I haven't been keeping up with the news. I'm too busy sipping champagne
in Sonoma Valley. The mass transit system here can be confusing if you don't pay attention. Getting on the wrong line
may take you completely out of the city. I cannot get a grasp on the geography and weather patterns. The man who kept
saying "Time" indicated that the fog helps with growing grapes. The tour guide ignored everyone else and offered us
more than our share of champagne. Don't even think about driving through the narrow, steep, and twisted roads of Highway 1
during night time. Who needs the redwoods further north when you have some right along the Russian River. People say
hi to one another here. It's frowned upon if you keep your mouth shut and not match an eye contact. The Golden Gate
Bridge looked even better from the east bay. You get to see the bridge against the city's skyline. Japantown was dead
in the evening. I feel refreshed and ready for some more. My watch made a comeback. The Chinatown in Oakland reminded
me of Houston's Little Saigon.
September 29, 2008
Thank you for all the birthday wishes. Yes, it's that time of year again when
some of us celebrate our existence. As if any other day throughout the year is not as special. I am here in San Francisco
where the skies are blue during the day and foggish in the mornings and evenings. A local tells me that the fog moves
to the west side of the city during the day and creeps back in at night. The cool wind blows throughout the day. Always carry a
sweater with you. You'll never know when you'll need it. The plane ride took almost six hours. After a couple hours, I was
ready to depart. I became very antsy and irritated. I have not flown Delta in a while. I'm glad I switched from AA to Delta.
They offer snacks, individual TV monitors with live television programming, and the cabin crew seems a bit more peppy.
I took BART from the airport into the city. Who needs a car any more? Addison, stop waking up late on Mondays! You need
to wake up like everyone else. It's not my fault you decided to stay up late the night before. No more excuses! The
internet on the west coast is a lot faster than the east coast. I guess there's less people living on top of one another
as we fight for internet connection. The Versailles market continues on like it has in the past. Katrina won't put a stop to it.
September 28, 2008
I missed the first presidential debate. I hear it was quite boring with no surprises and
petty jabbering. I had a good reason to miss it. In class, our team lost to the other team. Vo Ly played us in the end. The BBC telecast
of the opening ceremony was by far so much better than NBC's. They covered every second of the performance and included informative
commentary. Thank you to my family back home in Marrero, especially Mom and Dad. I saw their signatures for the first time in a very long
time. Chang, sorry I didn't have a shot for you. I'll remember when I'm at the Golden Gate bridge. John, don't party too hard for the next
few days. Your students need you back in good condition. Go knock on your neighbor's door and tell them to shut up. Perhaps you can learn
to say it in Korean. Speaking of Korean, our Vietnamese dinner was more like a Korean outing. Maybe we should do a cultural exchange
with the Korean group to even it out. Jacq, I love the Yuenan Bao! It's time to maneuver through the underground tracks to get to my
destination. It will be my first time flying out of JFK!
September 27, 2008
Dear Friends: I want to thank each and everyone of you for making last night special. I feel blessed to have you all in my life. Turning 31 is not so bad after all when you have awesome friends by your side. Thank you for keeping me out of the loop during those 20 or so e-mails. I am very impressed with everyone because no one slipped. Thank you again for dinner and drinks. I made it home with the right kind of buzz...not the one where you hover over the toilet.
Geri - I am glad you came after all. Good luck on your closing next Friday. I always love it when you drink. You get all lubby dubby and tired. We need to start up that auditor's roundtable again.
Joseph - What can I say? You really got me with the banner. It was very creative. I kept thinking to myself why they can't just freakin sit down already. Again, thank you for going out of your way to be so creative. Luckily, I didn't need to go into your room. Next year, I don't want to hear a "no" from you when it comes to planning your birthday.Oh, and you're such a good sport about everything. I'm glad I can count on you any tiime!
Chi Mai - I can always count on you to make me smile. You and Chi Kim pretended to pay attention to what I said so I can be distracted. That was pretty cool. Oh, and thank you for elevating my title from mayor to ong noi. I wasn't too keen on the mayoral title. That's reserved for Mr. Bloomberg. Ong Noi hits me close to home because I am Nguoi Viet.
Khoi - Thank you for being such a good sport. Sorry if I accidently smacked you a few times. It meant a lot to have you right by my side even if you were coughing, huffing, and puffing your germs onto me. KIDDING! I hope you made it back home okay. I hope you feel better because we have beaucoup stuff to do when you return, including the Peking Opera!
Tammy - You really got me! Now I know why you walked slowly from Solas to the restaurant. I was asking myself why you and Geri took your time. Heels never stopped you from walking like a mad lady. Sorry I called it a night just when Sheryl showed up. The age thing gets to me. You know that already :-)
Alexis - Sorry I didn't stay out much later. You know me...they call me "ong noi" for a reason. Thank you to you and Tammy for burning the BBC version. I can't wait to watch it in its full version. I will speak in Vietnamese to you more often. I want to hear that mix of Mexican, Chinese, and Viet come out.
Chi Dao - Thank you very much for making it. I know you and G have a tight schedule and it's always nice to see your friendly smile. I loved the almond cake. What was the name of the bakery again? I can't believe they were able to write so small on the cake. I'll see you later at Nam Son tonight!
Ba Noi - Thank you for not being late. I guess you were late after all because you didn't show up at 6:30PM. Technically, you and I were both late. I was 5 minutes late
to be exact. Gosh, I'll stop with the "punctual" talk. Thank you for the awesome cake. I love the red and yellow letters and accent marks. It was such a Vietnamese cake! I'm surprised the Vietnam flag didn't make its way on top of the cake. Thank you for riding the bull for us twice. The second ride made you a superstar. I think you lasted the longest out of everyone. Don't forget to BE CAREFUL! :-)
Ngoc - I can't believe you rode that bull. Thank you for riding on my behalf. I didn't want to ride it because I was afraid I would throw up all over the place. You did an awesome job on that bull considering it was your first run. I can't believe you distracted me with the, "Did you tell them yet? Do you want to?" LOL I hope you had fun as I did.
Rafael - Oh, my ole buddy Rafael...thank you for listening. We have to include you in the next roundtable discussion. We need to hang out more often. You seem to have other friends and I some times get jealous. Yes, I'm talking about Paul. hahahaa We should at least hang out a few more times before the London trip!
Joel - Another ole buddy of mine...I can always count on you to make an appearance. Was Coney Island the last time I saw you? It's been ages then. We have next Saturday to kick it. Thank you for the Japanese mobile case! Why Japanese again?
Chi Kim - Last but not least, thank you for taking the pictures and sending them oh so promptly. I thought I was on top of things. I guess there's a new sherriff in town. We'll definitely plan something big for your shindig in November.I guarantee it.
September 26, 2008
I just submitted my training requests for the current fiscal year. Las Vegas
was not an option. I'm not sure if my boss was kidding. I have never been to Las Vegas so it will be a great opportunity
to kill two birds with one stone. I must decline yet another movie invite because of something better. I hope these invites
continue to fill my e-mail box. Rafael, don't let rain deter you from splashing around outside. Remember, we don't drive around town.
Just get those rain boots on and walk the walk. A crazy virus has infected my office. Two people were out earlier this week.
My flu shot appointment is in a couple weeks. My immune system should be strong enough to fight off those bugs. I just
knocked on wood as I typed that last sentence. Although, my head does feel a bit warm. I get angry when I lose my crease.
The oatmeal at Starbucks sucks! i spend too much time in front of the computer. I'm surprised it's not glued against my face
for easy access. I hope Addison doesn't grow up to be like me. He's already a laptop addict. That reminds me...I am to send
my old Gateway to him. He has been bugging me about it. Melanie, how is the bed rest coming along? Are you bored?
I applaud Addison, Chang, Khoi, and Sandrine! What more can I say?
September 25, 2008
Leona Lewis kicks ass! She is preaching to the masses with her "Mariah" voice
and empowering messages. What would I do without you? LOL I am tempted to post some of her songs. I always show up
early for meetings and outings. I either stay idled and look crazy, do some browsing, or read The Economist. I did not leave
New York all summer long. Now it's time for some serious vacation. Let's leave this city behind and venture to new pastures.
I notice eyebrows more than ever now. Joe confirmed with Time Warner that an outage in our neighborhood is causing
the internet problem. Luckily I have the computer at work to take care of stuff. The sun won't stop shining. Going back and
forth on e-mails can be irritating at work, yet it's fun when the messages are personal. Who needs texting when you have
gmail wide open to receive and send messages. Google introduces its new mobile software to be used on T-Mobile's newest phone. My
contract with Verizon ends later this year. I may consider the move to smart phones. Yes, Carolyn...I'm finally catching up
with the times. I always tell myself that I am one step behind everyone else when it comes to technology. When I start
using a smart phone, they'll end up introducing genius phones. Chang, I'll try to remember to include you in the picture.
We'll leave a space for you. Two of my friends need to see a movie starring Kirsten Dunst. The movie is very appropriate.
Someone wrote "they're" instead of "there" on a poster. I wanted to correct the poster by writing the appropriate word. The
Vietnam flag shows up on my Mac if I switch to Viet font. Please stick to deadlines or else.
September 24, 2008
Palin pretended to have conversations with leaders around the world while her
husband took the 5-month old to a carousel in Central Park. She even hugged and kissed Henry Kissinger. The poor thing
stepped out of North America last year for the first time. I obtained my passport years ago. She finally got her own passport
last year simply to prepare herself for the Alaska governor race. Lindsay Lohan admitted to being in a lesbian relationship with her
DJ girlfriend. Clay Aiken also finally admitted to being gay. He said he could not raise his kid around lies and dishonesty. The truth will set you free.
We could not finish one bottle of wine. We downed the last two glasses as if we were drinking shots. After dinner at the French
Moroccan place, we finished off with a nightcap at the B Bar. I'm never a big fan of $12 drinks. It's simply overrated. The
internet problem persists. After eating Klong, I am thirsty for the remainder of the afternoon. I am getting way too many faxes.
I hope Karin has enough toner to keep up with my print jobs. The survey continues. When will it end? That Blaine guy hangs
upside down in Central Park. I woke up in the same position I went to sleep. No restroom breaks interrupted my sleep.
September 23, 2008
Yes, I am still talking about this internet problem I'm having. It's frustrating to come home
to a computer without internet access. According to Joe, it died on us yesterday. I wasn't home to experience the outage. However, I
experienced the outage on Saturday and today. That's three nights in a row. I have a feeling someone is stealing our internet. After a bit
of tweeking, plugging, and unplugging the router, the service returns to normal. I can toggle between Vietnamese and English on my Mac.
It's so much easier than downloading a software. Apple was right on the money by including all the languages out there in the world.
People tend to be nice on campus. I never know if it's sarcasm in their voices when I ask for things. I was told not to be too direct and
work around the sarcasm. Maybe I don't have the patience to put up with such nonsense. I think we will have closure to the framing issue
this week. It needs to get done before the 40% coupon expires. The lady next to me on the train talked about the book I was reading.
She said her son read the book, but refused to see the show. Her friend said the show was spectacular. Call me the crossword king!
Welcome back to NY, Ms. Landrit! I'm missing out on game night. I'll try to make the next one. Stay strong, my dear and you will see the
light. Is anyone tired of all this Emmy fashion talk? I missed the Groban performance. I fell asleep. Three eggs are better than one. Don't
forget that. Yes, I live in the boonies. Get used to it. The U.N. convenes in Manhattan. Get ready for some serious traffic jams. The Indian
guy on "Heroes" finally gets to be a superhero. I am a man of not so many words.
September 22, 2008
Huong oi! Julie tells me you found my ramblings. I hope I don't bore you. I showed up
early on time as usual. I crashed at Ba Noi's place before getting banh bao (the Vietnamese kind). That place just gives me the creep.
There were too many people getting food. I felt quite claustrophobic. VGU met at Pho Bang. Thankfully, not the one in Flushing. Ms. Canada
revealed her little online secret during our ice cream mochi break in the "flatiron" park. The Mexicans celebrated their independence from
the Spaniards with green, red, and white. I felt like I was in Tijuana. I forgot my moon cake so I ended up walking back to her place any way.
Getting things framed and matted can be quite confusing if you don't know what you're doing. Jacq, how was the free yoga on St. Mark's?
Addison got spanked. Let's make it uncomfortable. Sometimes you can't control those TMI's. I refuse to stand in line to get burgers. I'm behind
on e-mails. Did anyone watch the Emmys? My internet keeps acting up. The M79 detoured all over the place. It even broke down for
two second and recharged itself. Julie kept me company with her own drama. It sucks having slow internet. This is the second time this has
happened. I am ready to switch from Road Runner (Earthlink) to Verizon. Speaking of Verizon, they are still on top when it comes to
coverage on this darn island. A bomb explodes in Pakistan at a Marriott Hotel. The guy from Blink 182 is one of two survivors
of a plane crash. A helicopter stumbles into a Wisconsin home. The family sleeping inside the home escapes without a scratch.
The two in the helicopter did not survive. Pay more if you want to drive on the "Lexus" lanes. Ba Noi oi...I know you had nothing
but good intentions.
September 21, 2008
The weather cannot be any nicer. The walk from Union Square back up to Murray Hill was
pleasant. We pretended to shop. Well, we actually shopped. I picked up a couple things. One of the items was a zipped-up sweater I've been
waiting all summer to buy. The sweater was introduced earlier in the summer, but never went on sale until today. They didn't have my size on
the floor. Luckily I asked the sales rep for my size. He looked in the back and found it. The Zoe girl on Bravo irks me. I hate the way she
talks. She never closes her mouth. Her male assistant reminds me of Wade. Why do they care about my zip code and e-mail address?
I declined to give them my e-mail address. Reminder to myself...use scissors to remove the price tag. Never yank out the tag. Someone is
a yogurt whore. Three nights in a roll from three different places? That's some serious "sleeping around". I'm not too happy with Thay
Name's class website. It keeps telling me that I timed out even if I logged myself off. To fix it, I would reboot my laptop to clear the login.
It's very frustrating. He needs to get it fixed. Plus, none of his Vietnamese font programs are compatible with Apple products. The white
keyboard has a better feel than the silver one. Lilly, you rocked at the health forum. I have you down as the unofficial interpreter for all
future events.
September 20, 2008
I told myself that I would refrain from speaking about the particulars, but I can't
keep it to myself. There are several defining moments in a person's life. I experienced one of those moments not too long ago.
They can be happy events such as the birth of a baby, marriage to your soul mate, or completion of a a terminal degree.
Not all defining moments bring smiles to people's lives. The sudden death of a loved one or a spouse's betrayal can lead to
unimaginable consequences. The future is what we make of it. We learn from our mistakes and accomplishments. We take
what is rightfully ours and dismiss bad karma. Karma kicks you in the butt when you least expect it. The world works in a loop
and that karma knows some serious martial arts. Bruce Lee has nothing on that karma. The one who did me wrong
will have a tough time seeing the light of day. I guarantee it.
September 19, 2008
Israel will soon elect e a female prime minister. The public's admiration for Palin has
decreased significantly within the past couple of weeks. She thinks she can go on TV and do interviews to spread the love. Those interviews
worked against her. I walked back in the office to put on a jacket because the air cooled down quite a bit. I missed the movie
screening. Khoi, I'll make it up to you. I'm following your lead by canceling our excursions. KIDDING! An American teen died in the Yemen
embassy bombing. I have one last piece of moon cake in the desk drawer. Perhaps I can save it for next year. The crazy guy on flipping out
is a judge on Top Design. Who needs cable when you have the Bravo and the Food Network for free. Karen, don't forget to share "Saved"
with your buds. The movie ranks up there with the original Harold & Kumar. My bank will soon be in trouble. I didn't listen to those Chase
guys when they talked smack about WaMu. I will be very upset if ING is next in line. Australians have a nasal voice. I agree with you,
Sandrine. The last Yankees game at Yankee Stadium will take place this weekend. I am to go uptown to the Bronx to help Mr. Le. Let's hope
I don't get lost. Inwood was voted by TONY as the most affordable neighborhood followed by the East Village.
September 18, 2008
A bomb at an American embassy in Yemen kills locals. None of the Americans died.
Four more American soldiers are killed in Afghanistan as a result of roadside bombing. The total number of American servicemen deaths in
Afghanistan exceeds last year's total count. Thousands of Chinese babies are sick due to baby formula contamination. Joel has
too much time on his hands. I wish I have all that hair from the yearbook picture. Heidi Montag, Dean Cain, and Sylvester Stallone support
McCain. I don't have enough room to list Obama's celebrity supporters. They paid beaucoup money to see Barbra sing at a fundraiser for
Obama. I have one word for Jennifer Hudson...cantaloupes. I am reading "Wicked" in preparation for the Broadway show. I am to have
low expectations so I am not set up for a huge disappointment. Mary Poppins only had one ticket left at TicketCentral. To the two Loans
in Houston, be careful and I hope your lives get back to normal soon. Everyone has plans for Sunday night. VGU will meet at Pho Bang on
Sunday. Leave your attitude at the door. I say "ask", not "axe". The Uniqlo shirts survived the first round of dry cleaning. I'll wait for a couple
more rounds before I'm sold. To ensure a clean eating experience, don't warm your cold chili in the microwave. Eat it cold so the sauce
stays thick and manageable. I will attempt at completing the crossword puzzles before giving away my NY magazines. When will I receive
my first issue of "The Economist"? Only time will tell. Autumn finally comes to us this weekend. Amy Poehler leaves SNL after the elections
in November. She is expecting her first baby. She's the last funny cast member on that show. I slept for nine hours last night.
I'm a happy camper.
September 17, 2008
Duly noted! Keep saying those things and you'll deal with the consequences.
I assure you. You will regret every thing you said. I'll throw Rihanna's "Take a Bow" in your face. I am just thinking out loud.
The message is not directed at anyone. I can't seem to find my black t-shirt. People who yell back at their tv screen are
crazies who belong in mental institutions. People who bite their knuckles and talk to themselves also apply. I am not ready
for a smart phone. I am content with my flip phone. The 1-inch screen is fine in my book. I don't text message so who really
needs a keyboard. Seinfeld partners with Bill Gates on the latest round of commercials. Lap bands help people lose weight.
The feds bail out yet another high profile firm. Baked chicken was not enough. I splurged on a late night snack consisting of yogurt,
homemade chili, and red velvet cake. Two drunk ladies dropped off the chili and cake. They deferred free yogurt for a later
time.
September 16, 2008
Wall Street will never be the same again. My family refers to me as Bee, Anh Bee, Cau Bee,
or Chu Bee. Everyone else calls me by my name with a "dau huyen". Keep in mind, these rules do not apply to non-Vietnamese or those who
do not speak the language. They anglicize the name. Before I moved to New Orleans, my name did not include a "dau".
It was a flat name. The kids at Henry Ford Junior High decided to add a "dau huyen" to my name. My parents even picked up on the
current name and kept it to make it easier for everyone. They still refer to me as Bee, but when other non-family adults are present, they
include the "dau huyen". Chang and I never adopted an "American" name. We retained our given names.
Chinh legally became Melanie and Thoan informally changed to Eddie. It sounds complicated, but it's very simple. Half of the kids
left their names alone. The other half became mavericks much like Mr. McCain. I just finished counting the mosquito bites all over my body.
I have a total of 10 bites. I must not scratch. When I get my own place with an open courtyard, I will install a tether ball court complete
with a tall pole and metal chain. I will call on Jacq to defend her title. We should play "ooooh" the next time we're out and about.
Do kids play those games anymore? I have Roxette's "Dangerous" on repeat. Flushing seems so far away. Arexis, thank you for the
recommendation. We may end up in Manhattan's Chinatown after all. The crazy lady plays Coco on Lifetime. Happy Birthday, Khoi!
September 15, 2008
I've heard countless stories of roofs being blown away and homes flooded as a result of
Ike's rapture. The storm was the size of the state of Texas. I hate humidity on top of hot weather. Having your shirt glued to your skin
is never fun. I was told to get off of the treadmill five minutes before my projected completion time. A day later, the red velvet cake tasted
fresh. I get invited to free movie screenings. I wonder why my partner in crime got shut out of the movie screening invitations. There may
be a shortage of Asian males over the age of 30. Please no more moon cakes. I'm all mooned out. The clouds gave way to a semi-clear
sky. I just discovered that I can click "send" at the top of my gmail compose mail box instead of having to scroll all the way down. It took
many years later to become efficient. Micheal Phelps rocked the house on SNL over the weekend. His bad acting made up for the Palin
and Hillary skit at the beginning of the show. Tina Fey was right on the money! Cau Bee will come in December to make you quit those
bad habits! Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy. Did I tell you I hate the new Facebook? I am having such a difficult time
maneuvering around. I only go on there to upload pictures and post messages. Other than that, you won't see me
on the new Facebook because it's way too confusing and not user-friendly at all. Why did they feel the need to change it up
when we all just started to get comfortable with its format? Summer go away already. I am ready for Fall to come and smack
me in the butt. Get those leaves to fall show the trees can show their bare skin. I am ready to wear that same blue sweater jacket
from last year that accompanied me on almost all outings.
September 14, 2008
Smaller portions don't necessarily mean you're not eating a lot. If there are several
frequencies of the small portions, you should come home with a full stomach. How many times did the waitress give us new utensils? I completed my
mission that took place between class and dinner. I even had time to kill at a local Starbucks. Thay Nam was not too hard on us for our
first day of class. It was quite easy for my partner and I to decide on a topic for our presentation. Go Team Bac! Co My vetoed Jacq and me
from forming a team. I now have a few more tupperware to store freshly baked cookies. We need to schedule a bake-off soon. When the
weather gets cold outside, it's always nice to come home to a warm apartment with cookies baking in the oven. I am a sucker for sweets.
We all know that. Khoi, I hope you had a blast. Ngoc (gai), welcome back to the states. I like the dirty hair. Enjoy your new a/c! Ngoc (trai),
lunch in Flushing should be next Sunday. Sorry for the confusion. It will be our first adventure out into Flushing's Chinatown. I hear it's
a lot bigger than Manhattan's Chinatown.
September 13, 2008
McCain screwed up on the view. He did not have answers to many of the questions the ladies
asked. Palin spoke with ABC's Charlie Gibson. What is up with ABC and the Republicans? Tammy, your umbrella was a lifesaver. I usually
pack an umbrella in my bag. I guess I can't do the ferry while in the bay area. Don't they have medicine to deter seasickness? Sipping wine
against a backdrop of scenic views...you can't top that! Wherever I go, I see stairs. It's a daily routine to walk down five flights of stairs in my apartment
building, downstairs to the subway station, downstairs to my office, and downstairs to the gym. With all that walking downstairs comes
walking upstairs, which is never fun. I had a dream of buying a Corolla. I was pissed at myself because I found no use for the car other than
driving out of town on the weekends. My dream kept me stuck in town so the out of town rendezvous didn't really validate the car purchase.
I was very frustrated and then I woke up. I felt a sigh of relief. I literally left the office on the dot and stepped in the apartment at exactly
30 minutes later. I even had time to chillax for a few minutes before heading out again. Shop at your local Bullseye Bodega right now.
A deadly train crash kills at least 14 in Los Angeles. I will stop putting people on the spot. Perhaps I should have invested in more expensive
moon cakes. Drive five hours north of SF to see those gigantic trees. Little Saigon takes up two full blocks in the middle of SF. School
starts today. Khoi, get ready to get trashed. I don't want to hear excuses. There are way too many birthdays in August and September.
Addison is afraid of the dark. He gets the royal treatment during blackouts. An a/c window unit cools the only room in the house. That room
belongs to Addison. Ike terrorizes Bush Country.
September 12, 2008
It's finally Friday. This week went by quite fast. I completed what I needed to get done
this week. Vietnamese class starts tomorrow. I hope we have enough students. I wore a jacket yesterday at lunch time because it was a bit
chilly. We have upgraded from Klong to Knickerbocker. It took me over an hour to book the car, hotel, and airport shuttle reservations. Dad
is cheap. We all know that. Mom has account with me. My dry cleaner better not destroy my new shirts. Mayor Bloomberg wants to stay
in office. Whoopi Goldberg stars in Xanadu. I am connected to Lauren Graham. Happy Birthday, Michelle!
September 11, 2008
Seven years ago, I was at my desk checking my e-mails. A fellow co-worker
announced to the office that a plane smashed into one of the world trade towers in Manhattan. She heard the news through
the radio. She is one of those co-workers who has the radio playing all day long so she can call in at the right time to win prizes.
I opened CNN's website and saw the same headline with pictures of the smoking building. A few minutes later, the same
co-worker tells us another plane crashed into the second tower. Next thing you know, one of the towers tumbled and you know
the rest. I was on the edge of my seat. The only person I knew who worked in one of the two towers was Sasha's boss.
I e-mailed Sasha. Sasha said her boss switched jobs more than a month ago and no longer worked in the towers.
I still remember that day as if it was yesterday. Seven years has gone by and the WTC site remains under construction.
Oh...and we're still fighting that "war" in Afghanistan and Iraq. A focus group wanted my opinion about a romantic comedy.
Khoi, try not to be late this Friday night. You know what they say...third time's the charm! Eating ramen by myself on a bench
with no back support seemed okay. I liked the place on 2nd. Ave. much better than the over-priced one on 4th Ave. I now
have a craving for mochi red bean ice cream. I am getting way too many BRIO e-mails. I'm confused as to which ones I need
to read. When going uptown, stay clear of 3rd Ave when you pass 42nd St. Traffic gets insane because of the Queensboro
Bridge.
September 10, 2008
I fulfilled my civic duty by voting in a primary yesterday. The lady working at the table
remembered me from last time. She said I am a handful of regulars who never miss an election. She is not looking forward to the general
elections in November. The line will be out the door. I can wear any color I want, including red. We ate lunch at the Korean place near our
office. We finished off with Crumbs cupcakes to end the day. The frosting tasted a bit too sweet and heavy. I remembered a lighter and
not as-sweet frosting. Alexis, keep your head up! Why are Lauren and Audrina fighting again? I get my updates from the gym. Karen and
I have the same taste in music. Keep your music up on high. I don't mind at all. Rain brought in much cooler weather. Britney came home
with three VMA's for the first time. Am I really the mean one? At least I keep the checkbook up to date, organize every little detail, stay
ahead of the game, and remember to think of others. I did not redeem the free wild thing. I saved it for another special occasion. Chang,
you received a notice from your doctor. It was written in Spanish. Rain postponed the free outdoor movie screening. Get ready for some
serious silent auction coming later this Fall. A reminder to all...I don't have text messaging. In other words, I cannot receive and accept
text messages because the application was manually removed from my cellphone. Don't ask me why.
September 9, 2008
I was at the edge of my bed last night as I watched the women's championship
match. The second set was a nail biter because of many undelivered break points for both players. Jankovic had a handful of set points, but
Serena denied each and every one. They started to count Jankovic's splits. I did not sleep well. Eating a very rich pistachio
cupcake late in the evening did not help. From now on, no more sugar rush after 8PM. I exchanged the shirt without any
problems. The cashier did not ask questions. I walked down to Chinatown thereafter to get those banh bao that Jacq talked
about. I misread her message and went to a bakery instead of the market she mentioned. I settled for a banh mi and
went back uptown. I'm very proud of Karen for watching both "Harold and Kumar" flicks back to back. New Jersey is well
represented in the first movie. No one has invented something to replace either the toilet or umbrella. Ever wonder about that? Those two items
consistently remained the same with minimal modifications here and there.
September 8, 2008
I mistakenly ripped a new shirt I just bought. I'm not a happy camper. I woke up early to
make my way to Palladium. I went downtown for some cheap dumplings and cold water. The water was not so cold. I looked all over for
those mini moon cakes. After 6 or 7 stores, I found them at the Hong Kong Market. I bought three packages. After a pit stop at the Apple
store, I spent some alone time in Soho. The "makeover" was quite relaxing. I expected the place to be a bit bigger, but it was fine. Flushing
is our next stop. We found a $6.75 bento box summer special on 4th street. Serena plays in the championship. My phone died in the middle
of the day. I'll try to charge them daily. Ike approaches the gulf. Murray advances to the finals after defeating #1 Nadal. The guy is only
21 years old. We will see more of this guy for years to come. Jacq, don't leave me nasty voice mails. David, everything happens for a
reason. This will be an opportunity for you to shine. Continental Airlines will begin to charge $15 for the first checked baggage. According
to BusinessWeek, the big 4 public accounting firms rank at the top of companies to start a stellar career.
September 7, 2008
Yesterday I killed three birds with one stone. Douglas and Yoshi had me over for bun rieu. It reminded
me of my mom's bun rieu filled with shrimp paste, tomatoes, and scallions. Hannah came down pretty heavy late in the afternoon.
I almost slipped a couple times. I would not recommend wearing flip flops when it's pouring outside. A cab splashed nasty street water
all over my pants because I stood too close to the curb. Khoi warmed up some corn on the cob with no butter. Yes, I ate corn with no butter. I added
salt but had a hard time keeping the salt on the corn. It was a nice healthy snack. The 11th Hour was replaced by the last few minutes of
the rained out men's semi-final tennis match. Go and check out "Year of the Fish". You'll have to get used to the crazy cartoon-like
imagery. I was irritated at first, but got over it. How can a fish grow so fast in such a short time? An Nguyen fobbed it up for the role.
I ordered my usual Tan Tan Men with the pork fried rice. Jacq left us for another date. She likes to double book. Thao and I walked over to the
west side for some bread pudding at Cafeteria. The server gave me a "love bump". Instead of waiting 30 minutes for the next crosstown,
a couple strangers and I shared a cab to get back on the east side. I'm glad we had our talk. It's good to be on the same page. I'm all
about communication. How would the other person know how you feel unless you tell them? It's a simple rule, yet most people shy away
from expressing their feelings. I'm guilty some times too. You just have to pick the right moment. I'm on a Duffy and Leona Lewis rush! Thank
you to Di Chang for hooking me up with stolen mp3's.
September 6, 2008
Although it was a 4-day work week, it seemed longer than the typical 5 days. I'm still sweating after
taking a cold shower. The humid air does not help at all. Those subway conductors can be mean with their screaming and yelling. Addison
stomps instead of walking like a normal person. The extra weight he gained has something to do with this. He spends way too much time
in front of his mama's laptop. The chicken at Community on the UWS was a bit dry. To think of it, everything was bland and dry.
The water came to us at room temperature. I asked for a pitcher of water because they did not automatically refill my water. I'm never
coming back. I am big on refilling my tap water. I met up with Ms. Canada for a quick red mango fix before heading uptown. I ate
the yogurt and left when I saw the M34 bus approaching. Do we have any other Palin gossip to talk about?
September 5, 2008
Can Cindy's hair get any brighter? Everyone else is watching the season opener
instead of listening to McCain speak. Addison will not eat his food unless Cau Bee gets on the phone and yells into his ear.
The Angel Share bar is a little secret in the East Village. A transgender competes on ANTM. The blonde girl on the new 90210
does not look like a teenager. Why did they even cast her for the teenage role? A common vaccine does not cause autism.
The networks get together to bring about cancer awareness. Usher and Nicole Kidman's husband rocked Columbus Circle.
Mayor Bloomberg passed a law to forbide bullying. Mayor Nagin welcomes everyone home to New Orleans. Evacuees without
cars remain at their shelters. Chi San continues to store my Pokemon figurines. Carolyn and Geri are my island honeys.
KT, I miss being in thieu nhi thanh the. I only made it to yellow without any stripes. I prematurely left the "communist" youth group.
My goal was to attain the red color with many yellow strips. It never happened. Khoi, I would've responded to your "4 things"
but you did not list me as one of the folks who would respond. Therefore, I did not respond. I heart ba noi. We should
erase our email history before including a third party. We wouldn't want others to know we talk about them.
September 4, 2008
Palin's son will be the uncle to a child a year younger than he. Palin has that same evil smirk
on her face. It just doesn't go away. She looks sort of like Karen from "Will & Grace". It's only polite to respond to someone if a response
is requested. Rain heads our way. We have been dry for quite some time. I can't stand liars. Tell the truth and it will set you free. When
will Armstrong open up again? A couple tornadoes rip through Westwego and Metairie. I don't feel comfortable using Apple's numbers.
Google introduces its new browser called "chrome". I like the incognito window. That window should be the default at all times. I don't
want people to see my history. I'm getting tired of wearing white shirts. I am to buy blue and non-white dress shirts from now on. I hope
Addison gets a/c when he returns to Marrero. I wonder how he'll react to the hot and humid air inside his home. My parents stayed at
Addison's house because they can't get into their own home. It's all boarded up. If they have electricity, they can open the garage door
to get in through the house. Lieberman is bad news for everyone. His nasal voice irritates me. Why did the Connecticut people stick by him?
He is a trader and needs to retire. B Bar will not accommodate a big party. The limit is 8. Many thanks to Thay Nam for getting the
school's website working again. Registration begins this Saturday and classes will begin next week.
September 3, 2008
I didn't get to eat until almost 2PM. The first day back from a 3-day weekend
felt more like the first day back from a 7-day vacation. Sunrise Mart stopped selling my shrimp bento box. I'm in the mood for
that Korean fried rice down the street. Karen wants to eat there because of the awesome take-out service. Folks down south
plan to evacuate out of Hannah's path. For some reason, my router at home stopped working. Time Warner claims that
the modem works. I believe them because my television has clear reception. Why would a router stop working?
I would hate to buy another one. Addison may need new DVD's. I hope he doesn't get bored sitting in the hotel room. The poor
guy has been through 3 evacuations and he's only 4 years old. I need new socks. I expected to ache all over the place, but nothing so far. Insects like to bite my right arm and the left
side of my face and forehead. Don't ask me why. They latched onto me as I strolled through Central Park. They attacked
me as if I covered myself in honey. I also need a hearing aid. Talk into my good ear. You'll see as I talk to you from the side.
My parents are back home in Marrero. They were the first to arrive on the West Bank. They allowed people to come
home at 6AM today. My parents left early at 3AM to beat the rush. The soldiers in Slidell allowed entry to my parents and three other
cars behind them. The three cars exited at Manhattan Blvd. while they continued on toward Westwego. As of right now,
there is no electricity, but they do have running water.
September 2, 2008
The Alaska governor's teenage daughter is pregnant. She intends on marrying
the baby's father. The conservative frowns upon teenage pregnancy, yet appreciates the fact that the mother is pro-life. Let's
force the baby's parents to marry one another even if the baby is a mistake. They will try to make it work. Palin is also under
investigation for terminating her brother in law. She retained an attorney. Palin has no experience whatsoever. Why would
McCain make such a bad choice? He had plenty of other folks to choose from. Gustav overshadowed the RNC. A couple hundred protesters
were arrested right outside the convention center. Hannah will make her way to the east coast later this week. It's a non-stop
marathon of hurricanes and tropical storms. The Japanese Prime Minister steps down. The Thai government is in chaos.
Russians warn the West not to meddle in their business with Georgia. Mulder is a sex addict. Amy Winehouse may be brain
damaged. I love the soulful sounds of Duffy. Bush will speak to the RNC via a live satellite feed from DC. Jerry Lewis raised
more money than ever. The new 90210 premieres tonight on CW. Chang et al, Hannah is coming to Georgia later this week so
brace yourself. I think you guys will head back to Marrero before Hannah gets there. Be safe and I hope the West Bank escaped with
little or no damage!
September 1, 2008
Yes, I am a day behind. I thought I stayed on course. Gustav must have
taken me off track. Get your overpriced sushi at the Blue Water Grill. Real crab meat tastes like chicken when wrapped
in seaweed. The Q train took us to Brooklyn for the West Indian American Parade. We ate chicken, rice, and meat pies on
Geri's porch. Blame it on the Chinese for not making an Anguilla flag. After almost giving up, we found an Anguilla pin for
Miss Jackson. It was her pride and joy. Sorry, I can't represent Guatemala. We waited like a herd of cattle in our attempts
to cross Eastern Parkway. Cops lined up along Nostrand Avenue. Shantae provided door to door service from Brooklyn to
Flushing. The day session took longer than expected. Venus won the 4th round match. Serena played an
easy match to advance to the quarterfinals. Too bad she will be playing against her sister. She didn't hit the autographed ball
high enough. We left at the beginning of the men's 4th round match. The 7 train did not run express. A cab waited for Carolyn
to send her off to Laguardia. I went back to sleep for another hour. It was a jam-packed weekend. I can't remember having
so much fun in such a short time span. Happy Labor Day!