Traditions

so i had a reflective, pensive, and fairly depressing post written while i was sitting in the sardine can of a plane on my way over to shanghai, but i've decided not to post that one. instead, after having settled my tired legs, rested the mind a bit, and consumed copious amounts of delicious foods, my mentality has shifted slightly.

yes...i'm still a little bummed that this year, unlike the recent years, i am not visiting shanghai while leaving a part of me at home. though not carrying that guilt is freeing, there is still a void to be filled.

but enough of the weepies...its a new experience to share this trip with my family and friends that i have made over the years, and an old friend that seems to tag along with me wherever i go (i'm looking at you kevin!). since this trip is still in its nascent phase, there have not been many pictures to post or stories to tell, though i'm sure those will be forthcoming. so in the mean time, i hope everyone had a great christmas wherever they were and that their holidays are spent merrily amongst family and friends.

Overdue Update

at the request of my singular reader, i have returned to the blogosphere to update my neglected home in cyberspace. i do apologize for my lack of attention, i have been preoccupied by...what's that word that is used to describe the world outside the netizen existence...real life.

i think i've come to a realization these past few weeks, i don't think i'm one of those people who can be married to their jobs or to anything people are normally attached to. i don't find school all too stimulating...i enjoy the work i do and the potential it holds, but i don't live and die by it...i don't hang on every word or announcement of obama anymore...and i find the things i look forward to are all trivial, drinking on the weekends and watching the rise and falls of my fantasy football team (yeah, 4 game win streak to get into the playoffs).

i'll attribute this mentality to my unofficial, but well-documented case of a.d.d. but i wonder if this little issue will hinder my ability to continue to "fake it until i make it"...cuz sooner, i'm actually going to have to be good at my job and i'm afraid i'll have looked back on my years and realized i don't know shit. even as i write this, my concerns are again washed away and lost in my distractions as i fiddle around with my blackberry and little strings that hang off my sweater.

i was recently told that i was such an optimist...i wonder if that's because i actually believe that there is always some sort of light at the end of the proverbial tunnel; or that i'm just too lazy to find complications and would much rather just go with the flow. but i guess either way, my somewhat de-cluttered mind has kept me afloat through all the good and the bad times throughout this year...and as this year whiddles down to a few days, i'm sure this mentality will keep me sane through the next 365.

Extreme Cuteness

be careful...this one might just be an overdose

Thanksgiving 2008

keeping with tradition, kevin and i hosted our pre-thanksgiving holiday feast. typically, this meal is a chance for friends to gather and enjoy each others company in a nice holiday setting before everyone scattered to their respective homes.

maybe its my slowing metabolism, my chronic laziness, the lack of gym time in my schedule, or the growing amounts of liquor i have been consuming...but i have recently added a little extra plushiness to my waistline. normally, i'd be disgusted at my gluttony, but its thanksgiving, my favorite holiday of the year (and yes, only because of the food).

so to indulge ourselves, we had a nice gathering with a LOT of food...turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, ribeye with gorganzola cream sauce, pork chops and apples with bourbon glaze, tossed salad with homemade pomegranate citrus dressing, mac n cheese, african chicken and rice stew, candied yams, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and lots of cornbread with honey butter...and desserts of pumpkin cheesecake, layer chocolate pistachio cake, and pecan tarts.

if that hasn't got your mouth salivating yet...you can just look at these.

delicious...

Fame

after 24 years of life, experiences in many foreign lands, life stories from all walks, i have finally made it to the big time...i made it to the realm of jon stewart, bart simpson, josh lyman, and ari gold...i made it to television.

for those of you who would like to now join my entourage, please apply via the comment box.

yes, my friends, i have been featured (and when i say featured, i mean the camera panned over me while i was leaning against a wall at my boss's press conference) on c-span. for those of you outside the beltway, c-span is the network that covers congress and the rest of the government.

why was i given this golden opportunity to break the minority mold in television? contrary to previous understandings, i did not come to dc to open a shoe store (it was merely a side venture). i came here for the betterment of society, to improve the lives of millions, to make a difference...this is where you all decide to move out of the country.

but the past few weeks has been dedicated to producing my boss's vision for health care reform and the future of that endeavor. it was a massive project and a bold movement...it required hours of dedication, gallons of coffee, countless missed meals, and tireless execution to produce this 90 page document...and while the health team of the senate finance committee laboriously and amazingly produced this work, i enjoyed my weekends, hour and half lunches, and midday naps. so accordingly, i will take all the credit.

but in all honestly, for those who don't believe that i do work...here is the result of the many hours all of put into, your tax dollars at work.

Yes We Did

we stood in the face of history this election, and with the support of over 63 million Americans, we took one giant leap forward. this greatness of this election was not how barack obama was going to solve the problems of the economy, of health care, of energy, or the wars...but it was about the resurrection of the American spirit that has been drowned out by years of disappointment, corruption, and failures. but now, there is new hope, new energy, new passion flowing downward from the white house and into the fingertips of all Americans...we have found the change that we seek.

for me, it was simple to understand the moment and impact of this election and what it will mean for me and the rest of the world, but for those who were unsure, here's a great reason why we voted for this man.

watching the results with my fellow hopefuls across an array of televisions, it was an unbelievable feeling to see state after state turn blue, to see that check mark next to barack's name. and after pennsylvania and new hampshire got called, we were on the cusp of making history, only needed one of the many previously red states to turn blue...and with one quick flicker on the television screen, a riotous cheer, high fives and hugs to friends and strangers alike, we saw ohio turn blue and the race was over. and the rest was history...a phrase never more befitting the moment.

i was truly in shock as we returned to my place to watch the final push, the west coast numbers...where my homestate of california put him over the top and cnn, msnbc, and even foxnews had to call it...Barack Obama declared the next president of the United States.

i will never forget this moment in my life, where i was, who i was with...as i'm sure neither will any of you.

november 4th, 2008

Hope

"That’s what hope is—that thing inside that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that there are better days ahead."
- Barack Obama

now...how you apply that is up to you

Home State

so many of you know that i braved the wilderness that is my boss's home state...Montana. it was a whirlwind of a trip, 4 cities (if you call some of them that) in 5 days...puddle jumping...hotel swapping. it was a very stereotypical business trip with a few highlights.

i'll be brief, as i haven't really had the urge to repeat this story over and over again...but i felt i must indulge my fellow netizens with my first experience in montana and as a staffer for the senate finance committee.

the main highlight would probably be the most nerve-wreaking as well. the charter plane with the boss, the big man, the senior senator from montana, Max Baucus. and when i mean charter plane, i don't mean a lear jet or any type of jet...i mean this:


yep, it was basically the size of our rental car (a midsized jeep suv). nice and cozy for the 6 of us, including the pilot. now it is known that i am prone to motion sickness, so i was terrified of the possibility of throwing up on the senator. luckily i was granted the co-pilot's seat, where apparently turbulence is lessened, and where i was able to make it through the flight safely and without projectile vomit.

and yes...it was cold for those who have never been "north". i don't mind the cold so much, as long as it's the dead of winter and not when it should be fall. so i bitterly endured.


but alas, after a week of meetings, listening sessions, and a hearing...i made it back to dc in one piece, educated in several health care issues, experienced in business travel, and with another state notched in my travel log. so...what's next?

17 More Days

as election day speeds toward us, it is imperative that we understand what is at stake and why we're voting.


Obama '08 - Vote For Hope from MC Yogi on Vimeo.

So Close

i hate to be a downer...and though its not 3am or the middle of the night...since i started working my bedtime has come earlier and earlier...so you'll have to excuse typical insomniac, emotional rant.

i know its petty to be worrying about all my little problems with all the things that have been going for me these days...but you know how it is, we always dwell on the things that have come and gone and the things we want but can't have. besides, its human nature to worry about the future, especially when you worry your dreams won't come true.

we judge ourselves by a plethora of measures...wealth, employment, friends, health, family, love. i'm not the wealthiest person, but i'm fortunate enough to be able to stay afloat in these turbulent times as so many others are not. i've finally stole my way into the perfect job, one that i probably didn't deserve. i have plenty of friends who will always be there for me if i needed them and i for them. with my eating and sleeping habits, its unbelievable that i still have my health but i do. and my family will always be the rock upon which i rely.

so with all those things...i should be extremely happy (and i am)...but its that last one that hasn't made me feel complete in a long time. its been a few months now and i still can't get thoughts of the past out of my head, nor do i want to...though there have been many days and even more nights where i hoped that they would just be gone. even as i write this, regret and insecurities rage throughout my mind. but i guess thats the way life goes. like i wrote before...i don't seek perfection anymore, and i guess meeting 5 out of 6 criteria is pretty damn good already. hopefully that last one will work itself out.

One Month Left

just do it...it's your future, it's your life. do something about it....

Life 3.5

there have been many things that have been traversing through my unusually occupied mind these days. having recently grown into another year of existence and received an offer to enter the working world, i have realized that i have advanced into another phase of my life...phase 3.5

phase 1 was obviously childhood and the teenage years...progressing through the k-12 years, ignorantly believing my high school sweetheart and i were destined to be together, when figuring out an excuse to stay out later than 11 was the task of trickery and genius. phase 2 would be the college years, when freedom and independence were first experienced and a forage into adulthood was at my fingertips. phase 3 would be my post-collegiate/grad-school year(s)...i throw in the obligatory (s) only because i'm including my brief stint in china which i give full credit into landing me where i am today. had it not been for the escape of my san diego bubble, who knows what meaningless position i would be in now.

so here we are...at phase 3.5 = still in school, working, but not yet paying ALL the bills and hoping i can avoid that as long as possible. i mention this, as i have ostensibly used many more words than necessary to get to this point, because i started this blog with the intention of posting some details of my birthday and hopefully trick you into checking out some photos. but i guess looking back, i must have lost your attention somewhere between teenage angst and arbitrary description of phases...so now, without the glitz of pictures or funny anecdotes to keep your attention, i'll just sign off as is.

with a quick thanks to all those who wished me a happy birthday and for those who were lucky enough to celebrate it with me at nafis's and marvins

The Real Straight Talk

Balancing Act

i haven't yet announced this news to but a few people, not sure what i'm waiting for exactly, but since no one really looks at this thing, i might as well continue...i have been given the opportunity to work for my perfect job. i am the new research assistant to the health team of the Senate Finance Committee. that doesn't sound so sexy, and i'm sure it won't be. but for a person in my shoes, this is the perfect stepping stone to a bright and hopefully, gratifying profession in public service.

this news should have drowned out all others and the elation of getting one's first real job should have engulfed my inner most emotions. and to a certain extent, it has provided a sense of relief coupled with increasing anxiety and nervousness. yet, here i am at 3:30 in the morning, blogging to no one about the sadness that has dominated my senses all night.

put in perspective, i have all that i can ask for at the moment when so many others have so little. and the appreciation is not lost on the irony that i have done relatively little and earned so much while so many others lost their jobs and homes this past weekend. so i'll keep my sadness brief.

but it is embodied in the notion that i couldn't share this with you. i type this knowing the object of this piece will not be reading these words...but still with genuine sentiment flowing through my fingers. there has been a dampness that i have felt. it has dulled the good and great moments and exacerbated the bad and worse ones. what was there was never perfect and probably never could have, but who wants perfection...seeking perfection sets us up for great disappointment. no, i'm not looking for perfection in everything, but i am (or was) hopeful in the potential of perfection in all things. this way, the bar is set high, but expectations moderate.

i bring up this new founded cynicism to this day...and this news. you knew what i was chasing and how perfect it would have been to have been able to share this moment with you. though perfection may have slipped from my grasp, not all was lost and i have set new terms of measurement...terms that i am happy to have met today.

Great Ad

Hypocrites

how can anyone listen to these idiots and pass their words off as truth?

Universal Healthcare

i know...i know...no one wants to come to this blog to hear about my stance or work i've done in this particular field. they come here to read about the meager existence, the musing about pictures and videos found on the internet, or to try to decipher the often cryptic messages that form a cacophony of noise in my incoherent mind. however, there are times when an issue or thought drives its way through the muddled noise and is unique in my head...it is the rare and often elusive, coherent mind.

usually this is sparked by a random inspiration, a narrowing of thought forcibly obtained after hours of studying, or in this case...a chapter in fareed zakaria's book "the post-american world". the essence of the book is not to declare the future dominance of the emerging markets and the effects of globalization, but to stress the concern that while america has spent the better part of this past century pushing the rest of the world to globalize, we have forgotten to do so ourselves.

how does this all tie back into an universal healthcare debate? well, it can easily be said that our working class and middle class employees are often job-locked because of fear of losing their benefits. because of this, we lose potential new ideas that can form new companies that can be new IPOs that can be new global investments that can be new jobs for new americans. we've losing our competitive edge because major companies, hell even the small ones, have to mark up costs and lower wages to cover the benefits of its employees. thus forcing many companies to simply outsource these jobs to locales where benefits are guaranteed...universal.

our familiarity with the word 'outsource' has always been relegated to old-industry jobs...disturbingly referred to as sweatshop labor. but we fail to see our new-industry jobs slipping away because our industries must shell out large portions of their capital to provide benefits for its employees, leaving a lower growth rate. either that or cutting benefits or not providing any at all...like the older airlines or wal-mart.

so for those who don't agree with the idea of universal healthcare because we shouldn't be paying for the lack of personal responsibility of others, i understand that. but there are both micro and macro implications.

on a macro level, having a universal healthcare system may increase individual taxes a little, but it provides a blanket of security to the national workforce which would now be free to explore and be the entrepreneurs america is known for. it will allow car companies and airlines and small business to grow their profit margins, allowing them to reinvest in new technologies and efficiencies and grow our global economy. products would be cheaper for the average consumer, meaning more consumption or more savings. either way, though we might feel an individual pinch, the whole will grow and that benefits us all.

i know that's a lofty statement and coming from a democrat, seems rather characteristic. however, if we must look at it from an individualistic point of view, the benefits are already clear. beyond the fact that goods will be cheaper, most likely the amount paid into a universal system from your taxes will be less than what you forfeit to a private insurer. lets assume (and reminder, this has no scientific or actual practical knowledge behind it) that you make $60,000 a year, you're average health insurance premium would be around $4000...or roughly 7% of your income. now lets say you're paying an increase of about 5% (which is high) due to taxes for a universal system, that would only be about $3000...still less than that premium your paying. so now you're saving money on health insurance, not to mention the money saved by the fact that things will cost less.

so when it comes down to it, which one keeps more money in your pocket...private insurance or universal systems? i'm not advocating eliminating private insurers, they're a major sector of the economy and cannot be disregarded. but when it comes to choosing between a premium and a tax, the only real question should be...which one is cheaper?

Roller Coasters

i have never been a fan of roller coasters, i don't enjoy that adrenaline rush that propels throngs of young kids to 6 flags every summer. maybe its the motion sickness i get from loops or the whiplash from the turns, but they have never been my thing so i've always avoided them. but i have never, nor do i really hope to, avoid the roller coast of life.

i started this entry prepared to depress you with messages of pessimism and cynicism spawned from a period of recent challenges. the past few weeks has seemed like i was on a ride with sharp turns and gravity-challenging loops only to discover that my shoulder locking mechanism was loose and i'd have to rely on those dinky little metal bars that extend over your lap. but instead of groaning about things that did not come to be or a future that turned to memories, i was inspired tonight by the words of an individual.


now of course she wasn't speaking to me, or the comparatively minor problems i face in my life, but the tone of the message, the hopefulness of the future, the dreams that erased the nightmares that has shifted my emotional latitude for the moment.

i had made the familiar journey from my house to campus for what would seemingly be my last first-day of school. and as i made the trek, it seemed resoundingly clear that my future isn't something that is abstract...not like it is to the hundreds of new freshmen aimlessly lost around campus...but it is now something tangible. and how i choose to react to my recent situations will speak oceans of how far i've come as that same freshman only 6 years ago.

and to listen to michelle obama speak tonight, i have learned that i am here not only because of my past, but because of what i've done with it and what i've learned from it to take me to my future. i'm not proud of a lot of moments in my life, and the temptation of an eternal sunshine moment has always lingered, but i only live with the knowledge that there will be these moments again in the future, and how you treat them is the definition of where you'll go. the past few weeks may have felt as if i've been on the top of the tracks fearful of the impending descent, but now i know i have to face that fall not with fear, but with hopefulness to the rise that undoubtedly follows.

so here's to hoping...

Surviving

somethings breathing is all you can do to survive...





...what happens when you can't even do that?

Mr. President

well...can you blame him?

*update*

The List

so after agonizing debate and mental conflict, i have come up with my celebrity list (you know, the list of celebs you're allowed to sleep with without relationship retribution). i figure i won't pull a ross and keep a laminated copy in my wallet, but i will release the contents of my list to the blogosphere.

and this is in no particular order:

Maggie Q
















Scarlett Johansson
















Jessica Alba
















Emmanuelle Chriqui



























Giselle Bundchen

Asian Babies

can't say they aren't cute...little asian babies tend to look like dumplings, and this one is no different.

Smart Politics

this is why i love obama...

"What I don't want is for the best to be the enemy of the good here."

this is the way politics should be done...not in a 51% manner, but in an overarching, unifying approach. if he is not the next president of the united states, i will seriously consider my faith in the american people

Ode To The Mosquito

little pesky things,
so small, yet your bites always leave stings.

i try to leave you be,
but you always come back to me.

what is it about my blood that you so adore?
what about me drives you to come for more?

now that you've eaten,
i feel annoyed and beaten.

each time you choose to hitch,
it is another red spot on me that i have to itch.

how i hate you so,
you little pesky thing, you mosquito

The Next President?

now obviously this is from the daily show, and satirical news is just that, but after weeks of listening to missteps, flip-flops, attack ads, and clumsy choices of pop culture references, how can anyone look at mccain and think he knows what he's talking about?

Late Nights

as the readers of this blog know, at times of sleeplessness, my mind rambles onto whatever it happens to be thinking about at the time and often times finds it way to this blog. and this is moment is no different, so here is my most recent political ramble on the state of the country and what we should do to get back on track (and no, just tossing bush won't get it done)...

it's clear that we're in a recession, not a mental one, not one fabricated so i can whine about it, it is real. gas prices are blowing up, wars are raging, natural disasters are ravaging the country, and even with our first black presidential nominee, we're still facing ignorance and severe intolerance.

so here's what i propose the nation do...

we need to understand that we're not going to keep our factory jobs, our mill jobs, or "blue" jobs; and we don't want to. we want to grow, learn, advance ourselves to lead the world in technology, sciences, medical. but to help revive a struggling economy with a growing number of employed blue-collar workers, we must create a major jobs program not seen since the new deal. jobs programs to overhaul and reconstruct the transportation infrastructure of the nation, to rebuild the levies that have, or will, rupture, to reinvent devastated cities like new orleans into green beacons. not only will this provide jobs for thousands of struggling workers, it will help reinvent the parts of the country that most of us have forgotten about.

and for the rest of us, the green movement must be embraced and encouraged. though i don't think the government is good at directing science, we must not be ignorant to the impending climate change or bought by the oilmen. not only will have a strong environmental push be good for the climate, but for the economy. it will bring a whole new wave of jobs and technological advancements come about in the same way the industrial era brought us cars and electricity.

we must focus this new movement into development and refinement of new means of energy. the day we can remove ourselves from the massive world oil market is the day we can no longer fear more the need of "nation building" in opec lands.

we must make-over our public image in the world. first by responsibly withdrawing ourselves from iraq and refocusing ourselves in afghanistan. the military is strained and suffering, but it is still undoubtedly effective. the mission must reflect the true needs of a nation facing potential terrorism and security issues, and not used for vengeance and vendettas.

once we have established ourselves again as a respectable leader, washed our hands of hypocrisy, and opened our arms to a world grown smaller, we must ourselves realize that we can no longer afford to think of ourselves as the only nation worthy of this world. we must understand that we may no longer be the leaders of education, the leaders of manufacturing, or leaders of production...instead, we must now be the leaders of innovation, of experience. we must use our political capital to say, "we've been there before" to developing nations in respect to environmental damage. but we mustn't preach, we must help; we mustn't punish, we must accept.

of course, all of this is just the ramblings of my mind. and thank the blogosphere world that no one really reads this, or else i'd probably be the idealistic fool without a sense of reality, only of hope...and i'm okay with that

Storytelling

i remember back in the days when i was still entrenched in apo, and wes and i would battle each other for the record of attending the most pledge retreats. he would always tell the same ghost stories, and everyone would always enjoy them as wes is a great story teller...

but i have now come across a better way...

Good Ol' Days

back in the last year of my high school career, my good friend lance and i were paired together in a senior-easy A-joke tv productions course. keeping in line with the tradition of several other friends who had taken the course in previous years, we decided to extend the Secret Agent Man series. here is what ensued...

excuse the quality, back in those times, we rendered the videos onto VHS (yeah, right?)...and also excuse the humor, we were in high school.




and here is another "dream sequence" video...same disclaimers apply.

So True

i apologize for the brief haitus from my incoherence...though this post will also not be a recap of my absence, just an insert of something i found completely true and right on the mark.

Completely Dejected

after what can only described as the largest post-season collapse ever, as a true lakers fan, i can only wallow in anger and disappointment.

when the lakers knocked out the defending champion spurs in 5 and the celtics finally finished a series under 7 games against the pistons, nba loyalists and true fans needed a tissue (and perhaps some clean shorts) when they saw an impending historical rivalry between the los angeles lakers and the boston celtics.

now i don't usually blog about my daily activities...but after the anguish felt tonight, i had to release something as i found myself tossing and turning at the utter heartbreak of tonight's game.

after having a great day watching tiger and phil battle it out at torrey pines, and enjoying a shortened last summer class, i was looking forward to some mcdonalds and a private lakers-viewing experience at home where i could jump, cheer, clap, and cry in the sanctity of my own living room. but then the fateful phone calls, a friend guilting me to watch the game at a local sports bar...and as the good friend that i am, i obliged knowing full well that it might throw off the superstitious routine of my lakers experience.

but the first half proceeds beautifully, with lamar odom finally showing up to the finals and the lakers playing perhaps the best basketball i've seen all playoffs. spirits are up, drinks are flowing freely, and smiles all around.

then disaster...knowing that the celtics always play well in the third, i was expecting a good run, but with a 20+ point lead, i figure we can hold off and enter the fourth with at least a 10 point lead. so what do i do when i watch the points shed to only a two-point game? i toss my stool to the ground and crush my viewing partners for ruining the rhythm by taking a couple anti-routine shots at the bar. damn them!!!

then as the fourth quarter proceeded, and the game remained back and forth for a few minutes, i clinged to the hoped that kobe hasn't exploded and that it could still happen for my beloved lakers (screw the wizards, i'm always from LA)...then, what i can only describe as the levies breaking after hurricane katrina, the free-shooting/poor defending sasha vujacic let ray allen blow past him as if he had a celtics jersey hidden underneath his yellow and gold number 18. at the moment, my heart sank, my voice had gone coarse with anger, and those boston fans behind me knew not to say anything lest they face the wrath of one pissed off chinese boy.

after vowing not to drink too much before the game started...i held true up until middle of the third, while the lakers led, i only had two drinks. but once those points started to fall, so did the number of glasses i had. with the final whistle being called, my one anti-lakers fan that i had allowed to sit with us passed me a final shot to ease my pain...

...it didn't work.

Peronsal Fears

while i adjust myself to overcome my overwhelming rage to the lakers' game 4 collapse, i found this interest series of pictures online...

with this picture taking particular hold in my phobias...

It's All In the Delivery

as i sit here at a 24 hour mcdonalds getting the most out of their limited time free wi-fi because the power went out in my building and it's hot in dc (even at 11:30 at night) and because i don't know how to survive without electricity and tv and/or internet for long periods of time...i began to think about how we're all so easily convinced by the speaker. so running into this article was perfect...

we've all seen them before, the late night commercials promoting "dates" by phone (phone sex for those who are incredibly naive). these commercials are undoubtedly stacked with beautiful women all bursting out of their clothes, speaking seductively in their camera about how they want to talk to you tonight.

then, your oppressing loneliness overwhelms you and the thought of having a stranger whisper sweet nothings into your ear sounds increasingly appealing. so you call and on the other side hear a woman describe herself as barbie-esque and you paint a picture...

...would you still call if you knew your late-night telephonic rendezvous looked like this?

The Truth

forget all my barack obama posters and stickers...forget all the times i tried to get you to vote democratic...forget my work in a democratic congressional office...forget that i come from california...this is the truth:

17 Month Recap

for anyone living under a rock, this video about the democratic primary will probably bore you since you were most likely under that rock cuz you didn't really care. for those of us that did care, this video will still probably bore you since you saw every primary and caucus unfold but will still probably watch it because you care so much.

To The Graduates

it wasn't but a couple of years ago that i was in this same situation...sitting out in the sun on rimac field, waiting for professors and deans to call out my name and hand me an empty folder. it felt nice to get the degree, but it would've been nice to have a keynote like this...

One Year Anniversary

things have definitely changed in this first year of my transplant. from continuing higher education to actually working a legitimately real job to living on my own...it has been a pretty up-and-down year. but that's the way things go in this game of life.

it was not too long ago that i was wandering around the streets of shanghai, headless and without direction. but just 14 months since, it is good to see true progression.

with a year's worth of goals under my belt...nachc, my first 3.7 gpa, my first true snowfall, congressional staffer...i un-grudgingly move forward into my next year of reality.

now that i have true experience padding my resume, a solid year's worth of graduate education in my head, my current unemployment does not strike the same amount of fear in my confidence as i once had. but where will i end up? as always, times and situations may change, but existence is still ongoing, and i am still its muse.

James Cameron is Running the Military

unless kristanna loken wants to magically appear in my room in some time-traveling metallic sphere...i don't really want any of the terminator storylines coming true. but it seems like the US air force has different ideas.

the air force and other dod branches are putting together the cyberspace command where they hope to pit our hackers against the rest of the world...to secretly run and control the internet infrastructure on our enemies. now i'm all for national security and defense, and i definitely don't want some crazy chinese hacker big brothering my porn news searches, but this seems a little extreme...

...so...is skynet up and running yet?

My Thoughts Exactly

as i was stumbling across the internet this morning...willfully ignoring the memo and speech i need to write for the boss and blatantly switching browsers as my superiors walked by...i came across this slate article the spoke to me and the millions of my fellow procrastinators.

so i post will the article here, furthering my office space mentality of actually putting in about 15 minutes of good work...

Dear chronically procrastinating young person,

Slate has asked me to offer you a few words of advice—as I, too, am a procrastinator. Always have been. In college, I'd start 10-page papers after midnight on the day they were due. Half my memories of this period involve screaming at my printer to print faster, ripping the pages from its maw, and then sprinting to my professor's office with moments to spare, sweat streaming down my face.

Why did I subject myself to so much stress, instead of starting my work earlier like "normal" people do? Well, you've no doubt heard all manner of theories regarding the root cause of procrastination. Fear of failure. Crippling perfectionism. Abnormally low type-2 phloxiplaxitus levels.

I'm here to tell you that it was none of these things. The root cause of my procrastination, in technical terms, is this: I'm lazy. Extremely lazy.

Don't judge, pal—you're lazy, too. It's why you procrastinate. When there's a difficult, disagreeable, or tedious chore that needs to get done, guess what? You don't want to do it. So you don't. Until you have to.

It's just that simple, my slothful friend. And guess what else? The trick to overcoming procrastination is even simpler. Ready? Here it is:

Get off your fat badonk and stop procrastinating. Right now. No, not after the Gilmore Girls rerun ends. Now now.

Will you do this? No. You will not. You will dabble at the crossword for a while. Later, you might get a yogurt. Eventually, you'll start reading pointless crap on the Internet. You see, you're doing it as we speak! Because: You are lazy.

Understand that this will never, ever change. You will always be lazy, and you will always procrastinate. I know it's tough for you to hear, but it's a harsh truth that you need to internalize.

I'm serious about this. It's bad enough that you're so damn lazy. People like you can't afford to be delusional on top of all your other problems. Oh, I'm sure you imagine yourself growing out of this silly procrastination phase. In the future, you'll get an early jump on projects, work at a steady pace, and always finish ahead of schedule. You'll take the time to do things right—instead of nipping under the wire in a rush of half-assed, flailing chaos.

It's a beautiful dream, my indolent chum. And I'm here to shatter it. Again, I speak from experience in these matters. When I was young, my procrastination was merely debilitating. As I age, it gets far worse.

Take, for instance, this assignment. I first learned of it two weeks ago and, since then, I've gotten really, really superb at Guitar Hero III. Now I'm awake in the middle of the night, facing a deadline that's hours away, and I'm guzzling caffeine and just getting started. Crikey, I haven't done a lick of research! My editor specifically asked me to find historical examples of procrastination. Hold on, gonna Google a couple things …

OK, back now. It turns out the ancient Greeks may well have procrastinated. And Leonardo da Vinci left a whole stack of unfinished projects. Also—this is conjecture on my part, but seems plausible—I'm guessing the people of Pompeii spent their final moments wishing they'd been a bit more on the ball about fleeing that bubbling volcano.

"But Seth," you interject, as I take a Rubik's Cube from my desk drawer and begin fiddling with it, "what about that kid in my econ section who's always on top of things? He makes an outline of his paper two weeks in advance, writes a rough draft, then does further research and revisions. Couldn't I be more like that kid if I put my mind to it?"

No. You couldn't. That kid will grow up to be a powerful politician or business leader. You won't.

And that's OK! Some of the kindest, most interesting people are pretty lazy, and not at all powerful. Take da Vinci: He was totally awesome, despite—as my extensive research suggests—being an easily distractible scattershot. His very strength was that he allowed his mind to wander where it pleased, instead of always locking into the task at hand. Sure, maybe you wouldn't want da Vinci as your air-traffic controller. But you'd definitely want to have a beer with him—am I right? And despite his problems knuckling down, the guy produced oodles of brilliant, imaginative work. Which is where my advice comes in.

Stop resisting and embrace your procrastination. Don't agonize in front of a blank computer screen. Don't sit around for hours—intending to start your work any moment now—only to find that in the end you've accomplished zilch, save for ruining your own day.

You could instead, for instance, work on a small, tangential aspect of the assignment. Some weird take on things—one that doesn't make you miserable. This may be of little direct application, but there's a chance it could also pay off, kick-starting a new line of thought or adding nuance to your final result.

Or, better, take a walk outside. Read a book for pleasure. Roll a spliff and share it with a friend.

You're going to procrastinate anyway, so you may as well enjoy the time you're stealing from your tasks. While that grind in your econ class is toiling, you're becoming a more relaxed, quirkier, less-programmed person. You nurture the creative sprouts that take root only in long hours of idleness. You're open to soulful experiences that lie only beyond the bounded worlds of work and study.

Of course, this is all dependent on there being a deadline waiting at the end of your walkabout. For true procrastinators, nothing gets done without a deadline. As we say in journalism: The deadline is your friend. And when that deadline looms too near to procrastinate any longer, you need to take care of business. Crank it out, baby.

Executed correctly, this method is in fact terrific practice for maintaining your cool in stressful work environments. Pressing deadline anxiety can be channeled into an extreme level of focus. If you can train yourself to complete your assignments under pressure, quickly and efficiently, you will always find yourself in demand.

OK, fully bumping up against the clock here. Time to get this thing to my editor. A few important questions remain, so I'll attempt to answer them in our waning moments together:

1) Could I have done a better job on this assignment if I'd started sooner? Quite possibly.

2) But would I really have used that additional time to my advantage, instead of just doing the crossword and watching Gilmore Girls reruns? Very doubtful.

3) Am I crazy good at Guitar Hero III? Oh my, yes. I'm money on the multibutton combos now, and I can even nail some of the faster solos. You should come over and play some time. Maybe bring that spliff.

Crazy Asians Part 2

this is probably a bad time to be joking about asian people as so many of them have been victims of a terrible natural disaster...but humor is the best way to mourn.

so here are my brethren in action, doing what we do...pictures
(most of these are japanese crazies, so if you lump me into one of them, the following response is perfect)

Denial

no no...i'm not talking about the denial i'm in that my readers have scrambled away from this blog because it has been ignored the past few weeks, but because they've actually found out i have no talent at all...it has been years since i've grown past that one. but i have found my way back to my little spot here on the internet after stumbling across sushipanda's blog to find a hilarious video about a fallen politician...
(if you don't know who i'm talking about, how it is under that rock of yours?)



i am glad this primary is finally being called 'over'...though most of us amateur pundits sitting around Ward have already been calling it for months. though i'll have to agree with letterman, hrc does have a lead on one major measure and one major state...denial.

besides...you got to love a candidate who still has that kid spirit in him:

The Lighter Side of Life

this would have to make anyone smile...

Playoffs

odd that i have two posts in one day...but i just saw these nba playoff commercials, just thought they were cool.







now this one is just amazing, not sure if its real...but still, awesome:

The Vice President of Perversion

so we already know that starting ill-conceived wars, subverting the American image into a torturing bully, blowing shotgun pellets into the faces of senior citizens, and spreading neocon hatred are all things that make dick happy...

but now, from the looks of its reflection, it seems that dick might enjoy the sight of youthful Ashley Alexandra Dupré-esque women as well.

Perspective

as my posts have become more self-centered and notably pessimistic, my readership has fallen from one to none. i guess that is to be expected when no one really relates...or actually cares much...about an existence so befuddled by confusion and incoherence.

but as another one of my late-night wine induced posts, i don't expect much attention to be drawn to this entry. just wanted to get some words down on. i've been drifting through the days in a haze as of late, feeling sorry for myself...or perhaps self-loathing would be the better adjective. struggling to find the energy to focus on the matters at hand...finding gainful employment, penning the multitude of papers and essays i must write, and newly added problem, finding a new roommate to succeed the exit of my current companion.

my academic and professional careers have taken me down paths where i have seen the utter despair of those who cannot feed themselves, afford health care, or survive without charity. yet here i am, fully satiated, healthy, and fortunate enough to be able to provide charity...but all i can do is sit here and be angry at a world that has provided me nothing be good fortune, with a few bumps here or there. control is an elusive thing...and it is evading me at the moment. but if it does come back to me or i stumble upon it, i will remember to use it to gain a little perspective...to see that there will still be a tomorrow...and perhaps be able to shed myself of this undue burden i have only placed on myself and have only myself to blame.

Seasons Unfitting

spring is finally peaking out from behind the clouds of winter...the sun has made some welcome appearances in between brief bouts of rain. but the will of my alma mater...the sungod...has been kind on the only two times of year in dc where it is nice. 'tis cherry blossom season...and the tidal basin is in full bloom.

as i took a reflective stroll beneath the bloom, with a soft drizzle of mist blowing against my face, i realized that i haven't been particularly proud of the way i've acted these past few months. i'm not sure if i will emerge from this chapter the same person i went in...but the only thing i do know is that i will come out of it....

at least i really hope so

Recess

i remember when the class bell would ring and i'd throw all my papers and books and crayons into that little cubby hole in my desk...then run outside to play basketball on those 8 foot baskets, or manifest an obstacle course out of the various jungle gym pieces...and feel that that 30 minute break was never long enough...only to sadly return to my little desk and hope my mom packed a capri sun in my lunch.

what happened to those days...when the biggest problem i faced was whether i could go to that sleepover at chang's house, or challenging myself to beat everyone else on their multiplication tables, or making sure i drew within the lines.

whatever ever happened to my lunch box? when came the day that it got thrown away, i think i should've had some say in that decision

i bring up recess because these past few weeks, congress has been taking their annual spring break. allowing me to peruse my various rss feeds, spend hours trying to find people to annoy on gchat, and browse the internet for useless entertainment such as this...



however, my normally idle mind is being overworked by thoughts of cloudiness and uncertainty. now it's full of questions...prospective inquisitions and introspective investigations. the answers not always shining. but in the end, i think i did have a say in my decisions, and i just have to live with it.

"even in darkness, there is no permanence"

Past Words

i find myself in the wee hours of this morning, in a haze of insomnia and a crisis of faith. it isn't atypical to find me blogging here in the hours between night and morning...in a time where the freshness of my brain have been whittled into a puddle of incoherence...but unless there are mysterious readers (okay, who am i kidding...reader) who keep updated with this silly ol' sounding board, you are more often to miss these random posts as i typically delete them soon after. but i think this one i'll keep...

foraging in my past words, i stumbled upon a line i once wrote:

"i am sure that this expedition into the unknown and uncomfortable will be a watershed moment for my memoirs. the words are constantly being penned and my life is doggedly being created by Existence...and i am its muse...i will be introduced to the new chapters of my life as they are written and the pages continually turned."

something about the direction in my life has shifted since i wrote those words. sure i'm still treading in the unknown and uncomfortable...but there has been an essential transformation in the infrastructure of faith i once built my foundations on. for better or worse...that is still a chapter unwritten.

Way To Go Keith

in a continuance of my recent political stream...


i don't think hrc is a racist, and in my brief time in politics, i have supported her and admired her. but her campaign has trashed my opinion of her and her motives as it becomes clear to me that she and her people will do anything needed to win. when it comes down it, she employs cut-throat, karl-rovian politics...and i am just tired of it.

and to take a quote from my brother..."If she ever ends up picking up the phone at the White House at 3am, I hope it’s security asking her to leave since visitors aren’t supposed to be in the Oval Office."

We Are The Ones

"we are the one we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek"
- Barack Obama


this is the message we need...not proclamations about inevitability, not arguments about seating delegates after they've broken the rules, not about always getting asked the first question, not about xeroxing change.

My Fellow Chinese

this is just awesome...


no other words here...just awesome

Transitions

february has been quite a month...both politically and personally.

lets start with the changing of the tide...february 5th...super tuesday, and then february 12th...potomac primary. some will say that i'm just a bandwagoner, an obamaniac, an obamaphile...they can doubt and question and be cynical, but this man is once in a generation, and i'm proud to be a part of it.

inspiration...



and now that this movement is picking up steam, to what can hopefully be a barack obama presidency on january 20th, 2009, i have been granted the luckiest fortune to be a congressional health fellow. my time at nachc, though fun and educational, was only a stepping stone to be launch my transition. from the professional hallways of 1400 eye street...i have moved down the mall to the hallowed halls of congress. so if there are ever any
6th district tennessee-ers writing letters to their congressman, you may well get a letter back written by yours truly.

“Even though we've changed and we're all finding our own place in the world, we all know that when the tears fall or the smile spreads across our face, we'll come to each other because no matter where this crazy world takes us, nothing will ever change so much to the point where we're not still friends"

Yes We Can

with personal turmoil and uncertainty, it is difficult to find things that continue to inspire. but when those tiny things do come along that can bring a smile or a brief glimmer of happiness, we must all seize these gifts.

and for me, being entrenched in this presidential race, these four minutes made me proud to be in this movement of hope:

The Washington Experience

a historical moment occurred in American politics today. a new generation in American leadership has been forged with the passing of the guard from historical inspiration to the future of hope in tomorrow's generation.

with my potential first full day at work standing in between me and this historical moment, i was pretty disappointed at the position of either missing this watershed moment or risking a bad impression with my potential benefactors. so there was no more joyous moment on this day when my bosses now only allowed me to skip part of the day, but encouraged it for me to gain the true washington experience...which allowed me to stand amid the thousands, waiting in the 30 degree cold of a DC morning, waiting to see this:


so with this endorsement, we look to that one day in february that only happens every four years...no, no, not leap year...but super tuesday, february 5th. and then hopefully onto november 4th and 8 years into the future of inspiration and hope.

then hopefully, as a veteran staffer (in my second day) in the hallowed halls of congress, i will be able to catapult myself to a position to possibly shake this great man's hands...wait.... :P

Georgia Brown's

continuing down the line of reservations i have made for restaurant week puts us at Georgia Brown's for some good ol' homestyle southern food. and on a frigid monday evening, some hearty country cuisine sounded perfect to keep inner body temperatures high.

double dating with ting and matt allowed the four of us (nam stayed the extra day to eat dinner) to indulge in multiple dishes...though somehow matt and nam ended up with the exact same orders. turning attention to my own decisions...

fried green tomatoes stuffed with cheeses sitting on top of a lemon-cayenne mayo...and it definitely tasted as good as it sounded. though it wasn't what i imagined it to be...hearing the word 'stuffed' conjures images of something plump and oversaturated (like the shrimp crépe mentioned before), but this was more of a slice of green tomato layered in cheese and deep-fried. but if you're like me, cheese and deep-fried is really all that matter.

my entrée choice was a toss-up until the moment of truth. droplets of sweat...okay, more likely drool...were splattering the table top as our kind waiter swung his gaze toward me. but finally, i chose the low country shrimp and grits w/ andouille sausages over a heap of veal fetticini. and though the veal was a specialty item, i couldn't have been happier upon seeing my dish placed in front of me. the shrimp was perfectly cooked and sat atop well-flavored grits, all absorbing the flavors of shrimp and andouille jus.

for dessert, a red velvet mini bundt...still nothing topping the decadent flavors and appeal of extraordinary desserts...this cupcake-isque cake did satisfy my sweet tooth after the two hearty dishes before it.

the large portions and quick service, if not just the unlimited cornbread and biscuts...would definitely draw me back to Georgia Brown's. with our country food craving quenched, the four of us begrudgingly rolled out of our seats and back into the blistering cold of the DC night...but at least with stomachs full of southern soul.

Cafe Bonaparte

with nam visiting for the weekend, it was fitting to enjoy restaurant week together, and that is what we did. with dc being one of those old historical cities with its cobblestone roads and its old brick row houses in quaint little areas like georgetown, it is fitting that there are small, home-y, old european-isque cafes sprinkled among the commercialized h&m's and banana republics.

and such a cafe can be found in Café Bonaparte. however, even with it's dimly lit, hole-in-the-wall, french inspired decor...it still exudes a sense of mainstream. probably because it is now filled by the clichéd artist or the snobby east coast prestige of georgetown undergrads...or just mainstream because food-loving folk like myself invade its private underground mystique. with all that said, this joint is definitely in need of reservations, or else be prepared to be outside for quite some time.

but we shall let the food speak for itself. my apologizes for not thinking about snapping a few pictures, but i hope you readers will take my word for it. having planned on a restaurant week style lunch/dinner...we went at 3pm so it was a little in between...but their dinner menu (which is extremely appetizing) wasn't available until after 5pm. taking a gander at their lunch set for restaurant week, we decided it might be more enjoyable to just order á la carte.

our opening french onion soup wasn't particularly spectacular, though moderately priced. nam's steak sandwich, however, probably isn't the best dish to order in a french crêperie, but we didn't want to overwhelm our senses with crêpes sense i was ordering a shrimp filled stuffed crêpe with a saffron cream sauce that was too decadent to pass up. but if there was a problem with the dish, the too much shrimp did factor into the over-saturation of seafood into an otherwise delicious meal.

sadly, service was not up to par. filled with perhaps room for only 60 or so patrons, there were only 2 overworked servers and being restaurant week, were probably a little overwhelmed. the wait for our waiter to stop by and inquire about desserts made the desserts themselves sound unappetizing and we left without enjoy the sweet side to balance the savory.

so a recommendation to you fellow dc-restaurateurs, Café Bonaparte is definitely worth a try. perhaps on a weekday where the attention of being "cool" doesn't attract such a crowd and you and a delightful french cuisine are the only two members of the party.

Vidalia

yes, it is once again restaurant week in dc. which invariably means that i will be indulging myself at restaurants eating foods created by masterful chefs with bon appetit stars next to their names. where i would normally have my face plastered against the windows staring at the meals that others are enjoying, this week...i will be putting fork to mouth and gorging on my twice a year chance to feed my hunger for 5-star cuisine.

and typical of me...my urge to contribute to ting and my failed food-blog created last restaurant week, has been growing inside my stomach with each morsel of fois gras i feed it. but i will not succumb to that urge, and will obligingly place my words here, for your enjoyment.

my first foray into restaurant week (rw) was at vidalia...serving a glamor version of american southern cuisine. located in the midst of construction on 19th street next to a cvs pharmacy and illuminated with a sign comparable to the local quizno's, it does not strike you as high-class as i almost nearly walked past it and had to do a double-take and follow another group in to be certain. but upon entering and winding down the stairs, you are greeted with a chic, mood-lit, tiered dining room with sitting area, bar, coat check and all.

complementing the decor was the food. those unfamiliar with rw standards, the diner is allowed a choice of one appetizer, one entree, and one dessert from typically an abridged menu. however, vidalia was generous to offer its full menu, with mark-ups on certain dishes to be fair.

deciding to be more adventurous on my first round, i chose the veal tongue to start (as pictured above)...before moving onto the duck breast...and ending with a vanilla bean cake. with my conscience screaming at the inhumanity of eating veal, i was quickly overcome by my urge to try all types of food...and again, stomach 3 (1 being the sheep's lung consumed in tibet and 2 being the pig's brain in chengdu) - conscience 0.

and unlike the lungs, this tongue was nothing to boast about...though it was a little more tender than normal beef's tongue, i guess appropriate being it was veal. the duck breasts, ordered to a perfect medium, is always a favorite dish of mine and i can't seem to escape it wherever i go, and this occasion was no different and definitely not a disappointment with its perfectly crisped layer of fat on top of the succulent protein portion of the dish. the vanilla bean cake, though tasty and served with a nice white chocolate covered strawberry, did nothing to excite me...as is normally difficult with desserts after having been spoiled for 5 years with the immaculate creations of extraordinary desserts in san diego.

but all in all, a good first restaurant in my thus far 4 restaurant meal through rw. tune in for continuous updates of my ever insatiable appetite.

Best of 2007

As we crossed another arbitrary threshold of time, people all around the world are signing up for gym memberships where they will unsuccessfully bind themselves to their resolutions, only to actually be bound to the ironclad contracts they will blindly sign…are installing GTD (getting-things-done) applications to their respective computers/phones/pdas in the hopes that this year, they won’t miss that deadline that would’ve promised them the big promotion or oversleep the final that would’ve been the final step toward graduation…are dreading the fact that adding that extra year will already even make their ‘socially relevant’ age cross over toward one’s ‘distinguished’ period.

Typically around this time, the internet is bombarded by ‘best of’ lists and series. Being part of the blogosphere and net-environment as a whole, I decided to create my own list…the best moments of MY 2007 (working backwards based on months):

December
Finishing semester one of year one of my MPP with my most impressive report card since Mrs. Faulk gave me all smiley faces back in kindergarten, all the while concluding my groundbreaking emeritus state-affairs position with NACHC.
November
Impressing my elders with my unexpected knife skills in the kitchen as I exhausted my entire culinary prowess to put mashed potatoes and candied yams on the Thanksgiving meal table.
October
Seemingly an uneventful month, I was able to recharge my batteries with an opening weekend spent with nam.
September
A celebration of my 23rd birthday, where my wonderful girlfriend gladly came to visit and we enjoyed our first New York experience together.
August
Concluding my first term with NACHC with a prolonged Restaurant Week extravaganza where I emptied my entire summer’s stipend of good food whilst awaiting the first day of my first semester of my first year of my MPP.
July
Another seemingly uneventful month, though this one with a more prolonged visit from nam, ending her month long stay in casa de hu.
June
Coupled with visits by an old friend and nam, was moving into my own house and the beginning of my first term with NACHC.
May
The beginning of the next step of my life began on some mid-May day when I flew away from my west coast roots and planted myself into the soil of the east coast.
April
My triumphant return to the states after a prolonged ‘finding-myself’ trip to shanghai was only trumped by the celebration of a milestone…nam’s first one-year anniversary…and luckily it was with me.
March
Coming towards the end of my stay in china, I became the second Hu of the Hu-clan to step foot on the hallowed lands of Tibet.
February
A wash of relief as I was surprisingly awoken one morning by my dad with the news that some school in DC had accidentally sent the acceptance letter for Andre Hue to me instead. That chump…bet he ended up somewhere lame like SDSU.
January
My exodus from xanga to blogger and the birth of…huspot.

And with a brief, terrible quality video...you can all revel in my cuteness: