OakMonster’s Den

Two things I love most about October: Halloween and beer.

So far it hasn’t been a cold “fall”.  Heck, it was like 78 when I got to work at 7:30 a.m. this morning!  I think I will survive in my Princess Leia gitup after all.  Then again, I still have the Jedi cloak from last year to keep me warm and still in theme.

October is building up to be a busy one already.  The Bus Party tomorrow is cancelled in lieu of the debate, so that free up a bit of time.  Hopefully my newsletter will go to print on Friday.

Thriller practice this Saturday and of course, the Trojans are on and pissed off.  Watch out Oregon!

DMV Downtown on Monday…that ought to be interesting.  Haven’t been to that DMV since college!  The girls’ monthly dinner on Thursday and it’s our anniversary.  Another Thriller practice on Saturday on the beach followed by the K9 benefit show back in Fullerton.  Too bad I will have to miss the Long Beach Tweet Up!  Thrill the World LA barbecue on Sunday and, thank god, Columbus Day off.

Wednesday early board meeting.  Saturday USC at Washington and “Octoberfest” at a friend’s house who is a brewmaster.  Probably more Thriller practice in there somewhere through out.  A few Tuesdays at the Irvine practice probably.

Thrill the World on October 25 in the morning at USC at Arizona at night.

And finally, Halloween.

And after that, the Big Gala.

And after that, Thailand.

And after that, company’s holiday party I have to throw.

Not to mention my Monday dance classes.

Holy crap.

I’m a busy girl!

…figuratively and literally.

It’s been a crazy week at work that ended with Talk Like A Pirate and bridal shower Friday in the office.  I threw some mean party, y’all!

Pirate by day and zombie by night, later on on Friday night, I trekked down to Irvine to practice with Thrill the World OC at Atomic Ballroom.  They have a big group going.  LA Team: We have to catch up!

My right shoulder-neck muscles hated me.  So did my thighs.  (Lots of squats and deep knee bends in this dance!)

Saturday, off to Brenda and Jon’s reception at Astor Classics.  Awesome collection of everything from antique phones, model trains, to classic cars. It was a low key, super casual event.  Pretty much it’s a big family gathering with food and wine not cooked by the bride and beer not brewed by the groom.  No dancing. No pomp.  It was fun just sitting around and yapping with our friends.

Sunday, Brandon and I vegged in a grand style.  The usual hefty breakfast and the rest of the day foraging for snacks in the fridge and the pantry to call a meal.  Hehe.

Monday, we worked.  I started with a few sneezes around the office.  The inner ears didn’t start itching until I got back from lyrical jazz with Sizzle.  Since Debi wasn’t there, it was a one-on-one class.  Much awesomeness! We did Martha Graham style choreography to Lion King theater show soundtrack.  Lots of twisting and jumping.

Both sides of my neck and shoulders now hate me too.

But this morning, I could barely opened my eyes.  My nose started to stuff up around 3 a.m.  I didn’t get much sleep.  And my entire body ache in a way that I can’t really tell it was the Martha Graham’ing or something else.  I decided to stay home.

Here I am, giving you guys a catch up post as I’m slowly waking up from the Benedryl long nap and still fighting the haze.  It seems to be a horrible allergy attack than a cold.  I’m so drowsy right now so I can’t really tell…

Excuse me.  I think the couch is still calling.

Going to bed when I’m supremely tired has been working three nights so far.  It works better on the weekend, I’m sure.  Man, trying to get up to wash the Korean BBQ smoke out of my hair this morning was tough. It’s starting to cool at night in California a little bit.  Cool when I left the house and when I got home.  It makes it really hard to get out of bed in the morning.

When I got work, I gave my dad a call.  Of course, I caught him watching his nightly news and he filled me in on Thailand’s current madness.  He recommends the recent article in Time Magazine.

“Somebody’s funneling money into the PAD,” he said.  “Someone’s paying daily stipends for people to not be earning a living but to sit in at the Parliament House.  And it’s a pretty good bet around here that it’s the old-money elites.  They want the Democrats to be government and Abhisit as PM.”

“But I want Khun Mark [Abhisit] to be the PM…” I whined.

“I know. But not like this,” dad replied.  And I agreed 200%.

“Brandon said if this shit is still going on by the end of October, he’s not coming home with me,” I told him.

“Tell him this is the BEST time to be in Thailand,” dad replied.

“I told him the protest doesn’t bleed over to the tourists so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“It’s not just that,” dad added.  “All the other tourists would’ve canceled.  Hotels would be empty, and then we could get any room at any hotel we want in Phuket on the cheap!”

My dad.  There could only be one.

*

And there could also be only one Brandon.

A text message this afternoon sent me into a giggle.

“Hahah. The cats attacked [The traveling Couch] Monkey!  Jumper walked by  with Monkey in his mouth then the little ones [Brandon’s folks’ new cats as oppose to Jumper, the elder statesman] ran by and stole him from Jump.”

My poor traveling Couch Monkey, covered in kitty drool!  Later on tonight, as Brandon was reading before bed with the cats, again, Monkey was taken.  Brandon had to chase the cats down to get him back.

And my poor husband, for him to be on his cell phone to text me these things, Brandon had to step outside and down the driveway of their house in the mountains of New Mexico.  It was 27F when he called me an hour earlier

Now THAT’S love.

*

The day of much love and laughter ended well at my first Lyrical Jazz class with Sizzle at Moondance Studios tonight.

I LOVE Sizzle!  She’s totally awesome.  Not only does she have lessons planned for the next 6 weeks, she also taught us the history of each week’s style.  Today, we learned the basics of Fosse style and did the routine from the first 2 verses of Chicago’s All That Jazz.

Jazz hands. Fosse’s port de bras. Hip pops. And other signature Fosse moves.

Aw, my quads. And my back.

The zombie moves I was going to practice before I go to bed should look awesome now that my back is a little bit stiff…

“Make a letter U with your butt is how I can best describe this,” explained Adrienne on how to do that go-go dips to our Burlesque class of 4 tonight at Moondance Studios.

“I don’t move so well at 71,” the lady in the front joked.

“Oh, come on. You’re not that old,” Adrienne encouraged her more.

“I’m serious!”

“Adrienne, my mom is REALLY 71,” The other lady answered.  She looked like she’s in her late 40s if not early 50s.

Jaws dropped around the room.

“I’m the 5th child,” the Daughter said. “Out of 6.”

I am so serious, guys. This is not the typical Beverly Hills nipped and tucked and Botoxed 71 year old. This lady is all natural (except for the hair color) and at 71, she doesn’t look at day older than 50. I seriously thought her and her daughter were friends!

That’s alone is the most inspiring thing I got from my Burlesque class tonight. But wait, there’s more!The other lady in class, a doctor probably in her mid 40s, is about to go on a month-long African safari and European tour. By herself.

Wow.

Finally, our instructor is leaving for a week in London to cheer on her boyfriend who will be swimming the Channel. His firm caught wind of his plan and decided to sponsor him in his life’s goal!

I went for a little dance class for exercise. I walked out feeling sexy from the dancing (like Adrienne said, once you get the move, you feel good, and it comes through in your dance and you feel even better) and thoroughly inspired by the ladies I’ve just spent the hour with.

Worked out my mind and body quite literally!

I rode my bike to Seal Beach with Brandon. We rode from our house to Seal Beach and hopped on the San Gabriel River trail on our way there, but we decided to take Seal Beach Boulevard back because it was a lot easier and much shorter route. That’s 15-ish miles total with hills, y’all! And I didn’t die.

Well, except for a wall and an uneven road that tried to eat me.

On top of that good little hurt you get from a perfect work out, I have the following injuries which would give you a picture of what happened:

1. Minor scrapes on my right hand…well, they didn’t bleed so I don’t know if that counts.
2. Scrapes on my left hand.
3. Scrapes on my left knee.
4. Bruises (not showing yet…but they will) on my calves.
5. Sore muscles on my right hip and knee.

Injury #1 occurred when I couldn’t turn left quite sharp enough after crossing the street onto the sidewalk and ran into a wall.

The rest came from a total spillage on my bike down the bike path. The little bike path was a paved 2 narrow lanes with gravels and dirt on each side. You’re either on the path or you’re on the dirt. The road wasn’t smoothed out on the edges.

I was following Brandon when, on his little cross country bike, hopped onto the dirt. Not wanting to do the same, I tried to correct myself but somehow verved the other direction and “fell off” the road into the dirt. And my front wheel was caught, sending my bike and me sideway onto the asphalt.

Fortunately, I wasn’t going very fast. I put my hand out to stop myself from the fall. And of course, my right leg was still on the bike when the whole thing came a tumbling. I think the hip and the knee got a bit overstretched.

Brandon patched me up and I toughed out the rest of the trip.

Now I suffer. But it was a great Sunday though.

How was yours?

P.S. One Olympic gold for a Thai lady powerhouse! Go team!

Y’all, I once again bought a bike.

This is my new baby, Electra Townie, souped up with a cargo rack, a makeshift cargo hold (container bin and bungee mesh), and, of course, a bell. Brandon also scored his new cross-country bike, replacing his undersized cheapy that’s been killing his back and, more importantly, his bad knee this whole time.

While Brandon’s purchase was planned as he’s taking the riding a bit more seriously now, it was a slightly impulsive buy for me. But I’m tired of being left behind when the boys go out to ride. Sure, they can do the rides on their own, but at least Brandon and I can do something together in addition to just playing games, watching movies, or driving around.

So, Brandon and I went on a test ride today to, where else, Fresh & Easy store. My goal is that I could ride there on my own to do some shopping before it gets dark. And eventually, we’ll ride all the way to James & Aurora’s house. And eventually after that, all the way to Seal Beach and back.

Finally, my “cousin” May (her mom is one of my mom’s best friends) is acclimating to Beijing. Her brother Nicky is blogging about it here. I will leave the link up for you on the right column through the entire Olympics.

My dad is all excited about the Olympics too. It’s always been big deal for us growing up, watching the coverage and sometimes live broadcast of the Olympics. The opening ceremony was never missed in our household, no matter what time it came on. The 2004 Olympics were especially good for Thailand, most medals ever won. I hope we repeat ourselves here. Come on, Paradorn. Bring us home some bronze, at least, bro!

And speaking of the games, does ANYONE know where we can watch the opening ceremony LIVE? NBC’s schedule shows that they will broadcast at prime time. But Beijing is 15 hours ahead of PST therefore that can’t possibly be live! If we want to see it live, then we should have to resort to the internet? Seriously, any lurkers with the knowledge, could you please de-lurk for the day and clue me in, I’d really appreciate it.

Well, at least I found out that USA channel will broadcast badminton live. At least we can try to catch May there.

Hope everyone’s weekend was great!

I may hide my extra 5 lbs. gain well.  But when none of my 3 pants-suits and 2 skirt-suits fits, it’s a sign.

My expanded hips, strangely, interferes with the length of my pants.

All of my pants on the suits are cut a little loose because I hate tight pants. So all of them sag a little to the floor and therefore give me room for the heels.

Now my Asian J-Lo butt fills in to the pants so they fit correctly. However, my length of the pants are affected. They are all too short for any non-sneakers/flipflop shoes I own.

The black standby skirt-suit skirt is also affected. It is now a little too tight…and wayyyy too short.

Needless to say, Brandon likes that skirt. 

The only suit left in the closet was from a bigger friend. Even after going through a tailor, my jacket still looks like a loaner from an older sister. That didn’t fly either.

I just have to improvise on the “Business Attire” wardrobe until I lose the 5lbs. Or go to Thailand to buy more suits.  Which I probably wouldn’t find because of my giant ass.

Yes. 5 lbs. extra and I’m fat for my clothes.

You know, in Thai standard, I am also a total heifer at the moment. In American standard, you can’t really tell.

I just have to work out more to keep eating the way I do.

Aging sucks.

This is the first night this week that I have stayed up past 9:30 p.m. by the way.   Been going to be that early and yet still couldn’t drag myself out of bed in the morning.

But then again, I have found myself waking up in the middle of the night:

a) going to the bathroom…as a backlash of my attempt to drink more water
b) grinding my teeth
c) imaging that someone else was in the bedroom, possibly as a result of…
d) dreaming way the fuck too much

And no, working out and trying to get healthy (i.e. drinking more water, eating less junk and more fruit) doesn’t seem to actually do anything.  Maybe I’m detoxing.  Or something.

But I am looking forward to sleeping in on Saturday morning and to receiving the rest of my shopping spree in the mail.

I FINALLY bought my Christmas presents, Carole King and Elton John songbooks, and then I splurged on Once soundtrack CD and this t-shirt.  And finally, because I found an outstanding online deal, I finally made my dream purchase.

…plus the ice cream maker attachment

*Squeal*

Tuesday marked the first work out attempts of 2008.

I walked for 5 minutes then I stretched.  Back on for 4 reps of 2-minute fast walk (3.2) and 3-minute jog (4.2).  Cool down for another 3 minutes.  Then I broke in my new pink boxing gloves on the bag and kicking the kicking shield (Brandon helped) for another 5 minutes before I completely ran out of breath.

Then I spotted a lean but athletic built Asian girl in the place.  I saw her running on the treadmill over the weekend.

“Was that the uber boxing girl you guys talked about?” I asked Brandon.  At the open house for the gym, she did the boxing demonstration and pretty much just blew everyone away.

“Yep, that’ll be her.”

“Aw, man!  Now I feel stupid.”

I was just goofing off around the punching bag with Brandon as if I knew what I was doing, just to be exhausted after mere 5 minutes.  That’s kind of embarrassing.

But I am a certified wuss, so I have the free pass to not be ashamed about my lack of physical prowess or athletic grace.

I don’t like pain.  I’m not all that strong.  Pushing the limits is not something I usually have in mind.  The only thing I’m good at sports-wise was 50-meter dash.  And actually, miraculously, I didn’t do all that bad in Taekwondo.

So, all the 30 minutes I managed in the gym the other day was a mass improvement.  I may not be the uber boxer chick, but I did what I could.

Right now?  My legs are still sore.  I think I’ll have to wait until Saturday to have another go at this work out thing.  Haha!

There’s something highly satisfactory about punching with hot pink punching gloves.

Yesterday when I stopped at Shane’s gym for a spell, I spot a pair of these laying by the punching bag. I tried them on and got quite a giggle out of them.So I returned today to the gym, having had a day from hell and approaching deadline…well fuck, tomorrow IS the deadline, donned the gloves and give the bag a good beating. The bag? It’s fine. My hands, not so much.

But my god. It felt so good to beat on something. With hot pink gloves. I mean, HOT pink. It makes me almost want a pair of Hello Kitty or something adorable like that. I don’t know. It’s like Buffy the Vampire Slayer. All adorable AND kickin’ yer ass up and down the block.

It’s just so much fun to be cute AND deadly!