You know what I am talking about. It’s the night that bars in college towns have great drink specials, i.e. dollar-you-call-it’s. My girlfriends and I used to get ready and head to the bars at 11PM, immediately ordered our ‘fistful’ of drinks and closed the place down around 2AM. Commence stumbling into a cab and heading home for some oven pizza. Mmm. Nothing is better after the bar than greasy, cheesy, hot pizza. Or chili dogs.
You know what I’ve got going on now? After the husband and I meet with our tax guy again, I am heading to one of my girlfriend’s place, opening up a bottle or two of wine, and we’re Skyping with our girl who moved to North Carolina. This is a far cry from the "cleavage-baring, leave little to the imagination outfits, and double fisting until the specials run out" days of yore. HEY! We’re still having wine. That counts. Right? RIGHT?
I’ve been catalogging my pictures with Adobe Lightroom 2.0 on the new laptop – which by the way, are both fabulous. I’ve gotten to midway through 2007 in the photos and boy did we participate in Thirsty Thursday. These days, I’m still thirsty. Just ask last Friday. However, it is rarely on a weeknight *gasp* and it is typically scheduled in advance, i.e. dinner date with two couples tomorrow and then again on Saturday. I tell you, we’re bringing the crazy to double and triple dates! I CAN’T CONTAIN the wild child inside. Heh, with any luck, I won’t be 50 when I wake up tomorrow.
Tags: college life, friends, married life, party
Thanks to Catherine | Tiffany | melle | April | Ashley | Daniella | milktan | Chiui |
So if you’ve heard anything on the news, you know that Kevin Smith was asked to step off a Southwest flight due to his size, in otherwords, he was "too fat to fly".
There are a lot of skinny people out there chastising him on how HE was responsible and that he should lose weight. Agreed. However, isn’t that really easy to say since you’re a skinny person? What if I said, "people who are in financial debt should all cut up their credit cards and shut the hell up." Granted, I think that, but when those skinny people telling fat people to lose weight like it’s easy say that stuff, I want to make sure they realize that their criticisms are without understanding.
It’s easy for someone who makes a lot of money, who isn’t in debt to say "suck it up". Then those same skinny people don’t think the problem is that simple is it? or "people who need health-care funding should just… get healthy!" Wow, isn’t that an epiphany?
It’s always a simple problem and a simple solution to those who don’t need to put the work that gets to the simple solution. I could be non-compassionate and just bark to people who have been fiscally irresponsible, "well, you should have gotten a better job!" Isn’t that the same as barking to a fat person that they should have just stopped eating? or maybe I should tell the person who is homeless to "just get a house"
Now, it’s not so simple to criticize anymore is it?
Now, if you want to criticize him being lazy, choosing not to do anything about it, AND asking for concessions from everyone else, then kudos.
Tags: grr, news, pc issues, people watch
Thanks to Chiui | Lym | Cat | Caity | Lani | Ayah | Jenny | Lillie | lindsie | Jenny | Milktan | Julie | Lady Impulse |
During lunch on Chinese New Year Day (this past Sunday), my mom gave a mini, heartfelt speech basically about how regardless of money, our lives are rich when we can give ourselves to others. When we can give anything: time, money, support, or even just some kindness, we are rich because you can’t give things away unless you have it in excess. When you have anything in excess, you are essentially "rich". It’s not just about money when you talk about being rich. There is nothing I could agree to more than those words. She is absolutely right.
Obviously, I started to process it and thought of the ways I am rich in life. I am so lucky to be able to give my time, energy, and love to others. It makes me happy to see others close to me happy. My life is also rich in people. I have a great family. I have an amazing husband. I am rich in friends, in health, and in life comforts.
How are you rich?
Tags: family, friends, money matters
Thanks to Alissa | Pauline | lindsie | Daniella | nancy | Ash |
The word is out. On Friday, I resigned from my job. I got another one. Woohoo!
So nope, I didn’t get engaged again and I’m not preggers. I am just moving on up in the corporate world. To celebrate, I bought a purse! As if anything else would be as appropriate. Two words: Tivoli GM. I don’t really discuss work here so I won’t start now. It’s just a good thing. I will definitely miss the people I worked with, not to mention I’ve been here since my internship. It’s funny. I went to high school for 4 years, college for another 4, and am finishing up my first real job after 6 years. It’s like I’m graduating to the next big thing all over again. This process has cemented that hard work pays off and nothing short of putting forth the best effort will yield great results.
I had a WONDERFUL time with my family all weekend. It happened to be Viet/Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day. We didn’t really celebrate Vday – although he did get me a beautiful bouquet of pink tulips and purple irises for congrats on the new job. Aren’t they beautiful? Excuse the lousy phone pic.
AND he got me a funny card with shoes, a dog, and bling on the cover and some Godiva chocolates for me and the sis to enjoy. Perfection. How were your Vdays?
I wished that I had a week at home with the whole family. I really, really miss home. My mom moved into a new, bigger home and I am happy for her. She deserves a clean, big house for everything she’s done for us. The WEIRD thing is you expect to come ‘home’ to the house you left your parents in, not really some place new. My high school belongings are still there. Pictures of me and my little sister are all over the place. It may not have been OUR home, but it’s a home I miss going to – besides, no cooks are as great as our own mothers.
Tags: family, holidays, products
Thanks to Nancy | Krysten | Car | CandyFaceGirl |
This has been one of the most nauseating and exciting few weeks ever. You know when you’re about to make a BIG change in your life and you’re thrilled it’s going to happen, but sick about leaving a little part of you in the past? Well, that’s the only way I can describe it. I can’t give details. I need some time to reveal the details, but I am so excited and it’s killing me not to share it with the world.
No, I’m not pregnant.
This weekend is Chinese/Vietnamese New Year, which we call "Tet". I get to tell my family about my new venture. I’m more excited just to hang out with them though. Tet is my favorite time of year.
D is super-supportive as always. I can count on him to calm my nerves and be proud of my accomplishments. You can’t say that about a lot of men in this situation. Some men might even get threatened by it. So have you figured it out yet? DO you know what my new adventure is?
In other news, check out this site.
Thanks to Biang | Grysh | April | kitty |
I guess I didn’t stop at the previous new toy. I ordered a new laptop yesterday… a configured Sony Vaio VPCCW290X in brilliant pink with the upgraded Intel Core i5 2.53 with up to 3.06 GHz boost, 500GB 5400rpm HD, 6GB DDR3 RAM, and Windows 7. Did I mention it’s pink?
I currently own a Sony Vaio VGN-FS550, which I first bought in August 2005. I NEEDED the upgrade. The beast only had 512MB memory. I tried upgrading it to a full gig one time, but it freaked out on me. Right before the warranty ended in 2008, I got the screen and keys replaced. I loved this laptop, but with all the multitasking softwares I use, I just needed to up the ante on processor speed and RAM. Using photoshop along with Firefox and IE was dragging.
Needless to say, I needed a new toy with more space and my brand-loyal ass went back to Sony. I considered a Mac, but with the expense, I declined. I think Vaios are are sexiest PCs, so there you have it.
Last week, I also booked our flights to Paris! We’re on obviously on a shopping spree. Next, I am looking into what we need for the trip.
Tags: products, style
Thanks to Vanessa (Last Night's Leftovers) | Krysten | April | Kate | ashes | Daniella | Catherine |
Facebook outrage of the day:
REALLY? Financial crisis? How about life crisis? Survival crisis?
Have you watched ANY news lately or were you too busy drinking your $5 non-fat, non-foam, mocha latte to realize that you have SO MUCH to give? You’re using FACEBOOK. They are eating mud.
Maybe the sound of functioning toilet flushes were too distracting for you to realize that some parts of the world don’t even know what a toilet is or what a hot meal is or even a COLD MEAL?
Maybe you’re so effing spoiled by entitlement that you can’t recognize that some people in this world have NOTHING over their heads right now.
Another on facebook asks why we didn’t do anything for 911 or Katrina? Uhhh… I don’t know about you, but I donated to those causes as well. I even got company match to do it. They say we care more about other countries than ourselves. REALLY? I can’t even argue with that stupid logic. We don’t have to do AS much to help ourselves – we’re one of the most self-sufficient nations. Our poverty-stricken can turn to some type of infrastructure to get ahold food at shelters. They can move in with relatives when tragedy strikes. So many in Haiti don’t have those resources available.
People ask why there weren’t telethons or big productions for 9/11 or Katrina re: Hope for Haiti, but didn’t ask if there was for the Asian Tsunami. So self-centered. There WERE telethons for all those causes. Don’t get your panties in a bunch because some people want to help the victims of tragedies in other parts of the world and you were too ignorant to help and realize that we did the same equally.
I ate food today. I enjoyed a coffee. I had a closet of clothing that I could browse and waste time standing in front of deciding what to wear. I turned on a light. I could get a PAPER CUT today without potentially getting gangrene or other infectious diseases. I could walk outside without corpses on every step of my path. Are some of us really that shallow and clueless? PLEASE. Tell me you’ve done SOMETHING to help. Give up one luxury to just help. I just wish I did more before the tragedy struck.
Tags: grr, news, pc issues, people watch
Thanks to kitty | Karen | Vanessa (Last Night's Leftovers) | Daniella | April | lindsie |
I finished off 2009 with a new record of 10,446 photos taken plus a couple hundred lost in Chicago somewhere when I lost my camera. That doesn’t even include 4,300+ professional and 1,200+ guest wedding pictures that we received.
Some people ask me why I take so many pictures. I say it’s so I could remember the night before, which was true. I purchased my first digital camera in 2005 after I was so against it. Then I went crazy and the camera documented the happenings of the night before. I can’t remember how many times I went through the photos the next day and said, "I don’t remember that!"
Digital cameras have essentially become my eyes from the nights previous. I review them every year and update the photos in our home. This year will be no different, except that I am buying a new toy: a Nikon digital SLR. I’m not going out as much as I used to. Can’t blame it on marriage because my husband is a party animal. Can’t blame it on age because I am one of the youngest in my group of friends. It mainly has to do with moving away from downtown. Regardless, I’ve nurtured my love for taking pictures and looking at pictures – so since we’re planning a trip to tour Switzerland, southern Germany, and a lot of Italy this year, it’s the perfect time to invest in a dSLR.
Last year, I only took 8,700+ photos. Let’s see how I do this year.
I also think blogging has turned me into a picture-taking whore fanatic. Hasn’t it turned you? If not blogging, then facebook, etc. Those sites promote taking pictures. If there weren’t people to look at the pictures, you probably would not take as many. Since I haven’t picked up a paint brush, colored pencils, an HB pencil, or even glue gun in awhile, I am going to reopen my art on the photography side. My, things have changed since I’ve been in the dark room in high school experimenting with exposure…
Tags: photography
Thanks to Catherine | Daniella | Simone | Shannon | Kate | Carla | Julie | Lady Impulse | lindsie | Jeniffer | Justin | Nancy | Cat | melle | Melissa |
Do you ever get so used to something and then one day, you wake up, drive to work and the guy you listen to EVERY SINGLE MORNING is no longer on air? Instead, they have just music playing. So this is a rather specific example, but I’m feeling the pains of when Friends went off the air. Or when T.G.I.F was no longer on air. Or even when they stopped carrying my favorite brand of pepperjack cheese at the supermarket. Trust me, it was a most perfect an superb blend of pepper and jack on cheese.
I am so distraught. But how pathetic is it that we become so dependent on routine? People just aren’t creatures that love change quickly. They want to be prepared for it. They want to look for alternatives on their own terms, not forced to find another radio station to listen to every morning when they aren’t ready.
I don’t know what to do. I can’t eat. Aside from maybe this delicious piece of chocolate taunting me.
I can’t deal with having to find something else when I already know there is nothing else out there for me. OK, so I don’t know, but that is how I feel.
I am just going to listen to Pandora now. Until they get rid of that too. But now in the car, I’ve got nothing. Life is tough.
Tags: news, products
Thanks to lidnsie | Becca | Tran | Tricia | Kate | Amanda | Nancy | Lady Impulse | Cat | Angel | Jasmin |
Did I mention I saw Avatar at the IMAX 3D during the holiday? Well, I just did.
I wasn’t super excited about it, but the husband and BIL were. Honestly, paying $14 per ticket for a movie didn’t seem worth it, but I was so wrong. Wrong wrong wrong.
The movie was AH-MAZING. The imagery. The story. The actors. Wow. Cameron waited for technology to catch and did it ever catch up. I couldn’t tell what was real and what was fake.
I think another reason I fell in love with the movie was because I fell in love with Jake Sully. Nope, not in human form, in his Avatar form. Yep, I love Avatar Jake Sully. You can tell on me to my husband all you want, but I already told him if Avatar Jake Sully showed up one day, I might have to leave him for a second. (I’m prepared for you tattletales.)
I think there were several reasons I fell in love with a fictional, obviously not-human character. He was SO damn brave, fearless. That was sexy. There was a juvenile, boyish quality too, just as Neytiri (the Na’vi princess) pointed out in the movie. He was a mixture of foolish, yet ready and available to step up when he needed to step up and be a Man, I mean Avatar. I like that. Now I cannot wait until the sequels. I guess that shows you that you can find things to absolutely obsess over in places you never thought you could. I mean… LOOK at him. » » » »
Tags: culture, movies
Thanks to Daniella | Lady Impulse | Shannon | Mimi | Kitty |
