• Beading
• Sewing
• Drawing (that’s a lie!)
• Coloring
• Reading
• Practicing Korean
• AND.. I do Origami.

Now, out of all those, guess which one’s I actually started back up? Origami and reading. haha.

The others.. hmm, I don’t feel like beading, and I haven’t the supplies to sew.. and no coloring books to color! [I tried drawing on Tuesday,.. I stenciled some stars and colored them, teehee.]

ANYWHO… Back to my intentional reason for blogging!

Since I took up origami again, I figured “I have all this free time, I should do something productive!” So, I decided to use up three designs of my paper to make turtles!. now, these turtles are so tiny that you can’t tell what they are unless you’re told, or you guess until you’re right. =^_^=

I would like to show off my origami skills [which are lacking] before I show you the amount of paper I will fold.

This is my origami; the only place I could find so they were out of the way, but still visible: On top of the book shelf. =D

Here is a closer picture of all of it. I’m not sure what the two in the front would be called, they are from the same fold but with different number of paper added. The green and tan is 4 and the yellow and blue is 5. -The vases are filled with 3D octagons and the cup is where the interests is drawn this time around.

TURTLES!

I’ve been wondering how to make turtles for a few months (back when I had no clue about this kind). So a friend of mine and I looked up the different types of turtles to make, and this one we like best. Altogether there are about 120 turtles in the glass and on the shelf around it. I had  in mind.. to make 1,000.

Isn’t that how it goes when you fill a jar with origami anyway? =P

So, I’ve decided to fold three designs out of my origami stock. I have a goal of folding all of these into individual teeny tiny turtles by the end of Sunday.

The yellow square on the far left are the size the paper should be when folding the turtles, and the far right is the original size. Although I didn’t count the amount of large squares I had  before I started downsizing, I will let you know the total amount when my goal is reached!

Until then! Happy Camping!

Marine debris is an international issue; the plastic within the oceans is a growing problem, it is affecting the marine life.  The marine property is unclaimed, and many people find it inconsequential to dump their plastic wastes overboard.  Not all garbage in the oceans is visible along the coast; there is also a “garbage-patch” in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  There is little hope that the ocean will be in the pristine condition it once was before the trash. The waste has many sources, and is constantly transferred throughout the oceans by wind and currents.

Turtle with plastic in mouth, thinking it was food. (guecoaction.blogspot.com)

Cruise ships, commercial fishing, beach going citizens, street gutters, and ocean drilling rigs all contribute to the plastic in the seas.  More than 135 thousand tons of plastic trash is dumped annually by fishing and naval ships.  Another 149 thousand tons are from fishing gear such as nets, buoys, and traps while 26 thousand tons are contributed by packaging alone.  Cruise ships, including cargo and crew wastes, also leave around 7 million tons in the ocean annually.  Styrofoam cups, plastic bags and other small plastic items are dropped on the street, washed down the rain gutters, into rivers and streams and eventually into the oceans.  Other sources such as park beaches and oil and gas ocean rigs also have growing numbers of plastic contributions.  All this trash must travel somewhere; it is pushed by the currents and winds throughout the oceans. For the majority of this garbage, it is swirled into a large area by the pacific gyre currents where it stays due to the circling water.

In the middle of the Pacific Ocean are two patches the size of the African continent. These patches are not land, but rather garbage, 80% of which is plastic. Charles Moore discovered the great patch of trash in 1988 while sailing back to the mainland from Hawaii. Moore is the founder of Algalita Marine Research Foundation, and has dedicated his life to researching the ocean.  He and his crew members are focused on a northern section (twice the size of Texas) of the Western Garbage Patch.  Some of the products Moore found on the outskirts of the patch were floating Styrofoam cups, tangled rope, thousands of plastic bags along with snack bags such as chip bags, zip-lock baggies, and candy wrappers. Most of this trash is suspended beneath the surface and is being broken down by the seawater and sunlight. The pieces of plastic are broken down into smaller and smaller pieces; there is already dust and sand plastic along the Pacific beaches and covering the Pacific Ocean floor.  The gargantuan mass of plastic is not only taking over our seas, but is also affecting the food web of marine life.

Plastic is being broken down into smaller pieces and is invading the food web. Birds, turtles, sea lions, and other marine animals mistake the plastic for food or are tangled up in the plastic and suffer. Plastic bags are mistaken for jelly fish and are consumed by turtles; pieces of hard floating plastic are eaten by birds; and animals such as sea lions, birds, and turtles get entangled in plastic six-pack rings. There is a layer within the ocean just beneath the surface that is known as “plastic soup”, it is sludge; plastic that has been broken down into tiny pieces and that resemble zooplankton and small marine life. In a sample container the plastic soup outnumbers the amount of plankton by six to one. Charles Moore has no hope of the oceans being as clean as they once were before all of the ocean trash, but some organizations and researchers are indeed trying to at least stop the problem at the sources.

plastic (pajaritoeec.org)

Extensive research by the United States has been done, but no apparent solution to the marine debris has been made.  There is neither the understanding needed nor information on how to completely rid the oceans of the trash. These decisions should also be considered with the United Nations and not only within one country because the ocean is unclaimed. On a smaller scale, there are people like Charles Moore that are doing their part by trying to clean the oceans, and others such as companies who are making plastic biodegradable.

The oceans of the world are being polluted by all our plastic waste, and the marine life is also affected. Trash comes from all over the world, and drifts everywhere. Most of the trash in the Pacific Ocean is concentrated in two areas called the garbage patch of the pacific.  There are few people attempting to clean up what the rest of us humans caused by picking up what trash they can. There are others that are thinking about future of our waste, and how to decrease the amount of refuse that humans produce.  Whatever happens in the future, the oceans will never be in the same condition as they were before all the trash we dumped overboard.

It was Such a nice day today.

So, update on my well being: I.am.still.sick. I actually finished my medicine, and the next day- I was sick! so yeah, on medicine again. This time, 4 times a day. Wasn’t able to work this week, first time was yesterday for 3 hours. Today I was in the office for 4 hours. I have a feeling that I am not going to get better by the time I finish my medicine. >.>

So… I think will look into another branch of my bog to put up pictures of kpop! (My real love) ^^ :3

didn’t have time to say goodbye to my friends!!! T_T

Of all the friends that left, I didn’t say goodbye to any of them! especially ERIC!! X_X He just text me saying he was leaving and thanked me for all I’ve done. WTH!!!

I don’t want to think about it. ~.~ I’m going to miss him alot, even though I didn’t like how he talked soo much about useless things. bleh~~

I so don’t feel like writing now that I came across Eric in my thoughts. Just put me in a bad mood. He’s worse than Bi from first semester!

9999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999

I’m seriously thinking about a new laptop, and a car. ^^ There’s a friend of mine that wants to sell her car, so I’m going to look into it. Not much news since I’m broke and all my friends left. That’s it for now. I don’t want to update anymore because Eric threw off my mood!! Garrr… lol adios!!

PROCEDURE!! I was given an IV for fluids, pain meds, a steroid for swelling, and antibiotic. I went in at 3:30pm. and walked out, pain-free, at 7:45. It was indeed a long process, but I began to feel thankful by the time they stuck me for the 5th time and got the IV hooked up. I went back the next day to pick up the script, only to find out I had to wait another day AND almost get denied the script because one of the nurses that tended to me took it but never brought it to me. ~.~ Like I said, Terrible stuffs…  In the end, I was able to visit my brother, his gf (Mo) and the gf’s family. The family was also very helpful, I can’t thank them enough for what they did. <3

I made it home today, and am started on the medication. I don’t know what it looks like school wise though. I was scheduled for a test that Thursday, but couldn’t even swallow water. I think I will rest one more day, and return on Tuesday. I only pray that my instructors and boss will be as nice and lenient as my brother and Mo’s family.

AS FOR A MORE GENERAL UPDATE >>>>

I have 5 days of classes, 2 finals and 1 project. Am also moving out of my current apartment and into a new one on the 7th of May. I will be living with 3 people, and the only one paying the rent. My REAL roommate will be in summer school, and will be living on-campus till July. I hope it works out, I really want to help my friends (the ones that are staying with me), and make sure they get up on their feet. I know what it’s like to be without money AND a place to stay once school is out.

Also, My friend NJ has decided to stay here for the summer, working for facility services. He is not happy with the job, but he understands that it will allow him to stay till the next semester. I don’t understand why he dislikes his country. He is the first to speak ill things about it, just that he would rather stay in the US than go home. Hmmm. Another Korean named K is staying also, I’m not too close with this one, but I have a feeling we will be close by the time the Fall semester ends.

this will not be too long, I promise!!

On another note, I’ve decided to change my major to Biology and stay here in Spearfish. I basically reverted to my original plan when I first came to college. I still plan to study abroad in Seoul, and think it will happen in another 2 years. I just hope I can still contact my Korean friends then; they might be all over the city/ country working by then. ~.~

I think that’s it for my updates. I think I should add more of a hobby-style to this blog. or maybe make another, just for my hobby?? Hmm, I’ll have to look into it. not sure what I’ll post. For sure my favorite pictures of celebrities, LOL and maybe news about One Way, because I really want others to learn about them, they are a great group. XD

I found a new method of teaching NJ, and he likes it, thank goodness. I had a good time tonight, only us two at the table (usually only us 2 when tutoring), even when we finished. Eric was over at a table with plugs for his laptop. I think I mislead Eric Saturday night. ~.~ Julia txtd him and I said she likes him. I haven’t a clue why I did that. Maybe a part of me wanted him to get close with other girls, or maybe I was just tired of all his  Jonghwan-ness and needed to share it with others… ? bahahaha, right~~

BACK ON TRACK, I gotta say, I’m connecting with my new Korean friends on a totally different level than any other international friends I’ve made thus far.  I heard some things about a boy and girl that I could have gone without knowing. He made her cry. And he told me like it wasn’t a big deal. Why would he do that? Maybe he’s comfortable with me. Any-who,  yeoja has a boyfriend back home, and I guess the gist of it is that namja made her cheat. o.O AND THEN she  was crying today because of it. “Why did you do it?” I ask, “I wanted her to feel pleasure,” he says. His English isn’t something to brag about, but with that sentence, I understood. *Shock* I have a different angle of namja now, He says he doesn’t have a girlfriend, and I’m a little happy; I wonder if he would have told his girlfriend if he had one? because I KNOW that he still would have done it, so it saved an innocent girl in Korea some tears.

choi=right, young=left

SPEAKING OF KOREANS. I have this school girl crush on one of the guys. I never get to talk to him though!! Today he was in the library, which is out of the ordinary.  I sat across from him for a few minutes (*Giggles*) while he was visiting with NJ, and I Eric. He kept looking over at me (peripherals is an amazing tool!) between talking and listening.    (I’m smiling SOOOO big atm!)  This is the Korean guy that I first noticed on campus. I saw him outside a lot in the beginning, then I was able to bump into him, he’s tall! Maybe a few cm more than NJ (?) who is 180cm.  Even if I can never talk to him again, I’m so happy that I at least talked with him once.

• I’m pretty sure I told everyone about this soon after it happened. I was in the Center and he and Young walked by. *Sigh* Perfect. thinking of how he nudged my arm reminds me of when I felt up that Japanese guy’s arm at the Anime convention a few summers ago, rofl.  I get the feeling that he has something wrong with him, so he won’t work properly, like a lisp, or is gay (I know, totally random!). Oh how I wish we we’re on a talking basis! But we’re only on a nod-smile-and-say-hello-basis, there’s also the “see you” we exchanged today. LMAO. I’m totally all over this guy! what’s wrong with me! HE DOESN’T EVEN TALK! — I don’t know what it is, I’m just attracted to him. HHAAAA~~~

MOVING ON before I give myself a heart attack. I guess I can jump back to the Jonghwan issues. Eric stayed the night Friday because I’m the nicest friend he has, no -just kidding. He came back a few days before dorms opened up, so I let him stay. Anyways, We talked about -scratch that- he talked about  so many different things, his sister, his sister’s issues, his family, even his medical conditions. I think I was able to get a few “ahh”, “Really?” and “I see” on each subject.  Then it was time for bulgogi! It was a new experience. I think we made something similar to a bulgogi and stir-fry love-child. There was cabbage peppers onions and carrots. bahaha, it was fun though. It looked like Eric never cooked a day before in his life because the way he was cutting the veggies. Made enough for the two of us. After dinner he  DLed some more movies, I think he got “Legion” and “Case 39″. Wow this guy; Now, by this time I’ve been thinking how to bring up my topic and honestly I just couldn’t see an opening! past the movie, we wanted to watch another but couldn’t agree on which one, so he said just sleep. (=D lol) Now, I’m  a pretty nice person when it comes to requests, he asked to sleep on my floor, so I let him. Last time he stayed the night, he just about froze! and the thermostat was at 75! I bet he has poor circulation -he should exercise.  I couldn’t actually sleep until he decided to stop talking, which took about 25 minutes from the time I laid down.  Eric was quiet, he wasn’t doing homework, he wasn’t mad at me, and he wasn’t going anywhere. NOW’S MY CHANCE! I thought. In the end I fell asleep before I could ask. I don’t know why I kept quiet. Maybe I didn’t want to know his answers.

• I did text him the next day(Sat) though; asked him if he had a gf  in Korea. I did not hear a word from him till today (Mon). I guess that’s a yes? Otherwise he’s thinking I want to be that person. Whatever it was, he was looking at me differently this afternoon. I didn’t notice it later in the evening because I was with NJ the whole time, but I bet it would have still been there.  (uh-oh~)

JUMPING AGAIN. this time to the future~ O.O since I’m a member of SIFE now, I need to volunteer for events and such. As a result, I’m going to Minnesota for the regional competition; I don’t really understand what happens there, or what we need to do. But I get to run the power point! Nice~

Ah, yes. My kitten is rather ridiculous, and he makes that clear with the things he does to keep himself occupied. like jumping out of the curtain to scare me and bite my foot.Then run under the television stand for cover. Once he calmed down a bit, I snapped a photo of him. He looked so funny sitting behind the curtain.

ALICE IN WONDERLAND<3 ^-^

The movie was good. Did I already blog about this? I’m not sure, so I’ll just do it again :3 After the movie we walked over to Safeway. *Yuka came along, so it was more fun than just two of us.* the girls talked about the movie the whole way back to my place. How they loved it, and how they want to watch it again. I liked it, but I wouldn’t pay to watch it in theatres twice.  My favorite part of the movie was Cheshire. I loved the color of his stripes and eyes. Maybe that’s all, just the pure brightness of his colored eyes. ^-^ His colors in this rendition were better than the purple of the cartoon version before this. =p

by the time we got back to the apartment, we had already called in our order to Domino’s. We decided on “Nausicaa” because the girls hadn’t seen it before. Pizza came, and we had a blast. Pizza, pop, buffalo wings, cinnastix, and ice cream for dessert. that’s how it was; the last time I spent time with anyone this week. LOL.

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OH! Syl called and we’re gonna go to Applebee’s tonight! Yay, I have friends! lol. Jk.

Last Week

• Last week I started language exchange with 김 남중, and So far I’m not sure how to do the English part. He has a conversational book and a grammar book, and wants to practice listening and speaking. I forget that he’s  older than I because he’s an easy-going guy, but when it comes to Korean time, he is serious and sometimes disappointed. I don’t study enough which means I’m slow when it comes to reading aloud the conversations in my textbook.  *Jammin to Cascada atm*
• So, Sunday night was English. 오빠 brought his convo book and we decided that I would read sentences and he would find words he didn’t understand and discuss them. And when I read, he would say back to me the definitions of words I pick from that sentence. I thought it went a little bumpy, but what to expect from the first English meet’n’ right? Then I assigned him some homework and asked him to read aloud his fill-in-the-blanks from the review section. Eric came over -needed to study for exam on Monday- and was all giddy. He wanted to come to my house! AND stay the night!!
• I get the feeling that Eric has a girlfriend. But on the other hand, why does it feel like he’s trying to be closer than just friends? Maybe that’s just his personality. Says things like “you’re adorable” and “I want to see you in your dinner etiquette clothes” (why didn’t he go then? ). SHEESH this kid. ANYWHO back to the story. He decided to come sit with us while we were reviewing stuff. I asked whether he was called Eric with his Korean friends back home, and he said something like: yeah because it’s a handsome name. haha, I laughed inside. then he said something about girlfriends and having over one hundred of them. “Want to be one?” he asked me. I wonder what he would’ve done if I said yes? Told him no and that he should study.
• That wasn’t the last time I would here about the boy/girl relationship stuff with him.  Monday it happened again! Eric was preparing for another test, and Peter comes over and sits down. Eric was asking meto write a sentence for him I was being a dork, saying he needs to do it himself and stop telling me what to do. XD Peter asks me if I am dating him. I was a  little shocked, but that was the second time I was asked this.  – I shake my head while facing Peter, who was sitting across from me. Eric says “Yes, we are dating”, and was sitting next to me. I just kept shaking my head and avoided eye contact with Eric for a few minutes. I hope he was just joking and I hope that he doesn’t want it to come true.

The Overnight Guests. Eric was avoiding his exam he had Monday afternoon, and NJ just came along to keep us both company.  I made some Ramen and turned on the TV for them. NJ  was very polite and offered to help with the cooking, while Eric  just talked about random things to me and Korean to NJ. After we ate Eric wanted to play Monopoly. Since he is the elder, NJ  and I had no choice but to play with him. I grabbed the game, set it up and we began to play. By this time it was around 11:30pm. after an hour we began to get bored since NJ had most of the property, but Eric and I had random pieces and no one was going to dominate the Monopoly world tonight. We decided that NJ  won and then got ready for bed. (Didn’t Eric say he was going to “pull out the midnight oil” for his test?). I got them blankets and jacked up the thermostat so they won’t freeze. In the morning woke up about 6:30, took a shower and woke up Eric at 7:00. He started to study at the kitchen table and I made some breakfast. NJ somehow ended up  on the floor after Eric woke up.

TONIGHT I’m chillen with 하라. We are going to watch Alice and then get some ice cream and order pizza and watch Miyazaki movies! I’m excited for it. I’m meeting her at 6pm to walk to the theatre and then head to Safeway to pick up the ice cream from there and head back to my place.  Let’s see how this movie is, and how tonight will turn out. ^_^

In the office I attempted to make some order of the big mess of labels and the “can’t find” pile and the new papers to file. I’m not trying to gripe, but it would be nice if there were other work-study there that would also WORK. (SHH-don’t tell anyone )

After work I researched some apartments in Hawaii- more like in Manoa. All I could find were $1,200-$2,050 per month! It’s insane. Sami said she’s looked into other apartments also, and has found some that are near the same price as some here in Spear. That’s great news for me. I can care less about what the apartment looks like as long as it has a place to store my clothes and necessities, a place to cook, a place to shower, and a place to sleep. <3  I’m trying to keep this new development to myself because of my mother’s reaction last night. It’s really difficult to talk about next year when I very well might be in the middle of the Pacific then! Seriously looking into it though. I think I’ll need to sell most of my things since I don’t live with my family and I know they aren’t capable of storing my things (I have sooo much stuff these days!!).  Will miss the people I’ve met and the bonds I’ve made here in Spear. but I thought about it and if I go there, there will be more opportunities for me than this place could ever offer.

I want to find ways to make this blog look nice!! I also like this concept- putting down my thoughts and activities of the day. This way friends that I’m not with everyday can also know what I’m doing and feel like he/she was there. =3 It’s about 9:40 now and I still need to shower.  Tomorrow will be chemistry- only class- and then work and then chemistry homework!! XP

Take Care Karissa. I hope we meet before I move.

“Wanna go move to Hawaii with me?” was the question. Hmm, now most people would have taken this as a joke, and asked her why she is moving there/ what she would do there. But noooo, I am surely running on some other channel than everyone else. “Really? When are you moving” I say. And so it began. the beginning of my new dreams. The end of my science front. And the big change in my life.

Now, I know this doesn’t seem to be too epic/ a big deal. but I started asking about the university, and what sort of science programs it had. I must ponder this more, and research the university. I thought to myself. And soon enough, there I was. Looking into the  University of Hawaii – Manoa.

Now. Everyone that knows me well, knows that I like Asian Things. All Asian Things are amazing/ a gift. I can’t explain why I feel this way, but I’ve known since my freshman year of college that I will somehow integrate All things Asian some way or another into my lifestyle.  Right now, I must sound like some off-her-rocker-sort-of-crazy-person, But I’m just getting out my thoughts on the subject and filling in those who don’t know me.

ANYWHO – - BACK TO THE STORY. I found this Language and Culture college at UH Manoa. AND FELL IN LOVE. Right then, I knew what my path was. Linguistics. And that same year, from when I fell in love with all-things-asian, I also found the culture I would follow forever: Korea.

so now, this is where I stand.

Sami plans to move to Hawaii in late summer. I told her I will accompany her. She does not want to go alone, but that is not the main reason why I am also going. I found what I’m supposed to do with my life. I’ve always thought that I would never teach. NEVER. never ever teach, not math, not science, not even in preschool. but here I am. I found what I truly love, and teaching is a way I can be immersed in this love everyday of my life.

All that awaits is my acceptance into UH Manoa. I am gun-ho for this. I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life. THIS is what I need. This is what needs to happen. BUT if-in the end- I am not accepted, I will still move to Hawaii with Sami. And I will still try to reach this goal. be it through another university, or through some other means, such as getting my teaching certificate for teaching ESL. I Will.

School so far is going smoothly, I’ve had three exams, and believe I have passing grades in those classes. this weekend is a three-day weekend, but I think I’ll be staying home. I didn’t plan to go anywhere for such a short time. I only plan for the BIG holidays, like Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break (SB).

Outside of class I’m happy. I know at least the Koreans from the international group that is here. I also am friends with the Japanese. I know a guy from Nepal as well. I know there are more International Students (IS) than this, but I can’t seem to find the

time to meet with them -to be honest, knowing only the Asian group is more than fine with me. ^_^

the apartment is feeling more like home everyday. Kaylynn and I even refer to it as “the house”  when we talk about buying supplies and whatnot. I have an extra roommate, but I’m beginning to be okay with that. Kaylynn’s boyfriend, Lenny, has been ‘staying’ here for about three weeks now. I don’t understand how he can live here with only a small duffel bag of clothes. o.O The OTHER member of the apartment is growing also; Ollie is SO BIG these days!! I know he’s still just a kitten, but compared to the day I brought him home, he’s SO much bigger.

The only snow that I could find  on my way home was right outside our apartment.