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"Everything had become simple again, quite simple, the complexity gone into nowhere."

~Women in Love

09 February 2006

At the time of this writing, I'm nineteen years old. I must have tried a hundred times, but never succeeded in finishing this piece when I was 18. I did save my attempts, so I feel that if I include some excerpts, I won't really have missed a year. I found a mostly-completed 18-year-old something! I added a link to it at the bottom.

I am still Cynthia-Marie Frani Tolentino. I'm considering changing Frani to Franchesca, but haven't decided one way or another. And when I tie the knot, I think I'm going to hyphenate our last names. Sure some people have hyphenated last names, but how many people can say that they have hyphenated first and last names?

That picture at the left is meant to be a cartoon version of me. Now you've seen the truth - I'm secretly Irish and Jewish. Check out my legs. Man, I look good. Sairina, Joanne, and I made it one night while feeling quite silly. If you ask them nicely, maybe they'll show you their cartoon alter egos. It's well worth your time. If I remember correctly, Sairina has a pet polar bear.

I live in the sleepy college town of Davis in northern California. I hate living here right now, but I'm sure when I graduate and am happily settled in London, I'll tell people stories about how Davis was a flat, pretty, safe, well-meaning town. I have state-dependent memory that way.

I'm a second-year with enough credits to have junior standing. Out of necessity, I declared in the field of mathematics. I don't want to be a math major - statistics classes give me panic attacks. I'm hoping to switch into psychology. I'd like to do undergrad research in drug testing (that is, the biological as opposed to social apsect of psychology) but I doubt that, because of my limited background, they'd let me get very hands on.

I have no idea what I want to do after university - I'm not planning on being a doctor and I don't have immediate plans to go to grad school. My mom says I can do whatever I want as long as it provides me with $3000 a month as soon as I graduate. I tell her it'll be lucky if I don't end up working at Jamba Juice again.

I've hated every single one of my jobs except for the one I currently hold. Now, I work at the Coffee House. I work in the kitchen making salsa and salads and chicken tetrazinni. I love it. When I was little, I wanted to be a chef. Maybe this will be my spring-off point. Maybe this will be as close as I get. Who knows? For now, I'm enjoying myself.

Updates

Housing status: For the first quarter of the 05-06 school year, I lived in Bloomsbury area of London in a basement flat with 5 other girls. Now, I spend the workweek in Davis, California and the weekends in San Francisco, California.

Pet status: In Davis, I have a beta fish - Lindy (full name Lindbergh). I used to have a hamster - Ollie (full name Jamie Olive, real name Jada), but she died recently. In San Francisco, I have a terrier/poodle/spaniel - Bella (her name is just plain Bella).

Food status: I live on toast. I don't mind, but I'd like to add some sushi in there too. I've kicked my coffee addiction. I still really like espresso drinks but coffee gives me headaches now.

Television status: I'm trying to cut down on it because it gives me nightmares, but I quite like Law and Order. I like Friends as well and still watch it on re-run.

Movie status: I'm trying to watch more films now since I haven't seen many. I think I'm doing a better job of it, especially since my current roommate Melissa has a nice collection. My favorites are Keeping the Faith (and it has been since I was fifteen years old), Amelie, Love Actually, and My Sassy Girl (but I feel that's being slightly pushed out since I haven't seen it for some time)

Radio status: I'm addicted to this morning radio program on BBC 1 - The Chris Moyles Show. I only discovered it when I came back to America, I never listened to it in London, but I think it's wonderful. I can't pick a favorite band, but my old roommate Aleks once described my kind of music as "things that you think of when you hear 'Coldplay,' just not Coldplay." I also like Sean Paul.

If I could send out one message it would be: Women of the world, EAT MORE BREAD.

In the past I was... 15 years old, 16 years old, 17 years old. Cringe with me at 18 years old.