black friday

no, i am not going to shop today. more shopping means more junk that i may need to donate away. since sis is in town, we've been to a couple of touristy places, enough for me to make quick mental snapshots of los angeles before i leave on december 1st.

to tell you the truth, i am a little panicked. haven't started packing up yet but am determined that i only need 2 large suitcases and 1 small one for the final journey home. the gps has arrived, but i need to figure out where to stop between the long road trip from los angeles to west lafayette. i am aiming for a 10 hour drive per day (about 500 miles) which will be perfect for a 4 day trip to madison, wisconsin to meet with my long-lost cousin. all my scheduled stops are pretty tight, so i am praying that everything will go smoothly.

in the meantime, i am going to enjoy san diego with sister and small group friends. may have to see the body world exhibition again (sis hasn't seen it yet), but hey...i waited 3 years to finally see it, shouldn't subdue sis' enthusiasm to go see it.

what i'll miss about los angeles:
1. seattle's best coffee's iced vanilla latte (i know it's a chain! but it's in every borders that i go to. a good coffee to accompany my book)
2. duck noodle @ rodded. yum! the thai iced tea is the best i've ever tasted. the crushed ice will melt over time, which makes it not too sweet and it seems like an endless treat!
3. griffith observatory. breath-taking view of los angeles at night with the hollywood sign to your right.
4. trader joe's and whole foods! all about organic food! now a bit hooked with eggless egg salad too.
5. california pizza kitchen's pizza and salad. cheers to barbequed chicken salad!
6. blueberry milkshake from cafe 50's. totally fresh with real fruits. priceless!
7. just realized my list has been all about food, but i am grateful for all my former bosses. monica, julie, and sharona. amazing ladies who've allowed me to mess around with the systems to somehow make them better.
8. having friends from all over u.s. come and visit. daph from michigan. rosie from san francisco. janie, niyo and ram from purdue. agung who came from chicago. twin sis, nora from new york. you guys allowed me to sightsee these places where i wouldn't be if you weren't here.
9. ode to getty center! beautiful pieces of art work with good guide tours.
10. last but not least, a handful of friends who respect me: kelly, yuli, raskin, falstad, martin, and bita. i'll get to see you guys on monday (except for yuli) before i leave.

anyway, my flight to indo is scheduled to be on december 10th. pray for my safety! it's going to be a whirl wild journey in the next 2 weeks!