Fortune Cookies

Confucius say:

"You will move to a wonderful new place within the year."


Well, not exactly.


It was the fortune I got in my fortune cookie at dinner this evening. Mel, his brothers, sister, cousin from Germany and I had dinner at Ollies, which is a Chinese restaurant chain that has a branch near school.

I sort of believe in fortune cookies. I have not been eating much Chinese food lately (kind of makes me gag, and the only thing I can really bank on is lo mein), but when I do I often eat the fortune cookie. It is tasty. And, of course, I read the fortune and say it out loud to anyone, usually Mel. I really don't believe in the superstition of trading fortunes within the cookie with your dining partner, or that if you say it out loud, the fortune won't come true. You get the cookie, crack eat open, and hopefully enjoy what the mass-produced pieces of paper have to say.

I have a few saved fortunes from previous cookies. But I really enjoyed this one tonight because I am really hoping that I have a good time when I leave for Kyoto. I am a bit nervous because of my experience in London; had a good time with the school part - I knew I made a good decision with that - but had a hard time with the outside-of-school part. Adjustment, making friends, trying to fit in, trying to have fun and be able to afford it, etc.

But that information, most people know anyway. Time for some new information:

1) Going to Philadelphia this Friday for three days! Finally, a vacation away from the city with Mel. I am really looking forward to it, as I have looked on the Philadelphia tourism site and they have a plethora of usefull information. I don't even need to buy a guide book. And, unlike D.C., the touristy/historical stuff is pretty much confined in one area. Unfortunately, its going to be a bit rainy on Friday and raining on Saturday, according to the weather forecast. I am kind of worried, as there is a free jazz show at Penn's landing at 7:30 pm this Friday for free. Free is good. I still have that student mentality. If worse comes to worse, Mel's coworkers who are from Philly say that there are alot of good museums there. Need to make an itinerary tomorrow.

2) While in Philadelphia, making a pitt stop to UPenn. I was accepted for the master's degree in East Asian Studies, and requested a 2-year deferral, like I did (and got) for Uni Michigan. I still have not recieved the letter and after a summer of mild bugging, I finally find out today that it's really the overall grad school's fault that I haven't got the letter, not the actual department - they don't have as much autonomy from the overall school as some other grad schools do. So, I told the coordinator at the EA Studies office that I will be in Philly this Friday, and is it ok if I drop by to pick it up? No problem! GOOD - I want my letter. Not that I will actually go for a master's degree when I have done (with what money?) but they told me that they will reactivate my application for the Ph.d prog (I told them that I would most likely not enter the master's but reapply for a Ph.d) and I don't have to pay the application fee. Hell, its 90 bucks! I save where I can, and I think that my file was already copied for the history dept. since I made a mention of applying there anyway.

3) Macbook! Finally got my laptop this Sunday. Got a free printer (all in one with a scanner so that means I can photocopy my research docs onto the comp to take with me as opposed to carrying alot of paper) and my sister got the iPod video for her birthday (comes with the Mac via rebate) - I didn't want the iPod since I have no use for a iPod that plays video. They don't have Grey's Anatomy on iTunes yet so frankly I see no point.

4) I am published - again! Or rather, forthcoming. My abstract was selected for the East Asian Architectural History Conference at Kyoto this December and will be "published in the conference proceedings". Have to edit my paper down to 10 A4 pages but after formatting its at 17.

Not much else to report.