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Fri | December 29, 2006
A Wonderful Thing Happened on Yahoo Answers
I was twenty points away from Level 4 and I posted a question in Polls and Surveys asking if I could get some thumbs ups on my Best Answers (you get one point for every thumbs up). It costs five points for asking a question so I was actually 25 points away then. But it totally worked! I spent five points and got 18 in return. Meanwhile I answered four more questions (8 points) and wound up one point into Level 4 territory.
I wasn't sure it would work because there's nothing in it for you pointwise for giving a thumbs up. But I got eleven responses from people who said they would and in just a few minutes I was done. It would have taken about twice as long to find ten questions to answer. I know because I kept answering questions in the meantime and by the time I had done four I was at 2,501. And finally I stopped, because the whole time I had been just telling myself when I got to level 4 I would stop. And I was stuck, addicted, to the site, unable to disconnect, because I was close to this next level. Finally I was twenty points away and so burnt out, didn't want to find more questions to answer, didn't want to do it any more, but knew I wouldn't stop until I had sooner or later gotten those last few points. And I thought, I wonder if I could get these people on this site who are just killing time, to help me out. It was fun just to see the little java image telling me I was getting points. And so reassuring to not have to do it alone, because I do too much alone, and have trouble especially at the ends of things.
Though I will not get credit for it, will never be remembered as the one who officially thought of this, who was the first one to post that question, I am sure that people will ask for thumbs to push them into the next level, the next time they see themselves on the cusp. As long as no one else takes credit for it, I won't be unhappy.
Web/Tech | Posted by Lily at 02:20 PM
Wed | December 27, 2006
resolution n
Hang out more often in NJ. Find better places, cafes, and such, to hang out, in NJ. Maybe around Hoboken. I dunno. Maybe at diners. The trouble is whereever you go, people are likely to only be hanging out, not doing work or concentrating of any sort. Maybe there just isn't anywhere to go. But besides by myself, I am also going to try to hang out with others in NJ more often. I mean, the path is pretty easy to get to. No more of this going all the way to NYC just to see people nonsense. Or at least, considerably less of it.
envies | Posted by Lily at 09:01 AM
Thu | December 21, 2006
Santa sale ou l'éléphant blanc
I went to a Dirty Santa party on Saturday, and exchanged a diamond-cut box of Ferrero Rocher chocolates for a moleskine journal. Which I thought was a pretty good outcome. I am glad I did not bring the earrings. Gender-specific gifts are difficult and there were a lot of guys there, and low-key girls who would have had no use for those fancy things- as fabulous as I myself believe they are. And a great steal... speaking of which, stealing in dirty santa is key. You must not open a new gift, if you can help it, because it could be obscene-shaped pasta. And middle numbers are best because some good things have been opened, but not stolen twice, whereas the early people will probably have to risk opening something, and the last people are pressured to stop the madness already and open the last gift. If you don't care about that then drawing a late number is okay, is better actually. You will have your choice of gift, except the most popular ones. But even those, you could be the second to steal and then it would be yours. Choosing something to second steal is better too because then you don't have to worry about anyone taking it from you. Or what I did was open the plastic on my journal and put it in my bag so that everyone forgot about it. Not that anyone wanted it. Coldstone gift card and candles were popular. In addition to my gorgeous chocolates.
Then there was karaoke (this was at Yello bar) and I stayed long enough for "Stand by Me" to come on and made the correct decision to stop at two drinks, because I had the mildest strain in my head as I went to sleep. Tsz says I drink too quickly and he's totally right. When they taste like fruit juice you really have to remind yourself that it's not.
journal | Posted by Lily at 09:14 PM
c'est dommage
Well, I am sitting in Net Zone once again, because Pho 32 had a line, and je deteste lines. I was just thinking how great this fall has turned out to be, in some respects, despite my low expectations- I thought I would not celebrate any holidays starting way back from Halloween, through Valentine's Day (so perhaps it is too early to say) but so far I have celebrated them all-- I went to a Halloween party with Janica and Ari at ...Wally's house, and we carved a pumpkin using a power drill and ate yummy tabasco chicken; for Thanksgiving I saw my cousin and uncle and 2 aunts, in New York, what's that place called, in South Brooklyn... I forget. Anyway we went there, and we also saw the Macy's parade, in the rain. Oh and my birthday turned out okay too, because it existed, rather than not existing at all. So all that was left was Christmas, New Year's, Chinese New Year's, and Valentine's Day. Which is actually a lot, now that I am laying it out. But seeing as I really thought I would just do nothing, ever, I think that regardless I should be happy with what I got, even if none of these other holidays turn out, which I do not necessarily forsee them doing so. We'll throw my sister's 30th bday in there too. I would be unhappy if we didn't do anything, which I think we will not. I would be unhappy vicariously, like I would be unhappy for her because I would want her to have some commemoration.
But anyway one part of Christmas and this time of year is seeing a Christmas movie. And I was all set to see one, tonight, in fact it was even called "The Holiday," and instead I forgot my cell phone and since nothing can happen now, I am thus am sitting in Net Zone moping. I suppose this is a lesson in planning ahead... or not leaving your cell phone by the sink... or not thinking, hey things are going okay, because then they start to go wrong. Not that it's that bad to hang out here, I haven't been in awhile and forgot how much I usually like it here. Not that things were going so okay. In fact only the holidays were, a lot of the other stuff was still stalling. But I was thinking, things were sort of better with respect to the holidays than I had expected, and getting some gladness from that. Oh and Kaplan's holiday party is going on right now, and I am not there... the very idea of my going would have been completely out of the blue. But that's another story. (How many cliches can I use consecutively?) That's another reason I was really looking forward to being somewhere else, doing something equally fun, or at least comparably so.
journal | Posted by Lily at 09:08 PM
Tue | December 19, 2006
j'ai besoin an explanation of the youtube lazy sunday snl video
I watched it again just now not having realized that I had watched it twice before. I keep seeing references to it in articles (this time, TIME magazine) that tell me to watch it. While I get the general idea that it is parodying rap videos, I don't really get it specifically. I mean, it just seems like an ad for Magnolia cupcakes, which aren't even that good. And Narnia, which I haven't seen.
Mostly it's about how white people aren't cool. That's the source of humor in the video- white anxiety about themselves being white. I'd like to see a video that isn't for white people, dammit. And my new writing group, I like 'em, and am glad to have an active group- but what the hell, they are so white. One of the conversation topics of the last meeting was white guilt. It's like I feel like I have like, massive immunodeficiency problems and they are like, asking to be helped first for their papercuts and I am like in the emergency room about to die and they are like I have problems too you know and I'm like no you don't and they are like why are you so mean and bitter and I am like you don't understand and they are like explain it to me and I am like NO. it's too complicated and I don't need to explain this to you and then they are like then why are you talking and I am like I don't know. or I do know but I'm not going to explain that to you either and they're like okay whatever and I'm like NO IT'S NOT OKAY and they are like why are you shouting and they're like -no I'm like I'M NOT and then maybe I am. Of course I am not really shouting I never shout even when my flesh is melting away and my cells are like lysing and I am choking on my own blood.
Livres, films, TV | Posted by Lily at 11:37 PM
Ce que j'aime au sujet du koreatown
In Koreatown they speak Korean to you. Even if you're obviously not Korean. But maybe I'm not obviously not Korean.
I spend a fair amount of time wondering how Chinatown, NY and Maddox Jolie-Pitt are doing.
envies | Posted by Lily at 07:05 PM
Tue | December 12, 2006
je vais perdre dix kilos
I am going to lose twenty pounds. I shall only eat natural things. I have thus decided. Because natural things do not generally have so many calories. It's the processed things that pack on the fat and the salts. Like cakes and cookies and pizza. Cheese. Ice cream. I ate tortellini for lunch today but we will say that is okay. And in the morning, some coffee with ice cream, is also ok. For dinner, chinese broccoli and rice with yams. For a snack instead of ring dings I ate a persimmon. and a few handfuls of peanuts.
How hard would it be to --well, there are some things on line that let you track your weight. Google 15 and traineo. I have signed up for. But I don't think I will use them. I will just keep my weight on a spreadsheet like I thought. I don't like either google 15 or traineo's graphs.
My friends are useless. After talking with my friend I went and ate chocolate covered pretzels.
journal | Posted by Lily at 10:22 PM
Mon | December 11, 2006
x-men: l'affrontement final
I loved this movie. Wish I had seen it in theaters. Oh well. It was good on tv as well. I think it really taps into a lot of the dissatisfaction I feel towards American society. I almost wrote my college application essay about xmen, way back when. It was a cartoon at the time.
Livres, films, TV | Posted by Lily at 11:03 PM
mon régime
For lunch I am eating squash. For breakfast I had a large mug of coffee with ice cream. I have decided to focus on mundane goals and see if I can achieve them. I think I can lose twenty pounds and fit into my pants again. The ones that I never really got to wear. It's a pity. I am now two sizes away.I think I can do it. Except for the fact that I ate a bag of swedish fish yesterday. 3.5 servings. and that I eat microwaved pizza a lot. No more. I think I am going to lose weight by simply not eating crap. And maybe going on a walk a few times a week. Even if it's cold. Today doesn't seem too cold so maybe I should go. No excuses...
Blech. The thing about healthy food is it doesn't taste as good so you eat less. Four pieces of squash and I don't even think I am going to eat this last one. Also, going out on weekends there is the dessert trip after dinner. A blight on the wallet as well as the diet. And the bubble tea I had on Friday. Though I had sushi for dinner so I suppose that's healthy. I am going to weigh myself every Wednesday. I may just make myself more depressed, which doesn't even seem possible. But I think I can achieve this goal, especially since others have done it. And it's a conversation topic, it's something that everyone can relate to. I think others will support me in this one. Most people are annoying though and tell you you don't need to lose weight. I don't like convincing them that I need to by telling them that my pants don't fit.
envies | Posted by Lily at 12:00 PM
Thu | December 07, 2006
Jeudi Pop Pop
J'ai comme l'impression que la vie a changé
Mon cœur speede, il fait n'importe quoi
J'ai la certitude que tout est bousculé
Je ne comprends pas
Jeudi pop pop, on va enfin se retrouver
On ira au cinéma, à la piscine
Où on ira se promener, je ne te quitterai pas.
C'est la première fois que quelqu'un me permet,
D'approcher ce qui ne s'explique pas.
C'est la première fois que quelqu'un me paraît différent vraiment.
Jeudi pop pop, on va enfin se retrouver
On ira au cinéma, à la piscine
Où on ira se promener, je ne te quitterai pas.
C'est étrange parfois, comme les choses peuvent changer,
Il suffit d'un regard, d'un sourire, et tout est bouleversé
Jeudi pop pop, on va enfin se retrouver
On ira au cinéma, à la piscine
Où on ira se promener, je ne te quitterai pas.
Jeudi pop pop, on va enfin se retrouver
On ira au cinéma, jeudi pop pop, la fête je ne veux pas gâcher
Je ne t'embrasserai pas là.
musique | Posted by Lily at 02:50 PM
envoyer une carte
Bienvenue sur la Poste.fr – envoi de courrier et de colis, services financiers
I sent this card to Eric, for his 30th bday, and I only put a 37 cent stamp on it, for aesthetic reasons, because it was a small card and the way I wrote the address, it would have looked all cramped if I had put more stamps on. It looked cramped already as it was. One must remember to put the stamps on first, and then write the address. Next time. Anyway so I put only one stamp, perhaps because I also have a desire to challenge society, yet can only do so in small, meaningless ways, because I am like the man from Notes from Underground.
At the post office, there is just an open slot for the mail. Actually I think there is a drawer below it for bigger envelopes but that would entail touching the handle. So I toss the card like a frisbee through the slot, but while walking home it occurs to me that I might have sent it over the basket that is behind the slot, and onto the floor. So I dunno. After spending the time to glue shiny tinsel 30's to a card my little token of goodwill may never reach its destination.
journal | Posted by Lily at 02:06 PM
Wed | December 06, 2006
une petite victoire
One of my GRE students got an 800 on his math and 730 on his verbal. Bwah ha ha. And he said in his email, "if I thought it was a breeze I wouldn't have gone to class," because at the end of the class I was like, "(name) thinks this is a breeze now." And he was like no, definitely not. So clearly he still thought he had stuff to work on. And he did. He must have answered every question correctly. So I feel good that he did so well and he told me about it. I guess the only bittersweet aspect of it is that I feel like I won’t get "credit" for my work. I helped him get an 800 on his math and what do I get? I did ask him to fill out his survey. So that’s good. I hesitated at the time but now I feel that it was undoubtedly the least I should have done for myself.
So now I feel okay. Yesterday I felt so miserable that I went to bed at like 9 pm and just lay there, turning on the light once or twice to read Petit Nicholas or Petit ours brun. Because I wasn't really tired. Just at a loss as to what to do with myself. The last thing I remember is that I opened my shoebox of receipts and organized them a little. Then I felt well enough to fall asleep. Steve called at 12:42 and I suppose I was asleep by then, but I don’t know, I had no sense of time.
journal | Posted by Lily at 01:38 PM
Fri | December 01, 2006
sac mignon
Macy*s - tokidoki for LeSportsac "Ciao Ciao"
This is the kind of bag I would like to buy but don't. Because it's not socially acceptable or preferable for someone my age to carry a bag like this. I could, but it would be a bit childish. And I don't think I could singlehandedly make it acceptable. Il faut porter un sac noir. ou plus normal que celui-ci.