So I went out the other night to meet up with some old friends and inevitably, the mandatory group shot had to be taken. Glancing quickly around, I saw that there was a middle aged man sitting alone next to us, people watching. Wanting to get the picture taking over with, I took my friend's camera and asked him. Said man just stared at me and responded, "I don't know how to work a camera." I most likely gave him a confused look but composed myself the next second and said "You just press this button HERE. It's really easy!" The man insisted he didn't know how to work it. Finally, a friend stepped in and he took the picture instead. I found out later that the middle aged man was actually Spud Webb, I met another athlete and knew nothing about it. Fail. But that got me annoyed. So what, you're famous but you can't take a picture for someone? I'm not asking for YOUR picture, I'm asking YOU to take a picture of ME. HAHA I probably really insulted him. For once, I wish I could meet someone I recognize...like, George Clooney!

Anyway, I initially began writing this post to talk about Dunkin Donuts and how it is one of my many favorite guilty pleasures. Each time I see a store, I MUST enter be it at the airport or a Target. I think it just reminds me of my childhood in Malaysia since DD is everywhere there, and their donuts always look so appealing. However this 22 second Korean commercial just brings it to a whole new level. I pretty much salivated throughout the entire clip and felt slightly ashamed as I forgot all sense of dignity by transforming into a very hormonal teenager squealing and sighing at the screen. I have never wanted to buy anything so badly in my life. I am such a sucker...ugh, and I majored in Marketing too. Please see clip below:

Usually (at least I would like to think) I am less of a sucker. The reason why this played with my heartstrings even more is because said actor plays the lead role in a very popular TV series in Asia. After watching 25 hours (yes, HOURS...but okay, I fast forwarded a lot of it because it was moving too slowly) of the show, even the most feminine of guys grow on a person and by episode three, one is enthralled and forgets all sense of reality. Ah, young shallow love. When my roommate saw this, she claimed he looked gay in all of it. Whatever. Shake 'em haterz off!    

This brings me to my next point about standards of style: East vs. West. Whenever I travel to Asia (particularly China), after the initial transition period my style becomes rather funky and I can be seen wearing outfits that I would never dream of busting out with in Texas. See in the East, one can pretty much get away with wearing anything. Take Beijing for instance – during the months prior to the Olympics, 1000 new cars rolled into the city DAILY to add to the notorious, overcrowded traffic. Imagine how many more thousands of migrant workers (people from the rural countryside) entered Beijing looking for jobs. While there are a few urbanites with great fashion sense, for the most part said individuals were far outnumbered by the sheer mass of villagers who had come to the city, many of whom had never seen an escalator in their lives. Once when I was exiting a subway station, I saw a long line of people waiting to use the escalator in the opposite direction. The cause of the holdup was an elderly couple in their late sixties gripping each other tightly while one gingerly put their foot out like when one tests out the temperature of a pool, before retreating said foot back on solid ground. It was very cute and they finally did get on though both looked scared out of their minds. I think I clapped. They overcame their fears! I digress. You can be walking down a street and see the most RANDOM and weird outfits i.e. a long sleeve orange striped shirt and purple tights, with a translucent, sleeveless, POOFY lime green dress over that. I am being completely serious; I really did see that. One trend I intensely dislike am embarrassed for in the Asian culture though are the infamous ‘couple shirts’ that many unfortunate ‘committed’ couples adopt. For instance:

Who wears Goldilocks?

Is that considered cheating if they were walking opposite to where the arrows are pointing?

If you wear couple shirts, please I'm begging you...stop this madness.

As much as I enjoy poking fun at those with couple shirts, there is a certain sense of security that comes with a culture that celebrates such style. So you can imagine how my boldness grew during the period I was there. You can’t go wrong because there will ALWAYS be thousands more dressed worse. Sometimes, I think it’s so unfair how if I were to wear those funky outfits in Texas, I would be considered a huge fob while if other ethnicities here were to wear it aka anyone but Asian, people would think they were eclectic. *Insert self-pitying sigh here*

For a time at my internship in Beijing, I was required to wear business attire every day from 9-6pm. I felt like burning all those four inch heels (imagine WALKING in those things from the subway, to lunch, etc.) when that period ended; though I must say, I got rather good at walking in those stilts after all those weeks and the pain was but a distant memory as my feet became seasoned to the painful arch. After that was over I wore Converses all the time, pairing them with everything from shorts to skinny jeans to dresses. The trend I learned from my French friends there was to fold the high tops half way down to show off the contrasting colors inside the shoe. Yes, major fob I know…but I liked it! I became such a Converse and Puma addict, at one point I think I owned around 15 pairs of just those brands. Once I realized how out of hand it was getting though, I donated about nine pairs and quit cold turkey. It was difficult, but I bought lots of D&G purses to make up for it. Kidding. I just donated.    

But I do have to admit; while there are places like Beijing and random parts of China where I could get away with wearing a potato sack and duct tape, there are other places in Asia i.e. Singapore, Hong Kong, and Seoul where people do dress FABULOUSLY, minus the couple shirts of course.

By the way, while googling Asian street style, I came across this website that's pretty cool: Click click 

The friends I crashed with in Hong Kong and Seoul both lived in the financial districts and man do people dress well there. On the topic of fashion though, I absolutely adore Alexander Wang (not to be confused with Wang Lee Hom who has the same English name). What a genius! One day, my closet will be infused with his clothes. ONE DAY! Christian Dior for when I’m 30, Alex Wang for today! 

You know in all the years I've xanga-ed, I don't think I've once written about fashion so please allow me just this once to be shallow. Thank you for understanding.

There have been a few times now where I've randomly bumped into a celebrity, from pseudo D-listers to all star tennis champs. However I usually get starstruck each time and stand there stupidly, with my mouth gaping open, not unlike a dying fish. The first celeb I remember meeting was Master P years ago at sixteen when he and his entourage came to eat at Pappadeaux. I was a hostess there and after seating the party, one of the servers told me that I was wanted back at the table. But before that, he added, "Do you know who you just sat?! Master P!" Cue the twinkling music in the background- I saw stars and became very enthusiastic, clasping my hands together: "Oh, shit, it's Master P!!!"  Someone had asked my age and the server had told them I was the youngest working there, and I was to be interrogated. 

Entourage Member 1: "So Sarah...are you twenty-three?"
"No."
"Twenty-two?!"
"No."
"Twenty-one?"
"No."
With a heavy sigh, and an increasing octave: "Twenty?!?"
The entire time this guessing game was going on, Master P kept breaking in with, "ARE YOU THIRTY-FIVE?! ARE YOU THIRTY-FIVE?!"
"No, sir. I am SIXTEEN years old!"
 

This was also the period when R. Kelly fiasco was in full swing and one of the guys with Master P was his cousin. He then pointed at Entourage Member 1: "You see that guy over there? That's his cousin. Don't go near him."


Back then, the place was pretty popular among athletes as well, and you'd often see players from the Cowboys come eat. But since I could care less about those sports, I would never know who they were until other excited staff came gushing to me about who I just sat. Major fail on my part.


Fast forward to last year when my brother and I were checking in at the Beijing airport when I nudged him and whispered excitedly, "Hey look! It's Venus and Serena!" My brother found his inner paparazzi and I pretty much had to sit on him to prevent some class A stalking. When we boarded the plane, it was like something out of a ridiculous movie script. Almost everyone on that flight was connected with the Olympics somehow, either as athletes, coaches or committee members and was attired to prove it. Half the plane was swaggering around, stopping to chat with others who were similarly dressed in USA emblazoned jackets, chatting with each other. Many of the conversations went this way: "Oh, what event did you participate in? Did you win anything? Congrats on the silver!" while the rest of us ordinary humans pretended to not listen. When we finally landed back in the States, my brother told me that he got to sit next to an athlete who took part in some canoeing event while I had the privilege of sitting next to a (possibly mute) foreign exchange student. God has a sense of humor alright.
 

On the topic of humor, let me describe my vacation to New York City this previous spring. I was standing in line for Broadway tickets with friends when a reporter from Canada came marching up to us armed with a cameraman and thrust a mic into my face asking thought-provoking questions I don't appreciate such as: "In this economy, what makes you still come out here and spend money?" My immediate thought was, "Lady, I'm on vacation here. Don't make me think!" Seeing as my friends were surrounding me, I figured this was some what of a group interview and kept silent so they could be included as well. Damn, was I wrong. An awkward silence penetrated the air and the reporter got impatient. She waggled the mic under my nose and asked loudly, "Do you speak English?" Her body was recovered a couple of days later. 'Nuff said.


More recently, the other day I entered a Greek restaurant in Houston only to realize that the Food Network was inside taping for one of their shows, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I was hoping to be able to touch Guy Fieri's hair but seriously, I might as well have been trying to talk to Brangelina and their collection of children. Guy hid in the backroom away from adoring fans, and was surrounded by a ton of Food Network staff that was seemingly impossible to penetrate while we laymen were ordered to ignore the cameras and eat normally. So, I gave up on the picture idea with the consolation that the back of my head would be on television and concentrated on my food with ferocious intensity instead.


I just want to touch yo hurr!


Thus far, the only picture a pseudo-celeb has willingly taken with me is Leah from Top Chef. While in New York, we stumbled into her restaurant and she obliged us, although I was ITCHING to ask her about Hosea. But since I did not want knives (literally) stabbing my face, I focused instead on telling her how much I enjoyed eating her food. Yes, lame, I totally sucked up but whatever. I wanted her to smile in the picture, and keep my face intact! 


I should have this framed. It's not her best picture though. She usually looks more like this:
 



Oo la la.

Actually, I take that back...I got to take pictures with, AND TOUCH members of the SoReal Cru when they came to perform at A&M last semester.



Please look closely at both pictures and see fingers that clearly belong to the respective members gently resting against the fabric of my jacket-thing. Bffs. I wish. =( I could not stop staring at the girls when they were dancing. Their outfits were amazing and they looked sooo hot!!!


But since I'm writing about fame though, I'm going to branch off into something a little darker- the whole Michael Jackson fiasco. Up till his death, there were accusations of child molestation, and countless jokes being made at his situation. Once he died however, many of those same individuals/media networks suddenly became contrite and were immediately adoring and mourning the passing of an icon, facebooking and twittering sorrow. It frustrates me to no end the hypocrisy of it all. I've always liked MJ and his music, but never came close to becoming one of the hardcore, (read: previously silent) fanatics that have suddenly began taking over the world. It makes me wonder if people truly appreciated him, or are simply jumping on the bandwagon because it's the "cool" thing to do at the moment. I'm inclined to lean towards the latter. For the record though, I've never believed for once he was guilty! I wish though, he could have seen and realized the impact he's had on the world as portrayed in news headlines for days now, without having to pass. I bet it would have made his entire year! 

 
 

As much as I would like to believe otherwise, I have to admit it: I am an ugly crier, one really ugly crier. 

There are only three instances to which this occurs:

1. Sad books
2. Sad movies 
   
3. Airports

I am a huge, wimpy sap when it comes to these events and it's not pretty. My nose becomes a flaming red, eyes are puffy like marshmallows (I get triple eyelids that Korean girls would kill for) and my face becomes horribly blotchy to where all the makeup Kim Kardashian wears can't even help my situation. You know that's bad.

For instance, when I was leaving Malaysia to return to the States a couple of years back, I told myself that I would not bawl. Sure I choked up a few times but no tears! I was so proud of myself...until I turned around while checking into customs and saw my grandfather breaking down. Cue the floodgates. Once I started, it was difficult to stop. I got countless curious stares while my brothers pretended they did not know me. To make matters better, you know how it gets hard to breathe because snot completely consumes your nostrils when you cry? Oh yes. And then you have to run around looking for some form of fabric to share the mucus with, trying not to bump into things through heavy lidded, puffy eyes while avoiding the blatant staring.

Actually, one of the (subconscious) reasons my uniform in an airport is a hoodie and sweats is because I can just hide my head under the hood somewhat reminiscent of Kenny in Southpark minus all that early death.

My ugly crying face has also led to my envy of people who cry all the time and still manage to look fantastic i.e. Korean drama actresses and Lauren Conrad. WHAT THE HECK. IMPOSSIBLE! DISGUSTING! How is it plausible they actually look better all helpless and vulnerable?




WHY IS YOUR FACE NOT BLOTCHY?! I am definitely jealous. Whatever she's crying about, she doesn't really mean it. It's a pity cry.





Ugh, even her mascara is trained to run perfectly. Sickening.


While the faces of these individuals are still able to launch a thousand ships mid cry, mine would be more likely to have said ships race back immediately on sight. Here's what I most resemble:




Now these are real, RAW tears dripping (literally) with emotion! If anything happened, would you rather have Korean girl and Lauren Conrad crying over it or these true messengers of all that is pure and good in this world- these bundles of emotion? Yeah, fine..I would pick the girls too. =(


Hence, the very rare crying sessions. In fact, in all the time my roommates have known me, they've only seen me cry once years back...until graduation week arrived. Roommates leaving? Parents leaving? Graduation gifts? Bawl, cry, bawl. Oh man, that was a tough period where four years of repressed tears brought the Nile out of my eyes. And let me tell you, that's a whole lot of salty water. I could have been one of those professional criers that people hire for funerals, and easily gotten paid the most. But after that week, I'm good again for the next ten years or so...until I see Hotel Rwanda again or something.   


One day I will cry beautifully...which will probably be the same day I finally see Avril Lavigne's ears. One day!

...Procrastinate from finals. A friend of mine posted a link I thought was quite fitting: College Life

Come this Wednesday at approximately 3 pm, I shall be done with my undergraduate career FOREVER! I cannot believe I'm graduating in less than a week. WHERE DID TIME GO?!!? More on this depressing topic later. So I was browsing around online, abundantly more interested in anything but cramming (which I should start on immediately seeing that I have two finals in three days) when I came across this digital 'game'. Ah, seniorits has hit me hard. I usually avoid these online surveys/questionnaires about oneself because I care about what other people think of me and do not want to come across as one of those narcissistic (generally ugly- very average) delusional "models" that I like to make fun of whilst waiting for Youtube videos to load. However this particular concept was pretty fun so I caved in. It's only one time; don't judge me!


1. A picture of you in your room



College Station, Texas, 2009 - Us roommates were inspired by Project Runway to make outfits for each other using random fabrics in exactly one hour. What you see us wearing is the final result. I think we did pretty well considering we used a hot glue gun and staples to hold everything together!



2. A picture of you feeling very energetic



Honjo Higashi, Japan 2004 - Summer exchange where I got to attend high school somewhere near Tokyo. This was during their Sports Day.



3. A picture of you on your birthday



Beijing, China, 2008 - Extremely stuffed after eating the biggest buffet (seriously!) of my life. Also extremely thankful that I had the foresight to wear a baggy shirt. I'm pretty sure the top jean button is undone.



4. The youngest picture you can find of yourself in digital form



Frazer's Hill, Malaysia - Around nine years old? High jeans and a bowl haircut were in okay. Look how fashion forward I was with the cardigan then! 




5. A picture of you in one of your favorite outfits



New York City, Spring Break 2009 -  It's a toss-up between this one, and 




Dallas, Texas, 2006- this sexy combination.



6. A picture of you making a goofy face at the camera



College Station, Texas, 2009 - How I make friends.




7. A picture of a team or club you were in



College Station, Texas, 2006- They made me wear that. I actually got to be in the school newspaper with this outfit...except they got nothing right but my year: "HANNAH LEE, FRESHMAN BIOLOGY MAJOR". My father told me to demand a public apology. HAHA



8. A picture of a day or night you regret



College Station, Texas, August 2007: During the farewell party my roommates were throwing before I left to Beijing for the year. Ohhhhh what a bad idea (the shots were, that is!). I was bowing to the porcelain throne all night. NEVER AGAIN!!!


 

9. A picture of the real you



Beijing, China, December 2008- Good food, surrounded by the greatest family, what could be better?




10. The most recent picture of you



Houston, Texas, 2009- Yesterday's day trip where a mandatory stop for dinner at Chinatown was in order.




11. A picture of you being absolutely ridiculous



College Station, Texas, 2007- The result of giving each other makeovers. There are MUCH better pictures with others in them, but I promised the boys I would never show anyone. I am such a good friend.



12. A picture of a time in your life that's over, but you wish it weren't - There is no way I can just pick one, so here are a few:




Kumagaya, Japan, 2004- About to set off on the hour commute to school with my amazing host sister! 




Seoul, South Korea, May 2008 - Skipped school in Beijing for a couple of days to visit friends there. What an awesome experience.




Beijing, China, August 2008- I have awesome friends who hooked me up with tickets to a couple of events - Volleyball, Gymnastics (both semi-finals and finals), and track & field.




Poland vs. China in Volleyball. We're rooting for Poland obviously.





Penang, Malaysia: Winter Break, 2008 - My tour of Asia where I was fortunate enough to hit Beijing, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Macau all at once.





Miami, Florida, April 2009 - Flew there for a conference with friends at the University of Miami before blasting off to South Beach immediately after. LETS GO BACK.




13. A picture of a time in your life that's over, and you couldn't be more thankful it is



Rowlett, Texas, 2005 - Where I wasted a good portion of my time. What a joke.




14. A picture of you that you had no idea was being taken



Penang, Malaysia, December 2008 - Too content on seafood to notice anything else.



15. A picture of you when you were a different person from who you are now



Carrollton, Texas, 2003- where I was a Hispanic/Filipino on the tennis team who didn't use sunscreen.



16. A picture of you in a fashion "don't"



Plano, Texas, 2003 - Back in high school, we used to play the hilarious game of making each other try on the ugliest clothes possible. This not me!



17. A picture of yourself that you hate



Taishan, China, 2008 :

-NINE: people deciding to go on an adventure into the heart of China one random weekend.
-EIGHT:  hours in a stuffed train WITHOUT air conditioning, and full of unwashed migrant workers to get there. It was so packed, we were sitting three people in a length of five feet. And we were considered lucky as we were sitting down! I was sitting with someone's thigh directly in front of my face. That's how crowded it was. None of us dared to use the bathroom. That's what we get for being cheap and spending $5.50 for a ticket.  
-FOUR:   hours of non-stop hiking up a mountain that takes on average six hours, with a few dead bodies of tired individuals scattered here and there
-THREE: bottles of water chugged without having to use the bathroom once as it was all sweat out
-TWO: struggling people about to die climbing up the endless stairs
-ONE: ridiculously bad picture taken by a sadistic photographer



18. A picture that describes exactly how you'd like to spend everyday



Beijing, China, 2007 - At home with family is perfect.





Miami, Florida- May 2009: But going on roadtrips with friends is a lot of fun too!



19. A picture of a time when everything was changing



College Station, Texas, 2005 - Attending Texas A&M and meeting my crazy first roommate.




20. A picture that makes you smile- I'm indecisive so here are a few:



Carrollton, Texas, May 2005 - Right before everyone leaves to their respective colleges, one final, epic movie night!





College Station, Texas, 2008 - Three years later in a university of 50,000 and still tight.  =] 





Penang, Malaysia, December 2008- During a Thai massage, I had a scary lady. They made me wear that.





Hong Kong, January 2009 - I miss these guys!




Beijing, China - 2008: And all the wonderful people I got to meet attending UIBE. It's hard to narrow it down to just one picture. Everyone's split up all across the globe now and it sucks! On the bright side, free hotels when traveling!





Houston, Texas, April 2009- Driving to Houston where we decided to imitate animals. Jennifer's a monkey, Lynda's an antelope, and in my head, I was attempting to be an elephant but whatever that is came out instead.  FAIL. The timer was about to go off and I panicked!





21. A picture of the best day (or night) of your life - Sorry, this is too difficult!



College Station, Texas, Fall 2007 - This is one of the only pictures from that night. The rest is in video (It's not what it sounds like you sickos!). In fact, this is one of our legendary game nights at its finest. One of the dares was when Garrick had to switch outfits with Jennifer and this is the outcome.





Beijing, China, August 2008 - Watching history live with my family, and a few thousand of my closest friends.





College Station, May 18th, 2009- The sheer amount of people that came to support us in our ring dunk (everyone is not even pictured in here!) was both humbling and astounding. A ring dunk is an A&M tradition where one is technically 'worthy' to wear their Aggie ring (after four years of sweat and blood taking classes), dropping said ring in a pitcher of beer and chugging it as fast as they can go. 90% of the time, vomit ends up going in all direction which is what most people come to see anyway. Many an epic moment has been witnessed when the courageous (or those who lack tastebuds) have barfed into their pitcher only to DRINK IT BACK, chunks and all since you MUST KEEP GOING! Too wimpy for beer, I chugged french onion soup. I think I'm the only person to do this in A&M history and I did it in 43 seconds baby, WITHOUT puking. Whoop!



This definitely took WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more time than expected. I have thousands of pictures!!! I should start studying now...maybe?



Ahhhh, I must be one of the few who don't want to graduate just yet; I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE COLLEGE!!!! SOMEONE MAKE TIME SLOW DOWN!!!!!!!




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Throughout winter break, while I was on my Tour of Asia Round Deaux, my heart was yearning for something back in the States. In short, something was missing.

The minute my feet touched Texan soil yesterday, the longing increased, so much so I was unable to do anything but fantasize helplessly about the moment I would finally be satiated.

Having succumbed to jet lag at 9 PM last night, I woke up a few times throughout at 1 AM, 3 AM and finally 4:41 AM to be bitter about how early it was and how Chipotle wouldn't open until 11 AM, an excruciating 6 hours later. I am embarassed to admit straying however. At 8 AM, I was so hungry that I was seriously considering giving up and driving over to McDonalds for their Deluxe Breakfast. Images of fluffy, warm pancakes loaded with syrup and butter were slowly shoving Chipotle aside. Nevertheless with an iron will (that only wavered about thirty times or so), I perservered and distracted myself with facebook and MSN. I even looked up Chipotle online to make sure that they opened at 11 and not 10 AM!!!!!


OPEN ALREADY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



How did this dependency begin you ask? Well, it all started back in high school where I was introduced to Chipotle by friends. Unimpressed the first time, it was only until a few times later where I had perfected the combinations in my burrito bol that the addiction quickly blossomed into a stronghold that has held my taste buds ransom. Add that along with the lack of dinning options in College Station, it's pretty obvious why I am addicted to Chipotle like Amy Winehouse is to rehab.

I will now benevolently share my burrito bol preferences for the ULTIMATE experience:

I always ask the person behind the counter for "Extra rice please, but no beans." It makes me look less like a pig since I traded something in for the extra rice. The only winning meat choice here is obviously steak. Ask for extra steak. Since it's all or nothing for winners, get "hot sauce" poured over the meat but when the employee merely drizzles a bit on the bowl, doubting your ability to consume their spiciest chili, scoff incredulously and ask for MORE. In addition, do not settle for anything less than your rice being DROWNED in sour cream. Ask for extra sour cream. The redness of the chili and pure white of the cream will cause attractive swirls to be created throughout the bowl to add to hunger pangs. As a topping, get lots of corn and onions to give it that added kick. Say no to the cheese since you need to trade something in for all that sour cream and finally, get lettuce to appease your conscience and lie to yourself, trying your hardest to believe that those measely strings of vegetables balance out the extra buttered herb rice and sour cream. Oh, and if you're REALLY hungry, get a tortilla on the side.

Picture above does not represent what I order, but I haven't met anyone else that orders the same way. After stating your requirements, it is not unusual for others in the line to give you weird looks and mutter something about stomach ulcers but those are just haters that should be forgotten. Anyway...

Upon racing home to devour the burrito bol, one hand was steering while the other was frantically stuffing the tortilla into my face. I finished that sucker in about 30 seconds. When the first spoonful was placed into my mouth, I am not ashamed to say I almost cried. The fusion of flavors all came together in a delightful orgy that danced on my tongue, leaving helpless to do anything but succumb to this orgasm in the mouth.


Oh Chipotle.

I can't believe I spent an entire entry writing about a burrito bol. I should get paid.