The Berkeley Archives: Jon Yip Talks to Himself

A Systematic Commentary On My Life At Berkeley

Fall 2002

Week 12: Back in the Rain

11-3-2002

Dad picked me up on Saturday. I went home and worked out in the backyard for a while leveling some dirt, then I went to do discipleship with Howard. We just kind of ran around from place to place looking for something to do, but didn’t do anything. Then I went home again, prepared for cell group and stuff, and then we had cell group, which went well.

This morning we went to church. Pastor Liu spoke today. After church we went home and then went to some dim sum place for Leslie’s birthday. Then we went back home and I packed and stuff, and Dad took me to BART. I slept a little on the way. They went to go see Tuck Everlasting. Here at Berkeley, I watched the Animal Factory DVD that I brought from the library. I did more reading of Kate Chopin, which is lame, and I downloaded some of the BMW films from their website. They’re pretty neat.

Oh yeah, while I was walking back here from the BART station, I smelled something that reminded me of something I hadn’t remembered for a long time, at least 10 years, but probably closer to 12 or 13 years. It took me a while to remember because it was so long ago, but I refused to let it go by forgotten like so many memories do. It turned out to be the taste of the water bottles that we had in soccer back in elementary school. It had this certain taste to it, and the straws were thick plastic and would get chewed up. The bottles were lime green and pink. And THAT reminded me of our soccer uniforms that we had; they were reversible so that one side was red and one was white. That way when we played some other team, we could just have one team be one color, and the other use the other side of the shirt, but we would all need only one uniform. Boy, memories are something else man.

11-4-2002

I’ve been thinking that I need more sleep lately, so I woke up at around 9:00 today. Just regular routine stuff. I took a bag of all our cans and bottles to campus today, on the way to class, so I could recycle them.

Class was boring. I got the next midterm assignment, a paper that’s due in two weeks! Dude! That means I have to finish this “The Awakening” thing, plus go over “Maggie” again (the topics require that I discuss TWO books. ARGH) and write about them in two weeks. Argh. Then I bought “Paradise Lost” from Ned’s, and I have to read THAT too because the paper for that is due December 12. Then there’s the big 2,500 word paper for Film 151 that’s due on December 5. It never ends. So much crap to do.

I ate food and stuff. “Pokey” has been escaping from her cage and climbing on to the top of it. That trickster. I read more of “The Awakening” and watched Ally McBeal. We had sectionals today; that went fine. For dinner I had soup, peppers, and lettuce. Then I went to the screening of Sense and Sensibililty, which was pretty good but not as good as Ang Lee’s first movies. Still really good though.

I did more reading and messing around, figuring out worship team stuff for the retreat. I did all the reading for tomorrow’s Film 151 class.

11-5-2002

Woke up, did stuff, ate tuna, went to class, boring, skipped English 115B because I knew it would be meaningless... Chorus was pretty good, ended early. I came back, made spaghetti and ate it while watching some Simpsons and Friends (man I hardly watch TV anymore) and sort of cleaned the place up for small group.

Today’s small group was different because we did one big group instead of splitting into two smaller ones. It was a little harder to talk because there was so many people. Jason brought a huge brownie plate thing that he got for 3 swipes at Bear Market.

After small group I went to go study with them for the first time! We went to Heller Lounge. On the way Leon got this killer (small) double espresso and added enough milk to double the volume, plus like 5 packs of sugar. It was still packin’ strong. Ugh.

Heller was quiet. A little TOO quiet. I felt like every noise was amplified for the entire room. But you know what, I got herra reading done. It’s true. You can study more outside of your house.

11-6-2002

So this morning Leon bapped me on the back at about 7:45 because I asked him to wake me up for morning prayer at the Campanile. He stayed up all night. Craziness.

We met up with Julia and Clarissa and went to the clock tower. Caroline was there. We prayed from 8:00 to 9:00. Then Leon went to take his midterm. Julia showed us this amazing way to tie shoelaces. It’s like the fastest thing ever. I wonder why they don’t teach this way instead of that doofy rabbit around the tree into the hole way. It took me a while (I got it on the first try but then lost it), but I mastered it, and now I feel like I’ve learned something truly valuable; a variance from the norm here at Berkeley. It’s like the most useful, applicable thing I’ve acquired since the start of my career here at Berkeley.

I went back and ate and all. From now on I should get up earlier. There is so much more time. It isn’t really THAT hard to get up the morning, and 6 hours of sleep is enough, actually. I’ll just end up looking like a monster with my wrinkles and baggy eyes. Come to think of it, I have been rather sleepy today.

I went to class reluctantly, and not to my surprise, I learned nothing. I left early so I could get a jump on the Bearcade, but to no avail. When I arrived there was a big, ugly sign that said they have NO MORE 8 Mile tickets. Rats! I really wanted to see that movie.

While walking back to the apartment, I passed by Bancroft Clothing and suddenly remembered that I read in the Daily Cal that hooded sweatshirts were 25% off. So I went inside to check it out, and looked for something for Leslie. I was looking at the hooded sweats but they were originally something like 45 bucks so 25% off was still herra money. There were some nice t-shirts and other sweatshirts; I rummaged around a bit, checking out the assorted sales til I found a nice Berkeley sweatshirt that looks pretty good. I got that, and went to the register.

While standing in line my eye happened to cast itself toward the back of the store, where there was a whole mess of “sale” tags all over the racks. So I went over, and what did I find? LEATHER (or possibly pleather, I haven’t been able to tell yet) jackets for $4.99! I thought it was a mistake! But it wasn’t! I asked them why it was so cheap, and they said that they just weren’t selling. Well, that is, until NOW! I bought one! w00t! What a STEAL! I think I’ll pick up a couple more tomorrow or something. YEAH!

Back at the apartment I did stuff until vocal technique, which was OK. I need to choose a song for my final by this week.

When I got back, Victor was still here (he was registering on Telebears for his Phase I when I left before) try to sign up for his classes. After a while he got all that stuff done (three 8am classes... shiver) and left. I made a whole ton of pork and at all of it (it was just so good... but now I feel like an idiot for consuming so much fatty meat at once. It was a LOT). Shirley went to a really long rehearsal. Leon slept. I watched The Others, which was really good. Nicole Kidman is so awesome. It was pretty scary; probably the scariest movie I’ve seen yet, although that isn’t saying much because I don’t get scared much in movies.

I have to figure out songs for the retreat.

11-7-2002

Well, I was wrong. I didn’t get up early this morning. Oh well. When I DID wake up, I went to the bathroom, as usual, took out my contacts and stuff, and when I came out, Leon and Shirley were taking the sofa apart and the room as all tossed around. That joker of a rat had escaped! We looked all around for a while, and she was nowhere to be found. Finally Leon found her under his bed. What a trickster.

It rained pretty hard last night. Before I went to bed I opened the door and breathed the fresh air. Ahh it was wonderful.

Anyway, I made clam chowder, ate it, and went to class. It was OK, I almost finished the crossword again. After that I went to Wheeler to check if I made it into the senior seminar I applied to... I DID! w00t! Mark Twain Seminar! First choice man! I was so happy that I skipped English 115B! As if to confirm my air of jolliness, it started to rain lightly and pleasantly.

I can’t remember what I did at home. Probably did some reading and stuff. Wayne came over at about 3:00 and we played Aqua Aqua (fun fun fun even though I feel bad for Wayne because he lost every game. But he’ll get better) til 4:00. It started raining hard. That meant I got to wear my trench coat to chorus! Yay! Chorus, by the way, was tiring. My feet were tired and I wanted to sit. Min is a funny character. It’s fun to chat with him when we’re supposed to be paying attention to Marika (notice I know her name by now, and I don’t call her the singing lady, even though that does have a nice ring to it). She let us out early (the men, that is). How nice.

I came back in the rain (ahh felt so good) and made some stew with Shirley’s beef and potato. I feel bad for hogging all her food. We should go to Safeway soon. It was very good stew, and I was quite proud of myself for making it. Leon was at Oases, and Shirley went to her friend’s birthday part thing. I watched Pollock, a great movie, actually better than I expected. It is really interesting. You see modern “art,” but more from the artist’s point of view. I’m not saying that I suddenly think modern art is really great and really “art,” but the movie raised a lot of great points about it. Like how normal art comes from what is outside, but his art comes from inside. It’s art to HIM. And the way that he did it, it makes it look like it’s really a skillful kind of thing. And he says that looking at his paintings is like looking at flowers. You don’t try to look into its “meaning” or anything, you just look at it and enjoy it. Hmm. Leon came back. For most of the movie Pokey (I call her Pokey, or actually “Rat” or “Trickster” more often, but her official name, dubbed by Shirley, is “Bunny,” though I have yet to call her that) was sleeping on my shirt. She was so adorable! I know I sound like a total girl, but she was.

Shirley came back. Leon went off to go study somewhere. I spent the rest of the evening trying to figure out rides for the retreat, and songs for tomorrow’s worship set. I have to pack tomorrow and stuff. Yarg.