OakMonster’s Den

Brandon’s sister Stephanie delivered baby Morgan Claire yesterday. We have a brand new niece!

But, of course, being Steph, she didn’t leave us the details about the baby i.e. weight etc. because she knows Brandon, being a guy, wouldn’t remember anyway.
That also became a problem as I rushed home yesterday so we could beat the traffic out to Norco to see mommy and baby. I got home at 5 p.m. and Brandon had yet to get in touch with Steph. Around 5:30, she called us back. She was on her way out of the hospital.

“Why don’t you guys come out this weekend instead so you can bring me food from Le Yen’s?”

So, there went the plan to go see the brand new niece.

I ended up at Brenda’s house as originally planned for a gathering of friends to open some Christmas presents. And it’s good to finally have Jon in town for good. Yep. He moves in with Brenda. Majority of his Las Vegas home will be moved in after new year. We are so happy for them!

The whole gang was there except for Anthony, James, and Brandon. It was quite fun. Lots of food. Lots of wine. Lovely, lovely evening! I think I’m still buzzed from last night…which is kind of funny since I didn’t drink all that much. Heh.

MERRY CHRISTMAS ONE AND ALL!

We’re cooking for Shane, Serena, and Pops. My aunt and her family will swing by on their way back from dinner at her niece’s house. This will be one of our better Christmas Eve it feels!

Tomorrow, Christmas part II. I’ll be cooking for Rhonda and Eric, and Eric.

Have a safe and merry Christmas! Watch out for those sneaky elves… ;-D

As I’m floating away on the fine mistiness created by a huge gulp of Robitussen (that and Pepto Bismol, I don’t even use a cup any more), I’d recount a few things…

First. I finished my very first Sudoku puzzle yesterday! The “Gentle” one in the LA Times Sunday edition. Yeah. Took a while. I finally got a system down and it seems to be working for me so far.

Second. Just watched the tsunami documentary on Discovery channel. Never realized how huge the waves were. And never realized how stupid some people were.

Um. Gee. A giant foaming wall of water is coming toward me but I’m just going to stand here looking at it with my camera just to say “Oh gee. A giant foaming wall of water is coming toward me” and have it on tape. And yeah, the water is rising, let’s hang on to this wall. It’ll hold the water. We don’t have to bug the kind people 5 feet to our right on a balcony, reaching for us to get over. What the hell?? Water is pouring down around the fucking wall and you think standing there is going to be safe? Duh.

Dad is in Khao Lak right now prepping for the groundbreaking ceremony for the Tsunami Memorial. So are my friends Nick and Jacqueline.

Third. I’ve never tanked a test this bad in my life. Totally blew my Flash finals. Bad. As in, I barely got any task done. Not to mention I didn’t even know how to do half of them. You see, I’m stuck on Actionscript. I can’t get anything to work and am unable to move on. So, I can make a cutesie animated movie but can’t build a site on Flash to save my life. I may have to re-take this class.

And finally, still sick. And it seemed I had spread my brand of sick around the department. It’s the same ol’ holy crap I have no energy, ooh my throat hurts a little, achy all over, oop there goes the fever, and here comes the cough. My direct boss went home early 2 days in a row because of that fatigue. I came home early on Tuesday and had to trudge back out to take my Dreamwever final. And of course, yesterday I didn’t get to rest at all. And today I went in, coughing my lungs out, and still has the cycles of fatigue. So the Big Boss sent me home around 3:30. Still coughing. Still fatiging.

And yeah. The fucking dust is still every fucking where and I have no energy to clean right now.

Figured it’s the day you decided to stay home to recover from a bad cold that the tree trimmers would start chainsawing branches around your building at 7:45 and the roofers would start stomping over your head at 8.

No rest for this one. At some point I had to leave the building to go sit out my fever and cough at a coffee joint.

And now I returned home to an apartment that smelled like tar and half of the living room and my entire office is covered in sand-like dust. I mean, EVERYWHERE.

No fun for the coughing Oak. Not at all.

Recently, Terry Frazier discovered my blog entry about my extreme disatisfaction with Accelerated Learning Group/Greg Parker. A few people have come by to voice their opinion as well and now we have quite a throng of responses.

If you google “Accelerated Learning Group” and “Atlanta”, you’ll see my post up there on the first page of results.

Now someone else discovered my post about my disatisfaction with WinSave, our past web host, and I have a post telling me to stop blogging.

Who knows I can turn my blog into a powerful tool against bad business practices!

So there you go folks. Raise your voices against THE MAN online and you shall be heard.

Yet another public service from the OakMonster, serving up a little justice on the side of general musings.

Nothing shows the American style of Christmas spirit like the Gift Exchange game. Not only people would bring the cheapest gift to the party, but now someone else can take YOUR gift.

What the fuck kind of game is this!?!

Where I came from, all the gifts are labeled with numbers. Then you pick those numbers out of the hat. You go match your number to the gift and the gift is yours.

Simple. Wonderful. Everyone goes home happy. No fighting. No bitterness.

Today at my company’s holiday luncheon, it was like a war zone. One lady jotted down everything that was opened and tracked where they went so she could go and steal what she wanted later without missing a beat.

Really, what the fuck? This is CHRISTMAS time for crying out loud!?!

Then the first time I encountered the Gift Exchange game, I was about to kill that bitch from Marketing at HSX. I got me a toy accordian. The broad swapped that from me because she had a crappy 99c store calendar. A year later, at my birthday party, she gave that to me for my birthday after having it sit on her desk for a year.

And then, here’s my holiday pet peeve.

White Elephant gift originally was for people to bring in quirky trinkets and crazy items that no one wouldn’t really wanted. Then you play the game and then swapping for the best deal of the bunch. I mean, that was what I know as White Elephant gift when I came to the US in 1993.

My host mom Bonnie won this antique sail boat pulley mounted on a woodblock. She turned it into a table lamp and it was kind of cool. I went with her to a few other events where we brought in something like Chia Pet, and then fighting for a better gift sort of make sense.

Now, it’s just all about greed.

Oh *I’m* not going to spend all that much money if I’m going to end up with that stupid ass gift again. Oh I don’t want *THAT*. Oh look at that bastard bringing in $9.99 gift to $20.00 minimum and didn’t even take the fuckin’ tag off, you cheap ass. Etc. Etc.

Yeah, I’m bitching about people being greedy, but I too am as guilty as anyone in this matter.

Christmas is no longer the celebration of Jesus and God and all that is holy. ‘Tis the time when Satan and his minions truly rule the earth.

Your friend since high school finally has a steady boyfriend after many years of dry spell. The boyfriend is also a friend from the same circle which you know quite well. So, for Christmas, you decided on getting them a half-gag, half-real gift.

The present for Girl and Boy: gift certificate to Victoria’s Secret.
The present for Boy: a disposable camera.

You think the Girl and the Boy would laugh their asses off when they open this together.

Given, you bought their Christmas present before you knew they were moving in together early next year. Given also, you insist that they open the gift together but did not counting on them opening it in front of her parents.

Yeah…you see what’s coming up next?

Today, the Girl asked if this would appropriate to open the gift with the Boy and her parents on Christmas morning. You decided and she agreed that no it wouldn’t be appropriate. After a back and forth correspondence through out the day, she finally said because her dad insisted on taking the present to their house, she decided to just open it then and get over with the uncertainty.

She told you she finds the present offensive, but don’t worry about it.

Now, what do you do?

I apologize for the massive lack of originality these days. Got a lot on my plate at the moment. Well, mainly my finals coming up. Dreamweaver I have absolutely no problem with. Flash, now THAT’s kicking my ass…

Okay I’m just shock full of MeMe’s these days. This one is from Rachael, again. That girl’s got a lot of these!

Here’s my year in review according to a MeMe plus a link back to each of the 2005 month archive.

~January~

1. did you have a new year’s resolution this year?
To learn Dreamweaver and perhaps Flash.

2. If so, what was it and did you go through with it?
Indeed. One resolution easy enough to keep!

3. Does it snow where you live?
No

4. Do you like hot chocolate?
Yep.

5. Have you ever been to times square to watch the ball drop?
Nope. Want to but probably never will. Too damn cold.

6. do you or anyone you know have a birthday in this month?
My brother Ake. My high school choir teacher and mentor Mr. Benjamin. My friend Katie and Cheech. And our friend Lupe.

7. BEST memory that January
Repeat of National champion. We kicked the crap out of the Sooners. So much fun!

~February~

1. who was your valentine this year?
Brandon, of course.

2. what did you get your valentine?
We don’t do Valentine’s day here.

3. what did your valentine get you?
See #2

4. when you were little, did you buy valentines for your whole class?
I didn’t buy ‘em. I made them. I’d use the Ferrero Rocher single piece as the center and build a card around it. i.e. a friend who plays basketball, I set the card out to look like a basketball court, and the chocolate is the ball. That sort of thing.

5. do you or anyone you know have a birthday this month?
My friend Zak and Tommy Reynolds. My high school host mom Bonnie. Brandon’s sister Jacqueline.

6. BEST memory that February:
I quit the job at the “Abandoned Hope PR”. Y’all may remember. Also found out my mom has cancer. Not the best memory but I thought I’d mention that.

~March~

1. are you Irish?
Not so much

2. Do you wear green on St. Patty’s Day?
Yes

3. what did you do for St. Patty’s day?
I made Guinness Stout stew and fed Brandon and Shane.

4. do you or anyone you know have a birthday in this month?
Brandon’s buddies Paul, James, and Brenda. My home girl Joy. Brandon’s sister Stephanie. And my dear ol’ dad…and his twin brother.

5. BEST memory of March that year:
I started working for the current Non-Profit. Also began MY OWN STORY workshop.

~April~

1. Do you like the rain?
Absolutely.

2. Did you play an April fool’s joke on anyone this year?
Didn’t this year. But next year, watch out at work!

3. do you get tons of candy on easter?
I GIVE candies.

4. do you or anyone you know have a birthday in this month?
Coworker Celeste. Silver Girl Amy. My former manager Angela. My best friend Nora. Brandon’s niece Lauren. And my “cousin” May.

5. BEST memory of that year’s April:
ASIAN VOICES! Yep. That one takes the cake. And Ren Faire was fun too.

~May~

1. What’s your favorite kind of flower?
Daisy and Gebera daisy.

3. Do you like the spring?
Yes. It’s a sign that summer is coming!

4. Finish the phrase: the rain in spain falls mainly on the plain?
What’s there to finish? Okay. This question is defective.

5. What would you think of as a spring color?
Pastel green

6. do you or anyone you know have a birthday in this month?
My “cousin” Nicky. Our friend Steve. Brandon’s goddaughter Serena.

7. BEST memory of that May:
I hosted a PartyLite candle party.

~June~

1. Did you go on any vacations last June?
Nope.

2. do you or anyone you know have a birthday in this month?
This is crazy birthday months for us. Brandon himself and his dad, niece Cheyenne, brother in law Jim, and best friend Justin. My brother Onk. My high school host dad Bob. And our friend MacDaddy Matt.

3. BEST memory of that June:
We went to see TRON on big screen on Brandon’s birthday.

~July~

1. What did you do on the 4th of July?
We were in Red River, New Mexico. Went to the town’s parade in the morning, and out to Eagle Nest lake to watch firework with Brandon’s family.

2. would you consider yourself patriotic?
To Thailand, I think so. To the US, it ain’t my country yet.
3. do you go on any vacations during this month?
See #1.

5. do you or anyone you know have a birthday in this month?
Frency Chris Holland. My Trojan brother Joel. Our friend Toni, Ben, Joyce, and my friend J.C.’s husband Erick.

6. BEST memory of that July:
The entire trip in Red River. Always one to remember! We also saw The Princess Bride on big screen. It was like an interactive theater! A lot of fun.

~August~

1. did you do anything special to end off your summer?
Saw Office Space on big screen.

2. what was your favorite summer memory of ‘05?
Trip to New Mexico…on Amtrak.

3. do you go swimming a lot in the summer?
Not so much.

4. do you go to the beach a lot?
Not so much.

5. do you or anyone you know have a birthday in this month?
My friend Terrence, Nick, and Jessica (not THAT Nick and Jessica). Our friend Jim, Lee, Bowl (Mark), Greg. And Brandon’s nephew Barrett.

6. BEST memory of that August:
Office Space.

~September~

1. Did you attend school/college in ‘05?
Yes. Starting my online classes at Fullerton College.

2. who is/was your favorite teacher?
None of these.

3. do you like fall better than summer?
Nope. Love summer.

4. do you or anyone you know have a birthday in this month?
Our friend Aurora and Irena. My former boss back at USC Nancy. Aunty Tim. Brandon’s mom. And my friend Veronica.

5. BEST memory of that September:
Not much to remember…

~October~

1. what was your favorite halloween costume ever?
Rikku. Put a lot of effort in to that one. Heh.

3. what’s your favorite candy?
Twix.

4. what did you dress up like this year?
Vampire at work. Inara from Firefly at home.

5. do you or anyone you know have a birthday in this month?
My friend Tong and the NY monkey boy Nalin.

6. BEST memory of that October:
Halloween was a LOT of fun! And the awards event at work. Lots of work and craziness but it was thoroughly fun. And of course, who’d forget USC beat notre dame!

~November~

1. who’s house do you usually go to for thanksgiving?
Depends. This year’s it was at Shane’s.

2. Do you like stuffing?
Yes.

3. what are you thankful for?
Roof over my head. Food in my fridge. Brandon with me. My mom’s spirit to fight cancer.

4. do you or anyone you know have a birthday in this month?
Me. My mom. My friends Elan and Christine. Our friends Vanessa and Shane.

5. BEST memory of November:
Partying it down with Shane for our birthdays.

~December~

1. do you celebrate christmas?
Yes. And I’m buddhist! Go figure. ;-D

2. have you ever been kissed under mistletoe?
yes

4. what’s the best present you ever got for Christmas?
A pair of ice skates. Back in Bangkok when I was young and ice skating was THE craze. My best friend was of a extremely wealthy family and she wanted hockey skates but they gave her figure skates. So, I lucked out.
6. do you or anyone you know have a birthday in this month?
My best friend Lily and Brandon’s grandmother.

7. BEST memory of this December?
Decorating the office space.

…no one and everyone.

The holiday decoration gauntlet results in a tie as our CEO casted the final vote:

“I have been informed that I am the tie breaking vote on the decoration contest between the west and east sides (don’t forget, there really are no sides, just one big happy family). Because this has been such a difficult decision. I want you to know that I spent a sleepless night deciding. Here is the decision: It’s a tie. East side wins for sheer degree and extent of makeover and impact. West side wins for quality and professionalism of design..

Now…..can I have my guest chairs and coffee table back?”

Hooray for the WEST SAAYYEEED! ;-D