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Monday, December 29, 2003
Normally I don't update twice in one day, but this just amused me so much I was inspired to write. As I was taking my shower this morning, I saw an ant climbing a bottle of fantanstik I left out. Normally I wouldn't think anything more than "oh look, it's an ant who's about to meet his demise." This time however, I found myself thinking of something else.
Last night, I just killed a good 15 of that ant's family/friends. ( Random note= You can kill ants using fantastik if you run out of Raid, plus you get that nice pine scent. hahaha) If only this lone ant knew what atrocities were committed on the terrain he was now gleefully exploring. I was going to assign him to the same fate as his friends but I guess I'm a sucker for courage or sheer ignorance. I let him continue his expedition.
Impersonal Statement
So I'm working on my personal statement for law school. Unlike some endeavors in which I procrastinate thoroughly before getting my hands dirty, I've actually started writing drafts of my essay well ahead of my self-imposed deadline. Sadly enough though, six different drafts, three hybrid versions, and one brain dead writer later, I still have not been able to churn out a worthy essay.
Personal Statements are supposed to be personal. Sounds silly having to describe it as such, but I'm struggling trying to write two pages that convinces the readers of my desire to pursue law while soundly addressing my individuality and persona. All of my friends have told me to just keep on writing and editing and the essay I will be left with will include the strengths of all my previous drafts. In essence, they claim a shiny gem will appear from the coarse piece of rock my mind is slowly chipping away at.
Writing all these drafts has gotten me to appreciate one thing: I'm glad to acknowledge I don' t have a severe case of writers constipation. But other than that, I still find myself trying to grasp onto unseen phantoms that urge me to acknowledge them in my writing.
I just need to finish this essay so that I can complete the law school application process. I hope the essay I pick will be strong enough to stand on its own.
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Book Fight
Contestant #1: Intent to Harm by Jonnie Jacobs
Contestant #2: Too Beautiful to Die by Glenville Lovell
Winner: Too Beautiful to Die wins by a nosehair. (Wait, isn't that used to describe horse races?) Both books were decent, but I didn't get that "Dayamn, can't wait til I have some free time so I can finish that book" attitude. I actually expected more from Jonnie Jacobs, being that she is a national bestselling author. Anyway, I liked Glenville Lovell's writing style a little better, and he was able to use interesting metaphors and similies. I like phrases that express unique imagery.
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Recommended Albums
1) Diary of Alica Keys by duhhh... Alicia Key- If you haven't bought this album yet, cop it. She brings the heat again on this sophmore cd and explores a slightly different side while still expressing the fusion of classical music and RnB. Well done.
2) Just as I am by Guy Sebastian- This cat was recently seen on World Idol and was the winner of the Australian Idol contest this year. It's been awhile since I've heard a clean Stevie Wonder-ish voice with the smooth rifts that Guy produces. If you like that style, get this cd. Better yet, you better download his tracks because the cd is imported and will cost you 3200 pretty pennies.
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
Buying electronics for someone? Think woman!
I spoke with my sister yesterday because she called to ask for advice about some car stereo equipment. She wanted to buy her husband a new head unit for Christmas. When I found out what model she was planning on getting and price she would be paying, I told her to reconsider because she could get a system twice as nice online for the same price if not cheaper. Of course, I knew if she wanted to surprise her husband, she might not have the luxury of playing with that option. However, the element of surprise could not be seen anywhere on the periodic table because she had discussed this gift with her husband already. Perfect. He'll understand that my sister wanted to hold off a couple of days so that she could get a better stereo unit instead of rushing to meet the deadline of the 25th, right? Nope.
My sister ends up telling me she needs to give her hubby a gift on Christmas because... well actually I didn't really hear a reason... The joy of surprise was no longer a factor... What could it be? Guess she didn't want to seem like she was empty-handed, which is fine to an extent, but do people really have to give and receive presents on the 25th? Is there an unspoken principle stating if one receives a gift after the 25th of December, that gift should be valued any less than if received before or on Christmas? I don't think so, especially if you are trying to get someone something you think would be ultimately better. And for those who wait for the after Christmas sales, yes, this includes you too. hahah.
In any case, my sister did not see eye to eye with me. In fact, she probably was gazing off in the direction of the 'I dun give a shit' mountains. She stated that her husband didn't really care about the little details concerning stereos that I seemed to fixate on... Um, hello? Anyone there? He IS a guy and guys do care about their electronics... It's like telling a girl to hurry and just pick up any damn pair of shoes. You'd get a heel either up your azz or sticking out of your forehead. To guys, electronics are the same thing. And here I thought this was pretty basic information.
The conversation ended abruptly with me telling my sister she knows my opinion and whatever happens, it still is her money she's spending, not mine. She responded by stressing "Yes, it IS my money." Sometimes my sister's diplomacy simply amazes me. I just hope the store was closed early so that her husband won't be stuck with that awful excuse for a stereo. =I
On a somewhat related note, I actually was at Al & Eds, looking for my own new head unit two weeks ago when I overheard a girl asking a salesman how much she could get for her price range. She was buying a gift for her boyfriend and wanted to surprise him. Lucky guy! In the end, the salesman convinced the girl to let the boyfriend in on the gift so that he would get something he would be satisfied with rather than chancing the expenditure of lots of money on shoddy equipment. Good choice! I'm sure her boyfriend will be glad she did that.
I guess I just wanted to state that when you are going to give somebody a gift that can be expensive, (1) make sure you have the funds to get something decent (2) be flexible with your plan: it might be a good idea to let your friend in on the gift (3) If it concerns electronics for a guy, do some research.
To all my purists out there, I know, I know. It shouldn't matter what is given or received. One should appreciate the mere thought. And completely I agree with this notion. Sadly, in this commercial world, however, thoughts in themselves rarely seem to be sufficient, and people end up buying gifts. If a simple card or thought doesn't cut it and you decide to buy a gift, at least be ready to buy something of decent quality.
Monday, December 15, 2003
Countdown to Christmas
Christmas is just a hop, skip, and a jump away. I have actually been pretty good with my Christmas shopping this year, finishing well before the date I assigned myself. Actually, being that I am rolling in as much dough this year to make the Pillsbury Boy jealous (insert the try to pretend I didn't blast bullshit facial expression here), I didn't get too many people gifts this year. I decided it was better to just spend more money on those closest to me rather than trying to get gifts for everyone and their third cousins. The end result of this strategy? I didn't have to buy any nose hair trimmers this year!
Actually, I've never bought a nose hair trimmer for anyone before. I know, I know. You're probably asking why I haven't because it's the perfect gift that keeps on giving. hahah. I just think it's one of those presents that run the risk of being offensive. What would you think if you got a nose hair trimmer for X-mas? It's like receiving a tongue scraper and trying to not think your buddy was trying to say anything about your chronic case of halitosis. I actually know a few people who could use a tongue scraper by the way.. hehehe.
Okay, back on course... For reals though, if your friend got you a nose hair trimmer, there wouldn't be any other possible interpretation except someone wants you to chop the protuding branches from your nostrils. Helpful? I guess. Embarassing? Yes. Offensive? Possibly. But then again, you could be grateful for getting a nose hair trimmer for Christmas. Friends DO tell you with there is a piece of spinach embedded between your teeth. Friends DO tell you when you have sleep in your eyes. I guess friends also have the right to tell you you need to trim the weeds in your nose. Furthermore, just because I wouldn't choose to buy these handy trimmers as a gift, I know others have and do. Every year I always see nose hair trimmers in almost every gift store, and a good amount of them are already taken. There IS a market for this stuff! That or people are using the trimmers for other orifices. Uhhhh....
Okay, what the hell just happened? This is my first update in a week and I end up expanding upon nose hair trimmers. Let's just flip the script shall we.
Last Monday, Ms. Ayako Jinnai from Tokyo decided to grace Los Angeles with her presence. She stayed until Friday morning and I did my best to show her around town. I'm not sure if I did a great job, but I can confidently say at least her stomach was content. In all honesty, I believe her stomach experienced multiple orgasms last week. Food aside however, luck seemed to be against us last week. The Paul Getty Museum was closed when we went, Martini Ranch down in San Diego wouldn't accept Ayako's identification, and Six Flags was closed on the Thursday we tried to go. (It's freaking winter break already. Why is that park closed?) Even the Huntington Museum was renovating certain parts of their park!!! But Ayako and I did the best we could and we saw a good amount of things for the time frame we had to work with. Ayako, if you are reading this, I hope you had a good time! You should definitely come back on a weekend next time girl.
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After a busy week showing Ayako around, I now find myself back on the same rung I was on two weeks ago - Dealing with law school applications. Fun, fun, fun. I was able to get the transcripts and letters of recommendation out of the way and I'm working on the final drafts of my personal statement. It seems like I'm always working on that stupid essay. After I finish my law school applications, I'm going to start looking for a job and then will start cracking at those Japanese books again. Oh and of course I'm going to work on my music. My studio equipment came in today! I'll be sure to take provocative pictures of my equipment once everything is set up.
I guess it's time to end this cluttered, random entry. But before I unwrap today's eye candy, I would just like to wish Casey a very happy 24th birthday. Hope you had a good time up in the mountains ma. I'll see you on News Years Eve in Daygo. One belated b-day down, one upcoming b-day to go. Christina, stop terrorizing Santa Barbara and Cerritos, and have a good 21st birthday on Wednesday. I want you to shoot Jose at least once for me before you lose your memory okay? =D Finally, I wanna give a shout out to my boy Brent. Thanks for the sashimi hookup man. It was good seeing you and my stomach wasn't complaining either. Next time Ima leave before you spot the tip, Owlman. I'll see you before the New Year for sure.
Sunday, December 14, 2003
Recap of this weekend: On Saturday morning, Z drove up from San Diego to hand deliver the computer he was fixing for me. He swears I have some kind of forcefield that scares computers so much they shit diskettes. I guess I must have been a computer slave driver in my previous life because I always have the worse luck with computers when I put them together.
The PC I've been using up until now took me three months and countless inquisitions to friends to figure out what was wrong with it. After testing different parts, the freaking tower proved to be the weed in the flowerbed. Even though the case was made for my motherboard, the power supply was located a tad too close to the CPU and heatsink, preventing proper airflow. The irony of this all was despite some friends' claims that I bought the tower for its ostentatious looks, I originally bought the tower because it boasted superior air ventilation.
Anyway, after swapping towers, the computer I use now could not have been a better child. I wouldn't even upgrade for another year or two were it not for the fact that I'm starting to build a home music studio. I need a computer that has more juice and power to support the specific programs I'm planning on using.
So, I ordered all my computer parts from Newegg.com and installed the pieces little by little during my study breaks. I finished putting the computer together well before the official LSAT date, but I didn't test it out until recently partly because I was too lazy, and partly because I didn't want to have to troubleshoot if an error came up. In actuality, I was thinking about my last encounter with putting a computer together. In hindsight though, not hooking up and trying my computer immediately after I received the components was shortsighted because if there happened to be any manufacturer defects, the chances of getting a refund or exchange would be slim. Nonetheless, I waited until after the LSATs before powering my computer up for the first time.
So what happened? Well, long story short, I'm not exactly sure, but I had some strange problems, the two major ones involving BIOS and inconsistent hard drive detection. Z also was at a loss of words. Actually, scratch that. He had plenty to say, but nothing constructive, like usual. hahaha. So, he ended up taking the computer home and called me later after he re-formatted, telling me he got it working. We still can't explain why it didn't work the first time, although Z still maintains the only reason must be because I wasn't there when he worked on it. I'm beginning to believe him...
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Saturday night was something different from what I expected. The house warming party my friends and I went to resembled more like a social gathering. But there was plenty of Gin and Crown to keep me warm so I can't complain. I think my friend and host, Joe, wanted to make the party crazy, but the people who attended were more interested in intellectual conversations than animalistic dry humping on the dance floor. But don't worry Joe, it'll be gutter next time!
So Z, Mat, Lan, Julie, and I left the party and ended up at a local Westwood bar called Maloney's. All I can say about that place is WoW. From ska songs to Frank Sinatra's Stranger in the Night, the bar residents were shaking it up... Not dancing it up, shaking it up... like people trying to maintain their balance during the BIG ONE. But they were having a good time, and it was a little contagious... The attitude that is, not the movements.
Besides the interesting crowd, most of the drinks at Maloney's were dirt cheap, except for the Incredible Hulk, a drink made from Hypnotiq and Hennessy. In my opinion though, this drink should be renamed 'the Incredible Ass.' Hypnotiq is supposedly the new rage these days and if you want to try this alcohol, do NOT mix it with Hen. Sorry, but I am not a big fan of Hennessy. But if you Hen, (strange person that you are) you might like the incredible hulk. Anyway, the night was chill and fun and I'm glad Mat, Lan, and Julie came out, even though they have finals next week. Shoot, Lan and Julie have finals tomorrow. Good luck you two, if you are reading this when you should be studying.
Wednesday, December 10, 2003
Is the sky really blue in the world of Dejavu?
Have you ever experienced dejavu? No, I do not mean the San Diego strip club. To all my San Diego viewers out there, get your mind out of the gutter. I'm talking about the remembrance of a particular scene of your dream being replayed in the planes of reality. Some don't believe in it because it veers close to a sixth sense. Others have experienced it themselves and swear to its existence.
Sometimes being as subtle as the outlines of a shadow on a warm sunny day, dejavu slowly merges with reality and blows a slight breeze of familiarity gently onto one's consciousness. Other times, dejavu can be so blatant it slaps you across a cheek and pulls a tuft of your hair before tempetuously poking you at the temples. I have experienced the latter dejavu not once, but twice this week. Although I normally do experience dreams emerging into reality (or is it reality coalescing with my dreams) pretty frequently, this is the first time I remember having this guest come two days in a row.
The memory that was resuscitated to life by Dejavu the second day was so vivid I couldn't forget about it and thus am now writing about it in my journal. I remember dreaming about this in Japan and it goes a little something like this - I'm cruising in my car, turning at a congested intersection (Foothills Blvd and Rosemead for all yall LA browsers) after coming back from the gym. I remember blasting a cd I couldn't recognize as the sun's radiance crept through my car's half opened sunroof. I knew I was done with the LSATs because the backpack filled with LSAT books was crying in the backseat, pleading me to play with it again. To the best of my knowledge, the dream ends with me texting Lan on my cell....
Nothing real extraordinary here, but I remembered the dream when I woke up the next day. I didn't dream much about the States while I was in Japan so when I did, I usually woke up semi-aware of the scenes my mind recorded while visiting Deep Sleep, REM.
Back to reality. So I was driving my car today after hitting the gym up and turned a right onto Foothills Blvd. I then picked up my phone to text lan when Dejavu suddenly swerved its vehicle right in front on mine, slamming the brakes, giving my sixth sense whiplash. As my mind was trying to make sense of this new sense, I found myself deeply submerged in images I knew I've seen before... If somebody were looking at my face at this exact moment, they probably would have thought I was either high or getting brain. hahah just kiddin.
Then, as suddenly as the images appeared, the details of my dream dimmed away. That brief moment of clarity and recollection left a deep footprint on the shores of my memory, however. Although the remembrance was gone, I know I wouldn't forget the sensation I felt.
I wonder if there are any underlying meanings behind experiencing dejavu. How can it be possible to dream about a future event? I now know who the singer of the song that was blasting in my car was during my dream five months ago, but how could I have dreamt about someone I didn't know existed yet? I guess it's just something that nobody will ever know.
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Last Saturday, I went to IVAR with Mat to celebrate his 25th b-day and the end of the LSATs for me. Z, Josh Liang, and I headed out a little late but were able to meet Mat and his posse of friends. Even though the crowd was a little different from what I expected, I was in good company (one of my testmasters classmates, Reena, came out to party as well) and the music was pretty decent. The only part of the night I question was Mat's sobriety. It was his birthday and he wasn't even that faded. Sure, some claim after one's 21st or 22nd birthday, there is no longer an urge to binge drink to the point of utter intoxication, but let's be honest, peer pressure and celebratory emotions still exist no matter what age. With the numbers of friends present at the gathering, you would expect Mat to be lying like a mat. But, even though he finished every drink bought, Mat defied being reduced to what his first name entitles. GOod man. Mat, happy 25th g.
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Book Fight
Thr3e by Ted Dekker
The Fifth Angel by Tim Green
Last to Die by James Grippando
Winner of the match by TKO- Thr3e. Here are my reasons: 1) Stimulates the mind thoroughly. 2) Gonna make your say "dayamn didn't think of that one." 3) Did I mention stimulation for your contemplation? Honestly, this book was a good read. Browse it for fun. Peruse it on a Mon. Guaranteed to give your mind a run, don't give up til you're done.
Saturday, December 06, 2003
IT'S OVER! The frickin LSATs is no longer something classified as a "to-do" item on my agenda! I am so glad this headache is over. The only thing that can make this migraine come back is if my score ends up being so low absolutely no law school will accept me. But I'm pretty sure I didn't do that poorly.
As for today's performance, for sure I did not do as well as I have on previous occasions. For the whole week before this crazy day, I had been devouring practice tests like a fat guy eating slices of pot roast at a buffet. I was happy to see I scored within the 94th percentile only to discover that I dropped to the 68 percentile on the very next test. Possible interpretation? The LSATs can go screw a calf with mad cow disease because everything is so relative. There is absolutely no guarantee (for us normal people that is) to score consistently high in my opinion. Either it was meant to be or it just wasn't.
After both high and low scores on the tests, as well as suffering repeated blows to my ego, I was pretty stressed because of my inconsistency. But fortunately a revelation slowly turned over and looked at me dead in the face. Squash all those past scores. LSAT are just like stocks where previous performances show no clear indicator of future performances. After that realization, my expectations and my fears of not matching my potential got flushed down with the leftovers of my lunch. So I guess the kids and my anxiety were dropped off at the pool that day. =D My attitude changed, and I told myself to just try my best.
And try my best I did. That is one thing I am sure of. Sure I missed more on the games section than I usually do; sure I wasn't as confident with many of the logical reasoning problems as I usually am; sure I probably didn't even come close to the scores I got before. But I did the best I could within a given circumstance and that is good enough for me. If it isn't good enough for law schools, I guess we have clashing points of views. In any case, I was only going to party afterwards if I gave this test my all, and put 2 and 2 together... whacha get? 22? That's right pahtnah!
So I am going to celebrate the demise of this horrible test, as well as Mat's 25th birthday. Then it's off to IVAR to get more intoxicated than Nicolas Cage before he left Las Vegas. I still have law school applications, a personal statement to brush up on, and several other large projects coming up, but the worse is behind me. Hopefully tonight's dinner won't be behind me as well. Well, guess we'll find out! Uhhhhhhhh.... Hey Jose, let's go beaver trapping!
Wednesday, December 03, 2003
Cough cough. No, not from puff puff, but from virus virus. Shoot. I've been sick the past few days and it's been pretty rough, especially since I'm supposed to be studying like a madman. It first started out with the classic sore throat symptom but then escalated into 'the nose that entered the marathon' stage where my nose was seriously running day in day out. Luckily, I didn't develop a full cough, and my nose is only congested now... Good thing I got this a week before the LSATs and not during the weekend of. Speaking of wonderful things such AS the LSATs, I need to go to the library soon to start my long day of three practice tests. Joy to the world.
Before I end this short entry, I just had to give a shout out to my boy, Winston, who turned 24 yesterday. It's the Eve boy and next year it'll be Christmas! Wait, does that apply to guys too? hahaha. Just kidding ladies, really. I know age is a sensitive issue for all yall of the female nation. =I Anyway, Winston and I go waaaaaaaaaay back, and I'm glad our friendship is still going strong. A lot of friendships these days don't stand the test of time or distance - they fade like pictures left out in the sun too long. But Winston... you my boy for life man. Happy b-day! ! !
 Crackhead #1: Winston. Crackhead #2, me
Next is today's eye candy... So what do I know about her? AbsoPHOkingluking nothing. I just thought she knew how to work it on the fence well. Dayamn ma, ShOw me what chu working with! hahah- Kay, enough laughs. Time to hit the books now. SIgh.
Thursday, November 27, 2003
 til 6 in da moRNin
Man! I got to relax these past two days... After studying at the library during the daytime on Wednesday, I decided enough was enough. If I were to stay home, I probably would have drove myself insane. So I decided to hit up Cinespace for a night out with my boys. Stacey, if you are reading this, thanks again for telling me about the event and for hooking us up at the door.
What can I say about the night? Well, I got my fade on with Winston, which made the night even more special. You see, Winston never goes out to clubs just because 1) he's a law school student at USC with as much free time as a mom with six young kids and 2) clubs aren't really his thing. But just like me, he needed to give his eyes and mind a break from OD-ing on academics.
The night started out with me and Winston killing Patron. We then took a greyhound (if you like grapefruit juice, get this. If not, stay FAR away) before saying adios mutha*(^^)* to each other. I ended up splitting up from my boys halfway through the night. Things get hazy around the time I was off on my own, but I do know I greeted Jose twice with two different people, infiltrated a beaver den with Mat before ending the night with some random girl getting sex on the beach. If you are reading this and have no idea about what I'm referring to or feel a slight breeze pass over your head, go here for a clear, more detailed explanation.
Back to the recap, since I've been back from Japan, last night has by far been the most fun clubbing night yet... Of course this was also the most crump I think I've been since I've been back. I hope there isn't a positive correlation between these two occurrences because I would hate to see my wallet lose more weight.
So after that nice night of relaxation, I had to wake up at nine in the morning today to get ready for the drive to Carlsbad for the Thanksgiving lunch. The traffic on the way down to San Diego was like freeze-tag... Stop and go. It took me thirty minutes to get to Irvine from Pasadena, but then took two and a half hours to get from Irvine to Carlsbad! I'm not sure why there was even so much traffic too. I think lots of people who aren't used to driving long distances came out today and ended up either babysitting the lanes with one another or ended up driving 50 on the highway with their faces plastered against their windshields. Fortunately, the food that awaited my parents and I when we finally arrived was worth every minute spent on the road, and the ride home fared much better. I ended up cruising from Carlsbad to Pasadena in an hour and ten minutes. Much better.
To sum up this entry, having a night and a day spent focusing on things other than the lsats proved to be good therapy for me. It was a refreshing calmness before the imminent storm. Speaking of which, the test is coming around the corner fast, and all I can do is continue cracking at the books. As each day passes, the stress in me is going to boil more rapidly. I'm just hoping to get through this all without getting burnt.
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Ficky ficky - next topic. Remember how I didn't like the majority of car import models out there? Well, like you saw in the previous entry, there are exceptions. Today's eye candy is no different. Coming from Del Mar, CA and modeling for the Function Garage Crew feel free to unwrap this tasty mint for your eyes, Allie. Umm Mints. Yum.
Tuesday, November 25, 2003
 MAN! Can't wait to see the stuffing between THOSE legs!
 Always remember to have your friends over for dinner
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Pre Turkey Day Entry-
Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Can you guys smell it? Can you? I can not only smell it, I can SEE it already- ALL THAT GOOD FOOD waiting to be devoured. Tender slices of juicy turkey meat, buttered garlic mashed potatoes, breaded meat celery stuffing with a touch of sliced onions, sweet cranberry sauce, slightly seared mahi mahi, steamed pork dumplings.... waitaminute, THOSE aren't traditional American dishes for Thanksgiving!!! Yes, young grasshopper, very observant. The Thanksgiving my family usually has is a fusion of Japanese, Chinese, and American cuisine. I'd like the turkey with sweet and sour sauce, hold the wasabi please.
Thanksgiving this year also will be spent with the family. These days I don't really get the chance to see my sister too often so Thursday will be the day I get to meet up with her and her husband's family. Everyone is so good at making something that every year the food that gets served at these get-togethers are usually 'we-don't-need-you-so-go-screw-yourself-with-a-rolling-pin Martha Stewart' good, and my stomach is trying to hold down its excitement, doing its best to not to bellow like a calf with mad cow disease.
In other news... the LSAT has been on center stage for the past couple months. I feel like I've been listening to a slow and drawn-out speech, knowing exactly what the final words will be and when this oration will end. As the final remarks are being stated however, I'm not sure exactly what's going on. It feels like there might be a chance the LSAT might have something else to say; something that might create an uproar from the audience members of my life. What is going to be said? And more importantly, how much of an impact will it have on my life? Guess time will tell. All I can do is keep doing what I've been doing and wait for those finals words.
Quick birthday shoutout ... This goes to New York's very own Yoree Koh. Even though her birthday was officially last Saturday, I just had to throw in these pictures in honor of her. So meet Ms. Jekyl & Hyde herself, Yoree. Happy birthday girl. And by the way, I still don't think it your technique that was to blame so don't trip. =O
 Winter in YoreeLand |  Somehow it's still chilly |
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Earlier, I was talking about good food for the digestive system. Now I'm going to talk about food for the visual faculty- YUP, today's eye candy. Before the introduction though, and if you are still reading this, I'd like to say I normally don't think import car models are all that. They get a gang of attention enough as it is so I'm sure my opinion doesn't make a difference to them, but I think there's only a few hot import models out there. I can count them with the fingers of one hand, with two fingers left to say peace out. But like Confucious said, "Just because many dumplings not have juice, not mean there are no really juicy dumplings." A wise man indeed. So without further ado, here is the Scottish, English, and Thai candy, Sasha Singleton. Oh and in tribute to Thanksgiving, I decided to post more pictures than usual- Time to get visually stuffed-
Friday, November 21, 2003
THE AY PaPI ENTRY-
Duh duh duh duh, duh-duh duh-duh duh-duh Dayamn! I have really outdone myself this time. I have finally made guacamole so good it can give my tastebuds multiple orgasms. Roughly 100 avocados, half a year, numerous amounts of advice from different people, and dozens of unsatisfying versions later, I have perfected the art of making orgasmic guacamole. I feel like one of those well-known sushi masters in Japan who can a grab a clump of rice containing the same number of rice grains everytime. Okay, maybe that's a little exaggerated, but still, my stomach and my tastebuds can't stop fantasizing over the perfect guacamole I made the other day. Quick fantasy flashback epidose-
 Si Guacamole! Mas! Mas!!!
"So what are the necessary ingredients? What is the recipe? How did you do it?" Shoooo... you think I can tell you what your tastebuds like and dislike? That's like trying to claim I know how to map the G-spot for every woman in the world. Random analogy aside, guacamole is something that can only be perfected through trial and error. Even if I listed all the ingredients and the exact ratio of what to use, it still wouldn't guarantee anything for you. I would only be telling you things that are necessary, not sufficient. (I thank Testmasters for this line of thought) The sufficient part correlates with your personal preferences. So what is sufficient to your tastebuds? You tell me. Better yet, tell yourself.
What I can tell you is that avocados are a crucial ingredient. Wow, insightful huh? Gotta start simple. Home grown avocados are the best... I get a free supply from my mom's friend who has a huge tree out in her backyard... If you don't have your own tree or don't want to face your neighbor's dog while you BORROW their avocados, the next best option is the market available Haas avocados.
Next ingredient: tomatillos - si or no? If you know how to make really good salsa verde, I would suggest experimenting with tomatillos as a substitute for regular tomotoes... Theoretically speaking, you aren't supposed to use regular tomotoes in guacamole. I use both tomatillos and a regular Roma tomoto.
"Onions - brown, white, or red?" Why you gotta be so racist for? Try them all before you start saying anything. I like red onions because they are sweeter and not as harsh as brown or white... The majority of people recommend white onions but they aren't you, so don't follow their advice. Some people also add scallions. I don't, but you might want to try it. Bottom line - be careful with the amount of onions you add. It can really alter and overpower the overall taste.
Lemon, lime, or avocado pits? Lemon and lime are virtually the same, but the taste is different... If you don't believe me, try for yourself (without the tequila and salt). I prefer to use lime... Why use anything acidic in the first place? Well my inquiring friend, the purpose of an acid is to stop the natural oxidation process of avocados, keeping your guacamole a healthy green-mold color!!! Hey, better green mold than brown mold. Some people have claimed that lemons and limes are unnecessary ingredients that only take away from the taste of avocados. They suggest avocado pits are sufficient to stop the oxidation. From my experience, I would have to tell those people to go use the bathroom because they are full of sh(^^)t. I add a pit, but not because I believe it's going to stop the oxidation effect.
Cumin? Have you tried Cumin yet? hahaha. No, I am not speaking slang and forgot a letter... I'm talking about Cumin the spice... Some people claim that adding Cumin significantly affects the taste... I couldn't tell the difference so I concluded I didn't need it.
Cilantro - Yes... Definitely add cilantro. Without it, your guacamole will look naked and taste like it's missing something.
Chile - I use either Thai chile or Mexican jalapenos. You should add at least a little of something even if you can't stand spicy foods.
Salt - Unless you like bland foods, use salt to help raise your blood pressure, I mean, to help your guacamole taste better.
So those are the main ingredients I use to make my perfect guacamole. Of course there are two other ingredients I always use that I didn't state, but it's something that applies to my own personal taste. One last thing, expect to produce decent guacamole for the first few times. Dont' worry though - Experimentation will eventually bring your previous failures out of rehabilitation.
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Quick birthday shoutout to Thuy who is going to get crazy and celebrate in Daygo. I don't really know her too well, but anyone who buys you a tequila shot is alright in my book. heee. If you're reading this, Happy Birthday Thuy.
On behalf of today's entry, I decided to post a picture or a half asian, half latino model. More specifically, she's Apache, Mexican, and Korean. The name of this United Nations model is Rachel Sterling. You might recognize her as the stripper in the movie Tomcats. Okay, I think I should let the pictures do the talking now.
 Click here to see the Import Tuner interview with Rachel
Wednesday, November 19, 2003
 Cactus Erectilus
So are you guys at attention now? I mean did that get your attention? I actually wanted to talk about MY attention ... span that is, so I included that little image above as a introduction. No correlation? Shooo, everything has a connection in one way or another suckah.
Today, I spent another long day at the Pasadena Library. What's weird is that I can slowly see it getting longer. (Again my attention span people, stay with me) I used to remember the days before when half an hour of studying without moving my posterior from a chair used to constitute as an accomplishment... At one point in my life, I seriously thought I had ADD, but now I can conclude I only had selective ADD (to studying) Anyway, I'm proud of myself, even though it took me a latte and a can of red bull-hold-the-vodka today to keep myself awake. Now all I have to do is elongate ... my attention span ... as much as possible. Perhaps then I will be able to bang eight to ten hours of studies without a sweat.
Anyway, diction aside, have any of my female viewers ever tried eating cumquats? They are roughly the size of walnuts, and you can bust them open if you squeeze them hard enough. Perfect as a mix with your late night tea.
Okay, I better go hit the gym and get ready to study again. Before I go though, let me unwrap today's eye candy for you. Here is the lovely half Chinese actress, Ms. Jaymee Ong.
Monday, November 17, 2003
Three more weeks . . . This past week has been rough for me. I have been studying more than I have thought I would be, more than I thought I physically could. What's worse is that even after countless hours staring at the depths of printed text, I still feel like I have not made any significant gain. And then there is time. Time is flying so fast I feel like I am no longer moving. But I am. Trudging wearily, I know my mind will finish this race... But the question is what will be the outcome? Will I stand firm, shouting to the skies in triumph, or will I collapse, never to stand again? Maybe I will fall but then find the courage and strength to pick myself up. Three more weeks . . . This is what I tell myself as I clench my teeth and keep moving. Three more weeks . . . until I know.
Don't worry. The serious tone of this entry won't interfere with the presentation of sweets. Somebody sent me an image of this korean soccer fan. Who needs to buy clothes when national flags can be worn. Thank you Korea. I know there is sweet kimchi in abundance.
Wednesday, November 12, 2003
Hey yall, time for a full entry... Ready? ? ?
What constitutes a good burger? Is it the just right buns that are perfectly grilled to give you that crispy fresh taste? Is it the oozing cheese that dribbles down the sizzling, savory meat? Or could it be the special sauce that looks and tastes like Thousand Island dressing but seems to have a few more thousand somethings in it? Well, maybe it's the combination of all these things. I think all my fellow Californians and other privileged West Coast states will agree when I say In N Out Burgers are just something best expressed using one's taste buds.
Now, for everyone unfamiliar with In N Out, you can order a variety of other things not found on the menu, like grilled cheese sandwiches, a burger or fries done 'animal style', or you can opt for the ultimate meat lover's fantasy- the freedom to choose how many patties of meat you want to devour. Most people have either tried or heard of a 4 X 4. The guy I'm about to tell you about had one before concluding it just didn't do it for him. He needed something more satiating. I don't know why he came up with the figure 16, but I think the number of washingtons in his wallet might have been a factor. This is the pictoral story of Jared Wagner ( the abridged version at least)
 Time for the main course Dammit, i should have brought more change for the tomatoes
 My typical finger food Last dip in the slaughterhouse Who's your uncle? Oh crap, I feel a turtlehead coming
To view the unabridged version, you can go to Jared Wagner's Homepage. If you look at the comments by other viewers, some of them tell him he is their hero while others vituperate and rant about how sick and full of *$#@&* this guy is. In my eyes, Jared is a warrior who deserves at least respect. Have YOU tried to finish more than two 4 x 4's in one sitting before? Don't forget to light three matches after you're finished with the bathroom son.
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Last Saturday marked Susan Wei's 25th birthday and we spent her "quarter-life crisis" playing broom-ball at Pasadena's ice rink. Man, that brought back memories of my freshman college days, and as silly as it seems, broom-ball is still pretty addicting, especially when you have a gang of heads playing together. It was good times for all. Happy Birthday again Susan, if you're reading this. Your get together was therapuetic for me.
Next in line, we have a special for today folks. A special photo from the east coast - My friend from daygo, Mr. Aerie Lin (bottom right), with Chinatown's very own Petey Pablo and a young Woody Allen. hahaha. Ima visit you sometime before you are done with grad school Aerie, I can tell you that. Until then, keep pimpin it with the masses.
Today's entry had a lot of pictures and not too many words. But this way I can omit several things going on in my life and you still wouldn't know better cuz the pictures and stories would distract you. In fact, I can bet half of you aren't even reading this right now because you've scrolled down to see today's girl. blah blah bleh bleh bleh... for those that are still reading, let me introduce the next girl. Big baller dance machine Ryohei Kamata, holding the fort down in Tokyo, introduced this Japanese eye massage to me so that I could introduce her to all yall out there peeping Tom-ing my site.
I don't know much about her, other than the fact that her name is Yui Ichikawa, and she's a model and a singer. That and she's been on a good amount of magazine covers over the past couple of years. As for her singing ability, call me a cut-down tree cuz I'm stumped; never heard her voice. I regret to say this, but generally speaking, a lot of Japanese artists out there are signed not according to their talent, but based more on their looks. But shoot, if the average artist look like this, my ears would gladly take one for the team. Aight, till the next time people.
Monday, November 10, 2003
This isn't really a formal post (I'll post one in a couple of days), but just wanted to give a shout out to one of my boys/ex-condo-mate, Josh, because it's his birthday today. Mr. Josh Tran will be turning 24. Bout time he joined the club. Happily studying dentistry at UCSF, I hope he will be spending this day with drugs other than novacaine or dinitrogen monoxide, more commonly known to clowns with tough audiences as laughing gas. So happy bday Josh! You are officially one year more responsible. HAH!
I stumbled upon this picture of me with Dzuy and Josh the other day when I was clearing off excess junk from my hard drive. It was taken last summer before I left for SushiLand. So in honor of Josh's birthday and in memory of good times, here's the picture. To the mykoes (inside joke, don't try to understand)
Me, Z, & Infidelator Always With Da Plan, Josh Tran
Friday, November 07, 2003
Have any of you bought your 2004 calendars yet? Well, here is one you might wanna get. I heard it's selling out fast so cop yours soon.
What up yall. I got sent a couple of links to check out and I just had to share them with the viewing public of my journal. The first site I wanna introduce is www.marryyourpet.com
Here is an excerpt from the disclaimer section:
"MarryYourPet agrees only to marry you and to try to do fun things. This marriage is not recognised either by the court of law or the church, but by the much higher realm of the great pet god in the sky - Mr. Mustofales. Although a mere cat, he is however, omniscient. Don't think you can fool him, ever. If you feed your pet substandard or (heaven forbid) supermarket's own pet food, he will know and you will suffer later."
---Good lo, this site is pretty well made. Somebody must be wearing ten watches cuz they have too much time on their hands. But for the purpose of entertainment, this is fine by me.
Let's continue shall we? Who out there likes to play paper, rock, scissors? Okay, now will all the first graders please put your hands down. Think this game can be considered a sport? Some people think golf is not a sport, and my theory for why they think that way is because they probably failed miserably trying golf so they unconsciously justified that their inability must lead to the conclusion that golf is not a sport. Let's see, come up with an excuse, pick my self-esteem up from the fairway. Anyway, I don't play golf, but I know it's hard. What does this have to do with paper, rock, scissors you might ask? If there is anyone who doesn't think paper, rock, scissors is a sport (that can be played in a tournament), don't tell Master Roshombollah or he might attack you with a scissors fist.
According to a CBS Early News Article, Jason Simmons from Washington, D.C., or Master Roshombollah as he's called, says, “Like any professional athlete, I've been doing a progressive training schedule for the last six to eight weeks. Start off strong. But for the last week or so, I've been trying to take it easy because you don't want an injury going into a tournament of this magnitude.”
So what do you think? Well, don't think. Visit the 2003 International Paper Rock Scissors Site to read more about this fascinating sport. I'm not sure if this has any correlation to this topic but during both 2002 and 2003 the tournaments were held in Toronto, Canada... hmmm.....
On to personal news, I finally went to visit Lan in Chino Hills. Her apartment brought back memories of college when I used to hear the neighbors living on the floor above me run around. Lan's place was nice and tidy, which was surprising, being that I once found some uneaten old oatmeal still in a bowl in her car. Heee, but glad to say, no such things were to be found this time around. I also saw the third Matrix (with Ms. Nguyen). Not as satisfying as I'd like it to be, but I wasn't disappointed by it either. At least watch this flick for the imagery, which one critic hailed as being visual poetry.
Aight, now to end today's entry. Yup, the sweet stuff. This is Kyouko Hasegawa, an actress is Japan who is blowing up. Well, actually, she's been pretty big for a couple of years, but still, she still holding it down strong. Let your eyes feast.
Thursday, November 06, 2003
I just needed to show all yall this image that one of my homegirls from New York, Yumi, sent me the other day. It was titled "Wendy's New Hamburger" and I was not expecting anything remotely like this when I opened my mail... But I ended up cracking up and had to share this with the viewing public. Yumi, if you are reading this, you crazy girl. I don't know how you get all these funny images.
If the image below hasn't already caught your attention (which is like someone asking you to not picture a pink elephant for the next 10 seconds and you being able to), I must warn you that this might be considered tasteless to some viewers, especially those belonging to the female gender. I just wanted to state that I completely agree with you on that matter. Wendy's hamburgers are generally tasteless so your accusations and claims are well justified. Hah! Also, women wearing thongs are acceptable, so why not food? It does cover more surface area.
Anyway, without further ado, here is Wendy's new hamburger . . .
Uh, I asked for extra onions too
To help wash down the filth that is probably in your mind right now from viewing that image, here is the eye candy of the day, Yoko Kumuda. She is supposedly one of the most popular idols in Japan today. I'm just presenting the case; you be the judge.
Monday, November 03, 2003
Do you like Pho? Are you tired of waiting for your Nam to hurry from Tai? Tired of waiting seven minutes for your order or paying an exorbitant price of $4.00 for a super bowl? SAY NO MO! Try INSTANT PHO! Costing only $0.49 at your local asian market and taking only three minutes to make, you really can't lose anything! (Except for maybe a few days of your life from the crazy amount of MSG) Doesn't that make you wanna say Mmmmm Mmmmm "s" Good!!!
It is starting to get cold these days... Yeah I know... Spoiled California native - when anything hits below 60, I complain and whine. But isn't all we know based upon our previous experiences and memories? If all I know is California warmth and sunshine, how can I have any idea of how cold it gets in New York or other unimaginably colder spots? Yeah sucka, I can't because everything is relative and my ignorance should not be liable for information that might be known to other parties with different experiences and first-hand knowledge. =O Oh!
Last weekend I went to AD for Gracie's b-day. Being the fact that I knew Gracie very well, (1 day's worth at Z's party) I decided to go with Mr. Alcoholic himself, Brent. I guess I knew what I was getting myself into, but I tried to remain optimistic and walked the denial route. I haven't seen Brent since he left Japan in July so I was looking forward to kicking it with him.
It should have occurred to me that I was in over my head when the first thing Brent did after greeting me was to offer me a beer. Okay, that's coo. One before we hit the road. But my fears starting chuckling "told you so" when I realized B was taking along a friend I met many times before, but didn't really want coming with us that night - a scud missle sized japanese sake bottle.
So we arrive at the club and have a few words with Scud in my car before stepping into the club. Unfortunately Scud wanted to come in with us but we had to tell him no gently. Once we entered AD, Brent forced Jose, another old friend, to say hi to me, three times supposedly although I only remember the first time. I still think there was only ONE time BRENT. hahaha. I would have remembered the limes man. Anyway, after I met Jose, I had to show some retributive love so I treated Brent to an all expense paid two minute trip to Long Island.
Thinking things would be alright after our vacation, I receive another introduction, this time from Twee. She gave me the pleasure of meeting Jose's white brother, Patron. Man.... result of this adventure, yup, I got tow up, but not to the point where it was from the flo up. Anyway, I had a pretty good time. I think birthday girl Gracie had a good time too and for sho it was a blast kicking it with Brent again.. Jose and Scud, well that's another matter. Aight gotta get back to my studies.
 Brent and Twee
 Janice, Polo, and Ellen (gnawing on my finger)
Friday, October 31, 2003
Happy Halloween yall. How do you guys plan to spend your Halloween? Sitting at home pretending to not be home when the kids come over because you stuffed your face and killed all the candy you were supposed to give out? "Can't those kids tell that if the lights aren't on, then nobody is home to give em candy?" Shoooo. heehee Don't be dicks... Make the kids happy - give em candy. It IS a Friday and I'm not sure I remember the last time a Halloween was on a Friday, so my bet is a lot of people are not going to be home. Anyhow, to help with the Halloween ambiance, here are some carved pumpkin pix.
 Stop the Pumpkin on Pumpkin Violence |  Tow up Pumpkin |
The weather has gotten cooler recently, particularly today. Finally the feel of autumn has come. I hope that any rain that might come our way will arrive soon so that it will help alleviate the problems the fires within California have created. To any of those who have unwanted or extra blankets, there is a current shortage and the Red Cross needs your donations to help with the victims of this devastating fire.
On a more merrier note, rookie sensation LeBron James is able to prove that he can indeed walk the walk. This boy has a lot of pressure on him and I'm glad that he's able to do his thang without being affected. As for the Kobe/Shaq drama, well I'm just gonna let them Lakers play and save the soap opera for daytime television.
Lastly, have you guys checked out Maxim's current edition with Jessica Alba on the cover? Either buy this month's edition or go to their website OooooooooWeeeeeeeeeeee. Be careful, if you look too long, you might get cavities in your eyes.
Friday, October 24, 2003
I walk into a small quaint living room and my eyes instantly stumble upon a Latina in her early twenties relaxing on a plush loveseat across from me. Her gaze locks with mine and rather than being surprised or alarmed at my sudden presence, she tilts her head and smiles, as if expecting me. I sheepishly grin back before speaking or approaching her. My mind holds down the scan-forward button of my memory as too many frames to count per second hurtle through my head. I can't remember. I can't remember how I know this girl. . . I pause one last time before deciding to just ask her. With each step closer to her, I try to remember again, wringing my mind like a sponge one last time to get any drips of memory that might not have been squeezed out before. To no avail. As I muster up my voice to ask her why she looks so familiar, a husky man slams opens a door on my right, rushing towards me.
As I am being tackled and flung to the floor, my mind settles an agreement with logic, signing the affidavit. Terms- Do not mess with this girl. Condition- Well, I'm getting conditioned right now. I look over my shoulder to explain to this man I was just going to talk to the girl, when I receive a sharp slap from reality . . . The man holding me doesn't have a face! I could make out the shape of his head along with his almost bic-ed hair, but I could see no actual features on his face: No nose; no eyes; no mouth. The face resembles more like the smooth surface of a brown egg shell. Realization sinks further in, providing me with relief, like an anchor finally getting thrown to help damper the uncontrollable movements of a boat trapped in turbulent waters. I now know this is only a dream. That would explain everything from my abrupt entrance to this strange face-less man.
I try to will myself awake as the man keeps me debilitated on the floor. I feel like an oriental rug pinned by four legs of a heavy mahogany table. Then I feel a sharp sensation on the middle part of my spine. The pressure steadily increases and the girl on the couch starts to whimper, pleading the man to stop. As the pain builds, I start to second guess myself- perhaps this really isn't a dream. Then the pressure is released for a split second before I feel an intense blow on my spine. My back feels like it's been snapped like a dry twig in mid-autumn. My body shudders as I wake up, sitting up quickly in bed.
Even though logic tries to soothe me, whispering what just happened was only a dream, my mind adamantly refuses to listen, shunning everything. My hands quickly dart to my back to check for any possible damage that might have incurred. I move my back in various positions before admitting to myself it really WAS only a dream.
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Ever have those times where you catch yourself slipping in your dream, and with a shudder, you wake up? That usually happens to me, but this dream was so different. It was so vivid and real. I have felt my heart knocking against the door of my chest after dreams I have had before, but this time, I felt my heart violently pounding away. Is this how some people die in their sleep? Dreams cannot outwardly kill you, but can they somehow attack you inwardly? Can your body respond so greatly to a dream that a heart attack can be induced? Interesting to think about, or maybe not. . . There's enough to worry about when we're awake. heh
Okay, I must apologize for that random bout. Let's go on to something more familiar, shall we? EYE CANDY ! ! ! I feel like a kid sharing his sweettarts with others. This next featured candy was a Hawaiian Tropic contestant. I'm not sure if she won or not, but good lo, she looks good. She also models for cars, not at import events, but rather for shoots with cars like in calendars, posters, and such. Here is the eye massagin Celeste.
 Celeste
 Celeste
Monday, October 20, 2003
Album Review
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Album Title / Artist
1) "What's a Man to Do" by Frankie J
2) "HARD" by Jagged Edge
--- Frankie J's (one of the finalist on American Idol 1 who got eliminated) album is surprisingly pretty good. I thought it would be all popped out. I didn't like all the tracks, but I give the songwritters credit for laying down some nice licks. Even if you have a crazy voice, if your songwriters can't write more than their ABC's, you can be sure to say bye to sales.
--- Jagged Edge's album was disappointing to say the least. Their songs and lyrics were anything but smooth. Maybe that is why they are called what they are. And "HARD?" What kind of image are they trying to sell to us? Oh I get it. Hard to sell. Gotcha. Don't waste your money, or if you are a kazaa user, don't waste your time or internet bandwidth downloading this album.
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Book I've Recently Read
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1) Snack Thief by Andrea Camilleri - International bestseller about a case that turns out be linked with more than was previously thought. Specific huh? I know.
2) No One to Trust by Iris Johansen - Suspense about a mercenary and a guerilla who share the same enemy and must side with each other after U.S. protection cannot guarantee safety or refuge.
3) To the Bone by Neil McMahon - A whodunnit about a death that occured to a woman who recently underwent plastic surgery and the other mysterious events that occurred involving many of the possible suspects.
4) Idlewild by Nick Sagan - Science fiction from veteran screen-writer Sagan. Portrays a future scenario with A.I. and IVR (Interactive Virtual Reality)
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Alright, now lets go into some random stuff . . . The man who holds the record for the largest arms is Manfred Hoeberl. He has an uncontested arm size of 25.5 inches. Imagine taking someone's head and placing it on someone's upper arms and there you go. Craziness. Here's a picture of him, although you have to see other shots to really grasp how large his arms are. It's kinda gross actually.
 Mr. Largest Arms in the World
Now to end this on a sweeter note, I decided to show yall one popular Japanese race queen. Not sure if she is still modeling but oh well.
 Aki Kawamura
Saturday, October 18, 2003
Headaches slowly gather across the horizon, their footsteps reverberating throughout the sweltry deserts of my brain. Their imminence becomes more of a reality as their trudging slowly crescendoes over the silence that once existed. My mind slowly accepts this fate before horribly caterwauling, surprising, if not for only a brief moment, the band of advancing headaches.
WTF Ted, what da feeeezy do you mean? Okay, good question. This is exactly what I feel like after I do too many hours worth of lsat questions. ALLLLLright, maybe it is exaggerated a little, but my head does seem like it wants to explode and my mind DOES feel like shrieking like a cat who got his whiskers and tail cut off.
Testmasters provides students with 15 books... That's right. Not 5. I did not forget that one in the tens place- 15. Good lo. And it takes more than a while to complete each book, one due each lesson. So you can imagine the tug of war between temperament and patience going on in the facilities of my mind. For those who can't imagine, i'm going to give you a taste ... let's just say something to help whet your imagination.
LSAT SAMPLE QUESTION (clear your mind, grab a pen, and take no more than two minutes to solve this baby. The answer [don't cheat and look now] is the ninth letter of the first word of the third paragraph of this journal entry. If you can't figure that out, you don't deserve to know the correct answer. hahaa)
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In the Centerville Botanical Gardens, all tulip trees are older than any maples. A majority, but not all, of the garden's sycamores are older than any of its maples. All the garden's maples are older than any of its dogwoods.
If the statements above are true, which one of the following must also be true of trees in the Centerville Botanical Gardens?
(A) Some dogwoods are as old as the youngest tulip trees.
(B) Some dogwoods are as old as the youngest sycamores.
(C) Some sycamores are not as old as the oldest dogwoods.
(D) Some tulip trees are not as old as the oldest sycamores.
(E) Some sycamores are not as old as the youngest tulip trees.
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Now if this is super easy for any of you guys out there, and you really did analyze all the parts correctly, give yourself a round of applause. For me, these types of questions just get to me after a while. Speaking of lsats, I guess I should get ready to study again. Nothing like spending a nice sunny day studying in a library. Till the next time pahtnah.
Saturday, October 11, 2003
Self-control; self-restraint; self-perseverance. You know what these have in common? Yeah, yeah yeah . . . The dash. But other than that, for me these words are all puns. Doing something the self really wants to do shouldn't involve control, restraint, or perseverance. Okay, before some of you might object by saying that is exactly what anarchy and disorder amounts to, let me spray some windex on that dirty window. I'm talking about one thing... I wanna party.
Since I've been back from Japan, I've been pretty good about not going out as much and with regulating the intake of a certain kind of liquid. And this kind of behavior is supposed to be intact until December, but man, there are days when I just feel so torn between what I should do and what impulse wants me to do.
Last night, Christina was holding a party in Santa Barbara; Chester, Stace, and Vu went to Joya in Hollywood; I wanted to either go to one of those things, or at least do something fun, but I ended up staying home and studying. . . Wasn't too bad. Wasn't that productive either, but at least I didn't give in to the self and go out. We'll see how tonight goes. I wanna check out Century Club but then again, I really should . . .
On the flip side, I did give myself a long overdue haircut. And I did give my boy Winston a haircut too. His hair was fuZZYFABulous when when I saw him last night. He wanted to cut it short or grow it out, and I asked him, "you mean longer?" Good lo, call me a gardener cuz I mowed that lawn and took them weeds out. hahaha. And I decided to show yall how it was. Note the facial expressions - Priceless. Lol.
 Unsatisfied wit da way you look???
 Let Ted chop YO weAVE!!!
Wednesday, October 08, 2003
Man, a third entry this week. I think we have a winner folks! Studying LSATs all day long is like like trying to watch turtle porn, visually fatiguing and as dry as a fish taco from Rubio's. Sorry Discovery Channel, gotta flip to the next station. This might explain why I took up reading and writing more in this journal as a breather.
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3 books I recently finished:
1) Sensei by John Donohue - Mystery about someone killing great martial artists in the U.S.
2) Darkness in Him by Andrew Lyons - Novel about how a student with everything going his way suddenly unleashes a darkness in him that is supposedly dormant within us all.
3) Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs - International Bestseller about a forensic anthropologist getting deeply involved with the homicide cases turning up
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For those of you interested in your own personality analysis, go to Jung Typology Test. I found this site on Z's website and I have the same opinion as he does. While not 100% accurate, this test does hit home in many areas. For those who have not read Z's well written entries and thoughts, visit his page and see what this eloquent computer science & ENGINEERing (can't forget that part) degree holder has to say.
Back to what else is new . . . I started my Testmasters class last night and took a diagnostic test. Got my results back today and did better than I thought but I still want this test to cry out uncle when I slap it in the face. Speaking of which, better get back to my studies.
Monday, October 06, 2003
Hi again. It's me. Yah I know. I just posted yesterday . . . Two posts two days in a row? what is this world coming to? Anyway, just wanted to say that I updated my http://seeted.tripod.com site with 3 new pages from Japan, including one page dedicated to THE photabulous Lan Nguyen. For those of you interested, click under the Japan Take 2 link.
Instead of making this a long drawn out entry like the one yesterday, I'm going to end this on a sweet note. Real Sweet actually ... Yup, gonna give yall some Eye CANDY ... Any of you heard of DJ LadyTribe, who spins in LA clubs?!? One of my friends told me to look her up. Good Lo. She is gonna spin at the Century Club this week on the 11th. Man, that event is gonna be Japan where the clubbers dance facing the dj instead of dancing with other clubbers. LOL.
Without further ado, here are the sweets taken from DJ ladytribe's website, www.djladytribe.com :::
Sunday, October 05, 2003
AD yall... Nope, not anno domini, or after death, although if it had to be heaven and hell, I wouldn't consider this joint anywhere near the heavenly realms. AD is a club in LA promoted by On Productions on Saturdays, an Asian crew. Other venues include a small azz little place that even if told, nobody would know, and the Garden of Eden on Fridays. Anyway, one of my friends knew one of the promoters so we decided to try this place... that and we heard we didn't have to dress up fully, but it was still supposed to be fashionable, so we went drasual, yah know. So we get there, and the line is just riDICulous to say the least. Even though we were on the guest list AND our promoter hookup was working the front lines, we still had to wait over an hour and a half to get in, imagine that. We would have left earlier, but we were the next party waiting to get in and when you are that close to gettin in, false illusions are inserted into your mind. So that extra step made us hesitate to step.
We finally end up getting in and I was expecting this place to be burnin up cuz the wait was long ... Well, I'm not sure what happened because the people who were there were anything BUT, if you know what I mean. On the flip side, I did go with my friends and it is always about who you go with that makes things fun, but can we get a little quality control up in here? hahaha Anyway, to make the night interesting, I bumped into some random people. Saw pimpin Irvin on the prowl with his UCLA Dental classmates; saw some friends from San Diego; saw some old friends from my high school. But what made the night a trip in terms of bumping into people was that I actually bumped into the finest asian girl I have ever met in my life. Well, she WAS the finest asian girl I knew.
Thing is, when I was dancing and doin my thing, this girl from the stage approaches the edge and tries to get my attention. So I stop and go over to her and she's like "Ted." And my head starts going through the rapid process of trying to remember who this girl was, quickly followed by how I could play it off without drawing a blank stare... So I smile and warm-heartedly greet her as "girl"... but I guess my facial expression wasn't ready to be associated with bull because the girl looks at me and then asks if I even knew who she was. I decide to just be straight with her and told her no... Then she tells me her name. "GOOOOOOOD LO! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU MA?" Course I ended up commenting how she cut her hair. Yo, if one's inner thoughts were verbal, this world would just be one messed up place. hahaha..
But this girl, who i actually was mad feelin in my San Diego days was nothing like what I remembered. Some of you might actually think a different hair style (excluding bic-ing one's head) can't really make that big of a difference in appearances and this is what I thought myself too, but dayang Gina, it sure did in this case. I kid you not, when I met this girl for the first time, I was in a stupor... But that's not saying much because when I met her again, I was in another kind of stupor. hahhaha.. Well, people and things do change and I'm aware of that, but I hope she really does something different with her hair. I wonder what her good friends tell her about her looks cuz only they and your family have the right to tell you that kind of stuff. But it is seriously an injustice to her previous state of being if you ask me ... If she was my close friend, I would have to break it down mathematically for her. ::: U = hot ::: Now = not ::: ::: ::: Now + U = not hot ::: ::: ::: Now u not hot..... gotta change dat hair ma, for real. Some of you guys might think I'm being mean, but you don't know how FINE this girl was when I first met her... (stuporous nostalgic look)
Back to the clubbing, it was kind of a disappointment because this was the only night I was going to allocate for clubbing before December ( $#&*$@ LSATS ) ... But since I'm wasn't satisfied, I might have to go to another event coming up in November... Look at me planning so far ahead in advance, kinda sad actually =I .... But I think I'm going to be going to the Mayan for the Thanksgiving weekend bash held by Proofpositive. The Mayan has been consistently alright with me, so I'm pretty sure Ima hit that one up, even though I heard that Proofpositive events themselves have kinda gotten worse in the year that I've been gone... But like Ghandi trying his first nice filet mignon would say, "Don't knock it til you try it."
Anyway, if any of you out there wanna party during Turkey Day weekend, see you guys there. Let's do this thing right. haha. aight, I think I tagged enough in cyberspace today. Till the next time.
Saturday, September 27, 2003
After contemplating this for some time now, I finally decided to enroll in testmasters to help me with my lsat preparations. After listening to advice from current law school students and those who have already taken this beloved test, I decided that even if I study on my own, it wouldn't hurt to take a lsat course. Get this though- the creator of testmasters boasts that he holds the record for having the most perfects on the lsats, an uncontested eleven times... of course that probably goes to say that he probably also holds the record for taking the lsat more than anyone else in the world. heehee. I'm not hating, I'm just saying. What's more, if you are willing to dish out an extra $1500 on top of the regular enrollment fee, you can be taught by the man, the myth, the legend... yup you guessed it, Mr. Titleholder himself. And people actually DO enroll in this class. Some even claim that his way is THE way. Well if this was kung-fu and I wanted to learn from the head Shaolin monk, that is a little different... or is it?
Anyway, something interesting/strange occurred last night. It was at one of my friend's house. So my friend comes home around 11:30 after studying. Coincidentally he and his mother both arrive at the house at the same time. They see a white Altima parked in the driveway and think it's a little strange, but it could be one of the brother's friend so they don't really dwell on it. Ten minutes later, my friend's brother comes home and sees the same car... He claims he saw a couple of people in the car so he calls the police. Trustworthy 50 comes a few minutes later and asks my friend what the problem is to which he says 'an unknown car is parked in our driveway.' THe cops then ask about the people in the backyard to which my friend and his family say "what people?" LOL
So what ends up happening is that the cops make two arrests, has a chopper fly over my friend's house for about an hour, and then tells my friend's family the situation. The white altima was a stolen vehicle and the two passengers were high off their azzes. So high that they decided to park the car at a house they found inviting whose front lawn seemed even more inviting. Even after my friend, his mom, and his brother came home, these two guys still didn't feel the need to get going. The lawns musta been a Sealy Orthopedic type. heee These two guys end up going back into the car, lying back down on the front yard, and then roaming around in the backyard. So that's how the popos found these two guys.
Talk about random. There is a message to this story though, several actually: If you are going to steal a car and don't wanna get caught, 1) Don't do drugs 2) Don't park in a stranger's driveway 3) If you can't resist the urge to do step 2, leave when the owners of the house come back home 4) Don't try to sleep on a stranger's front AND back yard lawn. Good lo. haha
Aight then, gotta hit them books.
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
*** Random entry *** If you don't like random, oh well, you think random likes you? =D
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Unrelentless winds batter my sail,
Pushing and pulling me from the trail.
Desperately praying for some unseen land,
I'd give anything to set food on sand.
Overwhelming thick mist callouses my sight,
But i still frantically search for light.
Perhaps something is out that may just save me
Or perhaps false hope is playing tricks on my sanity.
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This rhyme doesn't really signify anything in particular that is going on with my life or anyone that I know, but i just decided to write it. Well, maybe it is for a few of my friends, but they think it's a clear sunny day. But I guess individual interpretation is the only thing that really matters anyway... haha LoL.
But going back to why I wrote those few lines, it could apply to me later on. Even though I know exactly what I need and want to be doing right now, who knows what tomorrows tides will bring for me. Even someone with the most focus can look up and within one mere blink of an eye, see the world as Monet did... Yeah everyone IS beautiful from that distance pahtnah... heee. Aight, so pop dat contact that fell out back in right? Exactly. Rinse, wash, and put that mug back in. Refocus dat scene. Aight so maybe I'm the only one who understands what I'm trying to say, but shooo, it's my journal so I guess that's all that matters too. Man, individual interpretation and comprehension without consideration of other views; isn't that an unselfish outlook. (^^) Well, anyway, till da next time.
Thursday, September 04, 2003
The good old united states of ameriCA, and there's a reason why the last two letters of ameriCA are capitalized... If you don't know why... I'm sorry. It must be a very dark place where you live. lol (^^)
I came back on Labor Day, while everybody was no doubt partying somewhere or at least lounging around. I initially thought I would have mad reverse culture shock, but surprisingly I don't. I do find myself doing things only people in Japan do ( i will spare you the details), but those habits will no doubt dwindle as time runs farther down the road toward the finish line of my life... Dayang, that didn't sound too positive, but oh well. Metaphor stated; meaning conveyed; next line.
As for my stomach having an orgasm.. It has... multiple times. =D First day back I had some Dim Sum with my rents... Then I went to Souplantation, which I know some of you don't like but I do and it was good to OD on salad once again. I also went to Tommy's burgers and Tops.... Man, the funny thing about Tommy's burgers was that I forgot about the serving size of those burgers. They are HUGE! I thought I would be able to finish two items easy so I ordered a chili cheese hotdog and a double cheeseburger... When the food came out, dayamn Gina! It was like my stomach agreed to a blind menage and then two fat biker chicks ring the doorbell asking to get the party started already... But needless to say, i just closed my eyes and took it. hahaha. Naw, yall know what I mean...Git your minds out the gutter! But lil tip for all you buffet lovers out there: the faster you eat, the more you will be able to eat... Guess if you are at a constant state of consumption, your stomach won't be able to respond as readily as if you ate, rested, ate, rested, blah blah blah. Dat's right all my mass consumers out there, do yo dayamn thang.
What else has happened... Oh yeah i have two new tracks that I put together... Maybe I'll let some of you guys listen to it one day...one song is called 'afterparty' and the rap part goes-
Dayamn you looking so fine
Let's do this thing
Click and clack some wine
Boo, you wanna spit some math
Arithmatically
Leading to your bath
So many ways to make you wet
Ending in doggie
Don't call the vet
Yo, we gonna get real crump
Bottle in my hand
As I smack that rump
Ma Ima ice you down
Heat you back up
Til you scream like a hound
Girl, hope you ain't a gold digger
Cuz I'll hit and split
my nugget on your figure
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Anyway, just wanted to share that part with all you guys lounging out there in cyber space... Well, that's all for today--- Still have jet lag so I better tag, myself to sleep and get deep, with them dreams so that things may seem, oh so much better. ONe
Monday, August 18, 2003
Wow, I decided to post something this morning and discovered that the blogger.com website template has changed and things look more.... well colorful... hahaha.. Guess it has been awhile since I last posted anything... Besides the same ole same ole, things in Japan have been good. It`s still summer but it`s been raining for four days straight. Go figure... And the monsoon season is supposed to be over... Guess nature likes to flip the script every now and then...
Being that I am leaving in about two weeks to go back to the States, there are so many things that need to be done before I depart. I have to sell all my furniture, write letters of appreciation to family and friends, and of course say my good-byes... It seems like I have been saying my farewells a lot these past couple of years. I have said my goodbye to friends, family, and former ways of life... Of course some things never change, but my prior perspective and insight certainly has. I feel blessed to be able to have seen and met so many different people and things during my stay in Japan. It`s funny how some goodbyes symbolize the ending of something or some phase in one`s life, while other goodbyes symbolize the renaissance of a person or time. Not that I am saying that I am reborn, but in a sense, I am...There are some things I have come to realize that will forever remain engraved on the aging tree trunk of my memory.
I am looking forward to seeing everyone back in the States. =D Pass me the double double... naw let`s make it a 6x6.
Monday, June 23, 2003
Hello friends and me reading this sometime in the future. Just wanted to give a quick update on a lil this and that. Had two friends come over this weekend, one from good ole Stateside, and the other from Japan`s countryside. Put one and one together, and you get eleven.
Chester, thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule and visiting me. You famous now man... Going to be in all these high tech magazines out over here. I`ll try to buy next month`s edition. Hope you liked the food, drinks, and the nightlife, one day with me as it might have been.
Kristen, thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule as well. If Spontaneity had a kid, he`d probabaly bust his wallet out and show everyone a picture of you. But I really do appreciate you coming to Tokyo in the midst of all this well...... mist.... =P But hope you had a good time here as well, although you still didn`t get half as wet as you should have on Wonder Drop. Man, Log Jammer would be crying if he saw that.
Lastly, just wanted to thank the both of you for taking care of me on Saturday night. Man, after Jose greeted you Chester, you did the smart thing and made yourself lost... I decided to stick around, but in the casino called Tequila, the house always wins. Anyway, just wanted to express my gratitude. We need to meet up and do this again... All three of us, with of course Petey Pablo. Aight yall, till the next time cows and sake are mixed on the ones and twos of our lives.
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
Moshi mosh!!!! Wow, another month passes before I decide to finally post again. Seems like the days are flying as fast as they are falling. For a quick update, just wanted to say that things here have been good. I`m getting more and more busy with school and work, and of course trying to juggle my hobbies. Went to another wedding this past weekend and got to sing a lil SHAI for my cousin cuz I know they are going to be together forever. uhhhh. heee... I don`t think she, her husband, or any other guest understood the lyrics, but I guess the delivery was all that mattered... Other than that, I`ve been trying to compose a couple of songs for... well if you don`t know what I`m talking about then it`s all good.... I just have to give it up to composers who are able to produce hit after hit.. Man, I am just trying to be satisfied with what I make... I`m not even thinking about how other people will think..... but then again, what`s the point of having something everybody but you likes? Nobody can please you like yourself... waitaminute.. that doesn`t sound too good. oh well too late. post that mug.
As for other things going on in my life... I seem to catch glimpses of Time smirking in the outskirts of my consciousness, anticipating when it can laugh aloud. The landslide has slowly started to shift, accumulating more dirt and debris and overwhelming the perimeter above. My vision and insight should no longer be called that... I am staring at the imminent rush of earth as intuition and logic raise their argumentative voices, starting to challenge each other. But instead of running and trying to avoid the inevitable, I stand firm, lower my head and close my eyes, ready to accept the consequences of my decision; ready to accept the rushing future. Whatever passes will pass; whatever takes me will take me. I raise my head just before the tumbling earth reaches my trembling heart but steady soul. I see a figure to my right, ready to embrace what is coming as well. Then the haze blinds me and blankets everything. I try to see through the mist, but my imagination forms shapes that don`t exist. Or do they? I will have to wait until the dust clears...Whether or not I will be standing or swept away, I just wait in silence, and pray.
Wednesday, May 07, 2003
Clubbing, clubbing, clubbing. If I was to describe my last week in one word, I would have to say, yup you guessed it, clubbing. I have never been clubbing so many times in one week nor do I care to repeat that, even though it was pretty fun. I became a full time clubber working the graveyard shift last week for reals. 5 days a week, 8 hours per night. Good lo.
Charlie took a 12 hour bus ride to Tokyo and we started the first night eating as many cows as there are at UC Davis. To sum it up shortly, partying with Charlie was really fun, but really tiring. Man, my body took a beating like a rambunctious misbehaving school boy in a public Taiwan school. Charlie was able to meet Bobby, my friend from Hawaii who got transferred to the same prefecture that Charlie currently works in. To make things even more coincidental, these two guys discovered they lived in the same little village... When they found they lived near each other, Bobby and Charlie started jumping and hugging each other like long lost lovers separated by a tornado. Actually let me make this more vividly stimulating for you guys. They transformed into little school girls playing hopscotch on Ritalin. Classic kodak moment. Hold still fellahs and say "Craaaack for kids!" =D
Other than kicking it with Charlie for a good week, things here have slowly settled down. I`m slowly reverting back to my student diet and getting back to opening my dusty books. Hope I don`t have a bad allergy attack, but I gotta stop the dust bunnies from having their wild orgies. Oh no! Here we go again.
Monday, April 21, 2003
Yo, just wanted to thank all the heads that came out on Saturday. I was kinda tired of running back and forth but having all you guys show up made it all worthwhile. The manager of the club also thanks everyone for coming and being good patrons. Dayang, mobbing with 55 heads felt all too nostalgic to the days back in daygo. It was a fun night, climaxing when Yoree became the sacrificial lamb. Oh my gosh, never have I seen a black bear play with a ragged doll in such a way! (^0^)
As for my drinking bet, despite still going to clubs and parties, things are going surprisingly well. I`m able to decline drinks with more ease and dignity now. Better watch out Lan and Emi! Not being able to drink at all does have its tough moments though. Going to a Japanese all you can drink party and only drinking tea or ginger ale is comparable to going to a Brazilian steakhouse buffet and only eating the salad. Kind of sad when you think about it. But actually, I am considering giving up drinking entirely. I haven`t decided if I am really going to follow through with this, but the thought is definitely marinating in my mind.
The reason why I`m thinking this is because without liquor, my body seems to feel so much more healthy and energized, and I don`t waste any time the day after because there is no need to recover! Now if only the act of quitting alcohol could cause my eyelids to get off their lazy behinds in the morning, oh how fast I would say bye to Jose and never visit Long Island again.
Well, other than the same ole same ole with the addition of classes, things here are good. Busy, but good. So until the next time we stumble upon each other`s gazing soul.
Thursday, April 17, 2003
Wow. It`s been quite some time since my last update... Well, better monthly than biannually. Speaking of which, did you know that biannually can mean both twice and year and once every two years? Okay, enough trivial randomness. School has started and so has my bet with two friends. The bet is whether or not I can last two months straight without a single drop of liquor. Now in the States that would be fairly easy but in Japan, that is considered insane. Actually, it`s funny because the American friend that I bet with already granted me permission to drink two times since the start of the bet... making it seem a little unfair to her, but if I can have my cake and eat it too, then might as well get full off of dessert. Besides that, things have been good. Oh, one of my friends recently asked me for some advice on relationships. Doctor Ted is on the air. Enjoy
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Dear ***,
Can`t make this email a long one, but wanna address your question. First off, why would you NOT like a really great guy? No physical attraction? Or nothing inside the supermodel exterior but too much evian water? Okay, well I`m sure you have your reasons for wanting to call it quits and you asked how you can end the relationship without going to the General Hospital. Well if you don`t wanna hurt his feelings, Dr. Ted suggests two options. The first option requires a little disicpline and time. While dating him, make his life a living hell... That way, HE is the one who calls it quits. Thus, not only will you repel him, but you will fill his heart with hatred instead of sorrow.
Option number 2 is to just ask him for sex and nothing more. Suggest all you want and need is sexual healing and if he is looking for more strings, tell him he can find such items at Michaels or any other arts n`crafts store. Now if Avrile starts singing complicated in this situation, you have the choice of integrating option 1 to help you get out. Remember, for him to not get hurt, HE needs to be the one who calls it quits...
Lastly, you have the "shoot-the-moose-in-the-head-not-the-leg" method... Stop with your shrubbery fetish! Bushes get hurt too when you beat them. Just straight up fess up to Mr. Great Guy that you are no longer interested in him romantically but still want to continue the relationship on the exclusive condition that he is aware all you can offer him from here on out is your everlasting, undenying platonic friendship. Sooo, those are your options. I hope this helps yah.
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