Link to picture of Paris doing his trick

Click on the link below to see Paris doing his tricks

http://www.pbase.com/jso01/ivana

Christmas gift for myself: a rim and a tire

Anyone who knows me would say, "WHAT?" when they read this title. Okay okay.. let me explain myself then. Friday afternoon, Dec 23, I was going home from shopping at Third St Promenade. I didn't get anything for myslef or for my boyfriend, but I did get a gift for my roommate. So I felt pretty good.

Anyway, I was on my way to the nearby Merc Dealer because my co-worker had told me that two of my tires were flat. Went there, told the dealer what the problem was, they told me: need to change your tire because it's torn. Apparently what caused this is driving through potholes on high speed.

?????????????????????????????????????????????????

"What??? It's a Merc.. What do you mean I couldn't drive fast over potholes?? What's the point of having a Merc then??" ----> my thought when the repair person told me I had burst the tire because of driving too fast over potholes.

ANYWAY.. since Kevin has been telling me to slow down when I am driving over potholes, I thought that I should just accept the fact and pay $220 for a new tire.

So I was waiting for them to put on the new tire on my car.. When the repair person came back and said that they couldn't change the tire because........... THE RIM IS CRACKED....

WHAT?????????????????????????????????????????????

What kind of funny joke is this????

Of course the rim is cracked because.. I drove too fast over potholes...

So.. another 270 bucks.. YAI....

There goes my christmas present. I have been meaning to buy me a great fabiola expensive gift.. well.. there it is : A TIRE AND A RIM..

my baby n his sister

Everyone says his sister looks like me? Is that true?

Ivana went shopping

So... I went shopping.. First time I went on a shopping spree after buying Paris.. (well I won't count the June shopping session because even though I get loads of stuff, it's really my mom who shopped).

Anyway I got myself a working shoe- black-enclosed heel - and then.. I bought a DIAMOND RING! yai......... Nothing fancy smhancy, just a regular 50% on sale diamond ring at Macy's.. OkAY for all galz.. macy's are having a 50% sale on jewellery. I really wanted to buy a sapphire ring, to replace my old ring that I have had for like 9 years but lost it a few years ago. But then I saw this gorgeous diamond ring at Macy's Santa Monica.. and couldn't help myself that this ring cost a little more than my budget.

For those who are thinking of buying me a ring for anything, my ring finger size is 4.5 and my middle finger's size is 5.5

Anyway.. when I got home from shopping, I checked my mail and found a pay check for me!! It was from my job in school!! hah... I felt so good... I am destined to buy the ring..

paris' day in ucla

Counting my Blessing

So.. haven't been updating this blog.. but I am going to fill you guys up now..

Paris had a second surgery for his patella luxation (loose knee cap). He had one surgery in June but he's still not using his left hind leg very much. On October 2nd, I had him sent to the vet again for a second surgery where the pins inside his hind leg were removed. I was able to pick him up out of the vet at the same day and amazingly, he could walk on four legs straightly after the surgery.

He walked on four legs more often now than before his surgery. I really think the pins were the cause of his slow progress, my vet told me that it is common that the pins can slow the progress. So.. big happy ending for Paris. I should return to the vet in 2 weeks to remove the stiches and I should expect him to walk or probably run in a month..

Now about me.. As you have probably read from my complaints, I had been job hunting since end of August. By September 2nd, the last day of my intenrship at Merrill Lynch, I was a full time job-hunter. I went to numerous interviews, rejected a lot of time and yet kept on trying. There were even these two days where I went for 4.5 interviews back to back. Okay why the half? Because it turns out one of the interview was for an unpaid-school credits only, which I was not able to attend because I have graduated.

THIS ALL HAPENS ON THURSDAY, October 6th

So anyway.. my network at Merrill Lynch called me early this week and told me to come in for a chat. I went to see him on Thursday, October 6th in the morning, and had a brief 10 minutes interview with him. He told me that there was an open position in Merill Lynch -Manhattan Beach ( but it's not a fabulous position I must warn you). So ... he said I had you in mind for this position, so if you want this position I would hire you right now. I asked for some time to think about this, and he gave me one day, until Friday.

Was I happy? Yes.. Was I stressed up? YES.. why, you asked me.. Because I had an interview a few days before this with a company I really liked, and this company would only give me a decision next week. So I quickly contacted this company I liked and asked if they could give me a faster decision. The person said he would work on it.

Was I relieved? No.. you know why.. A recruiter contacted me to have an interview with CSFB, one of the top investment bank in USA on Thursday October 6th. And the recuiter wanted me to come in for interview on that day at 1pm. So I was like.. sure why not.. I came in for interview, met with 6 persons and stayed there for 1.5 hours. At the end of the interview, they told me I should expect to hear news from them next week. Later on that day (THURSDAY.. this is all happening on Thursday!), the recruiter called me: told me that I was accepted by CSFB, and they wanted me to work starting on Monday next week.. I WAS LIKE........ WHAT? CAN I HAVE SOME TIME TO THINK OVER.. They gave me until Friday at 8am!

THE NExT DAY........................

I woke up at 9am, didn't call the recruiter because I still had no news from the company I liked. Felt bad, and called the recruiter to ask for extension, and she gave me until 10.30 am. Called the company I like, got into voicemail. I was on the edge while waiting for the news from the company I liked..... SOOOO.. at 10.25am, this company I liked, called and offered me a position... and by Friday, October 7th.. I am no longer a job hunter......

So this job.... good pay, 2 miles from home (near third street promenade!!), great people...

the end.....

updates

soooo
i have been job-hunting since September 2nd....... and this is my fourth week and I still have not gotten a job yet.....

what is wrong??? maybe my interview skill... maybe not my time yet.. wat ever

so anyway i was so stressed out.. after my bdae on sept 23 i ve decided to be more spontaneous.... so i went for a road trip the next day after my bdae ( wat is more spontaneous than driving 6 hours to another city, stay a night at the hotel, and return the next day???)

well i had fun.. had a lot of networking (surprisingly!) and learnt stuff i wouldnt learn if i stayed in LA.

pretty amazing.. you can say i was recharged.. somehow the time is good for job hunting and i had calls to schedule for interview..

well wish me luck...

bleargh food

okay my roommate is the greatest chef in the world. so yesterday she told me this recipe for a great spaghetti.

fry bacon with no oil, put in onion. and then put in heavy whipping cream.

soooo i know whipping cream. i know it's the liquid-y white cream and not the creamy type... but somehow i just couldn't find the white liquid whipping cream, and instead i stumbled upon the whipping cream..

what do you know... i put in the whipping cream into my bacon (yes those whipping cream you eat with cake) ahaha.. i put in three scoops.. and when i'm done.. yuxx.. it's sweet/salty altogether.

after then do i found the box of liquid whipping cream.. but I ate it anyway (after mixing the liquid whipping cream in)...

message: DUN TRY THIS AT HOME

i know i know.. tan tan

Finally Graduated

So hungry I could eat a Horse

WHich somehow reminds me of that joke about the chicken.. I never understand the joke about the chicken can't cross the road coz it always got rolled over by cars.. Why is that? Seriously.. I don't understand.. Can someone explain that to me???

I'm hungry it's 3.40pm. My boyfriend is still at his house.. I don't know what he's doing.. I have been starvins since 11am. Ate. Played. Waited. And hungry again

Bodyboarding at Manhattan Beach

Will you just look at that beautiful beach.. (picture from manhattanbeach.com) anyway.. last weekend I went to Manhattan Beach w Kevin, SHier, Gerry. And we tried body boarding.. ( look at the first picture). It's great.. but i think surfing is better. body boarding is half the size of the surf board's length and you're just supposed to hang on top of the board while you get washed to the shore by the wave. I can't seem to stay on the board and kept on slipping off the board. Oh well at least I tried. It's just amazing how I have experienced all these stuff. Stuff that I will not do if I'm in Indonesia.

Happy Birthday Paris

happy bdae paris.. one year old finally on july 29, 2005.

look at that yummy cake - only for dog.. bacon and carrot ( i know.. i know .. i dun want to try it either )

omigodd

things has gotten out of control.. in the past week.. paris has chewed my brand new nokia 9300 cell phone, my f#$%%g brand new working shoe (which takes me at least one week to search), my brand new guess heels. fuk.. im so pissed off.. i banned him from the living room, he ate my cell phone..

wat's next? band him from my room??

Me with dog sled in Alaska

E-collar

E-collar.. some weird plastic stuff wrapped around my neck

Mendelik

Paris new hair style... Green is the new pink

Paris first branded good

Here it is, my dog's big day! His first ever branded good.. Well you cannot see his collar.. but you can see the box..

I should celebrate this big day.. the same like child's christening i guess :>

Thankful

As you guys may know, Paris is not cheap. However, despite this fact, he had some problems. Last time he only had one testicle showing up, thus creating problem between my breeder and me as well as extra money in neutring him. I also have not told you guys this but around Mid june, Paris is diagnosed with luxating patella (loose knee cap). He had been limping for a month but in early May, I brought him to my old vet and he said that it's only a sprained leg. I didn't think much of it and just let Paris rest with no medication. I always thought that it was my fault Paris' leg has not healed in a month. I thought I did not limit his playing area enough and thus he could not heal. However, after a month or so of no recovery, I got concerned and took him to another vet. Yup the vet only hold Paris' leg and he told me : luxating patella. Need surgery that cost me $2000!! I'm in a state of shock.

I have no pet insurance, no money, how am I going to take care of this. I thought of working during the summer first and then sign Paris for surgery later. I went to another vet at VCA, it's at Sepulveda X Santa Monica, and met Dr Cassimatis. She's such an angel. I told her from the start, another vet told me that Paris has luxating patella. I don't have any money to pay for the surgerry and I want to make sure if this is really luxating patella, and not sprained leg. She brought Paris to another room to check his leg and she told me.. yes it's a third degree luxating patella.

But she also told me, I know you said you couldn't afford to have a surgery for Paris, so I have a proposal.

She told me that a resident doctor (intern doctor) is doing her work at the same hospital and the resident doctor can do this surgery for $500 because she is still in training. She asked me if I want to do this.. It was Sunday when she told me this and by Wednesday, I had Dr. Cabrera (the intern doctor) doing a surgery on Paris to fix his leg.

Now, Paris is still limping and the vet said that Paris is still getting used to walking with pins inside his legs. If this still occur within 3 weeks, Paris has to come in for another surgery to take out this pins. I really hope he doesn't have to do this.

When I think back of this matter, I am so very grateful that someone/God has helped me. What are the chances that I can meet a vet who can refer me to another vet to do a surgery on Paris for only a quarter of the normal price.

If I had not gone to this new vet at VCA to double check that Paris has luxating patella, I may have to wait two or three more months to have surgery done on Paris.

If I had not met Dr. Cassimatis at VCA, I may not be referred to Dr. Cabrera.

Thank you.

Just before the surgery, I was scared about the whole matter. Am I making the right decision by letting a resident doctor do a surgery on my love? Will everything be alright after this? Is this fortune just a mask for another bad luck? (Can't help it, I am extremely cynical)

Let's just hope it's not.

finals, graduation, Alaska

Soo.. here it is .. I'm at canada now.. Basically in mid June I was having my finals, I was exhausted with graduation planning (which I really don't do much, only Erly and Fanny deserved the credits), and my family came to LA and then I had to fly to Canada to cruise to Alaska..

My mom was exasperated by my 'no sense of fashion' so in the last two days that she was in LA, she dragged me to beverly center and shop stuff for me.. Clothes, skirts, jackets, make ups..

even as she is back in Indonesia now, she had sent me 3 long messages (of 4-5 message each) telling me that I should shop for new clothes, t-shirts, formal clothes, shoes and I should not hesitate to charge it on her credit card. Not to mention, she tells me to take care of my face and body and should I want to go to a dermatologist in LA, I should charge it again on her credit card. I don't know should I be happy or what.
It does lift up the burden of not being able to shop since October 7 2004 though. That's the day I got Paris, and the beginning of the days I do not shop. FEel guilty about how much I have spent on getting Paris.

paris in hawaiian shirt 

Ideas on things I would want to buy next time:

1. diamond ring ( using my first salary)
2. Burberry collar/coat for Paris
3. Sandals
4. Surf board

de-shop-me

Ever since I came back from London, I've realized how un-fashionable and simple I was. For example: to me, SHoes are divided into two types. One for sports (sketchers) and another for party (heels). And those two are the only types of shoes I have. No stilettos, no open-toed shoes, no canvas-colorful shoes. No thongs, no knee-high boots, no brown leather boots, no red heels.

In a bigger picture, I came to realize that I have never spend more than 200 USD on any single thing - other than on Paris that is. I have never bought an Ipod, PSP, clothes, shoes, handbags, gadgets (of course lap top and car are excluded) which cost more than $200. I have never had a CD player, MP3 player, MD player, not even a digital camera. I realized my impairedness is caused mostly because I have spent all the money I could have spent on other things,(read: on Paris). Not that I regret it, I just never realize it.

Part of me want to spend a lot on clothes/make ups/sandals/jewellery. But the brain told me that I have spent enough on Paris to last me til the next five years. I don't know when will this evil release me from being afraid of 'investing' a lot of money in one thing. Maybe when I have started to earn money.

MERRILL LYNCH HERE I COME

Yeii.. I got an offer for internship in Merrill Lynch this Summer. Yei.. yeii yeiii.. What a great opportunity :> FOr you guys who donno wat Merrill Lynch is. It's an investment banking/financial advisor company. And I'm gonna be interning at the FInancial advisor department. WIsh me Luck :>

cute dog, messy room 

both smiling 

wekkkk... 

Surfing part 3!

The most exciting lesson of all classes.. Only Amy and I showed up for class this morning and since we have two teachers, we were like havng a one to one class. The best part was when one of teacher always pushed us ahead of the wave so we could catch the breaking of the wave and to "pop up". Pop up is when you jump from a lying down position to a standing position on the board.

Want know wat's the worse story? I did a lot of sitting on the board, kneeling on the board but never once standing on the board.. this sux..
it felt good though when I was able to stay (read: kneel) on the board for a great 8 seconds.. it just felt heavenly to be kneeling on the board above the wave while the wave brings me to the shore.

The best part? I saw groups of dolphins from very near, like 15 metres away from me!! At first I only saw them from far and I saw my teacher was following them, paddling behind the dolphins. I was so excited that I just paddled out to the deep water (2 or 3 metres deep, 50 or 60 metres away from the shore) to see the dolphins. It was just fabulous! Imagine, I was lying on my board, looking at the dolphins swimming. I looked around me and saw the deep vast sea. I was not even scared of the deep sea.. It's just amazing..

I will keep on surfing :>

almost got caught speeding

I just finished practising for my guitar performance this sunday at 12.00am. In downtown. And I still had to go home from downtown to West LA. As I was driving on highway ten, I was tempted to just drive 90mph. SOmehow, my sixth sense told me not to. and for a good reason. As I was driving 80mph, suddenly I caught a glimpse of a police car right next to me. I'm like what theee.... Shoottt I'm gonna get caught. I quickly drop my speed to 65mph. And just like that, the police car was GONE. G-O-N-E. I looked at my side mirrors.. no sign of police car, rear mirror.. nil zilch none.. I was like.. "where is this police car"

I maintained my speed for a few minutes, and after a while, the police car sped up in front of me to catch another victim..

i wanna be skinny

i think the title speak for itself..

insights

in the three days that I was in Indiana, I somehow realized that I am not really an open person. My friend can share so much stories to others in three days than me. I tell them the facade, the untrue stories about me, while keeping my real dreams/stories inside.

It's funny to be so outgoing but not show one's desire.

For ex: I found myself being questioned a lot of times "what do I want to do after graduating" and I find myself answering 'just get married' when actually I, currently, detest marriage. Maybe I just don't know what I want to do after graduating, or maybe I m not used to sharing what I want to do in life.

yankee and paris on a date 

sigh

I must be mad... Some people know I can't tolerate a certain group of people.. But somehow I find out that if this so called group of ppl help improve themselves in an I-dunno-how ways.. Hell I won't object that.. (Don't understand? nevermind)

SIGH
SIGH
SIGH
SIGH

the biggest bully in my life hehe:P 

ruby me indiana 

ruby danar me 

ruby n me 

Me n Ruby at Indiana Bloomington graduation party 

LIFE

What if you pass up the best thing that could happen to you just to settle for the next best thing because of the less risk involved in the second option.
You'll have a stable life, no risk, but the shadow of the BESTTHINGTHATMIGHTHAPPENINYOURLIFE will haunt you for the rest of your life.

Indiana: Up Close and Personal

I went to Indiana, BLoomington on Friday night with Ruby. REached there at 11pm their time. I went to Indiana to attend my brother/cousin/bestbud's graduation day, Danar Samron (Congrats Bro!) He attended IU-bloomington. So anyway, I must say that Indiana is so beautiful (for a one week stay max). I love the trees, the lake, the view, the cute houses.. Totally in love with the cute houses in Indianapolis. The cold water in the Lake Melon (if I remember correctly), the tree whose leaves look like little green butterflies on it.. The people too.. friendly and so happy (most of them).

Okay.. so the Graduation Party on Saturday 7 May 2005. I must say I HATEHATEHATEHATE the 'thank you' part.. you know.. the part when the graduates thank their parents... Okay I dun really HATEHATE but i Hatehate it becoz I cried during the thank you part. DUn call me soft-hearted just yet. Let's just think of a typical Thank You part in LA.... The graduates will say "Thanks Mom Dad coz of you guys I'm here...I am graduating from this school and I hope you are proud of me" And as they speak, their parents will be there in the banquet room, smiling at them proudly.

NOW IMAGINE THIS:
The second guy to give thanks in Indiana Banquet was crying before he started saying anything.. So I'm like OKAY... he's overwhelmed.. N i'm wrong.. turns out his parents were not even there, he had been quarellign with his father, had serious prob w the father, prob financially.. Even hearing this, I was emphatetic (is this a word?)

So next the second gal to give thanks to her parents.. No parents attending that night.. and she said this "I want to thank my dad and my mom who is in Heaven.. I hope they're proud of me" and she continues, "my mom had just passed away and she was working so hard for paying for me until her death" I'm like half crying by then.. and then she continues.. "I also want to thank my aunty who has come all the way from LA. she had helped me when my mother passed away, and helped me financially and also helped me when my sister had leukimia" I'm LIKE : WHATTT THEE.... OMIGOD.. ISN'T HER LIFE JUST HARD ENOUGH WITH HER MOM'S DEATH NOW SHE HAD TO DEAL WITH THE SISTER'S LEUKIMIA.. THIS IS SO SICK......

I can't stop thinking how different these ppl are from the ppl I know in LA.. The ppl in La.. for the graduation, most if not all the parents will come for the banquet.. Most of them have no trouble financially. In Indiana, half of them do not have their parents there with them. SOme cannot afford it, some with other reasons. I compare this not for the sake of pointing out the wealth difference. More like: we often do not know what we have right in front of us. I never meet these stories in LA and I guess it's an eye-opener that life is not always that easy for others.

Enough Said.

paris gonna be neutered

OH NO paris is going to be neutered.. poor paris..
I'm going off to Indiana to attend my cousin's graduation party and thus I will leave Paris at the vet again.
He's gonna be neutered then...
He's gonna stay from Friday til Sunday.. No.. wait I'm going off from Friday til Sunday. What am I talking about.

I think i can be a sales-gal

Today I'm going to Il Cielo, the restaurant with the best warm choc cake with 19 people.. YAIII... I totally think I can be a sales gal.. 19 people?? O MI GOD.. and seriously it's all becz of me.. I told the UCLA ppl.. and USC ppl.. now here we are UCLA n USC ppl going out for choc cake tonite at il cielo.. Anyone wanna join us? Se e you there :>

I learnt how to surf part2

BAD BAD BAD.....
Yesterday I got washed over by the waves the whole time.. I couldnt go further than a waist-deep sea level.. Embarassing ? yes....
I couldnt even carry the surf board .. too heavy :'(

SIGH

I Learn how to surf

I woke up at 6.50AM today.. Both Shierley and I were on the phone and obviously she just woke up too. We sounded like two gals having hung-over and not ready to get off our comfy bed. So anyway, we were preparing to go to our first surfing lesson!! YEAI.. we've been planning to take surfing lesson since fall 2003.. HAHAHAHa here we are in spring 2005, only started to take surfing lesson. better late than never..

so I COULDN't manage to stand up on my surfing board.. I was just paddling here and there.. hit by the waves a lot of time.. drank the dirty sea water.. BUT I loved it.. it was cold at first when we entered the water but after a while, it didn't matter.. I kept on paddling and trying to get the best wave.. Well, I did get the best wave of the day.. but I was blown lying on my surf board instead of standing on it..

PLUS I saw a lot of dolphins.. A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM.. they were swimming in groups I TOTALLY LOVE DOLPHINS.. that's my most favorite animal in the whole world (Sorry Paris, you're number 2)

Ahh.. lemme tell u a miracle to, since two days ago I was very sick.. I got up with a sore throat and headache and it turned to a very bad sore throat. The kind where you swallow you feel like dying type.. So yesterday I got up and still feel sore but by the afternoon I was better. At night, condition worsen. Somehow I got up this morning with still a little bit of sore throat, but by the end of surfing.. I didn't even remember I have sore throat..

COULD IT BE?
The dirty sea water that I swallow cure me?

I don't know.. could it be the mind over matter solution? (I'm taking this body mind literacy class.. so I'll be talking a lot about meditation and all sort of stuff in the next 2 months)

paris graduation picture.. he doesn't look like Paris.. 

this is yankee, paris' girlfriend 

look at me! I'm cute with the bandana 

scotland.. 

can u see my other ear is longer  

ivana angel paris at the grove 

look at my left ear (ur right) it's shorter.. mommy cut my ear.. ARGH 

with christine in hotel 

isn't this place amazing... oxford