. it's odd, but even though i live so close to him, i rarely see him or their parents. in any case, it was good to see him. and it's always a guaranteed good time with my brother and cousin there. in my 24 years of living, there never has been a time when i'm with my brother and cousin that i am not laughing or having the greatest time of my life. 'cause when i'm around them, i'm the most comfortable and free to be who i really am.

sometimes we take the people in our lives for granted. we get so used to having them around and seeing them, that after awhile, we don't see how important they are to us and the important role they play in our lives. lately, i've been realizing how important my brother is to me. he's one of the few people in my life who really knows me for who i am and still accepts me for who i am. i almost forgot how much he makes me laugh, how wise his advice is, how helpful his listening ear is, and just how important he is in my life. i may argue with him or ignore him, but at the end of the day, i know that blood is thicker than water. and though we have gone through our ups and downs, he's still my brother and there's no denying how vital he is in my life. but, don't tell him that.

:: debbie 8/31/2003 01:42:00 am [+] ::
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another year, another mtv vma, and another disappointment. you know, sometimes when you think it can't get any worse, any more strange, or any more annoying, it does. okay, first of all, why on earth did madonna choose to perform with britany spears and christina aguilera? and why, dear God, did she kiss the both of them? why is justin timberlake such a jerk and a complete prick when he wins these things? duran duran might as well have gone without winning any moonmans because the presentation of the lifetime achievement award was pathetic and rude. and i'm sorry, what exactly did they achieve in their lifetime? no, really. they were good and all in the 80's, but uhm... they didn't leave any real mark. what were evanescence and good charlotte doing in the best rock category? they shouldn't be considered rock, or even music for that matter. don't get me wrong, i think beyonce can sing and all, but maybe she should try singing more during her performance, instead of just oohhh-ing and shaking. but, there were some highlights: run dmc, mary j. blige, 50 cent w/ snoop, jack black, metallica, and thank God for ben stiller and adam sandler.

all right, i know. who cares about the vma's? well, after a long week of classes and driving in hot weather with no a/c in ghetto fab, apparently, i do. mtv, i was disappointed. again.

:: debbie 8/29/2003 03:28:00 am [+] ::
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all right, so there isn't something right about this semester. in two of my classes, in the first week, people have cried. in today's class (curriculum adaptations for individuals with severe disabilities), our prof. ended the class with a "read & reaction." she was going to read us something and we had to write our reactions. no big deal, right? yeah... so, she read us a book, "love you forever" by Robert Munsch. and as she was reading this book, people started crying. not because it was sad or anything, but because it was so touching. by the end, one person had to excuse herself to get tissue and clean herself up. and yes, i was also touched and shed a few tears. i had to stop myself from sobbing. but, my good golly miss molly, if all this crying is any indication of what this semester is going to be like, i don't know if i can deal.

:: debbie 8/27/2003 08:35:00 pm [+] ::
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classes started yesterday. the first week of classes isn't bad because the profs usually just go over the syllabus and just talk about themselves. so, we usually get out decently early. but, monday night's class nearly went the full three hours. it's my forging collaborations with family and community (or something like that) class. it's a small class with like 10 people. in any case, our prof had us do this activity (i hate activities) to help us get to know one another better. we had to talk about any experience in our lives and the people tied to that experience. the point of it was to stress that our biological family isn't our only family. blah, blah, blah... anyway, some people were sharing pretty sad experiences and they started crying. my prof even cried while she was telling her story. uh.... yeah... okay... it's weird to be sitting in your grad class and have people start crying. i felt like i was in some sort of support group or small group. are you wondering if i cried while telling my sob story? HECK NO! there will be no crying for me. i may cry in my sleep and while reading harry potter, but i'm not going to cry in my classes. sorry to disappoint.

i've also been debating on how many classes to take this semester. last spring, i took four classes (along with working full time) and thought i was going to flip out and die. i told myself i wouldn't do that again. but, on my way home last night, i decided to go for it. i'm going to take the full load at school. and along with it, i'll be teaching a few classes at work. it can't be that bad, right? wrong. it'll probably drive me crazy at one point, but that's okay. it builds character, right? in any case, i've noticed that when people know or think i'm busy with school or work or whatever, they tend to uhm... bother or nag me less and the expections aren't as high. so, it gives me room to slack off and be moody. along with that, i figured that i'll have less time to let my mind wander or be distracted and less time for drama.

:: debbie 8/26/2003 04:24:00 pm [+] ::
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i met some of the most phenomenal and thought-provoking people while i was in undergrad. in boston. among them was donny, who from the moment i met him, got the wheels turning in my head. he was (and i'm sure still is) this fantastic and inspiring person who always took the time to hear my petty and pathetic collegiate problems. anyway, when i first met him at a retreat, he asked us what our passion was. that was my freshman year. at the time, i came up with something pathetic like, "kids with disabilities." well, helping them, that is. anyway, i think that faded. i mean, don't get me wrong, i like helping them, but that isn't my passion. throughout my four years, he would ask me that question again. "what's your passion? what drives you?" well, it's taken me nearly 6 years and a conversation with maria to realize that i don't know what my passion is. sure, there are a bunch of things i like (a lot): eating, reading, traveling, j.crew, U2, beastie boys, land rovers, starbucks coffee, M.A.C., anything having to do with england, and oh yeah, i suppose teaching. none of these things are my passion though. and it makes me sound really superficial too. so, i'm on a mission. i'm not sure how long this will take, but it will be done! so, let the pursuit begin!

:: debbie 8/24/2003 11:07:00 pm [+] ::
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karaoke night at sun's house. included on the setlist was:
wanna be with you - mandy moore; to be with you - mr. big; lean on me; angel - s maclachlan; i'll be missing you - puff daddy; under pressure - queen; torn - n. ambruglia; o christmas tree; angel of harlem, with or without you, i still haven't found what i'm looking for, where the streets have no name, one, stay (faraway, so close), discotheque, stuck in a moment you can't get out of, pride, sunday bloody sunday, sweetest thing, new year's day, desire - U2; beauty and the beast; part of your world; under the sea; somewhere out there; when you say nothing at all - r. keating; a bunch of mariah songs; genie in a bottle; shape of my heart; quit playing games with my heart; this i promise you; tearin up my heart; total eclipse of the heart; some of whitney's songs; rubber duckie; barbie girl; manic monday; the rose; and many, many others.

and who were the rockstars who stayed at sun's until the very end? you guessed it. bigE (esther kang) and me. oh yeah, baby! rock on!

:: debbie 8/24/2003 12:45:00 am [+] ::
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my xanga is up and running. that one is nice and pink too. i figure my blog will be for my more deeper, more philosophical (yeah, right.) thoughts. my xanga shall be my uhm... whatever i don't want to put in my blog. so, if after reading one, and you just haven't had enough wit and/or humor, find another site. but, if you'd like to read more of my stuff, go to my other site.

:: debbie 8/22/2003 11:43:00 pm [+] ::
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we're PINK now. (thanks maria!)

:: debbie 8/22/2003 05:11:00 pm [+] ::
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Two Brothers, One Vision

Land Rover is a name universally identified with the definitive four-wheel-drive vehicle. Although Land Rover is constantly enhancing and developing its products, the history behind these unique vehicles reveals a consistency of vision – a combination of firm values and purpose-driven design.

The first Land Rover emerged from post-war Britain in 1948 – a brilliantly simple and inventive work-focused vehicle made of aluminum. Brothers Spencer and Maurice Wilks, working for the British car company Rover, created a new vehicle that combined utilitarian simplicity with rugged, dependable quality. An instant success, the Land Rover name was, by the mid-1950s, firmly established as synonymous for durability and off-road excellence. Military and agricultural customers, as well as such demanding clients as the emergency services industry, all found in Land Rover the qualities they needed in a vehicle.

By 1959, the 250,000th Land Rover rolled off the production line in Solihull, West Midlands, and the pattern for enduring success in the market was established. But the Land Rover story is about more than just one classic vehicle.

The 1960s saw significant demand for four-wheel drive vehicles and Land Rover found itself at the forefront of this burgeoning new market. To meet this challenge, Rover engineers set to work on a vehicle which would combine the comfort and road performance of a family car with the off-road capability of a Land Rover.

The result was Range Rover, launched in 1970 to immediate and ecstatic acclaim. Its iconic design was uniquely honored when it went on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris. But it wasn't just good looks and comfort that the vehicle delivered: a British army major confidently drove a Range Rover from Anchorage, Alaska, to Ushuaia in Argentina – a grueling six-month test few other vehicles would have passed.

Evolution of Land Rover vehicles continued through the 1970s and 80s, with Land Rover vehicles earning distinction in endurance motorsports events such as the Paris-Dakar rally, exemplifying the strength of Land Rover's engineering.

A new Land Rover named Discovery was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1989 and immediately carved out a reputation as an exceptional SUV. It was followed by Freelander, a new vehicle that distilled Land Rover DNA into a new size of SUV. It so impressed the editors of Automobile that Freelander immediately made the magazine's coveted "All-Star" list.

Today, Land Rover is the only company to manufacture permanent all-wheel-drive vehicles exclusively. This focus is perhaps one reason why Land Rover's values – Adventure, Guts, and Supremacy– shine through in its vehicles so clearly.

And the Land Rover brand even extends beyond the vehicles themselves. Our worldwide "Adventures" expeditions, Land Rover Gear clothing and hardware, our Driving Experience Centres for off-road instruction, and our strong sponsorship links to conservation and sporting organizations all contribute to Land Rover's unique appeal.

Now sold in more than 140 countries, Land Rover has traveled from a basic utilitarian product in 1948 to today's automotive icon, as the New Range Rover debuts. Few products can match the recognition and respect accorded to Land Rover vehicles. But perhaps the ultimate endorsement of Land Rover values comes from the vehicles themselves: an incredible three quarters of all Land Rovers ever to be manufactured are still in use today.

wow! what a car! see, i'm into it for more than just the looks and the bling-bling. thanks to dennis from landrover hoffman estates for the highly educational email.

:: debbie 8/20/2003 10:58:00 pm [+] ::
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the diagnosis is in. the dull pains i've been feeling in my wrists and hands and the sharp pain in my forearms are epicondylitis. that's inflammation of the tendons that pass through the epicondyles. in other words, i have tennis elbow. tennis elbow! it sounds lame. yes, i know. it hurts like a mother though. but, if you ask me, i've got carpal tunnel too. how do i figure? occupational therapy was my undergrad. degree and carpal tunnel is one of the few things i remember learning. oh yeah, and after reading a poster in the doctor's office, i've realized that i'm at-risk for osteoporosis. sweet.

:: debbie 8/20/2003 12:57:00 pm [+] ::
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it's fate, i tell you! today, in the mail, i (actually, my dad) got a postcard/flyer thing from the winnetka landrover dealership. it had pretty pictures of the Range Rover (supreme beauty), Discovery (my handsome boyfriend), and Freelander (eh... it's aight). and then, it came to me! this was a sign! it was a sign from the Almighty to get a Discovery. of course, i'd have to get a used one, unless i met a very nice, rich, and extremely generous person (eh-hem!). but a used Discovery is a Discovery, nonetheless. and it'll have to do for now until that one glorious day i get my perfect, dream car (much like the boys i've liked in the past -- oh! shnap!) so, the quest continues to find myself a mate and put my ghetto fabulous car out of his misery.

:: debbie 8/19/2003 10:56:00 pm [+] ::
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oh, kyle, what is going on?
you used to be so good, your pitches so fast.
you used to come to the rescue for my cubbies.
but that is no longer the case and it makes me sad.
because lately, you are sucking.
and now with mark, no one seems to care.
the spotlight has shifted.
and helps that he's not that bad looking either.
but, don't fret because even though you don't win as many games,
i still like you first, number forty-four.

:: debbie 8/19/2003 09:55:00 pm [+] ::
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so, this is what i've been missing for the past two and a half months --- brotherly advice. no matter who i seek advice from, advice from my oppa is always the best and what i usually act upon. he tells it like it is. no sugar coating. pure, honest, from the heart words. he's the one who told me that all men are dogs. he's the one only one who'll tell me when i'm being a spoiled brat. he's the one who tells me to go after what i want in life. he's the one who said i can marry a caucasian guy, but that he'll just call him "whitie." he's the one can make me laugh so hard, i'll pee in my pants. but, more than anything, he tells me what i need to hear, not what i want to hear. and these days, that's what i need.

:: debbie 8/17/2003 09:23:00 pm [+] ::
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once again, somehow, everything has been turned around so that debbie is the bad guy. i'm not surprised though. after all these years, i'm used to it. it happened in high school and in college. so, why not now? why should i have expected any different in my post-undergard life? but, please, do me a favor and save your judgements, lectures, and attempts to change my mind for someone who'll listen. 'cause it'll just fall on deaf ears here.

:: debbie 8/16/2003 10:58:00 pm [+] ::
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sun and i went to the landrover dealership today. and oh... it was everything i thought it would be and more. to be surrounded by all of those beautiful cars, it was like a dream. i sat in the floor model 2004 discovery hse (alveston red) and oh, the bliss! it was just wonderful! i loved every part of it. but, what's there not to love? all leather interior, 6 disc cd changer, dual moonroofs, jumpseats, heated seats, ample amount of space for the driver (that's me!), and many more wonderful things. i wanted to sit in that car all day, but the dealers (one was pretty good-looking and wasn't wearing a ring) were all looking at me weird. sun said i looked really little in the car, but i don't care. then, i sat in the 2004 range rover in zambezi silver. oh! i thought the discovery was nice. the range rover rocked my world! the range rover is like nector from the gods. oh, my sweet sassy molassy! oh, just the thought of that car makes me feel all warm inside and drool in delight like a baby. there was not one thing wrong with that car. too big? so what. gas-guzzler? who cares! too much money? beauty has its price. the car of my dreams? damn straight! with cars like that, who needs a boyfriend? i think i'm in love.

:: debbie 8/16/2003 10:17:00 pm [+] ::
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i woke up hoping i dreamt it all. but, to my disappointment, it wasn't a dream. so, i went back to sleep to avoid the reality of it. i'm a firm believer in sleep being the best form of avoidance. could that be the reason why i sleep so much?

:: debbie 8/13/2003 02:33:00 pm [+] ::
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you know when you're completely floored by something you found out and didn't quite expect it? well, not only am i floored, but i feel like my heart has just fallen into my stomach. i really want to shake this feeling off, but something in my gut is telling me otherwise.

:: debbie 8/12/2003 11:44:00 pm [+] ::
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so, in my spare time (which is basically all day these days), not only have i setup and tweeked my xanga site (i have yet to write any entries) but i've also joined friendster (thanks maria). it's a funny thing. i initially joined just because maria "invited" me to, but now i've managed to make it a bit more amusing for myself. so, from time to time, i think i'll write strange and perhaps bizarre things just for kicks. 'cause at this point in the game, i don't care. the people who know me will hopefully get a good laugh out of it (or want to delete me as a friend) and the people who don't know me, well... who cares.

this past week, victoria (nicole's sister) said that she never thought i would be the type of person who liked the beastie boys. i've heard this quite often. and i don't know what to say to that. but, i like the beastie boys, along with other rappers. i guess it's just the gangsta' rappa' in me. oh, i also secretly (not so secret anymore) like mandy moore.

:: debbie 8/11/2003 08:42:00 pm [+] ::
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just got back from naples. i know, i know - another vacation? it was tough, but someone had to do it... what better way to overcome a peeling, splotchy sunburn than to just go on another beach vacation and roast all over again? woo-wee!!! is that melonoma i hear?

anyway, a good time was had by all from beginning to end. we got stuck sitting by a bunch of obnoxiously bubbly girls on the plane ride there. (word to the wise: never joke about being seated next to loud obnoxious passengers, 'cause it'll happen.) the guy who picked us up from the airport was uhm... doped up on something and was telling us we should go to the bait shop for drinks. for a moment, nicole and i thought we weren't going to make it to her house. (another word to the wise: think twice before taking a ride with greasy, unkept, drugged taxi driver.) we encountered a sketchy, older man taking pictures of random girls on the beach (beware of yucky old men wearing long pants and shirts at the beach with a camera.) apparently, we couldn't just go to the coach outlet once. you can never buy enough leather goods from coach. never. we decided that i could get away with naming my daughter midori more than nicole could. we saw stephen king's house in the midst of construction - rich people need to find better things to do with their money than build enormous houses that they use only at a week's time, once a year. and as luck would have it, we ended up sitting by those same loud, obnoxious, bubbly girls on the flight back. of course, there's more, but i'll spare you. all in all, a great time was had. and to answer mina's question of if i am tired of vacationing - no, is that ever possible? now, i think i need a vacation from my vacation from my vacation.

:: debbie 8/11/2003 02:17:00 am [+] ::
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it's time for another break. i'm off to naples (florida) with nicole! i get to spend seven whole days with nicole! wow-wee! see y'all later!

:: debbie 8/03/2003 01:43:00 pm [+] ::
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