After carrying around an umbrella all day
It was a few minutes after 8:00 PM. Students from the 6:50 business class were pouring out of the ESS building. As they headed up the staircase, they realized that it was drizzling and groaned. Those who had umbrellas ventured into the rain, confidently. The rest of them zipped up their jackets and huddled at the top of the staircase, under the cover of the overpass.
One of the students broke free from that crowd and started towards me. It was Stephanie. I imagine the rest of the students stared enviously at her, as she stepped under my large Totes umbrella. It comfortably shielded both of us from the rain. It was a beautiful moment.
written at 12:42 AM on October 25, 2007
Happy Birthday Louise! Medical check-up, rifle club meeting, etc.
I did not know that it was going to be Louise's birthday today until almost an hour beforehand; We had just gotten back to my suite from her room too. Stephanie and I traveled back before midnight, not knowing how we were going to surprise her. We knocked on Jack's door, and his roommate let us in. After a few minutes, Jack, Louise and Wendy entered the room. There wasn't much of a surprise, but we did light a candle, and sing her the traditional birthday song. Happy birthday Louise!
I woke up early this morning for a 10 AM appointment at the Student Health Services. Along the way there, I took a copy of today's New York Times and bought a Vitamin Water. After I filled out some paperwork and sat in the waiting area, a nurse called my name and told me to follow her. We entered a small room in Clinic 2, and I explained my situation. "After donating blood on October 8th, my arm started bruising, etc." The nurse told me that I was going to be fine, and the doctor affirmed it. He told me that it might take another week or more, but it is healing. That's a big relief for me.
As I left the Student Health Services building, I noticed how pleasing autumn leaves looked when they were changing colors. I had my camera on me then and I started taking photos. I also took some around the Chemistry building and Roth pond. I'm not sure if I'd want to use them for Cardozo's website, although I can pass them off as part of Stony Brook campus life. I have big plans for this website.
Someone came by to fix my ceiling light when I got back. I had filed it online earlier this morning and was surprised that they fixed it on the same day. Maybe work orders work after all.
I went to my second Stony Brook Rifle Club meeting at the SAC. With one more meeting, I will be able to attend their trips to the range.
written at 3:17 PM on October 24, 2007
The great compromise
Stephanie's parents came to Stony Brook today to visit and to pamper us. I feel spoiled because I don't get the same treatment from my own parents (But thank you Mr. and Mrs. Wong for everything). They came by around 12:30 PM while we were still sleeping. Stephanie ran to get the door for them, and I managed to quickly put on my clothing (I had just finished showering) before they stepped in. We visited John Harvard's near Smithhaven Mall again for a great lunch. Stephanie and I had enough remaining to take back as dinner later tonight. We did some light shopping at Waldbaum's and had loads of fun with the self-check out machine.
Instead of moving my computer over to Mendelsohn, Stephanie and I agreed to spend less time together. Because her roommate won't like me staying over every night, it would be best if Stephanie spent more time in her room. That way solves a lot of problems for us. Tonight will be our first night on campus sleeping apart from each other, but I'm sure that we'll be fine.
...Wheeee, more space on my bed!
written at 9:10 PM on October 21, 2007
An open letter to the Stony Brook University Medical Center and New York Blood Center
To whom it may concern,
The attached photo above is how my arm looks like one week later, after a failed blood donation in the Stony Brook University SAC Ballroom A on October 9, 2007 that resulted in undue pain. I had visited the NY Blood Center website to see how I'd describe the staff that handled my donation, and I snorted at their use of the term "trained technicians." Had the "trained technician" inserted the needle properly, she would not have left the needle in my arm muscle (after breaking through both walls of my vein) and cause me to bleed throughout my arm.
I am an eligible blood donor and I try to give blood every 56 days. After this incident however, I don't think I'd donate blood any time soon, if anymore.
Sincerely,
Simon Tsui
written at 7:50 PM on October 14, 2007
A number of things this weekend
What I should be thinking about is studying for my SOC 204 midterm this Tuesday. Instead, I'm writing a blog entry, since I've had a productive Saturday.
Stephanie and I woke up today at 2 PM, a new record for waking up early on a Saturday. After finishing my laundry around 5 PM, I went to meet AbslteRaginTiger at Tabler Cafe. I got to entertain/annoy him for the 10 minutes I was there with Jonathan. I bought an overly expensive personal pizza there that is nearly half the size of the box.
I finally made the changes to the Stony Brook fencing website live. Visit it using this link: Stony Brook fencing club. As I get more information, I'll be able to actually include more content to each page. I'll add it to my portfolio sooner or later.
I'm looking forward to meeting catspaw in person. She wants to learn HTML, and since Ben doesn't want to learn this semester, I'm willing to teach her. If all goes as planned, I could get a small underground following of web designers in Stony Brook.
written at 2:42 AM on October 14, 2007
Better dry than wet
In anticipation of using my new Totes umbrella, I checked weather.com in the morning and saw a potentially rainy day. I wore my easy fit jeans, put on my boots and grabbed the umbrella.
I couldn't have been more disappointed when I stepped outside: the clouds that was supposedly hovering over most of the U.S. Northeast was fog in Stony Brook. I walked to my first class using the umbrella as a walking stick. I got let out of class early, so I went back to my room and dropped it off.
Towards the end of my third class, I watched as people walked by my classroom with umbrellas, apparently used. I was starting to regret leaving my Totes in my room, but thankfully the rain stopped by the time I got out. I'll get to use my umbrella in the future, for sure.
written at 7:30 PM on October 11, 2007
Doubts about my roommate
Maybe my roommate and I aren't getting along after all. Our sleeping habits conflict with each other's, since he has early morning classes and I have afternoon classes. He apparently thinks little of me too, claiming that I "won't do that," whatever the situation is.
He goes to bed before 2 AM every night. That's incredibly early for the roommate whose nickname is "Nocturnal." I'm limited to what I can do after midnight, since I have my speakers turned off. I work on my assignments in the dark and the only noise I make is from typing. He, on the other hand, seems to make as many conceivable loud noise as possible in the morning. That includes laughing out loud while watching some video, throwing his textbooks and bookbag around his bed, and much more.
Rather than tell him how rude he is, I plan on sleeping in Stephanie's room when it gets colder. I hope her roommate doesn't mind.
written at 7:30 PM on October 10, 2007
Awkward turtle at the SAC
Maybe I'm not the perfect model for donating blood. This is my fourth time failing to give a pint of blood. The veins on my arms are pretty thin, and I must clot very easily.
Today was for a different reason. When the blood stopped flowing to the bag, the staff twisted, then tugged and pushed on the needle. It didn't get the blood flowing, and I began to experience a discomfort throughout my arm. The discomfort turned into actual pain fast, and I felt the my arm swelling with blood. The staff called for assistance and they stopped the process. I had my baseball cap taken off and was told to lie back on the cot, which they straightened out for me. In a split second, I felt as if I was a trauma victim entering the emergency room, not a blood donor. The donors all around me stared as if I were going to die or do something interesting.
I smiled and tried to pass it off as an inconvenience. No way to save face here. I eventually made it to the table with snacks and drinks. I was going to be late for class if I stayed any longer, so I downed my apple juice, got my T-shirt, and left.
written at 3:55 PM on October 8, 2007
Weekend shopping
Stephanie and I finally took the mallrun bus today, after 4 weekends of stalling. We were supposed to wake up at 10 AM, but neither one of us heard my cellphone alarm go off. So much for making the most of our Sunday. We barely caught the 1:30 PM bus.
Duane Reade was our first stop. We bought several things there that we couldn't get from all the Costco trips with her parents. After that, we walked along the side of Route 347, commenting on how dangerous it was for pedestrians to cross the road. We made our way to the next mallrun bus stop, Waldbaum's. After getting some groceries, we went to Sports Authority for a 5 lb. dumbbell. Funny thing is, Sports Authority covers outdoor activities and sports, and yet they don't sell actual umbrellas. There were golf umbrellas for sale though, just large enough to cover a golf bag, or be a yarmulka.
We walked to the last mallrun bus stop, Sears. I bought a Totes umbrella there, extra large and windproof. It was desperately needed, seeing as how my smaller umbrella started to break in the spring.
written at 7:31 PM on October 7, 2007
The end of a long week
With my second and final debate for POL 102 down, I feel that I can finally take a breather. The past few weeks have been a series of hoops to jump through: If it wasn't an assignment due for a certain class, it was a debate for American government. I spent my nights rushing to finish my homework so I could print it out by 2:30 AM. I couldn't even make use of the semester planner I made for my browser homepage. That means I haven't been doing some of my reading. I'll try to make it up over the weekend or something.
I'm helping Conor with the Stony Brook Fencing Club website. I learned quite a bit about Stony Brook hosting and using PHP includes on them. Cardozo Hall Council still doesn't have the login information, but that's not my problem. I'll be working on the fencing website in the meantime.
written at 5:16 PM on October 5, 2007