Almost 2010

I purchased some ski clothes finally today. I was glad I found them cheaper and on top of that, came with a 20% off year-end blow-out discount. By all means they are still not cheap, but at least I got them at a good price. Dave and Jose decided to join the fun and have a thing on their own tomorrow night. Now I'm going to have to attend their gathering too. Jen is not going to be happy if I go to hers late. But oh well, sometimes, you just have to do what you can to make everybody happy. Of course that means you risk making everyone unhappy too! Ugh! It's so hard to be popular! Hahahahah!

Ski clothes

I was looking at ski clothes and accessories online today. I heard, but I didn't know they were so expensive! There's the jacket, pants, inner layer shirt, inner layer underwear, socks, goggles, helmet, etc. None of that stuff is cheap. I learned from Wayne that during the summer it's the best time to get ski gears, now, not so much. I'm going to try TJMaxx and Marshall's this week and see what I can find. If I'm only going to do this once, I'm not going to spend hundreds of dollars on the clothes. Hopefully I will find good stuff there that fit me.

Is it Sunday already?

I spent most of the day with Dave and Jose. They came over for lunch and we went to Fine Garden for some pure vegetarian bliss. Dave wanted to help me fix my kitchen sink, so we went to a local hardware store and got a washer set. Stopped by Starbucks to get Jose some latte, and Dave checked out the sales at Gamestop to see if there were any Wii games he wanted to have. Finally came back home and Dave fixed the leaking faucet in no time, but the sink disposal, not too much progress. Still, Dave truly is amazing.

We played this board game called Streetcar, it was a brainy one. I was not prepared for such mental exercise, at all. We had to figure out the routes, the directions, how to block others, what would be the quickest way to reach the necessary destinations, etc. It was too much strategy and too tough for me! Of course Jose won! I don't think I'm going to play Streetcar again. They bought a pumpkin pie from Costco, and we all had a slice. It was yummy! For $5.99, it's the best pumpkin pie I've had in a long time. While we were talking about what to do for dinner Dave found a film adaptation of La Boheme showing on PBS, so we all watched the last 20 minutes. It was very emotional, and Dave loved it. I was half asleep though. I think I probably overused my head during the game, hahaha! We finally decided to go to Mandarin Deli for some home-cooked style Chinese food. It was quite delicious! Especially the tofu claypot, it completely warmed our bodies and spirits, and definitely helped Dave's sinus quite a bit. Wait. Is it Sunday already?! I really wish the holidays would stay longer!

PK's dinner party

I stayed home mostly today. Went to the gym and unfortunately one of the stinkiest guys decided to use the machine next to mine. Oh it was horrible. I had to turn my head sideways to try to avoid his stench. I don't know why some people just don't sense how stinky they smell! I shopped a little for myself and PK's party after exercising, and dropped by his place to give him many bottles of soda. Then I came home, fixed myself some food and relaxed a little bit before going back to his pad again. A lot of people showed up, it was nice to see PK feel good in his upgraded apartment and be a very enthusiastic party host. I stayed 'til a little after 10pm. Now I'm home and feeling tired. I wish the holidays are here to stay. They are going too fast!

Merry X'mas Baby

Last night went very well. The dinner at Lu's Garden was warm and comforting. There were 5 of us, Dave Jose Tim PK and me. We even re-ordered some of our favorites because we just finished them too quickly. Then to Chinese supermarket we went. There wasn't a big crowd, so we took our time walking and browsing the aisles. Tim got us a black forest cake for dessert, yay! We came back to my place and after a small ask-around, we decided on my DVD pick: The Hammer! Not 10 min in, Dave was liking it. And winning Dave over isn't easy. So I was relieved. Everyone enjoyed the film. We laughed lots. Adam Carolla is one funny dude, and this is a great small film. The cake was yummy, but Tim had to leave. We finally got to exchange presents, and I think I did well. Dave and Jose, even PK seemed to love the gifts I got them, yay! I love my presents too! X'mas (aka gift time) is awesome! Hahahaha! Today I just slept in for a bit. Woke up and cleaned a little. Of course I went back for another nap. Later I had dinner at Dave's with two of my favorite people. Dave made a white pizza and a red pizza, both with Christmas-y names. I liked the white one more! Cheesy with broccoli and sun dried tomatoes. Yummy stuff. He also baked a blueberry pear pie. Uber-yummy!!! We watched Whatever Happened to Baby Jane... Jose didn't like it too much. It was campy and funny at times, but yea, it's a little long and characters are not very bright. Sorry Bette and sorry Joan! I came home right before 11 and am thinking how blessed I am to have this many great friends. I am so happy too that I don't have a lot to worry about, and I'm healthy & mostly satisfied. Ho ho ho... Happy Holidays to everyone!

Almost X'mas

Today was a slow but long one. I kept thinking it was ending, but it kept going. I think I finally got my last email out and I let out a big SIGH of relief. Not that I had anything fun or exciting planned for tonight. I just was glad it was all over. Tomorrow I'll be wrapping up presents. That's the most pointless part of gift-giving, at the same time, everybody does it. I suppose it does have a point: you kind of want the people who you're giving presents to to have that nanosecond of suspense, then bang! SURPRISE! I don't know how I'm doing on the wrapping paper though, hopefully I have enough.

The Feast has begun

I went to Dave's tonight. Wednesday is usually our night to hang out, but given that we are going to eat every night this week, it is good to skip tomorrow and give our tummies a break. Dave baked his famous vegan turkey tonight, and there were also other side dishes to go with the "bird." Corn, mashed potatoes, gravy, pecan pie, and "baby Jesus" bread. There was organic "no sulfur" red wine too. It was truly a mini-feast. And what a way to kick off the holidays. We watched Shaun of the Sheep, which was very Nick Park and Wallace & Gromit. We chatted about my phone selling, which wasn't going very well. Jose and Dave recommended that I get a T-Mobile prepaid card and just use it with my old Sony phone. What a splendid idea! I might do just that. This will save me a few hundreds for sure.

Selling my phone

I made a big decision. Well, not that big a decision but a significant one nevertheless. I decided to sell my cellphone and possibly go back to T-Mobile. My MetroPCS phone is not bad, but the coverage is just too spotty. Anyway, hopefully someone will pay a good price for it. Two months of owning this phone, I'm surprised I do not feel attached to it at all. I'm just not that satisfied. It is less expensive per month, but sometimes it's not just about the cost. Of course, I will have to transfer all my numbers to my new phone somehow, if someone buys it. Probably will go to the store tomorrow, armed with Dave and Jose's opinions. Haha, maybe that's not a great idea? I can just imagine they disagree and I end up having to choose two phones. Fun times! We'll see.

Family Party

The party at Anjelo and Regina's was a lot of fun. It started out a little tense for some of us, because one of Dave's past acquaintances was sitting on the couch. I felt a little awkward, but in the end we were fine. Anjelo's family was super friendly and gracious. Dave made this amazing vegan turkey, or "quail" dish that was a big hit. Regina's sweet marshmallow potato also rocked the party. Everyone had a great time meeting each other and enjoyed the food. We also played a boardgame called Apples to Apples, that started out a little slow but won everyone over once we all "got" the game.

Today I slept in 'til 10:30, was kind of happy about that. Woke up and booked the tickets to Seattle. Checked work emails and answered a few. It was a slow start. The gym was not busy at all. Came back and made myself some salad. Caretas and Eduardo gave me some steak and sausage right off their grill. So I ate some more :) Met up with Sylvia and gave her her present. She was screaming in joy when she saw the camera case. That was a good sign. We went to the mall, which was not very smart. There were so many people! The lines were just crazy. At the same time, it was good to see that people are shopping and spending to save America's economy! After that we went to see my dad's friend so I could get pineapple cakes from him. Could I pack any more driving into this evening? We had dinner with Dave and Jose at Hong Yei, again a great time. Then I took Sylvia back to where she parked her car, all the way back in Rowland Heights. Finally came back home after 10PM. Lots of driving today it seemed! Still, a wonderful day to spend with friends and have laughs with each other.

Full Saturday

So glad the weekend's here. Yesterday work was kind of weird and intense. It sure made the day more eventful. Later went out with PK and David for some frozen yogurt. Then we went to PK's for some chat and gossip. For some reason, hanging out at PK's always involves watching Youtube at some point. We did that again last night. Some were fun, some were kind of dumb. I would love to sleep in some more this morning, but my routine wouldn't allow me to. Woke up fairly early and spent a good amount of time online reading and emailing. Did a little of apartment hunting too, nothing good it seemed. Whatever happens it will work out just fine. Later I'm going to meet with Judy. She just got back and is going to bring me some yummy snacks. After that I have to run to get a cake or dessert, then head out to Dave's. We are going to visit Anjelo and Regina. A nice full Saturday this is going to be.

Scoops finally!

Finally went to check out Upright Citizens Brigade last night with Dave and Jose. It was not good. I barely laughed. The jokes were flat and unoriginal. We were there to support one of Dave's actor friends from his theater show. I was going to say a lot of negative things but Jose did it for me. Secretly I thought if this was one of my friend's show, or one of my films or tv show, Dave would tear it apart immediately and ruthlessly. He was actually not too mean about the whole thing, I guess he liked the actor friend. We had Thai food at Yai's, which was just okay. I used to love the food there a lot, last night it was a little disappointing. Lastly we went to Scoops for some mind-blowing ice cream. I had pomegranate & marscapone cheese and vegan caramel & Oreo cookie. They were SO good! Totally made up the disappointment that was the "comedy" and dinner.

Nice apartment

So tired from work today. So glad the weekend's here. The rain is falling. The temperature is still freezing. It's going to be slow, cold, and barely movable. Speaking of moving, I saw one of the better apartments tonight. Caretas came with me. It was a very nice unit. Too bad the carpet was all dirty even though the owner claimed they steam cleaned it twice. The walls were painted blue, from the living room to the bedroom. I am a fan of the color, just not sure I want the whole place to look like pool water. There's no in-house AC, so that means anyone who wants to live there will need to get two portable ones for each room. I also wished the garage would have washer and dryer, but oh well, it is what it is. I liked it, not enough to move into it. I guess that means I will stay. Until I find something I really love. Isn't one of life's big lessons is to love what you have? Let's see how well I can learn and appreciate this lesson.

Freezing

Got a phone call today from one of the apartments I checked. Again, they wanted more than I was willing to pay every month. It is starting to feel like more and more I should stay put, which really isn't a problem. After doing all the housing research in the area, it's probably a good idea to wait a while. LA rained finally yesterday. This year has been so dry. I suppose it's better now than never. Of course along with rain, the temperature just drops a few more notches. My bedroom becomes freezing every night and in the morning it's like I just slept in a refrigerator. Yea... So what was that about staying in this apartment again? Sigh. Nothing's truly perfect. I'm sure if I do move into a newer apartment I will most definitely find many things wrong with this room or that room. We'll see. I'm always open to change, but never forcing myself into one.

First day apartment hunting

I did a little apartment hunting this afternoon. It wasn't very successful. Although I did visit some nearby areas that looked very pretty. The apartments I saw or heard back from were either more expensive than mine, or not an 1 bedroom apt, or smaller than mine. It was disappointing, but I reminded myself this was just the first day. And also, I don't HAVE to move. I mean, it really depends. If there's something awesome out there and I happen to find it, great let's make a deal. But I'm not going to lose sleep over it. Then again, I probably will. I'm just complicated and contradictory like that.

Moving out

So my rent is going up finally. Is this a some kind of sign prompting me to get my butt out of this place? Not sure. I do think it's funny my landlord still has one unit vacant for months, and somehow decided that raising every tenant's rent was a sound idea. I used to like living here. I still do, to some extent. Then again, my "sinkerator" hasn't worked in a long time, my bedroom is always freezing because of the poor temperature insulation, my carpet feels old and gross, paint is falling off all over, I can go on and on. I do love Caretas, my awesome neighbor, who is mainly the reason I'm still here. Then again, consider that I live above two parking storage areas, and my landlord drives a big ass truck and that weird neighbor with the old beat up Nova that takes forever to get going and I get to hear all the lovely noises these two dumb gas-guzzlers make every morning and many nights... Yea it's time. I'll have two months to hunt down a place and get my stuff out of here. Done thinking about it. Now get on with it.

Work and Food TV

Worked too much today. It feels funny when the computer is shut off, my brain just goes blank. There's nothing inside. This always happens when I just focus too much on work and nothing else. Oh, I did watch Food Channel on and off. It's such a soothing, comforting channel to have on. You start with various different ingredients and you always end up with a great looking dish or many pretty dishes. I always feel satisfied watching it.

Holiday Drama

Thanksgiving at Dave's started off rough. Dave and I got into an argument about me calling him before I left my place. The shouting match crashed and burned after he yelled at me and I threatened to leave. It was total drama. I guess that's what people do on Thanksgivings, family members get together then duke it out, kind of like a typical holiday movie. We were fine after we aired it out and the dinner went along fine. We had 9 people and we all enjoyed the big feast Dave and everyone prepared. Yesterday I stayed at home and did some shopping online. I wouldn't want to compete with the mall crowd. Today I slept 'til noon and had a late lunch with Sylvia. There was a little miss-communication in the morning that reminded me of my frustration with her. Fortunately my annoyance did not get too far, we talked it out and the trip worked out fine. Holiday does give people a lot of tremendous stress, and any little mishaps can roll into a big dumb mess. I feel lucky I didn't let things get too out of hand. Now let's go shopping.

Salad

So happy this week is going to be a short one. I am looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with Dave Jose and a few other friends. Today after the gym I went to Fresh & Easy and bought things for lunch. When I got home I made myself some hearty salad, with popcorn chicken and spring green mix. I didn't really do any cooking, all store brought and the sweet yellow bell peppers from the trip. Salad is kind of like a single guy's food. Easy to make, not too festive, but efficient and good enough for one.

Back from Big Bear

The trip to Big Bear was more mellow than I thought. We stayed in the cabin most of the time over the weekend, did some trail hiking on Saturday, and spent the rest of the time hanging out with each other in our little cabin. We cooked, watched a couple of DVD's and played board games. The only trail we went on, Cougar Trail, was not bad. It just was not having its best time. The scenery looked rough and bare. It probably would look a lot nicer if we came a month earlier. I came back home this afternoon, took a nice nap, and finished the sandwich we made. Overall it was a fine trip, even though I didn't get to sleep very much, I enjoyed the time we shared to know everyone better. I was also happy that I finally got to see Big Bear Lake, and what that town was all about, sans the snow.

Promotion is good

Something good happened today before my trip. I received my monthly cable bill statement and it was like, over a hundred. I wasn't having it. So I called them right away and asked if they could put me on some special. Well, at first the agent only gave me a promotional special on the internet access for six months. I asked if she could help me on the cable service as well. She took a minute and then gave me another promotional special on that package for six months too! That made me feel good. So now I am back to under $80 per month for cable tv and internet. That's a small good news that brings a smile to my face (and my wallet).

Almost Big Bear

I saw Megan today finally and gave her her birthday present. I think she was not expecting it! Luckily she seemed to like the fragrance. Yay! We caught up a little bit about her apartment hunting, and shared her little birthday cake. This week was mostly busy for me. So glad it's almost over! I'm going to Big Bear this weekend, and I have been thinking about how cold it is there. I always hear about the place when the winter nears, but this is the first time I'm actually going to experience the whole cabin and snow thing. PK and David S and a bunch others are going too. It's going to be another new place I get to visit this year.

Noise

The morning started out with lots and lots of noise. There was my landlord, towing her truck, or her other car right under my living room. It went on and on, I was glad I woke up before all the loudness. Still, I already turned on my computer and wished all that would go away. A thought came to me, is it time to move? I thought about it some more during the day. I guess if I had not met Caretas I would be looking at apartments in the area more aggressively. Maybe next year. Who knows, maybe I will be here for another few years? Probably not. Not with all the noise I have to endure everyday.

Watched a movie this weekend finally

I spent the day alone. I resisted the urge to check work email, and I was good. Computer was off-limits. Whatever happened this weekend, it could wait. I drove around the area trying to find an alteration place to take in my jeans a few inches. The first place I went was closed. The second place was open, but they were a little surprised to see a guy walked into their store. It costs $5 and I hope they do a good job. The rest of the day was pretty easy breezy. I even took a nap. Watched a DVD that PK lent me, The Brothers Bloom, it was quite good. Shot beautifully, fun story, great acting, just a well-rounded effort all around. Tomorrow begins another week. Let's hope all goes smoothly, I know it will.

Vacuuming Day

I did some vacuuming in the apartment today. Put away my AC. Repotted my tomato plant. It was not a lot of work or time, but afterwards I felt like I did a ton! I thought about going out and doing something, then I just stayed in and took a nap. I figured it had been a while since I took time to sleep, so I did. This morning the cleaning crew for the apartment started blowing dust in the lot and I was awoken around 7:30am, I was pissed. So I kind of made up for it in the afternoon, even though it was not a deep, full sleep. Tonight I hung out with PK and some of his friends. We went to Masa and ordered soy-cheese deep dish pizzas. It was pretty good. We then went back to David's apartment to chat. Some decided to go to a bar, PK and I just came back home. We wanted to go to bed already.

Cleaning

The week is over! I have a lot to do around the house. It's so messy and I really should do some cleaning. I missed a bunch of movies this year. Maybe I will try to go catch some this weekend. Of course I want to sleep in too. Too bad these days I open my eyes in the morning and that's that, I can't go back. Hopefully this is going to be a relaxed but still productive weekend.

Icy treat

It was another busy day. I finally caught a break and had lunch at Caretas. Then she and I went to a frozen yogurt place for a icy treat. She couldn't really eat dairy, or so she said, but she ended up trying a bunch of flavors. I got green tea, ginger bread, and pineapple flavors, with fruits and nuts toppings. Typical style, still it was so delicious. We came back after she got some lotto tickets. I did my first net-meeting, and it was not a complete failure, hahaha. The connection was buggy, so the 2 attendees couldn't hear me most of the time. Oh well not as bad as I thought! I was so sleepy tonight after logging off from work. Somehow I stayed up and kept watching random TV. I could use some good yummy hot meal. Can't wait to see Dave and Jose tomorrow :)

She sold it

I went out and had lunch with Sylvia and her pals in Rowland Heights today. She told me about her awesome news, that she sold her truck finally. I was so happy for her, and so proud of her that she stood up for herself. It was such a dead weight for her financially and mentally, and to know she finally took care of it, I was just so happy. I came home and took a nap. It was a quiet night. I went to the gym, came back, ate a small dinner, and vegetated. Tomorrow will be another busy start. I did get enough rest this weekend, I think I'm ready.

Too much

Another full day! I couldn't sleep last night, so I woke up around 3 in the morning and started working on an ad for my previous company. Why in the world would I do that to myself? I don't know. My life changed obviously. I went back to bed around 5:30, and got up again after 10. Went to the gym, Jose called, and I met up with Dave and Jose for lunch at 1. We removed my AC in the bedroom, and watched random TV while Dave took his nap. After they left, I interviewed an applicant overseas. That's just too much action for one day! It didn't stop, I went out and hung out with PK and David after their dinner. I actually was falling asleep on his couch. Let's hope I get a full night of sleep tonight :)

Took off early

I did it. I took off work early today and finally spent some time outside my apartment with Caretas. We went to Hometown Buffet and had a lot of food. Of course my stomach was acting up right away. I didn't care, I just kept eating, hahaha. Then we went to TJMaxx and I bought a pair of odd pants. There was some jeans that I thought were cool, but I wanted to get something new and weird, so there, dirty gray construction-looking funky pants! We came home after 6 and I couldn't help myself, I checked my emails and of course there was something happening that I needed to respond. It was kind of nice to know that I was needed, at the same time, I thought "Don't these people ever take a freaking break?" Oh well, it's all good. Nothing I can't handle.

Overworked

I overworked today. I felt completely drained. It really seemed like it was never going to end. When I was done I was SO exhausted. Of course I had to get out of the apartment. I got into my gym clothes and left. At first I visited Caretas to chat. The more we talked though, the sleepier I became. When her husband came home, it was time for me to take off. Once I hit the treadmill my energy kicked in and I was feeling less tired. I probably won't work as many hours tomorrow. I better not!

Boring

I didn't get to do too much non-work today. Slowly and hopelessly I'm becoming one of those people who work too much and talk too much about work even when not working. Sylvia and I were on the phone tonight and we were just went on and on about yes, work. I feel like I'm some boring person. I feel like I need a hobby, or a life. Oh well, it could be a lot worse.

No internet

The internet connection at home has been dropping off in the middle of the day this week. It is very frustrating. I would finish work and try to email it, find out I didn't have any connection, so I would wait or go to Dave's to get stuff done. I spent most of day today at his place because of this problem. The cable representative did not know what was going on. She actually thought it was my wire or modem went bad. I finally had to schedule an appointment with their technician/repairman tomorrow morning after being talked at for more than 10 minutes. When I left my place and saw a cable truck parked on the street with a 5 people crew, I backed up and asked one of the workers if they were working on the cable/internet/phone in the neighborhood. Of course he said they were! And of course it was a problem that they had been trying to fix since two days ago! And of course the phone operator did not know anything! So while I waited for the takeout food at the restaurant I called the cable company again and canceled my appointment. I'm not going to have one of them come and end up charging me for the visit. Ugh! It was good to see Dave though!

Quick trip to San Diego

I went to San Diego on Friday and spent a night there. Downtown SD really came alive with big, young, rowdy crowds in town for Halloween. The streets were packed with visitors from top to bottom. The bars had lines going from inside to around the block. It was wild to see and walk through that heavy, dense crowds. We went to a very nice Spanish restaurant called Cafe Sevilla and were very impressed by the food and their service. We let our perky waitress order for us, and she didn't disappoint. The appetizer, grilled bacon rolled dates and tuna tartare tower, were SO good! The entrees were just as delicious. We had the hanging steak shrimp kabob, cheese fundido, and a baked pastry with beef (or lamb) filling served with red wine sauce. I thought the food was going to be salty, but I was pleasantly surprised it was seasoned perfectly. I even liked the steak because it was so tender, and not too rare. What a great experience! The next day we went to Coronado and dined in one of the restaurants by the sand, Peohe's. The ambiance was different from the night scenes in downtown. The seashore really gave the view a serene, calm presence. The food there was just OK. The calamari appetizer was strangely lukewarm, and lacking a crunchy factor. It also came a little late (like more than 15 minutes after we ordred it). I tried out their two entrees, the fish taco and Peohe’s Halibut Mai’a... My fish taco was good. I thought it could use a little more salt. Peohe’s Halibut Mai’a was interesting, it's halibut with banana and pistachio sauce, never had that anywhere. After our meal we went for a walk by the sands and were quite taken by the view. It was a very nice weekend spent with a new group of friends. And it's another side of San Diego that I had not seen before. I came back to Dave's on Halloween night, and enjoyed homemade sausage and sauce with him and Jose. We also watched Psycho, and really liked it. It was a great weekend, and a sweet ending to an excellent month. I saw some old friends. I found a job. One of my closest friends got married. I went and visited beautiful cities and saw sights I had never thought would be that beautiful, and that stunning before. This October I experienced such a turn around, and I'm so happy that it brought my life to a much fulfilled, and satisfying state. I feel truly blessed.

Stuffed

Work today was not as intense. I was surprised that I actually got a little breathing room. I was even contemplating a quick trip to MetroPCS and change my cellphone carrier and phones. Then I realized I still had some minutes to go before reaching my limits, so I will make that change tomorrow instead. Dave Jose and I decided to have Chinese hotpot tonight. It was a good dinner choice in this cold weather. Dave made chocolate chip cookies too. Then we finished his pecan pie and pudding cake. It was a lot of food, and I am still feeling stuffed. Tomorrow is Friday, I can't wait to let go and just relax.

Sylvia's Birthday

It's Sylvia's birthday today. She's been a very good friend, even though sometimes she and I don't agree on certain issues or see eye to eye. True friendship is accepting of each other and embracing each other's differences. I am working on that all the time, because I know I am far far from perfect. I called Sylvia's brother on Monday and invited him and his wife to dinner. I wanted to surprise her a little, since she wasn't expecting anyone but me to show up. She indeed was pleasantly surprised, but wasn't that shocked to see her brother and his wife there with me. We went to Tofu Village to celebrate. The food was mostly decent, if not outrageously good. The restaurant wasn't busy tonight. We found our service to be pretty excellent, and we all had a wonderful time. Sylvia seemed to like the present I got her. I had always wanted to get her a beautiful perfume set, and I was happy to finally make that happen tonight. It's baby pink in color with a sparkling bottle design, and has "crystal" in the name, very fitting for Sylvia's liking and personality. And it's a fresh, gorgeous scent. Hoping to see her wear it some time. Of course, after dinner I came home smelling totally like Korean BBQ, but I didn't want to change or take off my jacket. It's been a dry, windy and cold day. I could've turned on the heater, but that felt like too soon. So I just kept my jacket on and will wait 'til after shower to change into something more comfortable for bed.

Sending Good Vibes

I stayed home and worked today. Caretas was not feeling well, but she still cooked and gave me delicious pasta for lunch. She's very kind to me, always. The winds in LA were insanely active all day. The plants outside moved wildly, so did my blinds inside. Yesterday we had a very hot, above 90° summer-like day, not so much today. It was quite chilly and windy. OK, in LA, chilly is like, 60°... so it's not that bad really. CH and Robert were still having car troubles. I feel terrible. I wish I could help more. I'm sending them good, positive vibes right now. Hoping they will face no more awful rental car issues tomorrow, and continue on their vacation safely and without any stress or frustration.

Back from the trip

I came back from Sequoia National Park last night. It felt wonderful to hang out with CH and Robert. Robert could really drive. The roads in the park were mostly windy and required a tremondous amount of focus to maneuver, and he had no problem staying oncourse and getting us in, out, and inbetween sailingly. CH and I of course had a lot to talk about. There were times I wished we didn't have to bring up work, but it was impossible not to. At least we were doing it at a stunningly beautiful surrounding! We actually saw a mid-size black bear the first day we went inside. And we were all truly mesmerized by the Sequoia forest. The second day we ventured into the park more extensively. The sights in the day were simply breathtaking. The trees were big, majestic and magical. The rocks were forming in various abstract, angular shapes and sizes. We walked down to a calming creek, up to flat white rockscape, and around several beautiful, living or dead, gigantic trees and gorgeous scenaries. It was like experiencing special effects in every step in real life. We felt very fortunate to able to see the world alive in a full, green, view, and to be able to connect with the nature wholeheartedly and intimately. I was so happy that I went and got to embrace this trip together with my good, old dear friends!

Sequoia here I come!

I finished another week of working full-time. Yay! I am tired, but happy. Tomorrow morning I will be leaving for Sequoia National Park. I downloaded a bunch of Frosty Heidi and Frank podcast and made a bunch of CDs to listen to on the road. I got snacks, gifts, and address entered in the GPS. I think besides packing clothes and toiletries I'm ready to go. Hopefully I'll manage to find a few hours of sleep tonight. Usually I don't get to do that because I'm too excited, or worrying too much. I know, I am easily stressed. No matter what, I'm going to forget about working for a couple of days. I will definitely try to let go, and have some outdoor, forestsy hiking fun with CH and Robert.

Fun Weekend

I received the new laptop from work today. It was pretty exciting. Dave was on a roll tonight, he made seriously fantastic Mexican for dinner that blew my mind. The pumpkin soup was ridiculously creamy and delicious. And the main entree, stuffed pepper with pomegranate and tahini like sauce, Yum Yum! He really should write up all these great vegetarian recipes. I probably should push him to do so! The weekend is coming and I can't wait. I'm going to see CH and Robert! It's been more than 2 years since I last saw them. We are going to hang out at Sequoia National Park for a couple of days. I've never been to a National Park, I don't think, and this will be an eye-opening as well as very fun experience for me.

Happy Mood

I have been spending more time with Caretas these couple of days. She knows I'm working at home now and even though we can't go out like we used to, I can stop by and dine with her. When I say I dine with her what I really mean is that she feeds me. There is no doubt in my mind that I am very blessed to be her neighbor and her friend. I cherish the time whenever we get to eat, laugh and gossip. It relaxes and takes me out of my work mode completely and temporarily. It truly is the simple things in life that create those little but necessary sparks to lighten the rather routine, mundane day-to-day living. I suppose today is one of those good days that I am in a very happy mood, and I think very positive thoughts :)

Last 3 Days

Last 3 days have been a fun ride. Friday it was mostly work, and a night out with John Jane and Wayne. We went to Koreatown, thinking that we were going to try this new restaurant that had $10 all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ, then found out there were probably 100 others who were also waiting to get in. So we tried to hang, but the line was just not moving. After 15 minutes of non-activity, we decided to bail and we drove to another Korean BBQ restaurant. By the way, there are so many Korean BBQ restaurants in the area, it's almost dumb to stay at one place and wait more than an hour to get fed. Castle was a smaller, and lesser-known all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ buffet restaurant, but the food and the service were excellent. We had their cheapest combo, and it was great. That was just $9.99 per person too! We had a great time there. Yesterday was Jen and Steve's big day. The wedding went on smoothly, and Jen couldn't look more beautiful. After the wedding some went to the reception right away, some drove to Pasadena for the 2nd reception. I was responsible for the sign-in table and greeting guests. It was an elegant setting, and everyone cheered when the new bride and groom came back. People were laughing a lot, taking a ton of pictures, and definitely drinking non-stop. The food was not perfect, but everything else was. From the speech to the crowds' reactions, from the parents to every friend and colleague, we were all moved by the love and the entire production Jen and Steve were able to pull off :) Congratulations!

Today I slept in mostly. I didn't get up 'til 11 AM. I went to the gym, and came back with a Subway sandwich. It had been so long since I visited that Subway. I ordered something new on the menu, Buffalo Chicken, it was not bad. The rest of the afternoon I napped, made a couple of international phone calls for work, and finally went to have dinner with PK. We met up with Dave Jose Linda and Stephane. Mandarin Deli took care of us and made every dish outstanding. We were very happy to introduce this great small restaurant to the new couple of the group. Later we went to Marie Calendar's to pick up 2 pies, because they were on sale for $6.99 each. We got a pecan pie and a rhubarb pie, and enjoyed them at Jose's place. This weekend was really fun and jam-packed, and I have to say, I wouldn't want to have it any other way.

October

The month has become very exciting. Z leaves tomorrow, then Jen's wedding comes. Work is a little stressful, but I have a lot of support to help me sail through. Next weekend I'm going to see CH and visit Sequoia National Park, so that's another exciting happening. I sincerely didn't expect my October was going to get this eventful. I am glad it is, even though I'm losing my sleep and feeling tired a lot when I'm not in front of the computer. It's going to get less intense I hope, when I'm more used to the schedule.

Rolling my eyes

I never really like people who say, "Oh I'm SO busy!" whenever I ask them how they are. I am secretly rolling my eyes. It just seems so pretentious. It's like saying "I have so much going on at work I really don't have time for you or anything else, well, except for right now." Every time I hear that response I think, "That's just sad! Because you told me that last time too!" I guess I'm jealous? Or I'm dumbfounded? My previous jobs didn't get super busy that often, and when they did, I tried not to tell people or talk about it like it's some kind of news. Some of my friends do though, all the time. Anyway, this last week at the new job has been a little hectic. I am really not familiar with this rhythm. Lots of events happening at once, and many of them require lots of attention, while the rest are merely distractions or of less importance to what is going on with my current training. Of course, I continue to strive for that stance, that I won't say "Oh I'm SO busy" when my friends call me or ask me how everything is. I still think that's annoying and pretentious. And I don't want to feel like I'm rolling my eyes at myself. Other people can do it, but not me. I'm just getting used to a different pace of living. That's all.

Karaoke debut last night

The temperature has dropped drastically in LA this week. There's supposed to be a storm coming tomorrow. I thought I would be looking forward to the rain, but now I am not sure. All this gloominess and coldness make me extremely sleepy. I guess my unwell stomach has something to do with that too. PK was very sweet to invite me over for dinner tonight. We also hung out last night and I made my karaoke debut at Frontera after our dinner. The food there was kind of salty, but the crowds were very friendly. PK sang a bunch of songs, most of them were challenging to sing (and to hear, ha). David didn't sing anything, he was just shy. I found my guts somewhere and sang just 2 songs and I thought they went better than I thought, if I may say so myself, ha. Below are the original versions. It was a fun fun night and a great way to end the weekend!

Eternal Flame by The Bangles:


Straight Up by Paula Abdul:

Stomach not feeling good

My stomach is acting up today. I took some Picot just now and am hoping my stomach will feel less cranky. I don't know why it is so upset. Sigh. It probably has something to do with me overeating at West Coast Buffet last night. Usually I could consume that a lot of food with no problem, but perhaps after a day of running around, driving in the car, and shopping in Desert Hill Outlet and eating food court junk food, my stomach just had enough and decided to quit on me finally today. I am tired also. I finished another round of test this morning and I am just drained. I whine too much! OK I'm going to shut it and get some rest now.

Houseguest

So I was late to pick Z up at the airport. I was more than an hour late in fact, and it took us another hour and a half to come back. I'm drained. Tomorrow is going to be a full day. There's a haircut, car rental, outlet shopping, and probably Chinese buffet. It's nice to see him again. A lot of memories and a lot to talk about between us. I am going to try my best to be a great host, and I will have a good rest when he's gone. Wait, I have a job now. Ugh... no rest 'til next weekend then. Wait, it's Jen's wedding next Saturday. OK. Next Sunday! Sleep 'til noon is a must!

Busy

The last few days have been very different from my job-hunting, uneventful days. So far there has been persistent technical difficulties, a ton of necessary readings, several challenging tests, job trainings, conference calls, never-ending emails, quick change of plans, and more of everything I just listed. It's just busy busy. Of course I think this sudden flood of work is quite overwhelming, but I also find it a little exciting. I am learning, absorbing, and making progress. I do look forward to the weekend though. Z is flying in tomorrow, and I haven't really had time to clean or do anything to the place. Well, I'm sure he'll understand.

Training

I started my training today. It got very busy and exciting. I really don't know how it all will go down, and it's definitely going to get tougher, but so far I feel good to be working and learning. Besides checking in on Caretas I didn't step out of my apartment much, I didn't even go to the gym. Tomorrow I'll have 3 meetings, so it's a little different from my normal, leisurely lived, mellow life :)

Lazy

I took care a bunch of stuff today. It was a productive day. The lunch with Caretas was very sweet. She was in such good spirits! I love when my friends are doing good and feeling healthy. I thought about tidying up my place too, but I got lazy. My apartment seriously needs some cleaning before Z's visit, I will probably do some tomorrow, then a little more on Wednesday. I usually do just the minimum of cleaning. Sigh. I really am not the neatest person.

I found a job

Finally the news is out: I found a job! It is full time and temporary. I feel good about it, but I also know there's a learning curve and definite uncertainties that come with the new line of work and people. Forewarn is forearm. I will keep myself in check, make sound choices, and aim for the best. I want to say thanks to those who listen and care when I struggle everyday and try to figure how to forge ahead. I am truly blessed with love and friendship. This is going to be a quiet, steady step forward. I will enjoy it, learn from it, and smile while it lasts.

Keeping it in

I worked a little today. It was supposed to happen earlier, but he didn't call me 'til 10:30, so I ended up getting there around 11:15. It was good to feel that I was doing a good job. I thought about sharing what was going on with my manager, but I decided to hold back. Sometimes it's better to keep some info to yourself. He did give me a lot of good suggestions, and I am going use them to improve myself and my confidence. I will have another half day of work tomorrow. I am not sure if I'm going to stay the entire 5 hours. We'll see what the boss says.

Yes I can

I'm feeling overwhelmed all of sudden. There's a lot of things are coming together, and moving into place, and I'm feeling stressed about how I am handling everything properly, timely, and mindfully. This is good, I tell myself, it's what I've been waiting for all this time and the next stage is going to be very different and exciting. I just hope I don't screw up... then again, I was not doing all that well financially all year long and I am still walking tall today, so who's to say I can't have another go at this jobless adventure in the future? Seriously though, after all is said and done, I'm proud and happy that I am pacing myself, hanging tough and moving slowly forward. I can do this. Yes I can!

Cold!

The temperature in LA dropped today. The afternoon was very warm, but felt quite cold in the morning and the night. Has the fall finally arrived? I heard on the news we would still see some hot days ahead. I am not sure if I am ready for jackets and sweaters. I mean, my AC was running just a day ago. Anyway, people never stop complaining about the weather. It was either too this or too that. I do miss rain though, we haven't seen enough of that this year. That will be something to look forward to this fall and winter.

Pleased

Today's phone interview went well. I was pleased with how I did. I should know the outcome by the end of the week. It felt nice to move forward a tiny step. Caretas made ravioli and chicken salad tonight, they were delicious. At first I was thinking about going out for dinner, but having and enjoying a meal with her was way better. Megan is back and I'm going to see her tomorrow. Sylvia will be back tomorrow too. October is shaping up to be a pretty awesome month.

One Step Closer

Home alone today. Talked to Dad for almost an hour. Told him about mom and I was glad he understood. I still am waiting to see what comes next. Tomorrow will be one step closer. Sometimes I think my life is wonderful, I have a lot of supportive friends and I can count on many people always. Then there are times I feel unfulfilled, I don't have a goal, a passion, or a career. I'd like to believe there are others who feel the same. I'm taking one step at a time, getting to know myself better, and hopefully finding my path sooner than later. Even if it's not definite, at least I know I have a strong base to back me up when I need it. So in that sense, I live a very blessed life.

Bland

Feeling bland. Hung out with PK and David yesterday. It felt nice to get out of the house and talk about other people's lives. Had lunch with Caretas yesterday too, that was fun. Got some stuff at Ross. Retail therapy always helps lift my mood. Today I worked half a day. Did some banner and display artwork, feeling quite useful and productive. For some reason I couldn't sleep at all last night. Was tossing and turning, AC was on, then I shut it off, then it was back on, along with the fan. I felt like a hot mess, so was my room. I thought goals would be more or less clearer by today, that didn't happen. I will have to wait 2 more days. I have time, and patience. This is probably why I'm feeling bland.

Almost time

I am getting closer to making a decision. Some time tomorrow or Friday I should have a better idea where I am heading. Even if I decide to stay put, that will be something. If I am to move forward, I will have a couple of options. Just little more patience I will soon find out what happens next. I actually looked at some college courses today too. They are kind of expensive, of course. Sigh. That can open another door to productivity. We'll see.

Sawtelle again

Hung out with Dave today. I saw a CD that Dave wanted in Sawtelle last night, and he couldn't wait 'til Wednesday to go. I finished working around 1:30 and drove over to his place. We first had lunch at Govinda's in Culver City. Lots of vegetarian goodies, buffet style too, but since we got there a little bit late, we had to rush to get our second plates before they put everything away. We then went to get the CD, and a couple of other new finds. By the time we got on the freeway, it was way slow. So Dave decided that he wanted to go to Record Trader to shop some more. He spent some time hunting and sampling, and we walked out with another 2 CDs. On the way home, we talked. It was nice to learn what's new in his life and what he's focusing on - I was a little sleepy at first, but after he rolled up the window and turned the AC on, I was all ears.

Sawtelle

Went out and had dinner in Curry House on Sawtelle tonight. It was pretty good, although a little pricey for chicken katsu curry. We also went to Yogurtland in the same plaza for some icy treats. It was a cool night out. Sometimes it's nice to see the other side of town. It had been a while since I visited Sawtelle during the night hours. I must say I really had a good time.

Precious

This morning I finally went to see my landlord about my non-turning disposal. She didn't show up 'til 5:30 PM. I waited all day and was feeling very annoyed. Even in my nap I was thinking about why she had not come yet! Sometimes I get frustrated easily. Am I really that precious? I try not to be, but sometimes stuff just gets to me :( She had some metal plate tool and used it to poke inside and around a bit, and suddenly my disposal was working again. She should have left that thing with me. I would be needing it again tomorrow.

Tonight I made three new friends. Dave introduced Linda and Stefaan to the group, and PK's friend Abe brought his friend Chris to our big dinner party. It began small, with just PK David and I. Then it turned into a 15 people party. We went to Hong Yei of course. We always have the best food, best service, and best time dining there. Afterwards we went to Fosselman's for ice cream treats. It was another wonderful evening spent with my favorite people.

Heat is back

Caretas came back last night, so did the heat. Oh dear, who knew the LA heat was going to return this quickly? Once again I have my AC on. It's not as bad as two weeks ago, still it's not comfortable. Caretas and I went out and had lunch at Hometown Buffet, one of her favorites. She's feeling better and I can't be happier for her. We shopped a little bit too. I came back, rested some more, and found my disposal stopped working again. It's annoying. I would reset it and turn it back on, repeat that several times. It just refused to turn. I think I'm going to have to talk to my landlord about it tomorrow. It better not start turning suddenly when she checks it!

Feeling better

My stomach is doing much better today. Thank goodness because I am going to Dave's tonight and all that food must be eaten somehow. I have spent most of this week alone. I haven't seen any friends or gone anywhere exciting, besides Megan, gym and grocery shopping. I think that's good. Sometimes taking time to be by yourself and figuring things through is a good exercise. Just don't do it too often, it can make a person too self involved and easily moody.

Lactose Intolerant

I went on one giant lactose intolerant trip today. I ate a half of the 85c's cheese cream pastry in the morning, and I was in and out of the bathroom for the rest of the day. Oh it was not pleasant. Sometimes I can handle dairy fine, sometimes like today my body just outright rejects it. Obviously I ended up eating very little tonight and am still feeling kind of weak. I'm hoping tomorrow I'll be 100% again. How could something taste good be so mean?!

Making waves

Work today was very relaxing. I improved some flyers for the show in Vegas. I also met a couple of employees from Singapore and learned a little more about the company. The afternoon went by smoothly too. Megan stopped by to get some BBB coupons that I was throwing away. I wondered how much she saved. The gym was easy breezy. I didn't feel like a nap afterwards. This morning while on Skype I told mom that I will finalize my plans by this weekend. She was staying late in the bakery because she had gotten a lot of orders for the quickly arriving Moon Festival. It's nice to know that she's working hard and doing well. It motivates me to want to make some waves too.

Things done

I got a few things done today. Bills were paid. Gifts were bought. Present sent. Yea some spending, but all necessary. I got my DMV Certificate of Title today. Yay! That was pretty awesome. Megan dropped by and gave me baked goods from 85° from Irvine. She told me she was shocked to see the place was so packed last night. Seriously I've heard so much about this Taiwanese bakery their stuff better be freaking phenomenal! In the end I decided to eat the pastries tomorrow for breakfast. Sweet stuff is just not very dinner-ish to me. I have a half a day of work tomorrow. I really shouldn't have taken that nap!

Dinner at Jen's

Went to Jen's for dinner tonight. I had not seen her for so long! It was great to spend quality time with my old friend again. She reassured me that I wasn't the only one looking for jobs. Every now and then it's nice to hear that from someone else, hahaha. She seemed less stressed, and Steve was in a good mood too. She made grilled chicken and green salad, it was healthy and delicious. The wedding is just a month away. It is such a time and money consuming event! I really admire them for figuring everything out and sticking to the plans. We watched a little bit of VMA, which was a complete train wreck. Then we just switched and watch the Design Star finale, which was more entertaining. I probably won't see them again until their big day. Everyone's moving forward, I hope I get to do that sometime this year too.

Great Picnic

Had a great day today. The picnic party Dave and Jose threw went very well. We picked a shady spot that served us well, not too hot or too cold. There was a lot of food: sandwich stuff, salad stuff, vegetables and fruits, all kinds of cheeses, different drinks, coffee, etc. It was a true outdoor feast. Dave also made a pie that blew everyone's mind away. There was 9 of us, but the park was pretty much empty and quiet until a lot later. We saw the pool was drained, that's probably the reason we didn't see that many people. It was just a great party.

Renewed!

I read somewhere a while ago that number 9 is a good number for me. I usually try not to be superstitious, but this lucky number 9 thing ended up planting firmly in my head. Needless to say, I feel today, 09-09-09, is all kinds of special. So I planned many exciting things for myself. First of all, I cleaned my apartment. Yeah, I did! I might not have done that great of a job with the bathtub but I certainly gave it my good old college try. Three separate times I used 3 different cleaning techniques and solutions to work that thing. Even though it was still not spotless, I patted myself in the back and was quite proud of myself for trying, hahaha! Besides cleaning my place I also went ahead and cleaned my car. No I didn't do it myself, but I did drive it to a machine wash place several miles away to give it a nice, alright washing, brushing, and drying. Yay! The last thing I did today that I thought was kind of special was I finally updated my FB photo. I joined the site almost a year ago, and today feels like the right time to upload a new self pic. Now I'm going to go and clean myself. I feel renewed!

Blunt

I had a normal day today. I had work, had nap, and had gym. Pretty standard. I haven't been hanging out with my neighbor much these days. I was over at her place one night last week and after she told me how sick she was feeling again, I kind of flipped. She was always ill. I usually was sympathetic, but last week I was just... I told her that she needed to tell her doctor what she was feeling and she should change her doctor if she couldn't trust her diagnosis or treatment. I wish I wasn't so short to react like that, but I was very frustrated. She has a tendency to complain about this, about that, then more about this and that some more. The talk's repetitive, it can drag on and on, and it doesn't seem to improve. I would listen, and suggest ways to take care of herself and her pains, but there was always something else, some reason that would hold her back, that would cause her to not cut the cycle of issues. She couldn't make her doctor's appointment. The doctor didn't care what she said. The drugs she gave her made her sick, etc. I was always dumbfounded when she said she couldn't eat because she was having stomach pains, then she went ahead and ate butter and drank coffee. I don't know, if you're having stomachache dairy or coffee doesn't sound like the best choice of food to have. I told her that too, but she would shrugged it off, and continued to feel ill. Ugh! I feel bad for being blunt. At the same time, I just cannot take in any of her daily "I'm sick" speech anymore. I get it, she's depressed. I am too, but I don't lay it on her every time I see her. Ugh! I don't know. I feel like I'm a jerk. She's always been nice to me, why can't I just shut up and listen? I think I am already fed up with my own crap and I see myself going through that stupid cycle internally and I can't get out. I hope I don't whine and whine to my friends, I am really really sorry if I act like that. My neighbor was apologetic after I told her that every time I see her she's doing this, and she said she would stop, which is why I haven't seen her much... I hate making my friends feel bad, because in turn that makes me feel like an inconsiderate moron. I did have to react though. I wanted her to see that she could help herself, the choice's hers. Kind of like repeating that to me, hahaha. We'll see what happens next.

BBQ outside

Today was pretty uneventful. I didn't go out to meet up with anyone. I just watched random TV and stayed in mostly. The weather was comfortable for a change. I left the AC off the whole day. My neighbor was doing some bbq outside, so my place smelled smoky for a while. At first I thought the LA fire was reignited, but it was just his charcoal and burned meat.

Fuzzy

I went to bed really early last night, like around 10. Usually I don't go to bed before 11, but yesterday I just felt like there wasn't anything worth staying up for, not TV, not the net, not phone calls, just time to shut everything down. Of course I woke up around 4 in the morning. I argued with myself if I should go back to sleep or stay up. I did a little bit of both. Around 6 am I went back to bed and got up again after 9... The rest of the day was a little fuzzy. I went out, got gas, and was lost for a while. Thank goodness Dave got me a map, because I wasn't using my GPS today. Who knew I would get so lost by making just one wrong turn? I shopped at Marshall's a bit, came back home, had a small lunch, and dear heavens I slept again. It got really hot, so I got up from my afternoon nap around 5, and waited for Dave and Jose to come by so we could have dinner. We went to a new Chinese restaurant (I didn't bother to take down the name) that didn't carry that many vegetarian dishes. Dave didn't get to eat much, and I felt bad. We watched America's Best Dance Crew and Design Star back to back. It was a laid-back evening with two of my favorite people.

Big weekend

The big Labor Day weekend is here! It doesn't make that much a difference in my life, really, except for the fact that my friends are going to have more free time to enjoy themselves. I will probably try to go see Extract if I have a chance, and hang out with Dave and Jose. Other than that I don't have a lot of plans, just the way I like it :)

Gone to the movie

I saw 500 Days of Summer today. The movie's very cute and lovely, a perfect movie for couples. Yea I went by myself, but I still enjoyed it. The casting's perfect, the story's believable, the direction's fresh, the acting's strong, the music's cool and effective, overall it's just a great, solid romance comedy with a touch of indie-ness. Zooey's super adorable, and Joseph Gorden Levitt's very charming. He was phenomenal in Mysterious Skin, over-the-top in GI Joe, and now a quirky and sensitive guy in 500 Days of Summer. So versatile. He's like the new Johnny Depp.

Better mood

I'm in a better mood today. I don't really worry about the unknowns, I feel it all will work out themselves. My job is to focus on now and take care of myself. That's that. Cameron came to visit me today and we had lunch at Golden Deli. It had been a long while since I had any Vietnamese food and I was happy to enjoy it again with a friend. The rest of the day went smoothly, I took a nap and went out to do some grocery shopping. That and I also worked in the morning, and exercised tonight.

One of those moods

I'm in one of those moods again... uncertain and unhappy. What path am I going to choose? What is the right direction? What should I do? I don't know. This is probably why people get into drugs or something. I will wait a little more and then decide. It's going to be fine. I just need to calm myself down and be OK with the choices I make, even if they don't work out perfectly.

Loud AC

LA has been ridiculously hot these past few days. The fire that has consumed the mountains and the cities around them is just as devastating. I have no choice, I must turn my AC on when I'm home. Last night I decided to go back to sleeping in my bedroom. Yea, I spent two nights on my couch in the living room last week because my portable AC was just too loud. The living room has enough space to distance me from the AC noise, so I can stay in sleep better. This setup actually worked the first night, but not the second. Perhaps it was because I took a nap that day, or the couch was just not very comfortable this time around, I decided it was time to go back to the bedroom. Things actually went fine last night. I slept well and woke up this morning feeling good. Then of course I had to go and take a nap this afternoon, and potentially ruin tonight's sleep. Ugh.

Thank-you speech

I worked half a day today. Came back home, went to the gym, rested a little, talked to Dad, hung out with Dave and Jose, and finished a short thank-you speech for Dad. I still don't know very much what Freemasonry is, but I think Dad really enjoys being part of this organization. I was glad to be able to contribute to his acceptance / thank-you speech. Dave and Jose and I played the board game "Sorry" tonight. It was a ton of fun. Dave kept winning. I was lucky enough to win the last round. The berry pie they got from Fresh & Easy wasn't very good. Dave's pies definitely taste a whole lot better than this. Oh well, it was cheap and now it's mine. I will probably share it with PK, hahaha!

Dong Xie Xi Du

I watched Ashes of Time Redux on DVD today (Thanks PK). I saw the original years ago, I remember liking it but not crazy about it. It was pretty much the same this time around. It's got a lot of pretty, stunning images and philosophical exchanges and longings. There's fresh and quite unexpected take on characters' backstories for people who are familiar with Jing Yong's novel The Legend of the Condor Heroes. There's Wong Kar Wai's signature visual style and flair that delight the eyes. But as a movie, as a whole, it's just missing a jolt of energy. I understand he was trying to redefine the genre and breaking new grounds. He certainly twisted the conventions and aesthetics of a typical kung fu movie. But when he decided to obliterate the spirit of a kung fu / wire fu film, many parts of this film just became faded, stalled, dull and lifeless. The dialog and getting-to-know the characters parts are nice, but why do we want to care how they are related to each other or see how nicely they are lit and filmed if most of them appear to be unlikeable, pretentious, and one-dimensional, and always act like they're so disconnected and miserable? I don't know, generally I'm a big fan of Wong Kar Wai. I just don't think this is among his best work.

Noise caused by gas

I went back to my mechanic today to sort out the noise issue. Nervous and annoyed, I was filled with frustration because I already paid a good amount for the repairs last week, and I really didn't want to spend any more. Master Huang was busy so he asked one of his staff to drive it with me. When I pointed out the noise, he asked me what kind of gas I had been buying. "Regular," I responded.

"You have to use premium," A-Gar said.

"You're telling me this is a gas problem?"

"Yes."

I was so surprised. I asked him a couple of more times to make sure that was what I was hearing. When we came back to the shop, Master Huang was agreeing to that assessment. I used to buy premium gas when I first bought the car, but after a few months, I switched to cheap, regular grade. I talked to Sylvia, she also said that answer made sense. Oh well, I am going to feed it premium tomorrow. If that really gets rid of the clinking noise, I will buy expensive, premium grade (perhaps mix with mid grade sometime) from now on.

Matchmaking

Silly me, I was trying to match-make a couple of my friends. For one reason or the other, it didn't work out. It really is not easy to be a matchmaker. There are too many unknowns. I just thought they are two good people, and pretty good friends of mine, so I should be able to do this. Men and women probably act a little differently when it comes to dating versus hanging out as friends. Of course I also don't want to interfere too much, worrying that I might mess up the friendship I already have with them. This matchmaking business is a lot more delicate than I anticipated. If there's any mature, single guys in his mid to high 30s, looking to find the right girl to build a relationship with, and is living in the Los Angeles or Orange County area, I have a great, cute girl friend I can introduce you to. Take a chance. No pressure. Are you out there?

Especially For You by Kylie Minoque & Jason Donavan:

Feeling nostalgic

I have been feeling very nostalgic these couple of days. Reminiscing and thinking about my early teen age years, before coming to US, then living in NY Flushing, and not speaking a word of English, but was watching way too much MTV!

Don't Wanna Fall In Love by Jane Child recently popped into my head... I used to think she looked a little scary, but I LOVED LOVED LOVED this song...



You Win Again by Bee Gees was one of those songs I heard the first time and immediately I fell deeply into its spell. I couldn't speak the language but I felt the song wholeheartedly and I remember its melody vividly. I'm so glad to be able to enjoy it today with a fresh perspective... still such an amazing song!



I'll Be Your Shelter by Taylor Dane - This music video used to be on heavy rotation on MTV... I wasn't familiar with her name because she wasn't popular when I was in Taiwan, but in NY I was mesmerized by this song, and her looks, and of course her voice. I remember thinking, "Wow, she's great but I've never heard of this person before!" Hahaha... The good old innocent days!

Must resist napping

I was a good boy today. I went to work, came home, went to the gym, and came back home again. No one called me, so I didn't have an excuse to go out. I ate some leftover food and that was my dinner. I was tired, but I keep myself awake. Last night I didn't sleep very well. I was tossing and turning and thinking about all sorts of stuff. I didn't want to spend another night like that, so I resisted napping at all cost before and after dinner. My goal is to have a thorough and non-disruptive bedtime tonight.

Engine mounts are expensive

My car went through some major hurdles today. I finally brought it to my old mechanic yesterday morning. The main reason for my visit was that there was this noise that it kept making even though the bodyshop I went to not long ago told me they already fixed it. And it was time for its oil change anyways. Once Daming Auto Repair's Master Huang looked at the engine he knew what caused the noise immediately. The engine mounts had to go. He said the brake pads were bad too. Also the battery looked pretty crumbly.

"Fine, replace them all," I decided.

At first I thought I was going to have to come back when Master Huang found out that he couldn't get the parts. Nope. He didn't want me to drive my somewhat broken car anymore. So I ended up renting a car, coming back home, went to Dave's for dinner, returning the rental this morning, and waiting a couple of hours 'til I had my car back. The cost was a bit more than I was expecting, but with car repairs that's usually the case. Fortunately I do trust Huang and his work, and I also feel the car is indeed riding more comfortably. I just hope today is not going to turn into the beginning of many more problems to come, at least not for a while! I really don't like dealing with and paying for pricey car repairs!

Self-fulfilling Prophecy

The interview was not a waste of time, however it was very close. When I entered the building, there was no one working in the reception desk. In fact the entire front office space was empty. I saw a few guys in the backroom having a meeting, but nobody seemed to care someone had just walked in. There was a cleaning lady who greeted me at first, but she also walked away politely. Finally the girl who was supposed to give me an interview appeared, shook my hand, and walked with me to her office. The overall space behind the front reception area felt a little cramped. It was part showroom, part conference room, part stockroom, and part office. I guess this would also have to be their employees' kitchen and lunch room. Our meeting didn't produce any sparks. I could tell she was not interested in my portfolio or my experiences. She made a comment regarding my previous company being closed in the beginning of the interview, and seemed rather dismissive about what I did there. She never went into what they would provide or offer as a company, and although still very cordial, she firmly kept her distance and disinterest. Not that I was into her shining personality, or the very organized work area, or the impressively run company myself. I knew this job wasn't going to be great when I was studying their ad last night, and when I saw how everyone acted there this morning and how she reacted towards me, I knew this company ultimately would not work out for me. I know I am in no position to be picky. I am looking for a job and I want to be productive. Still, if the opportunity is not right, I have to be honest about the situation. After today's interview I felt a simple, direct response, explicitly telling me this was not it. It's kind of a self-fulfilling prophecy, I mean, I did call it last night. Saying this company or the interview would most likely suck, and it certainly did. Sigh. Another interview in the bag and the search continues.

Interview Tomorrow

I finally got another interview. I spent sometime tonight printing out more artwork for my portfolio. At this point I really don't know what to expect. I've had one spectacularly disastrous job interview, and a bunch of so so ones, all result to nothing. Reading the job ad now, the company seems to be looking for someone with very little experience but can deliver a lot. No mention of benefits, or anything nice or inviting about the company or its environment, culture, etc. The ad is all about what they are expecting you to do for them everyday, what you ought to have, what is always required of you at any given time. All this, you, as a recent college graduate or with 1 year of graphics experience, must bring to the table. Yeah, this charming posting almost guarantees jaw-dropping, disappointing low pay, draining work schedule, and a demanding, cranky boss. Yet I applied for it and I'm being called in for an interview. Yay for me! Am I in a poopy mood or what?! Well, I am looking forward to the interview, however I have a strong feeling this isn't the one for me. The search continues.

Indecisive

I had work today, and will have work tomorrow too! Yay! I still would like a full time position. Don't know when or how that will happen though. These days I've seen how indecisive I've become. A lot of times I make a decision, then I start thinking about its pros and cons. I begin debating within and suddenly change my mind. Of course I take another look at my first decision, and go over the reasons why I arrived at that decision. I go back and forth, over and over, it's pretty helpless. Sometimes I just end up doing nothing, like choosing nothing. I'm sure this is some kind of sickness. And it's unattractive. It slows my brain and makes me dumb too. I don't know why I'm this way. This is why I feel unsettled.

Short Sunday

It was a short day today. I went to the gym and took a nap. Hung out with Dave Jose Regina Anjelo PK David and Abe tonight. Hong Yei was not very busy, but the food was just as excellent. The service was outstanding too. It was a delicious and completely satisfying meal. Afterwards we all went to PK's and had Dave's vodka coconut pudding cake. It was cakelicious! We hung out at his place some more and Dave helped PK set up his bed frame. What's better than enjoying great food and big laughter with awesome friends?

Alone

I worked today - and might find Dave some work too. The boss seems to trust me enough that he wants to see if I can recommend someone to come work on their still-in-progress website. We'll see how things go. I thought I was going to have dinner with Dave and Jose, but they didn't call me back. Instead I just took a nice nap on my couch and had leftover pizza afterwards. Later when I drove out to get some groceries I suddenly felt kind of alone. Sigh. I have neglected that side of my life for a while. I just don't feel I am in the position to pursue a relationship. It's not that I don't want to, I just convince myself it's not the right time to do so. Well, so when is the right time? I guess there's never going to be a definite answer to that question. Still, being unemployed and feeling extremely unsettled, this is definitely not a good time or place to attempt a committed coupledom. Whatever. I just look away and guide my thoughts onto something else.

Movie Time

I finally went out and saw a couple of movies today. I saw Funny People and G.I. Joe. Funny People was just OK. I didn't hate it or love it. It certainly has many touching, and of course funny moments. It just doesn't glue all that well together. I thought it could be more focused and trimmed down. G.I. Joe was fun, a nice kid-friendly summer blockbuster. I thought the dialog could be less clunky or cheesy, but I really enjoyed the action segment, especially the chase scenes.

Ugh! Mistakes!

I was in an OK mood today. Then I talked with Brendan, who helped me realize some mistakes I made. I acted like I was fine, but it bothered me lots. Oh well, once I face the repercussions I will be good again. Last night I spoke with mom and she said it would be better if I visited her during October. So now my plan is to check the fares after Jen's wedding. Mom is more open-minded now. She doesn't feel that I must stay longer than 2 months. So, as long as I come back before Thanksgiving, both she and I will be happy. We'll see how things go.

Neighborly

I helped PK move his new couch up to his apartment today. It was a nice piece and I was happy for him that his place was getting more settled and furnished. We then went to Yogurtland to have ourselves some treats, then Kang Kang to get a take-out combo for his lunch tomorrow. We also spent some time shopping and browsing Big Lots and Dollar Tree. Bargains were everywhere. Yes quite a few of unknown, random brands too. I was intrigued and excited about the cheap wines Big Lots carried. PK decided to try two of them, and later told me one of them, Demonique, was pretty terrible. Oh well let's hope the other one tastes better.

I have 2 especially kind neighbors. Caretas is always kind, caring, and generous to me. We went out for lunch today and had lots of laughs. It was great to see her feeling better again. After my dentist visit, I came back and took a short nap. Caretas knew I didn't have dinner yet, so she prepared a dinner plate for me too. How did I get so lucky?! I thanked her like I did always. She's so genuinely sweet to me, I sometimes just don't know how to express my gratitude besides thanking her again and again. Later this evening on my way out to the gym, my other neighbor stopped me and asked if I eat sushi. I said yes, and she gave me 2 boxes of sushi on the spot. Wow! She had given me sushi before, but tonight I was reminded again that I had another wonderful neighbor who cared. I know I am truly blessed to have these wonderful, almost motherly figures living next to me. I don't always remember that, I should. How nice it is to have someone care about you and want to make sure that you're OK? I am very appreciative of the love and friendship I have received from the people whom I might have never met or known if I didn't live here. Or they just figured out that a beast like me loves to eat and decided to keep me fed whenever they could! Hahaha!

Typhoon

It's heartbreaking to see all the damages Typhoon Morakot has caused in Taiwan. The rain has not stopped in some areas and more deaths are being reported. There are hundreds missing. Houses, apartments, roads, bridges, the entire villages... gone. Nothing seemed to escape the wrath of Typhoon Morakot in Southern Taiwan. Thankfully Dad is doing OK in Taipei. I hope and pray there are more people found and rescued in the coming days. My heart and thoughts go out to those who are still looking to be saved or reunited with their families.

Shopping around

Jose and I went to Target today and did some shopping. I knew what I was going to get, I knew what I needed, but it felt good to get something that I wanted too. Jose was happy to visit a Target he had not visited before. Luckily we both found what we needed and wanted. We felt very satisfied I must say. Afterwards we had banh mi and ice coffee for lunch at Lee's and then went to Fresh & Easy to get more groceries. While browsing the cleaning supplies aisle we realized we both forgot to get Swifter's refills. There's a Target right across the street, so we went to that one and bought more stuff! I had been thinking about checking off my shopping list, and I was glad I didn't have to do it alone. Jose was a great shopping and dining partner ;)

Eventful Saturday

I had an eventful day. In the morning I went to work. I was asked to design a new logo and boxes for a product line. That kept me busy. When I came back Caretas gave me a plateful of delicious Mediterranean food for lunch. While devouring my food Dave called and told me they were at PK's, so I rushed over as soon as I finished. Once there we chatted and had ice cream. Yea, more food! We didn't leave PK's 'til 7 o'clock. Dave and Jose hung out at my place for a bit before we decided on where we wanted to go for dinner. The first restaurant we went to was very popular, and unfortunately not vegetarian friendly. So we left without ordering anything, and tried a brand new place. Kam Hong Garden had a vegetarian sign right in the front so I thought they would have interesting and diverse dishes. I wasn't completely satisfied with their selection, but the food was decent. My favorite had to be their leek cake. The skin was super thin and crispy, and the filling had a hot burst of fresh taste and flavors. Yum! I really ate too much today. I didn't even mention the free lunch I got at the office. No I didn't finish it, I knew I was going to eat like pig later, hahaha!

Helping a friend feel less depressed

This was a good, restful day. I spent most of the day by myself and the rest hanging out with Caretas. She wasn't in the mood to leave her apartment, but thankfully she changed her mind. I definitely think going out this afternoon helped lift her mood. Of course I also tried to engage her in conversations and make her laugh. When we came back with our lunch, she was in a better, more cheerful spirit. I was happy that I got her to feel more relaxed and positive. She's always kind to me and it makes me feel good that I can help her see things in a brighter, better light.

4 days in a row

So I ended up working today too. When the week started I seriously didn't expect to work 4 days in a row, LOL! Is it weird to think that working is actually good for you? I mean, besides the paycheck and the feeling of security, I also found myself sleeping pretty well these past few days. When I have a goal and a set routine I seem to have less a problem sleeping through the night. Tomorrow I'm back to my normal, casual schedule, then on Saturday I have to work again. Overall pretty awesome week I have to say.

Work and Home

I worked half a day today, yay! I thought I was going to have lunch with Judy, but she told me her boss was giving her a hard time last week for taking too long a break. Oh well, there's always next time. I came home and immediately took a short nap. I didn't turn the AC on, so I didn't sleep that well on the couch. Caretas fed me some yummy soup and spaghetti with meatballs. She was feeling ill again. There was back pain, sciatic pain, stomach pain, etc. I wish I could help her, but all I was able to do was listen to her. I hope she feels better soon.

Night walk

I worked a full day today. Yay! I will go back on Wednesday too. So that makes another half a day for this week. I didn't expect to work 3 days in a row. It's very cool. Hopefully I will get a good night of sleep, I doubt it. PK asked me to go for a walk tonight. Even though I already went to the gym, I felt like hanging out with him. He wanted to go for a big walk, I convinced him that we should take it easy. So we just took a short route in the neighborhood. It was nice and quiet and breezy outside. I was glad I stepped out for a little bit.

Feeling FULL

I had a lazy Sunday today. Went the gym in the morning, had a nice nap in the afternoon, and hung out with Dave Jose Regina Anjelo and PK tonight. We went to Northern Chinese Restaurant and had a very delicious meal. The waitress was surprisingly helpful. We had a complete vegetarian dinner. Many were ordered off the wall specials (non-menu items) and they turned out to be great choices. The owner (I think he was the owner) came to our table a couple of times and asked us how the food was. I reassured him that they were all excellent. Afterwards we visited PK's new apartment, then it was off to desserts course at Fosselman's. Sundaes for everyone! Can we eat or what?! I am happy because I have work tomorrow and Tuesday. I know I won't be sleeping much tonight, but I feel good about having something to focus on and making myself useful.

Blessing. Real. Ambiguous.

I like to browse Youtube sometimes and find non-Chinese speaking members singing Ch-pop. It makes me laugh and feel good. It's just flattering. And the videos can be very funny or surprisingly good.

I'm extremely impressed by her voice and prounciation. Apparently she can speak many languages... and this girl can sing very very well.

Original "Zhu Fu" Blessing by Jacky Cheung



She is quite good and fun also. I love how she sings along to Amei's concert track and acts like the audience is cheering her on :)

Original "Zhen Shi" Real by Amei Chang



This guy really surprises me. It's not easy to pull off a girl song (in a different language for him too)... and he does it so nicely and effortlessly.

Original "Ai Mei" Ambiguous by Rainie Yang

Staying

So I'm not leaving this weekend! Initially mom did want me to go around this time, but I told her I could only do after October. Then I thought about it, and decided it would be best if I left in September. After talking with Megan I realized I had to move it back to August. It just kept moving closer! On Wednesday I was expecting mom to say "OK" but she felt it was just too rushed and too soon. Anyway, I'm fine with whatever comes in a month or so. If I fly before October, great. If I go after Jen's wedding, that will work too.

Leaving sooner than expected

I hung out with Megan today. It turned out that I might have to leave as soon as possible, as the flight schedule will be modified in the month of September. I am going to call Mom tonight and hope to figure everything out. I was not expecting to travel so soon, but if it had to be this way to save money, so be it. If mom says we need to wait, then I will wait 'til either after October or next year. It's kind of exciting, and nerve-wrecking at the same time.

Worked a little bit

I worked half a day today at the new company. I still couldn't figure out the PHP puzzle, but at least I managed to add a banner on the homepage without too much hassle. My afternoon was spent mostly with Caretas. I took a nap after having a very hearty lunch she made (meatloaf and potato salad) - This nap was much needed, as I again failed to sleep last night. I went to the gym around 10 o'clock and thought about some of my plans for the rest of the year. I am going to visit mom again. This time I will stay a little longer, it will be either in the month of September or late October into early December.

I don't know PHP

I spent a good amount of time today trying to figure out how to add a banner to a web page. I only know html, but this website was done completely in php. It just seemed very foreign and complicated. I was on the server and the admin panel going back and forth on the index page and the administration and thinking how I was going to add something to it without messing up the whole structure. Arrgh! Usually I could depend on Dave to show me the ropes, but he was busy today. I went to the Oscommerce community forum. I googled several different phrases. I would read them word by word and still feel confused and overwhelmed. In the end I decided to add a simple pop-up window instead as a temporary solution. When I go into the office tomorrow I will open the page in Dreamweaver and see if I can view the layout better and modify it. Steve and Sandy both said that should do the trick. I hope so. I am just easily intimidated by any computer programming and coding. Let's see how I do tomorrow.

Lost and Found

Something extraordinary happened today. Two years ago when my mom was visiting LA she gave me an antique bracelet that unfortunately I lost 3 days after. I felt I might have dropped it in the gym, and when I went back to look for it, the staff there told me nobody turned it in. I was a little upset with myself, and mom was disappointed too.

Last Friday I lost my clip-on shades. I looked everywhere in the apartment and couldn't find them. I was so annoyed. Because my glasses came with these exact magnetic clip-on shades that would only work with each other, they were kind of irreplaceable. Finally I called the gym yesterday and asked one of the staff to check for me. After some digging around she found the shades. I was relieved. This morning I went to the gym and got them back. I felt great. I was ecstatic. I didn't want to risk losing the shades again, so I walked back to my car and left them inside.

There wasn't a lot of people in the gym today. I was running and feeling cool. Suddenly a thought popped in my head - I should ask the staff about my antique bracelet! I didn't know why I felt that was a good idea. It just dropped in my head and made sense to me. I found the shades... that was unbelievable. I really thought I lost them. Now they came back to me, so why not ask the staff about the bracelet that I thought I had lost too? Yes I knew it had been 2 years! It couldn't hurt, right?! For some reason, I felt a force encouraging me to go up to the front desk again.

When I walked up and talked to the staff this time, I didn't even know how to fully describe the bracelet. This happened so long ago and I only had it for a few days. I remember the design was simple and had black and white beads, which was exactly what I told the girl behind the counter. She went digging through that big box full of clothes, keys, accessories, all kinds of personal stuff again. She looked up and asked me again what it looked like and I told her the same, "a bracelet with just black and white beads." Honestly I felt a little foolish. I wasn't describing it that well and I felt it could not possibly be found after all this time, but I had to ask her today.

And... SHE FOUND IT! I was shocked. When I first looked at it, I didn't think it was the one. I was picturing something different. I took it and wore it on my wrist. The more I looked at it the more I felt it was the bracelet I lost. The design that I was thinking about was another one mom had, which she showed me and explained in details. I replaced the one I lost with hers in my mind. Walking away I was both happy and bewildered. It was very hard for me to believe that after 2 years I found the bracelet where I lost it. Upon close inspection, I saw some wear and tear. The thread was loose and one of the beads was broken. I figured there was someone who took it after I dropped it, wore it, and lost it just like I did in the gym... And someone else found it and turned it in!

I kept looking at it in the gym and on the way home. After I went to help PK move his fridge, I drove to one of the antique accessory designers I knew and had the bracelet re-threaded and repaired. She was just as surprised and happy after I told her how I was reunited with it. Later tonight I called mom and told her too. She couldn't believe it either. And yes, I asked her about the bracelet's design and she described it exactly. I am wearing it now. I'm so happy.