Week 15: Birthday Week
Day 74: It is Week 5 of the academic year and has been 3 weeks since the last all Sunset Village RGC meeting, so we met today to decide on your winter program across the three buildings. The theme of the program is Mean Girls (yes, the movie) — so, I’m absolutely excited AND there is not a running low-key joke that this is yet another birthday celebration for me because of the pink involved in Mean Girls. Hehe, I’m not opposed.
Day 75: I dislike Halloween. Always will, and I’m glad today is will mean it will be over. Non-work related though… a fellow ARD took me to the Halloween Parade in West Hollywood and it was SUPER COOL. The people who invest in the time and effort towards costume, hair, makeup and everything in between mesmerize me because I know I would never go through that effort. Safe to say, I did not celebrate the start of my birthday in my room.
Day 76: “I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling 22!” #TaylorSwiftYear begins. First of all, don’t go out on a work night expecting to be at 100 the next day. I struggled. I went into work at 11am to the loveliest surprise from the rest of the Sunset Village ProStaff, with my office decorated like it was for a 12-year-old and not a 22-year-old with all the pink and Hello Kitty decorations everywhere. My RD took me to lunch at BJ’s, I spent all day working on Progress Reports for my RA team, had Programming Board meeting where I had to tell them not to sing to me (I am not an awkward person, except when people start singing Happy Birthday because I never know what to do), and another RD and my Work Wifey took me to Cheesecake Factory …getting there 6 minutes before closing. It was a very active birthday, to say the least.
Day 77: Today was basically recovery day. Also, today my RD prepped me for all things I would need or maybe come across while she was away at a conference being awesome and a great role model. She was telling how to hold the forth down.
Day 78: First day as Acting RD, and I didn’t blow anything up. I handled all things that came my way without even a scratch and that made me feel good. Then this same night, a few ARDs, two other ResLife ProStaff, Robert, and I celebrated my birthday with a turn up in West Hollywood. Don’t know how I survived the night, but I diiiiiid.
Weekend: (Saturday) The original plan was that Robert, Brenda, and I would go to the Getty Villa and Getty Museum for nice pictures. Instead, Robert and I went to BJ’s at 3 in the afternoon, followed by a trip to Target and a trip to Starbucks. Then went back to my place and took a nap. He tried to be productive, while I watched TV shows. (Sunday) 4 of my fellow ARDs that I’m mega close to got to meet Robert and Brenda. We went for KBBQ and sat there awkwardly when the place suddenly turned into club music when they were singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to two of the guests there. I’m glad it wasn’t me. Then ARDs and I went to Wanderlust Creamery where I had Ube ice cream and was too happy. The night isn’t over. Violet, Kevin and I worked hard to make Jazzmin (Delta RD) a cookie bouquet for her birthday. I missed baking. Even if it took some time, it was fun.
Week 16: The week where I was Acting RD
Day 79: So because my RD was gone and there wasn’t much to talk about in meetings, I basically forced my RAs and RGCs to bond by playing Werewolf (another form of Mafia). I was quite amused. I can’t wait for Team Training and Development (TTD) next quarter because more bonding. I love my teams.
Day 80: I don’t know why I thought it was a good idea to pack a large half of my 1:1s into one day, but I did. Then spent all my free spaces working on my Individual Training and Development (ITD) plans. Then i got to sit in a Conduct meeting too and shadow Kevin (another ARD). I’m slowly starting to feel more comfortable with Conduct. Still not going tp start my own cases will Winter Quarter though.
Day 81: Today’s accomplishments: submitted my ITD plan and gave my updated Progress Reports to my RD. I feel so productive.
Day 82: A slower Thursday morning, a productive afternoon of meetings, a traffic-filled trip to UCI, a filling KBBQ dinner + FroYo at Yogurtland with a few of my kids, a very long catching up conversation with Ben, a late night arrival at Kiana’s, and an excitement awaiting the trip to San Diego with some of my favorite people ever.
Weekend: Started on a Thursday night because it’s a long weekend. Robert drove me to UCI where we got KBBQ with 3 of my residents. Aimee, Shane, Kiana and I drove to San Diego Friday early afternoon with soju, snacks, and a Road Trip playlist on Spotify. We spent a large part of the day at Fashion Valley mall where I was enabled to buy new wedges from Nordstrom and bought new black jeans from Charlotte Russe. Ordered online from Denny’s to have breakfast for dinner with our home-made mimosas, and I stayed up till 3-ish am writing for my blog. Saturday was spent with giraffes, flamingos, penguins, a panda, and more animals I can’t list at the San Diego Zoo. We were supposed to go to Gaslamp at night, but we ended up just eating WingStop and watching “I didn’t know I was pregnant.” I also got an hour’s worth of swimming at night — only in SoCal can you get to swimming at 9:30pm. We spent Sunday at UCSD, where I finally understood the Snapchat GeoFilter of the tree library. We also made a stop at Sprinkles where I got a free cupcake cause of my birthday. Hit Carlsbad Outlet and got myself designer stuff for my birthday. McDonalds for dinner. Saw more of my residents. Home later than I should’ve been, but worth it. What a weekend.
Week 17: The week I went out so much
Day 83: My RD has returned, therefore I am no longer at risk of blowing anything up. The weekend away was really nice and I thought I would dread going back to adulthood, but it wasn’t too bad. I mean, Mondays are always long for me anyway. Today just had a lot of catching up, giving feedback (harder part of my job, cries), and Monday meetings. It was a really productive day.
Day 84: Mommy is back from the Philippines!
Day 85: Work in a place that gives you chocolate during your department meeting.
Day 86: Nothing exciting at work today, but I went to The Broad Museum for the first time. So artsy, so fun.
Day 87: Today, my RGC team held their very first program of the quarter. They put together a Holiday House Hunting program where it was a competition between six rooms of who has the most decorated room. I’m so proud of them for being able to take care of their very first program and handling it amazingly.
Weekend: The parentals, an aunt, a cousin and I went out to watch Thor Ragnarok. Hands down the best Thor movie, Loki is still as perfect as ever, and Cate Blanchett as Hela… whoo. Speechless. Then, what better way to spend my Saturday than at Harry Potter World?
Week 18: The week I was convinced Tuesday = Thursday
Day 88: Ya know, Monday kind of blends in all-together sometimes.
Day 89: I went out to Taco Tuesday at West Hollywood tonight, and it’s only because my co-worker’s convincing argument was “Technically since it’s a three-day week… Tuesday is a Thursday right… And since Tuesday is already taco Tuesday and Thursday is thirsty Thursday there’s twice the reason to go out. Ya feel?” In other words, I went out because my co-worker convinced me a three-day week’s Tuesday = Thursday.
Day 90: I finished final edits for my Individual Training and Development (ITD) plan — well, tentative plan — and my boss was trying to get me out of the office at like noon. I left at 2pm after a 2-hour lunch, followed by spending 6 hours on laundry …because my blanket didn’t dry on the first drying session.
Thanksgiving Break: It was a blur. We won’t talk about it.
Week 19: MUSEUM! OF! ICE! CREAM!
Day 91: I really would prefer my Mondays to not be as busy as they are, but jeez. Every Monday is just so stressful and so much work to it, and I just don’t go home early. However, it’s also really fun when it involves cookies and ice cream — which was from celebrating with the Community Representatives. Yay!
Day 92: I got to shadow another Conduct Meeting. I believe I’m pretty close to ready now.
Day 93: MUSEUM. OF. ICE. CREAM. I can’t even thank Robert enough for taking me to Museum of Ice Cream because that place was a dream. Other than the Hello Kitty store, that was probably one of the pinkest places I have ever been. AH AHH AHHH!!!
Day 94: So get this… I left the office early (right after my last meeting at 4:30pm) to take are of errands. It was pretty cool leaving the office early cause, you know, I never leave that early.
Day 95: I was productive during the day and at night: pupas with Christmas movies and researching grad programs I’m trying to study.
Weekend: I slept for most of the weekend. I got to see Robert for one. Most of it, though, I spent making mini snow globes for my team to give to them during our Holiday Celebration. Soooo excited to bring them out.
Until next time,
ARD Jamrensze “J-Mi” De Leon
Stories of the Reign 