Wednesday, December 31, 2008

a long overdue update...

shall be coming soon. :)

i could technically do it right now, but i need to figure out how to upload a document file on here so that you all can see the exquisite menu i made for christmas dinner. boy that seems so long ago and it was only a week ago! anyhow, this vaca has been going pretty well--though i did work a little everyday and at least 4 days of it. gah. oh well. i get the feeling this will always be the case.

anyhow, a more detailed update coming soon. for now--have a wonderful and SAFE new year's eve! nyc is ridiculously expensive for new year's eve (with nearly everywhere charging a minimum $100 cover charge) and we are headed to *surprise surprise* the upper west side for our celebration tonight!

i shall hopefully be back and blogging on a more normal basis on friday. and then--come monday--it's back to work! this is, of course, the problem with long vacations--you just don't want them to ever end.

anyhow, i shall update on christmas, new year's eve, and my vacation sometime this weekend.

also, if i don't go to seattle for my bday--i shall make it back for president's day weekend. it's about time. that will be around a year since i left and it's a year now since i last saw my family. there's still a nephew i haven't seen yet that i would like to see. minus the hideous track suit outfit of course. i have to travel to jersey the same week i want to go--so january might not happen.

Monday, December 22, 2008

warning: graphic content ahead

so i have been struck with some strange stomach virus. saturday evening i woke up every hour on the hour to diarrhea.

so on sunday, i ate only a bowl of oatmeal, an apple, and cranberry juice to minimize my bathroom visits. it seemed to help as i woke up only 3 times last night to run to the bathroom--though throughout sunday i certainly was making my nightly visits.

i have only had to go 3 times today--which is fortunate since i have been traveling to the hamptons.

so my hope is that it is only a 48 hour stomach virus. it just hit me out of the blue which is just mass strange. especially since i am still somewhat recovering from my phlegm-filled nightmare.

god. i am just a walking bit of gross.

joy and i have yet to plan our christmas dinner menu. because it feels like forever since i have eaten (though it really has only been 2 days) EVERYTHING sounds good to me. i see those damn whopper commercials and kfc commercials and i start salivating. i want lasagna. maybe we should do an italian style christmas dinner. or a really traditional lao meal. heck. i'll eat anything at this point!

i am THIS close to my last goal. and a part of me is like--YOU'RE ON VACATION--JUST LET IT GO. and another part of me is like--YOU'RE THIS CLOSE. i bet the latter part wins out. it usually does. i need to chill.

it is FREEZING HERE. i was using my laminated map of long island to try and scrape the 5 inches thick of ice on my windshield this morning. this old man was laughing at me when he saw, went inside his house and grabbed me one of those scraper/brush things. very nice of him!

i am thinking of so many things i need to do--and really--the best time to do it is NOW, while i'm on "vacation." i NEED some glasses--i broke my last pair cleaning them, and then, used duct tape for awhile--until i lost them completely (my bet is, i left them at a hotel). i need new contacts--because i have worn these ones for months and months and months--and they were supposed to only be monthly's to begin with.

yes. i think i shall do that these next few days.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

i'll be back

cause while i was in jersey/philly for one night--newb came up to my hotel room after we had pho for dinner and watched some movies/shows. we stayed in downtown philly like--a block from chinatown at the hilton there. and that was very cool. we started with charlie brown--which i LOVE. then we did "i am legend" which should have been better--and ended with terminator 2--which I LOVE. first time seeing that one--and it definitely was worth it. i must say. loved it. great movie. i'd watch it again. even if there are loose ends all over the place!

so i told newb at dinner that i was confident he could handle the account himself but that i'd leave it up to him what he wanted and he replied with "if it isn't a burden i'd just as soon keep having you come."

which is fine. it isn't a burden or anything. and 2 hours out of my month doesn't hurt me in any way to be honest. and it's nice to feel like i actually have COWORKERS. which is probably why he prefers i keep going with him. gives us an excuse to do movie night and dinner and have someone to vent and talk about work to. you know. normal office politics that we otherwise would just conduct on the phone--but because our territories work out so nicely--we can actually get together at least once a month to do face to face. and that's nice. most of the other reps don't have that luxury i don't think.

i know a few of the other reps do that as well though. so i don't feel like we're doing anything strange. perfectly acceptable. and it's not like i'm hiding it from anyone. i've told our team leader we've done it and it didn't seem like it was a biggie.

~~

on a nice note. after i got home today--i did a few things--and then...what did i do? met up with my partner in crime for some...SHABU. yes. again. always. again. we also went to the macy's on 34th for some shopping--of which i didn't get anything. i'm too indecisive to purchase right away.

but i DID get the earth boots i ordered online on saturday today. i got home--and there they were--waiting right outside my front door. and they are SUPER CUTE. they have a negative heel--so you are supposed to be able to burn more calories with every step. and to be perfectly objectively honest--i've never huffed going up my 3 flights of stairs--i did today. i think they work. i can feel the difference in how hard steps seem to be after awhile.


on another note--i am officially on vacation until the 5th of january. that's a LONG time. and i have no set plans--i will work 2 days of it to visit my largest account--and to go to the hamptons for one of the days. but that'll be fine. i'm not as annoyed as i was. as working things go--it's not so bad to go on vacation and have to work a couple of days of it.

Monday, December 15, 2008

almost...

doesn't count.

it's rather unfortunate. there are many "almosts" this month. i almost didn't have to go to jersey. and then, an email i received today confirmed that i indeed, would have to go--at least for 1 night. which is even worse really.

it's also "almost" my vacation. starting the wednesday i drive back from jersey. and while it really won't be that bad--i am sort of dreading it. traveling for 1 night is worse than anything i swear. all that packing and unpacking--all for 1 night. blah.

on a good note--i think newb is doing well so i shouldn't have to go with him anymore after tomorrow's meeting--to that account. i think it should be ok for him to start going at that account alone. shouldn't be a big deal. i'll ask him at dinner tomorrow after the meeting to see where his head is on it. it's not that i hate doing it or whatever--but i'm sure he'd like to start doing it himself as well instead of having me hanging about!

i'm mass tired. all this traveling and phlegm and drinking. i'm over it! i am living for thursday. well. i do get to meet joy for dinner briefly, that will be nice. i don't think i've seen her since our dinner the week of thanksgiving.

also, i purchased j.k. rowling's "the tales of beedle the bard" while i was in burlington, vermont. it's much more elementary in its read than all her previous books--but there's a tale in it that is just grisly. even for me--the adult that i am. while i wasn't shocked--there was some nose-wrinkling action.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

burlington, vermont

is one of the cutest effing cities ever. i just love the whole new england area--there is so much history in the buildings and the city and yet--they have done such an incredible job maintaining it. it's not ugly and old and decrepit. it's charming, historical, and old movie happy.

and can i just say the food was actually incredible? even to my standards? we're not talking authentic--but authentic or not--GREAT flavoring and original concepts and a very pleasing presentation.

the team meeting held no big surprises given the current economic woes and further dour forecasts. but it's nice to know that we are still up as a team and as a company. for how long--i'm not sure--but it's my job to help stave it off for a little bit longer--so let's hope i continue to have good news to write.

one of the bigger downers is--we are asked to reduce our spending abit and be more cost-conscious in these times.

to that end--i believe we spent quite a bit of money on alcohol in response. i think the coming months should be really interesting for our team, our company, and of course, the greater economy, country and world.

i wish i had the patience to blog about everything that went on these past 3 days--but i really don't. suffice to say--a lot happened!

after being around the entire national team during different meetings--i always thought in my head--my east coast team--was probably the loudest, wildest, drunkest, and most gregarious of all the teams. after comparing notes with the other groups--it was confirmed.

it's funny how my team actually BOASTS about it. hilarious. and getting to know people from the other teams--they really are a more sedate and serious sort. but it's all good--we're the highest achieving group as well. i'm proud to be on this team. i have a crazy team leader that leads the craziness and it's good.

work hard, play hard.

i can't drink like they can and i was still under the weather--but i held up my part well enough. though 3 drinks and drunk still is no good considering the team leader had about 10 and was probably doing as well as i was the next day.

but before the bar hopping started--there was dinner and the comedy club our second night there. i'm not sure the comedy would have been so funny if i was more sober--but by the time we were there? i was plastered. i was dying the entire time and the comedians actually all walked by us and kept saying "you guys were great." just to us.

there was this one joke about going to the bathroom and thinking there was a monster hiding behind the bathroom curtains that i was dying about. come to find out both me and my team leader always flip the curtains REAL FAST to see if anything is hiding behind there. freakin hilarious. we were literally on our knees on the floor of the place laughing together. all the while people walking by us either laughing at us, with us, or shaking their heads thinking, "fuckin drunks."

but i had fun--and that's all that matters!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

bagel, cream cheese, and lox

one of my fave foods.

i am sitting here eating a late lunch/early dinner of it. the details: toasted whole wheat bagel, gaspe nova lox (though i still believe sockeye salmon is the greatest salmon ever--and to be specific--the wild copper river sockeye), some organic valley cream cheese and a little smattering of cippolini onions and parsley. very pretty looking and extremely tasty.

i can live off this stuff.

i talk about food a lot. but--i really love good food. i feel like it's the one luxury people forget about in their search for louis vuitton and givenchy--which, are of course, part of the lvmh (louis vuitton moet hennesy) family. food, when you don't have to eat it to just survive--is the epitome of good living. when you can afford to be whimsical and EXPERIMENT with ingredients and preparation--is just incredible. i love food. i love everything about it--the preparation, the experimentation, the presentation, the flavors and the eating of it.

i confess. sometimes (a lot of times when no one is around) i even talk while i prepare. you know, like they do in those cooking shows. haha

that said, i am feeling slightly better i think--but i'm still coughing phlegm and it's annoying cause it's the one thing i wish would go away before i have to fly. flying in close quarters with strangers and coughing phlegm into tissue? hell, i am going to be one of those people i hate. because, i confess, when someone in a plane even sniffles--i get annoyed and make a face. serves me right. i feel for the poor person who has to sit next to me. i'm discreet enough in public when i have to do it--but discreet or not--it can't escape a person's notice unless they are totally oblivious to life around them. or if they are paris hilton.

oh well. i feel bad i'll be sick for vermont, but i hope that it doesn't become too much of a hindrance.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

this month

i have a WHOLE LOT to do this month--and VERY LITTLE time to do it in.

my own fault, of course. but just because it's my fault doesn't mean i can't complain about it a little, right? plus i've been sick with some nasty 2 week virus, of which i still have about 6 days left to go.

--i just finished 3 days in the hamptons
--i will be in burlington, vermont for 3 days come monday.
--i have 3 days in dirty jersey the following week.

so this month--every monday-wednesday has been/will be me traveling. i'm not sure why it's worked out that way--it just has.

then come the 18th--I AM ON VACATION UNTIL JANUARY 5TH.

that's right. 2 1/2 weeks of vacation. though i will work at the VERY LEAST 2 days of it--if not more. but still. right now....it can't come soon enough--but at the same time--it coming too soon means i have not done everything i wanted to do yet.

i have no fixed plans for this long vacation yet though...

Thursday, December 4, 2008

phlegmy nightmares

so it continues. after taking the train into manhattan for 45 minutes and waiting for nearly 3 hours--the nurse came and took my temperature, etc.etc. for about 4 minutes and then, i saw the doctor for 3 minutes--and that might have been stretching it.

i'm happy to say it ISN'T walking pneumonia. however. it is a nasty viral infection which he can't prescribe anything for. the doctor graciously told me that this sort of thing lasts approximately 2 weeks and there isn't really anything to do but to ride it out. DAMN IT. anything he would have told me to use--i can't use anyways because i'm allergic to most drugs. so yay. he said just try to be as comfortable as possible and keep taking whatever it is i'm taking that makes me feel better.

times i wish i was taking heroin and got caught. "but the doctor told me to take whatever makes me feel good officer!"

anyhow. 7 more days of this? that means i get to suffer with this while i'm in vermonttttttt. damn it. i hope at least the worst of the phlegm will be gone by then...my coworkers do not need to see me spitting phlegm into tissue paper.

am i being too graphic and gross?

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

beautiful days...

and i am sick. sick. sick. sick.

which really sucks. i am coughing up phlegm and i feel very bad for the people around me. they try to hide their looks of disgust and horror with sympathy--but it doesn't quite come out properly--and i can't blame them.

i even disgust me!

when i get sick--i get SICK. and so, tomorrow, after doing some work or before doing some work, i will go to the nearest walk-in clinic that i have found, which is actually about a 45 minute train ride away--and seek out some meds. no doubt it will probably be azithromycin or the like again because--no doubt, i have walking pneumonia. again.

it never fails--if i nap? i get sick. this theory has not failed yet. and yet--i couldn't help myself--i had to nap after my thanksgiving day/black friday event. so the laptop isn't going to just cost me $399.99 and tax. it will end up costing me probably $50 more as well.

still worth it i suppose.

except that i just came back from 3 days in the hamptons, plus i have 3 days next week in burlington, vermont (which if i'm not sick--should be REALLY FUN) and then new jersey again before calling it good for the rest of the year on the 18th!

i might visit the pacific northwest for a week--but considering my lack of planning...we'll see.

Friday, November 28, 2008

thanksgiving 2008...

was one of many firsts.

--first thanksgiving i didn't spend with my family
--first thanksgiving that was non-traditional
--first thanksgiving i went to the DOORBUSTER/EARLY BIRD BLACK FRIDAY craziness
--first thanksgiving where ALL ingredients i used to cook with were ORGANIC. i took pictures below with my horrid camera phone--but at least you get to see my mad culinary genius skills at work!

it was pretty nice. i, of course, missed seeing all my family--especially all my nieces and nephews--but thanksgiving didn't turn out so lonely even without my large family! i had a couple of other nyc'ers come over for my first ever "non-traditional/continental european thanksgiving meal. and i rather think it was a huge success! while the original recipe for the oxtail was readily available--like usual, i deviated hugely--and i'm pretty proud to say--you wouldn't have recognized it from the original AT ALL. and the salad was my own creation down to the vinaigrette!

the night's menu (all made from scratch by me except for the dessert):

--apple/pear walnut salad with romaine lettuce and a black truffle oil vinaigrette (included some very nice cippolini red onions, campari tomatoes and meyer lemons).

--whole wheat peasant bread to dip

--queue de beouf bourgninone (included a vintage 2006 vicien cabernet sauvignon reserve from catamarca, argentina, 4 kinds of onions, herbs and spices, pancetta, proscuitto di parma, and black truffle oil with oxtail)

--tiramisu


--2006 Brooklyn Oenology "Motley Cru" red wine, Cricket pomegranate rasberry green tea soda, GUS dry cranberry-lime soda.









i'm pretty proud--the pictures definitely do NOT do the taste justice. i am pretty damn proud to say--it tasted--INCREDIBLE. the oxtail just melted in your mouth...the salad was crisp in many levels and the flavors all complimented one another. not to mention--i fit in all the major food groups here!


that said--my other first was waking up at 3am and driving out to long island to best buy for a new laptop. just yesterday evening--my old computer decided that it didn't want to type anymore. as i was planning on getting myself a new one in january anyhow--i decided to go for it a couple of months earlier than planned because well--i need my comp for work! anyhow, i came back from a horribly long day with the LAST $399.99 cheapo laptop. i'm pretty proud of myself! i went to 3 different best buys before i settled on the last one because the line was shorter--but not by much!

on a crazy note. the best buy i was at--was across the street from the wal-mart in long island--where the clerk was trampled to death. i saw the police and ambulance screaming in/by firsthand. what is wrong with people--i mean...really? you are going to break down the freakin doors and trample people to death to get into wal-mart? god. here's the article link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27955316


Wednesday, November 26, 2008

my vaca thus far...

has been splendid!

i have been waking up late. sleeping late. going out and exploring different parts of the city and just having a very nice relaxing time. and yes, i am still doing work here and there, but it's been so nice to just laze around and do NOTHING.

as with all vacations--it does include spending more money than i am wont to do--but it's been done in the name of "vacation"--so, it's all good! at least i am not having to pay for lodging, right?

monday was shabu and the documentary.

tuesday was spanish tapas at a place called euzkida and bars. euzkida was very cozy and the food was pretty good actually. the service--left a little to be desired. when you got ahold of them--they were great--but they just weren't great about coming over. then again there was like 1 or 2 guys waiting. and they seemed more about trying to get you in and out than having you linger--which had a lot to do with the long line of people waiting. i made reservations ahead for us--so we were lucky.

wednesday (today) was shabu again as well as dropping joy off at jfk.

thursday is either me and the city and the famed macy's thanksgiving day parade or me at mae's place. i'm not sure what i am planning quite yet. i'm just not sure. i'll take it as it comes. the idea of spending it alone is, strange enough, a little more than intriguing and enticing. i'm not sure why since i am use to spending it with TONS of family.

friday i plan on shopping for a few things i need and using the tons of coupons and some gift cards that have come my way. then i shall relax the rest of the weekend before i head out to the hamptons for 3 days come monday.

i'm very content with my life right now. things are just swimming along.

on another note--i think i am going to take up the guitar. i am going to search for legitimate lessons. i'm very excited about this. it's about time i brought playing music--back into my life. it's been awhile. and i was rather good. why not?

Monday, November 24, 2008

nerakhoon: the betrayal

is a story about a lao family's struggles during the secret war in laos (during the vietnam war which should really be called the indochinese wars) and their lives in america following their escape from laos.

that's the brief synopsis.

it's a story that i think any first or second generation immigrant can relate to. moreso those that escaped from wartorn countries. even moreso--if you are lao yourself.

which i happen to be.

there were a lot of scenes i recognized as part of my own experiences growing up. the same lectures. the same fears. the same pains. the same sacrifices. it's a shame that the sacrifice was not painted into the film more. the theme (though the focus was obviously about the family) seemed somewhat scattered--as if the director couldn't decide what to focus on about the family--granted there are obviously many things to focus on but i feel like that might have lent the film a bit more cohesion. less choppy and more fluid.

also, i'm not so self-absorbed as to think that my family suffered more than anyother lao family--but i know that there are things we sacrificed and that were sacrificed for us, that were not shown on that film that might have made it more poignant--had THEIR family's struggles been vividly shown by words and images. i could be mucking up my point here, but it's hard to be precise about what bothered me. actually, maybe it was the poor translation. my lao is pretty mediocre by some standards--but i could have done a better job. so that says enough i think. if you speak lao though, you need not read the poorly translated subtitles--and thankfully, my grasp is well beyond having to read the subtitles though i did anyways for comparison purposes. when some were crying--i was chuckling. and yes, i am somewhat lacking in the compassion department--but, for once, it was because of bad translation and not just a strange acceptance of some realities.

anyhow, i wish that the various sacrifices were at least elaborated upon enough that...even someone like me could be more than cursorily invested. the difference is how i ended up viewing it. instead of being "a lao person watching the struggles that my people and my own family faced," i was "that critic watching a documentary on lao people--and just happened to be lao as well." i would have liked to have been engaged to that level. to actually feel, rather than think. to think, "that hits home," rather than "eh. that's what my family went through--but worse. that's what we all went through." if it had broken through to that level--then i would have known that not even the cloak of the scholar i so often don--was ample protection against the stark truths spoken and vivid images shown that assaulted me throughout.

in the end--it is the first documentary (that i know of) about the lao person/family. not about the cambodians. not the vietnamese. not the thai. but..THE LAO. and it is most definitely a different perspective. we remain the most bombed country ever--that in itself--is not a fact most people know or care to know. and because of all of that--this film is worth seeing. you might not come away with any indepth knowledge about the country, its people, its customs or its evolution. but you will at least have gleaned a day in the life of an immigrant family fleeing a wartorn country to arrive to a new country with high hopes, not speaking the language or understanding the customs and having to carve their own fortunes and futures.

and yes. some of you might think--we as humans do that everyday. and yes. you would be correct. but most of you do it knowing the language and in the country your parents grew up in and were raised in for some generations. you do it with a different skin color and a different standard of expectation given and received. you do it with a very heavy advantage.

it's a nice humbling piece in and of itself. i am not silly enough to proclaim that we were the poorest (monetarily) family i ever knew or that my life was harder than anyone else's growing up or anything akin to that. but i will say--that when people talk to me about being poor or how they would be happy with no electricity as long as they had love or anything from the one spectrum to the other. i can't help but think--you've never really known suffering the way i've seen it and experienced it. don't be ungrateful. be happy with what you've got. and be happy with what you were given. you don't know shit. yeah, i can be dry and sarcastic. but there has never been a time where i didn't appreciate the life i've had and the life i live now. and maybe i can be that way because THAT is a part of my heritage. because THAT is the legacy handed down to me by circumstances beyond my control. because THAT--is the responsibility that has been thrust upon me by my parents and my history. i have never forgotten the stories told to me by my parents. and i won't (barring alzheimer's). as a child it was a heavy burden. as an adult, i like to think that i have gone beyond acceptance and have come to truly cherish the experiences i had. there is an appreciation that i have now--that could never have been the case if i was raised anyother way. that, to me, is the consequence of the amalgamation of everything i've ever been through.

it's why i get angry when i see people forsake their heritage. yes. every "colored" person i know has gone through phases of self-hate and all that comes along with not being white in a society where being white is elite. but at some point, you should grow out of it. at some point. you should realize certain truths.

there is no choice you have to make. you can straddle both worlds successfully.

that said, below is the link to the website and the very minimal list of screenings. if you're into documentaries or films over 99% of people will never see or hear of or if you are just curious as to how i might have experienced life-- i urge you to check it out.

the website: http://nerakhoon.com/index.htm

theatrical screenings:





IFC Center, New York, NY NOVEMBER 21, 2008



Brooklyn Heights Cinema, Brooklyn, NY NOVEMBER 28, 2008



Starz Film Center, Denver, CO JANUARY 9, 2009



Music Hall, Los Angeles, CA JANUARY 16, 2009



Angelika Film Center, Dallas, TX FEBRUARY 20, 2009



Lumiere/Opera Plaza, San Francisco, CA FEBRUARY 27, 2009



Shattuck, Berkeley, CA FEBRUARY 27, 2009



Grand Illusion Cinema, Seattle, WA MARCH 13, 2009



Landmark Theatre, Minneapolis, MN MARCH 20, 2009



Angelika Film Center, Houston, TX MARCH 27, 2009



CCA Cinematheque, Santa Fe, NM APRIL 3, 2009



Gateway, Columbus, OH APRIL 10, 2009



car cursed

i'm afraid to make a certain statement on so many levels. so instead i'll list the following concerns--and aided with my title above--hope you get the gist.

1. what if it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy?
2. what if it isn't the aforementioned--and really fate?
3. most of all. to combine the fear further--what if it's just plain true. there's just been so many incidents with vehicles in general.

i must have been even more tired than i thought when i got home from dirty jersey because. clod that i am. i left the interior lights on. yes. most of you should know what that means! nothing good. so today, i woke up, on the first day of my vacation and couldn't get my car to start. i was actually going to run to my biggest account real quick and do a little work. i think i'll put it off until tomorrow however because i am just not in the mood anymore. i might change my mind in a few hours. who knows. i do have to see them sometime this week though--while i am on a technical vacation.

and i have to make a ton of calls. i suppose i may as well do this now while i wait for aaa to come jump my car.

on another note. i have had diarrhea for 2 days now. i wonder if it's some bug. i feel fine otherwise...

and i watched the ama's last night--mostly because all they do now is perform. i remember back in the day--they did maybe 4 performances and mostly read awards. i suppose in the ongoing war for ratings--it's best to have performances--cause--well--it worked on me, right?

tonight--i am going to watch a documentary called nerakhoon: the betrayal. it's about a lao family that escapes war-torn laos to nyc. should be interesting. my next blog will undoubtedly be about that. i hope it is a good assessment.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

awkward...

i am still in jersey. i thought i'd finish by today--but, good and kind soul that i am--i stayed on an extra day to go to one of newb's store with him friday morning. sometimes. i just don't know what to do with all my goodness. ha.

i want shabu shabu. joy.

more on my weeklong sojourn probably tomorrow. for now, suffice it to say--ehhh. it hasn't been so bad. just--really long and i can't wait to get home to my lovely bed that only i have ever slept in. wow. that sounds bad in some ways. but i was only thinking that in the context of hotel beds...you just can't count how many people havvve slept in them. but oh god. nevermind. i'll stop it at that. dinner with the newb was nice. relaxing. we get along--which is always good. but a night out with me is never without its mishaps. neil likes to call it the "saysomphorn syndrome."

what it really amounts to is me shrugging off major embarrassment.

the scene: we get back and he came up to my room to get some emergen-c (he isn't feeling well) and to watch some tv for a little bit and just hang. we get to my floor--and guess who forgot what room number she was in? yes. that sad person would be me.

so i am going up and down the hall inserting my card in various doors and none of them are working. we end up going back downstairs to the front desk and i get to ask the girl that checked me in, "hi! i sort of forgot which room i was in."

so yeah. that's me.

newb got a nice laugh out of it though he did try very hard not to. which of course makes it all the worse! i believe his words were "i've never met anyone who has forgotten their room number." the sad part is, he said the first part twice in one evening--in the space of 30 minutes apart. the first was "i've never met anyone who did that." lovely. but i feel like i've gotten pretty good at being blithe and cool in these situations. then again, considering the fact that these sorts of things happen to me often...i've had to learn how to deal. so it's not exactly an accomplishment. oh well. so what if i come out looking awkward?

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

shabu shabu

so addicted. so very very addicted. and it is such an expensive habit. i really should go buy a pot myself. joy--we must go get one soon. i am going to meet up with said person for dinner tonight for it--AGAIN.

if one wonders where my money is going? it's to shabu shabu restaurants!

and yet...i'm so excited...

next week--off to dirty jersey all week until my vacation starts!

Monday, November 10, 2008

ikea

so after i finished work today--i headed off to ikea-land. it is pretty close to my place actually. just a few minutes drive.

i needed to purchase a tv stand with some storage space that was still very compact and i thought i'd find it there...

instead, i came home with a new clothes rack (the portis)--which was good--because i needed a new one badly. the cheapy canvas one i bought for $60 bucks off target.com broke. and i just got it like--2 months ago. i purchased this one for only $39.99 and (knock on wood) i think it is going to last a lifetime. it is very strong/heavy metal. i have high hopes.

i love heroes...though this one was a tad graphic with the whole hot black guy being decapitated bit...why is it that they always kill off the future painters? first isaac (the hot hispanic guy) and now usutu. i guess they like reusing the whole "how ironic" bit.

anyhow, i need to contact the appropriate people because i really do think i'm going to head down to dc for thanksgiving--at least for a couple days.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

accomplishments...(a post a long time coming)

so many accomplishments that have occurred that i have been lax in posting--but in my defense--it's just been an extremely busy time!

1. BARACK OBAMA IS PRESIDENT-ELECT. i know. very late in coming--but better late than never right?

2. BARACK OBAMA IS PRESIDENT-ELECT. there. now if i mention it twice it won't matter that i was late with this incredibly wonderful news.

3. i survived the boston veggie food fest intact. but very barely. people are CRAZY. they need a way larger venue. crowded bodies moving at glacial paces is NOT my thing. halloween was rad. i would have loved more time to do my makeup but--well--maybe it looked sufficiently scary. not to mention i had to improvise with whatever i had--because i refused (more like forgot and didn't have time) to purchase the needed items. on my way back from boston--while i was waiting in the train station in back bay--there were pigeons in the building. i thought it was rather crazy random.


introducing 3 tom's and a housemate: caribou barbie, leprechaun, ghost, and skunk.


4. i cleaned up the ENTIRE apartment this weekend. i swiffered and mopped the entire apartment, rearranged my room (my office is now in the livingroom instead of my bedroom), i did laundry, cleaned the bathroom--i even scrubbed the grout in the shower. that's how insane i got.

5. i finished figuring out all the major paperwork/math for the accounts that showed up for expo. that--was a huge process. and i'm glad that at 12am last night (or rather this morning) i finished the task.

6. i purchased my gps. i'm in love. i really think that i could follow it wherever it led me.

7. i signed up for an ez-pass account--which is a very long time coming! for those west coasters--there are tolls EVERYWHERE in the east coast. EVERYWHERE. an ez-pass is a tag that gets scanned at the tolls so that you don't have to have cash whenever you drive somewhere. i figured it was high time now that i have "dirty jersey." i just hope it comes before next week--that's when i first head out to jersey.

8. election night was INCREDIBLE. i'm glad i took the day after off--even though, creature of habit that i am--i still woke up at 8am and couldn't get back to sleep. although i do notice that if i drink the night before--i wake up early.

9. i think there are alot more accomplishments to be posted--but i can't remember all of them at this point. i just know that i have been very busy--and i feel like i have accomplished ALOT.

accomplishments to come:

1. i need to purchase an ac charger for my gps. i just have the car charger one that came with it. i didn't think about the whole "when it leaves the car" part.

2. a small tv stand/storage of some sort of furniture. since i removed my desk from my room and made the livingroom my office--i need something to put my tv on. plus then i can put some other things away that are still in boxes.

3. a nail driller machine gun thing. you know--it screws nails in things for you. that thing. i realized that trying to pound in nails into the walls with a wooden pestle just isn't working as well as it use to. you can take the ethnic lao out of laos--but you can't take the lao out of them? i bungled that. oh well.

4. purchase a winter coat from patagonia. i purchased a peacoat already--but winter in nyc gets much colder than that can handle--so at some point soon--i figure in the weeks to come--i better get with it.

that's it folks. BARACK OBAMA!!!!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

recap of this weekend...

so on friday i went to a nice dinner party at joy's. it was basically her roommates, me, andrew and a friend of one of her roommates--errr...6 of us. it was really nice. i love her roommates. they are just the best situation. we had a relatively traditional lao meal--lettuce wraps with some herbs and veggies and either sauteed shrimp or sauteed beef. i made 3 sauces--a peanut sauce--but--instead of peanuts--i used almonds. it was ok. everyone seemed to like it--but i think peanuts taste better in that incarnation.

then, we watched will and grace while drinking cosmos. now--no tolerance--and an early morning=whoops!

i swear to god i set my alarm. unfortunately, it didn't go off and we were supposed to be at union square at 10am on saturday. i spent the night at joy's cause i have a permanent "sucker" written on my forehead and we woke up at 9:30am. she lives on 109th and union square is on 14th--for those who need some visual. we cabbed it--but even then--we got there a little late--but it was ok. from there--we got into a packed van and headed to flushing/bayside/glen oaks, queens.

joy failed to mention to me what we were doing--but i guess when you have "sucker" written on your forehead--it doesn't really matter what it is you do. haha. anyhow, we get there and it seems we will be going door-to-door to see if the registered voters there would vote for jim gennaro instead of frank padavan. thanks joy. thanks. actually--it wasn't so bad--just the rude awakening was. it's abit strange going door-to-door hungover talking to people about politics when your head is pretty muddled.

then--today, sunday--another rude awakening at 10am--this time to meet up with one of my coworkers for a halloween costume shopping expedition at ricky's on 79th--AFTER all you can eat brunch at blockheads--3 mimosas later--we headed off to the ricky's on 79th. i had no clue about what to dress up as--but of course--ricky's has only 3 kinds of outfits--whore, whorer, or horror. i came out with black nail polish, and a rather cool looking white wig. i am going to totally rock this costume. i figure--it's a vision of a ghost--or something. i figure i'll pair the white wig with extremely pale skin, bright blood red lipstick, black nail polish, heavily kohled eyes, black shirt, black leggings, and black boots--and call it good! not skanky, but hopefully scary in a good way!

i think i'm ready for halloween in boston! i must say--i'm rather stoked about the wig. i love wigs.

tomorrow--off to the hamptons. life is going by way too fast...

Thursday, October 23, 2008

i might be a high junkie. i'm not sure what to do with down time. but i love sleep. i love laying around doing nothing--just--not when i don't want to. i'm not sure what to do with myself for my vacation. i'm thinking of a road trip--but i haven't contacted anyone in the areas i'm thinking of driving to. i think i'm sort of listless. after the incredible highs and busy-ness of last week--and earlier this week--now it's settled down abit. and that's probably a good thing because i have 2 trips in a row starting monday.

and then there's the planning for vacation and 2 work trips. i'm not sure why i'm writing. just that i'm writing because i need to and it's been a few days since i last wrote. i feel awkward. oh well. tea is ready.

so on deck:

a saturday social work event thanks to joy
a sunday brunch/halloween shopping expedition with meagan
hamptons beginning of next week
boston end of next week/weekend

i guess maybe it's good that i have a little downtime inbetween what's to come and last week's excursion in boston.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

i want january!

that's when the craziness should settle a bit. that's what i want. january. i have way too much to do and way too little time. it's nearly 8:30pm and i have finally finished what i deemed the "must finish by the end of today" list. and it took this long because most of my day was spent doing what i normally do--and then--about 30 emails and calls scattered throughout with too many people for too many things. yay. but i think--it should all be taken care of now!

as if the week in boston wasn't hard enough--now i have to deal with the residuals of everything from that week, the things i missed doing last week--and the stuff i have to be doing this week as well. and then--there are the trips...the trips i have yet to take this month that are coming up that haven't been booked or planned indepth very well yet. ugh.

it seems like i'm complaining alot right now--but i have to relieve the stress somehow, right. oh--on saturday evening when i caught the cab from penn station to the parking garage i left my car at--i am driving it out--and the "low tire pressure" light comes on and i'm like...great, i just want to get home and i can't because now i have to make an extra trip to put in air to my tires. so i go and do that. then, on monday morning--after driving 5 minutes--the light comes on again--which sufficiently alerted me enough to get it checked out. i was actually on my way to get my oil changed and tires rotated at the dealership anyways--so now i figured something else to add on. anyhow, because it came on when i was still closer to my house--i just went to the nearby auto shop and had it all done there. i paid about $70 bucks for an oil change, tire rotation, and flat tire fixing. it seems there were 3 nails in one (front driver side) tire. wooo!?

late november--i'm taking a vacation! i haven't planned what to do and where to go or anything fun--but i'm going to do it because--well...use it or lose it!

Saturday, October 18, 2008

on the fast track to senility

i am so damn tired.

i originally planned to do some work and blog on the train ride back from boston to nyc--but i got on, did a couple of work emails--and got tired and decided to nap it up a little. now--2 hours after the fitful naps you get when you're cold and uncomfortable--i am up, feeling none the fresher, and blogging.

(the following is to be read/heard in your head by cate blanchett's character's voice from the lord of the rings--galadriel)

expo east kicked my ass. hard. it threw dirt at my face too (in the form of the new capital city of zitopia and her suburbs on my chin and right cheek. it kicked my ankles and singed my soles. all my preparations were futile. dansko--that capital city of heavenly shoes was the first to fall. i should have banked on my nothinz. they have never let me down. my sanity--clearly still being audited--never had a chance. however, with great hope and expectations--comes great success.

(stop hearing cate blanchett's voice now)

1. i definitely made a nice impact on order goals and i am hoping--that i won both contests. i know i won the volume contest. i had to have. i had to. i would be EXTREMELY surprised if i didn't. i am hoping--that i also won the amount of orders. i am too tired to cross my fingers and will kindly ask galadriel to do so. i am sure that when i next come to peruse this post--i will die laughing of embarassment at myself. for the time being--i'm too tired and numb to realize it fast enough to stop the train wreck that is occurring. thus--it will continue.

2. we had an order goal of 75--and i'm pretty sure we at least got to 80--so the entire cast of our crew got double call credits--which is awesome, and especially lovely for me--since i happen to be the only one that hasn't taken any vacation yet and now--can ensure that it won't negatively impact me too much.

3. every single time i've ever bowled in my life i have gotten the EXACT SAME SCORE. mind you it hasn't been much--but it's been 6 times. i only remember this--because for some reason--i could never cross that hump. but. for the first time in my life--i surpassed it--twice. for the 6 times i went bowling--my score every single time--was a 56. (i'm a little worried that one of the team leader's seems to think it should have been a 66--afterall, add one more 6 and you get...yeah).

the score that is about to be written isn't anything to boast about--but considering the low number of what occurred 6 times previous--it's a freakin miracle.

game 1--68.
game 2--96.

i feel like i would have broken that 100 barrier if it hadn't been for the newbie recruit ruining my last 2 attempts (more about that newbie soon).

anyhow, it's been a very long and exhausting 5 days. and the days leading up to it have been ultra busy as well. but i'm happy. really happy with life overall. things are going well and they seem to be getting better and better. i haven't felt so settled and at peace in awhile. actually, to be honest, i'm not sure i have ever felt this good in my life. the constant battle to just survive takes its toll when you have to do it every single day of your life since birth from immigrant parents. i'm not complaining--just reflecting.

it's nice to feel like now i can go past the survive mode--and thrive a little. no need to explain to friends why i'm different and have to be. no explanations for how come my parents aren't around for events and no need to lie about who i am and what i believe.

freedom feels nice.

it is now 14 hours after everything i wrote just above this line and i have decided against reading what i wrote prior because i would probably delete everything. and that might be abit of a shame. even incoherent feelings based on immediate reactions are important, right?

but--to sum up my week in boston:

1. tiring as hell. i can't remember being this tired--since my summer in alaska.

2. i was up by 6:30am everyday and up until 2am everyday as well. 4 hours of sleep for a busy week is very little. in fact, i woke up earlier than i wanted to today because i was famished and couldn't ignore the pains in my stomach.

3. the new dc/maryland/delaware/philly rep is hilarious. i think he'll fit right in. and i think he'll do really well. very personable, engaging, observant, and considerate--which are great qualities overall--but necessary for this industry.

on thursday night we hosted a dinner event for some of the key players in our major accounts. the restaurant we booked was about a 10 minute walk from the sheraton hotel where we stayed at. i was part of the last group to depart the hotel--waiting for one of the new accounts i just acquired to meet me and a few other reps in the lobby (i met her earlier in the day and invited her last minute to the dinner event). anyhow, she was slightly overweight (to put it mildly) and we were running late. so most of the reps were booking it pretty fast to the restaurant--and as much as i wanted to, i, of course, took my time, pretending it was me that wanted to wander the streets (in the cold with no jacket on), rather than her pace/speed. i was really impressed and touched that the newbie recognized that enough to join the two of us--helping me make light conversation with someone i barely knew...because as anyone knows--making conversation that is both genuine and politic with a virtual stranger is straining and when you can tag team it--so much the better!

anyhow, i just think it shows alot of insight, consideration, observation, and character. and i totally appreciate that sort of thing when veterans couldn't be bothered to show the same. so unless he balks it up major--he's got my support!

4. the boston rep took me to south station to catch my train back to nyc and we got to talking. it made me feel rather bad. i mean--i believe her when she said she was totally happy for me that i did so well this past week--but that she just felt really bad that perhaps it made her look really bad since it was in boston--and she didn't perform as well. i tried to reassure her that couldn't possibly be the case. i mean--if i was a team leader i wouldn't leap to that conclusion. she's a great rep and does a tremendous job. not taking away anything from my own accomplishments--but i feel like i had a little bit of luck as well. and there's no way that i could possibly duplicate this performance next year.

5. i loved every tiring minute of it. i would totally do this again. i came away with some awesome goodies--and the best part--i didn't have to wander around to get it at all! some of my key accounts went and grabbed stuff for me! i love the fairway folks. they're just way too sweet and good to me. i do think that next year, i should spend a bit more time wandering like everyone else did.

6. i managed to finagle a deal with the director of our sales team--due to my performance--that he, and all the team leaders, had to sing karaoke for us--the next time we were all together. :) now that, should be hella funny!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

religulous

i am sitting on the acela headed to boston so i have time to blog before i get abit of work done. what better way than to mull over religulous (since i did just see it last night with the lovely joy).

this shouldn't be too much of a spoiler for those who have yet to see this film. and it's not that he's atheist. he is just of the agnostic crowd. perhaps that is one reason that i love him. he is such a passionate ball of furious indignation, doubt and skepticism blended with a curious confidence that it's hard not to love him (or hate him i suppose). and i suppose--that's a lot like me.

bill maher is a god. ok. he isn't. i mean...who would think they are the 2nd coming of jesus christ? funny enough. there are many that probably do believe this.

a puerto rican minister named jesus--that's who. he has over 100,000 believers too. he also doesn't believe that anyone is capable of sinning since christ died for our sins already. by that logic--i suppose he's right.

the mormons kicked maher out of their grounds and would not grant him an interview--so he interviewed 2 ex-mormons instead.

he wasn't granted an interview in vatican city either--there was some tumbling and darkness--nice effect--although maybe he was literally booted from the hallowed halls. who knows?

he did get to meet with the resident phd in the dome of the rock (currently of islamic residence).

the thing i love is the comical bent to a serious topic. it is definitely something i can relate to.

as always--asians were left out. no interviews of buddhist monks, hindu holy men, not even a sikh. my sect might not believe buddha was a god (raised theravadan--which is why you may find many asians that call themselves buddhist as well as christian so there's no conflict of interest) but there are other sects that do believe buddha was a god--some forms of chinese buddhism, mahayana buddhism, etc.)

we're the most populous race existent--and somehow--are always forgotten in major topics. i'm not sure if that's a blessing or an insult.

anyhow, back to religulous...definitely worth seeing. it wasn't as great as it possibly could have been--but it's worth a look regardless.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

stay tuned...

i am leaving in about a half hour to go see "religulous" and then i wake up at the crack of dawn to catch the train to boston until late saturday evening. hopefully--i won't be too tired to do a little blogging about the film and about boston this week...otherwise--it will be a very long post come sunday afternoon...

Sunday, October 12, 2008

the 2 p's and an f

events that occurred in the immediate past:

on friday night i met up with an old college friend and his girlfriend (only the 2nd time i've ever met her). we went to a bar had a few cocktails, left, then went across the street to another bar for some more cocktails--and karaoke (we did not know that upon entering). now, i know it's a cliche for asians to karaoke--but to my defense--the two of them are only partial asians.

i was suckered into performing by myself and unfortunately--my version of hashpipe (weezer) did not do so well with the crowd that chose broadway theme songs, r&b, madonna, and 80s glam rock. oh well. i don't think i tanked it too badly.

it was fun. she seems like a great girl and it was good to see someone from my former life.

events that have occurred enough in the now enough to be called present:

i am a procrastinator and now--it's crunch time. i am trying to find someone to go watch "religulous" with me within the next 2 days because on wednesday--i jet off to boston for the remainder of the week. so it's now or never!

i love bill maher. and he's in it. he is possibly the first person (outside of my father) who really evoked an interest in politics for me. i remember staying up late watching politically incorrect when it first came on--yes this dates me--and thinking--this guy is sharp and witty and unrepentant and i love him.

if it wasn't for bill maher--i might not be as appreciative of jon stewart and stephen colbert as i actually am. for me--he was the grandaddy that came before all of them.

events still to come in the future (and by future i mean for the month of october):

work for a couple of days, "religulous" inbetween, boston for the remainder of the week, "dirty jersey" for a week, the hamptons for 2 days, boston for a weekend--all to be completed before october ends. yay?

Thursday, October 9, 2008

unbelievable...

literally. a few hours after an article comes out informing us that AIG sent a few of their executives to a $400,000 resort FOUR (4) DAYS AFTER BEING BAILED OUT...

THE GOVERNMENT GIVES THEM NEARLY 40 BILLION MORE DOLLARS.

wtf?

i mean really. WTF.

they were "chastised" and then given more money. i am just...utterly disgusted right now. DISGUSTED. to think millions and millions of people will have to pay for this extravagance when most can't even afford healthcare is beyond me.

i'm sorry--but this is why i can't stomach believing in "forgiveness" and "it's not our place to judge" and "they'll be judged in the afterlife."

1. these people were corrupt and were bailed out for being corrupt. 4 days after being bailed out--they send their executives to a resort that costed $400,000. THEY DON'T DESERVE FORGIVENESS. in fact. what they deserve is for the money to be rescinded, to be fired, and to be publicly humiliated the old-fashioned way. tomatoes thrown at their faces come to mind. and that's mild. spit wouldn't be mild. maybe both.

when the collective retirement loss is around 2 trillion dollars...DID NO ONE STAND UP AND SAY--guys...this might be a bad idea...i'm morally opposed to this...

2. hell yeah it's our place to judge. why else are there judges. laws. societal values. values in general. god-given ability to reason. etc.etc.etc.

3. we should all be judged here and in the afterlife if it exists. i'm flawed. i'll get mine. and because i will get mine--i want all those sinners to get theirs as well! why should justice have to wait? what good does it do the suffering now? the people that were harmed or affected negatively do not get any satisfaction. and i believe they should.

i hate this. i am so...ugh. this is just despicable. i am going to find out every single government official who gave them this additional money and write a letter chastising them for this. i swear to god.

~~~
i am going to be in boston next week. that will be rather tiring. but the nice thing is--the atlanta rep will be there and i love talking politics with him. and it will be fun to see everyone else as well. it's a great group of people.

~~~
snl live tonight!!! i can't waitttttt!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

insanity prevails...

everywhere.

--the uk is contemplating whether or not to sue iceland because it has to protect itself because...

--iceland is teetering on bankruptcy. (imagine--an entire country that was at the top of affluence teetering on bankruptcy.

--the debate last night was ok--and i'm glad that although it wasn't a ko--obama did do better than mccain--no bias could truly negate that.

--boston for nearly a week next week...and i'm not feeling 100%...so time to stock up on emergen-c.

--the stock markets will continue to "fluctuate" (haha) for a few more weeks according to the experts.

--i thought my modest retirement was doing too well considering everything that's been going on in wall street--and now i'm finally starting to see nearly $200 of loss a day from it...i was told not to check--but i can't help but check daily now.

--which leads me to really feel bad for those people who have invested so many more years and money into their investments. i have a lot of friends who are nearing retirement that i care about deeply--and this is just--really disheartening. they are good people and i hope they are seeing my sort of loss--rather than the larger part of the 2 TRILLION the government says has been lost.

--palin truly does exist and is not, unfortunately, a figment of my overactive imagination.

--it's the navy vs whales...and i am rooting for the whales. get rid of the extensive sonar use.

--stranded penquins.

--citigroup and wells fargo fighting over wachovia...perhaps i'm overly cynical--but i think they want to get larger because there's no way they can lose if they get larger. if it helps them--great. however--i'm banking (no pun intended) on the fact that they are only trying to land themselves a federal bailout when they fall. the precedent has been set--and the larger the company--the harder the fall. they can't lose...

--which means just another spa trip ala aig to a resort that 99% of us will never in our lifetimes get to visit--paid for by us--the taxpayers.

thank you greed, irresponsibility and entitlement that has bred the likes of paris hilton and britney spears.

Monday, October 6, 2008

i just couldn't resist...

it's WAY past my normal bedtime as those who know me--know this well...but i just finished up some work and had to add this clip to my palin shrine...


Friday, October 3, 2008

6 feet under...

dear lord...

this is the level we have sunk to in the united states. we have lowered the bar so much that it is 6 feet under. and because palin managed to stay at 6 feet under instead of sinking lower--she was deemed as having done "well" (and did you see the cnn scorecards???) i mean...really guys. really. since when is expecting to get an f grade and successfully securing that f grade a good thing???

god. shoot me. or at least someone bitchslap her...and the annoying girl that was at the debate party last night. and did anyone else notice what a complete BITCH she was being to biden? i mean, have some class. have some professionalism. some dignity. something to say "yes, i don't know shit, but at least i can behave." and it's so pathetic that those same silly hillary voters would allow this double standard--because had biden been anything but the gentleman he was--they would have been calling sexism. idiots.

she DID NOT answer any of the questions posed and when she was really faltering--would say...

1. "can we just revisit that energy policy a bit"

let me tell you about your stupid energy policy. it's not something to effin boast about when your only thing is to DRILL ANWR. and it's pretty sad if you think that you are an energy expert based on that. and it's even more stupid of america to repeat this insane idea that she seems to think she has. that is not energy expertise--IT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING EVERYWHERE ELSE FOR YEARS AND YEARS. drill baby, drill.

2. "john mccain and i--we're mavericks. we're mavericks. we're mavericks."

they are NOT mavericks and STOP USING THAT WORD IT IS REALLY GETTING ON MY NERVES. i mean really...how many times am i supposed to stomach that word without vomiting...and it's always followed by...

3. "wink, wink"

someone slap the tick out of her. for all you silly, ridiculous hillary voters who think you are "feminists"--
it is NOT feminist to vote for someone just because they have a vagina.
it is NOT feminist to resort to winks and "look at me look at me i'm just a pretty little country gal" strategies.
it is NOT feminist to make women look like silly high school cheerleaders.
it is NOT feminist to demean yourself, degrade yourself, and disgrace yourself to win a vp slot. it is completely turning back everything that so many true women work so hard everyday of their lives fighting for.

4. "soccer mom"

she is an unsuitable, disgraceful mother. she is an absolutely horrible mother. and if i were a soccer mom--i'd be spitting. how do i come to this conclusion?
--i'm pretty darn sure you shouldn't be flying anywhere to give speeches when you're ready to pop out a new life. but--that speech was more important than the child with down syndrome.
--i'm pretty sure that had you been around to instill some values in your daughter--she wouldn't be a pregnant teenager. and yes--children make their own decisions--but quite frankly--as a parent--if you've instilled any values in them and been there--they are more likely to make good decisions.

as for the annoying girl at the debate party--why is it always the loud, gregarious ones that talk the most? do they understand they sound like idiots and they're annoying? while there are exceptions to any rule--if you don't know the simplest facts like how many vp debates there are and how many presidential debates there are--don't expect me to think your arguments have too much validity--especially when those opinions you offer--have no substantive facts to back them up--only your crazy beliefs. if you truly are this passionate about your beliefs--shouldn't you have done SOME research? shouldn't you be up enough on current events? enough to at least know the simple facts? it's like discussing advanced mathematical theory with someone who doesn't even know the answer to 1 + 1.

to that--i say--hillary supporters--bitter white women between the ages of 30-39--(yes, campbell brown, i'm looking at you and your sort) go slap yourselves with a big, rubber you-know-what. you aren't feminists. you're the sort that give us a bad name. you know--the same ones that parade around in next to nothing on a daily basis (whose jobs do not require it in some way) because you're "owning" your sexuality. you may be owning your sexuality--but you're losing a hell of a lot of class and dignity. and those jeers you're getting don't tell me it's a response feminists want. however, it definitely isn't "asking to be raped" either.

anyhow, i'm getting off topic slightly. for you bitter hillary clinton supporters who think you're feminists--and you bitter hillary clinton supporters who are feminists and racists and you bitter hillary clinton supporters who are just plain racist--let me just tell you a few things--

biden led in the creation of the violent crime control and law enforcement act (vcclea) and the violence against women act (vawa). biden's office drafted the vawa, which was passed in 1994 as a section of the vcclea. If his office drafting vawa is not reason enough to believe the pivotal role joe biden played in this--here's something that might. the vcclea is also known as the BIDEN CRIME LAW.

i also thought it was interesting that palin thought cheney's interpretation of the "vp's job" should be expanded even more...

how's that for greed. mccain did choose someone just like him. he chose her to win bitter hillary voters instead of choosing one that was qualified--cause he obviously doesn't care about this country enough to think about what happens to it after he dies...and she wants to be vp so badly--because she knows he'll die soon enough to make her president--that she is willing to do anything it takes.

greed is why wall street is in trouble.
greed is why americans are in trouble.
greed is why cheney expanded his job description.
greed is why mccain chose palin.
greed is why palin doesn't care what she has to do to win.

see a connection of some sort here?

~~~
on a side note--i finally switched over my washington state driver's license to new york's...let's hope the curse is over...

the curse--of course--is that--anytime i've switched over my license--i have had to pick up and move within 3 months...cross your fingers--i knocked on wood...i don't really want to move anywhere right now--i'm pretty happy here in brooklyn...