This is super duper exciting

Super super duper exciting because I'm the corresponding author.  Yep.  That's the next best thing to first author.  OMG...I worked really hard on this paper!  Let's hope all goes well and the article gets accepted for publication.

Yay!  It felt amazing to hit the submit button.  I could probably look at it for at least another day--find a misplaced comma, add/delete a preposition, change a word, etc., but I have to move on to my application...due TOMORROW! 

But first, I need to find something to eat.

"Did you get a facebook account with no one knowing?"

Hazel and I have some pretty hilarious conversations over text.  I think this one has earned a spot in the top 5 of all time.  

And the answer is, no, I definitely DID NOT get a facebook account.

I will ALWAYS root for the team playing against U$C

Back in HK

It was an uneventful trip back to the U.S.  Saw some friends and had some yummy food and did a little bit of shopping.  But my mind was on work the entire time--it was just bad timing with the manuscript due at the end of the month.  And, oh right, applications!!!

It's that awful feeling of "what should I do first" every day.  It was difficult to get a good night's rest. I was already on a topsy-turvy schedule in HK, so in a way, I was not ever really jetlagged.  lol

I pretty much spent the entire day in my room, a.k.a. my cave, and worked on the paper for two days, coming out for Thanksgiving dinner #1 on Thursday and Thanksgiving dinner #2 on Friday.  It got to be so overwhelming that on Saturday at around 3 a.m. I just wanted to cry.  But who was up at that hour that I could call?!?!  My friends in HK.  So I opened up a group on whatsapp "Pretty sure it's pms...".  Nat came on first and Dorothy chimed in for a bit.  "Remember why you came to HK...for the experience.  It's just a job...focus on your apps."  I needed the kick in the butt.  And then Hale came on, after 70+ messages.

Then 200+ messages later...Tiff added her support.  Why does it say "Wesley"?  Because Tiff doesn't have a smartphone.  She has an "iTorch"--her phone is only good for dialing out, receiving calls, and maybe shine a little light on something in the dark.  So we whatsapp her on her boyfriend's phone.  Poor Wesley's phone was exploding that night.  lol lol lol

 

Talking to them reminded me that I'm not alone in this.  Sometimes it's a little scary to be vulnerable around people...to admit self-doubt and insecurities.  Or how much I just want to quit doing what I'm doing.  To admit to active self-sabotage.  And then people let you lean on them, and borrow their strength.  Empathy.  My awesome friends in HK have taken care of me for the past two months when my schedule started to shift with studying for the GREs.  I am so incredibly grateful for their kindness, good humor, and generosity.  God has been really amazing in helping me build a social support network that has enriched my life immensely.  I am still a bit demoralized by all the work that has to be accomplished in the next 48 hours, but am feeling calmer and lighter knowing I have people to celebrate with on Sunday.  Or some other day when I need a little pick-me-up.  Yay for girlfriends!

Sogo's once-a-year sale

Nat, Hale, Tiff and I had Korean food in TST before heading to Sogo for its once a year sale.  We waited for maybe 25 minutes and it was totally worth it.  Everything was delish!  Especially the soup and noodles thing.  There's cheese inside...and the broth is soooo yummy after the cheese melts.  And really awesome beef ribs.  Yummmmmm.  We're totally coming back!

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Group picture of the night...

Can you tell where we took this photo?  Hint: Somewhere inside the Peninsula...hahahaha

It's not that crazy compared to after Thanksgiving sales

The lady in pink cardigan is holding a stack of receipts to be processed...that was just 1/5 of what we saw.  There was a line to get into the line to get into the space.  I'm not even sure how many things were actually on sale...but not sure anyone cares.  It's about getting into the space!

OMG, dumb inconsiderate Chinese people standing in the middle of the walkway, blocking traffic...
oh wait, that's Nat and Hale.

Fig & Olive

Where do I go straight from the airport for my first meal in LA?  Fig & Olive!

Prix fixe brunch menu

costinis: fig & proscuitto, almond & manchego, mushroom & parmesan

truffle mushroom croquettes

yum...I can eat this every day for lunch

Whitney, our server, remembered us from a few months ago.  She was so sweet to bring a plate of dessert crostinis after our meal.  Because she knew I absolutely adore them.  Delish!

strawberries and ricotta on shortbread

Layover in Narita

I was lucky and had a short layover.  Some people spend about 10 hours in the lounge...I guess it helps to have free wifi, clean bathrooms, free food and drinks.

All-you-can-drink sake

It also dispensed iced green tea and oolong tea

I was warned not to hold my breath for the food.  So all I did was take pictures of what's there.  There was a porridge looking thing.  Fried rice served in a bowl so small it didn't make sense to bring it back to your seat because you would have to get right back up to grab another portion almost immediately.  There were these sandwiches...but with so much mayo oozing out that I felt a little sick just looking at them.  Also sushi, but if not for waiting right by the table, I wouldn't have gotten a photo.  People swarmed the table as if the staff had brought out crab or oysters.

I ended up buying a sandwich.  Had no time to roam the airport for "real" Japanese food.

Breakfast before flight

At the Qantas lounge this morning. Who said you can't have ice cream for breakfast? (I had fruit too.)

Happy birthday Nat and Horace

Horace "Choi Choi" put to work on his birthday to get our order for the night.  He is the youngest...

We came especially for the roast pig

The restaurant was so nice to let us take pictures with the uncut pig so Nat and Horace posed with the main dish like it was their birthday cake

It was yuuuuuuuummmmmilicious

"Why do we always wait until the end of the meal to take pictures when all the food has been cleared from the table?"  (Dorothy, Tiff, me, Hale, Wesley, Dicken, Lawrence, with Nat and Horace in the front)

As if that wasn't enough food, we went for dessert afterwards...lol

Cheese balls with instant noodles in cheese sauce

 

 

It was in-te-res-ting and the cheese balls were tasty.  The noodles were super heavy--with an egg and sausage and pork neck meat-- and you feel a little gross after eating it.  I had to at least try it once.  Service was non-existent and I really did not want to spend time inspecting the kitchen or anything else.  Nat and I shared the table with another girl who ordered the noodles just to take a photo of it.

I bet this would taste super yummy at 2 in the morning though...

Happy 3 months at CHUK!

Remember my desk on the first day?

Here's 90 days later

It looks so much worst when surrounded by people with desks like these. Sigh.