Bex had some advice to give me today. After the CS lecture, she told me to have a good time at the Chinese New Year Banquet and the most potent line of all--"Don't be shy!!!"
Um, I'll try not to?

Around 5 pm, after an accumulated two hours of napping, I began frantically trying to contact Kathy. Because my roommate was on the phone, I had to resort to using ICQ. No response. Eventually, I got the phone and called Kathy on her cell. She was alive. We agreed to meet in the Underhill parking lot at 5:45 pm. After she hung up, I quickly rummaged through my closet for a semi-formal outfit. In five minutes, I was ready to go. Unfortunately, I left my dress shoes at home and had to wear my Nikes. Hee. Yet that particular fact came in handy later in the evening.

Once I got to the Underhill Parking lot, I began feeling very anxious. During earlier CSA meetings, I had felt very isolated and distant. I didn't want the same feeling to be repeated. Sigh and Kathy wasn't there yet. I wandered around the parking lot until a guy went up to me and asked if I was going to the CSA thingie in San Francisco. I nodded my head...and we found another group who were going to. He talked to them and suddenly I felt out of place. Other people began arriving...and most people had arrived in groups.
Fortunately...fortunately...the guy began speaking to me. I discovered that Thomas lived in the suite above me...whoa. 'Tis a small world. Finally Kathy arrived. We as a three went into a car. Once inside...somehow hyperactivity overtook me and I began babbling incessantly. Another guy in the driver's seat told me that he was a reader for my CS section. *gag* Now I know the face of someone who would look at my homework in detail order.

I felt somewhat better.

Once we got to New Asia, I felt anxious again. Was my preference for Chinese food going to cause problems again? I shook that aside as I greeted Catherine--Catherine the someone who was the cause of me going. Eesh. I sat next to Kathy at a round table with all the silverware and plates set out. Suddenly, someone took the seat next to me. I could sense his anxiety, because he didn't say anything as he sat down. In a spontaneous action, I turned and introduced myself. Ah, Maurice. Here is the part that I say that I felt guilty, but really I shouldn't elaborate on that.

Dinner finally started. Not so great food. I had apple cider instead of tea and sniff...nobody poured it for me. (I miss Mr. eYe-pour-T-4-u!!) The Cal Wu-Shu team performed. Hmm...interesting. I had already seen a performance at Caloopolooza (I bet there are too many o's in this one.)

The worst or best part was about to come. THE DANCE. So far, I realized that I had overcome certain aspects of my social anxiety. Somehow Bex's advice stayed in my mind. It was weird...I kept making Maurice laugh. Whoaaaa. When the dance started, the music was somewhat...dull. Oh and yes I realized another thing. I could never survive a rave. Maybe for 10 minutes. Blame my short attention span. At one point of the dance, I was dancing with three guys--Ci (?), Thomas, and Maurice. Woohoo! It was utterly hilarious when Ci began imitating my hyperactive dance moves--that is, jumping up and down hysterically. "Oh my god!!!!!!! Jennifer has returned!!!!!"
Then in response, I jumped too.

I personally don't like slow dances. Well, when they are not with the right people. (I am incriminating myself right now, I know.) Ci, in the middle of a techno psuedo fast beat song, tried to slow dance with me. Yaaaaah sure. I dropped to the ground like a dead rat. Nonetheless, I submitted later to two slow dances. One with Maurice and one with Phillip--who was sitting at my table. It was strange though...I discovered that Phillip lived in the quad above me. So that's where all the sounds come from. Now I have some connections. DDR!!!!!!

"Let's get some information exchange going here," Ci said after the lights were turned on to signal the end of the dance. "I had the most fun with you guys!!!"

Well, hey the last comment caught me. Me, fun? Naaaaah. Yet, the entire evening exceeded my expectations.
Oh but I am still shy.

Personal note to my sweetie: Hope you get better soon. You know that I can't go a day without thinking of you. Feel well for me. Okay? Okay.