by Halley

Summer Shopping Sprees

Han and I spent the entire day driving back to Cleveland because…well, I simply miss Cleveland too much 😦 After all, my family and friends are here and this is probably the last summer I will get to (almost) everyone. Anyways, why do I need excuses to come home 🙂 The drive was a good 12 hours long, with Han driving 11 hours of it (thanks to caffeine hehe). We got home around 10:30pm and Dad made yummy noodle for us and now that we are clean and fed, we are back to sitting in front of our computers again (Han is gaming, as per usual).

Anyways…before we left for Cleveland I went to the outlet and did a major haul on skin care and beauty products (with a few additions in the clothing department, of course). I only visited a few stores, but it somehow still lasted for 3 hours O_O. Details will be posted on my new blog in the next couple of days – completed with pictures and reviews – stay tuned!

by Halley

I hope I don’t get carded (or maybe I do?)

blurred for security

I got a fake today.

Well not exactly. My current license is a piece of paper. Trust me,  it doesn’t get more fake-looking than this (and I thought my previous GA license* looked fake). The only way to verify that this is indeed a government issued identification is the watermark. Otherwise, a fake license would probably look more legit than this. Anyways, this is what I will be carrying around in my wallet until I get my new license in the mail. Meanwhile, I will be showing a piece of paper, folded into the size of a license, to whomever asks me for ID. Joy. I’m curious how people will respond to this. I just hope no one will tear this thing up (that should be illegal, right?). My only concern is that the airport security…I really don’t want to carry my citizenship certificate with me (which is the only valid and legit looking identification I have now) because that thing costs $300+ to replace. Yikes.

More name-changing hassle includes sending documents to credit card companies to get new credit cards with my new name on them. Oh, and yeah, I need to apply for a passport too.

by Halley

We Will Always Have Quebec

The first road trip with friends and probably the last of its kind. In a matter of months we’ll be scattered all across the country, from coast to coast. We will all be busy pursuing our dreams, figuring out the rest of our lives, and chasing that elusive status of “established.” We’ll chat through google and talk occasionally on the phone. We won’t always be back for holidays and eventually we will have new homes, new families, and new friends. But we will always have this piece of memory to hold on to, and we will always have Quebec.

highlights:

  • gawking at super-model-esque bartenders in Montreal
  • browsing galleries in Old Montreal
  • trying on Italian artisan masques that cost hundreds of dollars
  • admiring the Notre Dame of Montreal
  • attending (partial) Mass at St. Joseph Basilica
  • jumping up and down in front of the Montmorency Fall
  • tasting macaron for the first time in Old Quebec
  • watching IT’S SO FLUFFY 29430904 times
  • WTFLMAOROTFLSTFUBBQ
  • having alcohol before noon at Juliet et Chocolat
  • long car rides with seizure songs and cool convos
  • watching Anne Jiao speaking french
  • taking apprx. 800 photos

by Halley

Stuck in the 80’s (Fahrenheit)

cIt’s been a week and half since I graduated and I definitely am so over college. How do I know? Because as I was talking about visiting Kathy, she suggested that I go to classes with her on her LDOC…and I found the idea appalling. Don’t get me wrong, I love Kathy and I’ll probably end up going as a result…but really, I could not be more ready to move on. I loved Duke and all and I felt a blow nostalgia when I saw the tips of the Chapel as I was driving to citizenship interview in Durham. Yet the idea of going back to being a college student is not particularly appealing at the moment.

Then again, I find the idea of going to law school, or more specifically 1L, utterly terrifying. I just hope that at least half of the horror stories I’ve heard so far are false and I will end up with a job that won’t leave me completely broke and living on the street at age 25. I honestly don’t know what I would do (maybe I should start friending rich ppl on wall st. this summer XD). The problem isn’t just that I want that 6-figure salary, it’s more like I need it. I’m not delusional enough to think that anyone outside of the top 10%, or top 15% max (excluding ppl w/ ridiculous connections/background because, really, when did they ever have to worry about anything?), will actually have a chance at those jobs…so I’ll be doing anything and everything in my power to make sure I end up there. Of course, that’s probably what everyone else thinks when they elect to put themselves $400k in debt by going to law school.

Anyways, back to the nice, warm and fluffy present – the last few worry-free days I will have for I don’t know how long. I’m feeling lazy, so I’ll resort to lists 🙂

  • making yummy food for mom
  • shopping…b/c there’s little else to do when you live in an Atl suburb and the mall is practically in my backyard
  • mom’s car broke down the morning we were suppose to drive back to Durham for my naturalization interview
  • so we rented a car and drove 5 hrs.
  • passed my interview (but forgot when the Constitution was written -_-) and saw Han 🙂
  • mom got a speeding ticket on the way back, which turned me into the target of hours and hours of venting and her general annoyance (she actually blamed me for her ticket…it’s pretty amazing(ly ridiculous)).
  • found out that diesel somehow got into our car and led to the breakdown
  • at least there was half tank of gasoline…which basically saved the engine
  • the whole thing cost ~$800 (insurance deductable was $500)
  • mom is both relieved (that the car didn’t completely die) and annoyed (that so much crap happened and $$$ was spent)
by Halley

Graduation

And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives
Where we’re gonna be when we turn 25
I keep thinking times will never change
Keep on thinking things will always be the same
But when we leave this year we won’t be coming back
No more hanging out cause we’re on a different track
And if you got something that you need to say
You better say it right now cause you don’t have another day
Cause we’re moving on and we can’t slow down
These memories are playing like a film without sound
And I keep thinking of that night in June
I didn’t know much of love
But it came too soon
And there was me and you
And then we got real blue
Stay at home talking on the telephone
And we would get so excitedand we’d get so scared
Laughing at ourselves thinking life’s not fair
And this is how it feels

[1]
As we go on
We remember
All the times we
Had together
And as our lives change
From whatever
We will still be
Friends Forever

So if we get the big jobs
And we make the big money
When we look back now
Will our jokes still be funny?
Will we still remember everything we learned in school?
Still be trying to break every single rule
Will little brainy Bobby be the stockbroker man?
Can Heather find a job that won’t interfere with her tan?
I keep, keep thinking that it’s not goodbye
Keep on thinking it’s a time to fly
And this is how it feels

La, la, la, la:
Yeah, yeah, yeah
La, la, la, la:
We will still be friends forever

Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now?
Can we survive it out there?
Can we make it somehow?
I guess I thought that this would never end
And suddenly it’s like we’re women and men
Will the past be a shadow that will follow us ’round?
Will these memories fade when I leave this town
I keep, keep thinking that it’s not goodbye
Keep on thinking it’s a time to fly