summer ahead

mood: stuffed up due to allergies :-(, otherwise eh
music: Lux Aeterna, by Gyorgy Ligeti

I'm finally into summer mode. School ended two weeks ago, my job on campus just started, leaving me with many daytime hours to mess with as I please; this will ultimately boil down to sleeping in all day and watching anime all night, or something along those lines.

School ended with my only final, Molecular Biology (enough to get me a C, without trying too hard). I ended up with a 3.1 GPA, so I'm still set for getting into graduate school, sad as that may be. On that note, I still have no idea what to do with my life post-undergrad. I have a couple of options in mind: a job in the IT industry (if I can get it) in networking, PC support or sysadmin, a job gardening, or grad studies in food science or horticulture/plant science. (For all I know, I could end up living on a street corner somewhere singing "Caro mio ben" for sustenance.) I feel that I really should have a definite idea of where I will be going by now (HALFWAY through my undergrad already), but I guess I'll have to see where I'll ultimately end up.

My room is cold today, for they had to shut off the steam and hot water to do some cleaning. At the very least, it's aggravated my allergies; at worst, it's made me sick and waste my precious supply of tissues. My nose and sinuses are almost raw from constant sneezing, and I almost feel too sick to go outside.

What's wrong with me? Just a few months before, I easily braved subfreezing temperatures wearing nothing but a hoodie, shorts, and flip-flops; now, I can barely keep warm (much less breathe clearly) in bed. I think all this has got to do with my remoteness from my main element, the ground. A year earlier, I relished the spring by taking long walks around campus, seeing everything in bloom: first crocuses, then daffodils, azaleas, tulips, dogwoods, even sneaking a munch on some pansy petals. This year, for some odd reason, I didn't want winter to end: I cursed the growth around me, yearning for the chill of winter. I might just be spending too much time in college, I guess. Without a garden of my own, I have no motivation to welcome the seasons. My many small potted plants scattered around my room will not suffice: I really need to just get my hands dirty in the ground, feeling and smelling it, reconnecting back to nature. Unfortunately, that's hard to do on a college campus, much less one in a city. Hopefully the summer ahead will provide opportunities for me to reconnect.

In other news, I have finally started cooking! I experimented with making bagels and other stuff. The bagels were a bit small and light for regular bagels, but I got the method down, and realized that it's much easier than making a baguette. [note to self: get a pizza stone.] I also made lots of miso soup using real miso paste. While yummy, I think it might have also aggravated my system a bit, so I'll stay away for a while. I found a good Asian store in (not-so-) nearby Albany, and picked up some stuff, while noticing other unusual items: frozen Christine's pan de sal, lots of kinds of furikake, buckets of kimchi, and an entire (albeit short) aisle of kitchen utensils and ceramic dishes. 那太好了！ Later on I plan to make lots of dishes that I ate at home, all from scratch: pasta, mung bean soup, chicken soup, soothing chicken congee, and even things like egg rolls, sui mai, and siu bao. I can't wait!

I'm still working on getting a camera, but one matter is indeed more pressing to me: getting a bike. I've always wanted one since I moved in my freshman year, and was surprised how many do not have one. It may be because it's another burden to worry about, muggin it back and forth, maintenance, parking, and making sure it doesn't get stolen (which unfortunately happens often), but I am resigned to get one. I have yet to shop around for one, in fear of sticker shock: I have a rather low budget (~$200 or so), and I expect the prices to be in the order of at least $300, which has me worried. I know the bikes at the nearby Walmart are cheap, but they're also cheap: I don't want my bike to suddenly die on me on my way to a test; that's why I stay far away.

All in all, a lot to look forward to for the summer. I hope it greets me with blessings of health, good fortune, and good luck! Till next time, hasta luego!