OakMonster’s Den

It’s back in my life!

Finally cleared enough boxes away so I can shuffle everything off the piano area and bench. It’s the first time I actually sat and played and sang in this apartment! Yey, me!

And I played my standards. Five for Fighting’s Superman (It’s not easy), Billy Joel’s And so it goes, and spurts of Sound of Music and Star Wars Theme.

Somehow I ended up playing Wind Beneath My Wings. Please, don’t boo me just yet.

And I cried, singing it.

I never noticed how it reminds me of my mom.

When the song came out in Thailand years and years ago, every time they played it on the radio, mom would hush everybody anywhere. In the car. In the house. At the mall. Eventually, I tried to catch it on tape and taught myself to play it on the piano. I never really sing it though. Don’t want to defile Divine Miss M nor humiliate myself.

But today, I did. And the words brought tears to my eyes. (I couldn’t possibly be my bad singing that brought tears to my eyes. I mean, I would’ve cried many songs ago! Haha.)

And I cried.

There’s an ache in my heart I still can’t get rid of right now. I want to call her, but I’m scared to hear her voice. The past few times I’ve called her after chemo, her voice broke my heart. I want to be with her, holding her hands through this. And I think mine broke hers too as she doesn’t want me to worry.

As much as we want to talk to each other, we don’t want to hurt each other.

This majorly sucks.

And music doesn’t really help right now.

Someone in your company brought a frozen Oreo cheesecake. There is a quarter of it left. Instead of sharing with your officemates, you smuggled the piece out of the office to give to your train buddy/gal pal and her coworker (who is fast becoming your friend as well) in the building next door.

That, and the fact that your mom made homemade Mexican dish for you, plus a whole extra container and all the fixings for your gal friends in the building next door.

Ernie Next Door. We love you, man.

#1 : ~H2O+ Sea Marine Body Scrubs, Dry Skin Care

LOVE the smell. LOVE the way it feels when I use it. LOVE the feel of my skin afterward. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE!!!

#2 : Blimpies Best Sandwich

Salami, cappicola, prosciuttini, and provolone on toasted whole grain bread, topped with lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, olives, pickles, oil and vinegar, and black pepper. Hmmmmmm….

#3 : Marcello’s

A little Italian joint in the Bonaventure hotel across the way. Awesome lunch specials. Friendly services and affordable price. Apparently is also famous for their tiramisu which I haven’t quite gotten to yet. Their food is so damn good I NEVER have room for dessert even if I try! Love it over there!

#4 : Cheese bagel toasted with cream cheese laid on thick

Need I say more?

#5 : Lost

Just got Season 1 DVD from Netflix. And we’re hooked! Will try our damnest to catch up. Lord knows we have such a long long way to go. Oh, and, Hurley, we love you!!!

I want a wizard who can teleport. I need to be able to shuttle from here to Thailand every other day perhaps.

Shouldn’t have called mom first thing this morning. She sounded horrible.

The King Never Smiles by Paul M. Handley is coming out on April 16. It is a look at Thailand’s beloved King Bhumibhol in a way that no Thais would ever do: telling the story of a King as a person not a demi-god we make him to be.

This summer marks the King’s 60th year on the throne, making him the longest reigning monarch in the world.

The release date of this book in April is purely coincidental my ass, Yale! I don’t really object your coming out with a book, but can you show any less respect for the man?

Yeah. And you wonder why most of the world hates Americans.

Anyhoo. Folks in Thailand have already caught wind of this, and this very website is currently blocked by Thai police. No one can access it from the kingdom. I have news for you, Thai folks. How about using Amazon.com?

Expect some kind of shit storm from the country of Siam over this book next month, people. Not that we have enough troubles on our hand with our fucked up political climate at the moment.

Having grown up in Bangkok where royal gossips fly around almost at a level of Hollywoood celebrity gossip but in a very strict definition of gossip: only in word of mouth. Nothing written, of course, or you’ll find yourself up to your neck of up to in 14 years of prison love. We all have heard something about the royal family at some point. The King has so far been the only one out of the gossip circle. Well, him and the much beloved Crown Princess Sirindhorn.

Are they all true? May be a little bit true? We don’t know. Probably would never be able to confirm otherwise unless your source is super good.

With all due respect to my King, whose DNA I also share, I do want to see what other people have to say about him. Whatever information this Yale guy has or wherever he has dug it from. I hope my interest in this book isn’t considered a betrayal against my country and my very own bloodline.

But you know, the truth is, as always, out there.

My weekend has gone. Poof. Bye bye.

Friday was blown away by the fact that I was just in bed most of the day except going to the doctor and refill my prescription, and going out to dinner. Must say that at a certain point, Cipro just completely owned me. A few more days of it left. Brandon and I could barely wait to touch each other again. LOL.

Also must say that there is no, I repeat, there is no good Thai food in the city of Los Alamitos.

Saturday. Went to see “Ultraviolet”. It’s not an Oscar worthy movie, nor really worth your $7.50 matinee. But much, much, much better than “Aeon Flux”.

Besides, I love Milla Jovovich. Hooray for ass-kicking, flat-chested hot girls!

Then we had Rhonda for the rest of the day, going to Ikea and then grocery store. Later we continued our unpacking effort, and I made dinner. First meal from scratch made in the new apartment. Gotta love gas stove though.

Sunday. Went to Thai food. Spent a good portion of an hour looking for a place to park at Long Beach Towne Center’s Barnes and Noble. There’s a reason why I hate that place. Then another few hours at the Laundromat, getting caught up on laundry that had piled up while I was gone.

The rest of the evening was, of course, the Oscars.

Go Jon Stewart. You tried so hard, and you did pretty good, dude. And yeah, go “Crash”.

And, Ang Lee. Brother. You made us Asians proud.

Next thing I knew, I woke up and it’s Monday. WTF??

Cheese bagel that has been sitting next to an onion bagel all morning, toasted and topped with a thick layer of cream cheese.

THAT is a slice of heaven. Especially when you’ve been up since 5:30 a.m. to get to the INS by 7:45 via my usual train commute plus a tram ride. Thank god the wait at the INS wasn’t that painful this time.

But yeah. Crispy baked cheese + creamy goodness = Yummmmmmm

Also, the bagel is especially good when you KNOW you’re not going throw it up. Cipro may make me feel queasy but at least I haven’t thrown up because of it yet. Ah…the joy of antibiotics.

HI TIFFANY!!!

We soooo miss you!!