Today is the last day of the year. This past year has been quite memorable. I've
befriended some great people. There are others I could care less about...just kidding! Did I fulfill my new year resolutions?
The biggest commitment I set for myself was to discontinue using my debit card for purchases. Instead, I use my credit
card. It has worked out quite well. I have a balance that gets paid off at the end of the month.
In return for using the credit cards, I accumulate points that turn into cash back. I also moved funds from my bank's savings account
to a high-interest savings account elsewhere. ING pays me to put money in their bank account. Okay, enough about my
finances. I have a long way to go. Dr. Sharma, you pretty much hit the jackpot with those pictures. Next time, make sure you
get permission from the photographer before printing them. All my images are copyrighted. Chang, I'll get you some henna
for the body art. We'll try to match the designs to those on your Indian costume and big shoes. My little apartment can be liberal, but
I live with a couple Republicans. How was Popeye's?
December 30, 2007
I wore eyeglasses all day yesterday. I didn't style my hair. My face remained unshaven. I wore
the same clothes I wore to sleep the night before. I hung out at my sister and brother in law's house down the street for most of my day.
Julie called me at 10PM to see if I wanted to go out. I turned her down because I'd have to clean up and look presentable to leave Marrero.
Of all days to bum around the hood, it was a Saturday! Mom kept the food coming. Chu Hong adjusted us on his chiropractic table.
I saw "Children of Men". Can we really become infertile in the near future? Edwards, Obama, and H. Clinton are tied going into the Iowa
Caucus. It's raining outside. Tonight's NY Giants and New England Patriots game aired on two network channels: CBS and NBC. Was one
channel not enough? I always thought a game can only be televised on one channel. It was odd changing channels and seeing the same
thing. Geri, how is Haiti? Do I really need to go to church today? Speaking of which, it's a holy day of obligation on new year's day.
Going to Sundays is good enough. Why do we need to add on these days of obligations and other secondary holy days? Ronald, the article
you sent amused me. If you don't return my DVDs, I'll contact the three credit bureaus and notify them accordingly...KIDDING! My dad used
plastic to replace a broken glass window. It was that or wait a couple more weeks for real glass. I'm glad he resolved that problem. I hate
being told what to do. It's one of my pet peeves along with people who don't return e-mails, phone calls, and nasty people who shall
remain nameless.
December 29, 2007
John, I feel your pain. If you need me to "Western Union" some funds, just
let me know. You can always pay me back when you become a high-level diplomat. I weighed myself last night. Either
the scale was wrong or I gained five pounds within a week. My parents have an elliptical machine, but I hate using it because I'm more
of a treadmill guy. It's just a few more days until I return to fast-walking NY. I will continue with my intake of
fatty foods. I can hold off on the cardio for now. I watched "Elizabeth" last night. I saw the movie years ago, yet I vaguely
remember the scenes. Mariah Carey called yesterday asking for her clothes back. Hong, it was good to see you
after a couple years. Thank you for being our food vacuum. Melanie, I'll remember not to talk to you when you have several
shots of sake. Brad, same goes for you after drinking so much scotch. It is not nice to pay your cab ride with a credit card.
December 28, 2007
Has it been a week of no work? This week went by so fast. I remembered
dreading the month of December to end. Karen and I would count down the days of December. The day before we went on
vacation, we counted down the hours. 4PM seemed so far away from 9AM. Instead of eating out last night, we ordered
to go from TLC Cafe. I ate corn and crab bisque and an oyster poboy. Tonight, we will finally check out Gimchi, the newest
Korean restaurant in town. I have my eye appointment later. I'm not sure how I will get my eye contacts. Since my
prescription is so strong, it's likely they won't have my contacts in stock.
December 27, 2007
I used my last two AMC movie vouchers to watch "Atonement" last night. It
was amazing how they found three different people who looked almost identical. The evil little girl should win an acting award.
It's the Golden Globe nominations that I meant to talk about, not the Academy award. Mikimoto sushi is affordable and
delicious. Sorry, I can't think of any other adjectives. I stocked up on some goods at Super Walmart, which is non-existent in
New York. They are already selling king cakes. Anh Linh, good luck on your move. We'll see you on the east coast. Addison
only wants his mommy or ba (grandma). I don't have much to report today. Sorry to disappoint you, Miss Pheezy. Pakistan's
former prime minister died from a suicide attack. Bhutto was the leading opponent against the current regime in Pakistan.
I get my news from yahoo.com. Their headlines are a good mix of world and local news. Let's not forget their dose of
celebrity gossip too.
December 26, 2007
Yesterday, I started the day with mass at 9AM since we didn't attend Christmas
Eve service. Nine Roses was closed so we ate Chinese food at Double Dragon. I couldn't finish my Mandarin Chicken. You
can only get that dish in the New Orleans area. I met up with Julie and saw a chick flick. Hilary Swank can cry on queue like
it ain't no thing. Cafe East was dead. We went back to Julie's and watched a couple more movies. It was stressful for Julie
to watch the commie flick. "To Live" seemed easy compared to what Dan went through with her An, Comb, Flood, and Rich.
We ate some very spicy crawfish while watching the movies. I drove home via Airline Highway. During my drive
back, I realized that my mom never renewed her brake tag. It expired on November 2007 and we are at the end of
December. I told my mom this morning and she freaked out. She and my dad are usually on top of getting things renewed,
especially brake tags. I'm surprised none of the cops saw the expired brake tag. I am to get my new jeans hemmed up
today. Alex, thank you for your continued support.
December 25, 2007
Today is our Lord's birthday. Merry Christmas! I got almost everything on my wish list. The only missing item
was the name of a song. I am supposed to read another thick book. I'm not sure if I can finish it soon because
I need to prepare for the CIA exam. I can't put it off any more. Addison is our superstar in training. His aunt got him some
tools in preparation for his official debut at the next PBN. Celine's background dancers are weird. Mel, lay off of the mung
bean cakes. They can cause some serious headache if taken more than the recommended portion, which is one per sitting.
Eddie, thank you for adding to my "luxury" closet. I ate steak and salmon for lunch yesterday. It's been a long time since
I've eaten steak. I'm not big on red meat. Thao, you need to go away for school. Your parents will do fine without you
in the house. I feel bad for putting "evil" thoughts in your head. Julie, sorry I could not hang out last night. Yes, I'm not
artsy enough! I am not as impulsive as my brother. According to the tarot card reader in Vietnam, I am cheap. Mary,
thank you for looking up the info. It looks like you are not Maranatha! Brad, will you be eating Chinese food today?
I've been listening to the song below on serious repeat. Kudos to My Tam and Dam Vinh Hung for singing a classic Vietnamese
Christmas song. The Nguyens like to watch Celine perform live in Las Vegas as a Xmas Eve treat. Okay, not live...but on DVD.
December 24, 2007
I asked my parents this morning about Maranatha. They have no idea who that
thing or person is. They are bad Catholics! I could not get the dvd burner to work. I'll try to persuade my techie cousin to
help. Anh Hoang boiled some spicy crawfish last night. I think I ate five pounds of crawfish. I like to eat them cold much like
other food. My dad's IE stopped working because it kept asking for the recovery CD. The CD could not be located. I downloaded
Mozilla Firefox onto Chang's laptop. I burned the software to a DVD and CD. None of the drives on the computer worked.
I found a jump drive and saved Firefox on it. I transferred Firefox to my dad's laptop. He now has a browser to listen to his
Vietnamese radio programs. IE is out the door! We turned on the heater early this morning. The temperature dropped for the
past couple of days. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are busy coordinating relief work for the locals. The Saints lost again, but the
fans remain loyal. I wonder why. Geri made it safely to Haiti. Cooper 35 seems like an appropriate venue considering its
affordable drinks and food, easy accessibility, and loud music. I am off to my aunt and uncle's place in New Orleans East for
lunch today. I hear they like to eat nothing but steak. I hope they have an alternative dish. Addison cried for his mommy
this morning but she was MIA. Thermals rock!
December 23, 2007
Yesterday was ridiculously warm. I stepped out of Louis Armstrong and felt
the damp, warm weather. I had to peel two layers of jackets. I sort of saved the lasagna. We didn't get that crunchy
crust on top. No one really wanted to watch my movies. However, I am to burn copies of those movies. I'll go to Best Buy
today and see if they have blank DVDs on sale. Mass is at 8AM this morning.
December 22, 2007
Do I really need to give you a shout out? Making an all A's for your first semester
in grad school is not all that impressive. JUST KIDDING! Congratulations on a successful first semester, Mel! I'm sure your
subsequent semesters will have the same results. My flight to NOLA got in ten minutes early. We sat on the tarmac for
a few minutes. Chang is a slow driver. The blue shuttle people cancelled my van because of technical problems. I went on the train
and bus to get to LaGuardia. The trip took shorter than I expected. Security lines were not long at all. I made it to my
departure gate two hours before my flight. Addison welcomed me with open arms and a big smile. He and I played tea. He didn't care too much for the inflated weapons.
Mom had fried food ready for me. I probably gained five pounds in five minutes. I got full in less than 15 minutes. It's like
Chinese food. I'll end up getting hungry again in one hour.
December 21, 2007
Today's entry was posted later than normal. It's been a busy day even if it's the last
day before I go on vacation for two weeks. That's always the case. We ate at Gramercy Diner for lunch. I never had a liking
for this place. It's just a typical diner with boring food. However, I had an exciting dish today. I ate a grilled tuna sandwich
with sweet potato. I gave my free soft drink to Agnes. I got on the bus when returning to the office instead of walking with
the group. I had enough of cold weather from this morning's walk. Thanks to Pheezy's up-to-the-minute updates of events
here in New York, I saw "Nanking" last night...such a tragedy to see actual footage and personal accounts of surviving
witnesses on both sides. Tomorrow morning I leave the Big Apple for the Big Easy! I'm contemplating on whether to do one
carry-on as opposed to a bigger checked-in luggage. If I do the big one, it's guaranteed that I will have room to bring back my
mom's food. Checking in my luggage requires waiting at baggage claim, which I hate. Oh, another thing I hate is when
people take too long to use the restroom. Single restrooms are a majority here. If it's occupied, everyone else is screwed and
a long queue appears. How long does it really take to do a #1 and wash your hands? Less than 5 minutes should suffice. If
you're doing a #2, please tell me you couldn't wait until you got home. I knocked on the door of an occupied single restroom
once. The guy came out minutes later and was sniffing his nose. Apparently, he did more than a #1 in the restroom. Rafael
was too cheap to use real wrapping paper on me. Because he is a big recycler and I'm big on all things Asian, he decided
to use a Chinese take-out menu to wrap my gift. It was very appropriate! I am doing laundry right after work and freshening
up the place before my guests arrive next week.
December 20, 2007
Great...I now know how to play the umbrella game. I looked at China's map
the other day and noticed that Chongqing is a pretty big town. It must be nice having a big city nearby. I looked at some
possible routes to Vietnam. I can fly from JFK to Narita and from Narita to SGN. If I want to save $200, I can do four
connections instead of one. Is it really worth it? Having one stop is the best deal! Who knows where your luggage will end up
after moving from one plane to another. Cammy and Collin, I got your Christmas card! Thank you guys! Mel and Chang never
responded to the Gimchi e-mail for Saturday. I guess you guys are not down? Khanh, I am listening to your music clip
as I am writing this entry. You need to perform more often. You and Nhu can be the unofficial duet team of New York, much like
Nhu Quynh and Truong Vu of past PBNs. Kim Pheezy, get your cameramen and sound guy ready for my arrival on Saturday at
1PM. You'll have to sign a release waiver before we can begin shooting. I ran home in the rain yesterday. Febreeze killed
the damp smell. There are three cookies left from last week's batch. I'll save them for my AA flight to NOLA. I get excited when
I buy their snack box.
December 19, 2007
Britney's 16-year old sister is pregnant. I bet Britney's parents are happy to have
so many grandkids. The highlight of yesterday's holiday party at Kimmel was the dessert table. I think I tried everything on
that table except for the gingerbread houses. Were we supposed to eat those houses or were they for decorating? I would
have looked insane if I broke off a roof tile and munched on it. After the Kimmel party, I walked a few blocks south to
Lafayette St. and Spring. The AAAA had their holiday gathering at a bar. I stayed for one drink and left to catch the 6:15
screening of "Nanking". I ended up not watching the documentary. Instead, I had diner food and cheesecake at Sarge's deli in
Murray Hill. We thought we would see a celebrity at the famous deli, but it was a no-show. The 2nd Ave. Deli had
a line out the door. I had the a/c blasting
last night. When I woke up this morning, it was turned off. I have no recollection of turning it off. For breakfast this morning,
I ate a bialys with butter and coconut donut.
December 18, 2007
Congratulations, Chang! It looks like you'll have to wake up in the morning like everyone else
when you return to New York. John, I'm still lost. TL, you need to explain yourself. My "Oh?" comment requires a response.
Good call, Tammy! The food and drinks satisfied my hunger and thirst for alcohol. It's been a while since I drank. Geri, did
you get an awesome reading? Don't forget to get us the 411 by Friday. Wow, sleeping for 10 hours straight must have added
sanity to your existence. My dear friend did not follow through as he had planned. There will be another occasion in which to
redeem yourself. I'll be there for support. Today, I have a couple holiday parties to attend. I will refrain from alcohol because
I have business to attend to tonight.
December 17, 2007
Congratulations, Ian! All the best to you and your soon-to-be-wife! Who's going
to get hitched next? John, I am still in a dilemna. How does the umbrella game work? Please explain the game to me. I took
some time to write instructions for the grocery game. I would expect detailed instructions for your game. My shirts are getting
tight around the neck again. I had a very hard time buttoning the last top button this morning. I have one more present to get
and I am done with my Christmas shopping. Yes, we should say Merry Christmas! It is, after all, a Christian religion. For all those
who want us to say "Happy Holidays!", go call up your ACLU friend and wish him/her a Happy Holiday! Check out the new PBN!
It's all about the ladies...
December 16, 2007
I just got home from Vietnamese Idol. The winner came all the way from
Maryland. She won an IPOD Nano. Khanh, you should have competed. It was good to see everyone again after the last event.
Luckily it did not rain or snow during my commute home. We were too lazy to walk from 3rd Ave. to East End. A $5 cab ride
got us home. I am tired as I type this message. Hopefully, I can wake up early tomorrow morning to take advantage of Macy's
sale. I'm thinking of exchanging a gift for some fluffy pillows. My pillows are way too flat for my already flat head. Thao, I'll
see about training with you. I can definitely do a 5K run, but I'm not sure about anything longer than that. Yen, you and your
fellow turtles inspired me. Who knows...I may join you for the big ING race next year. Brad, your month of hell is coming to an
end. There are brighter days ahead. I expected more from Celine's big show in Las Vegas. I woke up at 11AM this morning.
Can you believe that? I slept around midnight last night. I wonder why I woke up so late. I could not find anything at Macy's
so I ended up getting a gift card. Herald Square was dead. Everyone was inside at Macy's. A Vietnamese cashier rang up
my purchase at Forever 21. She was a DANG! I ate kimchi fried rice at Woorijip. Yes, the "Lord of the Rings" series is excellent.
I'm surprised you are behind the times. You are usually at the top of your game. Working too many hours can deprive you
of mainstream pop culture.
December 15, 2007
I had planned on going to France and England next Spring. Because the US dollar
is very weak in Europe, I am having second thoughts. I looked at airfares to Vietnam. From JFK to SGN on United Airlines, a round
trip costs $1,400. Flying on Japan Airlines and Vietnam Airlines would be a $100 more. I might just visit the motherland.
My dollar would give me more bang for my buck in Vietnam. I went to the grocery store and picked up my dry cleaning
after work yesterday. I totally forgot to pick up my medicine at Duane Reade. This past week, I've met two other people who
live within a couple blocks from me. We all agreed that our neighborhood is only good for doing errands. To eat out and
"going out", we all go downtown. I had dinner at Butai last night. Joseph flirted with the waitress who happened to be unmarried,
yet her man is in Japan. He won the bet so Peter had to drink two glasses of cold water. By next year, Joel would have joined
a monastery. The bus was waiting for us at 79th and 3rd. If anyone plans on buying the Celine Dion DVD for Chang, do
not buy it. I bought it when it first came out. I gave it to her last night. I will bake two batches of chocolate chip cookies today
for the fundraising event tonight. I think we'll sell three cookies for $1. Associated has Nestle chocolate morsels on sale. I
bought a few bags to stock up.
December 14, 2007
The State Theater at Lincoln Center had seats up the wazoo! We sat on the
fourth balcony. They like to call these balconies "links". Luckily we sat on the edge because someone kept getting up to
use the restroom. Do not show up late to the ballet. They will make you wait outside until there is a break between scenes.
Some folks were locked out until the partygoers in "The Nutcracker" went home. Rafael got yelled at for eating
his sandwich before the show. A lady ate a salad during intermission. I wouldn't do the show again.
I led my fellow fourth linkers out the back entrance when the show ended. Chang took us through a tunnel that led to
the red line. The bus was waiting for us at Broadway and 79th St. I picked up a couple orders of white rice to eat with
vienna sausage. Yes, I eat canned food like everyone else. I read for a few minutes and went to sleep immediately.
December 13, 2007
Okay...so the show was great. It didn't seem long at all. The best scene was when
they combined all three songs into one. Somehow they all came together in the end. The giants in front of us blocked
some of our view. They were literally "shoulder to shoulder". If I continue to binge and do my daily cardio, I don't think I'll
end up like them. We are supposed to get up to three inches of snow today. I hope I explained the game in detail. Please do
not disclose it to others because it will ruin the game. You will eventually run into someone else who has played the
game. It's good to have at least two people who know the rules. More than half of my group figured out the game before the
three remaining players surrendered. Spice was able to accomodate us by adding a table. I felt a bit closed in with coats and
bags on one side and a living being on the other. People fought for cabs after the show. We walked up to 49th St and managed
to find cab as a passenger departed. Another couple wanted to go to the UWS so we couldn't share the cab with them. If you
guys watched "Transformers", check out the official score below.
December 12, 2007
Almost everyone got what they wanted from his/her Secret Santa. We played
the grocery shopping game again. We should call it a "shopping" game instead of grocery shopping. We ended up buying
furniture, toiletries, hunting goods, and pet supplies. Three people gave up before figuring out the game. Megan got it off the
bat. Is she a genius? I slept really early last night. We are supposed to get another batch of snow and sleet tomorrow.
Tonight we are doing "Curtains" starring David Hyde Pierce. Alqways buy your tickets online and suck it up when paying for
those online fees. I want guaranteed tickets!
December 11, 2007
To my #1 fan, thank you for your continued support. I think you're the only
one who visits my website daily. You should start your own blog. I'm curious to see if your beliefs and opinions collide with mine.
I gave up my ticket to the Knicks game so Chang and Richard can enjoy the Knicks vs. Mavs game. They left
before the game ended. I went to a Knicks game last year. I asked Tammy if I should wear a Knicks t-shirt or jersey. She
said not to do it because there are no Knicks fans. She was right. I showed up in my work clothes like everyone else. It's
really pathetic. The team does not have the home turf support. According to Chang, last night's audience cheered more for
the Mavs. When going to a Yankees game, it's the total opposite. Almost everyone wears a blue NY Yankees t-shirt. Who
would want to cheer for a losing team? Well, the Saints always had an awesome fan base even when they suck. They never
made it to the playoffs until recently, yet the fans continuously come out in black and gold. Today, we have our staff meeting and
holiday gift exchange. I have a feeling everyone knows his/her Secret Santa. Yes, I binge on food every now and then.
When people ask what are my hobbies, I want to reply by saying "Eating!". Does that count as a hobby?
December 10, 2007
Is it me or is Oprah Winfrey all over the place now? She traveled to Iowa to
promote Obama. She thinks he is the strongest candidate to head the executive office. I saw a portion of her speech. She
sounded "preachy" like Obama. HARPO (Oprah spelled backwards) Productions produced two movies. One was made for
TV and was aired yesterday on ABC. The other movie stars Denzel Washington as a college professor of a black school. Both
movies are of course inspirational and uplifting. I have a feeling Oprah and Google will rule the universe in less than 5 years.
The U.N. will report to them. Google will create a machine to control global warming. Oprah will be the person marketing the
machine to every government in the world. Presidential candidates in the U.S. must receive approval from Oprah and voting ballots are
done online at gvote.com. Facebook will come on the back end by issuing driver's licenses or identification cards for every
member in its online community or the world. Myspace will disappear because Facebook bought them out. LC was an idiot
for not going to Paris. Her career was handed to her on a silver platter, yet she chose "love" over her career. I went on an
eating binge last night. I ate two pieces of Popeye's chicken, one buttery biscuit, a foot-long Subway seafood sandwich, a
couple Oreo cakester snack cakes, one piece of NY cheesecake, and Doritos cool ranch.
December 9, 2007
I could not find anything at H&M. I almost bought a black suit, but realized it only had one
button instead of the usual two. I went to Jack's to pick up some household goods and Christmas wrapping. I went to my office to
wrap up my Secret Santa gift and to get some work done for Monday morning. I got my shoes shined, picked up dry cleaning, and
bought ingredients for next weekend's baking. I'm donating two batches of homemade chocolate chip cookies to the Vietnamese Idol show.
The only thing I failed to do yesterday was my laundry.
December 8, 2007
I never voted for a republican and will not start now. Obama seems too preachy.
If I want to hear a clergyman tell me what to do, I'll go back to Avondale and listen to Father Wall talk about the holy spirit.
Edwards has nothing to say. I'm still ticked off at his $500 haircut. He enjoys being on TV too much. The other contenders are
hopeless. That leaves us with Mrs. Clinton. As you can see, my selection process does not make a lot of sense. I'm sure most
Americans will not make an educated choice. What do we know? Our vote does not count any way. It's that damn electoral
college! Have fun in Las Vegas! Good luck with your final, Mel ..oh and Happy Birthday!
December 7, 2007
You can't top last night's episode of "Ugly Betty". As if John Cho was not enough,
Betty White made an appearance. The best line came from Willamina..."I saved Plan B for a raining day...and lord knows it's
pouring outside!" The best lines always come from the dumb blond receptionist and Willamina. Like Karen said, "Ugly Betty" is a crazy, funny
version of "Lost". Speaking of which, I am counting down to the season premiere of "Lost". ABC better not push the date
back any more. Kudos to Alex for making it on TONY! Is it okay if I reveal Jando S.'s identity to all of New York? I may
put a disclaimer on my website to inform everyone that my comments are not subject to edits, revisions, or censorship by
outside parties. If you
eat more than four of those Asian rice cracker cakes, you'll end up drinking water all day long. It's that artificial flavoring agent, MSG!
Yesterday, I had the pleasure of eating
six. I kept gulping bottles of water throughout the day. What happens when you drink all day? You constantly go to the restroom,
which becomes a big nuisance. Even if Hillary planted those questions at the town hall meetings, I am still rooting for her. She
is the most qualified out of all the candidates to be our next commander in chief.
December 6, 2007
Happy Birthday, Carolyn! Don't eat something sweet before going to sleep. I ended up staying awake
because I ate a huge sponge cake 30 minutes before my intended sleep time. I slept 2 hours later. I'm so upset
with myself. The cake looked tempting and my sweet tooth kicked in. I should have denied the urge by thinking of lard. Sasha,
good luck with your interview next week. I have no doubt that you guys will pass! People in New Orleans drink during Thanksgiving
instead of eating your typical turkey dinner. They are thankful that bars remain open 24 hours a day. I ate a breakfast sandwich from McDonald's this morning. The last time I had
one of these was back in early Fall. I ate it too fast to really savor the fatty sausage. Bush is going after the North Koreans now.
How about we rename our Dept. of Defense to Dept. of Offense? It is quite appropriate! Some lunatic killed people at an
Omaha, Nebraska mall. The shooter killed 8 people before taking his own life.
December 5, 2007
Why is Bush still hounding the Iranians? Are we supposed to believe him after
what he's done to Iraq? He needs to stop doing what he's doing and go hibernate in Crawford. Let everything play itself out
between now and January 2009. He is such an idiot. I don't know why he was re-elected. The guy who made C's at Yale
gets to be our president. It only happens in America. I thought this is the place where you get ahead for working hard. Lil Bush
and others like him "succeed" through their many "legacy" connections. Columbia is trying to take over West Harlem. Oh no...
more gentrification! I say it's good for all in the long run. Quit your whining and let's make Manhattan better! For those who
wrongfully caused chaos to someone else, it's too late to
apologize!
December 4, 2007
Happy Hanukkah! Why can't I name my teddy bear after a Muslim prophet?
Anthony Bourdain does not like any of the Food Network cooks. He thinks none of them received formal training. He liked
Ina Garten though. He thinks she can cook up a storm. He has never been to the Phillipines and thinks Vietnam is easy
to film. I wonder if they censored him during the live webcast. I am putting away my thin trench coat. From now on, it will be
the warm grey long coat. I am almost done with my Christmas shopping. The last remaining people are difficult to buy.
What do you get someone who has everything? This year, I'm trying not to buy gift cards. I also didn't ask for them on my
wish list either. My family started a wish list a few years ago. Instead of guessing who the other person wants, we e-mail a
wish list to everyone and include hyperlinks (if available) of the items we want. It has worked out great. We end up getting
what we want and it makes shopping easier. Sometimes these individuals ask for outrageous gifts such as diamond rings,
a $500 massage session, or agreeing to be a co-signer for a Rolex. If I can't get something on their wish list, I end up getting
something close enough.
December 3, 2007
Go LSU! New Orleans will be partying it up. Wait...I think all of Louisiana will
converge in New Orleans for the championship match against Ohio State. If you like New York cheesecake, stick with it. Do
not try an Italian cheesecake. I find it sweeter, lighter in texture, and not as delicious as the original cheesecake. If given a
choice, stick with what you're used to...the NY cheesecake. If you plan on making one, bake it in a water pan. Use foil to wrap
around the bottom of the spring form pan. The foil will keep the graham cracker crust dry. Who wants a wet crust? The Food
Network's chefs/cooks made desserts over the weekend. I was in heaven! Yesterday, I went to church for the first time in a very long time.
December 2, 2007
I was locked out of the apartment yesterday morning. I used the neighbor's cellphone to
call for help. After eating fried pancakes, I went to the Sports Authority in midtown to get a North Face jacket. It was an excellent deal
thanks to the 25% off coupon. I was one of two locals at Rockefeller Center. The huge tree drew people from every where. It
finally snowed today. I looked out of my window this morning and saw snow on the ground. A couple hours later, some more
snow fell adding more to the already snow-soaked ground. Snow is expected up until the afternoon where it will turn into rain. My electric
toothbrush died this morning. The Braun toothbrush lasted longer than I expected. It's time for a new one. Beyonce is crazy.
December 1, 2007
Today is the first day of the last month of the year. I always enjoy this time of year because
the weather is cold and crisp, people are somewhat jolly because of the holiday season, not many people "work" at their jobs, and
everyone just seems more festive than other times of the year. I missed lunch with my co-workers yesterday. They ate at that popular
Chinese restaurant on St. Mark's. I was stuck working on a report that should have gone out a few days before. Nancy, good to know you
are alive and doing well. I'll make sure to schedule an appointment with you when you are done with school. As promised, the man
in the basement no longer bangs on the pipes. He banged enough already a few months ago. Now we just hear him blowing hot air into
the pipes. My neighbor next door has not returned from his hiatus. He has mail stuck to his door. Will we get new neighbors? I think the
neighbor who left that "holiday" card on our door is the one across the hall. My gut just tells me that Ann Marie would do that. She
wanted to be polite and wished us "Happy Holidays" in the middle of October. If anything, she should have given us a "Happy Halloween"
card. Mel, good luck with your administrative day. We'll keep our fingers crossed.