Back in the know

Not being able to watch television on our LCD the past couple weeks, Tim and I resorted to watching downloads from the Internet. We don't have cable, we don't have a DVR. A long time ago, when I lived alone, I made myself choose between paying for Internet or cable television. It just didn't make sense to live alone and pay for both. Clearly, I choose the Internet.

Ever since, I've relied on an antenna to give me all the free, normal channels available including the major networks and PBS. True, I miss the Food Network, Bravo, TLC, and HGTV. Frankly, one of the reasons I quit cable was because the local provider took Bravo away from the standard package and made it a premium channel. That really irked me. I was sad at first, but really haven't missed it that much.

Now, with all the online shows and, ahem, unofficial downloads available, we don't worry. Unlike most people, we do try and watch many of our favorite shows live - "How I Met Your Mother," "Lost," "Pushing Daisies" (please someone bring it back!), "The Amazing Race." Yes, the commercials can be annoying, especially because the volume always rises during the breaks. Still, there's something about seeing it "live" that feels more exciting.

Lately, a couple friends have wanted to make references to a show only found on cable television. It's something that's been very popular and of interest to me - "Top Chef." I've just never made the effort to find a way to watch it. The other day, Tim was searching online for a show episode that we missed. I decided to search for "Top Chef" and download the first couple episodes.

Five days later, I think we're on episode 11. It's been really fun to watch the cooking and see how personalities have emerged. How much do you think Stephan is simply acting the part of big jerk because he likes the attention? I don't think Tim likes it quite as much as I do but we still only watch it together. Having the ability to watch whenever and as many as we want is definitely making us spoiled. No telling me who won!

Reveal

Today's the big day. Assuming the OB/GYN is not called to the hospital, we'll be driving to the office in a couple hours to find out about the baby.

The past couple of days I've been a little nervous because I've been experiencing a tiny bit of blood. It's like that last day of a period when it looks like a streak of reddish-brown paint on a pantyliner. It shouldn't mean anything bad but it's definitely alarming to me since I've had no blood before and so few symptoms these 10 weeks (and no symptoms that last two).

Seeing the discussion about layoffs and miscarriage this morning didn't help alleviate my worry. Layoffs are tough but her situation definitely was not ideal on either side. I couldn't help be curious about the woman interviewed because I briefly met her in cyberspace while searching for some wedding vendors. It sounds like she's pregnant again, very close to our estimated due date. I hope all the best for her.

I meant to write sooner, but I can't find my camera cable. It's not fair to tell what I've been up to the past week without visuals.

Bullseye

If you've been watching tv the past few weeks, you may have come across a few clever ads for Lexus. The first one I saw was the commercial where the girl talks about her Xmas pony. Personally, I could never related to liking horses, but it was cute.

The next commercial I happened to see showed a kid staying up all night playing with his new Atari 2600. It made me think about all the times I went over to my friend's house to play with her big brother's Atari. We played a lot of Space Invaders, Adventure, Tank Battle, and Pacman. I didn't get to own a video game system of my own until college.

The third commercial shows a boy riding around the house on his Big Wheel. This one probably hit home more for me. While I don't actually remember receiving my big wheel, I certainly remember riding it around the neighborhood. I remember turning it upside down and to make it into a spinning wheel against which I could make noises with sticks and leaves. The commercials Mattel used to run showed kids who could do cool spins with the brake handle. I could never manage to repeat that cool stunt.

These Lexus commercials have been playing for awhile now. The local tv station ran a news segment about how car sales have plummeted except for Lexus. The dealership manager credits the recent commercials for increasing sales. I have to credit Lexus and their ad agency for a job well done that really played to people's happy memories.

The other night, the Big Wheel commercial played again. For some reason, it really hit me that these marketers are targeting my age group. It's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just weird how obvious this is. I can't help laugh. It's like when those Time-Life commercials try to sell you "Hits from the '80s" and you realize you've reached that age that you made fun of 20 years ago. I just can't believe it's that time already.

Do you suppose kids under 18 have any appreciation for these gems of childhood? I guess they didn't include Rubik's cube because it's not a big ticket toy. What are THE toys people will remember 30 years from now? I think the Wii would replace the Atari. Other than that, I don't have any good guesses.

My "toy" this Xmas? I have a beautiful KitchenAid Professional 600 Stand Mixer sitting on my counter (bought on sale).

Olympic Sleep

Why do moths leave a powdery residue when you smash them? I just hit one flying around me as I sat down to blog and now I've missed the weather report. :(

Part of me could fall asleep the minute I put my head down. Another part of me sense my second wind is coming. The Olympics are awesome to watch but the network is torturing me and many people on the West Coast. I don't think I've gone to sleep before 12:30am since the Olympics started!

The swimming was awesome, the gymnastics controversial, and the injuries heartbreaking at times. I don't have cable so my only link has been the network and an occasional check of Telemundo for those less mainstream events. It's really amazing to realize that a group of people can all of a sudden switch from gregarious and talkative to silently focused on a grainy analog image of bodies splashing in the water to a photo-finish. I love how these games bring people together.

Thoughts so far:

- It's the strangest thing to hear that a shooter was disqualified for doping? It's not really an athletic contest. (But I heard it was probably a drug that helped prevent any hand shaking.)

- Where did all these fast Jamaicans come from? Did I miss them in 2004? The 100m sweep was amazing.

- I'm Asian and I *know* some of those Chinese girls were under 16. Give me a break. How much cheating is going on with China? I love the ideal of the Olympics but it's situations like this that really tarnish the image.

- Even in China, it's all about the money.

- What will they be replacing baseball and softball with?

- Kerri and Misty are *the* bomb.

- The commercials have been pretty cool. Tim likes the United commercial. I thought the Coke commercial with the birds was cute. The GE ones have been pretty funny too.

- What will Phelps do now?

- I feel for Alicia Sacramone and hope she knows that no one blames her

- Football? Oh year, that.

- Why is all the good stuff shown after 10pm? It's not live, just start earlier so we can watch live with the East Coast!!!! Some of us don't have Tivo.

- This tiebreaker rule in gymnastics is lame. Make them both go again.

Ack! A bug... gotta go!

Heaven on PBS

I noticed this a couple weeks ago but didn't realize until now that Masterpiece Theatre seems to be celebrating Jane Austen. It also appears there'll be a fictionalization of Ms. Austen's life which intrigues me.

One story that I have yet to see any version of is Northanger Abbey. Unfortunately, I was only able to see half of it. I look forward to a repeat at some point (fingers crossed). I was surprised to see the there is a version of "Emma" starring Kate Beckinsdale. For fans of Colin Firth, they will be showcasing the 1995 BBC version of "Pride and Prejudice." I already own the two disc set, but there's always time to watch a little Jane Austen on PBS! Ah, indulgence... .

Maybe I should dust off the old paperbacks for my upcoming trip.

But I was born HERE

Maybe I'm being overly sensitive? Maybe I'm taking this too seriously? Maybe I'm not upset enough for some?

I turned to David Letterman just as he introduced Lucy Liu as his guest for the show. She appeared dressed in a bright pink silk dress stylized with an extra flap of cloth that simulated a having a loose wrap cascading from her left shoulder. She wore black pumps that must have had 4+ inch heels. Her hair was tightly wrapped into a pony tail at the back crown of her head. I guessed that she had to have been wearing false eyelashes as what Chinese woman ever grows them that long.

Admittedly, I don't know that much about her. Although I think we all admire that there's Asian representation in the acting world, she's not THAT great. Amongst my Asian males friends, I have rarely met one very into her.

The conversation was light-hearted at first. They talked a little about her new show and Dave commented about her fancy dress. She joked that she dressed up just for him. Then he asked her how she spent her Xmas. Lucy replied that she'd spent the time with her brother in New York. She paused to find the right words to explain what they did for the holidays. The rest of her plain story was one that I very quickly related to. Like my family, we don't celebrate Xmas the way Americans do (though we're "American"). It's simply a time to catch up, eat, and relax or catch up on things we haven't had time to do. There's no extravagant parties, no piles of perfectly wrapped gifts under the tree, no eggnog, no house covered in Xmas decor. She simply said it was time for them to clean the house, clear the closet, and make donations to the Salvation Army. I think she stumped Dave a bit and finally added, "it's a Chinese tradition." Bingo!

Next, she mentioned how she enjoys riding pedicabs around the city. She added that it reminds her of being in a rickshaw. Okay... why did she need to mention that?

I felt kind of bad for the both of them as it didn't provide for very entertaining conversation. In my opinion, things only went downhill from there. He proceeded to ask her a series of questions that I found a annoying and typical of people. He focused on her ethnicity rather than her.

"How many languages do you know?"

"What's the most common language in China?"

"Is the Mandarin alphabet hard?"

"Do you use Mandarin a lot?"

"Are you excited about having the Olympics in Beijing?"

It was a little strange to watch as she answered his questions and even tried to explain bo-po-mo-fo to him and speak a little Mandarin for him where she basically said, "How are you? What is your name?" I felt like I was taking elementary Mandarin class. Of course, in fun, they translated it as, "You looked terrible in that beard."

They ended the slot by showing a clip of "Cashmere Mafia" which turned out to actually be some old 50s movie where a couple of young women with guns threaten a couple. It was cute.

I turned off the tv still bothered by the interview. I was confused. Why did he have to focus on her being Chinese? It's like when someone starts up small talk with me on a plane and ask if I was born here. It's frustrating. I don't see interviews where they ask these types questions of Antonio Banderas or Aishwarya Rai. Maybe I missed that. But they were born elsewhere; they didn't grown up in the states. It would make sense to ask some of those questions. But what if I turned it around on Dave (let's suppose he's Swedish and Irish) and said, "so what are the differences between Swedish and Norwegian?"

She joked about traveling in Europe for a couple months because of the writers' strike and learning more Italian or other languages. Why could he have used that cue to talk about traveling or what else she does in her free time? Lucy probably didn't help much by not having any fun stories to share. The interview was a bit boring to me.

How much do these shows typically prepare ahead of time for celebrity interviews? My co-worker's alternative theory is that perhaps her agent gave the show some guidance about topics to discuss. Perhaps she is trying to position herself as someone to host shows covering the Beijing Olympics? I find it hard to believe they would have scripted so much of the interview. But I could be wrong. Anyone know how these interviews work?

It made me uncomfortable to see this because it reminds me of a truth non-whites must live with - the fact that we will always be perceived (to some extent) like foreigners despite how long, how many generations we've lived here.

I'm still confused about whether to actually be mad. I'd like to believe that he meant well and was probably simply curious. It just seemed like a strange conversation to have on national talk show that's not exactly known for serious dialogue.

Grizzly Men

So stayed up late last night to watch the late night talk shows. I was curious to see their monologues.

First, I fought with my rabbit ears trying to get a clear signal for NBC. While my tv debated letting me watch, I turned to CBS to peek at Letterman. Wow, what a beard! Combined with the small, round glasses he could make for a decent, young Santa Claus. His Top 10 list was great.

Then, I dared keep myself awake until Conan appeared. Yipes, another beard! When you add the pompadourish, red hair, you get one freaky looking man. The best thing was that he stated he was growing this to prove he has testosterone and then compared himself to the young Kris Kringle from that classic stop-motion animation show. His opening was much more entertaining than Leno. Gosh, I can't wait until he is in the 11:30pm time slot.

So what is it with the grizzly man look? I guess it was entertaining, but how long is this going to continue. Could you find a better way to show solidarity with the writers? After all, how are women supposed to match that... by not shaving their legs?

New chapters

It's all about television this week. Besides going to the gym and having a crack in my wall inspected, my eyes will be glued to the tv virtually every night this week.

The new tv show season has started and I'm so excited!!!

Monday - "How I Met Your Mother," "Dancing with the Stars" (in between other shows), and "Heroes"

Tuesday - "Bones" and "House"

Wednesday - "Kitchen Nightmares," maybe "Bionic Woman

Thursday - "Survivor" (we'll see how long I last) and "Grey's Anatomy"

Friday - Has there been anything good on Fridays since "X-Files?"

Saturday - FOOTBALL

Yikes, this is a lot of tv... and when January rolls around I'll finally get to watch "Lost."

Sometimes I think about all the interesting things other people I know do at night, like work, read, volunteer, hobbies. That's when I wonder if I should enrich myself with something or join some professional society to broaden my mind and hone my skills. But damn, it's just so nice to kick back and relax.

Messing with endings

I don't know... I love the show but I'm happy where it ended. Then I saw this the other day:

Chris Noth to return as Mr. Big in movie
The Associated Press
Article Launched: 08/10/2007 11:30:37 AM PDT

NEW YORK—Mr. Big and Carrie Bradshaw will be together again, this time on the big screen.

Chris Noth, who played Sarah Jessica Parker's love interest on HBO's "Sex and the City," is slated to reprise his role in a feature film spun from the long-running TV series.

Parker, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon will also reprise their roles for the romantic comedy, to be distributed by New Line Cinema in association with HBO.

"There is no need for funeral arrangements," said Michael Patrick King, who will direct the film. "I assure you that Mr. Big is a very 'big' part of the 'Sex and the City' movie."

"While I have not spoken to him myself, Chris Noth assures me that Mr. Big is alive and well and ready to report to the set in September," King said in a statement Wednesday.

King was one of the executive producers of the TV series, which ended in 2004.

What drama could they possibly create that would be realistic and could be neatly wrapped up in two hours? The only thing I can think of is a wedding and all the trite drama and slapstick associated with getting to the alter. They did such a great job leaving the ending simple and happy - why stir up trouble?

Woohoo! Donuts with sprinkles...

I grabbed Tim and we went to our nearest Kwik-E-Mart. They were literally unloading a truck full of Krusty O's and Buzz Cola when we arrived - hence the line. You could go in a buy a donut and a Squishee, but you had to get in line for the other goodies. At first glace we were wondering if the guy at the head of the line was Sideshow Bob with bleached blond hair!


Neither of us are HUGE Simpsons fans, but the idea of the store is certainly entertaining. We debated whether to just take a couple pictures and go or to wait in line to by a souvenir. Tim was game for waiting as it didn't look like it would take long. We both wanted to buy a box of KrustyO's. We were really hoping to find some gag cereal objects inside like gummy worms or something. The signs were great. Tim's favorite was, "Buy 3 for the price of 3." I also picked up a couple magnet straws for a friend, Pisces. She *loves* the Simpsons. Hopefully, she'll get to the see one near her once the lines die down.


As we were walking away, this guy thanked us for coming. That seemed kind of strange, so I asked if he was a regional manager for 7-Eleven. After all, he was wearing a Kwik-E-Mart visor and had been helping unload the supply truck. It turns out he's from the (ad) agency hired by the company to pull off the promotion. I'd say they did a pretty good job... .

Don't wear nice clothes, he spits

This weekend was unintentionally busy. It seems prior to every weekend I think it'll be a chance to relax and do nothing for half a day. The past two weekends, it's been nothing like that.

Saturday I did some hiking with friends. We're going camping in a couple weeks, and that trip included an all-day hike that will be fairly strenuous. We knew we all needed to get our feet and legs into shape. It was a decent hike, though we ended up taking an easier trail since people were getting tired.

The 9am hike basically turned into an all-day event. After the hike, we had brunch. Then, we walked around the quaint little town we were in, strolling through the nice furniture shops and touristy antique stores. We laughed about all the little things they had for sale and how you could probably buy much of the stuff at a garage sale for a quarter of the price!

I really wanted to nap by the time I got home, but I promised my friend that we'd meet to work on our oral presentation for our class. We're using photos from the vacation as the source of our little narrative. It'll be fun, though we ended up with a crazy number of pictures for a 5-minute presentation.

In the evening, I rejoined my friends for dinner. We ate at this new Korean BBQ place. It wasn't at all what anyone expected. The place was 3-months new, well-lit, clean, and not at all smokey. The wall was a modern design with a backlight that gradually changed colors all night. The grill were set into the table and had the fan on the sides of the grill so no smoke every rose up from the table. It was kind of odd thinking the smell of smoke wouldn't be in our hair and clothes after leaving the restaurant.

Sunday was a baby day. I chatted with my friend, Sister, who's been on maternity leave, enjoying her little boy. We're trying to meet up while I'm in town for a business trip. I will only be there one night, so it'll be a little tricky to meet littleJ before he falls asleep.

Then, I met up with an old high school friend, Bragh, who was visiting town with her three-month old. We catch up probably once a year though there were a number of years we didn't do much more than exchange Xmas cards (though I think only I was sending anything). She also invited another high school classmate, Epiphany, to join us. It's someone from the year above us, but we were all on the speech and debate team. He brought along his wife and 16-month son.

Getting ready, I debated what to wear. Do I show off a little and dress better, or just throw on whatever jeans and t-shirt was at the foot of my bed? In the end, I figured if I had the chance to hold the baby, he might drool. I opted for the decent but older knit shirt.

I arrived first. I wanted to put down my name for the waitlist, but honestly had no idea how many people were coming. Both families arrived at about the same time, only a couple minutes after the hour. Knowing they'd take awhile to get the kids out of the cars, I got a quick headcount and put my name down for a table.

When our table was ready, I stood back to let the seating arrangement take shape. Usually, I see the kid and parent straddle a corner of the table for easy reach. I figured I'd take which ever chair was vacant. That put me between Epiphany's son and Bragh's husband. Epiphany's wife jokingly apologized upfront fearing any wild swings of a food-covered spoon during the meal from Will. I assured her my choice of clothing was exactly for that reason. Other than some spoon drumming, Will was a good kid. I had to pick up his sippy cup several times, but he stayed content eating his fruit.

It was a bit surreal at times having breakfast. I didn't totally feel like a fish out of water. In fact, I can talk about kids and babies as if I have one. Sometimes my guy friends think it strange I know so much. It's just a fact of being around so many mothers at work. You learn from all their conversations and venting about pregnancy and child-rearing.

Bragh's son spits up A LOT. I about their experiments with all brands of baby formula. Costco brand turned into something oatmealish when it came back up, so they've sworn off that kind. It's funny how they've become pretty good at sensing when he'll spit up (like little burps). Epiphany's son learned to refuse formula just by the smell. They were both pretty healthy kids. They shared stories about potential bed rest and struggles with breastfeeding.

Women's bodily functions become public knowledge once you have a baby. The husbands didn't seen at all phased by the brunch discussion. It's refreshing to be able to share such things, but I supposed it has it's oddness.

The one thought that never occurred to me until the mothers laughed about it was that no moment is private. Even when you need to go to the bathroom, you take your child with you. I'm trying to imagine holding a child while peeing... ugh. As they get older, you also need to entertain them. Will was taught to help mom by pulling off a couple squares of toilet paper. That changed one day when she was getting dressed and saw a trail of toilet paper leading from the bathroom, across the room, and into the closet. ;)

They asked about my job and stuff, but politely avoided asking about my love life. I guess it was kind of a relief. A part of me wanted it to come up so that maybe I could see if Epiphany could introduce me to some successful Google friends, but guys rarely think about helping set up people.

All in all, it was a fun morning. It's wonderful to see old friends and enjoy how their lives have evolved and grown. Baby smiles are priceless.

The rest of the day, I ran some errands, bought some trekking poles off craigslist, and met up with my friend for more presentation preparation. The best part of the day was laying out on the couch for three hours watching the mini-series "Battlestar Galactica" (the modern version, not the 1970s tv show). I'm dying to get home to finish the last hour of the series.

Endings and DOAs

Hopefully, you saw "Gilmore Girls" this week or else this might be a spoiler for you. I just have to say that my relationship gauges must be completely off because everyone was hoping for this while I wanted the opposite. Can someone please explain to me WHY everyone wanted to get rid of Logan?

Yes, they're too young. I agree that they both need more time to develop themselves (as much as a tv character can when a series ends), but I don't see the need to break them up. I thought they were great together, and I'm sad to see it end. So what if it got boring and syrupy between them, isn't that what we want in real life?

***************************

"Grey's Anatomy" was absolutely boring during that silly two-hour episode. Thank goodness I can multi-task and caught up on e-mail on the couch. That whole visit down to L.A. for Addison was an absolute waste of time. If the writers don't already realize the spin-off show will never take off, they're going to spend quite a bit of money with the pilot to learn the hard way.

It's too bad really. I like the cast members. Who can argue with Taye Diggs, Amy Brenneman and Tim Daly. But the setting is odd and the storylines were either boring or downright depressing. I felt like my life was fractured into the three women's storylines - no man, no baby, no life. Why the hell would I want to watch this when all I have to do is read my own journal?

I suppose I identified well with the female characters. My heart sank when Amy's character ran into her ex at the grocery store with his new wife, and when Addison learned that her eggs were depleted beyond possibility of fertility. It's depressing seeing what your life will become. Let me just suspend reality for a few more years. I like my bubble and pacifier. ;)

If you want something easier, practice on the nerds

I swear that's what I heard her say. I was getting ready to go to sleep and had ABC running on the television. The news reporter was sitting in a NYC bar with a matchmaker. She was giving advice on how to approach men. The matchmaker is this very aggressive woman who'd been married for almost 25 years. She finds marriage material for high-powered executives, generally men, who don't have time to find a wife. Her starting price is $25,000. Holy crap!

The first comment that caught my attention was something she said as she hit on women at upscale department stores. She had just given a shopper her business card. The shopper asked what the matchmaker does for her clients. She explained that she is paid to help busy men find wives. She proceeded to say, "they can find their own dates and one-night stands, I help them find women who are ready for a committed relationship."

My mind couldn't help wander to the thought of whether I'd want to meet a man who is SOOOO busy that he had to pay someone to find him a wife. What does that say about the kind of life I'd have with such a man? Can I squeeze in a little nookie between his 6am and 7am conference calls? :p Something about it just felt wrong (besides the fact that she said her clients typically want women who are young, beautiful and stylish - sounds like trophy wife to me). I want to know that he's putting some effort, not just money, into his search.

Later, the matchmaker went on to say that any woman who wants to get married needs to get serious about it - i.e. "stop working all the time." Her opinion is that if you're working too much, you're not focusing on your goal. The reporter then pointed out that she wasn't telling this to her MALE clients. The matchmaker even went as far to offer the example of a woman who took a year off from her Wall St. job to find a husband (and who recently got engaged as a result).

During the conversation, the reporter asked the matchmaker to provide an example of how to approach men. When the reporter was hesitant to practice on the men at the bar, the matchmaker suggested to at least practice with nerdier men because they are easy to complement. She reminded the reporter that's it's about volume and practice.

Watching these types of people make me feel like I'm a clueless teenager. How much of the population is like this? I'm probably around the age of some of her clients, and yet it feels like I'm observing people in a foreign land. My world runs at such a different pace and level of existence. :)

It was a crazy news clip but entertaining. She's got some very strong opinions and won't definitely not be the right matchmaker for everyone. Still, whether you're a man or a woman, she knows how to talk to people. She's definitely got a New York personality. Some of what she said was interesting, but I'm probably a little too shy and uncreative enough to come up with a good pick-up line and approach a total stranger.

Here are some tips from matchmaker J. Spindel for women in the market for a mate:

1. Smile. Smile as much as possible. It makes you approachable.

2. When you're out with your female friends, separate yourself from the pack. Men are too intimidated to approach a group of women but might approach you individually.

3. Always have a manicure. It says you treat yourself well.

4. Don't wear too much makeup or terribly revealing clothes. Be feminine, not X-rated.

5. Wear a pin or distinctive necklace or earrings. Memorable jewelry can be a conversation starter.

6. Talk to at least three strangers of the opposite sex each day. Finding love is a numbers game, so you have to get out there and get used to approaching men. Compliment something a man is wearing or make a joke about what he's drinking. If you start the conversation, the man will take it from there.

7. Never discuss politics or personal problems on a first encounter. Instead, discuss safe topics such as the weather, travel or entertainment.

8. Project confidence. No one wants to go out with a person who is negative and full of complaints.

9. Make a list of what you're looking for in a spouse. Don't date anyone who doesn't meet those standards. It's a waste of your time.

10. If you're not meeting mates and you want to — change your attitude! Anyone can get married at any age. Just be optimistic and make an effort to meet as many people as you can.

V-ideo day

Tim and I like to watch "Lost" together on Wednesdays. (I hate how ABC has messed with it lately.) We used to record it and then watch the video later. But since I have HD, we try to watch it live so that we can enjoy the better picture. I jokingly asked him last night whether we should watch it together this week. At first, he blankly asked me, "why not?"

After a bit of a pause, he said, "oh, because it's Valentine's Day? Why, do you have a date?"

"No, just checking. I didn't know if you were busy," I joked.

"You gonna give me something?"

I thought, "Cookies?"

He continued with our playful banter by asking, "will they be heart-shaped?"

"No," I said. "And do I get something? A yellow rose with pink edges?"

"Nope."

Yeah, it's just another day to us. I told him that maybe I'd go out and eat by myself for dinner. Tim asked if it was a strategy to potentially meet a guy. No, it's my twisted way of taking myself out of my comfort zone and learning to be comfortable with doing things alone. We'll see if I actually go do it. I'm leaning towards ramen or sushi. Yum.

On another note, I spoke to Designer over the phone. He sounded like a decent guy and we had a friendly hour chat. There were a few pauses, but I made sure not to panic and try to fill the dead air with nonsense chit-chat. I've been trying to teach myself that a short pause is better than sticking your foot in your mouth. Besides, it was a great way to make him work at the conversation a little. ;)

He said he'd call me again later this week. I know I should just let things progress naturally, but the analytical part of my mind is starting to wonder how to extract those important bits of information that will help us decide whether there's potential.

The "Friends" of China?

I just came across this. Since I'm hoping to go to China for vacation, this sounded kind of interesting. It intrigue me to see how young adults in China perceived modern life contrasted with traditional values. It'll be interesting to see if and when China will become a true player in the worl, not only economically but socially. I often wonder if it really will become necessary for future generations to learn to speak Chinese or regularly travel to China as part of their careers.

I'll have to see if I can watch a few episodes. Hopefully it's subtitled.

*************************************************
China's 'Friends' highlights Web freedoms

SONGJIANG NEW TOWN, China (Reuters) -- "Soul Partners", a new comedy series described as China's version of the U.S. TV hit "Friends", features six people in their 20s who live together after being separately tricked into buying the same apartment.

But rather than developing according to the plans of top screenwriters, episodes follow the whims of China's growing community of Internet users.

How the plot of "Soul Partners" -- shown on video-sharing Web site Mofile (www.mofile.com), and not on traditional television -- evolves from week to week depends on viewers' feedback.

That makes the series an unusually frank reflection of popular opinion in a country where the authorities still tightly control media content.

"The traditional concepts are going out the window because now people see more of the world outside China. People have become more liberal," said Mofile Chief Executive Officer Andy Fan.

"Maybe five years ago, for males to share the same apartment with females would have been unacceptable," noted Fan, who is from the central province of Hunan, has worked in the United States and speaks with a light American accent.

"It's a lot like "Friends", though obviously the background is not the same, since we're in China," said actor Zhang Libing, 21.

One major departure from traditional Chinese series is that parents and relatives play no part.

"In the show I play a young character, but I'm also independent and don't need to rely on my parents," he said, wryly adding that his character was "cool on the outside but emotional on the inside -- not unlike me in real life".

The show -- now into the fourth of a planned 20 episodes -- has already garnered a total of over 1.5 million viewings, and is starting to win fans elsewhere in the Chinese-speaking world, particularly Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore.

The fresh-faced amateur actors -- average age around 22 -- who josh around and as they go over their lines in a borrowed apartment on the outskirts of Shanghai, China's commercial hub, were chosen from 1,000 applicants.

"We wanted to do this from the grassroots up," said producer Gao Bao, who works on the series part-time. Her day job is in sales and marketing.

She said the aim of the independent show was to portray the modern lives of young people with a bit of humor.

China is the world's second-largest Internet market by user numbers after the United States, and is seeing a blossoming of homegrown social networking Web sites such as Mofile, which allow users to generate their own content by posting video clips.

This is partly because user-generated content is far more responsive to online demand than China's relatively staid and heavily regulated mass media.

Pirated satellite dishes, used to watch foreign TV shows, are widespread in a country where local television dramas routinely rehash Mao Zedong's trouncing of Nationalist armies in 1949, or dramas set in imperial courts a thousand or more years ago.

Foreign investment has been flowing into Chinese Internet start-ups, while Google's $1.65 billion acquisition last year of video-sharing Web site YouTube helped spawn a host of Chinese YouTube clones which hope to attract venture capital.

Mofile is one of a bevy of homegrown video-sharing Web sites, including Tudou, 56.com and Yoqoo, which jostle for the attention of China's 137 million Internet users.

Meanwhile established Web companies Tom Online Inc., SINA Corp., Sohu.com Inc. and Netease.com Inc., are believed to be considering expansion into video sharing. Baidu.com, dubbed "China's Google", hopes to expand its online video services.

Mofile's Fan, whose company shares equipment costs with the acting crew, says the fact that the show is not out to make money and does not appear on TV means actors are free to provide whatever content they like.

Web broadcasting gives "Soul Partners" a national audience and skirts China's TV regulations. Foreign companies providing content through traditional TV channels, including Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. and Viacom Inc., have unsuccessfully lobbied for years to gain a nationwide footprint.

"This shows how potentially powerful new media can be -- we have as much exposure as, say, provincial level satellite television," said Fan.

Fan added that episodes, based on viewer feedback, now incorporate more current "real life" topics, including the effect of a recent earthquake on Internet service across Asia.

Audiences will also be able to craft their own episode plot soon, rather than merely make suggestions, he added.

The plots of "Soul Partners", which Chinese media and viewers have compared to "Friends", reflect social changes in a country where many young adults live with their parents into their 30s.

The first episode, for example, dealt with the phenomenon of greedy property developers -- somewhat ironic since the studio was provided by a large property development firm -- and focused on social rather than political issues, said Mofile's Fan.

Songjiang New Town, about 18 miles from Shanghai, is the result of a booming local property market. Outside the studio, migrant workers excavate mounds of fresh earth to build an eerie and empty satellite city rearing out of what used to be farmland.

Creative freedom lies in remaining Web-based, non-commercial and clear of cumbersome regulations, Fan said of "Soul Partners" which, rather like the environment outside the studio window, is a social experiment still under construction.

Copyright 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

A lack of planning

I went to a party in the city last night. My philosophy the past year has been to try and attend parties I've invited too just to put myself out there and work on socializing. The crowd was primarily Asian being that it was a celebration party for K. Originally, it was supposed to be an auction for charity with the winner getting a date with K. I heard from a friend that it got cancelled. Too bad, it would have been fun to see crazy girls bidding for him.

Over the few hours I was there, I mostly danced and chatted with friends. There were a lot of dolled up women there. I couldn't help but think that there are so many levels on which I can't compete with many of them. Ignoring the fact there younger, there still the question of height and genes. Some of them will always look more attractive, with or without makeup. I just don't have the bones. Besides that, I looked at all the men. I felt like I could have recognized many of them from the online dating websites I've browsed over the years. I wanted to convince myself that most of these guys could be nice to meet. Alas, a club is a difficult place to get to know anyone, but it's an interesting place to people watch.

It is no surprise to report that I have not thought much about dating over the holidays. Sure, the idea has run through my mind from time to time, but I did not delve deep and look inside myself. What was I looking for you might ask?

1) Are you ready to give online dating your full attention?
Considering I'm about to plunk down some money, probably. But then there are plenty of people who have gym memberships and never go.

2) Do you know what to look for in profiles?
I don't want to be too picky. I don't want to be judging. I need to start somewhere otherwise I'll go crazy trying to exchange e-mails with all these guys. Help!

I signed back up for a dating website to browse and to warm up to the idea again. Over the past few days, I have looked at the profiles of several guys who are "compatible" with me. While there may be a statement or two that is unique, honestly, the rest of it all seem like trite, packaged descriptors that could fit any man walking down the street - intelligent, adventurous, friendly, dependable, sense of humor, work/life balance, travel, easy-going, etc. I feel like a palette of paint colors has been poured into a bucket and stirred. They all look pleasing when they stand alone, but the whole things turns into a mucky brown soup once they mix together.

They all sound like decent guys, but we know they can't all be. Why would they be single if they're all so great? I honestly have no clue how to filter people. It's such a random process.

Here are two people I'm already ready to chuck...

- In response to a question about the last book he read Engineer wrote, "Most of my reading are technical book dealing with work." One, that's just boring, and two, his grammar sucks.

- Golfer chose some questions for me to answer. One asks what number of children would be ideal to me. That answer seems so transient - ask me after I've had the first one. The second one is, "If I had a bad day, what would you do for me?" At first, it sounded totally normal. Then, part of me thought, "hey, are you expecting me to bring you slippers and have a hot dinner waiting every night?" I know this is all part of the process at this website, but these questions just seem... a bit early to be asking.

So my question is what are clear signs that should set off alarms for me and what are inconsequential remarks that I should not hold against these guys?

Gawd, I suck at this whole dating thing.

San Mateo man defeats Asian stereotypes to win 'Survivor'

It's interesting that CBS had to recruit people for Survivor. You'd think the show's popularity would be enough to entice thousands of people to apply from which they could form a diverse cast. The other thing I wonder is what channels they used to recruit people?

San Mateo man defeats Asian stereotypes to win 'Survivor'
- Vanessa Hua, Chronicle Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 19, 2006

On his way to winning reality show "Survivor," Y-- K--- solved puzzles, earned the nickname "The Godfather" for his skillful maneuvering -- and helped smash stereotypes about Asian American men in the media.

In the finale that aired Sunday, San Mateo resident K---, 31, won the CBS show's 13th season, which began by pitting African Americans, Asian Americans, Latinos and whites against one another. In the end, K--- made deals and alliances with people from different backgrounds for his victory.

Producers of the show recruited him to boost the number of Asian Americans in the selection pool, K--- said. On the weekly series, contestants are divided into tribes that compete in challenges to win rewards and to avoid being voted off the show. This season, the four teams combined into two ethnically mixed ones after two episodes, and eventually merged into one.

When K--- learned about the racial component of the show the night before it was to begin, he said, he almost backed out because he did not want to be a part of anything that cemented stereotypes.

But the producers said they wouldn't manipulate any racial strife. He also decided to stay to round out the men on the Asian American team. Anh-Tuan "Cao Boi," for example, could have played into a "crazy Mr. Miyagi" stereotype, said K---, referring to the enigmatic mentor in the "Karate Kid" movie. And Brad Virata, a fashion director, could have become typecast as a gay Asian, a la Lloyd on the HBO show "Entourage."

"At that point, I felt a sense of obligation to try my best," K--- said. The tribe also had two women, one a lawyer, the other a real estate agent.

"I'm proud of my Asian culture, and obviously we are shaped by our heritage, but it's not all who we are," K--- said by phone on Monday from Los Angeles, on a marathon day of interviews.

"When I was growing up, I did not see people like me as positive role models. I always saw Asian computer geeks who couldn't get a date, or a kung fu guy who couldn't speak English," he said. "I wanted America to see Asian Americans as they truly are."

K--- cut against the mainstream media's caricature of Asian males as geeky, wimpy or else invisible, community observers said. "He's tall, athletic, staggeringly handsome," said Jeff Yang, a consultant on Asian American consumer culture and a frequent contributor to SFGate.com.

In some ways, K--- seemed to exhibit some of the flip side of the stereotype of Asian Americans -- as the model minority -- in that he was quiet and worked hard behind the scenes. "You almost wish he'd do or say something inappropriate," Yang said.

But friend MQuoc, 31, of San Francisco said K---'s true personality emerged on the show. "He's one of the most brilliant, considerate and kind people I have ever known."

K--- held his own in swimming, strength, balance and agility challenges, never far behind the competition's clear physical dominator, Ozzy Lusth, a Mexican American who also said he wanted his participation in the show to challenge viewers' stereotypes.

Sunday's finale was the top-rated television show in the Bay Area and nationally, though it had lower ratings than "Survivor's" 12 previous season finales. The show has aired since May 2000 and this year faced new competition in its usual Thursday night slot.

K--- grew up in Concord, the younger of two sons of Korean immigrants. His father, a naval engineer who designs ships, and his mother, a homemaker, live in the same three-bedroom, one-story house they've owned since he was little.

Their family was never extravagant, driving a 1973 Olds Cutlass and 1973 Dodge Colt for years, said older brother Paul K---, 36, now a clinical scientist.

Their father, who wanted his two sons to excel, prepared extra assignments in math, English, history and other subjects on top of school homework, said Paul K---.

Y-- K--- graduated from Northgate High in Walnut Creek, where he was valedictorian and was on the water polo and varsity track teams. Jane Liaw, who attended high school and college with him, recalled how he pulled out a lawn chair and a Pepsi during his graduation speech.

"You watch 'Survivor' and you see he has a lot of integrity, but you don't get how goofy he is," said Liaw, an environmental researcher at UC Berkeley who attended viewing parties each week with K---'s many friends.

At Stanford, he majored in symbolic systems, an interdisciplinary degree program that includes cognitive science, computer science, logic and philosophy.

After graduating from Yale Law School, he clerked for a federal judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, was a legislative aide to Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, worked as a consultant for McKinsey & Co. and joined the business strategy group at Internet search firm Google.

On his own again before he went on the show, K--- took a break while it aired, traveling, learning Brazilian martial arts and reconnecting with friends.

"He still hasn't found his true calling. As can probably be seen on the show, it takes a lot to keep him occupied and he hasn't found that yet," his brother said.

YLai, 30, a college girlfriend of K---'s, said, "He's a very idealistic individual. He's trying to find the right place for himself to make a difference."

Lai, who works at a venture capital firm in New York, said K--- was both thoughtful and practical -- giving her jumper cables for Christmas one year when she was having trouble with her car or a better chair when he noticed the one in her dorm room was uncomfortable.

"I hope he finds a wife," she added. "He deserves a great woman, and hopefully his increased celebrity will help that."

Through the years, K--- has bleached his hair and pierced his ears, and in college he wore flip-flops everywhere. When the strap broke, he substituted a pair of furry house slippers, which he wore for weeks, biking around campus, Liaw said.

He appeared in a campus Asian American fashion show and became famous for strutting the catwalk in a vest, his chest bare -- a fitting experience for K---, whom People magazine last month called a "sexy man in sexy surroundings."

He also launched a major campaign to raise awareness on campus of the need for minority bone marrow donors when his best friend, Evan Chen, was suffering from leukemia. Chen died from complications related to his bone marrow transplant in 1996.

"He's one of the most loyal friends you'll ever find," said friend ALim, a medical student at Boston University. "He drops everything he's doing at the time if a friend is in trouble. That's the thing I admire about him the most; that's stayed true today."

Lim bonded with K--- at Stanford, where they played all-night marathons of Risk, a strategy game, and swapped tips on a super-low-fat, high-vegetable diet that included egg-white omelets, cheeseless pizzas and blotting oil off of grilled chicken.

It paid off. K---'s abs were on constant display on "Survivor."

For now, K--- has no specific plans, though he said he wants to use this opportunity to work on behalf of his community.

He's still thinking about what he wants to do with his $1 million in winnings but knows he wants to help take care of his parents, who made many sacrifices for him and his brother.

He doesn't want to be an actor but has pondered being a television host. "I love asking questions, and the media has the power to shape people's opinions and awareness of issues."

Bill Bonvillian, his former boss at Lieberman's office, said his two young sons -- who became close to K--- -- know what he should do next.

"They've been joking they're going to volunteer for Y--'s campaign for governor of California," he said. "The 'Survivor' is a logical successor to the 'Terminator.' "

A Unique Experience

My weekend was happily quiet. I sat around in pjs on Saturday. In the morning I ran a couple loads of laundry and watched a few episodes from season 3 of "Gilmore Girls." I managed to finish six Xmas cards after preparing myself a yummy brunch using my leftover ratatouille as the omlette filling and pan roasting the three-colored potatoes I bought at the farmers' market.

I did finally escape the house briefly in the late afternoon to make sure my Xmas cards made the 5pm deadline at the main post office. The air was rather brisk and I found myself a bit underdressed for the weather. Being cozy inside my warm home had fooled me into thinking a sunny sky meant mild temperatures. Still, it was pleasant to walk through the streets, window shop, and watch other people walk by.

I watched "It's a Wonderful Life" in the evening, though I admit to peeking over to "Elf" during commercials. I also made sure to catch up on the Survivor episodes that I had missed. I wanted to make sure I understood every nuance of the show before watching the finale. Watching the challenge with the survivors clinging to the poles and being dragged by the opposing team was incredibly draining. I felt almost as tired as the competitors. Man, that was a brutal contest.

On Sunday morning, I got myself to exercise a little. I started the morning late after staying up late. Again, it was nice to have a quiet, sunny day with no obligations or appointments to think about. After my shower, I did some cleaning in my flannel robe, naked underneath. That's not something I'd normally think of doing this time of year. Somehow, it was fun.

Before I knew it, it was time to drive over to the bar for the Survivor finale. I'd actually misread the clock and found myself short on time. I wanted to get there before the majority of the crowd so that I could secure a seat. I didn't want to stand for three hours nor did I want to end up behind people who'd block my view (because that happens A LOT when you're only five feet tall).

Just as the invitation instructed I arrived at 4:30pm. (Even when I think I'm late to something I always managed to arrive on time - go figure.) Only a handful of true friends were there, drawing signs and finishing set up. In the center of the room were three rows of chairs, each covered with a pom-pom and various forms of champagne poppers. I was impressed they thought of everything that had crossed my mind as well.

The CBS camera crew was making final adjustments on the lighting. Looking at the projection screen, one had no choice but to be blinded by two huge flood lights on either side of the screen. Otherwise there were four blue booths on either side of the room for sitting, but most were covered with papers and supplies. The third choice was the barstools around the bar in the back.

I wasn't sure if the chairs were reserved for K's close friends. I learned from Thursday's viewing that the guy with the camera was the organizer. As he walked near, I asked him if the seats were already designated, and he encouraged me to sit wherever I wanted.

I invited one friend to join me. Also, the guy who originally invited me to the party arrived with his friends. It was nice to be around people I know. The room was bustling with people just before 5pm. There were several varieties of t-shirts being worn by various K groups:

- a sketch of K and his abs with "K's our homeboy"
- "K for U.N. Ambassador"
- a picture from Survivor with shirtless K and a tagline below "Smart = Sexy"
- "K went to Survivor Cook Islands and all I got was this lousy t-shirt"

At this point, everyone was waiting for the live East Coast feed of the show. Before we started the film crew manager gave up some instructions on taping us. At 6:30pm, he told us to cheer as if K had won. He wanted us to be as enthusiastic as possible. "If I'm jumping up and down, I want you to jump up and down. If I fall asleep, I want you to jump up and down." It was kind of disappointing to know that our celebration would not be anywhere near live to national television. So did they do this for Ozzie's friends too so as not to give away who won? I wonder... do you think the film crew knew?


It was fun watching the show with a crowd that felt it had a vested interest in the outcome. The tension during every competition was intense and we all ooooed, ahhhed, and awwed together.

During a commercial break around 6:30pm, the film guy stood up again and told us all the prepare to cheer. Everyone madly shook their pom-poms, launched their poppers and confetti and chanted "K, K, K." Then the cameraman waived us down. He signaled to one group on the floor that they had to move their white poster board to the back because it was causing too much glare. Then we shot the scene again... and a third time.

I doubted I'd appear in the clip that ended up on tv. I was likely obscured by all the people and swirling pom-poms. Plus, the cameraman failed to pan across the room showing just how many of us were there. It was unfortunate that he couldn't not set the camera up farther back. Still, it was fun and interesting to see the "behind the scenes" aspect of preparing for the Survivor final show.

The final immunity challenge was a nail bitter. Every time someone twitched, we all gasped at whether the person would fall. People were heart-broken when K fell to the water.

At the final vote, you could cut the air with a knife. After being held up in a basement bar for over two hours, it was very warm. I could swear the 150 people there stopped breathing for a moment as Jeff opened the final vote. The excitement was unbelievable!!!

After the show ended, they put up a banner and encouraged everyone to come sign it. It would be a gift waiting for K when he comes home. Though it would have been fun to sign, I decided against it for two reasons: one, I don't really know him so I felt it was better to leave it to his friends to sign, and two, it was going to be a wait before having a chance to sign it.


I'm some three degrees removed from knowing K, but it was a one of a kind experience to be part of.

P.S. If you have any interest in this, there's a great interview transcript here from after the show.

All Yule, Yuehl, and Yuulleee

With all the headlines talking about his 5-4 win last night in the Survivor Finale, it's been really funny seeing what kinds of searches have brought people here. Because I posted a copy of an article talking about him, I tend to get brief visits. I don't have much time just now, but I just *had* to share some of these amusing referrals from overnight. (And to avoid more hits, I've eliminated his name from this post.)

First, no surprise that it's all about what a hunk he is perceived to be:

"sexiest men y--"
"y-- k---, hot"
"2006 People magazine sexiest men y-- k---"
"y-- k--- wearing glasses" (oh yeah, you know I like that too ;))
"y-- k--- asian-american male"

Then there's the questions about his personal life:
"y-- k--- romantic b---y l--" (in the post show B---y seemed to indicate there's nothing going on)
"y-- k--- mother father"
"y-- k--- consulting" (he's currently not working, don't know if he's simply on a leave of absence)
"y-- k--- height" (I'm guessing 5'9" though I really wasn't paying attention when I met him)

The two that hadn't even occurred to me until I saw them:
"'y-- k---' gay straight"
"y-- k--- single is he gay"

I just found these two amusing. I have a high school friend, friends of friends, and co-workers who are gay, but I have to admit that I don't regularly hang out with anyone gay (not that I know of). The question never even occurred to me. It's interesting to have insight into how other people think.

I haven't seen or heard any mention of a current girlfriend. However, I didn't see any friends at his party that would hint he was on the other side. Given all the friends who were there, my guess is that he's straight. But then, I'm not a friend nor do I claim to have any gaydar.

In the presence of a celebrity

My girlfriend invited me to a "Survivor" viewing last night. This wasn't just any viewing, this was a real fan club viewing with THE survivor (at least, that'd be cool is he is the winner). If you know the about cast, you can probably guess which one. We'll just refer to him here as K.

The bar was showing an NFL game which probably made up most of the patrons towards the front half of the bar. It grew very contentious as 8pm drew near because several of the tvs were changed to CBS and the volume overwhelmed the football game at times. The two crowds were quite different. Having only one bartender serving drink didn't help the situation.

The back area was all about K. Any available see was taken. My connection is that my girlfriend's boyfriend, BeerMan, is a high school friend of K's. And not just an acquaintance mind you, they were reminiscing about prom before we arrived. I did recognize a few other people who came but they're connections to K seemed almost as weak as mine.

K was constantly busy hugging friends and being introduced to others. If you just walked into the bar, you'd never suspect anything. You'd just see this guy holding a glass of water dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans. What you see on tv is what you see in person.

It didn't feel it appropriate to take a picture though I would have loved it. I don't want to seem like another crazed fan. BeerMan took us over to meet K. My girlfriend had met him once before at a party, so K said "yes, I remember you," and they hugged. I got introduced and shook hands with K. It was firm handshake, dry but a little cool from holding his drink. I should have thought of something more to say or a question to ask to keep the conversation going. Before I knew it, another friend drew his attention away to introduce K to her friend.

K was, as his friend put it, "the classic politician." He worked the room throughout the evening, moving between the different sections of the bar to chat with friends. The best part was being able to watch the reactions on his face as part of the episode highlight the survivors' comments. There were a lot of "oooos" when Parvati and the guys were naked in the jacuzzi.

On one of the tables there was a folder full of photos. Inside were dozens of glossy 8x11 photos of K during various times of the show. I'm not sure where they were from, but my guess is that CBS provided them to K as a souvenir of the time on the island. They were very good shots. So if you're K, do you frame them and put them on display? Do you make a mural to remember the experience? Do you organize them into a special photo album that goes on the shelf? The whole idea of being a celebrity seems so surreal at times.

I had dressed up a little nicer for the bar, but I was realistic about getting any chance to talk to K. My thought was maybe with all the girls focused on K, I might meet some nice single men. Well... okay, I should have tried harder to mingle and not stand with my attached girlfriend all night.

What was funny was seeing how dressed up other women were. Maybe some of them are just very fashion conscious. Considering we were in a dive bar in the suburbs, however, I'm sure many were trying to impress K. Several 20-something women wore stylish knit caps and boots. One woman came dressed in a cream, sleeveless dress with f* boots. Come on, you couldn't possibly have worn that to work.

The other thing that was surprising was seeing several infants. I know it's fun to be out, but why bring a small child, who should be sleeping, to a noisy bar?

It was great to watch with such an enthusiastic crowd. It was fun. Why is it so much fun to be "in" on a celebrity event? Part of me hates getting sucked into the whole pop culture thing, but it makes watching the show that much more interesting because it brings the experience closer to home.

And the best part?t I've added to the invite for the finale viewing. This is really awesome because the group will get to watch on a special live feed along with the East Coast. Cameras will be there to show us cheering K on at the end of the show. So if you watch, you may seem me among the hundred some people rooting for K to win the million!