stefkaFTW

Just confirmed for PAX East… they sold out of the 3 day passes, but definitely attending Saturday and Sunday!

I’m syked.. now if I can just remain relatively sane until that weekend all will be well.

I have so many silly things that I want to put in this space.  I had grand plans of being a tech-support super star tonight and fixing this printer robot, but for some reason fried chicken is never conducive to being productive… I fell into a deep chicken coma while watching Seinfeld, and I woke up promptly at 10 p.m. listening to a documentary on John Muir + National Parks.  Things look bright for my morning tomorrow.

On a side note, if you got my not so veiled Firefly/Serenity reference, then you get a gold star!  If not, you need moar space cowboy in your diet.

This has been the best week ever!!!1

I attended class, looked up some review papers, played with super strong magnets, and I had a tea party with Hulk Hoogan… no for real, the one and only Hulk Hoogan…

Still don’t believe me?

Well I managed to capture a picture to document the occasion, it will only take a quick glance to convince you - I only speak the truth!

don’t blame me, blame Eco =)

I will give my mother credit… she puts together a really bitchin’ tree!  Check this baby out:

The day began with animal cruelty… just kidding, but really.. no one should be forced into… THIS!

Poor puppy.. the look on her face is priceless..

Why is it that the fam demands pictures to be taken in the morning?  Well maybe this wasn’t the morning… early afternoon…?  Regardless, I’m not really a functional member of society before ~5PM… that being said, another family portrait (oy):

We had a bigger celebratory dinner this year, with the addition of Jimmy, and a newly engaged Colleen… it was fun times!  The only unfortunate thing is, that my family is not very big into drinking beer.  It’s wine wine wine all the way.  I’m very well versed in whine whine whine, but I very much so enjoy a nice beer every now and again; I blame Yonsei/Matthew/Jean/Emily/Davey, and the DJ lounge/bar Sum (섬).

Take particular note here:

of the contents of my glass… that’s right — nada!  Only the drink of (sober) champions for me, diet pepsi.. straight from the can!  HOOAH!  That’s Jimmy+Alz, Chaz+Col, Me + Mum…

Sigh.. shouldn’t blog tasty dinner photos at 1AM… hungry bears D:

..to the following!  these are the things which will make this a great vacay..

I have not been so excited for a movie in such a long time… the thought of Jude Law playing second fiddle to Robert Downey Jr. tickles me.  Forget about Twilight Alzini, we’re going to see this!  Bwaha..

Delicious Korean foods… of all varieties… Chinese-style Korean, Korean BBQ, Korean desserts, and of course New Year’s ddeok guk (rice cake soup)… I knew there was a reason I’ve been going to the gym…

^This guy.  You may recognize it as the real world; I was only here about 50% of my time for the past ~2 years… I live here now, but I’m still pretty leet >.>

In other words, no more WoW!  Anyone with a remotely addictive personality should go no where near that game.  Period.

Amidst these silly things, of course I look forward to seeing the fam, giving/receiving gifts and all that fun stuff… I’ll have to document that after the fact however ^^

<3

(from my head down to my feet I feel lovely)

i attended one of my best friends’ wedding this past weekend, @ Boynton Beach, Fla!

Here’s a shot from my cramped window seat, departing from Albz…

The sheer desolation of the frozen landscape is lessened only by the fact that it was earlier than any person should rightfully be at the airport (or.. awake).

This may be a good time to mention that under no circumstances should you ever fly US Airways.  My connecting flight from Charlotte –> West Palm was cancelled, and it was only under the frantic instruction of Jackie (the bride to be, and coincidentally an ex-flight attendant)  that I managed to hop a flight into Ft. Lauderdale straight away.

The scenery in Florida differed only in that there was:

#1.) Oppressive humidity

#2.) People with impressive tans.. I wandered through them like a phantom XD

#3.) These guys:

Thankfully I didn’t check any luggage; I’m sure US Air would have set it on fire and tossed it on the runway.. lulz.

Jax was kind enough to pick me up:

…and we arrived shortly thereafter at her grandparents’ house in Boca Raton.  It’s one of the gated communities which I’m only familiar with because of Seinfeld…. remember Boca Del Vista?  Yes… It’s exactly like that.  Amazing, haha.  As it happens *both* of Jackie’s grandparents live in this community!

That night Jackie’s parents hosted a ‘rehearsal dinner,’ although no such rehearsal occured.  Here’s a pic of the adorableness of the back patio:

Unfortunately I didn’t capture the turkey ducks, or the herons, or other bird folk who live literally right outside their house… but they’re there, trust me…. lurking…

After meeting pretty much all of Jackie’s family (it was a relentless assault!) we schlepped off to pick up Mikey, our mutual PR High School friend, from West Palm Airport.  In his typical Michael style he flew out of JFK and didn’t anticipate the standstill 3 hour traffic, missed his flight completely, then proceeded to get sloshed at the airport and arrived promptly at midnight… convenient for Jax who was.. y’know.. only getting married the next day!  (she didn’t mind, and that’s why she’s amazing :))

The next day was hectic and as anything.  Jax gave her hair/makeup girl one command — big hair — and it was big hair that she got… for sure:

This was before the actual styling… but it’s pretty cute anyway ^^

I loved Jackie’s choice with the big hair… but what I loved more was (omg!) the lipwear her stylist chose for her… check it out here:

The color knocked me out, I actually added it to my non-existent Christmas list ;P

That’s Jax + her mum, wrestling with her jewelry.  Not documented here is the ordeal of actually getting a bride into her dress… it took me + her brother’s girlfriend to manage it!

Jackie chose a very modern wedding dress.. and she got it at a steal!  No alterations, even.  She so savvy…  Here’s the detail:

At the reception hall they shoved me, Jax, and her parents into the ‘bride’s room’… it’s where we hid from Joey (the groom).  Here’s Jax + her mum, right before the ceremony:

As for the actual ceremony… well, I was in it!  Maid of honor in the house what what?  It’s appropriate, I’m beginning to feel like an old maid anyway.  I managed to mess up the one thing that I was tasked with - walking down the aisle before Jax.  I must have felt invigorated by the stifling Floridian air, because instead of walking at a steady, lady-like pace, I sprinted down the aisle as though power walking through the mall.  I actually heard Jackie’s brother announce “she’s bookin’ it!”  Luckily, her family is not one to hold a grudge, especially on such a special day.  I wish I had shots of the ceremony, but unfortunately I do not!  Soo here’s the happy couple after the fact:

How they manage to look oh so pretty in that humidity I do not know!

  < I may have subconsciously cut Joey’s mom out of the picture… what’s up family drama?

Here’s the bride+groom+best peoples… The best man was Joey’s cousin Troy… he’s lucky too, you see why?  (shade is precious in the wilds of um.. Boca Ratan haha)

My camera work became… poor..er.. as the night progressed (gimme a break… open bar!  no Newcastle or Yeungling but at least there was Heineken >.> ).  So the last image I’ll leave you with is of lovely Jax freestyling the flowers on her cake (the florist deserved a swift kick in the pants… mistakes in practically all of the orders!)

All in all, great fun.  I just talked with Jax tonight, back from her honeymoon (oo la la).. She is so happy, and I couldn’t be happier for her!  Everyone deserves to be so happy.

I deserve to lounge on the beach and break my pasty complexion!  Although this is the only view that I got of the coast:

no beach for steffie, oo la la :<

This weekend I’m heading down to fla, to enjoy temperate weather well suited to retirees, the company of 2 of my fondest friends from high school, and witness the marriage (omg!) of undoubtedly one of my craziest and best friends.

Me and Jax have been friends since middle school.  The friends you make when you’re at your awkwardest and ugliest are the best ones!  (lol.. kidding… but seriously, middle school.. wow!)

One silver award, several bivouacs, one Fort Drum NYS Encampment, numerous orientation flights, more Chem labs with JoMo than i can recall (what’s a titration anyway?), and 2 hedgehogs (and one.. iguana?  my memory fails me..) later we’re still good as gold.

3 days to go

<3 !

Just a few comments regarding my 25th birthday.

For the first time (maybe?) I actually received more virtual gifts than actual gifts.. I feel like there’s some subtle commentary on my dazzling social skills here [lol].

There’s a few memories which made the weekend amusing, namely:

1.) My father, sitting comfortably in the family room, picking up a bundle of my papers and asking “Is this your presentation?” (my CAIST annual review presentation).  I replied “No, no my presentation is upstairs,” ran to grab them and placed them in his hand.  My attention was diverted for the briefest of moments, and when I looked back to see just how energetically my father was reading about electromigration in copper interconnects I noticed…. he was fast asleep!  I can’t blame him, it has the same effect on me from time to time..

2.) My sister gave me an actual present, all wrapped and stuff.. She had seemed very enthusiastic about it, and was eager to see how I would like it.  The present turned out to be a pair of black Ugg boots.  I had seen it coming a mile away to be honest.. the shoe gift.  The last time I graced my parents’ house with my presence, my sister commented to mother “Look at her shoes!  She looks like a hobo!” (tbch, I resent this!  I think my Adidas Gazelle’s are the lynch pin that holds together the hipster appearance which I have so carefully compiled…. /sarcasm).  Anyone who knows me knows it’s difficult for me to hide any sort of emotion, and that whatever I’m thinking typically gets broadcast straight across my face; I tried on the shoes and really gave a good effort.. Allison, in an attempt to make me feel better said “Don’t worry Steffie… those shoes are cute and fashionable and adorable, they’re SO not you - we should return them!”  Thanks Alz.. lol

3.) I think my ideal lunch would be sitting in a hole-in-the-wall ‘meat house’ in Seoul, with a ‘big bottle’ of Hite Stout, sam gyeop sal + some kickin ban chan… but my mother took me out for a close second today - Ehwa Korean-Chinese restaurant in Closter; their chajangmyeon (noodles w/”brown bean sauce”) was surprisingly close to the mark… and their kakdugi (white radish kimchi…. my favorite!) was baller.  What I’m still laughing about, however, is my mother + I walking out, exclaiming our very loose pronunciation of “television” in Mandarin… She’s still trying to convince me to try that out on Zhiyuan, but my Mandarin is even less discernible than my Korean, rofl.

A good weekend, although I need to get my drink on this week XD

<3 everyone who shared my birthday with me

One day in spring I’ll take him down to the road..

new gold from the guild, here.

not going to lie, that’s exactly what every mmo is like.  for serious.

Kripke, myself, and Thelandris have finally - after much hardship - acquired the Glory of the Hero achievement in the World of Warcraft.

Hurray for us… the mount is pretty neato.