teahouseblossom

2012-01-01T01:49:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

Wishing everyone a happy 2012! For me, 2011 ended on a good note. I'm hoping that the future holds a lot more happiness.

We weren't going to get a Christmas tree this year, with all of the craziness with the new baby in our tiny apartment.

But when I saw this little tree for sale for $10 on the street, with this little handwritten sign attached, I couldn't resist!

Hoping everyone has had a wonderful holiday season!

2011-12-13T17:01:00.004-05:00

So Punny

The Husband called me this afternoon and said, "I'm stopping by the baby store; what do you need?

I responded, "I need some Playtex bottle nipples, and some Tucks medicated pads."

He quipped, "So you are saying we need nips and tucks?"

I said, "Hardy har har. I'm hanging up now."

2011-11-30T03:57:00.002-05:00

Wish I'd Known

Whew, what a rough couple of weeks it's been!

I love my baby, and he's cute and precious and awesome. But man oh, man, the first couple of weeks of parenthood are hard.

You can see from the time of this post that we've been up around the clock.

I got to thinking about things that I wish people had told me before I had my baby! Here they are, in no particular order.

1. When you give birth, there's a lot of extra stuff that happens that they don't show in movies and on tv. Yeah, like the part where you have the baby and you're all excited and happy...but then you lie there for an hour afterwards while the doctor: (a) delivers the placenta (which is like giving birth a second time but not as painful); and (b) sews you up down there. After a while, your legs get pretty tired.

2. After you give birth, your body will tend to be constipated for weeks afterward. Eat lots of salad and drink some Metamucil. I promise, your body will thank you. If your constipation ship has sailed, Rite Aid's laxative for women is awesome and really gets things going.

3. Breastfeeding is hard. It can be more painful than childbirth. Even though it's "natural" it doesn't come naturally. Use a lactation consultant. I wish I'd done that right away instead of trying to figure it out for myself for so many days. I'm still praying every day for my nipples not to fall off.

4. Recovery from childbirth takes a long time. I kept telling myself, "Well, my baby was small since he was so early. This will be a breeze! Maybe I'll go for a run next week!" WRONG. I can still barely walk down the hall. And that's ok - it's good to take it easy and let your body heal.

5. A lot of women get the baby blues after delivery. Over the course of a day, your body goes from having the most estrogen of your life (pregnant) to having the least estrogen (postpartum). It's nothing to be ashamed of, and chances are a bunch of your friends went through it but feel that there's a taboo about admitting it. If the baby blues morph into postpartum depression, Zoloft is really ideal, since it's only minimally passed into breast milk.

I will probably keep adding to this list. Yeah, these are all things I wish people had told me in advance. Especially the one about the constipation.

2011-11-23T07:56:00.006-05:00

Early Surprise

Hey, everyone!

Sorry I've been MIA for several weeks now.

But I have a good excuse!

Our little one decided to make his appearance five weeks early.

We were very surprised when my water broke in the middle of the night at only 35 weeks. It was just like in the movies!

So far, so good. He is cute and precious and little.

Life is a bit crazy these days. I am up around the clock. But everyone says this time will pass quickly.

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-10-28T23:05:00.003-04:00

A Sign of Things to Come

We went to the ob/gyn this week for an ultrasound of our little one.

The doctor looked at the screen and said, "His hands are up in front of his face. See his fingers? He's giving us the peace sign!"

The Husband looked closer at the screen and said, "Actually, it looks more like he's giving us the finger...with both hands."

The doctor and I both took a second look. He was right! The kid was indeed giving us the double middle fingers.

Even the doctor agreed.

I guess this is what we have to look forward to...

2011-10-26T22:18:00.003-04:00

Bread Line

I took a walk this afternoon, to take a break from work and get a snack.

I work in one of those large buildings in Manhattan with a basement concourse full of retail shops and restaurants.

As I walked through it, I noticed a line of people. It was a massively long line - it stretched through half the length of the concourse!

I saw that it was a line of people applying for minimum wage jobs at a new retail store that's about to open up.

I've seen people lining up to apply for jobs before, but never this many!

One man up front was talking earnestly to the employee who was controlling the line. All I heard him say was, "Come on, we're all here because we all have to eat!"

It really hit home, the impact of the recession. I can't stop thinking about it.

2011-10-23T23:01:00.003-04:00

ROFL

The Sister is visiting us for the weekend.

Brokeback Mountain was on tv tonight. The Husband has never seen it, but the Sister and I were watching it while eating dinner.

"I'm curious.." said the Husband. "When in the movie do we realize that Jake Gyllenhaal's character is gay?"

"Hard to say.." replied the Sister. "My guess is it might be sometime around the time he has sex with Heath Ledger's character..."

I laughed so hard I semi-swallowed (and almost choked on) a chicken bone.

2011-10-17T04:47:00.004-04:00

Like Sisyphus

I'm nothing if not persistent.

I hang onto this blog, even though everyone I know has migrated their daily thoughts onto Facebook.

I like Facebook as well, but sometimes you need the anonymity of your own personal blog. And a forum in which to write full postings that aren't limited to tiny little blurbs of material.

So I'm still posting away, even though I think about 5 people out there still read this. It's very 2003 of me, of course.

But I don't care! In a way, it's like getting back to basics.

Back when I first started this blog, nobody read it, but it was a way for me to get my thoughts out there. It was a simpler time. And it is again, in a way.

What am I up to these days? Well, mostly bouncing around on this ball that the Husband bought me:

This thing does wonders for pregnancy-induced sciatica.

I'm almost 8 months along now, counting down the weeks and days until our little bundle of joy joins us (God willing).

The only thing that alleviates the back pain is this ball.

Like the boulder that Sisyphus was condemned to roll up the hill forever.

2011-09-22T21:15:00.002-04:00

It Takes a Real Man to Admit It

The Husband is really into Justin Timberlake.

Last night he was watching videos of him performing on Youtube, and laughing. He especially likes this one.

I said to him, "Wow, I think you have a man crush on Justin Timberlake!"

He paused, shrugged, and then said, "Well, I do think he is REALLY talented."

2011-09-19T22:06:00.003-04:00

Play Money

A colleague from Africa came to visit us today. As a present, he gave me a piece of currency from Zimbabwe.

This bill is worth about $1. Pretty sad, huh?

2011-09-11T23:33:00.005-04:00

Ten Years Later

Well, today is the 10 year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

It is also my birthday - ten years after that fateful day.

On that day, I was in my 20s, living with two roommates in Murray Hill. It was a horrible day.

Today, ten years later, I'm in my 30s, living with my Husband on the Upper West Side.

And with time and maturity, I realize how lucky I am, and was, that day.

My one roommate who worked in One World Trade Center was in the building when the first plane hit. She managed to walk down over 60 floors, exit the building and get away before it collapsed.

Nobody else close to me was hurt or killed. But I remember being so angry at the terrorists, for doing this to us, for killing all of those people. Heck, I was even angry that they had ruined my birthday!

Today I am happy and thankful for what we did as a city, and as a nation, in the aftermath of those attacks.

And I am happy to give my friends and loved ones at least one reason to be happy (and a reason to party) on a day like September 11.

2011-09-04T10:29:00.003-04:00

Unexpected

So yeah, last week's vacation did NOT go as planned.

The Husband and I were in Vermont!

Yes, that Vermont. The state that was hardest hit by Hurricane Irene.

That was unexpected. Who would ever have thought that a hurricane would devastate landlocked Vermont, of all places?

We were safe, but our plans to stay at a charming bed and breakfast in southern Vermont were canceled, when the one road to town was cut off, rendering it completely inaccessible.

We had to stay with friends in Burlington for 3 extra days, and then it took us 6 hours to navigate the small roads through southern Vermont to get home.

Whew!

At least we are safe and sound.

Now I have to go and use this long Labor Day weekend to recover from the stress of last week's vacation.

2011-08-26T00:23:00.003-04:00

The Great American Work Vacation, Version 2.0!

It's that time of the year again!

The Husband and I are escaping New York City and spending 10 days up in New England.

This year, the timing couldn't be better. We are leaving in time to escape Hurricane Irene.

Seriously, it's kind of ridiculous how freaked out New Yorkers are getting about this hurricane that's coming toward us.

Mayor Bloomberg had a serious press conference today, my neighbors are clearing their balconies and taping up their windows.

Seriously, New Yorkers? First, it's only a Category 3, and second, by the time it hits the vicinity of New York, it is likely to have fizzled.

Having grown up in the Deep South, we had a hurricane every week. Yes, they are destructive and scary. But they rarely get this far north (where temperatures are less favorable. And once they hit the land, it really slows them down.

That said, I hope I don't come to regret these words.

I guess it's possible that a hurricane could lash Manhattan. Anything is possible.

But I'm not holding my breath.

I'll see y'all after Labor Day!

2011-08-22T00:02:00.000-04:00

Marriage is Compromise

The Husband and I have discovered a major point of contention between us.

Honestly, I can't believe it's taken us this long to figure this out.

I like soft, cottony, pillowy toilet paper. It's so much more comfortable to use than the cheap stuff!

The Husband, on the other hand, likes the thin, cheap stuff. He says it has "better grip" and "leaves less residue."

I didn't want to go any farther, so I didn't ask for more detail!

Suffice it to say, it's been impossible for either of us to compromise on this hot-button marital issue.

As a result, we have agreed to keep two separate rolls of toilet paper in our bathroom - one for him, and one for me.

Our guests are pretty confused. But at least they have options.

2011-08-18T09:16:00.002-04:00

Alphabet Soup

Now that we're expecting, kind and well-meaning friends are coming out of the woodwork to offer us stuff.

They all say things like, "I'm going to give you my bumbo" or "boppy" or "exersaucer" or "jumpy pumpy lumpy" or "poopy loopy hoopy" or something or another.

Are these all real things? And why the silly names?

We just smile and nod and accept the stuff. They're all some variation of plastic tub looking thing or pillow or cushion. Usually covered in images of ducks or butterflies.

I'm a little scared about this new world we're entering.

2011-08-03T00:08:00.002-04:00

Small World

The other day I went to visit some friends in Brooklyn.

They live pretty far from me - I had to get from the Upper West Side to just a couple of stops from Coney Island.

I got onto the train at Times Square, and a kind middle-aged gentleman very nicely offered me his seat.

I was touched, and gratefully accepted his offer, since my back was really hurting.

A few stops later, I glanced over and noticed that he was still on the train.

Several stops after that, he was still there.

An hour later, we arrived at my friend's stop. Seriously, it was the first time I realized what a trek it was for The Warriors to get from the Bronx to Coney Island without getting killed.

I got off the train at my friend's stop, I noticed that this gentleman also exited.

Wow, I thought. What are the chances that we were going from Midtown Manhattan to exactly the same stop in southern Brooklyn?

Quickly forgetting about him, I walked 6 blocks to my friend's house, then across and through a small, winding road to a quiet, tree-lined block of houses.

As I arrived at my friend's house, I saw, to my astonishment, this same gentleman dragging a trash can to the curb of the house next door!

It was clearly his house. Yes, he was my friend's next door neighbor! He waved at me in recognition.

The moral of the story: be nice to strangers. Because you never know when they'll turn out to be friends of your neighbors, or at the very least, know where you live!

2011-07-26T23:17:00.002-04:00

New Crusades

Thanks, everyone, for the well wishes!

Yes, it's an exciting time for us. And luckily, things are going smoothly so far (knock on wood).

What else have I been up to, besides looking in horror as my stomach gets bigger and bigger and I start waddling around?

I've started a new Facebook fan page called "Save the U.S. Postal Service by Writing More Letters."

As some of you may know, I've always been a huge writer of snail-mail letters, and a huge collector of stationery.

In view of the recent severe cutbacks at the U.S. Postal Service, I've convinced myself that if we all make a concerted group effort to write more letters, we can make a difference!

I'm optimistic that we can!

If you're on Facebook, check out the page. Strength in numbers!

And write a letter to your grandmother today. Everyone loves getting letters in the mail!

2011-07-20T23:06:00.006-04:00

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

Whew, it's been a season of changes.

My office moved. Talk about a massive undertaking. My whole career packed into 10 packing crates and hauled across town to a new building.

I'm still getting used to the new commute and spending 12+ hours a day in a new environment.

Also, after over a decade of saving and hoping, I bought a new flute. It was time!

It's a beautiful instrument, and it's really changed my life.

I drained my savings to buy it.

And of course, as soon as the ink was dry on the check for the flute, we got some more news.

Come wintertime, the Husband and I will be joined by a third family member.

Like I said, lots of changes.

2011-07-09T09:26:00.002-04:00

Cost of Living

The Husband had a skin rash last week, due to some sort of allergic reaction.

We had trouble finding a dermatologist who would see him on short notice. Apparently all dermatologists work 10-3 each day and spend Fridays in the Hamptons. And of those, more than half do only cosmetic derm - Botox, facelifts, etc.

A friend got a friend to see him. She's a dermatologist to the stars on Park Avenue.

10 minute consultation = $450 (payable immediately since she doesn't take insurance).

Man, I went into the wrong business.

2011-07-06T22:15:00.002-04:00

Super Freaked

The Husband bought me a nice Amazon Kindle a couple of months ago.

I was super excited about it. It's the latest one - it's sleek, light, small and has Wi-Fi.

It's an amazing device. I read it for about half an hour each night before going to bed. In addition, I've taken it on a couple of business trips and read it on the train.

Well, it's great..but I'm getting a little paranoid.

I haven't had to charge it a single time since I got it.

The instructions said it could last up to two months with the Wi-Fi disconnected. But I've left the Wi-Fi on, and read it almost every day.

I've heard of people being disappointed when the battery life on their electronic devices is shorter than expected.

But longer than expected?

I know I shouldn't complain. Maybe there's a little hamster in that sleek casing, running efficiently for me.

2011-06-28T21:31:00.002-04:00

Hippity Hoppity

The other day I had lunch with a friend, and she put down this dollar bill as a tip.

She assured me that it is in fact legal tender, printed by the U.S. Treasury. And she directed me to the Bunny Bucks site, which explains it all.

Super cool!

2011-06-15T08:22:00.003-04:00

You Ask For It, You Got It

As a fairly serious amateur musician, I often get asked to do gigs. I once played in group for the Archbishop. I've played a couple of memorial services. And I've done a bunch of weddings.

Over the weekend, a couple of friends and I had a wedding gig.

It was a beautiful wedding, held outdoors in a botanical garden by a babbling brook.

It was a Jewish wedding. The bride had explicit instructions for us: we were to play Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring specifically for the rabbi's entry into the ceremony.

This initiated a quandary for us, the musicians. We whispered among ourselves - did she know that the song is about, well, JESUS?

The cellist said, "We should ask her if she's sure that's what she wants."

The violinist said, "No, she must know. She asked for it by name. "Jesu" is the first word in the name of the piece. It's awkward if we second guess her. We should just give her what she wants. If the rabbi gives us an odd look, we'll just have to keep playing and hoping he blames us for the musical choice, not her."

So that's what we did. Nobody gave us any odd looks.

Has it just become standard repertoire for weddings? Or maybe it couldn't be heard over the sound of the babbling brook (which, incidentally, babbled very loudly and beautifully).

2011-06-10T23:23:00.002-04:00

Like a Poopy Baby

Today I ate a chocolate ice cream bar at work.

Mmmm...

Unbeknownst to me, a piece of the chocolate fell onto my chair. And I sat on it, and smushed it into my (light-colored) pants.

I walked around the office all afternoon with what looked like a huge poop stain on my butt.

Right before I left the office, I went to the bathroom and chanced to see the huge stain. Arghhh!!

I had to take my pants off in the ladies room and scrub off the stain with soap and water.

Then I put my pants back on, and left the office to take the subway home.

Yes, all afternoon I walked around looking like I'd pooped my pants. Then all night I walked around looking like I'd peed my pants.

Good times.

2011-06-05T14:39:00.004-04:00

Only on the New York City Subway

Story #1: Overheard on the subway during the evening commute:

Two well-suited young men, Wall Street types, speaking to each other.

Man #1: Yeah, I heard Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was worth reading.

Man #2: I heard that, too. But I just can't bring myself to read it. I'm just such a big fan of Jane Austen's original book, that I think it would just piss me off to see what this guy has done to the story.

Man #1: I'm totally with you on that!

Story #2: This morning, a homeless man on the C train stood up and shouted, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am tired and hungry, and would appreciate it if someone could give me a ham and cheese sandwich, please."

Apparently he thought he was ordering at a deli.

Since I had a bag of roast beef sandwiches with no cheese, I didn't offer because I hate rejection.

2011-05-21T11:55:00.003-04:00

Raptured!

Yeah, I don't think this rapture thing is going to happen today.

I should have known it this morning, when I called my parents in Asia. It was 10 p.m. there, and still no earthquakes.

I feel like I should ask for my money back, or something.

I guess I'd better go and do laundry, do the dishes and get some work done - all things I'd been putting off in case it did happen.

2011-05-14T12:21:00.003-04:00

The Edge

There is nothing, I repeat, nothing, sketchier than Newark Penn Station after 11 p.m.

I was there last night, and here are some of the things I saw:

1. A homeless man in a shouting match with the proprietor of a bodega, after the proprietor caught the homeless man trying to stick some candy in the pocket of his old, ratty jeans.

2. Another homeless man lying on the floor on his side, asleep and with his buttocks entirely exposed.

3. 3 women who looked like Eastern European prostitutes, milling around near the turnstiles and eating bags of pretzels.

4. Another man crouched near the turnstiles, unzipping his pants and engaging in what looked like humping on the turnstiles.

5. A midget in a green leprechaun hat, yelling about how the end of the world is coming next week.

2011-05-04T20:28:00.005-04:00

Quiet Contemplation

I guess we have President Obama to thank for knocking the unemployed woman who married into the welfare family off the front page of what seemed like every newspaper in the world.

Yes, almost 10 years after the 9/11 attacks, Osama bin Laden has been discovered and summarily eliminated.

I fall into the category of people who do not feel celebratory about this, and who were unsettled by the images of Americans rejoicing in the streets upon hearing the news.

Celebrating someone's death is icky. No matter how evil that someone was. It just smacks of hubris. In a movie, the celebration scene is always followed by a scene of those celebratory people getting their asses kicked.

So I can't rejoice in someone's death, even if that someone is my enemy. That just seems like it would be, well, un-Christian of me.

But I understand the pent-up emotions a lot of people are dealing with.

I just hope for a future of peace and better understanding in the world. And I hope, like the hydra of legend, we don't find that after cutting off one head, many more have grown in its place.

2011-04-24T20:26:00.005-04:00

Happy Easter!

I hope everyone had a lovely Easter.

Now, in honor of the end of Lent, I can start cursing, being impatient, eating sweets and fatty foods and being rude to tourists again. Good times.

2011-04-20T08:07:00.003-04:00

Expanding My Horizons

Since I'm not a native New Yorker, I don't know much about the other boroughs outside of Manhattan.

Yes, it's shameful, I know.

Over the weekend I went to a bridal shower in Brooklyn Heights.

The host lived in a brownstone right off Joralemon Street.

I'd never seen or heard that street name before. What did it mean? Was it a family's name? Was it the name of a founder of Brooklyn? Was it made up?

Why does it have the word "lemon" in it?

How is it pronounced - to emphasize the second syllable (so the first part rhymes with "corral"), or the third (to emphasize "lemon")?

All of these questions have remained unanswered for me.

I did, however, discover that the Urban Dictionary mentions it.

Apparently, "Joralemon" is slang for an attractive woman found in Brooklyn.

If anyone has any other information, please share!

2011-04-12T21:39:00.004-04:00

Be Kind!

Today was National Be Kind to Lawyers Day!

I wish someone had said that to the mean and nasty opposing counsel I had to negotiate with on the phone.

Then again, maybe this is only a directive for non-lawyers to be nice to lawyers. Perhaps lawyers can continue to be mean to each other today.

Hope everyone else had a good day, at least!

2011-04-06T07:48:00.003-04:00

Playing the Odds

The Husband regularly buys Megamillions lottery tickets. He's an optimist.

I always try to convince him not to do it. To me, it's just throwing money down the drain, because the odds are definitely stacked against us.

My scientific data for such a theory?

First, nobody in Manhattan ever wins the lottery. Think about it. You'll never see this in the news: "Mr. X and his wife live on the Upper West Side, and plan to use their winnings to pay off their outrageous mortgage on their one bedroom apartment, and then retire if there's anything left over."

Right! It's usually someone from a rural area, or a small town, who works in a factory or has a minimum wage job, or is already retired.

Second, nobody Asian ever wins the lottery. In fact, it seems to be mostly white people who win it.

Ok, ok, it could just be because there just aren't many Asians in the U.S. But I'm still convinced it's a conspiracy!

Third, no lawyers ever win the lottery. Think about it. Have you ever seen it on the news, I ask you???

I rest my case!!

2011-03-23T22:12:00.003-04:00

Autocorrect

I keep reading about these horrendously funny autocorrect disasters online.

Today it happened to me.

A friend texted me to catch up.

"Yeah," he said. "Jen is pregnant; due in a couple of months. We're super excited, and currently looking for condoms, so we can have more space for the baby."

Uh...

I think he meant to say CONDOS!

Unless he's saying that they're getting serious about birth control, so their kid won't have to share a room with a sibling...

2011-03-20T20:39:00.003-04:00

Ear, Nose, Throat

Today the Husband and I were walking down the street in Manhattan.

"Hey, do want to go to Zabar's?" I asked.

"Why do you want to go to a gay bar?" responded the husband.

Hmm..maybe it's time for someone to get his ears cleaned out by the doctor.

2011-03-15T21:06:00.002-04:00

Coming Together

It's just so heartbreaking to read about what's happened in Japan recently.

Fortunately, everyone I know there is ok. Well, so far. If the radiation leaks are contained.

But from what I've heard, it's been as orderly and un-chaotic as it can be, given the circumstances.

People all over the world are so surprised to hear there's been pretty much no crime like looting, violence, etc.

It reminds me of a story a good friend told in 1995, when he was in Kobe during the Great Hanshin earthquake.

He said everything was flattened and desolate. There was no electricity, no food, no water.

He took a walk to a neighborhood convenience store, whose doors were opened but whose owners were nowhere to be found.

He said everyone in the neighborhood was there, lined up in an orderly fashion, entering the store in small groups so as not to mob it.

There was a pile of money on the checkout counter. People kept adding to it on their way out - paying for their groceries as they left.

2011-03-14T23:08:00.002-04:00

The Gender Gap

Tonight I was flipping channels when I came across the season finale of The Bachelor.

The Bachelor was telling one of the last remaining women (both of whom were vying for his affections) that she was being eliminated. He was picking the other woman.

The rejected woman was sobbing and wailing.

The Husband is a man of few extraneous words.

After a few moments, he said, "I don't understand why she's so upset. Shouldn't she just kick him in the balls and walk away, and be done with it?"

Well put, my dear. Well put.

2011-03-11T00:10:00.003-05:00

Jesus Saves

During my community orchestra's rehearsal tonight (we rehearse in a church in Midtown Manhattan), I accidentally gave myself a papercut.

The church sexton very kindly dug around the back office, and found me the following Jesus bandage.

Pretty stylish!

2011-03-09T01:10:00.003-05:00

Oh So Romantic

Another quiet, romantic evening in the THB household.

We made dinner, sat on the couch together, had wine.

...And watched an episode of Bully Beatdown.

Since we both like martial arts, we're both unashamedly into this show.

Hey, they say couples who have common interests have longer-lasting marriages.

2011-02-27T21:23:00.004-05:00

Poker? I Hardly Know Her

What a month February has been. I got some sort of flu and was laid out for almost a week. Still catching up.

The good news is that during my down time, the Husband taught me how to play poker. Texas Hold 'Em, to be exact.

I think he's created a monster.

Unlike in my work and personal life (in which I'm extremely conservative and risk-averse), I'm apparently a high-risk, live-on-the-edge poker player.

I bet on every hand. I never fold. I throw those chips into the pool like they're candies.

I get all excited, even when I have nothing valuable in my hand. I raise the bet all of the time.

As a result, my opponents get really confused. They think I couldn't be so foolish to bluff on certain hands, and as a result, I keep them on their toes.

Yeah, sure I still lost over and over again.

But at least it happened quickly and painlessly!

2011-02-15T23:08:00.005-05:00

Evolution

The evolution of Valentine's Day in my relationship with the Husband:

Year 1: Fancy romantic dinner (4 courses) in a fancy restaurant, dancing, flowers, jewelry, large box of nice chocolates.

Year 2: Fancy romantic dinner (4 courses) in a fancy restaurant, large box of nice chocolates.

Year 3: Romantic dinner (3 courses) cooked at home by devoted boyfriend, large box of nice chocolates.

Year 4 (Year 1 of marriage): Romantic dinner (Chinese food delivery) ordered from local restaurant by devoted husband, small box of nice chocolates.

Year 5 (Year 2 of marriage): Romantic dinner at Popeye's fried chicken, bag of Hershey's Kisses.

Year 6 (Year 3 of marriage): 1 course pasta dinner cooked at home by devoted husband, fell asleep before dessert.

2011-02-09T21:07:00.004-05:00

Spamalot

I've been gathering the most amusing subject lines that I've seen in spam that lands in my Inbox.

Here are some good ones:

Nigerian Prince Seeking Your Urgent Assistance

Money for a Goodly Person of God

Lengthen and Widen Your Tool Forever!!

Congratulations You Have Won Lottery!

The Girls Will Flock To You With Your Large Peni$

Make Her Happy In Bed Tonight and Forever

Alert: Suspicious Activity on Your Account - Reset

Barely Legal Sluts Waiting For You!

But tonight I got the subject line that beats all:

Let Us Help You Recycle Your Soiled Lab Equipment!

Huh?

2011-02-07T09:05:00.003-05:00

Stupor Bowl

We watched the Super Bowl last night.

I've never been that excited about football - for me, it's a chance to hang out with friends and eat and drink a lot.

And after his beloved New York Jets lost a couple of weeks ago, the Husband lost interest in this year's outcome.

But we had fun at the party we went to. Especially our friend who is a huge Green Bay Packers fan.

This guy is so into the Packers, he had a Packers-themed wedding. The bridesmaids wore gold and green, and the tables were numbered after the jersey numbers of famous Packers. Th e wedding cake was decorated in Packers colors, and the bride and groom danced to Packers fight songs.

"Yeah," his wife told me. "I can pretty much have whatever I want for the rest of my life because I let him do this."

2011-01-26T22:22:00.004-05:00

You Can Trust the System!

I use a popular online delivery service to order food from lots of restaurants here in Manhattan.

Today I went to their site and noticed a jarring graphic on their home page. They had a photo of a Chinese food takeout container, with a pair of chopsticks sticking up vertically out of the container.

In many Asian cultures, this is a no-no. Just type "chopsticks sticking up" into Google and you'll see why.

So I emailed the company and told them. I said it really nicely - I've been a loyal customer for many years, and I just thought they might want to know that. It's just a bit jarring to go to their home page and see it. It brings back memories of getting yelled at by my parents when I was a kid and fooling around at the dinner table.

And they wrote back, thanking me profusely for pointing me out and offering me a discount code for my next order!

Sometimes the system DOES work!

2011-01-20T23:24:00.004-05:00

Smile

I went to the dentist yesterday for my quarterly appointment.

Yes, I said quarterly. I go to the dentist every 3 months!

Thanks to bad genes, I have pretty bad gum disease in my family. My grandmother had lost all of her teeth by age 30. My parents both have several false teeth.

I am determined to avoid this fate. Luckily, I have a really great dentist. But keeping my teeth and gums in good shape hasn't been easy.

When most people go to the dentist, they get that little napkin clipped around their neck. Then the nurse or hygienist comes in, gives them a little cup of water so they can rinse and spit into the little sink on the side at the end of the appointment. Then the dentist scrapes a little, pokes and prods, says, "It looks good. Come back in a year" or "You have a cavity; let's take care of it" or whatever.

When I go to the dentist, they have to change that little napkin because within 10 minutes, blood gets spattered all over it. And they don't want to scare the other patients who might be walking by, and who will think it's a grisly murder scene.

If I happen to look in the mirror, I see something that reminds me of that scene in the The Silence of the Lambs, when Hannibal Lecter is on his rampage.

Then the dentist says things like, "Ok, here's a suction tube, so you don't drown in your own blood" and "Let's refill that little cup of water for the 10th time so you can rinse" and "Nurse, please wipe down the blood that's dripping down the side of the sink."

And, "Let's try this experimental new laser treatment" or "Do you mind if our dental students come in and see what serious bone loss from gum disease looks like?"

And, "Please don't ever go on a reality show that requires you to live on a desert island; if you went more than 3 months without coming in here, your teeth would all fall out" and "I won't charge you for today's appointment, because I know you'll be back 3 more times this year."

But I always look on the bright side.

I got so many cavities as a kid that at some point, when every tooth had a filling, I didn't have to worry about getting any more.

And at least I get a lot of free toothbrushes!

2011-01-12T21:43:00.003-05:00

Good Things

Thanks to everyone for the expressions of love and support.

It's been a tough couple of weeks, but we'll all be ok.

Some things that I've found, over the past few days, to be good balms for the pain of losing a friend:

-- Visiting my friends who have babies. Babies are just great. They're so cute and full of energy, and they remind you of how beautiful life is, and how much hope there is for the future.

-- Walking in the Park. Even though it's the dead of winter, you can see signs of life everywhere - green shoots on a tree, a small bud that almost escaped notice, even squirrel footprints.

-- Bad reality shows. Nothing like seeing the Real Housewives of wherever to help you gain perspective on how trivial so many problem s really are, and how little many people appreciate what they have every day. And resolve to be a better person in that regard.

-- Sitting in a quiet church. You can just feel the presence of..something. Who knows what it is? Intelligent minds may differ in their opinions.

-- A big cup of hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream. I love that sensation when it hits the roof of my mouth. The loveliest flavor in the world.

Life marches forward.

2011-01-05T23:05:00.006-05:00

Da Pacem Domine

Thanks to everyone for the expressions of concern.

It's been a tough few days. But our friend passed away this evening, quickly and peacefully.

He was an organ donor, so his death has already saved other lives.

He was surrounded by his family and loved ones, and everyone was able to say good-by to him.

Even though we may struggle for the rest of our lives with why he did what he did, we all feel a measure of relief for him. We pray and hope that his soul has found peace, and that he is no longer in the pain that he felt every day of his life.

2011-01-02T23:33:00.006-05:00

No One Laughs at God in a Hospital

Well, it is 2011. The Husband and I rang in the new year at home, surrounded by friends, having a low key evening with wine, good food and Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest.

But today we heard some very sad news - a friend is in the ICU. He tried to commit suicide early this morning. Another friend got an alarming email from him and alerted the paramedics, who got to him in time and rushed him to the hospital. Right now he is in critical condition, and the future is uncertain.

I'm asking the blogosphere for lots of prayers. And I myself have been praying all day. Please, God, please let him live. He has so much to offer, and so many people who love and care about him.

2010-12-26T23:48:00.003-05:00

Bleeping Blizzards!

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!

We had a beautiful Christmas. Lots of family, good food and happy memories.

But today we've been hit with the great blizzard of 2010! There's already a foot of snow accumulation outside.

The Husband and I had made plans several weeks ago to meet some friends for dinner across town tonight. So we braved the elements.

Our trip there and back was pretty wretched. We were stuck walking several avenue blocks across town, and the snow and wind were swirling so hard, we could barely see in front of us.

At one point, we passed some other pedestrians struggling in the blizzard.

They were clearly a family. I heard a woman wail to her spouse, "What is up with this crazy winter weather in New York? I WANT TO GO BACK TO CANADA where it's warm!"

2010-12-21T19:52:00.002-05:00

Winter Solstice

Wow, time flies! I didn't mean to take a two week break from blogging. It just sort of happened, mostly because our internet went down, and is still very spotty.

I think it's our stone-age modem. To illustrate how old this modem is,

-- It's powered by little hamsters that run on its interior to keep it going.

-- It ticks loudly and has to be wound up at least once a day, like a grandfather clock.

-- We keep the parts lubricated with an oil can just like the one they used to keep the tin man moving in The Wizard of Oz.

-- It's made partly of asbestos.

-- It does double duty as a Betamax player.

-- It was never the same after Y2K.

2010-12-07T23:58:00.003-05:00

Addiction

After years of dormancy, I recently rediscovered an old obsession.

Bejeweled!

I used to play this trusty old video game on my old cell phone, years ago. When I got rid of that cell phone, I never bothered to reload it onto my new one.

Well, I just discovered that it was available as a download on iTunes for the low price of 99 cents.

So I downloaded it onto my iPhone. And I'm an addict again!

The only inconvenient thing is that the iPhone doesn't detect the touch of a gloved finger.

So that makes it really inconvenient to play Bejeweled while sitting at a bus stop in the sub-freezing weather (of which we have had much this past week).

I have to take my gloves off to touch the screen, and it doesn't take long for me to lose all feeling in my fingers.

A minor inconvenience. Even if my face and iPhone are covered in icicles, and even if my finger falls off, I'm playing my Bejeweled!

Spoken like a true addict.

2010-11-30T00:16:00.002-05:00

The Grass is Always Greener

Over the weekend, we met some good friends, a married couple, for lunch.

They have two beautiful little boys. One is four; the other is 8 months old.

I've always envied them because of their beautiful family.

But this weekend I saw another side of the happiness!

The poor mom couldn't eat anything at all. She had to alternate between nursing the baby and yelling at the four year old to sit still.

I actually cut her meat and peeled her shrimp for her, since her hands were occupied all through lunch. It was really funny.

At one point, the four year old started fighting with his brother while his brother was nursing. So my poor friend was being pawed from all directions by these two little boys.

At one point she looked at me and sighed, "Are you sure you want this someday?"

And then she lamented, "This is my life. I'm surrounded by penises!"

Hahahahahaha.

2010-11-25T00:36:00.004-05:00

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving!

The other day I read that people who regularly count their blessings are happier, and have lower blood pressure, less depression, and longer life expectancies.

This year I am so thankful for so many things.

A wonderful family, fabulous friends, a great job in a tough economy, the world's most amazing boss after having worked for a long line of psychos, a lovely apartment in a terrific neighborhood close to Central Park, the chance to play music regularly and to be able to balance it with work, freedom to do what I love for work and for fun, a black belt in tae kwon do, a laser printer that prints super friggin' fast, an adjustable rate mortgage whose interest rate has fallen to unbelievable lows, no credit card debt, low blood pressure, my Kitchenaid stand mixer, good eyesight, normal Pap smear results, regular bowel movements, parents who are still together and pretty good hair most days.

When put that way, I'm an enormously lucky person!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. May you have a wonderful day surrounded by love, and many, many blessings to appreciate today and every day of the year.

2010-11-18T23:45:00.004-05:00

Simple Solutions

All day today I felt really crappy.

I'd gotten on early, thrown on a pair of old suit pants and a blouse, and trudged to work.

As soon as I got to work, my stomach started to hurt. A dull, unremitting ache.

All afternoon, my back was aching as well. And I felt like I couldn't take a deep breath.

I had no idea what was going on!

When I got home, I told the Husband that I wasn't feeling so well, and would probably just go to bed.

So just now, I decided to take a hot shower before bed, hoping that would make me feel better.

I went in the bathroom, unbuttoned and unzipped my pants, and Voila! Suddenly all of the pain went away.

It was a miracle!

I could breathe, my stomach suddenly felt fine and my back pain evaporated.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. I realized that my pain and discomfort were caused by one thing:

My old suit pants were too tight!

2010-11-15T07:24:00.006-05:00

Patience is a Virtue

The Husband just came back from a business trip. This time, he spent 10 days in Eastern Europe, among the old Soviet states.

A couple of my friends asked me if I was worried that he'd come home with a new Russian mail-order bride.

Another friend said, "Don't worry about that! Everyone knows that Eastern European women don't age well.

"They basically go from hot young things:

..to babushkas! Overnight!

"Whereas everyone knows that Asian women age very well.

"It's that pearl cream you guys use.

"So bide your time; even if he brings another woman home, you'll come out ahead in 10 years."

2010-11-06T09:40:00.006-04:00

Never Mind Breakfast

Dear Mr. grizzled hipster man in the waiting room of the ob/gyn's office,

I know you're probably waiting for your wife or girlfriend, and I'm sure you're bored.

But you do realize that the rest of us can all see you, right?

So if you pick your nose and then use that same finger to tap on the touch screen of your iPhone, it's really gross for the rest of to witness that.

Especially when you keep doing it over and over again. Like you're looking for buried treasure, and then consulting an online source that gives you tips on how to do it.

So please stop, ok? Or at least use a different finger.

Ok, thanks.

2010-11-04T00:02:00.004-04:00

No One's Laughing

I've been going through a lot of stuff lately.

A lot of "why would God let these things happen" and "there must be a reasons, but it's hard to see" and "it's hard to keep the faith" stuff.

This song has brought me some comfort. One of my favorites.

I heard her perform it live last year, and it was even more amazing in concert.

Sorry I can't embed the video here. You'll just have to follow the link if you're curious.

2010-10-27T20:50:00.003-04:00

Snowed In!

Sorry I've been posting so infrequently lately.

I've been so busy at work, barely keeping my head above water.

Seriously, the more senior you get in a law firm, the more you're responsible for!

This is what I've been feeling like.

I'll be back soon, I promise!

2010-10-19T00:06:00.003-04:00

I Heart NY

Tonight I had one of those, "Wow, I'm so glad I moved to New York" moments.

I was listening to the NY State gubernatorial debate tonight on the radio. I was stuck at work late, so the radio was my only option while working.

Seriously, it was friggin' hilarious. And this was just with the audio portion, no visual.

My favorite candidates were Eliot Spitzer's former madam, and the guy from the "The Rent is Too Damn High Party" Seriously. Actual candidate.

Here's his website. He even wrote a catchy jingle. Be forewarned - it sticks in your head.

2010-10-11T22:01:00.002-04:00

Wrong Number

Oh, the frustration of the crappy answering machine!

One night last week I got home from work and checked our machine, and I heard the following message:

Hi, this is Liz [undecipherable] from the [undecipherable] you may have heard [undecipherable] collection of [undecipherable] Jewish heritage and [undecipherable] got your number from your friend Judy [undecipherable] interested in hearing the history of your family and its journey from Russia, especially since she said your grandparents were [undecipherable]. If you're interested in participating, call me back at 212-[undecipherable]. Look forward to hearing from you soon!

Clearly this was a wrong number, as neither the Husband nor I are Jewish or have ancestors from Russia.

But I've been losing sleep, thinking that Liz thinks this family isn't interested in talking to her!

Since I have no number to call, I can't call her back and tell her she got the wrong number.

I'm just hoping that after she didn't hear back, she called Judy and Judy set her straight.

That must have happened, right? I have to tell myself that everything is ok, and Liz got a hold of this family eventually, and everything is fine.

2010-10-04T23:23:00.005-04:00

I've Loved You So Long

Working in midtown Manhattan, I often see celebrities in the street while walking to the office in the morning.

This morning I almost ran smack into Morgan Freeman.

He was taking photos with some of his fans in the street.

Unlike some famous people, who give off a chilly aura when you see them in real life, he was relaxed and gracious and friendly. He was shaking everyone's hand, signing autographs and smiling.

One woman walking by shouted, "We love you! You're one of the greatest actors of all time!"

"Thank you!" he responded, waving at her with a smile before jumping into his limo.

I wanted to yell my feelings, too - something along the lines of, "I've loved you since I was a kid, Morgan Freeman! You were instrumental in the formative years of my childhood! You were awesome in The Electric Company! My favorite song was the one you sang about the Hole in the Bottom of the Sea!"

But then I lost my nerve. I wasn't sure if he'd be insulted, given the extraordinary trajectory his career took after that point.

It would be like someone saying to me, "I've admired you for a long time, THB. I was always impressed at how fast you ran in dodgeball and Red Rover when we were in fourth grade."

Then again, I wouldn't have minded that. I was a pretty good dodgeball player. And nobody could break through my grip of steel in Red Rover.

2010-09-28T21:23:00.002-04:00

Multitasking

I experienced a first this week.

Taking a crowded subway home from work, I saw a woman get on, sit down and open up a plastic bag with a takeout container in it.

Suddenly, the smell of garlic and potatoes filled the subway car.

I've seen people eat and drink on the subway before, but this woman took it to a whole new level.

She basically had a low country boil in her lap. She proceeded to peel and eat every shrimp in the container, and eat every potato, smacking her lips loudly and chewing with gusto.

20 minutes later, she wrapped everything up and sighed contentedly, while the other people on the crowded subway car looked at her in disbelief.

2010-09-24T00:17:00.002-04:00

Vintage!

Over last weekend, after much toil and sweat, the Husband and I finally emptied out the storage unit that my parents had rented many years ago when they put everything into storage and moved to Asia.

Among the relics I found in the pile of stuff was my old Trapper Keeper that I used in junior high.

Remember those things?

Mine looked like this one, except it had kittens on it:

They were huge and heavy, but every kid had one.

My whole life was in mine - my class schedule, my notes, my pencils and homework.

If you liked a boy and you were bold about it, you would scrawl his name with yours on your Trapper Keeper.

At the beginning of each class, there would be a loud, collective Crack! as everyone yanked open the flap on their Trapper Keepers and detached the Velcro fastening.

Walking from class to class, I'd hug mine close to my chest. It represented my whole life.

And unlike the iPods, iPads and other little gizmos kids have nowadays, the Trapper Keeper could perform double duty as a desk if you wanted to do any work on the bus or on the playground between classes - you would just prop it on your knees as a surface to do your homework.

I think I'm going to start bringing mine to work in my briefcase. Maybe it will make me more organized in my professional life!

2010-09-19T13:46:00.002-04:00

Tree Hugger

Yesterday I was driving in central New Jersey when I came up to a red light next to a guy in a pickup truck.

He had his window rolled down and was pouring the remains of a bottle of soda into the bushes on the median.

Euw! He made eye contact with me, and then looked away, obviously embarrassed that I'd caught him defiling nature with a carbonated beverage.

Then he reached with his arm behind him and into the back of his pickup truck, pulled out a blue recycling bag, and put the empty bottle into it. And drove off.

At least he recycles plastic!

2010-09-11T13:13:00.007-04:00

Nine Years Out

It's hard to believe that today it's been 9 years since the World Trade Center towers were destroyed.

On that day, I was a young woman who had just started practicing law, looking forward to celebrating my birthday as a twentysomething-year-old.

Today I am a still-young woman years into my practice of law, celebrating my birthday as a thirtysomething-year-old.

In that period of time, I'd like to think we've all become more aware of the world and its dangers. But also more appreciative of the days of peace, and all of the good things about our humanity.

If Osama bin Laden is still out there, he certainly knows he hasn't beaten us.

I believe in forgiveness. I wish all of us love and peace. It's my birthday so I get to bestow that wish on everyone for today.

2010-09-07T22:14:00.007-04:00

Back from the Great American Work Vacation!

We're home!

It was a nice trip. Here are some photos.

First, this is a sample of some of the beautiful New England countryside we saw - rolling, green hills:

Here's a farmers market we went to:

And here's one of my favorite photos - I took it in front of the Norman Rockwell Museum.

It was supposed to be a nice photo of the sign and the museum, but I inadvertently captured this woman who was lying in the grass in front of the sign. Priceless!

On our last night, we saw a Double Rainbow, all the way!! Hahahahahaha.

2010-08-26T01:35:00.006-04:00

The Great American Work Vacation, 2010 Edition!

I've done it all - I've finished a buttload of work, I've packed up, I've gassed up the car, I've set the automatic feeder on the aquarium, and I'm off!

The Husband and I are driving to New England for a much-needed week of relaxing and driving around.

I can't wait! I'd reached the point at work where, if I didn't leave soon, I knew I was going to strangle somebody.

While I'm gone, enjoy this song, which I think might be named after me. Or maybe I'm named after it.

And imagine me, driving around New England in my little Toyota.

See y'all soon!

2010-08-18T00:17:00.002-04:00

All the Single Ladies

The Husband is out of town for the next 10 days for work.

He's in a remote location with limited cell phone and internet access.

This is the first time we've been apart for this long since before we got married. And honestly, it's taken some getting used to!

But after a couple of sleepless and lonely nights, I've fallen into a routine.

I've been trying to look on the bright side of this separation and list all of the fun things about having my apartment to myself while he's gone:

1. I get to monopolize the tv and stay up late watching artsy French movies on IFC and the Sundance Channel, without hearing him complain about how I like weird movies and he'd rather be watching ESPN.

2. I get to hog the bed - and I'd forgotten what fun that can be!

3. When the alarm goes off in the morning, instead of turning it off right away so as not to disturb him, I can blast NPR and get all of my news on high volume, the way I like it.

4. I can put something down, walk away and know it will still be there when I return. Woo hoo!

5. I don't have to share the bathroom with anyone!

6. There are a helluva lot fewer dishes and dirty clothes lying around, since it's just me!

So basically, it's like I'm a single lady again.

I love being married, but occasionally a little change keeps it all interesting.

2010-08-12T08:56:00.001-04:00

Self Awareness

Since my sister is spending the summer in Europe, I've had the use of her car for the past couple of months.

We've been trying to take advantage of the wheels by taking trips most weekends this summer.

Since it's stick shift, and the Husband can't drive it, I've been doing all of the driving.

I've come to a horrible realization.

I'm a scary driver!

I'm not bad. I just get stressed out when I drive. So I curse a lot. And I grip the steering wheel tightly and sit really close to it.

I'm your average Asian woman driver who crawls along like an old woman.

And I ask my passengers to help me merge and change lanes. And I criticize the other drivers on the road.

Yeah, I can see why driving in my car can be a harrowing experience.

It's good to be self aware.

2010-08-03T00:39:00.012-04:00

Sinister and Gauche

During my commute home tonight, I ran into an old acquaintance on the subway.

I hadn't seen or heard from him in about 4 years, so we spent a few minutes catching up.

He told me that in the last 4 years he'd gotten married, had a kid and then split up with his wife.

His daughter is now three years old, and his ex-wife has custody of her, but he sees her 3 days a week.

"She's growing so fast," he said. "And I'm just worried because I don't live with her, and my ex is fighting me for every minute of visitation. And I just feel nervous about not being enough of a presence and good influence in her life."

He continued, "For example, I think she's going to be left handed. She picks things up, and does things, with her left hand. I try to fix that, but I'm not with her enough to keep teaching her the correct hand to use."

Uhh...

Seriously, I did a double take. "What's wrong with being left handed?" I asked, incredulously.

"It just doesn't look right!" he insisted. "I try to remind her when I'm with her, but there are only so many hours each week I'm with her, so when I'm not around, who knows what my ex lets her do!"

Before he could say more, we arrived at his subway stop. "Ok, great talking to you! We should hang out sometime!" he said brightly, and stepped off the subway.

Leaving me speechless, with my mouth hanging open.

I swear, I couldn't even make up a story like this.

2010-07-29T23:16:00.005-04:00

Dilemmas!

Yes, I've been missing for a while.

That's what having out of town guests will do to you!

Some good friends came to visit last week, and we had fun taking them around the City.

Over the weekend we drove them upstate to enjoy some mountains and trees and other lovely things that are hard to find in the concrete jungle.

Heading home, we encountered a dilemma: the car was almost out of gas, and we had to pick which gas station to stop at.

This turned out to be a huge dilemma!

We couldn't go to BP because, of course, they caused that horrendous oil spill on the Gulf Coast.

We couldn't go to Exxon because I swore I'd never give them my money again, after that time two years ago I put diesel gas into my tank based on a badly-marked gas pump, and had to have my entire catalytic converter replaced at great cost.

We couldn't go to Shell because the last time I went there, the attendant left the gas pump stuck in my car but told me I was good to go, and I drove off not realizing it, and the gas pump flew out and dented my car.

We couldn't go to Lukoil because we have sworn off supporting a corrupt Russian oligarchy.

We couldn't go to Texaco because the last time I went there, the stupid teenager who took my credit card thought it would be cute to balance it on my windshield, and it fell down between the glass and the door, so now I have a credit card permanently buried inside my car door, with no way of getting it out without dismantling the door entirely.

We couldn't go to Citgo because we don't want to add to the coffers of Hugo Chavez, the very scary and dangerous president of Venezuela.

Yeah, it was a Hobson's Choice.

2010-07-16T00:06:00.001-04:00

Let's Take it Slow

Sorry I've been missing in action for a couple of weeks. Where does the time go?

Speaking of time, the Husband and I have been invited to a wedding this weekend.

This will be the first wedding we will attend since our own, over two years ago!

We're friends of the groom, and the funny thing is, two years ago he came to our wedding with his serious girlfriend.

We really thought they were on the verge of getting engaged. We kept waiting for the announcement. We liked her more than the girlfriend he'd had before her - whom he'd actually proposed to, and had been engaged to for several months before she broke it off.

Anyway, the girl he's marrying this weekend is yet a third girl. We haven't met her yet. We're not sure if any of his close friends have, actually.

So to recap - he was engaged to girl #1 about 3 years ago. Then she broke it off, he met girl #2 and became serious with her, and brought her as his date to our wedding.

Then about a year after our wedding (last summer) things ended with girl #2 and in that time, he met girl #3, proposed to her, and planned a wedding.

I'm frankly enormously impressed at their ability to meet, court, get engaged and get a wedding planned in under a year!

We're really hoping the third time is the charm.

2010-07-07T00:53:00.001-04:00

Heat Wave! Burning in my Heart

So this week we celebrated Independence Day in the United States. I got some projects finished at work, and I relaxed as much as I could over the weekend.

But now all of us in the Northeast have been hit with a record-breaking heat wave.

For the last couple of days, the highs in New York City have been close to 100 degrees F.

The Mayor has warned of blackouts due to pressure on the energy grid. Everyone is encouraged to stay indoors, turn off unnecessary lights, drink lots of water and make use of local cooling centers.

Having grown up in the Deep South, I can't help but feel a little strange about all of these newsworthy warnings.

Yes, I understand we all need to take precautions, but seriously, I don't remember a single heat wave from my childhood.

Is it because every single day from May to September of every year was a constant heat wave? So that elevated temperatures were nothing out of the ordinary?

I remember lounging on porches, not doing much but drinking lemonade and fanning myself for hours on end.

I remember lazily watching flies amble by, while crickets chirped as the sunset brought blessed relief from the heat.

I remember reading Harper Lee's line in To Kill a Mockingbird about a childhood spent in the South: "Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum powder."

And thinking that was the world's most perfect line of prose, for capturing it all so beautifully.

2010-06-29T22:56:00.002-04:00

Hey, Hot Stuff

This morning, during my commute to work, I was standing on the subway platform, lost in my thoughts.

An old man with white hair and rosy cheeks, who was probably in his 70s, came up to me, touched my arm, smiled and asked, "Excuse me, miss. Are you all right?"

"What?" I asked, snapping out of my reverie. "Oh, yes, I'm all right," I replied. "I'm fine."

"You are definitely fine!" purred the old man, winking at me and then walking off.

Uhh....

2010-06-23T22:29:00.003-04:00

A World of Books

When my parents moved back to Asia several years ago, we helped them put all of their stuff into storage.

30 years worth of stuff they had accumulated while living in the United States, was all crammed to a 10 foot by 5 foot storage space in New Jersey.

This summer, at their request, the Husband and I have been slowly cleaning out that storage space, in an effort to reduce the amount of unnecessary stuff.

Over the weekend, we went to the storage unit and found my old set of World Book Encyclopedias that Santa Claus gave me for Christmas, 1984.

It was still in great shape. And I have so many memories of doing book reports using its volumes, and flipping through to read random articles when I was a kid.

I remember how my parents would make me wash my hands before I could touch the encyclopedias, so I wouldn't leave smudges.

I remember helping my dad update it each year when we got the "World Book Year Book" with new articles.

I remember surreptitiously looking up "Sex" in the encyclopedia, as a curious 13-year-old.

I remember wondering why there were no articles on Bon Jovi or Madonna, my favorite musical performers in the 80s.

I really wanted to keep it. But the Husband and I accepted the fact that we couldn't. It's out of date, the volumes are very heavy, and there is NO room in our apartment to store it.

What's more, the charity we tried to give the volumes to said that they can't sell old encyclopedias; there is no market for them. So they'll probably break down the paper and recycle the volumes.

That made me feel a little sad. An era has gone by.

I know we can't save the encyclopedias for our kids. Children of the new digital and internet age, they'll laugh at us.

But they'll never know the smell of those books, and the pleasant "crack!" of opening an encyclopedia volume.

2010-06-18T00:28:00.009-04:00

Strange Signs

The other night the Husband and I went for a walk after dinner.

One of the dangers about going for a walk in a city like New York City is that you see strange things.

In particular, strange signs that cannot be explained.

Like this one:

Makes me wonder what the barber is doing with all of that gold.

And this one:

What is pharmaceutical catering? It sounds pretty unappetizing if you ask me!

2010-06-15T08:40:00.003-04:00

The Truth Revealed

Wow..it's clear to see from the comments on yesterday's post that everyone is pretty much in consensus about what my good news should be!

And to think, knowing the truth, I actually did think it was something really awesome and a big deal..

But now I'm embarrassed to be so excited about this. Something that's not a baby, but cool nonetheless.

Please forgive me in advance for disappointing everyone!

Well, here it is..

I got my black belt!

Yes, a baby would have been great news. But for now that's in God's hands. And so far it hasn't been in the cards for us yet.

But the meantime, I can kick everyone's butt while I'm waiting for that baby to show up!

2010-06-14T00:09:00.002-04:00

Another Step in the Journey of Life

I have some exciting news to share with everyone!

But I have to wait until I can post some photos so I can make a big announcement.

Here are a couple of hints:

1. It's something I'm really thrilled and excited about, and the Husband might be even more excited about it than I am;

2. It's the beginning of a whole new adventure; and

3. It's something that starts with the letter "B."

Tune in soon for the big news!

2010-06-07T23:54:00.002-04:00

Douchebag!

Do you know what's funny?

When nasty opposing counsel sends a nasty email message, setting forth all of the things he refuses to negotiate on, and generally just being a jerk.

But what's even funnier, is when after reading all of those mean things, I see at the bottom of the email:

"Sent from my iPad"

Buwahahahahahahaha!!

2010-06-02T23:15:00.004-04:00

Breaking News

So the elevator in my office building has one of those little tv screens that flash the latest news.

It's mesmerizing for everyone in the building. It makes the ride up to the office just a little more bearable to read the latest news, stock quotes, gossip, etc.

But occasionally it malfunctions.

For example, this morning, the following headline was displayed: "Memorial Day traffic is predicted to be very bad along the East Coast this year."

Huh? Memorial Day was last weekend!

Then, there was a headline about how "Gary Coleman is in critical condition in the hospital."

I thought to myself, "Oh, my goodness! Was Yahoo news wrong last week when it reported he had died? How ghastly for his family!"

Apparently it hasn't updated itself in nearly a week.

I just hope none of my coworkers relied on any stock quotes.

2010-05-23T04:13:00.002-04:00

Insomnia!

Once again, I'm suffering from another bout of insomnia. It's past 4 a.m., and I'm exhausted. But I cannot get to sleep.

I'm now trying the cure of last resort - reading old college textbooks.

So far I've gotten halfway through The C Programming Language, Second Edition and I'm just starting on Design and Analysis of Integrator-Based Log-Domain Filter Circuits.

I'll let you know if they do the trick.

2010-05-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Part-Time Employment

Over the weekend I hung out with an old friend from childhood who was in town visiting.

This guy is a brilliant trumpet player. From a young age, we all knew he was destined for greatness.

He went off to a really famous conservatory to study music. He was a brilliant success there, and since graduating, he's done really well for himself, finding a lot of professional success performing and teaching.

But during this visit, he was very excited telling me about the fabulous new part-time job he's found to supplement his income.

"It's great, easy and pays really well!" he exclaimed.

He's working for one of those medieval-themed restaurant/theme parks.

So every night, he puts on a chain mail shirt and helmet, and climbs up into a little tower in the middle of an arena.

He sits there alone most of the night, reading a book. Except that every 30 minutes he stands up, picks up his trumpet and plays a loud fanfare while the knights ride out on their horses and get ready to joust each other.

Then he plays another fanfare whenever the champion is declared.

Oh, and he gets to eat as many humongous turkey drumsticks as he wants.

2010-05-10T23:26:00.006-04:00

These Are the Voyages

Well, the generic Tussin did its best, but in the end I succumbed to another nasty cold.

The second in under two months! What's going on?

Has my approaching-middle-age body given out on me already?

Fortunately, tonight the Husband and I, sick dogs together that we were, found the cure for what ailed us:

Captain Jean-Luc Picard!

After watching four back-to-back episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation on tv tonight, we did feel better.

Maybe it was Dr. Crusher's soothing bedside manner that did it.

Although it's always bothered me that Dr. Crusher never wears a doctor's coat or has her hands covered in blood, like most doctors do. And her hair is always perfectly coiffed.

She uses that little handheld Nintendo Game Boy-looking thing to diagnose her patients. She never has to touch any of them!

And she can always exam everyone fully dressed. Nobody ever has to take their clothes off and put on that paper nightgown for Dr. Crusher.

2010-05-05T23:18:00.011-04:00

Adventures in Married Poverty

For the past several months, the Husband and I have been buckling down to pay off some debt and save some money.

We've been putting ourselves on weekly budgets, packing our lunches, and trying not to go out too frequently.

Earlier this week, we both came down with colds. I went to the drugstore to buy cough medicine.

There was the fancy name-brand cough medicine.

Then there was the generic stuff - "Tussin." Seeing that always makes me laugh, as anyone who's seen Chris Rock's funny video on this issue will understand.

But since I'm a maniac, I wanted the absolute cheapest stuff possible.

And way at the back of the bottom shelf in the drugstore, next to the enema kits, I found it!

Yes, we've reached a new fiscal low - we're buying the generic generic cough medicine.

I think this stuff was bottled in the 50s. But it's been working great so far. And best of all, it was super cheap!

2010-05-01T23:56:00.001-04:00

Mail Enhancement

The postal worker who delivers mail to our building is a very nice lady. She comes by our building once a day to deliver the mail.

But she's not what you'd call predictable.

Some days she comes early, around 1 p.m. Other days we won't get our mail until much later in the afternoon.

But we've figured out her pattern. Whenever Joe, the cute doorman, works a day shift, he always brings pizza for lunch.

On those days, she shows up at noon on the dot to eat pizza with him and do some flirting.

Those are good days to get packages.

Joe is very happily married. He's a good man - he takes one for the team.

2010-04-25T00:59:00.006-04:00

Sad News

The Husband got some sad news today. His girlfriend from high school passed away this week.

She'd been diagnosed with breast cancer in her mid-20s, and fought it off and was in remission for many years. But not long ago, it came back and metastasized in her lung, liver, and finally her brain.

She was 35 years old. She left behind a husband and a three-month old baby.

We found out today that she'd kept a blog detailing her chemotherapy and treatments, her hopes, her fears. As she got more and more weak, her husband took over posting and updating on her condition. He and their baby and her whole family were with her right at the end.

I feel incredibly sad. Even though I'd never met her, reading someone's blog really has a way of making you feel like you've been invited into their living room.

And I was struck by how much she said in her recent posts that she wished she could have a normal life - go out to dinner with her husband, run in the park without getting out of breath, eat whatever she wanted without vomiting. All of the things that I (and most thirty-something year olds) take for granted every day.

I think the Husband is still in shock. They'd lost touch, and he hadn't realized how sick she was. He's spent the past few hours contacting high school friends to share the news, and not talking much otherwise.

I can't really say anything else that doesn't sound trite - life is precious, we could all go at any time, live each day to the fullest, etc. But it's all true.

Hug a loved one today.

2010-04-19T21:40:00.004-04:00

Hardball!

I was in line at a deli today, paying for my lunch.

Suddenly, I heard the man in line behind me say, loudly, "Wow, you guys are lucky here. You have beautiful food places, lots of options, delicious food. This is amazing! This is nothing like the cesspool of options we have in D.C.!"

I turned around to see who was talking. I couldn't tell whether he was addressing me, or nobody in particular.

It was Chris Matthews.

Seeing him up close made me realize how good a job Darrell Hammond does imitating him!

2010-04-15T00:30:00.000-04:00

Aggressive!

This morning on my way to work, I walked past a man who had, on a leash, one of those little yippy dogs.

This little dog had a wee little cast on one of his front legs. I wish I'd caught it on camera. It was adorable. In spite of it, the little dog was limping along quickly, full of energy.

A woman walking another dog went by. She had, on her leash, a really big dog. A Great Dane.

All at once, the little yippy dog started barking loudly, and lunged at the big dog.

"Whoa!" cried the owner of the little dog. "Down, boy! Do you want casts on all three of your remaining good legs?"

I couldn't help but guffaw loudly as I walked by.

2010-04-08T00:17:00.007-04:00

Seasons of Looooovvvve!

Breaking news: scientists have found that Neptune's moon Triton has seasons!

Yes, apparently it's currently summer on Triton.

It only took 40 years to get there from the previous colder season.

But to be honest, it sounds a heck of a lot better there now than in New York City, where the weather went from the bone-chilling 30s just a few days ago to a high of 88 F today!

At least on Triton, theoretically you'd have 40 years of gradual warming to prepare for the season change. No surprises. I'm just saying.

I left for work this morning wearing a sweater. By the time my scheduled afternoon client meeting rolled around, I was sweating so much, I'm sure the client thought I was having hot flashes.

Anyone want to go to Triton with me for spring break?

2010-04-04T00:01:00.004-04:00

Joyeuses Paques!

Happy Easter!

Easter seems to mean different things to different people.

In my family, Easter is the most important holiday of the liturgical year, as it is to the Catholic Church:

So we spend it in church, in prayer and reflection, celebrating the end of Lent and thinking about Jesus.

To others, Easter means the Easter Bunny and Easter egg hunts, and lambs and chicks and springtime.

To some New Yorkers, Easter means the annual Easter parade down Fifth Avenue, when people dress in outlandish costumes and show off their hats.

Some people celebrate a Pagan Easter, spending the day engaged in sex and love and worshipping the goddess.

Happy Easter!

2010-03-28T17:05:00.003-04:00

Arrrr, Some Booty!

I was in line at the bank yesterday.

The man in front of me walked up to the counter, plunked down a wad of $50 bills, and said to the teller, "Can I get change for these bills? I'd like it all in gold-colored coins - Sacagawea dollar coins, please."

"Do they all have to be Sacagaweas?" asked the teller, opening her drawer. "I might not have enough. I have some American Silver Eagle dollar coins, the silver-colored ones. Are those ok?"

"No," said the man decisively. "They have to be gold-colored. I have a wooden chest at home, and I want to fill it with gold-looking coins so when people come over, it looks like I have a chest full of treasure."

2010-03-19T00:20:00.000-04:00

Regional Customs

A childhood friend was visiting New York earlier this week, so we met for lunch on Wednesday.

This friend grew up with me in the Deep South, and has been living in New Orleans for her entire adult life.

Wednesday, the day we met for lunch, also happened to be St. Patrick's Day. As many people know, the St. Patrick's Day parade in New York City is the biggest in the world.

This friend was staying in a hotel just off Fifth Avenue, so she watched it during her stay.

When we met, she kept talking about how strange the parade was.

"How is it strange?" I asked.

"Well," she said. "It's pretty clean and orderly. I noticed people aren't allowed to drink while they watch the parade. And does everyone in the parade just walk down the street?"

"Yeah, they walk," I responded. "How else would they march in the parade?"

"You mean nobody rides in floats?" she asked, incredulously. "And they don't throw anything to the spectators? Why earth would anybody want to go to a parade where nobody is throwing anything?"

I couldn't stop laughing!

2010-03-14T00:34:00.004-05:00

Medicinal

I've had a bad cold for the past week.

Nothing has helped me get over this bad cough, sore throat and congestion.

Nothing - not even taking a day off from work last week. Not medication or lots of fluids. Not even going to bed early every night and avoiding going outside.

Nothing, that is, until tonight, when the Husband and I went to see the Allman Brothers Band perform in concert.

Sitting in our seats, the Husband and I realized that: (1) we were the only Asians in the audience; and (2) we were surrounded by aging baby boomers, all toking up.

Seriously, they were handing around lit joints and blowing smoke rings at the ceiling.

So I'm a goody-goody. I always obey traffic rules, I'm always honest with my taxes, and I've never done any sort of illegal drug. Partly because I never really had the opportunity as a kid, and mostly because they're illegal. And the thought of doing anything illegal always gets me nervous. I've just never gone there.

Additionally, apart from the marijuana issue, it's also illegal to smoke in a building in New York City.

The odd thing was, when we left, I realized that my sinuses seemed to have cleared.

2010-03-08T08:52:00.002-05:00

Karma's a Bitch

Over the weekend the Husband and I took a taxi across town to visit some friends.

We unfortunately got the world's worst taxi driver.

He was surly and rude. When I said pleasantly, "Hello, how are you doing today?" he pointedly ignored me.

When the street he was going to take across Central Park was blocked, he turned and went 20 blocks out of his way without a word.

When I tried to tell him about an alternate route he yelled, "I know, I know! Ok, ok!" and cut me off with a wave of his hand.

He drove about twice the speed limit. He cut off several cars, and when the driver of one gave him a shocked look and shook his head, our guy rolled down his window and gave him the finger.

As we were nearing our destination, the taxi suddenly began to lurch, then started to bump.

We had a flat tire!

The taxi driver grunted in frustration. We took the opportunity to say brightly, "Ok, we can just jump out here!" Then we hurriedly paid him and got out of the taxi, relieved to get away.

Out of plain meanness or stubbornness, he refused to stop to check it. The last we saw him, he was still bumping down Fifth Avenue, riding the rim of his flat tire and turning the corner.

I wanted to call the NY City Taxi and Limousine Commission to report him, but the Husband convinced me not to.

"He's already having a bad day," he explained. "And this is what he gets for being mean and nasty."

I admit I was a little delighted in the karmic justice of it all.

2010-03-03T00:04:00.002-05:00

Sir Mix-a-LotSorry I've been such a truant lately about posting! Where do the weeks go?

I was cleaning out my closet this weekend, and I finally got rid of some old mix tapes I'd had since junior high.

Do you guys remember those? I used to be the queen of mix tapes in the late 80s to early 90s.

This was back before cars had cd players. So most of my friends had cds, but we would transfer our favorite songs to cassette tapes so we could listen to them anytime we wanted.

Yeah, imagine that!!

It was especially cool if you had a Walkman, or a tape player in your car. You were totally rad!

We didn't have portable cd players, or mp3s, or iTunes. If you didn't like a song on a tape, you had to fast forward through it! And if you liked a song a lot, you couldn't just hit the "Repeat" button. You had to rewind!

We made mix tapes for all occasions. I remember getting a couple from my friends for my 13th birthday.

A boy who liked me in high school made me a mix tape, full of romantic songs.

Another boy I rejected made me a mix tape, full of sad and angsty songs.

When my grandfather died and my dad had to fly back to Asia for his funeral, I made him a mix tape full of his favorite show tunes and Carpenters songs, to listen to on the long and lonely plane ride.

When I went on a road trip with my college roommates, we made several mix tapes in anticipation of the trip. There are certain songs from the mid 90s that evoke memories of those trip, when I hear them on the radio now.

This weekend I dug out those old tapes, marked with that strip of paper with my childish handwriting on them, with labels like Spring Break '97 and THB's Summer Mix 1988. They were covered in dust and unplayable now (since I don't even have a cassette player in my home anymore), I did feel a small sense of loss.

Thankfully, I can just download those songs off the Internet! But after I play them, they disappear into nothing.

As opposed to these creaky old tapes that stack up and gather dust and occupy space in more than just my memory.

2010-02-22T00:34:00.004-05:00

The High Speed of Technology

The Husband and I are looking at new cell phones for our shared cell phone plan.

Both of us are Luddites when it comes to cell phone technology. We both just got phones with text messaging about 2 years ago.

We still have basic phones - that is, they look like phones. They have touch pads on the front that look like phone touch pads.

They don't have browsers or cameras. They don't play music or videos. You can't Google things on them.

Unfortunately, they've both gotten really old and decrepit in the last month, and now we need to replace them.

We walked into the store today, and we were overwhelmed with the options.

Do we want "smart phones"? Do we want touch screens that respond to our fingers? Do we want web browsers and access to Facebook and Twitter? Do we want phones that play music and videos and can also film us dancing to the music?

There were kids running around in that store who had headsets hooked up to their phones, who were simultaneously watching videos and talking to their parents and instant messaging with their friends.

I was so exhausted afterwards, that when I got home I turned out all of the lights, closed the curtains on the windows and sat in the dark and quiet for a while, just decompressing from the sensory overload.

2010-02-14T10:33:00.007-05:00

Happy St. Valentine's Day/Lunar New Year!

Happy Year of the Tiger and day of St. Valentine!

By Year of the Tiger, I mean the Lunar New Year named for this majestic animal:

Not the year honoring any living person:

And speaking of that, I have a feeling someone will be getting his wife a pretty nice present for Valentine's Day!

Wishing everyone a beautiful day!

2010-02-10T21:56:00.003-05:00

Snow Day!

Well, I've changed out my commenting system, and I'm in the middle of updating my links on the right. Everything should be fixed by this weekend.

In other news, a huge snowstorm hit the Northeast last night.

With it came about 8 inches of snow in New York City.

My office was closed today; I stayed indoors and worked from home.

I would have liked to go sledding in Central Park! But woe to me - I was on a conference call all morning.

Afterward, the partner in charge of the call told me he'd call me back in a couple of hours to talk more about this project.

He never called back!

He probably went out to play in the snow with his kids...

2010-02-10T01:16:00.002-05:00

In Transition

I have just taken out the Haloscan comments, and I'm taking a crack at using Blogger comments. Hopefully this will work...

2010-01-31T15:33:00.001-05:00

Some Housekeeping

Haloscan is shutting down its comment service in a couple of weeks, so I'll be switching.

Anybody have recommendations for good commenting systems that are free? It looks like I might be able to do my comments through Blogger going forward. So maybe I'll try that.

In other news, I'm updating my blogroll. I have some old readers who have stopped blogging/shut down their sites and the like. If you are still reading this, and want me to continue linking to you, give a shout out.

Happy almost-February! I'm counting the days until spring...

2010-01-27T09:09:00.003-05:00

Gender Bended

The Husband is a very artistic guy, and he does community theater, opera and the like.

Last weekend I went to see him in a local performance of show that one of his friends wrote.

He played the role of the mother of the main character, and hence was required to dress in drag. He wore a head scarf, a dress and even wore lipstick.

As I walked into the theater and saw a large poster of him dressed up like this, I couldn't help but feel really strange.

On the one hand, he looked silly dressed as a woman, and it was good for a laugh.

But on the other hand, I found myself strangely and unexpectedly attracted to it.

Yes, in a weird way, I was both drawn in and simultaneously repulsed.

Looking at the photo, the subject had features that were familiar and somewhat attractive to me (which makes sense, since he's my husband).

But in another way, he clearly looked like a woman. And I'm pretty sure I'm straight. Or am I?

Then again, don't get me started on the slight resemblance to my mother-in-law. Ahhhhh!!

Is this normal? Or am I right to be disturbed by an aspect buried somewhere in the depths of my psyche that I have just discovered?

2010-01-23T09:59:00.003-05:00

Baby Boom

My friend M had a baby two months ago.

My friend K is expecting her second baby next month.

My other friend J had a baby last weekend.

My coworkers C and S just announced last week that they're both expecting babies this year - in July and August, respectively.

My other coworker B went on maternity leave last week, and sent an email yesterday announcing that her baby was born the day in the morning.

I had lunch with my good friend E yesterday. She told me that she's, guess what - pregnant!

It's raining babies!

Everyone keeps asking me whether I'm next.

But I figure with the natural chaotic and entropic order of things, it's pretty much impossible that ALL of us can have babies at the same time, isn't it?