Sunday, September 23, 2007

Last Sunday, and This Sunday

Last Sunday was hiLAARRious, in a dark family comedy kind of way.

It all started when my family sans my brother were getting ready to go to Long Beach to attend the JACL dinner show that my sister was MC-ing.

My sister is crazy, and she agreed to do this gig immediately after coming back from a retreat in Palms Springs. Naturally, she was running late, and after I worked my Fairy Godmother Magic and made her presentable, she ran out of the house first and hopped on to my mom's MPV. (She had to be there an hour before.)

20 minutes later, she calls the house and informs us that the engine light turned on and the car was making clackity noises. She exited off of the 710 on to Lynwood, and my dad drove to go trade cars. He informed us to come after him to make sure that we have back-up. So, 15 minutes after that, my mom and I drove after him on the 710 southbound.

My sister and my dad traded cars, and she sped off and made it safely to Long Beach. My dad circled around the area and decided that the car was atleast mobile enough to drive back to his office. He called us and asked us to meet him there, which meant that we had to turn back around the freeway.

As my mom got off the freeway and tried to get on the opposite direction, a car rear-ended us. BOOM. (Flashbacks galore!) The driver of the car got out, and motioned for us to pull over on the right. We obliged, only to realize that the car made the most illegal U-turn ever and sped off. I got out of the car, shaking my fist in the air (literally), when a homeless woman approached me. She was yelling at me saying, "I KNOW THAT FUCKER!! I KNOW HIM!! HE DRIVES HERE EVERYDAY! THAT FUCKER!" and asks me to give her my phone number so she can call me and give me the license plate number. I stood there for a good 3 minutes trying to calm her down, when another car pulled over in front of us. A young guy came out, and asked if everything was ok, because from the streets, it looked like this woman was attacking me. I said, no we're all fine, and got back in the car and headed north to meet up with my dad.

Then.

My dad called us, and before I could tell him that we've been hit, he reported that the engine died and he is stranded on the freeway. He asked us to meet him there. We found him on the freeway, parked on the side, and called AAA and waited there for an hour before they came to tow the car. The image is totally Little Miss Sunshine-esque. We're all in our nice clothes on the side of the freeway with two busted cars, one with a giant dent, and another with the hood popped up and smoke coming out of it. It was so hilarious, that I took pictures (which is trapped in my mom's digital camera).

Needless to say, we never made it to Long Beach. We had sushi instead.

So that was last sunday.

This weekend was infinitely better, and I took full advantage of the rain. I made it to the farmer's market today, and bought some cheap white peaches and Gala apples. I even found a non-sweetened Chai mix at Trader Joe's, which was something I've been searching for. It was the perfect rainy weekend. I also went to go see a musical that Peter produced, and if you're in the LA area, you should check it out!!! It was really good; a great community theatre atmosphere. For more info, check it out here. --> www.droodinla.com

I love LA for its produce. I live walking distance (literally 3 minutes) to the local farmer's market. If I had a Trader Joe's next door and a train station close by, I think I would be sublimely happy.

I hope you all had a great weekend, and hopefully no one was involved in a rain induced accident.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Wedding Numero Uno, Down!


Remember when I had told you about my wedding marathon?

It has started with the ceremony of my co-worker.

I have to say, her wedding was the best wedding I have ever had the pleasure to attend. It was very local and organic (not just the food, but everything), complete with homemade guestbook made from Trader Joe's bag, and non-dairy cupcake centerpiece. I loved every minute of it, and it was very very indicative of what my co-worker was like. If I ever change my mind about marriage, that's the type of ceremony I would consider.

(Speaking of Trader Joe's, LA Magazine named Trader Joe's as one of the best places to meet someone and get a date here in the Southland. What do you say to that?)

Next, I have two weddings back-to-back in October. One will be at a park, and another in San Francisco. I'm pretty excited!

In other news, it's gotten suddenly cool in LA. I luuurrve it because I lurrve fall, but I'm very wary about it too, because the change was so sudden. The change only points to one natural disaster in my mind: earthquakes. They even say that this weather is very uncharacteristic of September in Los Angeles. I hate hearing about that kind of shit.

I do love fall. It makes me want Colin Firth movies and something cinnamon. And wear boots. I love boots. I currently own 4 pairs, and am looking for an authentic, no-frill pair of sturdy cowboy boots. It'll encourage me to stomp around the city without being stuck in cars. OH! Which brings me to what happened last Sunday, but that's another entry all in itself. Let me just say that I HATE CARS. If I didn't need it, I would gladly relinquish it. (Commuting 30 miles every other day makes it kind of tough, although I suppose I can actually work around it... something to look into.)

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Where were you?

Last generation, this question referred to when JFK was shot. Our generation, it refers to the morning of 9/11.

9/11 was memorable for everyone, but I think it has a special significance for kids my age. First of all, specifically to people my age, it was the first year of college. You're away from home, and deal with a national tragedy with people you just met, since it was the first or second week of college. Second, this changed the entire meaning of joining the military. I knew a lot of people who joined the military after graduating from high school, thinking war was never going to happen in this country. They were the first ones to be deployed. The first couple of kids you saw in the newspapers, the 18-19 year-olds that were dying, those were kids like me. Kids after my year had a new prospective about what it meant to join the ranks, and it changed the whole process forever.

Anyhoo.

9/11 was the start of the second week of college. I was asleep on the top bunk, when one of the girls in my hall burst into our room yelling, "New York's been bombed!" It was so early in the morning, and I had spent the night before chatting it up in the hallway, like a normal college student. I thought it was a dream, so I fell back asleep. 15 minutes later, I felt a buzz in the entire hallway, and I got up. I saw that people were crowded around a small TV and saw the image of the plane crashing into the second tower. My roommate, who was from New York, was freaking out. I didn't know what to do, so I went to class. Our professor debriefed us a little bit about what was happening and dismissed us. I called my family, just because. Then the rest of the day was just sitting down and talking to a bunch of people I barely knew.

At the end of the day, I wrote an email to my friends, and got the sweetest responses I had ever received in my life. It's a pretty naive and cheesey email, but I do cherish it as an evidence of how young people may react when they don't know what else to do. Here it is:

Dear all,

My roommates and I were having a long talk of what happened today...actually yesterday. (Its 1 am in the morning) Truthfully, I hate hearing about it now because its just too depressing, but it reminded me again of how life really is short and you really don't know what's going to happen. That phrase has become somewhat of a cliché, but I don't think I've heard of a more truthful one. Thousands of people have lost their family and friends in just one day. Thousands of people woke up this morning to lead their normal lives, and died. This country has lost more people today than it has in its entire history in just one day. Life is full of surprises and there really is no way to prepare for them, which makes it even more precious.
The purpose of this e-mail is just to tell you people how much I love you all, and how thankful I am that you people are still with me today. I don't care if you think I'm being too corny...That's a lot better than to lose you all without telling you guys how much you all mean to me. You guys are the reason why I am who I am, and I love you guys very much. Very very very much! Take care of yourself, and remember that there's at least one person in this frightening world that will cry for you, that will do anything for your safety and happiness. Again, I love you guys, and please take advantage of the life that you still have.

Love,
Lisa

Anyway, may the memory live on, and the nightmare that has occurred because of this day be resolved as soon as possible.


Saturday, September 08, 2007

You Are What You Eat


Name: You guys should know my name by now.

Occupation: Case Manager (basically kind of like a social worker) for the Little Tokyo Service Center, and Resident Service Coordinator at a subsidized senior apartment.

Borough: Currently Alhambra, but raised in South Pasadena. Made a brief cameo in Upland, CA and Madrid, Spain, and have my eyes on moving east or north.

Relationship status: Single-minded, single status. Free as can be.

What did you eat today?
Since it's still 7AM, and I've only eaten breakfast, I will recap yesterday's food:
Breakfast, which is by far my favorite meal of the day, was yogurt with strawberries, peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread, and black coffee.
I made it through lunch with some apples and a cup of tea.
Lunch was a tofu salad that I've been making for lunch every single day, and which I'm considering on retiring, and some brown rice.
Snacks include some free Fuji apples from my residents, grapes, cherry tomatoes, and some almonds. I luver dry roasted almonds.
And dinner was an aray of finger foods from Gelson's at the Not The Boss Mixer at the Avenue Q Opening night reception at the Ahmanson. YUUUMMM. Grilled vegetables, sushi, and brownie. WATCH AVENUE Q! Of course, it couldn't beat my first experience of the show on Broadway, but it was pretty good, despite the large theatre!

What do you never eat?
There is nothing I would never eat. But here are some things I would never choose to eat:
Flan, custard, or anything egg-y and sweet. Strawberry ice cream, or cheap vanilla ice cream. Milk chocolate. White chocolate (It's NOT CHOCOLATE!). Whole milk. Steak. Rice pudding (rice is not supposed to be sweet). Pudding in general. Mousse and souffles. Flavored sweetened coffee. Can you see that I don't really have a sweet tooth? And I don't like red meat very much.

Complete this sentence: In my refrigerator, you can always find:
A big tub of non-fat plain yogurt. Tofu. A bag of baby spinach. Peanut butter, and black berry jam.

What is your favorite kitchen item?
KNIFE. Watch out. And my green tea kettle. Two things I use most in the kitchen.

Where do you eat out most frequently?
I actually hate eating out consecutively, hence, I do not eat out much. BUT! If I had to, it would be Sushi Gen in Little Tokyo (sushi is literally the only reason I cannot be vegetarian), Pho places (I live in Alhambra, man!) and that's about it.

World ends tomorrow. What would you like for your last meal?
Whatever my mom cooks me with a big bowl of hot white rice. Really, her cooking is my favorite cuisine. My grandma's is a close second.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

make-me-barf quote of the day

Older man: Damn, you look good. How old are you? 16? 18?

Me: I'm 24. (and still too young for your gross ass, i want to punch you in the face, 16?? 18??? you're a criminal!!!!!!)


the end.

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Because it's not 110 degrees anymore:

End of Summer Survey

Name: Lisa
Age: 24
Grade: super duper senior (citizen)
Summer of:

This Summer Have You..

Been On Vacation?: TOKYO!!!!! with Nudy and Banana!!
Went Camping?: negative
Been On A Boat?: only in Disneyland
Went To The Ocean?: thankfully, yes. Went on a little adventure at 6 in the morning in Japan with Nudy. That was fun, huh?
Slept all day?: If anything, this summer was Summer of No Sleep.
Went to the movies?: more than usual, which means twice.
Been on a Plane?: longest plane ride ever.
Partied too much?: not enough, although my wallet would say otherwise.

Summer This or That...

Flip-Flops or Barefoot?: barefoot contessa
Beach or Pool?: i like the beach better, but I'm afraid I was at the pool more...
Ice cream or Snow cone?: Ice Cream, man.
Bug-Bite or Sun Burn?: suffered both. I prefer mild bug-bites, though. It's less threatening.
Relationship or Summer Lovin?: One did not turn into another, and that was that.
Hang With Friends or Family?: Friends, I believe, since I moved out. Although, I saw my sister more than ever since she started working at my org. What a tag-a-long.
Layout or Tanning bed?: Layout! Tanning bed is so 2003.
Fans or A/C?: I don't like A/C, but these last 3 days were unbearable without it.

Best of Summer..

Movie: Ratatouille!
TV Show: ACE OF CAKES ACE OF CAKES ACE OF CAKES!! I want a Geof cake, made by Geof, and delivered by Geof.
Concert: the only concert I went to was the John Wayne/Gene Autry Hollywood Bowl Spectacular.
Song: Under my umbrella, ella ella, eh eh eh
Hangout Spot: Tiffanie and Jimmy's house.

This Summer Who..

Made you cry?: no one! Yesss... except for Naoko, actually, for making me go through that fuckin haunted house.
Made you laugh?: everyone.
Let you down?: circumstances
Surprised you?: mmmm... myself?
Lied to you?: I'm sure many, but I never found out.
Made an offer you could not refuse?: still waitin'
Gave you the best advice?: Grammar Girl and Legal Lad.

Random Summer Questions..

What did you look forward to most about this Summer?
Tokyo! 'Twas fun.

Do you spend more time partying or relaxing?
a little of both.

Did you set/accomplish goals this summer?
I said I'd train for a half marathon. I think I'm almost there, although there are doubts if I'm actually going to run it.

Did you make any new friends?
I sure did.

Do you sleep all day or stay up all night?
I had an insomniac summer, or a narcoleptic one. Ask Peter.

Whats your favorite food to eat during the summer?
TOFU. You think I'm kidding, but that's all I ate this summer.

Did you learn something new this summer?
I learned that I am a robot, devoid of all human emotions. Apparently.

This summer was better than last summer.
Yes, it was. Last summer, I had to come home from Spain. That sucked. And I had to work at a dumbass bank. That sucked even more.

Do you already have plans for next summer?
nope! It's still hot. Since there are no summer vacations in WorkLand, I'm going to pretend that it still is. Although, I REALLY REALLY REALLY miss going Back to School Shopping.

That is all.