mortgage and a car crash
today i made my first mortgage payment. 20 years ago i attended my first concert. you could say that i've come a long way. oh yeah, and some old geezer hit my car today as well. it really sucks. but... [more]
skullblog is the work of kalavinka, a californian with roots on both sides of the pacific.
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Recent Entries
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» no longer single (1)
Olive Bleu wrote: You are my exception...... [more]
» the year of getting dumped (2)
kalavinka wrote: it's all good, babe, don't worry... [more]
» entre dos tierras (1)
Olive wrote: Babe, your update is hilarious!... [more]
» there wasn’t anything you could have done differently (3)
Olive Bleu wrote: Yum! mojo potatoes... [more]
» operation get her back: fail (1)
Betsy wrote: Chica, i've been reading your blog ... [more]
» no más lágrimas (1)
Anna wrote: Hey, I just wanted to say kudos for... [more]
Olive Bleu wrote: You are my exception...... [more]
» the year of getting dumped (2)
kalavinka wrote: it's all good, babe, don't worry... [more]
» entre dos tierras (1)
Olive wrote: Babe, your update is hilarious!... [more]
» there wasn’t anything you could have done differently (3)
Olive Bleu wrote: Yum! mojo potatoes... [more]
» operation get her back: fail (1)
Betsy wrote: Chica, i've been reading your blog ... [more]
» no más lágrimas (1)
Anna wrote: Hey, I just wanted to say kudos for... [more]
Archives
stuff for sale
the great divorce sale: i'm selling various music, movies, books, and other bits but mostly related to my music collection. please check out: half.com, ebay, amazon.com, lala.com (items to trade not showing up anymore, grrr)
Projects
Playlist
Netflix
Blog Roll
a list apart
bioneural
cool tools
dave navarro
democracy now
dorothy surrenders
eric avery
for dangerous kids
hyphen magazine
japan newbie
a japanese brazilian in mexico
joi ito
karakui
learning movable type
fail blog
little. yellow. different.
mac os x hints
macha mexico
margaret cho
nihongo jouzu
postsecret
ridiculously extraordinary
simple bits
skull-a-day
slightly dirty martini
small dogs paradise
soy chick
stepcase lifehack
steve isaacs
stringer
tutorial dog
unclutterer
uneasy silence
zen habits
bioneural
cool tools
dave navarro
democracy now
dorothy surrenders
eric avery
for dangerous kids
hyphen magazine
japan newbie
a japanese brazilian in mexico
joi ito
karakui
learning movable type
fail blog
little. yellow. different.
mac os x hints
macha mexico
margaret cho
nihongo jouzu
postsecret
ridiculously extraordinary
simple bits
skull-a-day
slightly dirty martini
small dogs paradise
soy chick
stepcase lifehack
steve isaacs
stringer
tutorial dog
unclutterer
uneasy silence
zen habits
Links
living: one day at a time.
jury duty
i had jury duty today. it's the first time i've ever had to report for duty. luckily, i didn't get selected. i didn't even get interviewed. perhaps that will be the next time i have to serve. there were 2... [more]
officially a homeowner
it's official, the paperwork has closed so the place is mine! i am now officially a homeowner. this wouldn't have been at all possible without the help of my mom, so thank you. i still have to live by some... [more]
moving to a house, my house
today was the big day. my relatives came out and helped me move out of my apartment. as of today, i'm in my own condo. not officially mine yet but it's just a matter of days. i was really surprised... [more]
no longer single
the category for this entry should be "loving". last night olive told me that she loved me. i was so surprised. i feel like saying the same but i'm so reserved. i can't allow myself to feel for someone. i... [more]
the death age celebrated at disneyland
birthday girl attempts to pull the sword from the stone this year disneyland has had this promotion that you get to go free for your birthday. i knew about this last year so i signed us up so that me... [more]
domestic violence
my costume: soccer bitch i dressed up for halloween at work today. my current department isn't full of the holiday spirit but my old department is. so that's why i was the only one dressed up in my current department... [more]
shipwreck
this evening i went to shipwreck with olive and it was the first time either of us have been there. shipwreck is a halloween event at the queen mary, much smaller scale than what goes on in the other amusement... [more]
our weekend with heliosphan
it's been a long time since we last saw each other but heliosphan came for a brief visit. in fact, she's already on the plane to her next destination. she flew in, we had dinner, then i took her out... [more]
my inner fag is rejoicing
i'm clubbing at a gay boy club! woo hoo! here with olive and her friends. it's the first time in my life at a gay boy club. my inner fag is rejoicing! i swear i'm a gay boy trapped in... [more]
karaoke box
today i took olive to a japanese karaoke box so she could experience it the way japanese do. olive loves karaoke and we've gone many times. i think i've gone more to gaijin karaoke now than japanese karaoke and i... [more]
scene tour guide
limone and i continued our hang out session today. she's been to my town but never really checked out the scene here so i showed her around (read as gay bar hopping). we started it off with some lunch at... [more]
what happens at gay days stays at gay days
i went to gay day at disneyland today. it's something i always wanted to go to. it's something i wanted to take my ex- to because she loves disneyland. it was something several of us were supposed to go to.... [more]
the return of sporty spice
there was a staff picnic today for my former department. i wasn't going to go but it's friday and i didn't feel like working much so i went over to the picnic. plus, i worked for the department for most... [more]
cops and queers make good-looking models
getting pulled over by cops before the sun even rises whilst on your way to work is not my idea of fun but that's exactly what happened this morning. he said my license plate frame light was out. he didn't... [more]
slug stalker
this morning i found a note on my car. it was from a fellow banana slug. (they graduated from the same university as me.) he must've noticed my license plate frame. he said his girlfriend is also a slug. he... [more]
visiting a friend in the hospital
tonight twiddle thumbs and i went to visit a friend in the hospital. she's been sick for awhile, not sure what is wrong with her, and this is her second time in the hospital. so we decided to go visit... [more]
my voice is shot
it's sunday so let me recap my weekend. it's a good thing i only have to type out this blog instead of podcast it because my voice is shot! let me explain how my voice got so fucked up. we've... [more]
my first date
i'm so excited. you could say that i'm going out on my first date. sure i've met up for internet dates but those don't count. i was in that one relationship for years but it didn't start out with date... [more]
a nice weekend, for once!
well, i had a nice weekend, for once! (or so it feels like) on friday i had to do some volunteer work and then i was going to meet my friend at a club in west hollywood. she had to... [more]
i have tv again
i have tv again, well not quite. i have a tv but i don't have any signal. i don't pay for channels and i don't have an antenna. i'm just happy to be able to watch netlix at my own... [more]
housewarming party
i could call this one "3 nights in a row of clubbing part 3" but "housewarming party" is a lot better. you know, i don't have that many friends. at least, not that many in my area and even less... [more]
twin day
today twiddle thumbs and i were wearing the same t-shirt. we didn't plan it. it just happened. we had to have a quick meeting for some volunteer work and shortly after i arrived i realized we were wearing the same... [more]
3 nights in a row of clubbing part deux
ok, so it wasn't a holiday weekend but i still went out three nights in a row and almost to the same places but just slightly different. thursday: the ex- and i were gonna meet our new friends at panty... [more]
3 nights in a row of clubbing
3 nights of clubbing? in a row? me?! yes, it must be a holiday weekend. thursday: my ex- picked me up after work for dinner and who knows what else we were going to do. we had no plans. everytime... [more]
dancing weekend
i support hiv vaccine research man, i am so tired from dancing this weekend! we went out dancing friday night and i wore my killer heels for the second time. we called it a night when my feet hurt too... [more]
feed the duckies
my dragon kite today i solicited my ex- for date #3, knowing full well that nothing would come of it. in fact, my attempts at little dates is over. i just wanted to do this because i had been looking... [more]
rides, music, and fabulous people
last night my ex- and i went to gay night at knott's. i'm actually surprised that we went. much closer to the breakup, i had asked if she would want to go and she was against it as she was... [more]
2fer day 2
they actually expect people to buy these glasses? today my ex- and i went to california adventure to use up the second part of the 2fer ticket. this time it was just the two of us so it was nice.... [more]
2fer day 1
today was my ex's birthday. disneyland has this promo thing this year where you get in on your birthday for free. of course you have to register ahead of time. and we did. months ahead of time. and so i've... [more]
water filter change
i changed the water filter today on my kangen machine. hmm.. never did this before. it takes time. it's not just remove and replace. it's a process. i also needed to clean out my japanese hot water heater so i... [more]
dancing with sisters
i went out dancing again last night but this time to a place i've been to before. i wanted to go out to west hollywood and just be part of the big scene. at least over there no one steps... [more]
another year, another birthday
ah, another year, another birthday. it started off with my grandmother calling me and singing happy birthday. that was kinda cool. i know she's done it before. she called at least twice when i was living in japan. the first... [more]
my ears are still burning
i must be getting masochistic as i get older because i finished repiercing my ears tonight. i started yesterday. i don't have enough earrings to fill all the holes as they heal back up after getting repierced. that, and due... [more]
my ears are burning
i have both of my ears pierced. multiple times. at least they were pierced. while working at my last job, i dressed up more and thought an ear full of hoops was unprofessional. thus, i removed most of my earrings... [more]
a new record
officially i've been living at my place for 2 years now. true i got to move in my stuff a few days early but the lease started 2 years ago today. this is a new record for me. ever since... [more]
2 halloween celebrations
this would be one of those i came home late past midnight but i'm posting it on halloween regardless 'cos this be all about halloween! i had 2 halloween celebrations because we had a little potluck lunch party at work... [more]
you might be a dyke if...
thought this blog could use a little humor so i decided to come up with a list. you might be a dyke if... 1. you wear tank tops often. (bonus points if you wear polo shirts/men's dress shirts often) 2.... [more]
immigrant moms
oh my god, i found the perfect website for kids like me, kids of immigrants, kids of parents whose native language is not english, and all the hilarity that ensues with language/cultural miscommunication and mistakes. i have countless stories to... [more]
well at least i tried...
for years i've been a bad friend. after leaving home to go to college, i lost touch with my first best friend from when i was in kindergarden. 13-14 years after kindergarden, it can be hard to be friends with... [more]
digital advertising is a bad idea because pcs can fail
we went out to see a friend play at this small bar/pizza place. when i went to the bathroom, i saw that they had one of those monitors with advertisements. that sort of thing is always a bad idea.... [more]
nisei week 2008
me with kitty-chan today i attended the nisei week parade in little tokyo, wearing my first yukata. yukata is traditional japanese summer clothing that is basically a light kimono. i bought one recently because i wanted to get into the... [more]
turning japanese
tonight was the night of 1000 yukata. ok, not that many. i bought a yukata, which is like a light kimono japanese traditionally wear in the summer and around the house. it's summer so i want to wear a yukata.... [more]
independence day at the beach
fireworks lighting up the beach last night we went to go see free fireworks at the beach. first we hung out at a friend's house where we had dinner and margaritas. then we walked over to the beach for the... [more]
restyle your life
i'm kind of a natural high of being excited over my workspace. i rearranged my setup at work by just a little bit and finally got rid of boxes that had been cluttering my space ever since we got moved... [more]
mein kampf
previously i have written about my struggle to find a good deodorant as a vegan because it can't have animal products and i'd rather it be free of possible carcinogens. a lot of products out there don't smell good or... [more]
my first quinceañera
i attended my first quinceañera today. i've had mexican friends ever since i was little but no one ever mentioned quinceañeras until i was in college or so. i guess maybe because when i was around that age my best... [more]
californians on a disney adventure
last time i went to the disney parks i got the 2fer ticket which means i get to come back to go to the other park. last time i went to california adventure and yesterday i went to disneyland. while... [more]
chasing the hearst on the freeway
today was my grandfather's funeral and what a crazy day. my car was very low on gas. there was no way i was going to make it to the church, then to the funeral, and back to the church for... [more]
the strongest male figure in my life is gone
my grandfather died today. ironic that this is being filed in "living" but death is part of the cycle of life. he was the strongest male figure in my life because he was the male relative closest to me in... [more]
chinese new year
the parade ran through route 66 i have never been to any chinese new year events other than in okinawa people still celebrate lunar new year so you visit some relatives and drink tea and munch on snacks. unfortunately kids... [more]
celebrity sighting
my friend sent me a picture message of she and her kid at the park 'cos they ran into gavin rossdale who had taken his child there to play. i thought that was really cool. i laughed at it. that... [more]
the last native person
ah! i just read this story about last alaska language speaker dies. not only was the woman the last one to be able to speak that language, but she was the last full-blooded person of her people. she was conscience... [more]
"oh my god! oh my god! oh my god!"
that is what i kept screaming as my car hydroplaned on the freeway, nearly missing an accident or possible pileup. i've always been a cautious driver when it rains, or at least i thought i was. i know that with... [more]
happy new year!
happy new year! we went out to a club for new year's eve and just returned. it was a mixed gay/lesbian event with go-go dancers. i was staring a little too much at one of the go-go boys i guess... [more]
a little less me
this year holiday shopping was all about me. i bought more things for myself than i did for others. i went to one store that had a couple things that called out to me and i had to have them:... [more]
printed and sorted
it took me long enough but i finally finished the trip photo album from when i went to mexico almost 2 months ago. i took so many pictures but after i picked the best and printed them, i didn't feel... [more]
christmas eve 2007
i really was not feeling the festive spirit this year. i was not interested in buying presents for people. i've wanted to not buy presents since high school. i just don't believe in it. i'll buy things for my friends... [more]
need more friends
i really meant to make more friends but this year is ending with less friends. i've become quite a hermit. i don't go out much at all, not ever for concerts like i used to nor record shopping. my job... [more]
peeing in public restrooms
i don't know how many people blog about urinating but here i go... after working at places with private restrooms (just one toilet), it's kinda hard to use restrooms with several stalls. i just can't make myself go with others... [more]
los angeles union rescue mission robbed
i saw this piece on the morning news but i just had to comment because it absolutely disgusts me. a homeless shelter was robbed and it was apparently an inside job. there's a safe there holding the money of many... [more]
fresh juice for my car
today i was going to take my car to get looked at because i'm pretty sure it's the battery that is dying. well it's totally dead now. i couldn't even get it to start with jumper cables. luckily the person... [more]
dinner with a relative
i rushed right after work to make it to a dinner with a relative who is visiting from out of town. it's my aunt who i stayed with over the summer when i went back east for a funeral. traffic... [more]
my car is being fussy
my car is starting to act funny. it's not starting right away. i can't tell if it's because the engine's too cold (weather) or cold because i haven't driven it for 2 days.. if somehow there isn't enough oil or... [more]
thanksgiving 2007
this year i wasn't really into cooking for thanksgiving. just not feeling that festive. my brother was in town still and we went to a relative's for dinner. it's been awhile since all of us were at the table together... [more]
glasses not required
this morning i went to renew my driver license. it didn't say i had to take any driving tests again, just that my vision needed to be tested. this is what i've been dreading for years. i feel like i... [more]
no nemo for me
today we went to disneyland to use up last of the 4 day ticket we had for this year. it was my goal to get on the new finding nemo ride. i wanted to be there when the park opened... [more]
corteo
tonight we went to see the latest cirque du soleil production touring close to us, "corteo". i have a mixed review of it and it's not because i read about it and was disappointed. i knew nothing about the show... [more]
pack it up
i'm about to travel and haven't finalized everything that i'm taking like i should have done a couple days ago. but today we got some things done which is great. just makes me more nervous though 'cos you always forget... [more]
fancy shmancy jack o'lanterns
for the halloween party i'm hosting for yosc, i thought it'd be really cool to have an okinawan jack o'lantern. most likely with a shisa (shishi dog lion) image on it, quite fierce. i thought it wouldn't be too hard... [more]
thank god for moms
this morning the garage door would not open! it's broken! ah! when i came home from work last night, twiddle thumbs pointed out to me how she thinks the garage door is broken. "nargh, it's fine!", i balked. we just... [more]
clean car
today we finally washed the cars! i bought all the items needed so i wouldn't have to go to the self-wash place anymore but never bothered to actually wash the car myself. i couldn't stand it any longer. my car... [more]
spice girls
a couple weeks ago we bought these spice jars with magnets so we could stick our spices to the fridge. what's the use for this other than it helps with clutter and looks cool? i dunno but i read about... [more]
to a/c or not to a/c?
we stayed home all day because it's another unbearably hot day. i don't think we've experienced a hotter day all summer. today is labor day which is traditionally the end of summer in america and boy is it going out... [more]
las vampiras post graduate school
today we hung out with nopalita and watched a few movies. back in the day when we first hung out with her, she didn't know very much about pop culture. much like how i had to train twiddle thumbs about... [more]
gearing up on gear
this summer i've been trying to obtain all the gear i need to go camping. it's something i said i was gonna do this year. i set a deadline for camping by the end of summer. and it's just not... [more]
remembering disasters
one thing about american media, and in turn shapes american thought and the people, i think is that it tends to focus on the present and hype it up. once that story has passed, the media moves on to find... [more]
mariachi gardens
entrance to the japanese gardens today we went to mariachi divas at the huntington gardens. since twiddle thumbs's little sister plays with them, it was mostly a family affair. twiddle thumbs invited a co-worker and so he and i were... [more]
snip snip
i cut my hair! i was just so tired of it! i didn't do anything drastic. i was just tired of it hanging down and bunching up around my face and shoulders. it looked messy. i have been watching so... [more]
bald hairbrush
i have been using this hairbrush that is falling apart. there aren't many bristles left. less than half for sure. i think that there is more hair on it than bristles! but it still gets the job done. as long... [more]
i was in a parade
oaa group photo today i walked in the nisei week parade. it's the first time i'm not a spectator but an actual participant. i walked with the okinawa association of america, of course. yes, i wore a happi coat like... [more]
okinawan night fever
last night we went to okinawan night fever but we got back home after midnight so i'm only writing about this now. okinawan night fever?! what the hell is that you ask. me too! what the hell is it?! i... [more]
nihon kara yatto renraku ga kita
my friend michiyo wrote to me! i'm so happy. she sent me an email message. i haven't heard from either of the two people i've written to and was beginning to get worried. that is why i decided to send... [more]
smelling fresh
today we ate at a vegetarian restaurant that we have not yet been to. it's called bean sprouts and it's in monrovia. the radish cakes we had for appetizers were great. the rest of what we ate is nothing to... [more]
the gumsmacker
i used to chew gum a lot. and i mean A LOT. i chewed gum every day. i always had gum on me. i chewed it to freshen breath. i chewed it to do something. i chewed it just to... [more]
when shots ring out in my neighborhood
last night the helicopters were flying about. i guess i got used to them because they didn't get in the way of me falling asleep. last time they were about in the middle of the night, circling very close for... [more]
my aunt is dead
my dad has 4 sisters. my dad is the only one out of his siblings that is dead. (well, one of them we have no idea where the hell he is, alive or dead?) now one of his sisters is... [more]
latin american museum of art
today we went to the latin american museum of art. it just opened or revamped recently. i don't know why i can't recall if it's brand new or revamped. i suppose it's because i've passed by the building enough that... [more]
obon by little tokyo
today may be tanabata but it was also the obon festival at nishi hongan-ji temple in little tokyo, well perhaps by little tokyo 'cos i don't know if it is technically within the borders. we went down to check that... [more]
just call me train and airport girl
this morning i dropped twiddle thumbs off at union station. i know i've been there before, i just can't remember. i remember taking the train as a kid once. perhaps we went from union station to san diego and spent... [more]
me in a dress
today we went to knott's berry farm, just for lunch! hell, we gotta use our season passes, don't we? the only thing we can eat there is johnny rockets and coincidentally it's the only decent johnny rockets around our neck... [more]
let's go camping
lately i'm really excited by the idea of going camping. back in new zealand when i was doing more outdoors stuff and bought sleeping bags, etc., i said that when i got back to america i'd get a tent and... [more]
silly rabbit, mini discs are for adults
now and then i've been buying a few small things here and there to send to my cousin in japan, stuff for his kids like stickers and pencils. that's fine for the kids but today i made some mini discs... [more]
could've had a v8
i went to have a key made for my car. the one i have got fucked up a long time ago. the top plastic head bit is cracked and i can't put it on a keychain. sometimes i drop it... [more]
it man of mystery
today one of twiddle thumbs's co-workers came over for dinner. he is the it man of mystery because no one knew much about him until twiddle thumbs started working there. i guess he kept to himself and no one bothered... [more]
the dslr adventure
i bought a dslr camera 2 days ago. canon rebel xti. woo hoo. didn't want to try learning how to use it yesterday at california adventure and have to worry about it getting fucked up so i didn't take it... [more]
california adventure
my kind of mouse ears we went to california adventure today. i've never been there before but i always call it california adventures. i think a lot of people in LA do. it's like how everyone in LA called the... [more]
boxers or briefs
i don't know if most people would dare post this but it was just too funny. this morning after i took a shower, i could not find any clean underwear to wear. i didn't want to go to work without... [more]
are you married?
today was a day of errands but most importantly, we went to my mom's painting show. i have long thought that i would like to have a showcase for my mom, to display her art, but she just needs more... [more]
our big sister program is back in action
or so it seems as we picked up twiddle thumbs's niece and her half-brother to go to dinner and spend some time at our place. all of us participated in making dessert: vegan cupcakes. they freakin' loved them. especially the... [more]
future road trip
dani and lisa left today. that was an extended weekend visit. it seems like each month we've had friends from northern california come down to southern california. very cool. next month we're going to try to visit them but now... [more]
definitely not the happiest place on earth
self portrait while riding thunder mountain today we went to disneyland for twiddle thumbs's birthday. it was a lot more crowded than i thought it would be but we were able to go on several rides thanks to what i... [more]
sweet dani and lisa
our friends arrived from the bay area today to visit us through the weekend. everytime i listen to "radio/video" by system of a down, i sing along changing the line 'sweet dani and lisa' to their names. anyway, we went... [more]
ye olde santa fe dam
get your joust on! we went to the renaissance pleasure faire today with alpha tom. it's now held at the santa fe dam in irwindale which is weird for me but that's where twiddle thumbs saw lollapalooza in '93, or... [more]
la alternator band
yesterday, i met twiddle thumbs for dinner after work and then we drove home. on the way home, twiddle thumbs calls me as she's driving. something's wrong with her car and she's worried. she said it's hard to steer. i... [more]
chinese food, an irish pub, and latino morrisseys
here's this year's st. patrick's day adventure. last year we didn't do anything. this time, we got together with a couple friends and had dinner at p.f. chang's, followed by going to an irish pub. we had to wait over... [more]
the postman always rings twice
no one uses our front door. no one. unless we have guests, then maybe. so it's very rare to hear the doorbell ring. today it rang twice. twiddle thumbs went to answer the door both times. first, it was still... [more]
clean, clean, super clean
we managed to play dr. mario, clean the house, and play dr. mario again. we would've gotten more done if it wasn't for dr. mario of course so we'll continue on tomorrow. this is a thorough cleaning. the kind that... [more]
metrolink explore day: green line
we have in LA a very limited mass transit system. something that hasn't really been established throughout and put to good use. we have buses in most places but they don't get you to where you need to be in... [more]
the water heater incident
when i got home from work on wednesday, the water heater was leaking. i noticed a trail of water in the garage and followed it to the water heater. it wasn't too bad. none of my stuff stored in the... [more]
marukai banzai
i went to marukai with my mom and twiddle thumbs. twiddle thumbs wants to get a membership there and my mom said if you sign up for a jcb credit card, you get a free membership. we went down there... [more]
amazing!
we went to the magic castle for nopalita's birthday. if you don't know about it, well it's famous in LA. it's probably famous in the magic circles but i don't know about anywhere else. you can only get in through... [more]
i make children cry
oh my god. i went with twiddle thumbs to pick up her niece and that girl's little brother. during the car ride, i was seated in the back with the little brother. suddenly, he started crying. he wouldn't say why.... [more]
apple. foods. present.
tonight we went to the apple store in pasadena because i need to buy a new power adaptor for the laptop. the current one is fraying and i'm afraid it might smoke or start a fire or something. well, they... [more]
naked girl falling down the stairs
i don't know what happened but i fell down the stairs today. i was walking down and was almost at the very bottom. i think i slipped on the 3rd stair from the bottom. i was wearing slippers and i... [more]
weekend trip plan d
we wanted to go to catalina today. we looked up online which ferry we were going to take and what we were going to do once we got there. we even invited over a friend to join us. we didn't... [more]
no show for us
we tried to go see the nightwatchman but the line was too long and they were waiting a long time to let anyone in. it seems like the word is out and everyone in town showed up. there were several... [more]
superbowl sunday
today we stayed in and actually watched a bit of the superbowl. that's hard even for us to believe. before the game was an opening bit put on by cirque du soleil and we were interested in seeing that--even got... [more]
meeting old friends and new ones
we took along nopalita and went to go see a lady we've all worked with and spent many times working on craft projects, etc. a boss who became a friend. she's down in LA and staying with her friend. we... [more]
no show for me
i was sick and stayed home tonight, practicing for something i don't want to mention in case it all goes horribly wrong. twiddle thumbs and alpha tom went to see the nightwatchman again. they say they saw val kilmer there.... [more]
new look for me
i went to the mall and got a hair cut 'cos they mailed out a promotional gift card. otherwise, i don't think i would have went even though i've felt like chopping off my hair. i decided to get a... [more]
if i were my father's son
we went to universal city walk with el prind and heliosphan and said our goodbyes. it was an extremely brief visit but we're glad that put up with the drive for us. we used to make that trip soooo many... [more]
a tour of food and a trip of nostalgia
el prind and heliosphan drove down from the san francisco bay area for a quick visit. they arrived about lunchtime and chilled for a moment. we engaged them in donkey konga on the gamecube. then we went to teashaker for... [more]
i'm worried about you
"i'm worried about you." these are the words twiddle thumbs uttered when she finally realized how many cds (and which ones) i'm getting rid of through trades and sales. sure it's a big stack but have you seen the stack... [more]
selling crap to acquire more crap
it turns out that all money i've made from selling my stuff online has thus far only paid for me to acquire more crap. cds sold on half.com has paid for me to buy some vegan cooking books on half.com... [more]
little miss anti-social
today i went to a yosc meeting that took forever. it was for chairs only. that must mean that i am a chair of something. can you guess what? it is hilarious. i am the social committee chair! that means... [more]
year of the boar
i was the designated driver for this weekend. i drove alpha tom's car. he bought a yaris. it's ok but sitting in it as a driver is a bit awkward. i think the back of the chair doesn't sit up... [more]
new year's eve eve
yesterday alpha tom came over. he wanted to go to a club or the sunset strip, something exciting, something LA. nopalita wanted to see a movie that happens to be playing on the strip. we could go have a vegan... [more]
dinner parties
tonight twiddle thumbs's family came over for dinner. so i guess this is the first of the official "we've moved in and invite the family over for dinner" dinners. our place isn't ideal for large gatherings because the common area... [more]
ominous eve
for awhile, twiddle thumbs has been trying to convince me to go to her parents' house for christmas eve and i just didn't feel like it. first of all, i felt weird, like something bad was going to happen if... [more]
funny ne
been going back and forth with emails to a couple friends to clear up some matter. it's really funny in the you gotta know them and you gotta be there sorta way. it's partly a case of confused identity which... [more]
keiro kansha
today i stood out in the cold for 6 hours. why? volunteering with the yosc to collect donations for keiro senior healthcare facilities. i didn't feel like we collected much but every little bit helps. it's not like i necessarily... [more]
tune up or tune out
it's that time of the year. time to pay the dmv for my vehicle's registration. time to submit a smog check as well. which means i should first get a tune up. by coincidence, the same for twiddle thumbs. her... [more]
the other bitch is back early
twiddle thumbs arrived back home early tonight. i thought she was coming back yesterday. earlier today i had been looking for any news regarding the sepultura tour. it just came to mind. good thing too because it turns out the... [more]
weekend custody
twiddle thumbs is gone again this week on business and probably next week too. so i'll only be seeing her on the weekends. it's like i have weekend custody! last week my focus was on chores. this week i think... [more]
sunday jam
alpha tom left but before he went we all jammed together a little and that was pretty cool. we didn't really play any song or even sounded good, just alpha tom sounded good, hehehe. i let him use my acoustic... [more]
knott's merry farm
knott's = snoopy & the peanuts gang our friend alpha tom came over last night for a weekend visit. twiddle thumbs came home from her business trip after 11pm but still earlier than expected which was good. today we went... [more]
latchkey kid
today's my last day 'home alone'. twiddle thumbs returns tomorrow night. this has been my routine the past few days: come home, wash my face, change clothes to something comfortable, like mr. rogers or some shit. i don't know why... [more]
bye-bye brother
i got my phone back tonight and said good-bye to my brother as he goes back to japan to try to live there for the rest of his life, i suppose. he must've been partying really hard because he dropped... [more]
korean first birthday
i went to my friend's kid's first birthday party at yongsusan restaurant in koreatown. this was my first korean first birthday party that i have attended. you see, in korea, turning one is a special occasion. my friend isn't a... [more]
my life for sale at only fractions of the original cost
my mom said she would help sell the washer/dryer. she's going to make a flyer to post at the japanese markets. i will probably will be able to sell it for a little more than the dirt cheap craigslist. i... [more]
the nikkei community has what japan has not
tonight we went to marukai pacific square in gardena. man, i had not been there in ages! it started off with me being polite and offering to make tea. i realized we don't have a japanese hot water heater and... [more]
the sofa dilemma
after much debate, we finally decided to buy a cheap sofa at ikea. we looked there at the beginning for something cheap. we didn't really like anything there. then we went to the 'regular' sofa stores and all of their... [more]
black friday
today is what the consumer world calls black friday. people get up buttfuck early in order to get items on sale during the morning only. i do not participate in this nonsense. however, if you have money ready for a... [more]
i came to wish you an unhappy birthday
part of the vegan spread we made and laid out at the housewarming party today is the day! i turned 30. good-bye 20s. you were nice but i wasted you. i do not intend to waste my 30s. i was... [more]
no sepultura tonight
we were going to go see sepultura play tonight in long beach but the show was cancelled. i got off work early and everything. i had checked the band's website and there was no news of this. right before we... [more]
usedrocktshirts.com
i put more clothes away in my closet. i had bins of clothes in storage, plus a suitcase or two. oh my god. i had forgotten how many t-shirts i have, specially band/concerts shirts. i had tried to wear them... [more]
happiness in slavery
yesterday we went with nopalita to ikea to shop for some basic things for the place, light floor mats and lights. it was the first time nopalita had ever been to ikea because she has never had a need before.... [more]
my beautiful laundrette
while twiddle thumbs was working more overtime today, i went over to my mom's house and did a shitload of laundry. as i was doing that, i was helping my mom with another computer issue--she wants to know how to... [more]
shopping for a washer/dryer
today we went to a few places to check out the washer/dryers. i know that household applicances are expensive but goddamn! i think it may be awhile until we have clean clothes again. good thing i had so many clothes... [more]
let's put our things in boxes
today we moved in just a little bit more. i brought over some stuff from my mom's place: things we put in boxes and a lot of our food. now we can eat at our new place! just a few... [more]
first night at the new place
last night was our first night of sleeping at the new place. i'm all stuffed up from the new paint fumes, new carpet sheddings, and dust off the boxes that were in storage. after work i went to my mom's... [more]
loose screws
this morning i took twiddle thumbs to the target i went to with my mom so i could show her some furniture i saw there that i think might work for our new place. the target we went to last... [more]
a day of endless shopping
we went early to kohl's for the morning sale they were having. i had never been there before. hmm, it's kinda like target. we got a microwave oven cheap but not the one they had advertised. the manager in charge... [more]
i don't do dishes, i throw them in the crib
last night and tonight we have begun cleaning up the new place so that we can really move into it. it sucks that we're not doing anything for halloween but it sure beats living with my mom. i wanted to... [more]
the end of 2 years of being homeless
we moved today! so tired. ok, perhaps i was never homeless because i always had a roof over my head and all mod cons (modern conveniences, i picked up this phrase in new zealand), but it's been 2 years since... [more]
hollywood dia de los muertos
el dia de los muertos shrine at hollywood forever cemetery alpha tom spent the night. in the morning we went to our new place to meet the landlord, sign the lease, give the rest of the move-in money, and pick... [more]
halloween horror nights
today we went to work early so that we could leave work early in order to go to halloween horror nights at universal studios. we went with nopalita (friend from back in the day at ucsc who lives in socal... [more]
things are moving so fast
i raved about the place in i went to go see so twiddle thumbs went at lunch to see the place and wasn't as thrilled about it as i was. however, we agree that it is our 2nd choice, there... [more]
house hunting, solo
today twiddle thumbs was busy so i went to look at places by myself in a couple suburbs. one of them is where we had been looking but we were iffy on it. i lived there as a kid and... [more]
another day of rental hunting
today we went to see the place that the guy cancelled on us earlier in the week. it was small and not as nice as the other place. you know, i'm starting to have doubts about this area. then we... [more]
to rent or to buy
i know we hardly have money to rent, let alone buy a place but we're not ruling out purchasing a home. we need to sit down and figure out things with twiddle thumbs's brother, who is a realtor. the problem... [more]
first day of looking at places to rent
tonight we to tried to view the first place we had an appointment for but the guy changed his mind and will be showing it on the weekend so we swung by another place closeby. hmmm...charming definitely is code for... [more]
the brother has left the nest, sorta
my brother left this morning. he flew back to japan. he figured that enough of his classes he took in japan will transfer over to his college to satisfy all of his requirements so there's no reason to stick around... [more]
triple-fucked
last night we meant to take a nap at 7pm but ending up sleeping until morning. since we didn't use as much money in japan as i thought we would, i am thinking that it may be possible to move... [more]
can't get out of bed
today we bought laundry detergent because we need some and went with my brother to have falafels. he was glad to go with us because he has been craving gyros and they serve them at the place we went to.... [more]
knott's and clothes
even though we have a lot of stuff to do yet for the trip, we swung by knott's berry farm to buy annual passes. we have coupons that expire soon and today really was our last chance to go so... [more]
and then there's the ho
i didn't make the tofu dinner tonight either, perhaps tomorrow! tonight we went to go have dinner with joycelyn, a friend we haven't seen in awhile at a new vegan restaurant (green leaves) by her old place. we got to... [more]
cookies and hot sauce
yesterday i decided to be cute and made up a menu for dinner for last night and tonight. yesterday i heated up some lentil soup (can) and served mole with fake chicken and cilantro-lime rice (my first attempt at imitating... [more]
otouto ga kaerimashita
my brother is back from japan. he had been doing one of those study abroad things. his flight arrived in the morning while i was at work. twiddle thumbs wanted to go have some mexican food with him for dinner... [more]
i'm the roadie
tonight i was twiddle thumbs's roadie again. i helped to load the congas into the car and drove her to band rehearsal. when we assembled the conga stands last week for the coffee shop performance, we didn't do a very... [more]
less cages, more fences
the open exhibit area of the wild animal park we spent the night in the san diego area--i had reserved a room at the motel 6 close to the san diego wild animal park. hmm, the room was not very... [more]
world of sea
on friday while at work we made last minute plans to go to san diego for most of the holiday weekend to take advantage of coupons and the last days of summer festivities. i know we need to save money... [more]
anti-social vegans
for lunch twiddle thumbs and i took along nopalita to go to the vegan meet up at native foods in costa mesa and we met up with twiddle thumbs's co-work josh and his girlfriend there. it's funny how we are... [more]
amalgam in the middle
this morning i went to the dentist after a 2 year absence. i could've went to a dentist last year in december as soon as i had insurance again but i picked the wrong insurance. you see, i have a... [more]
short short short
i cut my hair! i was just so tired of it and quite indecisive of what i wanted to do with it so i just wet my head, brushed it, and grabbed the scissors. i had twiddle thumbs do most... [more]
taking in strays
we have a sudden guest for the weekend. our friend got kicked out of her place. it wasn't actually her place as it's her relative's place but she's been living there forever, since a child when that relative took her... [more]
it's hard to change your aesthetic
i went to get new glasses today. my current ones don't quite fit right, a bit too tight on the nose and such. plus i feel like they sit a little low and i constantly see above the glasses and... [more]
nisei week parade and tofu festival
we went to the tofu festival today. we really enjoyed going last year but since we went on day 2 and some of the food was already gone by then, we decided that even though we can't go on... [more]
don't walk barefoot to throw away the trash
i always walk barefoot outside to throw away the trash but i don't think i will be doing that anymore! today i stepped on a shard of broken glass and limped my way through the house to go wash... [more]
$1 stores
today we went to one of marukai's 98 cent stores. it's better than your typical $1 store because most of the crap is japanese AKA more interesting so i'm more likely to buy crap. i went there in the first... [more]
clean, yosc, clean, teashaker, clean
this was my day... 1. clean. i was tired of the mess that had accumulated in the room. the mess only accumulated because there is no place to put this stuff. it's been so freaking hot that on the floor... [more]
things i want to do and/or should do before i die
i don't dread turning 30, i just love to make fun of my friends older than me. of course, the pendulum swings back and they thrash me when i hit the age they make fun of. i'm not there yet,... [more]
a girls' day out in little tokyo
today my mom, i, and twiddle thumbs went to little tokyo. at first we went to check out this thing at the aratani theatre for parents' day. parents' day is apparently a national thing i had never heard of and... [more]
death of a party
tonight we went to twiddle thumbs's cousin's party. i just don't think i'm a party person. at least, not a backyard party person. not when all i can smell is barbecued meat and dog shit. not when i'm sitting there... [more]
i want to marry a lighthouse keeper
not much today...dropped off excess food from v's work at v's parents' house. played a little bass. somehow i think i started playing the main melody line to "paint it black" and stumbled across the bassline for "summertime rolls". or... [more]
why did the coyote cross the road?
this has got to be my earliest entry ever! it's not even 7am yet and here i am already dressed, fed, and at work. on the way to work, i saw a gorgeous sunrise. if i had a camera on... [more]
i sure do know how to ruin a holiday
i didn't feel like tofu dogs and vegan potato salad today. i had been looking forward to it but just wasn't in the mood for it on the day of. i just didn't feel like doing anything. it's a holiday... [more]
i can stop calling angela davis a bitch...
...because she's finally signed my damn book! one of my friends still in santa cruz said she received the book back and needs my address to send it to me. it's been what?, almost two years! i know i shouldn't... [more]
the new and the dead
a co-worker gave is two week notice today and recommended me for the position. i was starting to get excited over this, at the possibility of doing something different and making more money (if they offer i won't accept w/o... [more]
some days i find life truly interesting
i'm really into listsoflists.com lately, another site brought to you by the 43 things/places people. last month i made a couple lists of courses i took as a film student. wouldn't you know it but a funny thing happened today.... [more]
goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!
i walk downstairs this morning to find twiddle thumbs watching the world cup. hmm, i guess she is mexican afterall. odd though that i've known her for over a decade and this is the first time i've seen her watch... [more]
it's a sunny day outside
twiddle thumbs's family bought an above ground pool. they have already set it up but haven't filled it up with water yet. since none of them have ever had a pool before, i went over and helped out since i... [more]
a stroll in the pork
there is a terrible odor coming from the kitchen. twiddle thumbs thinks it smells like pork. when it started, i told my mom about it 'cos i figured it was probably from a mess she made. she said she couldn't... [more]
remind me not to have kids
even though i don't plan on having kids, i'm not closed to the idea. for example, if i watch on tv something about parenting and i think it's a good idea, i think that i should implement that if i... [more]
cleaning part two: the room
last week we cleaned the cars and today we cleaned the room. ahhhhh. that's much better. i kinda got into a mood because i couldn't stand the disorganized mess anymore (i like organized mess) but i hated the mess part... [more]
sloppy joe's
we went shopping at sloppy joe's (!) with my mom. she accidentally called trader joe's "sloppy joe's" and well, we've been calling it that ever since. we were there for at least an hour. i never spend that much time... [more]
head of hippy hair
i've been trying out natural shampoo/conditioner products, stuff without as many chemicals and free of animal cruelty as compared to what you would find in major supermarkets. (does it really make sense to buy your personal hygiene products where you... [more]
double jinx
*raises hand*. yeah, that was me. i'm the cause of why it's raining. i washed my car today. and twiddle thumbs's too. shortly thereafter, after a weekend of "it's gonna rain!", it finally happened. it's ok, the cars needed a... [more]
last minute grunion greeting
cabrillo beach bath house at the last minute we decided to go watch the grunion again. it was because i told my mom and her boyfriend that we saw grunions and they wanted to see them too. it was much... [more]
when in doubt, go with a sure thing
last night we wanted to take our parents to a grunion run and decided that we better not take any chances and go back to cabrillo beach in san pedro, where we first saw the grunion. my mom forgot about... [more]
waking up and getting up has never been easy
today was my first day of combating my recent laziness and boy was it tough. i used up all my sick days and then some with this illness so i need to put in some extra time at work to... [more]
*cough* *cough*
i'm still sick! can you believe it? this is the sickest i've ever been as an adult for the sheer length of time. as far as intensity is concerned, i've been much sicker in the past. it's just that no... [more]
medicated enough to return to work
i still have a fever but my sore throat has gone down enough that i can talk enough to be at work. besides, i think i'm all out of sick days! it's crazy to think of all the ways i've... [more]
second day on penicillin
i suppose there were 2 highlights of today. 1. i got my voice back or at least am beginning to. looks like 2g a day of penicillin really works kids. 2. i got a bloody nose. my first one in... [more]
grunion no show
we tried to see the grunions again tonight but they apparently cancelled the meeting. that's how my mother's boyfriend put it. this time we brought along my mom, her boyfriend, twiddle thumbs's little sister (again), and their niece. the only... [more]
excuse me while i go kick my ass
i'm too sick to do anything for twiddle thumbs's birthday. i feel bad. we said we do this and that on her actual birthday but i can't do anything at all. we're supposed to join up with other people over... [more]
side effects of modern voyeuristic life
i get these dreams sometimes. i get these memories that i can't place because i don't think they're real. i picture in my mind a scene, some people, and they're on the tip of my tongue but i just can't... [more]
3 in the changing room
after work i joined the girls at the cerritos mall and then we hopped over to the lakewood mall. we were gonna do the dinner and a movie thing but we ended up doing the dinner and retail therapy thing.... [more]
mezurashii
eva passed her last test for the teaching credential so she and her boyfriend came over for a little celebration. we had some snacks, drinks, etc. in the middle of watching a movie, my mom comes home and you can... [more]
grunions, welcome to los angeles
here's a perfect example of me using skullblog to chronicle my life but not necessarily post it the day it the day i wrote it. you see, last night we went on the grunion run and it lasted until after... [more]
1 down, 1 to go
well, i did it. i did what i set out to do earlier this week. (see entry "you think you know her".) i've already told 1 person and now i just need to tell 1 more person. i was having... [more]
and come back to resting position
tonight i went to my first pilates class. damn, i am so not flexible. i wasn't as a kid and it's worse now as an adult. at some points in the class i just stared at the others who could... [more]
touring the past
after dinner, we just felt like we needed a walk so i ended up giving twiddle thumbs a tour of the parks of cerritos. mainly i was showing her potential places that we could play tennis because we will start... [more]
the three stooges and lucille ball
today was the big day at work--we moved. it was a true casual friday as we were all in jeans and t-shirts. i would've worn my gym clothes but i figured i needed the protection jeans could offer. it almost... [more]
pt cruiser gone crazy
i went home for lunch today and when i got there the garage door was open and my mom's pt cruiser was going crazy. the alarm kept going off and she could not turn it off. she had two sets... [more]
modern servitude: credit card debt
i have a cyclical struggle with credit card debt and it's because i use credit cards as loans to get out of tight spots. this pattern started in college because i never received student financial aid. for example, years ago... [more]
living the materialistic life that is vital to capitalism
looks like saving money will have to start tomorrow. today i went to two more targets to look for something i need for the nz photo album i'm putting together and pick up more south park dvds. i was originally... [more]
nz photos and south park
i've been printing out the photos i took in new zealand and putting them in the photo album i got for christmas. turns out that photo album is just a little too small. i can't seem to tell the tale... [more]
clearing up family facts
it's my brother's last night before he heads back to japan so he wanted to visit our grandparents. we are two oreo cookies and had to bring along the cream filling (twiddle thumbs) to make us whole. no, i have... [more]
return of the swallows
every year there is the return of the swallows thing in san juan capistrano and every year i've never known anyone to actually see a swallow. hell, i couldn't even tell you what they look like. but if you live... [more]
flowers on my toes
for christmas, one of my aunts gave twiddle thumbs and i gift certificates to a nails place that she goes to. we finally used them! i got a pedicure by a man. i was kinda surprised at first to see... [more]
they say there are 2 sure things in life: death and taxes
well, tonight was taxes. twiddle thumbs and i went to her sister's house because taxes are her thing. she's always done mine and this year is no different. the first time i ever filed, i think i was still a... [more]
kitty-chan tastes good
my mom is back from her little kangen water trip to japan. she and other kangen ladies went for about 10 days to attend a seminar and visit the factory. very exciting indeed, not! the highlight of anyone visiting japan... [more]
mexicans on ice
today we went and did something that i thought i'd never see twiddle thumbs do: ice skating. her friend invited her to go ice skating. since i haven't done that since like 5th grade i wanted to go too. in... [more]
this sickness has made me ravenous
each day that i've been sick i've been so hungry. usually i lose my appetite when i get sick but this time i've been ravenous. i don't really stop myself from eating because i feel like i need to eat... [more]
who needs AAA when you have a daughter like me
so i'm sick, first day of period, home alone, trying to recover more files from the laptop when my mom calls. she's got a flat tire and needs to be somewhere in 30 minutes when the place is about a... [more]
holiday! celebrate!
the weekend is ending but it's not over yet. today is presidents' day so i don't have to work. let's fucking celebrate by going to universal studios! you know, 'cos we have an annual pass and all. we went there,... [more]
california mission, greek food, and a baby
this morning twiddle thumbs and i went to the san fernando mission. it's one of the older missions and there's only 2 in LA overall. i thought there were more but it's just this one and the san gabriel mission... [more]
start of the holiday weekend
this morning we got a late start on the day's activities. i'm too much of the planning type and need to let go of the reins for a bit so i let twiddle thumbs plan this holiday weekend. she realized... [more]
trucks, vietnamese food, and spanish rock
this morning i got up buttfuck early for work. you see, one of the company vehicles is at our los angeles office and it should be at our san diego office. the task of driving it down was assigned to... [more]
no jury duty this week either
i'm on call for 30 days. it began last week. i have to call each monday to find out for the week. i didn't have to show last week and i don't have to show this week either. i hope... [more]
jamming on nostalgia
today we stopped by fry's to check out their flat panel monitors in case there was a good deal. twiddle thumbs bought a mac mini used so she needs to outfit it with a monitor. we took a look at... [more]
band practice, old friends, and vegan paradise
band practice: today was the first day. laugh if you want. ok, it wasn't really practice. it was more like me giving lessons. i'm not a musician but i understand the very basics, especially the basics of rock music. on... [more]
errands and reality tv
a basic day. a boring day. my work provided cell phone is still not working--long story short, they billed me instead of company, things were supposed to get fixed, now i've been disconnected. i got another device from work, a... [more]
field trip: watts towers
four of us went to go see the watts towers because we're from LA and have never been there. the watts towers are in watts, which some may know for the watts riots in the 1960s. the towers were built... [more]
japanese christian businessmen
that's right. you read that correctly. japanese christian businessmen. i went to a seminar. you can't make this stuff up. my mom tricked me again. she said we're going to hear the president of kangen water give speech and have... [more]
namm and narnia
this morning i was lazy and stayed in much longer than i would have had i known that this would be the day that i would get to go to namm for the first time in my life. (a dream... [more]
i'm definitely gonna cramp up tomorrow
went to the gym tonight and decided to step it up a notch. i went for 20 minutes on the stationary bicycle as a warmup and tried to keep the heart rate and the legs really pumping. (watch out when... [more]
taking a field trip to the library
twiddle thumbs and i took her old friend to the cerritos library because he can't find what he's looking for at his local libraries. i looked around and found a series of dvds that interested me. they were about the... [more]
a non-toxic home
lately there's been some chatter on a vegan mailing list i'm on. it's got me interested in a non-toxic home again. i have a book in my amazon wish list that goes into explaining the toxic ingredients commonly found in... [more]
drowning in kangen water
here i go, slipping further into this kangen water business. i haven't tried to sell it to anyone and already i've received a commission check. my mom said something about us going to the bank today. (i didn't know about... [more]
touched by the hand of buddha
lately we've been on the hunt for dominique bananas and buddha hands (fingered citron). why you ask? well i'll tell a little story but hide the names to protect the innocent and stupid. one day while shopping at wild oats,... [more]
always make sure you have enough gas in the car...
...even if you're just driving around the block. i'm usually on top of it. my tank gets under the 1/2 mark, i fill it up. sometimes though, i don't have time to or i get lazy about it, but i've... [more]
a mixed bag
interesting day to say the least. my boss the vice president was fired today. the others above me assured me that my job is secure. that though i was hired to be her assistant, they like me, want to keep... [more]
every 10 years
went out to dinner with my dad's family tonight. my grandparents were there, one of the cousins i went to disneyland with, twiddle thumbs was there, and even my brother made it. i saw an uncle and wife and child... [more]
a small christmas
this morning twiddle thumbs called me to let me know that the presents went well--our custom t-shirt idea was a hit for the most part. then my brother and i went to my grandparents house again but this time my... [more]
holidays with the family
just got back from my grandparents' house. christmas eve is when we do our presents after a regular dinner. christmas is when we just eat together a traditional festive thing. i never thought about why we did on the eve,... [more]
holidays suck ass...
...for some but not usually for me. this year we're making the cards and the presents for as many as possible. we've done it before but this time i really feel like we're putting our hearts and brains into it... [more]
a chance to shop is a chance to shine
did some christmas shopping today, mostly for gift wrapping items. this year we are trying to make most of the gifts and give a little extra for those that don't quite like what we are making. what we're making is... [more]
hold this space for the good stuff
this post today was supposed to be good. it was supposed to tell of a funny adventure last night followed by a kickass concert. the adventure didn't happen and we didn't go to the concert. instead, i post about a... [more]
nova = nogo
after washing the cars yesterday and checking my oil (barely had any, it's time for an oil change anyway) and twiddle thumbs joking that my car's gonna break down or something, this morning my car didn't start, wouldn't start, couldn't... [more]
the tea party
we had a list of things we needed to get done today and we washed our cars but that was about it. we were getting ready to do the things when twiddle thumbs got a call from her older sister... [more]
terrorizing the happiest place on earth
anyone who knows me knows that i don't exactly dig disneyland. in fact, if i were to rank all the amusement parks out there, disneyland would be dead last. i've been to disney world and epcot is more exciting than... [more]
journalists who lie
today i wrote and submitted an article on the "stories from the past" part 3 event sponsored by the young okinawans of america simply because i was asked to do so by the president of yosc. it wasn't that hard... [more]
a day at the races
i've had relatives who work the horse race track circuit for years as the people who you place your bets with. i went once to the horse races as a kid, picked a horse for 1 race and lost (all... [more]
young okinawans
twiddle thumbs and i attended the young okinawans meeting today. (it's for anyone interested--you don't have to be of okinawan descent) it looks like they are really disorganized. i know it's all volunteers but you would think there would be... [more]
king tut
we had tickets for the king tut exhibit last night (or early this morning) at lacma for entry at 12am-1am. i was kinda pissed off at my mom for not going there early and not going directly to the museum.... [more]
bummed out birthday
it's never great when you have to work on your birthday but the day can still be good if you make the best out of it. i woke up and got out of bed as usual with hesitancy because i... [more]
never again starting 2006
continuing the theme from yesterday's post, i say never buy tickets (especially concert tickets) for more than yourself (and possibly spouse) because someone's plans always change and you end up with extra tickets you need to sell. twiddle thumbs and... [more]
alone again or
here i am at home alone being the little bitch while twiddle thumbs is off with her sisters to view the king tut exhibit at lacma. twiddle thumbs bought the tickets for me and another friend to go, but the... [more]
grocery shopping in the barrio
there is a super market chain that shall remain nameless but shopping there is like shopping in the barrio. true that "barrio" only means neighborhood in spanish but it is contextually used as "ghetto" or "mexican ghetto" in southern california.... [more]
she kept me up at night
just when i thought i stopped being nocturnal and was being a good little girl for constantly getting to bed before midnight so that i'm not late for work or groggy throughout the day, my mom kept me up so... [more]
taking advantage of good guys
good guys is an electronics store chain in california/nevada and they are going out of business so there is a massive clearance sale. i didn't realize their geographic area until this sale. just thought everyone knew of the good guys.... [more]
teenagers in tight pants
tonight i went to a high school football game to watch my cousin play, only he never got to play. i don't think his team changed players the entire game, which sucks for everyone. you should always replace the tired... [more]
a quiet halloween
i think this might have been my quietest halloween ever. we (twiddle thumbs and i + eva) went to the halloween monster mash dinner at native foods. if you dressed in costume it was $15, otherwise it was $20. any... [more]
our day with heliosphan
our day began early, early for me that is. it was a much earlier day for heliosphan. we went to pick her up at the airport. then we went to a halloween store because my mom asked me to get... [more]
this vacuum really sucks
i've been cleaning all day with the new vacuum i got for my mom. damn it sucks! and that's a good thing. i'm used to vacuums that suck in a bad way because it never felt like things got clean,... [more]
jesus loves me too
i got peta stickers in the mail today. actually it's a christian vegetarian kit. damn it takes them forever to send free stuff. i have a vague memory of seeing the "jesus loves me too" stickers on peta's web site... [more]
getting in the mood for halloween
this morning we did the good friend and went to help out yet another friend with their computer. in the afternoon, we went halloween shopping with my mom down at that big halloween store by the citadel outlet. my mom... [more]
more shopping for work clothes
my intention was to buy some shirts because that is what i am really lacking, then second priority was another pair of shoes. instead, i bought everything but shirts. i got some more pants, a jacket, and shoes. i even... [more]
sucky weekend
this weekend was pretty sucky. not fair. it was supposed to be pretty good. we had been building it up. this was supposed to be a good weekend. we were waiting for it. putting off other things because of people... [more]
the things we do for friends
we've been running around to get disney tickets cheaper for our friend. ok, so we haven't been doing the actual running around. our friend dani drove down to take his girlfriend to disneyland for the first time. twiddle thumbs's mom... [more]
my greatest acting role to date...
...but i don't think i pulled it off. 2.5 hours at a baby shower is simply more than i can stand. at first it was really, really awkward. i've known this friend for years but never met all their siblings.... [more]
museum and a movie
it's at a museum parking lot so it must be art a lot of museums have admission free days. today being the first friday of the month was the free day for the pasadena museum of california art. the first... [more]
gym-tastic
today i went to the gym for the second day in a row. usually i skip a few days, don't go back to back. these past few times that i have gone i have noticed that i am not sore... [more]
shopping for offspring that are not mine
one of my friends is giving birth to her first child next month and the baby shower party thing is happening this weekend so i had to haul my ass to get her a present. the one thing i like... [more]
itchy head
my head is so damn itchy. i scratch until i bleed. this is the one thing about hair dying that i had forgotten. i thought if my hair was black it would make me look more japanese. my mom's reaction,... [more]
skunk no more
i finally dyed my hair. i've been waiting to do this for 1 year now. last year i had my hair black and dyed the roots red. after the red fell out, i was left with light brown roots. these... [more]
a friend in need is a friend indebted
today, quite unexpectedly, twiddle thumbs and i spent time with an old friend of mine whom i haven't seen in awhile. it was an emergency call. things are going bad with her relationship. i always try to avoid talking to... [more]
in response to my summons for jury duty
goddamn i hate being called for jury duty! they've tracked me down. aaaaaahhh!!! i've received notice a couple times but was lucky. once i was summoned for los angeles but i wasn't living there. once i was summoned for where... [more]
got jacket, need shirt
today we shopped for 2 hours at target which is too long for me! i gave up on the women's clothes section because they just didn't have what i was looking for and the clothes are poorly cut. ever notice... [more]
will work for clothes - need clothes to work
it's the old catch 22. i'm trying to find work because i need money but i don't have money to buy respectable clothes to get a job. so i'm trying to find some clothes that are easy on the wallet... [more]
cleanse the soil, cleanse the soul
it's been raining since last night. thunder and lightning. not that bad though, just a mild storm in LA. it's beginning to feel like halloween and i like it. the weather coupled with yesterday's haircut has left me refreshed. a... [more]
homeostasis
things get fucked up. makes you want to scream. then they get better. makes you want to smile. rinse. repeat.... [more]
honorary mexican
my mexican-american friends and i joke that i am an "honorary mexican" given my interest in the country, love of the food, music, and so forth. apparently, word has gotten around. all the way to credit centers no less. today... [more]
sick!
i am officially sick today. i've been coming down with a cold. fever, sore throat, tired, yucky mocos, funny voice. i hate being sick. really, really hate it. loved being as a kid because it meant no school. i also... [more]
drag yourself to do the basics
get up. shower. eat. make yourself sick. rinse. repeat.... [more]
the trees were smoking
earlier today we went to the korean friendship bell in san pedro because my brother told me to take twiddle thumbs there before we went to new zealand. i don't know of any particular reason why he would suggest it... [more]
where's my car?
nothing much to say other than my mom got a new car. well, not new new. it's used. but only 1 year old. i was really surprised at what she got: a pt cruiser. surprised because my mom loves her... [more]
the kimono incident
just when you thought the day was over and nothing worth mentioning happened, your mother comes downstairs carrying kimonos. she made me put a few on and was shocked that some actually fit--apparently i'm not as fat as she thinks... [more]
southern devastation
hurricane katrina... oh my god! i don't watch the news on tv because american news coverage is too insular and censored. so every few days when i feel news deprived, i first check out cnn even though i really don't... [more]
yes, i am blind
the internet is back! that's the wonderful news of this morning. a technician came around early in the morning and things were all better curiously quick. all he did was change the dsl modem to one he brought, then put... [more]
too hot to move so just be lazy
i planned on going to the gym but it's just too hot, the kind of hot that makes me tired. i watched some more of my netflix buffet. the internet is still down. i didn't clean either. i need to... [more]
goodbye twiddle thumbs
i dropped off twiddle thumbs at the airport, went home and grabbed something to eat, and drove straight to the okinawa association of america open house thing. there really was no point in me being there. i didn't eat anything... [more]
california science center
emergency call boxes in the parking lot eva needed to get of the house for awhile but she had to babysit her cousin's 4 year old kid. she wanted to go to an art museum in pasadena ('cos it's free... [more]
nisei week in little tokyo
i wanted to go to nisei week this year because i hadn't been since i was a kid and to attend the tofu festival since i actually eat the stuff now. i have been looking forward to this since new... [more]
hookah bar
in the words of clinton, i did not inhale! twiddle thumbs's little sister has been begging to go to a hookah bar together so going to the fusion cafe in anaheim tonight was kind of a last minute plan. i... [more]
i can't find tomorrow on the calendar
we went to santa monica pier to see plastilina mosh perform for free. oops, wrong day! i had it in ical as today but it was yesterday. i think this is another leftover fuckup in ical from switching time zones.... [more]
sore in the front and the back
last night at the gym i did some power crunches. i could barely do them. it was damn hard. in total i only did about 15 and it was so tough that i had to leave that simple machine because... [more]
going to a club in the ghetto
i learned an important lesson tonight: never go to a club advertised in an email mailing list. especially one that hardly gets any traffic at all except for advertisements. there was one just starting up in LA that was advertised.... [more]
getting in shape
twiddle thumbs joined up with a gym and signed up her little sister and me too under her account. today i went down to make my membership card and do my first workout. going to a gym to exercise is... [more]
okinawa picnic day
today my mom's work was having a picnic. she works for the okinawa kenjinkai of america which is a cultural group so there were a lot of cultural things like a karate demonstration, eisa dancing, shamisen performance, etc. it was... [more]
driving around all over the county
first we drove out to pasadena to have lunch with twiddle thumbs's former co-worker. they we swung by twiddle thumbs's parents' house so she could said goodbye to her aunt who was visiting from mexico. then we went to out... [more]
a day with the mexicans
i went with twiddle thumbs today to go over to her family's place and fix up the car. she wanted me to go with her so she wouldn't be as bored and i wanted to see why it takes so... [more]
universal studios
today was a long day at universal studios. we went because of this promotion they have been running. i received a free ticket or annual pass (my choice) in the mail along with discounts for others. twiddle thumbs's dad received... [more]
cerritos fireworks
burning shapes into the night tonight we went to go see the fireworks show in cerritos and we were very lucky. we got to park in a proper parking lot right there at the park. we thought it would be... [more]
la puente fireworks
tonight we were supposed to do a picnic at the park thing and watch fireworks with twiddle thumbs's family over in la puente. so i was all busy making a vegan potato bean pasta salad thing. only, the picnic wasn't... [more]
getting back into life
last night girlbar = crap. that's all there is to say really. the music is terrible. we went there once before we went to new zealand by ourselves and this time we took along a friend. we went there because... [more]
the bitch is back
i was driving around on the freeways of LA by myself, blasting the new album from system of a down. damn it's good to be back. the album just sounds better when you're in LA! and of course, music just... [more]
postcards from the edge
the postcards we filled out for each other at the airport arrived today. damn that was fast! dropped off on a friday and arrived on monday or what is tuesday for new zealand. that's just over a weekend. i guess... [more]
jet lag
still not used to pacific time. i need to do a couple things. i need to get my new zealand cell phone set up for american service or get a new phone/plan. i need to get a job. i'm not... [more]
flatmates
tree sculpture in the civic square i like them and i'm pretty tolerant of them. i just think they're young and that's how young people are. but some times they really get on my nerves. they get on my nerves... [more]
bulk buying does exist in new zealand...
...well, sort of. today we were walking along and saw a place called moore wilson's. i know the name because the apartment cupboard has some spices in it from there that must belong to the landlord. i thought perhaps it... [more]
kiwi supermarkets, part two
i might have mentioned things about new zealand supermarkets before (see earlier entry) but this is my in-depth coverage. i'm not too fond of these supermarkets. small portions and big prices but that can't be helped in a nation that... [more]
watashi wa midori gojo. 4649!
a japanese name generator? i just had to do it! even though my legal name in japan is 100% japanese, i inputted my full legal american name since the two are different. as my middle and last names are not... [more]
getting sorted to go home
water sculpture on cuba street i've been using my downtime at work to plan out my leaving this country. the things i have that i could sell, ship back home, and stuff like that. things i need to do when... [more]
earthquake!
there was an earthquake today. now that i've experienced an earthquake in new zealand, i can go home. really, what else is there for me to do? earthquakes complete the picture of any trip in the ring of fire region.... [more]
institutionalized
koru sculptures line the streets of wellington it's driving me crazy waiting to hear word back from my friend on whether or not she can change her plane ticket so i can get out of new zealand next month. to... [more]
becoming wellingtonian
i got a library card today which signifies that i am becoming a wellingtonian. the central library here is pretty big. enough magazines to take up all my free time. i am so tired of the current book i am... [more]
time to get clean
today i talked to some people back home through instant messaging. nice. makes me feel more settled in. both my tax returns came in and my mom put them in the bank. nice! guess i don't have to start looking... [more]
i have clothes again
view of cuba street from apartment our stuff arrived. we had some luggage stored in auckland and sent for them yesterday. i'm surprised they came so quickly. now i'm really starting to feel settled in as i have my clothes... [more]
living in wellington
i'm moved in! i am now a resident of wellington. we live with what i would basically call young hippies. ok, so the girl is vegan and the guy has long hair. and a lot of people in new zealand... [more]
packing up and moving on
alright, i packed my shit. i have too much shit. we returned the library books. i was in the middle of reading "skeleton crew" by stephen king, another collection of short stories. i'll finish it one day. i didn't even... [more]
i see this everyday on my way to work and back
it makes me laugh and probably explains best why most new zealanders don't wait for the go ahead signal to cross the street.... [more]
the new zealand they don't tell you about...
...that it smells. car exhaust. if you've been to japan or mexico or just about any country i suppose, it smells like that. i hate that gas smell. that is the good part about our car emissions laws, the air... [more]
strolling along mission bay
we went to visit alpha tom on in the mission bay area of auckland. ngati whatua of orakei tribal land. it's where he grew up. i was surprised because i didn't realize there were designated maori tribal land for living... [more]
i am an apartment feature
the flatmates told me to look at a website. they wanted me to see an ad that the landlord placed earlier this month for an empty room in our apartment. they thought i'd be interested in it. well, they were... [more]
prime laundry
for work, the big boys from south africa are visiting this week and next week. right now they're having dinner with the prime minister (!) and i'm doing laundry. not much to say is there? i just think it's impressive,... [more]
the 12 days of auckland
well my time here is winding up! i've finalized plans for traveling and told the landlord of my final date, february 25. this weekend is my last chance to get all shopping done in auckland. shopping to get things for... [more]
boots, motorcycles, and woosh--oh my!
this morning i actually bought a pair of hiking boots, after much bitching and moaning about not being able to find a pair that fits well. had a political conversation with the worker that assisted me, an 18 year old... [more]
observatory
kalavinka the astroNOT my bus pass expires today so i wanted to get as much out of it as possible. even though it was raining, twiddle thumbs, kinu, and i went to stardome observatory. i was really surprised as to... [more]
new flatmate
heard it's a boy. saw him the day he came to check out the place. know his first name. do not know his last name. have not seen him. he's supposed to move in today. hours ago. strange. i guess... [more]
kiwi experience: free auckland day trip 2
happy waitangi day! did you know that new zealand has a holiday tax? yes, when it's a holiday you pay 15% more for things at participating facilities. the last few holidays we were lucky but today we ate at a... [more]
good-bye flatmate
we had a good-bye dinner for one of the flatmates. she moves out early monday. she's flying to queenstown to travel and then work when she runs out of money. we might run into each other in the south island... [more]
a member of the auckland community
can't sleep at night due to noise from clubs on k' road;can't sleep in the morning due to noise from church singing today i signed up for a library card. you're not really a member of a community until you... [more]
tramping fever
we went to all three kathmandu stores in auckland today. i really need proper footwear for when we go hiking. i could probably also use a couple decent clothes, like shirts that are quick-drying for when we kayak and so... [more]
we have a man down
i was laughing so hard last night during system of a down when serj pointed out that someone had fallen in the pit. he told the band to stop and everyone in the audience to make way for the man... [more]
no tigers, just le tigre
we went to the auckland zoo. we weren't able to see all the animals as some were not in their exhibit (damn tigers!) but we did manage to get it all done in 4 hours. i was able to see... [more]
kiwi art
we visited the art gallery. it's split into two buildings. one of the buildings doesn't have very much in it. i was glad to get a sense of local artists, however i really wasn't impressed. i'm glad we went on... [more]
pet parking
hang the leash and walk away--don't forget to set the doggy alarm you won't believe this but there is pet parking in new zealand. i have never seen such a thing. it's an officially designated space.... [more]
mall life
well, did ya? to get a picture of what suburban life is like, head to a mall. we went to the 'big mall' in st. luke's. it was very american, but smaller than what i'm used to. i guess for... [more]
it burns! it burns!
almost every muscle in my legs is burning with pain. i am having difficulty with any movement close to squatting, such as sitting down, reaching the floor by bending my knees, etc. walking downhill is particularly painful when the surface... [more]
maritime museum
being that today was another public holiday, the day after new year's observed, we went to the national maritime museum. i'm not into this kind of stuff, but i do have an appreciation for it. it would be nice to... [more]
museum and domain
a little panorama of the domain maori figure from the museum today is another holiday! yea! new year's day observed. we went to go do something. we went to the auckland museum, which is located inside the auckland domain--a huge... [more]
quidam
this strange tree is real but highly resembles american cell towers disguised as trees we went to see a cirque du soleil production: "quidam". it's only finally reached new zealand! the first performance was on new year's eve and it... [more]
year of the cock
auckland townhall, a few hours before 2005 sky tower, 1 hour before 2005 we did both things that we wanted to do: 1. first night at aotea square 2. carnaval at sky tower we met up with my high school... [more]
kiwi supermarkets
at new zealand supermarkets, eggs are not refrigerated but candy bars are. go figure. (pet food is also refrigerated.) there's tons of stuff on the shelves that i wonder about. strange things. for alcohol, they only sell beer and wine.... [more]
summer is over
that's it. summer is over. it was short. it's raining now. hope you enjoyed summer while it lasted. i was unprepared as today was the first time i went to work without my trusty waterproof jacket. a bit of sun... [more]
first day off...
...and well deserved, i say. today is christmas observed. since it fell on the weekend, new zealanders have today off. 3 days of sunshine in a row. i'm not even wearing a jacket to walk the streets. it is officially... [more]
my, isn't everyone chummy
i worked late tonight.. from 9am until 9:15pm. i came home to the entire apartment playing ren and stimpy uno. it was quite a sight. twiddle thumbs really is stimpy. i was ren hoek, coming home tired from work to... [more]
getting to know you
we're getting to know the girls we live with. we taught them about ren and stimpy! they were playing uno and it just so happens that uno is the only game we brought with us. however, we brought a special... [more]
traversing the harbor
today we had a bit of an excursion. we met with a friend of a friend of a friend sort of thing. she was really nice, giving. she drove us over to devonport and we got an excellent view of... [more]
moved in to the new place
we're in the new place now. it's a lot better. except internet isn't included. i thought it was. also, the roommates are freakishly paranoid about the cost of electricity so we cannot use the dryer. this sucks. i hate hang-dried... [more]
smooth as silk
well we told the lady of our current place that we're leaving and it went very well. very very well. things are starting to line up quite nicely. now we just have to endure a few more days of cold... [more]
moonflatting?
when you have another job, it's moonlighting. but what if you're getting another flat? is it moonflatting? well that's what i've done. we've looked into another place in the city run by japanese. it's pretty decent. the building was just... [more]
flatting
i guess you could say i'm 'living' in new zealand now, instead of merely 'traveling' as i decided to take a place. we're flatting at the best place that we looked at thus far, (except for the bit about not... [more]
no bead; no ring
we went out to go meet alpha tom, twiddle thumbs's friend from new zealand. while we were eating at a vegan restaurant in hollywood, the bead of my lip ring popped out. it actually came out during the first bite.... [more]
someone get this girl a toaster oven
last night we went to a club with a friend. a club where 1 floor is dancing for boys and 1 floor is dancing for girls. this friend has decided that the opposite gender is not worth trying to date... [more]
i may have left my heart in san francisco...
...but my card is in korea. my brother just sent me the pic below. he went to korea last month and to the teahouse that we drank at. he sat at the same table, digged around all the mementos left... [more]
kaidan tansu tte kakkoii yo
we went to marukai with my mom because twiddle thumbs wanted to check it out. they had some antique furniture. i really liked the kaidan tansu (step/stairs dresser) from the edo period. it was very expensive though. $7000. they had... [more]
death to false advertising
just got back from club hellfire at the parlour club. it was crap! false advertising. they promote it as being about darker music such as black metal. black metal is one of the first of about 4 genres of music... [more]
outdoor yard sale part 2
we still had a lot of things to sell so we held the yard sale for 1 more day. only, we were so tired that we didn't get up as early as we should have. i think we missed the... [more]
outdoor yard sale
despite selling things back in santa cruz and throwing/giving away a lot of things, we still had some things to sell at a yard sale. twiddle thumbs's parents' entire garage is filled with crap which we helped to sell and... [more]
i hate driving the 405
i went down to ucla to drop off something for my brother. this is my second trip to ucla for my brother. i fucking hate ucla. i hope i never have to go there again.... [more]
take me anywhere, i can drive there now
or just about everywhere. i went today to get an international's driving permit. i don't need it for new zealand, but i thought it would be good to have just in case i tried to rent a vehicle or got... [more]
cleaning up other people's mess
soooo tired. spent all day at twiddle thumbs's parents' house, helping to clean out the garage. sorted the items into things to keep, things to sell, and things to throw away. the keep pile dominated because twiddle thumbs's father is... [more]
post-halloween night
so tired. just got home from the west hollywood halloween costume carnaval. basically we dressed up and walked up and down santa monica boulevard for a couple hours. we got there a little late but were able to find parking.... [more]
gente!
the knott's gang went to el festival de la gente today in boyle heights (east LA). walking to the festival, saw this call box--guess what's missing? 6th street was closed off, including part of the bridge. there were booths of... [more]
knott's scary farm
just got back from knott's berry farm AKA knott's scary farm, as it's called this time of the year. they shut down the amusement park, decorate the whole place for halloween, then open it up 7pm-2am for a gigantic halloween... [more]
weirdness
today started off strange. i woke up from bad dream. i was crying a little. it was about my dad. being a dream, it was different from reality but i didn't realize that the facts weren't straight. in the dream,... [more]
contact rip
i ripped one of my contacts. they're disposable so i guess it's alright. i won't be walking around looking like one-eyed willy. i think instead of rubbing the contact with the pad of my finger, my nail was scratching it.... [more]
it never rains in southern california
i disagree. it rained today as we went to pick up a friend in palm springs. the only problem with the rain is that LA people don't know how to drive in the rain! it rains so infrequently that the... [more]
this bedroom is starting to become livable!
finally cleaned and organized my brother's closet. things are now put away neatly so that we can fit in our suitcases and some boxes. he has a plastic dresser in the closet and i went through that so that it's... [more]
out with the old
i have too many t-shirts. too many band t-shirts. i've packed up most of the good ones for storage and left out the ones that are fading because i thought i would wear them out in LA and throw them... [more]
cleanliness is godliness
i washed my car today. it really needed it. it actually needed it before i moved down to LA but i figured it'd get dirty on the drive down so i should just wait. then i got busy. i finally... [more]
closet chaos patched
my mom's boyfriend "fixed" the closet. he secured the same bar and shelf unit back onto the wall. he said it's fine now. i wonder... it'll probably just collapse again when the weight becomes too much. i'm starting to get... [more]
closet chaos
i was going to go through my brother's closet and send him some clothes he had requested but i discovered that part of it had collapsed. there was just too much weight and the entire bar and shelf on one... [more]
pigs in zen
with an accidental sweep of the fingers, i just lost all that i typed and i'm really upset about it. but i will attempt to recreate it. twiddle thumbs and i went to the LA county fair today. i don't... [more]
settling in
we were going to go to the storage facility and unload the truck but things didn't go so well so we decided to just go to the facility and check-in. we got there about 2 hours before they were to... [more]
caravan down the coast
last night i freaked out. it was maybe around 1am-2am when i woke up. i felt weird. i felt like i had eaten elf bread and it kept ever-expanding in my stomach. then it spread towards my chest. i just... [more]
loading the truck
this morning we all went to dharma's for breakfast. by now twiddle thumbs's dad probably thinks all of santa cruz is vegetarian. later this morning, el prind came over and helped wrap things with twiddle thumbs's dad. thank you el... [more]
si señor
twiddle thumbs's dad arrived today. he's going to help us out with moving our stuff down to LA. he cleaned up the backyard and that was a big help. for dinner we were going to go to parwana but it... [more]
too many t-shirts
it's amazing how much crap you keep around the house. i filled a box full of things to shred. i packed up my clothes. some clothes are going to be in storage while i'm in new zealand. a lot of... [more]
private, in-door yard sale
today we sorta had a private, in-door yard sale. people we knew came over throughout the day to check out stuff we were hoping to get rid of, help us out, etc. first, lorraine and janez came over and bought... [more]
let's put some things in boxes
we cleaned in a fury what we could--so much is boxes and packing materials all over the place--because tonight our landlord was supposed to bring over someone to look at the place.. but they cancelled. *whew*... [more]
good-bye dinner 3
today i went to my dentist for the last time. just a routine cleaning so i didn't even talk to my dentist. in fact, i had an assistant clean my teeth who has never cleaned my teeth before. she actually... [more]
good-bye dinner 2
tonight twiddle thumbs and i had dinner at el palomar with her friend from work lorraine and her girlfriend janez. they're really happy, friendly, funny people. since becoming vegan, my favorite places to eat have all changed (except for parwana!).... [more]
pack and clean, clean and pack
no work today, holiday. instead, pack and clean, clean and pack. weed through crap. throw things away. what should go into storage? what should be given away? what do we need? what will we need in new zealand? what are... [more]
congratulations card
i cleaned up a little bit--weeding through my things and throwing out crap. i used to correspond with a lot of people all over the world but mostly in japan. a couple years ago i picked through the letters (i... [more]
good-bye dinner 1
early this morning, the phone rang: "did i wake you?" (it sounded like my aunt) "no" *click* i thought i had a bad connection so i called my aunt and immediately apologized that the phone went out. she was confused... [more]
we are family
we are family, couldn't you tell? right after work, twiddle thumbs and i went over the hill to meet some family members of mine. my dad's cousin (paternal side) lives in the bay area and i have never met him.... [more]
immunize this!
today i went to get some immunization shots. i don't remember the last time i got those. must have been when i was 4 so it's definitely time. i asked for the shots that adults need to get every 10... [more]
the drama is put on hold
i heard from my brother. he met with out mother and got back his backpack before he even read the email i forwarded to him. he's going on to tokyo but will spend some time in hokkaido first. he still... [more]
the drama continues
this morning i did some overtime for work and took a students to the airport and returned keys for them. then i got gas, came home and my aunt who was going to pick up my mother called because my... [more]
so much drama in da lbc
today there was drama with my brother. i talked to my brother online and last night he and my mother and our uncle's wife got into a huge fight. they basically criticized him and he couldn't take it. i'm not... [more]
moving: it's really happening
today i reserved a rental truck and a storage space in LA. damn, it's really happening. i'm moving back to LA. this has made it concrete. until now, it was only a concept that i toyed with but now it... [more]
pappy smurf
i went to the doctor again today to finish up what got started last week. argh, let's just say that this time it was really really weird. i'm not used to people touching me. i'm not a touchy-feely type of... [more]
muscles burn, but improving
my muscles are still burning and on some machines, i didn't think i could even do one rep, i hurt that bad. but after forcing myself for the first few reps, it got easier and easier. i was able to... [more]
shooting squirrels
today i was going to try to take pictures of squirrels for a few minutes, then go to the gym. i ended up spending all of my time walking around, looking for squirrels. i always seem them as i drive... [more]
stank it you can
went to the gym today for the first time in months. i was just too busy preparing for graduation and then i just got lazy and put off buying my summer gym card. i decided to take my time at... [more]
hai, nihonjin desu
close to the consulate are the remnants of the great san francisco earthquake: a broken chunk of the freeway i went to san francisco to pick up my japanese passport. very exciting. it's good for 10 years and cost $136.36.... [more]
an apple a day
i haven't really been to the doctor in my adult life. i went today because it's just time that i start making doctor visits a regular habit. all i can say is it's pretty weird to have a stranger touch... [more]
kincho shiteimasu
i was soooo nervous at the japanese consulate but all went well. i just looked like some illiterate half-japanese/american fool..because i am. i brought dictionaries with me as my mom suggested. i had to look up all the kanji i... [more]
i misplaced my brain...
...or so it seems due to the silly things i did today. it started off by dyeing my hair so that i wouldn't look as wild and crazy when i go to the japanese consulate tomorrow. now instead of black... [more]
i tried, did you?
today i went with twiddle thumbs to donate blood at the red cross in san jose. the santa cruz one is apparently too small to do their own blood drives. it's been a long time since i've donated blood,... [more]
koseki touhon
today the papers i have been long waiting for from japan arrived! i was getting worried for a moment there, they had been taking so long. i have to take these to the japanese general consulate in san francisco. i'm... [more]
happy tanabata
july 7th is a holiday in japan called tanabata. i don't know much about it, other than it's a star holiday; a legend of when two lovers meet. i think the festival is much bigger in mainland japan than in... [more]
the four-year cycle
you may have heard of 'the seven year itch' but i am plagued by 'the four-year cycle'. every four years or so, i trip--always on stairs. i usually fall flat on my face in an instant; no time to try... [more]
i don't like mondays
after work i went to the library to borrow some cds. the library is great for checking out things i don't normally buy, such as soundtracks and classical music. i also got a video on david cope, very cool. (i... [more]
shop 'til you drop
i went shopping at a mall in san jose for hours...hours! that's not like me at all. first i tried to find something i could eat, then headed down to the apple store to find some ipod accessories--nothing much to... [more]
santa cruz ni uchinanchu!
kyou downtown ni itte, nanka touku kara "shima uta" kikoete, bikkuri shimashita. michi wattate, dareka ga shamisen wo hiite ita. eigo de, "okinawa kara kita?" to kiite, "un" to kotaeta. soshite, watashi ga "[shima uta wo] kiite, sugu koko ni... [more]
it's a new day en mi monterey
all of us went to the chaminade for breakfast because i wanted my relatives to see the beauty of the area. there are two main views to see: mountains and beaches. tomorrow they will get the beach view. they really... [more]
the relatives have arrived
i only worked a half day today so that i could meet my relatives that are visiting for graduation. today my grandparents, aunt, and 13-year old cousin (not the child of this particular aunt) arrived. we went to los gatos... [more]
a friend in need is a friend indeed
we were up all night working on twiddle thumbs's paper. this is the first that i really read of this stuff and it's really interesting. she's writing about teotihuacan. we went there about 7 years ago and even though we... [more]
back in town
i did some more cleaning before i picked up twiddle thumbs from the airport. while over the hill, we had dinner at a health food store. i ordered a burrito. it was the worst fucking wrap job i've ever seen!... [more]
alone again
i took twiddle thumbs to the airport tonight. she's going to visit her family for her little sister's high school graduation. in the meantime, i have a lot of things to do for my own graduation. i can't believe it's... [more]
look inside america
subject of controversy: lotion last night we went to gay day at great america. i've been to that amusement park several times but after going to a private event like gay day, i can't go on a regular day. the... [more]
what a difference a light makes
i am an idiot when it comes to matters of lighting. i will live in a dark home, thinking that the supplied lights are inadequate. i will add a light fixture here and there to help but the room always... [more]
dali 100 years
there is a cool dali exhibit in san francisco that i want to see: dali 100 years. it sounds amazing. i have yet to see a large scale dali painting in person. one of my dreams is to visit the... [more]
mothers will drive you crazy
after i just worked out with my supervisor the dates that i am considering to take off (august), my mom told me that we will now plan to go to japan in july because she does not want to wait... [more]
what a day
i stayed home from work in the morning because my stomach still felt a little bit funny and i didn't want to take any chances. on the way to work, i got a flat tire. i wasn't sure if i... [more]
sick stomach
oh my god i'm so sick. i don't know if that kid last night passed on his germs or if i ate something bad but i'm really sick. when i woke up i started to feel like i was coming... [more]
pacemaker
something's screwy in the land of sweet potatoes, pigs, and karate. yesterday i got a call from my mom. her brother called her to tell her that the pacemaker is the only thing keeping their mother alive. it will expire... [more]
this is how i spent my sunday
twiddle thumbs and i went to watsonville to pick up an old computer that we're gonna try to fix to give to a friend. we cleaned it up and added some software. i think it's gonna work out great. it... [more]
dead kitty
today the only time i left the house was to walk with my friend to get a lotto ticket. on the way, i saw a dead kitty on the side of the road. it was very sad and gross. at... [more]
the things you do for food
today was pretty funny. twiddle thumbs accidentally took home the wrong leftovers from her office lunch. she had someone's omnivore leftovers. so at my encouragement, she was calling around, trying to figure out who had her food. her assistant didn't... [more]
it feels good...
...to have a clean house. some things that i need to do around the house have been piling up. with all the daily maintenance things that need to be done, little things here and there get put off and then... [more]
gonna make you sweat
i've signed up with the campus gym. i've worked out there three times so far. i used to go to a gym when i was in high school. the machines sure have advanced. they now have all sorts of electronic... [more]
panic attack
i've noticed that this week i feel fine in the morning, but then in the afternoon i get a major headache. i feel like the building i work in has very stale air. i constantly feel like i need a... [more]
sickly
i feel strange today. i don't know what it is. i feel a bit sick. a headache. slightly dizzy. maybe my blood sugar level is low. i don't know. it's not heat sickness because it's not really hot or anything... [more]
some shit bricks, my grandfather shits blood
once again, my grandpa is in the hospital due to intestinal hemorrhaging. i really don't know anything about it other than he's had fits of bleeding for years. it may be something left over from his navy days at the... [more]
paint it black
i dyed my hair (blue) black. yea. this is the second time i've dyed it black. the first time was fall 1994. shorter and darker... [more]
cut up
i did something today that i have never done before. i went to a salon to get my hair cut. this may be common for other people, but for me it is a very big deal. i have never had... [more]
voices answer back
a couple days ago, my mom wrote to me to let me know that she had received the cd i sent of my dad's recordings from college. she said she didn't recognized the voice at first, only during certain words.... [more]
i don't need to wear green today...
...because i'm part irish--the green is already in my eyes. what's the matter, don't i look irish to you? ;) in high school, for st. patrick's day i used to wear this pin that said "kiss me, i'm irish", only... [more]
ghosts of the multiple feature
i finally got around to designing cd artwork for the reel-to-reel tapes my dad recorded in college. i want to send them out to relatives tomorrow. while i was putting everything together, i listened to the recordings in full, which... [more]
cats and dogs
last night i had such a funny dream that i woke up laughing. i was standing outside at a gas station or at a parking lot. some sort of place like that. there were 10-15 people, each standing around in... [more]
cat on a hot tar roof
it was very hot yesterday. the heat drains my energy. this morning i felt very hot, even before i put on my shoes. before i had even put on my socks, my feet were burning up--that's how it is. i... [more]
reviving old friendships
today we hung out with nopalita and two of her friends from back when she was attending university. we went to a chinese restaurant for lunch and this was what was in nopalita's fortune cookie: it is unwise to travel... [more]
lucky day
when my lunch break was over, i started walking back to my office. i pass several vending machines on my way. walking down the hall, the machines are around the corner and when i hear activity, i hope that it... [more]
nostalgia
i've been cleaning my email box. i've kept so many messages from years past and it's really bizarre to look them now. registration information, bills, mailing list archives, communicating with people i don't remember, writing to band members, notices of... [more]
blood is cool
my friend had to go to the hospital for some blood tests and since she's scared of needles, i went with her for support. i have no fear of needles. i like to give blood. blood is cool.... [more]
a very santa cruz weekend
the strangeness continued through today. we went to have a late breakfast back at the catalyst, the venue buckethead played at, so that we could ask to have a buckethead poster promoting the show that was hanging in the 'lobby'.... [more]
a very santa cruz day
1. saw two people waltzing in an empty parking lot 2. saw an older lady with purple hair on a crazy-looking bicycle 3. saw a small bus or ice cream truck-like vehicle renovated with murals covering the entire thing 4.... [more]
calavera salon and spa
today was a spa day. nothing but relaxing, applying masks, getting the royal treatment at home. the body's been neglected lately so it was much needed and much fun. i thought about going to a real spa next weekend as... [more]
car jack or car joke?
something weird happened to me today. when i got off of work, i went to the parking structure to get into my car and go home as usual. when i reached my car, i noticed there was a paper napkin... [more]
thank you boys
this is unlike me (and a few days overdue) but... i'd like to give a 'shout out' to shawn for being the coolest guy ever. thanks again!... [more]
calavera salon
today the calavera salon was open once again for business. this time it was a simple cut. no color alterations. it was over within 30 minutes. heliosphan before there's no turning back heliosphan after... [more]
darkness is back
my hair is darker now; i dyed it again. i wanted to remove the red so i put in some purplely brown stuff. i think this is actually a lot closer to my natural color, perhaps 5-10 years ago. my... [more]
no, we don't have that either
santa cruz lacks many chain stores that people might think are mandatory in every city. i am constantly telling others, "no, we don't have that here". wouldn't you know it, both i and twiddle thumbs received as presents, gift certificates... [more]
year of the monkey
i slept in 'cos tomorrow i have to go back to work. it rained and rained today. played a game i bought yesterday, "capcom vs. snk 2 e.o.", and also a little "super monkey ball" since i haven't played it... [more]
eve white/eve black
went to some stores today to get goodies for a small new year's eve gathering at my place. some friends came over and we watched "pirates of the caribbean", "the princess bride", and "candyman". the algae fish died today :(... [more]
strange days
today was a strange day. it rained a lot. hardly anyone was at work. someone who isn't normally nice was being really nice. and something unspoken was aired out.... [more]
ain't goth dead yet?
i, twiddle thumbs, dani and his friend, went together to goth/industrial night at the blue lagoon and once again, it sucked. either santa cruz is too small to have a goth club or all the goths have moved on or... [more]
long time no hear
hisashiburi! my old friend michiyo wrote to me today. i couldn't believe it, of all people. i haven't heard from her in 6 years. we first started writing to each other in 1990 or 1991 because of our mutual love... [more]
dude looks like a lady
every six months or so, i go through a string of online tests for fun to see what bizarre results i get. thespark.com gender test reports: It all adds up... You are definitely a man! How do we know? Well,... [more]
dye this
i dyed my hair again. the previous color just wasn't bright enough. now it's quite red. i need something to at least look warm, after all. it's been so bloody cold i've actually been using the fireplace.... [more]
rip the system
i have been fighting a rip in my pants. i sew it and it keeps on coming back. i couldn't fight it any longer. i cut off that pant leg so now it's super short shorts, but left the other... [more]
people are stupid
i received such a hilarious email from my aunt regarding my cousins that i have to share it. i will conceal some information to hide the stupid. "Did you know that -cousin1-, -cousin2- and -cousin1-'s boyfriend are moving to California?... [more]
only three years
for three years in a row my mom has forgotten my birthday. i thought this would be year four. at first that she didn't remember the birth of her first born bothered me but i have gotten over it. i... [more]
happy halloween
i don't believe in frosting i wasn't going to dress up this year but i put together something at the last minute. last night i went to a halloween store. there was a black cowboy hat. i don't know what... [more]
halloween or hallo-none
i had been looking forward to going to san francisco for halloween, purely to check out various clubs and party. that's something i've never done for halloween before. i would hate to drive right after and parking's a bitch anyway,... [more]
cho revolution
margaret cho kicks ass! i went to go see her last night at the flint center in cupertino (san jose). when looking at concert listings, i would often see the flint center listed but i never knew where it was.... [more]
i'm a beautician not a magician
ok, i'm not a beautician. but i have read that line on a pin a beautician was wearing. my mom has her license and i used to go product shopping with her. she had a mini salon in the garage... [more]
animal kingdom
there's a lot of squirrels on campus. i see them everyday. if i had a camera with me every time i walk, i'd have an amazing squirrel portfolio. today i witnessed something new though, squirrel sex. it was really quick.... [more]
another season, another reason
i'm trying to come up with as many reasons as i can as to why i never went in the water this summer even though i swore that i would fully submerge. technically, summer has been over for awhile now.... [more]
i love my brother?
as a token of getting closer with my brother, i wanted to a pin. when i found a site that was selling what i was looking for, i was surprised to see they sell a similar pin which i could... [more]
dyed and born again
around this time last year i cut off over 1 foot of hair and dyed what was left a bright burgandy-redish hue. it was a cathartic experience because it was something i hadn't done in quite some time but used... [more]
panic on the streets of london
on tuesday i came home to the answering machine message from hell. the landlord is going to visit wednesday morning (the next day!) because of some sort of mortgage, assessment, i don't know. i was too panicked by the thought... [more]
revolution, the only solution
margaret cho is hilarious. i have enjoyed her comedy stylings for over 10 years. i have seen her perform perhaps three times. i have missed her perform in person and on tv in the past couple years because when i... [more]
the ties that bind
my brother drove up late friday to visit me for one of his 'what are you doing in 8 hours?' sort of weekend visits. it was cool though. now that we're adults, i think we are finally getting to the... [more]
it's all greek to me
i'm trying to do all the things i've never done in this area and one of them is attending the greek festival. i've always meant to go, just never have. tonight, i finally went. had some food, looked at some... [more]
happy birthday mom!
my mom doesn't remember her birthday or mine. that's ok. i called her up to wish her a happy one anyway. instead for festivities, last night i went to a friend's house whose birthday it also was and celebrated over... [more]
feed your head, spare your wallet
for the first time in the nine years that i have been living in this town, i walked into the public library AND signed up for a library card. recently i have learned that there are actually libraries (plural), not... [more]
long time no see
well today i got to spend about 5 minutes with a relative i see about once a year and a "relative" that i haven't seen in about 17 years. nice to see everyone's still the same height.... [more]
guess what i did over the weekend
yes, that's right, i finally got my lip pierced. the photos are NOT flattering at all but you get the general idea. taking these photos also helped to test out a digital camera. piercing my ears by myself is not... [more]
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