February 28, 2003
So much to do...
...so little time.
We are packing so much and so fast, I feel like we're Lucy & Ethel wrapping chocolates. No matter how fast we go, there just seems to be more and more stuff to pack.
Need to make lists and schedule things so I don't forget anything...
Thank goodness for Outlook. NastyBastard pointed out a great little feature that I gotta take advantage of.
You'd think *SOMEONE* in the marketing department would have asked them to use the word "plus" instead.
Am I awake enough to answer today's Friday Five?
I sure hope so. The Friday 5 this week is not that taxing....
1. What is your favorite type of literature to read (magazine, newspaper, novels, nonfiction, poetry, etc.)? I like reading biographies for fun... I'm not really sure why. I also like to read magazines (Newsweek, Premiere) cover-to-cover. It's almost no fun reading magazines unless I read everything inside. I also like to read fiction, but I'm picky. It must come highly recommended by people whose tastes I trust.
2. What is your favorite novel? I don't know off the top of my head. I just looked on my bookshelf and saw "The Joy Luck Club." I guess that'll do for this.
3. Do you have a favorite poem? (Share it!) Roses are red... violets are blue... (ok, maybe I'm NOT awake enough for this.)
4. What is one thing you've always wanted to read, or wish you had more time to read? There are just too many things out there that I wish I had more time to read. I have shelves and shelves of books I've been meaning to get to.
5. What are you currently reading? Nothing. I'm too busy packing.
February 27, 2003
February 26, 2003
Damn Parking Nazi
I am enraged beyond words.
But they sure as hell are coming out like mad... For the time being, I live in a household with 4 people, all of whom also share a mailbox/postal service that signs for our packages (UPS, FedEx, etc) and things during the day.
When we get things that are too big for the box, we get a little slip of paper that says when the package arrived and we have to go during business hours so a person can hand us the package.
Today, I was in a big rush to get the mail & so I parked in the meters right in front so I could pop in and out with my mail. There was even 2 minutes on the meter, so I did not have to search and find a nickel. It would have worked out perfectly had there not been one of those stupid slips of paper in the box.
You already know where this is going, but humor me. So while I was waiting for the mail guy to hand me my package, Parking Nazi shows up, punching buttons on his little ticket-writing device. I did not realize this, because I was waiting for the package... which turned out not to be a package but rather a large piece of junk mail for my housemate (who never picks up the mail and uses that address to sign up for free shit). This is about the 1000th time I have gone during business hours to retrieve a 'package' which turned out to be JUNK MAIL for her. The latest glut of junk mail has been from all the car companies, because she takes test drives just to get the free shit they give you. In the meantime, they send CRAP to our mailbox, that I end up having to retrieve, because I can't tell by a stupid piece of paper that it's not for me and that it's JUNK.
Anyway, so as I was walking out, I saw the Parking Nazi putting the ticket on my window. WHAT?!?!
I go out there and say to him "You've got to be kidding me."
"I don't control the meters," he said. "If it's red, I have to write a ticket. Too bad."
[I am PISSED woman, hear me ROAR.]
DAMN YOU, Parking Nazi. Now I have to pay 35 hard-earned dollars because I was late 30 seconds waiting for junkmail that wasn't even mine.
$35! Do you know what $35 can buy?
• A month's membership at the gym.
• A nice pair of jeans at Old Navy, maybe even a shirt, too.
• 7 rotisserie chickens Costco
• Lunch for 2 at Todai
• One month of DSL service
• A basket full of stuff from the 99 Cents Only store
• 3 DVDs from Amazon
• 2 VFLA CDs
• Breakfast for 4 at Cafe 50s... plus a root beer float!
• Better yet, 1750 2-cent plains at Cafe 50s
• 140 gumballs @ a quarter each
And if anyone wants to send me $35, I will shut up about this a lot sooner...
[end rant]
joz needs a new pair of shoes
Literally.
I have a tendency to wear my shoes to death before I'll buy a new pair.
At the same time, I have somehow managed to stockpile 3 crates of shoes in my closet. I still haven't figured that one out.
The left heel of my current pair of all-purpose black shoes that I got a Payless about 2 years ago has worn down to the point that something is RATTLING inside the heel of my shoes.
It's kind of like having a rattle strapped to your foot. It's annoying and makes people look. Probably the weird ones. Ack.
Definitely high on my priority list: new black all-purpose shoes.
Screw packing. I gotta go shoe shopping.
A mix of excitement, panic, and anxiety... all at once!
It's finally happening. We're moving.
In less than two weeks... ACK!
I am the world's biggest pack-rat.
I am so excited about moving to a new space, but panicking about packing, moving boxes and furniture around, and most of all, anxious about the prospect of having to throw things away. I started last night & it was HARD! REALLY HARD!
So if I neglect my blog for the next few weeks, it's all for a good reason.
Maybe I will find someone to guest blog while I'm busy packing & moving... any takers?!
February 25, 2003
Coolio
When I stay up all night, I come up with *brilliant* ideas like the 'vomit theme.'
I'd been hoping to come up with something that'd make me cooler, but thanks to GeekGrrl (the chickee I steal all the REALLY good ideas from) I AM CERTIFIABLY* COOLER!
| |
*Certifiably SOMETHING anyway
Blog A Day Tour?
If it wasn't for jewdez, This-or-That Tuesday would be What-the-Fuck Wednesday...
1. Holland or Netherlands? The Netherlands.
2. Emu or Ostrich? Emu (I'm waiting for emotionemu to replace emotioneric)
3. Biff or Happy? Happy
4. Quincy or Braintree? Braintree
5. Cassius Clay or Muhammad Ali? Ali
6. Istanbul or Constantinople? Istanbul
7. Pig or Swine? Pig
8. Barf or Puke? Barf!
9. Potatoes or Spuds? Potatoes
10. Squeeze Box or Accordion? Accordion
February 24, 2003
Weirdos galore
I admit it. I am a weirdo magnet.
If I am in a public place and there are scores of people that could potentially be harassed, the crazy-scary-weirdo will seek me out (the way Anna Nicole is drawn to Godiva chocolates within a 10-mile radius) and bug me.
This is the main reason as to why I am phobic of public transportation and going to the gym alone.
A couple of weeks ago, I was at a Ralphs in K-town, when a old-crazy-scary-weirdo-guy started to talk to me as I was standing in line. What started out as a harmless "Nice weather" culminated in 7 minutes of him talking non-stop about the original Ralphs family & the fact that the checkers at Ralphs wear name tags ("Hi! My name is Mike!" he kept saying).
The supermarket-weirdo electricity must have been in the air again, last Friday. I was in the produce section in Albertson's when a young (aspiring?) crazy-weirdo jumped out in front of my cart. She cackled endlessly while doing the lame detachable-finger magic trick I learned when I was five. I vaguely remember seeing an old-crazy-weirdo man showing her the trick as I entered the store, Evidently, this was the coolest/funniest thing in the world, and she (of course) had to show me while aisle-blocking my cart into the corner.
After successfully escaping her, I was accosted by the bag boy, who insisted that I guess how old he was (23... I guessed 'high school age'). He then proceeded to tell me about how he and his friends all have baby faces and look younger than they actually are. Mind you, I did not ASK or CARE how the hell old he was, he just decided to start this not-that-scary-but-kinda-crazy weirdo shit with me.
I was only there to buy my ingredients for my caesar salad...
[sigh]
February 23, 2003
Vomit & other "emotions"
Some may have noticed the new 'vomit theme' (as I like to call it) on my blog. Yes, very pleasant, I know.
I'm still working on it, so if you have any comments or suggestions, let me know. As far as things go, I'm still tweaking and Mike hasn't yet figured out what is wrong with the Moveable Type template that screws up the blog body and forces you to scroll right to read (sorry, it pisses me off, too). I'm thinking of re-doing the template anyway, so who knows what's in store...
I've been meaning to pimp Emotion Eric for a while now. I think his site is hilarious... you tell me...
And going with the vomit theme, have some 'stomach cramps,' courtesy of Eric.
Wanna see my Wee Mee?
I'm a big copy cat and had to follow suit after GeekGrrl & Unix Gal & jewdez...
Here's my exhibitionist side showing you my wee mee... [scandalous!]
There are not enough Asian peoples features to choose from, but oh well...
Notice how her drink matches her shirt and shoes... this is a must for me!
February 22, 2003
Shaken... not stirred...
It is 4:31 am and the house just went BOOM.
It was not a figment of my sleep-deprived mind.
Here's proof from the USGS:
And here's the next contestant on... Saturday Scruples!
And now... this week's Saturday Scruples!
I don't like these questions all that much, but oh well... here goes...
1. You're interviewing candidates for a job. The best qualified applicant is overweight. Do you hire this person? Duh... hell, yeah! If I wanna hire eye-candy, I'd be directing porn or something.
2. A loved one is in a car accident and is dying. You're asked to donate his organs for a transplant. Do you? (note: you don't know the persons wishes.) It depends on the loved one... I'd say "Yes" most likely, as most of my loved ones are not opposed to such ideas...
3. Your adolescent children ask if you ever smoked marijuana when you were young. You did. Do you admit it? I guess so. Not that I'd have to... I've never smoked that shit and never will... it TRULY makes me wanna puke...
February 21, 2003
Another Friday Five
1. What is your most prized material possession? I dunno. I guess I would say the teardrop pearl necklace I received for one of my birthdays. Or maybe the ring I got this past birthday. But I also have a lot of stuff from my mom and grandmother, I would not be able to part with.
2. What item, that you currently own, have you had the longest? I dunno. There are things from my childhood that I never threw away (and wouldn't be able to unless I was forced to give it up at gunpoint). See next question...
3. Are you a packrat? Hell, yeah. The worst kind. It is a major accomplishment when I throw things away. I expect kudos when I do.
4. Do you prefer a spic-and-span clean house? Or is some clutter necessary to avoid the appearance of a museum? I would *prefer* a spic-and-span clean house, but I have no idea how to keep one that way. Unfortunately, I am messy & though I try my hardest not to be, messes seem to follow me around. This only applies at home. I do a pretty good job about being organized at my office. (My home office is another thing entirely.)
5. Do the rooms in your house have a theme? Or is it a mixture of knick-knacks here and there? The rooms that I'm in, the theme seems to be "How much stuff can I fit in this room?" It does not make me a popular housemate.
February 20, 2003
Murphy's Law
Last night I had a meeting at the house where Murphy lives.
Though Murph is very excitable, normally she does not jump on me. She is a big strong strapping dog and as much as I love doggies, I generally do not like big doggie feet on me. I'm not too fond of little doggie feet on me, either.
I mean, I don't think you'd like it much if I greeted you with, "Hi! How are you?!" and then stuck my foot out, or worse yet, stepped on you. Greeting people with your feet is rude, by almost any rule of etiquette.
Joz's Rule #231: Do not greet me with your feet. I think that this rule should also apply to doggies.
It had been at least a couple of days since I'd last visited Murph. I was sitting at the dining room table when Murphy was allowed back in the house & she got a running start, planted her dirty doggie paws on me, and slurped my face.
I'd forgotten Murphy's Law: If I haven't seen you in a really, really long time (a couple of days), I'm allowed to get all excited, jump on you, and lick you. (Not to be confused with the more-widely-known & accepted Murphy's Law.)
I guess Murphy's Law overrules Joz's Rule #231.
But unless you are Murphy or Hunny, jumping on me and licking me would be a very bad way to greet me.
February 19, 2003
Orgy at Carly's
I don't know Carly. But there was an orgy at her place.
If you missed it, she was nice enough to post pictures.
Maybe I gotta re-do my favorite 5 blogs and pimp Pornblography, instead.
February 18, 2003
'Zen Master' Phil Jackson, inventor of Faux-Chinese Languages
This is from espn.com on January 24, 2003, not long after the teams for the All-Star Game were announced and the Houston Rockets Yao Ming led all West centers with 1,015,018 votes, easily ahead of the Lakers Shaquille O'Neal on 784,920.
Check out the Quote of the Day spoken by 'Zen Master' Phil Jackson.
---Excerpt begins here---
“I don't think it bothers him in the least. He understands fully the NBA has put out four forms of (ballots in) Mandarin, Cantonese, Pekingese and also Hong Kong-ese to allow the Chinese voters to vote on the All-Star ballot, which probably skews it a little bit."
—Lakers coach Phil Jackson on Shaquille O'Neal's thoughts about losing the West's starting center spot to Yao Ming -- and two languages that don't exist (Pekingese and Hong Kong-ese).
---Excerpt ends here---
Um... excuse me. But when written, Mandarin & Cantonese Chinese is all the same... (traditional vs simplified characters have nothing to do with dialect).
And Pekingese? Hong-Kong-ese?
I'll show ya Pekingese!
Potpourri
1. Black or white? White
2. Plaid or stripes? Stripes
3. Paperback or hardcover books? Hardcover
4. Color or B&W printer? B&W, assuming it's a laser printer
5. Golden oldies or the newest tunes? Golden oldies
6. Ice cream: in a cone or a dish? Dish... no, cone... no, dish...
7. Bath or shower? Bath, if I have time... but showers are good too.
8. Are you outgoing or shy? More outgoing than shy...
9. Answer the phone when it rings, or screen calls? I have caller ID. See who's calling... then answer quickly.
10. VCR or TiVO? As of yet, undecided. But probably leaning toward TiVO.
February 17, 2003
I love opera
I don't mean this opera.
This opera.
Check this out. The Swedish Chef rules. Børk!
The Swedish Chef Goes After Microsoft
February 16, 2003
Jedis Become a Force to Be Counted
If you think I'm just making this up, you need to read up on your Yahoo! News.
It has spread to Australia, too.
(Not to be confused with the OTHER Jedi religion.)
All of this just cracks me up.
February 15, 2003
Cheat Sheets and Study Tools
I want to memorize capitals for all 50 states, because I realized that I no longer remember them from fifth grade.
Hooray to the Animaniacs for providing me this wonderful cheat.
Who knows if I'll end up memorizing the capitals in the long run, but Turkey in the Straw never sounded better to me.
February 14, 2003
f5 for Valentine's Day
Another Friday Five... this time on Friday... but it has nothing to do with Valentine's Day.
1. Explain why you started to journal/blog.
I am forcing myself to write daily in this blog. It's been a long time since I've written consistently (not counting school).
Also, I am amassing legions of followers whom I am brainwashing to help me take over the world. But that's just an ancillary reason for the blog.
2. Do people you interact with day to day or family members know about your journal/blog? Why or why not?
Um, some do & some don't. I haven't really gotten around to tell people about it. I mention it when I think about it. The people who visit my blog most often are people who are online all the time. :)
3. Do you have a theme for your journal/blog?
Not really. It's called "brain barf" for a reason. :)
4. What direction would you like to have your journal/blog go in over the next year?
I don't know yet. I'm working on making it look not-so-retarded in the near future, as soon as I figure out how.
5. Pimp five of your favorite journals/blogs.
Aside from mine...
a. Wil Wheaton
b. Mike Doss
c. UglyExpat
d. Nessahead
e. Land Phil - No Dumping
February 13, 2003
"The Useless Precaution" (with apologies to Rossini)
We have season tickets to the L.A. Opera and Friday night was Opening Night for The Barber of Seville. (Why do I always think of Elmer Fudd when I hear this?)
There are pros and cons of going to an opening night performance. The biggest reason we decided to have our subscription be mostly opening night concerts has nothing to do with the performance itself. It's because of the audience. It is nice to sit in a mostly-packed house of opera-lovers like ourselves and be able to be part of an audience that is knowledgable about opera and, more importantly, concert etiquette.
The one time we went to a non-opening-night concert last year, there was barely anyone in the seats, so several audience members decided that it was appropriate to play musical chairs in the empty seats to find the best seat. They started out behind us, moved to the same row as us... decided they couldn't see well enough, got up, moved two rows up... got up again & did this until they were at the front of our section. Now, had the concert not started yet, this might not have bothered me... but how is this ok when the lights have already gone down and the orchestra is playing?
On Friday night, there was a glut of late-comers... and the users at the Music Center seemed content with letting people into the audience, despite the fact that the familiar "Seville" overture had already started & it was PITCH BLACK and one could barely see row #s, much less SEAT #s. Combine this with a virtually sold-out house... and you have late-comers climbing over people, trying to figure out where their seats are. If you didn't know any better, you'd have thought a spontaneous "Twister" game had broken out in the Dorothy Chandler.
One group of people totally misjudged where their seats were & began looking for theirs seats on one side, walked THROUGH the middle row (where people were already seated), down the aisle, across the front to the other side, up the other aisle, and back across another row of people, where I can only assume they ended up, if someone didn't maim them all first.
Seems like going to Opening Night to avoid annoying crowds was a "Useless Precaution," indeed. Figaro would agree.
February 12, 2003
It's Raining Cats and Dogs
I have been semi-pet-sitting for the last couple of days. Ok, so really I just have an excuse to go play with cats and a doggie. My "pet-sitting" stint officially began yesterday... the day that L.A. began getting rain. A lot of rain.
Murphy, a big dog, kind of a cross between a Ridgeback and a moose, loves to play ball. Evidently the rain is not a deterrent. Not one iota. After playing ball in the rain with her for some time, I decided I needed to be warm and dry and headed inside. Murphy (somewhat reluctantly) came in with me & I held on to her collar and ducked down under the table to grab a towel to dry her off.
All I know is that when my head came up, I was nose to wet doggie snout and was sprouting white fur on the back of my neck. Nikita and Jasper (2 of the kitties) decided to try to keep me warm by making a little kitty muffler and fur hat straight out of Dr. Zhivago out of their bodies. While I appreciated the sacrifice, it's a bit closer than anyone with cat allergies should be to the feline species.
I guess I was destined to have it rain cats and dogs on me indoors and out.
the friday five... from last week...
So these are the friday five from last week... I know it's not Friday, but who cares?
1. What did you have for breakfast this morning? If you didn't have breakfast, why not?
No breakfast today... was waiting for my sushi lunch on the Promenade.
2. What's your favorite cereal?
No favorite cereal... not a huge cereal fan.
3. How often do you eat out? Do you want that to change?
I eat out an average of at least 1-3 times a week. If I could afford it, I would eat out almost all the time... but that's not practical.
4. What do you plan on having for dinner tonight? Got a recipe for that?
Dinner is whatever I find when I make it down there. It may be popcorn. Again.
5. What's your favorite restaurant? Why?
I have too many favorite restaurants to name. I am just a big ol' food lover. Todai comes to mind, but it is by no means my favorite.
February 11, 2003
Backyard Sushi Bar
After a family discussion on the Case of the Missing Fishies, it has been determined that birds are not the likely culprits, but rather animals of a more feline nature.
Dad and Bro both witnessed a big, fat, grey cat bounding over the fence when they went out to the backyard. I guess with no more doggies running around, the kitties can start sampling the freshest sushi bar this side of Kitty Cat Heaven.
Don't they know they need to leave some fishies in the pond so it can repopulate and restock their exquisite new dining facility?
February 10, 2003
Blogchalk
This is my new blogchalk:
United States, California, Los Angeles, Westside, English, Chinese, Joz, Female, 26-30, Entertainment, Taiwan. :)
Hooray for "progress"
Thank goodness we are so much more advanced in our thinking than our parents and grandparents, who lived in a much more racist time. We've learned from experience so the horrors and injustices of WWII could never happen today...
Oops, is that sarcasm dripping out of my pores?
North Carolina Republican congressman Howard Coble is the point person on legislation to expand surveillance and curb privacy protections, as chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security. He is also the man who, in reference to the incarceration/internment of Japanese-Americans, said he agreed with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's decision to put 120,000 Japanese-Americans in internment camps during World War II.
For the record, there was never evidence of disloyalty among Japanese-Americans. For another thing, the "explanation" that it was dangerous for Japanese-Americans to be in the streets was (and still is) a total sham. It was an excuse that the government used to "justify" the evacuation and incarceration of an entire group of innocent Americans. If putting people in camps was for their own protection, why were all the machine guns pointed inside and not outside the camps?
For an interesting editorial piece from the Mercury News, click here.
Even more laughable is Coble's "explanation" of his comments by his spokesperson (note, he did not have the balls to address this himself... only through a "spokesperson" was a statement made. Also note that he does not make any apologies).
Can we soon expect innocent Arab-Americans to be 'locked up for their own protection?'
February 09, 2003
does joz = fishie reign of terror???
I went to visit my parents this weekend and Mom informed me that the fishies in the pond were all gone.
The birds decided to have a feast in the pond this week.
Or as I put it, the birds were having sashimi.
Mom and Dad laughed at that... if only it weren't true.
February 08, 2003
Unrelated dying fishie problem
It is a problem for me that another fishie died. But what he died of was most likely unrelated to what is causing the fish in the tank to die, since they have zero contact with each other.
This time it was one of my bettas... the red one I bought almost a year ago to put in my office at work. It's been living at home since I left that job. For the most part, he lived in the bathroom.
That's why he was named "The One in the Bathroom."
Farewell, TWITB.
February 07, 2003
joz = crazy doggie lady
I'm convinced that in some language "joz" means "crazy doggie lady."
It just isn't normal how excited I get when I see a dog. Not only do I have to look at it, I also have to shriek "DOGGIE!" and point.
I'm still getting over the loss of our two dogs, Mei-Mei and Chu-Chu. Mei-Mei passed away suddenly about 6 months ago & Chu-Chu only a couple of weeks ago. I still talk to their pictures everyday and say goodnight to them before I go to bed. Perhaps someday I'll share happy (and sad) stories about our dogs, but I still can't bear to write about it, yet.
All I can do is point to their pictures. I hope you'll enjoy.
February 06, 2003
All my good ideas are at 2am
All I know is that before I fell asleep, I was certain that I had a great idea. It was so great I was going to write about it in my blog.
What I do know is that when I woke up, I had no idea what the hell I was thinking at 2am, except that I was supposed to remember this great idea.
Now it's nowhere to be found.
February 05, 2003
Dying Fishie Problem
It sucks to have to admit this, but I am a bad fish mom.
My 40 gallon tank (which was left to me when my friends moved to New York) was in great condition for more than a year until recently when some sort of bacterial or fungal infection started running rampant through the tank. Despite (literally) hundreds of dollars on medication, they're still dying. Today, I had to flush one of my feeder fishies down the toilet because he was getting all poofy. That's not supposed to happen.
Some people seem to think that fish are disposable pets. But when you've spent more than a grand on fish, fish food, fish supplies, fish medicine, fish plants/furniture, not to mention the several froggies that have died... they don't really feel that disposable.
Maybe it's just me, but I get emotionally attached to some of my fish & have even named some of them. One of them (still alive and flipping) is a white molly that I brought home from Petco a while ago. What I did not notice (until after I brought him home) was that he only had one eye. I was initially grossed out by the fact that there was no little fish eye in the socket, and I almost took him back to the store. But I was convinced that if I took him back, they'd just let him die because no one would want to buy a one-eyed fish on purpose. So we "rescued him and we named him Jack, for one-eyed Jack.
I got especially attached to my frogs (all of whom had names, all of whom are now dead). My favorite frog was Gil (no relation to Wil's evil twin brother), an African Dwarf Frog. He lasted almost a year and then one day stopped swimming. I cried that day, no joke.
The people at Petco, though nice, don't know much about fish. I used to think I was a good fish mom, but until I figure out why my fish are all dying, I can only say that I am a bad fish mom.
Send good wishes for my fishes!
February 04, 2003
Lost Luggage Heaven
I hate it when I wake up too early. I always end up doing stupid stuff like playing games on pogo or surfing weird-ass sites.
A while back, I somehow ended up at UnclaimedBaggage.com. According to their Company Info, Unclaimed Baggage has over one million items passing through the store annually. About 60% of the merchandise is clothing with the balance of the store dedicated to cameras, electronics, sporting goods, jewelry, designer optical, books and of course, luggage. The vast majority of items are from unclaimed baggage which, after at least 90 days of "intensive" (the emphasis is mine, but the word "intensive" is actually used on the site) tracking by the airlines, are declared unclaimed.
Though the prices of most of the stuff they sell online suck (I guess the *real* bargains are for the locals), I spent a good amount of time surfing the site, simply fascinated at the crap that people pack in their luggage.
My favorite section is 'What is It?', a (not-so-frequently-updated) contest about weird/unidentifiable stuff that they found in someone's luggage.
I also love the travel tips that this company provides. Anything that mentions labeling your underwear is good advice in my book.
A special thanks goes out to all the airline carriers whose ineptitude and amazing ability to screw things up make this store possible. Thanks again.
February 03, 2003
The Greatest Video Ever Made
Leonard Nimoy sings Bilbo Baggins.
February 02, 2003
Those Amazing Taiwanese Reporters...
As far as I can tell, my dad spends most of his days online on his laptop reading Taiwanese newspaper websites. Dad is the ultimate news junkie. There are piles and piles of old papers stacked neck high in the garage. There are few things he loves more than Taiwan and the news. Taiwanese newspapers are the ultimate combo for Dad.
Anyway, I was at my parents' home this weekend in Orange County, visiting family for Chinese New Year (Happy Year of the Sheep/Ram/Goat) and was just waking up when I heard my dad leave the garage and head into the living room to turn on the TV... LOUD. I could not hear what was on TV, except that it was (surprise) the news.
I got my butt out of bed, brushed my teeth and went into the living room to see what earth-shaking news had occured for my dad to get off the internet and watch it on TV. It was then that my dad told me that the space shuttle Columbia had blown up. I was shocked and horrified.
What I am going to tell you next is not meant at all to trivialize this tragedy, but rather to share with you what I have to go through with my Dad being my dad.
After 5 minutes of watching CNN together, my dad turned to me and said in Chinese, "You know, the Taiwanese knew about it first."
Huh?
My dad continues, "I was reading the Taiwanese news website and they had the story online first."
I shit you not, my dad actually said this.
"What?!" I yelled at him in Chinese. "Are you kidding? You just happened to be reading a Taiwanese site and they posted the story while you were on the site. Just because you saw it there first doesn't mean they broke the story."
Dad: "Taiwan knew first."
Fine, then I definitely have a bone to pick with NASA. What the hell is the point of having Mission Control and all those people working so hard on a multi-billion dollar space program, when all you need is a Taiwanese journalist to tell you what the hell is going on? They knew first. As for the AP, CNN, United Press International? Watch out... those Taiwanese reporters are going to scoop you every time. They're psychic, you know.
At lunchtime, I told my mom and brother what Dad said & Mom laughed so hard, she started choking on her own spit. Bro and I couldn't stop chortling and making sarcastic comments about those psychic Taiwanese people.
(My painfully clueless) Dad, repeatedly asked my poor choking Mom: "What are you laughing at?"
If there is a merciful god, please, please don't let me be like this when I'm older. Please.
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P.S.- For the record, I did not wash my hair on New Year's Day. You may refer to me as "GreasyHead" for one day only.
February 01, 2003
Year of the Sheep/Ram/Goat/Lamb... no, IBEX!
Happy New Year!
:P