Anthem - For as long as I can remember, my summers have had soundtracks to them if not an anthem. My favorite of these was summer 2006, going into my freshman year in high school when every radio station was playing something off of Justin Timberlake’s FutureLove/SexSounds. I’m not sure what this summer’s song is. I don’t think artists make summer jams like they used to anymore…

Fat Fuck - My next pick-up has to be new running shoes. I’ve been using my uber old pair because my go-to pair is no longer a pair. I can’t handle this fuckery and neither can my heallth!

Nine More Years - Looking back at my high school graduation over a year ago, on top of watching You Again and Glee has got me thinking about how much can change in such little time. It’s going to be so weird seeing bald/married/parents/hot/super rich/wrinkled versions of the kids you used to sit next to in class but it sounds so cool at the same time!

Burn - My skin has given me problems all my life, from noticeably red acne to I-wasn’t-even-in-the-sun sunburns. Even though Asian women jock on my fair complexion, I really would love to have a darker color. I’d love to wear nude/champagne colored clothes without camouflaging into them.

Protective Exclusion - In my attempt to move on from the last kid, I cut him out of my life and made assumptions to tame my curiosity. In a recent moment of weakness, I had these assumptions confirmed and instead of eating ice cream in bed alone, I feel a lot better than expected. It’s a good thing I surprise myself because I won’t have surprise chocolate and flowers for a long time. 

After finishing Glee’s released episodes, I can’t help but admit to my Gleek-hood! I’m a Gleek! I’m super excited for the new season of Glee too, on top of the premieres of How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory!  Luckily, Jersey Shore has already premiered! I’m glad to have my guilty pleasure show back to take off the edge of waiting for my other shows! #fuckyeahtv

Being a nocturnal person, my sleep schedule always seems messed up but it’s really just mistaken for unconventional. Lately, it’s been just screwed up. With the exception of when I was taking a summer class and randomly getting called into work, I’ve been doing pretty much nothing so this 4AM-1PM sleep schedule probably won’t change unless I make plans or I find work with a regular schedule. Good thing my fall schedule’s earliest class is at 11! #zzz

My hair is almost at the length I want it to be but the ends are super damaged! I really should begin making my peace with chopping off my hair before I actually do, since I always get mad at myself after deciding to make such extreme changes to my hair. Always. #livewithnoregrets

I wonder if watching Rugrats as a child had an effect on my grammar. The main characters use broken grammar and made up words and kids mirror what they see/hear so it very much could have…#lipschitz

Feminists are in uproar over the Newsweek cover of Michele Bachmann because they claim the cover article “The Queen of Rage,” accompanied by an unflattering photo of her, is sexist. If someone famous is “crazy,” the media going to call him/her out for it because it makes a story. Newsweek is no different. Plus, it’s not like that title has no truth to it, she’s known for her passionate, risque rants. If the media mutes this trait, she’d lose her stage presence. They should be glad Bachmann even got a cover after the controversial things she’s said! Threatening to ban porn won’t win you votes, woman! #bitchesbecrazy

How does a person know when he/she is depressed? Not just sad but suffering from depression? Ever since Joe, things haven’t been the same. I’ve considered seeing a psychologist. I think I should have the first time my roomie mentioned it. #timesup

While engaging in a random Skype conference recently, the topic of love lives came up. Currently it’s a rather touchy topic because I don’t like the situation I’m in. My answer is always along the lines of “nonexistent” because anything other than that will prompt an overly passionate rant. #protectiveexclusion

Faulty internet. Slow rebate returns. Traffic. Slow walkers. Waking up late. Backaches. Astigmatism. #rosaryrage

I would be able to do quite a bit with $250. I could buy a replacement phone, something off of Nice Kicks, a kick ass cut and color package, etc. but the one thing I am dying to do right now is swim with beluga whales! How did this become the #1 wish on my wish list so suddenly? How did beluga whales even come to mind? I’m not sure but I think this means I have to work during zero week and forgo my five days of do-whatever-I-want time.

The US Open of Surfing this year wasn’t nearly as fun for me this year as it was last year. I thought this year would be awesome as fuck (Sorry, Bry-bry) but going with non-beach-going, slow-walking younger sisters at an uneventful hour to wait for a, in my opinion, bad concert was definitely not what I was predicting. Really, I was babysitting. However, I did have someone try to recruit me to be a go-go dancer. I was extremely flattered because I wasn’t made up at all and, at the same time, curious about what it’d feel like to be a part of a rave rather than just an attendee. Even though T-Dawg told me those girls make a lot of money, I think the business card is only useful as an item in my memory box; so if I have kids and lose my figure, they’ll believe me when I say that I wasn’t always a fat soccer mom.

Today marks a month and ten days before I go back to school! It sounds ridiculous to say I’m excited to go back but I am!!!

I still hate driving. Some people find it calming to cruise going nowhere but the streets of Anaheim aren’t very relaxing. I find walking to be a lot more relaxing anyway.

It’s been a couple weeks since I’ve had any kind of alcoholic beverage. I think I’m going to have to break this little streak because my jaw/tooth has been bothering me. If it’s an infection, swishing whiskey around will fix the problem. I’ll probably just end up drinking it but hopefully this will fix the problem and this isn’t some crazy health issue I need to see a dentist for.

The feeling you get when you finally remember the word you were meaning to use.

My favorite types of jokes are nerdy, religious, and pun-ny. Given that, I think it’s safe to conclude that my ideal boy is a practicing nerdy church boy whose shyness prompts him to make lame jokes. Cute.

I’m so glad my mom finally gave up sitting in on my doctor’s visits. During my last visit, she was called out for answering questions for me by the doctor and I guess she got the point. The reality of it is, she doesn’t know anything for sure. It’s my body and she’s not always there when I abuse it. Now I need to convince her I can get there on my own too because she walked in and instantly said, “She’s only here for a general check up, she doesn’t need a pap smear.” Calm your tits, ma. Even if I really did, you simply telling the doctor I don’t wouldn’t override her professional recommendation. No wonder I haven’t told you about my tattoo!!!

I’ll always be envious of people who work at cool places, Disneyland being one of the top places. My childhood fantasy of being a Disney princess would come true if Disneyland would hire me to dress up as one and take pictures with people all day! My race suggests that Mulan would be the most appropriate role while my complexion says Snow White. Oh, so far from the coveted role of Cinderella! I guess my Party City Cinderella costume from Halloween ‘96 will have to do.

Finally finished Chicago! From it, I learned the origins of Kadashian-ism, how putting my trust in men can lead me to a life of crime, and I think the Barney Stinson’s diamond suit is similar if not the same suit that the lawyer character wears in the tap number. 4/5.

In the rush to pack and move out of my dorms, I forgot to pack my flat iron, hair dryer, bamboo plant, and my heart. Home is awesome but my heart is in San Diego.

If I could wake up looking like this, I would prance around in my undies all day! For now, I’ll just walk.

Just upgraded my original Pink Friday to the deluxe version. I typically don’t buy CDs but I. Love. Nicki.

I find it strange that I have a family history of kidney issues and not liver problems. Both sides of my family have had long lines of alcoholics. I would think that there would be some liver-related death somewhere but there isn’t. Can it be that Nguyen-Ha livers have evolved to withstand extreme free radical damage? How about tobacco-resistant lungs from the Ha side? In addition to the screw in my ankle, my insides would be superhuman!

I’ve always paid extra attention to eyes/eyelashes. This coming school year, I want to attend some event that would be appropriate for me to wear the Deer Butterfly paper eyelashes I recently found.

If I receive an article of clothing as a gift that is too small, should I be flattered that the giver thought of me as smaller than I really am or insulted that they didn’t know better?

Thanks, Amanda Bynes, for teaching me that tampons can be used to stop nose bleeds. I tried this for the first time recently on my sister and I was so excited because I don’t have nosebleeds often enough to be shoving tampons up my own nostrils. I bet my mom is less worried that I have tampons now! I want to watch She’s The Man again now…

M-Hizzle has the right idea. People our age may feel the need for companionship and it’s amazing how some of us will find “the one” at this time, but I’m personally not in the right mindset to really settle. In fact, “settling” isn’t part of my plan at all. If I ever find love, it’ll be a pleasant surprise and I’ll deal with it then.

My mom is considering totally switching to brown rice from jasmine rice. How un-Asian…I wonder if the next generation of Vietnamese-Americans will have enough Vietnamese culture in their lives to really be Vietnamese…

GALA

(Leona Lewis - My Hands)

T.G.I.Summer! I dreaded going to classes Monday through Thursday and definitely did not appreciate the three and a half hour lectures, but I’m glad I did something productive this summer. It feels good to know that I accomplished something that I was avoiding. In retrospect, it wasn’t THAT bad. In fact, I wish I had applied to do classes at UCI or something so I could have had taken more of the classes I need.

I’m a gleek. Lately it’s been a couple of episodes before going to sleep and a few upon waking up. I love Glee! I should have started watching earlier like I told myself I would! Must. Get. Soundtrack.

If girls like “bad boys,” is there a “bad girl” equivalent? What stereotypical characteristics does this “bad girl” possess?

I know it’s okay to not be okay but what really sets me off is knowing that I’m not okay. Only recently have I really learned that it’s okay to be the one leaning instead of the one offering the shoulder every now and then. I’m so thankful for the kids that have stuck around just as I am thankful for the ones that entered my life despite the mess I am.

“Rosary Ha, certified pharmacy technician” doesn’t sound too shabby. After Nam posted on Facebook that he was going to do independent study to take the PTCB, I considered it too. I’m not sure if I’ll ever become a pharmacist but having a license to work under one definitely has its benefits. Now that I’m done with my summer class and have sold the textbook, I think I might use that money to buy a practice book and see how it goes. Ideally, I’d be able to pass the test before I start school again but that’s quite a stretch.

I have yet to truly find the “good” in “goodbye” so I’m just going to force it until I achieve indifference. I don’t/won’t hate you, but you just drive me crazy. I’ve caught myself laughing when I’m reminded of our times together but that isn’t enough. I honestly can’t/wouldn’t be able to handle news of you moving on so “bye” for now, Cupcake.

For an Asian kid, I eat very little rice. I consider rice a side dish and not part of the main course, and that’s only during the rare occasions when I actually want rice. I’m more of a noodles/pasta kind of gal but if I must have rice, I prefer brown over jasmine or white. Currently craving brown rice with cheese.

I get sad at night too, Bry-Bry, it’s kay. Life really doesn’t suck as much as you think when you’re sad and exaggerating even the smallest of details. You’re awesome!

Me thinks it’s time to add blue to my shoe rack. I have enough neutrals and my pink impulse buys need to stop. Hopefully the glow in the dark blazers get released soon and at a price that won’t hurt my wallet too badly.

One of the things I would do differently if I could redo this past school year would definitely be taking more freshman seminars. The hassle of petitioning into them because of my sophomore standing made me give up on them and now that I see the ones I wanted to take before becoming available this coming fall, I really want to take them. Now it’s even harder because I have to wait until freshman enrollment starts to even attempt to get in.

I don’t think water can stay in your ears for very long but ever since Windansea, my ears have been weird. I just had to go into the water! Damn you, violent waves!

Welcome back, audio post!