I went back to the gym after a LONG hiatus and was hoping to not see my old trainer.  I always feel so guilty when I don’t go for a long time and then always on the day I come back, I run into her.  Why can’t I have just been there a couple times before running in to her? But she’s so super nice and always says, “Hey! I haven’t seen you in a while! How have you been?” But this time, it has been so long… I mean, SO LONG, that I had to reply, “I know, I suck.”  But back to the gym I must go! It’s a little bit of a pain since the place is in Emeryville, which isn’t very close to where I live. Arg. 

I discovered Yelp-ing and wrote some reviews and think I might enjoy this thing a little too much. It just made me realize that I would love to be a reviewer of places and would enjoy to get paid for it as well. ha! Um….. Chronicle….. anyone? Apparently, Nigel loves to Yelp as well.  He just gets so amp’ed up when he goes to a pet store and they don’t have his favorite treats.  Instead of peeing on their floors, he now writes up a bad review for them.

Teaching has been going well these days. Some of my students are getting ready to take exams in the next few months. Some of the things on these exams I find a bit over the top and ridiculous for students, and find it sad that it may discourage kids from wanting to play the piano. These exams are great for serious students though, so I guess it depends from student to student.  

As for myself, I think I’m gonna fill out some applications myself for, dare I say, doctoral programs. Ok, I said it and now it’s out there. Wouldn’t hurt to try, would it? Well, I actually think it does hurt from what I’ve heard.  I guess I’m just a suck-a.

Yesterday, my friends took me out to Noodle Theory on College Avenue to celebrate my recent birthday for lunch.  This noodle house is amazing and believe me, we know noodles.  Number one, it’s all about the broth. Then it’s the texture and freshness of the noodles and how well they are cooked.  The additional toppings are next…… has anyone seen Tampopo?  ha!  Anyway, a good place, check it out.  Or don’t, so that I won’t have to wait in line to get in.

B and I went to Disneyland last weekend and had a blast. I know, Disneyland? yup. After years of being serious and recently turning thirty-? uh-hem, I decided to revert back to my childhood.  I also wanted to sit back and be entertained. That and upon graduating, my urge to go to the “happiest place on earth” was impeccably high. hmmm…. I wonder why?

Here’s a new picture of Nigel taken from my iPhone. Yes, I sold out… Couldn’t help it…

I got my haircut on Monday and did such a silly thing. I was wondering what “straight” down bangs would look like on me, so I just tried it. Turns out that it looks weird, makes me look 12 years younger, and explodes my face ten times. Now I’m just waiting for them to grow out so I can put it to the side again. Hair grows.

Dude, and what’s up with the Vietnamese sandwiches and me? My friend M bought me a Vietnamese sandwich from a place around the corner from my house a while back and since then, the restaurant has closed down. I’ve been craving one ever since! The yummy bread, all the crunchy veggies, jalapenos, BB-Q pork….yumsers. I’ve been on a mission to find a sandwich for months!  Finally, I discovered another place that sold the sandwiches at Ranch 99 in El Cerrito, so I went to check it out yesterday. As I arrived at lunch time on a Wednesday, I was disappointed to see that they were closed! I peaked through the window still for any signs of life and just saw pictures of all the sandwiches mocking me. I was so sad. I was so hungry.