I just downloaded a couple of really good songs, and thought of my friend. So I logged on AIM to see if she is there, whether I can IM the songs to her. She isn’t. Then I thought about writing her an email, but a better idea yet to immortalize how much I miss her by putting it in my blog. I miss her a lot, not all the time, but sometimes, especially when a heartbreaking Chinese song comes on. What is wrong with living in the past anyways, everything is so bittersweet... tangy in its lingering aftertaste.

Years from now, when people mention the catastrophic aftermath of Katrina and Rita, I will remember exactly where I was and what I was thinking. This is my time. Mistakenly, I try to examine these events in context of me -- why did this happen to me, what does it mean for me, what is fate trying to tell me. How horridly selfish -- people were not made to suffer for my personal revelations.

More cruise details! The thing with being on a cruise boat for a couple of months (debating on when NO recovers, which by the looks of Rita, is looking bleak) is that I'm afraid I'll NEVER want to set foot on a cruise again! So no Alaska cruise with parents or reunion cruise with my mafia (plus XY!). The boat can house up to a thousand and according to the latest update, they will be able to provide breakfast and dinner for the students. These will not be four course meals plus sushi snack, but it will be food... which I can even forgo if they just give me medical school back! I will take pictures (of course!).

Because of Rita, I will be in Shreveport until Sunday-ish. School starts on Tuesday (on schedule) in Baton Rouge and unless Rita goes crazy, I will be there!

I WILL be a medical student once more!

http://www.silja.fi/BULLETINS/?tiedote_id=107

Can you believe it? Looks like I'm going to be back on a ship much earlier than planned... and under a completely different context!

How about a reunion? :)

exclamation! A blazer of soft plaid, fine wool; pleated sleeves, boldly gathered, unabashedly feminine. A look at the price and the rest of my exclamation comes out in a sigh, a bit too loud. After that, it's hard to be interested in a blue top that my mom liked. My heart wasn't in it.

24 hour recovery, back I go. This time, a perfect outfit (on sale!) in Black and White. The store always reminds me of Maria. Was it freshman or sophomore year that I went with her for the first time? I tried on a black dress with some complicated layering going on, the "feminized" salesman told me I'm between sizes. We went to A Thousand Villages afterwards and I ate an animal cracker. Sooo long ago.

Partial confirmation of housing in Baton Rouge. I only have one hope - my own bedroom! No kitchen, fine! No living room, fine! No bathroom, NOT fine! Okay, two hopes.

I realize how odd this is, my blog about shopping and clothes! Not to be cliche, but I would much much rather be in school, deep in brachial plexus or wherever we have progressed to. I have more faith, though. With each passing day, I think, it will be okay.

Dinner altercation. I don't take criticism well, at all. When my dad criticized first the lack of salt/flavor in my soup, then that I gave him too much rice, I actually teared up! I blame him, of course. He could have said it better, used less accent on all the hurtful words... but still, the event did not warrant tears.

Still unsure about housing in BR. BUT, it seems my Thanksgiving break will be as previously scheduled. My Christmas break will be cut short. That is okay with me.

by the lake

through the wookds

Looks like a Chinese water painting

Picture of the day -- morning walk by the Creve Coeur Park. It's six miles long trail of walkers, joggers, baby strollers, roller bladders, bikers, and just really fit people... The trail centers around a beautiful lake. Is St. Louis the Biking City? It should be. The tricky part is, when you get really tired by the 3rd mile, what's the point of turning back?

A super fabulous dinner by mom. Sitting by the dinner table, I felt like I'm in a restaurant and ordered way too much food. Perhaps I should just take this unexpected family time and be thankful. So what if this is September?

Update on Baton Rouge. Housing is still iffy. They keep promising us housing, but never specific as to its actual form. The last time I heard, it could possibly be... a cruise ship??? I suppose we could all sail be back to NO when the time comes. Seriously though, hats off (way off) to the people in BR, who are working around the clock to make things happen. So far, school still starts on the 26th, I'm still flying away from St. Louis on the 21st, and Michelle is still generous enough to let me stay in her apartment for the semester. I wish I could get through the phone line to my friends in BR...

My parents and I bought home eight honeydews today from Sam's Club. Eight. What started off as a "fruit-phase" elaborated into a life style. I would like to think I affected my parents too, now they can't finish off the week without a truck full of fruits. It's step one of my "my-parents-will-live-forever" plan...

Here is a picture of the six honeydews from last week. ALL gone now... :)

Once a decision is made, life operates on auto-pilot once more. Fights with mom, more fights with mom... actually that's just now.

Transporter 2 -- how is that a B+ movie? How do you inject antidote inside a person then use it to cure other people? Who are the writers?! Sorry for ruining the ending for you...

If I had one year to work anywhere, I would move to Chicago and work for my hero! I would do anything she wanted me to, but end the year with a T-shirt that said -- I worked for *****.

My parents are moving into their new house in two weeks... oh the stress.

I'm moving to BR in two weeks... oh the stress.

I returned a million phone calls yesterday... okay, more like 5... But the point is that I'm horrible with returning phone calls, but I did, because I appreciate all my friends so very much. I appreciate their messages, their emails, their blog comments, their never giving up on me even though I'm perpetually going temporarily MIA for no reason at all. I'm getting back into the groove of things today -- namely, studying. I have anatomy spread all over my dining room table, and somehow, that gives me a sense of normalcy and control amidst ALL these insanity. I love you, friends! I miss you, New Orleans.

I hope your life never changes as unexpectly and fast as mine did. Last Saturday morning, I packed my fresh laundry (still warm) into my suitcase to leave New Orleans, thinking my ciy would escape Katrina unscathed like all the years before. My suite-mate of three weeks advised me to take the big suitcase, and so I left New Orleans... with the fridge full of yogurt, my first carton of Lite orange juice still unopenned, Sashi's lamb leftover from the night before. I didn't close the door to my closet, I left Linda's pink coat hanging on the door, the fallen lanterns a pile by my bed...

I-10

I-10

View out of my 9th floor window

City Hall

Sheraton's on Canal

Street Scene

Canal Street

Going to Canal

Cafe Du Mont

French Quarter 2

French Quarter

Street Car

New Orleans

My thoughts are with the super tall man from Camellia's, who bent over the small restaurant counter to serve hamburgers and refill drinks. They are with Dr. McCluggage, did he save all his golf shoes and bow ties? They also skim but dare not pause on the "good folks" in the Superdome... Every time I ask what I did to deserve not having a medical school in NO, a firm voice says -- What about them?

It is uncertain and my thoughts are scattered. I have a million imaginary options but only one plan of action -- read and wait.