Commonwealth of Yin Lives Once More

After a month in San Francisco

2008-07-02T01:38:00.002-04:00

I would say that it's sunny San Francisco, but it's been mostly cloudy while I've been here. Why didn't anyone tell me that the city is not perpetually sunny and warm as it appears in all the postcards?

I suppose it's my own fault for not having done the proper due diligence. As of right now, the jury's still out as to whether I enjoy living out here. The one big plus so far: Asian food is everywhere, and it's of very decent quality.

Some other observations:

There are a lot of Russians, or Russian-speakers here. It started with four or five Russian-speaking women in the Newark Liberty International terminal, and now every day I can hear Russian being spoken on the street.
Walking through Chinatown here is almost exactly like walking through parts of Hong Kong or Taipei. Everyone is speaking Chinese and people are everywhere.
Cost of living here is the same or higher than New York City. Amazing.
Walking up the hills in the city is not as much fun as I imagined.

One thing is for sure, if I move out here I'm definitely going to need a car. This ZipCar business isn't cutting it.

The evolution of toilet paper preferences

2008-03-29T10:26:00.002-04:00

When I was a wee lad, I swore by orienting the toilet paper so the paper would hang from the back. 'There is no other way!' I thought.

However, sometime in the last ten to fifteen years I have done an about-face. Now, I much prefer the toilet paper oriented with the paper hanging from the front. It just seems better.

I guess this is like how I hated ginger as a child, but I kind of like it now.

Roll Bounce

2008-03-02T13:29:00.003-05:00

I met a nice girl from Taiwan a few weeks ago, and have had a few dates. Problem is, I can't seem to find a way to convert, maybe because my hints are too subtle/wimpy or because Taiwan/Asian culture is more nuanced or conservative or something. Usually I don't have to work too hard, girls just throw themselves at me. Ok, now that you all have had a laugh... (I didn't say that girls I am attracted to throw themselves at me...)

So for last night's date, I thought, let's go roller skating! It will be fun, carefree and of course, an excuse to hold hands or something while I gallantly keep her from breaking her hips.

We roll up to the rink (pun intended) and it kinda looks shady. It's in the middle of nowhere, kind of off on a side road. Pretty dark. We get inside, and it's 99% African-American. Ok-- now, there is nothing wrong with this, and I am certainly used to it as a former inner city schoolteacher. However, I can only imagine what is going on through my date's mind. 1st, she's from Taiwan, and Black people are so few and far between there that when you see someone, you ask to have your picture taken with them. 2nd, it's all kids and teenagers.

So it's hormones flying, boys trying to be tough, girls trying to be cool/sexy. Also a lot of showing off going on, so there are bodies flying and sliding all over the floor. Not to mention, little toddlers just learning how to skate going every which way (fortunately, you can avoid them by them going through your legs). And not only that, but everyone is skating in groups of 10-20, entering and exiting the floor in a pack. If you can imagine this, then you can see how dangerous this might be for someone who is not good at roller skating. Which describes my date perfectly.

We spent about an hour, hour and a half there. I think mostly to be polite. How would it have looked if we just turned tail and left? Personally, I was comfortable, but I felt uncomfortable for her. She was adamant about staying, so we did. But in the end, I think it was a decent time and she probably learned how to skate a lot better due to all the flying obstacles. Plus, I made up for it later, if you know what I mean. With Cookout. Supposed to be the In-n-Out of the South. You can judge for yourself next time you all visit.

Oh, and "roll bounce"? Yes-- we saw some guys who worked at the rink do backflips and kip-ups in their skates. Daaaaamn.

Wasting time

2008-02-28T22:23:00.002-05:00

Why is it so much easier to waste time when you have important things to do? When I have nothing to do, I'm bored out of my mind. Yet, when I have something pressing or some sort of deadline, I can find an infinite number of ways to entertain myself.

Latest achievement

2008-02-03T23:09:00.001-05:00

'Bacon Candy'

1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 lb. thin sliced bacon

Coat bacon in brown sugar on both sides, just as much as will stick. Place strips on crumpled aluminum foil on a baking sheet or shallow pan to allow fat to drain. Bake at 350 for 8-10 min per side until golden brown, broil at end for extra crisp bacon.

It is truly one of the most delicious things I have tasted.

My best purchases to date

2008-01-05T18:04:00.001-05:00

For 2007, my best purchase was a used washer/dryer set in great condition, looks fairly new, for $100.

I'm so glad that I got the w/d since there's nothing better than fresh-out-of-the-dryer underwear, and the convenience that goes along with it.

I still remember the days when Tedd and I would schlepp our laundry to the laundromat on weekends by car, or carrying it to Plex in a jam. I'm amazed that I put up with the inconvenience. I mean, it's almost like making my own sandwich. Who does that anymore?

Second best purchase: 20 pack box of Shin Ramyun. Damn Koreans know how to make an instant noodle.

Current Status

2007-12-11T23:22:00.000-05:00

Pantry:

1 box of spaghetti

1 box of penne

1 jar of pasta sauce

1 box of stuffing

3 boxes of granola bars

2 boxes of oatmeal packets

1 family-size box of honey bunches of oats

2 bags of chips

8 lbs. of haribo gummi bears

1 jar of peanut butter

Refrigerator:

half a quart of milk

sweet relish

1 summer sausage

1 block of cracker barrel cheese

orange juice

2 eggs

beer

wine

Freezer:

1 package of hotdogs

1 econo-size box of johnsonville brats

1 package of thomas' english muffins

1 loaf of whole wheat bread

1 carton of mint chocolate chip ice cream

1 package of frozen dumplings

1 box of jalepeno poppers

Jujyfruits are not Dots

2007-11-04T21:01:00.000-05:00

Whenever I am in a drugstore, I am tempted by all the candy that is available. I don't typically eat a lot of candy, but there are a few types of candy that I have a high affinity for. These include Twizzlers (strawberry flavor), gummi bears (only Haribo brand), peanut M&Ms, Nestle Crunch and Kit Kat. Certain flavors of Jelly Bellys are also on the list.

One candy that I remember liking is Dots. The other day, while I was wandering a drugstore in Nashville looking for emergency shaving cream, I decided to buy candy. My craving was for a gummi candy, and in particular, Dots. Unfortunately I couldn't remember if it was Dots I was thinking of, or Jujyfruits.

I ended up buying 1/2 pound of Jujyfruits. Excited about my purchase, I bit into a sweet-smelling green Jujyfruit... and found that it was not what I was looking for. As my jaws were trapped shut by Jujyfruit sticky power, I cursed my poor choice. Not only were Jujyfruits not what I really wanted, a quarter of the box was licorice flavored pieces. Who actually likes licorice anyway? So I ended up eating an entire box of candy that gets stuck in your teeth and that is not Dots. It was a sad day indeed.

10 lbs.

2007-10-23T23:09:00.000-04:00

No, I did not gain 10 lbs. I've actually lost some weight, but I'm not sure if it's fat or muscle. I've been trying to be better about staying in shape, so hopefully it's fat.

But the real news is that I just had a brilliant idea: I can buy almost anything on Amazon. So I did. I bought 10 lbs. of Haribo gummi bears! Yay!

I used to rollerblade almost 20 minutes to the one candy shop in Evanston that carried Haribo gummi bears to buy a pound or two every few weeks. Now, I can have all the Haribo I want with just a click of my mouse.

I love the future.

Mistakes

2007-08-12T16:53:00.000-04:00

We've all made mistakes in our lives, but mine seem to be dominated by food-related mistakes.

Example No. 1:

In college, I got wind of the annual McDonald's 25 cent hamburger promotion. College was the first time I had the freedom and means to do whatever I wanted. And I wanted two things: hamburgers and to save money. Here was a perfect opportunity to do both! So I ended up buying $5 worth of hamburgers, at 25 cents, that was 20 hamburgers, such a steal! Except I ended up eating hamburgers every day for every meal (including breakfast) for almost two weeks. Lesson learned: do not purchase 20 hamburgers at once.

You'd think that I would be able to generalize such a lesson to other foods, but that has not proven to be the case.

Example No. 2:

When I first moved to New York City, I hadn't yet stocked my fridge and was hungry. I was walking down the street when suddenly I saw a sign from above. Subway was having a deal-- 10 footlongs for $10! Wow! What a deal! I learned the hard way though that Subway sandwiches do not refrigerate well (especially when you get tomatoes and oil and vinegar on them). Being the frugal type, I refused to throw out perfectly edible sandwiches, and it would be two years before I ate another Subway sandwich.

Example No. 3:

A bunch of high school friends headed to Atlantic City during an annual winter-break reunion. The first thing we did was hit the buffet. Of course, I would have to extract all the value out of the buffet by eating more in food than the buffet cost. That's how I would rage against the machine! Ha ha! Got you!

I ended up eating 8 plates of food, and could not move for more than 2 hours. Literally-- could not move. My dear high school friends, to show their care and concern, left me at the buffet to go gamble. Buffet: 1, Me: 0

I'd like to think I learn from my mistakes and become a better person as a result. However, with food, I clearly have a problem.

Latest Example:

Cereal was on sale at the Super Target. Family pack of Life cereal with two freshness-sealed bags for only $3.99! What a deal! Except now I have to eat two boxes of Life cereal. When will I learn not to buy food in bulk?

Beauty and the beast

2007-08-06T16:52:00.000-04:00

So Yao Ming got married to his childhood sweetheart, the 6'2" Ye Li, also a basketball player. I guess it would look funny if Yao Ming hooked up with the typical barely 5' tall Chinese girl.

My mother commented, when she saw a picture of Ye Li, that she was a beast. Evidently, my mother thinks Yao Ming can do better. But from the wedding photos, I think she looks ok. I think the true litmus test of whether you are a beast or not is if you are unsuccessful in looking pretty on your own wedding day. Luckily, most people clean up pretty good.

Of course, so far, all I've been able to find are pictures of her from an angle, where you don't really see her face. That may be a bad sign.

One man's trash...

2007-08-01T23:24:00.000-04:00

... is probably trash. You really don't get to see all the really crappy furniture out there until you shop for it on Craigslist. Some of the stuff out there I just don't understand how it even got made. I was actually surprised at the amount of stolen dorm furniture for sale as well. All I know is that I think I can splurge a little and get furniture that doesn't make my place look like the Plex lounge.

As I've been known to buy more furniture than necessary in the past, and just accumulating too much stuff in general, I've really been working at reducing how much I buy.

For example, the amount of furniture I'm aiming to have in my entire apartment here is probably going to be the same amount I had in my room at 717 Emerson. Any of you who have been in that apartment probably remember that it was chock full of unnecessary furniture. Like a tallish behind the sofa table. Why on earth did we need that?

Other examples: A breakfast nook table and chairs that we never used, bookcases upon bookcases that may or may not have had books, and so on.

Now, I'm aiming to have my entire apartment fit into less than 10 units. By unit, I mean a box or a large item. For example, a TV counts as one unit. Right now, I'm at 9 units without furniture. As far as furniture goes, I will have five items. A dining set, a sofa, a coffee table, a TV stand, and a bed. If I get shelves, that will make six or seven, but that's the limit. I plan on getting those snap together shelves so when it comes time to move again, if I want to, I can take it apart and fit it in my hatchback. Everything else was bought second hand so I can sell it for cost or even for a profit. No more brand-new IKEA for me!

I hate moving. Especially the part where I'm looking forward to having a nice hot dog, but then I realize I haven't bought ketchup or relish yet.

It's a sign

2007-07-31T00:36:00.000-04:00

The other day, I went running. It reminded me of several things, the first of which is how much I hate running. But running is one of the only physical activities that makes me feel like I actually worked out. Something about sweating or whatever.

Before, I used to take my iPod shuffle (the white USB stick one) and kind of stick it in the waistband of my shorts. That would work well enough for me, as I don't feel a $100 device deserves a $30 armband.

This time, I had a problem. The shuffle kept popping out the top of the waistband, or slip down my shorts. The reason? Somehow, I suddenly have these large protrusions of soft, rubbery flesh right above my waist. According to Google, they are called "love handles". I don't feel out of shape, but all of a sudden I have gained enough fat that my shuffle can't stay put in my waistband.

I think this means I should either:

a) Give up, get fat, eventually buy a scooter so I can get around.
b) Run more.

Damn. I think it's going to be choice "b" because I like being able to see my toes.

Death defying

2007-07-31T00:13:00.001-04:00

I just moved down to North Carolina, a normally less than 8 hour drive that ended up being more than 9 hours due to traffic.

I'm not very good at these long drives, at least not by myself. The first time I drove any longer than an hour was when my mom took me up and down the East Coast to visit colleges. I started out ok, but by the time I crossed the New Jersey border into New York, I was ready to fall asleep.

You see, as a child, I had been conditioned to fall asleep in the car. Long trips were usually done at night or in the early morning, when I was tired. I was used to falling asleep and waking up just as we got home. The same conditioning is a great asset on long flights. I'm able to fall asleep just as the plane pushes back from the gate and wake up just as we touch down.

This "skill", however, nearly killed me twice. The first time I had done a long trip by myself was when I moved to Atlanta from Chicago the day after college graduation. If I remember correctly, it was more than 12 hours drive, and the last part was done in the evening. I recall calling some family and friends to keep awake, but I nearly ran off the road in the mountains of Tennessee. That would have been bad. I distinctly remember thinking that I wasn't going to make it to Atlanta. Somehow, I made it.

The next time I would make a journey like that was when I moved from Atlanta to New Jersey. This time, the drive was even longer, about 15-16 hours with traffic. Fortunately, my brother and sister had come down to help drive some of my stuff back, and so I had company, which helped... until my sister fell asleep. I drove on, forcing myself to stay awake. I did the usual things, turned up the radio, slapped myself (hard) and drank water. I found an old packet of Lifesavers candy under my seat that had been there so long, most of them had melted into multi-flavored chunks. The sugar gave me the jolt I needed to stay awake long enough to make it across the New Jersey border. Those Lifesavers lived up to their name.

Alas, even though I was less than 25 minutes from my house, I just couldn't stay awake any longer, and I exited the highway and pulled into some random person's driveway to take a nap. At about 3 AM, I finally reached my destination.

I was not looking forward to this move because my past experiences driving long distances were not good. I do fine if I have company, and while I'm holding a conversation. But by myself, the unending road and foliage whizzing by only encourages my mind to drift into unconsciousness.

But I made it. Next up, advances in garbage can technology and adventures at Super Target.

Gone phishing

2007-07-26T13:32:00.001-04:00

How savvy are you at detecting scams?

Here's a test you can take courtesy McAfee.

I scored 10 out of 10, since I'm paranoid.

The Navy Shower?

2007-07-18T15:39:00.000-04:00

The Navy Shower

This reminded me of the dorms at Tsinghua University in China. For us international students, we were lucky enough to have our own bathrooms in relatively new buildings. The buildings were maybe 2 years old. The catch? We paid 8x the rent compared to local students. Also, since our building was built on a rushed schedule, and rather cheaply at that (everything in China is done this way), our hot water pumps would clog all the time, resulting in days, even weeks without hot water.

So I and a few of my friends took advantage of another perk of being an international student: all rooms were equipped with an electric hot water pitcher. When the hot water would go out, we'd boil water and mix with cold water, and take "showers" that way. I was able to make do with only one liter of boiled water! Nothing made me feel more connected to my heritage than pouring water over myself with a little cup while squatting.

Some things you'll never get

2007-07-17T23:35:00.000-04:00

A followup to my previous post about getting an iPhone.

I didn't actually get an iPhone for me. I got one for my dad, who's been wanting to do email and web on the go for a while. Sure, there's Blackberry and Treos, Qs, HTCs, etc. But none of these are suitable for my dad. He needs something intuitive, something easy. Something that behaves the way you expect it to. Something you can use right away without reading a manual. And so far, it works for him.

Of course there are some annoyances that I hope will be fixed soon, such as:

No voice dialing

No integration with Exchange servers to get Outlook mail*

No way to use international SIM cards

No way to edit documents or serve presentations externally

No Flash support

Despite these and other features lacking, I still think the iPhone is a great device. Why? Because it's got my father using cutting edge technology to improve his life and because I know Apple will fix most of these issues in short order. Steve Jobs wouldn't allow his baby to be anything other than perfect.

But there are tons of people out there who keep complaining that they don't get what the fuss is about the iPhone, how it's lacking such and such feature, that this or that device did what the iPhone does and more three years ago.

These are also the same types of people that will never understand why people choose to use Macs instead of PCs, why VHS beat Betamax and why the Wii is a breakaway hit. It's about ease of use, about human-centered technology not machine-centered technology. I can't wait for the day that I don't have to do research just to operate these types of devices. The iPhone is getting there.

iPhone at last

2007-06-30T00:31:00.000-04:00

I waited in line today at an AT&T store to get an iPhone. I was #11 in line at this particular store. By the time the doors opened, there were at least 50 people in line. I'm pretty sure the store sold out.

One funny thing I saw was there was a Verizon Wireless tech waiting in line with us, with his truck parked right in front. Here's a picture of when his truck was still in the parking lot.

Some people were camped out since early in the morning. I only waited about 3 hours, but boy I should have brought a chair or something. My ass, despite its cushiony structure, hurt like hell.

Just as the line started moving, the guy next to me starts chatting me up. He's a little shorter than me, Indian, and looks slightly more nerdy than I do. He starts asking me questions like, "So are you excited to get the iPhone?" "Which one are you going to get, the 4GB or the 8GB?" and saying things like, "I heard that the AT&T network isn't 3G."

Now, being a nerd myself, I knew exactly what he was talking about. However, I felt this overwhelming urge to keep my nerdiness to myself. So I played dumb. "3G? What's that?" (3G? Hell yes I want 3G!) "I saw the commercials and thought the phone looked pretty cool." (I've been following Apple and iPhone news for the past six months)

It was very strange. Even though I was probably a bigger geek than he was when it comes to Apple, I felt a need to hide it. The guys in front of me were even worse, discussing things like the future of Apple notebooks and how cool David Pogue's iPhone video was.

Even though I love nerdy things, I feel this need to hide it as much as possible. I guess I just don't want to be the stereotype. Which is why I chose engineering, but not computer or electrical engineering. Which is why I chose biomedical engineering, but did not want to be a doctor. Which is why I decided to teach instead of consult. I asked my friend what I look like to her. She said that I look like an ABC. But that's exactly what I don't want to look like. At the same time, I don't want to look like a FOB either. So where does that leave me?

Big Brother, Inc.

2007-06-15T12:11:00.000-04:00

It appears Google is extending its reach with yet another cool feature: StreetView. With Google, you just know this will be super useful. Even though Amazon has had something like this for several years.

So what happens if you're accidentally caught in one of the shots, and you don't want to be in Google's infinite database? Google will take it down for you right? Wrong. It turns out opting out requires you to send Google personal information.

I'm not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, if we're caught in the background of some newspaper or magazine photo, there's not much we can do about it. After all, we're out in public, and public is public. But I think the problem here is that being caught in Google's StreetView ostensibly means that we'll be there forever, easily searchable, and in contexts that could be damaging to our privacy. Like women going to abortion clinics. Or people going to an HIV testing center. Or you going to a job interview while still employed.

Many people seem to agree that it should be an easy matter for Google to simply blur out people's features so they're not identifiable. After all, what value does it bring to the service to have people's faces in it? Instead, Google's making people jump through hoops to opt-out, and that makes me a little worried about the way Google is infiltrating our lives.

Breaking News!

2007-06-13T15:32:00.000-04:00

I'd like to think of myself as compassionate. I care for my fellow man. But when you flaunt your immense wealth by ridiculing the masses and acting like a spoiled brat on TV, you're just asking for it. That is why I support Paris Hilton being in jail. It's probably also why the "Jail Paris Hilton" petition had at least twice the signatures of the "Free Paris Hilton" petition that Paris herself started. I support it even though jailing Paris costs two to three times as much as jailing a standard convict.

She thinks she's being targeted because of her fame. I totally agree. Did you think infamy only had an upside? She also had an incredible opportunity to turn her entire image around, to be America's sweetheart instead of being almost universally hated. Too bad she screwed that up with the behind-the-scenes deal to serve only 3 days in jail.

But the real news is that Paris is finally getting a reality check. She called Barbara Walters and described her experience. "I feel like I am in a cage."

CONGRATULATIONS! THAT'S WHAT IT'S SUPPOSED TO FEEL LIKE!!

Leopard Features Announced!

2007-06-11T17:37:00.000-04:00

Even non-technophiles must rejoice: Apple's new operating system, Mac OS X Leopard was demoed today with lots of cool new features announced.

The best thing about Apples new operating system releases is they usually make older machines faster even while adding new bells and whistles.

One probably unsung but very exciting addition is a VoiceOver upgrade. Now, your computer can read things on the screen to you in a pretty natural-sounding voice. Even cooler is that it can now read Japanese and Chinese.

Man, if they had that when I was studying Japanese... nah, I'd probably still end up not remembering anything.

Eat for $5 a week

2007-06-07T11:20:00.000-04:00

I found the recent Time photo essay on what the world eats to be fascinating. They tallied up the total food expenditure for one week for families around the world, then took a picture of them with all the food.

The first thing I noticed was how the families from industrialized nations consumed so much more processed food. Things like cereals, bottled drinks, cookies, chips, etc. One family from Southeast Asia had surprisingly little green in their diet, and I was also surprised to see that the two American families ate a significant amount of fruit and vegetables.

I think I'd be a little scared to see what I ate in one week. It might just be a table of gummi worms and cheddar cheese.

Blast from the past

2007-05-15T16:41:00.000-04:00

It's amazing what you find when you go through old stuff. Especially when you're a packrat like me. Actually, I'm a reformed packrat. Ok, maybe a reforming one. Trying to anyway.

Here's a little snippet from 1998, almost 10 years ago. Man. Saying that makes me feel old.

Wow! $1 per disc, what a deal!

Too bouncy

2007-05-03T22:16:00.000-04:00

DOAX2 is out for Xbox 360. A trailer of this game has been deemed "too bouncy" for the general public. Watch at your own risk.

I'll bet the research for this game was enjoyable. Especially when doing scientific research to perfect the physics engine.

Is this game a good enough reason to get an Xbox 360? Along with Guitar Hero II, I think definitely yes.

The hunt is over

2007-04-22T12:06:00.000-04:00

I finally got my hands on a Wii. Not for me, mind you. It's more for my parents. They are completely addicted to Wii Sports. When a game system has a following from the 50+ crowd, I'd call that a success.

I got a heads up on the weekly ads for today, and Best Buy had them advertised. I arrived at the store one hour before opening, thinking that would be more than sufficient. Turns out, when I arrived, there was already a huge line at the door. Fortunately, I got a voucher for #20 out of 23 available. Five more minutes, and I would have been SOL.

While I was waiting for the store to open, I headed to Sears to get a replacement part for a lawn tiller. I couldn't find the lawn and garden section, so I tried to find someone to ask for directions. Since it was early in the morning, most store employees were stocking shelves. I approached a young black man dressed in a shirt, tie, and vest.

"Do you work here?"

"Uhh... no."

I had made an embarrassing mistake. Did I approach him because he was black, and that meant he was more likely to be an employee than a customer, or did I approach him because he was dressed up and looked like he was at work?

I'd like to say that it was 100% the latter, but I can't be that certain.

Anyway, if anyone else is looking for a Wii, Best Buy says they may get more in on Monday, and Target is rumored to be getting some in for next Sunday.

N* Brown

2007-04-20T00:53:00.000-04:00

So a lady's daughter finds a tag on their brand new dark brown couch that describes the couch as "n*gger brown". No, it's not "nagger".

The culprit? Apparently, a Chinese manufacturer used an outdated dictionary to translate the color from Chinese to English. Apparently in this dictionary, the dark brown is translated as the n-word.

Anyone who has visited China, Japan, or most other Asian countries knows this type of thing happens all the time. Things are always mistranslated. There's a whole site dedicated to messed up English.

Even national monuments and World Heritage Sites have engraved plaques with horrendous English, so it doesn't surprise me that a random Chinese factory didn't check it's English carefully. There's no way for them to know. Even if they had employees who studied English in college, I can guarantee they don't come across the n-word much, and can we really expect non-native speakers to know all English slang? Especially when most Chinese perfect their English by watching "Friends". When was the last time you heard the n-word on national TV?

The lady who discovered the tag wants to pursue legal action. I think while the whole thing is more than a little unfortunate, it's a little ridiculous to sue. She's going to end up making everything worse.

Simpler times

2007-04-13T01:17:00.000-04:00

Today, I came across a photo of my friends in 7th grade. The thing that struck me was how simple life seemed in that picture. Of course, at the time, things weren't all rosy. There was language arts homework to worry about, not to mention pimples and cooties. But the main thing was, nothing seemed out of reach. Anything seemed possible.

As I got older, slowly, things started to seem impossible. When I was in 2nd grade, I still dreamt of being an astronaut or President of the United States. In 4th grade, I thought I might one day be a great jazz musician. In 6th grade, I would be a world-reknowned artist. In high school, I thought maybe one day I could swing the Nobel prize. Or at least a Rhodes or Fulbright scholarship, or maybe be a pro tennis player.

Now, my future seems much more limited. The scope has narrowed, not necessarily because I didn't want those things anymore, or because I wanted something else more. It was more that as I grew older, I continually hit limitations of what I could do. It's a humbling and depressing process.

Every time I meet a fifty-year old grocery store cashier, I think about how that man was once a bright-eyed and hopeful child. What did he dream of being back then? Did he read the same biographies of great men in history and think, 'I can do that, too!', as I did?

I'm not sure if my future is actually limited, or if it only seems that way, or if there's even any difference. All I know is that I hate feeling that way.

Was my future truly wide open back in grade school? Or was it merely an illusion?

As a teacher, I truly believed (and I suppose I still do) that all children are capable of learning and doing great things. That almost every child has the potential to go to college. But maybe that's not true. Maybe we are each born with our limits, and our lives are simply an expression of those limits.

Get real

2007-04-10T22:41:00.000-04:00

Just when I thought reality TV couldn't get any better, VH1 comes out with "I Love New York", "The Flavor of Love", and "Flavor of Love: Charm School". Ok, I know "The Flavor of Love" isn't new, but I've just become acquainted with it. The latest series, "Charm School" is brilliant because it brings back the most crazy and naughty of "The Flavor of Love". I also love how black people make everything so much fun, like giving pretty descriptive nicknames to people just cuz. Like "Hottie", "Pumkin", and "Smiley".

I want a nickname like that too. Then I can be cool too!

The Cadbury Creme Egg Scandal

2007-04-08T23:10:00.000-04:00

This just hit the wires this weekend, Cadbury's running a big scam.

I'm as shocked as anyone. But, I have to wonder, why is this getting so much attention when the Dannon debacle of 2005 went unnoticed? What debacle, you ask? Well, around that time, Dannon redid its packaging for its Fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt. They got rid of the plastic lids (that didn't really do anything, unless you tend to eat small containers of yogurt in more than one session), opting to have only the foil sealed top. However, I also noticed that the amount of yogurt decreased! Not only that, but eventually, the containers themselves got smaller. All the while, the price went up a little.

Sneaky! It was like a double price increase! Now, I'm pretty much addicted to Fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt from Dannon, it's so much more fruity and natural tasting than blended yogurts... but I was so shocked at this development that I stopped eating Dannon yogurt for a little while.

Still, I don't understand why Cadbury's move gets big press while Dannon got away with highway robbery. Maybe it's because chocolate gets more respect than yogurt. Or maybe it's a religious thing, after all yogurt isn't associated with any religious holiday. All I know is Dannon screwed me.

In search of the deal

2007-04-06T16:20:00.001-04:00

I've always been a bargain hunter.  But I've recently noticed just how much of my time is spent searching for bargains when I need to buy something.  I'm not happy to just get a decent price, I have this overwhelming urge to get the absolute rock-bottom price. 

Consequently, I spend hours and hours researching my purchases, be it a computer, auto insurance, or cable TV service.  If I buy something, and later find out I could have gotten it somewhere else for $5 less, I get upset and brood about it for days. 

Once, I bought a Gap scarf in Chicago for $20.  It was a decent scarf, warm and stylish.  I went home for break the next week, and saw it at the local Gap on sale for $9.99.  No amount of discussion with the store management worked, and I wasn't able to get any sort of refund.  I didn't have my receipt with me at home, so I considered buying the one on sale, then returning the $20 scarf when I got back to Chicago.  I almost had a nervous breakdown thinking about all of this.  Finally, my mother said to me, "How much time and gas money will it take to do all this?"

I'm working on letting go of "small money" as my parents call it.  I probably spend more time worrying about $5-10 than it's worth, but it's so ingrained in my thinking that I sometimes have nightmares about falling prices-- after I've made a purchase.

The Application Game

2007-04-02T20:56:00.000-04:00

In the past three years, I have gone from completely undecided on my future direction, considering paths in law, business, and education research, to applying to law school, and finally applying to business school.

I'm finally settling on a decision to go to business school, and I'll be in sunny Durham, North Carolina next fall attending Duke's Fuqua School of Business! It's a great relief to finally be done with all the tests, the essays, the waiting... and also all the nervous, pretentious, and often patronizing chat among applicants.

It's funny because if you ask someone where they were admitted, they might say, Columbia. But if they're not too proud of where they were admitted, they'll say something like, oh, a top 10 school. Or a top 15 school. Usually that means #9/10 or #14/15.

I'm one of the unlucky people who don't have a clear idea of what they want to do long-term. This has led me astray, including a year-long quest to go to law school, including taking the LSAT (twice), applying, and finally turning down offers after my gut told me I wouldn't be happy in law school. I wish I had known all that prior to starting, but I was blinded by pure ambition and the desire to impress (myself, mostly). I've believe it's worth it to really spend time exploring and thinking about what makes life meaningful, and striving to do something that fulfills that ideal. This is something I've paid for with a lot of money, time, and disappointment.

But now, relief. Excitement. Hope. I'm definitely looking forward to doing something cool.

Exploding ants

2007-03-25T15:37:00.000-04:00

According to a comment on a recent Lifehacker post on getting rid of ants, if you feed ants Cream of Wheat, it will expand once they eat it and their stomachs will explode.

Anyway, this post reminded me of one particularly hot summer in Chicago. My roommate and I were living in an un-airconditioned apartment, so on top of walking around in our underwear most of the time, we also had the windows open all the way. It wasn't pretty, but it was necessary in order to stay in solid form.

An unfortunate by-product of keeping the windows open all the time was a fly and mosquito problem. Lucky for us, we had a few spiders in the corners! Since we were only subletting the place for the summer, we didn't much care about having a few spiders around. Plus, it was an eco-friendly way to take care of the mosquitoes.

This plan backfired. Big time. Near the end of the summer, we took a peek behind the couch where the one or two little spiders were. Instead, we found dozens of HUGE spiders! More than that, there were an equal number of egg sacs!! As we contemplated how to get rid of the spiders, several of the egg sacs burst, sending hundreds of tiny specks in every direction. I think the only thing more disgusting than one spider is a hundred tiny baby spiders swarming at you.

After our screaming subsided, we collected ourselves and hatched a plan. (no pun intended) We decided to use a two-pronged approach: spray with Raid and then immediately vacuum up the corpses and any survivors.

Ultimately, it ended with total victory. Mostly because we stayed the course.

The best chocolate chip cookies

2007-03-24T21:22:00.000-04:00

... are always the ones that you make yourself. They are also the most fattening, because they tend to go down by the dozen.

Forever Foreign

2007-03-22T15:12:00.000-04:00

Here's another Chinese accused of being a spy for the Chinese government.

This kind of thing really annoys me. Whether he is guilty or not, it will bring up the same issues as the Wen Ho Lee case did. Ultimately, Wen Ho Lee was more or less exonerated, however, it did not stem any suspicion placed upon the general Asian public.

It's the one thing that makes Asians and Middle Easterners different as minorities than blacks and Hispanics. Even as Hispanics maintain their culture and flaunt it proudly, doing so as Asians only heightens the sense that Asians are foreign. Hispanics can be different, but those living in the U.S. never have their loyalties questioned.

I doubt I will see Asians accepted as Americans without question in my lifetime.

Yummy

2007-03-20T16:57:00.000-04:00

Some people say you either love or hate mayonnaise. Like anchovies. Well, I for one loooove mayonnaise. I often find myself torn when making a sandwich. Do I use mayo, or do I use mustard? I like to choose one because both becomes overwhelming. About 2/3 of the time, I will choose mayo, even though mustard is much healthier. There's nothing better than creamy, smooth, tasty mayo on nice seeded rye bread.

The mother of excess is not joy but joylessness

2007-03-15T12:42:00.000-04:00

I know I should be thankful for everything that I have, for the life I have lived, for the life I have the opportunity to live. Especially since I've seen firsthand the lives of people that don't have even a tiny bit of the advantage I have or the opportunities I've had as a result.

Instead, I find myself complaining when I play a set of tennis poorly rather than remember how lucky I am to have been able to learn to play.

I turned down $20/hr English tutoring in China because I deemed it not worth my time, even though plenty of Chinese don't even make $20 a day.

At first I felt bad about attending my alma mater because it was only a top 10 school instead of top 5, though plenty of people in the world don't even get a high school education.

I should be thankful, but I feel differently. I've thought maybe it's because I've been fortunate that I feel guilty for not doing better, or that I feel like I should be able to reach an even higher level. Or maybe it's much simpler-- maybe I simply need to feel superior to other people, or at the very least, not inferior. An inferiority complex, perhaps. And then I think how ridiculous it is for me to feel this way when a migrant child in China is wondering whether they will be able to finish school or a black child in the inner city is wondering if he will live to see his 21st birthday.

All Call

2007-03-12T16:55:00.000-04:00

This is a formal request for testimonials on Friendster and Facebook. Do they even have testimonials on Facebook? I don't know. I don't really use them that much. But I'm feeling left out of the testimonial loop. I think I have one. Maybe two.

I'd like to ask you all to write one for me. It shouldn't be too hard to describe all the awesome things about me, there are probably tons of examples from your personal experience!

Whew.

2007-03-12T04:37:00.000-04:00

After spending the last two weeks going through and organizing three years of photos and emails, I am finally done. I had meant to do this a long time ago, but somehow, it just kept getting pushed back. So I ended up with 15,000 pictures that needed to be organized and trimmed while removing all duplicates and getting it all into iPhoto (I still want to delete unnecessary pictures, rate the good ones and add keywords). I also had 2000 emails that needed to be gone through. I discovered that I had a handful of emails that I hadn't replied to yet, dating back to 2005.

It's all good to go, with a system for moving forward. I'm adopting the save and search method for emails, plus tags, using some cool software for my Mac. This should make it less of a pain to act on emails, keep track of what needs to be acted on, and filing away old stuff but still being able to find it. Thank Steve Jobs for Spotlight.

It's all very cathartic, really. I feel like a great weight has been lifted. This has been nagging me for years, and it's finally done. Yay!

My Dog is Vegetarian

2007-03-11T16:11:00.000-04:00

Don't get me wrong, my dog loves to eat meat. But we rarely feed him meat. In lieu of meat, he gets plenty of vegetables. When preparing vegetables, he gets all the extra bits. He particularly likes to eat celery and apple cores. I think the only thing he doesn't like is citrus, but I'm always giving him new things to try to see his reaction. While my previous dog hated hot sauce, this one laps it up. He also likes popcorn, especially butter flavored.

Bad Teachers

2007-03-09T23:25:00.001-05:00

Recently, Philadelphia news stations have been running stories on how bad Philadelphia city schools are. Teachers are complaining about how they are afraid of their students and how they don't feel safe at work. Some teachers have even been beat up by their students.

The general reaction is something between sympathy and outrage. How terrible! Poor teachers! Hoodlum kids!

My response? Those teachers are bad teachers. I've worked in some of the worst Philadelphia schools. It's no cakewalk-- but if you genuinely care about the students and know how to teach, you will have no problem.

I suspect these frightened teachers are not teaching in these schools by choice and are falling prey to their own preconceived notions of inner city schools. In my experience, I've found that students will rise to your expectations of them-- no matter what they may be.

Proud moments

2007-02-24T16:02:00.000-05:00

Something happened the other day that made me so proud that I have to share it.

But first, I need to give some background.

Three days before my flight back from Beijing, I came down with explosive diahrrea. You read that correctly, explosive. It came at the least once an hour, each hour, and lasted over 36 hours. 98% water. It was so bad that I couldn't even lie down on my back. There was no time for my bottom to recover between trips to the bathroom. When I was finally solid again, I was so relieved. It came just prior to my flight. Thank goodness!

Anyway, the other day, I dropped a two foot long deuce. It was beautiful and unbroken. It really was a thing of beauty.

I will never take solid poop for granted again. And I am grateful for each glorious chunk of solid turd.

Spicy wimp

2007-02-08T16:06:00.000-05:00

Today I came to a sad realization. I am a spicy wimp. I used to crave spicy. And when I say spicy, I mean really spicy. It used to be hot and sour soup with extra hot. Atomic sauce hot wings. Hot cheetos and Tabasco on my pizza.

Now I prefer just a slight twinge of heat rather than the brain and tongue numbing spice I used to take.

I was once runner-up in a spicy contest. It burned going down and it burned coming out. But I felt like a man. Now, I can hardly take one medium sauce wing. Sigh.

Nomenclature

2007-02-05T00:52:00.000-05:00

Recently, I decided to make a list of all known or likely stripper names, to keep in handy when and if I have a daughter. I want to do everything in my power to prevent my daughter from being a stripper, and if purposely avoiding choosing a stripper-prone name will do the trick, then by golly, I'll do it!

Here are some that I have already:

- Chastity
- Mercedes
- Paris
- Jenna
- Brandi
- Candi
- Starr
- Sky/Skye
- Mocha
- Sindee

Please help me round out my list.

Factoid

2007-01-26T10:35:00.000-05:00

Interesting fact about me: my cell phone only rings when I am "taking care of business" or in the shower.

Projectile vomiting and doo-doo

2007-01-25T04:42:00.000-05:00

I don't know if it's just when I'm around, but conversations I'm involved in inevitably turn to important issues. You know, the stuff that really matters. Things like fiber and how important it is to staying regular. It's also fun to discuss matters of bloody gore and various methods of excrement and their ramifications.

Many people seem turned off by this when these sorts of topics arise during meals. Something about losing appetites. It's not always me who brings it up, but I have no problems at all discussing anything while eating.

I think perhaps I just have a stronger constitution or maybe an ability to compartmentalize. Eating has nothing to do with conversation, especially when it's on such a high intellectual level. I guess if I was on Heroes my super power would be "unable to be affected by gross topics at dinner table".

Back Jan 15th

2007-01-04T23:17:00.000-05:00

I am taking an official hiatus from blogging, at least until January 15th. That's the date that China Netcom says internet will be back to normal in China.

In case you haven't heard, an earthquake off the coast of Taiwan severed 5 out of 6 undersea fibre optic cables that keep Asia connected with North America.

In response, there is apparently filtering going on at a government level that gives priority to companies and government offices.

Result? Internet to sites outside China is slow or unavailable. Boo. Looks like I'll have to learn how to read Chinese.

I am a spamming robot. I will spam you.

2006-12-12T04:38:00.000-05:00

Anyone else having trouble coming up with email subjects that don't sound like spam?

Some of my recent subject lines:

"Try these tests"

"you will enjoy this."

"(no subject)"

"Something weird"

"Hi"

Also try reading the most interesting blog I've seen lately.

40 years behind

2006-12-10T10:34:00.000-05:00

I have another observation that supports my assertion that China is about 40 years behind the U.S. in development.

I watched Capote recently. In the movie, set in 1959, Truman Capote travels across the country in a sleeper train--exactly how most Chinese travel now, in 2006.

Previously, I mentioned the lack of dryers, and how everyone line dries their clothes--as most Americans did in the 50s (also from a movie, Big Fish).

Of course, I'm assuming these movies protrayed American life in the 50s and 60s accurately.

Actually, it's more like there's this huge gap. About 5% of the population lives like it's 2006 in the U.S., with Viking ranges, BMWs, the latest cell phones and computers... while the rest of the population is struggling to get by.

The latter are less fortunate, and about 40 years behind the times and are the ones who will try to cheat or extract an extra 1 or 2 RMB ($0.125-$0.25) from you. 1 or 2 RMB is a fair amount of money for these people. It can sometimes be enough for an entire meal.

The dichotomy is interesting--and heartbreaking to see.

Modeling

2006-12-02T08:47:00.000-05:00

I've had multiple people tell me my hands are pretty and well-formed. Lately, I've been dreaming of becoming a hand model.

Anyone know how I can crack the biz?

History repeats itself

2006-11-15T06:44:00.000-05:00

The first time it happened, I was in Atlanta. I thought, hey, let's forgo the usual Supercuts and try out the neighborhood barbershop. I tell the guy, "just a little off the top". Before I could react, I saw a large tuft of hair fall in front of my eyes in slow motion, as the buzz from the shaver whizzes past my ears. I ended up with an inadvertent buzz cut that day.

It happened again today. Only today, I tell the lady, "just a trim all around" in Chinese. Apparently I am misunderstood. Whenever I get my hair cut in China, I make sure to watch carefully to make sure my instructions are clear, since I'm pretty sure they don't cover barbershop phrases in the book.

I watched intently, but couldn't figure out what she was doing. She didn't use the razor, instead exclusively using the thinner shears. How do you cut hair using only thinner shears? Maybe that's how they do it in China, I thought, especially since everyone seems to like having these really awful looking feathered poofy haircuts so that from the back, you can't tell if it's a girl or a boy. Well, often, you can't tell from the front either.

Before I knew it, I had observed too long. And I knew that I would be leaving with a buzz cut. Dammit.

Baozi (包子)

2006-11-12T09:59:00.000-05:00

Today I happened upon a small hole-in-the-wall baozi place. The translation of its Chinese name was "specialty baozi shop". And boy were they good. Baozi are steamed buns with a filling, usually meat. This place had really nice baozi of all types, including vegetable, pork, mushroom, beef, chicken, and even sweet sesame. Mmmm....

I love baozi because they're just a nice package of food. One baozi hits the spot if you just need a snack and two or three make a meal. They're like sandwiches that can't fall apart.

My mom used to make baozi all the time when I was a kid. Once in fourth grade, I brought two baozi to school for lunch. With great anticipation, I asked the lunchladies to help me warm them up. The aroma of the heated baozi only increased my sense of urgency as I hurried to my seat. "What are those?" My friend Larry asked. "Baozi." I replied, about to take my first bite. Then I saw how he was eyeing them, with the slightest hint of saliva about to drip out of the corner of his mouth, and I knew I had to share the goodness that was my mother's baozi.

"Here you go," I said, as I gave him my second baozi. "Thanks!" Larry's eyes lit up as he took the offering, and eagerly took a bite.

What happened next, I did not expect.

Larry spit out the bite of baozi and let the rest of it slip out of his hands and fall on the floor.

"What was that for??" I demanded. A small piece of me had died. My mother's baozi. My empty stomach. All sacrificed for this ungrateful SOB.

"Was that pork? I'm Jewish. I can't eat pork!"

Well why didn't you say so before dammit!

Things that China inexplicably lacks

2006-11-07T07:45:00.000-05:00

Paper towels

Napkins

Lint rollers

Vaseline (for the lips, people!)

Compressed air dusters (it's really dusty here)

Legal pads with a cardboard back

Studio 60, we hardly knew ye

2006-10-30T11:51:00.000-05:00

Rumor has it that Studio 60 is about to be canceled. And from a strictly business standpoint, it probably makes sense. It went from ranking #22 the first week in the ratings to #50-something recently. Not good for a show that costs $2-3MM per episode to produce.

Unfortunately, this is one of the few shows that have come out this season that I really look forward to. Some of my previous mainstays-- Alias and The West Wing are finished. Others, like Stargate SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis are on hiatus, as is 24. This season? I've got Battlestar: Galactica, Heroes, and Studio 60.

I really hope Studio 60 doesn't get canceled. It's one of the smarter shows on right now, but it seems smart can't compete with the likes of America's Next Top Model and Beauty & The Geek (the latter I actually find entertaining). That's what led to the cancellation of great shows like The Critic and Invader Zim.

So everyone, let's keep watching Studio 60. It's worth it.

The Areas of my Expertise

2006-10-22T22:41:00.000-04:00

For some reason I've always wanted to be "well-read". Witness copies of Crime and Punishment, Pride and Prejudice, Origin of Species, and The Federalist Papers on my bookshelf.

Only Crime and Punishment has been opened, read as a requirement of a Russian literature class. More well-worn books include such titles as Source of Magic, Wizard's First Rule, The Essential Calvin and Hobbes, and 101 Knock-Knock Jokes: A Sure-fire Way to be the Life of the Party.

I watch a lot of TV. I'd like to think I watch "smart" television. You know, stuff like The West Wing. The more TV I watch, though, the more I realize that most of my cultural awareness comes from the bits that the writers of TV shows choose to work into their scripts. I find I have to do Google searches in order to understand what they're talking about on Studio 60 sometimes.

Maybe if I spent less time watching TV and more time reading...

The meaning of words

2006-10-18T06:39:00.000-04:00

Rice vows 'full range' defense of Japan

"Full range"? Of course we all know what that means. It means that the U.S. will nuke North Korea into smithereens if it tries anything stupid.

So why use the euphemism, when everyone knows what it means? Does it really make a difference? Would there be a different response if Rice simply said, "Yo, North Korea. Don't you make us come up in there. You know we'll nuke yo ass."

I find that people try to euphemize (is that a word?) the truth a lot. We don't want to hurt people's feelings. I think ambiguity is worse.

But in this case, there is no ambiguity either way. So why bother?

Addiction

2006-10-16T23:56:00.000-04:00

I am so incredibly addicted to Pringles right now it's not funny.

Is there such a thing as PA?

Colored lenses

2006-10-06T03:24:00.000-04:00

What would you say if you were asked, "what are the four or five most memorable experiences, whether great or small?"

The first four things, well, first twenty things, for that matter, that came to my mind were all negative things. Like the time I had a ski accident that left me injured for six months. Or the car accident that nearly killed me.

I racked my brain for more positive memories, but the negative ones are by far the most memorable.

They say, that which does not kill you only makes you stronger. I must be pretty damn strong.

The Wonder Years

2006-09-27T02:12:00.000-04:00

I've always wanted a life that was out of the ordinary. Maybe even extraordinary. I've never wanted to be the same as everyone else (and some of my friends would argue, there's no way I could ever be like everyone else).

So I've eschewed what I considered at the time to be "typical" experiences: engaging in the party scene in college, getting a normal job with good benefits, etc. I dropped everything like a hat and done went to China.

But with the passing weeks, I find myself yearning more and more for something ordinary. Just a job. A decent job. A nice little place. A trajectory that leads to a wife and kids, maybe a dog. Of course the two car garage replete with outdoor grill stashed in the corner next to a set of dusty golf clubs.

I used to think it was a shame that some of my friends wanted the simple life. Why not go out and do something extraordinary? Now, I think it's something I want more than ever.

Latest triumph

2006-09-25T10:02:00.000-04:00

One thing that gets me about China-- all the bread is sweet. I'd always taken it for granted when I was in the U.S., bread, should taste like bread... unless it's sweet bread!

In China, it's the opposite. Bread is sweet, even when the package says, "AMERICAN-STYLE" the bread is sweet. You can tell as soon as you open the package, you get a puff of sickly-sweetness.

So every time I buy bread, I try to look for bread that might not be sweet. It helps that I can now recognize the characters for "sweet" and "cane sugar". I still have to pick through what Chinese consider bread: "milk bread", "cereal bread", "corn bread" (which is not corn bread, but bread with bits of corn kernels). I've finally found bread that isn't sweet. Or, rather, isn't AS sweet. The package says in English, "SALT BUTTER STYLE". I thought that was a good indicator, and I decided to try it. Jackpot.

But I still miss my whole wheat and rye. Especially a nice Jewish rye, complete with seeds.

Old mainstays

2006-09-24T10:43:00.000-04:00

Over the years, I've acquired a taste for certain comfort foods that I just can't do without. Even while in China, I have to have these foods:

1) Ritz, I always keep a stack in the house!

2) JIF (ok, this isn't available here, so I settle for Skippy), nothing beats JIF's fresh-roasted peanut taste!

3) Strawberry jam, if I've gotta eat jam, it's gotta be strawberry!

4) Sharp cheddar cheese, nobody does it like Vermont. But alas, no Vermont cheddar here, have to settle for New Zealand cheddar.

Mmm... beer

2006-09-21T12:25:00.000-04:00

I mentioned that I went on a trip to Qingdao a few weekends ago, home of the world-famous (or at least China-famous) Tsingtao beer.

What I neglected to mention was the fact that Tsingtao sells these beer peanuts that are SO SO TASTY. Seriously, they are so good. They have a subtle curry flavor and a delightful crunch.

The sad thing: they are only sold at the Tsingtao brewery store ... IN QINGDAO.

I have not given up hope, though, of finding these scrumptious Tsingtao peanuts in Beijing, although preliminary Google and Ebay searches have been fruitless.

Quest for Popeye's

2006-09-20T12:27:00.000-04:00

I recently dreamt about KFC. But now, I'm craving Popeye's chicken and biscuits. Especially the biscuits. Chinese KFCs do not have biscuits, despite large pictures of them all over the walls. Quite cruel, if you ask me.

So it looks like the nearest city that has Popeye's is Dalian (大连), a 10 hour train ride for about $50 RT, or a 1 hour flight for about $150 RT. I'm seriously contemplating this. It's a very difficult decision.

Is it worth it for a $5 bucket of spicy cajun fried chicken and savory biscuits?

For Eddy

2006-09-18T03:38:00.000-04:00

Today is the day before tomorrow. Specifically, tomorrow being the start of a new term. So today, there are lots of anxious new students, scrambling to figure out everything such as visas, where to get a bike, how to get to the dining hall, etc.

Just last term I remember thinking, how am I going to get through this? I can't read at all. My spoken Chinese is pitiful. Even when I find the place to, say, get my dining card, I can't communicate well enough to tell them what I want to do.

Somehow, I muddled through it. And now, it all feels old hat. There's something cleansing about starting anew.

So today, I'm going to go take care of a few minutiae. Get my tennis racquet restrung and regripped. Maybe buy some fruit. Did my laundry... check. It's funny how I always feel so accomplished just by doing some of these little things. If I just go out and buy milk I feel like I've done something important. Maybe because it's so easy to just sit at home and do nothing, and have hours and sometimes days pass you by.

KFC

2006-09-18T03:37:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure if it's due to the domination of the fast-food market, or because it's ever so tasty, but I dreamt about fried chicken last night. Specifically, fried chicken from KFC.

It's really a strange phenomenon in China, but KFC is considered a high-end sort of place; it's where you go to show off your wealth, and where a lot of first dates happen.

Since I always took my first dates to KFC in the U.S., I must be ahead of the curve.

Choose your own adventure

2006-09-13T04:12:00.000-04:00

If I asked those of you that know me well what words you would use to describe me, I'm sure one of them would not be "adventurous".

Actually, I'd really rather not know the words you all would use to describe me.

Some of you have passions like volleyball, or riding your bike in riverside park, or restoring old clock towers. Maybe even dining out, or retinas. Me? I'd be perfectly content sitting on the couch watching an entire season of Alias while consuming a "Family Size" bag of dark russet potato chips. In fact, I'd say that's my preferred activity.

Even though my natural state is one of idleness, somehow, I've ended up taking a non-traditional route up to now. Whereas most of my friends have done some variation of school-job-school-career, or school-school-career, often living near home or near their alma mater, somehow I've ended up in three U.S. cities and now one half-way around the world.

Sometimes I wish I had done something more traditional. I wonder how my life would have turned out.

The Night Bus

2006-09-11T04:47:00.000-04:00

One thing that makes China special is with over a billion people, and lots of places to go, you come across interesting transport options.

You can often find the newest Audis and Lexuses driving alongside makeshift three-wheeled motorcarts and horse-drawn carraiges.

An option that I particularly like is the concept of an overnight train or bus. If these were available in the U.S., I would definitely take them! If you think about it, you can travel somewhere really far away (say, from New York to Chicago), a trip that is usually 14+ hours by car and 3+ hours by plane, overnight. You go to bed on the train or bus, and you wake up at your destination. Awesome.

China's complete lack of concern for public safety has also allowed the invention of the sleeper bus. Beds on buses! It works in a pinch. Also, with over a billion people, you get used to being in tight quarters. On my sleeper bus from Qingdao back to Beijing last night, a group that was desperate to get back to Beijing ended up taking spots in the aisles. So I was literally shoulder to shoulder with a random old Chinese woman. How's that for traveling in style?

Packaging engineering at its best

2006-09-05T11:11:00.000-04:00

In the US, you see some necessary compromises when it comes to packaging. Some space is wasted in order to protect the product, for example, in bags of potato chips, a certain volume is air to keep the chips from turning into potato dust.

In China, this is taken to a whole other level with cereals. You see a relatively small box of cereal. You expect at least 75% of the box to be ... cereal. What you find instead is a sealed bag that takes up 50% of the volume in the box filled 50% with cereal. This is why Chinese people are thin. Calorie-dense foods like hamburgers and potato chips are just too damn expensive!

Bristow vs. Bauer

2006-09-02T09:13:00.000-04:00

I've just recently started watching 24. I discovered quickly why it's called 24. It's hard not to spend 24 hours a day watching 24. There are very few shows that have this effect on me-- but one of them was Alias. I think my record was 6 episodes of Alias in a row, and I stopped only because my ass really hurt and my bladder tore a little.

There's no doubt: Jack Bauer is one tough mofo. After all, he singlehandedly took out an entire room full of hostiles, who were expecting him.

However, after careful thought and reflection, I still have only one conclusion: Sidney Bristow is badder than Jack will ever be.

I say "still" because a friend who is a big 24 fan tried to convince me that Jack is the mother of all mofos. His credibility on this issue has been damaged because 1) he's never seen Alias and 2) he's so so wrong.

Chatty Kathies

2006-08-26T07:40:00.000-04:00

I'm not very talkative, sometimes. In general, I like to listen, think through my thoughts before verbalizing them. I also find that I get to know people best through time, no t by asking 20 questions. It's actually something I mean to work on, since I have trouble engaging people right off the bat.

But there are times when I think silence is warranted. For example, when I am on a long flight. Or when I'm in a taxi going home after a long day. The worst is when the taxi driver is chatty. In China it's particularly bad, because I can't understand them through their thick accents half the time, and the other half of the time, I just plain don't understand. So I just smile and nod, but they keep asking me questions and I feel obligated to at least acknowledge the interaction.

I wish people would just get the drift sometimes. Stop talking to me! There's no point to this conversation! Is there?

A new phobia

2006-08-20T04:46:00.000-04:00

I think I am afraid of clowns.

Plain view

2006-08-16T03:38:00.000-04:00

In China, everyone, whether they want to or not, is intimately acquainted. Since drying machines are either ineffective or unavailable, almost everyone line dries their clothes. This means that everyone has seen everyone's unmentionables.

That means whites have to be kept more than white, and colors have to be kept their original color. Maybe this indicates China is a more "open" society than most think.

Not so rose-colored glasses

2006-08-04T10:57:00.000-04:00

I always thought that if something felt good at the time you did it, it should stay good. For example, if you had an awesome time at a concert, but your car got stolen while you were at the concert, the concert should still have been an awesome time.

Likewise, say, you don't tell someone something until after a dinner, or a party, so they have a good time there. When you tell them later, does it erase the good time they had?

Unfortunately, it seems so. My last 6 months in China were great... up until the 5th month or so. Now, my entire China experience feels shitty. When I think back on it, I know I felt really great at the time, but now I can only feel regret, or disappointment.

It sucks that feelings are retroactive.

Rememberies

2006-08-03T09:30:00.000-04:00

People often say I have more beauty products than a girl, and while I contest that assertion, I do like to moisturize my hands. And there's a very good reason for that.

I once got ringworm on my hand (it's like athlete's foot on your hand) in the first few months of teaching when I first started with Teach For America.  It was the first time I used chalk a lot, and my hands were very dry from the chalk. That's apparently one good way to get ringworm, dry, chapped hands. So after I cured my ringworm, I started to moisturize my hands like crazy.  I'm teaching at a camp in a poor Chinese school in the outskirts of Beijing, so I've been writing a lot with chalk for the first time in a few years.

I got involved in this camp through a group in China that focuses on enhancing the lives of migrant children. Migrant children are in a very precarious situation in China, straddling the grey, murky area of the law. Technically, it is illegal for people in China to leave their hometown or province without the proper paperwork (e.g. if they get into a university in another province).

Well, there are probably hundreds of thousands, if not millions of migrant workers in China, busily digging and building for the 2008 Olympics. Well, since they're not technically allowed here, their children can't go to the local public schools. Where do the children go? Turns out local businessmen open up "black market" private schools.

So far, the children are great. They are so bright, and full of energy, it's really a shame that they are relegated to less than stellar education. I just hope I can help make their experience with the camp a good one.

That Place

2006-07-31T04:22:00.000-04:00

I envy all of you who have a "place". I don't have a place. I have nowhere that I feel so intimately attached to that leaving would manifest itself as physical ailment. No place that feels like "home", no city to call my own.

For a lot of you, it's California, or Chicago, or New York.

I've now spent time in: California, New York, New Jersey, Atlanta, Chicago, Taiwan, Malaysia, Beijing, Hong Kong, and London.

None of them are mine. Yet. I'm not sure I can ever put down roots in just one place, and be content, like the hordes of people that never even venture beyond the borders of their hometown.

Or maybe, home really is where the heart is. So where is mine?

The return of masculinity?

2006-07-06T18:36:00.000-04:00

I'm a big fan of Tucker Max. Even though he's a self-described, and from the sounds of it, real-life asshole, I find his stories to be hilarious.

Hypocritical, perhaps, because I disagree with most of his views and his outlook on life. Most recently, he wrote about a fellow internet star's new book, called "The Alphabet of Manliness". And, predictably, Tucker goes on a rant about the return of masculinity and how everyone should fuck off.

But somehow, Tucker believes stereotypical masculinity somehow equates with being a "man". I believe firmly that the two are mutually exclusive. Just as being really feminine has nothing to do with being a woman, being really masculine has nothing to do with being a man.

What exactly is being masculine anyway? Must it be what Tucker embodies? Must it mean a complete and utter lack of empathy, being self-absorbed and a lack of sensitivity? Granted I don't know Tucker personally, but you get the idea quick once you start reading his site. It would seem from his rant that he does believe he represents what it means to be "manly".

Later, he blogs about finding a girl to do his laundry, for free, for sex, or for barter (a couple of the books he's written, for example). At one point, he says in response to why he gets a girl to come do his laundry, "BECAUSE I FUCKING CAN". I figure that's the attitude that Tucker would like to think makes him more of a man than the next. I think it's pretty sad, not only that he does this, but that he thinks it makes him superior in some way.

Back

2006-07-02T10:30:00.000-04:00

After a 20+ hour trip, I'm finally back in the U.S. It was really only supposed to be a 15ish hour trip, but as my luck would have it, my flight was delayed 3 hours before departure, and then delayed another hour upon arrival. There is nothing worse than to be 10 minutes from landing (after a 12 hour flight) and then being told that you'll be in a holding pattern for 30-40 minutes.

A long wait to get through customs, and finally... freedom!

I have about a week and a half before I head to childhood friend Jason's wedding. Got to enjoy my time as much as possible while I'm here!

Requiem

2006-06-30T22:26:00.000-04:00

NU's Coach Walker died last night. He was good for NU football, and I had high hopes for this season. Now, who knows what will happen? Sincerest condolences to his family.

Spock's Dilemma

2006-05-26T14:46:00.000-04:00

Rational thought is what separates homo sapiens from other species, right?

So why do feelings conflict so often with rational thought?

It's not that the logic isn't sound, it's that it's just not how I feel. I feel something so contrary to logic that it's hard to convince myself of the truth. And even when I finally see clearly the soundness of the logic, I still can't wrestle my mind away from irrational emotion.

Some part of me knows that it's also this emotion that sets us apart, that makes us human, that makes life worth living. They say that you have to take the highs with the lows in order to truly live. It just so often feels like the lows outnumber the highs, or that there won't be enough highs coming to ever balance the lows.

2006-05-18T04:38:00.000-04:00

It's been quite a while since I last posted, and this time it's not because there is nothing to post about. So much has happened in the last few months that it's difficult to know where to start.

First, I'm learning a lot-- not only about China and Chinese, but about myself. I no longer feel like a guest in someone's house, but almost like I belong here. It's actually the closest I've felt to actually belonging somewhere.

So the next question I usually get is, 'Do you plan on staying in China?' The truth is, I don't know. But it's no longer outside the realm of possibility.

There's also something liberating about living in a foreign country. I don't feel as restricted by societal norms, and I'm more willing to try new things. After all, I'm a foreigner; I don't know any better! At the same time, since I look Chinese, I can blend in when I want to, and simply disappear into the backdrop of 1.5 billion people.

Recently returned from a 2-week trip to Sichuan province. It was one of the most memorable times of my life, not only because of the breathtaking vistas but also because of my travel companions, some of whom have become rather good friends. I think I'll actually be sad when the semester comes to a close and everything scatters into the wind.

China on $50 a weekend

2006-03-20T21:54:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I took a mini-trip to Chengde, a medium sized city about 4 hours by train from Beijing.

Some highlights:

Taking the bus is slow, frustrating and cramped. Buses apparently have no regulations and regularly pick up random passengers who wait by freeway entrances in an effort to make an extra buck. We wasted almost 2 hours because our bus was trying to pick up passengers.
Bargaining really is an art. You can even bargain for the hotel room. The place we stayed in the first night made a huge show of how much nicer they were than another place down the street, even saying "We guarantee 24 hour hot water!". Untrue. Yay cold showers.
The Imperial Summer Villa was breathtaking. It's good to be Emperor.
Temples everywhere. We only saw two. Turns out nowadays, temples = gift shops.
Almost got into a fistfight because a taxi driver tried to cheat us out of 1.60 RMB (approximately $0.20).
Called the local authorities on a breakfast place for trying to cheat us out of 20 RMB (~$2.50)
Tried Chinese white wine, 8 RMB a bottle (~$1). Only 56% alcohol, but went down like fire. I'll stick to 151.
Entire trip cost (2 nights): 450 RMB (~$56)

Beautiful

2006-03-06T21:45:00.000-05:00

Today marks at least the fourth or fifth time someone has commented on how nice my skin looks. Mostly because I am white as a sheet, and as it turns out, pale is the new tan in Asia.

So all those in the US who said I always looked sickly and pale, IN YOUR FACE!

All bicycles go to heaven

2006-03-03T04:25:00.000-05:00

Of course you hear about how everyone in China rides bicycles everywhere-- but it has to be seen to be believed.

I thought I could get away without a bicycle. 'I'll walk everywhere!' I told myself, indignantly. I caved within a day. The campus is enormous and it takes at least 30 minutes to walk anywhere. Even on bicycle, it takes at least 10 minutes.

Given some large proportion of a at least 1.5 billion people ride bicycles, it follows that there would be a healthy industry built around bicycles. The difference between China and the U.S. is that this industry isn't built around new bicycles, but rather, old bicycles. You can't go more than a mile without seeing a bicycle repair shop. And most people ride old bicycles, or, if you pay a little more, new bicycles that have been professionally made to look old.

Apparently, there is a lot of thievery in China, especially of bicycles. A friend of mine, who bought a rather shitty second-hand bicycle, had his stolen within a matter of days. Granted, it was unlocked, but it was parked in a well-lit place around a lot of people. He thought his bike was too shitty to be stolen, and was very wrong.

Given that everyone rides bicycles, there is also some need for bicycle-pooling, because it's not always convenient to find parking. So, often you will see someone riding on the back of the bicycle. (Every bicycle comes with a little luggage rack above the rear wheel) I hope that one day, I will make it big, and be able to afford a bicycle with a cushion on the back. Then, I'll be able to attract the ladies.

I ended up getting a beauty of a clunker. Pictures to come.

2006-02-28T16:10:00.000-05:00

Some quick observations about Beijing:

- The perception that Asian people are short is not true here. Everyone is at least 5'10.

- Food is cheap. Especially at the university. I can eat a complete meal at dinnertime for the equivalent of $0.60. This is with food left over.

- Taxi drivers are more reckless than in NYC. I don't know how it's possible, but it is.

- Ramen is better here. Really.

Korean as a second language

2006-02-19T10:51:00.000-05:00

In my class of foreign students in the Chinese language progam, approximately 70% are Korean. Another 20% are Japanese and the remainder represents the rest of the world. My entire floor is Korean with the exception of myself. I do wonder why it seems that all the Koreans on my floor smoke - the downside being that they tend to leave all the windows in their rooms and corridors open overnight, making the building very, very frigid. Oh, and they seem to all know each other, judging by the nightly parties that go on down the hall.

A good thing is that the majority of the English speakers that I've met are British or Australain - so they have quite the sexy accent. Yes, even the guys. There's actually one fellow who has the same mannerisms and speech pattern as Hugh Grant, and resembles him to boot. In any case, most people that know me know that along with my search for a girl over 6' tall that will date me, is one that also has an English accent. Instant +2 pts. Even better is that there are actually overseas Chinese from the UK and Australia with said accents. WOW.

I didn't know quite what to expect in terms of living space prior to coming to China. I had gone to Taiwan before and lived in a student dormitory at "Ocean University", which was quite the character builder. If you turned to face the bunk bed across from you, you could feel your roommate breathing on you. And it was the first time I had encountered "sea cockroaches". Like actual cockroaches that roam the beaches, and occasionally your dormitory room. Of course, we had to use squatters. My squatting skills are actually squat, so I had a very difficult time, plus I have knee problems. Fortunately, I found the lone sit down toilet on an uninhabited upper floor that was my little secret.

But the dormitories here are actually quite good - at least the ones for foreign students are. I have my own room, my own bathroom, nice bed coverings, etc. It's fairly new and kept clean. They actually clean your room daily, and wash your bedsheets for you once a week. The bad part is that they start at 8am sharp and they need to get their cleaning equipment from the room directly adjacent to mine.

The weather hasn't been terrible, but the evenings have been somewhat cold. My room in particular has been chilly, and I thought it was the norm until some of the other students mentioned that their rooms are so warm they can walk around in their underoos. It turns out in order to get the room to 15-20 degrees Celsius, I had to turn the thermostat up to 30 degrees Celsius. By now, I should have known to try that earlier.

I've been here not yet a week, but somehow, it feels much longer. I feel like every day is an adventure. It's quite exciting.

The First Days

2006-02-16T03:42:00.000-05:00

It's currently my fourth day in China and I'm starting to get settled. I mean, I still can't really figure out what people are saying half the time, or what anything that's in written form says, but I am hopeful I will be able to make quick progress.

I really didn't appreciate the freedoms I had in the United States until I came here - you don't really realize the value of, say, "freedom of speech" or "freedom of the press" until you lose it. When I watch the news, I wonder if it's been censored (probably) and when I talk to people, I have to be careful that I don't say anything inflammatory. That shouldn't be a problem, I guess, if I stick to mundane topics like the weather or how wonderful Chinese culture is.

As a result of my big Chinese brother always watching, I've become obsessed with internet security and anonymity. My travails have led me to Tor, an application designed to anonymize your traffic. I've also set up an SSH tunnel to a computer in the US, so at least I know that I'm not being spied on until I get there (I think maybe only one person reading this blog will appreciate what an SSH tunnel does).

Although, with the Bush administration's penchant for lies and deception, I am certain that federal agents would swoop down upon my parents if I uttered any suspicious phrases. But at least I can talk about the Bush administration being sneaky! There is tremendous freedom in that.

Here is a snippet from the handbook for international students:

"It is forbidden to organize an illegal gathering on campus. The organizers of lectures, speeches, parties and similar gatherings of international students should apply to the university authorities for formal approval 72 hours prior to the commencing of the activities."

Digging their own graves

2006-02-08T16:42:00.000-05:00

You know how sometimes a person will overreact to something, and it seems like a completely expected reaction to that person, but not to anyone else? For example, once I and a few other people were late to holiday dinner (and I am working on my tardiness, seriously) - and the hostess lost it and shut down for the rest of the night. Oh, and she also stopped talking to me and cut off all ties. She obviously feels that it was a valid reaction, and while I don't discount her feelings, think it was a bit over the top.

This is how I feel about the violent protests in the Middle East and other Islamic countries over the recent Danish cartoon depicting the prophet Mohammed with a bomb in his turban. Sure, I get that it's an affront to Islam and that it's offensive on a deep level to Muslims because a) it's an artistic rendering of the prophet Mohammed, which is apparently not OK in Islam and b) it's Mohammed with a bomb.

But I wonder what the people protesting are truly mad about. Are they upset that a picture was drawn of Mohammed? Are they mad that a Western cartoonist seems to be mocking Islam? Or are they mad that there's a grain of truth in that cartoon that stirs feelings of shame and guilt (that then get translated into anger and riots)?

From what little history I can recall, violent protests have never really accomplished anything positive. The most successful movements have been peaceful: Gandhi and India's movement for independence, MLK Jr., Rosa Parks, et al. and the civil rights movement, women's suffrage, etc. Unless you're willing to wage all-out war (a la the American Revolution, Chinese Cultural Revolution), violence doesn't seem all that smart.

The dilemma for developing Middle Eastern and Islamic nations is that they have to find a way to develop while making a case for them to govern using Islamic law. Right now, all I see from that region of the world is violence, for example, over a cartoon.

In Speilberg's recent movie, Munich, the protagonist Avner by a strange twist of fate comes face to face with a group of Palestinian terrorists in the same safe house. Avner ends up talking to the leader of the Palestinian group about why the Palestinians use terrorism to advance their cause, to which the Palestinian explains that it's the only way they have to make the world take notice and pay attention to the plight of the Palestinian people.

Ultimately, I think this is a doomed approach. The very people you are trying to get the attention of see only death and destruction in the name of your religion and its God. They see seemingly soulless men and women who justify suicide bombings with false notions of martyrdom. They see the murder of thousands of innocent people around the world to avenge the deaths of allegedly innocent Muslims. None of this makes sense in a civilized sense. You don't get people to sympathize with you by killing their family, friends, countrymen. At best, they fear you. At worst, they turn against you and want to eradicate you and your religion off the face of the planet. It seems that the sentiment is somewhere between ambivalent and the worse option.

I don't know what the solution is, but I do know that with each suicide bomb and terrorist attack that occurs, I have less and less sympathy for the very people and causes those attacks are meant to champion.

Happy day

2006-02-02T18:09:00.000-05:00

Today, something happened that brought a huge smile to my face. I couldn't believe my good fortune.

I found a box of snack puddings that I bought a while back, but had forgotten about. You know how sometimes you reach in your pocket, and you find a five dollar bill that you didn't expect, and you feel like you are, like, so rich? This is better. What a happy day.

Madhouse

2006-01-30T15:53:00.000-05:00

Have you been to a Wal-Mart lately? It seems like the local Wal-Mart has become not only a place for great bargains on everything from honey roasted peanuts to contact lens solution, but also a complete zoo.

I went to Wal-Mart on Sunday for some basic necessities: shampoo, razors, etc. You could not turn around without bumping into someone. The line at the returns/exchanges counter was 5-10 people deep at all times, and there were at least three people rummaging at each discount/sale bin.

Some people I know love the action - hence shopping for anything in Chinatown or going to DSW. I hate shopping with so many people around. I like to take my time, compare prices, examine the quality and craftsmanship of each and every bobble-head, without the worry of being run over by shopping carts.

The worst part was that the two things I was really hoping to get were both out of stock. Who knew Clear Care and Neutrogena Hand Cream (fragrance-free) were so popular?

It's all the same?

2006-01-23T11:31:00.000-05:00

I like to save money as much as the next guy. In fact, some people I know even describe me as frugal. Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with frugality, it's just smart not to throw your money away. So for many things, I tend to buy generic, especially consumables. I'll buy generic glass cleaner, toothbrushes, etc.

But, there are some things for which the generic version just doesn't cut it. Here are some examples:

Toilet paper. Generic toilet paper is often micro-thin, and only comes in packages of 20. You may as well use your fingers... for a long time.

Cereal. This really should be the bread and butter of generic purchases, but "toasty o's" and "cinnamon square crunch" just doesn't taste the same. Not even close.

Contact lens solution. Even though I know that the generic version has the same formulation, I just don't trust it. I'll take generic aspirin, ibuprofen, etc. But somehow, I just can't bring myself to put generic solution in my eyes. My favorite so far: Clear Care by Ciba Vision - I don't think there's even a generic version of this yet; it acts like the old AOSept system that really cleans your lenses well. Try it if your contacts feel uncomfortable.

Peanut butter. Only JIF for me. Maybe it's the marketing, but I really think JIF tastes better. It tastes more peanut-y and smoother, and doesn't taste as sweet as generic peanut butter.

Interestingly enough, the generic version of honey roasted peanuts that Wal-Mart sells actually tastes better than Planters. I like to get the 2 lbs. value pack. Mmmm mmmm.

Rain on the parade

2005-12-30T18:23:00.000-05:00

Well, it seems Northwestern won't be able to pull it off after all - it's 43-38 UCLA with 0:00:23 left. With the onside kick as our only chance, it doesn't look good at all. I can't deny that it was painful to watch NU lose a 22-0 lead, but I take solace in that it was a much better showing than in any of our last two bowl games where we were completely blown out.

The best thing about Wildcat fans is that we all have hope. At the end of the 4th, with only 0:02:00 or so left, most of the UCLA stands were empty. The other side was packed with Purple. We'll keep hoping until we win our second bowl in 50 years. It will happen.

Sunny side of the street, part II

2005-12-30T17:37:00.000-05:00

After a spectacular 1st quarter, Northwestern is down by 11 in the 4th. I believe we can still pull this off - and if we do, it'll be a huge coup by a scrappy NU team.

Waiting with bated breath...

Extra, extra

2005-12-16T00:14:00.000-05:00

Today I wrapped my first day of a movie shoot. Ok, it wasn't really a movie... more like a small, independent film. Fine. It was a transit security training video. Still, it had a camera crew, lighting, sound, director, actors, other extras, the works! It had everything except stuntmen and special effects.

Not a bad gig, if you ask me. It's perfect for people who get a lot of time off and want to make a few extra bucks without committing to a longer term job, e.g. Alaska fishermen, students, housewives/husbands, retirees.

My new life goal is to be an extra in a zombie movie. Ughhhh.. Ahhhh!

Who cares, it's just a joke.

2005-12-06T00:10:00.000-05:00

I used to hear it all the time when I was in college and active in publicizing social issues. The apathetic majority's response to activism was usually along the lines of "Get over it. It's just a joke." or "There's too much political correctness. Get a life!"

What's ironic is that I've said that myself about some issues, usually issues I care little about. I suspect the same is true of many other people. You don't care until you do, so to speak.

Five or six years ago, Abercrombie & Fitch came out with a line of T-shirts that had slogans that made fun of Asians. An example: "Wong Brothers Laundry-- Two Wongs can make it white." One company official even said that they thought that Asians would love the shirts. Well, many Asians didn't, and made some noise, demonstrating outside Bay Area stores. The response from White America, and White-washed Asians? The typical "It's just for fun" bullshit. We got the same response when a hateful email was posted to a fraternity listserv at my university around the same time. I think the problem is that if you let jokes based on stereotypes become socially acceptable outside of friends, then it becomes much more pernicious.

Anyway, recently, Abercrombie came out with yet another slew of offensive T-shirts. This time, the shirts were offensive to girls. Slogans included "Who needs brains when you've got these?" (across the chest), "Give me something to scream about" and "Blonds are adored, brunettes are ignored". So some high school girls have organized a "girlcott" and have even met with top Abercrombie executives.

Personally, I think they're kind of funny and don't really care one way or the other about the T-shirts. Maybe they should just get over it-- it's just a joke.

Writer's block

2005-12-04T23:18:00.000-05:00

I have a running list of blog topics. Some, I think, are pretty good. They're variegated, sometimes controversial, and hopefully interesting to most people.

So why don't I post more? Well, there's actually a good chunk of the topics that I just haven't worked up the nerve to write yet, because I know they will likely be offensive. I know there are a few people who drop by now and then who don't know who I am but know me through other people, and they will very likely be offended. Close friends probably wouldn't be offended, and know that I'm pretty much incapable of evildoing.

Other topics are so complex that I haven't been able to work out a decent post (which I know hasn't stopped me from posting at times before), or are topics for which I probably couldn't contribute something original.

And lastly, sometimes I just don't feel like posting, even though I can have a lot of nothing to say.

On the Sunny Side of the Street

2005-12-04T23:03:00.000-05:00

So Northwestern is going to the Sun Bowl against UCLA. I'm pulling for a good showing this year - maybe we'll even win?

Anyone planning on going?

The size epidemic

2005-11-26T01:55:00.000-05:00

My dad felt the need to brave vicious shoppers today, all for a 15% off coupon at Macy's. So I tagged along since I needed some performance athletic clothing. I was immediately reminded of two things: everything that is on sale is something someone else wouldn't pay full price for (and thus, usually undesirable) and the smallest size available is L. If you are 2XL you are in luck - shopping sales is your Candyland.

I figure there must be some huge garbage dump out there that is composed solely of 2XL and 3XL+ size clothes. Everytime I go shopping, all I see are huge sizes. 40x36 pants. XXXL shirts. Why aren't there clothes for normal sized folk? I guess I should remember that America the beautiful is also America the obese. And full of gargantuan descendants of Nordics and Africans. It's possible that when your ancestors subsisted on low-nutrient content rice and handfuls of vegetables, with the occasional chicken that there isn't a strong selecting force for 6'4", 250 lb people. I think this might make a nice segue into my rant on the whole "theory of evolution" vs. "'intelligent' design" debate. Rant coming up soon.

Well slap a feather on and call me 'Polly'

2005-11-23T09:46:00.000-05:00

I'll be damned. Somehow, the computers that generate the BCS rankings spit out Northwestern as No. 25. If that's not proof that there's something seriously wrong with how the BCS rankings are calculated, then I don't know what is.

I don't really get how we ended up ahead of teams that got more votes than we did in all the polls (maybe something to do with conference strength and who we've beaten?) but it's neat nonetheless.

They have one more chance for redemption

2005-11-20T17:55:00.000-05:00

So the Cats won against Illinois. Not unexpected, but done so in the usual NU fashion: a mish-mash of a victory. NU would do well to continue to hone its offense and really beef up the defense, and they would be true contenders. Maybe they should even relax their admission standards for good defensive recruits?

In any case, we'll see how they do in their bowl, be it the Music City bowl or whatever. If they win, it will be big, big news.

Also, Cal won by more than three touchdowns over Stanford. Why couldn't they have put up a performance like that last week?

And it has come to an end

2005-11-13T09:11:00.000-05:00

After a long and illustrious sports betting career, I am retiring. If nothing else, the games were much more interesting. I even got emotionally invested in some of them. A few games even made me cry.

DAMN YOU CAL.

2005-11-12T19:17:00.000-05:00

Couldn't you even put up a measly 14 points? Ayoob needs to grow some balls.