The Berkeley Archives: Jon Yip Talks to Himself

A Systematic Commentary On My Life At Berkeley

Fall 2002

Week 10: It’s Off My Shoulders

10-20-2002

Went home on Saturday. First we went to Fresh Choice, which I sorely needed due to my extreme lack of food. Then I went to discipleship time with Howard, which was really good. We talked about a lot of important stuff. I also bought **** for **** (I can disclose this information later). Then I went home and we went to Gilroy to get some clothes. We only went to Lee; none of the pants fit me, they were all weird sizes and out of proportion, so I got a nice long t-shirt and a new hooded jacket to replace the one that Mom lost in Myanmar. Then we went home and I watched A Walk to Remember since Leslie got it from the library. Some of it was OK but a lot of it was also very predictable and cliche. I didn’t like some of the stuff it said since it was supposed to be all “Christian” and stuff but it looks like they just tossed in some language and other bad stuff so it wouldn’t be so “Christian,” and I didn’t like that. But the story is pretty good, and the movie was made OK.

I finally got to sleep for about 8 hours on a weekend, since there was no Sunday school or anything, so I could get to church at around 10:00. The service was good. Afterwards there was this big party for the 7^th graders and their “big brothers” and “big sisters” and I stuck around, since Tim and Leslie were both in it. There was a lot food and stuff. I talked with Eugenia about making web pages since she wants to put her photos and stuff on a site.

I did laundry (Sam barfed on my bed during the night) and packed and stuff. Brought a lot of stuff back to Berkeley. Dad drove me. Then he took Leon and I to Safeway and we bought the whole frickin’ store. Seriously, it was a TON of food. We will be set for a loooong time. AS GOD AS MY WITNESS, I’LL NEVER GO HUNGRY AGAIN! (Just kidding; that’s from Gone With the Wind)

Ugh. So much to do.

10-21-2002

Leon and I stayed up til 3:00 last night cutting out and putting letters on the wall that we made from pages of the “Premier” magazine that we got a few weeks ago. We spelled it “Happey Birhtday Shirly” and we were herra cracking up. It was seriously a hilarious sight to look at.

I got up this morning very late; almost 10:00. My jaw was all messed up and I couldn’t open my mouth. I had to massage it constantly, and even then it would still catch on itself when I tried to talk, eat, or yawn. Every once in a while I would be able to get it open but then it would lock again. Eventually I just left it wide open whenever I got a chance and hoped that it would realign itself.

I went to class, which accomplished nothing. Then I went back home and hung around until 3:00, when I had sectionals. After that I came back again. At 5:00 Shirley went to rehearsal and Leon and I started making a cake that we bought yesterday at Safeway. I quickly contacted a bunch of people from River of Life, and they came over. It was really good, especially on such short notice. There was brownie/cake stuff, friends, etc. I gave her the Linkin Park “Reanimation” DVD album that I got on the weekend. Then she went out to visit her old house mates, and Victor, Wayne, and Edward hung around (Elliot and Wendy were here too but they left when Shirley did). We watched Miracles (I can’t believe I’m watching movies at a time like this; Telebears is tomorrow, I have reading to do, plus this frickin’ paper), but Edward left partway through since he had to get home. Leon made us a lot of good food. Spaghetti and stuff. They left. Leon and I did some worship, with some of the songs that I probably will do this Sunday. I was glad that I skipped the screening today; I had a good evening, even though I missed The Wedding Banquet, which I really wanted to see. I’ll have to rent it or something. I hope they didn’t take attendance or something.

Argh I haven’t really done any school related work today. Just stuff. Tomorrow I have to a) register for a class, b) visit a major advisor, c) REALLY start working on the paper, and d) find probably another class that I should add for good measure; a fun one. There are, of course, e’s, f’s and g’s, etc., but I really don’t want to think about them right now.

10-22-2002

I got up this morning, earlier than usual. In the morning I signed up for one class. I feel stupid. I should add something else. But I don’t know what to do. And it’s going to be my last semester too. Argh!

I went to Wheeler, supposedly to meet a major advisor. I needed my blue card thing from the English Department but the closed at 12:00 (so lame!), so all I did was pick up a senior seminar application. I did go up to the 4^th floor to speak to an advisor anyhoo, but there was a line and I had to go to class, and besides, there really was no point if I didn’t have my blue card. So I left and went to class, where they discussed The Wedding Banquet. It was useless to me because I haven’t seen it (I skipped the screening yesterday, remember?), so I worked on the crossword and almost finished it.

When I went to English 115B, the papers were back. Since I got my paper, there was no other reason to stay in class. I had pretty much finished the crossword so I would not be able to keep awake in this class, and even if I could, his ridiculous gabble would mean nothing to me. Plus, I was really tired, and there was going to be extra long rehearsal today. So I left class and went home. Leon and I moved all the instruments (and I mean ALL, including anything that had anything remotely to do with musical instruments) into our room; we were going to have a little studio thing in case some people didn’t want to watch the game.

I went to Morrison to practice with my quartet again, and then to rehearsal. It was pretty fun, since we went through a whole bunch of passages from the Mozart. We got rearranged a lot; I got moved probably 4 times or so. I was also happy that Marika seemed to be in good spirits today. It turns out we didn’t have to work with the quartets again; just men’s and women’s separate practice at the end, and some of us had to hang around longer. I had to stay longer, but not as long as some other guys. I got back a little after 6:00.

People were already here! The game had started, in which I had no interest whatsoever. So I played “Big 2's” or whatever they call “13" in Berkeley with Leon, Julia, and Koh Eun (I THINK it’s spelled that way. I just say it like “Coen,” as in the Coen brothers). We had pizza and lots of good stuff. I played Peanut Butter; Jason and Liz had played it under some other weird names, but Koh Eun didn’t know it so I taught her. She was my partner and we whupped the other two many times. Hahaha! Then I went into our room to play music with Leon and David. Julia came in to sing with us. She and David like A.I.; they think it is awesome! WOOHOO! (They mentioned this because I had just put up the poster over my bed, along with the Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon one)

They went to go study. I cleaned up the house massively so it looks really nice. Our room looks cleaner than it ever was. To me, at least.

My skin is getting drier by the day! Winter is coming! ARGH! Not the dry skin! My wrists are already starting to get rashy. AUGH!!!

10-23-2002

I woke up and ate stuff this morning, then went to class. I finally got my paper back... B+! Oh well, it’s good enough, for now. At least I know what sort of track I should be following. Did I mention the grade for my paper yesterday? It was a B, which stinks, but I know that the first part of the essay is the kind of stuff that he likes and the latter bit is stuff that he doesn’t like. Heheh, now I can play this guy like a slot machine.

I went to the bank, then came home and did stuff until vocal technique, which went fine. Then I came back again; I don’t even remember what I did. I think I spent most of the day pining about the stupid paper and not actually writing it. I haven’t even been doing the reading for English 135AC for many weeks now. I spend all my studying time worrying about assignments. This Film paper has to be 1,500 words! That’s like 5 or 6 pages! How can I do that???

Ralph called me today, and we talked about discipleship and stuff like that. I burned 30 of my cell phone minutes. Then Jonny called about problems with his internet, and that took another 15 minutes. Since the billing month started yesterday, I have 15 anytime minutes left for 29 days. Yah, that will definitely be enough.

Leon made some good pork stew for dinner. It was really tasty.

I’ve only finished about half a page of the paper, even though I’ve been sitting at the computer for basically the whole day. I made a “baked” potato with the microwave. I am getting hungry all the time.

10-24-2002

This morning I went to the RSF to lift weights. Boy, haven’t done that in a while. Then I went to Wheeler to talk to a major advisor. I and like eight other people waited for like 40 minutes for this one guy who kept talking to the advisor and wouldn’t stop, even after the advisor gave many hints. Sheesh. What a waste of my time. Finally it was my turn, and I took care of everything I needed to: my area of concentration is taken care of (I don’t need to propose anything), all my classes are set. He didn’t seem very excited and appeared to me to be reluctant and unwilling to help me. But at least he did, and it’s off my shoulders.

It was 12 by the time I got back. Leedah came up. Hahaha. He, Shirley and I went out to eat lunch (Leon was gone) at Steve’s Korean BBQ. My mouth is still feeling numb from all the sodium. Since we had decided long ago to watch Panic Room the next time he came up, we did. Then Leedah left to visit another friend. I went to rehearsal, which went too long; I had to leave early so I could take Leedah to First Pres church for Interpraise. It was OK; I didn’t know any of the songs, but the musicianship was excellent. The speaker was also pretty good. Afterwards I talked some people; I met Huaiming (haven’t seen her for a while) and walked back with Unit 2 people. Leedah hung around a little more and then went home. I wonder where Leon is; he wasn’t at Interpraise.