orangecat greycat

Gratitude

2011-06-08T11:26:00.000-07:00

Five things I'm grateful for today:

1) A landscaper who knows what he's doing and takes initiative to fix things
2) Caprese frittata (mozzarella cheese, basil, and cherry tomatoes) and bacon for breakfast
3) Sparkling cocktail rings
4) Free Zumba class w/ a friend :)
5) Walking in the hills w/ another friend :)

Gratitude

2011-06-07T13:48:00.000-07:00

Five things I'm grateful for today:

1) Dating :)
2) A good, secure, interesting job
3) My education
4) Meat & veggies
5) Life and health

Radio at 5:30pm

2011-06-07T13:46:00.000-07:00

I've noticed this odd trend in the last few weeks. I'm sure it existed before but I just discovered it. Around 5:30pm everyday and lasting until 5:35pm or so, all radio stations play commercials. Not music. And not one station - ALL stations. It's like they all agreed to play music definitely at 5pm because that's when people get off work but 5:30? Eh, let's pause for a moment and play an ad. I understand some ads and the cycle of playing music vs commercials comes and goes but it's pretty universal. I have six preset stations and I cannot find ANY music during those five minutes or so. I will listen to any kind of music just to have music but there's nothing.

Next time you're in the car at 5:30pm, try the radio and see what happens. Funny, huh?

Gratitude

2011-05-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

Five things I'm grateful for today:

1) Health insurance
2) A good job with interesting projects to work on
3) Sliced fresh jicama from Whole Foods
4) Sunshine!
5) My two adorable cats Mitch and Nora (best cats ever after my beloved childhood Frisky RIP)

Gratitude

2011-04-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

Five things I'm grateful for today:

1) Bacon & eggs
2) My home
3) A job
4) Hot water
5) A beautiful sunny day :)

Gratitude

2011-04-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

Five things I'm grateful for today:

1) Lovely friends who are catsitting Mitch and Nora
2) My trip to Guatemala to visit dear friends (leave this Sat!)
3) That I live in a safe and protected country with running water and no mobs killing seven UN workers, that I could do something as simple as choose what eyeshadow colors I wanted to wear this morning because war is not on our ground.
4) Feeling well-rested after crashing at the early early hour of 10:30pm last night
5) Dinner last night with a good friend and good food

God, I am grateful to you everyday for what you have given me and continue to give me. You are my everything. Thank you.

Figuring out things as a new homeowner

2011-02-21T12:55:00.000-08:00

I took a break from my Veronica Mars marathon to venture out yesterday to buy groceries and buy branch clippers. I'm quite proud of myself for clipping almost all the branches from my purple flower tree (type??) yesterday. The branch was hanging on the ground but as I pruned, it slowly rose back to its natural height. I felt so proud. I was telling my coworker about this simple task and my happiness, and she said she also feels proud when her green bin of compost is full from her yardwork. Even though its OUR house and our chores, we feel very self-back-patting when we complete our house tasks. Yey me - I'm now the owner of branch clippers. I've also bought a long fruit picker and reachingly picked bags of lemons from my tree. Green thumb, here I come!

I love the pink flower tree in my front yard. It covers my driveway and car with flowers. I was proud of myself for sweeping up the flowers the best I could and sweeping my neighbor's driveway of the wind-fallen petals. I love lately driving to work with flowers covering my car. I feel like I'm in a parade as the flowers gently or ferociously fall off as I travel through streets and the freeway. I love my pink flowered-covered car.

House, I really love you.

Veronica Mars - how did I just discover this show??

2011-02-21T12:44:00.000-08:00

I added Veronica Mars into my netflix queue awhile ago with the intent of watching it "someday." I had heard the show was critically acclaimed when it was on from 2004-2007 and never received the millions of viewers it needed to stave off cancellation (like one of my faves Arrested Development, wipe away tear) but I never really watched it. I go through seasons of tv watching (really into it, kinda into it, not watching at all/reading like a crazy woman) and if a new show catches me in a tv watching mood, I can hook on and become obsessed. If I try to jump in a season late, I sometimes just don't fall in love or even understand the show. That happened with me and Lost, also. I watched a single season 1 episode but it had a ridiculous polar bear in it and I was like, wtf. That ended that. When the third season started and my new roommate loved it, I borrowed the dvds for seasons 1 & 2 to catch up and become entrenched. Eh. I found the writing overly dramatic (no one talks like that, esp for weeks on end!!), the characters stupid (few had the urgency to make practical, life-saving decisions and instead moped around having intense discussions), and the mysteries of the island contradictory and absurd (.... I,... don't even know where to begin). My friends insisted that it was the first season and the pilot that were amazing and had made them BFF's and they now kinda stuck with their mopey, aimless, weird but not in an interesting way friend that they kept hoping would perk up and be great again. Maybe if I had watched the pilot, I would have kept the Lost needle in my arm, too, even after the high was long gone. Anyway, just one example, of how joining a show in the middle of a season or later can be too difficult.

So, interesting, both Lost and Veronica Mars started in 2004. That fall was not a tv watching time for me so that explains that.

Anyway, I started Veronica Mars last week when I was sick from work and it's AMAZING!! I cannot stop. Seriously. I am addicted. I'm in the middle of season 3 and I started less than a week ago. I stayed up until 5am on Saturday night bc I had to finish Season 2. When I finally peeled myself off the couch and saw the time, I started laughing. When's the last time a show has drawn me in so well? It's great not knowing anything about the show before you start because the mysteries and character relationships really do surprise you.

Why did I not watch this show before?? I think bc I had heard it was a high school girl who solves crimes which sounded Encyclopedia Brown-y. I would actually describe it as a father/daughter PI team and the girl happens to be in high school. Which placing her in high school is a nifty way to work in a lot of cases that need to be solved by acquaintances who know Veronica enough to ask her for help but not be too forced. I do love Murder She Wrote but a whole lot of nieces somehow came out of the woodwork to be murder suspects is all I have to say.

** Ok, a few spoilers below - I realize someone reading this may have seen this show years ago and it's old news but it is hard to love a show years later and want information on the web without spoilers. So fair warning.

Omg, from the beginning, I've been wondering if Logan and Veronica get together. They had a chemistry and just pop off the screen together. I have the hugest crush on Logan and love how he protects Veronica and looks at her. Jason Dohring is a great actor and has that star quality. He has a film or show coming out soon according to IMDB - I hope he breaks into uber-success bc he's awesome. I started watching youtube videos of the best moments of Veronica and Logan. I am crazy obsessed with their character relationship. I'm in the middle of season 3 right now and if they don't end the series together, I'm going to be writing letters. I hate when they break up! I think I might be too into this show... I kinda watch episodes just to see the scenes with Veronica and Logan. After I finish the series, I'm going to haunt Veronica Mars fan sites and read everything I can. Yes, everything. I will be occupied for awhile.

Maybe another reason I didn't watch the show is I didn't know there was a love element to it. Kristen Bell is great at being the lead and Logan doesn't play enough to be a co-lead exactly but all the posters just had her alone. I thought it was about her solving mysteries alone. I had no idea there was intense boy drama! I'm also wondering, couldn't Logan have solved crimes with her? He's devious and not above going beyond the law - wouldn't they have made a perfect team? Perhaps this does happen in the rest of the season but so far, he's separate from her crime-solving life and seems to be watching from the side. Bring him into it!

Ok, I can't wait to finish watching Season 3 tonight. 5am bedtime? Hopefully, a bit earlier but we'll see how far my obsession takes me...

Steve Jobs

2011-01-19T13:14:00.000-08:00

Steve Jobs is taking another leave of absence from Apple. I hope that his health hasn't declined so much but it might be that way. Keep fighting, Steve.

Why is there such a fascination with him? I think besides what he's done with Apple and making the easy-to-use products key to everyday lives, and coming back to a company that kicked him out, and his visionary language, I think the sum of the parts is he's a CEO we like. I would argue that most of us would love to have lunch with him and that parts of us want to be him. There aren't many CEO's that we think that about. We may envy the lifestyle of the (business) rich & famous but we don't overwhelmingly respect them as people.

I've thought about this before - how successful businessmen and women in movies are rarely portrayed positively. They are greedy, scheming, vapid, intellectually lacking, abusive. Most movies are about their conversion from selfish, successful CEO's to kind, give-away-the-business folk. Think Elf or Scrooge (with Bill Murray). I know those are Christmas movies but I saw them recently so they're fresh in my mind. Sometimes there is no ah-ha story; the take-all businessman from Wall Street has not changed at the end.

If we are to believe Hollywood: sales people are sleazy and liars, financial people are slick and out for the dollar, and any plot involving successful lawyers usually reveals some sketchy ethical stuff. If the lawyer is honest and good, the character never makes any money or tries their darnedest not to make any (Sandra Bullock in Two Weeks Notice). To make money, or want money, is to equal a shady soul.

There's one movie I remember portraying someone that works in business, In Good Company, as a good person who's reasonably intelligent and trying to just make a living. I remember being surprised. And a new tv show, Men of a Certain Age, shows a character inheriting his dad's car dealership and wanting to make something out of it. He's basically honest and hardworking. It's refreshing.

So back to Steve Jobs. A lot of CEO's today, I don't know the depth of their style. I have to imagine they're smart to get where they are, and that some/most are trustworthy women and men. But my mind instantly thinks of them as greedy and only about themselves. Steve has felt different.

I'm sure it's not always a picnic to work for him; I've heard he's the tiniest bit detail-oriented. But I appreciate his micromanaging and creativity if it gives us what Apple has.

Steve, can't wait until you come back.

Comments in Japanese

2010-12-28T10:58:00.001-08:00

I want to thank anyone for wanting to post a comment but unfortunately, some comments are coming through in Japanese characters and I can't read them. I don't have a translator on my page. If you could post in English, I'd love to read and publish them.

Thanks for reading!

Pressing into hope

2010-12-28T10:57:00.000-08:00

Driving into work this morning, I thought about hope and how you have to choose for it. Being hopeful doesn't always come naturally - it's a decision to believe that good things will happen and to keep believing when the good things take awhile to show up.

I will choose hope and to be positive and enjoy everything I have.

I feel my spirits lift already.

Things I'm learning as a new homeowner

2010-12-15T12:56:00.001-08:00

1) How to relight a heater's pilot light
2) How to fix a leaking fridge
3) The different sounds a raccoon vs. a squirrel makes in one's attic
4) What a sump pump is and how it works
5) How much I like a working heater

Gratitude

2010-12-14T11:36:00.001-08:00

Five things to be grateful for:

1) Nora is healthy
2) A job in a time when many are looking
3) A home :)
4) My new Christmas tablecloth
5) Hosting my family for Christmas next weekend

Gratitude

2010-11-30T10:29:00.001-08:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) My new house!
2) A new showerhead creating a great shower
3) Electricity
4) My mom's home cooking
5) A job

Gratitude

2010-11-23T09:33:00.000-08:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Nora is healthy
2) A new home that I love
3) A heater
4) A dishwasher
5) My family coming into town tomorrow :)

Dogs in the rain

2010-11-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

The house next door is in foreclosure and has been mostly empty for about two years. Lately though a group of people have been squatting there. It seems like the people aren't always the same but we can't quite tell the rhyme or reason of their exits and entrances. The current squatters have a junky camper van in the driveway with boards on all the windows and are very awake between 10pm and 2am. I ponder who pays the electricity bill as I hear power tools and the dryer running at midnight.

They also have new additions of a presumably momma dog and three puppies. The dogs' barking is not unreasonably loud. They are usually locked in the backyard with dry food in a plastic lid and a cardboard box and a few blankets for warmth. Mitch and Nora like watching the puppies dig into the dirt yard and yip at each other. Sometimes the puppies disappear and I imagine they're safe inside the house. I'm not usually worried about their well-being.

But then rain came. I woke up Sunday morning around 7:30am to the sound of falling rain from the slightly open window behind my head. Peaceful. Wait. I suddenly sat up and twisted around to open the window more and peer as best I could at the neighbor's backyard. I searched for yellow fur and saw curled-up small creatures below the back stairs. Scanning the yard, I saw the cardboard box had melted into a flattened mess, the blankets were soggy, and the food had turned into brown mush. Where were the squatters? I didn't think they would be as mean as to force puppies to stay outside in the rain with no protection and so I assumed they were out of town.

I kept watching the puppies, feeling helpless. The momma began to walk around in the rain, trailing her leash, while the puppies quietly followed her. Their fur was dirty with blotches of wet brown filth. One puppy attempted to eat the now soupy food. They had no protection from the rain except a small amount of space under the stairs. The rain wouldn't stop and I worried they would get sick from the cold. Where were their owners?

I began to feel desperate. I decided to gather supplies and sneak into their backyard to make a warm, safe temporary home for them. I dug through my earthquake kit for a plastic tarp and thick gloves, collected cat food and bowls, and shoved in a few towels all into a garbage bag. I slipped into jeans and shoes and headed over like a reverse dog burglar. My plan was to trespass but with benefactor intentions.

The puppies didn't see it that way. In the back of my mind, I had wondered if they would attack me when I entered but waved that little concern away. Surely they would see my generous heart and willingness to set up a plastic tent for animals that weren't even my own in pouring rain. Yeah, that side of things didn't occur to them.

As I neared the back gate and tried to figure out how to open it, the dogs noticed me and began to bark. Loudly. One or two began to jump on the fence and their tiny claws screeched on the wood. The mommma probably thought I was coming to steal her babies and she was ready to fight for them. Hmmm, time to abandon plan. Perhaps I'm around cats too often (who will usually hide when scared) to think through dogs' tendency to favor attacking with barks, jumping, and teeth.

I walked back to my own backyard, stood on a concrete block and looked over the fence. The dogs were still hovering at the first gate but when the momma saw the dangerous threat of me had moved, she sprinted to my new spot and picked up the barking again. The puppies were slow to realize the new location of danger but when they did, they scampered over to join in the yelping. Leaning over the fence with rain falling on us all, I realized there was nothing I could do to help. The puppies would remain cold and wet. I couldn't control how long they were out there or if they survived. I went back upstairs and held my dry, warm cats. Mitch purred up at me and didn't know how lucky he was.

Later in the day, the puppies were not to be found and I was grateful they were inside. But why did it take the squatters so long to bring them inside?

I tried to save another dog lost in the rain later that day. A mixed pit bull had been wandering our street for a few days and was now shivering with his tail between his legs on the curb next door. Someone had tied a rope around his collar and then to the neighbor's fence. A friend and I gave him blankets and bowls of cat food which he scarfed down. He was cold and very hungry. I called Animal Control (not available) and then the non-urgent police line. They said they would come as soon as possible. Six hours later, I went outside to see the dog still shaking in the rain. I stood in my pajamas and poured more cat food. He breathed in the food. I wanted to put a coat on him but knew that wouldn't work. He didn't bark or seem aggressive and his only reaction to me was when I tried to move the gate so he could lie under the junky camper van in protection from the rain. He became skittish and pulled away as far as he could from the gate but when I stopped, he became calm again. As calm as could be with wet fur and scars on his lower back. I wondered if he was a fighting dog that had been abandoned or just a pet that was let go. His decent collar revealed past ownership.

It was painful to go back inside to my warm house. I hated leaving this animal outside unprotected but there's nothing more I could do. It feels like that too often - that there's only so much we can do and often depending on whether people (or dogs) will let us help.

In the morning, I was ready to call Animal Control if the pit was still tied to the fence but he was gone. I want to believe that he was taken to the animal shelter and cleaned and fed, and not that someone stole him or untied him in cruelty to let him continue to wander. I want to believe that.

Waking up in Oakland part 2

2010-11-09T09:41:00.000-08:00

I meant to write more later the next day about my weaving drive through downtown Oakland on my way to work. I usually take a blink-and-you'll-miss-it tour of 880N but that day was different.

My car led me past City Hall and through the Oakland Chinatown I know well with Chinese characters on street signs, perched below their English counterparts. I stopped at a red light and glanced at my right to watch middle school kids finish recess on a concrete patch of playground squeezed between buildings and busy streets. Their teacher looked so young himself as he gathered the last basketball and walked the kids out. How far was their main school? The playground wasn't connected and they had to walk on city streets just to get from one class to another?

I drove by Lake Merritt with its famous globe lights dimmed for daylight and moms with strollers leisurely following the lake's gentle curves.

I saw the Fox Theater, the Paramount Theater, Frank Ogawa Plaza, and all the parts that make up my Oakland. Oakland is more than riots or violence or guns or endless parking tickets. Oakland is diversity and a 3.5 mile lake in freakin' downtown and farmer's markets and teachers making a difference every day and social workers healing families and refugees & immigrants & Californians making their home here and churches praising God while serving food to the hungry. Oakland is Joaquin Miller Park and bike coalitions and Children's Hospital and pho & burritos on International Blvd and Bakesale Betty's in Temescal and Arizmendi on Lakeshore.

Oakland is beauty and peace. It is, and we are making it so.

Waking up in Oakland

2010-10-19T10:46:00.000-07:00

Grabbing my gym bag, lunch bag, purse, and keys, I petted Nora one last time and wound my way out of my house through two doors and two gates to E 15th Ave. As I unlocked my car, I saw amidst the fog a Latino mom down the street walking her two young children to school. Perhaps they were headed to Think College Now, an elementary school about four blocks away where children are taught to prepare for "college now" and parents are required to spend 15 minutes reading to their kids onsite in the morning.

I piled my stuff into my backseat and started the engine to defrost the windows. Heading out of E 15th, I turned left then right to end up on International Blvd and begin the three mile journey north to downtown Oakland.

Before making the usual veer toward 880N, I saw ahead the blue and red flashing and almost without a choice, changed course to head straight ahead like a bug caught in the brightness. What new violence had hit my neighborhood this morning? After a few blocks, it was clear that the street was blocked off. A white cop stood in the middle of the street and motioned with his arms for me to make a u-turn. There was no way around or outlet to turn left or right. A 180 was the only option.

To be continued...

Ants have run amok

2010-10-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

The ants in my home have become adrenalized, ramping up from a leisurely crawl around my bathroom sink and kitchen utensils to a full force military march to the trash can. They have experimented with my cat's automatic feeder and have been only casually interested. But once it took them only three weeks to discover the trash can, it's like their first love.

My feelings lean more toward annoyance. I have now resorted to using Elmer's glue to completely seal the bottom of my bathroom floor and board. As I left this morning, they seemed stunned in their tiny tracks.

Your move, ants. Your move.

Gratitude

2010-02-03T13:58:00.001-08:00

Five things to be grateful for:

1) Walking Lake Merritt with a friend
2) Sunny weather
3) My health
4) God's Word which is truth and light
5) Being able to travel freely

Gratitude

2010-02-02T09:31:00.001-08:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) fresh organic oranges with vanilla yogurt
2) my nice black work pants
3) cute shoes
4) dark blue nails
5) living within my means

Gratitude 2010

2010-01-19T09:20:00.000-08:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) My new niece :)
2) Fresh fruit bowl with drizzled yogurt for breakfast
3) Safety, a warm home, clean water, sanitation
4) Health, the ability to walk/run/exercise/dance
5) Work that I enjoy

Gratitude today

2009-10-27T11:32:00.001-07:00

A lot to be grateful for:

1) Going to New York tomorrow for five days
2) Tickets to the World Series Game 2 in Yankee Stadium on Thursday!
3) A great dance party fundraiser this past weekend
4) Attending my sis-in-law's baby shower on Sat in gorgeous Tiburon
5) A great time with mojitos & margaritas at La Pinata for Wayne's bday
6&7) Three days off work this week (that counts double)
8) Magnolia cupcakes in NY :) :)

Gratitude today

2009-10-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

Ah, gratitude, you have not been lost on me even though my writing has been infrequent.

Five things to be grateful for:

1) Free salad today and free half sandwich yesterday at work
2) Extra pizza and salad from community dinner last night
3) Walking the lake today, so nice to get out
4) Praying with friends
5) A great weekend

Gratitude today

2009-10-15T14:56:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Bumping into Jan and Lisa around the lake and getting to walk the second half with them
2) Sun!
3) Getting an hour walk on my lunch hour
4) Looking forward to Thriller! dance fundraiser next Saturday
5) Growing into a positive attitude

Gratitude today

2009-10-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Prepping and cooking dinner with Sophia last night :)
2) Eating then laughing & chilling with friends after dinner last night
3) Words from God
4) Little LM is doing a lot better and is out of the hospital though I'm still praying for a full recovery
5) Caprese sandwiches, yum :)

Gratitude today

2009-10-10T20:48:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Getting to see a few minutes of the Blue Angels before the show was cut short because of fog
2) Hanging with CK
3) Chilling before a good day in SF
4) Being healthy enough to walk all over the city
5) Dar and Alex's new baby girl, born today!! Everyone is healthy, yey :)

Gratitude today

2009-10-09T14:41:00.001-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) The crispness in the air, gently drawing fall in
2) Apple & yogurt for breakfast - everyday :)
3) Knee high black boots
4) The Blue Angels in SF tomorrow
5) Making caprese sandwiches, brownies, chicken salad, and grilled potatos/veggies for dinner on Sunday with Sophia

Gratitude today

2009-10-08T10:51:00.001-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) The almost-here peppermint and already-here pumpkin flavored drinks at Starbuck's (I luv winter and hot coffee)
2) Going to New York in the fall!
3) The show FlashForward - kinda like it
4) Swimming
5) LM looking like she's going to be ok after all, and less than 2 wks old :)

Gratitude today

2009-10-07T21:49:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today.

1) Glee
2) Rest
3) Everyone working hard to throw the dance-off fundraiser. So glad I'm not doing it alone.
4) Nora crazily playing with her fake mousies
5) grey Victorian-esque buttoned boots

Gratitude today

2009-10-05T21:23:00.001-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Going to New York in three weeks! yey, Magnolia Bakery
2) Sunshiny October days
3) Sour candy
4) Friends, nachos, fun @ the Cal game (even though we lost)
5) Shiny black heels

Gratitude today

2009-10-03T11:33:00.001-07:00

Five things to be grateful for:

1) Going to the Cal/USC game today. GO BEARS!
2) A positive attitude change
3) 40 days of rest
4) Specialty's sandwich Caprese - fresh mozzarella, basil, and red pesto paste on foccacia
5) Ping iPhone app - send texts free to other iPhone users

Gratitude

2009-09-09T10:29:00.001-07:00

I am blessed in my life and have received much.

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Peace on American soil.
2) Shiny black open-toed heels.
3) Chocolate chip cookies (I intend to eat one later today).
4) Sherbet (haven't had it lately but it's just good, you know?)
5) The Beatles

A few more just because:

6) Being employed
7) Public libraries
8) The awesomeness that is the Mills College pool (and hot tub)
9) Oakland's beauty, diversity, urban parts, parks, and lakes
10) Close friends who are due with their first babies in October (throwing one a baby shower on Sat complete with obstacle course game, and the other a work baby shower on Tuesday). I'm happy just thinking of your preggo bellies :)

Gratitude today

2009-09-04T09:08:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Friends, taro smoothies, sweet potato fries, and drinks at The Trappist
2) Swimming tomorrow at Mills College
3) 1 Kings 1-19 (hope and perseverance, and God's patience displayed)
4) Tigers at Six Flags
5) Getting caught up at work because a lot of ppl have the day off

and of course, always, for my bed :) it is a wonderful, wonderful bed.

Gratitude today

2009-09-02T21:27:00.000-07:00

Ah, gratitude has been a bit harder today. Hard news will do that to you. Still, I am appreciative of my life and what I've been given.

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Friends at work
2) Dental insurance and a great dentist
3) A friend who lives with me and invites me to eat her noodles
4) My wonderful, amazing bed
5) Sleep

Gratitude today

2009-09-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Swimming again :)

2) Homemade turkey, cheese, and tomato panini

3) fresh water for showers and baths

4) furry little striped gray cats named Nora

5) awesome high heels

Gratitude today

2009-08-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Cool jewelry from Appel and Frank :)
2) Fresh veggie-ful salad
3) Hope about a house
4) Rest, sleep, and a good bed
5) A good realtor

Gratitude today

2009-08-13T08:56:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Local designer jewelry at Appel and Frank
2) Yummy Thai food and raspberry beer with friends
3) Good audio and paper books
4) Being healthy
5) Knowing that God is good, present, capable, and trustworthy

Gratitude today

2009-08-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Swimming :)
2) Feeling well-rested in the morning
3) A warm BBQ with friends, good meat, and watermelon
4) Bacon (in this instance, on a sandwich, but bacon rules in general)
5) Time to think and write new poems

Gratitude today

2009-08-07T09:21:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Hitting almost every green light on the way to work
2) A good cd that was made with care
3) Friends who listen
4) Sunlight
5) Loving my new Bare Minerals lipgloss

Gratitude Today

2009-08-06T09:51:00.001-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Great sushi
2) Change - on all levels
3) Mixed apple, blueberries, and cuties with vanilla yogurt for breakfast
4) SYTYCD
5) Reading books at Borders

Gratitude today

2009-08-05T10:11:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Swimming in the evening at a public Oakland pool
2) New lip gloss and eyeshadow from Sephora
3) Warm sunshine
4) Jamba Juice's buy one, get one free sale
5) Dinners and happy hours and lunches with friends

Grateful

2009-08-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

Five things to be grateful for today:

1) Free Gatorade in the office kitchen
2) Three pregnancies of dear friends and family (I can't wait to see the babies)
3) A friend's relationship that is almost an engagement (can't wait for the official announcement)
4) Losing 4 lbs. last week and dropping a size
5) Loving friends who are kind, supportive, and will laugh with me

Who pays credit card companies?

2009-07-17T00:29:00.000-07:00

Companies protesting credit card fees from New York Times

White Nights

2009-07-08T13:26:00.000-07:00

Ah, I LOVE the movie White Nights. I'm listening to the commentary and the director describes it as a "dance political thriller." Yeah, that kinda sums it up. I would add "race dynamic commentary." It's Soviet Russia in the 1980's, freedom to dance, wanting to choose your country, being African American and not wanting to be American anymore, defecting and becoming a criminal. Maybe I'm a child of the 80's but I remember being scared of communist Russia and their power. I later studied Russian history and Russian literature in college - am a bit obsessed.

In junior high, I saw Gregory Hines dance on Broadway in NY in Jelly's Last Jam. He was amazing and I've followed his career since. I felt sad when he passed away a few years ago.

Mikhail Baryshnikov dancing ballet and Gregory Hines dancing tap - together?! I love this movie. Introducing Isabella Rossellini in her first film and Helen Mirren, as a Russan ballerina, who I didn't remember was in it. In commentary, she says half her family is Russian. The director says Mikhail didn't film in Russia because he had been a defector so they filmed in Europe (Prague??).

Great soundtrack ("Say You, Say Me" by Lionel Richie and "Separate Lives" by Phil Collins), great dancing, great time. Great movie.

A few dance clips from the movie:

Gregory Hines in Jelly's Last Jam (1992).

W...T...H.....

2009-07-05T21:26:00.000-07:00

Five things I like

2009-07-04T18:16:00.000-07:00

Five things I like recently:

1) The TV show The Philanthropist

2) The new organic Natural Buttery Salt & Cracked Pepper popcorn

3) The TV show So You Think You Can Dance

4) This beer Framboise

5) The new bf nicknamed Sun Devil

Medical bills causing bankruptcy - stat increases

2009-06-04T21:32:00.000-07:00

I found this new recent article that says medical bills and related expenses contribute to 62% of personal bankruptcies. It doesn't matter if the people had/have medical insurance -same stat. Depressing.

This percentage has increased from 55% in 2001. I don't know about you but the one person I'm close to who declared bankruptcy did it because of medical bills. And they had some insurance.

Eh, what to do.... you can't save enough for cancer or GI problems or a car accident. Hope for the best, I guess, and trust God in all things.

Don't Stop Believing song

2009-05-31T23:15:00.001-07:00

Glee

2009-05-31T23:10:00.000-07:00

I LOVE the "Don't Stop Believing" cover from Glee. I can't stop playing it in my car and on my laptop while I'm scanning other sites. I think I'm a bit obsessed.

Does anyone know how I can get it as a ringtone??

No, really. I'm serious. Pls email me if you know how I can get it as a ringtone on my iPhone.

My blog on a wikipedia page

2009-04-30T21:58:00.000-07:00

So I happened to check my blog stats and see that I've been getting more hits lately but I don't really know why. I haven't been posting more and have actually been rarely writing.

Then I see that the Wikipedia post on The Aristocats features my blog post on it, seen here. Wow, how did that happen? And people have made some negative comments on the post like racism will go away if people just don't talk about the fact that racism happened.

Yeah, that's the issue.

Not this, where a few high schools have Orientals as the name of the school. With Chang the dragon as the mascot. And "Asian" font on their website.

Yeah, we need to stop bringing these things up. Bc then they'll just go away.

Like this woman Deborah Peagler who has been wrongfully imprisoned.

Like the fact that white girls who are kidnapped are put on the national news but black children are not. They're still missing, America.

If keeping silent and just wanting peace would make everything ok, I would duct tape my mouth. But that's not really how it works is it?

Music, High School, Poverty, and the Recession

2009-04-15T17:35:00.000-07:00

This story made me tear up, and I often don't personally feel so touched by the need to have music programs in high schools. Watch the accompanying video, too.

I just want to send her money for college but that's not really the issue or the answer.

Ok, I have a bigger kitchen than these places

2009-04-13T23:10:00.000-07:00

I've heard of small NY studios and apartments but these are small! And now they're "reasonably" priced at $250K - for 200 sq ft! Ack.

And some have what looks like $500 or $750 HOA fees. omg. Ack.

Somehow their sinks are smaller than mine and my kitchen looks like a chef's dream compared to these; one, the microwave is above a shelf above the fridge. How do you use it?? And people buy these?? Ack.

Ok, I thought about it, and I don't think I want to move to NY.

Your printer is a brat

2009-04-12T23:53:00.001-07:00

Watch Your Printer is a Brat and more funny videos on CollegeHumor

so true

Hollister

2009-04-12T00:51:00.001-07:00

I saw these teens last week wearing clothes with the word Hollister on the front. I was confused - is the city Hollister now that popular?

Then I discovered this brand after reading this article and then this one.

Interesting especially the existence of entire brands based on what ppl think Californians wear. Not the newest idea, it just surprises me everytime.

Africa, Business Destination

2009-03-16T19:40:00.001-07:00

I liked this article on Africa, part of Time magazine's article "10 Things Changing the World Right Now."

From the article, by Alex Perry (emphasis mine):

Up to a point. In Africa's case, the perception has long been that where you are renders all but irrelevant what you do. Africa is hopeless, a place of war and famine seemingly populated almost entirely by tyrants and children with flies in their eyes. According to this view, if Africa generates any kind of growth, it is in suffering — and in the overseas aid sent to address that, now a $40-billion-a-year industry. Naturally, with a new appeal every year and a new disaster every other, some people have begun to wonder if all that money is doing any good. They argue that aid creates dependence, fuels corruption, undermines democracy and stifles development. They have written books with titles like The Trouble with Africa: Why Foreign Aid Isn't Working (by an ex-spokesman for the World Bank in Africa) and Dead Aid (by a Zambia-born former Goldman Sachs investment banker).

And that debate is important, no doubt. But it is drowning out a more significant development. Ecobank's success is not an isolated blip, and aid is no longer Africa's main source of foreign income. Africa is becoming a business destination.

In an article for the online journal allAfrica in February, Oxford University economist Paul Collier and Witney Schneidman, who advised President Obama on Africa during his campaign, noted that Africa now offers the world's highest rate of return on investment. "Africa, usually the poorest performing region in the world economy, is now likely to be among the best-performing," they wrote. "Moreover, the region has been largely immune from the current banking crisis...The continent's financial institutions did not venture into derivatives or sub-prime mortgages.

Perhaps the most compelling evidence that Africa is now a business destination is China's new love for it. While the old superpowers still agonize over Africa's poverty, the new one is captivated by its riches. Trade between Africa and China has grown an average of 30% in the past decade, topping $106 billion last year. Chinese engineers are at work across the continent, mining copper in Zambia and cobalt in the Democratic Republic of Congo and tapping oil in Angola. Nor is this merely exploitative. China bought its access by agreeing to create a new infrastructure for Africa, building roads, railways, hospitals and schools across the continent. The current crisis is not expected to affect China's march in Africa: on the contrary, with the West's plans in Africa on hold at best, Beijing views it as an opportunity to extend China's lead. "We will continue to have a vigorous aid program here, and Chinese companies will continue to invest as much as possible," Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi said in South Africa in January. "It is a win-win solution." Dambisa Moyo, who wrote Dead Aid, says those who need convincing about Africa should ask themselves if they are convinced about China, "because if you back China, you're backing Africa." Ecobank CEO Ekpe says part of the explanation for China's zeal for Africa is a new way of looking at Africans. "[The Chinese] are not setting out to do good," he says. "They are setting out to do business. It's actually much less demeaning."

And that gets to what, for Africans, is the emotional heart of the matter — and why joining the business world means so much. Though it rarely occurs to Westerners who've been instructed that Africa needs their help, charity is humiliating. Not emergency charity, of course: when disaster strikes, emergency aid is always welcome, whether in New Orleans or Papua New Guinea. But long-term charity, living life as a beggar, is degrading. Andrew Rugasira, 40, runs Good African Coffee, a Ugandan company he set up in 2004 to supply British supermarkets under the motto "Trade, not aid." He is emblematic of a new generation of African antiaid, antistate entrepreneurs. For Rugasira, aid not only "undermines the creativity to lift yourself out of poverty" but also "undermines the integrity and dignity of the people. It says, These are people who cannot figure out how to develop." Aid even manages to silence those it is meant to help. "African governments become accountable to Western donors," says Rugasira, "and Africa finds itself represented not by Africans but by Bono and Bob Geldof."

Target has different prices

2009-03-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

I discovered this weekend that different Target stores have different prices. The Target in San Leandro has cheaper prices than the Target in Walnut Creek. I was surprised. Should ppl pay more because it's in a nicer Target? I guess it's a good thing that it's not the reverse - which often happens in grocery stores. Grocery stores in the 'hood are more expensive which rips people off who can't travel easily to buy from other options.

Random thoughts

2009-03-08T22:18:00.000-07:00

When did it become ok to bring dogs everywhere? When exactly did we cross that line - early 2000's? I was at an outdoor mall and saw a couple holding back a huge dog who was barking because a smaller dog had just danced across his path. I was now cautious to walk down the middle of the dog corridor to go from Macy's to my car. So I ask, when did it become normal behavior to bring pets to the mall? I'm ok time traveling back to when dogs stayed home.

When, o when, is the The Wire coming back? It's not? Oh, Orangecat sad.

If you're in the Bay this Saturday and want to come to a cool fundraiser to beat childhood cancer, come to Bay Street in Emeryville and watch tons of ppl get their heads shaved in commemoration of kids who have to go bald because of cancer treatment. Buy some Teacake cupcakes, hot duds from H&M, and donate a few dollars. We can make a difference.

Rihanna and Chris Brown

2009-02-10T23:12:00.000-08:00

The whole thing is just really sad. I really liked Chris Brown but I can't look at him the same way.

I'm all for hearing what happened but it looks strongly like he abused and possibly threatened her. :(

I'm neutral about Kanye West but I like that he seems to be one of the few celebrities calling Chris Brown out that you can never touch a woman. Article from EOnline:

But Rihanna's former tour mate, Kanye West, has a very different response to the situation.
"She has the potential to be the greatest artist of all time and, in that sense, I feel like that's my baby sis and I would do any and everything to help her in any situation," the "Stronger" wordsmith told E! News' Ryan Seacrest this morning. "I don't want to speak more into the specifics with that situation, but all I'll say is it's just so devastating.
"I feel like, just as a person, I don’t care how famous she is or even if she just worked at McDonald's, that should never happen. It should never come to that place."

Go Kanye. Boo Chris Brown. Speak out Rihanna.

Riots in Oakland

2009-01-08T17:10:00.000-08:00

I have heard said that Oakland has never had race riots, which is amazing considering the diversity of the city. I wouldn't call last night's events "race riots" yet but it feels like they're getting there.

I left work at 8pm last night and the security guard asked if I was taking BART. I said no, and she said good, because people that were protesting at Fruitvale have moved to 12th St City Center to protest. Hmm, I thought, did they walk from Fruitvale? I left my office at 22nd and Broadway, and didn't see any big commotion on the street. Walking the block to my parking garage, everything seemed fine on a foggy January evening. I had no idea cars were being torched and police had riot gear on only ten blocks west. It was not a protest anymore.

I'm glad I took the freeway home. Sometimes I drive straight down to Broadway and turn left onto 11th which merges onto 14th Avenue or International Avenue. I don't know what would happened if I had driven straight into the anger last night.

I understand the anger and the outrage. But local businesses and minority store owners in downtown Oakland had windows smashed and cars burned. One protestor replied to a black small business owner's frustration with her braid store's broken windows by saying "At least she only lost her business, and not her life." I can't believe that person said that. And in this economy, do you really want to go around bringing down more businesses and creating more unemployment especially for your brothers and sister of color? Are you that casual about what having a job means and the need for income? Do you want this store owner to pay with her life, as she holds her daughter, because a BART police officer at 2am on New Year's Eve accidentally killed a handcuffed man on his stomach? I'm not glossing over it - I think a criminal investigation needs to happen, as it is - but what price do you want? How many pounds of Oakland flesh do you want for justice?

And how the FUCK does a police officer seem to accidentally reach for his taser and end up shooting and killing the person?!? First of all, he's on his stomach and handcuffed. Ok, you still think he's a threat and you feel like taser is needed. The threat is not so imminent that you need to grab the quickest thing and use it. It appears clear on the cell phone videos by BART passengers that the officers seem surprised by the gun going off and look at each other, like "uhh.. what just happened?" Could you make the taser not in a freaking shape of a gun?! That seems to be a good idea, to start with.

I'm touched by the victim's family asking for peace in this, even if they're suing. I think you have to sue, to bring attention to the misuse of police weapons.

And to top this stressful week off also, on top of the electricity being out for my top floor for two nights, I came home late last night to see Mitch outside on the top deck of my unit, meowing. WTF?! I ran up and brought him in but couldn't find Nora. I started freaking out. Maintenance guys had let my cats out accidentally I realized. I could not find Nora on the deck, in the backyard, anywhere. I didn't know how long the had been locked out (though I realized later it was about four hours). I started walking up and down the street with a flashlight and mousies but I felt like it was hopeless. I prayed desperately, and God was gracious. I went up to the deck one more time and swung my flashlight to the house next door and saw Nora sitting, scared, on their back steps. I threw her a mousie in an attempt to keep her there and ran around, trespassed frantically into their backyard, and thank God Nora was still sitting on the top of the stairs, looking trapped. I picked her up and started crying. So stressful but really, thank you God that I found her in an hour. Otherwise it would be have been a long couple of days putting posters up and going to the SCPA.

Tired.

What the hell??

2008-12-06T15:52:00.000-08:00

What is this video??

A description from this blog says:

"The amount of money that went into this blonde lady's vanity project is INCREDIBLE. Helicopters! Dragons! Swordsmanship classes! Also, this is the best thing I've ever seen. Also, can someone explain the storyline to me? Also, sleighride!!

Every time you watch it you will find a new favorite part."

OMG, I can't believe people make stuff like this. I feel like there's a plot somewhere in there but gosh, I could not find it.

HAHA.... HAHA

Hmm, hello

2008-11-22T11:47:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a month since I posted? I didn't think it's been that long! But with returning from vacation and being swamped at work (I feel like I've been sprinting for a month), the fun New Hope fundraiser, and the election, I'm just now breathing again.

Right now I'm backing up my almost-full Mac to a backup hard drive, watching college football and waiting for the Cal/Stanford game, and enjoying the great SoCal imitation weather-wise that Oakland is pulling off. Yey sun, yey warmth!

Mitch and Nora are still awesomely adorable. Nora is heating herself on the windowsill while Mitch is cleaning his fur while curled between polar bear, my red curtain, and the warm cream flannel blanket.

Things that are in heaven: Ben & Jerry's ice cream, football, cats specifically Mitch, Nora, Frisky, Pancakes, and Waffles, peppermint, and gingerbread houses. That's what I know for sure, there may be more things. Your thoughts?

I decorated my little place with Christmas lights, Christmas musical snowglobe, and my tree skirt folded into a runner/cover. I feel excited about the holidays this year. And my favorite flavor of all time is peppermint which comes out from spring and summer hiding to re-debut in winter. Bring it on, peppermint! Come on out and play. And I love gingerbread houses - light up ones, snowglobe ones, make-it-yourself ones. Anyone want to make one with me?

Enjoy Thanksgiving everyone and have a wonderful time being grateful for your life, friends, and family :)

Videos

2008-10-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

Boybama - Battleground of your heart

For all the white women...

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

9 Phrases Women Use

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

11 Phrases Men Use

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Drunk History
LMAO

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

Boston, foliage, and maple candy, here I come!

2008-10-07T22:56:00.000-07:00

Yey, I leave tomorrow morning for my New England trip.

See you all next week!

Pet peeves

2008-10-05T15:57:00.001-07:00

1. Pedestrians who just walk across the street without looking. If they could just pause and wait for the natural flow of traffic to ebb by vs. making cars brake and stop all the cars behind them.

2. OMG, people who do not know to put the period before the quotation marks. It should be:

"I didn't want to walk the dog this morning."

NOT

"I didn't want to walk the dog this morning".

Does that even look right?

3. Commercials that are louder than the TV show.

That's all for now.

On a positive note, I spoke at church for the first time this morning. I spoke on money and finances - feel that it went well and am proud of myself. I like speaking and teaching - maybe I should do more?

Twitter

2008-10-02T00:49:00.000-07:00

Does anyone use Twitter? Isn't it just like Gmail chat lines but updated like 20 times a day?

It kinda seems interesting but then I remember that I can't even blog more than once a week!

OMG, Mad Med is one of my fave shows and in the movie Love Actually, one of the dumb American blond bimbos the English guy meets and sleeps right away is the actress January Jones, the wife of the lead on Mad Men. Weird!

Staying up too late

2008-10-02T00:40:00.000-07:00

What am I doing? Go to sleep, Orangecat.

I've been on a Facebook binge these past few days, adding like 15 people. I found both my brothers, one with a fake name who hasn't accepted me as his friend. Yep, that is so him, ha ha. Should I be offended my other brother hadn't added me? Facebook has such a surreal effect on me - I get happy seeing some people's wedding pics and new babies. But then also I get down looking at others' wonderful, travel-y lives. So I have to limit myself. Then today, one of my elementary best friends/frenemies but who moved away in junior high, contacted me (how did she find me?? i don't live in SD anymore) and wanted to add me as a friend. weird!! what do I do? I'm trying to figure out how to add ppl but only show them a limited profile. Yet I can't even find out on the site where the friend requests are... ah, Facebook, you are a good distraction during this Palin/economy crash craziness...

I'm watching Love Actually. I haven't seen it in so long, it's good :)

McCain's next Hail Marys

2008-09-25T22:14:00.001-07:00

What will he do next?

Haha

From Slate.com

Sabotage

2008-09-25T21:28:00.001-07:00

Does it sometimes seem like someone on McCain's team is actually trying to sabotage him?

I mean, did someone actually think this trick this week would work? It feels so ridiculous, I stop and think, "No, it can't quite be real... maybe there is a traitor on the Republican team." Maybe, right? I mean, who says there isn't? Wouldn't that be crazy if there were such things as political Donnie Brasco's who sneak in, gain the confidence of the other side, hide recording devices in their boots during dinner at Japanese restaurants, and then betray them.

Could it be possible?

Economy and New England

2008-09-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

This economy craziness... what to say? The only time I'm glad I'm not rich with lots of money in stocks and 401K. Whoo hoo, I'm low on money!

I'm typing on my Mac and using Mitch as an elbow rest. Ah, Mitchie.

My brother and sis-in-law got two cats. They named them Pancakes and Waffles bc that's Lesley's favorite food: breakfast food. If they got a third cat, it'd be named French Toast. Hee hee but for reals. Yey, more cats!

I'm getting excited about the New England road trip. I leave two weeks from yesterday. We have a rental car, places to stay, and some maps. That's kinda it. Sounds like a nice, relaxing, wandering trip. We have plans to 1) visit Ben & Jerry's HQ, 2) drive around and see beautiful fall leaves, and 3) eat lobster in Maine. I love not having many plans. I intentionally didn't buy the Lonely Planet book bc I wanted to wing it. But yes, me winging it, still involves lots of web research and getting free maps from www.visitnh.gov and other similar sites :) I feel like I'm going to fall in love with New England and want to move there. It just looks so beautiful.

Bye, furry armrest. You were good to me.

Is it just me or does Twitter not sound that interesting? Isn't there such a thing as info/communications/friend overload? I can't handle Facebook more than one day every couple of weeks.

Really good NY Times interview on Palin

2008-09-13T18:00:00.001-07:00

Wow, this kinda sounds like how Bush works - secrecy , blurring between personal and professional lines...

Guns

2008-09-13T17:54:00.000-07:00

Who the HELL is in favor of semiautomatic weapons being legal?! For what f'ing purpose?

I don't agree with hunting for sport or keeping a handgun for personal safety but I respect that some people think that is important. I don't respect it so much that I wouldn't vote hell yes on making owning a gun illegal. I'm just saying I'm open-minded to understand differences.

But you tell me, to my face, that you want to kill a deer with a semiautomatic weapon or that you need one to defend your family. You tell me the reasoning behind that.

I was so mad when Palin said she supported them in her interview.

Why doesn't McCain get called on his lies?

2008-09-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

From the RealMcCain.com

Palin

2008-09-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to say anything new, that hasn't already been said.

My reaction to her speech was like, wow. She didn't hold anything back. I also thought as I watched kinda amazed she was so bold in her attacks on Obama. And stuff wasn't even true. Wow, you have a pair, woman.

But I also thought, ok, I can maybe understand how some ppl, esp those in the red states so to speak, could like what she's saying. But only in terms of leading America, which is actually only half of the job description of the presidency, which let's be honest, she's basically applying for that job. Old man McCain who?

What's the other half? Representing America and American interests in international relations. And how could anyone watch her and think she could wisely fulfill that half of the job? Two reasons why she can't: 1) Not only no experience bc Obama doesn't either and no candidate ever does, but no history of having to partner with other leaders. This is where a Senator trumps a Governor, who can do whatever the heck they want (yes you, Shwarze-I-Hate-you-governator) within reason. 2) She seems just like Bush - strong-willed, stubborn, clear opinion and focused. I don't want another Bush negotiating with our world leaders.

Which yeah, how exactly is the McCain/Palin ticket selling their campaign as opposite of Bush when they're just like Bush? Mavericks, trust them, they can lead. No, I want a leader who knows he needs a strong team with them bc that means he knows how to work with people and compromise. I'll take that over someone who sticks to their guns, sometimes literally.

On a different topic

2008-09-07T19:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, Mark, here's a post on a different subject...

My coworker is the sister of a famous lead singer of a well-known band. I used to not know this, and I now know this. I was at lunch with coworkers for one of the women's birthdays and we were chatting about famous men we find attractive. Brad Pitt's name got floated around quite a bit. Then someone said, "Well, you know Tina's [fake name] brother." The other women nodded heads and murmured, "Yeah, Tom [fake name] is pretty cute." I was confused. "Tom?" "Yeah, Tom, Tina's brother. Don't you know him?" "Well, uh, did her brother come into the office? How would I have met him?" I have to say that I had no idea who Tina's brother was and Tom's real name is kinda common. "You know, Tom [last name], from [famous band]."

What?? Tina's brother is Tom from Famous Band??

(Tina and Tom are so off their real names, it's weird to type it!)

The women continued, "Yeah, doesn't she look like him?" and described stories of their relatives visiting the office and being very impressed with meeting Tina. One women's niece knew who Tina was just by looking at her (and her hyphenated last name which has her maiden name included) because she's such a big fan, she has all the family members memorized. Creepy...

So I get back to the office, kinda in shock, and happen to pass Tina a few times that day. I try to secretly stare at her, trying to find resemblance to Tom. Kinda, I guess.

I've gotten a chance to talk with Tina more lately during four mile walks around the lake. I want to ask what it's like to have this famous brother but seems very blase about it. She'll mention him a few times here and there but only in context of her own life.

I find myself surprised by how I see her differently now that I know this. Why is she different because her brother is a famous musician? Fame is a funny thing, isn't it? Putting a camera on someone, broadcasting their image and/or creative expression to millions of people, makes you feel like you both know them intimately and that they're better or different or not quite like you. But they're still just a person, with the same emotions and weaknesses. And so with their siblings, also.

Things I think we should bring back

2008-09-06T15:48:00.000-07:00

Saying "That's so real"

High-jeans with belts and cropped shirts

Overalls with one strap hanging loose

Dressing like you're 35 when you're 16 (like wearing pantsuits)

Wearing see through shirts

Saying "Don't have a cow, man" and not sarcastically

Phones with looong stretched out cords that are twenty feet long

Flipped out, hairsprayed bangs

Having intense, overdramatic reactions to events causing simple things to turn into huge catastrophic emotional roller coaster situations... oh, wait, that was just fictional 90210.

Seriously, did they not sell tank tops in Beverly Hills in 1990?? I'm watching during a heat wave and I'm sweating watching these blazers and thick sweaters on ppl in LA. Can I go to the Gap, buy some tank tops, take a time machine to 1990, and hand them out to fictional tv characters? It's driving me crazzzy.

More thoughts on 90210

2008-09-02T20:43:00.000-07:00

Wo, Brandon was a drama queen. He keeps butting into everyone's business and getting pretty passionately angry after like one person tells him one thing.

The fourth episode is kinda racist. Brandon is intimidated during basketball tryouts by these tall, good players including several black guys. Bitter Steve puts the angry bug in Brandon's ear that these guys are bussed in, aren't smart, and don't even show up for classes. That's an extreme argument even for an anti-affirmative action opinion. Brandon gets mad, investigates (remember he's also a journalist) that some of the guys are part of this assistance program but later finds out he was totally wrong about one of the black guys. In kinda apologizing and saying how everyone judges everyone else, Brandon says, "Well, I'm not a cowboy and you're not a gangbanger crackhead." Wow. TOTALLY the same kind of level of stereotype. WOW.

This show is like a made-for-tv special. Ah, special episodes, everytime.

Ok, watching the new show. I don't like the curly haired girl (eh), the supposedly lead guy seems like a wuss, and the main twin girl is super skinny. All these white people look the same, can you tell them apart? And I say that as a white chick!

OMG, my heart skipped a beat when an actor that had been on The Wire hugged the actress from Arrested Development. Ah, my tv worlds have combined! Kinda. And yes, she still does a great passive-aggressive bitter drunk.

The pilot echoes the pilot from the original 90210. I say that because I watched it last night, hee hee.

In the first scene, the dad says, "Family is the most important thing." Arrested Development, shout out!

These kids actually look like teenagers. Not 30yr old MEN (yes, you, Ian Ziering).

It feels like the OC a bit.

I'm waiting for Shannon Doherty to show up. Brenda, come out and play!

Beverly OMG Hills

2008-09-01T22:30:00.000-07:00

Darn you, CBS.com! You got me hooked on Hawaii 5-0 in the spring and now you have the first three entire seasons of Beverly Hills 90210. I am becoming addicted even though I didn't really watch it in the 90's. And you have Family Ties and MacGyver!? I'm a goner... "Work, I'll be calling in sick for a few weeks..."

I am laughing as I watched the first two shows. Hee hee.

9 Things I learned while watching 90210 (get it? "9"):

1) Despite living in freakin' LA with a shining sun, the most appropriate clothing is jeans, long-sleeved shirts, and jackets. All kinds of jackets - blazers, denim jackets, a black suit coat with white shorts to a pool party (yes, I saw you, Steve Sanders), varsity jackets. Can't get enough. Mmm, jackets. Even going to the beach to TAN requires jeans, sneakers, and a jacket. Heaven forbid someone wear a tank top! (Seriously, was covering up "in" in 1990?)

2) If you move from Minnesota at the tender age of 16 to Beverly Hills, you also leave behind remembrance of any friends from your previous life. You never call, write, or even mention them. You are comfortable being uprooted entirely during HIGH SCHOOL, moving to an entirely different culture (kinda, just go with me), do not show any anger to your parents, and only have issues with how little money your family has (then why did you move to BH???). You perhaps got a brain transplant when you switched time zones? "I have no friends from Minnesota. I do not miss them. I am a blank slate, ready to be filled with new interesting character friends."

3) Is it weird that Ian Ziering is the best actor on the show?

4) If you surf drunk at 7am in the morning (hahahaha), Brandon Walsh will be around to save you.

5) If you look 30, you are actually a 16yr old in 1990.

6) If you are 16 during 1990, you think light denim jeans go well with a dark denim jacket. You are delusional.

7) Brandon Walsh finally gets decent hair gel and wears ok khakis by the end of the second episode and begins to look cute. The high-waisted jeans with a tight belt are good riddance.

8) The show does a surprisingly good job of showing the angst rich teens/kids must feel when their parents are never around and they don't call. Honestly, that would be pretty sad. It looks like freedom but it seems lonely.

9) If you are Brandon and Brenda Walsh, you make BFF's really quickly. Like in an hour. So close is your friendship you can say cheesy things like "I have next period free, let's go grab a burger" and "I want to be your friend." This was Brandon and Dylan, who btw enters the scene in the second episode which is very telling. There's always a big jump from the pilot to the second episode because they're shot about 4-8 months apart. Clearly, the producers were told to bring in a dangerous, rebel-y character. Dylan is perfect.

BH 90210 is all Monterey Jack and Cheddar - pure cheese, all the way.

With one of the best credit songs, too. Oh, how did I not watch you when I was 12-22??

Are there nonRepublican humans?

2008-09-01T19:20:00.000-07:00

I ask that because it often feels like Republicans don't think so.

I've been musing about why the Elephant party's flinging of poo usually works to turn America against the flinged-upon, even if the crime is not that dire or really that big of a deal. Damn, the Republicans make it into a big deal, don't they? Really, was Clinton sleeping with an intern as big of a deal as they made it? Oh, they say, it was the lying that made him worthy of impeachment. Oh, ok, lying, you want to go there? Do you really want to address lying when Bush and Cheney are still in power?

But then there are rationalizations for why Republicans lie. Or steal or cheat or are pregnant or whatever. I'm fine that Palin's daughter is pregnant (I agree wholeheartedly with Obama that this has nothing to do with her ability to govern) and besides being scandalized by the true scandal (that Gov. Palin's four-month-old is actually her daughter's son, which c'mon, look at the pictures - Palin really did not seem pregnant. Not sure if it was Brickel or Brislin or whatever her name's but it's VERY hard to believe it's the governor's son), I'm pissed at the reaction from the right.

Of course I'm happy they're not cussing them out and kicking them to the political curb bc she's only 17 and all, but this rolling over backwards to explain how this young girl's pregnancy actually matches all of the right's opinions is BS. OK, girls get pregnant, it happens. But don't use it as some kind of twisted way to show how kind and open-minded you are, Republican ppl. Because you know if happened to a Democratic leader's daughter, there would be no forgiveness. Only hate and judgement and hissing of "oh, look at how good your teaching about sex-ed was" and no open arms. No treating the ppl like humans.

It feels like Republicans think only they are humans, with the potential for mistakes and slip-ups and accidentally shooting ppl in the face. And "sorry" rarely comes or if it does, it feels like a dish thrown on the table and we're supposed to be happy we got apology dinner at all and we better eat it quick. We don't get to question. Or make mistakes.

So Republicans, are Democrats human? Can you give us grace for our sexual mistakes and hopeful-but-sometimes-flawed ideas? Or is every mistake and wrong turn only proof that our entire party, our whole belief system, is headed down the wrong road? Because when you Republicans mess up, it's only you as an individual that fell, not a party that only funds abstinence teaching. No, that's not it at all. It was one girl, probably just one night while we're at it, and she's getting married to him! So now we're supporting marriage. Go us.

Stiff, the book

2008-08-25T18:05:00.000-07:00

I finished a book called Stiff by Mary Roach, who more recently came out with a book called Bonk. Stiff is about cadavers. Bonk is about sex.

She's a great writer. I kept laughing out loud and when I tell ppl that, in regards to the subject matter, they look at me funny. But she just says the funniest things! And has a natural curiosity that I appreciate.

I now know way too much about cadavers. In connection to my weird obsession with organ transplant and wanting to know where do all the med school skeletons come from? (you kinda don't want to know), I can now add to that illustrious curiosity resume "Knows extensive cadaver facts and will elaborate easily."

Mary Roach writes respectfully of the dead and takes on a distant approach (it's not analyzing what happens to our beloved, but more strangers). In the end, I came away thinking there's no good way to handle a body after it's gone. Everything is messy and ugly and not pretty.

She writes that after talking to many researchers and other ppl who deal with cadavers, she hears that the biggest no-no to do to a dead body is test bullets or bombs on it. This is after reading about crash-test cadavers (I know, surprised me too) who get smashed in simulated car accidents, embalming, body farms where they study the body's messy, liquidy breakdown by having many bodies in different stages of decomposition, and plastic surgeons who practice on decapitated heads. So what's so bad about using cadavers to test bombs or bomb-seeker shoes? I found that very interesting. I say, blow me up. I'd rather have my corpse thrown into a bomb or have bullets shot at it then to be a crash-test body. Or to have maggots run through me and all the researchers take notes. Ugh. Sudden re-death anyday, please.

My blogging skills lag

2008-08-25T17:55:00.000-07:00

Eh. Blogging. Writing witty quirky comments on my life. Eh.

My coworker rode BART into work this morning with a fundraiser event goodie bag over her shoulder. A little teddy bear stuck out as the fundraiser was for a kids' camp. Some guy behind her said in a annoying voice, "Do you always carry teddy bears into work?" haha

My 30th bday was really really fun. I came into the wkend very chill and so everything was fun and enjoyable. Dinner at A Cote then Bhangra dancing (the lesson was the best part then I forgot everything) and then Oaklandish generously catered a picnic for me and my friends at Lake Merrit with free boat rides and alcohol. Yey! Oh, that wasn't just for us? Thanks anyway, Oaklandish! You rock. Seriously, we should have just told ppl to meet at the boathouse and enjoy the free farmer's market food (kettle corn, yellow watermelon, salami sandwiches, need I say more?), sangria, beer, DJ, and boat rides. And four square, too?! Wow, a good party. But seriously, playing capture the flag three times, watching ppl "surf" on Josh's bike, and finally getting to use my awesome picnic basket made it really fun. Thanks JillK for helping organize :)

Thanks to everyone who came - I am glad to have you in my life and I appreciate our friendship :) Even if I don't blog about you.

Yey, I'm 30. About darn time to start a new decade. The 20's were looking to' up. Not me - I'm looking hot, of course ;p

Olympics!!

2008-08-12T17:44:00.001-07:00

I'm sufficiently into the Olympics now, after watching ten hours on Sunday from 2pm-12am. That will do it. So to return to my favorite list format, here are 10 things I have learned from watching lots and lots of Olympics coverage:

1) I have a huge crush on Matt Grevers, the 6'8" awesome and cute swimmer. After Ad Hoc, you are next on my proposal list, Matt. Be warned.

2) The Chinese are able to be crazy coordinated. Americans could NEVER do the things they did in their opening ceremony. We are really not that disciplined or able to fake discipline for the pride of our country.

3) The NBC commentators and esp that peppy weird Mary chick seem to speak about the Chinese and China in a condescending manner. They're constantly amazed by the Chinese, which is both insulting to China - like did you think they were a different kind of being, white Americans? - and insulting to Americans. Do you reflect America when you appear shocked and complimentary that a Chinese acrobat practices 7-8 hours a day and then performs? Have you never heard of a professional athlete that practices a lot out of dedication? Have you never conceived that other cultures study more and practice longer than our lazy American butts? Are we really that ignorant of China and Chinese ppl?

4) NBC is stupid to not have a Chinese-American commentator ANYWHERE in their coverage. We are then stuck with little tidbits on ancient Confucius and the one of the freakiest thing I ever heard. During the opening ceremony, one of the commentators proudly talked about the grace all Chinese have as they showed the 2008 (I assume) women dressed in ancient costume, and then went on to talk about if you go into McDonald's in Beijing, you will see that same grace. WTF?? The other commentator called him out, laughing, saying, oh so if you order a hamburger, they delicately hand it to you? It feels like Americans and NBC are unable to reconcile the ancient and modern China, which it true for how we are unable to see other countries as well.

5) I find myself faintly surprised that I'm admiring the intense and probably hugely psychological damaging training of the Chinese. So what if they start training them in the womb and they're gold medal-ready at age 2? So what if their family is probably threatened/lavished based on their child's performance? So what if the athlete might lose a limb if they fall off the uneven bars or will never work again if they come in fourth in swimming? They win, don't they? Then what's the problem. Will we Americans ever have that dangerous yet winning combination of determination, fear of failure, national pride, and absolute scared sheetless of letting down their country?

6) I hate how NBC manipulates the schedule so I don't know what I'm seeing live, or watching delayed, and there's only a few hours of coverage a day. I remember when there would be tv coverage on all the time, including off hours, and we would adapt our lives to watch it. In eighth grade, we would watch during the day at school because that was when it was ON, stupid NBC. I hate the way we Americans change the rest of the world's schedule to accommodate ours, esp so NBC can make sure it gets high ratings. That's the main reason. And there are a lot more sports (field hockey??) that I would like to watch. Esp in the TiVo and DVR age, how can they not be playing coverage 24 hrs a day?

7) I have never heard of synchronized diving into two days ago. Ok. Can we go back to more Matt Grevers coverage? Seriously, more mens swimming is a good thing.

8) Anyone else impressed but a little freaked out by the multiple crews of 2008 of Chinese in the opening ceremony? They were instructed to smile so they didn't look intimidating but how could you not be a little scared of so many ppl doing things in unison? Ppl trained to drum or do tai chi could definitely be trained to do bad things in unison. Nothing against Chinese ppl, just saying that large nationalist crowds doing things at exactly the same time kinda reminds me of Germany. Around, say 1939.

9) I loved watching the US Mens swimming team fight back to win in the 4x100m against France. I started cheering loudly, jumped up and down, and ended by screaming and raising my arms. I watched it late Sunday night and woke up Monday morning happy. Wow, it really changed how I was feeling that wk.

10) The Olympics might be the only time I feel proud of America. Go USA!!

Did I mention my crush on Matt Grevers? Ok, just wanted to make that clear :)

Go women's gymnastics and men's swimming tonight! (Or whenever it actually happened, stupid NBC...)

Life and stuff, and my iPhone

2008-08-05T21:39:00.000-07:00

I picked up my iPhone yesterday and it is super cool. I started playing around with and adding applications last night. The light saber one and Koi fish one are my current faves. They have almost no purpose but make me smile.

I got my tax rebate last month but am stubbornly refusing to use it to shop. I want to buy a HD TV but I just can't bring myself to use the money on consumption. I hate that Bush so much. Anyone else feel this way?

I've started walking a lot at lunch with my fast coworkers. Around the lake, 3.5 miles plus walking down to the lake and back, in an hour. Crazy but I'm getting faster.

So not into blogging lately

2008-07-28T22:24:00.000-07:00

Eh.

Ehhhh...

I got new purple shoes that are awesome. They have great heels, peep toe, and a flower on the side of the band that goes across the top. I wore them today to work and they were as comfortable at the end of the day as the beginning. I kept reaching down to touch the flower at work bc they're just so cute.

I walked around the lake again during lunch with my coworker walking group. Dang, they are fast but I'm getting better. I have problem solved the things that were challengin and now 1) make sure I have high socks and not only low blister-causing ones, 2) have my new shoes and not my older shin splint-causing shoes; 3) bring extra socks; 4) don't carry my huge nalgene; and 5) try not to talk so I am only two strides behind the other women instead of like ten. Seriously.

I preordered my iPhone last Monday. When will you come to me, my love?? hee hee

Jill K is gone for two weeks. Ah, I miss you already.

Mitch and Nora are the cutest cats ever. Evah.

Brunch this Sunday at At Hoc!! I am really really excited, and am happy I'm going for a kinda birthday celebration with Esther and Wayne.

Nora now naps next to me at night before I sleep. She's currently cuddled next to my leg and grooming her back leg including chewing on her toes/claws. SOOOO cute. Like dripping with cuteness. Like a main dish of cute with a side of steamed cute and a dessert of cute with whipped cream. And a drink of diet iced cute.

Have you seen www,cuteoverload.com? You will be overloaded by the cute.

Dumb internet

2008-07-22T22:18:00.000-07:00

I wrote a long post yesterday, rambling about how many tourists there are in SF, how my Excel class was cool, that I preordered my iPhone, etc. etc. But my dumb internet crashed or went down or something and lost it. It happens almost everytime.

Ah, tired. Not in the mood to write it again.

Sleepytime.

What the hell is going on with fashion these days?

2008-07-14T20:26:00.000-07:00

Seriously, what is going on with what is stylish now? High heels with clunky ankle straps, ankle boots, skinny jeans, ugh ugh. I feel like honestly the world is responding to the deep depression our world is sinking into, and going "Oh hell, wtf, the world is going to craphole, let's make the ugliest shit fashionable bc we just don't care anymore. All hope is less, let's make this the new style and this and this.

I feel like we're going to look back at this time in five years, and consider it a version of the early 90's grunge flannel shirts, babydoll dresses, and hypercolor shirts.

the new iPhone commercial, not quite

2008-07-12T23:13:00.001-07:00

Here's a mockucommercial for the iPhone 3g.

Hee hee!

Summertime in Oakland

2008-07-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

It feels different, the summertime in the hood.

I don't like walking alone at night as much, compared to the winter which is a bit odd. I don't carry a purse at night and def not my laptop.

My neighbors have more parties, drink more, play music louder and longer, and ironically it all makes me want to stay inside in the summer.

I get more random guys saying stuff and driving slow by me in the summer. I try to not dress nice or wear a skirt. I intentionally put on a uniform, the most casual I can be.

It doesn't make me want to buy ice cream from the ice cream man or go to a burrito truck, which I feel more comfortable doing in the winter.

And all this time, I thought that summer would be the most fun. Well, the firework show was amazing and it's nice it's not raining. Besides that, I'm ok with fall coming.

What's new?

2008-07-09T23:19:00.000-07:00

Ah, what to say? Stuff is new but there's nothing I feel like writing about.

I feel tired this week and a bit on edge/tired. Hopefully I'll feel better by this wkend.

I wore a pencil gray skirt today that I don't know if I've ever worn out. I've had it for yrs, it's always been a bit too tight but this morning it was loose. I was surprised but loved wearing it with my fancy black heels with the bow. I was dressed up. I think the being on edge and some anxiety this wk has made me lose my appetite and drop a few pounds. Yey for anxiety, yey. Whoo hoo.

I got to sign my first letter at work today which is kinda a big deal. A letter that gets sent to the public with me as the contact and my signature. After two months of preparing countless letters for other people's signature, it feels fresh and cool. I would def love to take on more responsibility even as I've just gotten over being overwhelmed.

A week from now, some things should be more clear. We'll see.

I'm getting the new iPhone soon, maybe this wkend when it's released. Maybe next week. I don't care enough to stand in a line overnight to get one. I am so excited. Everyday a situation comes up where I sigh and say, "If I had my iPhone right now..." I basically decided a yr ago to wait a year for the second generation to come out. In Jan, I really really wanted one as I was switching phones but decided to wait until this summer bc I knew it was coming out. So it is! And it will be soon mine! The notes, PDA part, the web, online part, the pictures, and voicemail, everything. YEY :)

"I got a Masters degree then got married" gray hoodie

2008-07-07T20:37:00.001-07:00

OK, actually a clip about yogurt and how women are targeted by ads...

No way!

2008-07-03T01:05:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've had to interact with this kind of guy and yeah, it's REALLY fun to get these calls. Sarcasm dripping.

It's 4:27 long but worth every second esp the last 45 seconds. OMG, all I can say.

http://view.break.com/527579 - Watch more free videos

Grateful v3.0

2008-06-26T21:56:00.000-07:00

There are just so many stories in the news I want to write about but they all make me sad and tired. The father and two of his sons killed in a completely random, not "road rage" as the press is saying, act in SF; a suspect has been arrested and while he is innocent until proven guilty, it doesn't look like he's innocent based on evidence. But his fancy pants lawyer is working overtime to spin the gang member as a sweet family man with a wife and baby including having the wife on the news saying, "Everyone is surprised" as they show pic after pic of him with his fellow rough gang members. BS you're surprised. BS. I just don't even know what else to say. Bullshit.

The huge accident on 880 today that shut down the freeway and killed two people. I'm sorry.

The fires, asthma problems, housing crisis, Bank of America laying off 7,500 employees after buying Countrywide, young kids that are sick - does anyone else just feel sad from the world sometimes?

I don't take being grateful for things lightly but I want to be grateful as a discipline, to turn away from what comes too easily - everything else.

So with that, things I'm grateful for:

1) Health insurance and being healthy

2) Healthy Choice chocolate fudgesicles

3) A working fast cool computer

4) My free tv

5) the Alameda library, free books

6) Mitch and Nora

Nora's paw looks like a shrunken money paw, lol.

Grateful v2.0

2008-06-25T21:54:00.001-07:00

I am grateful for:

1. Carpooling with Greg, Jon, and this week Wayne. They make me laugh and Greg can be a good gym buddy, too. (Good luck with all the stuff going on right now, Greg)

2. So I Think You Can Dance - ah yeah

3. Getting to leave work today at 3pm and come home and chill

4. My mom coming to visit next week, dinner with my brother and wife, and taking a day off work to go see tigers :)

5. Feeling motivated at work today and finishing a lot of random projects including creating a cool excel tracking sheet

I am v. proud of myself today for a) not eating any chocolates from the candy jars at work, and b) going to the gym and doing 40 minutes on the elliptical. Go me!

Grateful

2008-06-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

(It has now been a year since I started the blog, wow time flies).

I am grateful:

1. For my and my families health
2. For a good affordable oscillating remote controlled fan from Costco
3. For time and space to be more chill
4. For discussions at community dinners
5. For having a job, not being unemployed
6. For my cats Mitch and Nora who are the cutest cats ever
7. For having enough food and my needs met

Karaoke and other important things

2008-06-19T21:50:00.001-07:00

I sang karaoke three times in one week, twice at work. Ah yeah, this is def my kind of work. I sang YMCA, All My Life by K-Ci and Jojo, and badly badly sang My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion. Karaoke is fun!

Not sure if it's because I'm older or this workplace feels different, but I find myself talking about my church and faith a lot more at work than I ever have before. Community dinners come up naturally in conversation esp as I bring in leftovers or take up a coworker's offer of buying her tamales for my dinner next Monday night. One coworker was fascinated by our community living and told how she has tried to start a community with shared living for awhile and studied European community models but hasn't seen it take off. We agreed that there is prob have to be a bigger shared vision like spirituality. Another coworker stopped me in the halls to share how she and some of her friends are thinking about buying property together to move in and have their parents move in, as a new approach to community and caring for elder parents.

I really think ppl are hungry for community and shared life.

It's freaking hot in Oakland, sweating here in bed, watching my borrowed TV, and catching up on my writing.

The borrowed TV - I feel like it's a way God has answered one of my simple prayers. I've been TV-less since Dec. 1 and I've liked it but now have been wanting a TV. One of my fave shows, So You Think You Can Dance, is on and bc it's live, it's not a show you can watch online. Tired from work, I've been tired of going to other people's houses to watch TV. I just want to to veg at home with a TV. So I've been thinking about this for a few months (and had already decided in Jan that I would get a TV again in Aug for football season) and getting a job opened up ideas. I started researching this wkend online but I struggled bc I just didn't feel like it was the right time to spend money on one. And I'd only buy an HD one bc of the upcoming analog change. So I kept going back and forth but there was no right I could feel right about it esp as I really really want an iPhone in July and will be getting one. How could I splurge twice when I just got a job??

So last Sat I saw Jody's old TV in Kristin's room and, things ended up with me borrowing her old analog TV. I had a few glitches with setting up my dvd player and tivo (doesn't work too well without clear vision, boo) but at least I now have sitcoms and SYTYCD and movies. Even though I didn't clearly pray for this, I wanted to not spend money and be wise about my situation and I feel like God agrees with that and helped me honor that. I got what I was craving while not spending money I didn't want to spend. It's not perfect but it gives me a few more months before I feel I have to buy one.

I feel grateful :)

Random

2008-06-11T22:46:00.000-07:00

An interesting article on No Child Left Behind, the history, and current vision.

Did I mention that I renewed my passport last month, mailed it on a Monday, and received the new one back the following Thursday? Only a week and a half. I was impressed.

Last week, after our Board mtg that ended after 11pm, our pastor and another leader were standing outside a car and were held up at gunpoint. I had left but headed upstairs to chat with Wayne. As we were on the porch, talking about how late the ice cream truck comes by, we saw two youth running somewhat oddly to chase the truck down. Were those guys the robbers? Could I have been robbed also, if I had walked and chatted with them instead of going upstairs?

Mo and Nic are gone, in France. Cleaning their place today. I miss them.

Thanks Pin for coming over and installing my wall heater. Not like I need it right now but good to have.

Tomorrow we're celebrating Philippine Independence Day at work with yummy Filipino food at lunch. I'm really excited!

I'm wiped, time for bed. Early tonight, for a change.

Ok I might be obsessed

2008-06-10T01:06:00.001-07:00

Yes, I'm googling Steve Jobs and reading all the articles that come up as I listen to this morning's keynote presentation about the new iPhone. Go to apple.com to see it.

Here's Jobs' commencement speech for Stanford in June 2005.

Ok, I need to go to bed now!

Ah, Gates vs. Jobs

2008-06-10T00:43:00.000-07:00

Back to smashing our idea of who gives money away. I like Macs and Apple and all, but this is interesting. Back to the theme that Republicans donate more to charities than Democrats.

Until recently, Bill Gates has been viewed as the villain of the tech world, while his archrival, Steve Jobs, enjoys an almost saintly reputation.
Gates is the cutthroat capitalist. A genius maybe, but one more interested in maximizing profits than perfecting technology. He's the ultimate vengeful nerd. Ostracized at school, he gets the last laugh by bleeding us all dry.

On the other hand, Jobs has never seemed much concerned with business, though he's been very successful at it of late. Instead, Jobs has been portrayed as a man of art and culture. He's an aesthete, an artist; driven to make a dent in the universe.
But these perceptions are wrong. In fact, the reality is reversed. It's Gates who's making a dent in the universe, and Jobs who's taking on the role of single-minded capitalist, seemingly oblivious to the broader needs of society.

Gates is giving away his fortune with the same gusto he spent acquiring it, throwing billions of dollars at solving global health problems. He has also spoken out on major policy issues, for example, by opposing proposals to cut back the inheritance tax.

In contrast, Jobs does not appear on any charitable contribution lists of note. And Jobs has said nary a word on behalf of important social issues, reserving his talents of persuasion for selling Apple products.
According to Forbes, Jobs was recently worth $3.3 billion which puts him among the 194th richest in the world, and makes him the 67th richest American. But the standings were shuffled on Tuesday with Disney's $7.4 billion acquisition of Pixar Animation -- a deal that makes Jobs' Pixar holdings alone worth some $3.7 billion.
But great wealth does not make a great man.

(emphasis mine) from Wired magazine, Jan 25, 2006 by Leander Kahney.

Now, the article points out that Jobs could have be donating anonymously. However, his wife gives to political campaigns so they do give in their name.

Does this change how we should see Apple and Jobs?

Fun facts about Steve Jobs

2008-06-10T00:39:00.000-07:00

Did you know he's adopted?

And that he and his wife are vegans?

(From wikipedia)

I want an iPhone!

2008-06-08T22:00:00.000-07:00

Come on, Steve, release the new iPhone tomorrow in SF! You know you want to ;)

IPhone in 3G! IPhone in 3G! IPhone in 3G! IPhone in 3G! IPhone in 3G!