Posted 12:59 PM by Blah blah

Hypocrisy

Sometimes I prefer to be alone. I've been spending much time alone lately, enjoying doing what I feel like doing, saying and thinking what I feel like saying, without politics, without interruption, and without someone screaming his head off at me. I really like this quote from Emerson on "Friendship":

Every man alone is sincere. At the entrance of a second person, hypocrisy begins. We parry and fend the approach of our fellow man by compliments, by gossip, by amusements, by affairs. We cover up our thought from him under a hundred folds. I knew a man who under a certain religious frenzy cast off this drapery, and omitting all compliment and commonplace, spoke to the conscience of every person he encountered, and that with great insight and beauty. At first he was resisted, and all men agreed he was mad. But persisting as indeed he could not help doing for some time in this course, he attained to the advantage of bringing every man of his acquaintance into true relations with him. No man would think of speaking falsely with him, or of putting him off with any chat of markets or reading-rooms. But every man was constrained by so much sincerity to face him, and what love of nature, what poetry, what symbol of truth he had, he did certainly show him. But to most of us society shows not its face and eye, but its side and its back.

Speaking of racism, Esther, you should watch that fine 1947 movie, Gentleman's Agreement, starring Gregory Peck and Dorothy McGuire, which won the Best Picture Oscar that year. It was a courageous movie at the time and encountered much executive opposition to being made. It's one of the first movies ever to deal head-on with anti-Semitism and how pervasive racism and prejudice are, especially with the "nice people" who just disapprove but never DO anything about it.

Gregory Peck, a magazine writer, pretends to be Jewish in order to feel what it's really like and to write about it. He quickly finds out that the most unexpected people around him, people he would trust, are deep down very conflicted and prejudiced about Jews. They are as guilty of helping prejudice along, with a wink and nudge, as the blatant bigots. My favorite person in it is Celeste Holm, a fine comedienne and heartfelt actress who touches you the most. She won Best Supporting Actress for that film.

I bring up this movie because in it Gregory Peck does just what Emerson wrote. He throws off the social conventions and pretend politeness and speaks out bluntly about what it feels like to be snubbed or looked down on because of one's religion or race. He stirs up conflict where normally people will play dumb and overlook it, to avoid facing real issues. And in the end he finds a connection with the one girl at work who has actually believed in and supported him the whole way through.

Being Asian-Americans, we've grown up facing prejudice against ourselves. We may be used to fighting back against it when we see it on the outside. But what bothers and hurts me the most is when I see prejudice from fellow Asians. From my own race.

Posted 8:57 AM by Blah blah

More Best of Craigslist

Whenever I seek something funny, clever, or full or pathos, I turn to the ads in the Best of Craigslist. Someone should collect these into an article or book. Notice how most of these ads, which either make you laugh or cry, come from San Francisco? None from San Jose. It shows you the huge difference between people who live just one hour away from each other. A gap which I am determined to bridge this year.

What are some of your favorite ads? We've seen many unhappy people---except for the lone first ad. It seems the only relationships that last happily are those with cities.
__________________
SF I love you. Unrequitedly.

You have been my home for eleven years. I've had to leave three times now, extendedly, in a state of complete destitution and mental exhaustion. As the fourth such quickly approaches, I guess I'm forced to accept that I've failed to learn a lesson. But as soon as I leave, all I can do is think about you fondly, and plot a return. This cycle has seriously messed me up, and I appear to spiral downward quicker each time.

Human life seems to be seriously undervalued here...or at the very least my own life does. What exactly is it that you see as my destiny? Homelessness? Suicide? Is there something on the other side of losing absolutely everything that I've kept at bay mistakenly by resisting? I doubt it.

Your beauty, perhaps, is paralleled by Mendocino and Santa Barbara, eclipsed by most of European cities. Your politics are wonderful in theory, but not unique to you, or even practiced as well as smaller cities. Your gingerbread Victorians are lovely, but also proto-tract-homes. and you haven't had an architectural gem unveiled in decades. In terms of High Culture, you can never hold a candle to New York, which is impossibly bleak, or even Los Angeles, which you regard as shallow and polluted. But you would be equally sprawling if you had the land mass, and you're blessed with windswept coast on three sides that makes you appear more clean than you are.

Your subterranean nightlife is beautiful, as any road to ruin can be. You seem to function well as a decadent playground of trust fund kids, many of whom are brilliant, and even go on to greatness, but most often elsewhere.

Your luminaries have mostly been transients. Why is that? Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsburg, Mark Twain, even Armistead Maupin left indelible marks on your culture, and moved along. I guess I can't fault you for that, as James Joyce did the same for Ireland. But it makes you appear to be a place of awakening, not a permanent home.

I just want you to be a home.

You have opened my eyes and mind, and completely drained my soul, much like an early-20s relationship.

And still I love you.

You're an affliction.

Dinner whore?

I'm a woman. Sometimes I go on dates. Often, dates involve dinner. I almost always offer to throw in some cash. Usually the guy who asked me out won't accept my money. If I don't want to go out with him again, should I mail him my half of the check in an envelope? Am I a 'dinner whore' if i don't? I don't think so.

It's hard to find that chemistry we all seek. It's hard for men, and it's hard for us women. The first date is to see if we feel anything for each other. If I don't feel we clicked, I don't want to waste my time or your time by going on a second date. Maybe that's the case with the girls you call "dinner whores." They just don't really want another date with you. I doubt they'd endure all that awful, awkward getting-to-know-you chitchat just for a free dinner. A bad date (even over lobster) is as boring as a timeshare seminar, and timeshare seminars at least offer you a free week in Vegas at the end of the presentation. Christ, people.

Aside from a few sociopaths, women aren't predatory creatures scheming of ways to seperate you from your cash. Shit, if we can afford to live in San Francisco, we can afford our own dinners. Like you, we're just fumbling along, hoping we find someone cute and fun who won't hurt us too much.

What Happens when you're 30(ish) and Still Single - w4m

Once you are in your 30's the whole dating scene changes. Lemme tell you, it sucks the big one.

For Women: The men who ask you out will be:
A- Married (all those guys who married in their early-mid 20's have discovered that their sweet, loving wife is a shrew who wouldn't blow them after they said their vows).
B-Over 40 (for some reason, as SOON as you hit the magic 3-0 all the old farts seem to think you should be grateful for their attention.)
C- Determined Bachelors (who have really learned how to play on a woman's desire for love and affection to get what they want, only what THEY want).
D- Reformed Playboys (former determined bachelors who now find thermselves stuck home alone because their "posse" has married off)
E- The Divorced Man without kids (Typically married too young or married someone psycho, highly commitment-phobic, tons of baggage).
F- The Divorced Man with kids (run...looking for a mom, housekeeper, cook, laundress etc etc. Afraid of sex because they have learned the hard way what a pain it is to have kids).
G-The Younger Man (Thanks for the reminder A!- These guys LOVE the idea of dating an older -especially the Jaded- chick, will learn all they can from ya then go find an 18 yr old to show off their new skills).

For Men: The women you meet will be:

[I've met some women exactly like this. -RG]

A. Sluts (Spent their 20's jumping so fast from guy to guy looking for the love daddy never showed them.)
B- The Jaded Chick (either has never found love before and doesn't believe in it, or was in a long-term relationship that ended badly. Has potemntial if you have patience)
C- The Golddigger (the first thing she will ask is. :"So, what do you do for a living?" What she means is, "Can you afford my credit card bills?")
D- The Desperate Damsel (looking to GET MARRIED, will put the relationship into hyperdrive and overlook reality for the ring).
E- The Divorcee without kids (if husband left her, has major baggage. If left her husband, he probably cheated or ignored her. Tends to need abnormal amounts of attention.)
F- The Divorcee with kids (Tired, needs help, will settle. If you want an instant family, she's probably going to take very good care of you.)
G- The Married Woman (husband cheated, she's getting her revenge. Expect animal sex.)
H- The Career Chick (found herself on the fast track, realized that work sucks, is lonely, can be a good find IF she has learned that her personal life should be a priority.)

All in all, a pretty sad scene for both sexes. I'm 32, and I've discovered that Friday night at home can be a whole lotta fun. Ok, maybe not fun, but better than the dating jungle. (oh, if I had to categorize myself, I'd be a combo of the Jaded Chick, and the the Career Chick. At this point, I wish I was a Slut ;) Aw shit, too late to lose the morals. Maybe I need to add an "uptight" category....

Hope y'all have better luck than I.

Want to own a "Josh"?

We have a roommate, a fine fellow named Josh, whom we have decided to offer to you, the Craig's List followers. Our Josh includes various skills and benefits. You can sit him in a room and he will talk. You can put him in a car and he will rock! Josh is very skilled in many things... he can sing and dance, he can make you laugh so hard you pee your pants. Yes, yes, Our Josh is just swell. Act now; Our Josh is avaliable for a limited time only, so please don't hesitate to reply to us all. We will consider most trades; please do not trade us Your Josh.

Looking to exchange my girlfriend for peace of mind

Don’t get me wrong here. I love my girlfriend, or possibly a better way of putting it is I am infatuated and whipped, but I am about to crack here and tough times call for tough measures. I am looking for somebody to take her off my hands for what I am hoping will be forever in exchange for serenity and peace of mind. Maybe you don’t think you have that to offer in exchange but trust me, you do!

This is open to both men and women because she is bisexual. I have yet to see her hook up with a female but she swears, or possibly threatens she is bisexual. This only seems to come up when we are having issues but all I am saying is she is versatile.

She is also very sexy and I would go as far as saying she is a chameleon and would look good with just about everybody, or at least that is the way she sees it when she thinks I’m not watching her.

Here are some things she excels at and can enrich your life with:

Analyzing what is wrong with you
Spending your money
Microsoft Word
Getting other people’s numbers
Sex deprivation
Getting emotional
DHTML
Depression delegation
Multiple purse management
Sharing herself with others
Blamestorming
Bipolar reasoning
Fit throwing
Adobe Photoshop
Emotional terrorism
Microwave operation
MP3 Encoding

As you can see you will be getting quite a package here and I couldn’t even mention everything while the lawsuit is still pending. I know there are a lot of lonely men and women out there in the Bay Area and I am hoping to join your ranks quickly but at least one of you will never have to be alone again! (possibly several of you from my experience)

Thanks and I can have her on your porch within the hour.

Posted 8:43 AM by Blah blah

New Site for All2Swift

Wow, so many negative posts here at the start of the New Year! Are we in a bad mood?

Our cowriter, Dr. All2Swift, told me that he has organized his pages into a new website, www.All2Swift.com. He has a bio section and everything! If you still haven't checked out our newest cowriter, please do and say hello! He's doing his residency at the Yale-New Haven Hospital. And he just got married last year. Very eloquent.

Posted 6:15 AM by e*star

I found this article in my e-mail from a good friend across the country. It saddens me. It just really, really saddens me. All I have to say is that we have to end this apathy NOW.

An AsianWeek Column by Irwin Tang:

Tell Shaquille O'Neal, "Come down to Chinatown."

Call Shaquille O'Neal the Big Racist.

In his most recent racial taunt of Yao Ming, Shaquille O'Neal told a reporter, "Tell Yao Ming, 'ching-chong-yang-wah-ah-soh.'" No, the superstar center of the LA Lakers was not trying to speak Chinese. Shaq was, in a most derisive tone, aiming a racist barb at the rookie center for the Houston Rockets.

Ironically, just days before this racial taunt was aired nationally, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) had honored O'Neal with their Young Leaders Award. We can only hope that the NAACP had no knowledge of Shaq's previous racial taunt of Yao Ming and LA Clippers center Wang Zhi Zhi, broadcast on June 28 on Fox Television's Best Damn Sports Show Period. When Yao Ming was brought up, Shaquille O'Neal spoke with a mock Chinese accent and made mock kung fu moves.

Also in June, Shaq announced that he would test Yao's toughness by taking an elbow to Yao's face. This comment, combined with Shaq's racist taunts are
particularly disturbing, as Asian Americans often suffer racial taunts while being assaulted or physically intimidated.

But Shaquille O'Neal is not a stupid brute. That is, he may be a brute, but he's not a stupid one. He knows the media is on his side. National and local news organizations have consciously ignored Shaq's racist comment. I know, because I called the LA Times, Sports Illustrated, the Associated Press, and other news organizations and offered them information about this story. They did not want to write about it.

The only reason anyone knows about Shaq's latest taunt is because Fox Sports Radio's Tony Bruno Morning Extravaganza played a recording of the taunt several times to its nationwide audience on December 16 and 17. On the latter day, Bruno commented that Shaq's comment was "not racist," and then invited listeners and radio commentators to call in jokes making racist fun of Chinese. For hours, people cracked jokes, such as offering free bike parking to increase Chinese attendance at basketball games.

On Christmas Day, while calling the Celtics-Nets game for ABC, veteran sportscaster Brent Musburger's lamented that "the hordes of China" might stuff the All-Star ballot box and vote Yao Ming in as the Western Conference's starting center, rather than Shaquille O'Neal.

How Kafkaesque, and how familiar, it is that the interests of the American media and those of Asian America are diametrically opposed. The media has betrayed their own dedication to controversy by making nothing out of something that deserves much ado. Rather than slam celebrity racism, as it has in the past, some media organizations obviously wish to reserve the right to revel in their own racism.

Will the NBA punish racist speech, as it has in the past? The Association is too busy passing out fortune cookies. In "honor" of Yao's first game in Miami, the Miami Heat on December 16 passed out 8000 fortune cookies to spectators. Yao found the promotion amusing but pointed out that fortune cookies have nothing to do with him. He said that he was not angry because he was not familiar with American stereotypes of Chinese.

Let's not beat around the bush. If a white player had, for instance, made monkey sounds to taunt a black player, it would have been a national controversy. But Yao is Chinese. And Asians are fair game. For evidence, watch TV for a couple of hours.

Asian America cannot, or will not, demand as much respect as other minority groups. What do sports commentator Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder, NBA Head Coach Dan Issell, and former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Trent Lott have in common? They all lost their jobs due to comments offensive to blacks or Hispanics. Golfer Fuzzy Zoeller, baseball pitcher John Rocker, and basketball star Isaiah Thomas were all forced to apologize for racially insensitive comments.

Spit on me once, shame on you. Spit on me twice, shame on me. What will our Asian American leaders do about this potentially explosive issue? In the past, our national leaders have tended to shy away from the harsh lights of TV cameras, nicely fitting our stereotype as quiet, obedient people. As media-hound lawyer Johnny Cochran single-handedly forces the NFL to consider more black head coaches, what will our Asian American leaders do about Shaq's offensive taunt? Write a letter?

Forgive my bitterness. I grew up in Texas, facing those "ching-chong" taunts daily while teachers averted their ears. I love basketball, and when Yao was drafted by Houston, I had to suppress my excitement, lest he turn out a complete flop. I went to see the Rockets play the LA Clippers on December 12. Yao is a huge young man with huge skills. But he's also a kid in a foreign land. You can tell by the way he carries himself when the ball is not in play. My heart goes out to Yao Ming.

Yao Ming is our Asian Jackie Robinson, though he does not face the intensity of animosity Robinson faced. Unfortunately Shaquille O'Neal is the modern-day Ty Cobb, the rough-playing baseball superstar who used the n-word on Robinson.

"I look forward to breaking down that mother-------'s body," Shaq said of Yao Ming. "He said my name three times, two in Chinese and one in American. You don't ever call me out. I'm from LSU." Yao has never "called" Shaq out.

But I am calling Shaq out. Come on down to Chinatown, Shaq. You disrespect Asian America, and we will break you down. Perhaps when you and the Lakers come to Houston on January 17 to play Yao Ming and the Rockets, the Asian American community will have a press conference waiting for you. Perhaps there, before a national audience, you can apologize to Yao Ming, forfeit your NAACP award, and implore young people not to follow your example.

Or perhaps nothing will happen. Another racial slur will be left to sink slowly into the Asian American collective unconscious and ferment as self-loathing.

Jeff Yamaguchi
Microsoft UltimateTV

Posted 11:45 PM by Anonymous

Stuck in Seattle under circumstances beyond my control

Last week was great when I spent a whole week in Seattle with Raven. Our New Year started off with our usual redition of 'fireworks' *wink-wink*. Anyway, I really enjoyed finally spending time and seeing Raven in his world of corporate living. I was on a roll and cooked Raven dinner almost everynight. It's hard to cook for one; not so bad cooking for two. Sadly, the week had to end and I had to go back to home.

On Sunday night I packed my bags and on the way to the airport, we met up with Joysha from RBJ. She invited about 16 of her friends, but Raven and I managed to enjoy ourselves at dinner. It was short meeting, but sweet. We hope to hang out with her and her friends on my next visit.

What happend next were circumstances beyond my control that made me miss my flight. The red-eye was my scheduled flight but when we drove past the airport welcome sign, we were welcomed by hundreds of break lights. Traffic was more than a mile out of the terminals; we were idle for more than an hour. I called American Airlines and the airport to see what was going on, but no one knew anything. Finally at midnight, the police had the clearance to start letting cars into the airport, my flight was at midnight.

Here's what happend: Bomb threat forced Sea-Tac to shut down. Someone made a call to the airport and described in great detail of a suitcase and a bomb that was in the suitcase. Well they found the suitcase unattended, but it was harmless. Planes that landed couldn't deplane; No one could enter the airport, so lots of people missed their flights.

Here's the kicker: Not only was there a bomb threat at the Sea-Tac airport, an airport security guard was found sleeping on the job that caused delays and clearing of concourse earlier that same day!

Security is not taken lightly, but make sure to avoid Sea-Tac Airport.

Posted 7:38 PM by Duke

All look same:

I am horribly, horribly offended when white folk mistake me for another Asian guy. And I don't think I'm being irrationally defensive. It signals a serious issue - Asians are simply seen as a single, indistinguishable mass.

It's ok to call me by the wrong name, since we all look the same, anyway.
It's ok to call me by the wrong name, since we can't think independently, anyway.
It's ok to call me by the wrong name, since we are all the same, and our names are all synonymous.

No. In fact, hell no.

At a rather large wedding I attended this weekend, a high school friend's parents welcomed me, calling me the name of another Asian boy who hung out with us back in the day:
"Thomas, it's so good to see you again."
I stared blankly at her. My date leans over and hurriedly whispers something in her ear.
"Oh my goodness. Duke, how are you doing?"
"I'm fine. Thank you." And running in my head is, "Thomas is fine, too. I know because he's my brother, even though he's Chinese and I'm Korean. We're actually the same people- good at math, horrible leaders, and orchestral geniuses. And here's a little secret: ethnicity is something us clebber Asians made up to confuse you stupid whiteys. We really do all speak the same language, we just say they're different to make you feel bad for the whole Japanese internment camp and Chinese railroad thing.

It irks me, it really does. To her defense, she hasn't seen me in a few years, and maybe a face or two gets blurry. But the same problem happens in my business fraternity. There's a Chinese guy with whom everyone confuses me. But there are a few problems. He's easily 6'0" and I'm hardly 5'10". He outweights me by at least 40lbs. We dress differently, we talk differently, and we carry ourselves differently. But at least once a meeting I'll get a goodly, "Hey, George." Or sometimes I'll just be walking around campus and some random stupid white person will come up to me with a hearty greeting, with a completely wrong name. I'll stare at him and he'll quickly realize his error. We'll part our separate ways. But before he leaves, I'll give him a fortune cookie and a Zodiac placemat for him to take home.

And on some levels, this could explain my reluctance to hang out with a strictly Asian crowd, much less an AZN crowd. As I re-read Eric Liu's Accidental Asian over winter break, I realized I had unconsciously followed his dubious lead. Where Asians are stereotyped as followers, I have been a constant leader. Where Asians are good at math and study unceasingly, I am a philosophy major with a slight alcoholic streak. Rather than playing an orchestral instrument and the piano, I took up the trumpet. I have consistently tried to distinguish myself, refusing to get lost.

And then something totally stupid and unnecessary occurs. And back I am at square one.

Posted 4:11 AM by Clementine

FQ


Last night, after having dinner with my dad, I had a super immature phone argument with one of my bestfriends, Rhome.


He called to ask me if I just couldn't say no that's why I agreed to watch a movie with him yesterday. I told him no, I actually had nothing else to do anyway since the afternoon class was cancelled and I was just waiting for transcriptions.


I thought so. Such a drama king.


Anyway, we were talking about non-sensitive issues like my first day of school, his gimmick with Roy on New Year, his rotation in Fe Del Mundo Hospital in Banawe (Fe del Mundo is the author of the local Pedia book, which seems like a concise version of Nelson's Pediatrics) when suddenly, the discussion took a nasty turn. I was in the middle of sharing something and he just lashed out and became his cynical self.


The verbal abuse that followed was unbelievable


I calmly told him that I realized a lot of things the past weeks. I made a lot of decisions, and one of them was that I will never let anyone make me feel bad about myself. Him included.


But he just wouldn't stop with his asinine comments.

The killer, "para kang bata, ang babaw ng kaligayahan mo." (you're such a kid, you're so shallow."


Is that so bad?


I knew the conversation was going nowhere, and I just wasn't in the mood to argue anymore, especially since my dad was within hearing distance, so I said goodnight and hung up.


He still wouldn't give up. He texted me, said that was so "mature" of me to hang up in the middle of a coversation, and that if I'd push through with, in his words, "changing myself" then I won't anymore be the Chel they know.


I replied. Told him I said goodnight because I didn't want to have that immature conversation. He got mad and said yeah, I was so mature, forgive him for being stuck in a time warp that he never grew up. I told him it was our conversation that was immature, not him, and that he shouldn't put words into my mouth.


His retort was, since I claim to be the logical one, then going by logic, the conversation was immature because he was immature.


I didn't want to argue anymore, and told him I was sorry if I hurt him, I just couldn't believe that my two bestfriends were thinking about me that way everytime I was sharing with them my happiness.


His reply was so darn immature it's not blog-worthy.


I admit I felt bad. I did. But I didn't want to let him affect me in a negative way. I didn't allow him to ruin my mood last night. Good thing my friend texted, told me to be happy, and kept me company. Thanks to you if you're reading this.


The thing is, at the start of the last quarter of 2002 I was so darn insecure. I had no self esteem to speak of, and it was a terrible, terrible life. Good thing I swam my way out of that, beautiful things happened, and I realized I deserve what I want, and there's no reason for me to bash myself.


I don't ever want to go through that again.


And that's what Rhome doesn't understand. I mean, okay maybe he's so used to showing his "love" for me in his own mean ways, but my not letting him affect me, well, that's new to him. That's maybe something he can't accept. That he doesn't anymore affect me the way he used to.


But it doesn't mean I love him, or Roy, any less.


No, I don't think it's the end of our friendship. I mean last year we went through something a hundred times worse than this and we got through that.


But whether he likes it or not, he has to accept that the girl he called childish last night is growing up.


Life is beautiful.

Posted 8:55 PM by Blah blah

Politics just doesn't get it (Christian Science Monitor):

The Democrats were indeed a sorry sight, with their calcified issues - Social Security, prescription drugs - and tired scripts produced by battle-weary political consultants.

But lost in the commotion is that the Democrats are not alone. The Republican agenda is tired, too....

It's not just a Democratic agenda that is in trouble. We are witnessing the end of an entire political cosmology, the one that has defined politics in this country for the past century or more. It has been a Manichean struggle between the government on the one hand and the market on the other. Republicans have rooted for the corporations, while Democrats have been more inclined to use the state. Increasingly, reality does not fit the neat divide.

For one thing, the corporate marketplace and the government are fast becoming the same thing. Whatever one thinks about the prevailing version of the global economy, for example, it is a joint production of governments and corporations....

Increasingly, the problems that we face simply do not parse out upon a neat left/right, government/market grid. Take prescription drugs. Democrats want Medicare to ensure prescription drugs for seniors, while Republicans want private insurance companies to do it. That's the old script. But don't we need to ask a more basic question - namely, whether it is good for a society to become so drug dependent in the first place?...

Such developments are evidence of a fundamental shift that neither party wants to acknowledge. For the past century, the Holy Grail of American politics has been growth. Democrats have wanted to use government to spread the growth around, while Republicans have wanted to leave it be. But both have sought growth above all else. Yet increasingly, the particulars of growth are at odds with the gauzy abstraction. When growth means more huckstering to kids, more porn and pills, more noise and congestion and a thousand other things, then it's time for another look.

When reality no longer is in sync with the abstractions that supposedly describe it, it is a sign of a belief system in terminal decline. Republicans say let the market do it. Democrats say use the government to make sure everybody gets it. But more and more, the question is whether we ought to do it in the first place.

Posted 6:28 PM by Blah blah

Too Much to Talk: House, Dinner, Skating, Comics, and Unfaithful

Sorry if I haven't returned your email recently. I haven't finished settling into the new house, and I have limited Internet access now. Also, I got a lot of mail recently (from both friends here and online friends), so I apologize on not getting back to you.

I never understand people who say they have nothing to write or talk about. I NEVER run out of things to talk about. In fact, I always overflow with ideas for conversation, and I only pick a very narrow slice of my life and chatty thoughts to put here. Maybe I should do a whole week where I just list topics I COULD talk about but have no time to really flesh out. People who have chatted with me know that IF we have chemistry, three hours of conversation may rush by, like that.

What's the longest you have ever talked on a phone with someone? With one girl I was dating, several years ago, my record was six hours straight.

However, put me at a dinner table with someone who is my complete opposite, and you'll find me chewing the tablecloth and exchanging meaningful looks with old ladies at the next table. I'll discover all these imaginary cracks in my plate, wolf down my food, and use this chance to practice Pig Latin with the Jewish waitress.

Of course, it wouldn't just be me talking. I am very sensitive about boring you. I have the personality of a journalist, so I do a great deal of listening, too. I want to see what makes you tick. I want to unlock you.

For example, here's what has been kicking around in my head this week:

- Mira, you asked if we hired any big and strong guys to move our stuff? You are looking at them, baby! My housemate and I pretty much did it all, both this Saturday and last (in the rain). After lifting the washer and dryer, the mega screen TV, the desks, the beds, and the bookshelves, my hand was about to fall out of its socket.

- The new house. Two story, three bedroom, two bath. Nicely landscaped backyard. Living room huge enough for big parties and a pool table, which my housemate plans to install. The price DOUBLED from the original owner's price, five years ago.

- Dinner with my housemate's family. Saturday, right after the move, his brother-in-law hosted a surprise birthday dinner for his sister. They've been married several years. His brother-in-law, who also has a strong interest in film, cooked this fantastic dinner that impressed us all. From the grilled salmon, to mussels bathed in butter and wine, to Vietnamese spring rolls dipped in a brown sweet sauce, to Chardonnay, to a cheesecake, we were all very impressed! He offered the salmon stacked in a neat column topped with greens, like it came out of a restaurant. We were: my housemate, his girlfriend (also my housemate), two of his sisters, his brother-in-law, his brother, and his brother's girlfriend. Had a great time! It's not often that I get to have a fun dinner with a cheerful family. I appreciated that night a lot.

- Sunday morning: went rollerblading for an hour and a half, at Netscape headquarters. As you remember, I'm taking lessons. My teacher, Patrick, is excellent. Here's his skating webpage. You may see some of our pix. He has taught for ten years, plays roller hockey, and competes in triathlons. He's also starting this company, Inner Light Studio, on the side. Very cool guy and excellent athlete. So far, in three lessons, I've learned: 1) how to brake much better, 2) how to start skating backwards, 3) how to sprint like hockey players do with their duck walk, and 4) how to skate a slalom course. Amazing for someone who was pretty shaky at the beginning. My lower back hurt greatly after my first lesson, but you know, after all of my moving, I didn't feel any special pain or soreness any more!

- Sunday afternoon: went to the mall and checked out the only comic book shop I know around here. Recently, as Valerie knows, I've been indulging my old passion for comic books. Have bought some very adult, dramatically impressive graphic novels. Comics are NOT just for kids. For one thing, my favorite hero from childhood, Spider-Man, has been revamped in a new series that started last year, called Ultimate Spider-Man, written by Brian Michael Bendis. I cannot gush enough about this fresh look at Peter Parker and Mary Jane from the very beginning, updated for the 21st century. In many ways I love it and find it superior to the original issues. As you see, I'm a big comics geek when it comes to Spider-Man. Millions of others and I relate very well to Peter Parker. I sometimes feel it's about me.

- Another comic that has engrossed me is written for adults and has no super-anything in it. It's about politics. Called Eagle: The Making of an Asian-American President, it was written in Japanese by Kaiji Kawaguchi and printed here in America in 2000. This is no child's manga. It's a penetrating, very believable work of political intrigue. It's about the fictional bid by the first Asian-American ever to run for the White House. No super villians or powers. Just some extraordinary human beings caught up in a Machiavellian drama and soap opera. I was absolutely amazed by this set of books. And more amazed that it is written by an outsider, a guy from Japan. Kawaguchi uncannily profiles the American political process in shrewd detail. If you ever saw or read Primary Colors, a thinly disguised work about a Clinton-like guy running for president, you will appreciate Eagle. And this book is LONG. Eagle is five volumes. Each volume is about 400 pages, making the whole work over 2000 pages. I've finished two volumes already and can't wait for more! If you want to learn many insights about crafty campaigning and what it might take to get an Asian into the Presidency, read this book! It's been nominated for an Eisner award, which represents the best of comics for that year.

- Saw last year's movie, Unfaithful, with Richard Gere and Diane Lane. Directed by Lyne, the man who brought you sex-obsessed movies like Fatal Attraction and 9 1/2 Weeks. I was blown away and emotionally touched by this film. Diane Lane plays a suburban wife who reluctantly, then passionately, gets caught up with a younger Latin lover guy, played by Olivier Martinez. I was blown away by her Academy-Award deserving performance as the conflicted woman who is torn between a hidden lust, seething guilt, and a devotion to her husband and family. Gere was excellent too, as the wronged husband. I like this movie and script infinitely better than his Autumn in New York with the very miscast Winona Ryder. It's not a flashy, over-the-top movie. Just about everything that happened was reasonable and subdued, like it is in real life. This movie also feels European, which is not an accident. It was inspired by a 1969 French classic, Le Femme Infidele. In the movie, the ending plot is slightly different. Anyway, if you want to see an emotionally affecting, very realistic portrayal of just how a proper loving wife could be sucked into and deal with the consequences of infidelity, WATCH this movie! It also brought to mind the unfaithful people I have known in my own life, which is another story...

Posted 7:02 PM by jc

Uh, terribly sorry, but my schedule has gotten away from me of late. So I'm simply posting an entry from my journal. Heh.

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The Rock
In retrospect, it all seems so surprisingly possible. Their volatile relationship meant something was bound to happen. She wasn’t prepared, and he merely thought he was. We should have convinced him otherwise. Talked him through it. Had him think. So that he. And she. To avoid the.

Though not everything turned out poorly. John will outlive the affront to his pride, and Beth is very truly sorry. Their future will probably be one spent together, regardless of the eventful turn in the Caribbean.

They had flown south for the New Year after John had convinced her to go. This had been no small feat, for she was still smarting from his brief return to Sera those many months ago. Something in his voice must have persuaded her. That, plus the tickets, the resort, all paid well in advance. It was Jamaica. So she had gone.


And, in keeping with his plans, John had left New England with the ring in his pocket.