Bah Humbug! and Happy New Year?

'Tis the season of joy and happiness and laughter and blah blah blah... 'Tis not this year! I don't feel it. A few friends of mine concur. The holiday season didn't bring forth the good tidings it usually does. Instead, we are constantly reminded of the dishonest and immoral nature many people possess. So. My catalytic converter got stolen AGAIN. Someone withdrew nearly $500 from my lover's bank account. At around the same time last year, someone made a couple of fraudulent charges of approximately $1600 on my credit card. And today's Mercury News' top story was about San Jose gang rivalry, violence, and homicides. What a way to wish people a great 2008, eh? It's just depressing seeing that we are enveloped in hatred and negativity. Oh boy. I guess I'm sort of projecting this pessimistic attitude with this entry. Sorry. =( I just had to vent... =\

Okay, avid readers of mine. I wish you all a wonderful 2008. May it be filled with love, laughter, and cheer. Be safe and sober. Live long and prosper. Heh heh... Let's say good bye to a not-so-good 2007 (for me at least), and welcome the new year with a big smile, hope, and a positive outlook. Happy new year, everyone! =D

Black Book

Hi kids! I'm Josephine, and I recently watched a great movie, and I think you'll like it! It's called Black Book directed by Paul Verhoeven, also director of other movies like Total Recall, Basic Instinct, and Robocop, and starring Carice Van Houten and Sebastian Koch! This movie takes place in Europe during World War II! It's about a strong, young woman who is confronted by the atrocities and deceit a war inevitably brings and her cunning ways of handling difficult situations! There is violence and sex, so I don't recommend this for kids! AND it's a foreign film, so those of you who find subtitles are annoying, this isn't for you either! But you'll be sorry!! This movie brings forward the horrible nature of mankind but also the strength that one possesses that can differentiate a survivor from a casualty! AND for those romantics out there, you may realize love can be found no matter where you are! This Reading Rainbow-like review doesn't do it justice! So if you like movies with action, spies, sex, war, strong characters, and a good story, and you have 2.5 hrs to spare, go rent it! I give this movie 4.5 stars! (out of 5)

Moonshine

OK. EVERYONE knows I can't drink. Kids probably have a higher alcohol tolerance level than I do. Seriously. I can have a buzz from HALF a glass of wine. One shot of Patron (on an empty stomach in my defense) will get me walking wobbly.

Last night, I went to a friend's house for a holiday party. These friends have any ingredient for any alcoholic beverage. It truly was stocked like a bar. Among all the drinks was a curious thin, stony bottle. In it was moonshine, something so potent that it's illegal to bring on planes because of its high alcohol content. (And I think brought over from the Czech Republic??) Anyway, a whiff of this stuff can burn off your nostril hairs! (And hopefully these ashes won't fall in your drink! Hahaha!!) So I took a half shot of this stuff all the guys were exclaiming about. Knowing how well I take alcohol, I was really really surprised I didn't turn red. (I usually turn so red it looks purple.) Didn't get dizzy or tired. Amazing! Maybe moonshine is my drink... Nah. It was horrid. After tossing it down, I was DESPERATE for a chaser. Unbelievably gross. BUT, everyone at work must be proud of their little Josephine!

Geek Moment #23

This one isn't actually a "moment," rather a habit that I've developed over the years. It's quite annoying, but can't seem to shake it off.

My freshman year in high school, I took a keyboarding class. Since typing was never a skill I had to learn until then, needless to say, I was painfully slow and made countless errors. I think my speed was like 15 wpm. LOL! I was determined to improve. Whenever my hands were free, I'd imagine a keyboard in front of me and try to memorize the location of each key. Once I got better at that, I started typing out thoughts in my head, other people's conversations, etc. My typing speed got so fast some people would laugh and assume I was just hitting any key for fun, like a total maniac. But yeah, I was actually typing! Well, all this air-typing has annoyingly become second nature to me. I sometimes find myself typing out my thoughts or what others are saying, and it's really really annoying. When I find myself doing that, I clench my fists or squeeze my hands and say "Stop it! Stop it!" I've had one or two curious looks from people before. Looked kinda psycho, I guess. =)

Tickled Me Funny Bone - Limerick

I read something today that made me laugh so hard. Throughout childhood, my little sister has always been a quiet little girl. She had a mischievous side of her not many people were aware of. In a creative writing class of her junior year, she turned in the following limerick for credit. This was actually turned in to her teacher.

There once was a slut.
She liked to use her butt.
The slut liked to eat.
She always got beat.
When people looked, she said "WHAT!"

(limerick copyright© Sandy Voong. All rights reserved.)

The Days of Our Lives

No! Not writing about the soap opera. Although I've always wondered why Marlena and John Black never seem to get older and Salem is such an eerie town. And don't even get me started on Stefano! Anyway!

As we were driving home from dinner tonight, my parents told me about my great (or great great) aunt and uncle who got married at ages 15 and 16 and stayed happily married for 82 years. 82 years!! Many people don't even live that long! The husband passed away first. Forty days later, his wife decided to go too. It's great to hear that marriage can last forever. It seems like many marriages these days are based upon rash decisions and are dissolved within a few years. That's quite sad because you've made a vow to each other, your family and friends, and the peeps above that you would stay together for LIFE. From a 2002 survey, research shows that 46% of marriages in the US end in divorce. We're ranked #7 in the world with the highest divorce rates. Hm. That could have been a fun fact. Well, not so fun, but... Anyway, to all of you out there, and me too, I hope eternal happiness finds us. If you're already married... good luck. Heehee. That'll be another entry. =)

Oh yeah. We took my mom and dad out to dinner last weekend for their 35th wedding anniversary. It's good to know that my mom thinks that it's been a really long time, but certainly didn't feel like it. This is a pic of my parents on their wedding day 35 years ago. =)

Tickled Me Funny Bone - Haircut

Throughout my childhood, there was this girl who lived with us. I think she's my mom's cousin's daughter. My mom promised her cousin that she would take care of her in America, so she did. Her name is Anh. Anh wasn't a looker. There were no beauty pageants to be won. She wasn't homely either, just plain. No makeup. No fancy clothes. No haughty attitude. She looks more feminine now, but when she was a teen, things were a little different.

One day after school, my mom took her to get a $3 haircut. ($3! Can you believe it?!) She was in high school at the time. The person started cutting her hair. He cut and cut. And kept cutting. Anh started to look worried. With a puzzled look, she said, "You're cutting my hair so short..." The man took a step back and peered at her. "WHAT?! You're not a boy?! I thought you're a boy!!" So that day, she ended up with a boy cut.

Hahahah!! I can't imagine how it would feel if someone had mistaken me for a boy!! Oh wait. That HAS happened before. I was wearing a big sweatshirt and a cap with the bill pulled down. A man referred to me as my mom's SON. Hahaha... That was pretty funny.

Giving Thanks...

Happy Thanksgiving!! (I'm a little late, I know... =( ) Just wanted to say thank you to all of my readers for taking the time to visit my blog, all three of you. Ha ha. Just kidding. Hope there are more than that! I want to say thank you to my family and friends for all of the good times, laughs, support, and love. Life wouldn't be worth it without you guys. Love you all!! Hope you had a fabulous weekend!

Strange Foods 2

It never occurred to me that this would be on my strange foods list, but I guess the majority of the people I know have never tried birds nest soup. Don't be confused with a regular nest. This nest is not made of leaves and twigs, rather, the bird's saliva. Yes, saliva. Certain species of swiftlets from Southeast Asia build their nests high inside caves, and collectors climb up dangerous bamboo scaffolds and pick them off the walls. Many Asians believe these nests provide many health benefits, "such as aiding digestion, raising libido, improving the voice, alleviating asthma, increasing concentration, and an overall benefit to the immune system." Because of the high demand for these birds nests which unavoidably causes the swiftlet population to dramatically decrease, the government has tried to enforce regulations on harvesting these, but I guess this is difficult to enforce. With all the effort and danger involved, these nests don't come cheap. A pound of white birds nest can can set you back more than $2000! (Red ones are cheaper.)

Anyway! I had a nice big bowl of white bird nest soup tonight. Very generous amounts of birds nest was steamed with some dried dates, raw sugar, and water to create a wonderful dessert. You're probably thinking, "Hmmm... I've always wanted to know how does bird spit taste like?" I can certainly answer that question! Yummy!! It tastes like tasteless, slippery, gelatinous chunks, some parts kinda stringy, most parts in chunks of varying degrees. It's sort of weird. I can't think of any food in the American culture that is comparable. Sorry.

Here's a pic of the nest before the preparation takes place. "Borrowed" this from a site. Too bad I didn't take a pic of my bowl of soup. Oh well. Next time.

Josephine zee Papillon #1

Below is a list of things you probably didn't know about me.

1. I like to run my nail over the ridges of my front teeth.

2. The mole on my arm is named Mimi, after my old devilwoman Chinese school principal. Oops, correction. The single HAIR on the mole of my right arm is named Mimi.

3. Eight of my front teeth were pulled out in one sitting when I was four years old, and none of them grew back until four years later.

4. I was in a Power Rangers movie. Forgot which one. All I know is there is a baseball scene in there, and I'm one of the fans. You can totally see me. I was paid $75 for my time.

5. One time, in band camp... Just kidding. One time, in band camp. Ha ha. Okay, one time, I drank so much orange juice, I threw it back up. The contents on the ground was orange and frothy. Looked so much like orange sorbet, I wanted to eat it. (This was when I was little.)

to be continued...

Simple Pleasure #3

(Wow. I didn't realize I haven't written in two weeks! Sorry. I've been extremely busy during that time and to make matters worse, I wasn't feeling well. Still getting over an itchy throat and cough, but much better now! =) There are many things to share, but a little at a time...)

I'm sitting on my bed, warmed by my down comforter. It's almost 2am and is raining outside. The steady beating of raindrops in the backyard and dripping water from the rain pipes is so soothing. I wish I had a mug of hot cocoa or hot tea in my hands... I love the rain. It makes everything so beautiful. It makes everything grow. It sustains life. Imagine how life would be without fresh water or a very limited supply of. The first thing people would do is dig deeper into the earth to find more water, but this is not a long-term resolution and will be very expensive. Some are also looking into recycling household water. This technology sounds risky and unappetizing, but I think it's a great idea. To hinder the threat of a drought and to give developing technologies the time to mature, we should all practice to save our fresh water. Don't let the faucet run when you're not using it directly. This is something EVERYONE should already know, but I still see people leaving the faucet or hose on when not in use. Did you know that some people still water the lawn when it's raining? What's the point? I've been turning off the shower when I'm lathering to save water. Doing that everyday will accumulate to many gallons of water per month... I've digressed again. Simple pleasure #3 = rain.

Strange Foods 1

As we were having dinner last night, my parents started talking about an episode of "Survivor" they had recently watched. This was an episode where castmates were challenged to eat strange foods. Apparently, many of the contestants were gagging from what was on the menu. Some of the things they had to eat were preserved duck eggs, chicken hearts, balut... That was all my parents could remember.

It's funny how cultures can be so different, and it's great that many of them have sort of made a stop in the Bay Area. All of us lucky residents get to dabble into other cultures without leaving the country. I think it's great that people get to try preserved duck eggs (so yummy), chicken hearts (so yummy), and balut (yummy if you can get past the eating an unborn chick thing). In the Bay Area, these things are pretty common here, eh? However, there are many foods eaten by other cultures of the world that we have never even considered putting into our mouths. As a food lover, I will try almost anything. Here's a short list of things you will probably not find in the US.

1. Masato - This is a Peruvian alcoholic beverage that is made one of two ways. The more modern way is to ferment yucca with sugar. But what I drank that night in the Amazon started with the river. River water mixed with yucca that local women have chewed and spit out repeatedly were fermented for a couple of days, then served to the guests of our lodge. The taste - bad. It's milky with chunks of roots and stuff inside. Yuck.


2. Alpaca - This is probably the worst thing I've ever eaten. Hmmm... I may have to retract that statement after quickly thinking about some of my mom's cooking... Anyway, closely resembling a llama in appearance, alpacas are cute, fluffy, and have long flirty eyelashes. And they are also very very gamy. That one bite of the alpaca steak was torturous. If you think lamb is gamy, alpaca is a million times worse!



3. Guinea pig - Ooooooohhhhh, YUMMY! Guinea pigs may be cute little pets to some people here in the US, but in Peru, they are another source of protein. Yummy protein, that is. Their meat was succulent. Tender. Salty. Their skin - crispy. Not too fatty like pork. It reminds me of baby pork I had in Spain... So good. Yes, that's the head.




4. Capybara - Capybaras are the biggest rodents in the world, with the capacity of growing up to 4.3 feet long. Sounds repulsive, but hey, they're actually really cute. Hmm. I see a pattern happening here. Peruvians like eating cute things. Anyway, capybaras look like humongous fat rats that are really slow. I don't remember the taste, but it probably was delicious compared to the alpaca.



5. Piranha - These vicious little creatures are known for their razor sharp teeth. Ha ha. Little did they know, it was I who would devour them with MY set of razor sharp teeth. The amount of time and work taken to catch these little suckers isn't worth their little flakes of flesh though. Their taste? Normal, just like regular ol' fish. =)



6. Fugu - (Okay, you can get this here, but it's not that common.) Fugu, also known as blow fish and pufferfish, can paralyze your entire body and the victim can die of asphyxiation if the chef accidentally cuts into its liver or ovaries. The fugu I had was really good. The chewy texture was what stood out the most.

Oh Glorious Day

I had a glorious day today. My spirits were high because of three things.

One. The weather was so beautiful, I was able to wear a pretty little sun dress.

Two. I've been having a lot of shin problems whenever I run, so I stopped this not-so- fun activity for a long time. But last night, I actually jogged two miles! This doesn't sound like anything, but this is big for me. Usually, I'm already limping from pain before hitting the quarter mile mark. My shins didn't cause any problems at all. My heart, however, needs some conditioning. The lack of pain was probably largely due to my great warm-up, 20 minutes of jump roping.

Three. Not gonna tell you. =)

Red Egg Party

I don't know if you remember a previous post I had published a few months ago about seeing my ex at my friend's party, but my dream came true. Uh, correction. Part of it came true. I saw him this weekend at my friend's red egg party* for their newborn baby.

The Call
I was at work late one night, partly working, partly scaring myself with imaginary ghosts and rapists. All of a sudden my phone rang. The screen said "Steve." What?! WHAT?! I IMed my friend, and said, "OMG. Steve is calling me..." I picked up and finally hung up with him 45 awkward minutes later. We did a lot of catching up, but his two main reasons to call was to wish me a happy belated birthday and to ask me what I'd like him to do in regards to the presence of his new girlfriend at the upcoming party. I said thank you to the former, and for the latter, I told him, "You know I don't like her, right?" He said, "Yeah." "And she probably doesn't really me either." "Probably not." "Okay, if you decide to come over and talk to me, don't bring her with you. " I didn't want to see her, let alone, see her with him.

I honestly didn't really know how she looked like. All I remember from a cursory glance at a photo was big frizzy hair and excess weight. I even asked him once, "You think I'm prettier, right?" Without a second thought, he responded, "Yeah, of course." He proceeded to say something else that would be very hurtful to her if she ever found out. (Doubters, he wasn't just saying this. He was being honest. I know him.)

The Party
This past Saturday, I arrived at the restaurant wearing a flirty red dress and tall scrunchy boots and looking pretty good... on the outside, but my insides were a jumbled mess. My stomach had traveled all the way up to my neck. Two of my close friends greeted me at the entrance. We walked in and I recognized his head/hair right away seated at one of the tables. We found a couple of friends at the end of the room and sat down, with our backs facing him... and her.

The Greeting
While we were eating and chatting, he approached from behind me and said "hi." I turned and he was standing next to me. I looked at his face, the same face I've memorized the contours of from all the times I've traced over it with my fingertips, the face I loved every millimeter of for the past few years, the face I haven't seen for almost seven months. Our hug was genuine, but I pushed away first, not wanting old feelings to surface. He complimented me, and I knew he was being honest. I said he looked good as well, but it came out a little rehearsed, so we both chuckled. He had lost some weight and looked darker. I guess that's from all the running he's been doing. I forgot to check to see if he had lost more hair! I would have pointed it out to him. Ha ha.. We talked for a few minutes, laughing about certain things, agreeing on the quality of the food (this was one of our favorite topics in the past), about his friend who is now in a band... I even insulted him like I used to do, which felt nice. I don't mean the insult, but how we would disagree with each other and were completely honest about everything. He left after saying brief "hi"s to my friends. I let out a deep breath. I was alright.

The Unknown Encounter
I finished whatever was on my plate and made another trip to the buffet counters. As I was walking back (empty-handed... weird) I saw one of Steve's friends, Chiang. We gave each other a hug and started catching up on things like work, traveling, hiking, the seven summits, etc. I believe Steve's name came up a couple times. As were were chatting away, I noticed a girl sitting at the table where I was perching my elbows on, holding my friend's newborn. She had big eyes, a big nose, and straight brown hair. I didn't recognize her, but I had a feeling she recognized me. You know how some people look like they're preoccupied with something, for instance, holding and petting a baby, but she's actually listening in on your conversation? Yeah, she was doing that. So after a few minutes of being chummy with Steve's friends (another friend came up to us after a few minutes), I gave them hugs and said goodbye. As they were leaving, I saw Steve again, but this time, he talked to that big nosed girl holding the baby. I knew then that that was her.

The Hunchback Bitch
I walked back to my table and started blurting out to my friends that I saw her. Everyone's interest peaked. As catty insults were thrown out, Steve surprised me (and everyone else) from behind (much like a ninja) to say goodbye. We gave each other our last hug of the day, and he continued on with saying his goodbyes to other family members seated at other tables. Our eyes followed him, and sure enough, following behind him was her. (I don't even know her name. I don't want to know her name. I've told him before, "Don't you ever say her name in front of me." He called her "what's her face.") Sharpening our claws, we started taking a good look at her. Insults started flying. "Her nose is sooo big!" "Look at her spare tire!" "You can tell she's not an active person. Things are oozing out." (Oh gosh, I actually feel kind of bad for saying these things and laughing at her now. It's really mean... But I'm going to finish my story.) My favorite insult was "Look at her! She has a hunchback!!" I started laughing in disbelief when my friend said that. And she said, "No! Look. She does have a little hunchback!" I looked carefully, and to my surprise, she does!! So that was when she was given the title "The Hunchback Bitch."

To be honest, she looks like a nice girl. We all agreed she looks like her confidence level wasn't very high. My friends noticed she kept looking in my direction during the party. But looks can be deceiving, as we all should know. Another friend of mine saw her in the bathroom, before knowing that it's her, and noticed that she eyed my friend from head to toe and back. My friend thought, "Eew. Who is this person?! How rude!"

The Aftermath
After they left, my blood was still boiling. Seeing him was fine. I honestly believe that we can become friends in the future. But seeing her with him gets me pretty riled up. I wanted to gouge her eyes out. I really did. I hate her. I know I shouldn't. If there's anyone who deserves my fury, it would be Steve. That only makes sense. But love doesn't make sense. It doesn't make sense at all. Because of love, I stayed with him for several years, 100% in love for the entire duration, but all the while fearing his decision on marriage wouldn't budge. Don't get me wrong. I am no longer in love with Steve, but I do still love him. How can I not? So after a lot of good conversation and a lot of laughs with friends, we left the party.

I was thinking about it earlier today. (I actually haven't been able to get this off my mind.) I actually think this girl may be good for Steve. She looks submissive with low self-confidence. (But again, looks are deceiving.) If she is this way, that may work with Steve. He tends to do whatever he wants. And I imagine she won't be strong enough to even know what she wants. But he'll definitely not have much fun with her though. She looks like a boring gal. No personality. He used to tease me about getting multiple girlfriends, and I would be his weekend girl. I'm fun, funny, etc. BUT!!! I may be completely wrong about her because she was the one who pursued him. She was willing to inconvenience herself for him when Steve and I were on vacation. Thinking back, it made me feel good knowing she saw me being "cool" with Steve's friends. Any girlfriend would hate to see her man's ex being chummy with his friends.

I wonder what they talked about after they left. I wonder what he thought. I wonder what she thought. I don't know if my friend was trying to make me feel better, but she said, "Steve must be kicking himself right now. Come on. Just compare you two. You have so much more. Either that or he's profusely apologizing to her. She must be feeling pretty bad right now..." I hope she feels bad.

Some of you may think that it's been several months. Just get over it already. But my argument is that it's only been several months. And when you're so invested in a relationship for a long period of time, several months is nothing at all. And like I said, I'm not in love with him anymore. Feeling waves of anger, betrayal, and jealousy when seeing them together is normal, right? I know in time, I will not be affected by this, but presently, she's still a hunchback bitch. My hatred for her is in full gear.

* What is a red egg party you are wondering? It's a tradition for Chinese parents to throw their newborn babies a party after their first month to celebrate their birth. Eggs dyed in red are handed out to guests as favors, an egg symbolizing life, and red is a color that is believed to bring luck.

Geek Moment #1 - Scrabble

OK. This beats ALL of my geek moments, as a matter of fact, all of them combined. Tonight, I played a very enjoyable game of scrabble. My opponent? Myself. Yes, it was my right side against my left. Well, my friend on the phone pretended to be my rival, but ultimately, I was the one making the moves. So yes, I had a fantastic time playing scrabble against myself. My highest scoring word of the night was "wave," giving my left side 42 points! That was amazing! The outcome you are wondering? Well, my right side won, 225 to 211. But without the extra tiles at the end, the left side would have won by only two points! What a close game! Will I do this again? Sure! That really was fun! Yes! Yes! I know. What a loser thing to do, but hey, it's my prerogative. I can do what I want to do.

P.S. I love my feather boa. =)

Simple Pleasure #2

This was my best birthday ever. What made this birthday so special was that I was surrounded by loving friends and family (and will continue to do so for another month and a half because my birthday celebrations are spread out).

One of the great presents I got this year was a pink feather boa, as shown in the photo. I never knew how fun these things are. I've realized, when my mood has dipped, throwing this pink boa around my neck immediately lifts my spirits. It's amazing how something that is so seemingly insignificant can turn a frown upside down! When I threw it on and flounced about in it for the very first time, it felt like I had an endless supply of energy. I was an unstoppable karaoke-ing (heh heh) force! Thanks LP and MAC for introducing this lovely accessory to me! As a matter of fact, I have it draped around my neck as I'm typing!

The Age of NOT so Innocent

On my drive to the peninsula this evening, thoughts were running amok in my tangled mind, as usual, and memories of my very first dance came up. I was in the sixth grade. It was the farewell dance, a dance to say goodbye to being a child and welcoming life as a grown-up, life in junior high. I remember this moment well. I was standing by the wall (of course) with a couple of other girls. The last song of the evening had just started playing. A boy from Mrs. Sullivan's, my homeroom class, approached me and asked if I wanted to dance. He was so sweet and polite. I'm absolutely horrible at saying no, so I said "OK" and followed him to the edge of the dance floor, quickly giving my friends an unsure glance. With my jacket still draped over my forearm, we danced a very awkward and innocent dance. I don't remember if we spoke, but I know our bodies were more than a foot away from each other. It was a dance mom and dad wouldn't have minded much, even as a sixth grader.

Coincidentally, the topic of school dances were brought up during dinner with my friends tonight. My friend had recently deejayed a high school event and was booed for playing a particular song. It was a good song too! It's new, hip, and has a good beat. But the kids booed. They wanted hard-core hip-hop. They wanted music that allowed them to get freaky. If you compare school dances these days with ones from almost twenty years ago, you will find the differences to be astounding. NONE of the kids, as far as I can remember, were freaking each other during that sixth grade dance. Today, some of these children practically have sex on the dance floor! I shake my head in shame when I see these kids going about wearing clothes that reveal their breasts and midriff with low and tight fitting shirts, butt cracks with their low-rise jeans, butt cheeks with their extremely short skirts... And why do so many of the boys want to portray the look of a bad boy by waddling around in jeans they've pushed down to the knees?! The whole sex issue has gotten so bad that I've learned from a friend that one school has even banned hugging. Hugging! A simple gesture many people use to express happiness is no longer allowed! How bad it must have been for the school to take such a dramatic and illogical step in hopes of stopping physical contact between their students!! I'm not suggesting everybody was as clean as a whistle when I was attending high school. I knew of a girl who supposedly have had so many abortions that she wasn't supposed to be able to get pregnant again. But gossip told me she was again with child the very summer she graduated from high school. When my older sister was in the seventh grade, one of her classmate's mom was only 24 at the time. That means she had him when she was only twelve years old. I didn't even get my period until I was thirteen!

So who is to blame? An accusing finger usually points to the parents and the media. I point my finger at them too. I am pretty sure most parents do not want their children to be whores and players, but many aren't spending as much time with their children as they should be. Because of demanding jobs and the increasingly wide gap between parent and child (which I think technology plays a big part), strong bonds aren't being made. But I'm not yet a parent so I probably don't have the proper insight...

However, I can comment about the media. I remember three films that were considered racy when I was younger. Dirty Dancing (1987), Ghost (1990), and Basic Instinct (1992). Dirty Dancing and Ghost had some kissing and suggestive dancing. Basic Instinct was a bit more with Sharon Stone's flashing to the entire world, but take a look at what is shown on the tube today. It's if producers and creators are having a race with each other. Whoever can push the limits furthest wins. Of course, this applies to the big screen as well. Most movies and and primetime shows include sexual content. It's not just the productions made for the post-puberty audience that have a negative affect on kids, some shows made for children are questionable too! A great example is Bratz! Little girls want to be these characters. And what makes up these characters? High heels, short skirts, exposed midriffs, and an excessive amount of makeup. Oh, and I forgot the attitude these characters embody. Innocent children are evolving into sassy little teeny boppers at an earlier age.



Gaaah! I often do this. I write, but then I forget what my whole point is. Maybe I should stop writing so late. Okay, well I think my main point is kids these days are growing up too fast, and they are eager to do this. They're not experiencing the innocence of their youth which I think is truly sad because many of my happiest moments are from my childhood.

Okay, if you are still reading, I congratulate you! Now go do something more important like... recycle that bottle or turn off some of those lights! Tata for now!!

Mother Nature

It's been a long five weeks since I've been in touch with dear old Mother Nature. It's lovely getting out there again.

And the statistics below found in National Geographic (June 2007 issue) can help prolong her life...

Average Annual Household Pounds of Carbon Dioxide Saved:
1,000 if you recycle glass, plastic and paper. (Don't forget to recycle plastic bags!)
800 if you take the bus to work instead of driving.
720 if you line-dry half your laundry loads instead of using the dryer.
700 if you maintain a tight seal on your refrigerator door and keep the appliance's coils clean.
55 if you replace a 75-watt incandescent lightbulb with a 20-watt compact fluorescent bulb.

Please don't sit back and do nothing to help. Some of the things on this list are so easy! Do your part to slow down global warming.

Evil

Evil lurks in the lobby of my office. It takes the form of an orange and black ceramic bowl with a happy face filled with sweets. This looks and sounds very innocent, but truth be told, it is a true test of will power. Once jumbo-sized bags of candy are stocked in store shelves, it is a sign that the holidays are approaching, and approaching fast. The chilly weather urges people to cozy up in a warm room and be inactive. Numerous parties with family and friends are a wonderful excuse to eat more than your stomach can handle. At this time of the year, thoughts of warm molten chocolate cake, buttery snickerdoodles, and rich fudge that melts in your mouth, just to name a few, possess me. It is so difficult to refrain from eating more than a small serving of a dessert. It is so difficult to refrain from reaching into the bowl of evil. I can promise that I will be eating my fair share of sweets this season, but I'll try my darndest to eat in moderation and continue to be active. Ladies and gents, we can do it together. Don't let evil consume you by consuming it. Fight the urge. Fight the urge! You can doooo it!

By the way, my hand never went close to the bowl of evil today. I had candy placed on my desk, but I didn't succumb! (It was just a starburst anyway. If it was something special, I'd be all over it!)

Fairly Attractive

A few weeks ago, someone told me that I'm "fairly attractive." I understood exactly what he was trying to say, but still, I was shocked with his choice of words. My response was, "Fairly?" "Uh, isn't that a good thing?" he asked, afraid he had said the wrong thing. Curious to see where this conversation would go, I said, "Saying that I'm 'fairly attractive' is equivalent to saying I'm kinda ugly."

I haven't been able to forget this conversation. Sharing this comment with friends never fails to receive roars of laughter. (I'm sorry! I know we're laughing at _____'s expense, but I can't help it! It's too funny!) Some of my friends said, it's great! I barely made the cut. It won't hurt the eyes to look at me! Ha ha. Well, it might help to say that he prefaced this comment by saying, "You have a nice smile." If I want to look at it a different way, he could have meant, "You have a nice smile, but everything else is ugly." "You sure have beautiful hair, but looks like everything else got beat with the ugly stick. Twice." "Your eyes are breathtaking, but the rest of your face? Crap. Wear a paper bag over your head and cut two holes for your eyes. Will ya?"

The poor guy. He intended it to be a compliment, but as one of my good friends said, "Oh my god, _____. What have you done?" Without knowing what he intended to say, how would you react if someone told you that you're "fairly attractive?"

Thank Goodness for Ugly Betty

"Ugly Betty" is a fantastic show. It's bright, fun, humorous, but what I like most about it is the concept. The basis of this concept is built upon the main character, Betty. It is such a great idea to throw someone who isn't the stereotypical beauty into the main focus. Her role is not the supportive best friend or some ancillary character. She's the star. She also looks average. The average person can relate to her, because like her, we all have our foibles, some are plagued with them while others have only one or two... like myself... Ha ha!! Just kidding. Okay, I have three. Just kidding! I have many! Anyway! Okay, what am I trying to say... Oh yes! This show has become extremely popular with a great number of dedicated viewers. This proves that people don't watch TV to see all the "pretty people." We have fallen in love with the inner beauty of the character. Sounds corny, but it's true! Don't tell me it's not true! >=(

So I basically just want to say two things. One, it's great that they've sort of glamorized Betty's looks, or lack of by titling the show "Ugly Betty." By doing this, it's like a mini secession from the familiar practices and ideals of regular TV shows. I applaud the decision makers and creatives for taking a risk with their "out of the box" ideas. BUT! It's also a little contradicting because although Betty isn't the stereotypical beauty on the outside, she is much more beautiful than any of the other characters that are portrayed. The others may look beautiful, but they are something else when you dig deeper!

And two, America Ferrera aka Betty has become hugely popular. She's an average looking gal with an average looking body. I imagine this has given many girls and boys (even men and women) more hope and confidence that they can make it too.

Hmmm... now that I think about it. What if titling the show "Ugly Betty" is offensive to some people? Betty isn't drop-dead gorgeous, but she's not ugly either. So are they saying that people who sort of resemble Betty are ugly? Hmm... Forget it... I'm going to read my Harry Potter book...

Geek Moment #11 - Harry Potter

Not sure if this is a true geek moment, but here goes. On Saturday night, I had nothing to do, so I decided to continue reading book 7 of Harry Potter. Usually, I only limit myself to one chapter. (I want to prolong the finale of the series for as long as possible.) But on Saturday night, I went ALL OUT. I read to my heart's content. I read until I didn't want to read anymore! Thrilling! Satisfying! But the end is approaching... Boo!!

Heroes

After watching the long awaited season 2 premiere of "Heroes," I am so happy to find out that Peter Petrelli (played by Milo Ventimiglia) is still in the series. Well, it's hard to believe that they would kill him off after just one season, but you never know. And dang, he looks pretty good. Hot diggity damn...

As for the premiere itself. Not bad! They introduced a few new characters, not so many that it gets confusing though. The same thing was done last season, and it worked perfectly well. Claire's classmate seems annoying. The purpose of his character seems a little obvious - the person who pressures Claire into revealing her true identity and plays her love interest. Don't know if I like him yet. The episode as a whole was paced nicely, similar to season 1. All in all, there were no bad surprises. And they threw the viewers something unexpected and exciting at the end. Peter Petrelli has suffered amnesia and is somehow locked up in a freight container in Scotland or Ireland! Can't wait until next Monday.

So remember, kids. Don't try to reach me between 9-10pm on Mondays. I'll be busy. Oh, and 8-8:30 too. "How I Met Your Mother" is on at that time. That's a damn funny show!

Men vs. Women

When thinking about the differences between men and women, the first thing that comes to mind is our reproductive organs and the feelings we experience because of them. No no. Not talking about anything sexual here. There are certain things I've always been curious about, but will never truly understand, e.g. the pain a guy feels when he gets kicked in the crotch. And I'm sure there are guys out there who are curious as to how a women's menstrual cramps feel. I asked a friend of mine if he knows how that might feel. (He has a sister and fiancee so I thought that they would have shared some info with him...) His response was, "Cramps? Isn't it just like a cramp you get when you swim right after you eat?" No no no no... That's nothing compared to real menstrual cramps.

So the purpose of this entry is to try to see which is more painful? Getting kicked in the crotch? Or bad menstrual cramps? The only way to determine this is to give a description. I'll go first...

"Menstrual cramps. It feels like someone grabbed my ovaries, tubes, and uterus and squeezed and twisted them really really hard. And while they're squeezing and twisting, a thousand needles are thrust into my organs. The pain is incredible. It sears through my abdomen, my back, my thighs, my knees, through my arms, and into my head. It's gotten so bad that I was unable to walk and speak."

The friend I was speaking of earlier briefly described the feeling of getting kicked in the crotch. He said it feels like every single nerve ending in your entire body is surging with pain. You can feel it through your entire body. But it doesn't last too long.

Okay. Your turn! How does it feel for you?? The person with the best description wins a trip for two to the beautiful oil fields of Nigeria! Just kidding. That would be a horrible and depressing vacation, but that's another story. Okay, any takers?

Phone on the Throne

Please. If any of you do this to me, you must stop immediately. Do not talk to me on the phone while you're on your porcelain throne. It's been done to me before, and I could not accept it then, and still won't. It's just gross. True, if you don't know about it, it's all good. But what happens when you need to flush the toilet? And what about the echoes that comes with talking in a tiled room? I view unloading yourself as a very private moment. At times, I can't even do it when there's someone else in another stall. And then there are people who can have full on conversations with people on the phone. There's this woman on the floor of my building who I've encountered in the bathroom. I've never seen her face, but I can recognize her voice. It may be completely quiet, which it should be, and all of a sudden, she starts blabbing away. Blah blah blah blah blah. Shit is coming out from two orifices, her butt and her mouth. Geez. The poor innocent person on the other line! What if there's silence at the perfect moment, and the other person hears "Doink. Splash." "Uuuuhh, what was that?" And she responds, "Oh! I'm taking a dump right now! But don't mind me. Go on. What were you saying?" How horrible is that! But I guess some people don't mind. But I do, so don't do it to me.

Ha ha ha!! I can't believe I'm writing about this...

Our City's Divas

I make regular visits to San Francisco, but I can say only a handful of them are as interesting as what I experienced last night. A few friends and I met up at a nightclub/bar called Divas for an amateur drag queen talent show. On weekends, all three floors of this establishment are open to their patrons. The first floor is the bar with a small stage, the second has a bigger stage for more elaborate performances, and the third has a dance floor.

On this particular night, only the first floor was open. We were one of the first ones there so we found good seats close to the small stage decked with a curtain of silver tinsel. The bartender, Alexis, was a lovely woman. I found her big hair, beautiful smile, and deep voice strangely comforting. We ordered some drinks. The special of the night was an "oatmeal cookie." This was good but strong. As we chatted and sipped our strong drinks, more people started walking in. Some were average looking men, and the majority were "divas."

One homeless-looking person wearing a trench coat walked in. He walked to the end of the bar and back, sneaking peeks at people, even me and my friend. He stopped at a diva sitting at the bar, and I didn't see this, but my friend said he started making out with her. She was Asian with straight black hair, red lipstick, tight clothing, and a hint of a mustache. While he had her distracted, one hand tried grabbing for her hand bag! There was a little commotion but he left quickly. I saw that diva mouthing curses at him and a group of them staring at him with dirty looks.

This was already around 11:30, so one of my friends and I wanted to get a little food before the show started at midnight. As we were walking out, we saw a group of five divas, all with very masculine physiques, stomping out of the bar searching for the thief. This scene was hilarious. Imagine these women. One was the bartender who had big black hair and was wearing a sequined red dress and heels. Another looked exactly like John Goodman but with big blonde hair wearing a sequined turquoise dress and heels. Another was the Asian diva with her tight white tee and jeans. Another had shoulder length red hair with a blazer and slacks. I don't remember the last one. This group of women approach the man and surround him like a pack of hungry wolves about to pounce on a helpless deer. Some words were exchanged, and the man hurriedly ran across the street to safety. Darn. No fight. My friend and I turned towards our destination as the angry pack headed back to the bar.

As we were walking down Van Ness to Tommy's Joynt, we pass another homeless person holding something big in one hand. I looked curiously at his hand and thought, "What is that? White and gray feathers? EEWW!! It's a stuffed bird!" What the heck! It's not everyday you see a man walking down the street holding a taxidermic bird...

Okay, back to the bar. The show was entertaining. One of my friends got several kisses from one of the divas and even a little pseudo lap dance. Ha ha. One of the performers was great. She was so sultry, it was mesmerizing. Among the audience, there were some drag queens who were actually pretty, but all of them (with the exception of a few) were haughty and had attitude, but that's why they're appropriately named "divas." They were all so feminine with exaggerated swinging hips, skin-baring clothing, and long false lashes. One of my friends and I agree we feel like being a little more feminine the next day. Heh heh...

As we got up to leave, the bartender stopped us and asked if we enjoyed ourselves and if we're going to come back. Feeling the pressure of all eyes on us, we all said "yes," but I think I'd like to go back. The ambiance was nice, it was clean, the people are far from being boring, and the bartender Alexis and the host Victoria's Secret were so inviting and wonderful.

I guess that's the gist of the evening. I really wish the divas and the thief had gotten into a rumble. That would have been the highlight of my week. Yes, my life can be pretty dull. But one thing's for sure. Life cannot be dull when you're around divas!

Forever a Child

The other day, my parents came home from a wedding banquet. In my mom's hands were a vase with a rose in it and a pink balloon. (I can tell the couple either have bad taste, or they let their parents take the reception planning reigns. Ha ha.) The first thing my mom said was, "Sandy! Sandy! I got you a balloon!!" Oh how sweet of my mom to get "Sandy" a balloon! Little Sandy was taking a shower at the time. And little Sandy is also 25 years old. No, not five, but 25. I said to my mom, "What? You got Sandy a BALLOON?? She's not a little kid." "Well, when I saw the balloon, I just wanted to get it for Sandy."

I thought this was very funny - a mother excited about giving her 25 year old daughter a balloon. As a parent, I guess they will always see their children as precisely that. Children. No matter how old we get, no matter how old they get, they will undoubtedly try to care for us as much as they can, remind us to lock the front door before going to bed, remind us we have to wake up early the next morning because we have work, give us unwanted advice, and the list goes on for at least a mile! My mom said so herself. In her eyes, she sees us as helpless children. I remind her on countless occasions that I'm not a baby, but a grown woman who loves independence. But why do I even bother? She's a stubborn woman, reluctant to see her children as grown ups. But she's also a loving woman, a mother who will do and have done so much for her children. She can give Sandy, or me, a balloon anytime she wants.

(The photo above is of me at almost two years old and my mom in Hong Kong.)

P.S. My dad is guilty of this too, but he doesn't give us balloons. He usually gives us food.

It's Not THAT Bad

For the past week, there has been so much jabber about Britney's 2007 VMA performance. So much hype was built and expectations were high. When the actual performance happened, it seemed everyone was a little more than disappointed. EVERYBODY was talking about it. I was curious to see what all this talk was about, so I finally found a video clip of Britney on YouTube.

After watching the clip, I am more disappointed in all the people talking about Britney than Britney's actual performance. It's true. Her hair looks bad. She's not in her best shape (but still looks better than the majority of us and this is after giving birth to two kids). Her dancing wasn't spectacular or convincing. Her energy was lacking. And she was obviously lip synching. But it wasn't THAT bad. Not so bad that it deserves to be talked about on every late night show, radio talk show, every kind of show. It just shows how much the general population enjoy bringing someone down. Makes the commoners feel better when we can degrade and pick and tear apart someone who is more "privileged" than us (who, in my opinion, is pretty much defenseless at this point). I guess that's why tabloids are so successful. I know I'm guilty of making fun of people, so I'm being a hypocrite here. But when you take a step back and look at yourself, don't you think finding pleasure at someone else's expense shameful? Not something to be proud of.

On a lighter note, I thought Chris Brown's act was so awesome! It was creative, theatrical, and energetic. And how in the world does he move like that?! Bravo, Chris Brown!! BRAVOOO!! (Ha ha... that last sentence is supposed to be said in a British accent.)

P.S. Her song is called "Gimme More" for a reason. That's because all you people want is more more more MORE MORE!!!! LEAVE HER ALONE!!!! You're lucky she even performed for you bastards!... She's only HUMAN!!! LEAVE BRITNEY ALOOOONE!!!!

P.P.S. There I go making fun of people again. Shame on me! =(

Fun Fact #1 - White Sox

Did you know that the Chicago White Sox weren't always called "White Sox?" In 1901, a baseball team was born, and they were named the White Stockings. Years later, after stockings were no longer in fashion, they changed their name to White Sox.

Can you imagine rooting for the White Stockings? Cheers probably won't roll off the tongue quite as easily as "White Sox."

Annoying Neighbors

I haven't complained in quite some time, and what better way to start off my September blog posts than with a complaint. After all, I AM a complainer!

My neighbors may not be the worst neighbors, but they are very annoying neighbors. They irk me for two reasons. One, they have no perception of time and no consideration for others living within earshot of their chatter. So they will have rowdy parties almost every week until 2 or 3 am or later, most of which involve really bad karaoke. This would be fine if they close their windows and door, but they always leave them open. I complained once, and they were apologetic, but a couple of days later, same thing.

Reason number two! One of the guys living there has the most annoying girlfriend! Imagine the winiest voice you can fathom, and that's what she has. It really sounds like she's trying to do a little girl's voice. It's 12:45 am right now, and she's still yapping away. This is so painful. If you're interested in my thoughts about women like her, read my post about "cute women."

Alright! Enough complaining from me... for now! Until next time, friends!

What the Heck?!?!

What do Andy Lau and Bill Gates have in common? At first glance, nothing. One is a very hot Chinese man with an extremely successful film and music career and so much sex appeal it's oozing out of him. The other, though obviously abnormally intelligent, embodies the stereotypical "nerd." He's awkward and lacks sex appeal. Well, this is my opinion, but I'd think most women would agree with me. But there IS something these two have in common. My dad just told me he saw a poll in a Chinese newspaper, NOT a tabloid, asking Shanghainese women who is the most attractive and sexiest man on this planet. Choice #1 = Andy Lau. Choice #2 = Bill Gates. LOL!!! That's the funniest thing I've heard all day!

Taking Things for Granted

It's funny how doing some things can change the way you view something else. For example, I just hiked up Half Dome (of Yosemite National Park) a few days ago, and during that hike, I had to go up and down many horribly wicked stone steps. As I was walking down the stairs of my house just a couple of minutes ago, I thought, "Wow. Padded even steps. How luxurious. This feels really nice." (By padding I mean carpeted.) Yeah, just thought that was sort of funny, so I wanted to share... Don't you feel fortunate to have carpet? I do!! Ha ha ha!!













P.S. These photos are "borrowed" from other sites. Just using them to compare the differences.

Torturing Myself

The human being is a very strange creature. Some of us inflict pain on ourselves time and time again. It could be the most painful experience and you severely question your sanity and judgement while doing it, but when another opportunity comes along, you take it. Don't be alarmed. I'm not a self mutilator. I just love to hike.

This past weekend, a group of friends and I went to Yosemite. My sole purpose of planning this trip is to take on Half Dome. For those of you who don't know what Half Dome is, I'll share with you a few details. This is the only extremely strenuous day hike in Yosemite National Park. It's 17 miles with an elevation gain of almost 4800 feet, a few hundred feet shy of a mile. Half Dome looks exactly like its name, it's half of a dome. During the Ice Age, a glacier carved away half of the dome, and now we are left with Half Dome. Duh. =) Many avid hikers have this grueling hike on their to-do list. Not all finish the hike. Some turn back once they approach the pair of steel cables leading up to the top.


I was one who knew I would be standing atop Half Dome that day, but don't be fooled by my certainty. Fear was definitely there. Having forced myself to face some fears in the last few years, I was not going to let a little height prevent me from checking this off my list.

I knew it was going to be painful. I knew it was going to be scary ascending the cables. A couple of my friends think that even flirting with the idea of hiking 17 miles on steep terrain in a single day is absolutely insane. It's not a vacation. It's torture. So why did I decide to do it? Like many others who have done this hike, I enjoy a challenge. Putting my body and mind through a simple test that has an actual visible reward was rather exciting.

I would say the hike can be split into eight sections. I hope I remember this correctly. The first leg from the trailhead to the bridge is pretty easy, some flat areas with some incline. The next part is climbing the uneven stairs of the Mist Trail leading to the top of Vernal Falls. This part is particularly beautiful (and crowded). Imagine climbing a series of stone steps etched alongside an ancient granite wall with a waterfall plunging into a crystal clear pool from a few hundred feet above. Breathtaking. Really. I was huffing and puffing at this point. Next comes another series of uneven narrow steps (with a view of Nevada Falls), then some easy hiking on relatively flat terrain along a river(?), more uneven narrow switchbacks, continue with a primarily dirt path, then a series of very steep dangerous steps, then a short descent to the foot of the cables, and finally the daunting cables. Is that more than eight sections? Well, I'm cutting out A LOT of details...

Although most of this was painful to some degree, the only intimidating sections are the last set of steep, rocky switchbacks and the cables themselves.

The switchbacks. These are steep, narrow, uneven stairs and if you are to accidentally trip and fall, it won't be a pretty sight. You may never wake up again.

The cables. Oh god. They say the incline is 45 degrees, but it certainly feels much more than that. Keep in mind that granite can be quite slippery, the cables have also become slippery, and in some sections, the cables aren't taut. Naturally, the granite isn't a smooth 45 degrees, so there are areas of big granite steps. The approximate width of the two cables is two feet wide. Both up and down traffic need to squeeze through and coordinate who will go first. Some people decide to rush their cable descent by hurrying down the sides of the cables and sometimes do it without enough regard for other climbers which consequently puts everyone in danger. With one slip, you can easily fall to your death. This is the only time I ever doubted myself. I was really scared. This 400 foot climb involved a lot of concentration. As I've mentioned earlier, I had to be aware of all the people close by who are coming up and down, sometimes go around people who have stopped, sometimes clinging onto a single cable as others are going down, and making damn sure I'm not losing my grip or my footing. If that were to happen... Uh oh... That would be the end. For me, coming down was much easier than going up. The ascent required so much more strength. I was seriously afraid I would run out of strength to make it to the top. What would happen then? I'd be stuck. I would have no strength to pull myself to the top. I would have no strength to resist dear ol' gravity on the way down. About 200 feet into the climb, my forearms and hands were screaming for relief. I remember thinking I'd rather go skydiving again than do this. Why the heck am I up here. This is crazy. I could die. Some of you may think I'm overreacting or whatever, but the fear and pain are so real for a person with a small frame like myself. It's more difficult for a person with weaker arms and shorter legs.


As you may have already guessed, I feel the hike itself was far from being fun. On many occasions, I would mutter "I hate this" or a few curse words. (The swearing is primarily during the steel cable section.) I asked an exhausted man along the trail, "Why do we do this?" His response was, "I have a choice of either doing laundry on a Saturday or hiking on a Saturday. I'd rather go hiking." What's MY answer? It goes back to the idea of loving a challenge and the feeling you get of finishing something that is so daunting. The feeling of winning over your fears and finally completing a goal is extremely rewarding. So exhilarating. It's priceless. After I took my very last step when descending from the cables, I threw myself on my friend and gave him a big hug. It felt so good. My grin felt permanent, and my head was screaming, "Wow! I did it! I did it!!"

Heh heh... Unfortunately, that feeling didn't last long. We had to hurry back down to the valley floor before it got dark. My knees took quite a beating as we rushed down the 8.5 miles trail. (No, we didn't take the JMT fearing we would get lost in the dark.) By the time we got into the car, my whole body felt like it was beaten to a pulp. I declared with certainty that I would NEVER do this again. I will, however, try another challenge. I know for a fact that I'm going to hate it and question my sanity and judgement once again, but the ultimate reward is worth it... I think. Ha ha ha...

P.S. I didn't take many pictures during this hike. Will upload more pics later as I get them from friends.

P.P.S. (Whatever) Okay, I didn't HATE the hike, just some parts. I was fortunate enough to be able to take this on with a few friends, so that made this grueling endeavor much more memorable and enjoyable. Thank you, friends. =)

Burns

I experienced a little bit of pain this morning. A mug of boiling hot tea slipped from my grip and fell into my lap and foot. I jumped up and screamed like a little girl (for only a split second!), ran to the closest bathroom, jumped into the tub and sat under cold running water. After I dried myself, I applied this Japanese cream called Mobiko, which is very cooling. Man, pulling on a pair of shorts certainly was painful. I'm okay now, but in case some of you don't know what to do with burns, I want to share some useful information. This is not for just regular burns from hot objects, but also electrical burns. I experienced that when I was little and turned my little index finger black and blue by pulling a plug from an outlet.

Here's some info I found. I hope you will find this useful. =) To view the source, click here.

Treating thermal burns

1. Stop the burning. Put out flames or remove the victim from the source of the burn.


2. Cool the burn. Use large amounts of cool water to cool the burn. Never use ice except on small superficial burns, because it causes body heat loss. If the area cannot be immersed, like the face, you can soak a clean cloth and apply it to the burn, being sure to continue adding water to keep the cloth cool.


3. Cover the burn. Use dry, sterile dressings or a clean cloth to help prevent infection and reduce pain. Bandage loosely. Do not put any ointment on a burn unless it is very minor. Do not use any other home remedies, and do not break any blisters. For minor burns or burns with broken blisters that are not severe enough to require medical attention, wash the burned area with soap and water, keep it clean and apply an antibiotic ointment. Remember, some people can be allergic to topical ointments, so if you have any doubts, call your doctor for advice. For a victim of severe burns, lay him or her down unless he or she is having trouble breathing. Try to raise the burned areas above the level of the victim's heart if possible, and protect the victim from drafts.

Treating electrical burns
Call EMS in any case of an electrical burn. Do not go near the victim unless you are sure the power source has been turned off. The burn itself will not be the major problem. If the victim is unconscious, check breathing and pulse. Check for other injuries, and do not move the victim because he or she may have spinal injuries. Cover an electrical burn with a dry, sterile dressing. Do not cool the burn. Prevent the victim from getting chilled. There may be two wounds, one where the current entered the body and one where it left, and they may be deep. Electrical burns can be caused by power lines, lightening, defective electrical equipment,and unprotected electrical outlets.

Treating chemical burns
Call EMS in any case of a chemical burn. Remove the chemical from the skin or eyes immediately by flushing the area with large amounts of cool running water until EMS arrives. Remove any clothes with chemicals on them, and be careful not to spread the chemical to other body parts or to yourself. Chemical burns can be caused by chemicals used in manufacturing or in a lab, or by household items such as bleach, garden sprays or paint removers.

Treating sunburns
Burns caused by solar radiation may be painful and may also blister. Cool the burn. You may want to put a product designed specifically for sunburn on the area; these products usually contain aloe vera and help cool the area and reduce the pain. Protect the burn by staying out of the sun. If you must go in the sun, wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 and reapply it frequently. Be sure to cover up any existing sunburn if you are going to be outside again.

Addendum to Santa Teresa Post

My friend and I returned for another hike at Santa Teresa County Park this evening. Needless to say, going uphill on that "fun" part of the trail isn't quite as fun. (Oh, this trail is called Rocky Ridge Trail.) Great hike today though. We did 6.5 miles in two hours. Most was very manageable, but Boundary Trail was KILLER. Going down the trail was torture on my knees, and coming back up burned my thighs. We kept a very brisk pace through much of this hike, so my buns may be sore tomorrow. Woohoo!

Santa Teresa County Park Hike

Last week, my friend and I set off for a short hike after work at Santa Teresa County Park in South San Jose. I usually don't blog about my hikes, but this one is worth mentioning. Maybe some of you can go one of these days.

The loop path we took is approximately 3.5 miles long. We started by ascending on what I think is the Mine Trail. This is the closest trail that I noticed that is closest to the closest lot of the main entrance. Confused? Heh heh... The start wasn't very fun because of the incline and the sun beaming down on us. We continued on the wide dirt path, occasionally encountering piles of poop left by owls, horses, etc. To the left, we saw beautiful vistas of San Jose and the hills and mountains surrounding it.

Eventually, we made a right onto a wide gravel path. This was a little weird because it felt like a maintenance road. The views here are pretty nice as well. To the right, there's the developed city of San Jose with its high-tech companies huddled together in and near the downtown area and well groomed suburbia lined with rows of trees, and to the left, there's nothing but acres of well manicured farmland with small buildings sprinkled throughout. It was very interesting to see how the scenery can change so abruptly by turning my head slightly atop this hill. We also saw some really giant looking cows mulling around a couple of radio towers a few hills away. So we continued up this path, listening to the crunching of gravel beneath our boots. We stopped briefly at the next little landmark, an abandoned graffiti laden radio station. Well, I imagine it was a radio station, but not too sure.

This is where the fun began. We chose to go down a dirt path which is in close proximity to the station. I don't remember if there was a trail sign, but it's easy to see. This trail is quite narrow and rocky. The decline is gradual so your knees don't take a beating. As the sun crept below the horizon and the cool breeze dried my sweat, I hopped and jogged down the two mile trail. (I think it's two miles.) I found this part of the hike particularly fun because the weather condition was great, and the trail itself did not allow you to lose focus and take your eyes off of it. With every step, you have to make a decision of which rocks to step on and which ones to avoid. It looks rather easy to twist an ankle here. After snaking a little around the foot of the hills, we made it back to the parking lot.

This hike was refreshing and energizing. I won't mind doing it again. Maybe the next time around, I'll go up and down the latter part of the hike with the small dirt trail. That was sooooo fun!

Dream 9 - My Ex

I have never had a dream that made my blood boil. Last night was my first time. My friend who just had a baby threw a house party for her little one. I was there and around noon, she thanked me for coming and tried rushing me out of the house. At first, I was really confused, but I thought, ah, I bet he's almost here. Her brother is coming. I didn't want to argue and didn't want to see him anyway, so I got my stuff and tried to leave. After much effort, I was still there. I stared at the door, earnestly reaching for it. It opened, and he walked in. My initial reaction was "wow. There he is. It's him."

I overheard him talking to another friend. They were talking about diamond engagement rings. Hearing this conversation made me furious. The thing about him is, first of all, when I knew him, he knew nothing about diamonds, and secondly, when he wants to get something, he does a hell of a lot of research about that subject before he makes his selection. And why the hell would he want to research diamond rings? There's only one reason. Makes me sick just thinking about it. He also mentioned he wanted to get a garter... Whatever.

I left. Finally! But I was boiling. I started slamming doors, chairs, anything I could get my hands on. I was deeply hurt and seared with anger. How could this have happened?! How???!!! I don't want to go into full detail about my rage, so just imagine really pissed, but x 100. But then two women walked in and told me they wanted me to pick out fabric so that they could make me something. I politely declined their kind offer, but they kept insisting, so I said I wanted a bed sheet. So we went to the store and blah blah blah. The rest of the dream is quite boring.

Okay, thanks for reading. I just had to get that off my chest. I'm awake now, duh, but I'm still pretty pissed off. This dream better not come true, especially the part about the two ladies. Ha ha. Just kidding.

A Good Parent

What exactly qualifies someone to be a good parent? There are the basic things like providing their children food, shelter, and clothing. Come to think of it, there are parents out there who try their hardest to provide these necessities for their children, but sometimes, due to very unfortunate events, they can't even give them the basics, most of which we take for granted. I'm digressing from my point...

My sister, who is now a few months pregnant, said something to me tonight that at first struck me as hilarious, but after some thought, I find that it's actually a very interesting comment. She came back from a doctor a few days ago with some 3D pictures of her unborn child. As I was leaving her house this evening, she reminded me to take these pictures with me to show our parents. I asked, "You only have one copy of these, right?" She quickly answered, "Yeah, but I don't care." "WHAT?!" Most to-be parents treasure little things like this! A small lie immediately flew out of her mouth. "Okay! Okay! I care! I care! I care!" I know she still doesn't.

I was really shocked that she could care less about these pictures. My other friend who just gave birth framed one of hers! The fact that she doesn't care about her sonogram pictures does not mean she doesn't care about her baby. I say this because some people would be completely mortified that a mother wouldn't care about this. Some would misconstrue her candor statement as a hint that she will be a bad mother. (In a high-pitch nagging voice...) Well, if she doesn't care about the pictures, she must not care about a bunch of other things too, and therefore, she doesn't care about her baby and will be a bad bad mother. Oh whatever. Shut up. She may be a little crazy, heh heh, but she is still going to be a great mother. Good thing her husband is there to balance things out!

When I first started this entry, my question was "what qualifies someone to be a good parent?" The answer is rather simple. If you teach and show your child to be the best person they can be, you should be considered to be a good parent. Well, that's the simple answer to a big question. This is what my parents have done for me and my siblings, and although none of us are perfect, we are all genuinely good-hearted people. There are no rules a parent needs to follow. A parent who gives their children everything they want is no better or worse than a parent who practices harsh discipline. And who is to judge that someone is a good or bad parent? Maybe their children when they have kids of their own? Or sooner. Or maybe it's getting quite late, and I've completely lost my train of thought and am no longer making sense. Until next time, my friends. Good night!

What a Joy

One of my best friends just gave birth to the most adorable baby girl a couple of days ago. At almost seven pounds, this little bundle of joy has the cutest little chin and the cutest little dimple on her very chubby cheeks. (Well, the dimple is only on the left cheek.) I was hypnotized by this baby. I just sat there and stared and smiled. Once in a while, I'd do a little baby talk. She is so cute!

When asked if I wanted to hold her, I quickly refused. The idea of holding a newborn is scary. They're so fragile. What if I hurt them in some way?! But I gave in. I have never held a newborn before. Yes, sort of surprising being as old as I am now and being a woman. When my friend slipped her into my tense arms, all of my nerves just melted away. She felt perfect nestled in the curves of my arms and chest. As I stared into the newborn's face, I realized how amazing this was. This little seven pound thing is a newborn baby. She has a little head, little hands and little feet. I was holding something so beautiful, and this something beautiful is so tiny, so sweet, so peaceful. My eyes welled up, and I started crying! My emotions shocked me. I never thought holding a baby would affect me this way. I think that this moment was especially emotional because this is my best friend's baby. I'm not technically her auntie, but I felt like one! I want to be there and watch her grow. I love this child.

Welcome, Katelyn! You're a very lucky little girl to have such wonderful parents... and aunties and uncles and grandparents... Hope we won't spoil you too much!

P.S. No, this does not mean I want to have children right now... if any of you were going to ask. Ho ho ho.

Apologies

I've been receiving complaints that I haven't written in my blog lately. Sorry! I've been quite busy, but I'll try not to disappoint the wonderful people who read my blog and will post something more interesting than this entry soon! Have a great day!!

Dream 8 - Big Rat

CAUTION: If you dislike rats or are sensitive to icky matters, don't read this entry.

The only visual I had from this dream is of an empty table, one that looks like a surgery table. It was draped with a white sheet and some long rat hairs. Investigators and common citizens were milling around. The entire story is this... A huge rat, about five feet long excluding the tail, had just raped or had consensual sex with a young woman. Afterwards, it ate parts of her body and killed her. Her body couldn't be found, but they were able to catch the rat. They constrained it to the surgical table, but it somehow escaped. People are setting up an investigation to look for this rat. And that's it.

From what I've read, dreaming of rats can mean a number of things - from feeling guilty about something or bieng surrounded by deception. It can't be the former because I haven't done anything that I should feel guilty about. Not sure if I'm engulfed in deception... Hope not? And to add murder and rape in there too?? This is definitely a weird dream.

Coffee Shop with a Twist

I went to the strangest place the other day, and I want to share with you my very fun experience. The evening started off with dinner at a Japanese restaurant. Afterwards, my friend and I had no where to go so just drove around for a bit. He brought up this coffee shop his friends brought him to. But the thing is, it's a Vietnamese coffee shop where the waitresses work in lingerie. Wow. Really? I'm down to check it out.

This place is sort of hidden in a little shopping center behind a Carrows. As we're walking in, I notice A LOT of Asian men, smoking their cigarettes, drinking coffee, and playing cards. Wow. I've never been to a place like this before. We walked in and were greeted by a waitress, in lingerie and without a smile, and were promptly seated in the corner. I sat and kept my head down, giggling immaturely. I was actually embarrassed for these girls! So I hid my uncontrollable grin behind their menu offering a selection of coffees, teas, tropical fruit shakes, and small meals. No alcohol. They'd frequently walk by, clacking in their absurd heels, making it impossible to forget that they're wearing almost nothing.

The whole setting felt so awkward. We were in a regular ol' cafe with cheap little tables and chairs, several flat screen monitors showing sports and music videos, and loud Vietnamese pop. So in this almost dingy place which, by the way, only had male patrons that night with the exception of yours truly, there are several Vietnamese waitresses serving people in their ugly matching bra and bikini sets and heels. I personally thought they were wearing swim wear, but my friend said it was "lingerie."

It looked like they were trying to sell the whole "sex" idea, but everything just looked wrong. First of all, the cafe wasn't sexy AT ALL. The girls weren't sexy either. Okay, they're slim, and a couple had the full breasts, but none of them looked like they wanted to be there. They're probably tired of being ogled by perverted men all day. One, the one who looked like a man, looked pissed off the whole time we were there. But the strangest thing to me is that their responsibilities also include clearing the tables and sweeping the floors! If there was any hint of sexy in them, seeing them do that took all of it away. You can't be cheap when you want to sell sex. It's supposed to be glamorized, not look dirty. That's what it is! It all looked dirty. Not the place itself, but the whole idea of nearly naked bodies walking around in a tired coffee shop serving men with hungry eyes. I bet some of them had a kick watching the girls bend over while sweeping the floors.

I made it sound like I had a horrible time, but that's not true. I had good company so we had drinks and played cards for a while. We were kind of fitting in with the rest of the perverts. We even checked out the girls together. Well, I think he did a little more checking out than I did, of course... But I had a lot of fun. It was an eye-opening experience. I'd like to go again. Most likely, I'll giggle as much as I did this last time, but I don't think that should be a problem.

Pet Peeve #3 - Cute Women

After working a 12 hour day and only sleeping for two hours the previous night, I cannot sleep again for some odd reason. For the first few hours, I kept thinking about designing web pages. How irritating. But now, I'm wide awake with a total of FOUR hours of sleep for the past two nights! I usually always get at least eight per night. Anyway, what better to do when I can't sleep than share my complaints with my avid fans. Heh heh heh. What fans...

Anyway, I think it's important that we all, as adults, stay connected to the youth in us. We all like to be kids again from time to time and play and joke around like little fourth graders. This keeps us sane, human, and maybe even young! So in my opinion, it's completely fine to goof around with friends as if you're all in elementary school again, well, as long as it's the right time and place to do it, but it is NOT okay when grown women act like little girls. There seems to be three types of little girl roles they take on. One, the bratty little girl, two, the helpless little girl, and three, the happy little girl. I hate all three. Can't stand them.

I'm sure you all have encountered these little acts before, but if you haven't, observe, and you'll find that they're all around you... What a frightening thought. So there's a bunch of things these grown adults do. Some only do some, but God help us, some do ALL of them.

1. This is the most obvious. Talk with little girl voices.
2. Use little kid words.
3. Try to pull off doing cute puppy eyes (like Puss 'n Boots) as they're trying to make someone do a simple chore for them. (Do it yourself, woman!!)
4. Then huff and puff and pout when they don't get their way.
5. Wear pigtails. Okay, in my opinion, the only grown women who can wear pigtails and look good wearing them are cowgirls, adult industry women, and Hooters servers.
6. They literally interact and talk to you like you're both five-year-olds.

So apparently, it's a fad right now among the HK girls to do numbers 1 and 2. (Heh heh... it's a fad to do #1 & 2... That's funny. God. I can't stop laughing...) And I'm sorry if I offended anyone, but that's just what I've observed. I see this in Chinese commercials, on the streets, and my sister tells me some of her friends have been doing this lately. I just don't understand why adults try to act like little girls! Maybe guys like that kind of thing? That's the only reason I can think of... If there are any guys reading this, please, if you have time to leave a comment, let me know how you feel about this. I'm very curious to know what your perspective may be.

I totally don't dig it. When you become a woman, it means that you're an adult. In most cases, you no longer have to depend on someone else for things. Be independent. Stop ACTING helpless, and stop using your little voices. It's so much more attractive when a woman is confident and can take care of herself.

P.S. I take back what I said about the pigtails thing. It really depends on how you wear them.