Background Music

Background Music

From the soundtrack of Love Story.

Photo Day

Photo Day

Finally got myself in a more photogenic mode. I took a few pictures. I'm no photographer, and I don't pose myself to be one. I just see so much beauty in the world around me, even if it is smoggy LA, and I just try to capture some of it. More often than not, it's not very succesful. But they're still my pictures that I took with my camera. So that alone is reason enough for them to be "ok" photos.

This is a photo of Silverlake, from Silverlake Blvd. Or was it Silverlake Drive? It's really beautiful, but it's probably not a real natural lake, as you can see, it is surrounded by asphalt. My guess is that it probably functions as some sort of water reservoir.

This is a nudie bar -- I think that's obvious. I pass by this place every day after work, because it is conveniently located right next to the I-5 Northbound entrance. I always notice that on weekends, cars are parked -- packed, more like -- bumper to bumper for several blocks around this facility. Must be fun.

This was attached to the counter of the Thai restaurant, Tip's House, where I bought lunch.

With or Without You

With or Without You

Tinka over at tongue-in-cheek: a writer's journey mentioned about listening to U2 or Guns N Roses, and I was reminded of how much I love this song: With Or Without You, by U2.

See the stone set in your eyes
See the thorn twist in your side.
I wait for you.
Sleight of hand and twist of fate
On a bed of nails she makes me wait
And I wait without you

With or without you
With or without you.

Through the storm, we reach the shore
You gave it all but I want more
And I'm waiting for you

With or without you
With or without you.
I can't live with or without you.

And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give, and you give
And you give yourself away.

My hands are tied, my body bruised
She got me with nothing to win
And nothing else to lose.

And you give yourself away
And you give yourself away
And you give, and you give
And you give yourself away.

With or without you
With or without you
I can't live
With or without you.

With or without you
With or without you
I can't live
With or without you
With or without you.

Now that's some heartfelt lyrics!

Question

Question

Is absinthe legal in the US?

Jeopardy

Jeopardy

I spent most of the AM hours playing Jeopardy online on MSN.com. My highest score was $23,000! Which gave me the status of having four stars, by the way. I'm pretty knowledgeable on some categories, but then in other ones, I know pretty much nilch. I got every question right on categories like 19th century literature and Mr. Prime Ministers, but then on categories like sports crap, I got all wrong! And it was multiple choice! I couldn't even do that process of elimination thing. So I guess it's time for me to brush up on my ESPN.

For lunch, I had Thai food. You know, I always wonder: why is Thai not spelled Tai? Or vice versa, why isn't Thai pronounced like Thigh? Anyways. There's a really tiny restaurant on 6th Street and St. Andrews Pl, called Tip's House. My coworker swears by the Mint Chicken, while I usually try different things there. I've had the Thai BBQ chicken, Chicken teriyaki, and today, I had the Spicy Garlic Chicken. All were very good. I'm just not too keen on having mint aroma in my food rather than my gum, so I don't eat the mint chicken, but obviously, people like Shane enjoy them.

I took some photos while waiting for the food. I don't have my USB cable here at work, so I'll have to wait until I get home to take a look at'em. I will also copy & paste the menu here. They're really good. Their Thai iced tea is also veeeeeery nice, if you're into that whole "milk" thing. Back in the days when I was able to drink milk with minor discomforts, I used to have their iced tea, which has a crisp cinnamon taste with a touch of sweetness. Now it's one more forbidden food I have to avoid. Y'all are lucky to be able to have milk, y'hear?

When Harry Met Sally, Part 3

When Harry Met Sally, Part 3

They met, they argued, they fought, and they loved.

Quotable:

I love that you get cold when its 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get the little crinkle above your nose when you're looking at me like I'm nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you I can still smell your perfume on my clothes and I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night and it's not because I'm lonely or not because it's New year's eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible!

How beautiful is that? I've seen this movie about a good half a dozen times while paying 100% attention -- makes me cry every time!

While trying to make more use of my digital camera (I read somewhere that you should complete at least one cycle of charging for lithium ion batteries -- I've charged the batteries only about three times since I purchased the camera!) I've decided to take random photos through out the day and put them on the left, as you see. The one on there was taken earlier today, at work, before the evil customers came at 6:58PM. It wasn't taken with my camera, but with my coworker Shane's camera phone, Samsung E715. I'll try to post any interesting photos, if I can take any -- although I honestly doubt there's anything interesting in SoCal! If not, at least I'll just scroll through some old photos and post something interesting. Like a nice window for my blog!

What Part of 7PM Do You NOT UNDERSTAND?

What Part of 7PM Do You NOT UNDERSTAND?

You. Over there. In the yellow shirt! There is a reason why we say we close at 7PM. It's because WE DO close at 7PM. Don't come in here at 6:58PM, expecting to buy a phone!

But you did. And furthermore, you spent a good 15 minutes, just bargaining. You shame old Asian grannies with your expert bargaining skills! What do you do with all the discounts you get? Put them in some jar and hope that it rolls into a fortune?

If you know so well how valuable money is, then you should know how valuable our time is also.

We offer free car chargers and leather case and hands free ear piece to our customers. You smiled slyly and said, "give me everything you have." Yuck.

When Harry Met Sally, Part 2

When Harry Met Sally, Part 2

I couldn't go all the way through with the movie, because I had work in the morning (although showing up at 10AM isn't exactly at the crack of dawn) and I have trouble getting up early these days. I will finish it tonight. It's such a lovely movie, and I'm in the perfect mood to be enjoying it. I'm a bit moody. I was really tired last night (especially since I realized it was Thursday and NOT Friday) and felt kind of defeated. Reading Tinka's Blog (which has become my daily read -- it's like looking through the mirror, I swear!) only makes me realize that my chipper attitude is just a facade.

Yep. A lot of things are sucking big time for me. I am most definitely in a better state than I was in last March - June, when I had that whole immigration crap/nursing crap/school crap to deal with. I mean, I was losing so much hair during those three months, it's not even funny. Thankfully, the rate in which I had been shedding had slowed down to normalcy. Immigration is still up in the air, although the urgency has subsided some-what; Nursing school will always pose a problem, but now that one semester is over, I can work up to that anticipation again, and hopefully I can get better results this time around; I have recently gotten news that I am able to attend school, at least for another year.

So now that my most urgent needs are ... I don't want to say met, but kind of on the back burner (is that the phrase?) I am starting to want non-essentials. Like a relationship. Like a new pair of flip-flops (a girl in SoCal can never have too many!). Like less work and more pay. Stuff like that.

As for now, I spend almost all my awake-hours at work, so I earn money and yet spend little, and can afford yet another pair of flip flops. When they're on sale, they're approximately $10, so they're not too much of a set-back. As for less work and more pay -- I'm just glad to have a stable job, albeit it is a little hell-in-the-wall. I get paid pretty well, considering I don't pay taxes and I have such flexibility with my schedule (with school). My brother recently got a job with my uncle at a bar he owns in Koreatown -- he's starting this weekend, I believe. THANK GOODNESS I don't have to go back to that kind of stuff again. 1. Working for family sucks like the the suckiest thing that ever sucked, and 2. Working from 5PM to 2AM has got to be one of the worst hours to work! So I'm just trying to be happy for the status quo.

Ah. The ever so baffling question of having a relationship. I want one. I want a stable one, but the process of "getting-to-know-you" is too long. Too bumpy of a road to enjoy the ride. First of all, there's always that question of whether or not there's mutual feelings. Secondly, there's got to be compatibility. Is this person able to provide you with what you need? And I'm not talking about financial or superficial things; Can they adequately fill-up your "other-half" space and do it to your satisfaction? Can you do the same in return? And of course, the motherload, will you be able to grow together? At my age (and I ain't gettin' any younger), you have to think of the future. It is an imminent factor in these things!

Only time will tell, I guess. But the frustration amounts in the mean time. Since I know I won't have time to "get to know" a person once school starts, I planned on having finished that section before Labor day. Like that could be planned. Even if it could be planned, the way my life goes, anything that can go wrong will go wrong. My life's the perfect example of the "Murphy's Law." Anything goes. (sigh)

When Harry Met Sally

When Harry Met Sally

When Harry Met Sally is one of my favorite movies. It has such a nostalgic quality to it -- perhaps because the story takes place in extremely sporadic little scenes, where a few years pass by between each encounter of the characters. This movie makes me all google-eyed and has me gazing me into the screen without even blinking. I should really get to bed, but I've been watching it. This would be my umpteenth time, but it touches me in different ways, as I age. I mean, you really can't have the same response viewing the film now, versus when you were 11. I'm going to return to the film, half-sleepy, half-dreamy, but all-warm with the smell of nostalgia.

Make Love, Not War

Make Love, Not War

Click Here for the full article.

U.S. Marine Force Leaves Taliban Area

By STEPHEN GRAHAM, Associated Press Writer

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. Marines have pulled out of a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan (news - web sites) after killing more than 100 enemy fighters, their commander said Thursday.

The 2,000 strong force, which lost just one Marine, has withdrawn to an American air base in the southern city of Kandahar and is preparing to leave the country, Col. Frank McKenzie said. The withdrawal already had been announced.

"...which lost just one Marine..." Just ONE Marine? If you ask me, that's one Marine too many! Terrorists suck, I agree. But there's got to be a better way to settle this without causing more US casualties? Weren't the 3000-so people from 9/11 enough?

It also goes to show that journalism just isn't what it used to be. Imagine if you were that poor Marine's family! Your son/daughter is written off as "JUST" one Marine! I know the US Army is an Army of one or some crap like that, but a life is a life, a death is a death. When it comes down to it, the US Army or the Marines won't grieve for you. Your family and friends grieve, and when you die, you're no longer part of that band of soldiers. You're just the kid who could've been, who should've been, who would've been.

The people you love... show them you love them each and every time you see them. That's not to say that you can't get mad at them (come on, don't tell me they don't get on your nerves every now and then!) but still, love them. Hug your mother each and every day; make your wife's favorite dish; kiss your boyfriend hello; tell your dad that you love him; pet under your cat's chin, just the way she likes it; ask your co-worker how he's feeling today; tell each presidential candidate good luck, may the best man win; instead of giving the middle finger, give a thumbs-up to the guy who cut you off on your way to work; call the radio station and tell your favorite DJ that you enjoyed the show today; and to the old lady at the grocery store earnestly counting pennies, tell her that you have a few pennies to let her borrow; to your Sparklett's water man, offer him a glass of water, as it is hot out; when that telemarketer calls during dinnertime, ask him if he/she's had dinner yet; instead of kicking your car's tires calling it a "piece-o-junk," appreciate your vehicle; hug a tree; buy flowers for your grandmother; give your mailman a high-five; and last but not least, give yourself a pat in the back just because.

Holy crap. I thought it was Friday. It's obviously Thursday. Forget the crap I just told ya, and go about in your grumpy ways. Jeez. I know I will.

My Fears, Somewhat Relieved

My Fears, Somewhat Relieved

As usual, Click Here for the article.

This is a follow-up to my previous post, located here. One journalist aboard a plane departing from Detroit, headed for Los Angeles, found some disturbances among a few Middle Eastern men, who appeared to congregate outside the restrooms, talking among themselves, while the flight attendants did nothing to counter them. When the plane landed, the FBI and Homeland Security people took them in for some heavy-duty questioning, and their story checked out: they were musicians, scheduled to play at a casino in some California desert.

In this follow-up, a Ph.D. student from Stanford did his own research, with the help of Mr. Google, and tracked down theses Syrian musicians. Their story checks out. They were scheduled to play music, and they did. They behaved well, and did nothing to indicate that they were there for any other reason than to play music.

I am a bit relieved. Somehow, I will still be a bit afraid to fly, but if it comes down to it, I think I can manage.

Don't Mess with My Blog!

Don't Mess with My Blog!

I've had this blog for well-over a year. During the course of about a year and half, I've written approximately 140,000 words, averaging 6 posts a week! I love to write, for many reasons. One, it is a good mental exercise to hone my writing skills. Two, it is therapeutic and also helps me understand myself better. Three, it is an outlet for me to vent, yap, bitch, fawn, whatever. Four, I write because I've got that gene that makes me need to write.

I do not, however, write for show. I do not write because I have people reading. It's nice to have people read, because it shows that whatever it is that I am writing, is worth reading. I don't have a hundred hits a day. I know. But the few people who come here, are regulars, and I like that. I will, however, keep writing, even if no one reads my blog. I'm not in that stage yet, where I have to resort to writing to be read.

So don't poke fun and say things like ... "did I double your traffic now that I've visited your website?" and so on. The number of hits is just the icing on the cake. I actually like that my blog has a rather homely readership. If I had too many hits, I'd have to get my own hosting (for photos and etc.) and that means I'll have to pay. If that doesn't suck harder than a Hoover, I don't know what is.

iPod Nation

iPod Nation

Click Here for the full article!

It begins like this: In just three years, Apple¡¯s adorable mini music player has gone from gizmo to life-changing cultural icon...

Unhappy Post

Unhappy Post

I had a loooong emotionally exhausting post. But then it didn't feel appropriate for this blog. I put it up on the Sage Wasabi for the sake of keeping it saved somewhere, but I'm not sure if I'll leave it. Oh well. It's there now.

WARNING: It's really long. Also, it may change your opinion of me, provided you ever had an opinion. It's ugly. It's monstrous. Read at your own risk!

That's Me

That's Me

Guess what I am?

Take the What High School Stereotype Are You? quiz.

Growing up, I was always in awe of those cool kids. Cool as a cucumber kids, who made it seem so effortless to be smooth and perfect always. Never a bad hair day, and if there was a bad hair day, there would be some way to turn it into a new trend that everyone MUST follow. My high school had 3,000 students -- my graduating class alone had nearly 700. Practically everyone knew who I was, because I was so anally smart. And rather subversive -- I didn't use a curling iron, I didn't wear any make-up, and even my eyebrows went un-plucked. I never ever went to a school dance, never had a date, and wore very unflattering glasses. I had a very well-known reputation to be ruthless in academia -- underclassmen and my peers alike always stood in awe of me, saying things like, "You're so smart Daisy" or ask me advice like, "How many hours did you study to get that A on that exam?"

It's not that I didn't like myself back then. I did like myself very much, but now I realize how much of a snob I had been. I wronged the honor of fellow geeks everywhere. I was pompous. Now, while I still embrace my geekhood, I stay away from abusing my status. Instead, I uphold my uber-geekiness with pride, and at the same time, humility.

Oh, what the heck am I writing today? I have a splitting headache. Please forgive me, I do not know what I do. Ugh.

Headache

Headache

I have the worst headache ever, accompanied by what seems to be the symptoms foreshadowing a pretty bad case of the head cold. Coworker Shane is on vacation until Wednesday -- it's going to be one tough week to bear. Ugh.