...Clouds in my coffee.
* Day 58: 5K race in Smyrna, the Second annual Run Thru the Forest. Tough course, lots of hills, and too many turns in residential area by my house. I go to a park close by to run the trails sometimes. Almost yelled out "Laura!" when I ran by a friend's house, she probably was still sleeping in at 8 AM. Pace: mile 1 was 8:22 (it was actually faster, because I started way in the back of the pack), didn't feel like it was that fast, mile 2: struggling again, breathing hard and tensed up in the shoulders, around 9:00 pace, and the last mile was also 9:00, but I finished strong and felt great at the end. It usually takes a couple of miles for the endorphins and my second wind to kick in. On a cold day like today (29 degrees at 7:30), I should have warmed up a little more, get in at least a mile or two before getting to the starting line. I also started way in the back, so the first mile was trying to go around slow runners, walkers and strollers. Ran the last two miles by myself, did not pass anyone nor did anyone else passed me. A guy in an Elvis wig and full-length white costume was in front of me the entire race, I almost caught up to him at the finish line but I was a little too far behind and started my push a little late. 27:10 was my time, it was my adjusted goal after the first mile, I realized that this was going to be a challenging 3 miler. Overall, I was pleased with the effort considering the conditions and the hills.
* Not a sport: Poker, Spelling Bee, Golf, Chess, Curling. Why are these on ESPN?
OK, game, contest, competition, required skills, YES. But not sports.
* If you're not in awe of Mother Nature's power, you should be.
Witness the latest: 8.8 earthquake in Chile, South America. Tsunami in Hawaii and worldwide.
Armageddon's coming!!! Everyone look busy. Pat Robertson is going to say God caused the earthquake in Chile so that there will be tsunami in Hawaii to punish Obama's home state. Just wait.
ReInventing Mojo - Midbrow Humor. NSFW (Definitely Not Safe For Work)
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Takes One to Know One
* My fantasy is one day go to an event where Joe Wilson is speaking and wait until the appropriate moment to yell out: "Hey you LIE, liar! It takes one to know one!!!" Give him a taste of his own medicine.
* After the Canadian women (chicks) won the Olympic hockey match last night, I thought the celebration was way wild, excessive and over the top. It seemed like they just stopped World War III or invented the cure for cancer or something. It was just a hockey game, people, and for women's hockey, what, like 500 people in America watched it?
* Cops are out in full force this afternoon in Smyrna. I saw 4 different police cruisers within a 2 mile radius. Quota time, it's Friday night on the last weekend of the month! If you must speed, I advice that you keep it around 15 miles over the speed limit. Did I tell you about the time when I got a ticket for speeding 16 miles over the speed limit while I was on my way to the DMV to renew my expired Driver's License and my tag/license plate was expired too. The cop who stopped me had a smirk on his face that I can still remember to this day. My wife had a big laugh about that still today. It didn't seem funny at the time.
* Moon Walk Now. Ask Me How.
* Our priority as a teacher: data, test scores, paperwork, statistics, mumbo jumbo, blah blah blah, assessments, meetings, or the children's well-being. I pick the latter.
* Kill 'em with Kindness. Compassion is the best revenge...
* Trying hard to keep my cool and my sense of humor with 4th and 5th.
Gotta talk less and just do it to it. First priority is to get to work on art ASAP.
"Absorb what is useful. Discard what is not. Add your own unique touch"-Bruce Lee.
* After the Canadian women (chicks) won the Olympic hockey match last night, I thought the celebration was way wild, excessive and over the top. It seemed like they just stopped World War III or invented the cure for cancer or something. It was just a hockey game, people, and for women's hockey, what, like 500 people in America watched it?
* Cops are out in full force this afternoon in Smyrna. I saw 4 different police cruisers within a 2 mile radius. Quota time, it's Friday night on the last weekend of the month! If you must speed, I advice that you keep it around 15 miles over the speed limit. Did I tell you about the time when I got a ticket for speeding 16 miles over the speed limit while I was on my way to the DMV to renew my expired Driver's License and my tag/license plate was expired too. The cop who stopped me had a smirk on his face that I can still remember to this day. My wife had a big laugh about that still today. It didn't seem funny at the time.
* Moon Walk Now. Ask Me How.
* Our priority as a teacher: data, test scores, paperwork, statistics, mumbo jumbo, blah blah blah, assessments, meetings, or the children's well-being. I pick the latter.
* Kill 'em with Kindness. Compassion is the best revenge...
* Trying hard to keep my cool and my sense of humor with 4th and 5th.
Gotta talk less and just do it to it. First priority is to get to work on art ASAP.
"Absorb what is useful. Discard what is not. Add your own unique touch"-Bruce Lee.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Thoughtful Thursday
* Day 56: ran (jogged) 2 miles, 40 degrees weather at the Concord Silver Comet trail. Saving energy and tapering off for the race this Saturday: Run Thru the forest 5K. My groin injury mysteriously healed itself after a couple of days. Life's little mysteries! Yesterday I should have celebrated day 55 by running 5 miles in 50 minutes at 5 o'clock. Giving myself a little High Five.
* Republicans? We don't need no stinkin' republicans!
* Michelle Malkin: A Disgrace to the race, a Disgrasian.
* word of the day: Panacea: a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
* CNN has become a joke. Is this a legitimate news network now? Whenever I tuned in to watch, it's either some comedy sketch with Rick Sanchez, or Wolf Blitzer, or this bimbo Campbell Brown arguing with the guests pretending to play devil's advocate. Even Anderson Pretty Boy Cooper has become fluff, all style no substance. May be they should fire ALL of the workers there and start over from scratch. I watch MSNBC but on the weekends they have a weird obsession with some kind of Prison Lockdown or some boring pre-recorded programs.
* Republicans? We don't need no stinkin' republicans!
* Michelle Malkin: A Disgrace to the race, a Disgrasian.
* word of the day: Panacea: a solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.
* CNN has become a joke. Is this a legitimate news network now? Whenever I tuned in to watch, it's either some comedy sketch with Rick Sanchez, or Wolf Blitzer, or this bimbo Campbell Brown arguing with the guests pretending to play devil's advocate. Even Anderson Pretty Boy Cooper has become fluff, all style no substance. May be they should fire ALL of the workers there and start over from scratch. I watch MSNBC but on the weekends they have a weird obsession with some kind of Prison Lockdown or some boring pre-recorded programs.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Keep on keepin' on
* Pride is one of the 7 deadly sins, ain't it?
* Day 55, 2 miles, 44 degrees in 15MPH wind. Taper this week.
* I have a "DEEP UNDERSTANDING" of B.S.
* Socialism should be a piece of cake after surviving 8 years under the dictatorship of Dubya.
* Leftist, Liberal, Progressive, Radical, Humanist, Pacifist, Feminist.
Yep, that's me. Guilty as charged. Since 1984. Santa Cruz, California, Banana Slug.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Just Can't Get Enough
* Still running, Day 53: 3 miles, 58 degrees at the East West Connector Silver Comet trail.
* Thinking about using some "enhanced interrogation techniques" on some of these knuckleheaded 5th graders. Notice I didn't say torture, because that would be illegal.
* Getting excited again about the possibility of SNOW this Wednesday. 30 percent chance of precipitation, and the temp will get down to the 20s again. Yesterday it got up to almost 70 degrees here. I prefer the 20s and 30s when I'm running or when I am out since most people will stay indoors.
* Dick Cheney has a heart? Who knew. Waterboard him. Like that idea a lot.
* You can't win them all. That's what Canada was saying last night after the Miracle On Ice 2. USA won the game 5-3, it was a gut wrenching, ferocious, furious last 5,6 minutes when the Canadians were coming back trying to go for the tying goal. And I also remembered where I was during the first Miracle On Ice, 1980 in Iowa City Southeast Junior High, Iowa in the 8th grade, exactly 30 years ago today.
* Thinking about using some "enhanced interrogation techniques" on some of these knuckleheaded 5th graders. Notice I didn't say torture, because that would be illegal.
* Getting excited again about the possibility of SNOW this Wednesday. 30 percent chance of precipitation, and the temp will get down to the 20s again. Yesterday it got up to almost 70 degrees here. I prefer the 20s and 30s when I'm running or when I am out since most people will stay indoors.
* Dick Cheney has a heart? Who knew. Waterboard him. Like that idea a lot.
* You can't win them all. That's what Canada was saying last night after the Miracle On Ice 2. USA won the game 5-3, it was a gut wrenching, ferocious, furious last 5,6 minutes when the Canadians were coming back trying to go for the tying goal. And I also remembered where I was during the first Miracle On Ice, 1980 in Iowa City Southeast Junior High, Iowa in the 8th grade, exactly 30 years ago today.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Sade's new album "Soldier of Love"
I started listening to Sade in my freshman year in college (1984) and have been a fan of hers since. Last week Sade the group released their latest "Soldier of Love", their first in 10 years. I heard the single on Rhapsody and it sounds funky, swingy and upbeat with a modern mix. I might have to get the whole thing on iTunes so I could listen to it during my runs. This will be the fourth decade (80's, 90's, 00's and 10's) of her work. Saw her on the Wanda Sykes show tonight, the woman still looks awesome at 51.
I just realized that even though I will be 45 next month, I would have lived through 6 decades: the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s and 10s. Six decades and straight ahead and strive for tone. Onwards and Upwards. Pretty cool, amazing and groovy ain't it?
* 3 albums to download from iTunes onto the iPhone:
1) Pixies-Surfer Rosa
2) Pylon-Gyrate
3) Sade-Soldier of Love
I just realized that even though I will be 45 next month, I would have lived through 6 decades: the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s and 10s. Six decades and straight ahead and strive for tone. Onwards and Upwards. Pretty cool, amazing and groovy ain't it?
* 3 albums to download from iTunes onto the iPhone:
1) Pixies-Surfer Rosa
2) Pylon-Gyrate
3) Sade-Soldier of Love
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Bill Maher's New Rules
Transcript of Bill Maher's latest:
New Rule: Restaurants have to finish making the salad. When I order a salad, don't bring me this (picture mixings of a salad). This isn't a salad, it's the ingredients for a salad. But it doesn't become one until it's mixed together into something we call... 'a salad'. Who do I have to pay around here to get someone to 'toss my salad'?
New Rule: Just because you 'can' get pregnant doesn't mean you 'must' get pregnant. The pregnant man is pregnant for a 3rd time. You know, if you have a beard and a mustache and you have a baby every 10 months, you're not a pregnant man, you're an Italian woman.
New Rule: Catholics can't make fun of mormons or snake handlers or any other religion until they admit Ash Wednesday is really creepy. On the other hand, it's nice when a Catholic priest smears something on your kid's face... and it's just ash.
New Rule: Just because the Scottish eat it - it doesn't make it 'food'.
(continues...) The Obama Administration has finally lifted the ban on imported haggis - a Scottish dish made from sheep heart, liver & lungs, and simmered in the sheep's intestines. hmmmm... but we already have that here - it's called a hot dog. PLUS, their version looks disgusting while OURS is neatly pressed into the shape of a dog's hard on.
What I'm trying to say is 'buy American'.
And finally -
New Rule: Stop calling the Tea Party phenomenon a 'movement'. To be a real political 'movement' you have to.., well, 'move' -- towards some specific legislative goal. The Suffrage Movement, for example, gained voting rights for women. The Civil Rights Movement outlawed discrimination against Blacks. And the Gay Rights Movement brought us the Winter Olympics.
But the Tea Baggers, they're not a 'movement'. They're a cult. And I'm going to prove it . . .
Now, uh, during the break, I took my usual cross-country roadtrip with Nadya and the octuplets - and everywhere we stopped along the way - diners, truck-stops, medical marijuana dispensaries. People wanted to talk about the Tea Baggers and know some basic things about them, like - Who's their dentist? and Why do they wear flannel in the summer?
But if you look at any cult, whether it be the Hale-bop Comet People, the Scientologists, or Oprah's Book Club - you'll find several common elements, the primary one being - cult members are taught to quickly withdraw into the group and distrust the outside world. Tea Baggers distrust everything. They think everyone's coming for their guns and they shouldn't pay taxes. They're like Wesley Snipes crossed with a fat old white guy who runs a landfill.
Folks. No one is coming for your guns, your Bibles or your fishing poles. And that's not a monster under your bed, it's the Ab Lounger you bought last year and never used.
Cults are also always driven by some ridiculous, unobtainable goal. Like a fiery apocalypse ringing-in 'Paradise' .... or deficit-reduction by way of giant tax cuts.
Now, you know someone has fallen into a cult if you see these signs:
1. Cults have their own vocabulary. Now, I don't speak Shit-Kicker... but I know in their world that 'freedom' means 'guns'... 'diplomacy' means 'weakness'.... 'elitist' means 'reader'... and 'socialist' means 'black'.
2. Cults tend to populate from within, encouraging members to have huge broods of children and to give them strange names like 'Moonbeam' and 'Trig'.
and...
3. Cult members attribute all of their problems to one simple explanation. (picture of Obama - with Hitler mustache)
Now, here's an amazing statistic. In a recent poll almost ninety percent of Tea Baggers said that they thought taxes had either gone up or stayed the same under Obama. Only two percent thought they went down. But the reality is taxes have gone down... for ninety five percent of working families, taxes went down.
Think about that. Only two percent of the people in a "movement" about taxes, named after a tax revolt, have the slightest idea what's going on... with taxes!
So, it would be easy to just mock, except that those who fall under the control of cults aren't necessarily weirdoes, they're victims. And we shouldn't forget that these people are our relatives, our neighbors and the folks at the next table in the restaurant.
Especially if that restaurant is Hooters... and it's Dollar Wing Wednesday.
New Rule: Restaurants have to finish making the salad. When I order a salad, don't bring me this (picture mixings of a salad). This isn't a salad, it's the ingredients for a salad. But it doesn't become one until it's mixed together into something we call... 'a salad'. Who do I have to pay around here to get someone to 'toss my salad'?
New Rule: Just because you 'can' get pregnant doesn't mean you 'must' get pregnant. The pregnant man is pregnant for a 3rd time. You know, if you have a beard and a mustache and you have a baby every 10 months, you're not a pregnant man, you're an Italian woman.
New Rule: Catholics can't make fun of mormons or snake handlers or any other religion until they admit Ash Wednesday is really creepy. On the other hand, it's nice when a Catholic priest smears something on your kid's face... and it's just ash.
New Rule: Just because the Scottish eat it - it doesn't make it 'food'.
(continues...) The Obama Administration has finally lifted the ban on imported haggis - a Scottish dish made from sheep heart, liver & lungs, and simmered in the sheep's intestines. hmmmm... but we already have that here - it's called a hot dog. PLUS, their version looks disgusting while OURS is neatly pressed into the shape of a dog's hard on.
What I'm trying to say is 'buy American'.
And finally -
New Rule: Stop calling the Tea Party phenomenon a 'movement'. To be a real political 'movement' you have to.., well, 'move' -- towards some specific legislative goal. The Suffrage Movement, for example, gained voting rights for women. The Civil Rights Movement outlawed discrimination against Blacks. And the Gay Rights Movement brought us the Winter Olympics.
But the Tea Baggers, they're not a 'movement'. They're a cult. And I'm going to prove it . . .
Now, uh, during the break, I took my usual cross-country roadtrip with Nadya and the octuplets - and everywhere we stopped along the way - diners, truck-stops, medical marijuana dispensaries. People wanted to talk about the Tea Baggers and know some basic things about them, like - Who's their dentist? and Why do they wear flannel in the summer?
But if you look at any cult, whether it be the Hale-bop Comet People, the Scientologists, or Oprah's Book Club - you'll find several common elements, the primary one being - cult members are taught to quickly withdraw into the group and distrust the outside world. Tea Baggers distrust everything. They think everyone's coming for their guns and they shouldn't pay taxes. They're like Wesley Snipes crossed with a fat old white guy who runs a landfill.
Folks. No one is coming for your guns, your Bibles or your fishing poles. And that's not a monster under your bed, it's the Ab Lounger you bought last year and never used.
Cults are also always driven by some ridiculous, unobtainable goal. Like a fiery apocalypse ringing-in 'Paradise' .... or deficit-reduction by way of giant tax cuts.
Now, you know someone has fallen into a cult if you see these signs:
1. Cults have their own vocabulary. Now, I don't speak Shit-Kicker... but I know in their world that 'freedom' means 'guns'... 'diplomacy' means 'weakness'.... 'elitist' means 'reader'... and 'socialist' means 'black'.
2. Cults tend to populate from within, encouraging members to have huge broods of children and to give them strange names like 'Moonbeam' and 'Trig'.
and...
3. Cult members attribute all of their problems to one simple explanation. (picture of Obama - with Hitler mustache)
Now, here's an amazing statistic. In a recent poll almost ninety percent of Tea Baggers said that they thought taxes had either gone up or stayed the same under Obama. Only two percent thought they went down. But the reality is taxes have gone down... for ninety five percent of working families, taxes went down.
Think about that. Only two percent of the people in a "movement" about taxes, named after a tax revolt, have the slightest idea what's going on... with taxes!
So, it would be easy to just mock, except that those who fall under the control of cults aren't necessarily weirdoes, they're victims. And we shouldn't forget that these people are our relatives, our neighbors and the folks at the next table in the restaurant.
Especially if that restaurant is Hooters... and it's Dollar Wing Wednesday.
25 favorite songs
1) "I'm Your Man" Leonard Cohen
2) "Que Sera Sera" Doris Day
3) "Don't Let me be misunderstood" Nina Simone
4) "One Love" Bob Marley
5) ""Stop It" Pylon
6) "Get the balance right" Depeche Mode
7) "This is the day" The The
8) "Where is my mind" Pixies
9) "Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove" Dead Can Dance
10) "Rescue Me" Fontella Bass
11) "Creep" Radiohead
12) "Mad World" Tears for Fears
13) "My Girl" The Temptations
14) "Only Happy when it rains" Garbage
15) "Logical Song" Supertramp
16) "Everyday I Write the Book" Elvis Costello
17) "Only You" Yaz (Yazoo)
18) "Blue Monday" New Order
19) "Bring me some water" Melissa Etheridge
20) "True Colors" Cyndi Lauper
21) "Crazy" Patsy Cline
22) "Always On My Mind" Pet Shop Boys or Willie Nelson
23) "Take the Skinheads Bowling" Camper Van Beethoven
24) "Ain't No Sunshine" Ladysmith Black Mambazo
25) "Somewhere over the rainbow/Wonderful World" Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
26) "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Nirvana
27) "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" Beatles
* Ed Helms is hysterical on NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.
* Pre teen or teenage: know-it-all,cool and hip one minute, idiot and knucklehead the next,
2) "Que Sera Sera" Doris Day
3) "Don't Let me be misunderstood" Nina Simone
4) "One Love" Bob Marley
5) ""Stop It" Pylon
6) "Get the balance right" Depeche Mode
7) "This is the day" The The
8) "Where is my mind" Pixies
9) "Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove" Dead Can Dance
10) "Rescue Me" Fontella Bass
11) "Creep" Radiohead
12) "Mad World" Tears for Fears
13) "My Girl" The Temptations
14) "Only Happy when it rains" Garbage
15) "Logical Song" Supertramp
16) "Everyday I Write the Book" Elvis Costello
17) "Only You" Yaz (Yazoo)
18) "Blue Monday" New Order
19) "Bring me some water" Melissa Etheridge
20) "True Colors" Cyndi Lauper
21) "Crazy" Patsy Cline
22) "Always On My Mind" Pet Shop Boys or Willie Nelson
23) "Take the Skinheads Bowling" Camper Van Beethoven
24) "Ain't No Sunshine" Ladysmith Black Mambazo
25) "Somewhere over the rainbow/Wonderful World" Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
26) "Smells Like Teen Spirit" Nirvana
27) "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" Beatles
* Ed Helms is hysterical on NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.
* Pre teen or teenage: know-it-all,cool and hip one minute, idiot and knucklehead the next,
Friday, February 19, 2010
Oh What A Day!
* Family Guy. Sarcasm. Hysterical. Ex governor. No sense of humor. Loaf of French bread.
* Announcement over the PA system: "At this time, please don't insult our intelligence by patronizing us like we are 2 year olds."
* My name is Earl and I'm addicted to facebook. "Hiiiiii, Earllllll!"
* We Are The Weird...We Are The Children...
School on Saturday? Sometimes too much of a good thing can be redundant and bad for your health. The key to life is finding a BALANCE and not overdo things. Work harder is the opposite of work smarter. Ever noticed how effortless and relaxed the top athletes in the world do it? They know when to work hard and they know you do your best when you're calm, relaxed and under control. The stressed out or out of control ones finish behind and lose, usually. The odds are against you when you are not rested, relaxed or focused.
* The streak continues. Another day, another run.
Bally Total Fitness at 9 PM: 2 miles, 19 minutes, 42 degrees, Day #50.
Upcoming Races:
Saturday 2/27, Run Thru the Forest 5K, Smyrna.
Saturday 3/6, Chattahoochee Road Runner 5K/10K ?, Sandy Springs
Saturday 3/13, Silver Comet 10K, Mableton
* Announcement over the PA system: "At this time, please don't insult our intelligence by patronizing us like we are 2 year olds."
* My name is Earl and I'm addicted to facebook. "Hiiiiii, Earllllll!"
* We Are The Weird...We Are The Children...
School on Saturday? Sometimes too much of a good thing can be redundant and bad for your health. The key to life is finding a BALANCE and not overdo things. Work harder is the opposite of work smarter. Ever noticed how effortless and relaxed the top athletes in the world do it? They know when to work hard and they know you do your best when you're calm, relaxed and under control. The stressed out or out of control ones finish behind and lose, usually. The odds are against you when you are not rested, relaxed or focused.
* The streak continues. Another day, another run.
Bally Total Fitness at 9 PM: 2 miles, 19 minutes, 42 degrees, Day #50.
Upcoming Races:
Saturday 2/27, Run Thru the Forest 5K, Smyrna.
Saturday 3/6, Chattahoochee Road Runner 5K/10K ?, Sandy Springs
Saturday 3/13, Silver Comet 10K, Mableton
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Meeting Schmeeting
* Please help me to help you to help yourself!
* Competition. Capitalism. Cheating to get to the top. That's the American way. So what's with all the hoopla about the CRCT cheating scandal? Allegations are not the truth or facts, so stop treating them as such, in the first place. I choose to not believe in everything I hear. Secondly, QUIT YOUR BITCHIN'! You wanted higher test scores, now you got them. Let's start celebrating and patting ourselves on the back. All this whining and complaining about things you have no control over or none of your dang business is a big waste of time.
If only we spend this much energy and money on actually teaching our children something useful and practical. Reading, writing and listening skills. Will these test scores matter 5, 10 years from now? Doubt it. As usual, it's not the kids but the adults in charge who are clueless.
* Join this, if you dare: The Coffee Party Movement Click Here to Join
* Gonna try to do this in the near future: Run barefoot Runningbarefoot.org
* Loving this Winter in Georgia. Snow, ice, cold extreme weather. That's more like it. This has been the best winter we've had in Georgia over the last 16 years. We were in Vermont where they had record snow: 33 inches in 3 days, then when we came back to Georgia it snowed in January and snowed again big time last week. Georgians didn't know what they were missing. My new favorite temperature: 40 degrees.
* Competition. Capitalism. Cheating to get to the top. That's the American way. So what's with all the hoopla about the CRCT cheating scandal? Allegations are not the truth or facts, so stop treating them as such, in the first place. I choose to not believe in everything I hear. Secondly, QUIT YOUR BITCHIN'! You wanted higher test scores, now you got them. Let's start celebrating and patting ourselves on the back. All this whining and complaining about things you have no control over or none of your dang business is a big waste of time.
If only we spend this much energy and money on actually teaching our children something useful and practical. Reading, writing and listening skills. Will these test scores matter 5, 10 years from now? Doubt it. As usual, it's not the kids but the adults in charge who are clueless.
* Join this, if you dare: The Coffee Party Movement Click Here to Join
* Gonna try to do this in the near future: Run barefoot Runningbarefoot.org
* Loving this Winter in Georgia. Snow, ice, cold extreme weather. That's more like it. This has been the best winter we've had in Georgia over the last 16 years. We were in Vermont where they had record snow: 33 inches in 3 days, then when we came back to Georgia it snowed in January and snowed again big time last week. Georgians didn't know what they were missing. My new favorite temperature: 40 degrees.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
My Theme Song
"You're So Vain" Carly Simon. What's yours?
(or "Secret Agent Man" but with the words as "secret ASIAN man")
* Take your work seriously, but do not take yourself so seriously.
* I think somebody's been reading my blog posting from last week. I noticed that the teachers are behaving this week..Or it could just be my imagination running wild. Again.
* Quercetin is the word. Saw it in capsule form at GNC. Those FRS Energy chews are excellent. Noticeable but subtle difference in my energy level, not like the caffeine in coffee when you'll have a crash later in the day.
* 3 miles today, 29 minutes, 43 degrees at 4:30 PM.
48 consecutive days, I've been running every day since January 1st, 2010.
Rain, snow, sleet, mud, wind, cold, ice, sun, fog...Wonder what's next?
(or "Secret Agent Man" but with the words as "secret ASIAN man")
* Take your work seriously, but do not take yourself so seriously.
* I think somebody's been reading my blog posting from last week. I noticed that the teachers are behaving this week..Or it could just be my imagination running wild. Again.
* Quercetin is the word. Saw it in capsule form at GNC. Those FRS Energy chews are excellent. Noticeable but subtle difference in my energy level, not like the caffeine in coffee when you'll have a crash later in the day.
* 3 miles today, 29 minutes, 43 degrees at 4:30 PM.
48 consecutive days, I've been running every day since January 1st, 2010.
Rain, snow, sleet, mud, wind, cold, ice, sun, fog...Wonder what's next?
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Gay Games continues
The 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver continues tonight....
Yawn...men's figure skating...zzzzzzzzz.............
* Day 47:
2 miles, 18 minutes, 30 degrees, Bally Total Fitness., 5 PM
Yawn...men's figure skating...zzzzzzzzz.............
* Day 47:
2 miles, 18 minutes, 30 degrees, Bally Total Fitness., 5 PM
Monday, February 15, 2010
TGIM...TG It's Monday
46 days in a row of running: about 4 miles today, 2 miles indoors on the treadmill at LA Fitness and around 2 miles outside at Tollison Park later. Didn't bring my Garmin watch. Lovely day, 38 degrees with plenty of sunshine and some wind. Nobody was at the park for some reason, maybe it's too windy, and still wet on some places of the trails. I see remnants of wannabe snowmen in the middle of the soccer field or in someone's yards. Blobs and blocks of snow on the grass.
* Dead Can Dance is one of those groups with a distinctive sound, like the Beatles or Michael Jackson or even Vivaldi, you instantly recognize that it's them. Or at least I can. May be it's Lisa Gerrard's voice, or the instrumentation of heavily-layered drums and bass, ethnic Eastern vocals contrasting with electronic synth sounds and effects. Yesterday I thought I heard the intro of Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough" on NPR's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. I am pretty sure that was it. I had another idea while I was listening to bluegrass music on 1690AM Voice of the Arts the other day, remixing a hip hop beat would be groovy underneath all that banjo jangling. I get these ideas when I'm in the car or in the showers.
YOU ARE HERE X
* Dead Can Dance is one of those groups with a distinctive sound, like the Beatles or Michael Jackson or even Vivaldi, you instantly recognize that it's them. Or at least I can. May be it's Lisa Gerrard's voice, or the instrumentation of heavily-layered drums and bass, ethnic Eastern vocals contrasting with electronic synth sounds and effects. Yesterday I thought I heard the intro of Depeche Mode's "Just Can't Get Enough" on NPR's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. I am pretty sure that was it. I had another idea while I was listening to bluegrass music on 1690AM Voice of the Arts the other day, remixing a hip hop beat would be groovy underneath all that banjo jangling. I get these ideas when I'm in the car or in the showers.
YOU ARE HERE X
Sunday, February 14, 2010
V Day
More Snow! More Snow! More Snow!!!!!
How could it snow tonight when it's 45 degrees outside right now?
How could it snow tonight when it's 45 degrees outside right now?
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Snow Child Left Behind
Mother Nature is the greatest artist of all time. I've always been a fan of her works. Acts of Mother Nature are awesome, although sometimes she has a sick sense of humor.
It's a lovely bright shiny beautiful morning here in Georgia, we've got about 4 inches of snow overnight. Most of it stuck. Woke up at 8, looked out the window, there's nothing as serene and peaceful like the morning after a snowstorm. Pristine clean white everywhere. So I went outside to run on the streets around our place at 9 AM. There was little traffic, the sun was out, there was no wind, and the temp was 26 degrees. Atlanta Rd was barren, I could have run in the middle of the street. Four miles and forty five minutes later, I made it back home with the 2 newspapers for the missus. What made it an awesome run? Slow, easy, paying attention to the surroundings, relaxed breathing and smooth arm swings. Only slipped a couple of times on the icy downhill road and turn at an angle. Didn't fall because I was under control and did not try to go too fast. I was just out enjoying the scenery and the fresh air. I just love the sight, sound, and smell of fresh pure white snow on the ground and sidewalk. Especially the crunching grinding swishing noise of my Saucony running shoes on the packed snow.
Oh, by the way, this is the 44th straight day of running at least a mile a day.
4 miles today, in 45 minutes, sunny 26 degrees weather.
# Say It Loud...I'm Gold...And I'm Proud!
They changed the "Yellow" line (MARTA public transportation system in Atlanta) to "Gold", starting now. Thanks for the sensitivity, but I thought we could have just changed the South line to the "Black" line. See how that works.
Friday, February 12, 2010
Free Form Friday
To the empty school building, thanks for a good ending to the week.
"At this time, you may leave the building."
* It's 92˚ in Australia and 110˚ in Brazil today.
Global Warming, you asked? Yep. I say it's still on.
TO SNOW OR NOT TO SNOW...
*DISCLAIMER: The following blog contains offensive and/or adult language including secular free-thinking spewing. Approach at your own risk. Don't say I didn't warn you.
* Trust me, I'm an administrator.
* My pet peeves:
1) people who don't know what they're doing
2) people who don't pay attention to whatever they're doing
3) people who don't care about what they're doing
* You're setting an example for your children, people.
*Stop Socialism!
Dismantle Social Security, Fire, Police and Public Schools. Who needs them anyway.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Let It Snow Let it snow let it snow
* Today's Word of the Day: N/A
as in Not Applicable.
* I always get giddy like a little schoolboy whenever there's a possibility of snow here in Georgia. The forecast calls for 1 to 3 inches tomorrow. We'll probably get half an inch at most... It will be too warm, around 34, 35 so nothing will stick. I might be wrong, I hope I am 'cause I LOVE SNOW. Here is the only place that starts snowing when the temp is around 37 degrees. And I have been in snowy weather conditions in New England, Midwest, Texas, Colorado, Pacific NorthWest, Europe, and New York City where you could tell when it starts to snow, right around 32 degrees, right?
* Love the sound, sight and smell of freshly fallen snow.
* Today was a rough day at school. Some older kids were getting disrespectful and rude. A few adults were even ruder. I didn't eat lunch, just a chocolate/caramel bar called "Oh Yeah!" that I got from GNC. But after my run (42 consecutive days of running), I felt great. Must be the lunches I eat in the cafeteria every day. The short run really cleared my head and relaxed me after this long hectic day. I gotta rest up for the race coming up on Saturday, so only did a mile and a half. For the first time in a few weeks, I could actually breathe.
* I think the deli counter woman at Publix was flirting with me, she said she thought I look like 25 years old. OK, lady, time for some new glasses. But, really, sometimes I feel like I am 15, and my wife said I often act like a five year old. Age ain't nothin' but a number baby.
as in Not Applicable.
* I always get giddy like a little schoolboy whenever there's a possibility of snow here in Georgia. The forecast calls for 1 to 3 inches tomorrow. We'll probably get half an inch at most... It will be too warm, around 34, 35 so nothing will stick. I might be wrong, I hope I am 'cause I LOVE SNOW. Here is the only place that starts snowing when the temp is around 37 degrees. And I have been in snowy weather conditions in New England, Midwest, Texas, Colorado, Pacific NorthWest, Europe, and New York City where you could tell when it starts to snow, right around 32 degrees, right?
* Love the sound, sight and smell of freshly fallen snow.
* Today was a rough day at school. Some older kids were getting disrespectful and rude. A few adults were even ruder. I didn't eat lunch, just a chocolate/caramel bar called "Oh Yeah!" that I got from GNC. But after my run (42 consecutive days of running), I felt great. Must be the lunches I eat in the cafeteria every day. The short run really cleared my head and relaxed me after this long hectic day. I gotta rest up for the race coming up on Saturday, so only did a mile and a half. For the first time in a few weeks, I could actually breathe.
* I think the deli counter woman at Publix was flirting with me, she said she thought I look like 25 years old. OK, lady, time for some new glasses. But, really, sometimes I feel like I am 15, and my wife said I often act like a five year old. Age ain't nothin' but a number baby.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Atlanta's MARTA "yellow line" rebranding
Mixed reaction on MARTA's ‘yellow line' rebranding | ajc.com
Posted using ShareThis
Say it Loud, I'm YELLOW and I'm proud.
Wait, that ain't right! Oh, I forgot, I live in the Deep South. People heeere still think all of us Asians as Chinese. The former artistic director of the Alliance Theatre used to call me "Lee", when I worked there. Something hasn't changed, and I think many people here still prefer it that way, and that's the sad part. Once again the yellow fellows get the brunt of the joke. I guess we just gotta embrace it. Hey I'm having fun with it y'all.
Posted using ShareThis
Say it Loud, I'm YELLOW and I'm proud.
Wait, that ain't right! Oh, I forgot, I live in the Deep South. People heeere still think all of us Asians as Chinese. The former artistic director of the Alliance Theatre used to call me "Lee", when I worked there. Something hasn't changed, and I think many people here still prefer it that way, and that's the sad part. Once again the yellow fellows get the brunt of the joke. I guess we just gotta embrace it. Hey I'm having fun with it y'all.
Wrong
* Seen at work today: a certain fifth grade teacher using the center post of the double doors as a dancing pole, as in the stripper pole. As she was doing this, another colleague was saying: Smooth, girl, real smooth... And I thought I have seen everything.
* School Strategic Planning Mid-Year Report:
Monitoring Plan: Don't stress out too much about all that teaching stuff, you're not going to make them dumber.
* A kindergartener told me: Art is the only thing I like about this school. It was not the first time. Art, PE and Math were my favorite subjects in school.
* Ba Dum Ba Dee Dum, Bum Bum (2X)
Green... Acres has a lot of Germs.
* Failure is not an option, but it's a highly likely possibility for some of them.
* Pray all you want, Mother Nature still trumps any God any day.
* School Strategic Planning Mid-Year Report:
Monitoring Plan: Don't stress out too much about all that teaching stuff, you're not going to make them dumber.
* A kindergartener told me: Art is the only thing I like about this school. It was not the first time. Art, PE and Math were my favorite subjects in school.
* Ba Dum Ba Dee Dum, Bum Bum (2X)
Green... Acres has a lot of Germs.
* Failure is not an option, but it's a highly likely possibility for some of them.
* Pray all you want, Mother Nature still trumps any God any day.
Monday, February 08, 2010
Manic Monday
* What in the world was up with those pantless/ half-naked people in the Super Bowl commercials last night? This year's ads/ commercials were horribly uninspired, lame and super-stupid. The Who rocked the Half Time Show I'll tell you that much though.
* A first grader today said her grandma is 47 years old. Man, I feel old right there and then. I AM OLD, will be 45 in a month.
* Sarah Palin is the gift that keeps on giving.
From the teeny tiny tea party. Talk to the hand, I laughed until I can laugh no mo...
* A first grader today said her grandma is 47 years old. Man, I feel old right there and then. I AM OLD, will be 45 in a month.
* Sarah Palin is the gift that keeps on giving.
From the teeny tiny tea party. Talk to the hand, I laughed until I can laugh no mo...
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Do It to It
- New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 20. You saw it here first.
* Do Ask. And DO Tell.
* Enough with the asking and telling, just shut up and kiss me.
+ MC Cha Gio Yo on the microphone. One two one two you know what to do.
* Sarah Palin AKA "Funniest politician in America",
as in Dumb and Dumber funny, as in "You're a joke, lady", and as in "that sound of laughter means they're laughing AT you, sister" funny.
^ 37th straight day running. One mile today. My previous record was four days in a row. Man, no wonder my legs are tired.
* Do Ask. And DO Tell.
* Enough with the asking and telling, just shut up and kiss me.
+ MC Cha Gio Yo on the microphone. One two one two you know what to do.
* Sarah Palin AKA "Funniest politician in America",
as in Dumb and Dumber funny, as in "You're a joke, lady", and as in "that sound of laughter means they're laughing AT you, sister" funny.
^ 37th straight day running. One mile today. My previous record was four days in a row. Man, no wonder my legs are tired.
Friday, February 05, 2010
Freaky Friday
One of our favorite cities, Asheville, North Carolina
Today's mantra: "Do what you can, with what you have, wherever you are."
Change your attitude, change your thinking, control your mind. You're allowed.
"Smile, Breathe, and Go Slowly." Thich Nhat Hanh
WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT, SUGAR.
That quote from the play Dark Rapture by Eric Overmyer reminds me of Portland Stage Company where I worked 20 years ago. Actually the play was done in Dallas Theater Center, another theater I worked at with the old artistic director from Portland Stage and where I saw my old boss Niall who is now married to Amy, another co-worker back at Portland. Oh boy, talk about Six Degrees of Separation, wait, that was another play I did at Dallas. It was a pleasant surprise to read on Amy's blog that she is now back with him and is now raising her two boys, one is a two year old with Niall. I'm not very sentimental but that is a sweet and heartfelt love story. I saw Niall in Dallas about 15 years ago and the last time I spoke with Amy was in 1992, almost 20 years ago. She is a wonderful writer and photographer. Check out her blog A Commonplace life. I like the concise, simple, straightforward and unpretentious style of her writing. Her photographs have so much emotions, expressions and feelings in them.
Today's mantra: "Do what you can, with what you have, wherever you are."
Change your attitude, change your thinking, control your mind. You're allowed.
"Smile, Breathe, and Go Slowly." Thich Nhat Hanh
WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT, SUGAR.
That quote from the play Dark Rapture by Eric Overmyer reminds me of Portland Stage Company where I worked 20 years ago. Actually the play was done in Dallas Theater Center, another theater I worked at with the old artistic director from Portland Stage and where I saw my old boss Niall who is now married to Amy, another co-worker back at Portland. Oh boy, talk about Six Degrees of Separation, wait, that was another play I did at Dallas. It was a pleasant surprise to read on Amy's blog that she is now back with him and is now raising her two boys, one is a two year old with Niall. I'm not very sentimental but that is a sweet and heartfelt love story. I saw Niall in Dallas about 15 years ago and the last time I spoke with Amy was in 1992, almost 20 years ago. She is a wonderful writer and photographer. Check out her blog A Commonplace life. I like the concise, simple, straightforward and unpretentious style of her writing. Her photographs have so much emotions, expressions and feelings in them.
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
GAGGG...me with a spoon.
* Green Acres Getting Gorgeous Group (GAGGG). Sounds like a ton o' fun. (Rim Shot) Ouch!
Are we allowed to have fun at school?
* "If you're here, then BE here." Gotta live in the moment, be like a cat. Some people bring their home life and activities to work and guess what happens when they go home. They bring their work home with them.
* Get people's attention or die (in the first 30 seconds). As in a performance or at the beginning of a class, presentation, speech, or any event involving a large group of people.
* Collaborate, not confront.
* 34 days in a row of running at least ONE mile a day. One and a half mile today. The beat goes on.
Are we allowed to have fun at school?
* "If you're here, then BE here." Gotta live in the moment, be like a cat. Some people bring their home life and activities to work and guess what happens when they go home. They bring their work home with them.
* Get people's attention or die (in the first 30 seconds). As in a performance or at the beginning of a class, presentation, speech, or any event involving a large group of people.
* Collaborate, not confront.
* 34 days in a row of running at least ONE mile a day. One and a half mile today. The beat goes on.
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Tuesday's gone
* Re: the Grammys
Lady GaGa rhymes with CACA. Sounds about right. As much of today's music. They all sound the same, like crap. Whatever happened to melody and simplicity in a song? I don't listen to commercial radio any more. I don't listen to the same CDs over and over like I used to when I was in my 20s or even 30s. Nowadays, I keep an open mind and ear and listen to WREK-FM, the Georgia Tech's students' radio station or WRFG, the community station when they play blues or international music. Heck I even listen to AM: the Voice of the Arts in Atlanta 1690AM. Online or internet stations SOMA-FM and Radio Paradise are my choices. Hate Pandora. Last FM is all right in small doses.
* Three things kids (and adults) need to learn:
1. How to pay attention. 2. Practice self-control. 3. Know when to stop
Quote of the day ( from Zen Habits):
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” ~ Lao Tzu
Lady GaGa rhymes with CACA. Sounds about right. As much of today's music. They all sound the same, like crap. Whatever happened to melody and simplicity in a song? I don't listen to commercial radio any more. I don't listen to the same CDs over and over like I used to when I was in my 20s or even 30s. Nowadays, I keep an open mind and ear and listen to WREK-FM, the Georgia Tech's students' radio station or WRFG, the community station when they play blues or international music. Heck I even listen to AM: the Voice of the Arts in Atlanta 1690AM. Online or internet stations SOMA-FM and Radio Paradise are my choices. Hate Pandora. Last FM is all right in small doses.
* Three things kids (and adults) need to learn:
1. How to pay attention. 2. Practice self-control. 3. Know when to stop
Quote of the day ( from Zen Habits):
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” ~ Lao Tzu
Sunday, January 31, 2010
...Won't go there.
* "Speak No Evil, and Evil won't come back to You" Tinsley Ellis, Atlanta bluesman.
* Happiness is accepting ourselves as who we are. (heard on NPR)
OK, so I'm embracing my inner geekiness. I am a NOC (Nerd of Color). I'm also a jock. And an artist (visual and audio).
Run MoFo Run!
* New Rule: Just Pay Attention.
* I have a new hobby, may be it's not that new. I make up words to popular songs or any songs really. Now I know why Weird Al Yankovic has always fascinated me in the past. I found his parodies of top 40 songs more interesting and fun to sing than the actual hits.
For example today I came up with some lyrics for the classic "This Land is Your Land" with the current water wars between Georgia, Florida and Alabama. "This water is our water, it ain't your water, From North Georgia, to the Chattahoochee, Get 'way from our water, " and on and on...
* Here's another one for one of my friends on facebook, I hope she's not reading this:
"So-phi-a...A, B, C, it's easy as 1-2-3..."
* Happiness is accepting ourselves as who we are. (heard on NPR)
OK, so I'm embracing my inner geekiness. I am a NOC (Nerd of Color). I'm also a jock. And an artist (visual and audio).
Run MoFo Run!
* New Rule: Just Pay Attention.
* I have a new hobby, may be it's not that new. I make up words to popular songs or any songs really. Now I know why Weird Al Yankovic has always fascinated me in the past. I found his parodies of top 40 songs more interesting and fun to sing than the actual hits.
For example today I came up with some lyrics for the classic "This Land is Your Land" with the current water wars between Georgia, Florida and Alabama. "This water is our water, it ain't your water, From North Georgia, to the Chattahoochee, Get 'way from our water, " and on and on...
* Here's another one for one of my friends on facebook, I hope she's not reading this:
"So-phi-a...A, B, C, it's easy as 1-2-3..."
Saturday, January 30, 2010
I've said it before...
...let me say this again:
ABORT. THE. SUPREME. COURT.
* Today marks 30 days in a row that I have been running for at least ONE mile a day.
Only a mile today and I'm feeling it right now. Usually I love running in this kind of weather (36 degrees, slight drizzle, foggy), but for some reason I had a little side cramp at the beginning and could not breathe properly the rest of the time. May be I overdressed with too many layers and did not warm up at all. Think I ran too soon after lunch and I drank too much water. Or it could be that last night I went to the gym way late (9 PM) so that I could keep this string of consecutive days going. Any way, this week total is 13 miles and I did not have any long run of more than 3 miles. Oh well.
ABORT. THE. SUPREME. COURT.
* Today marks 30 days in a row that I have been running for at least ONE mile a day.
Only a mile today and I'm feeling it right now. Usually I love running in this kind of weather (36 degrees, slight drizzle, foggy), but for some reason I had a little side cramp at the beginning and could not breathe properly the rest of the time. May be I overdressed with too many layers and did not warm up at all. Think I ran too soon after lunch and I drank too much water. Or it could be that last night I went to the gym way late (9 PM) so that I could keep this string of consecutive days going. Any way, this week total is 13 miles and I did not have any long run of more than 3 miles. Oh well.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Brett who? Oh yeah, Brett FAILvre
* Finally, will this be the last true retirement of Brett "The Bonehead" Favre? Let's hope so.
Oh when the Saints, oh when the saints come marching in....
* SAVE THE DATE! 10-10-10
* Listening to Groove Salad station on Soma.FM , my current favorite station on the net. I have this station played in the background at school while the kids are working on their art.
Oh when the Saints, oh when the saints come marching in....
* SAVE THE DATE! 10-10-10
* Listening to Groove Salad station on Soma.FM , my current favorite station on the net. I have this station played in the background at school while the kids are working on their art.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Hee hee on the Tee Vee
Jon Stewart and Keith Olbermann: Two funniest people in America today.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Special Comment - Keith Olbermann's Name-Calling | ||||
| ||||
Friday, January 22, 2010
Free Form Friday
How to stop this stupid trend: Require all teachers to wear their pants the same way (for a month). I guarantee that all the foolish kids will instantly stop doing it as soon as they see it in the adults. It ain't cool no more. Of course this will never happen with the "grown-ups" in charge, but this is how I think about problem-solving.
* To enjoy life more: Do less. Do one thing at a time.
Multi-tasking is for people with NO imagination and who can't deal with reality.
* Be bold, be big, be bright.
* I can tell the current temperature just by going outside for a minute. Yesterday 44, today 47.
* America should have voted for a real Democrat like Dennis Kucinich. Buyers' remorse a year later, eh?
* These are the funniest people in America (according to me):
1) Jon Stewart
2) Keith Olbermann
3) (tie) Sarah Palin and Stephen Colbert
5) Chris Rock
6) Cedric the Entertainner
* Apparently I offended someone for calling Golf a "rich white sport" a few weeks back. Let me clarify: I still think it's a Yuppie white male-dominated boring as heck pastime. You hit a little white ball, you chase after it, and you hit it again and again. Then you and the caddie get in a motorized cart and drive to the next hole. I say when you find the dang thing put it in your pocket, get back in the SUV and go home. Big waste of land and resources. Mostly what I can't stand is the arrogant, pompous, holier-than-thou attitude and the pretentious mentality of the elite country club lifestyle. Hey you don't have to agree with me, it's a free country, right? Nobody has to take it personally. It's shocking though, that someone actually reads this blog??? If you are still reading this, why not put in a comment. Go ahead.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
A Love Story: Act Three
That June Dung moved to Georgia. Kathy could be close to her family, not feel the guilt and he could be with her. It was not easy since he gave a good job to come to Georgia with no job.
He worked as a courier driving around Atlanta for almost 6 months. Then he got sound engineering gig for Georgia Pacific but it took him on tour around the country for another 4 months. They spoke on the phone every day and whenever he was close enough Kathy would join up with the tour. When he came back he got his first sound design job with Horizon Theatre. He barely had any equipment and his studio office was the dining room table we had to clear every night for dinner. There was no real money to go out for anything extra. But they both loved that apartment, their first place together. They slept on a mattress on the floor covered in cats. They danced in the kitchen to The Very Thought of You. They laughed a lot, they worried little about bills. Everything would work out. Not having a lot meant not a lot to lose.
Dung would later get full time work at the Alliance. There would be more demand for him to design at other places around town. They would rent a house. Small, but centrally located. They worked, they played at the park, it was a good life. Kathy often asked did he ever see them married. He was in no rush. Kathy wanted very much to be his wife. She loved him, and was not worried about him leaving her but she wanted to stand in front of friends and family and join her life with his. Show both families how they were not as different as they were alike. It was important to combine the families, traditions and cultures formally the way they had always done together. As time wore on they wanted to buy a house, and they decided to get married.
It was Fall, his favorite time of the year. So many of his family came. They saw the house, their first house. They met Kathy; since they lived in California only his parents had met her. The family readied their house and the meal for the rehearsal dinner. It was wonderful. It was amazing how much they did for them considering they had never met Kathy.
The wedding was November 7th, 1998, six years since Baltimore. It was small and mostly about the joining of two families and cultures into one. He looked so handsome in his tux and she felt strong just holding his hand. She will never forget how happy he was. Her shy retiring mate was out greeting guests grinning from ear to ear. He could not wait to be her husband. That was the best gift Kathy could have ever asked for. He will never forget the look on his family's face when she came out later in the red traditional Vietnamese wedding dress. They danced again to They Very Thought of You, this time in front of friends and family but it still seemed to them like their private kitchen in their small apartment. It was a perfect day, just like people talked about. But the thing they could never counted on was how much it would mean to be his wife and her husband. It seemed like a perfect coming together that had grown out of their years together.
Now when they go to bed in the evening and wake up in the morning they think what a great gift to be his wife and her husband. Still if they lost it all, all the material things, the blessings they have would far outweigh the tragedies. They remember finding their way back to each other and it keeps them grateful. She is grateful for his forgiveness and he is grateful for her changed mind. Though when most people meet them they are sure all they see are their differences; when they hold each other all they feel is complete.
He worked as a courier driving around Atlanta for almost 6 months. Then he got sound engineering gig for Georgia Pacific but it took him on tour around the country for another 4 months. They spoke on the phone every day and whenever he was close enough Kathy would join up with the tour. When he came back he got his first sound design job with Horizon Theatre. He barely had any equipment and his studio office was the dining room table we had to clear every night for dinner. There was no real money to go out for anything extra. But they both loved that apartment, their first place together. They slept on a mattress on the floor covered in cats. They danced in the kitchen to The Very Thought of You. They laughed a lot, they worried little about bills. Everything would work out. Not having a lot meant not a lot to lose.
Dung would later get full time work at the Alliance. There would be more demand for him to design at other places around town. They would rent a house. Small, but centrally located. They worked, they played at the park, it was a good life. Kathy often asked did he ever see them married. He was in no rush. Kathy wanted very much to be his wife. She loved him, and was not worried about him leaving her but she wanted to stand in front of friends and family and join her life with his. Show both families how they were not as different as they were alike. It was important to combine the families, traditions and cultures formally the way they had always done together. As time wore on they wanted to buy a house, and they decided to get married.
It was Fall, his favorite time of the year. So many of his family came. They saw the house, their first house. They met Kathy; since they lived in California only his parents had met her. The family readied their house and the meal for the rehearsal dinner. It was wonderful. It was amazing how much they did for them considering they had never met Kathy.
The wedding was November 7th, 1998, six years since Baltimore. It was small and mostly about the joining of two families and cultures into one. He looked so handsome in his tux and she felt strong just holding his hand. She will never forget how happy he was. Her shy retiring mate was out greeting guests grinning from ear to ear. He could not wait to be her husband. That was the best gift Kathy could have ever asked for. He will never forget the look on his family's face when she came out later in the red traditional Vietnamese wedding dress. They danced again to They Very Thought of You, this time in front of friends and family but it still seemed to them like their private kitchen in their small apartment. It was a perfect day, just like people talked about. But the thing they could never counted on was how much it would mean to be his wife and her husband. It seemed like a perfect coming together that had grown out of their years together.
Now when they go to bed in the evening and wake up in the morning they think what a great gift to be his wife and her husband. Still if they lost it all, all the material things, the blessings they have would far outweigh the tragedies. They remember finding their way back to each other and it keeps them grateful. She is grateful for his forgiveness and he is grateful for her changed mind. Though when most people meet them they are sure all they see are their differences; when they hold each other all they feel is complete.
Thoughtful Thursday
- Abort the Supreme Court. Bunch of Bozos.
- Smile, Breathe, and Go Slowly.
- Don't think about it too much.
- Here's an idea: To reduce the deficit, cut the military spending.
- Mother Nature trumps God any day, any time, anywhere.
- Mazzy Star's "Fade into You" synchronizes perfectly with a 9:00 minute mile pace run.
- Drink Mo' Water. 21 straight day that I have been running at least a mile.
Today was 3.5 miles. Thirty three minutes in 43 degree weather. Slight drizzle and fog.
- My 3 simple rules for clothing that I pick to wear: Fit, Clean, Coverage
- For shoes: Fit, Feel, Function, and the fourth F: 'fordability.
- Smile, Breathe, and Go Slowly.
- Don't think about it too much.
- Here's an idea: To reduce the deficit, cut the military spending.
- Mother Nature trumps God any day, any time, anywhere.
- Mazzy Star's "Fade into You" synchronizes perfectly with a 9:00 minute mile pace run.
- Drink Mo' Water. 21 straight day that I have been running at least a mile.
Today was 3.5 miles. Thirty three minutes in 43 degree weather. Slight drizzle and fog.
- My 3 simple rules for clothing that I pick to wear: Fit, Clean, Coverage
- For shoes: Fit, Feel, Function, and the fourth F: 'fordability.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Wine Time
Oh, boy, it's not my day. Both of my teams lost today. The Dallas Cowboys just totally sucked in every way and deserved to lose. No offense, defense couldn't stop anything, and nothing else spectacular to speak of, they just got a good old-fashioned whipping. But the SD Chargers, a different story, Nate Kaeding, the Pro Bowl kicker missed 3 field goals. The offense made too many mistakes, and the defense couldn't make the big plays when it counted. Inconsistent and unfocused all around. The final score was 17-14. They beat themselves basically. Another year, another San Diego disappointment. Oh, well, it's just a game. No biggie, life goes on. It just means that this will be another typical BORING Super Bowl Sunday, may be I'll watch the Who playing at half time, may be not.
* Legs are slightly sore today from the race yesterday. Still went out and ran a couple of miles in the rain. It was around 54 degrees, I miss the 30s and 40s when I could breathe the fresh air. This will be the 17th straight day of running at least one mile a day. I'm feeling somewhat out of it physically, still having some trouble breathing properly. I slowed down a bit and it seemed to help. Tomorrow will be running early, may be a long easy run of more than 4 miles.
* Legs are slightly sore today from the race yesterday. Still went out and ran a couple of miles in the rain. It was around 54 degrees, I miss the 30s and 40s when I could breathe the fresh air. This will be the 17th straight day of running at least one mile a day. I'm feeling somewhat out of it physically, still having some trouble breathing properly. I slowed down a bit and it seemed to help. Tomorrow will be running early, may be a long easy run of more than 4 miles.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
5K Race report. Yeah, I got this...
...And it almost killed me.
My plan almost backfired. I went out the first mile faster than usual, looked briefly at the Garmin watch and it was around 7:00 minute pace. Yeah, way too fast for me. I was struggling to breathe and to keep my form during the second mile, tensed up in the shoulders and chest. I was having a hard time not relaxing. The final and third mile was all about hanging on for dear life, did not have much left in the tank at the finish line. Surprisingly I ran the last mile at an 8 minute pace.
Hey, but the end result: I did it. I got to the starting line and crossed the finish line 24 minutes and 52 seconds later. I barely reached my goal of sub 25 minute 5K. This is also my fastest and hardest 3 mile run. The Atlanta Track Club Peachtree City 5K.
New Year, New Age Group (45-49), New PR 24:52 (unofficial.) 8:00 mile pace.
** Official D-tag time showed: 24:46**
My Garmin watch indicated that the distance was only 2.98 miles, though???
* Competition may be the root of all evil, unless it's against yourself.
* Resolution #3: Play, Rest, Work, in that order.
* I want to be like Klimchak when I grow up. He gets paid to play at work, he gets to do things his own way, and he is an original. Can't beat that with a stick. Oh yes, HE CAN.
- "Who told you to do that?"
" My conscience." said a first grader (Luis C.)
* One out of three Americans is obese. 1/3 of America is now 1/2 of America.
My plan almost backfired. I went out the first mile faster than usual, looked briefly at the Garmin watch and it was around 7:00 minute pace. Yeah, way too fast for me. I was struggling to breathe and to keep my form during the second mile, tensed up in the shoulders and chest. I was having a hard time not relaxing. The final and third mile was all about hanging on for dear life, did not have much left in the tank at the finish line. Surprisingly I ran the last mile at an 8 minute pace.
Hey, but the end result: I did it. I got to the starting line and crossed the finish line 24 minutes and 52 seconds later. I barely reached my goal of sub 25 minute 5K. This is also my fastest and hardest 3 mile run. The Atlanta Track Club Peachtree City 5K.
New Year, New Age Group (45-49), New PR 24:52 (unofficial.) 8:00 mile pace.
** Official D-tag time showed: 24:46**
My Garmin watch indicated that the distance was only 2.98 miles, though???
* Competition may be the root of all evil, unless it's against yourself.
* Resolution #3: Play, Rest, Work, in that order.
* I want to be like Klimchak when I grow up. He gets paid to play at work, he gets to do things his own way, and he is an original. Can't beat that with a stick. Oh yes, HE CAN.
- "Who told you to do that?"
" My conscience." said a first grader (Luis C.)
* One out of three Americans is obese. 1/3 of America is now 1/2 of America.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Thoughtful Thursday
* Rewarding Work is an oxymoron. Life is about more than just work. A job is just a job, work and nothing more. Don't forget to play, explore, create, learn or just relax and enjoy. Nothing wrong with that. People are taking their work too seriously and burning themselves out. I used to be one of those people. Now I'm making an extra effort to have some SERIOUS FUN! yeah, boyyeeeeee...
* rush limbaugh is still a big, fat moron.
* Pat Robertson is one of the reasons why I am a secular humanist. I'm reading a couple of books: Good without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe by Greg M. Epstein and Richard Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution.
* 14th straight day running. 2.2 miles, 20 minutes, 53 degrees weather.
There's a ATC (Atlanta Track Club) race coming up this Saturday in Peachtree City. It's a 5K, I'm hoping to reach my goal of 25 minutes. I plan on going out faster than I usually do and just hang on for dear life. Hey what do I have to lose, might as well try it. I have been running every day for the last two weeks, rain, snow, sleet, cold, mud, sun, ice. I got this.
* rush limbaugh is still a big, fat moron.
* Pat Robertson is one of the reasons why I am a secular humanist. I'm reading a couple of books: Good without God: What a Billion Nonreligious People Do Believe by Greg M. Epstein and Richard Dawkins' The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution.
* 14th straight day running. 2.2 miles, 20 minutes, 53 degrees weather.
There's a ATC (Atlanta Track Club) race coming up this Saturday in Peachtree City. It's a 5K, I'm hoping to reach my goal of 25 minutes. I plan on going out faster than I usually do and just hang on for dear life. Hey what do I have to lose, might as well try it. I have been running every day for the last two weeks, rain, snow, sleet, cold, mud, sun, ice. I got this.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
What's On My Mind?
"Real Live Flesh" by Tune-Yards - (from the album Bird-Brains)
Wow! What an amazing find. Merrill Garbus’ band tUnE-yArDs, heard her on NPR yesterday. Did not know that she is from Vermont and her label is 4AD, home of the legendary Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Breeders, Throwing Muses, etc, all my favorite groups from the late 80's. Check this out:
Wow! What an amazing find. Merrill Garbus’ band tUnE-yArDs, heard her on NPR yesterday. Did not know that she is from Vermont and her label is 4AD, home of the legendary Pixies, Cocteau Twins, Breeders, Throwing Muses, etc, all my favorite groups from the late 80's. Check this out:
Sunday, January 10, 2010
A Love Story: Act Two
She knew the exact moment she fell in love. It was a Saturday in trendy Fells Point district in Baltimore. They were walking around window shopping just kind of hanging out. It was so simple no pressure nothing to fake. She was having a good time, a genuine nice time just being with him. For her birthday he got her music, she was touched because to him music was personal and special. The card said: "I...you know I do but I can't say it yet.: She did know deep in her heart that he loved her. Baltimore was magical for them; their lives all the reasons they probably should stay apart were miles away.
Later that day Dung called to invite her to dinner at his favorite Vietnamese restaurant, Co Chin. That night was totally different than any date she had ever been on before. The food was exquisite Asian and the atmosphere lovely. But best of all he talked to her. They talked a long time even while the waitstaff stacked chairs on tables as they closed the place. We walked around Baltimore in the cool February air. There was something about her; she was intense about her work, like him. He never would have expected it as Kenny's best friend he assumed she would be like him, nice enough but unmotivated and a little flaky. Only she wasn't just intense about work, she was intense about politics, family, everything. He was really different not just because he worked so hard at being different which he did, but he was definitely deeper than any of the other men she had known. There was a sensitivity, an artist perception of the world. For her there was nothing sexier than an artist. He took her hand and it felt right. She remembers thinking what an unlikely match. We are nearly polar opposites, but there was something about him that was so familiar. They were together a lot after that night, mostly in secret. He had this phrase that she just loved. "The Dung Mystique", it was the perception people had of him as a mysterious deeply private person. She loved that phrase because with her he was never that way. That made her special.
But reality crashed into their paradise on a late night phone call from Georgia. Kathy's father had a major stroke. Would she stay or go? What would happen when Dung had to move to Dallas next year? All those questions hung around like clouds, but he only cared about how she was. Could she handle it? Did she need something? Kathy would finish out her contract and head back to Georgia for the summer. Dung would stay in Baltimore until August. So at the of the regular theater season Kathy packed up, got in her car and left for Georgia with a promise to be with him in Dallas.
It was a promise she would not keep. The first and only promise she broke to him. It almost broke him. When he showed up in Georgia with the U-Haul truck to take her to Dallas Kathy had not thought about the guilt she would feel leaving her family at a time like this. Baltimore had seemed like a lifetime ago. What was she doing, leaving her family in their time of need for a man she had known less than a year. But still she left. And once on the road, every minute every hour she regretted her decision, but could she ever tell him. Unfortunately she did. Looking back she probably needed time to readjust to everything.
She told him she couldn't stay and she was leaving to go back to Georgia as they arrived in Dallas. She heard him begging, she saw the confusion and pain in his eyes. She did not realize until she was in Louisiana on her way home that she had hurt him more than anyone ever had.
Well alone they remained. He came to Georgia to visit her before Thanksgiving, that rare year when it snowed on Thanksgiving in Dallas, Texas. Another blow was dealt, she did not want to see him anymore. She did not even know why she told him that. She felt it was unfair to him, he should feel free to go on with his life in Dallas. Kathy's mother drove him to the bus station. She could not believe what her daughter was doing and told him :"if it was meant to be, it would be". On Christmas Day Kathy finally reached Dung after trying all day. He had been at work or keeping himself busy. As she got off the phone her mother found her crying.
"You still love him?"
"Yes, but all I've done, he will never forgive me." Kathy cried.
"Only one way to find out", her mother said.
Kathy and Dung talked for a long time Christmas night. She could tell from his voice he did not trust her. She could not blame him but she would work to earn back his trust. It was agreed that she would come to Dallas for Valentine's Day.
(To be continued- Act Three)
Year of the 'Boys & Chargers
* Final Score for the last two games 58-14, Dallas Cowboys over Philadelphia Eagles.
I can feel it finally, this is the year of the Cowboys and the Chargers. Super Bowl in Miami. The Who is playing at halftime. Now this is a game that I'd watch unlike the previous years.
* Michael Vick and Philly, it's called Karma: you reap what you sow.
*Day number 10:
5 miles, 58 minutes, 28 degrees
I can feel it finally, this is the year of the Cowboys and the Chargers. Super Bowl in Miami. The Who is playing at halftime. Now this is a game that I'd watch unlike the previous years.
* Michael Vick and Philly, it's called Karma: you reap what you sow.
*Day number 10:
5 miles, 58 minutes, 28 degrees
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Sun Heat Factor
-A Love Story (part 2) coming soon.
- 31 degrees right now, feels like 51. It's the sun heat factor™.
-Gotta make it 9 straight day of running. Already worked out at LA Fitness this morning with Kathy. That place was packed, of course, it's those New Year's resolutions people that I probably won't ever see again in a couple of weeks.
* 2.4 miles in 25 minutes. It was 31 degrees out, sunny and dry today.
- 31 degrees right now, feels like 51. It's the sun heat factor™.
-Gotta make it 9 straight day of running. Already worked out at LA Fitness this morning with Kathy. That place was packed, of course, it's those New Year's resolutions people that I probably won't ever see again in a couple of weeks.
* 2.4 miles in 25 minutes. It was 31 degrees out, sunny and dry today.
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