23 November 2015

To Learn

Technical:
C++/Java
Automation
RTL (micro architecture)
VLSI (do i know this already??)
CAD
UNIX
logic circuit design
SolidWorks
laTEX
Labview
Excel

Nontechnical:
French language
Danish?? language
Typography Families
InDesign
Latte Art (finally learned how to pull shots correctly, now to learn how to master frothing milk...)
Marketing 101
creating lens flare (is this possible?)
drum set (sos lorraine please help my t-grip)(sos timmy help teach)
bjj or kickboxing (so different but yeah)
insanity, but i suppose establishing a routine first..
professional development
get back into biking and swimming (bruhhh)
omg. i have. to learn. how to. play an acoustic. THIS HAS BEEN PUT OFF FOR WAY TOO LONG.
style me. bc wtf is this nonsense 17 year old brandy grunge shit i've got going on.. (oh wait. i did this so that lab peeps can chill da faq out lel)
I have a killer headache right now.
But I have to keep pushing through.

There's nothing as rewarding as the results after (literal) blood, sweat, tears, and many over night hours put into making a show happen. So here's to a new performance in the making.
Wish Sarah was still here in my life to remind us that there's no reward for the lazy. That we aren't good enough until we're perfect.
Will always remember to keep my head high and my mind humble.
To dream big, and shoot for the moon.

Justice will find us someday, and they will wake some day to see past all that's been wrong.
x

18 November 2015

I've Been Thinking Too Much

now playing: ride | twenty øne piløts
currently: stressing over job appppps


22 or 17?
Can't tell, but does it even matter?

Today my friends were trying to show me an article on accepting depression and how to overcome it.. o..k.. gtfo pls thnx


I'm falling, so I'm taking my time.

14 November 2015

I never understood what they say how an ugly personality can ruin a pretty face, until I met you.

Every time I lose motivation, inspiration, and drive, I think about how desperate you and your friends are. How insecure you guys are and how you guys go out of your way to secure a spot for yourselves. But when the time comes to prove yourselves, you guys can't even do so. I laugh.... Tell me so boldly and so loudly how you're great at - again? Because I swear I saw you trip and fall. Good god what is wrong with everyone at this school. Is this a blue collar thing?

Geezus. Wait up my friends, I'm coming soon. Because I'm tired of hanging out with these creativity-lacking low lives. I can't wait to be in a life surrounded by the cultured again.

12 November 2015

Past lives couldn't ever come between us
Some time the dreamers finally wake up
Don't wake me I'm not dreaming
Don't wake me I'm not dreaming

Islands under eyelids
Swim through the silence
You were all that, all that, all that I needed
Falling, falling into the deep end now

11 November 2015

Break My Fall From the Writings On The Wall

A million shards of glass
That haunt me from my past
As the stars begin to gather
And the light begins to fade
When all hope begins to shatter
Know that I won't be afraid

If I risk it all
Could you break my fall?

SS

10 November 2015

Welcome to Grad School and Other Weekend Things

currently: laying in my bed in the most uncomfortable position ever but too lazy to adjust
now playing: dopamine (album) | børns

School started on the second to last week of September. I have to say that graduate school isn't all about the classes but more focused on research. (Assuming you're not on the academic-based masters program track). Our 2015 entering cohort has around 20 people which is nice because you get to know everyone on a more personal level and bond better.

As a MSE major, the field covers a mix of different engineering, math, and physical sciences. Therefore the classes are mixed categories.
→ This quarter I'm taking crystal structure and [chem dept's] thermodynamics. For both of the classes we just meet two times a week MW and TR for 1hr20min.
→ We have a really great professor for thermodynamics, but the class is difficult. It reminds me of the thermodynamics we took as an undergraduate but there are more derivations involved (bleh). This class is half MSE students and half chem dept students.
→ Crystals is really hard to understand and even visualize. But I think I'm getting a grasp of what's going on. It just makes me sad because a lot of the graduate students who studied MSE as an undergraduate have more advantage in this class because they've been exposed to the subject before.

As soon as the first week of school was over, we ended our "Welcome to America" tour for Sebastian with a mini Vegas trip.
We left the IE at 7ish, made one stop at the south outlets in Primm for a mcdonalds/bathroom stop, and got to Vegas at midnight. Because we weren't going to stay for a long time in the city, we decided to max out our time there so we wandered around down the strip for the rest of the night, all the way to Planet Hollywood for Earl of Sandwich until 4am (LOL). We were so tired when we got back to our rooms.
We stayed at the Palazzo ♥ and had joint rooms next to each other, so we just opened the middle door. Attempts of pregaming were made pre-wandering but I think we were so tired that it was hard to tell if we were drunk or sleepy. I had my first Fat Tuesday too!! :D It was very yummy. Though, I would prefer a strawberry flavored one next time.







The same morning (since I guess our activities technically started on Saturday), we woke up at 11 and went to White Castle, which I thought was absolutely disgusting and that we should've spent the extra dollars at Shake Shack down the street because you can't go wrong with that, but there's no one to blame for visiting White Castle because it's worth the visit anyways- you'll never know until you try. Then we did some gambling at the Mirage where S won a SHITLOAD (excuse my language but it really is a lot) of money. Almost 1K, to be clear. (Like welcome to the USA dude, for reals). We left the casinos and headed back to the pool at our hotel because we couldn't settle on which day club to go to (laaaaaame). Also it was way past the time of free entrance and a few people were wishy washy about pool-ing. (seriously guys?). Anyways, we ended up at Azure, at our place. The music was pretty good but the crowd had a "i'm too cool for this" vibe (or rather maybe they were too old (late 20's?). M and I tried to get the crowd to turn up...I'd say we reached 60% turnt, then we got too tired and we just left everyone hahah. We were going to hit up Bacchanal after the pool, but our plans changed and we went to the Buffet at Bellagio instead. Though it was older and not renovated to meet the standards of other resorts, I think the food was really good and worth the price. Plus, there was only a 15 min wait- could be off season or just early? Not sure. But big shout out to Sebastian because he bought us all dinner...yes all $660ish of it. Post dinner, D and I wandered off to cash out our vouchers but discovered Hyde Lounge (at Bellagio) and its beauty along the way. The GM was very nice and put my name+party onto the list so that we could get back in later for FREEE! heh. But anyways we had plans to go to TAO but that fell through, then our promoter gave us problems so we ended up at 1oak, which I did not enjoy very much BUT that's not to say that I didn't enjoy the time I spent with everyone. (D also tried to buy the girls a taxi so that we didn't have to walk down the strip again in our heels but C paid for it instead...THANK YOU! ♥). In 1oak, we formed a circle (hah how LB exclusive of us to do such a thing #typical) and just danced the night away....more like the girls danced their feet away and then we left because we were all in pain and the guys carried us (see- dragged) out LOL (jk @ drag). But yeah. Thanks to C and E for buying us (10 people) shots in the club. Sebastian bought us all beers after we left the club so thanks for that :) //D and C didn't come out clubbing with us that night, they had the evening to themselves strolling down the strip.// But anyways. D and I went back and everyone else gambled until the early AM.







View of the Strip from Hyde






The GIRLSSSS
Sunday morning we had a huge clean up of the mess we made in the hotel room. And out of habit E tried to make the beds and put pillows back onto the beds LOL. I thought that was kind yet funny. C M and I went downstairs for ...they got coffee and I got pressed juice from Juice Farm (omg that $12 makes me appreciate SoCal juices). After checking out, we went to Carlo's Bakery (didn't phase me much) and I took a small leave to visit Bouchon♥. After gambling some more (LOL so much gambling) we went to arts district for tacos....thanks E and S for the rec...the food was really good!! We headed home after and said good bye to Sebastian once we got back to school because his flight was the next day at noon.

S's crazy camping bus he drove to Yosemite the week before!!


sorry not sorry




Sunday's OOTD, twinning outfits with Steph btw!


another millionth time we lost Thomas, GOSH DARN IT TOM


bathroom stop!!


also trying to see the eclipse
What a weekend.

The LB group really does know how to 'cram' and 'make the most' out of everything :) I thought it was quite dead and unlively for a vegas trip but I still cherish the moments and memories I make with my peers. It was very fun now thinking back :)

Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Between Scandi and Austin, the week when I was back in Cali, we had a little lab-venture on Wednesday. We bought tickets on Tuesday and went out to LA to see the Dodgers in Echo Park. They were scheduled to play against the Colorado Rockies. We left work and went to Norwalk to take the Green Line Dodger Express (I think it was the Green line and not the Blue Line, I'm just confused because Blue line is in LB and E joined us from nearby...so I could be wrong). The Dodger Express took us into DTLA, to Echo Park, and straight into the stadium parking lot.








We had quite nice seats.


This was part of the "Welcome to America" 'tour' for Sebastian. :D





For someone who normally is not phased by baseball, I'd say going to a live game is very enjoyable and fun. Perhaps it's the crowd, atmosphere, and friends. I'd do it again another time :)

Technology Convention aka I LOVE INTEL ♥

....That's what I'm guessing TECHCON stands for.
(Disclaimer: Here comes a flood of long overdue posts.)

now playing: Love Myself | Hailee Steinfield
mood: reminiscing

So I come back from Scandinavia and a week later I'm off to Austin, TX for the conclusion of my summer internship. As part of the 12% of the interns chosen to attend the conference, I feel blessed and thankful for the opportunity to be able to meet and listen to the stories of so many people that inspire and influence women in STEM. The night before we flew out, we actually went back to school for last minute edits and rehearsals (oh gosh the life of being in our lab- hectic, nerve-wrecking, but worth it in the end). I ended up getting the posters printed at 11pm back home, which reminds me I still need to ask W for reimbursements....

{Sunday} | We flew out bright and early in the morning from LAX.



N, S, M and I were on the same flight. D flew out at 6a, and I believe W flew out after us at 10a. S and I had breakfast from the Lemonade LA stand in terminal 4, and all four of us flew out of LA with Delta at 8am. We got into Austin at 2pm..ish and took the blue shuttle that the company provided for us to The Renaissance Hotel. The hotel was very pleasant and perfect for hosting professional events. With 10ish floors and open courtyard high ceiling with all the rooms facing the courtyard, it was beautiful during the day and night. All our events were hosted in the hotel, in the meeting rooms, ballrooms, and the courtyard. When we got to the hotel, we checked in, set our posters up, and met up with the other LB group. At around 4pm all of the hosted interns (I say this because there are fellowship students, industry members, corporate members, professors as well as individual visitors ....and some events are invited interns exclusive only) gathered for a group picture then headed out to Lady Bird Lake in downtown for a river cruise social and to see the bats that live under the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge.





The river cruise dinner social was a pretty lovely event by itself because I met a lot of students from Georgia Tech (random but happened to sit together) while enjoying what I happened to be craving at the moment - GUAC♥. L E L but for realZ they served mexican food/fajitas that evening on the boat, as well as an open bar (which is quite interesting because for the next three days there was always a time (or times) during the day where we would have access to an open bar). On the last third of our boat journey, the sun was starting to go down and Austin's city skyline suddenly served as a beautiful backdrop to the sun setting. The bats were quite a spectacular scene as well. There were many other boats on the lake waiting for the bats to fly out, as well as many pedestrians standing at the top of the bridge looking down and waiting. I thought that because most of the residents are familiar with this bat bridge, that they wouldn't be watching the little mammals fly out. But boy was I wrong, the bridge was PACKED. The event ended at 9 and we got back at around 10p. Nothing spectacular happened after besides walking to the Target two streets down with D N and M to buy snacks and water.

{Monday} | Breakfast was served at 6 and everything was buffet style. (Most meals were served as buffet style in the conference, besides dinner which was brought out in a three course style).



Monday's Business Casual OOTD

After breakfast we had a guest speaker event, and then followed by back to back seminars, talks, lunch, workshops, 2 poster sessions, and the intern presentations. D and I were partners for poster session so we were pretty nervous because he's never presented a poster, and I was nervous because of all the industry members that were present. But things went great and we supported each other the best we could, filling in for each other when a poster visitor tested us on foreign knowledge or asked us about the impossible. In between every rotation for the events they had Starbucks, snacks, and soda for us which we all took to our advantage to keep us from boredom, freezing to death, and hunger (LOL). Before dinner there was an open bar reception. With the sun setting, the dusk shadows sunk through the glass ceilings of the courtyard, making everything gorgeous along with the candles around the high standing tables in the reception area.





That evening, S M N and I took an über to downtown and went bar hopping on 6th. Well, attempted to because we didn't end up hopping, we just stayed at one bar..and honestly I don't know what it's called even though I tried to Google Map stalk the location. But they had a really good dj that night so we stayed until they closed...it was pretty funny but great. I'd say you were lucky if you got to see our snaps xD
Things were pretty turnt until we got back to the hotel entrance. No need for explaining.


{Tuesday} | Due to last night's event, S and I missed breakfast LOL. But we had another great and eventful day filled with activities, presentations, and poster sessions back to back.





Tuesday night was quite lovely to be honest. The most exciting event of Tuesday was the career event, which was like a mini-career fair but limited to Intel, Micron, IBM, Raytheon, ARM, AMD, ADI, Freescale, GlobalFoundaries, and Texas Instrument. (I don't think I missed anyone)It was very nerve-wrecking but fun at the same time. M and I teamed up and we did a duo where we would introduce ourselves as a team then split based on our specialties and fields lolol, this was very effective and people liked it because we were able to answer a larger variety of questions based on our knowledge/specialization together. This worked well until Intel broke us up because they wanted to interview 1-1. Another open bar with lots of chips, guac, and 4 types of salsa. After the career-industry session, we had our dinner banquet, award presentation, along with raffles. Raffles were pretty cool, most companies raffled off smart watches, Fitbits, and Micron raffled off a SSD as well as an ASUS laptop!! ~pros of being in the tech industry~

That evening we tried to live Monday nights' bar hop but it wasn't effective because we couldn't find the other interns (which, we figured couldn't bar hop yet because most of them were only 20 or 19) and for some reason it wasn't turnt enough. But we went to a few bars and ended up getting delicious NY-style pizza.

{Wednesday} | After three days of semi-formal wear, buffets, business card and resume trading, socializing with bright engineers/individuals from a variety of schools (s/o to princeton, u michigan, georgia tech for being our main buddies), open bars, listening to inspirational talks (thank you Barbara McAllister!), meeting Intel/Micron and other industry members, presenting our posters and defending them for each other, running into students from our collaborators' labs, and just pure fun..... we finally left to catch our 1pm flight back to LA.



I'm quite fond of this free shirt we got at the conference





It was such a fun and eye-opening experience that I get to treasure for a lifetime. I'm so glad I was able to meet so many other engineers and network with the different companies :)

-i