So it snowed this past weekend, and it was terrific to see. On my way to running errands from work i saw the precipitation go from a light mist rain to slush falling to actual snow floating down onto my windshield... which then blocked my view quicker than i'd like so turned up the frequency of my windshield wipers and upon it being cleared i saw snow falling all around me and in the beautiful winter atmosphere.

I first arrived at Costco only to realize i was a half hour early so i walked to the Home Depot across the shopping center in the falling snow and loved it. Granted my feet got wet, but it was still nice to do. somewhat relaxing and it wasn't too cold either. Upon finishing at Home Depot, i got to walk in the snow again to get to my car then continue to Costco where i bought my new DSLR Canon 450D Rebel XSi, and some milk.
Excited about my purchase i was eager to rip open the box and start setting up and playing with the camera, only i was starting to get tired and i had work that night; so i slept instead.

the first step is always the hardest. and i think i took it to improve some of my life conditions. At work i asked that they not ask me all the time to cover people because i need some time to just pause and recharge. So for the next month and a half, i'll be having more time off! various things shall be done: moving around furniture, rearranging the kitchen, deciding on paint colors for the rooms and lastly: picture taking! i missed the best part of the year to take pictures because of Fall's various colors and actions of falling leaves and animals in activity; but winter pictures can be awesome i themselves.
now all i need to do is take a different kind of first step and actually get my life in gear.

So in the past me working so much actually worked out... my financial status is finally at a stable level, not really all that high, but stable finally.

wow... i just saw a lady cut off a guy with a cane to go through the door, she turned to him and smiled, then let the door close in front of him.
that's almost as bad as when i saw a lady run toward a cart in front of Giant only to steal it from a guy on walkers; but i guess it's ok since she gave him a half assed smile, which i guess is ok cause she was on her cell phone. people...

so i can finally start to relax and find out who i was before i turned into my frantic robotic working mode, at the same time i can start up taking pictures (which i am pretty excited about) and hanging out more often!

work is still the same, people moaning and groaning about the environment not getting better and how management isn't doing their job; but i feel there is a catch... if we were in a work place where there wasn't a management or higher position available and the co-workers complained: i wouldn't mind as much. there is enough people in the upper levels, things should be happening, and voices should be heard.
but our management team isn't full, it's missing a member and it's making more work for all them to compensate. and yet some co-workers complain... some of them louder and longer than needed at all.
i've learned to ignore anything they have to say about management not doing their job because if they we're really upset about the situation: they should at least apply for the higher position and do something about it. in the event they don't want to apply and not have that responsibility? they should STFU and help out cause everyone's suffering, everyone.
but that's work.

my personal life is starting to take a positive turn, and i'm going to embrace it and enjoy it.
next stop: internet at home! ... after my next paycheck.

 http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118003063.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&nid=2562

is anyone else scared by this? 

Apparently Kal Penn, probably first known as Taj in 'Van Wilder' also famous as Kumar in 'Harold and Kumar' and Kutner in 'House' is now working as a Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Liaison.  

wow, that was quite literally a shocker.  

This past weekend was one of the weekends i did something other than work or work on the house, i went out to DC.  

Saturday morning started off with me running errands for an hour and meet up with Chris, his girl, and a few other friends they know at the Cherry Blossom festival.  I wanted to get there just a little bit early to miss crowds and get a jump start on pics.  on my way to metro a very bad, yet good thing happened to me... my phone battery died.  panicky, i called chris and told him i'd be at his house and not DC.  after that call, i turned the phone off and put on my leg as i made a turn... during that turn, the phone fell and i never picked it up cause it was dead.  
i met up with chris, jessy, chad, and lena and we were off.  compared to last year the line at the metro was long as hell, but compared to the inaugaration, it was nothing.  i was then hit on the shoulder by who i thought was a very rude person, cause it was clearly intentional.  then i looked in curiosity, and it was Patty Pak.  so good to see her.  
a metro ride later, were in DC and taking pictures.  we got food and walked a lot.  we were stuck in front of the 'professional' karaoke singer stage for a bit ... that was just, odd.  in waiting for food we saw Ronald McDonald who did the whole smile and everything for a couple of kids.  he even had a bubble machine; then a few steps later: HEY MAN! WHATS UP?!? didnt know you were here! man! ::grab shake and elbow each other in chest:: sooo... Ronald image ruined by that.  

after food, we moved from the festival to the cherry blossoms for more picture opportunities.  while there we saw a cop on a horse, funny thing is they snuck up from behind.  i'm holding my bag and hear what i thought were hoofbeats; clearly i must be mistaken, i'm in DC no horses here.  but i turn around again in curiosity... and there's a horse staring me in the face with a disgruntled cop riding it.  quite an image really.   

on the way back to the festival for food we saw kite flyers, kites flying, kids crying or laughing, people posing, and heard the usual "the monument is a phallic symbol, haHA" jokes... i saw a couple of guys sprinting at incredible speed toward us.  i look at the small asian guy and i think... is that...? 
guy gets closer,  i think
guy gets ever closer and i stare harder, no way...
guy runs past me, i yell "JON!" 
Jon Chi stops and is surprised as hell.  hahaha, random.  we exchange greetings and go our separate ways.  

after a metro ride home, our group gets some food, alcohol, and watch Role Models while people unwind and start to tire out.  

i get home and plug my phone in and it goes crazy.  5 missed calls, 2 text messages, and a voicemail from the same person.  it was about the painter for my townhouse, more paint was needed.  but she was worried about me cause i never really go without communication like that and thought that something happened to me.  

so me not having a phone was pretty fantastic cause of no responsibility AT ALL that day.  i didn't work on my mind, worries about money, family, or the new house.  i was relaxed and enjoying it.  not a single ounce of responsibility and it felt great; i thought i should do this more often, then i plugged in the phone.  that lead me to think, i should've carried it; what was i thinking?! how irresponsible of me.  then again... that was the point.  now finishing the painting is delayed; by a day.  for a day of fun and no worries? i think i'll take it.  but a huge drawback was that i wasn't able to call Brian or Patty to see where they are to meet up with them... but we do live in the same area, the time will come to catch up with eachother.

Sunday was a different story.  i got my hair cut after like 5 months, quite honestly: the most interesting experience ever.  
usually i walk in with my hair in somewhat dismay, type my name in, wait a few minutes, and get called.  
today i walked in with no order in my hair cause i woke up not 10 minutes earlier, and got to sit down right away.  
the barber asked if i wanted a shampoo first.  i said it wasn't that big of a deal, but if she wants to we can.  she said ok, we'll do one.  then started cutting.  then she asked if i was chinese, i said: no.  half japanese/half korean...sorry, but i do get that a lot.  
barber: are you sure? you look chinese with this hair.   
::snipsnip//comb//cut:: 
barber: OH! with your hair short, now i see the korean in you.  would you like gel? 
me: haha, uh sure if you don't mind. 
::apply gel::
barber: oh, now you look like Jackie Chan! you know the big time movie star with lots of money.  
me: .... 
i paid and got out of there.  

apparently i changed into nationalities twice within 5 minutes within the eyes of the same person today.  all with the hair.  wow.  

i went to the townhouse and did some stuff. 

decided not to mow the lawn, but work out instead.  

now i'm doing laundry and catching up with soul eater. 

Pictures of the House (before changes) are up now on facebook.  

Heres the link: LINK

Appliances are coming in on friday and the painting is getting done relatively soon. 
Next up is TV and furniture! ...oh god, furniture...

List of things done today: 

- got home from work (sleepily)
- slept
- went to Fidelity Investment center in RTC for wire transfer  
- went to bank, ran into old classmate from BIO102 (who is the bank manager)
- - at bank, received Cashiers check for 10k
- took check to Northstar Settlement LLC in Falls Church
- handed check over to very nice people
- signed a bunch of documents
- Become a home owner .... 
- went to Home Depot for shopping
- - spent 2.5k on appliances and 100 on new locks
- went to Petco for friend's dog food
- home
- talked to mom
- update on lj. 

HOLY S***! im a homeowner! 

the purchase? an end unit townhouse.
3 floors
3 bedrooms
3.5 bathrooms 
Deck (back and front)
Patio
Basement with walkout and one bedroom and bathroom
Good sized kitchen
Carpeted floors

and its MINE now! 

so i made a plunge... now i have car payments and mortgage, which is kind of weird at the age of 24.  
The townhouse is in Centreville off of Green Trails Rd, which is off of Rt. 28 (near the movie theatre and New Braddock Rd).  it's a small community that's clean and organized.  there's a community pool and 'multi-use' courts.  plus some good places to run if i ever want to pick that up again.  

i'm super excited and yet terrified at the same.  but i think it's going to be ok.  
=====EDIT======

Forgot to mention a couple of things: it only has one parking space... wtf? i mean really, its a 3 floor house with 3 bedrooms.  even if it were meant for a family, it's pretty much the norm that family's have 2 cars now.  gah, oh well.  

also i won't actually be moving in for a while until me mom is at least set up in a couple of ways.  

would anyone be up for a trip up to New York? just to spend the day(s) there and have fun.  this would most likely have to be on a weekend.  

so far at the hospital i've seen three customers from Giant in the hospital.  here's the interesting part: it was on the psych floor.  

1st patient, i recognized the name but i figured it's pretty common.  i go to deliver the medicine to the floor an hour later and when i get off the elevator: there they are.  same face as at giant.  that was about a year ago.  

2nd patient, similar story to the first but with a twist.  on my way to deliver the medicine, right as i get on the elevator; i see the patient's parents who knew pretty well while at giant.  then we got off on the psych floor and there's the patient.   that was about a year ago as well, but maybe a little less like 10 months.  

3rd patient, i didn't see the name, i just went to deliver and saw the patient.  that was today.

all 3 recognized me.   

that's just weird.  if i saw them in the O.R. or on the maternity ward or in the Surgical waiting area then ... not so weird, but a little strange yet interesting.  but the PYSCH floor??? i mean really.  

Today's a day that everyone is going to remember for a very, very long time.  

Not just because its "The End of an Error" or at least i think that's what the bumper stickers say, but also because there's a new president in town and he is of different color than the rest of the Nation's past presidents.  

Mr. President Obama: you got my vote and i have hopes in what you can do as president.  

Brian's post of his Epic Dream reminded of a post i have been meaning to put for some time now, like 1 year or more, in regards to dreams.  

Apparently i am quite literally working in the place i dream of.  Because...i have dreamed of INOVA Fairfax Hospital.  When i first started there i some how knew the directions to some places better than most new employees, but i do not know how; and to be somewhat boring, the first example im going to use is the Cafeteria.  

I didn't know how to get to the Cafeteria from the satellite on the 7th floor, but when my trainer got us to the lobby i knew exactly where to go.  Straight down a narrow hallway with pictures on both sides of the hallway.  Then i go down stairs.  Then i hang an immediate left and im there.  My trainer, Betty "Mamita" B., asked if id been there before but i said no and didn't think anything of it.  Until later that is...from her point of view it is pretty odd:  A brand new employee in a brand new setting in a brand new place knew exactly how to get to the Cafeteria on their first day. 
When i was in the cafeteria...i knew where mostly everything was.  The food vendors changed, but i knew the overall layout and could point out landmarks.  Like the island in the cafeteria, and also the neon green sign that's above the entrance (or one of them).   

Another one: I dreamed of the walk to the garage with the pharmacists.  
What usually happens when the satellite closes is the techs go to a nearby breakroom for a punch in clock to punch out.  Then if they can, catch up with the pharmacists at the elevator and when down at the lobby, techs and pharmacists go their separate ways.  Techs to the garage, as the pharmacists go to Core (24 HR Satellite) and drop off the keys to the night shift crew.  
What's been happening: some techs go with the pharmacists to Core while others still go their separate ways.  im one of the few that do the former.  I didn't know how to get out to the garage from Core but i did dream about a conversation we were all having while walking out.  i remembered everything..the topic and it's direction.  also the point the person was trying to make, the way the pharmacist tripped over a rock that fell out of its rock garden but didnt hurt herself.  then the which direction everyone went when they got to the garage.  

...well i guess that's not really a dream but more of premonition but that first one with the cafeteria was kind of weird/creepy.  it was kind of like Jack Nicholson's character in Stanley Kubricks' "The Shining."  Except in the movie it was explained why Jack Nicholson felt that way about the complex he was watching over; for me, its a little weird.  Before working there the only other time id been there was to see my dad when he was sick...and most of those visits were at the Fair Oaks hospital not Fairfax, so a little odd.  
now when i have that second of drawback due to familiarity, im not sure if its because i work there and have experienced something similar or if its because i dreamed it; but it was deja vu.  and its kind of weird.  

to come later: dreams of death and falling.  but now? the Wrap up 2008 for me.