OakMonster’s Den

It’s been a quiet and relaxing weekend so far. You know, the 2 days break from the daily grind that feels like a 7 day vacation? One of those.

We spent an hour at a client’s house in the morning. It was half work half social call, so that was fun. I ran all sorts of errands in the early afternoon, much enjoyable and productive alone time. The rest of the afternoon was a mixture of doing laundry, taking a nap, watching TV, and reading my Dresden Files book.

I cooked dinner to Scrubs Season 1 Disc 2 and we sat down to watch it together. Many occasions I almost snorted wine out of my nose.

Who would I choose between Dr. Cox and Dr. House? Dr. House inched out on the fact that he isn’t too goofy looking. Plus the British accent. Heh.

Brandon went to bed early. His stomach was bugging him. So I was up reading blogs and writing one for Thai-Blogs on that silly picture I took with the Spicy Thai potato chips. I also caught my brother Onk online so we chat for a while.

Around midnight, B came out of the bedroom. Apparently, the F-Bombers in the next apartment complex gathered in a circle by their basketball hoop to, well, yell fuck this and fuck that at each other. Last weekend, they were fucking playing basketball at midnight and a few times more at 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. We called the cops on them already. And here we were again. Dumb fucks.

Needless to say, we were up quite late, waiting for the usual neighborhood quietness to return. But then again, we didn’t roll out of bed until 10.

LOVE. QUIET. WEEKEND!

Thank god we don’t do Easter. LOL.

- GOOD -

Went out for 20-minute run/walk around the neighborhood on Saturday morning. It was summer out there. Windy though. I walked most of the trip, but I did get in some running. As I head out there with my music on, I tried to run at least 2 verses or 1 verse and a chorus which came out to about half a block per block. Not too bad. But I definitely feel like a wussy.

Well, I *AM* a wussy. Who am I kidding! LOL.

The Fried Chicken Experiment #4 turned out okay. Shane and Serena came by to be my lab rats. We finished off that evening with a trip to Golden Spoon. Yummy yummy frozen yogurt treats on a warm California winter night! Us and the entire girls’ softball league seemed to have agreed.

Today, the same gang went to see Ghost Rider. I want $7 of $9 back for this one. Completely predictable. It’s cliche all the way for this one. No twist. No surprises. No character growth or curve. Sure, there’s a bit of back story, but you don’t really see Johnny Blaze as a character transformed or anything. Overall, it’s a mildly entertaining time waster.

Although there were some quirky, oh so very Nick Cage moments that you get a little chuckle out of. At times, it was just plain cheese. Most of the time, even *I* was distracted by Eva Mendez’s cleavage. I mean, every scene except for the first white dress she wore was boobbylicious. They’re trying so hard to use her fantastic Girls to distract you from the fact that the entire movie sucks.

- GOOD *AND* EVIL -

Working on a holiday is evil. Yep. Tomorrow is just another work day for me. Although Brandon may be persuaded to come have lunch with me downtown. We’ll have to see.

Now, I have learned that my beloved Aunty Or, my mom’s best friend, is heading out to America! She’s not going to come out all the way to California because she’s “been there”. (Well, she did. She spent a few years in Pasadena when her son was going to Art Center College of Design.) But she’s having everyone meet her in Vegas.

So this Monday off I don’t have? I can substitute this day for Friday March 2 as Brandon and I head out for Las Vegas to meet Aunty Or.

This would mark our very first trip to Vegas together. Actually, it’d be the first trip together outside going to visit our parents since we got married! It should be fun.

- EVIL -

A jar of Nuttella + A spoon + A glass of milk. My mouth is already watering just thinking about it. Must. Stay. In. Here. Not. Going. Out. To. Kitchen……..aaarrrgggghhh…..!

And Scrubs. We’ve been catching a clip or an episode here and there since they started 6 seasons ago. But the other day, Brandon finally got into it when Comedy Central had a block of reruns on. We TIVO’ed the bunch and now put the DVDs on Netflix cue.

Great. Another TV show we get hooked on. Not that our current list is not enough. And on that list: Heroes, NCIS, House, Dresden Files, Battlestar Galactica, Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservation, Stargate SG-1 and Atlantis, and just for me, Lost and Nip/Tuck. Now, Scrubs is going on that list.

See? Television is EVIL!

I caught up with NCIS, House, Lost, and Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservation.

Oh indeed, I’m training for my Feb. 24 movie marathon. Folks say I’m crazy and that they could never watch movies that long, etc.

But I can certainly pull this off.

Heck, I used to just site at my dinner/lunch table with a book and either my nanny or mom had to remind me to take another bite. Or chew and swallow the previous bite. My coworkers can attest to the fact that I still do that at lunch once in a while at work, reading the papers and not eating my food even when it’s sitting right in front of me. Brandon can also verifies that I do the same thing watching TV.

When something has my attention, it HAS my attention all the way. As long as it holds my attention, whatever it is has me bound to it for a good long time until it gets boring or I get tired.

Like my job. Got me. Got me REAL good.

Like blogging and cooking. Once I’m into it, I’m into it. Ditto with playing around on the computers and filing my paperworks.

Like sleep. I am very serious about it. I sleep like a rock. Unless woken up by a dream. And yes, I can get tired of sleeping too.

Speaking of which, THAT is one of the things I need to catch up on this weekend.

G’night, y’all!

I’m on the 18th hour of being awake.

Yep. The monthly board meeting day.

The crack of dawn wake up time of 4:45 to get ready and get in the car and leave no later than 5:20 sharp in order to miss morning traffic which results in me being at work at 6 a.m., 30 minutes early, but if I leave after 5:20, I would have gotten there at 6:30 or later.

I was going to make dinner, but decided not to, so I came home to the Brandon the Handyman Show. I kept “just in case I get electrocuted” watch while Brandon changed out most electrical sockets in the apartment.

Then Shane called and asked if I was still making dinner. Like I could ever say no to that!

So I ventured back out the store and made what I’ve been craving since I saw it on TV a few times now, Paula Dean’s Potato Soup (without the shrimps but extra bacon!) while the boys shopped for and install replacement blind in our bedroom (oh yes after 1 month, no one was sent from the apartment management so Brandon offered to do it and get reimbursed).

We watched Tuesday’s NCIS and I got caught up on LOST. Goddamn I love this show. And next week…SAWYER’S SHIRT IS COMING OFF!!!!!

Hmm. Josh Halloway. Drool.

Talk about ogling!

BTW - I joined BakeSpace.com. Come find me, you aspiring chefs and bakers of the blogosphere!

BTW TOO - I met up with Token Asian and her friend Jenny for sushi in Downtown LA the other day, dragging Nhien along. We had a great time. Will elaborate later.

Tomorrow night. A second try at the hip hop class. (Last time Michael and I showed up for a non-existing class that someone there informed me they have.) Hopefully they haven’t cancelled the adult class too. *sigh*

I’m a semi-faithful fan of VH1 Top 20 Countdown. I watch that on Saturday/Sunday morning after I do yoga. Mostly I’d flip between that and Food Network, but nonetheless, it’s like Saturday morning cartoon for me.

This weekend, VH1 introduces the new format: VSPOT Top 20. So now, not only how Top 20 is determined is changed, instead of the methods they use before which was a mix of video spin, airplay and requests, the host is also changed.

From the colorful Aamer Haleem (and before that the pretty and plucky Rachel Perry), to some bald dude named Matt Whateverhislastnameis with an accent…oh I don’t know between them New Yawk and Bwaston accents.

The guy has no personality. Absolutely boring.

After a long time of trying to find “Contact” or “Feedback” feature on VH1.com, which by the way I don’t think it exists, I had to give in and sign up on VH1 site, and track down their message board (which for some godforsaken reason I can’t do it through Mozilla), and post my dissatisfaction with their new Top 20 format.

My god. What do they have against a simple Comment/Feedback form!??!?!?!?

So much for getting all nice, energized but relaxed from doing yoga this morning. *sigh*

Other than that, this afternoon I’m getting together with a few girl friends to watch “Brokeback Mountain” while our manly-man husbands go off and do whatever manly-man things they do.

It’s interesting to see how people react to the sound of “Brokeback Mountain”. “Urgh. I’ll never see that movie in my life time,” and “I don’t want anything to do with that movie,” are coming out of the mouths of people you thought were open-minded and open-hearted.

Oh well. That’s just too bad.

Then again, I’m more liberal than many people I guess.

We’ve decided to dive in with the current LOST episodes. We just finished all of season one DVDs this weekend, and we had last week’s TIVO’ed.

I couldn’t wait to find out what’s going on any more. So, last night, we jumped ahead with what we missed so far with Season 2, and hit “play”.

Oh, we soooo have to read up on what we’ve missed. We got the gist of what’s in the button, the alarm, and the hatch. We understand where Michelle Rodriguez come from but we have yet to find out how they found them, and we still want to find out whatever happens to Michael and Walt.

And so far, I’m still making the right calls on what the twist is. Been pretty good at guessing what’s coming up next so far.

By the way, I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks Sawyer is super duper hot despite him being an asshole. Damn. Damn! DAMN!

#1 Again, Lost

We’re now starting obsessed with the show. Trying like hell to catch up with first season–we watched disc 2 last night–and avoiding spoilers like a plague. Daniel Dae Kim was on KROQ this morning. I had to turn off the radio. LOL.

#2 OCTA express bus 701

The bus that takes the OC residents to their work downtown LA. I don’t have to drive any more, just walk a few blocks to get on. On the way home, I get dropped off a block from my apartment. Love it!

#3 The quiet, very productive 30 minutes before everyone else gets into the office.

Ah…all quiet on the office front between 8:00 and 8:30. The OCTA bus gets me here around 7:45 actually. This morning I get some decaf latter and mosey in and was hugely productive. See? This is when the Cave Oak comes out to enjoy the solitude.

#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!!!