Two-One

Well, I am now officially 21. Nothing has changed. Stayed at studio for a long time...until about 10:30pm. Then I went back home and waited until midnight so that I wouldn't have to turn 21 while in studio. I went back to studio at 12:20am and stayed until about 4:30am finishing up stuff and helping other people. Went to sleep at around 5am and woke up at around 10am. Got ready for the day and went to the PhotoClub meeting at 11am. Then went over to studio at around 12:15pm to get ready for studio class.

Hannah and Allison bought me a pretty funky looking dinosaur cake that was loaded with a lot of icing. It was pretty cute looking and was pretty good. So we ate cake in the architecture library and then ended up later dispersing the rest amongst the studio people. They both also gave me a card, which was really nice. Got a CD from Rebecca and some candy from Vee. And a fruit bar from Janie. Other than that and the random 'happy birthday!'s throughout the day, it was a pretty typical day.

Had studio until 6pm. Then CS recitation until 7:30pm--which actually really lasted until about 7:40pm because of our exam tomorrow. Ate dinner at the student center until 8pm and then went to go watch a documentary with the photo club until about 10pm. It was quite a busy day really. It will also be a very packed weekend as well for studio work--which is going to suck a lot.

But basically, there is nobody and no time for me to go out and drink with--which is actually fine with me. I'm not too excited about my own birthdays for some reason. Usually I'd just want it to come and go as quickly as possible.

Anyhow, since 21, I've been thinking of what lies ahead of me. I really don't know what will happen anymore and I really shouldn't worry about it too much. However, my mind still always wanders into that area of the unknown and thinking about possibilities. I will save these thoughts for a later post. I am dead tired and want to sleep.

Black Jack and Coke

In a few more minutes, it will officially be March 1, 2010. That means that I will be turning 21 in a mere 11 more days--a Thursday. Thursdays are my longest school days too with studio lasting from 1:35 until 6pm and CS recitation lasting until 7:30pm. I don't think too many people around me here know about my birthday--unless they stalk me on Facebook. Most of them are also not 21 either...or 20 for that matter. I guess it's not too big of a deal though since I'm not a huge alcoholic anyway. It's also not like I've never had alcohol either--I just don't really like the taste of it--at least most kinds. I most likely won't go out--especially since it's only a Thursday. I might go buy a can of beer or bottle of wine just because I can though. At least both my roommates are way over 21.

I die a little inside whenever underage people post photos of themselves and others drinking on Facebook or similar social networking sites. How stupid can people get? Oh well.

Anyhow, I am applying for a summer internship position at the Woodland Park Zoo up in Seattle as a photographer. I hope I will be able to get it because it will be an excellent opportunity for me to expand my photography skills--and it's the zoo! It is an unpaid position, but I don't really care about that too much. There is only one position available, so I'm pretty sure it'll be a decently competitive spot--especially with the plethora of photogs around the Pacific Northwest. Fortunately, the Oregon Zoo down in Portland also has a similar position over the summer. It also has a later deadline in which I will hopefully be able to find out about the Woodland Park Zoo position. I personally think that the Woodland Park Zoo is a tad bit better though--but not a big deal. Hopefully this will open up more opportunities for me in the future. I've uploaded a tentative 20-photo portfolio that I might send in: http://www.timothyniou.com/Galleries/Woodland-Park-Zoo-Summer/11334564_CDu97

I don't know what the future holds for me.

I finally was able to reactivate my Georgia Bank of America account that I had opened two years ago when I was last here. Turns out I still have some cash in there--saweet.

I think my injured foot is making significant progress again. It doesn't really hurt anymore after strenuous exercise. I've managed to play some tennis and basketball a few times without being able to feel any pain coming from the foot. At times, it doesn't even hurt when I press on it like it did a couple weeks ago. I can still feel it a little bit when walking without shoes, but not as much as I used to. I can also balance on that foot a lot better now as well. I should still probably get it checked out if there's a convenient chance during the summer.

I am in search of a new pair of shoes to replace my worn out Converse. The soles are worn away and water can now seep in from the bottom if it's raining/wet outside. My running shoes are still fine though, but they let water in from the top.

I would like to sell more photos. Please by some? Thanks.

Welcome to March, everyone. It's a nice full moon.

Stream of Consciousness Blog: 4

What is on my mind lately...

Not much really because it is currently 1:47am and I'm really tired. However, I just can't really fall asleep at the moment. Maybe I am too tired to fall asleep...now that's an interesting thought--at least at around 2am.

I went to go watch The Pillowman performed by Drama Tech (Georgia Tech's drama club people) with a couple of friends from studio. It was actually pretty good. I don't think it was meant to be as funny as it turned out to be, but I found it quite hilarious. Yeah, it was pretty sick and twisted--though after watching too many crime-solving shows such as Law and Order (mainly SVU), CSI, NCIS, Life (before it was canceled), etc, it was a pretty predictable play in terms of nothing really caught me off guard. Anyhow, if you get a chance to go watch it, go watch it.

People played beer pong in the architecture studio last night or something. They also ruined quite a few tables in the process by not cleaning up after themselves. I'm not really against them playing beer pong in there, but if they were distracting, then they should have played elsewhere. They also should have been more careful pouring in beer or not filling the cups all the way full. There was way too much beer on the tables to have not been carelessly dispersed into the cups--but then again, I can't expect too much out of drunk idiots. And had there been an accident (which there obviously were), then they could have cleaned off the desks and it wouldn't have been so bad today. And they also should have chose the desks that were already broken if they were to choose to ruin desks. I hope that tiny little ping pong ball men filled with x-acto blades jump down their throats in their sleep (Pillowman reference--I'm not a psycho). Anyhow, out of all this lack of common sense portrayed by the dolts, some good did come out of it. I was able to get my hands on four unused ping pong balls for free. I gave one away though to a friend, but free ping pong balls are still free ping pong balls.

The weather has been really nice lately. It hit 60 degrees today! I got to play some tennis finally with a couple of friends, so that was pretty fun. I went to play basketball with another friend last night as well--though we mostly just ran on the treadmill and ellipticals because the courts were very crowded. In conclusion after the past two days, I am completely out of shape and am sore all over. My foot actually held up decently when playing tennis, which is a good sign I guess. It also doesn't hurt right now either--which was how it has been for the past couple of weeks after I do strenuous activities that involves the foot (jogging, basketball, walking a lot etc). I still feel the strain though, so it's not completely healed yet.

I think the state of GA is considering allowing guns on campus or something ridiculous like that. Being the south, I think a lot of people want to. I don't really see the point though. I mean, I wouldn't be affected by it that much because I can dodge bullets and all that, but most normal people can't. People who are for this will argue that it's our right to have these guns on campus and what not for self defense. I just don't think it would make a difference if someone held you up at gunpoint--you won't be able to out draw and shoot the other person before he squeezes his pointer finger and goes 'BANG' (except me because I'm ninja like that). And even if there was a crazy guy going on a shooting spree, drawing your own gun out for self defense will just cause much more confusion for you, the other students, and the cops. Typically, multiple people on the same side yielding guns while not being an organized unit is very dangerous. That's why cops are paid to be cops so that they can work as an organized unit when need be. We recently just had someone who was attacked with a katana and people say that if the victim was allowed to have a gun on campus, he wouldn't have been attacked. Then again, if guns were allowed, I don't think a katana would have been the weapon of choice in the first place. Either way, I don't care about it too much and would prefer not to get into any debates about it. I've already spent too much time talking about this already. Moving on.

I managed to unlock the empty room next to mine in my apartment the other day (four room apartment, but only 3 are occupied for this semester). So if anyone wants to visit Atlanta, there's a room available to temporarily stay in. I don't really have a use for it. It's just there. I would just have to keep it on the down-low so that housing does not pick up the room has been tampered with. I would prefer for someone I knew to live in there next semester rather than a random guy. Most of the people I know here though have other plans with other friends to move into other places with friends, so they aren't allow to fill the vacancy.

I think that's it for now...it is already 2:35am.

Seems like a lot of people around me have been giving up something for Lent. In prior years, I have also participated in this and have usually been fairly successful--giving up junk food, soda, computer games, AIM, etc. I have been thinking as to what I could give up for Lent this time around and I couldn't really think of anything.

I guess I could give up on teasing people or making jokes--which I had as a New Year resolution about 8 years ago and have successfully kept it up until about last year. But then again, it's not something that I will struggle letting go, so I feel like it's not a good thing for Lent because I already know I can go for prolonged periods without teasing anyone. Oh well, maybe I won't give up anything for Lent this year. Maybe I'll give up Lent for Lent this year.

Anyhow, we have started to draft in studio now. I think that I will enjoy it because it seems like I will be able to excel at it and work through things at a much more rapid pace compared to other people in the studio. I guess it kind of plays to my strengths. We'll see how it goes I guess.

One person I know started a 'photo a week' type of thing that I thought was really cool. Now, another friend is starting a 'photo a day' thing. I kind of would like to do something like that eventually--maybe I'll start on it during summer or something. That would actually give me some kind of motivation to update this blog consistently. Yeah...I'll think about it.

Crap, I should have done laundry earlier. Now I need to improvise for tomorrow...

红包 (Red Packets) are Better Than Valentine Cards

It just so happens that this year's Chinese New Year falls on February 14, trumping the pointless Hallmark Holiday. Unfortunately, I do not have any family around this year to receive any money. Oh well. I did receive a hefty check from my former land owner though for the deposit on the house I lived in last semester, so whoo. I just need to open a bank account and cash it.

I think there was a Chinese New Year party thing today somewhere on campus, but I forgot to go. I went to studio instead and finished up my work. Then I went back home and called my parents to wish them a happy new year. They both seem to be pretty happy now considering their current job situation, so that's good. My mom still wonders why I put myself through architecture. My dad just laughs in the background. They also said that they will take me out when I next see them in May/June for my 21st birthday. It's kind of weird to be turning 21 in less than a month.

I have been feeling pretty inadequate lately. Because I have transferred and the way how architecture programs work, I am basically now 2 years behind everyone I grew up with. I used to always be the one ahead and am frustrated when I am forced to be held back such as with the IB math and physics in high school and at community college the past two years. Now I am split between the two peer groups--the juniors and seniors in college and the freshmen. The maturity gap between the two is actually quite large and is difficult to adjust to both--especially when most people had considered me being much more mature than most people my age.

Many of my friends from high school are now getting into internships and doing cool projects that are preparing them for their futures while I am still doing first year architecture sitting at my table practicing letterings--which I've already done during my freshman year at community college (albeit it's slightly different between engineering and architecture lettering). When talking with them and they talk about what they have been doing these days, I really feel like I'm missing out on where I am supposed to be. But being a first year architecture student, I don't really have a high chance of finding any kind of summer internships and what not. I can technically graduate in 2012--which is only being one year behind. However, scheduling conflicts and such will most likely result in me graduating in 2013. My parents are pushing for me to finish college as soon as possible--which I would like to do, but I just have a feeling it won't happen. I guess it kind of adds some kind of pressure, but not enough that would affect my performance. However, it is still a small thought that is constantly in the back of my head.

I know that things happen for a reason and that it probably is a good thing that I'm going to be in school a bit longer and that increases the chances of the economy improving by the time I have to join the work force. It just feels like I'm losing touch with the group of people I grew up with because I am not in the same positions as they are anymore. I think I have already even mentioned them as 'former peers' somewhere earlier in this post, but it really kind of has come down to being them and me rather than we. I don't know if I am making any sense right now.

I was chatting with an old high school friend online very very late last night (her 1-2am, my 4-5am) who is also in a similar situation as me. It was kind of nice knowing that there are people I know who are in the same boat. We didn't really talk all that much during high school and we still don't really talk all that much now--but once in a while we will and it puts my mind at ease with this whole situation.

Anyhow, during our conversation, I realized that the hobbies that I have developed over the years may have been related to me moving around a lot. I don't know why, but I have found that most of my friends will usually stop talking to me after the second year when either one of us moves to another location. Most SMIC and Shanghai friends (7-10th grade) stopped talking during my senior year of high school (some a lot more abrupt than others), most River friends (Junior/Senior year of high school) friends stopped talking during my sophomore year of college in Seattle, etc. I'm not a person who usually makes friends easily because I'm not a really social person with people I don't know and I don't really enjoy the whole party scene. This usually results in a lot of down time I guess and lack of socialization with others.

The main hobbies that I enjoy the most would be photography, playing the guitar, and playing various sports. All three of these hobbies I can enjoy by myself and don't need to be social with other people. I can be within myself and not interact with others. I can just walk around and photograph random things; I can play guitar in my room and write some songs; I can shoot some hoops in the gym. However, all three are also things that I can enjoy with the company of other people when the opportunities present themselves. I don't really know where I am going with this, but it's just something that was interesting. I have never really connected them together like this before the conversation last night.

Anyhow, 1 more minute until it is February 14 Eastern Time. So Happy Chinese New Year!