tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76904279348325461652024-03-05T09:30:57.512-05:00Welcome to my world...Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.comBlogger334125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-69956423072667099102019-01-20T08:44:00.000-05:002019-01-20T08:44:26.166-05:00Why is it though?<div style="text-align: center;">
I'm still trying to process and digest everything that had transpired. It's difficult to wrap my head around how there's just such a significant shift and there's no answer to it aside from "that's just how it is". I'm sure that is in fact the answer, but it's so unsatisfying... Sometimes words aren't enough to describe how I feel.</div>
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I guess I didn't start my year off on this blog with a year in review type of entry but in a way, I think this post duals as one as well. </div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-69895304057535606562018-11-17T11:06:00.000-05:002018-11-17T11:06:02.525-05:00Bear<div style="text-align: center;">
I had a vision for the future that I had built up over the last few months. It was just the near-future but nonetheless it would pave the path for beyond that. But just like that, it slipped out of my hands. Perhaps a year from now, this will seem insignificant, but in the meantime, I'm going to have to wake up from this pipe dream.</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-77649429564120840582018-04-07T16:53:00.001-04:002018-04-07T16:53:28.635-04:00Allergies to the cats?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As far as I knew, I wasn't allergic to cats but at the same time, I've had very limited interaction with cats prior to adopting Leo and #2. So one thing I was concerned about before I pulled the trigger was the thought of discovering that I was in fact allergic after adoption.<br />
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Over the last few months, starting around January, I've noticed that I've been sneezing throughout the day even when I'm not in the apartment. This is something that's very uncommon to me and for it to happen daily was slightly alarming. But what made it worse was around mid-February I started getting really itchy eyes and runny nose, similar to the symptoms I get from pollen. It stuck to me as odd because it was way too early in the year for pollen. It's a possibility, but my symptoms usually don't come about until April, so February was quite a stretch. So I guess I'll have the next few months to figure out if it's the cats that are the cause of this... but also which one? I did notice the symptoms after #2...<br />
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I also don't know what I'll do if I am in fact allergic to the cats just because as idealistic it is to just put up with it because I made the commitment, it's also affecting my day to day life. My eyes are constantly in pain from itchiness and I'm constantly throwing out my contact lens because they get dirty easily. But I'm also constantly blowing my nose every few minutes and causing nosebleeds, etc. This is with taking medicine/eye drops and that already alleviates the symptoms quite a bit. I can't imagine what it's like having to tolerate this every single day, I'm already miserable during the spring.<br />
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As for updates for the two, Leo is turning one in a few days! He's still very attached to me and does cry a bit when he's hungry. He's been chewing on cardboard a lot lately but I think he should be done with teething by now, so I hope he does grow out of it. As for #2, I think he's adjusted quite a bit but he's still very timid most of the time. He occasionally hops onto the bed and sleeps by my legs and lets me pet him when he's laying down, but he still runs away otherwise. I haven't been able to hold him yet either. In terms of their interactions with each other, nothing has changed since the beginning. They chase each other after meal time for maybe 5 minutes every day and ignore each other otherwise.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-3127051164626466822018-03-31T22:27:00.002-04:002018-03-31T22:27:52.884-04:00Disappointed<div style="text-align: center;">
For a while I was disappointed in what happened. Now I'm more disappointed in you. </div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-29868134249863993332017-12-30T04:36:00.001-05:002017-12-30T04:36:29.383-05:002017 in Review<div style="text-align: center;">
This year, my blog posts continued to decrease and I can't really promise that I'll be more active in 2018. In a nutshell, the latter half of this year was filled with travels and two new additions to the family. Here are some mini recaps by months: </div>
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<b>January - February: </b></div>
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Survived working 60~85 hours a week</div>
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<b>March: Washington D.C.</b></div>
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Didn't get a chance to see the cherry blossoms in full bloom because it was a bit delayed due to cold weather during those few weeks, but at least we got to see hints of it.</div>
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<b>April: Baltimore</b></div>
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Not really sure what to say about Baltimore.. I honestly don't know if I would ever come here again if it wasn't to visit someone.</div>
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<b>May: Washington D.C. </b>(again)</div>
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I felt like the first trip left more to be desired, but when I had the opportunity to come again, it just didn't meet expectations.</div>
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<b>June: Las Vegas & moved into my new apartment</b></div>
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Las Vegas was also a bit underwhelming, I think mostly because it was such a short weekend and I was just so exhausted throughout the bulk of it. The following week, I moved into a one bedroom a bit further from work.</div>
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<b>July: Canada & Leo</b></div>
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First omakase experience in Toronto, thanks D! :)</div>
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But admittedly the biggest highlight of this month, maybe this year (sorry #2!) is Leo! (Short post on his adoption <a href="https://xlilaboo.blogspot.com/2017/08/leo.html">here</a>)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWwyGcA0mNk4q2psgWGjiSzgwc7fMdDh3ik8dcwhzrlNo2NKed9P4XwvyGdb1OZbBkPRb67XqGE07wqyQCokJrlMXLMtIaOl4t6VfiNdRpJ0_IM5qRpJmzXLbPJU6NyegEoELei6oHS58/s1600/DSC08075.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieWwyGcA0mNk4q2psgWGjiSzgwc7fMdDh3ik8dcwhzrlNo2NKed9P4XwvyGdb1OZbBkPRb67XqGE07wqyQCokJrlMXLMtIaOl4t6VfiNdRpJ0_IM5qRpJmzXLbPJU6NyegEoELei6oHS58/s400/DSC08075.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I know he's definitely gotten a lot bigger now, but it's hard for me to imagine and remember him when he was still so tiny! I still wake up sometimes feeling as if he's grown so much but when I see him every day and because he has grown so quickly, it's hard to remember. To think it hasn't even been half a year yet. He's definitely given me a lot of headaches but when he snuggles up against me or looks at me like that, I can't stay mad as cliche as it sounds.</div>
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<b>August</b></div>
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Mostly uneventful. I think I was trying hard to find a second cat at this time, but at the same time also wavering as it seemed like a lot of commitment. Because, commitment issues I guess.</div>
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<b>September: Austria, France, Germany</b></div>
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Excuse the super awkward pic, but it was my first time fiddling with remotely taking pictures on my camera via my phone! This was taken atop the Hohensalzburg Castle in Salzburg. </div>
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To be perfectly honest, it was the most stressful trip ever. In a nutshell, I broke my phone on the first day, missed a number of flights, and was reminded on how impatient of a person I can be.</div>
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<b>October</b></div>
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Nothing significant here as well, but a bit of self reflection.</div>
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<b>November: San Francisco, London, Iceland & #2</b></div>
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Semi impulsive trip to San Francisco. It's my first time in years in the West Coast without family. It was a nice getaway but unfortunately too short of a trip.</div>
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The second trip to Europe this year was a bit stressful as well because it kind of ended on a bad note (had a minor auto accident) but overall it was better than expected. I don't think I'll be blogging about this trip though. I was able to visit London again - I can't believe it's already been two years. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this before but London will always leave more to be desired.</div>
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On the day I got back from my trip, #2 was delivered to my apartment! </div>
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Don't be deceived by how peaceful he looks! It took weeks before he finally came out from under the bed but he's actually sleeping on my leg right now as I type though. I've drafted a separate post on him, which I may or may not ever get to. It took me four months, but I finally found a friend for Leo! Leo is already a teenager so I'm a bit worried that it'll get more difficult for him to 'learn' how to be a socialized cat, but better late than never. I don't really want to go into too much detail now to keep things short, so maybe I will blog separately after all :P </div>
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<b>December</b></div>
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Uneventful, mostly spent reflecting and helping #2 adapt. </div>
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While writing this post, I realized that it wasn't as quiet as I thought this year. I traveled quite a bit and there were two additions to the family! But for some reason it still feels a bit uneventful in my mind. I'm looking forward to what 2018 may bring :) I hope it'll be full of happiness not only for myself but for everyone as well.</div>
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Until next time~</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-38649868983044497732017-08-09T22:13:00.002-04:002017-08-09T22:13:11.584-04:00Leo<div style="text-align: center;">
Three weeks ago, I brought Leo home!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwaaNfl5ooopjHIKWOVuA3IvNVDRNsF7LhaEfU9GehgGrUG8hcLcgVKLRodrPM9zprzVxeYVAlwWEpyCpZth7XwfXRQqgr9XX75BdTvtUmwAkfNDmt1fwSSn-1RClu_zwgl2uRWkulVgt/s1600/IMG_3558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="1000" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtwaaNfl5ooopjHIKWOVuA3IvNVDRNsF7LhaEfU9GehgGrUG8hcLcgVKLRodrPM9zprzVxeYVAlwWEpyCpZth7XwfXRQqgr9XX75BdTvtUmwAkfNDmt1fwSSn-1RClu_zwgl2uRWkulVgt/s400/IMG_3558.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I actually was only semi-interested when I first saw his profile online, but not enough to go meet him. A week later, I went in to see some other kittens at the shelter, and happened to see him and I wished I had came for him sooner!</div>
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Some of you may know that I've been wanting a cat for the past year. Originally, I wanted a dog (and I still do), but it would be irresponsible to get one because of my schedule. Instead, I became more open to the idea of a cat because I started being around them a lot more and also because they're low maintenance.</div>
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The first day was relatively tame; he remained in the carrier for a while before finally coming out, and even then, he stayed under the bed mostly. He meowed a lot throughout the night. The second day, he opened up a lot more, most likely because he had all day to explore the room and get comfortable. In the beginning, he woke me up a lot in the middle of the night, whether it was meowing, running around, or scratching my pillow. But soon enough, he adjusted to my schedule so he normally sleeps right next to me throughout the night :) </div>
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There's still so much I'm still learning, whether it's related to food, training, and just overall wellbeing of the cat. He's been growing quite a bit too and can be a handful, but he definitely blends into my day to day life now :) </div>
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Maybe I'll do an update on him later on, but until next time~</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-490194803204841142017-05-04T01:19:00.004-04:002017-05-04T01:19:42.362-04:00One year post undergradHey all! So a few days ago marked one year since my last undergrad class and in <2 weeks time would mark the one year anniversary since officially graduating! So I just wanted to do a bit of an update with my life right now haha. I also sort of want to blog (or even just write privately) more on day to day activities just so it's easier to relive certain experiences or moments, although I have to admit a lot of it can be pretty cringe-worthy when I reread them as well.<br />
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Without further ado... starting with work, I actually really do enjoy my job and the type of work that I do. My particular workload is a bit overwhelming because I feel like I haven't had much of a break since October, although the hours haven't been as bad recently. I also like my firm as well, although it's not perfect. There's a lot of downsides to it too, but it's also in line with downsides of the industry.<br />
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My studies haven't really progressed, and I'm still aiming for August to complete all my exams. Grad school is still on my mind, but at the same time it's hard to imagine cutting myself off from this job because as I mentioned, I do like it a lot! In three years, anything can happen.<br />
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Life in the city has been meh. The excuse of being busy of work can only go so far, and at this point (especially since things have slowed down), it's really on me now. So I really need to finish up my exams so I can truly appreciate what the city has to offer. I came here for that reason, so I <i>have</i> to put myself out there.<br />
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But apart from these things, I feel like a lot of different pieces will be coming together in the next few months until the end of the year! These past 24 hours, I've already planned four different trips, two of which have been booked already. Coincidentally, it's one trip every two months, so it's space out very nicely so that there's always something to look forward to. I'm thinking of doing something for December as well, so maybe that'll make it five!<br />
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My lease is almost up and it's a little stressful to think about just given there's a small gap between the last day of my lease and the potential new lease date which is typically on the 1st (mine ends on the 20 something). On top of that, the travels are going to be around the same time, so I'm not entirely flexible with being available to move out during that time frame either, it can only be on a very specific day, which is still TBD. But on that note, when I do move I plan to adopt two kittens!! I've been waiting for this for the past year and I've been increasingly more eager/impatient for this to happen, so I'm looking forward to it so much. Although I just realized that I have to figure out something when I go on those trips that I mentioned!<br />
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Hmm... overall, while things aren't perfect, I do think that there's a lot of things to look forward to :D There isn't a reason why this year wouldn't be great, so hopefully things go as expected! One last note, my birthday is coming up very soon and I feel like I did go through a bit of a quarter-life crisis a few months ago about... feeling old. I know many will just scoff at that, considering I'm not actually that old and in a way, my life is just getting started. At the same time it's not like I'm getting any younger either. I do still feel a bit negatively about the feeling of getting old, but it's not as intense as they were last summer/fall.<br />
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Anyways, until next time!Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-73617725758210347832017-02-07T01:41:00.000-05:002017-02-07T01:41:00.700-05:00-Melodramatic-<i>Disclaimer: Just going to be vague about the topic because I don't actually want to go into what it's about. But the vagueness makes it seem much more dramatic than it really is. So dw, everything is fine. </i><br />
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Things turned out a lot better than I had anticipated, but at the end of the day, it's the end results that matter. Yeah there's the whole experience, blah blah. But there was so much effort and feelings wasted just because of a lame shortcoming of mine. Not to mention, I'm teased by how close I actually was to achieving what I wanted. It's not the end of the world though, just disappointment.Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-36258799958461007872017-01-02T00:30:00.002-05:002017-01-02T00:31:10.261-05:00Happy New Year!! / 2016 in Review<div style="text-align: center;">
Happy New Year!! </div>
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I was planning on staying in last night to just study but ended up going out to Central Park for fireworks. But I did study to/from there, as well as while waiting for the countdown.<br />
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I guess "life changing" events did happen this year, but they're more like milestones. Even so, in a way, it feels like not a lot has happened this year, so that's why this post will be kept short.<br />
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<b>Graduated</b><br />
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Graduated with more than enough credits, but wish I had been able to take electives that I was interested in (mainly language courses) and a bit disappointed that I dropped my minor in my senior year. But I was able to study abroad twice, which not a lot of others get a chance to.</div>
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<b>Traveled to Shanghai and Thailand (Phuket & Chiang Mai)</b><br />
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It was a two week trip but I wish I had stayed for at least a month, as originally planned.</div>
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<b>Moved to New York</b><br />
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Fortunate to say that I graduated without having stressing about unemployment. Thus, I relocated to New York for said job. </div>
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Without going too much into it, I think I did mature/learn a lot on certain levels. I discovered a goal that I would like to strive for, although who knows, maybe it'll change, but it took me 5 years to finally reach one. I learned more about myself in terms of what I seek out. I was able to strengthen existing bonds and form new ones, although some were broken along the way. But it's all part of growing up. Last but not least, I developed an unhealthy worry about aging.</div>
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Enough procrastinating, until next time~</div>
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-60244616203701729592016-10-20T23:12:00.003-04:002016-10-20T23:12:59.116-04:00Update: Moved to New YorkHello, hello. It's been so long. Technically, I did post a few times during the spring/early summer but that barely counts because it just wasn't as in depth as my usual posts. Not necessarily length-wise, but it was just different. As usual, I didn't finish my travel posts either haha. I really doubt I'll get to them... although I haven't been able to clear my phone of the photos until I do! As I sit here writing this, I'm actually procrastinating studying for the CPA. I have no idea how I'm going to get them done before the exam changes/NTS expires but let's hope for the best.<br />
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So as many of you know, or if you haven't really been keeping up with my life, I moved to New York on August 1! And started my job a few days later. My apartment is quite small and old, but for the price and location, I can't really complain too much either. Although I've already had a bunch of freak outs and definitely days where I wanted to LEAVE.<br />
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My room is also tiny and a bit smaller than I would have liked. For reference, I wanted a 10x10, which honestly isn't even that big either, but I'm living in a 8x10 room. The photo above was minutes after moving in. All those plastic bags covered my entire floor, or what little floor I have. There was no room for anything. It took maybe a day or so to clear it off. The floor wasn't too bad because somehow I was able to navigate to the bed. The worst was clearing off my bed:<br />
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But the struggle really came from realizing I didn't have enough drawer/closet space to fit everything so I needed to buy a second clothes rack, so until then (which ended up being ~3 weeks later) I slept with this remaining pile: </div>
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Those plastic bags from earlier actually have a majority of my clothes.. so this was only a fraction of it. Yet... I always seem to end up wearing the same few outfits, hm... Now I have an ugly, out of place clothes rack in my room that takes up 40% of the empty space I used to have.</div>
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This is the closet I have to a room photo:</div>
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You can tell which rack sticks out like a sore thumb... you can also use your imagination for the rest of my room :)</div>
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<i>The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up</i> has been something I picked up recently, and hopefully it'll cure me of my hoarding problem—although, the thought of it saddens me because I love all my things :'(<br />
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I think that I'm adjusting fairly well. It's a really big city with a lot of people, so naturally it can feel lonely—but luckily, I haven't experienced that negatively yet. I befriended some new people, mainly coworkers but for the most part I've kept to myself lately. It doesn't really bother me too much, I think just working and getting home late definitely contributes to it. Because by the time I get home, it's usually 7 or 8. After cooking, eating, and cleaning up, it's already 9:30 or so. By then I just want to sit in bed and watch Gilmore Girls (all the time which could've been spent studying, tsk tsk).<br />
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Just wanted to do a quick update, I think most of this post sums it up. To end the post, I tried to look for nice photos to balance out the ones of my room.. but I was only able to pull up two. I guess my life hasn't been that interesting :'(<br />
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Oh, on that note, another slight update (ish)! I've recently (both in the few months) upgraded! From my iPhone 5 and Sony TX9 to an iPhone 7 Plus and Sony RX100 II. Hopefully my photos reflect that from now on :) Room photos are still with the old phone. Although I find that the 7 has pretty pixilated looking photos?<br />
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Tacos from <b>Los Tacos No.1</b>; Adobada (Marinated Pork) is probably my favorite!</div>
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View from <b>Top of the Rock</b></div>
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Until next time~</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-39180626973486373242016-05-27T23:40:00.001-04:002016-05-27T23:40:36.689-04:00Back in Shanghai!: Part One<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Day 1:</b></div>
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I've only been back for a few days and I already regret not booking a longer trip T_T My original plan from way back was to just do a 1-2 month trip and just live here...because when will I ever get a chance to again? Plus I'm just bumming around until work starts anyways. And I didn't expect to go on a week long trip T_T So I really only have ~5? days in Shanghai after I factor in airport days. </div>
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Anyways, I lost a day because I was going forward in time. I arrived with no problems, and slept most of the way, tbh. I watched Deadpool, The Revenant, and 500 Days of Summer on the plane. </div>
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I arrived in the evening, and my friend and I went to Yershari (耶里夏丽) for Xinjiang food. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1R167_7DYT5gHxAUD3lmoWV-tnWbvyZJAek1_J0F7EU7K9WcNLqeuC3LoZreIpncnwE8T6NaGktD2mBBjyHGRWKYdKH5YHE5AOeEPgHDGz6qwYFSddgGUa0MymTLd-9n_JOfQoFbTByRg/s1600/IMG_0589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1R167_7DYT5gHxAUD3lmoWV-tnWbvyZJAek1_J0F7EU7K9WcNLqeuC3LoZreIpncnwE8T6NaGktD2mBBjyHGRWKYdKH5YHE5AOeEPgHDGz6qwYFSddgGUa0MymTLd-9n_JOfQoFbTByRg/s400/IMG_0589.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The food was good!! And relatively inexpensive too. </div>
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Revisited Nanjing Dong Lu and walked over to the Bund before meeting up with some others at Lujiazui. When I got home, I completely passed out after washing up. </div>
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<b>Day 2:</b></div>
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The next day, I met up with my friend (+others) for lunch at Grandma's Home (老婆家). The service was a tad slow but the food was alright. I didn't really take pictures, but I recommend the shrimp with vermicelli! </div>
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Accidentally ordered this...yep, just a plate of green peas.</div>
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I roamed and loitered around for a bit before heading to Barbarossa (restaurant and lounge), which is located right in People's Square. They have happy hour everyday (50% off drinks!) so we went there for a bit while waiting for a friend to check out his new apartment. </div>
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It was already 10:45PM before we had dinner because it ended up taking longer than expected :( At first we were going to Koreatown because we wanted KBBQ but then the cab driver kept suggesting going to 老外街 instead for more international options, so we drive past 韩国街 and the kept driving and driving. Wtf, but we already knew what we wanted to eat so I dunno why my friend agreed to keep going!! >:( </div>
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So we ended up at this Korean restaurant (forgot the name) in the middle of nowhere because we didn't want to go to 老外街 but the place wasn't too memorable... the meats weren't marinated, so we were just eating grilled meat :| But it was nice to see my friend again!! </div>
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But I was already so tired since much earlier T_T We still stayed out and went to Shakespeare Bar on Yongkang Lu (永康路) to meet up with someone. Ahhh I'm so bad, I was caught dozing a couple of times T_T When we finally went home, I just passed out while sitting (because I was waiting for the bathroom to wash up). Sleepily washed up and completely knocked out. </div>
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<b>Day 3:</b></div>
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Met up with my friend to eat malatang for lunch!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpPsArD0Qjd0XtvfcUArxCNgNhH2ri49EKpJpWKcV1rSIMXRWYnBnyMgB_W1R1N9lm78YZ-5Z5lvllGLfwKV47xSxJOoQwl_o80w1zFybn7FuHwGT60M-SBwgoEaXdM8Ct9c7plZzndAB/s1600/IMG_0605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCpPsArD0Qjd0XtvfcUArxCNgNhH2ri49EKpJpWKcV1rSIMXRWYnBnyMgB_W1R1N9lm78YZ-5Z5lvllGLfwKV47xSxJOoQwl_o80w1zFybn7FuHwGT60M-SBwgoEaXdM8Ct9c7plZzndAB/s400/IMG_0605.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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One of the many things that I missed :(</div>
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And then... I found my heaven T_T</div>
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I actually asked around for a place like this when I was in shanghai before, but I didn't hear of this place! Ugh, regrets. So many regrets.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbC3wEC3ZRbkhcJSXAn4_9Rd7bnYpIWI0hyphenhyphenkvE8z1VIQj2E82zmZQBqLYl36xkZ2XG0VNycZ-9jWUcGjXyMawiGpNpodftYvOCJjZjxFPY7vW-0kiFX3mY_T0sfofiCf970_EdUo5GN_R3/s1600/IMG_0629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbC3wEC3ZRbkhcJSXAn4_9Rd7bnYpIWI0hyphenhyphenkvE8z1VIQj2E82zmZQBqLYl36xkZ2XG0VNycZ-9jWUcGjXyMawiGpNpodftYvOCJjZjxFPY7vW-0kiFX3mY_T0sfofiCf970_EdUo5GN_R3/s400/IMG_0629.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo credit: My friend, Y</span></div>
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My loot... (minus 3 of them)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiN1iwEXO4AtD1Jx8kf8nHRUXaanM5LjF_RdxtxyjkhuFb4ih1smAEQOJyjNJHnZk7ReAgvjUYErSozl2drTS1QwZfU1FfiwqKBUvI3nUWqCW_OXYnrC-GQ9LwLgz888K_F8oOXRROq80i/s1600/IMG_0611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiN1iwEXO4AtD1Jx8kf8nHRUXaanM5LjF_RdxtxyjkhuFb4ih1smAEQOJyjNJHnZk7ReAgvjUYErSozl2drTS1QwZfU1FfiwqKBUvI3nUWqCW_OXYnrC-GQ9LwLgz888K_F8oOXRROq80i/s400/IMG_0611.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Snacking 因为我是胖子。</div>
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So this was part one of my trip in Shanghai! I'm in Phuket now, so I'll blog about that one next. So until next time~</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-7892563305937957012016-05-05T14:24:00.000-04:002017-01-08T15:44:23.825-05:00IIXVII<div style="text-align: center;">
A day that won't be erased. One that I will always carry with me, alone. </div>
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Should it be buried because it's belongs in the past? No, because that would be cheating myself.</div>
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On my way back to that day, I had to relive what was. </div>
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It wasn't my intention to; my goal was that day, not any of the others. </div>
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Even so, buried emotions, promises, potential, and sacrifices resurfaced along the way.</div>
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Endless passings.</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-21648196608664629712016-05-03T15:18:00.003-04:002016-05-03T15:20:18.222-04:00Reoccurring Dreams<div style="text-align: center;">
Just as the title indicates, I keep having dreams with the same theme since the other night. They're kind of related to irl, but I won't really let them affect me because reality hasn't changed :\ Those who don't care simply don't. Not really sure why they would claim otherwise when they only betray and don't even show any sincerity. Why am I still being haunted :(</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-79498901762730120982016-05-01T12:43:00.004-04:002016-05-01T12:46:34.492-04:00Did I have a dream?<div style="text-align: center;">
I don't really remember having one... but woke up today feeling a little down. Kind of like, if I did have a dream, I know what it would've been about. So as soon as I woke up, the feeling kind of transferred. But then if there was no dream, then there is no transfer. Then that would mean I just woke up kind of down. I'm feeling a little overwhelmed right now. Ahhh...</div>
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What's on my mind? Broken promises.</div>
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-25655977859834109512016-05-01T00:40:00.001-04:002016-05-01T00:40:45.323-04:00>:(<div style="text-align: center;">
Why are people so full of shit?</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-64032098278869764432016-04-27T17:23:00.005-04:002016-04-27T17:23:41.982-04:00New Direction<div style="text-align: center;">
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the future—I'm probably borderline obsessed. There were a lot of stressful and sad things on my mind before, but this definitely took my mind off of them. It gives me so much to look forward to. Not sure if this is the first time I've ever looked forward to it so much or not, but as far as I know, I think so. I have so many goals that I want to achieve and just thinking about it excites me so much. I hope to seize many opportunities in the next few years as I work towards my goal :)<br />
<br />
Actually, I just reread a draft I wrote right before my high school graduation. Apparently I was pretty down at that time as well, so it's funny how four years later, I'm at the same place again. Except this time, once I picked myself up, I'm at a better place than just normalizing things. It really feels like a new chapter is about to begin and I can't wait to write it.</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-63601947446710514412016-04-14T18:04:00.002-04:002016-04-14T18:04:43.956-04:00Just a quote.<div style="text-align: center;">
"...Mourning is a romance in reverse..." </div>
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- Thomas Lynch, <i>The Undertaking</i></div>
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It was a quote that was mentioned in class the other day and it kind of stood out to me. How would you interpret it?</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-83036006976316281912016-04-12T08:30:00.003-04:002016-04-12T08:30:49.476-04:00Something New<div style="text-align: center;">
Yesterday, I decided to take the plunge and try something new that I've been curious about for a while now. Someone knows what this is about (ahem). I hope that it turns out well~ but that really depends on my dedication too hahaha so lets hope I stick with it. It's only sad if I do and it still doesn't turn out well T__T Okay, well this is a very vague post. But it's mainly just to mark the start of something new :D It was exciting and took my mind off things, so that's always good!</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-52944651064779908002016-04-04T21:47:00.000-04:002016-04-04T21:47:00.864-04:00Penny for my thoughts #2<div style="text-align: center;">
Don't settle for less than what you deserve.</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-21334816614544254302016-04-01T19:32:00.003-04:002016-04-01T19:32:24.970-04:00Penny for my thoughts<div style="text-align: center;">
If you can't cherish what's in front of you, then the only thing you deserve is losing them. You don't deserve them. But in the first place, you're okay with losing them, so I guess it won't make any difference to you.</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-23725858814172648942016-03-17T08:43:00.002-04:002016-03-17T08:43:58.918-04:00Poof<div style="text-align: center;">
They're gone.</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-22916532840213627732016-03-13T12:25:00.001-04:002016-03-13T12:25:21.266-04:00Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour<div style="text-align: center;">
For spring break, I went to Vermont for snowboarding and on one of the last days, we had a free day so we went to the Ben and Jerry's Factory!! :D </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2ASbKls-b3rfxpTT63KSQ1RCyd79-Ol9YRB1gRZLzySPNLJEnXQwzWb15StvVSndr_kwNtLwFxUfSuUNwdaatjlaDcRbvTc1dxFUmelnkjLGK1jxzgyA69p7KvKkqEyw3LTnkr4s7wbX/s1600/IMG_0354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2ASbKls-b3rfxpTT63KSQ1RCyd79-Ol9YRB1gRZLzySPNLJEnXQwzWb15StvVSndr_kwNtLwFxUfSuUNwdaatjlaDcRbvTc1dxFUmelnkjLGK1jxzgyA69p7KvKkqEyw3LTnkr4s7wbX/s400/IMG_0354.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The tour is broken up into three parts, which totaled 30 minutes:</div>
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1) ~7 minute video about the history of Ben and Jerry's</div>
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2) Seeing the ice cream making process on the mezzanine</div>
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They were cleaning up when we got there though, so nothing was being produced</div>
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3) Sample room where the flavors are made and where they give you ice cream</div>
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Apparently they just launched a Cookies and Cream Cheesecake flavor this week.. ahhh I'll probably go get some when I drag myself out</div>
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The sample they had was Brown Bourbon Butter (??) flavored and it was actually really good!</div>
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Debated between a shake and ice cream.. just because why not if I'm there. Mistakes were made. </div>
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Back of the factory</div>
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Afterwards, we went to the Cabot Annex Store which was only a few minutes drive, practically down the street.</div>
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Lots of cheese and syrups out for sample</div>
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And right next door to Cabot was a Smugglers' Notch Distillery<br />
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Tasting with a choice of 4 out of 6 spirits for $3</div>
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Lastly, we finished up the day before heading back with a late lunch..at 4pm.<br />
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Blackened Salmon Tacos @ The Reservoir</div>
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Overall, it was nice to finally visit the factory because it's something that I've wanted to do for a while now, but there's not a lot to expect from it, tbh. I wouldn't say it's a letdown because it's something to cross off my bucket list, but it's really nothing special.</div>
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Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-1472756829548016182016-01-18T06:15:00.004-05:002016-01-18T06:15:41.441-05:00Final Semester of Undergrad<div style="text-align: center;">
School starts again on Tuesday. It's going to be a busy semester because I'm overloading again and really aiming to push my GPA as much as I can, since it'll be my last chance to do so. It might seem unnecessary because I already have a full-time job after graduation, but I don't think it ever hurts to have it as high as it can be. Who knows, I might end up going to grad school in the future as well, so it'll come in handy.</div>
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In the meantime, I already have a bunch of readings assigned to be prepared before class :( They're not too bad, but ahhh I hate reading. So I'm dreading the semester in a way. I have lots and lots of studying to do, but I also want to be able to play. :( </div>
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Either way, I hope to have a good spring because it's the last time I'll be in this city for a while.</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-58001612669246541132016-01-08T06:19:00.000-05:002016-01-08T06:19:09.153-05:00Paris: Château de Versailles (Palace of Versailles) <div style="text-align: center;">
During the first week of November, I went on a trip to Paris with a group of friends. We took the Eurostar and it's about a 2.5 hour train ride from St. Pancras to Gare Du Nord. Tickets were about £160 but they can definitely be bought for cheaper if you book ahead of time. I booked mine a bit later. </div>
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It was pretty annoying because the train broke down halfway there so it stopped for a bit and we also had to switch to another train. They reimbursed us for a cab but that was it. We ended up getting to the hostel three hours later than scheduled at 2:00AM :( It was a bit weird because the cab driver would only take cash.. not sure if that's a thing or not but luckily one of us did have cash.</div>
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I stayed at a hostel about half an hour from city centre. If you want more info about where I stayed, just let me know!<br />
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Anyways, our main activity of the day was the Palace of Versailles because we only had two days for activities and we have to deal with luggage on Sunday, so Saturday was the best day to go. I would say plan to spend ~3 hours at the palace. The RER C towards 'Paris - Versailles Rive Gauche' goes directly here, with a ~5 minute walk.</div>
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We went to the McDonalds outside the station to grab some food and was surprised to see these machines that you order with O_O McDonalds is pricier in Paris than in the States and comparable to eating elsewhere, so I would rather eat elsewhere instead.</div>
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We bought the Passport tickets online and it gives access to the Palace and Musical Garden. But we didn't even go to the Garden.. we actually thought the garden in the back (which everyone had access to) so we were confused why we needed the extra access. Ah wells..</div>
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I had a light breakfast so I was pretty hungry T_T We went back into the city to a place called <b>La Cuisine de Bar</b> and they serve tartines. It's next door to a bakery that seemed famous for these biscuits that you eat with coffee; every customer left with a bag of those.<br />
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I ordered the set, which came with a salad/soup, wine/water, tartine, and tea/coffee.<br />
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Smoked duck tartine; the duck was a bit dry and there wasn't a lot so I only mainly tasted the cheese.</div>
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Foie gras tartine</div>
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Smoked salmon tartine</div>
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After lunch, everyone separated to do their own thing. I ended up going wine shopping, while others went drinking or shopping.</div>
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We met up at <b>Le Temps des Cerises</b> for dinner, but I was running late cuz I got lost T_T and spent an hour trying to figure out directions. </div>
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Escargot & Charcuterie </div>
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Steak tartare--SO GOOD T_T</div>
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We were going to head to the Eiffel Tower to see it at night but then decided to just head back because it was getting too late and the trains would stop running. We also had to wake up early for the next day, and our schedule was packed with running around the city to hit all the major tourist spots. I'm dreading going through those photos since there's so many more. T_T<br />
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Anyways, until next time!</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7690427934832546165.post-2420444302148671022016-01-07T03:57:00.003-05:002016-01-07T03:57:36.057-05:00Happy New Year!<div style="text-align: center;">
Hi, </div>
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I kind of just disappeared this summer without any word but I haven't really been too motivated to blog. I'm still very behind with my travel posts so at this point, I don't know if they're even worth blogging about since it's been nearly a year already. Maybe I'll just do a picture spam of them though.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhoF8YwTuM4TcHTOkqrwNR1znZc4Ho1wpwMlU49UGkjWETjOHn7bmXXRhGVzeXY6Jj3EV9KgUoNy_6dXj3bTeKo-XHn74we9ln5tqtyS3xZ7ugdrMkeZ278tYExwukbpoTzi3LoSzM6fl/s1600/DSC07381.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzhoF8YwTuM4TcHTOkqrwNR1znZc4Ho1wpwMlU49UGkjWETjOHn7bmXXRhGVzeXY6Jj3EV9KgUoNy_6dXj3bTeKo-XHn74we9ln5tqtyS3xZ7ugdrMkeZ278tYExwukbpoTzi3LoSzM6fl/s400/DSC07381.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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For those of you who don't know, I was abroad in London this past fall. I really do like the city, it's very beautiful and has the urban feel that I desire. I don't really think I'll blog about the experience though. While I love the city, there were circumstances that prevented me from fully diving into the experience. But in a sense, that is an experience in itself. I would definitely love to come back to London, it's fairly close by, just separated by the ocean. London is such an expensive city though :(</div>
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My main resolution is to be a better friend!! I feel like I neglect people a lot/don't show my appreciation well, so I'm hoping to improve on that!<br />
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I don't have too much to say, so until next time!</div>
Jessicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09737877160262656025noreply@blogger.com0