Looking Back

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?

graduate highschool, start college, a couple of things i regret, go overseas (Hawaii), played sax in a jazz band, um, get in a minor car accident, get pulled over, get my car stolen AND get it back! i love my baby

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I always forget what they were, but I can say I did improve in a few things

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

I don't think so

4. Did anyone close to you die?

yes

5. What countries did you visit?

none, but Hawaii

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Patience, faith that things will work themselves out.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory and why?

Spring Break - Hawaii Trip

June 12? - Graduation

Oct 24 - =[

November 21- lets just say my life flashed before me

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Completing Highschool

college and completing the 1st quarter

couple things with band

9. What was your biggest failure?

Losing sight of a couple things

giving up on a few things

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

sort of

11. What was the best thing you bought?

a couple of CDs, I'm trying to get a CD collection going

my Yamaha Custom 82Z Alto Saxophone, I was hornless for a while haha, she's my baby besides my car

gifts I got for people, especially during christmas time, it felt good to give a few gifts

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

theres a couple people, one person whom I just me this year my roommate

always positive and always there to help out

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Lots of death, celebrities and a few closer to heart

14. Where did most of your money go?

hm, i remember spending a lot for saxophone related stuff, and then a new saxophone

also i remember buying like 5 cds in two weeks time

lots of music related stuff

and college

15. What did you really, really, really get excited about?

hm, i was always excited for band stuff during senior year aha

JAZZ w/ Lapre and the homies OG's

Hawaii

Graduating and college of course

UCI, living in the dorms

seeing people i haven't seen in a while
Going to Barona for the first time haha

always got excited when i was on the verge of a new musical discovery

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?

any song i played in band that year

cant believe it haha

dig by incubus

theres a bunch really

17. Compared to this time last year are you:
not as happy but its okay

more thoughtful
more into music

i feel more responsible

and im definitely more thankful

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

theres alot but these two i still think about

1. spend more time with certain people

2. play more music

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

overthink things

annoy people

things i regret

20. How did you spend Christmas?

church with the family

Avatar 3D with the family

21. How will you be spending new years?

well new years is over but i

slept in

played piano and guitar all day

stayed home with my parents

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?

hmm

23. How many one-night stands?

nada

24. What was your favorite TV program?

just recently, The Office and Late Night w/ Jimmy Fallon mostly because of The Roots haha

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

nope i dont hate anyone

26. What was the best book you read?

just a couple ones ive read a bit of each at Barnes and Noble

27. What was your biggest musical discovery?

some jazz recordings, lots of Bob Florence

orchestral versions of some J Dilla productions

The Roots "sandwiches"

28. What did you want and you got?

people i could rely on and that made me happy

a saxophone

a college to go to

29. What did you want and not get?

more time with people

an ipod

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

UP, Star Trek, Sherlock Holmes, Avatar, District 9

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old did you turn?

turned 18

actually I remember PCN was on my birthday and some lovely people surprised me

pcn practice and last PCN ever!

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

look at number 18

and a few other things i guess

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?

simple, lots of neutral colors

34. What kept you sane?

my friends and family

i just thought of this today too, my car and some good music

35. Which celebrity did you fancy the most?

i don't really fancy them, but michael jackson after he passed away

couldnt stop listening and watching his videos

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

i dont remember a bunch, prop 8, equality issues

37. Who did you miss?

a couple of special people

38. Who was the best new person you met?

haha id rather not rank people

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:

really think before you do something

let people know they mean a lot to you

a couple of small things can go a long way

i think my sisters answer is a really good one too

"You can never tell those close to your heart "I love you" too much."

40. Quote or Song Lyric that sums up your year:

wow this one is really hard

well this one even though its just 5 words had a pretty significant meaning to me

"i found my smile again"

theres a ton though

The Times They Are A Changin'

Summer, for the past three years its consisted of pretty much the same thing; hanging out, random adventures, wasting time, band, vacations, you know, the usual summer stuff. This summer hasn't been much different, but it sure feels way different than any other one. It didn't hit me at Graduation, High School was over and we were all caught up in celebrating 4 years of hard work. It didn't hit me at Grad Nite that this night would be the last time I'd ever see people that I had shared the same "home" with for 4 years. Its crazy if you take the time to think about it. After going to my college orientation, I realized, this is where I'm going to spend the next 4 years of life. A new place, new people, starting completely fresh. It's like being a painter. 4 years ago you got a blank canvas, and each year you painted or added things youve done, things you've accomplished, and all your countless memories. Fast forward to now, and now someone says great, now start this one. Thanks Melinda Ching, when you mentioned this "canvas" thing during your speech at Grad it totally caught my attention. I'm bummed to see alot of friends go, 2 of my best friends are leaving in two and three days, and a ton of people are leaving really soon too. I really wish I could have kept some friendships more intact, I'm sorry for taking a few granted...

But life is life right? Well, I am really excited for college. Props to all the staffers and planners at SPOP, it has really made me excited to be an Anteater. At the same time though I am just as nervous as I am excited. What I'm most nervous about is just the whole academic part and really finding what I want to do in life. I've heard stories of people, who seemed destined to do one thing but end up doing another. People gifted in the field of science, who make calculating this or computing this seem like a piece of cake, but who are passionate about things like social issues, or art and music. I just need to find my own balance of being practical, what I'm passionate about and what I enjoy doing. I've heard it everywhere, balance is key.

Anyways, before I started writing I remembered a scene from the movie Watchmen to the song The Times They Are A Changin, and it could totally relate to how I see this current time in my life. Things are going to change alot in the next few months, weeks, days, part of it good part of it not so good, but they are all things I'm willing to accept and embrace.

Heres the link to that one portion of the movie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2hNhM3dHB4