One day more...

Okay, you have to be a fan of the musical Les Miserables... and if you are, this video is quite superb. GOBAMA!

I suppose I'm not entirely dead inside

Tron sent me these quotes, which made me cry.

Gee thanks, Joe. You're swell.

"Sometimes we tend to be in despair when the person we love leaves us, but the truth is, its not our loss, but theirs, for they left the only person who wouldnt give up on them."

"Have you even been in love? Horrible, isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens your heart and it means someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses. You build up this whole armor, for years, so nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life... You give them a piece of you. They don't ask for it. They do something dumb one day like kiss you, or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so a simple phrase like `maybe we should just be friends' or `how very perceptive' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a body-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love."
-- Neil Gaiman

I freaking knew it!!

In addition to serving as a government tracking device AND strengthening robot culture, here's yet another reason why I prefer not to use cell phones if possible.

It's the same reason why I don't eat charred meat.

Sex and the City

(It's okay, you can keep reading... no spoiler in my entry!)

It is no secret that I'm a fan of Sex and the City, the series on HBO. But the movie? I felt ambivalent. Not because the series can't tranform into a great movie... it just didn't seem like something I need to watch at the theaters.

Then I get this email from Melissa Silverstein (press me for her blog) in one of her "Women & Hollywood Weekly Updates". She entitles her critique of the Sex and the City movie as "A Women's Cultural Movement". It's her analysis that motivated me to see the movie this past weekend.

Melissa writes:

Whatever your thoughts are on the actual content of Sex and the City, as a follower of movies about women I can't help but acknowledge that this is a cultural watershed moment for women's films for a couple of reasons.

1. Everyone (who talks about movies) has spent the last couple of weeks talking about a film that stars and celebrates women and women's friendships. Indiana Jones is so yesterday's news one week after being released after an almost 20 YEAR WAIT!
2. Everyone (who talks about movies) is scratching their heads trying to figure out how much money an R rated movie targeted at adult women can make. Imagine women preoccupying the minds of Hollywood's men.

The male misogynists in the film blogosphere have outed themselves in a big way with their extreme nastiness about the film with one actually calling the film a Taliban recruitment film. This film has sold out more shows in advance (almost 400) than any other film EVER. Harry Medved of Fandango has been watching these screenings sellout all week and told me: "It's unusual for a female driven movie to inspire so much fan anticipation. You would usually associate sold out shows with a comic book movie or a sequel to a summer tentpole." Clearly there is an audience for adult female driven pictures and we are hoping that Hollywood will make more of them. We haven't seen anything like this before.

Hell fucken yeah bro.

Melissa continues:

...underneath all the superficiality, the issues the film addresses especially about how women still need to be married to feel safe and the many difficulties in sustaining different kinds of relationships are right on the money. The film goes far to show that you can be glamorous and sexual at at 50 - one of my favorite moments was Samantha's 50th birthday dinner. I'm not going to pretend that the film is for everyone and it's not an overtly feminist film. But I can't help but think that the girl power this film is engendering will go a lot further than a feminist film that doesn't get seen by the masses.

After watching the film, I must say, I liked it. To me, it felt like watching four episodes back-to-back, which is really what I enjoy doing anyway when I watch the shows on dvd. And even though the storyline was inevitably predictable, the movie still makes you work hard for that happy ending. Just like how love is in real life.

Wow. Did I just say that? FUUCK. See, this is what happens to me when I watch chick flicks.

Last Night's Dream

Since my promotion, my company has made it mandatory for me to have a blackberry. Despite my strong disdain for the cell phone, or any other electronic equipment that may potentially serve as a government tracking device, I have submitted to my employer like the obedient Chinese laborer that I am. In my heart, however, I still resist robot culture.

I have been a blackberry user for 9 months now. I don't use it much for the telephone, I'm not really a telephone type of person anyway. But email. That damn email. I have always been addicted to email, and now having access to email literally in the palm of my hand at all times, any time... oh goy! My once controlled and moderated addiction is now at a new extreme level. Some days I type away on my blackberry with great fondness and joy. Other days I want to throw it out the window. It's like any love/hate addiction, I suppose. Except ordinary people accept this addiction and I blame robot culture.

But I digress. I shall share my stories of resisting robot culture another day. This entry is entitled, Last Night's Dream, after all.

So I had this dream last night that I was on the toliet, struggling with #2. Finally I was able to push out what I thought would be a very impressive piece of turd to learn that I pooped out my blackberry!

Now I have already interpreted this dream in many ways. But I thought it would be best to ask the experts on Dreammoods.com.

I searched its dream dictionary for "cell phone" --

To see or use a cell phone in your dream, indicates that you are being receptive to new information.

Then I searched "feces" --

To see or come in contact with feces, signifies aspects of yourself that are dirty and negative and which you believe to be undesirable and repulsive. According to Freud, feces is related to possession, pride, shame, money/financial matters, or aggressive acts.

This must mean that I find access to information via crackberry undesirable and repulsive.

Wow. My dream is totally a cautionary tale, a warning to resist robot uprisings before it becomes part of your everyday shit!

NKOTB

I only heard the rumors, but their reunion is confirmed.

So these motherfuckers are back. And they're kinda hot in their suits. I'm a little sad they won't be touring Los Angeles.

Now its... ** DYY TRIVIA TIME ** !!!!

DYY's first concert EVER was New Kids On The Block!! Oh yeah!

My red hot date with Fedde Le Grand

Photos courtesy of Lady Pun

It was a better date than with Bob Sinclair, that's for sure.

A Break from Fedde, Part 1

Cheers, Ladies! I love you bitches.

A Break from Fedde, Part 2

DYY & LADY PUN, YO

Valentine's Day

I didn't make any chocolate chip cookies like I had indicated. I tried. But the 99 Cents Only store ran out of Pilsbury Doughboy cookie mix. So oh well.

But for Vday, I still tried the domesticity thing. It's actually not bad and kind of fun if you play house with the right people.

DV8 and I made dinner instead -- Pecan-crusted honey baked salmon, sauteed spinich with garlic, and brown rice simmered in onion soup.

By the way, I must mention that DV8 caught the salmon with his bare hands at a fishing expedition in Canada. It's quite amazing, I know. I suppose he's quite the hunter. If this were prehistoric days, our house would be a cave, we'd wear furry thongs, and it would likely be my job to scale and clean the captured fish for our consumption. Thank god it's modern times and we can hire people to do that for us. It's better that way. I like to do my part to promote the economy.

Speaking of prehistoric times, which usually leads me to think about evolution, here's an article, also fished out by DV8, that describes a newly discovered biological reason for why humans aren't good at monogamy. You should read it for yourself for full comprehension... but, basically, it's all about the battle of the sperm! They're aggressive little fuckers, aren't they? It's good I date stoners.

Ching Chonging Pandas

So it's common knowledge that the "best" commercials are premiered during the Superbowl. I watched some, they were okay. I missed this one though. Too bad, it could have been my all time favorite... I mean, who doesn't like pandas with thick Chinese accents? I wish I had a thick Chinese accent. To my disappointment, it was poorly received by viewers and the sponsor for the commercial apologized and promised to stop running them.

Touch me to watch video.

Gong Hay Fat Choy!

I like this photo a lot. The Rats are doing a dance off!!

Highly recommended

Persepolis is a 2007 Academy Award-nominated animated film based on the autobiographical graphic novel of the same name. The film was written and directed by Marjane Satrapi (author of the novel) and Vincent Paronnaud. The story begins just before the Iranian Revolution. Shown initially through the eyes of the nine-year-old Marjane, it shows how people's hopes for change were slowly dashed as the Islamic fundamentalists took power, forcing head coverings on women and imprisoning thousands; the story ends with Marjane as a 21-year-old expatriate. The title is a reference to the historical city of Persepolis.

Super Fat Tuesday

Although I would have been more excited if Obama won California (with only 30% of California precincts reporting at the moment, I still have faith that the tides may turn by morning...), I still thoroughly enjoyed my first ever Super (and) Fat Tuesday.

I made jambalaya for the first time ever:

I made it from scratch and used the crock pot Blu-tooth gave me for my birthday last year. It's my first time ever using a crock pot. It was surprisingly fun and easy. Yeah, I approve. And, yes, that's corn.

Here's an artsy photo of my jambalaya:


For my efforts, DV8 brought me mardi gras beads. I didn't even have to show my tits (though I felt compelled to, due to the holiday spirit).

This one is my favorite:


The festivities continued with election results on TV. We switched between Katie Couric on CBS and Brian Williams on NBC. Both sucked. But what can you do when you only have Channels 2 & 4?

I found the elections to be quite exciting, even the Republican race was fascinating... until Obama lost California. All of a sudden my Tuesday didn't feel as super or as fat. But I remain hopeful.

Giants Win!

I am so pleased to witness the Patriots lose this historic game. Everyone and their moms believed Patriots were going to win for sure. Oh well. It could have been an unprecedented, undefeated season for them. Too bad. And Tom Brady looked like he was going to cry. :)

And I WON $20!! Yes! I love winning money... more than seeing Tom Brady cry almost.

TGIF

Thank God It's FEBRUARY! So much to celebrate this month. And, believe it or not, I'm beginning the February festivities with the Superbowl. I'm currently watching on Blu-Tooth's new hi-def 40 inch HD plasma TV!! Dude, I don't even know what that means except the image is really pretty. Crisp vibrant colors and no fuzzy lines. And from what I understand, all the households have one of these. It's quite the rage.

In celebration of Superbowl 42, I made guacamole for our taco bar. I also plan to make some Nestle Tollhouse cookies for dessert. As you can see, domesticity = special day.

I aspire to be domestic on these other special days:

February 5 -- Super Fat Tuesday
Making jambalaya and watching election results wearing underwear and mardi gras beads.

February 7 -- CHINESE NEW YEAR!
Maybe I'll mix my own dipping sauce for hot pot at Blu-tooth's.

February 14 -- Valentine's Day
Making chocolate chip cookies for all my hos and bitches.

February 18 -- President's day
Sorry, I'm straight chillin. Maybe I'll make chili and clean the bathroom.

February 29 -- Leap Year
Thinking of bringing twinkies and hostess cup cakes to Lady Pun's Leap Year party at her new downtown loft. Seems appropos with things you should do and eat once every four years. Ooh, maybe I should bring some acid too.

Happy February to All!

Obama v. Clinton

So I watched the final democratic primary debate between Senator Obama and Senator Clinton. I am ashamed to admit that this is the first (and apparently the last) debate I watched this election season... and it was boring. Nothing like the previous spars I had unfortunately missed.

But I am very pleased to announce that watching tonight's debates affirmed my decision to VOTE FOR OBAMA. He impressed me with his response to the immigration issue. The question was:

How do you propose to address the high unemployment rates and the declining wages in the African-American community that are related to the flood of immigrant labor?"

And Obama's answer was:

Well, let me first of all say that I have worked on the streets of Chicago as an organizer with people who have been laid off from steel plants, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, and, you know, all of them are feeling economically insecure right now, and they have been for many years. Before the latest round of immigrants showed up, you had huge unemployment rates among African-American youth.

And, so, I think to suggest somehow that the problem that we're seeing in inner-city unemployment, for example, is attributable to immigrants, I think, is a case of scapegoating that I do not believe in, I do not subscribe to.

Word up, brother.

I believe Barack will be the agent of change. A radical change, I hope. Hilary brings with her the same old shit and I'm over it.

Interesting news

With all that is happening, I have been mostly consumed with the WGA strikes (cuz it's closely connected to my gig) and the primaries this year... it's so exciting! I love that there is no clear winner in either parties, unlike the upcoming Superbowl... I hate that the Patriots are favored to win. They are so fucken smug, especially Tom Brady. I just want to kick him in the groin. But I digress.

Despite my narrow interests lately, I found these articles most fascinating.

• Meat consumption is analogous to oil consumption (please read, it's very persuasive)
  

• The power of our period (Women rock! We produce natural healing properties... like aloe vera)
  

• Infliction of emotion distress by Blue Man Group (I don't know why, but reading this made me chuckle like a stupid little boy)

Who bounced better?

Dude, you gotta choose me. I make a great Chinaman face at the end.


But my nephew's performance was excellent as well. Sudden and immediate aggression is always appealing.

It's Chuck E Cheese, Bitch

Wicked picture, huh?

For my nephew's birthday, I treated him to an afternoon of Chuck E. Cheese.

Dude, I haven't been to a Chuck E Cheese in 20 years. I forgot how much fun it is. There is definitely something more appealing about hanging with white trash and immigrant kids than going to the some expensive children's museum that serves organic peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and soy milk for $20. The parents and children are grossly smug. Like you want to slap them in the face. But at ChuckECheese, it's very humble, affordable and fun... and I'm like the richest person there! I felt like we had limitless tokens, a sense of comfort and satisfaction that I have never felt before. I grew up frequenting CEC with about $3 max. It was always spent very quickly.

For lunch we purchased a small cheese pizza, an all-you-can-eat salad plate, milk and beer. I was the only one at ChuckECheese consuming beer, by the way. Before I purchased it, I had to agree to all these stringent rules, like not leave my beer on the table, take it everywhere with you, do not feed to children, etc. So when my nephew needed to do number 2 in bathroom, I brought the beer into stall, as I am a law-abiding citizen. It wasn't the best combination with bud light, but better than without!

After lunch, we played ski ball. I love that shit. In fact, we struck jackpot! The aisle I was playing on starting spewing tickets continuously and non-stop. I thought it was going to go on forever and I debated whether I should walk away... but I couldn't. I started looking around hoping no one was watching me. Everyone, however, was staring with envious eyes. I collected about 150 tickets before it finally stopped. We ran to our booth and counted the tickets immediately. My nephew and I counted together. When we reached past 100 or so, I felt giddy and light-headed.

We won 354 tickets total. We exchanged our tickets for a top, a mini soccer ball and a ring. Yeah, I know. It seems like a lot of effort for some cheap mini plastic toys. They're probably toxic too.

Here's a question: Why do parents allow their children to steal tickets? As my tickets spewed out of that defective but lovely machine and coiled along the ground, toddlers would come from no where and try to steal my tickets! I'm like, hey, those are mine! Then they look at me with fear and run away. Parents stand by silent. I'm like, dude, you need to control your kids. They should thank me for teaching their fucken children for thieves not to disobey the law.

Here's another question: Do you think parents realize that ChuckE is a rat? And his friends are street animals, including a cracked-out bird and a dingy mutt, both likely infested with rabies? I felt like, dude, whoever thought of this theme is laughing his/her way to the bank!

Other games we played: air hockey and fuze ball with hockey players (is that table hockey then?). My nephew was addicted and couldn't stop playing. I was surprised and secretly delighted how naturally adept he was with such games. I kind of feel like air hockey and fuze ball are for older kids, not for my five year old nephew. But he obviously is far more superior in adoitness than other children his age and beyond. I'm not sure why, but I like it.