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 |
I can’t stand random-include-everything-and-every-little-detail posts, but the holidays make it difficult because too much happens and a single ‘hello friends’ post is just not sufficient.
This holiday break was exactly what the doctor ordered. And by doctor, I mean my unprofessional, non-doctoral opinion. We started off with Christmas at our house. My in-laws came into town and my bro-in-law (BIL) flew in from NC that evening. We had a huge dinner a opened presents up past midnight since he got in so late. I received some fun socks and a pin with money from the in-laws. BIL’s girlfriend got us Catch Phrase (which was awesome since it was the next game we were going to purchase), a basket of delicious Asian goodies, and a SLANKET! It is perfect for movie nights and static electric fights. BIL also bought us an Apple Time Capsule which I am uploading pictures as we speak. Perfect timing because my 80gig hard drive and 200gig external was at 90% capacity. Now I have 1 terabyte. Remember when it was just 4MB floppy disks?
Then we traveled east and visited my mom, where I received new running shoes and salon stuff. D actually got me a very sweet and sentimental Precious Moments ‘Just Married’ figurine since this is our first Christmas as a married couple. I LOVE it. Here’s some imagery from Xmas.
Whilst on the east side, a bunch of our friend met up for an annual Ugly Christmas Sweater Party. I just went to one earlier in the month, so I didn’t wear a sweater – they itch madly anyway. It was a night of chanting, uncomfortable white elephant gifts and debauchery. Par for the course, I say.
[edit]The little one (my sister) reminded me in the comments that we went out to dinner with her too! It was a lot of fun and we did the traditional go-out-to-the-bookstore-and-get-coffee thing that we always do. She bought the husband a digital clock in his Alma mater for the mancave AND she bought ME a slim gold signature Coach wallet and ID tag! I wish we had more time together, but she is one busy little student with lots of work. We’re planning a trip to hang out with her all day in her town soon. [/edit]
We eventually headed back to our home where we hosted a New Year’s Eve bash. It was also a surprise going away send-off for one of our close friends who is a soldier shipping out to Afghanistan tomorrow.
Note that we even had a classy balloon drop. Note that since we could not attach it properly to the ceiling, the two tallest guys held it up during the NYE countdown. I told you it was classy. Happy 2010 to EVERYONE!
Tags: family, friends, holidays, party, picture
Thanks to kitty | Amber | Jamie | Amanda | Kate | Lexi Julie | Nancy | Carla |
Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Birthday Jesus, Shalom, Happy Hanukkah, Merry Festivus, Happy-god-I-wish-I-wasn’t-stuck-with-all-these-people-for-the-holidays Day! Whatever it is, it is upon us.
Martha Stewart has got NOTHING on me! I think my brother-in-law will appreciate that I wrapped his Xmas present in light blue Hello Kitty paper… AGAIN.
At least it’s fancy and I put effort into it.
He is flying into town tonight (yes, on Christmas) so the in-laws and his girlfriend are going to drive into town to celebrate at our house. It’s our first holiday at OUR HOUSE. Being the overly doting Asian parents that they are, THEY will probably be the ones bringing the food. I don’t know whether to be happy that I don’t have the pressure of making a non-poisonous meal or offended that they DON’T want to test my attempt at a non-poisonous holiday dinner.
Tags: family, funny, holidays
Thanks to Isa | Kate | Tabby | Amanda | Kym | Amber | Becca | Tran | Simone | Ben | Ashley | Catherine | Cat | Jasmin | Christina | Jamie | Tricia | Jess | nancy | Lady Impulse | Joann |
Hmm. Me thinks me need new boots.
Tags: funny, picture, weather
Thanks to kym | Marianne | Daniella | Roshwill | Carla |
I added some holiday cheer to the main image of the layout 
.
This year, we sent out a quick little 4" x 6" Xmas card with our first snowboarding photo of the season.
…but my slow ass did not have the time to write our annual letter. I suppose a personal blog is the perfect place to brag (isn’t that what it’s for?) about our happy times thing year. *Ahem*
Another year gone by? It really has been jam-packed with so many blessed moments. We just HAD to update you on all of it! Since last Christmas,
- Thao earned her Masters in Sci and Enginerding! The program was complete within two years and now she can be formally referred to as Master Thao. She has since stopped being so mean to D since she can eat, work out, and rest as she pleases. D is very happy about that, but he does not like that his wife is a Master and he is not.
- D and Thao were able to celebrate their last several days/months single with 22 of their dear friends in Vegas where some managed to get mugged, get lost, win money, and dance on top of the city!
Tags: family, friends, holidays, wedding
Thanks to Jenny | La Reyn | Becca | Senyth | kissliin | Shiri | Karen | Natasha | Gillian | flipflopsintherain | breathe for LOVE | upset waitress | Gel | Sofia | Emily | sheidz |
Since the relaunch of the site, I’ve joined the masses and created a twitter account. So add me, cause I’m lonely and that’s sad. Also, Becca, plugged my wedding site the other day! I’m just happy to be able to share some of the fun wedding stuff I worked on this past year, so thanks Becca!
One of my favorites stores to shop is Bebe. I love their stuff and it’s nice because they don’t have any stores around where I live, so it is not often that other ladies are rockin’ my outfit. I get free shipping because I’ve spent over $1K there in the past year. I know, pathetic. With all of the holiday specials and my rewards, I ordered a pair of cute earrings for under $10 after discount!
I received them last Sunday, but when I opened the box, I was SO disappointed to find them like this:
One was broken! I fixed it because I make jewelry and had the tools, but I shouldn’t have to fix them myself. They typically have GREAT customer service, so I contacted them and told them that I was not happy they did not inspect the earrings before shipping them to me. The charge was made via internet so it’s not like I could get them to credit back the order in store… nor could I considering the closest one is back in my old neighborhood.
No response. NONE! They usually reply within a day. They did before when there was a shipping mix-up on the last order. When you’re at the store, you can get 10% off the purchase of an item if it’s defective or missing something, like a belt, etc. However, I never heard back. I won’t be able to go to the store until I make another trip east so this could be a slow process. The crappy part about ordering things online is if I send it back to get a replacement, I have to pay to ship it back. They do honor free return shipping when it’s a mistake they made, but I order things when I want them, not to send them back and get them later. Boo, strike for BEBE.
Tags: grr, secret-shopped
Thanks to kressa | Ben | Pocci breathe for LOVE | tricia | melle | Roshwill | KayC | Cat | Gillian |
