I went crazy again today. I can't help myself. It's all about me. I connected the dots for Alana.
I hope Mai Lan enjoys my cookies. They were the last five from Thanksgiving. I left my running shorts at yoga class. The folks at the yoga place
never called me back. Oh well, it's time to buy new shorts any way. I've been wearing those some shorts for years. I wear them when working
out. It's very comfortable because the elastic is loose. The guest list was approved by Lashes. I bought $1 Xmas trees...one for the bedroom
and the other for the restroom. It smells like pine. I come home to a warm apartment. Vodka is expensive. We ate too much snacks. We had
our variety of goodies from Little India to Little Saigon. I was not a part of it. Ngoc and I "talked" in the middle of the night. Real rain noise
replaced the artificial one. I look different with my coke bottle glasses. Today is the last night.
November 29, 2008
The chaos continues in India. Who cares if you don't know the name of the group responsible
for the terror attacks. Just know that it's a group of evil jerks wanting to kill innocent people. Don't ship your Amazon.com purchases to your
home address. They'll charge you tax. I shipped mine to a New Jersey address. I think New York is alone on this one. I spent all day acquiring
things. I think I'm done for the most part. I came back to the apartment a couple times to unload. Mr. Infante never made it out of Queens.
His alarm didn't go off. Khoi and I can eat at the table like normal people with real plates, bowls, and glasses. I checked out Gargyle and
Opening Ceremony. The banh mi lady kept wanting to sell me the new Van Son DVD. I told her I don't watch that stuff. She said to buy it for
mommy. I told her my mommy doesn't watch it either. I ended up getting banh mi, cafe sua da, and spicy beef jerky from Cali. The beek jerky
was a bit dry, but when you leave it long enough in your mouth, it softens. That's just random info. Centerpiece brought pizza to the local
Duane Reade. Those employees all have nicknames. Superstar Sky rang me up. Some of us got up early to take care of bitness while others
enjoyed the pleasure of staying in.
November 28, 2008
It's official! I woke up at 6:30 AM because I forgot to turn off the alarm. I couldn't go back to sleep.
I lounged around in bed for an hour before actually waking up. I made those buttery pigs in a blanket and stuffing. The stuffing dish took a bit
longer. I added fresh onions, celery, and mushroom. I tried going back to sleep, but ended up chatting with the Nguyens in Marrero. They
just came home from church. Addison skipped out on church. So did Di Chang. A few minutes later, I get a phone call from Cau Eddie.
Apparently, Addison did not want to eat his food. I had to be the bad guy and demanded that he eat his food. He started chewing his food
and everyone was happy again. My evil voice has its powers. Don't teach me any more Korean. Joseph and I carried three bags full of food and
drinks. We lounged around for four hours before actually eating. Luckily, we sampled some of the food before everyone else. My favorites
had to be the pumpkin cheesecake and cranberry salad. Too bad the spring form pan broke. Khoi became Martha Stewart for us. She played the role of a happy
homemaker. The turkey almost made it, but not quite. Men are better at competitive games. Sorry, ladies! The Canadians outnumbered the Americans. A couple years ago, it was the
Australians who outnumbered the natives. Khoi, thank you again for hosting. The seating arrangement worked out after all. I can't wait for
Monday night!
November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving! While we prep for the big Thanksgiving dinner, there's chaos around the world.
The Thais want to remove their Prime Minister. They took over the Bangkok airport in protest. Thousands of foreign passengers remain
stranded in the airport. Terrorists simultaneously blew up at least 7 different locations in Mumbai, India and some westerners were taken as
hostages. Addison can't stop dancing to "Single Ladies". I ate at my desk while everyone else huddled in the lunch room for a one last hoorah
before the big holiday. I "pretended" to work. Megan, keep it to yourself. I am skipping out on Macy's Thanksgiving Parade this year because
I have too much cooking. I should have just volunteered for one dish. I write this as I am waiting for my clothes to finish washing. The load
keeps getting bigger and bigger each week. Either I am wearing more clothes each week or I am using way too many towels. Those towels
take up a lot of space. Some of us don't have Maria coming in to clean up our homes. The flies have returned. I don't know what to do. If it's
available to me, I will take a swat and smash each and every one of them. No one shopped at the grocery stores on Tuesday night. On
Wednesday night, it was a different story. I found those mini franks for my pigs in a blanket. I went to three different stores. Too bad they don't
sell the ones with cheese already inside. Dallas and New Orleans carry those fattening franks. To those who traveled home for the holiday,
have a blast and don't forget to hurry back. The City is not the same without you. I'm talking about NYC. This was directed at those folks from
Marlow.
November 26, 2008
Ba Noi never called me like she said she would. I'm getting confused with all the
Ba Gia, Ba Noi, Ba Ngoai, and Em Be. You guys need to make up your mind. Melanie gained 5 more pounds this time around.
The boys are healthy. They have been kicking non-stop. They are so ready to get out of there and cause havoc on King Henry
Court. I think I quoted the size 44 yellow shorts in European size. The pipes only hissed at me. The banging stopped. That's
good news considering I haven't had much sleep. It sounds like someone is downstairs banging a hammer against the pipes.
When you talk about folding chairs, I think about the metal ones where you place right next to folding tables. The one I have
is a a picnic chair made of fabric. It also comes with a convenient bag for easy transport. I went crazy at the M2M store. I
stocked up on snacks and candy. I do notice the price increase since I last bought the snacks. A cup of tea helps me
stay awake in the mornings and afternoons. I need a haircut. Agnes remembered to return my metro card. I did not quite
retire that trench coat yet. If you have green tea as your gmail theme, you may notice the little animal doing all kinds of
activities throughout the day. He even goes to sleep if it's at night. I did a bit of shopping on Amazon. I tried to buy items
eligible for free shipping. The gift wrap fee was about the same as if I shipped the stuff to my apartment, wrapped them myself, and
ship them to the recipients. This year, I brought my wish list down a notch. Michael Phelps has ADHD. Miley Cyrus finally
turns 16. Amy Winehouse is admitted to a hospital once again. Notice the ghostly image on the right. It's freaky!
November 25, 2008
Inauguration day will take place on Tuesday, Jan. 20th. It's the day right
after MLK Day. I will be watching the ceremony live on one of the bleachers reserved for ticket holders. Okay, I'm kidding.
I will be at my desk watching a live stream of the historic event. We're hoping there will be a live stream. Let's do something
about those bats in the cave. Don't think you can get away with the #2 loopholes. Yes, I am talking about it. Let's get it out
in the open for all to read. Kidding! Now I sound foolish. Speaking of which, those BFF keychains are awesome. I was not asked
to join Ba Noi at her holiday party. I didn't have what she's looking for. Rafael and I will have our usual business transaction
on the 6 train platform. I will accommodate him by standing at the first car even if it's out of my way. He has a transfer; I don't.
I already loosened my belt for this week. The Russians want to drill oil rigs off the coast of Cuba. Beyonce performed
flawlessly at the AMA. Her woMAN friend did not accompany her. Bush was in Peru over the weekend for the APEC summit.
Obama is not offering the "change" he campaigned. He has appointed former Clinton aides, including Hillary herself. Happy
Birthday, Chi San!
November 24, 2008
I'm not getting a blackberry or an iPhone. Please stop asking me. I thought I could take us to our
destination, but all that smack talk in the backseat got me confused. We got lost on our way to Albany. It was not a good day. It started with me
not paying for sweets at the local Starbucks. The line was out the door. As I looked out the window, the two gals walked pass Starbucks. I ran
out to get them. We made an illegal u-turn to save on gas and time. The girl at Polo asked if I live in the U.S. I wanted to smack her in the face.
She played the Asian card. The lady at Godiva charged me twice for a box of chocolates. Luckily I looked at my receipt before leaving the shop.
It didn't end there. The girl at Banana gave me an exchange instead of a return. Again, I'm glad I looked at my receipt. We went through the
entire shopping center. The girls stayed at only a handful of stores. We made it home just in time for Spice and the AMA's. I am ready for
three days of work and getting fat thereafter. Don't eat pork buns before eating Thai food. You won't be able to finish your food. I am built of
stone. Kanye West is short like me. Crumbs came from LA.
November 23, 2008
Chang, someone finally used your hair dryer. That thing has been sitting under the sink since
you left. I'm surprise it still works. I woke up early in the morning. Don't ask me why I woke up early. I managed to get two in before leaving the
apartment. The 8 second dryer went away. Someone fixed that darn thing. No, I don't have any curling iron. We scoped out Khoi's kitchen
and gave her tips on how to roast a turkey. Remember to get the cheese cloth and butter. We presented in class. We bribed our class with
spring rolls. I smell like cotton candy. Crumbs moved a couple doors up. The transit gods did not like me. Two trains passed me at the Bleecker
Street station.
November 22, 2008
I sent one blind copy email to all the guys and a separate blind copy email
to all the girls. The girls email got more responses. I am ready for the weekend. This week was tough. It dragged on
forever. Perhaps the cold weather had something to do with it. Kim Pheezy, did you like my friend appearing on that talk
show? I taught him all those moves. We rehearsed together right before coming on the show. Lashes will be driving a
bandwagon this weekend. The passengers need to be on their best behavior or else! I promise no more shows before the end
of the year. I have two coming up and that's it. I am dipping into my grocery money to see these freakin shows.
It's been confirmed that Clinton will accept the Secretary of State appointment. An official announcement will happen after
the Thanksgiving holiday. Expect to pay $100 for your monthly Metro card pass beginning June 1, 2009. It's still a good deal
when compared to driving. I'm not complaining. It's only a few more bucks. It sucks that they are cutting service on several
subway lines and buses. I don't think I'm affected though. Precious, I need the edits back ASAP. Please work your magic and
return to me. I am getting restless. I have one person down and a few more to go. I should have a good tally by the end of
the weekend. So far, Joseph will take care of the mashed potatoes. Khoi has the honor of attempting to bake the turkey.
We will do a walk-through this weekend. I am to contribute stuffing and a couple other snacks. Details to follow.
November 21, 2008
An everything bagel sat on my desk all day.
I finally ate it as a quick afternoon snack before supper. I added chipotle cheese spread to the bagel. I usually hate Mexican
food, but I am always down for chipotle. It adds a bit of spice to boring sandwiches. I am stuck on that French song. I had no
idea the 4 Seasons recorded all those songs. I grew up listening to updated versions of their songs. The Vietnam trip may
not happen after all because two more Nguyens will grace us with their presence. Rafael freaked me out with his random
comment. Addison performed at his first school performance. He and his classmates "sang" some Thanksgiving songs. He
presented his grandma with a certificate but took it back. He went "Indian" on her. I secured tickets for a couple more shows.
I expected the Fall season to be a dry spell, but apparently, it picked back up again. To see Wade perform at Carnegie Hall
is the highlight of my holiday season. KNT, don't you agree? I borrowed worry for nothing. The presentation on cha gio is
almost complete. We need one last section and that's it. Alexis emailed me a picture of my biracial son. I fathered a kid and
not know it. I am indebted to Alexis for finding the HAPA kid. I returned the trench coat to my closet. Someone said I looked
like either a pilgrim or a serial killer. The black gloves sort of helped with the serial killer look. I will now wear the heavy
coat instead of the thin trench. My meeting was short and sweet. It went better than I expected. Don't eat those licorice
Ricola candy. I did not turn on the a/c unit last night for the first time this season. I also stopped cashiers from bagging my
small purchases. Go me for being GREEN!
November 20, 2008
Hillary may reject the Secretary of State appointment?
She has balls. The MTA plans to cut several bus and subway lines. As long as the 6 remains alive, I am fine. Sorry, I really
don't care about the west side. I'm never in that part of the country unless I am seeing a show or eating at Isabella's. I am
off to Woodbury this weekend. Maybe it's not a good idea to go right before Black Friday, but I don't think I can handle
pushing and shoving people next weekend. I get irritated easily. I foresee synchronized moves from C, T, and P. It's never
to early to RSVP. Addison wanted to bring the double decker bus into his bath.
The other baby finally kicked. Those boys are ready to get out of there. There will never be a NeNe and Sheree. Kim
doesn't want to listen to Dallas Austin. She keeps a stash of cigarettes in her fridge. Lisa tried to be the peacemaker. I can't
believe I'm yapping about those Atlanta ladies. It's my guilty pleasure for the moment. Ba Noi, please disregard my comment.
It was directed at one of your kinfolks, not you.
November 19, 2008
My milk and bread expire today. My eggs expired last month. I wonder if I can
still eat the overdue eggs. They have been sitting in the fridge. I'll try them out this weekend. Speaking of eggs, I went ballistic
at McDonald's. As if one egg mcmuffin was not enough, I ate two in one sitting. I miss my dirty breakfast meals. I need to
fit into my pants again. Perhaps eating fatty foods will get me there. Addison wants me to sing and dance for him via iChat.
He says goodbye when I just sit there with boring stuff to talk about. Don't expect me to call you or pick up your phone
calls if you keep sending me to your voicemail. I'm done having a 1-way conversation. KNT, I hope you feel better and thank
you for dropping your "interests". We don't roll like that in America. I promise. KT, have a blast in London! Please wave to
Sandrine for me. She resides in Bow Quarter. I need my shoes polished. Mickey Mouse turns 80. He still looks good. Gosh,
he has not aged in 8 decades. Do you ever notice that cartoon characters never age or change clothes? They wear the same
thing season after season. Meg from the Family Guy will always be in high school. That baby from The Simpsons continues
to suck on that pacifier. Wall-E became himself again when Eve held his hand. That was quite touching...for an animated
feature. If you liked it then you should have put a ring on it.
November 18, 2008
Did Obama name Clinton already? Let's get it over with. That Richardson guy
has no foreign policy experience when compared to Hillary. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is charged with insider trading.
Wild fires burn across LA and Orange counties in Southern California. Those Santa Ana winds are not letting up. I never made
it to Changeling. Angelina will need to wait. We may have more than our share of Thanksgiving leftovers. Did I mention
how I hate Mondays? Some folks take the day off on Sunday to rest because it's the Lord's day. I rest on Monday nights.
I try not to schedule anything. It is my time to do a crossword puzzle. Ba Noi, I don't have any more news for you. What you
see is what you get. Tough times like this I just want to curl up in my bed and sleep away. Who says you can't eat sandwiches
at dinner time? The grapefruit candy stays in the lunch room for all the vultures to devour. There are too many Vuong's roaming the streets
of New York. They are up to no good.
November 17, 2008
I found my new favorite song. She came to me as I worked out on Friday. Yes, I am behind
the times. I hear new songs two months after they were introduced. I gave some stuff to Dr. Sharma. I hope he doesn't mind carrying all
that stuff home to the Nguyens. He saved me on some postage money. Thao jogged in the park as I dropped off her ice skates. Instead of
brunching in HK, Ba Noi and I ate in the west side of Soho. She couldn't even finish her Bloody Mary. It was pathetic because she's not a
lightweight. We found Batch. She played it safe with a pumpkin cupcake. Yes, I can't have the last word. There...I said it. We like to ice skate,
but when it comes down to it, we are too afraid to fall on our asses. Patti Lupone sang for us. Don't sit on the first row at the balcony level.
Be prepared to arch your back forward. Lashes didn't have time to pick us up. I made it back home in time for some Belgian stew.
We left some fries for the busboy. Wall-E wants us to be kind to Earth.
November 16, 2008
It was difficult getting up in the morning. I wanted to stay in bed all day and lazy it up. Paul
and I ate banh mi while sitting in front of the store. Jacq intended on working out. She met up with us instead of going to NYSC. The
Maxima made its way to Connecticut. I bought way too many things. They didn't have the new pair of shoes I wanted. I will try again at
another store. I rushed to yoga. I sweat even more now. My flexibility and balance have improved. I still can't do a headstand, unlike some
people who picked it up just like that. I went by SSS to pick up some cupcakes. Alana, I am glad you enjoyed the moist pistachio cake.
It's really my favorite. We have Ngoc to thank. She introduced me to those $1.50 cupcakes. We don't have to wait for a California trip
for that grapevine candy. They have been in our backyard all this time. Thay Nam made us learn quite a bit of new
vocabulary. I still have not worked on my group project. I went back to Uniqlo to pick up my hemmed jeans. Thao and I went all out at
Cafe ASEAN. I found my new favorite dessert...black sticky rice with coconut milk and bananas. Thank you again for the "birthday" dinner.
Thao did not finish her plum wine. Shame
on her. We'll do Angel Share next time. The scenery is quite nice. Sorry I couldn't stay out for the live band and drinks. I was beat. I took
the C train up and took a quick shower. It's my night to mourn death.
November 15, 2008
I spent way too much time breaking it down for Ba Noi. The e-mails went back
and forth. I will not waste any more of my Friday afternoon bantering about the person who shall remain nameless. I showed
up late for dinner. The server made me order something because they require each person to order something. I asked him
if I should leave the restaurant since I did not plan on ordering anything. He said I can order a quick salad. I agreed and
ate a green salad with seaweed. It tasted like algae. If I know what algae tastes like, it would have tasted like that salad.
We rushed out of the noodle house and headed uptown to this nice little townhome. Smacked in the middle of the UES was a
non-profit office. It was good to see the non-traditional form still alive and thriving. Ba Noi and I hurried home for
obvious reasons. Lara, have fun in Montreal and hurry back! On my way home, I picked up a couple cupcakes from Crumbs.
Rain stayed throughout the evening. It did not dampen my mood. We were censored towards the end, which was fine because
it takes two to tango. I played "police officer" while waiting in the hallway. The Ticket Central box office only had one person
working. Everyone was irritated, including me. I waited for almost an hour to get tickets. It was worse than waiting to vote.
November 14, 2008
We made a detour for the Korean restaurant across the street from our office.
No one wanted to walk all the way to Protester Grill. Rain changed our minds. Sorry, Karen! I wanted to try something
new but decided to stick with the beef fried rice. I can't do chopsticks with fried rice. Use a fork or spoon when you get a chance.
Jacq, you need your own talk show. Sorry I called you a heifer. I now know that the word is reserved for fatties. Agnes ate
the last two pieces of Paul's chocolates. I am to return a plastic container to Khoi. Alana says to hold off on buying a yoga mat.
I may just do it on the wooden floor. The mat never helps my knees any way. I found my size at J.Crew. Don't rush into
things because you'll get disappointed. Take it slowly and good things will come to those who wait. I hate walking in the rain
with a nice pair of pressed pants. The crease disappears in the water. I spend too much time sitting. I have decided to stay
off of the treadmill. It's back to that stairs thing. KNT and I ate personal pies near her apartment. I'm glad we got there
early because people were waiting for tables when we left. I rushed home to find the Queen Elizabeth documentary was a rerun.
I hurried home for nothing. My Coke bottle bottoms disappeared into my comforter in the middle of the night. I am a
closet communist.
November 13, 2008
How do you like the pop-up free website? I finally get to see "Jersey Boys". I have waited for this show to go on sale
ever since I moved here. Sorry, I can't do regular price tickets. I tried eating those animal organs that Jacq brought but I
ended up eating only the noodles and bok choy. If it's not real meat, I am going to pass. We can't get enough of Menkutei.
Let's see if they will seat us at the same table. I am looking forward to yet another documentary. It's like reality television, but
in a movie format. Perhaps investing in guard rails for my bed is not a bad idea. If Chang is not returning to New York,
I should throw out the foam Ikea mattress. To me, uptown is anything above 10th St when it involves work-related travel.
I don't like candy. I only like those grapefruit jelly candy from Cali. The candy store in the LES sells them. I freaked
out the last time I was there. The place was very crowded with people and candy.
November 12, 2008
All of you need to thank Alexis. I've been meaning to get rid of the stupid
pop-ups. As of right now, Big Brother is not watching your every move. My cough will not go away. I should just wait it out
and let nature takes its course. I got excited for a quick second, then was shot in the behind. Ba Noi came by with Vanessa's
food. We ate at the park facing that gothic-looking church on 2nd Ave. She had the day off. I worked. This city allows people
to take off for anything. KNT, I am proud of you. Miss Lara Croft, don't make fun of my inability to text. I sort of double booked
you for Sunday, but we can work something out. Harlem needs to wait until next weekend. I was pulled away to work on
a few special projects. I accomplished my objective for the day...not like you guys care. Get rid of the poker face and let's get real.
I emailed to Deborah instead of Debby. I'm embarrassed. A few more weeks and I'm back home in NOLA. Don't ask Mel to
review your benefit plan. She does not know what she's talking about. Just stick to Math. When are we doing those iChats again?
I have the ultimate power. Who has lotus feet, hates eggs, sits in the orchestra section, smells like Benihana, looks Oriental,
and thinks everyone is short?
November 11, 2008
I hate Mondays. The day drags on and on and never ends. Yesterday was no exception.
i left early for Carnegie Hall. My stomach called for me as we waited to be seated. Thao, thank you again for the invite. I made it all the way
up to the balcony. I left right after Tyra Banks accepted her award. Mayor Bloomberg presented the award to Tyra. I do not see a connection between
the two other than New York. I will hold off on getting a new phone. The ones they are offering for free are not my cup of tea. I may get
a blackberry, but do I really need qwerty on my phone? I don't even have text messaging. You hear that, folks? I don't have text
messaging. If you get an error message when sending me a text, it means you belong to the Verizon network. Everyone else thinks my message goes through and
I simply ignored them. I sucked it up and wore only a suit. I left the coat at home. The transit gods were looking out for me.
Obama and Bush meet at the White House. Half of the city is off today to remember our veterans. Obama may appoint Hillary
as his Secretary of State. Hillary reporting to Obama? I don't think she is up for that. He should appoint her to be the next
supreme court justice.
November 10, 2008
Yes, I plan ahead. Every minute of the day is dedicated to something. I feel useless if I just
sit around. I made it to Morton Williams for the first time in a very long time. Those sale items are hard to come by now. I am looking
forward to Tuesday night. It's been in the works for quite some time. The lunch for 2 turned into a lunch for 4. If you think about it, the
party of 4 turned into a table for 8. That's including the little halfy baby. The flooding in Hanoi
continues. The Prime Minister apologized to the people for the government's delayed relief efforts. I showed Lara and Thuy where to find good
Viet grocery. Too bad they don't sell fresh seafood and meat. We were late for mass. Instead of kneeling, I told Thuy he can sit on the
pew. I couldn't stay for the shindig. I hate waiting around. Did i mention that idle time and me do not get along? Someone is ridiculously
late. I'm starting to see the true pattern blossom before my eyes. All this talk about time...it reminds me of what Leona has been preaching
to the masses. KNT, I'll hush. Call on me for driving directions and homework questions. I am available 7 days a week. I offer extended
hours on the weekend provided that you pay me with food. I have a preference for the Asian kind. Yes, it is a very small town. Wo shi
yuenan ren.
November 9, 2008
The 1 hour and 15 minutes wait for a party of 2 was unacceptable. We walked over to
Menkutei and waited 10 seconds for a table. Jacq ate at the same table earlier in the afternoon. The ladies showed up. We walked over
to a Thai place for a couple drinks before meeting with Son Tra. Something went down at the bar that involved permanent damage to
someone's body part. We cabbed back uptown and got sidetracked at one of the crosstown streets. Rain came down throughout the day.
Delicatessen sat us downstairs away from the crowd. I think the waitress was in training. The restrooms freak me out. I get quite
claustrophobic. Try the cheeseburger spring rolls. Dip them in ketchup and mustard. Lashes does not like eggs...duly noted. I keep forgetting
that the J.Crew store in Soho never has stuff on sale. We walked further downtown to the men's store. I was not too impressed because
it was a mere extension of the main store. I wanted to be a lumberjack. The decor reminded me of a darker Rugby. We walked back up to Uniqlo.
Trust your fellow customers that they won't steal your umbrella. I perspired during yoga class. The lady made us pay $1 to borrow
mats. I was upside down for a good 5 seconds. I did well on the mid-term...better than I expected. I ate a yuenan bao during break.
Thay Nam killed us with beaucoup vocabulary and new idioms. It was quite intense. After class, I walked over to the Cantor Film Center
for a screening of Vietnamese documentaries. The audience had plenty of questions for the abortion piece. The government funded the making
of the film, yet it has not been released to the public. I skipped out on dinner and went home. I was exhausted. Lara, thank you for your
call. Tomorrow is another day.
November 8, 2008
I'm cheating again. This post is up one day before the actual day. I update it
when I have time. Just be happy I do it daily. I am behind on my shows. The British inspired my wardrobe for today.
Yes, I am willing to eat a $15 bowl of ramen. It's a bit overpriced, but definitely yummy. I tend not to consume the broth
when eating noodle dishes. However, when you're paying $15 for a bowl of ramen, be sure to eat anything edible in that
bowl. My tolerance for alcohol remains low. I am still a cheap date. Lara, I can't hang with you and your beer buddies.
You put me to shame. Paul, you wish you are Asian. Just admit it. That luxury is reserved for a select few. Well, not select few...more
like almost half of the world's population. The reunion at the bank was definitely random. Poor guy probably called up his
real nephew to tell him about his evil twin roaming the streets of Long Island.
November 7, 2008
Palin may run in 2012. If she takes over as the leader of the Republican party, the party will
definitely die. Chicago may get the bid for the 2016 Olympics
because of Obama. We vote on Tuesdays because of a very old legislation to allow people travel time. Sunday is the lord's
day so everyone rested. Monday was the day to travel to the voting booths. California passed a proposition to ban gay
marriage. That Al Franken guy may become the next senator of Minnesota. I went ballistic at Ticket Central. Khoi made
homemade chili. I come with Crumbs cupcakes. Do I see biking in the near future? Yes, I guess accidents do happen on the
FDR. I can bum rides now. My black pants need to be hemmed. Carolyn, I still don't know why the put you back there. It looked
like a class portrait. The CIA people never got back to me. Congratulations, Chang! It's so nice of them to pay for monthly
parking on top of your salary. You're miss important now because you work in the CBD! Addison, sing for Cau Bee! I'm glad
you no longer have a sad face when hearing my voice. It should be all smiles all the time! Mel, having exact dates would
help tremendously but I understand your situation. Talk to the twins and negotiate a specific day. A two months advance notice
is greatly appreciated. Lara, I love NYC too. We all do. Bloomberg will definitely get elected for a third term. The city is in
a huge deficit right now. One of the measures he has proposed is to bring back sales tax on clothes. BooohooooOOOOoo!!!
Megan, I can see you living in Canada. You'll be closer to Palin. You and Palin can organize play dates with the babies. I am
not a grump! I can't guarantee pleasantries in the middle of the night. I am getting two more nephews!
November 6, 2008
I encountered a fly situation. I killed two in the hallway with a swat. That thing is the greatest
invention ever. I hope the flies don't return. I will allow them to visit me during the summer time when it's hot outside. They should
definitely migrate south to warm weather. We celebrated history by eating at a diner for lunch. Miss Dang felt it was only patriotic to eat
an all-American diner instead of the usual Asian eateries. I wanted those mini burgers but they turned out to be appetizers. I settled
for a turkey panini. I have learned to tack on at least a dollar to McDonald's specials. They advertise 2 breakfast McMuffins for $3. Here in
New York, the special price is $4. Also, Wendy's does not have a $0.99 menu. The "value meal" items are on sale for $1.39. Addison, sorry
I can't do any more ichats with you this week. I'll see if I can pencil you in for next week. I keep drinking water yet my throat remains
dry. Karen, it could have been a lot worse. Rafael disappointed me by losing all those "Pieces" pictures. It's so out of character for me, but
I like Weezer's pork and beans. I have clean sheets! KNT, I will keep my fingers crossed between now and next week for those Jersey Boys.
I will do my best to secure 4 tickets.
November 5, 2008
Everyone and their grandma voted early in the morning. The line wrapped around the
school building. Luckily, the line went pretty fast. I went straight to my 49th precinct voting booth, showed the guy my ID, pulled the lever,
selected my choices, and pulled the lever back. My parents voted for the first time in 26 years. I am very proud of them even if I disagree
with their political affiliation. My siblings also voted for the first time in a long time. We all have issues. Let's pow wow them out on Thursday.
I am a dedicated Ticket Central customer. I set my alarm for 2:57PM today. It definitely reminded me to buy tickets because I was
swamped with going back and forth. It's nonstop I tell ya! I barely had time to go buy apples. I think they increased the price. The things
I do to eat organic apples...Khoi, whatever you decide about Saturday is fine with me. I got yelled at for not bringing the London guide book
that Sandrine gave me. My bag was already full. I was too lazy to add more weight to my already stuffed bag. My room smells like
cough medicine. It's either that or garlic. It depends on what my neighbor decides to cook. I have a problem of biting dry skin and shaking
my legs while sitting.
November 4, 2008
Yes, I am voting for the next president of the United States. I won't have it
any other way. Gene wants us to be at the voting booth at 6AM to beat the rush. I will likely be the third person in line. I like
voting in the morning because no one is there. All you see are poll workers setting up and drinking their morning coffee. I
suspect it will be busy all day, including in the early morning. How was my trip? Well, let me break it down for you. London
has small cars. I guess every where in the world has small cars except for the US. The double decker buses were recently
replaced with modern ones. They are fast and an efficient means of transportation. The "underground" closes around midnight.
Those who need public transportation hop on buses to go home. British people (more like young people) like to eat McDonald's late at night after
going out. If you ignore beggars, they will curse you out. Just walk away and you'll be fine. Restaurants charge a service fee for
all dine-in food. The fee averages around 12%. You may add additional gratuity at your discretion. Service is good.
Most of the service-industry folks come from Eastern Europe. I notice their accents are not of the British form. We say exit,
they say "way out". We say trash, they say "litter". We say restrooms, they say "ladies toilet or gentlemen's toilet".
We say thank you, they say "cheers". We say french fries, they say "chips". My trip was filled with laughter, especially during
the early mornings and late nights. I also cried at a play. Yes, I admit it. I am a sucker for intense plays. I blame
Sandrine for the constant laughter and one moment of grief. The Queen did not meet me at Buckingham Palace as I had
intended. Instead, she had her guards march around the front courtyard with their swords and guns swinging all over the place.
I walked through several parks and gardens. My left knee sort of gave out during the last few days. I met up with Harry Potter
at his school in Oxford. Alice in Wonderland was also at Oxford. She didn't want to have a tea party with me. Instead, we
had tea at Kinsington Palace at some place called the Orangery. Oh, Londoners do not refill your water at the table. They don't bring a pitcher of water and refill your glasses. Instead, they waste another glass by bringing you
a new glass filled with water. To dine in, you pay a bit more than you would if you "take away" your food. They don't say
"to go". Men wear suits with double vents and bright-colored lining inside. They do not wear coats even if it's ridiculously cold
outside. I didn't see too many "businesswomen". Taxi cabs are black and of the old model. They are quick, yet expensive.
You must always pay attention to look either left or right. Look down on the street and it will direct you accordingly. They pay
attention to your credit card signature. Everyone is extremely friendly except for the crazy Nazi immigration officer who
tried to prevent me from spending my worthless dollars in her country. She asked me all kinds of questions. The folks in
the next line sped through immigration within a couple seconds. I'm surprised she didn't ask if I wear boxers or briefs. I
would've stripped down and prove to her that I wear briefs. The best part about London was to see the natives in their
natural habitat. It rained about a quarter of the time. You don't see races mixing together. People stick to their own. Halloween
is scary for them. To us, it doesn't have to be scary. As long as we are dressed like someone else, we fulfill the Halloween costume
requirement. Everyone is tall. Every 10th person is French. Governor Palin hosted a Halloween party. We all had identity
issues because we wanted to be someone else. A French gal was an American politician. I wanted to be a British kid with special powers (Harry Potter). Rafael was
a British policeman. We had a French girl and British guy who were Vietnamese communists. A group of Germans came
as French, Scottish, and a dog. By the way, the dog won best costume. An Australian guy was a Jamaican. Addison, eat your
food so your mama won't have to call me. I don't want you to think that I'm a bad guy. I can't believe they are using my voice
to get you to behave. LOL
November 3, 2008
This was my first real break from the website. I wanted to do daily entries as in the past, but
the French keyboard irritated me. It was not logical at all. The letters are placed all over with no real sense. Qwerty does not exist in France.
I didn't go to France because the train was quite expensive. I stayed with Sandrine in London for the entire week. Sandrine has the French
keyboard. I shouldn't complain about the keyboard. I should be happy I had free internet access and LODGING! Rafael came along as well.
He was the official tour guide. I pretty much followed him all week. London is not a cheap city. Be prepared to spend double for what you
would pay in the states. The trip was definitely worth it. I had low expectations before landing. I expected a bland city filled with mean
people. That was not the case at all. Everyone seemed very nice and respectful of public spaces. I did not see one graffiti underground
in the subway stations. Also, I barely saw any trash. Why would you litter when there are CCTV all over. Yes, the British government likes
to "Big Brother" on its citizens. Perhaps that is why people don't litter or break the law. I heard police sirens go off about five times.
I saw two homeless people. There were a few teenage beggars. They curse at you if you ignore them. Just walk away and pretend you
don't speak English. The trip to Oxford was also worth it. The bus ride took a bit longer than I expected. Fish and chips taste the same
at Long John's. I'm glad I switched from American to Delta...although it's not Virgin. Sandrine hosted a Halloween party. Everyone had
identity issues. We pretended to be someone else. It's our version of Carnival. I return to work today. I wanted a day to rest before
returning to work, but oh well...Please mind the gap!
