The ants go marching...

Weekend recap:
Spent my first Saturday in a while outside, hiking thru Portola Valley. I asked Moward to hitch a ride since the directions to the hike location were literally, "Drive down this long and torturous windy road..." Um...wow, that's a really good way to get people NOT to go hiking here. So after 1/2 an hour of driving, we finally reached the parking lot destination where 30+ Asians waited for us. I'd like to say that I was kidding, but I'm so not.

Hiking was uneventful, other than a small footbridge being inaccessible for the season, so about 75% of our party actually took off their shoes and crossed the creek at the shallow point. The more adventurous, and possibly sillier, of us (which means me) found a large tree that had fallen across the creek to cross. Because there were so many of us, the only wildlife we saw were assorted banana slugs and salamanders. But it was a good chance to catch up with old friends, meet new people, and generally conquer the great outdoors.
Toccata Forte got a scrape on his leg from also trying to scale the giant tree and at the end of the hike, guys were busting out EMT level first aid kits from their cars and packs. I had to laugh, they were offering TF-gauze, alcohol swipes, tourniquets (ok, just kidding on that last one)-but seriously? At one point, I started laughing and teasing TF: "Uh guys, it's just a SCRAPE." it's not like open heart surgery.

Brung and ToccataForte have wood...uh trees.

(Don't they look like saint niches?)

Afterwards we hit up the BUSIEST ASIAN SHOPPING CENTER EVER! ie. Cupertino Village on E. Homestead. for lunch at HC Dumpling House. And um...I just spent about 15 minutes writing up my review on Yelp. So you can read it here: Pen Reviews HC Dumpling House

Hu Chiang Dumpling House

Cupertino Village Shopping Center

10877 North Wolfe Road (off of E. Homestead)

Cupertino, CA 95015

(408) 873-4813

From hippie to hipster....another 60s icon goes commercial

Cal Style? Contradiction in terms? Apparently my alma mater alumni try to prove 'em wrong. They've created a mag called, "Bare" (cute pun, our mascot is the bear) to highlight Sproul Stylistas. And the requisite blog to go with it. Bare Daily

My college fashion highlights:

• -Wearing pjs to my Italian final because I woke up 20 minutes late.
• -White Chuck Taylors with old navy shirt dress
• -Adidas soccer sandles, EVERYWHERE.
• -A Gap denim skort...yeah, I said it.
• -old navy hippie paisley skirt, 60s platform shoes

Cal (UC Berkeley) is like the anti-fashion school of hippie couture. Unshaven, dreadlocked, tie-dyed anti-fashion. What happened? I used to wear whatever I pulled first out of my cabinet. Ripped and painted jeans weren't stigmas, they were signs of hard, artistic work. We used to make fun of people who spent all day dressing up. There used to be the sweetest girl, who was always on a ton of committees and organizational boards living in my dorm. But she TOTALLY wore a hair piece/fall, skirts or dresses and 3 tons of makeup-every day. I knew her roomate who told me that this girl woke up at 5am every morning to curl her HAIRPIECE. And we made fun of her all the time because she was so "L.A.". These days, I shrug and say, "to each her own." These days I can barely wake up early enough to put clothes on for work. This chick is probably blown up, done up and saving the world before breakfast.

The new publication's glossy pages and high production values are a far cry
from an ink-on-your-fingers newsprint rag that might cry out "Berzerkeley."
Nevertheless, there's something quintessentially Berkeley about this new
addition to the student publishing scene. Its first edition spoofs stereotypes
of the People's Republic of Berkeley (and conventions of fashion photography).
Student models from diverse backgrounds strut their threads in People's Park and
picturesque corners of Hearst Gym; an undergrad in Mama Cass-inspired hippie
gown poses barefoot in a tree — alongside snappy commentary on the legacy of the '60s ("Jefferson and Lennon asked for an upheaval and Berkeley
delivered…").

http://baremagazine.org/daily/

http://www.baremagazine.org/

(Not)Suckah-free Block Party-Top Chef Recap

Aww...Blogging Top Chef. Cuteness. Eric3000 recaps last week's episode.

Thoughts on last night's episode of Top Chef. Not Suckah-free Block Party.

Okieee...tacos. Upscale taco. Sort of a contradiction when you think about it, but you can upscale anything when you get your brain around it. I'd be scared as hell to do an upscale taco for Rick Bayless. Manoel is sad that his elaborate Spanish pronuciation gets him NOTHING and Spike, the weird hat wearing hippie gets top honors for his soy sauce pork taco. Andrew, I'm not happy to see, is still choosing to do meth during Quickfires-or he has to go to the bathroom REAL BAD. No chalupas? Sadness for mainly "traditional" tacos, Mark's looks good on the website. (here's what you do. Slice polenta 1/4-1/2 inch slices, deep fry with sage. Top with shredded spicy pork, cotija, green apple, mango, tomato, chipotle, jicama slaw-do the Suzanne Goin romesco-call it a day! Deep fry rice or wonton wrappers...something) Richard wins for his non-taco taco. Suckahs!

Rick Bayless has to put the non-taco taco on his menu at Topolobampo. Suckah.

It's actually quite drama-free the arrangement of the groups. Team RedTide and Team Blue(Balls). Of course Zoi and Jen are on a team together-[insert generic lesbian joke here], cause then they can share chef clogs more easily. And feel each other up, to the disdain and fear of middle America conservatives. Team BlueBalls is: Stephanie, Richard, Nikki, Manny, Antonia, Mark, & ... Team RedTide is: Spike, Andrew, Erik, Ryan, Zoi, Dale & Jen. Spike must have been a stock trader in one of his many past lives; he plays the law of averages by avoiding Richard, who has immunity. Dale avoids Nikki like the plague. Good call my friend. No blueberry mushroom cheese debacle.

omg..who is Lisa? Ohhh...the OTHER lesbian. Ok. Got it. She's got-er the last member of BlueBalls ie. Team Sexy WHAT? Chefs-you are driving me up a wall..

They drive around Chicago in color coded Gadget mobiles. Dale the lone Asian and Chicagoan knows his 'hoods. "4 Vietnamese restaurants are coming up!" Instead they pull up to a leafy, tree lined, stretch of suburbia. You must go and beg these nice Chicagoans for their food...door to friggin' door. Suckahs. That must be hard on some people-chefs do not work front of house. Dats why they in kitchen-cause they curse and sweat and do meth..whoops. Team RedTide strategically sends the 'Pretty Boy' Ryan in with Lisa(?) of all people. He gets them some pretty good stuff. While Team Sexy's (sigh...)Nikki and Antonia lay waste to a very high end - but rarely used kitchen (if the newness of the fixtures is to be believed) to the horror of it's owner. It's almost like Nikki and Antonia were all, "Can we take this?" pointing to her newborn child and planning to cook it with fava beans and a nice chianti. Spike and Andrew make sure one small family will NOT make it through Armageddon by purposely demolishing a Costco funded pantry. Ah, television cameras make home invasion so accessible. Residents-you have been pwned-Suckahs.

Day of challenge: Yes, Spike & Andrew continue their 'bromance' by trying to drive each other's heads into the wall in the boy's dorm. Why do we spend like twenty minutes filming/watching this Bravo? Trying to tie it into "Make me a Supermodel?" Stephanie is all, "I'm ready to go COOK motherf#$@*%s! I'm sitting here in mah orange pants. I got done with my abwork 40x faster because Valerie wasn't drooling on my crocs. HAUUTE QUEEZEEN!"

Unfortunately, the teams have to prep AND cook on the same day. So what happened to those lost hours between 5pm & 5am the day before? Is it because nobody is as cute as CJ? Or they didn't do weird eating palate testing contests? Spike walks around with his shirt off all the time!

FOOD RELATED NEWSFLASH: the guy who invented the Egg McMuffin died. Sad.

Menus: BlueBalls - Paella, Mac & Cheese, Fresh Fruit "Cobbler" with sugar cinnamon wonton crisp, Mexican chocolate sauced ribs, Pulled Pork sammies, bean salad, boring ass spinach salad, inside out cookie. "Sexy" Drink. (Tom C: "What makes it sexy?" Nikki: "Lavender." I laughed like Satan with Tom. "This WILL bite you in da ass at judge's table! Sexy is Padma's sweat! Sexy is mah breakfast eggs! Sexy no is lavender. Lavender is 'soothing' according to a billion air freshener/Calgon products.") At least there are no blueberries stuffed into mushrooms topped with cheese. Suckahs.
RedTide - MiniSliders (redundancy much?), Corn dogs, two different sangrias, mini hand torched s'mores (Spike + hand held incendiary device. He'll be asking Richard for that eucalyptus soon), taco salad, pork tenderloin skewers, a 'dip' bar, Waldorf salad, and pasta salad
Pasta-freakin' salad? Uh...you guys raided panties-I mean pantries (but who knows WHAT Spike and Andrew did at that poor lady's house besides take her wartime rations from her bomb shelter) from around this rather well-stocked neighborhood and Zoi has to make pasta salad? I mean...there was pork loin! (ooh...pork loin. I take the pork loin from you OLD MAN! and your ranch dressing too. that was seriously sad. I wonder if they had to go out to dinner after that) Notice Spike's strategic product placement? KC BBQ sauce, it will make an appearance in our lovely block party lunch! By the way, read Ted Allen's blog on the Bravo website to see him ream both teams with a spike (the tool, not person) for treating the neighborhood folks like a bunch of yokels. They're all upscale foodies and the mayor actually lives there. Sure, make one or two things for the kids, but don't dumb down your food, it's Chicago not Nebraska. Good real food is appreciated everywhere by everyone. Don't be stuck up y'all. Suckahs.

UNRELATED TO ANYTHING NEWS: If you're reading the Top Chef Website, just genuflect for a moment, on just how friggin' pretty Lee Anne Wong is.

Cooking is uneventful. Nikki uses Velveeta for her mac and cheese (I thought it was government cheese at first) and gets worried about it setting up. Uh-NEWSFLASH! A shitload of people use Velveeta for mac and cheese, because it stays oddly liquid, it's like plastic or something. Both teams take initiave on working well together, tasting all the food and trying to get along. Mark and Richard are oddly subdued. Maybe because this is more like a real cooking environment instead of a competition, they can mellow. Stephanie fries wonton wrappers-good girl. Dale is pissed on a soapbox AS USUAL, complaining that Team RedTide is going too low-end. He will be making high end pork shish kabob. Dale...get over it. On initial viewing, the judges seem to take to the food well. Even Colicchio, who is bereft of snarky comments for the moment, maybe he got wasted on Pabst or just sauntered over to the dudes who were bbq-ing on the other end of the block (Did you see that? That was a pretty good idea. Iron Chef - Block Party! Winners get to throw Spike in the dunk tank) Padma ignores sexy drink to eat a hand torched marshmallow...sexily. She drops it on Ted Allen's Prada shoe - OOH SNAP! Girlfriend owes Queen Ted a new pair of brogues. Team BlueBalls does full service line, RedTide lets people get it themselves-so they can you know, smoke out in the back of the red Gadgetmobile and drink the residents' beer. BlueBall's Manny LETS Bayless know, hermano a hermano, that they're MEXICAN chocolate sauced ribs-which actually look damn good. Mexican yo! No Colicchio-RedTide did not STEAM the sliders. Jen's gonna rip you a new one while she points out the skid uh...grill marks. Shrimp and chorizo taco salad sounds nasty. RedTide deems themselves winners (Suckahs), chug the rest of their sangria, play b-ball, drop kick Spike and enjoy some beers while Team Sexy packs up their shit and sweats unnecessarily.

Judge's Panel: Team RedTide looks shocked, appalled and mortified as their competitors are called up first to Judge's Table. I swear I hear a beer bottle breaking. Andrew looks like he's going to take someone out-not Spike. Good thing Valerie left or I would tag her as a prime target. Since the only girls he can blame on his team are lesbians, he knows better than to go there and just pouts. Team BlueBalls ie Sexy WINS! by a hair. As much as I agree with Judges Panel for telling Richard his paella was actually pilaf-attend any one of the 4 million buffets out there that serve 'paella' and that's what you're going to get. If there was crispy rice anywhere, you'd probably get some octegenarian complaining that he has to clean his dentures of rice particles. Bayless points out the brick of mac & cheese. Colicchio likes nothing they served, but Stephanie gets points and wins the individual challenge for her fruit dessert (anyone hear a 'ringer' here?) RedTide is up and they express nothing but the aforementioned shock and disappointment. Andrew and Spike are sure that they have won because they were better entertainers. It's called TOP CHEF suckahs.

Unfortunately, the judges tag 3 SF chefs: Erik 'Papa Souffle' (that's adorable, it's his WWF tag team name), Ryan (can't make a classic dish to save my life) for his watery Waldork salad and Zoi for her boring pasta salad (when the judges mention you can get something better at Safeway, I actually wince). In the end, Erik is tagged out for his soggy corn dogs and the reasoning ("they gave us 12 packs of hot dogs!") behind them. Buh-bye Papa Souffle, come back to Circa! Next week...I wasn't paying attention.
Here is my question: better to impress judges or your customer?

Peep pan pie?

Awesome, posted over at Serious Eats: What to Do with Leftover Easter Candy via Cakespy

The Peeps s'more seems sort of obvious, but it was the malted egg shake that sounded intriguing. Claims of blending the chocolate malted eggs + ice + soy milk like a new brand of egg-cream. What next? Peep pie?




Conversations with Co-Workers

3:46 pm, 3.24.08

Nickelback: "Hey, can you get rid of those detail titles we're not using?"
Pen: "Argggg...." (clicks furiously, prints)
NB: "Hey (comes to look over shoulder), get rid of those other ones too...gotta keep it consistent."
P: "Ok."
NB: "ahha. Yeah, you're thinking 'Fuck you G.' I can hear it."
P: "No, I'm too tired. I'll think that tomorrow."
NB: "Ha. Ok."

Don't try this at home kids.

"So I have a really funny story."

Whenever somebody starts a episodic retelling with this statement, it rarely lives up to expectations. However, we had people over last night for hot pot/Easter/Mr. Jones' birthday and one of my "uncles" (it's an Asian thing, you call all of your parent's friends by the honorary 'uncle' or 'auntie'-even if they're nowhere near related to you) who is actually a quite refined man; into reading and teaching the Chinese classics, playing guitar, travelling said this. And I never expected the following to come out of his mouth. (I'm calling him Uncle Alien for now, cause you know, he's a FOB and it rhymes with his actual name.)

"I was at this dinner last weekend-and I was at the head table. And there were all these people singing karaoke (makes a pained face). One after another-old men and women singing songs. And there is this 77 year old guy-who is singing. And dancing! Like you know, cha-cha steps? He's really getting into it. And then all of a sudden, he grab his chest. Then he turns white. And he tries to grab the tv, but the tv and the man both fall down, off the stage. And we try, you know pushing his chest (CPR), but the paramedics got there, and after 45 minutes...he died."

Complete silence.

Then one of my 'aunties' sitting at the other end of the table breaks in.

"You know, but Alien said, at least he died happy! He probably had dinner, some whisky and he died singing!"

Everyone started cracking up.
That's totally the way I want to go.

At the sounding.

So it is Easter morning, and I am still up blogging at 1:35 am. If all goes as it is currently, I should be up for a dawn service. Which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

For many religions around the world both Christian and Catholic (and often coincidentally Jewish), the rite of Easter/Passover brings the significance of spring and new beginnings. We are encouraged to discard the old and welcome change, birth, growth and discovery. As the earth begins its cycle of renewal, so it brings it upon us.

Traditionally, this is where I would bring up things I'm looking forward to in the new year, things I want to change, what I want to get rid of. But my life-is more than exquisite right now. If anything, a greater sense of peace, contentment and self confidence is all I'm really after. There are so many things that are already beautiful in my life and I am looking forward to renewing my relationships with the people I know and cherish. Sometimes, I am afraid I have reached a saturation point. That I am so perfectly happy with the friends that I have, there is no room for anyone or anything else. Are friends like jello? Do you always have room for another?

Well, the answer is...probably. But they have to be the right friend. And the "right" friend for you now, may not be the right friend 15 or 20 years in the future. As my reverend said during this morning's service: "You have the ability to love everyone, you may not LIKE them, but you can love them."

The Germ and I had an interesting conversation on the way to Mr. Jones' birthday dinner last night; he's dating someone who is intelligent, good looking, thoughtful, gracious-but someone for whom he has absolutely no chemistry or feelings for. Ouch. And yet, how many times are we encouraged to seek these people out? The polite ones? The nice ones? The "perfect" ones? And we feel obliged to find some sort of connection with people because they are 'good'? Or 'good for us'? In the end, we only make ourselves miserable. At this point, he and I agreed...there is no room for lack of chemistry for either of us. Some of my friends are, well...to put it lightly...down right rude. Sarcastic. But they make me laugh til my cheeks ache. They have been known to take care of their loved ones, inside they are the stalwarts. It is because they are discriminating that it allows them to use their love to the capacity to take care of the ones they truly care for; not just every joe shmoe come lately.

I just watched (it's now 4pm) a divinely beautiful Easter service today that really reflects on the true meaning of Easter; God is in all of us. And God is love. What other people do is up to them, but what you do is up to YOU.

Holy...did Hellafied write a stellar entry: Why I Write.

Lunch weirdo.

1. Crack open Spa Salad from TJs: use only 1/2 the curry dressing. Enjoy the lettuce, grapes, romano cheese, chicken, mandarin oranges and skinny noodles.
2. Close empty container, discard (or wash and save for storing additional salads-god I'm Chinese)
3. Retrieve box of cut mango slices from bag
4. Open
5. Fork into slice, dip into curry dressing
6. Alternate bites with and without dressing
7. Enjoy

I had a much better entry about Asian parents forcing their kids to play sports as a response to an article on 8Asians-but got too caught up in nomming my mango. I'll write that article later. You should definitely check out this MSN article from today though: How to Raise a Millionaire.

It's smart and clever about getting kids to watch their pennies; and much less intrusive than Mr. Jones' way. Which is pointing his finger at me while I'm watching 'Law & Order' or reading scripts or eating lunch going, "Yeah! Save more money!" and laughing maniacally.

The inquisition...whatta show!

Spent the first time on the reformer machine at pilates class. Dang that thing kicked my ass! Whoot! But I think I may be in love with it. First of all, the machine showed me where all my weak muscles are-mostly around my tum-tum area-and it was so much easier to feel the isolation of your muscles. Plus, the second you do it wrong, your machine starts shifting around on the floor, so you know right away whether or not to adjust your movement. You have to make all your movements slow and deliberate to get the full effect and I'm definitely feelin' it. The sad thing? ST - Return of the Drip, rehearsals start in April and I won't be able to do the more advanced class til the end of the run. Back to mat for me. Oh well.
I swear, one of these days, I'll get to writing more interesting/informative blog entries. Stay tuned!

*************
You guys read MightyGirl? You might want to, she's kind of a big deal as Christian would say (she's the editor of MightyGoods-one of the best cool finds sites on the interwebs). But last week, she wrote her list of 100 items she plans to do some day, some simple, some elaborate, some grand, some small. But lots and lots of things-almost as a guideline. In true form: here are some top 50. Just you know, to keep me on track.

1. Spend three days at Harbin with the girls.
2. Go to Spain. Climb Sagrada Familia
3. Make my own ice cream
4. Successfully harvest my own fruit orchard
5. Walk across: the Golden Gate Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge and
6. Direct a play
7. Go up Half Dome
8. Learn to dive.
9. Go to a concert at Carnagie Hall
10. See the Taj Mahal
11. Make it through 6 weeks of an intensive hip hop class
12. Do a handstand on my own
13. Write a published piece
14. Meet Kevin Smith, Margaret Cho and Renee Fleming
15. Learn French
16. Be content with my state of mind
17. Learn archery (like Legolas!)
18. Finish a knitting project
19. Go to a movie by myself and not feel like a loser
20. Sing in a summer concert at Stern Grove - on stage dorks.
21. Skip with my child through a field

Stake your claim.

It's weird to have innate paranoia when people call our office asking for our tax id number right? Totally bizarre on my part as I know that's how we get paid, but I get this innate gut punch-like when people ask me for my #SSN.

But that I'm passing out like Cheetos.

Kidding.

Recent thoughts:
'We saw the Incredibles together, remember? It was our first date. Of course it's good.'
'Ooh, free boba! I filled up my card.'
'I hate glue guns.'
'I can blame my boss for my bloody knuckles. I look like an extra from Fight Club.'
'Really need Bounce sheet right now.'
'To tag as friend, or not to tag as friend? What if he's gay? Then you'll feel dumb.'

I never make claims to sanity. This is fer sure.

Yet another networking vortex I've gotten sucked into.

I joined Yelp.

Couldn't help it. Had a friend who gave me a killer massage today and she asked, very nicely, for a review, which I was more than happy to give. But had to sign up for Yelp.

So begins yet another foray into writing useless snark.

Whoot. Find me here.

Pi Day and Masters of the Universe

Life at home:

Mr. Jones: Do you want some pie? I just made one.
Pen: Oh! Ok, did you get it cause it's Pi Day?
Mr. Jones: ?? (quizzical look on face)
Pen: You know...3/14...like 3 point one four..pie...pi? Get it? Pi Day?
Mr. Jones: (laughing) oh! No. Who came up with that?
Pen: I dunno, some crazy Berkeley math geek

Ok, so technically I was wrong, Pi Day was created by a physicist, Larry Shaw, who actually works at the Exploratorium. Great, now my dad thinks I'm sort sort of weirdo. Next thing you know, I'll be wearing a shirt that says, "I am McLovin'" and walking around asking people what their midi-chlorian count is. Wait a sec, I already do that. KIDDING!

*********
Speaking of being weird though. Do you ever wonder what other people are listening to on their iPods when you're riding the train or walking around? More fascinating than the random conversations that we are privy to, due to the recent proliferation of cell phone usage, I often wonder what sort of music people listen to as they bob their heads or sit quietly staring out into space. And it also makes me wonder, what came first? The movie soundtrack or the personal sound device? I'm supposing the movie soundtrack has a heads up in that department, but do you think that the reason people are so used to listening to their headphones is because we are so used to having life scenes set to soundtracks?

And do you think that people are stereotypes? Do you think that the guy wearing a Rastafarian hat, cargo pants, and boots is listening to ska or Marley? Do you think that the older gent in a power suit and briefcase is listening to some Wall Street Journal esque podcast? That the teenie bopper in the pink sneakers is listening to the latest version of 'High School Musical' or Hannah Montana? I often wonder if people look at me and thinking, "pssht...Sarah Bareilles." or "totally, John Mayer" cause as much as I like Sara Bareilles and John Mayer, I might very well be listening to Bach or Sam Cooke or Django Reinhardt or some techno.

What we chose to listen to is often very indicative of who we actually are. Not of who we wish to be perceived to be as, but who we actually are.

I think a fun experiment for the bold, might be to seek out people listening to their mp3 devices and just to ask them, what they're listening to. Maybe you could hand them a card, with a sentence printed on asking them. I think it would be a fun human social experiment. I once heard a philosopher complain that the number of people on trains now who are cut off from the real world because they are listening to their devices and not experiencing what is going on around them.

I was reading Mymymy's latest issue of a woman's magazine during lunch which claimed that certain techniques over others will keep a person awake in those drowsy late afternoons. Drinking a cup of coffee for example, is more effective than taking a power nap. And also, that listening to loud, fast or upbeat music will keep you more awake, because naturally your brain waves start to sync themselves up with the song in order to understand it. Well, der, I could have told you that.

Music is the natural rhythm of life. Probably our first 'technological' feat - of life imitating life. I think we crave the sounds and emotions of others, but as any race, we wish to be the ultimate gods, controlling that experience.

What say you?

ABDC - Live! Shut up Mario Lopez

Blogging: America's Best Dance Crew (live)
10:17pm: ok, so this has got to be my favorite episode ever. Broadway remixes!! Where's the special guest judge? Cause it would probably be Wayne Cilento or something. Wait a minute, who put one my homies into the bottom two teams? (Jabbawockees & Kaba Modern? I call party foul) So Status Quo goes first and dances to a remix from 'Hairspray'-here's my beef, they do nothing related to the musical, oh wait....the big dude wears a wig. Too bad 'Iconic' is gone.

10:20
Shut up Mario

10:21
Yay, Kaba Modern is the future of dance. Huh...what are Jabbawockees doing up against Kaba? This is messed up, I watched both performances last week and they ruled.

10:22 oh shit...HELL TO THE NO. America you hate Asians, you didn't vote for Kaba Modern? What is wrong with you?

ahaha...Jabawockees have to do Chicago-'All that Jazz'?!?! hahah, they have to do Fosse. Whoa, the Velma is sort of...funny looking? Like the blush monster attacked her. The Charleston? Are they going to wear jazz shoes?
awesome. "America if you think we look funny...we do." haha
Jazzawockees...that's classic

10:24 Did Timbaland do all these hip hop remixes? He's singing ultra-basso on all of them
Oh that's cute, I like the piano playing dance move.
I saw NO CHARLESTON. JC's going to bitch slap them for that.

10:25 Ahaha...JC's trying to channel Roy Scheider in 'All That Jazz' tonight, what the hell is up with the American Apparel scarf? Lil Mama brings everything to the 'hood'-I seriously want to know what sort of effed up 'hood' does Lil Mama live in?

Ohhhhh...the Charleston is called the 'Kid & Play' now. From 'House Party' - the foot touch things.

10:26 BROADWAY IS THE FUTURE OF HIP HOP!! (did you know this?) What sort of smack are these judges smoking?

I think it must be the song that Jabawockees was working with, cause it WAS slow-but at least, thematically, it tied into the musical better. I wasn't blown away. I hope Kaba got a good musical to work with. It looks like 'Cry Baby' or 'Lumberjack! The Musical!'...oh shit, did they friggin' get 'Oklahoma' or something retarded?

10:32 SHUT UP MARIO (I'm gonna call you Maria if you keep doing this)

10:33 Kaba up first. They're awfully excited about an empty stage
OHHhh...Grease...oh, that's cute.
They keep doing this girls vs. guys thing
Knee slide, do it!
Aw...who's the cute cute Asian girl teaching them moves?
When were there so many Asians in GREASE?!
If you can't hip hop Grease, I'm sorry, YOU SUCK. So Kaba doesn't suck, so they'll be fine.

10:35 - are all the friggin' mixes this slow?
SHUT UP TIMBALAND-god this mix sucks
They should have just used the original music for 'The One That I Want'-it's way more fired up and peppy.
AWWWW! Hand jive AND stage jump! Supercuteness
(jazz hands...haahah)

Ok, it's not my favorite Kaba performance, I liked the Michael Jackson one way better. But the girls were totally cute with the Sandy 50's pompadour hair and tight jeans. I wish the boys had stuck to the black tank tops and jeans. There was a part in the middle where it just seemed like a lot of meaningless moves. Do these people not have YouTube? There are a couple of things I would have liked to have seen. The cigarette toe stamp twist out, the back and forth shimmy, etc.

10:40 Breakskate is up. Does Maria tone and condition his skin?
They got DREAMGIRLS..AHAHAHAHAH...oh.my.god - that SUCKS
The look on their faces is classic: "We're fucked."
Playing the circus clown music is pretty appropriate?

10:43 Ok, this mix for 'One Night Only' is way friggin' better than anyone else's.
Foreva foreva?
that's pretty good to land the spin/jump on roller skates
Put your shirt back on skinny white man
Ok the delayed fall forward is cute.

10:44 - JC don't make me hate you.
Yes, 'which-ways' are cool + theatrical
Understanding the concept of Grease...yes, good
ONLY 3 LADIES LEFT? Oh shit...yeah, they friggin' rock! I totally didn't realize that too.

Shane's choregraphing DREAMGIRLS? Weird.

Lil Mama don't make me hurt you....
What?! Pulling up your shirt is entertaining for the kids? Ok...like I said, what 'hood' is she living in?
The girls in Kaba are cute...like super cute.
MAGICAL GROUP! Kaba Modern is magical!
You made Yuri cry?! Don't cry girl! She's strong! I love Yuri!

10:47 - I don't know if they're going to save Breaksk8 for the differences or their special gimmick, but I'm gonna stop watching this show if they kick off Kaba.

10:53 - what commercial is this? you like watching people getting axe murdered? Oh...it's for Fear.com. That's like my date from hell.

10:54 - America has voted? I thought the judges are saving people? Oh ok...Maria please complete your sentences.
Yuri don't cry! We heart you!
Personality DON'T make a winning performance, yo.

10:55 SAVE KABA!...please?

10:56 shit Maria, says something

Whew!! Kaba Modern is saved! ROCK ON KABA! There is a god.

ahaha...wow, that guy's voice cracks a lot. What is Smet? I just noticed that.
America thanks you too Breaksk8. It's a brotherhood?

Do you guys care that Maria is in 'Chorus Line'? Do you wanna give him the ball? Yeah, me neither. Apparently JC was pissed that he wasn't cast either, so he dressed up as Zach for the show tonight. Step, kick, kick, touch TOGETHER!
Oh that's cute, the remaining teams came out carrying the flag and doing steps like they were roller skating. So that's your live blogging event from 'America's Best Dance Crew' tonight, have a great weekend and remember to vote. (for the Asians, yes, I'm biased)

Least intellectual is my category

Laziness has been ruling me lately. (and some out you out there, I can hear going, "lately?" SHUDDAP) From turning down dinner invitations to ignoring phone calls to wearing my hooded sweatshirt and workout pants all weekend, it is REALLY nice to be a slacker/slob. I have subjected myself to multiple watchings of HP5, sleeping in, staring at the tv-in fact, the most strenuous thing I've done recently was create 3 posts in one day on Polyvore.

Thank goodness for recommendations.

Yesterday, after brunch with Bunnyrillo - I got my butt around to answering a call from Dario, who told me that his friend was looking for actors to fill in for a reading of 'the Diviners'-a Depression Era play about a young boy and an out of work preacher who comes to town and changes lives ala 'Of Mice and Men'. This friend? Happens to be directing the A.C.T. MFA first year class. Oh yeah, and also directed Mr/Ms Bird last year in the show that I couldn't stop talking about.

What am I, retarded? Of course I went.

Not without fear or trepidation of course. Or personal expectations. Or total numbing shock that when we started, everyone was reading with backwoods, 'country' (Indiana) accents. And the people in the room? Read like a who's who of Bay Area Theater. I felt so fucked (like in a Bridget Jones'-"not up to competition standard" way). I got cast as the Bible-thumpin', save-these-sinners, maiden aunt. (that's pretty good actually, it's a friggin' awesome role-but hello Asian?) Two unlucky actresses were late and got cast in male roles. See, the thing about casual readings like this are, you're not just reading just to hang out and have fun. Even though, that's what you're supposedly going for. You're ALSO reading as an improptu extended audition for the director. And I've had a lot of respect for this particular director after watching FPS last year.

Thank god for babies, who are the ultimate ice-breakers.

Whew. In the end, I'm pretty sure I got out of it ok. I showed up on time, hit all the marks and jokes, didn't schmact or kiss ass too much. (at least I think) didn't overstay my welcome.
So here's my question to all you people out there; even though I believe I had the least amount of lines-the character had one of the strongest, most impactful roles in the play. So are you happier being someone who does little but makes a huge impact or does a lot and makes the same impression?
huh? huh?

Surf's up.

Sometimes, I think that I'm crazy.
Or totally spirit driven
Or both.

So I put this idea out to the Universe, because I have learned-just from today-that great things happen when you put your faith in something larger. You can call it god or spirit or the universe or ohm or mana; but greater things exist. Things that are bigger than you. And the more you ask for help-the more you shall receive.

Manifest, manifest, manifest.

Bat Boy is probably one of Broadway's greatest "cult" musicals-it's funny, sweet, ironic and also has great music. I've long wanted to play 'Meredith Parker' - the proud, loving matriarch - but I'm not a person one would generally cast for that role. The more I've talked about it, the more people have come to share their love for 'Bat Boy'. In fact, enough people to basically generate an entire cast.

Which was when a concert version of the show came into play. Only problem? We have no money, no director and no venue. Well, lo and behold, I attend Bunnyrillo's church service today and well...to sum up.

Miracles are waiting to happen people.

I might have found the perfect venue. For very very very cheap. It's a gorgeous space and the organizers were more than amazing. I'll let you know how it all goes. It's a little scary right now, but ride the wave my surfer. Ride the wave.

2 more hours...

Remember when the Food Network used to run this show called, "The Two Fat Ladies"? The hosts were two jovial British birds, Jennifer and Clarissa, who smoked, drank and cooked all with the same reckless abandonment. Sort of the anti-Julias (Child). My parents used to be REALLY into that show which would often start with one of the ladies going:

"So you take 3 pounds of butter..." or "Take half a cup of lard."

The Fat Ladies did not take modern calorie counting or fat content into any consideration whatsoever and often ended up creating dishes that looked and sounded delicious (buttered spatchcock, cooked in an oven covered by slices of buttered bread)-but were definitely not endorsed by the Heart Association in any way. The show only ran for three seasons (when one of the hosts died), but put its own indelible mark on British cuisine for decades to come.
Now Adam from SeriousEats, does his own assessment of the American version; Paula Deen-who recently posted a recipe for fried butter/cream cheese balls. FRIED. BUTTER. - WHAT THE HELL?! It's funny: Paula Deen Is Trying to Kill Us




holy....when people are bored, they find a lot of extra shite to do with their time. It's a bento box site, using album covers (called Jacket Lunch Box). Instead of Hello Kitty we have a bunch of 'Rage Against the Machine' covers. heh. Serious Eats Link.


Today:

Sugar: This is the best shopping center EVER! I'll tell you what's there. There's a Kragen auto parts, woodworking store, West Marine, Harbor Freight tools and a nudie book store.
Pen: ahah...so it's a MAN center?
Sugar: Yeah! You know like they have those huge Asian centers? This is like THAT!

I just spent 1-1/2 hrs at the Man Center with the boys from work. I was convinced to go. We ate at Wendy's-it was aight.

Stickin' it to the man

Awww...so cute! WANT. Arg...stupid Amsterdam only website. PLEASE, please sell in the States!

Wall Decals/Stickers from Vynil - you can get the 'Spirited Away' coal balls!
And to think, I used to get busted for putting stickers on the wall when I was younger. Turns out, I was just way ahead of my time.

You can stick em, and then restick em to your heart's content. Perfect for decor indecisive people like me.

Both of these designs are from a Japanese Team called Tado (Tadao? Feel free to correct me) and are just cute and glee enducing. There are some US based companies that will also provide wall graphics, like Blik, but it seems that the Europeans, once again, are three months ahead of the Americans...as usual. Where is Lance Armstrong when you need him?!

I will expect packs of these in Urban Outfitters across the continental US in the next 8months to a year.

This cracks me up, a description blurb from another French wall sticker site: ActeDeco

Liere

I came in and all was already flowered, damn, blast , shit! How could I explain that, I just see abracadabra or perhaps once upon a time. The bird in the cage has smiled, if you need some reason or other, just take mashed potatoes and ham!

What? oooohhhh...kaaayyy...mashed potatoes...mmm.

I psych myself out - All the time - Weird isn't it?

Spin me right round baby.

Something interesting I just read from Shannanigans

or maybe they don't wonder about me. i wonder if i piss some people off just by being there. you know how you see someone and automatically you're like 'ooh, we would NOT be friends' in your head and you don't even know them. sometimes you come home and you tell whoever is at home about your day and the people you passed; aren't you curious about how many people are telling the people in their homes about that girl they passed today who seemed like such a bitch and it was you? it can be a kind of disconcerting thing to wonder, like when one thinks too much about gravity.

So I was just sitting on Bart this morning (seat next to the door); and the municipality has decided that it will stop running longer Pittsburg Bay Point trains in the morning now- which means passengers are a little more squooshed together. Did you ever notice that you operate by an unspoken heirarchy? Like on Bart, I prefer: empty two-seaters as opposed to an occupied one, the seat by the back door (in between cars), sitting next to women rather than men. If I have to sit next to a guy, I prefer one who is reading, sleeping or on his laptop/crackberry. I also prefer sitting next to people who look like they're having a good time minding their own business rather than people trying to have a conversation or start something. I like to be left alone to my own devices when riding Bart. (surprise)
But with the shorter trains comes a variation on my seat picking heirarchy, and today, I took the empty seat by the entry doors. About two stops down, a couple of people get on and one of them-young working-class male pungent with cologne, sits next to me. Part of me (ok, a huge part of me) gets annoyed for no good reason. But I think the smell doesn't help. What also doesn't help is that I'm writing in my journal and he stares at what I'm writing until I look up, directly at him at which point he averts his eyes. Another part of me tries to calm the annoyed part down. But AnnoyedPen wins out and starts to shift uncomfortably, shifts the journal and writes the following:

"Please don't look at what I'm writing - your endless scrutiny bothers me - as if I were a mixture of components for you to stare at and not a whole person. Not just breasts. Or not just weird-but a whole person who is sickened by your voyeurism. I don't want to get you off. I want you to leave me alone, your smell is rank and over powereing. Your culture of machismo is degrading. Are you a father Husband? Son? I am unsure and unclear how men detach themselves so easily from personal life - how little they feel for women - any woman who is not some combination of virgin whore. They are capable of lusting forever afer something they cannot have and then destroying it once they do. Shiva should not be a woman. Women are not the destroyer but merely devices through which men chose to blame their own destructive tendencies upon."

Where did this come from? I'm no rampant feminist; years of being friends with men has taught me that they often treat you much more fairly than your female peers. Being soft, enveloping, gentle; it's part of my nature, whether or not I acknowledge it or not. He's just a guy, on his way to work-on a semi crowded train. And I wonder how his rapt fascination would translate to inner monologue.

"Please don't take offense to my looking. It's just that...my mother wrote. Beautifully. Poetry and prose. I can't even write a grocery list; your handwriting is eh. I don't know anything about your world; but I've had to work all my life. I live with four other guys in one room and we know nothing of softness. Sometimes, it would be nice to stop talking about beer, balls and pu**y. I'm not scary. I'm not even that big. Women are not destroyers; even though I'm tempted by my lack of them often. A beautiful girl once told me she loves a man with a smell; smell makes you memorable..."

but all in Spanish.
Often we are so wrapped up in thinking about ourselves and how other people affect us. We rarely think about how we are affecting others. How what we do and what we say, or even how we smell - can change others on a daily if not hourly basis. Even you, gentle reader, are you moved? Indifferent? Inspired? Angered?

5 Favorite Pies (in the spirit of March NaBloPoMo)

• -Banana cream. It's sort of a nostalgic favorite. Every summer from when I was 5 or 6-possibly younger til I was 14, my family and my best friend's family would go for a week, up to a family camp near Yosemite. I would look forward to it every year, and the days of hanging out at the lake, horseback rides, campfires, hay rides, and the delicious food at the dining hall. One year, we got obsessed with the banana cream pie and made up a song about it. It was damn good pie though.


• -Chicken pot pie. If you have just escaped from a deserted island or are pregnant, get the one from Max's. It's HUUGE.


• -Apple, it's yummy delicious. Classic. Americana. Double crust of course.


• -Fried pie from McDonald's. Remember when they used to fry the pies? They still do in Hawaii apparently.


• -Berry pie...I dunno.

List I

According to NaBloPoMo: March is 'Lists Month', without further ado...

Top 5 Two Letter Word Scores in Scrabble/Scrabulous:
5. JO (as in Jo-jo? Like the Trader Joe's faux oreos?)
4. XU (Xu you buddy...heh heh)
3. QI (I use this one a lot)
2. XI (possibly a dynasty?)
1. ZA (nobody knows what the hell it means. Not even SquirrelMonk, and she's wicked smart. Oh ok, she postulated it might be short for 'pizza' and I say..who shortens PIZZA?!?)

I actually have some very good lists written down at work from: Top 5 Salumis to Top 5 Guilty Guy Pleasures, etc. but right now I'm working on going to bed early. So off I go, whee!

quick notes

Went hiking in the Marin Headlands today with Nim. The weather nearly begged for it. Sunny, warm, bright. Strolled up the hill to the bunkers, took in the sites-was constantly heard saying, "It's so PRETTY!". Had a boba tea. Recently, I have been perfecting the art of doing nothing. Which is really rather quite nice. I have some loose plans for the next couple of weeks-maybe see a show, go to pilates, work on some new material, but really, I'm loving getting back into enjoying life.

Which brings up a new point; maybe it's an after effect of stage managing, but I found myself recently OVER planning. Instead of living-all I was doing was scheduling, making lists and jotting down notes. Planning what I was going to say to people before I even said it. And that's sort of the funny thing; life-for all the craziness it is, deserves to be lived. Picnics in the park. Playing with dogs. Dancing. Naps in the sunshine. Singing my guts out and being a part of something that takes my breath away.

So I have a few more friends I want to cross off the list. A few more restaurants to visit and a few more pounds to shed. (counteractive I know) But most importantly; I want to become excited about life again. Interested and involved and less...dull. Less self-involved. More serene.

Peace be with you this week
and always.