a new empire

It’s 4am here on the West Coast but 7am on the East Coast.
It’s very rare that I’m ever up this late/early but I drank this pint of black tea right before I went to bed thinking that the the caffeine wasn’t gonna affect me much, cuz I usually sleep through anything but…FUCK. THIS SHIT IS COCAINE. I’ve never been this alert in my life.

I might as well do something productive with it and write out an outline or a mantra and harness this positive energy.

I finally checked out the 24HR Fitness gym here and it was really nice to work out since it’s been over a month…since this summer I was recovering from hopefully my last leg surgery and since moving to SF, I have yet the time to work out.

The nice thing about the 24HR gym is that the location is spread out in SF, so whenever I see one, I can just hop in it. The fact that it’s open 24HR is really awesome…being a late night student, after a long day of editing in the lab, I’m gonna need some space to blow off some tension and steam. I only wish they have a jacuzzi in this one.

Also, I’ve been stressed for many things that factored into this, but whenever I work out, I feel like I things that I dread are so much more manageable…Everything feels lighter and less gloomy. It definitely spiked my testosterone and also positive feelings in general.

It’s such an amazing location as well because it’s in the Fishermanwarf area, and it’s located inside a plaza and I can go do grocery shopping afterward. Trader Joes is not too far away and there’s a really comfy Starbucks nearby. Sometimes, creative juices flow out best when I’m in a cafe and I feel so productive and organized. And afterward, I can hop on the cable car, which is right outside the cafe, and just enjoy a late night view of the city. Maybe some days, I’ll walk to save money—enjoy the hilly view of SF or take a flatter route and experience the craziness that is Chinatown rush hour.

Once I get my priorities taken care of, I would like to get on my academic grind since I’m already a few days behind the reading already. Although it’s my first time taking 5 classes in a semester but the workload also seem manageable…I’ve never really done this before at my previous college, but I’m gonna really shoot for high GPA this time.

I can’t believe it’s been almost a month since I’ve lived here! I’m starting to feel so much more confident of the city and navigation now… Taking the bus, subway, or the cable car is feeling breezy. Once I visit a couple more sites this weekend, I’ll definitely hit the acclimated spot.

It’s almost 5am and I have a 9am class pretty soon…Tuesday and Wednesday are my busiest days…I have classes from 9am to 7pm… and I get home around 10pm if I go to the gym and do grocery, etc. The nice thing is that I have Monday and Friday off to scope around the city and to catch up on sleep and work.

Happy thoughts.

12th Sep 2011

Learning

Required:
1) Global Art History
2) Critical A Theory
3) Urban Ecology

Film Major
4) Technical of Filmmaking
5) Advanced Film

BOMB chickabowow

11th Sep 2011

I think I finally figured out whether I’m an introvert or an extravert

I was just having a conversation with a friend that I recently became friends with…talking about to these days, I don’t know whether I’m an introvert or an extravert.

He told me that he definitely sees me as an extravert, as I seem to make friends easily wherever I go, and that I’m always social.

While that may be true, I really don’t feel like I’m an extravert. I really quiet down time A LOT and I am such a homebody…in fact, you can call me Grandpa. And if I have the choice of hanging out with a group or just one person, I would choose being intimiate with one person in a heartbeat. I also get shy…sometimes.

He also poses the question do I seek external validation or internal validation?

Yeah…I’m definitely an internal validation seeker, but when I’m down, I need to be around people, so that I don’t feel as alone.

I wonder if it will change though when I find a collective group of guy friends, maybe 3 or 4, who have very similar outlook in life as I do and their maturity level is of a 30 something man where I don’t mind hanging out with them 12/7… Yeah…I’m pretty picky about sticking to a group so that’s why I have also been a social butterfly floater all this time. But when I do find that group, I wonder if I still proudly label myself a social introvert?

10th Sep 2011

Living in San Francisco

It’s been a weird and wonderful transition to living in the city here.
To those who know me, you would know by now that I am not a city person…But I’m sucking it up for the next 18 months as I knew what I signed up for.

It’s been 3 weeks since I’ve been in the city for the first time. I’m doing pretty good for a kid who pretty much packed up and moved here—hoping fot the best.

Why SF?
I think right now, it’s one of the few progressive place in United States, and that’s where I want to be and learn. It’s also such an amazing experience to be an art student and study art and film and also the city itself with so much history.

Why did I transfer?
Although I love my old institution, it’s important for me to explore a place where I am outside of my comfort zone. I’ve never lived in the city, so right now, this is the time where I have the energy and tolerance to do so. I’m not planning to go to grad school, so it’s perfect that I can finish up in 2 years to get my BFA here…I still reminiscence at times at the fact that I would have been a senior this year and walk it out with my friends…but it’s the sacrifice that I have willingly made. And so far, the rewards has been worthwhile.

To sum up why I transfered:

different coed experience
city life
finish up with a BFA here and not having to go to grad school
study art and film exclusively not that I’ve gotten my gened out of the way

The adjustments:

3 hours behind my East Coast folks
Getting used to the city life
Getting used to not being annoyed and amused by tourists…even though I’m still new here

The bad:

So fucking expensive…I knew that…but it’s even worst when you’re a broke ass art student.
I live on a very busy intersection, and we’re like 5 minutes walk away from Union Square. So, every 2 hour or so, a fucking siren goes by.
Second-hand smoke kills. Goddamn it people.
Everyone take the public transportation…so it’s not the most hygienic
There is no Barnes and Noble in the city, and Borders all went out of business :( And Target isn’t even open yet
If I walk down 2 blocks, I’m down in the infamous Tenderloin area… Homeless, drunks, drug addicts and all kinds roam free here. Every other steps that you take, someone needs something from you… And it’s really easy to get mugged. Hide anything that begins with an “i” on it. I appreciate my male privilege of being able to walk around more freely and I only wish my female counterparts can do the same… Living in the city has made me more cautious and more vigilant.

The good:

You can’t never get bored here.
FILM FUCKING FESTIVALSSSSSSSS
Gallery openings with free alcohol (I’ve never enjoyed drinking beer…but damn…I hope I don’t change)
My school location is prime…beautiful view of Acaltraz and the Golden Gate Bridge and ship cargoes passing by…I hope I never get sick of this amazing view.
Public transportation (Muni, BART, Cable Cars) will get you pretty much everywhere in the city and more
We don’t have a meal plan, so I’m forced to cook more often…and I’m turning vegetarian. I still need to look more into the raw food scene.
Wine is so cheap here… It’s so weird to be able to use my real ID…the cashier person usually have calculate my age on the computer…haha and I get the occasional…”Damn, I’m getting old if someone who is born in the 1990 can buy wine now” hahaha

SFAI:

So much history is here…The first ever coed nude drawing class was held here…it was controversial back in the 50’s
The first female director to win an academy award went here but not for film, but painting…just to show how interdisciplinary our school is (Kathryn Bigelow)
The psychedelic rock movement were stem by the kids that went to SFAI
Ed Hardy went here. I respect him as an artist but despise his douchey clothing line.
It’s so nice to be around kids that are artistically talented and they give it 100%.
It’s also nice to be one of the bros (they invited me to a strip club tonight…no thanks…why pay some misfortunate girl to give you a quick lap when you can have a girlfriend who is more than willing to trip for you?)

In conclusion:

I’m really happy here…and I’m trying to soak it all up…but I also don’t see myself living here in the long run…for many reasons. The quality of life of living in the city (i.e. pollution) is generally not good…but also how expensive the cost of living here…is just too much. I will also need to carry my camera more often…starting from now.

P.S. If I disappeared from the social networking scene again, it’s just that I’m busy living life in person. I promise I’m a better friend in person! :)

10th Sep 2011

Things I still need to do in SF:

1) join 24 Hour Fitness gym
2) find a dance studio
3) find a martial art studio
4) new prescription for eye
5) buy books from syllabus
6) ride cable car east and west, north and south
7) castro
8) chinatown
9) daiso store again
10) explore mission
11) explore haight
12) try vegan raw restaurant