Tagged : family

in Life of Giang, Travel

You’re not ready for this :)

MERCH IN MY MAILBOX TODAY!!!

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“And what happens if people stop buying the Merch merch?” (/flip hat inside out)

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FLESHREAPER!!

You’re awesome, Doddsy – I pranced around in front of the mirror for a full five minutes admiring my new silly hat. :)

Ahhh, so here I am, eh! To catch up:

October something, 2009: LA County Fair! Pictures here. It was a good time. We ate much oily food and petted many smelly animals.

October something, later, 2009: Las Vegas and Death Valley! Pictures here. In Vegas, we were on budget with gambling, saw cats and dogs perform amazing feats in Popovich’s Pet Comedy Theatre, and ate several buffet meals (including breakfast in the atrium at the Wynn). Death Valley was very windy, but quite lovely. And yes, I did manage to use my portable shower tent. It worked splendidly, except for the part where it was sort of against the rules of the campground and Curt had to keep an eye out for the ranger. ;) I used biodegradable soap, though, so it’s not like I was hurting anything… On the way back to civilization, we stopped by the Mt. Whitney Portal, Manzanar, and Fossil Falls. Great trip!

October 30, 2009: We dressed up as monkeys for the Hoang family Halloween karaoke party. Pictures here and here. Also, we found out my brother Wonk and sister-in-law Powla are expecting a spawnling! :) I’m going to be an auntie!!

There are also some random cute cat-related pictures here and here and here.

Curt accidentally dropped my Blackberry in the cat water bowl about a week ago, but it’s made a full recovery. I couldn’t be too mad, since I did accidentally throw his phone in the dumpster that one time… ;)

I’ve had a sore throat for about a month. Hopefully the doctor can fix it on Tuesday, as it hurts and the gargling has done nothing!

Off on an impromptu trip this weekend – just a tent, an empty cooler, and some clothes, and off to the wild blue yonder! Or, at least, freeways relatively unfamiliar.

We’re going to start looking for a house in the next few months. I’m excited, but also mildly terrified and full of anxiety. Good thing I have this new Merch hat to keep me occupied…

That’s that! Time for bed. /waves

in Games, Life of Giang

Kabob-a-thon

My younger brother threw a family kabob luncheon, and it was yummy. My Sim achieved her life goal of becoming an astronaut; she now works 1 day per week and on that day, she makes $7,000. The rest of the week she spends fishing and gardening. I am officially jealous of my Sim.

I get to keep Blinky, the boy kitten! I have traded him as an indoor cat for my previous dog option upon owning a home. Yay! :)

in Art, Design, Photography, Cooking, Food, Life of Giang

Arts and vegetables

We go to the farmer’s market today for the first time. It is hot, and I buy three peaches, three zucchinis, baby bok choy, and a giant purple onion.

We then slog through the heat for our little Riverside museum day.

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The Riverside Municipal museum has stuffed birds, an orange packer, and a display on the internment of a local Japanese family during the war.

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In the Riverside Art Museum, I run across this and can actually feel my life being enriched. I am not an art connoisseur by any means, but as they say, “I know what I like.” And oh yes I do like “The Curious World of Reynaldo and His Twist of Lime Shirt” by R. Mike Nichols. It’s the bird. Curt likes the dogs, but he is wrong, for it’s most certainly the bird. For those who prefer art that doesn’t include dogs and birds, the museum is also currently displaying pieces by some fellow who paints with coffee grinds and glitter.

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The UCR Museum of Photography has a very shiny first floor, as can be seen. We see an exhibit of photographs by blind photographers and a camera museum on the first floor, and an exhibit on the effects of Agent Orange on the third floor. The pseudo-tiling on the second floor (which is see-through and creaks) is suspect, thus I am too frightened to venture far into it. So I don’t know what’s on the second floor. Something about expectation. Or construction. Or deconstruction. Or maybe unicorns.

Tomorrow we go to Long Beach for fun antiquing. Happy Sunday. ;)

in Baseball, Life of Giang

Sunday

Curt and I visited the family for Father’s day, and made leek and potato soup. The Dodgers beat the Angels, going 2-1 in the series. The broad beans I bought in the Vietnamese market are too salty, and disappointing. Ditto for the taro mochi. On the bright side, I look forward to the start of a new week – maybe it will be an astounding one. At the very least, it means new Corrie for me to watch. :)

in Life of Giang, Things That Are Awesome, Travel

Ketchup artist

I shall, in quick order, go over all the things that have happened in the last month because I didn’t blog about them the first time around.

May 02, 2009: My sister’s bridal shower! Yay!

May 10, 2009: Brunch with the family and Wonk’s birthday, then the Keane concert – which totally and utterly rocked! Tom Chapin’s voice is just drop dead gorgeous. I would totally marry his voice if I weren’t already married. Or at least have a dirty little fling with it. Whoo! ;)

May 11, 2009 – May 17, 2009: ZAH REDWOOD TRIP! The gallery is up and available here. We went to Redwood National/State Forest, went on a hike that nearly crippled us, I got bitten by a tick and developed Lyme Disease Lite (also known as HYPOCHONDRIA), we went to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, watched Star Trek, went to many nature reserves, attended the 50th annual Castroville Artichoke Festival, and accosted cows on Highway 1. What a great trip! :)

May 25, 2009: My very first spa day at Glen Ivy Hot Springs with the girls from work. This place is freakin’ fantastic – and normally I don’t even LIKE to relax! When I develop the pictures, I’ll post them.

in Movies, Music

WATCHMEN on Yahoo! Movies

WATCHMEN on Yahoo! Movies.

I was dragged to this by Curt. I mean, it’s three hours on a week night, plus it had only gotten mediocre reviews from the media (haha) and family members.

And then I loved it.

Because you know, that Nite Owl II? WHAT A FREAKIN’ HOT SON OF A BITCH. I was getting all into that little make-out scene on the couch he was having with Silk Spectre II, when Curt hisses behind us to some asshole kids to be quiet, and then I’m like, “DUDE YOU JUST GRANNIED ME OUT OF MY ENJOYMENT OF THIS!”

Grrr.

Anyway, it was good. Go see! ;)

in Movies, Music

20 21 Comfort Movies (created while shirking)

I have homework to do, which means it’s the perfect time to wile away the hours making useless lists! Yay!

2021 Comfort Movies In No Particular Order

  1. Misery (1990). Because he didn’t jump out of the COCKADOODY CAR! ;)
  2. Little Miss Sunshine (2006). Because there is something truly comforting about the comic desperation of this family that manages to hit that cathartic sweet spot between angst and banality.
  3. Shop Girl (2005). Because this movie accurately portrays loneliness and the everyday trappings of relationships, while still saving a bit of the fantasy. (Who knew Steve Martin had it in him?)
  4. Best Years of Our Lives (1946). Because I have to see it turn out all right for all of them.
  5. Brief Encounter (1945). Because they’re all so very proper and English, and it still manages to be heart-breaking.
  6. The Last Starfighter (1984). Because ALEX ROGAN IS MY HERO.
  7. Persuasion (1995). Because of Captain Wentworth’s letter.
  8. Wives and Daughters (1999). Because of the heroine, really.
  9. State Fair (1945). Because you can’t be blue when people dance around and say, “Yay, Io-way!”
  10. Psycho (1960). Because we all go a little mad sometimes.
  11. Random Harvest (1942). Because it’s so damned sad.
  12. Immortal Beloved (1994). Because I absolutely cannot bear to watch the last fifteen minutes of it without sobbing uncontrollably.
  13. Dawn of the Dead (2004). Because all my troubles seem relatively trivial in the face of ZOMBIE ARMAGEDDON!1!!
  14. The Wedding Singer (1998). Because the 80′s were great, and so colorful!
  15. The Mummy (1999). Because it’s everything a goofy mummy movie should be. (Say it with me now, and it’ll be true: “The sequels never happened, the sequels never happened, the sequels never happened…”)
  16. Eat Drink Man Woman (1994). Why else? Because of the food, man!
  17. Jane Eyre (1983). Because gothic romances rock.
  18. Little Women (1949). Because if the March girls can get through it, so can I!
  19. Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead (1991). Because I like makeover movies.
  20. Speed (1994). Because we all love the part when the bus jumps the huge gap in the freeway.
  21. Margie (1946). Because she’s hot for teacher! ;)
in News, Politics

Hrm.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090214/ts_nm/us_madoff_britain

Losing one’s life savings is devastating, but it’s strange, isn’t it, to think of people killing themselves over money when they have family, friends, and apparent health? Obviously, I do not have a million dollars stashed away anywhere, and am not immune from worrying about money (as I am so prone to worrying), but would I kill myself over it? Does having so much money become so important? Maybe it’s different when you’re older. Maybe, being closer to death, it just becomes easier to check out than it is to keep struggling, especially when some asshole swindles you out of your money.

in Writing

Of course it’s about zombies

So Ai and I are writing at least 100 words a week. Penalty for failing? $1.00 to the other! So here’s my weekly contribution. 295 words. Only took me like three hours. ;) The zombie muse – she is fickle!

“Hey Lilly, d’you ever hear of a gin blossom?”

Adam took a long drag from his cigarette, swirled it around in his mouth, and exhaled it into the glass of gin in his hand. The delicate arcs of smoke seethed languorously past the rim and disappeared into the air. Past the faint haze of smoke and tears, she could see his eyes were still wild, his hands still shaking.

Lilly gave him a weak smile she didn’t feel. “I thought they were a band.”

“I bet you liked them, too,” Adam chuckled. “They seem your type. It’s, you know – pussy rock.”

“You’re an ass.”

He laughed, maybe a little too loudly. He was careful, Lilly noticed, to keep his eyes turned to the left.

Because to Adam’s right was where Jack was. Jack, who’d had a wife and baby daughters, who’d been so tired and asked them to stop running for a moment. Who’d sat down on the floor to the right of Adam two hours ago, and hadn’t moved since. Not for a word. Not for a single breath.

Adam nudged her with the bottle.

She waved him away, instead reaching for the gun on the counter, sliding it through her belt and raising herself from the seat.

“We have to go, Adam.”

Adam blew out another slow smoke ring into his drink, and threw back the rest of the drink.

Then, he turned and, staring straight at Jack, gently reached into the man’s pocket and removed his wallet. Lilly, aghast, opened her mouth. Adam looked up towards her, and then held up the picture of Jack and his family.

“If we run into them,” he said quietly. “Just in case.”

He stood, touched Lilly’s arm and said, “Let’s get out of here.”

in News, Politics, RANT

In response to McCain being booed

I preface this by saying that I am not, nor have I ever been, a member of the Democratic party. I’m simply a woman, calling it like I see it.

Common decency, is, apparently, not a trait some Americans want in a presidential candidate. I am not condoning the deplorable (and, in all honesty, just plain stupid) tactics McCain/Palin are using to try to garner votes. Not only are they pathetic (if you must lose, why not be graceful about it?), but they’re downright insulting. Who is dumb enough to fall for these ploys?

Enough people, apparently.

I can’t tell if McCain/Palin are just doing the Hail Mary Good Cop/Bad Cop routine on the country, or if, when challenged, McCain actually meant what he said about believing Obama to be a decent, family man. If he meant it, I applaud him for putting character and decency above his political ambition. It is rare enough to see, especially when you are behind, so close to the end of a very long race.

If he didn’t, and it was just another lame attempt to give the appearance of having character, I do not have the words to convey how pitiful it is. I hope it is the former, rather than the latter.

But, if I were John McCain, at this point of the race, staring out at these people who, like Salem witchhunters, actually shout things like, “traitor” and “terrorist”, and “off with his head”, I would be having second thoughts. I am no great bastion of morality, nor do I have an outstanding character. But if I were John McCain, I would feel at least an inkling of discomfort that my campaign were devolving into a witch-hunt. I would be thinking, “I don’t care if they vote for me seven ways to Sunday, these people are not the people I want to decide who becomes the next US President.”