If you'd like to melt your heart...

It's been quite cold these days in Tokyo...

and my heart is cold too...


AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! I NEED SOME LOVE AND WARMTH!!!!!!


I didn't actually scream these words but you know what I mean?

No? NO? what? I'm not lame and sad like you Yuri...??


fine then....

BUT if anybody is feeling low and cold, I have a perfect website for you. before that take this survey to find out if you are suitable for this site:


1. Do you like animals in general?
2. Do you like small things?
3. Are you feeling low and cold?

The survey was kind of a spoiler but WHATEVER.
If you answered yes to all the questions, you will be addicted.

one warning tho; you might get addicted and might not able to get out of this site.

ENJOY!
http://attackofthecute.com/

you lucky people.

HELLO YOU LUCKY READERS.

Why lucky? 

Because you got 2 posts in one day.

That's a miracle.

You don't get 2 posts in the same day on Yuri's blog.

OH BY THE WAY

I just started twitter so if you.... just IN CASE you wanted to follow me, my twitter name (is that what you call?) is yuriistweeting 

SO ORIGINAL RIGHT?

I wanted to be "yuriisontwitter" but apparently it was already taken. Fascinating. 

I really have nothing much to tweet about but I gave into the peer pressure and the temptation to look "cool and trendy."

.... I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE THINKING.

'YURI YOU ARE SO BEHIND THE GAME, JUST LIKE WHEN YOU STARTED THIS STUPID BLOG."

well.... I know I'm actually just a tech deaf trying to keep up but just a loser who is unable to do so... 

whatever. bite me.

that's all.

When you are away for one month....

Things change so much that it hurts your brain.

No? Well, it freaking hurts mine.

I was away from this blogger for one month and what is this?
The whole thing changed!!!!!

I JUST got used to this blogger thing and they change everything!

And is it necessarily a lot user friendlier than before???

I'm really not sure.

AND ALSO.
I was away for an intensive driving camp (which I will talk about in details in next post) and I only had an access to internet through my new iPhone 4.
So I wasn't at all isolated or deserted from all things cyber, like when I was in Sardinia.

BUUUTTTT I just opened my facebook page through my laptop this morning after returning and

WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON???

I mean what is this new privacy setting thing and what is this new photo viewers and what what WHATTTTTT!!!!!!! And now we can video call through facebook?

Am I the only panicking over these matters? Am I not able to keep up with this constant changes in social network or technology in general? Maybe this is a sign that I am getting old and being pushed back as a "generation before"....

I just can't do with this mothereffing technology.

Do you feel the same way?
I seriously should open a technology rehab center. 

Have you gotten yourselves some “SWAGS”?

Apparently the word "SWAG" is in nowadays.

Grandma Yuri is SO slow to catch up with trends like this
and she catch up on them when they are already on their way out of "cool-ness."


Oh yeah, I'm a loser. Now just shut up and let me be.


So coming back to reality, this word SWAG has been around for a while.
Obviously, the word came from the hiphop culture, in which the word describes something/someone with style, confidence, or just some sort of coolness I GUESS. SO VAGUE.
  
But recently the word "swag" is EVERYWHERE.
LIKE EVERYWHERE.
it's almost like the word "HOT" that Paris Hilton used WAAAY BACK.
I don't really understand how people use it though.
Some blame the over usage of this particular vocabulary on Mighty Justin Bieber. Of course.

Out of curiosity, because I am bored and always looking for completely useless new information,
I looked up the meaning of "swag" on google dictionary, once again, my long time best friend.

According to Mr. Google, Swag means...


swag (noun)
1.
a. An ornamental drapery or curtain draped in a curve between two points.
b. An ornamental festoon of flowers or fruit.
c. A carving or plaster molding of such an ornament.


2. Promotional items, especially when given for free, considered as a group.
3. Slang Stolen property; loot.
4. Australian The pack or bundle containing the personal belongings of a swagman.
5. Slang Herbal tea in a plastic sandwich bag sold as marijuana to an unsuspecting customer.


intr.v. swagged, swag·ging, swags
1. Chiefly British To lurch or sway.
2. Australian To travel about with a pack or swag.


So basically, anyone using the word "swag" is referring to themselves as thief or ornament.
I have no idea whatsoever to how this word turned itself into some gangster slang…
But I guess languages are fascinating that way.

Why did I even start this pointless discussion?
Because I watched a youtube video recently by Kingsley that talks about this slang phenomenon.


 
For those who are interested. 
Here:

Let us cut the expenses of "being healthy."

You know what I realized recently??

Being healthy is extremely expensive.
Yuri, DUH...??

I'm sorry...

But really I just understood the cost of being healthy.
Aside from health care and insurance and all things political,
if you are consciously trying to be healthy, it's gonna cost ya.

For example: um...gym?
It's freaking expensive!!!
I used to go to this crappy place on 14th st and 2nd avenue and that cost me $50/month!!!
I mean, it is quite cheap for a gym but still!!!!! $50 just to be physically active and have your muscles toned.

What??? You can just run around outside??
Good point. But that's only if you live in a place with some amazing weather ALL YEAR AROUND.
Who runs around when it's like - 400 degrees outside!!?!?? only freaks. NOT ME. thank you very much.

And just fyi I hate gym. I HATE GYM. I just don't like working out i suppose.
But I just don't like the smell of it, sound of it and some creepy old men of it. jk about last one. no, not really.

So what does Yuri do when she needs to stay active?
WELL I used to live on 5th floor walk-up so I thought that would suffice my physical activeness. kind of.
Believe me, one round-trip of those stairs is quite intense.
Especially when you forget something at home and run back up and down and then run to subway station.

HOWEVER, I moved back to Tokyo where my apartment building has elevators like any other civilized places, I don't get my daily dose of work out.
NOW WHAT WOULD YURI DO??

Simple: I LOVE YOGA. really I love it.
Let's say the exercise really suits my body type.
Treadmill just doesn't cut it for me.
In fact, last summer I went to gym everyday and ran for like 40 minutes AND ate healthy
AND I FRIGGING GAINED WEIGHT.
Apparently my body absorbs food a lot more when I do cardio. Not sure. That's my theory anyway.

But YOGA, really helped me few years back.
I did yoga everyday for 2 weeks and I lost significant amount of weight
when I went to summer school for my junior year summer...I think.
I am also naturally quite flexible so yoga does not pain me much.

ANOTHER BUUUTTTTTT!!!
Yoga classes are EXPENSIVEEE!!! WTFFFF!!
One class is like $20 bucks (about 2,000 yen?) PER CLASS MINIMUM!!!
Some places charge you good $40 per class. EFF!!

So REALLY, what would Yuri do???

Well, one word. YOUTUBE.
Through youtube I found this amazing site that shows you all the full-length yoga class for free!!!
Apparently they need some donations to keep the site running...
Maybe I will donate when I'm in a much more generous mood...

But for now, THANKS YOGAYAK!!!
Wait, does everyone know about this site??
Am I like waaaaay behind all these phenomenon??

....Whatever.

For those who want to enjoy the free classes,
Go to: http://yogayak.com/

The website design is quite terrible and needs some help,
but it's good enough for me just to watch the classes..
I've been doing this for past 3 days. Let's see how long this new hobby of mine will last.
I will update you on that. Or not. Maybe. Will see. Whatever.

Technology Rehab

I strongly believe that overuse of technology should be considered a new form of addiction.

I'M NOT KIDDING!
You hear all these teenagers getting arthritis because they text too much or these people who spend 30 hours a day on a web (doing basically nothing) everyday.

I hate to admit but I think I was an addict, until I involuntarily checked myself into technology rehab the other day. Well, more like being laptop and TV less. Thank GOD I still had my smartphone.

So a few weeks back, I had a senior thesis show which I used my laptop to show my presentation.
After repeating same script to explain all the visitors about my project like 50 times,
I was desperate to leave the place to quench my thirst with some cold beer. 

"BEER BEER BEER BEER." as I was saying to myself like an alcoholic on NYC streets, I left the school building. I got home, got down home with a bottle of holy, life-saving, out-of-this-world, and COLD beer, and got ready to watch some funny stuff online on my laptop...

Then I realized..."I FORGOT MY CHARGERRRRRR!!!" in the room I left in desperation.
Frantically, I called everyone. No, it was nowhere to be found.
Next morning, I went to the building at 8am.

The security gave me the "ouchh" face as I was explaining my urgent search to found the charger.
No. Nothing. Called the lost and found. Nothing.


AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! I WAS GOING CRAZZZZYYYYY!!!

Fine, I thought, and I ordered a replacement order on Amazon.
It was only 11 bucks!! Amazing, I thought. On top, it would arrive tonight!! YESSSS!!!!
Oh how did I do that without the laptop? well, I thanked school for once for having computers in their labs.
Thank you New School.


I get home later after my internship at night. And there, it was waiting for me....
hah.... we met again...charger...

As the anticipation heightens, I slowly took out the cord and plugged....in.....


Then......IT DOESN'T FITTTTT!!! NOOOOOO!!!! DOESN'T CHAAAARRRGGGEEEE WTFF!!!

There, that was the reason for my technology rehab. I didn't have TV either cause I returned it back to my BF (whom I borrowed it from for a year).
So what did I do the next 3 -4 days or so? mmmm


played with my blackberry (which I can only read emails, check fb, occasionally read news)

The rest of the time, I dedicated it to zoning out, napping, eating, oh, and reading Jane Austin's Emma.
How's Emma? So far she's annoying the bones out of me.


After checking out of the rehab, (after 3 days of waiting and wishing that the charger is right this time) I can proudly say that I am a technology addict again!!!

You guys should try too. I highly recommend it! No really, it will clear your head somehow.

How to cure the sore throat.

Hi!

The radiation leaks are freaking me out,
although I understand that medias have been exaggerating things
and I should know the level is way lower than the normal level.

BUT IT'S STILL FREAKY!!!! AHHH!!!

In the midst of the chaos, I get sick. Yikes.
Aaaand it was my spring break week. Double yay!

UGGGHHH WHY. WHY DO YOU DO THIS TO ME UNIVERSE?

So I wake up one morning, feeling this "pinch" on my throat.
I'm thinking "hmm weird...OH WELL!"

The next morning, I feel something poking my throat when I swallow.
And I go, "I don't know what it is... MEH. it'll get better."

And then, the next morning....

OMMMGGGG MY THROAAAT!!!

Every time I swallowed something, I felt like thousand needles piercing my throat.

NOT A GOOD SIGN.
But honestly, I was not going to waste $25 on my copay, just for my doctors to tell me things that I can find on googles.

So naturally, I googled "sharp sore throat on right side."

The downside of google search: it can scare you to death. Some folks claimed that they had the same type of pain for 6 months!! WHAT! Go to the doctors at that point, freaks.

Anyways, I found handfuls of home remedies that could work for sore throats... here:

1. goggle with solution of 2 tbsp of vinegar and 1 cup of water. (OMG this BURNS, and honestly I'm not sure how effective it was... but it numbed the pain for a while I think...) and I swallow the solution after...ew

2. Spray the Propolis thing.(this burns too but it temporarily relieves the pain...and it's kind of sweet)

3. Black tea with honey...(it doesn't burn and kind of relieves the pain...maybe I was imagining. ok NEXT.)

4. Some Chinese Herbal thing (it kind of....worked?)

5. Goggle with solution with salt + baking soda + water (I'm not sure anymore)

6. Tylenol syrup med (almost did nothing)

7. Tons of sleep (hmmm magically the pain is less the next day)

8. Boil slices of gingers in water, then drink that solution with honey (OMG....finally...?)


After all these trial and errors, I could finally yawn without my throat feeling like being ripped apart.

My conclusion to the best solution: Tons of sleep + any of those remedies

I think I had some canker sore on the back of my throat.
So much for freaking out.
Goodbye sore throat, goodbye spring break....

Tears...

How to comment on my blog....

Hi everyone,

I recently got a comment from someone that they cannot comment on my blog.
I was very upset to hear that because
It was blogger setting's fault, not the boring-ness of my blog that prevented people from commenting!!!!

Now my comment field is enabled!!
Feel free to leave any comment... just... be nice...about it. please...

That's all!

If you want to find your love-at-first-sights...

I just found out today that there is a page called "Missed Connection" on Craigslist.

Am I really behind in this online relationship/community thingy??

I was like "WOW" when I looked at this page.

I mean really, there's some quite interesting shit going on here.

So basically, if you want to find "Laura" or "Jordan" that you met/talked/hooked up in a train, or someone whom you just saw on a train, you got a perfect site for that.

Here's an example of a post:

Title: Blond with tats on Dolphin gym - m4w - 35 (East Village)
Message: See you at Dolphin on 4th st lately. You're blond with a big tattoo on your arm(which i love!)and a few other tats-one on your neck too i think,,I wanted to say hi but you had headphones on and seemed like you were being bothered by some other guy there and i didn't want to seem like him..Just think you are cute and unique and maybe single? Hope to see you there more. I'm not creepy I swear! I just find you interesting and wouldn't mind getting to know you sometime. Wonder what you are listening to all the time?


...Yes, you are creepy and yes, you are like the"other guy" that was bothering her too, dude. Really, I had never imagined there would be a day cragslist will become a mean to track down a guy who opened a door at Macy's and smiled at you.

Really people, REALLY???? I have nothing against it. If that's what you call fate, go ahead and be my guest. But if any guy ever put a posting about me on the site, my reaction will be "wow, that's creepy" at the very least. Whatever happened to human interactions nowadays.

JUST ASK THEM FOR THEIR NUMBER IN PERSON goddamn it.

Anyways, if you are looking for "Alex," that were in front of you buying mocha frappecino yesterday, hey, get on the craigslist quick!!! Or maybe you can go back to the starbacks and talk to him. I know- I know- the former is much more romantic eh??