My alarm went off at 8:10am this morning, but I didn't hear it until around 8:18am because of hammering going on next door. Irritated, I turned off my alarm and seriously wanted to pound against the wall I sleep next to and shout, but my roomie was still sleeping (or trying to sleep). I tried to sleep, but that hammering was so annoying and extremely loud that all that really happened was elevated inward anger. I wanted to go to my neighbors, knock on their door, and ask "can you please do that later today? Around noon?" So, reluctantly, I got out of my warm bed (it's raining outside!!) and did all my bathroom stuff, and then the hammering stopped. So I thought, "oh, yay." But, no, now there is sawing going on! Maybe it's not my neighbors, and it's some construction worker doing something to the apartment next door..? Or it might even be above us. But still, what makes them think that we, college students, all enjoy getting up early at 8am, especially being woken up by hammering and sawing sounds?
Is it that difficult to think of more than just oneself when it comes to these things? I could reason that maybe they are construction workers, and they can't come at any other time, but the people living above us do some weird stuff to make pounding sounds on our ceiling. We haven't approached them yet, but at least, their sounds don't make my chest beat with the pounding (something like what bass does to me in music). Oh yeah, and these neighbors (if I may assume that the sounds are coming from the next door neighbors) sometimes put their music on so loudly that I (my room is right next to the wall we share) can still hear and feel the bass when I put on my earphones and put up the volume to my music. Do they think that these walls are that thick? I guess I can't full on out blame them for continuing since I haven't complained to them yet. But, it's nice to let out some anger through words when I can't shout them out right now. Roomies are still sleeping. *envious*
Monday, December 7, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
XXXIII : End of Classes (20093)
At last! Today was the last day of classes for this fall semester! They have ended! And this morning, I turned in my writing portfolio of two redone essays, for which I had to print out a clean copy (8 and 9 pages), another copy indicating what changes I made (8 and 9 pages), and the original copy of when I first turned in those papers (7 and 8 pages). Thus, in total, I had... too many pages. It looked like this all neatly stacked:
Too thick for my liking. And what sucks more is that I wasted 7 pieces of blank paper because I didn't realize my black ink had run too low for fast draft to give a formal-like print. shucks. But that's done finally.
And today, at the pharmacy, I witnessed something quite interesting. It was a busy afternoon, as all my Friday shifts have been, and I was ringing up a student who had just been to our school's health center. For these, the physician at the health center sends an electronic prescription to the pharmacy, which we receive as a fax and we store it all nicely organized by last name and date. We hold on to it until you either call us or come into the pharmacy to tell us to fill it. I don't understand why people who have come before to pick up their medicine that was prescribed from the health center still shockingly ask "what? It hasn't been filled yet?" Sure, if you're a new patient, I can understand if you ask that, but so many more returning patients still ask the same question. And I still don't understand why the physicians at the health center insist that "Go to the pharmacy and you can immediately pick up your medicine." Not exactly sure how they state it, but the patients always assume that we have the prescription already filled when they come to the pharmacy straight from the health center. *and they get shocked!* Some of those physicians just don't listen when we send e-mails stating exactly how the pharmacy handles their electronic prescriptions.
Anyway, that got off what I was trying to get at. I'll probably complain some more about that insurance stuff some other time. So, back to that one student. I found his electronic prescription faxed over from the health center, and he asked for the price, so I found out and told him, "with USC insurance, it is $25 if you've already paid the deductible for this year." And he goes, "oh, I don't have that money right now" and turns around and asks the people lined up to pick up their own medication, "Can anyone spare me $25 so I can buy my medication?" And I go, "umm, you don't pay until you come pick up your medication after we've filled it. We haven't filled this yet; it'll take an hour, so you can bring your money when you come pick it up." and he goes, "oh, okay." and leaves. Then, when it is close to closing time, I see him picking up his medication from the lady working at the register next to me. He turns around and asks, "Does anyone have $25?" and I'm shocked. I told him to bring money, but he probably never intended to pay for his med in the first place. Or he is completely broke and really needs the med. Or he has strange chemistry going on in his brain. Anyway, the people lined up answer, "sorry, I don't have cash. I only have card." And he goes, "oh, will anyone spare me $25 so I can have my medication?" What's touching is that the lady at the front of the line goes, "I can pay for it using my card." And that's what she did.
So nice to see that kind of action in this world. Even if I did kind of had dark thoughts toward the guy, they were pretty much erased somehow. Maybe it was because after his consultation with a pharmacist, I overheard him say (more like he said it super loudly) "thank you ma'am for being a good sport." Who knows what she said to him, but maybe he had a condition that usually made people irritated at him. and he knew. Who knows. But I would like to think that way because I believe that that side of people are more frequent. Which reminds me, on my way back to my apartment one day this week, I thought, "ahh, there are so many people, and everyone's character is random, so there must be a Gaussian distribution!" haha. And I believe the mean is where the "good hearted" are. So, though the probability of encountering people who take advantage of others or seek to harm others is clearly there, they don't comprise much of the Gaussian. Maybe I'm deceiving myself by thinking the best of this life, but maybe I'm actually seeing it as it is trying to be seen. Why so much emphasis on hatred, superiority, and harm all the time?
Too thick for my liking. And what sucks more is that I wasted 7 pieces of blank paper because I didn't realize my black ink had run too low for fast draft to give a formal-like print. shucks. But that's done finally.
And today, at the pharmacy, I witnessed something quite interesting. It was a busy afternoon, as all my Friday shifts have been, and I was ringing up a student who had just been to our school's health center. For these, the physician at the health center sends an electronic prescription to the pharmacy, which we receive as a fax and we store it all nicely organized by last name and date. We hold on to it until you either call us or come into the pharmacy to tell us to fill it. I don't understand why people who have come before to pick up their medicine that was prescribed from the health center still shockingly ask "what? It hasn't been filled yet?" Sure, if you're a new patient, I can understand if you ask that, but so many more returning patients still ask the same question. And I still don't understand why the physicians at the health center insist that "Go to the pharmacy and you can immediately pick up your medicine." Not exactly sure how they state it, but the patients always assume that we have the prescription already filled when they come to the pharmacy straight from the health center. *and they get shocked!* Some of those physicians just don't listen when we send e-mails stating exactly how the pharmacy handles their electronic prescriptions.
Anyway, that got off what I was trying to get at. I'll probably complain some more about that insurance stuff some other time. So, back to that one student. I found his electronic prescription faxed over from the health center, and he asked for the price, so I found out and told him, "with USC insurance, it is $25 if you've already paid the deductible for this year." And he goes, "oh, I don't have that money right now" and turns around and asks the people lined up to pick up their own medication, "Can anyone spare me $25 so I can buy my medication?" And I go, "umm, you don't pay until you come pick up your medication after we've filled it. We haven't filled this yet; it'll take an hour, so you can bring your money when you come pick it up." and he goes, "oh, okay." and leaves. Then, when it is close to closing time, I see him picking up his medication from the lady working at the register next to me. He turns around and asks, "Does anyone have $25?" and I'm shocked. I told him to bring money, but he probably never intended to pay for his med in the first place. Or he is completely broke and really needs the med. Or he has strange chemistry going on in his brain. Anyway, the people lined up answer, "sorry, I don't have cash. I only have card." And he goes, "oh, will anyone spare me $25 so I can have my medication?" What's touching is that the lady at the front of the line goes, "I can pay for it using my card." And that's what she did.
So nice to see that kind of action in this world. Even if I did kind of had dark thoughts toward the guy, they were pretty much erased somehow. Maybe it was because after his consultation with a pharmacist, I overheard him say (more like he said it super loudly) "thank you ma'am for being a good sport." Who knows what she said to him, but maybe he had a condition that usually made people irritated at him. and he knew. Who knows. But I would like to think that way because I believe that that side of people are more frequent. Which reminds me, on my way back to my apartment one day this week, I thought, "ahh, there are so many people, and everyone's character is random, so there must be a Gaussian distribution!" haha. And I believe the mean is where the "good hearted" are. So, though the probability of encountering people who take advantage of others or seek to harm others is clearly there, they don't comprise much of the Gaussian. Maybe I'm deceiving myself by thinking the best of this life, but maybe I'm actually seeing it as it is trying to be seen. Why so much emphasis on hatred, superiority, and harm all the time?
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
XXXII : Trust
Got an email from the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (something my mom thought was cool if I joined my freshman year, and now I've been getting emails from them every so often...) about some study abroad-like program they have for the summer:
What's interesting is that I don't think I've ever updated my profile for this society and I haven't been involved in anything. What is this "you have been nominated" thing? All I did was try to submit some short written poem this summer for their supposed summer newsletter of chosen submitted work. Whatever. They never sent out this newsletter and I probably sent my poem to some dead email. I'm starting to think that this society isn't anything. At least the membership fee was only once.
I understand that people are willing to try almost anything sometimes to succeed, but sometimes doing so may harm others. Even something (hopefully) as benign as this pretty much breaks the trust I put into joining this society. At first, I thought "this is cool. I get to be more involved!" and when my roommate didn't trust it and told me she wasn't joining, I thought, "nyeah. I don't want to miss this opportunity." Who thought that the emails I've been getting about the updates in the society and the great opportunities out there for me weren't really much. I mean, if I wanted to try for something, I'd work at getting all the paperwork and stuff in, but being nominated for something I know for sure I don't have enough of, that diminishes what trust I had. Sometimes, people just try too hard (a PhD's signature and name was provided to prove legitimacy..?) that it becomes clearly fake. I know what I have been up to, and though I do wish I had more leadership and service experience, it's just fact that I don't quite have enough to be recognized (even nominated).
When what I know just don't match up with what is given, I can't help lean toward doubt. I can't just always blindly believe anymore, even if sometimes I should keep my faith in something or someone without knowing all that's going on.
But what I do strongly believe right now, against all odds, is that the G unit babies will revive and be strong again. They wilted over the break (no water for only 2 days.. I guess that was too long?) and only one sprang back.
What's interesting is that I don't think I've ever updated my profile for this society and I haven't been involved in anything. What is this "you have been nominated" thing? All I did was try to submit some short written poem this summer for their supposed summer newsletter of chosen submitted work. Whatever. They never sent out this newsletter and I probably sent my poem to some dead email. I'm starting to think that this society isn't anything. At least the membership fee was only once.
I understand that people are willing to try almost anything sometimes to succeed, but sometimes doing so may harm others. Even something (hopefully) as benign as this pretty much breaks the trust I put into joining this society. At first, I thought "this is cool. I get to be more involved!" and when my roommate didn't trust it and told me she wasn't joining, I thought, "nyeah. I don't want to miss this opportunity." Who thought that the emails I've been getting about the updates in the society and the great opportunities out there for me weren't really much. I mean, if I wanted to try for something, I'd work at getting all the paperwork and stuff in, but being nominated for something I know for sure I don't have enough of, that diminishes what trust I had. Sometimes, people just try too hard (a PhD's signature and name was provided to prove legitimacy..?) that it becomes clearly fake. I know what I have been up to, and though I do wish I had more leadership and service experience, it's just fact that I don't quite have enough to be recognized (even nominated).
When what I know just don't match up with what is given, I can't help lean toward doubt. I can't just always blindly believe anymore, even if sometimes I should keep my faith in something or someone without knowing all that's going on.
But what I do strongly believe right now, against all odds, is that the G unit babies will revive and be strong again. They wilted over the break (no water for only 2 days.. I guess that was too long?) and only one sprang back.
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