Tag: family

25 Things a la Facebook

I had a feeling I might have done this before but for the life of me, I can’t find it on the blog.  I guess if I can’t remember, then it never really happened.

Since I got tagged bajillion times on Facebook for this, and for some reason I’m not even tired, here’s my random 25.

  1. I’m ambidextrous. Sort of. Think I was born a lefty but then was made to use my right hand.  I write with my right.  Shoot hoops and pick up heavy stuff with my left.  I bat left because as a lefty forced to play tennis right handed, my two handed backhand stroke was my strong point.
  2. I can’t float in water. I’ve been trying to learn, but I just can’t do it.
  3. The first movie I ever cried in was when Hooch died in Turner & Hooch.
  4. The latest movie I cried in was at the end of The Martian Child.
  5. I am an eighth Iranian.  Surprise!  My mom’s grandmother immigrated from Iran, as I found out from my family history.
  6. Lactose used to be my best friend. Now, more of a frenemy.  I can have a little, but too much and you can put me in the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade.
  7. My mom made me swear that I will never, ever do anything to my eyebrows.  “Your grandmother gave you that,” she said.  In the olden days, a royal tradition is to bless a newborn and “draw” their features with the dye made from a purple flower.  The belief is that the eyebrows will grow in the shape that was drawn.  (Then again, mom also over-plucked hers in her youth and regretted it.)  I don’t touch my eyebrows except to stem off unibrow.
  8. Brandon and I have never said a wedding vow or any of the “For better or for worse” crap.  We got married traditional Thai way–there was no vow.
  9. I have a poster of Emily the Strange signed by her senior illustrator Nix Turner.
  10. I still have the trusty clothespin I used all semester of Cinematography class.  Love that clothespin. It holds EVERYTHING.
  11. Don’t tell anybody but I think occasionally I still have the hots for Tom Cruise. One never quite outgrows her first celebrity obsession.
  12. Lily is the only close friend who is shorter than me.
  13. I was the longest reigning shortest girl in class since kindergarten until I inched out the other shorty in 6th grade.  Then that girl left school so I was the shortest one through 10th grade.  When I came back from the U.S. after 11th grade, I outgrew Lily and therefore lost my title.
  14. I own a pair of figure skates.  Yes, Thailand DID (still do?) have an ice rink.  My 4th grade, rich BFF wanted a pair of hockey skates but her mom bought her figure.  Guess who had the same size feet?  I still have them in a closet back home.
  15. I own a pair of roller skates.  Right here in my closet.
  16. I read on the throne.  My dad sets quite an example.
  17. I went to a 10-day meditation retreat once.  Once was enough for me.  I learned a lot.
  18. My motion sickness is legendary.  I can’t get on a hammock.  Sometimes not even a swing.  Can’t spin me around on an office chair either.  I also get motion sick from a movement of the crowd–found that out from the meditation camp as I constantly got nauseated at walking meditation.  That’s why I don’t really like crowds.
  19. I had written a parody of the classic Thai epic poem “Pra Apai Manee”–in the same poetry format and of an epic proportion for a school girl.  Twenty some pages long.
  20. I once considered becoming a wicca in college.  Got a friend who was one and gave me all the books.  Freaked Nora out when I told her.  Didn’t quite get into it.
  21. I was asked to join my school’s Saturday art camp (2nd-3rd grade, I think?) because I had potentials, but was asked to not return after a couple of weeks in because I sucked.  Joy was in that too.
  22. Joy’s art from the camp made it to be printed on the school’s fundraising bookmarks accompanied by my slogan.  Take that, art teacher!
  23. I wanted to be the first Thai doctor to become a NASA astronaut who will also become a magazine editor once she retires from space missions.
  24. As far as I know, I was the only person in my entire school to have subscription to a science magazine. (Then again, back then, there was only one.)
  25. As far as I know, I am the only person in my circle of friends here and back home who has ever seen/remembered Animalympics.

But hey, we can remedy #25 now!  Someone digitized the whole thing in 9 sections.  Start here!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2Zs3607vQs]

Greased Lightning

My week came at me fast and left just as quickly.

It seems like yesterday when I was just here, happily typing away, telling you guys about our hike at Holy Jim trail.

Here we are, a week after.  Went by me in a blink.

Inauguration Day was also our 7th wedding anniversary.  It was a new beginning for the country I live in and quite a momentous moment in my marriage.

Last year, people said that America would rather elect a woman than a black man as president.  Here stands Barrack Obama in front of millions, the day after MLK Day, swearing on Lincoln’s bible to serve this country.

Last years, some people we knew said that Brandon and I might just be better off without each other.  Here we are, sharing our special anniversary dinner and having come to enjoy our married life more than before.

The president and we were out that night, celebrating our success.  And in a way, savoring this moment when we throw it back at the non-believers.

The morning after, life is back to normal for everyone.  Mine was the early morning meeting day, under new management by the Executive Assistant.  The impending 3-4 days of rain triggered major allergies for me and I spent the entire day, through the morning meeting AND lunch time staff meeting sneezing my head off.  An afternoon nap when I got home helped hold me together enough to go to my first yoga class.

And the yoga class was just what I needed.  It was a beginner’s Hatha yoga class, all poses and breathing.  Quite meditative to begin with and the instructor ended the session with deep relaxation.  Lights dimmed and everyone was cozy under a blanket–or my case, my towel and sweatshirt.  Breath and relax, the instructor said softly.

After a while, my nose decided to start running.  As I raised my hand to touch my nose, I suddenly realized that I cannot feel my body.  I mean, the entire body was so still and so relaxed that I panicked a little and jerked my legs just to make sure they’re still there.  So much for deep relaxation because after that point my heart raced so I couldn’t quite get back into it.

Thursday at the office came and went so fast I didn’t even remember what I did all day.  The evening, however, was on interesting experience: my first Flamenco lesson.

Problem #1, I showed up with sneakers and soft jazz shoes when I should’ve brought heels.  I couldn’t hear myself and the feet movement without heels definitely wasn’t working out in my favor and therefore Problem #2 of me messing up the footwork the entire hour.  But then, that’s not counting #3 issue of my previous ballet training kept my arms not quite in the Flamenco formation.  It was instintive reaction as I concentrated so hard on getting the footwork right.  #4 is the beat which apparently started at 12 instead of at 1 and I can’t quite pick it out of the music just yet.  (I tried to employ the Strictly Ballroom strategy of listening with my “heart” and not my ears, but closing my eyes mean I can’t see the instructor and therefore have absolutely no clue what I was doing.)

And finally, Problem #5, Flemenco is fucking hard.  LOL.  It’s not just the feet, it’s the arm movements AND the hands too.  Not to mention the exagerrated posture, chest and chin high, shoulders back.

Suffice to say, the next morning, I really couldn’t quite slouch.  My muscles just wouldn’t allow me to.

Friday work day also flew by.  The surprise of the evening was that my carpool/bus buddies decided to go for a quick drink before dropping us all off.  I had a few glasses of wine and pieces of sushi with the gang and quickly dashed off afterward to see “Underworld: Rise of the Lycans” with Brandon.

Saturday was half spent sleeping in and a little bit of errands before I settled in to cook for the potluck with my bus buddies.  The rest of the evening was laced with wine, lots of food, and fantastic company.  The potluck was much better than the party right after we got off the bus!

And now it’s Sunday again.

Tomorrow we start all over at the office.

WTF. Seriously.

Where is my first month of the new year running off to?

A spot that changes everything

Those who have been following my Twitter might have seen the drama of Friday.

2 weeks ago, Brandon went to the dermatologist to have a few spots on his face checked out.  While there, the doctor insisted to just look him over and took a biopsy from this spot on his back.  Friday was his follow up appointment and it turned out the one on the back is well on its way to become a melanoma.  To be on the safe side, the derm scooped out the skin around the area and sent that to the lab as well.

All I got from B in the office was a text saying that “the derm is taking a chunk out of my back. will call when done.”

Was I freaked out?  Hell yes!  Not to mention that when they biopsied him a few weeks ago, the boy almost passed out at the end.  You see, Brandon does extremely poorly with needles.  Pain he can handle.  Needles, not so much.  And here he was, getting a chunk cut out of his back and he was going to drive himself home?

I drove in to town with my carpool on Friday, so I texted him to hang out at the doctor’s office and let me know when he was read and I’d come him.  About 15 minutes later, he called back.

“I’m on my way home now,” he said.  “I’m driving as fast as I can before the drugs wear out.  I will have an inch and a half scar on my back that you’ll need to help me with. Oh and I have to take your parking spot because of the stitches, I can’t close the garage.”

Hoorah, Marines.  You guys are one odd breed.

I know we probably overthink this a bit.  It’s not even a melanoma yet but we were *this* close.

Obviously, when anybody comes close to the word “you have cancer”, doesn’t matter how far or how close it is, it’s still scary.

I did what I can do at the office and thanks the stars Nhien is a angel and let me run home for the afternoon.Mr. High Pain Threshold over here wasn’t in much pain.  He’s just a little sore.  We just had lunch and took a nap together.

He didn’t quite say it, but  I can sense he’s a little freaked out.  It sure as hell scares me. (But I’m not telling him that.  So. Shhh…)

Saturday came and it was like a brand new phase of our lives has begun.  We went out shopping for some frivolous items, hoping to pick something up from Circuit City’s Going Out of Business Sale.  Seriously, NOTHING was on sale except for the big screen TV and a few printers.  We came out empty handed.

Then we went ahead and picked up a humidifier for Brandon’s sinus and the Keurig Mini single cup coffee maker for our odd beverage consumption behavior.  For me, a one-cup-a-day decaf drinker.  I used to have 3-cup maker but it was such a waste.  For Brandon, he likes tea but is too impatience to wait for water to boil and for tea to steep.  With this machine here he’ll have his cup of cha in no time flat.

I baked in the afternoon to take my…well, Giada’s…famous Hazelnut Crunch Cake with Mascapone and Chocolate to Lupe’s birthday party that night.  What a party that girl threw for herself!  Brandon surprised everyone by actually being at a party.  (He hasn’t been to one in a while.)  And I surprised everyone with having had 2 sparkly cocktails and 2 shots of Patron and still walked out of the house on my own will.  Hahaha!

And of course, yesterday at Holy Jim Trail down in Trabuco Canyon.  My neck is still a little stiff from getting tossed around in the car getting to the trail.  Something about not being able to control my limbs as we bounced down the bumpy, gravely road gave me the giggles.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIon_P03kEE]

Our hike was also fun as we made our way to the waterfall twice because we forgot to look for the geocache.  This is where I found my first ever geocache!  I’m not telling you where it is though.  🙂

Holy Jim trail 2009 B and O (46)

What’s so extraordinary about this weekend after the almost-melanoma?

We were out doing things.  Instead of him behind his computer games and me watching a movie or geeking out.

We were out.  Doing something fun.  Something new. Enjoying our lives outside our geeky little bubble.

We–well, I–even started a conversation with Nora about going to Italy next year instead of going home.  My dad will try to meet us in Venice, he said.  Brandon has no objection to going along with that plan.

It’s a little push from the Universe right there, that little spot on his back.

That thing I do

I have been staying up passed my bed time this week.  Case in point, see time stamp.

It seems I just have a lot I want to do and I’m excited about all of them.  I’ve been busy updating my experiences at the Temple and at the food blog with my cooking binge.

I can’t tell you enough how much joy cooking give me.  Now even more joyous that Brandon has the monopoly on dishes.  It was like a runner’s high for me.  I feel awesome having cooked something we can both enjoy.  So I’ve been indulging in that little slice of quality kitchen time.

(Aside: Oh yeah, after almost 7 years of marriage, we finally figured out one of the reasons we occasionally resent each other is because I left the dishes piled up and he kept postponing the laundry.  Somedays I took on both duties, even.  It turns out he’d rather do dishes and I rather do laundry. Big. Obnoxious. DUH!)

And that little cooking high launched me into this creative spurt.  The blogging.  The girls movie day out on Saturday was great, and so was meeting new people at Tweet Up on Sunday.  I’ve signed us up for yoga which we missed last night (damn bus was late).  Flamenco class at Moondance is next Thursday.  I’m thinking of joining another Twitter friend for Capoiera sometime after that.

The more new things I started to do, the more things I want to do.  I barely want to sit down and watch TV any more.  But hell, there’s a LOT there I want to watch too.

And all the while trying to ignore the piles and piles of paperwork building up in my office, the looming tax lady appointment which is all about these files being organized.  Small stacks of clutters threaten to take over my office again.  And my commute clutter collector is getting out of control.

Like Sheryl Crow said, “It’s such a thin line between the things you want and the things you have to do.”  And I’m straddling it.

I’m doing what I want to do and here I am guilty about things I have to do not getting done.

Work has been super busy and stressful.  But I decompressed…and napped…on the bus on my way home.  By the time I walked through the door, I’m an Energizer Bunny all over again.

But my energy is not for the cluttered office or housework.  It’s for this new found joy in doing new things.

Some of that bounce in my steps hit a containment wall here and there.

For one, Brandon’s grandmother passed away late last week, following her husband who passed away in September.  He’s dealing with that in his own way.  And bouncing through the door wanting to do all sorts of crazy things probably is not what he needs.

But then I got a little frustrated with all the energy trapped inside.  Some evening, I just let that drained out through mind numbing goodness of television.

Today wasn’t a good TV day. (Well, not counting Gil Grissom’s goodbye episode…which I will watch tomorrow.)  So I finally got to the piano.

Brandon–or my neighbors…or any human being–didn’t need to hear my goat-being-slaughtered impression as I wailed through a handful of broken balads and clumsy banging of the piano.  I was nice and warmed up by the time I got to my rendition of Avril Levigne’s “When you’re gone.”

However, being as rusty as I am with the piano currently, I slammed on the wrong keys and lost my concentration, and therefore lost my breathing as I just coming off a belted D and gearing up for the E.

Hence, I squeaked in the middle of the E.

And proceeded to choke on that missed breath.

He got such a good laugh out of that one.  And so did I.

We got through another day.

Tomorrow, a new adventure.

2008 Awards

Drinking Buddy of the Year: Dave the New Guy

Well, at this point, Dave is not new any more.  Since Celeste has left the company, Dave has stepped up to be the man to call on for a little happy hour action.  As a matter of fact, Dave led the pack to the fun night in West Hollywood a few months back with Nik, Erin and I in tow.  That was quite a night.

Bar of the Year: Suede Bar, Downtown LA

Oh, how have we survived the hard day of work before Suede?  Suede opens up in the Bonaventure across from our office.  Pretty much the closest bar in our vicinity and therefore leaving any other bar in the dust.  The vibe suits us just fine.  The comfy seating suits us even better.  And their special $4 drinks and appetizers from 4 p.m – 7 p.m. also suits us extremely well.

Newcomer Award: Thrill the World LA Gang

I’ve got to work with really cool people at Thrill the World LA this year.  Mahdroo and Amanda, the two spearheads. Ines, the creator of the whole movement.  And Babette, the producing goddess.  I am very proud of my decision that one day to get out to the beach on my own for their practice.  We are going to rock in 2009, I am sure of it!

High Point of the Year: Being with my dad on Father’s Day

Originally, I was going to leave Bangkok on December 4, the day before Thailand’s Father’s Day.  Because of the airport closure, I actually got to be with my dad.  I have not been home for Father’s Day before.

My brothers were nowhere in sight that day because we had agreed to do a Father’s Day dinner at my oldest brother’s condo on Sunday.  My dad was disappointed at that.  However, I was home.  We went together to get our haircut and we went shopping.  I was going to cook dinner but it was so late that we decided to eat out instead.  And after that, leaving Brandon at home, dad and I took to the streets of Bangkok to look at the lights lining the streets in the King’s honor.  We didn’t quite go far but it was quality time spent.

Low Point of the Year: The Aliens in My Nose/Eye

Good god, starting with the one in Hawaii and a few more occurrences during the year of the skin infection in my nostrils.  AND one in my tear duct.  I practically lived 2008 on antibiotics.  It wasn’t pretty.  Not at all.

Best Holiday: Halloween

Halloween 2008 (22)

Halloween this year was spent with friends and their kids.  Jim and Karen’s clan struck again with the entire family of Batman characters. Adorable!  The best yet is Dresden as Yoda.  Paul and Lupe opened their home to us and I believe started a new Halloween tradition.

Song of 2007: Everything, Michael Buble

Okay it’s not a 2007 song technically, but I get it stuck in my head and I love everything about it.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioaPk5bdTkA]

Movie of 2008: Iron Man

Not even a question.  Iron Man wins my summer super hero fight.  I agree that Dark Knight was a better movie, but I don’t crave to see it more than once.  Iron Man, I watched twice in theater and the DVD will get played many more times to come.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT4bL3T9TP4]

Surprise Movie of 2008: Run, Fat Boy, Run

I just finished watching that.  Totally a surprise.  The film has heart and humor.  And even gross humor.  The blend of everything turns out perfect.  Michael Ian Black, Simon Pegg, and David Schwimmer created a fantastic movie.  Who knew!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcTNIAWetRI]

Halloween Costume of 2008: Princess Leia – zombie and regular.

TTWLA Halloween 2008 (33)

Restaurant of the Year: East Third Steakhouse

I ate at East Third many times this year at first because we had to test it out as a potential spot for my office’s holiday party.  But the food is so fabulous that I am actually hooked.  Oh god, the thought of Imperial (short) Ribs makes me hungry.  The vibe is great there too.  But my god, THE FOOD!

Book of the Year: Kitchen Confidential, Anthony Bourdain

Reading Kitchen Confidential felt like watching Bourdain doing one of his shows.  It’s just happened to be his life instead of the countries and restaurants he visits.  Very funny indeed, and it does give me a good look at the restaurant business.  Writing this entry, I have come to realize that I really didn’t read much this year. Damn television!

The few I read are Bill Buford’s “Heat”, Khaled Hosseini’s “A Thousand Splendid Suns” (prepare your hankies!), Paul Yeager’s “Literally, the Best Language Book Ever” (which is intriguing at first but, ironically, the worst book I’ve ever read. Please remind me to pick up Eat Shoots and Leaves and burn this one), Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” (Make sure you have something sunshiney and happy to read afterward), and finally, I’m half way through Daniel Wallace’s “Ray in Reverse” and am quickly losing interests.

TV Show of the Year: Life / Avatar: The Last Airbender

NBC’s Life caught my attention one day.  I started with the first episode of the second season and was hooked.  I rented the first season and got Brandon hooked at well.  The chemistry between Damien Lewis and Sarah Shahi as LAPD partners Charlie Crews and Dani Reese is magic.  Actually, everyone’s chemistry is magic.

As for Avatar: The Last Airbender, now that’s a discovery and a half.  Brandon’s nieces were watching it on Nickelodeon while he was out in New Mexico.  He got hooked.  We started renting them and I got hooked.  I am not the proud owner of all 3 box sets.  They just don’t make light hearted cartoon like this any more.  I mean, it has action and humor that adults and kids will understand with moral lesson and enough drama to keep you hooked. It teaches good lesson about life in not a froo-froo way.  You are responsible for your actions, that not everyone has a perfect life, that love and kindness is powerful.  It’s awesome.

Biggest Change of the Year: Taking dance lessons at Moondance Studio

My friend Debi opens Moondance, a small dance studio in Long Beach, this year.  Very intimate spot and it is as casual and friendly as it gets.  I have been doing a class a week for a few months before I took a 2-month break for the gala and for our Thailand trip.  It was good to dance again for both health and for my being happy.

Plans for 2009

We are sure about a few things.  First, we are heading to Miami in May for Irena and Danny’s wedding.  Then we are going to visit Brandon’s parents either in July or September.  And if everything goes as planned, February 2010, we’ll be in Thailand again for a visit to Koh Samui.

Personal goals are flexible.  I hope to find a kung-fu/wu-shu lesson and give that a shot.  You know, dance one day a week and kick-ass another day a week, that would be interesting.  I also hope that the Fresh & Easy store will really materialized in Cypress so I can actualy bike there without killing myself in traffic and/or going up two huge bridges.  Brandon and I plan to start hiking, having bought new shoes for ourselves recently.  We also want to take a trip up to Hearst Castle sometime this year.

What’ve you done this year?  And what is your plan for the next?  Spill!

Mixed Blessings

Christmas Eve this year so far has been a mix bag of emotions.

A few days ago, my Trojan “brother” Joel announced his engagement to his girlfriend Zoe.  Huge news!

Yesterday, I was giggling at Rude Cactus’ video of his little girl Mia singing “Police Navidad” and giddy over 50% Christmas decoration sale at a flower shop in downtown.

I also took the bus home after week of being shuttled around by my carpool buddy and got to say Merry Christmas to my other bus buddies.

My cousin Nicky called to ask if I want to go the Rose Bowl with him.  Because I’m saving my dough for the Billy Joel/Elton John concert.  And I’m going to take James with me!

But then Brandon called.  James and Aurora’s house was broken into.  Aurora left the house with Dresden for mere half an hour, returned to find the back door pried open and bedroom tossed.  The thieves took their game consoles and Aurora’s jewelries including her engagement ring.

They suspect the gardener.  Aurora was waiting for him but he was late.  That’s why she left.  When she came home, not only the house was burgled, the lawn was mowed.  Curious, isn’t it?

Now this morning, I’ve learned another good news. Our beloved Mazing Amy, my Trojan “sister”, is engaged.

Tonight, we’re going over to Nora’s family for good ol’ Christmas dinner.  I haven’t seen her folks or her siblings for a while.  As a matter of fact, I have never met her little niece, 2 years old by now?  And I will get to meet the new niece.Oh god. I need to go buy some gifts for the little girls.

You see what I mean?

Well, Merry Christmas to all!  (There’s an embeded Windows Media file under the banner that should play automatically.)