Some Adjustments
So, as I evaluate how 2007 is going so far, I think it is time to make some adjustments. There are a few things that won't happen in February, such as 2 weeks of insane tennis-watching, so on one hand I should have a bit more time. On the other hand I have my first midterm for Biochem and for Orgo so I better watch out.
Surprisingly enough I have kept to my language-studying schedule. I just haven't really done much studying of each language on each day. So to facilitate learning some of the other languages better, I'm stopping my study of Portuguese temporarily. I'm going to try to study some French, Italian, and Croatian twice each week. I can't seem to get any of my French, Croatian, etc., music loaded onto my mp3 player (it is being fickle again), so I'm listening to Spanish music still. I will still try to read the news in Spanish, though I don't read much news.
Reading-wise, I am still only 150 or so pages in Monkey, a translated version of Journey to the West, which is an old Chinese story. The translator didn't translate all 100 chapters, so I'm about halfway through. After that I will read some of McKillip's Riddle-Master Trilogy since I bought the book a while ago and never got down to reading it. I used to read more when I went to the gym to bike, but now I spend much more time at research. I still haven't gotten very far in research despite those hours, unfortunately.
Sports-wise, I will probably switch over to watching mostly soccer through livestream and a few college basketball games. Bundesliga just started up today, so I should have plenty to watch. I need to watch less Premiership because I'll get sick of it too soon. Actually I just feel like I need to round out my experience and I really need to watch some Serie A as well. Plus, I can't be supporting the British that much. It's against my nature.
Class-wise, I caught up with studying for the most part and I am preparing for the biochem midterm now. Why a week and half early? Because there is a shitload of stuff that I need to know. If people thought biochem 1 was hard, this may be worse. Well it's more like the end of biochem 1, which was damn hard. I can't remember all these pathways.
Blogging-wise, I hope this blog gets a bit more livelier, though my life may be getting more and more monotonous. I just need to keep writing stuff, because if I keep writing daily, I should retard the degradation of my writing skills. Plus I should practice new vocabulary. Maybe blog in German or Spanish or something. That would be funny.
Wow, where is January going?
Only 10 more days left in January and I haven't done anything. I feel like I have to grow up too fast. Sometime this spring I need to start looking up grad schools and figuring out what I am really doing with my life. Fun times. I still feel like if I decide to go into Medicinal Chemistry that I need to have more lab experience. Right now I'm growing bacteria and eventually I should be able to determine properties of mutagens of it, if I ever get there. Molecular biology sucks. I think I should go back to organic.
In terms of the Australian Open, all of my favorite players were eliminated by yesterday. No one made it to the second week. On the men's side, it was rather hopeful, since none of them had the greatest of draws, but on the women's side, I hoped to see at least Amelie or Svetlana in the quarters. And 6 of my guys lost last night. It was pretty taxing.
On the other hand, I did manage to sneak in watching the US vs. Denmark friendly and I almost cried with happiness when I saw that Jonathan Bornstein started. Well, not really that happy but it was awesome to see him in a USMNT jersey (though I still think the jerseys are ugly). He didn't look the best, but he seemed to improve and he did score nicely off of Justin Mapp's cross. I am happy for Justin Mapp too. Sacha didn't play, but Bradley hinted that he might show up later (maybe Guatemala) so I am optimistic. Well at least Sacha should be playing for Chivas. His brother was drafted by the Galaxy, so I have another person to stalk (just kidding)!
By the way, ussoccer.com is a great resource for "stalking" U.S. soccer players who are part of the national team scene. Studio 90 just has the most random stuff.
Aussie Open and 2 weeks of TV!
I decided I should post and remind you that I am still alive, and that it's not really class that is eating my time, but rather research and "information gathering" of other types. I haven't really spent much time trying to learn these new languages, and I'm trying to catch up on my Biochem reading, and also trying to knit a piano scarf. I've played a little bit of Suikoden V again, and watched someone else play some FFXII, which I don't know when I'll play, but whatever. Australian Open will be taking up almost all of my free time starting this Sunday! I am so damn excited it's not even funny.
Here's the luck of the draw for my favorites.
AO Seeds (1st round opponent)
Men
9. Mario Ancic (Go Soeda)
14. Novak Djokovic (Nicolas Massu)
18. Richard Gasquet (Filippo Volandri)
26. Marat Safin (Benjamin Becker)
unseeded Gael Monfils (Daniele Bracciali)
unseeded Joachim Johansson (Guillermo Garcia-Lopez)
Women
2. Mauresmo (Shenay Perry)
3. Kuznetsova (Jessica Moore)
9. Safina (Ekaterina Bychkova)
13. Ivanovic (Vania King)
unseeded Vania King (Ana Ivanovic)
The unluck of the draw was that Vania has to play Ana (I will root for Ana in this match), and Joachim can go against Mario in the 2nd round (I will root for Mario in this match). Novak has a tricky match against Nicolas Massu, who used to be in the top 20 (I think) and won the 2004 Olympics (does anyone remember that at all?). I think Benjamin Becker beat Andre Agassi at the U.S. Open last year...hmm... Well I hope they show some Mario vs. Pimpim since it's pretty unlikely they will show either of those first round matches. And Gael, depending on his form, may or may not go through the first round. I also realized that I really don't recognize so many names on the women's draw as I should. It's just not deep enough still.
In other sports news, David Beckham is moving to MLS to play for the LA Galaxy. Now I can hate them and be a true Chivas USA supporter! Haha. Actually I don't like this that much because I love the league's almost anonymous stars that get those 15 minutes of fame. Now will they get any? It's going to make stalking Sacha Kljestan that much harder. I will have to record all the U.S. friendlies (even if I don't watch them, though I think I will) just to see the piece on Jonathan Bornstein. The regular guys on MLS are just so chill. And the way Jonny B worked his way up from obscurity basically (Cal Poly) to UCLA to MLS starter to USMNT training camp is just so awesome...I love these hidden jewels.
Happy 2007!
I'm back, finally. Seattle was cold and rainy half the time, though we brought in a few sunny days. We spent only one day actually in Seattle, visiting Pike's Place, Chinatown/International District, and a park. No space needle because we heard that the view wasn't that good and that it was a rip off. I didn't expect Seattle to be hilly, but I'm of course incredibly slow and it was hilly because Michigan has like nothing.
2006 was a crazy year. I can't believe I took 4 semesters of class and basically lived in Ann Arbor like a hermit. I also can't believe that I'll be applying to graduate schools in October. Well I started my research yesterday, so I don't feel completely screwed.
I've been a bit lost without my computer. Yeah, it's coming up today sometime. I'm also getting ballet gear so that will be fun...and also food! I don't know if I really miss that as much as I miss having a PS2 or having my knitting project that I actually want to work on. By the way, I found this pattern to make "piano" scarves so I will try that as soon as I get my black yarn up. This would have actually been the best time to have a PS2 because I haven't done anything for school yet. I have FFXII, Valkyrie Profile, Grandia III, Tales of the Abyss, and Disgaea 2 waiting if I don't decide to play Suikoden V. At least I beat Xenosaga over the break.
I can't help but insert some sports news in here. After all, I came straight from the airport so I could see the Michigan vs. Illinois game on Wednesday night, and that was awesome as a Wolverine. Also, tennis has started up again and I'm all excited about my favorites. Those English soccer leagues (as well as the Dutch) are crazy and played throughout the whole holiday break, but the other leagues are returning within these next few weeks. The training camp for the USMNT also started a few days ago and I'm just so happy that Sacha and Jonathan were called in!
Goals for this year? Well I hope I get some good research done, as well as tackle my ambitious language learning project, which is to learn the basics of French, Italian, Portuguese, and Croatian. I'm such a Europhile. Despite this whole "internationalization" or whatever it is, I still need these other languages in order to find unique and interesting articles on my favorite athletes (because most of them are not American or British). I also want to brush up on my Chinese, as always, but for some reason that is just not as appealing...
I also wish I would be less materialistic, but in reality I'm such a money-whore.
