In the movie Pineapple Express, check out the scenes in Saul’s apartment when he’s standing in front of the door to his bedroom. There is a toy village splayed out on the bed which includes a tee-pee, like he was in there five minutes ago playing cowboys and Indians. I was hoping to find a picture online to post, but instead I found the blog of someone who dressed as Saul for Halloween. I’m so doing that next year. Two points of random awesomeness! God, I love James Franco.
working in schools is awesome because of the time off. i get every holiday, summer, and just random days off… it’s great! but it sucks to come back. today is my first day back since 12/23 and it’s kicking my asssss. it feels like i either didn’t have enough time off or had too much because getting back to the swing of things is pretty rough. thank god for paperwork! i don’t know how the teachers are handling this.
but for me, coming back and feeling like crap is exactly what i need to kick-start my self-employment machine. 2010 will be my hustle year, and i’m very excited about it… and i want it so bad that nothing will stop me.
Looking down Denver's 16th St. Mall, New Year's Eve 2009. Photo courtesy of denverpost.com
So, I pretty much had the best New Year’s Eve ever this year! How about you guys?
Lil Big Johnny John John and I decided to spend the night in downtown Denver. The were two fireworks displays (one at 9 pm, one at midnight) on the 16th St. Mall and hanging out with a lot of Denver on the street seemed like the perfect way to spend the holiday. We stayed at a really nice hotel (The Westin) and made reservations at an amazing French retsaurant (BistroVendôme). The fireworks, hotel, and restaurant were all within four blocks of each other, so we thought we’d check into the hotel early, “watch tv,” go to dinner, see the midnight fireworks show, then head back to the room to “drink tiny bottles of mini bar liquor.”
Dinner was tres bon! LBJJJ and I had mussels, a potato and leak amuse-bouche, quiche with a tossed spinach salad, squab with chicken sausage and cabbage, and a red wine poached pear stuffed with a gorgonzola cheese sauce. It was four courses all together and each of them were paired with a wonderful wine.
I made the dinner reservation for 10:30 in the hopes that we could have a nice, leisurely dinner then mosey/amble/saunter down to the fireworks. We got to the restaurant early, but we had to wait for 15 or 20 minutes before a table in the main room opened up, but I so didn’t care. The night had been going so well up until then and I was trapped in a glowing bubble of perfect night bliss.
We spent the dawn of the new decade (it’s weird to say that, bye 2000’s!) with funny hats and champagne in the restaurant, but again, didn’t care. No amount of fireworks or crowds could have overshadowed the romantic night we were having.
Actually, we did see fireworks that night. They shot them off the building right across the street from our hotel room and we watched the whole show from the window while we were “watching tv.” C’est Magnifique!
After dinner, we went to a nearby bar for a few vodka drinks before the short walk back to the hotel. There were more good times, but I’m going to wrap it up here. This is a family blog, y’all…use your imagination.
So yeah, Best.New Year’s.ever. It wasn’t what we’d initially planned, but it turned out to be an extremely memorable, romantic holiday.
In other news, John and I both changed our dating site profiles to “seeing someone” and told Facebook we’re “In a Relationship” with each other. So, I guess we’re like, official and stuff. Squeeeeeeeeee!!!
I’ve heard it said that we do things that support our image of ourself.
Like if I consider myself “loving” then I will act in a way that supports this view. Doing “loving” things.
The only problem I have with this view of self is that it makes it seem like there is really nothing “underneath” our own view of ourselves. I do think we, as humans, are less fluid than that. We get more engrained. We’re born with a general disposition and though it can be tweaked, it’s impossible to change.
That’s not what this post is about though, because on the flip side, I also see that we create the person we want to be.
So.
Me… as a person who likes to think of herself as “loving”…
How do I behave that supports that?
Part of me does not even want to know.
An indispensible ingredient of a relationship is involving the other party.
I mean, i didn’t have to check the Collins Dictionary to find the definition. It is implicitly designed into the construct of the term ‘relationship’ itself. And even if the cause may seem benevolent, without mutual agreement in the first place, it’d amount to quite bluntly, some what of a communist rule. And here i thought the fascist regime ended with World War II.
Going one step further back in this chain of thought, a mutual agreement requires prior discussion. There has to be a topic first, before we can agree on a topic. A tip on the male psyche – we like bring involved. if you’re thinking of a wedding photo shoot, talk to him about it. If you’re thinking of doing the ROM, ask his opinion first. If you want to plan for a wedding, I’m sure he’d need a certain degree of involvement. Someone’s got to drink all that alcohol after all.
But really, back to the topic. i think everyone could do with more asking. Unlike the austere boss with a heart of stone most of us probably have, men in a relationship don’t want to be simply dished the final product, with regards to most things – trips, wedding plans. Sure, surprises are a cardinal element. But I’m not talking gifts, where to put the bar counter, or surprise romps either. We’re talking life defining moments, not who prefers to be on top for tonight. With a little attention to the delivery of the message, the words used, every and any person can be coaxed into anything.
Maybe I’m being a tad sensitive. Perhaps your form of involvement was to lay out your suggestions to me, and see what i say to it. Or is it just me, spiraling amidst the frailty of a long distance relationship. Whatever the case, I’m finding it out myself – it’s not easy.
I do want it as much as you do, just in the right scheme of time, that’s all.
Krampus
Krampus is a mythical creature. In various regions of the world – especially Austria and Hungary – it is believed that Krampus accompanies St. Nicholas during the Christmas season, warning and punishing bad children, in contrast to St. Nicholas, who gives gifts to good children.
The word Krampus originates from the Old High German word forclaw (Krampen). In the Alpine regions, Krampus is represented by an incubus-like creature. Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks of December, particularly on the evening of December 5, and roam the streets frightening children and women with rusty chains and bells.[1]
In some rural areas the tradition also includes birching – corporal punishment with a birch rod – by Krampus, especially of young girls. Images of Krampus usually show him with a basket on his back used to carry away bad children and dump them into the pits of Hell.
Yule
Yule or Yule-tide is a winter festival that was initially celebrated by the historical Germanic peoples as a pagan religious festival, though it was later absorbed into, and equated with, the Christian festival of Christmas.
The festival was originally celebrated from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. The festival was placed on December 25 when the Christian calendar (Julian calendar) was adopted. Some historians claim it was influenced by Saturnalia, the Roman winter festival[3].
Terms with an etymological equivalent to “Yule” are still used in the Nordic Countries for the Christian Christmas, but also for other religious holidays of the season.
Customs such as the Yule log, Yule goat, Yule boar, Yule singing, and others stem from Yule. In modern times, Yule is observed as a cultural festival and also with religious rites by some Christians and by some Neopagans.
Christian churches recognized folk elements of the festival in various cultures within the past several hundred years, allowing much of the folklore and traditions of local pagan festivals to be appropriated. So today, the old festivals such as Jul, Коледа and Karácsony, are still celebrated in many parts of Europe, but the Christian Nativity is now often representational as the meaning behind the holiday. This is why Yule and Christmas are considered interchangeable in Anglo–Christendom.
Yule was an indigenous midwinter festival celebrated by the Germanic peoples, which was progressively absorbed into the Christian observations surrounding Christmas.[1]
Simek says that the Yule feast “had a pronounced religious character”, and Simek cites section 7 of Gulaþingslög, where Yule is described as celebrated “for a fertile and peaceful season” and consists of a fertility sacrifice. Simek says that focus was not on the gods of the Vanir, but instead the god Odin, and he notes that one of Odin’s many names is Jólnir (Old Norse “yule figure”[15]).
Saturnalia
Saturnalia became one of the most popular Roman festivals. It was marked by tomfoolery and reversal of social roles, in which slaves and masters ostensibly switched places, with humorous results.
Saturnalia was introduced around 217 BC to raise citizen morale after a crushing military defeat.[1] Originally celebrated for a day, on December 17, its popularity saw it grow until it became a week long extravaganza, ending on the 23rd. Efforts to shorten the celebration were unsuccessful.Augustus tried to reduce it to three days, and Caligula to five. These attempts caused for uproars and revolts among the Roman citizens.
Saturnalia involved the conventional sacrifices, a couch (lectisternium) set out in front of the temple of Saturn and the untying of the ropes that bound the statue of Saturn during the rest of the year. A Saturnalicius princeps was elected master of ceremonies for the proceedings. Besides the public rites there were a series of holidays and customs celebrated privately.
The celebrations included a school holiday, the making and giving of small presents (saturnalia et sigillaricia) and a special market (sigillaria).
It was a time to eat, drink, and be merry.
Winter Solstice
Christmas is the celebration of the birth of the Christian Deity God Incarnate or Messiah, Jesus Christ. The birth is observed on December 25, which was the Roman winter solstice upon establishment of the Julian Calendar.[11]
As of tomorrow I have 10 days off and NOTHING planned.
I do not have to be ANYWHERE.
There is nothing in particular that I HAVE TO DO.
Wonderful unaccounted for TIME….. approximately 240 hours of it!
If I sleep 8 hours a day (which I could not manage without sedatives) that is still 160 hours.
That is more than 4 weeks worth of working time….. that is a MONTH!
I could achieve QUITE A LOT in a month…
This requires some THOUGHT…. more will follow shortly.
update: chia is still sick, but heck, i’ll be healed in Jesus name!!!
thanks to the image team… they gave me a rilly rilly rilly BoOoOmZZz hairstyle tonight, that prepared me for 3 hours of shampooing actually. okay no, i really appreciate the image people. they are those people who make the stage ministers look so good on stage, but their hardwork no one sees!!! being in image for a while, i know its really not easy. everyone comments on how good on stage ppl look, but nobody remembers who made those people look good. so please, if you see image people around appreciate them! they are really awesome! (=
so back to point. because of the booms hairstyle (i’ll post up the photo..soon. hopefully!) mummy lovingly shampoo-ed my hair. hello i’m 19, the last time i actually sat in the bathtub and let my mum bathe me was like, more than 10 years ago!!! okay no she didnt bathe me, but she washed my hair. we were done in 20 minutes!! and my cornrows are still intact. yay (=
next time if u have lobang like that, involve your mummy. bet she secretly enjoys it. i mean not all the time you know, once in a while. we’re all still little girls in their eyes <3
im rilly tired now. see you guys at service tomm. super super super ultra excited about tomm, God’s gonna move so powerfully in suntec convention hall 602. cheong xmas cards for now! night!
You know it was a good party when you arrive in an awesome onesie.
It was great to see old friends. Good job Chris, that makes two out of two for wine party awesomeness.
Sorry I have been lacking on the posts.
I have been SUPER busy actually.
Photoshoots, Last minute shopping, getting fat, etc.
Ill try to update more soon.
Well I have been sick and busy and all sorts of other things to keep my posting down, but now a new wrinkle has shriveled into existence. Typically, I never upgrade windows until it hits SP1 on whatever version is the latest. I got a copy of Win 7 free-o-charge from a friend of mine’s Microsoft agreement (I often do some beta testing and such for his IT business) so I bucked my personal rule and loaded it up. Wiped her clean as a baby’s rump and got a fresh new install of Windows 7 Pro. From the very first install it acted kind of funny and I even got the dreaded BSOD once or twice, but then it started working okay and all was well. Well, not too long ago, it all came to an end as apparently there is something Windows does not like about my computer hardware as it gave a BSOD and now will not boot. I’m going to attribute it to my archaic motherboard, but I’m not 100% sure on that.
Now I’m not going to do something stupid like run out and buy a Mac (I shudder to even ponder that), but I prolly need a new MoBo. And for all you non-Christians out there in case you haven’t noticed it’s Christmas time and I am a little strapped for cash (especially after having to do some unexpected maintenance on my car). So needless to say I have a quandry…reload Windows 7 on my computer (seriously when it runs it is a peach), load Vista, or wait until I can justify buying a new MoBo. Ack, what is a guy to do?!
-Pid
I came across this student handbook distributed by a MBA coachingl class titled “the stellar academy ” .They have got this wonderful list website which every MBA aspirants must refer and read the posts being displayed on them.Here they are:
www.harvardbusiness.org www.valuebasedmanagement.net www.hinduonnet.com www.epw.in www.online.wsj.com www.guardian.co.uk www.economics.about.com www.reuters.comI love my piano. 
And the room that it’s in. My dad says that the acoustics in there are absolutely amazing. I’m going to have to agree, since it sounds really nice.
View from upstairs.
santa and sleigh!
- Aaron
I officially love hot yoga! but it was a bad idea to go before skate practice because it drained all my energy for the rest of the day. I don’t have skating today so it has been pretty low-key, went to the gym this morning, went grocery shopping at like 4 different stores ( I love bargains, and hate to pay full price for anything) but it’s all good since I’m a dork and kinda like to grocery shop Anywho I have hot yoga again tonight in about an hour and then I have a hot date with season two of Grey’s Anatomy!
Some things in life are better before but for the most part they are better after…
Before
After
Before
After
Before
After
Before & After
Like I said some things are better before…
Well I’m off to hot yoga! what are you doing tonight?
moments that make life worthwhile…
that bring a smile…
moments that move you to tears
moments that make days seem like years
Life is so transient, what we feel today seldom lasts untill tomorrow.Especially emotions like anger and pain are significant only in the heat of the moment.. When you look back in retrospect it all seems so futile and meaningless.It’s as if we live from moment to moment, then why not make sure these moments leave behind memories that are fragrant and pleasant
Might as well repost from Facebook:
#1 I recently gained pajamas, robe, and slippers.
#2 I have never had ANY pets. I had a pond with fishes when I was like a small baby, and I’ve taken care of my cousin’s pets, but never actually owned them.
#3 Band is draining my life. AP Classes are killing my life. Yea…I’m pretty dead
#4 My dad cuts the internet at 10oclock. Whoopiee. My dad takes my phone away at 10 oclock. Whoopiee.
#5 JAY LIN IS A PIMP. and NELSON YOU MAKE MY DAY XDDDDD
#6 I play piano, violin, flute…but I’m pretty sure most of you guys know that by now
#7 What you didn’t know is that learning all these instruments help with my sight reading
#8 I have met two new people around my age online…but I will never get to see them 
Well…maybe one of them…but thats a low chance of happening xD
#9 I have been to Canada, Japan, Taiwan, and around the USA
#10 I went to Los Altos Elementary, then Newton Middle School, then Los Altos High School. After that? I have NO IDEA
#11 I should start thinking about SATs…but for some reason it’s not really applying to my brain…
#12 I HAVE A LOT OF NEPHEWS AND NIECES!!!!! And a brother in law and another sister other than my biological sister LOL
#13 I used to go to Disneyland once EVERY YEAR when I was kid to watch my sister perform for dance That’s probably why I’m not so caring about Disneyland anymore…
#14 I’ve never been to Six Flags before
#15 I hate smoking/smokers etc. Dont do drugs.
#16 I go back to Taiwan once a year since I was like…5. It used to be every winter break, but that changed this year..but it’s still once a year.
#17 I have driven twice recently. Both without a permit/license 
Don’t worry, I had supervision
#18 Junior year is stressful.
#19 When I don’t talk, or reply…it means I don’t feel like saying anything or I don’t have anything to say. Not because I’m ignoring you.
#20 Apparently I laugh when I’m in pain? But if I don’t feel much pain, how do I laugh when I feel pain…weird huh
#21 I’ve been stuck in Symphonic Band for 3 years. Twice because of schedule problems
#22 I want to learn…guitar/sax/trumpet :D Too bad clarinet/drums
#23 I’ve had less anger spikes recently…good good
#24 I haven’t read a book on my own accord in a LOONNNGGG time
#25 We got a new wood floor. And we still haven’t moved everything back yet…oh welll @_@
Now normally my super secret plan to get rich from this blog by pimping DarkFall is super secret, but since I feel like getting a soda at lunch today, go watch this video and then buy DarkFall through the link in the top left. Thank you.
(In the interest of semi-full disclosure: Valroth is a member of VAMP, a nice guy, has one of the best characters in the game, and is way way too good at DarkFall. Plus makes better promo videos in his spare time using only in-game footage than some game companies put together for professional release :cough: STO :cough:)
while i would love to say this is what we built, it is not. it's just really legit.
my friend matthew and i are determined to make a gingerbread empire this christmas. matthew and i are determined to rule the world. since we can’t rule this one, we’re making our own. but let me tell those of you who have never endeavored to make a gingerbread house from scratch: it’s about 4000x harder than you think. first of all, we didn’t know how to make gingerbread. we finally found a mix for gingerbread cake and left out the flour…which didn’t work so well because it stuck to the cookie sheet like you wouldn’t believe. after hours of struggling and eating half of what we made and getting distracted every 5 seconds, we have the bare bones of our first building. this will be an ongoing project.and this got me thinking about creation. we’re two fairly creative people, if i do say so myself, and we had an extremely hard time creating this gingerbread house. it got me thinking about how God created everything. it got me thinking about art and how God is the greatest artist. then i thought, really, He’s the only artist. if an artist is someone who creates, then God is the only one. anything we do is merely a copy of something.
this got me thinking about deaf people. i’m wondering how they form their thoughts. when i think, i say everything out loud in my head; i hear my voice. how do deaf people form their thoughts? people who have always been deaf i mean. do they think in sign language? having my ears stopped up makes me realize that i’d rather be blind than deaf. it seems to me that there are far more opportunities to be deceived through your eyes than through your ears. and to never hear music! i wonder if they create sounds within their minds. it seems possible, probable even, that their mind should make up for what their body lacks.
and what of the blind? those who have always been blind, i mean. when someone says the word “purple,” something will come to mind because that’s just how the mind works. but having never seen anything, having no preliminary image of anything, not even knowing darkness because they do not know the light, what comes to mind? i am inclined to think that purple then becomes a sound. the sound of the word perhaps. or maybe a feeling–the arrangement of bumps that mean “purple” when brushed with fingertips. but, if the same logic is applied as before, then the mind may invent something that is to him or her “purple.”
what are the capabilities of the imagination, and what exactly is our capacity to create?
C02 emissions! Climate change! The Greenhouse effect! SAVE THE POLAR BEARS!
Let me start by saying that in no way am I a scientist or an expert on the subject but having been outside before, I can tell you right now that this world is definitely in a moment of crisis. No, I’m not talking about the sudden panic over the world increasing in temperature by one degree every so many years. I’m talking about the belief in Global Warming itself. In my opinion, it doesn’t exist. Here’s why:
If you’ve been to the north between the months of November – March in the last couple hundred years, you would have immediately recognized the ice and the snow covering that part of the hemisphere. Now, being from Canada, I can tell you just from personal experience that the ice caps are fine. They aren’t going anywhere. Do you know how I know this?
Ever tried melting ice off your driveway in the middle of January? Not gonna happen. Why? Because it’s cold. I can only imagine that giant blocks of ice sitting in a frozen ocean aren’t going to be chipping away when it’s -50 degrees celcius. That’s just basic science.
Now, you might be thinking: ‘Wait a minute. It’s not ALWAYS -50 degrees in the arctic!’
You’re right. It isn’t. Ice does melt. It’s not impervious to heat. You know why? The Earth’s axis is tilted. That gives us seasons. One big season – sometimes referred to as Summer, does occur in the arctic. The melting ice isn’t caused by co2 emissions or greenhouse gases or whatever the hell you want to call it. Believe it or not, the Sun itself is hot. When the Sun appears, it warms the Earth. Again, basic science.
Now you’re probably thinking ‘If the ice is capable of melting (which I never said it wasn’t), what about the polar bears?!’
What about the polar bears?
They’re animals. They can adapt to their environment, just as every animal has done over billions of years. Just because the ice melts, doesn’t mean there isn’t dry land available close to a water source that holds their meals. Ever been to Manitoba? *GASP* REAL LIVE POLAR BEARS. AND THEY’RE NOT DROWNING! Why? Because they’re smart enough to get OFF THE MELTING ICE.
Now let’s move on to those blasted co2 emissions.
Consider this: There are 6 billion human beings on this planet. I imagine there are as many and more cars for every human being on this planet. Consider the size of the planet in relation to all 6 billion of us. Now, that is alot of pollution. I’m not denying it. Ever been to Los Angeles? Smog!fest. My point is, no matter what kind of pedestal humanity likes to run around on, it is completely arrogant to think that only 6 billion of us are able to affect a planet that has been around for billions of years and hasn’t yet been destroyed by its inhabitants. And compare our size to the size of the Earth…the ratio doesn’t exactly scream PLANET MURDERERS!
C02 is plant food. Basic science once again. The plants absorb the c02 and expel oxygen. And we’re trying to cut down on plant food because…? We don’t like to breathe?
Another point I’d like to make: The media and scientists all over the world want to convince us that the Earth is heating up because we are causing too much pollution, cutting down too many trees and we are idling our cars in the middle of a sub-zero winter. (Which I can imagine, ends up in more hypothermia deaths in humans than co2 suffocation of the atmosphere, but who’s counting?)
Did these scientists ever think that maybe the Sun is getting hotter? You don’t try to clean up your house when your living room is too hot. You open a window.
Besides, the Earth itself is its own radiator. The friction of the mantel, orbit and so on creates heat inside the planet. The atmosphere stores the heat. The heat has been there for billions of years, even during the last ice age. Life cycled on! If anything, I truly believe the Earth is getting colder. Do you want to know why I have this belief?
Come to Canada in the middle of January. If the ice hasn’t frozen your eyebrows into a terrifyed expression or if your lungs are still able to function through the heaviness of the life-sucking cold in the air, then you just keep on handing out your Global Warming pamphlets which have probably been made out of all those trees you’ve been trying so desperately to save.
I’m sure the polar bears will thank you.
Muslims supposedly aren’t al Qaeda’s target, but they are usually al Qaeda’s victims. Who’s your “friend and protector” now?
Just days after the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point released a report stating over the last four years 85% of al Qaeda’s victims, and in the last two years 98% of al Qaeda’s victims, were non-Western and predominantly Muslim, al Qaeda’s waning image is on the ropes. Not only has al Qaeda validated the report, but felt compelled to issue a video response apologizing to all the Muslims they kill.
“The mujahideen declare themselves innocent of these attacks…”
“We express our condolences to the families of the Muslim men, women and children killed in these criminal acts…”
“We also express the same in regard to the unintended Muslim victims of the mujahedeen’s operations against the crusaders and their allies and puppets…”
That would be the 98% of Muslims and non-Westerners killed in attacks by al Qaeda’s “Muslim killers and destroyers of Muslim homes, mosques, schools, and markets,” as Gadahn states, identified by Arab news sources in the report linked above.
Watch California native Adam Gadahn, aka Azzam the American, stutter and squirm as he spews al Qaeda propaganda on the jihad’s favorite network, YouTube (below the fold):
CTC and others should be issuing reports and news like this far and wide on a regular basis. If the White House can translate Obama greetings into multiple languages and take over television air time, they can certainly do the same with this type of information and they should if they expect any chance of winning the propaganda battles.
