me: you're "Bff" on my buddy list not jonkang@gmail...
BFF: haha i have you as "person i never see"
me: can you change it to girl i never see at least? person is so .... i dunno impersonal
BFF: we'll see, you have to earn it. you start as a person, then ill assign a gender

Quote of the Day

"I forgot to take out the stupid ass, shit!"

My ever eloquent mother

Awesome!

my friend molly in LA: i was at Ralphs with Kelly in the ice cream aisle and I was debating on getting ice cream. we must have stood there 5 mins debating. she's like "get the 2 for 5..." and I said "its cheaper, but do I really need two?!" this guy next to me goes "no, dont get the ice cream. its bad for you. too much sugar." and I looked over and it was Jared Leto!!! I said "Well I know its bad but its fine once in awhile." He goes "I gave it up awhile ago... I'm actually here buying it for my dog..." I said "So you'll buy it for your dog but you wont eat it?" LOL!! He was totally nice and totally HOT!! But then I was like wait a minute, it he trying to tell me that I DONT NEED IT? Like I'm a fattie or something?!! LOL So I just walked away from the convo ... kelly was like "omg that was rude you guys were in the middle of a conversation!"

me: LOL you're awesome!!! that is awesomeeeeee you walked away from Jordan Catalano!

molly: LMAO!! I KNOW!! Man he was HOT it was hard for my knees not to buckle talking to him. kellys like "man you really kept your cool. I was grinning like an idiot!" LOL

me: moments like these, i wish i was in LA again...but at least I have Mark Suppelsa

"Di Gaw Ji La"!

My baby brother is going on his first business trip next week. He is a "di gaw ji la" (big boy now)! I am a proud "ga ja" (older sister).

Good job Chrissy! :D

It's Official

Me: so today i officially became a law student
Me: i stayed up late writing a memo and then went to the bars after class ...on a monday nite
Matt: haha
Matt: it's about time
Me: im a late bloomer

May's Reaction to my Mark Suppelsa Sighting

uh, yea. im jealous. the only good looking people to get to see around here is the "maintenance man" and he's a short, bald, skinny man. i bet that's his stage name too...i can picture it now. (shakira's hips don't lie playing in the backgroud) "hey ladies, let's give it up for the 'maintenance man!'" all the women on their feet, jumping up and down with dirty dolla bills in their hands...sigh yes, visions like these keep me going throughout the day... =)

Hillarious

The 10 Most Dissapointing Treats for Trick-or Treaters

Another Mark Suppelsa Sighting!

This morning was like any other. I woke up, got ready for work and hopped on the bus. When I arrived at work, I entered through the Beaubien street entrance and walked up the steps to Prudential 2. As I reached the top of the stairs, I saw a familiar silver-maned Lothario, whom I've seen on many a nights, in my own living room...on TV...Mark Suppelsa! For those of you readers who are not Chicagoans, Mark Suppelsa is Chicago's very own version of Anderson Cooper. He smiled at me and went on his way. *Swoon*

This is not the first time I've seen this older heartthrob in person of course. The first time was on the escalators at work (he smiled at me then too!) and the second time was at La Pomme Rouge while he was getting his drink on with his fellow news casters...He may (or may not) look like he has too much make-up on when he's on TV, but in person...he is delish! I wonder when I'll see him again...*sigh*

Nerd Alert!

I like Westlaw better than LexisNexis :)

Chicago in LA Part 3

Matt: Guess where I went to!?

Matt: Oh wait.

Matt: You probably know already.

Pocky at Borders?

Borders has started to sell Pocky. You know the biscuit-y/cookie sticks dipped in chocolate? (Pocky also comes in strawberry, I think I've seen green tea before, and my favorite: chocolate dipped in pieces of crushed almonds...mmmmm). As a kid, I would buy Pocky from Chinese grocery stores - picking up a box, blowing the dust off the top of it, paying about 2 dollars, and sharing the box with my little brother. But what used to be a yummy childhood treat is now a cool item of the week at Borders. Unfortunately, labeling Pocky as a "cool item of the week" makes it considerably less cool and makes me not want to eat it anymore...kinda.

Quote of the Day

"And jackets are tight...which makes you look like a fat guy in a little coat."

Quote of the Day

This quote is from DYY's blog:

"Sometimes we tend to be in despair when the person we love leaves us, but the truth is, its not our loss, but theirs, for they left the only person who wouldnt give up on them."

Word.

Chicago in LA Part 2

My friend Matt in LA: I went to Rush St. last night.
Me: The restaurant in LA or are you in Chicago?
Matt: Man! I wanted to trick you! How did you know about the restaurant?
Me: I'm in the know. Duh.

Time Waster

Me in 2000

Me in 1994

Me in the 1960's


How did you look?

Green Summer Goals Met! :)

I was just clicking around my blog and came across My Goals for a Greener Summer and I am happy to announce that I've met ALL my goals!

• I walk more often than I did before. To be fair, since school has started, I walk less than I did during the Summer. But if I'm not walking, I'm usually riding the CTA.
• I bought myself a red aluminum water bottle, so I hardly carry a plastic bottle with me anymore...unless I am without water and have to buy some.
• I do take shorter showers now, but I haven't mastered the 6 minutes shower yet. To be honest my short showers are really more about maximizing my sleep time and less about minimizing my carbon footprints...but it's all the same in the end.
• And I am happy to say I do buy less things now than before. I do not remember the last time I bought a new pair of shoes or a purse and I hardly buy books anymore (school books don't count, because I have to buy them). You'd think I'd have saved a good amount of money this summer, but I spent my money on dinners and drinks...Money well spent!

So now I just have to set goals for a greener Fall...any suggestions?

Ok Let's Make It Mostly Sober October

Reason: Jojo's 21st birthday!

(Not to mention Olivia's at the end of the month.)

Green: Plastic Bags

Please check out Chicago Reader's FAQ about plastic bags.

Here are some quick facts for the lazy reader:

• Plastic bags do not decompose. They break down, eventually into fine "dust" that can poison wildlife and even us.
• Plastic bags can be recycled but it is costly so recycling companies usually opt not to recycle them.
• Jewel and Dominick's sometimes have plastic bag drop-offs where you CAN recycle them.

My Rolling Briefcase

Because of its social stigma, I was very hesistant to do so. I prolonged it as long as I could, carrying my books and laptop in a school bag I had from undergrad. My posture and shoulders bore the brunt of my stubbornness, but I refused to give up my old bag - until yesterday.

Yesterday was my first day ever using a rolling briefcase! Yes, I was one of those people. That annoying person who rolled over your feet with their briefcase yesterday on the bus? Yup, that was me. The one who banged you on the knee while they were struggling to carry their briefcase down a flight of stairs? Moi. The one you laughed at when they got stuck in the revolving doors trying to pull their briefcase behind them? Me.

I am not proud.

Chicago in LA

Chicago is awesome, even LA thinks so. Check out LA's homage to Chicago's Rush Street which my friend Molly told me about! :)

Sober October Begins!

Being Collegiate

Nancy lived across the hall from me my freshman year in college. She decided she wanted to be my friend and I was too lazy to stop her. YEARS later, we are still friends, mostly because she's awesome and only just a little bit because I'm still too lazy to tell her to stop talking to me.

I guess the best thing about having friends who live far away from you is having a reason to go visit them and vice versa. I stayed with Nancy while I was out in LA last summer and it was shopping cart moves, Pink Berry, Pop Stars, karaoke and BCD House good times. A year later, it was my turn to show Nancy how much cooler Chicago is.

Nancy brought out the dormant sorority girl in me and despite the lack of sleep, inappropriate bartenders, dirty dirty martinis, an impromptu double date and losing (and then eventually finding) her cell phone, we had a Wabash Taps, cuddling, Dunkin' Donuts coffee, scarf-wearing, Evergreen and duck tongue good time.

Now wouldn't it be great if we both lived in the same city again?

CAPS

WHEN I WAS YOUNG, CAPS WERE JUST CAPS. CAPITAL LETTERS - FOR NAMES, TITLES, OR WHATEVER YOU LIKE. WITH THE ADVENT OF AOL, AIM, GCHAT, ETC. CAPS REPRESENTED SCREAMING IN TYPE. IT USED TO BE IF YOU WERE IN A CHATROOM WITH YOUR CAPS ON, YOU COULD BE KICKED OUT OF THE ROOM FOR DISTURBING THE "PEACE". (IT MAY STILL BE THIS WAY BUT SINCE I HAVEN'T BEEN TO A CHATROOM IN A LONG TIME, I'M NOT SURE.)

NOW THAT I'VE SPENT YEARS SEEING CAPS AS A CHAT FAUX PAS, IT IS QUITE UNSETTLING TO SEE A WHOLE BUNCH OF WORDS IN CAPS - AS IF SOMEONE IS SCREAMING AT ME. I'M STARTING TO GET A HEADACHE JUST LOOKING AT THIS. WHAT ABOUT YOU GUYS?

Quotes of the Day

"I love culture and drinking."

-Ashley, in response to my suggestion to make Friday night cultural, but with drinks!


"I hear you're looking for dinner suggestions.... McDonald's...they have this burger with two beef patties and two slices of cheese...it's so good!"

-Mark

Quote of the Day

"What a nice time to sit next to me when you don't have time to watch TV."

-Jackie, after telling me about her drama.

True Story

Me: Can you help me get a piece of pork since you're getting yourself some?

Chris: You're so lazy! You've been asking me to get you stuff all through lunch. Can't you get it yourself?

Me: I can't help it if you pick the dishes I want too!

Chris: Whatever.

Me: Maybe it's a brother-sister thing. Here, try to guess what I want next.

Pause while my brother tries to read my mind.

Chris: No, I am not getting you some chicken.

Me: Wrong! I want some pop.

Pause.

Chris: Actually, I was thinking that I want some pop too.

My Cousins and I :)

A current picture where I am not possessed. Thanks Mel! :)

Things that are sexy:

My skinny jeans from AG
Loving yourself
Playing it cool
Forgiveness
Speaking your mind

Things that are not sexy:

Being sick
Onion bagels
Crowded buses
Crowded buses on a rainy day
Bottling things up
Being petty

Boys Are Funny

It all started while Ashton and I were stuck in traffic on our way home. We haven't seen each other in weeks so there was much to catch up on. He was telling me about his new job and I was telling him about school, and then we started talking about girls. Specifically, about ranking them on a scale from 1-10.

"You don't understand, this girl is like a 7, when he used to date a 9," he said.
"Who did he date that was a 9?" I asked.
"Lisa*."
"Lisa is a 9?! In that case Angelina Jolie must be a 15! Lisa is not a 9."
"You can't compare Angelina Jolie to Lisa. It's like comparing apples and oranges. You have to put them on their own scale."
"But a 9?"
"Then what is she?" Ashton countered.
"A 7, or an 8 if I was being generous. But not a 9!"
"A 7?! How are you judging them? This girl has big boobs, a cute face and she's fun to hang out with. She's a 9."
Since he was being so general, I didn't want to get into why I thought she was more of a 7 than a 9 (flat hair, sallow skin, etc.) so my response was, "Uh huh, ok then," and then we started talking about something else.

Fast forward to dinner, when Matt and Chris joined us and the topic came up again.

"You know how Lisa's a 9, right?" Ashton prompted.
"Yeah, yeah," Matt responded, not even a split second later.
"Why?" I asked Matt.
"Big boobs and a cute face."

And then fast forward to even later when we met up with Danny at a bar and he started explaining to me that girls can never be a 10.

"10 is the goal. 10 is perfect. You can never have a perfect 10."
"How about Angelina Jolie?" I asked. (If you guys haven't gotten it yet, yes, I think Angelina Jolie is hot.)
"Angelina Jolie is a 9. No one can be a 10, that's just the way it is."

I looked at the other guys and they nodded their heads in agreement.

Then for the rest of the night, we proceeded to rank the girls coming in and out of the bar. It is amusing to note that these guys were very generous with their 9s. I wonder if they realized that if no girl can be a 10, then a 9 will be the highest ranking. Why even bother with a ranking system at all?

*names have been changed to protect the individual's privacy.

Back in the Day

When I had braces, opened my eyes really wide for pictures so that my eyes didn't look so chinky (who cares if I looked possessed?) and Niki and Molly were still Midwesterners.

Thanks for the pic Mollz!

Quote of the Day

"This is what happens when my mom dies - I'm out of the loop!"

-Jenn, after finding out family gossip that happened two years ago.

Apologies

to my readers who had to (and will probably continue to) suffer through my spelling and grammar mistakes. I hadn't noticed these mistakes at the time of publishing but today I clicked on some of the older posts and found some glaringly obvious mistakes. If I wasn't so lazy, I'd go back to fix them, but I am. You guys love me anyways right?

Quote of the Day

"Girls do not poop!"
-Ashton

Quote of the Day

"It's a hard game and only the strongest survives!"

My little cousin Tiffany always seem to have the best quotes.

May Makes Me Smile

Here is an excerpt from an email May sent me today:

Yes, you have a long day girl...and you have cramps..ouch. Uh oh, good luck to the hot guys in your class. =/

Hot Guy: Hi, my name is Hot Guy, what's yours?
Erica the Cramper: BACK OFF!!

Stuff Asian People Like

My friend lent me a book this morning called Stuff White People Like based on the blog of the same name. The blog is hilarious (and free) so check it.

Even though the book and blog are intended to make fun of white people, I found that there are many things white people like that Asian people like as well...but what about the stuff that sets Asians apart from non-Asians? Check out my top five list below:

1) Because they do not like to leave any sort of money trail, Asian people like to pay for everything with cash. This includes houses, cars, designer purses and other luxury items. This doesn't necessarily make them gangsters (or part of the Triad as Asians would say) but it is kinda gangsta.

2) Even though most Asians can afford to pay for everything with cash, they love sales or any sort of deals that will make purchased items cheaper. You can check their wallets for laundry detergent rain checks and their freezers for an unlimited supply of steaks and pork (stocked up because of an awesome deal).

3) Along the same lines, what Asians like more than a good deal, is the BEST deal - free things. So what if the bread is a bit stale and hard, it was buy one get one FREE.

4) What drinking games are to white people, gambling is to Asians. Asian people love to gamble. Whatever game it may be, when the stakes involve either winning or losing money, Asians will be interested. Do not be fooled into thinking that they are early risers, waking up at the crack of dawn to do some Tai Chi in the park...more likely than not, they are just on their way home from the casino boat or an all night mahjong session.

5) Asian people like to keep their money in the safety of their own homes. They do not trust that their money is safe in banks. You can find their cash hidden under their mattresses or even in a slit cut into their mattresses. Or just in a jar atop a hard-to-reach shelf. If you find their secret stash, you can take it and buy yourself a boat and then gamble on it...then who'd be gangsta?

Mostly Sober September and Sober October

Yeah, it's going to happen. I'm determined!

Quote of the Day

"Sober does not taste good."

- Jessica, after taking a sip of her healthy green smoothie.

My Bangs

So I cut my bangs a couple of weeks ago. Now they are above my eyebrows - old school, Chinese style bangs that I thought I'd never revisit, but I did. So far, I've gotten some mixed reviews. Some people love them and some hate them. I go back and forth. Olivia says that I look like a twelve year old girl and suggests that I sweep them to one side to make me look less young.

Today, I asked Teddy whether he liked them side swept or covering my entire forehead. He says they look good both ways. (YAY!)

My bangs have now been validated.

I am no longer 21

"How old are you? 21?" I asked.
"Oh you flatter me. I am older than that," Random Club Guy replied, his arms still wrapped around me. RCG had come up to me when I was innocently dancing with my friends and put his arms around me, like we were bffs. I only have one bff and his name is not RCG!
"Ok, 24?" I guessed.
"Oh, no I am not that old."
I looked up at RCG, smiled, and patted his cheek before ducking out from under his arms.

And this is why I no longer go clubbing. I am too old and I do not feel like getting hit on by random guys who aren't even smooth. But why was I at Soundbar yesterday partying with the kiddies? Because just like May helping me carry my heavy bowling ball purse without complaint, I was taking one for the team. I don't usually like taking ones for the team, but like I said, I am old, so I guess, I've also matured.

May's friend, Eddie from Miami, came into town for the weekend and I was asked to help entertain him - it sounded easy enough, so I agreed. We went to Kroll's for a few beers on Thursday and watched the Sox game and the Bears preseason. That was easy. I can do that with my hands tied behind my back. And then Eddie mentioned wanting to go to Crobar the next night. In his previous life, before law school (yes I know, who ISN'T going to law school?), he was a DJ, so he's really into house music and the clubbing scene. Apparently Chicago's Crobar was the inspiration for the Crobars in NYC and Miami, so he really wanted to check the place out.

Back in my previous life as a 21 year old college student, I would've happily agreed to go with him but now I am old and the thought of paying a 20 dollar cover so gross guys in pinstriped button up shirts can grind up on me was not very appealing at all. We ended up compromising. We went to Soundbar, instead of Crobar, and I didn't have to pay cover.

Here is what I learned while I was at Soundbar:

• Somethings are ageless, like eating ice cream cones and riding your bike, but clubbing is not one of those things.
• Bathroom attendants make me feel sad, but not sad enough to tip them for handing me a paper towel.
• Wapanese guys aren't just white, they can be half Cuban/half Lebanese guys who look Italian. (No judgment, Eddie.)
• A taxi from Soundbar to my apartment is only 14 bucks including tip. Which is a small price to pay for a quick and painless escape.
• Next time I'll have to think before I ask for bowling ball bag carrying favors.

Yees Rock

In Chicago, there are only four cool Yees that I know of - my mom, dad, brother and I, so it was really great to have more cool Yees come to visit. Although we haven't seen each other in thirteen years, there were no awkward silences or over-politeness that usually happens between people who have been apart for so many years. In a matter of minutes, we bonded over Rockband, food and our Yee-ness. Here are a few reasons why Yees rock:

1) We are good at happy hours
2) We can take one look at one another and know what the other is thinking
3) We're hospitable people...until we are not hospitable anymore
4) Eating, even when we're not hungry - full even
5) Planning the next meal while we're still enjoying the current meal - this also applies for drinks
6) We rock at Mahjong
7) We're good at making fun of non-Yees (sorry Brzsteck)
8) We can stay up late without pooping out early
9) There aren't too many of us, so we're pretty unique (although we are growing, Yee-Brzstecks are still considered Yees)
10) All non-Yees want to be Yees

Mark Sepelsa is Hot

Here are some topics from last night:

Mark Sepelsa is hot
Burritos and tacos suck
Three hot asian girls are not necessarily triplets
There's no line at Berry Chill at 2 in the morning
Boys are stupid

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Word of the Day

Wapanese

e.g., I wonder if Mark has turned Wapanese during his time in Taiwan. Maybe I'll be able to find out if he comes to Chicago and play.

Please shoot me, kick me or punch me in the head (and uterus) before this ever happens to me

A 44 year old woman (who looks like she is 66, while her husband still looks youngish) gives birth to her 18th child.

a conversation about city living

Kim: how was your day?
Me: it was good
Me: after work i went to get a mani pedi then went to macys for a bit of shopping
Kim: ooh fancy
Kim: sounds so metropolitan
Me: then hopped on a bus a bunch of street performers were on counting the money they made today
Me: a girl started screaming and asking people if we had a paper dollar for 4 quarters
Kim: hahah
Me: very metropolitan

Two Fridays Ago

By request, here is a recap of our adventures two Fridays ago:

After work, I went to Swirl wine bar with two of my coworkers, where we drank overpriced wine and then where I proceeded to tell our white waiter, who had suggested a "great Asian dish", that I do not eat Asian food at white places. But actually, sometimes I do.

From Swirl, we went next door to Boss bar, where we checked out the hot girl bartenders, because I don't hate and appreciate beauty wherever it is. May and Pam showed up soon after and we stayed at Boss until 9:30 when we remembered that we bought First Friday tickets at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

First Friday ends at 10, and because we didn't want to waste our ticket money, May, Pam and I left my coworkers at Boss and taxi-ed it over to the MCA, where we hopped from exhibit to exhibit, shoved the free appetizers into our mouths and stuffed free samples of perfume and condoms into our purses.

After the MCA, we met a few guys on the street on our way to Rush street. We told them that I was a guitarist, Pam was a model and that May is a financial analyst. They told us that they were doctors and one was a illustrator for Family Guy. We were all full of shit, but it's okay. We went into a bar with them but soon got bored and left for the Hunt Club. They followed us there but we were busy entertaining ourselves speaking Chinglish and eating olives from May's dirty martini.

Soon after, we hopped into another taxi because Pam wanted to find some Asian men and we headed over to Sound Bar (ugh). She didn't find any Asian men she liked in there so after stealing some olives at the bar, we left. Outside we met up with Nam, an Asian guy (finally!) and a friend of a friend. After a long night, we decided to head on home, so by foot, we went in search of Pam's car, which she had parked near Boss bar. During our journey to the car, Pam hopped onto Nam's back, I hopped onto random Segway Guy's segway and May hopped onto...nothing. She walked alongside us as she carried my bowling ball bag sized-purse.

May was a very good sport and even though her feet were killing her in her heels, and despite me almost giving her a heart attack by hopping onto a possible serial killer's segway, she carried my gigantically heavy purse the entire way back to Pam's car. Which she also drove to get us all home safely...well, except for Nam, who got his butt kicked by Pam in the backseat and then got kicked out of the car, somewhere not at his house, while May drove off without a care.

Fini.

Detour

My friends and I were driving down Michigan Avenue yesterday after a night of bar hopping when we spotted road blocks on the street. At first, we thought there was an accident on Michigan, but soon noticed something was a little off as we detoured down Congress and passed by cars from the 1920, film crews , cameras and trailers. I remembered someone mentioning that Johnny Depp was filming a movie in Chicago so I got all scream-y and excited, which in turn got May and Pam all scream-y and excited.

Ray, our sober driver, was not scream-y and excited.

May needed to pee super bad (Why you ask? Because she is a very good Chinese friend and in three minutes flat, right before we left our last bar, had managed to chug down her Margarita and then took one for the team, and chugged down the rest of mine so I wouldn't be wasting my money on undrunken liquor.), so the girls rushed into my apartment while Ray circled the block. After some peeing, loud exclamations to Olivia and May trying to force her feet into some of the shoes in my closet, we all tumbled back outside to a very patient Ray. May and Pam drove off with Ray but Olivia and I walked over to where the filming was going on.

We were across the street when I saw a figure standing next to a 1920's car, with a camera aimed into it. The figure was a blur but I told Olivia it was Johnny Depp.

"How do you know it's him? I can't even see his face from here," she said.

"Hi," I responded, "I spent all last weekend watching the Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy, it's him."

We crossed the street to find out that I was right! (I LOVE being right.) As the filming car rolled passed us, Johnny Depp stuck his hand out the window and waved at the group of us crazy stalkers watching him. I even saw Marion Cottilard (the French actress who won an Oscar last year for La Vie En Rose but more importantly for me, who was also in Love Me If You Dare, a great, but also a bit disturbing French movie I love) sitting next to the Depp in the car. Olivia and I marveled at how good looking the Depp is but decided we didn't care enough to wait around for more Depp sightings and walked back home to Rock Band goodness instead.

Despite what is written above, I'm really not a big celebrity stalker so I didn't feel the need to wait around for a picture or autographs. Still, it was cool to see filming going on a few blocks away from our place.

I heart Chicago.

Currently Obsessed With

Coldplay's Viva La Vida album and specifically, the song, "Lost".

I'm still alive!

More Green Myths!

Here are the rest of the green myths from A Fresh Squeeze:

Myth 6: Since local foods travel a shorter distance from farm to fork, they use less fuel and emit less CO2.There are lots of reasons to support local agriculture—but the issue of food miles is tricky. Although the distance the food travels is shorter, inefficiencies in the transportation system can actually mean more CO2 is emitted during the trip.

Myth 7: Since manufacturers will pay for recycled materials, recycling programs should pay for themselves.While some recycling critics demand that these programs pay for themselves—it’s more appropriate to compare the cost of recycling to that of trash disposal.This varies from community to community. The EPA estimates the cost of a well run, curb-side recycling program at $50 - $150, while garbage comes in at $70 to $200. So recycling can in fact be cost-competitive with trash.

Myth 8: If something says it’s organic, it is.Although it’s one of the most popular components of green living, organic food is often misunderstood. To learn more about what being organic truly means, read our two part series on Top Ten Organic Myths.

Myth 9: CFL’s are worse than incandescent bulbs because they contain mercury. Fact: Compact fluorescent light bulbs do contain mercury—but the small amount is sealed in glass tubing, and is not released when the bulb is turned on. The amount of mercury in CFL’s would fit on the tip of a ballpoint pen, and it would take 100 CFL’s to equal the amount of mercury in older thermometers. But, CFL's save 70% more energy than regular bulbs, and can save up to 2000 times their weight in greenhouse gases over their lifetime. Cleanup of broken CFL’s do require a certain amount of precaution. You can find a comprehensive guide to cleaning broken CFL’s at the Energy Star website(pdf).

Myth 10: Chicago doesn’t have to worry about water shortages because of our proximity to Lake Michigan. Fact: Many drought plagued states have begun eying the Great Lakes as a solution to their water shortages. There have been many proposed pipelines that would divert millions of gallons of fresh water from the Lakes to fill their reservoirs, rivers, and lakes. The water levels in Lake Michigan are already nearing record lows, and more water is leaving the Great Lakes than is coming in. Chicagoans must stop taking fresh water for granted and start conserving water.

Recycling Cell Phones

We've all got old cell phones lying around somewhere in our homes. Please don't toss them out, recycle them!

You can drop them off at Best Buy, or better yet, visit http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com. Turning in your old cell phones can help our troops call home. (The website has prepaid postage labels that you can print out!) Your old cell phones are sold to a recycling company and the money is used toward calling cards for the troops.

Catching (Or It's Like Milk But With An S Part II)

I had planned on leaving soon after Jame's performance but was distracted by the next band to get up on stage. With catchy music and fun lyrics (my favorite is Girl Gone Wild), their songs kept me from leaving. They've also got a pair of fans that caught my eye, an elder couple with a camera and "proud parents" written all over their faces. Cute.

I was curious to learn the name of this band so I leaned over and asked the older gentleman.

"A band called Catch," he answered.

"Catch?" My immediate reaction: disappointment. What a boring name for such an entertaining group. I mean they had free-styling and spoken word! Catch? Yawn.

"No, they're called Band Called Catch," the man corrected. How three little words can make a difference to me, I don't know, but I like it much better. It reminds me of a band I listened to in high school, Keep Away From Julie. Poor Julie was the girl they hated as little kids. I wonder how this band came up with Band Called Catch.

With a name like that and the music they played, May and I decided to stay for the rest of the show. We were so groupy, we even bought their CD and May developed a crush on all the guys in the band. I only had eyes for the drummer. He looked really familiar. Not the familiar, in the creepy pick-up line sort of way but the familiar where it will bother you until you figure it out kind of way.

I vaguely remember him being my waiter once - some blurry image in the back of my mind where I was annoyed and hungry and he was giving me food. My suspicions were confirmed later when I asked him after their show. It was a relief to figure out where I've seen him before. It seems that when I'm not hungry, Dustin the drummer is very nice and gracious. Did I mention that he performed really well? I should know, I'm on level medium-hard on Rock Band drums.

Note: I'm not just saying this to alleviate my guilt for being a grouchy eater. Check them out yourself!

Top Five Green Myths

A Fresh Squeeze has published the first part of their Top Ten Green Myths on their website. You can check the myths out below. Make sure to check out A Fresh Squeeze as well.

Myth 1: Since trees absorb carbon dioxide, we should plant trees wherever we can to combat global warming.Fact: While trees do sequester carbon from the atmosphere, this impact is lessened and in some cases reversed by the albedo effect. For the most bang for your bark, support tree planting in the tropics and avoid planting trees in latitudes above 50 degrees.

Myth 2: Since hybrid cars get better gas mileage, we should sell our current cars for a hybrid.Fact: The true test of your car’s eco-friendliness is gas mileage, which is sometimes better with a standard engine. For instance regular compact cars often get higher MPG than hybrid SUVs. If you’re considering buying a new hybrid to replace an older model, remember that it takes energy to manufacture a new car. So you won’t start saving energy until you’ve gotten 10,000 - 12,000 bonus miles out of the improved gas mileage. If you drive rarely, consider investing in other green technologies—like improving your home’s energy efficiency—instead.

Myth 3: Since paper is made from a renewable resource and plastic is made from a nonrenewable resource, paper bags are better for the environment.Fact: Paper actually creates more pollution, takes up more landfill space, and uses more fossil fuel in transportation than plastic. But if you recycle your paper bags, then the eco-impact is greatly reduced. The better choice is to avoid paper and plastic bags altogether by using a reusable shopping bag.

Myth 4: It doesn’t matter how much we conserve, because unchecked population growth is going to destroy the Earth’s resources anyway. According to the UN, the Earth’s population is expected to level off between 9 and 11 billion around 2050. With fears of uncontrolled population growth abating, we still need to figure out how to sustainably support 2.3 to 4.3 billion more people on our planet.

Myth 5: Since bottled water is regulated by the FDA, it is safer to drink than tap water.Fact: A study by the National Resources Defense Council found that 25% of bottled water is actually just packaged tap water, sometimes without any additional treatment. Municipal water is subject to EPA standards and is as safe as or safer than the bottled variety.

It's Like Milk But With An S

Last Thursday I got a last minute call from May, inviting me to her friend's show. We are last minute kind of people so I don't mind. Try planning something with me ahead of time and it might get cancelled.

"Who is this?" I asked.
"A friend from high school," she responded, "James Mils."
"Who?" I didn't go to high school with May.
"Daisy's ex-boyfriend."
"Oh. Ok." Daisy I know. "What type of music is it?"
"Guitar. Acoustic I think. Like John Mayer."

There was no response on my end. Acoustic guitar and singing. Like John Mayer. There's only so much I can take of John Mayer type of music. I mean I like one song of his, but I don't know, there's just something I don't like about his big head of curly hair. Besides, I haven't been a fan of guys singing with acoustic guitars since college, when every other guy I met felt the need to serenade me with their guitars. Not that many of these guys sucked, but it gets a little boring after a while with the whole fawning over them thing.

"If it's too last minute, I can go by myself," May offered.

I weighed in my choices. A night in with Grey's Anatomy and my lovely couch or drinks with May and some background noise. Drinks with May won.

"No it's fine. I'll go."

"Where are you going?" Olivia asked after I hung up with May.
"Some guy's show. James Miklsfk or something. I'm not sure what's his name. He's Daisy's ex-boyfriend."
"Oh James Milsk." Olivia went to the same high school as May.
"Mildsaf?"
"Milsk."
"Miklfsa?"
"No, it's like Milk but with an 'S'!"
"Ohhh ok. Yes, so I'm going to his show with May."

As I had expected, May and I caught up over a couple of beers with loud music as background noise. When James' turn came up, I was not excited to have to stop talking about myself and pay attention to him, but I decided to give him a chance because, apparently, everyone knows him but me.

He was good.

I enjoyed his music.

I know, I was shocked too. Maybe it's because I've played Guitar Hero and (totally) understand how hard it is to play the guitar now. (I think if he played Guitar Hero, he would be on level hard. I'm on easy.) Or maybe because I don't have to pretend I like his music. Or maybe because he's actually good. I don't know. But you guys can check him out for yourself.

Ink

So Mark left me a message last night telling me about how he's forgotten to close his credit card tab at a bar over the weekend. This isn't the first time he's done it and I'd be a tiny bit disappointed if it were his last. (Come on! It's funny!) If it were me, I'd just stop opening up tabs at the bar, but Mark's not me (otherwise he'd be AWESOME). So he got me started thinking about mistakes and repeating them.

There was a weekend during my freshman year in college when my parents came to visit me. They drove all the way from Chicago to Upstate New York and were very excited to see their only daughter, who was so far away from home. Their only daughter, on the other hand, was excited to go to some big Cider party at some frat house that Saturday. I made an excuse for my parents to drop me off at my dorm earlier than they wanted, something along the lines of having to study or being sleepy, and then I went to the party. The next morning I woke up with an "X" on my hand, evidence of where I'd gone the night before. I quickly hopped into the shower and spent the next twenty minutes scrubbing the skin off my hand with a loofah and some soap. The "X" eventually came off and in it's place was the red, raw spot of new skin. No regrets, spiked cider is delicious!

Fast forward a few years later and again I wake up in the morning with ink on my skin. This time an autograph along my right arm. Why was there an autograph on my arm? Because I went to see a friend perform and I thought it'd be funny to get his autograph on my arm. Why I thought it'd be funny? Ask Fat Tire. Once again I found myself in the shower, trying to scrub the ink off before work. I'd like to say I've grown. I'd like to say I've matured and I think I have (obviously not enough), so this time I didn't rub off the first layer of my skin. Instead, I dug deep into my spring wardrobe and found a long sleeved cardigan. Over and forgotten!...Except for when I have to pull up my sleeves and I see the cursive "J" of James on my forearm.

Why do we repeat our mistakes? I don't know but let's just thank God for things like being able to cancel credit cards and my low tolerance for pain so that I'd never be able to get a tattoo and let's not forget, washable ink (I hope!).

My Elevator Story

I was on the elevator today, reading the little news screen they have in the elevator and minding my own business when the lady standing next to me suddenly turned to me and asked if I worked at the Chinese Association. Whoa! Right? Was this lady psychic? How did she know I was Chinese and not Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Taiwanese...I can go on but I wont (On a related topic, you can read my "Thanks but no I'm not Korean " post for another wacky Asian related incident). Then I thought, if she were psychic, she'd know I didn't work at the Chinese Association. So I turned to her and shook my head silently. I gave her no indication that I wanted to speak to her but she continued on to say how sorry she was about the earthquake that hit China. I nodded my head in acknowledgement but stayed quiet and then watched as she scurried off onto her own floor.

I am sorry to hear about the earthquake too, but as I have never been there nor do I know anyone affected by the quake, I thought it was amusing that she was expressing her condolences to me. It's like if I were to go up to a random African American and expressed my condolences for all the people in Africa dying of Aids. Or if I were to go up to a lesbian and say "I think Ellen is funny, you guys must be proud to have her". On the one hand, I am glad that people aren't shrugging off the horrific accident, so on a superficially naive level, it was very nice of the lady to express her condolences, but on the other hand I do not want my physical appearance to register me as the face of China. What if the elevator lady had wanted to complain about SARS, lead in toys or communism?

Some Quick Facts

Here are some quick facts from www.stopglobalwarming.org

• IF ALL AMERICANS VIEWED AND PAID BILLS ONLINE, WE'D SAVE 18.5 MILLION TREES EACH YEAR.
• ONE SOFT DRINK CAN RECYCLED BY EACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENT IN AMERICA WOULD SAVE 24.8 MILLION CANS. THAT WOULD BE ENOUGH ALUMINUM TO CREATE 21 BOEING 737 PLANES.
• UNPLUG UNUSED ELECTRONICS AND SAVE $256 PER HOUSEHOLD PER YEAR.
• GET IN THE GAME: Be a good sportsman and unplug your game console. Consumer electronics are the biggest user of electricity in your home, and game consoles are often the worst. Left plugged in all day, every day of the year, a game console uses twice as much energy as the TV it is hooked up to. Leaving your game console plugged in all year is equivalent to having over 200 cell phone chargers left in the wall! Get in the game and unplug your game console when you are not in play!

Brought to you by the letters: E,R,I,C and A.

It's Earth Day!

Today is Earth Day! So if you haven't already, it's a good time to start being greener. For some easy tips, refer to my previous green posts. Here's also a link to an article on how to reduce global warming.

Pictures from Amsterdam!

As promised, here's some visual stimulation.

This was the first thing I saw in the Amsterdam train station (it's a sign for a natural herbal store). Or at least the first thing I noticed. I guess this was Amsterdam's way of saying, "Welcome Erica!"

Are these gypsy pants, hammer pants or are they just stretched out capris? I hope this style doesn't make it's way over here.

The Dutch eat the Herring fish raw. Just drop the entire fish into their mouth as demonstrated by the two girls. I'd like to say I tried this while I was there, but my excuse is that it isn't Herring season yet.

Penis Shaped Salt and Pepper shakers. Tasty!

Melts in your mouth, not in your hands?

I read about the Amsterdam Sex Museum in the travel guides and had planned on going for an educational experience but since the entry way looked like the lobby of my local Buca Di Beppo's, I nixed that idea right away.

More pics to come!

Save Grant Park Please!

Mayor Daley is planning on building a 100,000 square feet children's museum in Grant Park. A children's museum in Grant Park is totally unnecessary. There is one already at Navy Pier. Navy Pier officials are even willing to expand their facilities. Also, other places like the museum campus welcomes a children's museum being built there.

A museum in the park would take up much of the green public space we have in the city. Not only that, the museum would violate laws that have protected Grant Park as "Forever open, clear and free" for more than 170 years.

Besides, isn't all the construction happening in Millennium Park enough? Many people really like the gigantic bean and twin towers projecting random head shots, but I don't particularly care for it. I'm sure many of you guys agree with me as well.

To do your part please:

1) Call Mayor Daley at (312) 744-3300 and ask him to "drop his plans to build a 100,000 sq. ft. children's museum in Grant Park because there are better locations."

2) Visit http://www.savegrantpark.org/ and sign their online petition.

3) Ask friends, family and co-workers throughout Chicago to call on their alderman to "oppose the Chicago Children's Museum's proposal to build a 100,000 sq. ft. building on Grant Park" and send them the link to sign the online petition as well.

More info can be found at http://www.savegrantpark.org/

White Washing or Brain Washing?

I went to watch the movie 21 yesterday about a group of MIT students counting cards in Vegas. Despite the fact that Kate Bosworth looked a bit like Skeletor, I enjoyed the movie. I heard that the movie is based on a book which was based on a group of real MIT students. Interesting right?

Interesting enough for me to do a bit more research on the movie's background. In fact, the movie's background was even more interesting to me than the actual movie. I found out the real MIT group was made up of mostly Asian students. In the movie, of course, the group only has two Asian actors with small roles. The main character, although based on Jeff Ma (an Asian), was played by a British actor using a fake American accent.

It is quite upsetting to see that in today's world, when there is a woman and an African American campaigning for the presidency and not to mention a Harold and Kumar SEQUEL (with two Asians cast as leads), that movie execs do not feel it appropriate to cast more Asian actors as movie leads. In addition, the two Asian actors in 21 were, as Nick Rogers of The Enterprise wrote, "[lumped] into one-note designations as the team's kleptomaniac and a slot-playing 'loser'".

It is just sad, sad, sad how the representation of Asians in the media continues to be so insignificant and the little representation we do get comes in the form of stereotypes and racist jokes.

So according to the media, I'd be cheap, submissive and nerdy with a thick accent but my saving grace would be that I can kung-fu somebody's ass.

Sad.

Hallo from Holland!

It is 7:36 AM in the Netherlands right now. I left Amsterdam yesterday for den Hague (The Hague) a city 45 minutes south of Amsterdam. In comparison, the city is quieter and smaller. I miss Amsterdam already.

What I miss about Amsterdam:

• Removable open urinals on the street (guys are so lucky they get to pee out in the open and it's okay)
• Sexually explicit sourvenirs (who wouldn't love to play cards with a picture of a couple having sex on the back of it?)
• The ratio of boys to girls in the red light district (where did all these guys come from? Am I the only girl checking out the red light district?)
• The possibility of not only being run over by speeding cars, but by trams, mopeds and bicycles as well (it makes crossing the street a fun game).

Ok, seriously what I really like about Amsterdam:

• The quaint, crooked houses built hundreds of years ago.
• How small the city is, you can walk or bike almost anywhere.
• How nice and helpful everyone is - so unlike Paris!
• Indonesian food - yum!

Songs I'm Not Ready To Hear Again Yet

Stay by Lisa Loeb
Lovefool by the Cardigans
Sex and Candy by Marcy Playground
Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer

Happy Easter!

Peep Show

I don't usually celebrate Easter, but I thought I'd share this picture with you guys. Thanks for the pic Teddy!

Pictures?

I just realized I've left out pictures in my blogs lately. Sorry for the lack of visual stimulation lately. I'll try to fix that soon.

Tiffany's Birthday Party?

I promised Tiffany to take a break from green blogging and talk about her birthday party. The problem is, I don't remember all that happened.

Here are things I do remember: I had some red wine and a Stella before Tony picked me up. I had on a black dress and red stilletto shoes that didn't hurt at all! The party was at Soundbar. I think I saw Tiffany like twice while I was there. I had a few Patron shots and went to the bathroom a lot. I danced with some of Tiffany's friends. She had a lot of them. I had more Patron shots. Took pictures with my cousins. And then was told that the party will be moving to my apartment because somebody got kicked out. I nodded my head, took somebody's hands and that person lead me out of the club. I was then escorted into Tony's car because I think I told him I was cold. During the car ride I twisted Daisy's fingers because I think I thought he said something I was offended by. I don't remember what he said.

I let people into my house, some I wasn't familiar with and some I was. I pulled out my stash of liquor and whatever snack foods I had in my cupboard and continued to party until literally, dawn.

Sunday was spent on the couch in front of the tv until my head and stomache felt better.

If anyone knows more info, please feel free to fill me in.

Lovely 2 C U

Currently listening to Goldfrapp's Lovely 2 C U from the album Supernature, which I had bought in Paris based on the ads in magazines and posters all over the city. I thought it was a new popular French album I wouldn't be able to buy in the US. It wasn't. If I had waited a couple of more months, I'd have been able to buy it here and saved myself a few dollars. But oh well. Good album. Check it.

Random fact: I've had Lovely 2 C U as my ringtone for a long time now and so whenever I listen to the actual song, I have a strong urge to pick up my phone.

My Goals for a Greener Summer

*Walk more

*Take shorter showers - I took a 7 minute shower today! Yay for me. Time to aim for 6 minutes now.

*Try to ween myself of bottled waters. I'll have to start carrying around a reusable water bottle instead.

*Try not to buy things I don't need (i.e., books I can borrow, magazines I don't need, clothes I'll probably only wear a few times, shoes, etc.)

Any other suggestions?

Easy Green Chic Post # 2

I am still reading Green Chic, so here are a few more tips for you guys!

• Tip #1: Christie Matheson, the author of Green Chic says to pop little purchases in your purse. Since I know not all of my readers carry purses, I'll just say while you're out shopping, try not to use plastic/paper bags. My brother makes fun of me but whenever I buy a few DVDs or CDs at Bestbuy, I tell them that I won't be needing a bag. Or when I go grocery shopping with my grandma shopping cart, I ask the baggers to load my groceries back onto the cart without using any bags. Or at the mall, if I already have a bag from a previous store, I'll just put the rest of my purchases in the same bag.
• Tip #2: Take shorter showers. Showers produce thousands and thousands of pounds of CO2 emissions each year. (CO2 emissions is a common way to quantify an individual 's/household's impact on global warming.) Matheson states that the amount of emissions varies depending on how long or how hot the showers are. I take about 10 minute showers, which I thought was pretty good, but because I LOVE taking HOT showers, I could produce about 2,000 pounds of CO2 annually. If I cut my shower to 8 minutes, I can save 400 pounds. I am now working on 8 minute showers.
• Tip # 3: Keep unused appliances and chargers unplugged. When plugged in, appliances and chargers still draw energy, even if they are not on. Keeping things unplugged also saves you money on your electric bills. I try to keep the lamps I don't use regularly unplugged and my phone charger unplugged when I am not charging my phone. I used to keep my hairdryer plugged in no matter what, but now I make it a point to unplug it and put it away under the sink when I am not using it. My next step is to tackle the scary computer plugs under my desk. These are the times when I wish I had a Mac.
• Tips #4: Do all your laundry in cold water. I started doing all my laundry in cold water a while ago before I even found out it was green. I did it so that my clothes wouldn't shrink but then I started washing everything in cold water because I was too lazy to change the water settings. I even washed gross bathroom floor towels with cold water. They came out so fresh and so clean. Now that I've realized cold laundry also saves energy, I'm an even bigger fan.
• Tip# 5: Adjust your thermostat. You save up to 240 pounds of CO2 annually just by turning your heat down 1 degree in the winter and setting your AC 1 degree higher in the summer.

I Heart the CTA Green Plug

Riding public transportation is much greener and therefore much more environmentally friendly than driving your own car. Walking would be better, but I'm not a Green Saint.

I Heart the CTA

A couple Fridays ago, my friend Debbie came to visit me from the suburbs. It was all very Sex and the City. We dressed up, we opened a bottle of wine, we gossiped about boys and then we went out to dinner. FYI, I am NOT Samantha. I cannot speak for Debbie though, you'll just have to ask her yourself.

Since finding parking near me isn't the easiest thing to do, I was hesitant to drive anywhere. I picked a restaurant a half a block away from me and planned on taking the El to the bars afterwards. Yes my friends, this is what you'll have to look forward to if you ever visit me. If you are looking for a chauffeur, you are looking at the wrong hostess. Taxis, buses and the El are all we'll be riding. Get used to the smell.

After a dinner at Exposure Tapas (a bit overpriced but yummy), I talked Debbie into going out with me. She was tired but I didn't want to waste my cute outfit on just her and Olivia, so I dragged her out to Pops! for Champagne, a Champagne bar I've been meaning to check out for a while.

The first indication that the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) wasn't the right choice for my dear friend Debbie, came as we hopped onto the Red Line. She opted to stand instead of sit (Why?)and got a bit anxious as more and more people hopped on, pushing us against the door. "Not only did you drag me out, you're making me ride the train!" she whispered to me. Apparently I conveniently forgot the fact that Debbie is an even bigger germaphobe than me.

We got to Pops! without a hitch. After a couple of yummy drinks, some chocolate fondue, and a neighbor who stared at me politely and then tried to make even more polite conversation, we left for another bar, where we had more food and drinks. By the time we were ready to leave I was a bit tipsy, so that'll be my excuse for hopping back onto the Redline at 2 in the morning rather than grabbing a cab.

So we went underground, where some scary guy smelled so strongly of marijuana, I almost got high smelling it. Then he proceeded to tell us how he doesn't like cops as we nodded our heads and looked around and tried not to meet his eyes. Instead, I looked at the dirty walls and down the dark tunnel for any signs of the train. But the tunnel only served to remind me of a scary movie I saw about a deformed murderer living in the deserted tunnels of the London Underground. Which scared me even more. When the train finally arrived, I sighed in relieve, but it was very short lived. We just sat down, (I think Debbie was to tired by now to stand), only to cringe as some guy across from us threw up at his feet, leaving a huge puddle of grossness and smell for us all to enjoy. Debbie turned to me and silently stared at me, but I got her message loud and clear.

As I've said before, get used to the smell.

Easy Green Chic Post #1

I've started reading Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style by Christie Matheson. It's pretty good and I'd advise everyone to read it if you're interested in living a more green life. For those who aren't going to pick the book up no matter what I say, I've decided to post Easy Green Chic Tips.

Tip #1: Change your lightbulbs
Switch from incandescent lightbulbs (regular lightbulbs) to energy-saving compact flourescent bulbs (CFL). Energy-star rated CFLs use about 2/3 less electricity than regular bulbs, but warning, they do costs a bit more than your average bulbs. I almost didn't buy my first CFL bulb because of the price (they're about $4-7), but I thought about what I've read and decided, screw it, I'll try it out. CFLs last ten times longer than incandescent lightbulbs and have an average lifespan of 5 years which means you save money in the long run.

Other things you should know about CFLs:

• Watch for the conversion wattage on CFL boxes. A 20 watt CLF is about the same as a 75 watt incandescent.
• The diposal of CFLs is a bit more difficult than disposing your regular lightbulbs. Because CFLs contain about 5 milligrams/less of mercury (older home thermometers contain about 500 milligrams of mercury), you can't just toss out the lightbulb in the garbage. The mercury could seep into soil and groundwater or evaporate into a toxic gas. Check earth911.org or lamprecycle.org to find out about recycling and disposal options near you. You can also bring CFLs to IKEA, where they have a CFL take-back program. At the LAST resort, seal the burned out CFL in two zip bags before disposing. Make sure not to dump it in an incinerator though.

Other "duh" tips ("Duh" as in you probably already know this but I'll restate it for you anyways):

• Turn off the light whenever possible. You can even try watching a movie, listening to music or eating dinner by candlelight!
• Drink tap water instead of bottled water. It takes lots of energy to produce plastic bottles. Try drinking tap water and filling a reusable bottle if you're on the go. If you have to buy water, try buying glass bottles, which take way less energy to produce. And remember, recycle after use!
• Keep the water running for as little time as possible, like turning it off while you're brushing your teeth or taking quicker showers.

Pasta Express

For my cousin Teddy's birthday, I was given a Pasta Express. It's one of those infomercial junk thingys that I just couldn't turn down. You boil water, pour it into the long plastic tube, along with your favorite kind of pasta, and presto, change-o, just minutes later, you get cooked pasta. Magic in a tube, that's what I say. Looking back, this Pasta Express was destined to be mine, I just didn't know it at the time.

It all started on New Year's morning, when I was driving back home at around 5 am with my cousin Jo. Going down Roosevelt, we spotted a half dozen fire trucks, ambulances and even more police cars, sirens blasting, speeding past us in a hurry to get somewhere. Jo tried to talk me into following them, but I said, "No. I will probably do a lot of ambulance chasing in my future, but not tonight. I am not a lawyer yet." Her response, "Well, I was driving with Jenn once and we followed the fire trucks." Jenn is another cousin (yes, I have a million cousins but it's allowed, I'm Chinese). Jenn's not wild, or if she is, I don't really want to know, but she sure is unpredictable. You never know what she'd be up for. Like a 5 am trip to Bob Evans after falling asleep at 4 am. And then walking the dog afterwards. And then apparently, ambulance chasing (they ended up somewhere on State where a building was on fire).

Now remember this, as we fast forward to a few days later when at 2:30 in the morning, after hanging out at Funky Buddha for Teddy's birthday, she's driving me back home when her sister messages her and tells her she can't sleep. Minutes later, Jenn hangs up and looks over at me, "do you mind if we swing by my sister's house?" (her sister lives about 20 minutes away) I was tired but I figured, hey why not? Maybe this could be an adventure, like the ambulance chasing with Jo.

But it wasn't.

We got there and her sister was about to go to bed. It was almost a waste of a trip, except that Booge gave me her Pasta Express. Brand new. In the box still. I don't know if it was out of guilt, or if she wanted to bribe us so we would leave and let her go to sleep. Or if she just wanted to get rid of the damn thing. All I know is that I got a free Pasta Express. I know, made the trip totally worth it.

So as I was saying, the Pasta Express and me - destiny. If there weren't a million sirens going off on New Year's morning, Jo wouldn't have reminded me about how crazy Jenn could be, and if I hadn't hitched a ride with crazy Jenn after Funky Buddha, she wouldn't have dragged me over to Booge's, and Booge wouldn't have given me her Pasta Express. And I wouldn't have been able to sit here and watch my angel hair pasta get cooked without a stove and a pot.

Amazing how everything falls into place huh?

Quote of the Day

"Some people like to make workout tapes and take them to the gym, but I can't fathom why. Any music I hear in a gym is ruined forever."

-Rob Sheffield, Love is a Mix Tape

Year of Eights (and Rats!)

It's a brand new year, full of new hopes, possibilities and blah blah blah.

I spent my New Year's Eve at my cousin Elaine's house. It was an intimate gathering of friends and family, just the way I like to celebrate the coming of the new year. I enjoyed award winning chilli, champagne and homemade dumplings, courtesy of the hostess. Booge, you should seriously consider signing up for the next season of "The Next Food Network Star". After visiting her house, with her wonderful kitchen full of cooking gadgets and utensils, I was inspired to cook a dish myself.

I made the Korean dish, Kim Chee Gee Gay. Since I did not have all the ingredients the recipe called for, I made it my own way. Sadly, it did not come out the way my cousin made it. It was too sour. I don't think I should have added so much Kim Chee. Lesson learned, next time, follow the recipe more closely. But I guess all in all, it wasn't too bad, hey at least I cooked!