The Berkeley Archives: Jon Yip Talks to Himself

A Systematic Commentary On My Life At Berkeley

Fall 2002

Week 5: I Finally Beat Those People!

9-15-2002

I took a simple wrong turn on the freeway on Friday, and it ended up to be a long, arduous journey to find my way back onto the right freeway again.

Yesterday I relaxed all day; practiced drums and stuff, and picked up Dad, Mom, and Leslie from the airport. Then we ate at Fresh Choice. Cell group was pretty good, but people got restless.

Had a D-5 meeting today. It was cold in the morning. I decided to have my hair flare out again since it’s getting long enough.

After the service we had a worship leaders’ meeting. It was really good, and got me all excited again, with all the reassigning of teams and setting down of rules (even though they all basically stayed the same. At least for me, they did). We ate at Chili’s, and I stuffed myself silly again. Rrrghh.

I went home, got some things together. Wayne picked me up, and also Elliot, and drove us to Berkeley. I read the whole Road to Perdition graphic novel that I got in the mail over the weekend. It isn’t as good as the movie, but it’s still really good and the pictures are great.

I figured out some words for the song! Sweet!

9-16-2002

I spoke to an English advisor at Wheeler before I went to class today. All I have to do is get a paper and/or syllabus from one of my film classes to have it count towards my area of concentration. I checked everything else for the major requirements, and it all looks pretty much solid. If I can get a senior seminar (which I will) and a film class under the English department (which I most likely will), then I’m all set. This is all assuming I pass my current two English classes.

English 135AC was boring. I never listen to the guy, which is beginning to worry me: what if he uses exams that are based on lecture? I can only hope it will be take-home exams or BS-laden essays, otherwise I’m screwed. On the other hand, it can’t be that hard because it’s just an AC class that everyone (including non-English majors) should be able to complete.

After class I came back; Leon started making some chicken but he had to go before it was done, so I finished it up (just turned off the heat, really) and ate some of it. It was really good, and greasy.

At 3:00 I went to chorus sectionals. That singing lady is so amazing; she knows EVERYBODY, and can pick out individual sounds/problems from any given person (me, for example). It would be everyone singing and suddenly we stop: “JONATHAN! You’re not breathing!” So I need to remember to breathe, and also to not stick my head out when I sing. Breathe.

I came home, did all my reading for tomorrow (w00t! This is becoming a good habit!) and made some fried rice to eat. At 7:00 I went to the PFA for the screening of Sons of the Good Earth, which was King Hu’s first film. I actually liked it more than A Touch of Zen, it was funnier, had more action (LOTS of guns) and one of the most wonderful marriage proposals I’ve ever seen. I felt like crying. Well, not really. I felt like feeling like crying.

It seems like school just started, but we’re already in our fourth week. Man, this is crazy. I still have no idea what our exams are going to be like. They should tell us. This is lame.

I need to start recording!

9-17-2002

I did something amazing today. On a NON-FRIDAY, I went to the RSF! That’s right, I worked out! COOL! I did mostly upper-body, but a little bit of leg and lower back work, just to give me a break every once in a while. I went straight to class after that.

Film 151... it wasn’t so bad, although I did have to snap my head back up again once. I had expected a quiz, but he didn’t give one... yet. Finally, half an hour from the end of class, he popped it. I knew it, and so did the girl next to me; she said she knew it was coming because the reading was “confusing as fuck.” This statement was true, and I had known that a quiz would be storming our way the minute I saw the meaningless jargon and boring length of the essays. Crap. Reading it beforehand (which I did) didn’t help me one bit; I couldn’t answer any of the questions without rummaging for them in the texts. I didn’t do so hot on it.

English 115B was pretty boring. We got the information sheets for our essays, which gave me basically no information that I needed. I’ll have to email the reader guy because I’m sure that if I ask Booth, he’ll just give me one of his smart-ass bogus replies. Amazingly, I didn’t fall asleep once in this class today, because every time I got bored I would turn to the crossword in the Daily Cal that I had found on the ground. I made pretty good progress on that thing.

Came back to the apartment, ate something or other, and went to chorus. It was fun. Everyone got to leave only an hour into rehearsal, EXCEPT the basses, whom she took upstairs and had lay down on the floor. It seemed weird, yes, and even weirder when she started telling us to “let our weight sink into the floor” and proceeded to instruct us to do these relaxation imaginary exercises. Strange, but I really did gradually relax until I was melted into the ground. It felt so nice... and I found that my back, which had curved when I first laid down, was now flat on the ground, like it was supposed to be, and my breathing went straight into my lower torso, and expanded everything, perfectly. It was the best breathing I’d ever seen. Truly incredible. How does she know all this stuff? Then she took us back down to utilize our newly found breathing on the Mozart “Davide Penitente” that we had been working on.

Came back. Ate a little bit. Had small group (this week, it really was small. Not that many people. Beats me). Then I ate some more. I’ve had a lot of salt and sodium today, and not only is it enormously bad for me, but it’s making me mad thirsty. Rgghh. I watched some TV and did some reading from that Theories of Authorship book, which is a solid paper block of crap. I can’t understand a single thing those froods are saying.

Too many things I need to do, and too many things I want to do, and none of them overlap. Damn.

9-18-2002

Before I attended class this morning I was searching the cabinets desperately for something to eat, and I stumbled upon those Power Gel things that the previous tenants left behind and that Shirley was going to throw away. I took one out to examine it and I discovered that they were caffeinated! What a divine stroke of fortune! I downed the chocolate-y chemical sludge, which wasn’t that bad at all, and guess what? I was wide awake in class, alert and perky, even though we were watching a boring-ass documentary. Of course, it didn’t help me pay attention (I daydreamed), but at least the teachers won’t be seeing ME sleeping in class from now on!

There was no vocal technique today, so I was off! I made myself a whole bunch of pasta and ate it. Leon left for class. I watched the second half of Hanging Up that was showing on TV, and did some reading for tomorrow. Shirley came back. She lost her contacts because they fell out into a bush, so her mom came all the way up to take her to some optometry place or something on Shattuck, and also to bring her some old contacts. Anyway, end product is: I ended up by myself in the apartment, when I hear footsteps out in the back. It was Cindy and Leedah! Yay! They hung around for a bit (Leedah made himself quite at home; overly, in fact), then left to walk around campus for a while. Shirley came back, left, then Leon came back, then Cindy and Leedah came back again. We hung our for a while, then Shirley came back. Leon made some salmon and steaks and I made the rice and soup, and he, Leedah, and I had a nice, big meal (Shirley and Cindy didn’t eat). They left at about 8:00.

During and after this meal, Leon was especially gaseous. He is a machine now.

Seeing as it was an empty evening, and I had most of my reading done, and because I needed a boost, I decided to watch a movie! I made a quicker decision this time, based on a prophetic word, believe it or not! I had narrowed it down to The Prince of Egypt, Antz, or Empire of the Sun. Suddenly Shirley started humming “I Can See Clearly Now,” which obviously is in the movie Antz! Wow! So Antz it was. And it ended at a convenient ten o’clock, leaving me plenty of time to read, idle away, play music, and write.

9-19-2002

Leon was still working on his paper this morning. He slept on the couch. It was really, really hot today. I wore my sandals to campus, and washed my shoes so I could let them dry in the sun. Class was kind of boring, as usual, but I tried to stay awake; I didn’t take a Power Gel because I didn’t have English 115B today, so I thought it would be a waste. I got out of class a little early today. I came back to the apartment and hung out. I can’t remember what I did. Braveheart was on TV, but I didn’t see all of it. Anyway, I went to chorus at 4:15, and that was good, and tiring. The song we’re doing is a lot of fun, with lots of neat stuff in it. Swell.

On the way back I ran into Amy, my old Davidson floormate. I walked back with her, she seems to be doing fine, and wouldn’t you know it, we ran into Danny as well! So I chatted with them for a little. Danny mentioned my old, dormant (I refuse to say “failed”) attempt at the Holes screenplay, and I was convicted. I’m such a slacker, I never finish projects. So when I got back, I did more work on my “Shift” screenplay (not much, but some), I downloaded some REAL screenplay formatting word processors, and get this – I FINISHED the story that I had started almost a month ago to submit to The New Yorker! I also made myself some dinner and stuff... chicken, rice, and lots of them both. Leon came back really late. At least I finished.

I REALLY need to start recording. A couple of my songs are THIS close to completion, and then I can get cracking.

The semester is already well on its way... time goes by so quickly.

I remember what I did now this afternoon. I cleaned the bathroom. So now it’s really nice and spick-n-span! w00t!

9-20-2002

I went to kickboxing this morning with Shirley. It was the hardest one EVER. I was almost dying during those crunches at the end. When it was over my shirt was soaking wet, top to bottom, with my sweat. Ugh. I went to class, and didn’t fall asleep, or even get tired! I didn’t pay attention either, however.

After I got back, I called AT&T... AND WON! I finally beat those people! From now on we will have cable internet for $19.95 a month for six months (then the rest of the year for $42.95 a month), instead of $29.95 for only three months. Not only is it cheaper, but I get the discount for LONGER! Excellent!

I relaxed for the day. It has been a long week, but it went by quickly. That doesn’t really make sense, does it?

Shirley is off to worship practice, and Leon is out eating with friends. I made myself a bite to eat. Ben and Stephen should be here soon, otherwise we will be late for IV.