My sister Rose is only a year and a half younger than me, but the gap seems wider, as bluntly stated by one of my co-workers, "I thought she was much younger than you!" I still get a kick out of the statement because it is so unfiltered. It is true. It is a fact. My sister Rose looks much younger than what her age would lead you to believe, and she has done it without the facelift, the butt lift, the boob lift. She is all natural. Her regimen and maxims include cross fit exercise and the "you are what you eat" mantra. But this wasn't always the case...
My sister's birthday was earlier this week. So it triggered me to wax nostalgic. I must go back to elementary school, when my frail little sister Rose, with her thin stringy hair, would faint when the temperature was hot. That was funny back then. I was a mean kid and meaner older sister growing up, but it was Rose's fragility and short stature that made it open season year round to pick on her. I recall a funny incident in which our older sister - Peach - and I led Rose to believe we were making her "beautiful" by fixing her hair. We actually teased all her hair, and it was one big tangle. Peach and I laughed so hard. Rose didn't think it was funny. Too bad we didn't have Instagram back then. :D
But then payback is a bitch, isn't it? I think Rose started to pay me back in high school. I had bad acne, and she laughed and dubbed me "Rocky Mountains." Rose also managed to be more popular than me in high school. I was two grades ahead of her, but the kids in my class year knew her better than they knew me. They hung out with her. Her short stature must have bamboozled them. I was an introverted, geeky, nerdy bookworm, focused on getting good grades for college. Rose must have hoodwinked our parents as well because they seemed to favor her over me, letting her go to school dances while I had to stay home, cook and study. Something was definitely wrong with that scenario.
Despite the teenaged sibling challenges, we grew close. I married and had my son CJ. Rose would hang out with us at times, and she would take CJ with her in her red hot MR2. She seemed aimless (minimal career or educational aspirations, no steady boyfriend). We would feed her. As soon as we arrived home from grocery shopping, we would call Rose. She ate anything. The fourth place setting at our dinette was usually for her.
Aside: I wonder if CJ's good times with his aunt influenced him to buy an MR2 years later.
As I worked and raised my son, I continued my pursuit in academia. Then Rose herself started to focus on academia -- uh, Vince Academia, that is. She married the best husband ever. We always tell Rose that if her marriage were to fail, it would be her fault.
When my marriage failed, I felt aimless. I remember lugging around my worldly possessions in my car, trying to figure out where I would stay. My sister did not question or even hesitate to offer me a spare room. At the time Rose was pregnant with Vincent Jr. She listened and fed me. I stayed for the next year and a half during which time I observed and realized her powerfully even keeled temperament. This is her hallmark.
Eventually, I was able to get on my own two feet and buy my own place. After Vincent, Alexis came along almost four years later. My sister became a stay-at-home mom after a quiet, unassuming career in commercial real estate. She and Vince also accommodated our parents, around the time our dad started to show early signs of forgetting. Of all the eight siblings, Rose was the only one who could deal with that and get along with them. It's her even keel, her maturity, her sanity, her reasonableness that we all know and rely on. I don't think I could ever match her level.
So when she embarked on the determination to exercise primarily for weight loss, I was a bit puzzled. It didn't seem reasonable. To me, my sister looked great and didn't need to lose weight. Then it went beyond that. Both kids were in karate, and she took cardio kickboxing at the same time. Soon it was more classes and multiple gym memberships and cross fit and classes in personal training and nutrition. It seemingly reached the bounds of obsession, and I say this only because I knew how my sister felt before about exercise. She didn't understand why I would go running and exercise and felt I was wasting my time. Now it was her turn, but she took it leaps and bounds beyond where I was in staying fit, trim, and energized.
Today Rose is a certified personal trainer and cross fit instructor. Because of this, her short stature has become irrelevant, meaning we don't tease her as much. I must say I am so proud of her. She has been on this health and fitness kick for almost a decade, and she looks amazing. She was not fond of vegetables before, but now she concocts banana based spinach, grapes, and green apple shakes. "You are what you eat." This is her mantra. She's still a sucker for chocolate occasionally, but her regimen has translated into youthful appearance. Really, I am not lying. This was validated a few weeks ago by her own kids, who were poring over decades old pictures I keep in my "shoeboxes." To them, while everyone looked really young in the pictures, their parents looked the same. (Yes, Rose bamboozled Vince into quitting smoking before they got married, he is one of her cross fit students, and I'm sure she makes him drink those spinach shakes.)
And her even keel? That's still there. That hasn't changed. We don't always express our feelings, but I'm sure Rose knows how much I love her . I'm sure she knew about my broken heart when I silently cried over my failed marriage. I'm sure she knew my deep gratitude for the hospitality during that troubled time and financial woe. I'm sure she heard my heart scream when she asked me to be one of the godmothers for Vincent. I'm sure she heard my heart scream even louder when she asked me to be one of Alexis's godmothers.
And I hope she knows that I'll be there for her. She contributed to
my success because she helped shape me into the person I am today. I try to emulate her every day - the coolness, the even keel.
Just very recently, on Tuesday (I think), my sister touched my heart. I've been going on all these different adventures with people, including some secret ones. She said that we needed to go on an adventure and questioned why we have not gone on one. That is a very good question.
Happy birthday little sister Rose! I love you! God has gifted me with an amazing little sister. I can't wait to see what's in store for us! Let's go on an adventure...
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Time Well Spent
I love days like today when I am so busy with so many things but actually enjoy every minute instead of stressing over things that need to get done.
I woke up fairly early to catch up on some emails. Soon I was off to pick up my older sister Peach, who lives on the other side of San Jose. We went to her work and then stopped off at a nearby McDonald's to have breakfast. I love McDonald's coffee.
We then headed to Fremont to another McDonald's. I think that is the first time I have ever done a McDonald's to McDonald's Point A to Point B drive in my life! We picked up some lunch for my nephew Lucas. He requested a Big Mac. We visited with Lucas, who currently lives in Fremont, for about an hour and a half.
After that, Peach and I went to Westover to pick up my wine club quarterly shipment. We tasted some wine while we were there. I love wine.
Soon we were heading back to San Jose. We decided to stop off at Pho Mai in Milpitas for lunch. I didn't eat much -- just some chicken wings. It was cool to see silogs on the menu there. Restaurants are sometimes interesting when there is cross-culturalism.
After that, my sister and I went to my place so that I could change clothes and practice my script for my video shoot at Stanford University. That entire exercise was almost 3 hours. There was football game traffic at Stanford. That caused only a slight delay. At least my sister was able to witness what I do for fun when I'm not working. It was work but it was fun work.
After Stanford, we needed a boost. So we stopped off at Starbuck's in Milpitas. We also picked up lotto tickets at the liquor store a couple of doors down from Starbuck's. Soon, we were heading to the Target at North San Jose, where we shopped for a bit. We then went back to my place so that I could change back to jeans casual.
Were we done? Almost. We then went to Lance and Flo's house warming in Southeast San Jose. It was also Lance's birthday celebration and one of their son's (Joshua) birthday. We stuffed our faces with Filipino food, drank Lance's dessert wine (cherry infused), and sang karaoke. We were the last ones to arrive and the last ones to leave.
Finally, my sister and I were done. I took her back home, and I just arrived home about an hour ago. This is a fairly typical Saturday for me. Thank God for family and friends and events and fun work that keep me out of trouble!
I woke up fairly early to catch up on some emails. Soon I was off to pick up my older sister Peach, who lives on the other side of San Jose. We went to her work and then stopped off at a nearby McDonald's to have breakfast. I love McDonald's coffee.
We then headed to Fremont to another McDonald's. I think that is the first time I have ever done a McDonald's to McDonald's Point A to Point B drive in my life! We picked up some lunch for my nephew Lucas. He requested a Big Mac. We visited with Lucas, who currently lives in Fremont, for about an hour and a half.
After that, Peach and I went to Westover to pick up my wine club quarterly shipment. We tasted some wine while we were there. I love wine.
Soon we were heading back to San Jose. We decided to stop off at Pho Mai in Milpitas for lunch. I didn't eat much -- just some chicken wings. It was cool to see silogs on the menu there. Restaurants are sometimes interesting when there is cross-culturalism.
After that, my sister and I went to my place so that I could change clothes and practice my script for my video shoot at Stanford University. That entire exercise was almost 3 hours. There was football game traffic at Stanford. That caused only a slight delay. At least my sister was able to witness what I do for fun when I'm not working. It was work but it was fun work.
After Stanford, we needed a boost. So we stopped off at Starbuck's in Milpitas. We also picked up lotto tickets at the liquor store a couple of doors down from Starbuck's. Soon, we were heading to the Target at North San Jose, where we shopped for a bit. We then went back to my place so that I could change back to jeans casual.
Were we done? Almost. We then went to Lance and Flo's house warming in Southeast San Jose. It was also Lance's birthday celebration and one of their son's (Joshua) birthday. We stuffed our faces with Filipino food, drank Lance's dessert wine (cherry infused), and sang karaoke. We were the last ones to arrive and the last ones to leave.
Finally, my sister and I were done. I took her back home, and I just arrived home about an hour ago. This is a fairly typical Saturday for me. Thank God for family and friends and events and fun work that keep me out of trouble!
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Keeping Up with Technology (the Joneses for All)
The tournament scheduled at Classic Bowl in Daly City got canceled. I was bummed. That left me with a huge gaping hole in my Saturday schedule. So I spent it watching YouTube videos, specifically the CrimeDotTV channel.
CJ bought the Chromecast setup for me, and so now I can view on my TV anything on my laptop using the Chrome browser. How snazzy is that? Keeping up with technology is fun. The next step I want to figure out is how to watch shows via the internet only and cut out cable. Before, I was paying about $160 per month on cable/internet. That's a ridiculous amount when I spend most of my time on my computer on the internet, at work, with family and friends, and so on. The time I spent watching TV was not worth $160 per month. You can lease a car for that much for God's sake! So I changed to the basic cable/internet package at about $73 per month. Even that seems expensive.
Next, I need to upgrade my phone. I have a Samsung Charge, but it's over 2 years' old. In technology terms, it's almost obsolete. Applications run slowly. I can't run Facebook on it (that's probably a good thing), and it crashes every once in awhile. It's not worth the $132 per month that I pay. That's expensive. You can lease a car for that much for God's sake! I probably don't need the heavy data plan, which I'll get rid of perhaps when I upgrade my phone.
Speaking of cars, I've decided that my next investment in a car will be all electric. More technology. Circumstances are changing so that now the question is "Why gas?" I'll wait another couple of years to do this. Keeping up with technology has its price, but it's fun. I certainly love my Chromecast!
CJ bought the Chromecast setup for me, and so now I can view on my TV anything on my laptop using the Chrome browser. How snazzy is that? Keeping up with technology is fun. The next step I want to figure out is how to watch shows via the internet only and cut out cable. Before, I was paying about $160 per month on cable/internet. That's a ridiculous amount when I spend most of my time on my computer on the internet, at work, with family and friends, and so on. The time I spent watching TV was not worth $160 per month. You can lease a car for that much for God's sake! So I changed to the basic cable/internet package at about $73 per month. Even that seems expensive.
Next, I need to upgrade my phone. I have a Samsung Charge, but it's over 2 years' old. In technology terms, it's almost obsolete. Applications run slowly. I can't run Facebook on it (that's probably a good thing), and it crashes every once in awhile. It's not worth the $132 per month that I pay. That's expensive. You can lease a car for that much for God's sake! I probably don't need the heavy data plan, which I'll get rid of perhaps when I upgrade my phone.
Speaking of cars, I've decided that my next investment in a car will be all electric. More technology. Circumstances are changing so that now the question is "Why gas?" I'll wait another couple of years to do this. Keeping up with technology has its price, but it's fun. I certainly love my Chromecast!
Monday, September 23, 2013
My Vietnamese Sister
I've been posting all year long about particular siblings around the occurrence of their birthdays. I just realized that I must do one for my sister-in-law Lien because she's been in my life since I was in junior high. We've grown very close to her, and I consider her my sister.
Sometimes first impressions can be incorrect. At first, I didn't like Lien at all. I can't point to or remember the reason why. Maybe it was jealousy - she was stealing our brother from us. Maybe it was because she seemed stuck up. She barely spoke. Maybe it was immaturity on my part.
When Lien and Zaldy married, it was a blur. I'm sure I was dealing with adolescent and juvenile issues, while focusing on academics and taking the path toward higher education as an engineering hopeful. I was fairly nerdy and geeky, and I dealt with self-conscious annoyances such as acne. I also started to give into peer pressure.
Lien and Zaldy soon had Naomi, the very first grandchild in our family. Then they had Junior. I was aware of the ups and downs in their lives, and honestly I was stressed by the downs. I still recall that I had a conversation with my brother in which I made it clear to him that I wasn't happy and didn't agree with how he was behaving. Although I was younger, it seemed to me like immaturity on his part.
Let's fast forward a bit to the morning before my son CJ was born and right after my water broke. I didn't know what was going on and what to do. The first and only person I thought of calling was Lien. I knew she would have the answer. She said, "Get to the hospital right now!"
Let's fast forward to today. We've had more good times than bad as far back as I can recall, such as traveling to other countries, states, cities. Seeing the Indy 500 live for the first time. Clubbing until the wee hours. Celebrating Christmas. Shopping at Paragon. The journey continues, and Lien is there, just like she was there when I called her that morning. We keep going. I thought I was a strong woman, but I think Lien is stronger. Despite having to deal with my brother (ha ha), Lien has been bootstrapping her own success. She has worked very hard, and I am proud to have her as my sister-in-law.
Know this Lien. I am so thankful that God has brought you to our family. You've tamed my brother. I am also thankful for the further blessings of Naomi and Junior. You will soon be a grandma, and knowing you, your efforts will be tireless in being the best grandma possible -- just like you have been tireless in your efforts as a daughter, wife, daughter-in-law, mother, mother-in-law, sister, and sister-in-law. I look forward to more adventures with you. I love you very much!
Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Thank you for introducing us to delicious Vietnamese food. ;-)
Sometimes first impressions can be incorrect. At first, I didn't like Lien at all. I can't point to or remember the reason why. Maybe it was jealousy - she was stealing our brother from us. Maybe it was because she seemed stuck up. She barely spoke. Maybe it was immaturity on my part.
When Lien and Zaldy married, it was a blur. I'm sure I was dealing with adolescent and juvenile issues, while focusing on academics and taking the path toward higher education as an engineering hopeful. I was fairly nerdy and geeky, and I dealt with self-conscious annoyances such as acne. I also started to give into peer pressure.
Lien and Zaldy soon had Naomi, the very first grandchild in our family. Then they had Junior. I was aware of the ups and downs in their lives, and honestly I was stressed by the downs. I still recall that I had a conversation with my brother in which I made it clear to him that I wasn't happy and didn't agree with how he was behaving. Although I was younger, it seemed to me like immaturity on his part.
Let's fast forward a bit to the morning before my son CJ was born and right after my water broke. I didn't know what was going on and what to do. The first and only person I thought of calling was Lien. I knew she would have the answer. She said, "Get to the hospital right now!"
Let's fast forward to today. We've had more good times than bad as far back as I can recall, such as traveling to other countries, states, cities. Seeing the Indy 500 live for the first time. Clubbing until the wee hours. Celebrating Christmas. Shopping at Paragon. The journey continues, and Lien is there, just like she was there when I called her that morning. We keep going. I thought I was a strong woman, but I think Lien is stronger. Despite having to deal with my brother (ha ha), Lien has been bootstrapping her own success. She has worked very hard, and I am proud to have her as my sister-in-law.
Know this Lien. I am so thankful that God has brought you to our family. You've tamed my brother. I am also thankful for the further blessings of Naomi and Junior. You will soon be a grandma, and knowing you, your efforts will be tireless in being the best grandma possible -- just like you have been tireless in your efforts as a daughter, wife, daughter-in-law, mother, mother-in-law, sister, and sister-in-law. I look forward to more adventures with you. I love you very much!
Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Thank you for introducing us to delicious Vietnamese food. ;-)
Friday, September 13, 2013
Raising Gourmet
It's funny that I always wonder where my son CJ got his gourmet tastes and cooking skills from when the answer has been in front of me all along. My son reminded me the other day that when he and I spent quality time together when he was little, we would go to BevMo and Trader Joe's to buy gourmet foods. We also ate at nice restaurants, not the commercial chain restaurants. I taught him how to cook some dishes. This probably helped to liven up his tastebuds.
CJ and I spent a lot of time together, and that's why he and I are so close. We have a very good relationship. I admit that I spoiled him and still do because he is my only son. I am thankful that he isn't in jail and/or doing drugs. In addition to being foodies, we spent time going to the movies, seeing shows, traveling. I taught him about visiting other cities, states, countries and learning by getting lost and reading maps and finding our way back. I've sent him on trips without me to discover and become more worldly. We appreciated the finer things in life, even knowing at the same time that we didn't always have money to buy them. That's what made us appreciate things even more.
The time we spent together was around the end of my marriage through post divorce and until he moved and lived out in the world on his own. Now he's living life with the same type of trials and tribulations that's part of mainstream. He's had relationships that have pained him I'm sure. I always hope and pray that he will find his soul mate soon and move onto the next phase of his life.
What hasn't changed is his love for food -- especially gourmet food. CJ has become a much better cook than I. He will ask once in awhile about how to make things, which he picks up on quickly and alters to infuse his own style and interpretation. I admit it -- I've raised CJ to be just like me. Instead of fast food, we would rather cook our meals and taste every morsel. Or we would rather have a plate full of grapes, cheese, prosciutto and crackers while drinking that down with a fine glass of wine.
CJ and I spent a lot of time together, and that's why he and I are so close. We have a very good relationship. I admit that I spoiled him and still do because he is my only son. I am thankful that he isn't in jail and/or doing drugs. In addition to being foodies, we spent time going to the movies, seeing shows, traveling. I taught him about visiting other cities, states, countries and learning by getting lost and reading maps and finding our way back. I've sent him on trips without me to discover and become more worldly. We appreciated the finer things in life, even knowing at the same time that we didn't always have money to buy them. That's what made us appreciate things even more.
The time we spent together was around the end of my marriage through post divorce and until he moved and lived out in the world on his own. Now he's living life with the same type of trials and tribulations that's part of mainstream. He's had relationships that have pained him I'm sure. I always hope and pray that he will find his soul mate soon and move onto the next phase of his life.
What hasn't changed is his love for food -- especially gourmet food. CJ has become a much better cook than I. He will ask once in awhile about how to make things, which he picks up on quickly and alters to infuse his own style and interpretation. I admit it -- I've raised CJ to be just like me. Instead of fast food, we would rather cook our meals and taste every morsel. Or we would rather have a plate full of grapes, cheese, prosciutto and crackers while drinking that down with a fine glass of wine.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Forgot My Glasses and Other Things
Don't you wish that you can recapture all the time you waste when you have to backtrack because you forgot something? I can remember many times when I had to go back home because I left my phone. Things like your phone or your glasses or your computer should be attached to you so you don't leave without them.
I just got home from work. It's about 7:00 p.m., and I realized that I forgot my reading glasses. I have to go back to work to get them. Instead of going back right away, I decided to sit and write this post. What has my life come down to? Again, as I have posted before, my life has come down to absolute boredom. If I have time to waste on going back to get my glasses, my life really isn't chaotic. Do you think that I forget stuff because my life isn't chaotic? I wonder.
Now I'm thinking about what I need to do on my way back. I might as well stop off at the bank and get cash. I'm out. I might as well stop off at the Great Mall and get some dinuguan at Red Ribbon. When I get home, I'll eat and watch Criminal Minds. Then I'll work on work stuff. Then I'll work on other stuff. Then I'll do my puzzles and keep my mind sharp. Then I'll go to sleep. Tomorrow is a brand new day.
But to do most of the stuff I just mentioned, I need my reading glasses. I'm now squinting. I hate to squint. So back to work I go. *sigh*
I just got home from work. It's about 7:00 p.m., and I realized that I forgot my reading glasses. I have to go back to work to get them. Instead of going back right away, I decided to sit and write this post. What has my life come down to? Again, as I have posted before, my life has come down to absolute boredom. If I have time to waste on going back to get my glasses, my life really isn't chaotic. Do you think that I forget stuff because my life isn't chaotic? I wonder.
Now I'm thinking about what I need to do on my way back. I might as well stop off at the bank and get cash. I'm out. I might as well stop off at the Great Mall and get some dinuguan at Red Ribbon. When I get home, I'll eat and watch Criminal Minds. Then I'll work on work stuff. Then I'll work on other stuff. Then I'll do my puzzles and keep my mind sharp. Then I'll go to sleep. Tomorrow is a brand new day.
But to do most of the stuff I just mentioned, I need my reading glasses. I'm now squinting. I hate to squint. So back to work I go. *sigh*
Friday, August 30, 2013
Fish Sittin'
It's not as boring as it sounds. Fran is Alexis's fish. It's a Betta fish. Is it a better fish? I don't know. The only fish I have knowledge of are delicious.
So I told Alexis that I would watch her fish but needed to keep it away from CJ because CJ is now a sushi chef. She didn't think that was funny. I thought it was hilarious.
The good thing about Fran is that she is quiet. She isn't annoying, and I don't have to change any diapers. She doesn't need a whole lot of attention either. I just have to feed her three meals. There actually is fish food made for Betta fish. I'm just making this assumption because the label on the package says Betta fish.
My life, such as it is, has been fairly boring. My blog posts have not been that exciting. My job is crazy, chaotic, and stressful, but I don't let it get to me. At least that is what my blood pressure tells me. My blood pressure is so low that I am probably almost dead.
It's good that this is a holiday weekend because there are some exciting things in store that I'll be doing. I'll be going to Tomales Bay tomorrow to eat oysters. We'll bring all our accessories and condiments to shuck and barbecue or eat raw. I need to go out and get cocktail sauce, hot sauce, lemons, and horseradish. Oysters also go great with beer or white wine. I'll bring both.
On Sunday and Monday of this holiday weekend, I am not sure what I'll be doing yet, but I'll probably go for a couple of runs, clean my house, and do some work. I have to pay my bills for sure. It's that semi-time.
Ugh, my life sounds so boring, doesn't it? Maybe I'm fish sitting because I need a Betta life! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
So I told Alexis that I would watch her fish but needed to keep it away from CJ because CJ is now a sushi chef. She didn't think that was funny. I thought it was hilarious.
The good thing about Fran is that she is quiet. She isn't annoying, and I don't have to change any diapers. She doesn't need a whole lot of attention either. I just have to feed her three meals. There actually is fish food made for Betta fish. I'm just making this assumption because the label on the package says Betta fish.
My life, such as it is, has been fairly boring. My blog posts have not been that exciting. My job is crazy, chaotic, and stressful, but I don't let it get to me. At least that is what my blood pressure tells me. My blood pressure is so low that I am probably almost dead.
It's good that this is a holiday weekend because there are some exciting things in store that I'll be doing. I'll be going to Tomales Bay tomorrow to eat oysters. We'll bring all our accessories and condiments to shuck and barbecue or eat raw. I need to go out and get cocktail sauce, hot sauce, lemons, and horseradish. Oysters also go great with beer or white wine. I'll bring both.
On Sunday and Monday of this holiday weekend, I am not sure what I'll be doing yet, but I'll probably go for a couple of runs, clean my house, and do some work. I have to pay my bills for sure. It's that semi-time.
Ugh, my life sounds so boring, doesn't it? Maybe I'm fish sitting because I need a Betta life! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!
Saturday, August 24, 2013
My Purple Leg
I played catcher last week at our softball game. Egnyte participates in a corporate league at Twin Creeks in Sunnyvale. It's co-ed, and we don't have an extraordinary amount of females wanting to play. The rules require at least three women to play.
I like to play, though I don't particularly like to be the catcher. I should have crouched down the way professional catchers do, but it feels awkward to do that. When the batters let the ball get past them, the ball didn't always end up in my glove. Sometimes, they would hit my shin and my knee, all on my left leg. A couple of days later, my left leg turned purple. What could be better than my left leg turning into my favorite color?
I thought the purpleness would eventually go away so I could play again, but it didn't. Additionally, my ankle swelled up and turned purple. The swollen ankle had nothing to do with my softball injuries. That's another issue. Both my ankles were swollen, and I think it has to do with my unusually low blood pressure.
So I had to skip this past Thursday's game. I still went to cheer the team on and hang out for pizza and beer. Today, the swollen ankles are no more. However, the purpleness is still there and has spread down to the edge of my foot. None of the swelling or softball injuries or purpleness has caused me any pain. I have a high tolerance level.
I guess I love purple so much that these events happened to cause my leg to turn purple but with absolutely no pain. :-)
I like to play, though I don't particularly like to be the catcher. I should have crouched down the way professional catchers do, but it feels awkward to do that. When the batters let the ball get past them, the ball didn't always end up in my glove. Sometimes, they would hit my shin and my knee, all on my left leg. A couple of days later, my left leg turned purple. What could be better than my left leg turning into my favorite color?
I thought the purpleness would eventually go away so I could play again, but it didn't. Additionally, my ankle swelled up and turned purple. The swollen ankle had nothing to do with my softball injuries. That's another issue. Both my ankles were swollen, and I think it has to do with my unusually low blood pressure.
So I had to skip this past Thursday's game. I still went to cheer the team on and hang out for pizza and beer. Today, the swollen ankles are no more. However, the purpleness is still there and has spread down to the edge of my foot. None of the swelling or softball injuries or purpleness has caused me any pain. I have a high tolerance level.
I guess I love purple so much that these events happened to cause my leg to turn purple but with absolutely no pain. :-)
Saturday, August 17, 2013
The Past
I was going down memory lane with my friend Maggie the other day. We had dinner in Downtown Mountain View, and it's always a special occasion because we hardly see each other. Our lives are that busy. I've known Maggie for almost 25 years, since 1989, when I landed my first real job at Fujitsu America in San Jose.
Some of the things we reminisced about I remembered clearly. Some other things were not as clear. I wonder if I pick and choose what I remember and don't remember. I have so many years of memories that I can probably sit for days on end writing and writing.
When I visit the past with my siblings, the same thing happens. There are things I remember that they don't remember, and there are things I don't remember that they remember. Why is that possible? We grew up in the same household.
There is one thing I know for sure though regarding the past. I don't dwell on it or in it. I move on. These days, I don't even remember what I did last week. I just keep going. The past becomes trivial to me. I've lived through some tough and painful times, but I've learned from them and know not to repeat them. I really shouldn't say the past is trivial, because it is important to learn from it. But to me, after learning from it, it becomes trivial. I just simply move on.
Visiting with Maggie and the past was fun. We had a lot of laughs. It certainly reminds me of how immature I was back then, how far I've come, and how much I am now enjoying my fabulous life!
Some of the things we reminisced about I remembered clearly. Some other things were not as clear. I wonder if I pick and choose what I remember and don't remember. I have so many years of memories that I can probably sit for days on end writing and writing.
When I visit the past with my siblings, the same thing happens. There are things I remember that they don't remember, and there are things I don't remember that they remember. Why is that possible? We grew up in the same household.
There is one thing I know for sure though regarding the past. I don't dwell on it or in it. I move on. These days, I don't even remember what I did last week. I just keep going. The past becomes trivial to me. I've lived through some tough and painful times, but I've learned from them and know not to repeat them. I really shouldn't say the past is trivial, because it is important to learn from it. But to me, after learning from it, it becomes trivial. I just simply move on.
Visiting with Maggie and the past was fun. We had a lot of laughs. It certainly reminds me of how immature I was back then, how far I've come, and how much I am now enjoying my fabulous life!
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Take Parenting Seriously
The incident I witnessed a few weeks ago at the CVS Store in Palo Alto still bothers me today. The young mom yelled at her crying newborn to "shut up." What kind of mom is she? Did she have a terrible childhood? Will her baby have a terrible childhood?
A person is molded by his or her experience growing up. The most impressionable times are the early years. So people need to take parenting seriously. You shouldn't procreate only to raise your child or children in a detrimental or cyclical manner.
Think about the person you are today. Then go back to your own childhood. Did you hate your childhood? Sometimes, people's bad behavior are simply dismissed with, "That's all she knew," which means she must have drawn from her life experience or childhood. I think this is true most of the time. People who abuse their children were abused themselves. It's the only world they know, and the behavior cycles and recycles. Sometimes it results in the extreme criminal behavior of murder.
But the cycle can be broken. I see, hear, and read about that at times, and it's encouraging. It takes time and sheer will to do that, I'm sure. Back in the old days, disciplining your child by yelling at them and hitting them in public was not frowned upon as much as it is today. These days, you will get arrested even if you do so in the privacy of your own home. So the laws are steering toward better parenting and child advocacy.
However, the bad behavior and bad parenting will continue. It's what makes the world go 'round. The world is made up of different walks of life. And it starts in the home. Take parenting seriously. If you are a parent today, think about how you are treating and raising your children. Guide them. Educate them. Maybe you need education yourself. Your world is not the only world. Do your kids a favor and expose them to other worlds. Behave and take parenting seriously!
A person is molded by his or her experience growing up. The most impressionable times are the early years. So people need to take parenting seriously. You shouldn't procreate only to raise your child or children in a detrimental or cyclical manner.
Think about the person you are today. Then go back to your own childhood. Did you hate your childhood? Sometimes, people's bad behavior are simply dismissed with, "That's all she knew," which means she must have drawn from her life experience or childhood. I think this is true most of the time. People who abuse their children were abused themselves. It's the only world they know, and the behavior cycles and recycles. Sometimes it results in the extreme criminal behavior of murder.
But the cycle can be broken. I see, hear, and read about that at times, and it's encouraging. It takes time and sheer will to do that, I'm sure. Back in the old days, disciplining your child by yelling at them and hitting them in public was not frowned upon as much as it is today. These days, you will get arrested even if you do so in the privacy of your own home. So the laws are steering toward better parenting and child advocacy.
However, the bad behavior and bad parenting will continue. It's what makes the world go 'round. The world is made up of different walks of life. And it starts in the home. Take parenting seriously. If you are a parent today, think about how you are treating and raising your children. Guide them. Educate them. Maybe you need education yourself. Your world is not the only world. Do your kids a favor and expose them to other worlds. Behave and take parenting seriously!
Sunday, August 4, 2013
My Favorite Ex-Boyfriend
This person made such an impact in my life that I can't forget him - my favorite ex-boyfriend. He didn't break my heart or anything like that. He's an ex because we always knew it would not be a long-term relationship. We just enjoyed each other's company. We never argued. We did lots of things together and visited lots of places together from north of the Bay to down south in Santa Cruz. San Francisco was our favorite city.
We parted ways as friends but lost touch over the years. Then I saw him on TV one day, which was a pleasant surprise. I sent him a message. He responded, and we caught up a little bit.
So why was he my favorite, besides being great company? He was very down-to-earth and honest. He was very intelligent, talented and professional. His worldliness was refreshing.
I learned that he had traveled the world as a professional drummer in a music company. He studied music theory in college in New York. He also was a professional keyboardist and had written the score for a movie. He played in a jazz band on weekends in Berkeley. Of course being in Silicon Valley, he was a technologist with business acumen. He was soon a VP of a company. If that weren't enough, he earned multiple degrees of black belts in martial arts. He owned a martial arts studio.
He sounds like a dream, right? But that's not why he's my favorite. He's unforgettable to me because he treated me with something simple -- respect. He paid me compliments with so much sincerity that I would glow. He didn't shower me with flowers and jewelry. Those close to me know I don't like those things given to me, and somehow he sensed that. Instead, he gave me advice and filled my head with knowledge. We had intelligent conversations and exchanges. He opened up my eyes to having different perspectives on matters, which helped me mature. I became a better person because of him.
Sure I've had other relationships in which I learned lessons and grew as an individual, but my favorite ex-boyfriend had the best impact on me. My most memorable time we spent together was at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, when we visited with one of his friends who was playing in a band at a concert. So around the Wharf to Wharf time, when I'm at the starting line at the Boardwalk, I think about him. He's married now, has a daughter, and is happy. I would wish nothing less for my favorite ex-boyfriend.
We parted ways as friends but lost touch over the years. Then I saw him on TV one day, which was a pleasant surprise. I sent him a message. He responded, and we caught up a little bit.
So why was he my favorite, besides being great company? He was very down-to-earth and honest. He was very intelligent, talented and professional. His worldliness was refreshing.
I learned that he had traveled the world as a professional drummer in a music company. He studied music theory in college in New York. He also was a professional keyboardist and had written the score for a movie. He played in a jazz band on weekends in Berkeley. Of course being in Silicon Valley, he was a technologist with business acumen. He was soon a VP of a company. If that weren't enough, he earned multiple degrees of black belts in martial arts. He owned a martial arts studio.
He sounds like a dream, right? But that's not why he's my favorite. He's unforgettable to me because he treated me with something simple -- respect. He paid me compliments with so much sincerity that I would glow. He didn't shower me with flowers and jewelry. Those close to me know I don't like those things given to me, and somehow he sensed that. Instead, he gave me advice and filled my head with knowledge. We had intelligent conversations and exchanges. He opened up my eyes to having different perspectives on matters, which helped me mature. I became a better person because of him.
Sure I've had other relationships in which I learned lessons and grew as an individual, but my favorite ex-boyfriend had the best impact on me. My most memorable time we spent together was at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, when we visited with one of his friends who was playing in a band at a concert. So around the Wharf to Wharf time, when I'm at the starting line at the Boardwalk, I think about him. He's married now, has a daughter, and is happy. I would wish nothing less for my favorite ex-boyfriend.
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Fitness Challenge Done
Today is my last day on this fitness challenge. I didn't lose exactly 10 pounds. I lost 9. I was close. But I'll keep on trying to lose that last pound. This will keep me motivated.
I finished the Wharf to Wharf 10K on Sunday for the 11th time (I think). CJ finally ran it, the little turkey. But he suffered because he didn't train for it. I trained by running 3 miles every other day for a month and a half, but my feet started to cramp right after the first mile. I kept going though!
This challenge has been going on since the beginning of June. I am going to stick to juicing, but cheat every once in awhile. I lost belly fat, which is awesome. So this challenge helped me identify what I need to do to keep my weight down and energy up as I enter into menopause territory. I am in control.
The key is to keep juicing and running. You'll see me out there running every other day, because in my opinion, it is the best form of exercise. I just need to get better running shoes.
So fitness challenge is done. What's next? I'd better re-focus on bowling. I didn't bowl all Summer, and one of my teammates, Mark, sent me a text to check if I was still alive. That was pretty funny.
Ahhhh, I have to admit - life is good!
I finished the Wharf to Wharf 10K on Sunday for the 11th time (I think). CJ finally ran it, the little turkey. But he suffered because he didn't train for it. I trained by running 3 miles every other day for a month and a half, but my feet started to cramp right after the first mile. I kept going though!
This challenge has been going on since the beginning of June. I am going to stick to juicing, but cheat every once in awhile. I lost belly fat, which is awesome. So this challenge helped me identify what I need to do to keep my weight down and energy up as I enter into menopause territory. I am in control.
The key is to keep juicing and running. You'll see me out there running every other day, because in my opinion, it is the best form of exercise. I just need to get better running shoes.
So fitness challenge is done. What's next? I'd better re-focus on bowling. I didn't bowl all Summer, and one of my teammates, Mark, sent me a text to check if I was still alive. That was pretty funny.
Ahhhh, I have to admit - life is good!
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Humanity Quivers
Sometimes I lose a little faith in humanity. When I witness a slight quivering, I usually see or hear about something that restores my faith. I haven't yet since last week.
I was at Wal-Mart in Mountain View purchasing a couple of buckets for our beer bash. As I was leaving, there was a cute little girl with curly blonde hair who walked out ahead of me. She looked distressed, crying out for her mommy. "What in the world?" I thought. I slowed down and was about to stop to help her go back into the store and find her mom, but there were others who stepped in and asked her if she was lost. That was a relief. The little girl was about 5. Please parents, keep your little ones close to you!
Moments later, as I headed to my car in the parking lot, a lady in a mini-van cut me and my cart off to grab a parking spot. She came so close to hitting my cart. "What in the world?" I thought. Why that spot? There were so many other parking spots open. Why was she in such a hurry or eager to grab it and risk hitting my cart? Please people,exercise patience and wait for me to move past the open parking spot before you park, or go grab another one!
That was last Friday. On Saturday, I went to the Apple Store in Palo Alto. I usually park in the back of the CVS store, walk through CVS, and go to the Apple Store next door on University Avenue. After purchasing my Apple stuff for work, I walked through the CVS store but stopped to buy a couple of birthday cards. At the cashier, I was behind this lady who had her newborn with her. The newborn was in a carrier on the conveyor belt and was crying with its eyes closed. The lady was looking through her wallet and exclaimed, "Where the fuck is my ID?"
"What in the world?" I thought. You could tell she was stressed, probably from her baby's crying. "Shut up!" she told her newborn. "Holy cow, what in the world?" I thought. The baby stopped crying for about 10 seconds, and then started again. As the cashier processed her payment, she turned to her crying baby again and said, "Really? Really? Really?"
She then attempted to carry her baby and her bag of purchased items but couldn't. I heard clanking in the bag. She asked the cashier to double up on the paper bagging. She didn't want to "drop the alcohol." "What in the world?" I thought. Another CVS employee offered to help her out. Off they went. Good grief! Please parents, don't yell at your newborn babies who are defenseless and have no clue. They are precious and don't deserve your bad behavior. And remember, YOU brought them into this world.
Last week is a long time ago. I'm still recovering from witnessing the alcohol lady with the newborn. Her behavior literally broke my heart for the baby. I hope that something restores my faith in humanity today or tomorrow. I will be on the lookout.
I was at Wal-Mart in Mountain View purchasing a couple of buckets for our beer bash. As I was leaving, there was a cute little girl with curly blonde hair who walked out ahead of me. She looked distressed, crying out for her mommy. "What in the world?" I thought. I slowed down and was about to stop to help her go back into the store and find her mom, but there were others who stepped in and asked her if she was lost. That was a relief. The little girl was about 5. Please parents, keep your little ones close to you!
Moments later, as I headed to my car in the parking lot, a lady in a mini-van cut me and my cart off to grab a parking spot. She came so close to hitting my cart. "What in the world?" I thought. Why that spot? There were so many other parking spots open. Why was she in such a hurry or eager to grab it and risk hitting my cart? Please people,exercise patience and wait for me to move past the open parking spot before you park, or go grab another one!
That was last Friday. On Saturday, I went to the Apple Store in Palo Alto. I usually park in the back of the CVS store, walk through CVS, and go to the Apple Store next door on University Avenue. After purchasing my Apple stuff for work, I walked through the CVS store but stopped to buy a couple of birthday cards. At the cashier, I was behind this lady who had her newborn with her. The newborn was in a carrier on the conveyor belt and was crying with its eyes closed. The lady was looking through her wallet and exclaimed, "Where the fuck is my ID?"
"What in the world?" I thought. You could tell she was stressed, probably from her baby's crying. "Shut up!" she told her newborn. "Holy cow, what in the world?" I thought. The baby stopped crying for about 10 seconds, and then started again. As the cashier processed her payment, she turned to her crying baby again and said, "Really? Really? Really?"
She then attempted to carry her baby and her bag of purchased items but couldn't. I heard clanking in the bag. She asked the cashier to double up on the paper bagging. She didn't want to "drop the alcohol." "What in the world?" I thought. Another CVS employee offered to help her out. Off they went. Good grief! Please parents, don't yell at your newborn babies who are defenseless and have no clue. They are precious and don't deserve your bad behavior. And remember, YOU brought them into this world.
Last week is a long time ago. I'm still recovering from witnessing the alcohol lady with the newborn. Her behavior literally broke my heart for the baby. I hope that something restores my faith in humanity today or tomorrow. I will be on the lookout.
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Mom Well Intentioned
My relationship with my mom isn't as close as it could be, no matter how hard I try. But maybe it's because I don't try hard enough. I can go on months at a time without speaking with her. When she calls, sometimes I ignore the phone because I don't want to chat. When I'm with her in person, I tend to become annoyed with her.
Don't get me wrong. I love my mom. She is the bedrock of our family. None of us ever forget her on Mother's Day or on her birthday. Today is her birthday.
So why does my attitude toward my mom exist the way it does? I would be so sad if my son CJ treated me the same way. There is a psychological explanation I'm sure that is deeply rooted in our upbringing. It's something I've been aware of, and I purposely raised my son differently so that my relationship with him would not be as indifferent. I admit that among us eight siblings, I have the most distant connection with my mom. Why don't I just overcome it, not blame my upbringing, and have a closer relationship with Mom? I don't know. I really don't know.
I think I try to make an effort by helping my mom financially at times. It's not a burden to do that, and I feel it's my responsibility as a good daughter to do so. We were raised that way. Our parents brought us here to the United States for the opportunity. They had pictured having their eight children take care of them in their retirement and old age. Things didn't really go as planned because they were raising Americans after all, and here in America, you're supposed to have a retirement fund so as not to burden your children.
There's also social security, which is definitely not sufficient. That's what my mom lives on. It's fixed and strict. It's not what she and my dad had envisioned when they emigrated from the Philippines long ago.
My own vision is far from that. I don't expect my son to take care of me in my old age and retirement. I don't want to be a financial burden to him in any way. I imagine that I will work until I'm dead, and I will travel until I am unable to do so.
The way we were raised and the way I raised my son are different, and this is where I can pinpoint the root cause of my distant relationship with my mom. It was in the discipline. We were raised in a strict environment, and we were disciplined harshly. There was yelling and screaming and a belt and slapping and pinching and accusing. Such treatment is unnecessary, as I learned during my education when child advocacy became more prominent and prevalent. In our family, there were no hugs and apologies and expressions of affection. And I know this is why my relationship with my mom is what it is. Why can't I overcome it? Even more so, I implore - how can I overcome it? Maybe I should see a psychologist.
Raising CJ was purposely done without the harshness. There was no yelling and screaming and hitting. Instead, there were time-outs and privileges revoked.
Ah, but I am digressing. This post was meant for my mom, in celebration of her. Today is her birthday. I overcome my attitude by remembering that my mom is a good person and a good mom. Her life story and struggles are more profound than the average person's because she was born in one country, had eight children, came to America, and thrived. And all her children are thriving. We are delighted at times when she regales us with stories of her life in the Philippines.
I tell myself that all my mom's actions past and present were and are well intentioned. That's what matters, right? I love you Mom! Happy Birthday!
Don't get me wrong. I love my mom. She is the bedrock of our family. None of us ever forget her on Mother's Day or on her birthday. Today is her birthday.
So why does my attitude toward my mom exist the way it does? I would be so sad if my son CJ treated me the same way. There is a psychological explanation I'm sure that is deeply rooted in our upbringing. It's something I've been aware of, and I purposely raised my son differently so that my relationship with him would not be as indifferent. I admit that among us eight siblings, I have the most distant connection with my mom. Why don't I just overcome it, not blame my upbringing, and have a closer relationship with Mom? I don't know. I really don't know.
I think I try to make an effort by helping my mom financially at times. It's not a burden to do that, and I feel it's my responsibility as a good daughter to do so. We were raised that way. Our parents brought us here to the United States for the opportunity. They had pictured having their eight children take care of them in their retirement and old age. Things didn't really go as planned because they were raising Americans after all, and here in America, you're supposed to have a retirement fund so as not to burden your children.
There's also social security, which is definitely not sufficient. That's what my mom lives on. It's fixed and strict. It's not what she and my dad had envisioned when they emigrated from the Philippines long ago.
My own vision is far from that. I don't expect my son to take care of me in my old age and retirement. I don't want to be a financial burden to him in any way. I imagine that I will work until I'm dead, and I will travel until I am unable to do so.
The way we were raised and the way I raised my son are different, and this is where I can pinpoint the root cause of my distant relationship with my mom. It was in the discipline. We were raised in a strict environment, and we were disciplined harshly. There was yelling and screaming and a belt and slapping and pinching and accusing. Such treatment is unnecessary, as I learned during my education when child advocacy became more prominent and prevalent. In our family, there were no hugs and apologies and expressions of affection. And I know this is why my relationship with my mom is what it is. Why can't I overcome it? Even more so, I implore - how can I overcome it? Maybe I should see a psychologist.
Raising CJ was purposely done without the harshness. There was no yelling and screaming and hitting. Instead, there were time-outs and privileges revoked.
Ah, but I am digressing. This post was meant for my mom, in celebration of her. Today is her birthday. I overcome my attitude by remembering that my mom is a good person and a good mom. Her life story and struggles are more profound than the average person's because she was born in one country, had eight children, came to America, and thrived. And all her children are thriving. We are delighted at times when she regales us with stories of her life in the Philippines.
I tell myself that all my mom's actions past and present were and are well intentioned. That's what matters, right? I love you Mom! Happy Birthday!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
One More Pound to Shed
I've lost 9 pounds. Just one more to go.
I have not cheated this week. I plan to cheat on Saturday though. It's hard not to cheat on a Saturday. I cheated last Saturday eating Mexican food at Palo Alto Sol with my new friend Bill.
The middle of July is one of my favorite times of the year because of the Obon Festival. We usually go to the one held at the Buddhist Temple in Mountain View. This has to be a cheat day for me because there is no way I will pass up shave ice, beef teriyaki and chicken teriyaki on skewers, sushi, donburi, spam musubi, corn on the cob, tempura, sake. I know I can get this stuff at any Japanese restaurant or Hawaiian restaurant, but these foods seem to taste so much better at the Obon. This is probably due to the atmosphere, the ambience. It's a festival; there are games and prizes. The kids love to play hoop-la, bingo, nickel and dime pitch, grab bag, tic-tac-toe, and fish bowl.
My family will be there. CJ and his girlfriend will be there. I might run into old friends, old classmates. We grew up in Mountain View and have been going since we were kids attending Bubb Elementary School, Graham Junior High, and Mountain View High School. I love the Obon. There was only one year when I missed it, when I was living in New York City.
So one more pound to go. It is the toughest one to shed, but I'm sure I'll do it even after stuffing my face at the Obon. The Wharf to Wharf race is just around the corner, and I'll be ready - a whole 10 pounds lighter. One more pound...
I have not cheated this week. I plan to cheat on Saturday though. It's hard not to cheat on a Saturday. I cheated last Saturday eating Mexican food at Palo Alto Sol with my new friend Bill.
The middle of July is one of my favorite times of the year because of the Obon Festival. We usually go to the one held at the Buddhist Temple in Mountain View. This has to be a cheat day for me because there is no way I will pass up shave ice, beef teriyaki and chicken teriyaki on skewers, sushi, donburi, spam musubi, corn on the cob, tempura, sake. I know I can get this stuff at any Japanese restaurant or Hawaiian restaurant, but these foods seem to taste so much better at the Obon. This is probably due to the atmosphere, the ambience. It's a festival; there are games and prizes. The kids love to play hoop-la, bingo, nickel and dime pitch, grab bag, tic-tac-toe, and fish bowl.
My family will be there. CJ and his girlfriend will be there. I might run into old friends, old classmates. We grew up in Mountain View and have been going since we were kids attending Bubb Elementary School, Graham Junior High, and Mountain View High School. I love the Obon. There was only one year when I missed it, when I was living in New York City.
So one more pound to go. It is the toughest one to shed, but I'm sure I'll do it even after stuffing my face at the Obon. The Wharf to Wharf race is just around the corner, and I'll be ready - a whole 10 pounds lighter. One more pound...
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Juicing and Cheating
The fourth week of my fitness challenge is coming to a close. I changed my diet to comprise primarily of juicing. I then add some cheat days and discovered that I can totally control my weight. Control freak! I've lost about 8 pounds now. My goal is 10. I am also preparing for the Wharf to Wharf race on July 28.
I am doing this through the end of July. I also gave up coffee, although I miss that very much. I might pick up that habit again when I am done in July, but I will probably continue the juicing and what I consider cheating. If I juice 6 days and cheat 1 day, I lose weight. If I juice 4 days and cheat 3 days, my weight seems to stay the same. So that could be the key. Cheating to me means eating mainstream fare, such as Italian food for dinner or Sushi for lunch or Chinese food at a party.
I will have to figure this out, but I know for sure that juicing is a good thing and that I will do this for the rest of my life. I use the Jack Lalanne juicer, which is a fairly good one at the price I purchased it for. It is also very easy to clean and maintain.
I will also continue running because it's free and not as impactful on my body. My knees have been doing well. That could be due to the fact that I skipped summer bowling and cross fit training. When I was into these two activities earlier this year, my knee was complaining. I had to wear a knee brace in order to bowl.
I'm still on the fence about bowling winter season. I will post a blog about this another time, but there are just forces that sometimes discourage me from this sport, even though I get better and better at it every year.
For now, I will focus on me and my health and working through this fitness challenge. I need to make sure that I keep running and juicing and cheating, past July and for life!
I am doing this through the end of July. I also gave up coffee, although I miss that very much. I might pick up that habit again when I am done in July, but I will probably continue the juicing and what I consider cheating. If I juice 6 days and cheat 1 day, I lose weight. If I juice 4 days and cheat 3 days, my weight seems to stay the same. So that could be the key. Cheating to me means eating mainstream fare, such as Italian food for dinner or Sushi for lunch or Chinese food at a party.
I will have to figure this out, but I know for sure that juicing is a good thing and that I will do this for the rest of my life. I use the Jack Lalanne juicer, which is a fairly good one at the price I purchased it for. It is also very easy to clean and maintain.
I will also continue running because it's free and not as impactful on my body. My knees have been doing well. That could be due to the fact that I skipped summer bowling and cross fit training. When I was into these two activities earlier this year, my knee was complaining. I had to wear a knee brace in order to bowl.
I'm still on the fence about bowling winter season. I will post a blog about this another time, but there are just forces that sometimes discourage me from this sport, even though I get better and better at it every year.
For now, I will focus on me and my health and working through this fitness challenge. I need to make sure that I keep running and juicing and cheating, past July and for life!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Open Letter to Rude People
My awareness of recent rudeness began last Thursday on the Fourth of July. I could be exaggerating, but at times I am appalled at what can be explained as plain and simple human nature. But do people really behave in such a manner on a daily basis? I encountered rudeness a few times last week, and so I am writing to these people.
Thursday, July 4, 2013 at Central Park in Santa Clara, California
Dear Rude Lady in the Large Floppy Hat:
My family and I and thousands of other people had been waiting for the fireworks display for just about 6 hours as the sun beat us down. You were oblivious to us as I'm sure we were oblivious to you. I don't know what time you arrived. I don't know if you were there with your family, enjoying each other's company just as my family and I were enjoying ourselves. The buildup of excitement and anticipation finally came to the climax when the glorious show of pyrotechnics began. Ahhhhh. But then you Ms. Floppy, coitus interruptus, came along about 10 minutes later and blocked my family's view. Didn't you notice that you were the only one standing? Didn't you hear our boos and hisses? You were obviously mesmerized by the fireworks display but at our expense. When my nephew finally stood up, tapped you on the shoulder, and politely asked you to move, you did so but not without making sarcastic remarks. I didn't hear exactly what you said, but I understand that it was something about your being more than happy to move so as not to ruin our day. When you finally disappeared out of our view into the backdrop of the thousands of other onlookers that night, I imagined that you probably stopped and stood and blocked others' views. Then I snapped back to the show and the music. Another 10 minutes passed, and suddenly, the fireworks display stopped. However, the music continued through to what was supposed to be the occurrence of an accompanying grand finale of simultaneous, multi-colored, fast and furious visual bursts and aurally loud bangs and booms. The Santa Clara Fireworks Extravaganza came to a disappointing end, and I blame you Ms. Floppy. You are either a witch (not in disguise) who killed the evening for us and cursed the show, or you are a lonely, old jaded woman who probably just needs a good romp in the hay.
Saturday, July 6, 2013 at TechCU Drive-Thru ATM in Milpitas, California
Dear Rude Lady with the French Manicure Driving a Luxury Foreign Car:
I saw you at the drive-thru ATM when I was the at the stoplight waiting to turn left. When I drove up behind you, I didn't think you would spend at least an additional 5 minutes to complete your transactions or money laundering or whatever you were doing. What were you doing? I saw you insert an ATM card 3 times, and each time you inserted cash into the machine and withdrew cash from the machine. What was that about? I'm sure you didn't know that I was in a hurry, which contributed to my impatience. But I had been there dozens of times before, and had not had such an issue, with past drivers before me always aware of me behind them or with me always aware of others behind me. The transactions at a drive-thru ATM should be quick. Doesn't "drive-thru" connote "fast and convenient"? Well that day, Ms. French, you were "slow and inconvenient." I think you were executing all those button-pressing transactions so you could admire your well-manicured nails. You are either a witch (in disguise) who almost made me late for my appointment or you are an insecure woman who probably just got paid for a good romp in the hay.
Sunday, July 7, 2013 on 680 in Fremont, California
Dear Rude Lady Driving the Horrendous Domestic Green Minivan:
I was merrily driving on 680 in the fast lane on my way to a wedding reception, when I spotted you Ms. Minivan. You are just like the countless others I have encountered in the fast lane on many different highways in the many years I've been driving. At least you weren't putting make-up on. I've seen that before. But you were driving the speed limit in the fast lane, with 6 cars behind you. What possesses you to do that? Aren't you aware of the rules of the road? First of all, minivans should not be allowed in the fast lane because more than likely, they have children on board. And they probably are not able to go faster than the speed limit. Secondly, when you are in the fast lane, and someone approaches you from behind at a higher rate of speed, you should move out of the way by switching lanes. Any highway patrolman will advise this. Never mind that you are driving the speed limit and they are driving in violation of the speed limit. The fast lane means that there will always be someone who will want to drive faster than others, no matter what speed limit the others are driving at, so get out of the way. You should have moved out of the way Ms. Minivan, but you are tame in comparison to the other Rude Ladies. You are probably not a witch, and because you drive a minivan, you probably have a van load of children. I'm sure you've had your romps in the hay.
I hope you all have a nice day.
Sincerely,
Yolanda
Thursday, July 4, 2013 at Central Park in Santa Clara, California
Dear Rude Lady in the Large Floppy Hat:
My family and I and thousands of other people had been waiting for the fireworks display for just about 6 hours as the sun beat us down. You were oblivious to us as I'm sure we were oblivious to you. I don't know what time you arrived. I don't know if you were there with your family, enjoying each other's company just as my family and I were enjoying ourselves. The buildup of excitement and anticipation finally came to the climax when the glorious show of pyrotechnics began. Ahhhhh. But then you Ms. Floppy, coitus interruptus, came along about 10 minutes later and blocked my family's view. Didn't you notice that you were the only one standing? Didn't you hear our boos and hisses? You were obviously mesmerized by the fireworks display but at our expense. When my nephew finally stood up, tapped you on the shoulder, and politely asked you to move, you did so but not without making sarcastic remarks. I didn't hear exactly what you said, but I understand that it was something about your being more than happy to move so as not to ruin our day. When you finally disappeared out of our view into the backdrop of the thousands of other onlookers that night, I imagined that you probably stopped and stood and blocked others' views. Then I snapped back to the show and the music. Another 10 minutes passed, and suddenly, the fireworks display stopped. However, the music continued through to what was supposed to be the occurrence of an accompanying grand finale of simultaneous, multi-colored, fast and furious visual bursts and aurally loud bangs and booms. The Santa Clara Fireworks Extravaganza came to a disappointing end, and I blame you Ms. Floppy. You are either a witch (not in disguise) who killed the evening for us and cursed the show, or you are a lonely, old jaded woman who probably just needs a good romp in the hay.
Saturday, July 6, 2013 at TechCU Drive-Thru ATM in Milpitas, California
Dear Rude Lady with the French Manicure Driving a Luxury Foreign Car:
I saw you at the drive-thru ATM when I was the at the stoplight waiting to turn left. When I drove up behind you, I didn't think you would spend at least an additional 5 minutes to complete your transactions or money laundering or whatever you were doing. What were you doing? I saw you insert an ATM card 3 times, and each time you inserted cash into the machine and withdrew cash from the machine. What was that about? I'm sure you didn't know that I was in a hurry, which contributed to my impatience. But I had been there dozens of times before, and had not had such an issue, with past drivers before me always aware of me behind them or with me always aware of others behind me. The transactions at a drive-thru ATM should be quick. Doesn't "drive-thru" connote "fast and convenient"? Well that day, Ms. French, you were "slow and inconvenient." I think you were executing all those button-pressing transactions so you could admire your well-manicured nails. You are either a witch (in disguise) who almost made me late for my appointment or you are an insecure woman who probably just got paid for a good romp in the hay.
Sunday, July 7, 2013 on 680 in Fremont, California
Dear Rude Lady Driving the Horrendous Domestic Green Minivan:
I was merrily driving on 680 in the fast lane on my way to a wedding reception, when I spotted you Ms. Minivan. You are just like the countless others I have encountered in the fast lane on many different highways in the many years I've been driving. At least you weren't putting make-up on. I've seen that before. But you were driving the speed limit in the fast lane, with 6 cars behind you. What possesses you to do that? Aren't you aware of the rules of the road? First of all, minivans should not be allowed in the fast lane because more than likely, they have children on board. And they probably are not able to go faster than the speed limit. Secondly, when you are in the fast lane, and someone approaches you from behind at a higher rate of speed, you should move out of the way by switching lanes. Any highway patrolman will advise this. Never mind that you are driving the speed limit and they are driving in violation of the speed limit. The fast lane means that there will always be someone who will want to drive faster than others, no matter what speed limit the others are driving at, so get out of the way. You should have moved out of the way Ms. Minivan, but you are tame in comparison to the other Rude Ladies. You are probably not a witch, and because you drive a minivan, you probably have a van load of children. I'm sure you've had your romps in the hay.
I hope you all have a nice day.
Sincerely,
Yolanda
Friday, June 28, 2013
Everyone is on a Diet
I can still hear my nutrition teacher say what she said many times when I was studying nutrition in college. She said, "Remember, everyone's on a diet." It's true. Look up the definition of diet.
So I'm always on a diet. I'm continuing my juicing diet. I have lost about 7 pounds so far. It's not that tough either. Today, I prepared carrot and spinach juice for breakfast. For lunch, I made a strawberry, banana, and mango smoothie. Between lunch and dinner, I snacked on almonds and pretzels. For dinner, I am preparing a couple of artichokes.
It's late because I worked late and had to get gas and go to the store. I bought more produce to make some homemade salsa. I'll try to make two types -- pico de gallo and salsa ranchera. I bought the corn chips as well. I'll be bringing these to the potluck tomorrow in celebrating my dad's life.
So tomorrow we will gather and eat, and it will be a cheat day for me. I'll cheat on my juicing diet, but I'll still be on a diet. Everyone's on a diet.
So I'm always on a diet. I'm continuing my juicing diet. I have lost about 7 pounds so far. It's not that tough either. Today, I prepared carrot and spinach juice for breakfast. For lunch, I made a strawberry, banana, and mango smoothie. Between lunch and dinner, I snacked on almonds and pretzels. For dinner, I am preparing a couple of artichokes.
It's late because I worked late and had to get gas and go to the store. I bought more produce to make some homemade salsa. I'll try to make two types -- pico de gallo and salsa ranchera. I bought the corn chips as well. I'll be bringing these to the potluck tomorrow in celebrating my dad's life.
So tomorrow we will gather and eat, and it will be a cheat day for me. I'll cheat on my juicing diet, but I'll still be on a diet. Everyone's on a diet.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
#babymode
So many people are having babies. At work, Leo just had a child. Phil's is due in August. CJ's friends Tony and Akiyo just had a baby too.
Then my niece Naomi and her husband James announced her pregnancy. After that, my friend Veronica and her husband Declan from New York City announced her pregnancy.
I wonder who will be next.
I love babies and everything about them. They are cute, and they smell good. They are innocent and playful.
They are hard work, however. I can't even remember when CJ was a baby. I was very young and had so much energy back then. It was easy to take care of a baby. When I turned 33, I completely lost any desire to have kids.
I still love babies, but it's easy to do that and give the baby back to its parents. I might not, however, give CJ's child (my grandchild) back when CJ gets around to having a child. I'll continue this baby mode and keep bugging him about it.
Then my niece Naomi and her husband James announced her pregnancy. After that, my friend Veronica and her husband Declan from New York City announced her pregnancy.
I wonder who will be next.
I love babies and everything about them. They are cute, and they smell good. They are innocent and playful.
They are hard work, however. I can't even remember when CJ was a baby. I was very young and had so much energy back then. It was easy to take care of a baby. When I turned 33, I completely lost any desire to have kids.
I still love babies, but it's easy to do that and give the baby back to its parents. I might not, however, give CJ's child (my grandchild) back when CJ gets around to having a child. I'll continue this baby mode and keep bugging him about it.
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Intense Days
The days that I run payroll are usually intense. Today was not that different, but I have found that if I really spread my work out, it doesn't become as intense. That is, I do most of the prep work in advance as much as I can when I can.
It was still intense, however, even though I had done much of the work last week and earlier this week. I was waiting for information, and it was nearing the deadline. Missing the deadline means that nobody gets paid. That's quite the punishment.
I've been doing payroll for more than a decade. It's not as easy as some people make it out to be. It's not as automated as some people think it is. Every payroll has a change, a nuance, new things to add. Complexity is added in payroll just like complexity is added in the dynamics among personnel at a company as it grows.
To keep my sanity, I just roll with the punches. In this case, I just "payroll" with the punches. Ha!
It was still intense, however, even though I had done much of the work last week and earlier this week. I was waiting for information, and it was nearing the deadline. Missing the deadline means that nobody gets paid. That's quite the punishment.
I've been doing payroll for more than a decade. It's not as easy as some people make it out to be. It's not as automated as some people think it is. Every payroll has a change, a nuance, new things to add. Complexity is added in payroll just like complexity is added in the dynamics among personnel at a company as it grows.
To keep my sanity, I just roll with the punches. In this case, I just "payroll" with the punches. Ha!
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
My Birthday Continues
It's still my birthday month. I collected another gift yesterday. My birthday club friends and I had lunch at Masa Sushi in Mountain View on San Antonio Road. Love that place. It's good stuff.
We've been getting together for years, close to two decades. There's Silvia, Edward, Marina, Robert, and Ron. Sometimes in this busy and chaotic life I lead, I appreciate the constants such as this birthday club. I can count on having my birthday lunch at Masa with them every year.
This is how constant they are - they still work at the City of Palo Alto where I met them. Well Ron has retired from there. But for me, after working at the City of Palo Alto, I moved on to Cooley Godward, Preston Gates, Cuica, Valdero, Hotchalk, and now Egnyte. I lived in San Jose, Sunnyvale, Modesto, Santa Clara, Daly City, back to San Jose, New York City, Milpitas, and back to San Jose again. I don't think they've changed residences, not at least as much as I have. Whew!
So it's nice to know that I can count on them every year, constant bureaucrats, eating the Bento Box specials at Masa Sushi, drinking endless green tea, Silvia ordering extra dressing for her salad or extra Teriyaki sauce for her salmon, exchanging stories and news since last seeing each other, witnessing our kids grow up, etc. Life is definitely good. Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me!
We've been getting together for years, close to two decades. There's Silvia, Edward, Marina, Robert, and Ron. Sometimes in this busy and chaotic life I lead, I appreciate the constants such as this birthday club. I can count on having my birthday lunch at Masa with them every year.
This is how constant they are - they still work at the City of Palo Alto where I met them. Well Ron has retired from there. But for me, after working at the City of Palo Alto, I moved on to Cooley Godward, Preston Gates, Cuica, Valdero, Hotchalk, and now Egnyte. I lived in San Jose, Sunnyvale, Modesto, Santa Clara, Daly City, back to San Jose, New York City, Milpitas, and back to San Jose again. I don't think they've changed residences, not at least as much as I have. Whew!
So it's nice to know that I can count on them every year, constant bureaucrats, eating the Bento Box specials at Masa Sushi, drinking endless green tea, Silvia ordering extra dressing for her salad or extra Teriyaki sauce for her salmon, exchanging stories and news since last seeing each other, witnessing our kids grow up, etc. Life is definitely good. Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me!
Monday, June 24, 2013
Five Years Ago Today
My dad passed away five years ago today. I still miss him. Once in awhile I talk to him and tell him my thoughts and wishes and dreams. Once in awhile, I wish deeply that he were still here giving me advice, encouraging me.
My dad lost his memory and didn't remember us most of the time. Soon he lost other faculties, and we really couldn't communicate with him anymore. When I remember these moments of struggle, I cry.
I was in between jobs when time neared. The doctors had given him six months, and they were fairly exact. I didn't want to take another job so that I could help my mom. She was his main caretaker, and so my presence and my help with the funeral arrangements and expenses eased her burden.
There's a big hole in my heart that I always feel around this time, especially right after Father's Day. It's a brief period of time when I stop and reflect. I reflect and understand again that the best way I can continue to honor my father is to keep going, work hard, live on the straight and narrow, and "Take It Easy."
My dad lost his memory and didn't remember us most of the time. Soon he lost other faculties, and we really couldn't communicate with him anymore. When I remember these moments of struggle, I cry.
I was in between jobs when time neared. The doctors had given him six months, and they were fairly exact. I didn't want to take another job so that I could help my mom. She was his main caretaker, and so my presence and my help with the funeral arrangements and expenses eased her burden.
There's a big hole in my heart that I always feel around this time, especially right after Father's Day. It's a brief period of time when I stop and reflect. I reflect and understand again that the best way I can continue to honor my father is to keep going, work hard, live on the straight and narrow, and "Take It Easy."
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Because I Am a Control Freak
My Skype handle is ycc,ccf. My Youtube handle is yccccf. It means "Yolanda Celi, Certified Control Freak."
Oh I don't control other people. That's just bad practice. I control myself, especially when I need self-control. I then go into hyper mode. I'm finally going hyper mode with my weight control.
Over the past year or two, I have felt tired and downright sluggish. I couldn't pinpoint the problem and tried to attribute it to working a lot and being oversubscribed. But I realized finally what the cause is. When we started a fitness challenge at work a couple of months ago, I remembered that I am supposed to weigh about 110 pounds but I was nearing 120 pounds. That extra 10 pounds is what was contributing to the fatigue. It just does not naturally fit my frame, and my body was telling me that in so many ways.
So I changed my diet almost at a drastic pace. But it's healthy. I've done this before when the weight came off quickly but it was too quick. This time, I am combining a sensible diet and sensible exercise. I cut coffee out and I juice daily. It's working because I have lost 5 pounds in just 2 weeks. My goal is to lose 10 pounds and maintain the 110.
How do I feel? I feel great! I don't have the caffeine crashes, and I feel lighter when I run. I throw in a cheat day so that I don't completely give up my social life. For example, I had a smidgen of white wine at our beer bash last Thursday. And I had mango, blackberries, canteloupe, pancit, spam musubi, and bilo bilo at Naomi's graduation party last night. I also had a mojito, a shot of Patron, and a shot of Jack Daniels Honey. That all set me back a pound.
But I'm back at it today. I'm also preparing for the Wharf to Wharf. It's time to juice and go out for a run. YCCCCF!
Oh I don't control other people. That's just bad practice. I control myself, especially when I need self-control. I then go into hyper mode. I'm finally going hyper mode with my weight control.
Over the past year or two, I have felt tired and downright sluggish. I couldn't pinpoint the problem and tried to attribute it to working a lot and being oversubscribed. But I realized finally what the cause is. When we started a fitness challenge at work a couple of months ago, I remembered that I am supposed to weigh about 110 pounds but I was nearing 120 pounds. That extra 10 pounds is what was contributing to the fatigue. It just does not naturally fit my frame, and my body was telling me that in so many ways.
So I changed my diet almost at a drastic pace. But it's healthy. I've done this before when the weight came off quickly but it was too quick. This time, I am combining a sensible diet and sensible exercise. I cut coffee out and I juice daily. It's working because I have lost 5 pounds in just 2 weeks. My goal is to lose 10 pounds and maintain the 110.
How do I feel? I feel great! I don't have the caffeine crashes, and I feel lighter when I run. I throw in a cheat day so that I don't completely give up my social life. For example, I had a smidgen of white wine at our beer bash last Thursday. And I had mango, blackberries, canteloupe, pancit, spam musubi, and bilo bilo at Naomi's graduation party last night. I also had a mojito, a shot of Patron, and a shot of Jack Daniels Honey. That all set me back a pound.
But I'm back at it today. I'm also preparing for the Wharf to Wharf. It's time to juice and go out for a run. YCCCCF!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Meet My Guardian Angels
I don't know their names, but I know they are there. How else can I explain my luck?
I thought about them when I came upon an accident the other day on Highway 101. It was a multi-car collision, which must have just happened because emergency vehicles were not there yet. I thanked the stars and my guardian angels for keeping me delayed from my destination that day or else I'm sure I would have been involved. Have you had that happen to you before? With respect to car accidents, missing them by minutes has happened to me many times when I know that if I had left sooner, I would have been part of the wreckage.
There were many stories like that when 9/11 happened. These included folks who missed the doomed flights. There were others who rescheduled later flights or earlier flights because plans changed at the last minute. It truly wasn't their time, and I'm fairly sure their guardian angels had something to do with that.
The one time I will never forget when my guardian angels showed up was when I was living in New York City. Although I don't remember the exact date when it happened, I still remember the circumstances vividly. I know it was a weekday because my routine was to work late, and I usually had a Fedex package to send daily. I didn't worry about missing pickup times because I would usually go to the Fedex store on 7th Avenue that closed at 9:00 p.m. It was about a 10-minute walk from my apartment. I lived in West Village on Sullivan Street at Bleecker Street a couple of blocks from Washington Square Park in the New York University vicinity. My routine was to go to Fedex around 8:45 p.m. before it closed. On my way back, I would pick up dinner from one of so many places along the way. It was NYC, and that was such a luxury.
On this particular night, I decided to leave earlier because I wanted to go to the card store around the corner from where I lived. I knew the card store closed at 8:00 p.m. And I knew that card store well because I frequented the place but usually only during the day. Something, however, made me go there that night. I will insist it was my guardian angels.
So after the card store, I went to Fedex. Then I picked up dinner but don't remember from which place exactly. My favorite place was this taqueria on my street block that was run by Asians. I believe they were Burmese or Laotian. That was different - best Mexican food I had while I was living in NYC - made by Asians. It reminded me constantly of this sushi restaurant in Brisbane run by Filipinos. It's one of the best sushi places, and I frequented it while I lived in Daly City. I still go there on rare occasions.
Moving on, at my apartment at 207 Sullivan Street, Apartment 8, 4th floor, I was eating and watching television when I heard gunfire, lots of it. The gunshots were so loud that they frightened me to shut all my lights off and hide in my bedroom closet. Then I heard someone yell, "Put the guns down!" Right after that, there was a series of pop pop pop pop pop pop, like a fireworks finale when a fireworks show culminates in a rapid fire, bright, multi-colored spectacle. At least that's what I pictured at that moment, or wanted to picture at that moment. Then there was eerie silence. And then sirens.
I waited until I felt it was safe to peek out my window. This was probably a 5-minute lapse. I left the lights off and walked over to the window. When I looked down at the street below, I saw what looked like a police officer lying on the ground surrounded by people. He was on the sidewalk across the street, not moving. I surmised he was dead. I didn't leave my apartment after that, not even for a mini Cherries Garcia Ben & Jerry's ice cream snack at the bodega right on the corner of Bleecker & Sullivan. I normally would walk across the street in my pajamas for that particular midnight treat, but not that night. I didn't want any part of the NYC streets that night.
I turned on the news and learned about what happened. Through the night and into the next day, the story of a crazy gunman unfolded. He was angry at a manager of a pizza parlor on MacDougal Street, several blocks from my apartment. That day, he plotted and carried with him two guns and hundreds of bullets. When he was at the pizza parlor, he executed the manager in the back and then took off. A couple of auxiliary police officers, who are more like unarmed volunteer cadets, decided to follow him. The gunman turned right on Bleecker and then turned left on Sullivan. He became aware that the auxiliary police officers were following him, and he shot one. He knew the other one was trying to hide behind a car. Coldly, the gunman approached and shot him at almost point blank range. This was captured on a school surveillance camera, which was focused on Sullivan Street on the very block where my apartment was located. (I almost forgot there was a school on my block. It was a long block.) The gunman then started to backtrack to Bleecker. Police officers were already alerted, including off-duty officers who were in the area, and they surrounded an accessories store next to my favorite bodega. The store is where the gunman fled into. He then came out, with his readied guns. A police officer yelled, "Put the guns down!" When he didn't, they fired a series of pop pop pop pop pop pop, like a fireworks finale when a fireworks show culminates in a rapid fire, bright, multi-colored spectacle. The storefront glass shattered, and the gunman was killed.
If my guardian angels had not pushed me out the door early to get to the card store before it closed, I know I would have run into the crazy gunman on Sullivan Street. I probably would have been wasted or at least witnessed the execution of the second auxiliary police officer. But it wasn't my time.
The sad part was that the auxiliary officers were so young and so eager to work toward a career in law enforcement. They probably helped tremendously with putting a stop to the gunman because it was reported that with the amount of ammunition he carried, he probably wanted to do much more damage.
I didn't know the news spread clear across the country. When my brother Zaldy and his wife Lien came to visit me, Zaldy mentioned the incident that he heard on the news. I told him it happened right on Sullivan. I told him to look across the street and see the flowers left at the very spot where one of the auxiliary officers had died.
Today, my guardian angels continue to protect me. God sent them.
I thought about them when I came upon an accident the other day on Highway 101. It was a multi-car collision, which must have just happened because emergency vehicles were not there yet. I thanked the stars and my guardian angels for keeping me delayed from my destination that day or else I'm sure I would have been involved. Have you had that happen to you before? With respect to car accidents, missing them by minutes has happened to me many times when I know that if I had left sooner, I would have been part of the wreckage.
There were many stories like that when 9/11 happened. These included folks who missed the doomed flights. There were others who rescheduled later flights or earlier flights because plans changed at the last minute. It truly wasn't their time, and I'm fairly sure their guardian angels had something to do with that.
The one time I will never forget when my guardian angels showed up was when I was living in New York City. Although I don't remember the exact date when it happened, I still remember the circumstances vividly. I know it was a weekday because my routine was to work late, and I usually had a Fedex package to send daily. I didn't worry about missing pickup times because I would usually go to the Fedex store on 7th Avenue that closed at 9:00 p.m. It was about a 10-minute walk from my apartment. I lived in West Village on Sullivan Street at Bleecker Street a couple of blocks from Washington Square Park in the New York University vicinity. My routine was to go to Fedex around 8:45 p.m. before it closed. On my way back, I would pick up dinner from one of so many places along the way. It was NYC, and that was such a luxury.
On this particular night, I decided to leave earlier because I wanted to go to the card store around the corner from where I lived. I knew the card store closed at 8:00 p.m. And I knew that card store well because I frequented the place but usually only during the day. Something, however, made me go there that night. I will insist it was my guardian angels.
So after the card store, I went to Fedex. Then I picked up dinner but don't remember from which place exactly. My favorite place was this taqueria on my street block that was run by Asians. I believe they were Burmese or Laotian. That was different - best Mexican food I had while I was living in NYC - made by Asians. It reminded me constantly of this sushi restaurant in Brisbane run by Filipinos. It's one of the best sushi places, and I frequented it while I lived in Daly City. I still go there on rare occasions.
Moving on, at my apartment at 207 Sullivan Street, Apartment 8, 4th floor, I was eating and watching television when I heard gunfire, lots of it. The gunshots were so loud that they frightened me to shut all my lights off and hide in my bedroom closet. Then I heard someone yell, "Put the guns down!" Right after that, there was a series of pop pop pop pop pop pop, like a fireworks finale when a fireworks show culminates in a rapid fire, bright, multi-colored spectacle. At least that's what I pictured at that moment, or wanted to picture at that moment. Then there was eerie silence. And then sirens.
I waited until I felt it was safe to peek out my window. This was probably a 5-minute lapse. I left the lights off and walked over to the window. When I looked down at the street below, I saw what looked like a police officer lying on the ground surrounded by people. He was on the sidewalk across the street, not moving. I surmised he was dead. I didn't leave my apartment after that, not even for a mini Cherries Garcia Ben & Jerry's ice cream snack at the bodega right on the corner of Bleecker & Sullivan. I normally would walk across the street in my pajamas for that particular midnight treat, but not that night. I didn't want any part of the NYC streets that night.
I turned on the news and learned about what happened. Through the night and into the next day, the story of a crazy gunman unfolded. He was angry at a manager of a pizza parlor on MacDougal Street, several blocks from my apartment. That day, he plotted and carried with him two guns and hundreds of bullets. When he was at the pizza parlor, he executed the manager in the back and then took off. A couple of auxiliary police officers, who are more like unarmed volunteer cadets, decided to follow him. The gunman turned right on Bleecker and then turned left on Sullivan. He became aware that the auxiliary police officers were following him, and he shot one. He knew the other one was trying to hide behind a car. Coldly, the gunman approached and shot him at almost point blank range. This was captured on a school surveillance camera, which was focused on Sullivan Street on the very block where my apartment was located. (I almost forgot there was a school on my block. It was a long block.) The gunman then started to backtrack to Bleecker. Police officers were already alerted, including off-duty officers who were in the area, and they surrounded an accessories store next to my favorite bodega. The store is where the gunman fled into. He then came out, with his readied guns. A police officer yelled, "Put the guns down!" When he didn't, they fired a series of pop pop pop pop pop pop, like a fireworks finale when a fireworks show culminates in a rapid fire, bright, multi-colored spectacle. The storefront glass shattered, and the gunman was killed.
If my guardian angels had not pushed me out the door early to get to the card store before it closed, I know I would have run into the crazy gunman on Sullivan Street. I probably would have been wasted or at least witnessed the execution of the second auxiliary police officer. But it wasn't my time.
The sad part was that the auxiliary officers were so young and so eager to work toward a career in law enforcement. They probably helped tremendously with putting a stop to the gunman because it was reported that with the amount of ammunition he carried, he probably wanted to do much more damage.
I didn't know the news spread clear across the country. When my brother Zaldy and his wife Lien came to visit me, Zaldy mentioned the incident that he heard on the news. I told him it happened right on Sullivan. I told him to look across the street and see the flowers left at the very spot where one of the auxiliary officers had died.
Today, my guardian angels continue to protect me. God sent them.
Saturday, June 15, 2013
Don't Be a Moron, an Oxymoron
I was watching an episode of 48 Hours the other day, and something that one of the reality people said stuck in my mind. She said, "Just because you quote the Bible does not mean you are a man of God."
I keep hearing that sentence over and over again. It is such a powerful observation. It describes an instance of a walking contradiction. I bet you know at least one person who is just that -- an oxymoron, a hypocrite, an irony. You might also notice that their stress levels are higher than others. That's because they continue to try to reconcile what they believe how life should be led and how they are actually living it.
Or maybe you don't know. The twisted lives of such people are usually hidden under a facade. What you see on the surface can be deceiving. Maybe I've been watching too many true crime television shows, but it is true and fascinating. Those who are driven to murder, mental instability aside, usually do so as a result of living a life in contradiction.
Going back to the episode of 48 Hours that I watched, the murder victim's friend said, "Just because you quote the Bible does not mean you are a man of God." She was talking about the suspect who was accused of murdering his girlfriend. The suspect was a youth minister and quoted the bible. His girlfriend was murdered. He was accused of course because he was there when she was alive the night before, had sex with her, woke up and found her in the bathroom dead, had called 911, had tried to revive her, etc. He was later acquitted because the evidence pointed more toward an unfortunate, drug-induced episode. This episode involved a minister, sex, drugs, and murder. Hmmmmm. The victim's friend was so right.
There was another episode that involved a pastor and his wife. She was murdered. He was accused. In this case, the motive was another woman. He was having an affair. He wanted to be with another woman. But he could not divorce his wife. So instead, he murdered her. For a very long time, he denied having an affair, and so did his mistress. When she tired of him, he told her, "I killed my wife for you, and now you're leaving?" or something to that effect. Creepy. The episode involved a pastor, sex, lies, and murder. The facade of pastoral position and family man was just that, a facade. He was driven to murder because a divorce would have looked bad on him.
There are many other episodes that involve greed. Money as a motive for murder happens quite a bit. On the outside, the accused seem comfortable or well off. To keep that facade going, they kill to collect life insurance money or inheritance. Money, money, money, money, money.
Statistically, most people (99.9%) don't murder. But some probably come close. Instead of killing, a walking contradiction might resort to lying, stealing, or verbally and physically abusing. Are they putting on pressures on themselves or is society doing it? It really is about choices. That minister and that pastor chose drugs and extramarital affairs. They chose their paths. They are morons. Oxymorons.
I keep hearing that sentence over and over again. It is such a powerful observation. It describes an instance of a walking contradiction. I bet you know at least one person who is just that -- an oxymoron, a hypocrite, an irony. You might also notice that their stress levels are higher than others. That's because they continue to try to reconcile what they believe how life should be led and how they are actually living it.
Or maybe you don't know. The twisted lives of such people are usually hidden under a facade. What you see on the surface can be deceiving. Maybe I've been watching too many true crime television shows, but it is true and fascinating. Those who are driven to murder, mental instability aside, usually do so as a result of living a life in contradiction.
Going back to the episode of 48 Hours that I watched, the murder victim's friend said, "Just because you quote the Bible does not mean you are a man of God." She was talking about the suspect who was accused of murdering his girlfriend. The suspect was a youth minister and quoted the bible. His girlfriend was murdered. He was accused of course because he was there when she was alive the night before, had sex with her, woke up and found her in the bathroom dead, had called 911, had tried to revive her, etc. He was later acquitted because the evidence pointed more toward an unfortunate, drug-induced episode. This episode involved a minister, sex, drugs, and murder. Hmmmmm. The victim's friend was so right.
There was another episode that involved a pastor and his wife. She was murdered. He was accused. In this case, the motive was another woman. He was having an affair. He wanted to be with another woman. But he could not divorce his wife. So instead, he murdered her. For a very long time, he denied having an affair, and so did his mistress. When she tired of him, he told her, "I killed my wife for you, and now you're leaving?" or something to that effect. Creepy. The episode involved a pastor, sex, lies, and murder. The facade of pastoral position and family man was just that, a facade. He was driven to murder because a divorce would have looked bad on him.
There are many other episodes that involve greed. Money as a motive for murder happens quite a bit. On the outside, the accused seem comfortable or well off. To keep that facade going, they kill to collect life insurance money or inheritance. Money, money, money, money, money.
Statistically, most people (99.9%) don't murder. But some probably come close. Instead of killing, a walking contradiction might resort to lying, stealing, or verbally and physically abusing. Are they putting on pressures on themselves or is society doing it? It really is about choices. That minister and that pastor chose drugs and extramarital affairs. They chose their paths. They are morons. Oxymorons.
Monday, June 10, 2013
Tattoos in Moderation
You would be surprised to know that I have a couple of tattoos. They are hidden. You might also be surprised to know that I had them done about 10 years ago in one session. I like to think that I had my tattoos done before they became trendy.
I wasn't alone. My sister Peach and my sister-in-law Lien were with me. They also had a couple of tattoos done. You might wonder what possessed us to do this. We weren't drunk. We are a bunch of romantics, though, and watching the movie A Walk to Remember inspired us to do it. If you haven't seen this movie, I recommend that you Netflix it or Redbox it or buy it. You could also borrow my DVD if you ask me.
If you've seen it, you will recall the tattoo scene. The tattoo was a butterfly. We decided to have a butterfly tattoo in our favorite color done on our left shoulder. It was a way to remember the scene. *Sigh* It was the most romantic part of the story.
While we were at the tattoo parlor in Modesto, we called Rose, our younger sister, and managed to convince her to join us. She drove the hour and a half distance with reluctance because she has low tolerance for pain. Being the great sister that she is, Rose not only showed up, but she also had a couple of tattoos done.
The same tattoo artist did all of our tattoos, and so we were at the parlor for a long time. It was a day well spent. Ahhhhhh. Sister bonding. In a tattoo parlor. In Modesto. My sisters and I have been involved in so many shenanigans. Getting our tattoos done was one of the best times. Rose might beg to differ, but I'm sure she recalls that time fondly.
Soon after that, my niece Naomi had a butterfly tattoo done on her shoulder. Our sister-in-law Cecilia also had a butterfly tattoo done. We are the Butterfly Sisters.
Since that shenanigan, Peach and Lien have both proceeded with additional tattoos. I've lost count. Rose understandably cannot take the pain. She has not had any additional tattoos done. We chose different locations for our second tattoo. I'll keep you guessing on where my second tattoo is. It's a purple crab for my zodiac sign.
Unlike Rose, I didn't think it hurt at all. My tolerance for pain is high. But I don't want or need anymore tattoos. It's an indulgence that, like all other indulgences, should be done in moderation. I have a two tattoo limit.
I wasn't alone. My sister Peach and my sister-in-law Lien were with me. They also had a couple of tattoos done. You might wonder what possessed us to do this. We weren't drunk. We are a bunch of romantics, though, and watching the movie A Walk to Remember inspired us to do it. If you haven't seen this movie, I recommend that you Netflix it or Redbox it or buy it. You could also borrow my DVD if you ask me.
If you've seen it, you will recall the tattoo scene. The tattoo was a butterfly. We decided to have a butterfly tattoo in our favorite color done on our left shoulder. It was a way to remember the scene. *Sigh* It was the most romantic part of the story.
While we were at the tattoo parlor in Modesto, we called Rose, our younger sister, and managed to convince her to join us. She drove the hour and a half distance with reluctance because she has low tolerance for pain. Being the great sister that she is, Rose not only showed up, but she also had a couple of tattoos done.
The same tattoo artist did all of our tattoos, and so we were at the parlor for a long time. It was a day well spent. Ahhhhhh. Sister bonding. In a tattoo parlor. In Modesto. My sisters and I have been involved in so many shenanigans. Getting our tattoos done was one of the best times. Rose might beg to differ, but I'm sure she recalls that time fondly.
Soon after that, my niece Naomi had a butterfly tattoo done on her shoulder. Our sister-in-law Cecilia also had a butterfly tattoo done. We are the Butterfly Sisters.
Since that shenanigan, Peach and Lien have both proceeded with additional tattoos. I've lost count. Rose understandably cannot take the pain. She has not had any additional tattoos done. We chose different locations for our second tattoo. I'll keep you guessing on where my second tattoo is. It's a purple crab for my zodiac sign.
Unlike Rose, I didn't think it hurt at all. My tolerance for pain is high. But I don't want or need anymore tattoos. It's an indulgence that, like all other indulgences, should be done in moderation. I have a two tattoo limit.
Saturday, June 1, 2013
Happy Birthday to Me!
Feel free to gift me on my birthday. You will have a whole month. That's correct - my birthday is a month long!
My official birthday is July 2, but my real birthday is June 2. There's a story behind this. There has to be a story behind this. And it's a simple one.
When we were born in the remote beach town of Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines, it was not in a hospital. So recording of births happened later. According to Mom, people in the records department of the town typed up July instead of June on my birth certificate. They made me an entire month younger. In my opinion, that was not a mistake.
I learned about my real birthday when I was in elementary school,but it's been more recently within the past decade that I have declared my month long birthday. I came to this solution because birthdays are so ephemeral. Some people love birthdays and celebrate through to exhaustion. Others hide on such an annually marked occasion, especially during milestone years.
I love birthdays and am one who will celebrate until I am unconscious. Therefore, a 24-hour stretch can be hazardous to my health. Why pack a true celebration of life in one day when I can do so in one month? Doesn't this make sense to you? It makes complete sense to me, and I am no dummy. I will milk this birthday B.S. for a month.
So let the celebration begin tomorrow! I wear 6.5 in shoes. I wear a size 4 or 5 in pants/skirt. I am a small to medium build in general. If you dare, I am a 34B. My favorite color is purple, and any shade will do. I am a workaholic. I love to blog. I love to bowl. I love fine dining. Send me a modest gift to my home. You can find my home address in the White Pages. Or send it to my work. Currently, I work at Egnyte, Inc. in Mountain View. Ha!
All kidding aside, I love birthdays because it's a celebration of life. It's an awakening and a re-awakening if you will. Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me!
My official birthday is July 2, but my real birthday is June 2. There's a story behind this. There has to be a story behind this. And it's a simple one.
When we were born in the remote beach town of Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines, it was not in a hospital. So recording of births happened later. According to Mom, people in the records department of the town typed up July instead of June on my birth certificate. They made me an entire month younger. In my opinion, that was not a mistake.
I learned about my real birthday when I was in elementary school,but it's been more recently within the past decade that I have declared my month long birthday. I came to this solution because birthdays are so ephemeral. Some people love birthdays and celebrate through to exhaustion. Others hide on such an annually marked occasion, especially during milestone years.
I love birthdays and am one who will celebrate until I am unconscious. Therefore, a 24-hour stretch can be hazardous to my health. Why pack a true celebration of life in one day when I can do so in one month? Doesn't this make sense to you? It makes complete sense to me, and I am no dummy. I will milk this birthday B.S. for a month.
So let the celebration begin tomorrow! I wear 6.5 in shoes. I wear a size 4 or 5 in pants/skirt. I am a small to medium build in general. If you dare, I am a 34B. My favorite color is purple, and any shade will do. I am a workaholic. I love to blog. I love to bowl. I love fine dining. Send me a modest gift to my home. You can find my home address in the White Pages. Or send it to my work. Currently, I work at Egnyte, Inc. in Mountain View. Ha!
All kidding aside, I love birthdays because it's a celebration of life. It's an awakening and a re-awakening if you will. Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me!
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Dad's Namesake
It was one of my younger brother's birthday the other day. Although he is not that much younger than me, I feel as if he is a whole generation away. This might be due to the fact that he has young kids. My son is almost 30! His 3 kids are still in elementary school.
Gabriel is his name, and it's Gabriel Jr. to be exact. He was named after our dad of course. You would think that being Dad's namesake would come with some privileges, but I recently learned that the dynamics in our household were more strained than that. How did I miss it? I was probably enmeshed in my own world of issues and having to grow up too fast. This whisked me away from my younger siblings, but especially away from Gabriel because we were already robbed of almost 10 years of childhood with him.
I have 5 brothers and 2 sisters. In chronology, I have 3 older brothers, 1 older sister, 1 younger sister, and 2 younger brothers. Gabriel and Tom are the 2 younger brothers. Tom was born here in the United States. The rest of us were born in the Philippines. We moved to the U.S. without Gabriel. He stayed in the Philippines.
I don't recall him before moving. When he finally came to the United States, I remember that I cried and I could not stop. Gabriel was my brother and at that moment in time, he was a part of me that was lost but then found. I don't know about the past and how the situation came to be and why. I don't care. I didn't care either back then when I saw the little runt walking out of the plane and into the gate area where we all waited. Gabriel was finally home, rightfully so with his family!
Gabriel adjusted well. It took him some time for him to get accustomed to things we had almost a 10-year head start on. I guess I was busy growing up, getting married, having a child, finishing school, building my career. I can still recall Gabriel and his awesome singing talent and how he would regale us with stories from the Philippines. He taught all of us how to play mahjong, which is interesting because he is steadfastly against gambling now.
And I can't forget the fish. He told me how he dreamed about fish one night, and in that dream were our sister Rose and his friend Vince. Having fish in your dream is believed to be a sign of good fortune. So he proceeded to tell his friend Vince to take care of our sister Rose. That's right - Vince and Rose ended up getting married. Who knew? That's a love story worthy of a blog post, which for now I'll keep in my thoughts and organize later.
Let me get back to Gabriel, whom I admittedly didn't really know. When our father passed away about 5 years ago, I didn't realize that their relationship had been strained. I thought that being Dad's namesake automatically meant they were close. I'm sure it was tougher mentally for my brother to endure because their relationship did not seem to be reconciled. Our dad started to show signs of forgetfulness around 2001. It progressively worsened, and for me, when I think about how our dad didn't know who we were, I still cry. But my relationship with my dad was not strained, and it was fine. So I really can't imagine how my brother feels. Or how my other siblings feel. I'm sure the deep root cause of their distant relationship was due to the time Gabriel spent away from us in the Philippines.
I am a big believer of making sure your relationships with anyone, ANYONE, are reconciled or cooperative or settled or at some closure. I make it a point to reach out at the appropriate time and apologize or seek apology. After all, you don't want to leave things unsettled or undone or at odds. But that's just my view. It's my opinion.
So know this, Gabriel, my little brother. Do not fret or strain or struggle over the incomplete and undone relationship with Dad. He is watching over us now, and I'm sure that Dad, like me, is so very proud of you and what you have accomplished. God has richly rewarded you with a wonderful, loving, thoughtful wife (Mayen) and 3 beautiful children (Hannah, Hosea and Hearken) who make every day meaningful and blessed. You live true to the definitions of husband and father.
Do not fret or strain or struggle over the troubles of your siblings for the troubles are our own and ours alone. And we will understand because our love for you is unconditional. Unconditional! I love you little brother, no matter what. God bless you! And happy belated birthday. :)
Gabriel is his name, and it's Gabriel Jr. to be exact. He was named after our dad of course. You would think that being Dad's namesake would come with some privileges, but I recently learned that the dynamics in our household were more strained than that. How did I miss it? I was probably enmeshed in my own world of issues and having to grow up too fast. This whisked me away from my younger siblings, but especially away from Gabriel because we were already robbed of almost 10 years of childhood with him.
I have 5 brothers and 2 sisters. In chronology, I have 3 older brothers, 1 older sister, 1 younger sister, and 2 younger brothers. Gabriel and Tom are the 2 younger brothers. Tom was born here in the United States. The rest of us were born in the Philippines. We moved to the U.S. without Gabriel. He stayed in the Philippines.
I don't recall him before moving. When he finally came to the United States, I remember that I cried and I could not stop. Gabriel was my brother and at that moment in time, he was a part of me that was lost but then found. I don't know about the past and how the situation came to be and why. I don't care. I didn't care either back then when I saw the little runt walking out of the plane and into the gate area where we all waited. Gabriel was finally home, rightfully so with his family!
Gabriel adjusted well. It took him some time for him to get accustomed to things we had almost a 10-year head start on. I guess I was busy growing up, getting married, having a child, finishing school, building my career. I can still recall Gabriel and his awesome singing talent and how he would regale us with stories from the Philippines. He taught all of us how to play mahjong, which is interesting because he is steadfastly against gambling now.
And I can't forget the fish. He told me how he dreamed about fish one night, and in that dream were our sister Rose and his friend Vince. Having fish in your dream is believed to be a sign of good fortune. So he proceeded to tell his friend Vince to take care of our sister Rose. That's right - Vince and Rose ended up getting married. Who knew? That's a love story worthy of a blog post, which for now I'll keep in my thoughts and organize later.
Let me get back to Gabriel, whom I admittedly didn't really know. When our father passed away about 5 years ago, I didn't realize that their relationship had been strained. I thought that being Dad's namesake automatically meant they were close. I'm sure it was tougher mentally for my brother to endure because their relationship did not seem to be reconciled. Our dad started to show signs of forgetfulness around 2001. It progressively worsened, and for me, when I think about how our dad didn't know who we were, I still cry. But my relationship with my dad was not strained, and it was fine. So I really can't imagine how my brother feels. Or how my other siblings feel. I'm sure the deep root cause of their distant relationship was due to the time Gabriel spent away from us in the Philippines.
I am a big believer of making sure your relationships with anyone, ANYONE, are reconciled or cooperative or settled or at some closure. I make it a point to reach out at the appropriate time and apologize or seek apology. After all, you don't want to leave things unsettled or undone or at odds. But that's just my view. It's my opinion.
So know this, Gabriel, my little brother. Do not fret or strain or struggle over the incomplete and undone relationship with Dad. He is watching over us now, and I'm sure that Dad, like me, is so very proud of you and what you have accomplished. God has richly rewarded you with a wonderful, loving, thoughtful wife (Mayen) and 3 beautiful children (Hannah, Hosea and Hearken) who make every day meaningful and blessed. You live true to the definitions of husband and father.
Do not fret or strain or struggle over the troubles of your siblings for the troubles are our own and ours alone. And we will understand because our love for you is unconditional. Unconditional! I love you little brother, no matter what. God bless you! And happy belated birthday. :)
Friday, May 17, 2013
Yolanda's "BMW My Ass!" Car History
My week almost suffered when both my Ford Mustang and Audi A4 went out of commission the same morning. I also have a Toyota Yaris in this mix, not out of commission, but out on loan. Why in the world would I need three vehicles? That is a very good question. To answer that, I have to look at the history of my car ownership. This goes way back to when I first started driving in high school.
I was one of the lucky few who had the opportunity to own a car and forgo the bus to school. It was a used car but functional and practical. The maroon Pontiac LeMans was a hand-me-down from my parents. I am not sure what happened to it. When I got married, I remember we purchased a silver Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta. I almost forgot about that car. I'm not sure what happened to that car either.
After that, the big step we took was buying a brand new car, which meant having my parents co-sign. My dad had so much faith in me to be responsible and make car payments, and so he did it without hesitation. We bought a red Nissan Sentra. CJ's dad and I were just 18 and 19 at the time, and so it felt empowering and so grown up to make such a major purchase. It was just like the feeling we got when we were approved for a credit card with a large limit.
I remember that we eventually sold the Sentra to my little brother, who one day parked it in front of the house where it was totaled by a drunk driver. The drunk driver had barreled down the street and proceeded to total other vehicles. He tried to get away but Good Sams stopped him until police arrived.
We bought nothing but new vehicles after that because our experience with used vehicles was terrible. Used cars always need attention and repair work, which can add up. We bought a yellow Geo Storm and a maroon Toyota Truck. The name of the truck escapes me, or maybe it didn't have one. It was a model that was somewhere between a Toyota Tundra and a Tacoma. I was fond of that truck because it had a V6 engine, one of the first. I believe the Geo Storm was donated to a charity. As for the truck, the engine froze up and died. My brother Zaldy replaced it with a new one that we bought from somewhere in Southern California. The truck served us well until we finally donated it to charity.
The next couple of cars we bought were the white Pontiac Grand Prix and the maroon Toyota Corolla. I took the Corolla in the divorce proceedings. The Corolla eventually went to CJ, who sold it at higher than Blue Book value. I gave CJ the Corolla when I purchased the grey Mustang.
Awww, the Mustang. I did a blogpost on this car. The Mustang is my baby. It's a 2002, well over a decade old with over 200,000 miles recorded on the odometer, but it still can run smoothly. What I love about it is the power of its V8 engine. I am an Indy 500 fan, and the V8 helps me maneuver past slow drivers, as I pretend to be in that race. *Chuckle*
The Mustang is also the first car that taught me about the ridiculousness of car payments. I bought the Mustang outright in cash, and so I had no car payments. In the long run, you save a ton of money. Some people get trapped in monthly payments hell, and an even worse situation are lease payments. Leasing to me is just plain dumb. Car payments are dumb. Dumb!
So why did I agree to car payments when I bought my baby blue Yaris in 2010? I did the math, and I am no dummy. The deal was 0% down, 0% financing. Think about that one. Why would anyone not take that deal? I could not refuse it. Oh I didn't go buy it just to get the great deal. I needed a second vehicle that was more fuel efficient and inexpensive. I thought about getting a used car but remembered my past with used cars. So the Yaris was a good solution.
When did the beige Audi A4 come into my life? When CJ needed a car. He sold his black Toyota MR2 in early 2011 and didn't have a car to drive after that. So he borrowed my Yaris. It felt like forever that he had it. After more than a year, CJ went used car shopping on Craigslist and found the A4. It's in good condition now after some major repair work on it. I ended up liking it so much that I drive it more than the Mustang. The A4 hugs the road and makes tight U turns. Alas, it needs to go to CJ. We're supposed to swap cars but CJ is being CJ. *Sigh*
So the used car ownership and experience still haunts me. The A4 would not start a couple of days ago, and I had to bring it to my mechanic. It turned out to be the battery, but my point is that you don't experience these things with a new car. And who doesn't like that new car smell?
So I am getting that itch again to buy a new car. CJ has been suggesting for many years that I buy a BMW because I "deserve it." "BMW my ass!" Just because I can afford a car doesn't mean I should go out and buy it. Besides, BMWs are the Mustang's nemesis. I can easily find BMWs by speeding on the freeway and looking in my rearview mirror. It's not unusual to see a BMW quickly approach, zoom around me, and jam. I've raced BMWs before, and they really have nothing on the Mustang V8, but I stopped playing that game. Perhaps that is why I have such a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to BMWs.
So there is no BMW in my future or even on my list for consideration. I have to go with the trend of buying an electric vehicle. The Yaris is not a hybrid, and it makes sense to go the hybrid route, but I may skip that all together and just go electric. I was a passenger in Steve's Chevy Volt a couple of days ago when we went to lunch. It's a nice car. I have heard great reviews about the Nissan Leaf. I need to leech a ride and check that one out. Tesla? Feels pretentious to me, but I shouldn't rule that out.
What to do, what to do. I don't need three vehicles. I need four!
My car history is still in the making...
I was one of the lucky few who had the opportunity to own a car and forgo the bus to school. It was a used car but functional and practical. The maroon Pontiac LeMans was a hand-me-down from my parents. I am not sure what happened to it. When I got married, I remember we purchased a silver Chevrolet Camaro Berlinetta. I almost forgot about that car. I'm not sure what happened to that car either.
After that, the big step we took was buying a brand new car, which meant having my parents co-sign. My dad had so much faith in me to be responsible and make car payments, and so he did it without hesitation. We bought a red Nissan Sentra. CJ's dad and I were just 18 and 19 at the time, and so it felt empowering and so grown up to make such a major purchase. It was just like the feeling we got when we were approved for a credit card with a large limit.
I remember that we eventually sold the Sentra to my little brother, who one day parked it in front of the house where it was totaled by a drunk driver. The drunk driver had barreled down the street and proceeded to total other vehicles. He tried to get away but Good Sams stopped him until police arrived.
We bought nothing but new vehicles after that because our experience with used vehicles was terrible. Used cars always need attention and repair work, which can add up. We bought a yellow Geo Storm and a maroon Toyota Truck. The name of the truck escapes me, or maybe it didn't have one. It was a model that was somewhere between a Toyota Tundra and a Tacoma. I was fond of that truck because it had a V6 engine, one of the first. I believe the Geo Storm was donated to a charity. As for the truck, the engine froze up and died. My brother Zaldy replaced it with a new one that we bought from somewhere in Southern California. The truck served us well until we finally donated it to charity.
The next couple of cars we bought were the white Pontiac Grand Prix and the maroon Toyota Corolla. I took the Corolla in the divorce proceedings. The Corolla eventually went to CJ, who sold it at higher than Blue Book value. I gave CJ the Corolla when I purchased the grey Mustang.
Awww, the Mustang. I did a blogpost on this car. The Mustang is my baby. It's a 2002, well over a decade old with over 200,000 miles recorded on the odometer, but it still can run smoothly. What I love about it is the power of its V8 engine. I am an Indy 500 fan, and the V8 helps me maneuver past slow drivers, as I pretend to be in that race. *Chuckle*
The Mustang is also the first car that taught me about the ridiculousness of car payments. I bought the Mustang outright in cash, and so I had no car payments. In the long run, you save a ton of money. Some people get trapped in monthly payments hell, and an even worse situation are lease payments. Leasing to me is just plain dumb. Car payments are dumb. Dumb!
So why did I agree to car payments when I bought my baby blue Yaris in 2010? I did the math, and I am no dummy. The deal was 0% down, 0% financing. Think about that one. Why would anyone not take that deal? I could not refuse it. Oh I didn't go buy it just to get the great deal. I needed a second vehicle that was more fuel efficient and inexpensive. I thought about getting a used car but remembered my past with used cars. So the Yaris was a good solution.
When did the beige Audi A4 come into my life? When CJ needed a car. He sold his black Toyota MR2 in early 2011 and didn't have a car to drive after that. So he borrowed my Yaris. It felt like forever that he had it. After more than a year, CJ went used car shopping on Craigslist and found the A4. It's in good condition now after some major repair work on it. I ended up liking it so much that I drive it more than the Mustang. The A4 hugs the road and makes tight U turns. Alas, it needs to go to CJ. We're supposed to swap cars but CJ is being CJ. *Sigh*
So the used car ownership and experience still haunts me. The A4 would not start a couple of days ago, and I had to bring it to my mechanic. It turned out to be the battery, but my point is that you don't experience these things with a new car. And who doesn't like that new car smell?
So I am getting that itch again to buy a new car. CJ has been suggesting for many years that I buy a BMW because I "deserve it." "BMW my ass!" Just because I can afford a car doesn't mean I should go out and buy it. Besides, BMWs are the Mustang's nemesis. I can easily find BMWs by speeding on the freeway and looking in my rearview mirror. It's not unusual to see a BMW quickly approach, zoom around me, and jam. I've raced BMWs before, and they really have nothing on the Mustang V8, but I stopped playing that game. Perhaps that is why I have such a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to BMWs.
So there is no BMW in my future or even on my list for consideration. I have to go with the trend of buying an electric vehicle. The Yaris is not a hybrid, and it makes sense to go the hybrid route, but I may skip that all together and just go electric. I was a passenger in Steve's Chevy Volt a couple of days ago when we went to lunch. It's a nice car. I have heard great reviews about the Nissan Leaf. I need to leech a ride and check that one out. Tesla? Feels pretentious to me, but I shouldn't rule that out.
What to do, what to do. I don't need three vehicles. I need four!
My car history is still in the making...
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Great Week So Far...
I normally think of Monday as the start of a week, because Sunday is the day of rest. However, weeks don't necessarily have to start on Monday. This great week started last Thursday, when it was the last night of bowling in the TNBA 2012-2013 winter league. I was named most improved bowler 2 years in a row. That was a nice start.
On Friday, I met up with an old friend I had not seen in almost 2 years. He moved back to Australia, the awesome Aussie that he is. We went to check out a popular underground bar called Single Barrel in Downtown San Jose. It supposedly is a speakeasy. Go look up that definition and you might understand its novelty. I really didn't. But it was cool to check it out anyway. I couldn't read the damn menu because it was so dark, but I believe that was intentional. The bar tender ended up interviewing me for a drink, which was just so-so. That didn't matter. The company was definitely a distraction anyway. :)
We then walked to McCormick & Schmick's, one of my favorite steak places. We had a nice, healthy dinner, although my friend didn't really eat much. I loved the way they presented the lobster bisque and told CJ about it. He just might incorporate that in his cooking talent.
I had to call it an early night with my pal from Down Under, but we'll see each other again. I'm really keen on the idea of visiting him in Sydney. Additionally, he will probably be back in San Jose for more business sometime in July.
The early night Friday was so that I could rehearse my lines for a video shoot Saturday morning at Stanford University. That turned out very well because I only had to do it in 2 takes. I felt very confident and comfortable with my material.
After Stanford, I drove to Modesto to see my mom and spend the weekend with her for Mother's Day. We went to bingo, her favorite activity. I ended up winning a $300 game. That was cool. My sister joined us later after bingo. We had dinner and did karaoke. My mom is a fabulous cook. Fabulous. I'm surprised we're all not fat.
Sunday was more quality time with my mom. Our other siblings and their families joined. Some couldn't make it. It was more bingo. I won $50 and got my money back. I've been playing so much bingo lately that it is becoming ridiculous. I need to stop.
I left early evening and arrived home around 7:15 p.m. CJ was at my place preparing a gourmet meal. He did not start until I arrived, and his gourmet meals take some preparation time. He bought me a bouquet of purple tulips and gave me a reading lamp as a gift. He made the reading lamp. I didn't realize my kid was so crafty. The reading lamp has a purple cord.
The meal itself was not only gourmet but also clever. CJ thought of a purple theme. If you haven't guessed already, my favorite color is purple. The appetizer was shrimp and Gouda cheese wrapped in purple eggplant and garnished with cheddar cheese and a pink pesto sauce. The main course was Chilean sea bass seared and baked in a purple beet broth, and served on white asparagus. The dessert was purple jazmine rice pudding. The final part of CJ's Mother's Day gift to me was a movie. We went to see Iron Man 3 in Real 3D. We caught the 11:00 p.m. show. The movie was well worth it. We stayed through the end, after the credits, to catch the bonus.
Needless to say, I was tired on Monday. It was good that Monday was uneventful, which I consider good these days. On Tuesday, it was also uneventful. I had a conversation earlier that put me in a quandary, but it's nothing that I can't handle. I'm sure a resolution will come along.
It's now Wednesday morning. I am bummed that I won't be able to meet up with Cheryl this evening. She's on business and is going back to Seattle Thursday. I completely forgot that I will be going to see Star Trek in Real 3D with CJ and Karen. Karen also offered to cook a Thai meal. Another gourmet meal and a movie, in 3D! I am looking forward to all that.
So far it's a great week.
On Friday, I met up with an old friend I had not seen in almost 2 years. He moved back to Australia, the awesome Aussie that he is. We went to check out a popular underground bar called Single Barrel in Downtown San Jose. It supposedly is a speakeasy. Go look up that definition and you might understand its novelty. I really didn't. But it was cool to check it out anyway. I couldn't read the damn menu because it was so dark, but I believe that was intentional. The bar tender ended up interviewing me for a drink, which was just so-so. That didn't matter. The company was definitely a distraction anyway. :)
We then walked to McCormick & Schmick's, one of my favorite steak places. We had a nice, healthy dinner, although my friend didn't really eat much. I loved the way they presented the lobster bisque and told CJ about it. He just might incorporate that in his cooking talent.
I had to call it an early night with my pal from Down Under, but we'll see each other again. I'm really keen on the idea of visiting him in Sydney. Additionally, he will probably be back in San Jose for more business sometime in July.
The early night Friday was so that I could rehearse my lines for a video shoot Saturday morning at Stanford University. That turned out very well because I only had to do it in 2 takes. I felt very confident and comfortable with my material.
After Stanford, I drove to Modesto to see my mom and spend the weekend with her for Mother's Day. We went to bingo, her favorite activity. I ended up winning a $300 game. That was cool. My sister joined us later after bingo. We had dinner and did karaoke. My mom is a fabulous cook. Fabulous. I'm surprised we're all not fat.
Sunday was more quality time with my mom. Our other siblings and their families joined. Some couldn't make it. It was more bingo. I won $50 and got my money back. I've been playing so much bingo lately that it is becoming ridiculous. I need to stop.
I left early evening and arrived home around 7:15 p.m. CJ was at my place preparing a gourmet meal. He did not start until I arrived, and his gourmet meals take some preparation time. He bought me a bouquet of purple tulips and gave me a reading lamp as a gift. He made the reading lamp. I didn't realize my kid was so crafty. The reading lamp has a purple cord.
The meal itself was not only gourmet but also clever. CJ thought of a purple theme. If you haven't guessed already, my favorite color is purple. The appetizer was shrimp and Gouda cheese wrapped in purple eggplant and garnished with cheddar cheese and a pink pesto sauce. The main course was Chilean sea bass seared and baked in a purple beet broth, and served on white asparagus. The dessert was purple jazmine rice pudding. The final part of CJ's Mother's Day gift to me was a movie. We went to see Iron Man 3 in Real 3D. We caught the 11:00 p.m. show. The movie was well worth it. We stayed through the end, after the credits, to catch the bonus.
Needless to say, I was tired on Monday. It was good that Monday was uneventful, which I consider good these days. On Tuesday, it was also uneventful. I had a conversation earlier that put me in a quandary, but it's nothing that I can't handle. I'm sure a resolution will come along.
It's now Wednesday morning. I am bummed that I won't be able to meet up with Cheryl this evening. She's on business and is going back to Seattle Thursday. I completely forgot that I will be going to see Star Trek in Real 3D with CJ and Karen. Karen also offered to cook a Thai meal. Another gourmet meal and a movie, in 3D! I am looking forward to all that.
So far it's a great week.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
My Cousins Three
I can't help but giggle when I think about growing up with my cousins. We were friends most of the time, but tempers could flare and we could be on non-speaking terms for a week or two. Back then, that was a long time to pass.
I have many sibling stories to tell and probably have just as many cousin stories to tell. That's because our family is huge. When we get together for a family reunion, the time is short but very precious. We love each other, and Facebook keeps us connected in such an important way. If I could say so myself, the silver lining in Facebook is that it keeps me in contact with my cousins.
I can't clearly recall the first cousins I met. Most of them are from my dad's side. The place where I first met cousins was probably in Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines, where I was born. However, I am closest to my cousins born here in the United States. If I hear the word "cousin," I immediately think of Carol, Glory, and Wings. These are My Cousins Three. Carol and Glory are the daughters of my Auntie Len, one of my dad's sisters. Wings is the daughter of my Uncle Anding, one of my dad's brothers.
Carol
Carol and Glory are twins. I believe Carol is older by 5 minutes. Thus, it makes sense that she seems more protective of her sister. I remember that Carol was capable of kicking anyone's ass who messed with her sister. I met them for the first time in the Philippines. I was probably 3 or 4. I recall only one moment in their presence in the Philippines. I knew they were somehow important because they came from the United States, and they looked rich. They were both wearing dresses. I can't forget the situation because it was very comical. Carol was playing around running back and forth in front of our grandfather's house, skipping over a puddle that had formed on the concrete ground. My aunt and uncle told her to stay still, but she kept playing around. Then she slipped and fell on the puddle. It was funny to witness this because I thought she would cry. Instead, she put on this expressionless face and hid her wet behind from her parents. She did not want to get into trouble. I smiled to myself, having witnessed what nobody else saw and thinking about ratting her out. But I didn't.
The grownup version of our relationship is that Carol and I share secrets and enjoy hanging out and going to dinner and having a few drinks and playing mahjong and watching sports and going to baseball games and traveling to New Orleans and bowling and talking about our careers and our children and missing her parents and my dad and running the Wharf to Wharf and so on. I can see us growing old and doing the same things. I do plan to bowl until I'm dead!
Glory
My cousin Glory is different. She was only really a blur in the Philippines because I am pretty sure she wasn't the one who fell on the puddle. When we were little and growing up in the United States, I remember thinking how smart she was and that she could really talk up a storm and tell stories. It really is amazing that she knows multiple Filipino dialects, and I don't really know one. With respect to the dialect I was born into - Bolinao - the extent of my vocabulary is that of a 5-year-old because that's when I left the Philippines and started to learn English here. Glory interestingly speaks Bolinao fluently. She also speaks Tagalog fluently. Amazing!
The grownup version of our relationship is that Glory has the best party house to hang out at, and we both love to do karaoke. We also run the Wharf to Wharf and hang out and go to dinner and have a few drinks (well Glory doesn't drink as much as Carol and I do) and talk about our careers and our children and missing her parents and my dad and feel that life can be tough and giggle about the goofy things we did when we were little and so on. I can see us growing old and doing the same things. I do plan to karaoke until I'm dead!
Wings
My cousin Rowena, or Wings as we call her, is younger by about 4 years. I remember meeting her here in the United States when the families would get together for parties. I remember that they lived in Milpitas, and getting to their townhouse seemed like such a long, long way. Yes, when you're little, traveling from Mountain View to Milpitas by car could be a dreadfully long time. "Are we there yet?" Wings always seemed to be in the background because she was too little to play with our age group of cousins. She usually played with her brother Archie or our other cousins George and Ping (Chris). I remember additional other cousins more than I remember Wings when we were growing up. But how could I have missed out on her goofiness?
The grownup version of our relationship is that Wings is the goofiest cousin I have. She can be funny even sans alcohol. Most of the time, we think she is drunk. But that's Wings. She played mahjong for the first time recently, which is strange because all the other cousins have been playing it for years, decades even. We also run the Wharf to Wharf and hang out and go to dinner and have a few drinks and karaoke and dance and talk about our careers and our children and missing our dads and feel that life can be tough and so on. I can see us growing old and doing the same things. I do plan to be entertained by Wings' goofiness until I am dead!
My Cousins Three all have incredible husbands and wonderful children. They all have their issues and challenges I am sure. However, in general, life is good and God is good. I have many more cousins I haven't mentioned yet. There are Janet, Mely, Meggie, Mila, Alil, Teri, Val, Elvis, Anang, Johnny, Tinoy, Emang, Efren, Jun, Olet, Badong, Jack, Debbie, Lah, Dave, Lorna, Millette, Jessie, Jun, Eddie, Roland, Allen, Pinky, Diana, Erly, Roger, Ompong, Dempsey...I'm sure I left many out. There are some I probably have not met yet.
Thank goodness for Facebook and instant messaging and text messaging. Thank goodness for the proliferation of technology that keeps us cousins close even if we are in other parts of the world and/or our lives have kept us too busy and apart. It's just plain old goodness and a blessing that I have so many cousins, especially My Cousins Three.
I have many sibling stories to tell and probably have just as many cousin stories to tell. That's because our family is huge. When we get together for a family reunion, the time is short but very precious. We love each other, and Facebook keeps us connected in such an important way. If I could say so myself, the silver lining in Facebook is that it keeps me in contact with my cousins.
I can't clearly recall the first cousins I met. Most of them are from my dad's side. The place where I first met cousins was probably in Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines, where I was born. However, I am closest to my cousins born here in the United States. If I hear the word "cousin," I immediately think of Carol, Glory, and Wings. These are My Cousins Three. Carol and Glory are the daughters of my Auntie Len, one of my dad's sisters. Wings is the daughter of my Uncle Anding, one of my dad's brothers.
Carol
Carol and Glory are twins. I believe Carol is older by 5 minutes. Thus, it makes sense that she seems more protective of her sister. I remember that Carol was capable of kicking anyone's ass who messed with her sister. I met them for the first time in the Philippines. I was probably 3 or 4. I recall only one moment in their presence in the Philippines. I knew they were somehow important because they came from the United States, and they looked rich. They were both wearing dresses. I can't forget the situation because it was very comical. Carol was playing around running back and forth in front of our grandfather's house, skipping over a puddle that had formed on the concrete ground. My aunt and uncle told her to stay still, but she kept playing around. Then she slipped and fell on the puddle. It was funny to witness this because I thought she would cry. Instead, she put on this expressionless face and hid her wet behind from her parents. She did not want to get into trouble. I smiled to myself, having witnessed what nobody else saw and thinking about ratting her out. But I didn't.
The grownup version of our relationship is that Carol and I share secrets and enjoy hanging out and going to dinner and having a few drinks and playing mahjong and watching sports and going to baseball games and traveling to New Orleans and bowling and talking about our careers and our children and missing her parents and my dad and running the Wharf to Wharf and so on. I can see us growing old and doing the same things. I do plan to bowl until I'm dead!
Glory
My cousin Glory is different. She was only really a blur in the Philippines because I am pretty sure she wasn't the one who fell on the puddle. When we were little and growing up in the United States, I remember thinking how smart she was and that she could really talk up a storm and tell stories. It really is amazing that she knows multiple Filipino dialects, and I don't really know one. With respect to the dialect I was born into - Bolinao - the extent of my vocabulary is that of a 5-year-old because that's when I left the Philippines and started to learn English here. Glory interestingly speaks Bolinao fluently. She also speaks Tagalog fluently. Amazing!
The grownup version of our relationship is that Glory has the best party house to hang out at, and we both love to do karaoke. We also run the Wharf to Wharf and hang out and go to dinner and have a few drinks (well Glory doesn't drink as much as Carol and I do) and talk about our careers and our children and missing her parents and my dad and feel that life can be tough and giggle about the goofy things we did when we were little and so on. I can see us growing old and doing the same things. I do plan to karaoke until I'm dead!
Wings
My cousin Rowena, or Wings as we call her, is younger by about 4 years. I remember meeting her here in the United States when the families would get together for parties. I remember that they lived in Milpitas, and getting to their townhouse seemed like such a long, long way. Yes, when you're little, traveling from Mountain View to Milpitas by car could be a dreadfully long time. "Are we there yet?" Wings always seemed to be in the background because she was too little to play with our age group of cousins. She usually played with her brother Archie or our other cousins George and Ping (Chris). I remember additional other cousins more than I remember Wings when we were growing up. But how could I have missed out on her goofiness?
The grownup version of our relationship is that Wings is the goofiest cousin I have. She can be funny even sans alcohol. Most of the time, we think she is drunk. But that's Wings. She played mahjong for the first time recently, which is strange because all the other cousins have been playing it for years, decades even. We also run the Wharf to Wharf and hang out and go to dinner and have a few drinks and karaoke and dance and talk about our careers and our children and missing our dads and feel that life can be tough and so on. I can see us growing old and doing the same things. I do plan to be entertained by Wings' goofiness until I am dead!
My Cousins Three all have incredible husbands and wonderful children. They all have their issues and challenges I am sure. However, in general, life is good and God is good. I have many more cousins I haven't mentioned yet. There are Janet, Mely, Meggie, Mila, Alil, Teri, Val, Elvis, Anang, Johnny, Tinoy, Emang, Efren, Jun, Olet, Badong, Jack, Debbie, Lah, Dave, Lorna, Millette, Jessie, Jun, Eddie, Roland, Allen, Pinky, Diana, Erly, Roger, Ompong, Dempsey...I'm sure I left many out. There are some I probably have not met yet.
Thank goodness for Facebook and instant messaging and text messaging. Thank goodness for the proliferation of technology that keeps us cousins close even if we are in other parts of the world and/or our lives have kept us too busy and apart. It's just plain old goodness and a blessing that I have so many cousins, especially My Cousins Three.
Saturday, April 27, 2013
The Universal Language
I wrote a blog post previously on music. And I won't stop there. Who in the world does not like music? It is such a wonderful form of art. Whatever genre you prefer, set aside your biases and open up your mind and ears. You will hear wonderful sounds and interpret messages and meanings.
Last night I went to see Bon Jovi in concert at the HP Pavilion. Before going to the concert, when some folks heard I would be going, reactions were mixed. Mostly, the reactions were, "Wow, really? I am so jealous." Then there are the kids. "Who is Bon Jovi?" Or the biased individuals. "Rock 'N Roll, really? Why?"
Tonight at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, which is located just down the street from Egnyte, Lady Antebellum performed. I had a conversation with a co-worker about them and Country music. In the past, I would react with, "Country music, really? Why?" Not anymore. As I have matured, I've learned to appreciate music, in any form.
My favorite type to listen to is '80s. Back then, there were so many groups, such as Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Journey. Rap groups like the Sugar Hill Gang were gaining popularity and momentum. MTV was just developing, and music videos were so cool. This music triggers high school memories for me. I can even picture the fashion. Life back then was becoming less innocent.
Before the '80s, I listened to Funk, Soul and R&B. Groups like the Gap Band, the Stylistics, Heat Wave, Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force, and LTD remind me of elementary and junior high school. My favorite is Earth Wind & Fire. Bands with a horn section are awesome! Tower of Power is a local band that still tours quite a bit these days.
What other types of music was I exposed to growing up here? I remember watching the Lawrence Welk Show every week. I also remember being an Elvis fan and watching all the Elvis movies. I remember that my parents played Elvis music on the 8-track they owned. He deserved to be crowned king.
That's as far as I can remember. I can't particularly remember the music I was exposed to in the Philippines. I was too young.
Going forward, there was the '90s music through today. I don't really listen to mainstream all that much. I just bought the Justin Timberlake album mainly because he is such a great entertainer. After going to the Bon Jovi concert last night, I am thinking about making a trip to Best Buy to check out some of their old albums and the most recent one released about 5 months ago. Jon Bon Jovi cracked me up at the concert when he was on stage doing these funky dance moves. While doing that, he said, "I'm not as pretty as Justin Bieber. I can't dance like Justin Timberlake. But I've been here longer than both of them combined!" He looks terrific at 51.
I have learned to appreciate Jazz, Country, Heavy Metal, Opera, Classical, Rap, etc. It's all beautiful. I think you have to listen with your heart and feel the passion that went into creating the music. The passion is really a message - whether it's a love song or a song that is anecdotal. The music sends out this message to listen to, to feel, and to understand. Even without lyrics, music can be understood. It truly is the universal language.
Last night I went to see Bon Jovi in concert at the HP Pavilion. Before going to the concert, when some folks heard I would be going, reactions were mixed. Mostly, the reactions were, "Wow, really? I am so jealous." Then there are the kids. "Who is Bon Jovi?" Or the biased individuals. "Rock 'N Roll, really? Why?"
Tonight at the Shoreline Amphitheatre, which is located just down the street from Egnyte, Lady Antebellum performed. I had a conversation with a co-worker about them and Country music. In the past, I would react with, "Country music, really? Why?" Not anymore. As I have matured, I've learned to appreciate music, in any form.
My favorite type to listen to is '80s. Back then, there were so many groups, such as Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Journey. Rap groups like the Sugar Hill Gang were gaining popularity and momentum. MTV was just developing, and music videos were so cool. This music triggers high school memories for me. I can even picture the fashion. Life back then was becoming less innocent.
Before the '80s, I listened to Funk, Soul and R&B. Groups like the Gap Band, the Stylistics, Heat Wave, Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force, and LTD remind me of elementary and junior high school. My favorite is Earth Wind & Fire. Bands with a horn section are awesome! Tower of Power is a local band that still tours quite a bit these days.
What other types of music was I exposed to growing up here? I remember watching the Lawrence Welk Show every week. I also remember being an Elvis fan and watching all the Elvis movies. I remember that my parents played Elvis music on the 8-track they owned. He deserved to be crowned king.
That's as far as I can remember. I can't particularly remember the music I was exposed to in the Philippines. I was too young.
Going forward, there was the '90s music through today. I don't really listen to mainstream all that much. I just bought the Justin Timberlake album mainly because he is such a great entertainer. After going to the Bon Jovi concert last night, I am thinking about making a trip to Best Buy to check out some of their old albums and the most recent one released about 5 months ago. Jon Bon Jovi cracked me up at the concert when he was on stage doing these funky dance moves. While doing that, he said, "I'm not as pretty as Justin Bieber. I can't dance like Justin Timberlake. But I've been here longer than both of them combined!" He looks terrific at 51.
I have learned to appreciate Jazz, Country, Heavy Metal, Opera, Classical, Rap, etc. It's all beautiful. I think you have to listen with your heart and feel the passion that went into creating the music. The passion is really a message - whether it's a love song or a song that is anecdotal. The music sends out this message to listen to, to feel, and to understand. Even without lyrics, music can be understood. It truly is the universal language.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Top 10 Reasons Why I Will Remain Single
Hail to the V! I regularly read fellow blogger Heather Floyd's posts:
Oooops, I Said Vagina... Again..
http://hdfloyd73.wordpress.com/
It's amazing how childhood friends who lose touch because life gets in the way and takes us to different parts of the country can reconnect via Facebook decades later and share the love of blogging. We just have something to say!
Heather inspired me to come up with a Top 10 list. I tried and tried to think of a list for days. Alas, I can only muster the following. All are very true though. And they don't need explaining because that can all be left unsaid.
So drum roll please...
Top 10 Reasons Why I Will Remain Single
Ta da!
Oooops, I Said Vagina... Again..
http://hdfloyd73.wordpress.com/
It's amazing how childhood friends who lose touch because life gets in the way and takes us to different parts of the country can reconnect via Facebook decades later and share the love of blogging. We just have something to say!
Heather inspired me to come up with a Top 10 list. I tried and tried to think of a list for days. Alas, I can only muster the following. All are very true though. And they don't need explaining because that can all be left unsaid.
So drum roll please...
Top 10 Reasons Why I Will Remain Single
10. No perplexity with finances.
9. No inhibitions about being scantily clad.
8. No disappointment over forgotten significant events.
7. No anxiety about the toilet.
6. No dizziness from channel surfing.
5. No indecision on what and where to eat.
4. No chores undone.
3. No interference with keeping room temperature at 76 degrees farenheit.
2. No confusion on who wears the pants.
1. No sharing of the bean bag.
Ta da!
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Time for Taxslayer
It's tax time. Returns are due on Monday. I have a few days. Since I have been procrastinating for so long, you would never guess that I actually like doing taxes. My dad did as well, and so he must have passed it on to me.
My taxes are slightly more complex than the average taxpayer's. I have write-offs and investments. I have interests and multiple income. What can be fun about that? Not much really. So to make it fun, I see it as an academic exercise. Of course, I like the aspect that doing my own taxes saves me money from having to pay a preparer. There are many tax software programs these days that allow you to do a fairly thorough job. Saving money is really the driver and my motivation to file my own taxes.
The first software program I used was TurboTax. I remember using this and then incurring a penalty from the California Franchise Tax Board because the software program had me do something that was not correct. I was penalized $2,000+, and so I vowed not to use TurboTax again. I went to the IRS website to find out what software programs the IRS endorsed. The name of the program caught my attention - Taxslayer. What a terrific name. I've been using Taxslayer for many years. It's a SaaS program. I really wish it could slay taxes, but it doesn't. The name is very cool though.
After I gather all the data and paperwork that I need, it takes me about 4 hours to set it all up and file. If there is a potentially new write-off, I dig for the information. My situation has been the same for awhile, and so it is the same write-offs. I've done my homework. Questions can be complicated. Are you a passive landlord? How much can be depreciated this year? Is there any 1099 income? How much was paid in property taxes? What is the 1098 total? Were there any contributions made to charity?
I think I like doing taxes because it's challenging, and I can do a better job than the average taxpayer. I don't like to be average or par or so-so or grade C. I've been filing my own taxes since I was a teenager because my dad put a lot of faith in me to do it. My filings have become more complicated since then, and I've formed strong opinions of the system.
I think it's a cop-out when people choose to leave this country so that they don't have to pay taxes. I think it's wrong when people try to cheat their way through. The taxing agencies are also wrong in some ways. I think they should make filing easier and cheaper. Why do we have to pay to file? Why do we have to go to a preparer, or if we do it ourselves, why do we need to find the best way possible in terms of write-offs? Why do I have to dig and dig for information on what I can write off? Why don't the law-abiding, tax paying citizens receive a reward? Why do the customer service phone lines need to be busy so much? Why does our state tax refund have to be included in the following year's federal refund as income?
I filed an amendment with the IRS a couple of years ago, and they lost it. I received the certified receipt that was proof they had received it, and when they had not taken any action for 8 weeks, I called them. They told me that they did not receive the amendment. So what good is it to file the form certified? I sent the IRS a copy of the amendment and the proof from the post office that I had filed it. They rejected it. This went back and forth for more than a year, and I finally gave up. The amendment would have given me back about $2,000 in taxes. But I became too exhausted. I think they do that intentionally to exhaust you. It's a good strategy for people like me who reach a point when $2,000 is no longer worth my time.
So it's that time of the year again for Taxslayer. It's a great name because it completely expresses how I feel about the process sometimes. I'm gathering my paperwork. See you in 4 hours!
My taxes are slightly more complex than the average taxpayer's. I have write-offs and investments. I have interests and multiple income. What can be fun about that? Not much really. So to make it fun, I see it as an academic exercise. Of course, I like the aspect that doing my own taxes saves me money from having to pay a preparer. There are many tax software programs these days that allow you to do a fairly thorough job. Saving money is really the driver and my motivation to file my own taxes.
The first software program I used was TurboTax. I remember using this and then incurring a penalty from the California Franchise Tax Board because the software program had me do something that was not correct. I was penalized $2,000+, and so I vowed not to use TurboTax again. I went to the IRS website to find out what software programs the IRS endorsed. The name of the program caught my attention - Taxslayer. What a terrific name. I've been using Taxslayer for many years. It's a SaaS program. I really wish it could slay taxes, but it doesn't. The name is very cool though.
After I gather all the data and paperwork that I need, it takes me about 4 hours to set it all up and file. If there is a potentially new write-off, I dig for the information. My situation has been the same for awhile, and so it is the same write-offs. I've done my homework. Questions can be complicated. Are you a passive landlord? How much can be depreciated this year? Is there any 1099 income? How much was paid in property taxes? What is the 1098 total? Were there any contributions made to charity?
I think I like doing taxes because it's challenging, and I can do a better job than the average taxpayer. I don't like to be average or par or so-so or grade C. I've been filing my own taxes since I was a teenager because my dad put a lot of faith in me to do it. My filings have become more complicated since then, and I've formed strong opinions of the system.
I think it's a cop-out when people choose to leave this country so that they don't have to pay taxes. I think it's wrong when people try to cheat their way through. The taxing agencies are also wrong in some ways. I think they should make filing easier and cheaper. Why do we have to pay to file? Why do we have to go to a preparer, or if we do it ourselves, why do we need to find the best way possible in terms of write-offs? Why do I have to dig and dig for information on what I can write off? Why don't the law-abiding, tax paying citizens receive a reward? Why do the customer service phone lines need to be busy so much? Why does our state tax refund have to be included in the following year's federal refund as income?
I filed an amendment with the IRS a couple of years ago, and they lost it. I received the certified receipt that was proof they had received it, and when they had not taken any action for 8 weeks, I called them. They told me that they did not receive the amendment. So what good is it to file the form certified? I sent the IRS a copy of the amendment and the proof from the post office that I had filed it. They rejected it. This went back and forth for more than a year, and I finally gave up. The amendment would have given me back about $2,000 in taxes. But I became too exhausted. I think they do that intentionally to exhaust you. It's a good strategy for people like me who reach a point when $2,000 is no longer worth my time.
So it's that time of the year again for Taxslayer. It's a great name because it completely expresses how I feel about the process sometimes. I'm gathering my paperwork. See you in 4 hours!
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