Bursting Through

BurstingThrough.com Is Complete! Please Go To New Website!

2010-03-07T02:54:00.000-08:00

This may be the last entry on this blogspot blog. I have created a website BurstingThrough.com which now includes all the old and new blog entries. You can find the direct link to the Bursting Through Blog page there as well. I appreciate you reading this entry, and hope you find your way to the new site soon!

One Big Gift

2010-02-24T23:10:00.000-08:00

Guess what showed up at my front door today? A gift to myself for my new home. After 4 months of being on backorder, the Panasonic TC-P65V10 television finally came in. I almost feel too spoiled, but it's definitely nice, even for someone who barely watches television.

21 Hours in Vegas

2010-02-23T23:52:00.000-08:00

Arrive at Las Vegas - 10:15 PM
Dinner at Monagabi at Paris - 1.5 Hours
Sleep at Bally's Hotel - 8 Hours
Walk through KID Show at Ballys - 4 Hours
Lunch at World Buffet restaurant in Rio - 2 Hours
Walk through Magic Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center - 2 Hours
Walk through PROJECT and SLATE show at Mandalay Bay - 1.5 Hours
Gamble at slot machines - 2 Hours
Drive back to Hacienda Heights, stop by Arby's for dinner, and it's home sweet home

Gettin' to the Getty

2010-02-22T21:52:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day was completely unplanned, but worked out well. Though it was a 45 minute stop and go from the freeway to the parking lot entrance, The Getty center was just a beautiful place on this sunny day in California. Using the 2 cameras, we tried to record the atmosphere as best we could. It felt warm and comfortable just to exist in that space. I don't often get that feeling in Los Angeles.

In front of the Restaurant, where we ate a late brunch. I love the lines and patterns in the architecture.

From Getty Center

Fun looking tree with nice little hangings. It made an interesting silhouette.

From Getty Center

I love these trees by the garden! Wish I could have them in my own backyard.

From Getty Center

This very young couple, perhaps only in high school, offered to take this for us. They were very dressed up compared to us.

From Getty Center

I was trying to get the sunlight glow in the children's hair.

From Getty Center

Bee's - fun to look at, but scary to get so close to.

From Getty Center

It's always fun to see which direction your home is in this vast land of Los Angeles.

From Getty Center

Doesn't this image remind you of the Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte painted by Georges-Pierre Seurat with all the folks laying on the grass?

From Getty Center

We got to see the sunset, with helicopters heading deep into the horizon.

From Getty Center

Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park Hike

2010-02-21T17:13:00.000-08:00

What a fantastic and fun hike. The wildlife, plants, birds of prey, and the view of Los Angeles made this one so much more enjoyable. We got some great photos from Gary's Leica D-Lux 4, and I'm hoping to go on more hikes soon!

Took a while to get this shot right, but I like the composition.

From Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park Hike

This red tail hawk just loved posing for us.

From Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park Hike

I really love this shot. The lighting, the tree, and the model.

From Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park Hike

If I Can Make it Here, I Can Make it Anywhere, That's What They Say

2010-02-21T16:44:00.000-08:00

"If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere, that's what they say". This is part of the lyrics from Alicia Keys' "Empire State of Mind, Part II", which I was listening to while trying to run my 5 miles today. Of course, my left knee gave in around 3.5 miles and I had to walk and jog the rest of the way. It's sad what one marathon can do to you. I may have to take swimming lessons soon. Anyhow, I never stopped to listen to the lyrics before, and finally had the chance to today. It really shines a uplifting light to the city of New York, but to me it's simply inspirational, no matter where you are from.

Old Lady Celebration

2010-02-20T22:33:00.000-08:00

This year's birthday I got 2 delicious dinners. Quiet by very nice and relaxing, just the way an old lady like me should be celebrating it.

Plain 'Ole Fun and Games

2010-02-20T09:37:00.000-08:00

This day reminds me of the junior high school days. Just plain old fun and games. It goes from dim sum, to golf driving range, to boba tea, to foot massage machine at SoloMar's, to bowling, dinner at Jurassic Restaurant, watching Gary and Patrick's beer match, and hanging at the house. To top it off, I got my personal best score of 160 in bowling, and that was so out of the blue.

Day 5 in Oahu: Pineapples and the Airport

2010-02-19T00:27:00.000-08:00

The bitter sweet last day was about Pineapples and getting to the airport on time

From Oahu Trip

We thought we were going to get to top 5 of the fastest in finishing the maze. Our time was close to 45 minutes, and the top 5 happen to be 15 minutes or faster. We were SO CLOSE!

From Oahu Trip

Yum yum!

From Oahu Trip

Then it's back to LA. Home sweet home. Okay not really....I wish I didn't have to leave the island.

Day 4 in Oahu: The Food, the Beach, the Beach, and the Food

2010-02-18T23:31:00.000-08:00

We start our 4th day with the Hawaii Hole in the Wall Food Tour and these were our guides Matthew Gray and Keira Nagai.


From Oahu Trip

Of course it started raining out there, but that made it all the more romantic.

From Oahu Trip

The visit to the rice noodle factory was so cool! Not too many restaurants make the rice noodles by hand anymore.

From Oahu Trip

This was a small market in Chinatown. We saw this same fish when we went snorkeling.

From Oahu Trip

No doubt this was Gary's favorite part of the tour - Char Siu House were they had bbq pork and the 5 layers of heaven (aka roast pork as we know it).

From Oahu Trip

After the tour, we started on the Makapuu point hike and view was spectacular!

From Oahu Trip

And then there was the Makapuu Beach park, which was practically empty. The sand was so wonderful here.

From Oahu Trip

Gary and the woman with the crazy lady hair.

From Oahu Trip

Next we hit Kailua Beach, where the sand is suppose to be softest thing you'll ever touch.

From Oahu Trip

Though we are still stuffed from the food tour, we managed to chow down having the Poi, Kalua Pork, Lau Lau, Salmon Lomi at Ono's Hawaiian.

From Oahu Trip

Day 3 in Oahu: Hanauma Bay, Malasadas, Poke

2010-02-14T19:29:00.000-08:00

Getting to ready to snorkel at Hanauma Bay

From Oahu Trip

Can you see the excitement in Patrick and Amy?

From Oahu Trip

Gary is definitely having a ball

From Oahu Trip

Yay! Sea turtle (Click image below to watch the video of Sea Turtle swimming. Taken by Gary)

From Oahu Trip

Grab some Malasadas at Leonard's Bakery

From Oahu Trip

Then some Poke Bowl from Ono's Seafood

From Oahu Trip

Dinner with Gary's aunties and uncle from Hawaii

From Oahu Trip

Day 2 in Oahu: Hiking, Shaved Ice, and the Beach

2010-02-14T01:34:00.000-08:00

We wake up around 5am next morning, while the moon is still peeking out

From Oahu Trip

Hiking up the Diamond Head early morning for our taste of the beautiful view

From Oahu Trip

It's more than spectacular up there.

From Oahu Trip

We refresh ourselves with some Waiola shaved ice at 10am in the morning

From Oahu Trip

Time to relax a bit at the Waikiki Beach

From Oahu Trip

And of course, as I read my new play by the balcony, I get to enjoy the sunset.

From Oahu Trip

Dinner at Sam Choy's for some cooked fish

From Oahu Trip

Day 1 in Oahu: Just Getting Settled In

2010-02-13T13:51:00.000-08:00

City View of Waikiki from the Aston Hotel

From Oahu Trip

Diamond Head view from our hotel

From Oahu Trip

Mistakenly driving through foggy H3, which was 10 miles to the next exit before we could make an U turn. Luckily the view was spectacular!

From Oahu Trip

Our first restaurant stop at Side Street Inn after we pick up Amy and Patrick

From Oahu Trip

Night scene of the Waikiki Beach ocean water front

From Oahu Trip

Enjoying a few Pina Coladas and live cover band at the Hyatt Regency Hotel

From Oahu Trip

Testing With Dragon Age

2010-01-30T00:30:00.000-08:00

I'm testing this phone blogging out. Here is an image of "Dragon Age" being played on a PS3. Apparently, the characters can get girls in bed with them if they say the right things. No wonder it's a fantasy game. Ha!

Day Off For a Seminar

2010-01-28T21:41:00.000-08:00

I took a day off work to attend the Google Adwords 201 seminar, and it was well worth it. Although I probably already knew 70% of the things they discussed, it brought focus to what strategies I need to implement. More importantly, by being in a crowd that was striving for similar goals, it helps to inspire me and give me a little push and shove. Breakfast and lunch weren't have bad either, but I think I ate like a pig and had tummy ache afterwards. That's what I get for being greedy.

This is another inspiring video for great ideas!

Rethink Scholarship at Langara 2010 Call for Entries from Rory O'Sullivan and Simon Bruyn on Vimeo.

Can You Say - Go Go Go-Kart!

2010-01-26T23:32:00.000-08:00

Using the new Leica D-Lux 4 camera, which I happen to love and want for myself now, here are some fun shots from Gary's birthday go kart racing, korean bbq dinner, and karaoke. After flying in the air with the go kart a four big bruises later, I'm ready to go back and redo this race!

From Gary's 38th Birthday

Rain or Shine

2010-01-23T12:49:00.000-08:00

In the past week, weather has been up and down, but finally it's raining cats and dogs in sunny Southern California.

CES 2010, Yes You Are 3D

2010-01-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

First time at CES, and it definitely screamed "3-D". Of course,there were thousands new gadgets and toys for the techies, but more importantly, it simply looked pretty.

He's Not Bald!

2010-01-13T23:17:00.000-08:00

He's not bald....he's just a one-strand type of dude. Alright fine, my attempt on growing hair on my Nyokki has failed apparently. This photo was taken two weeks ago. Today, not even this only standing strand is alive.

I think I should rethink that plant babysitting job I was about to take.

2010, What to Expect

2010-01-04T21:42:00.000-08:00

2010 resolutions:

run 5-10 miles a week
eat more veggies, less red meat
read, read, read...
beat Gary in Frogger
be a better photographer
move out (soon)
learn to swim better than an elephant
visit a new country
make hojicha tea ice cream
improve this blog

This Christmas, To Save Me From Tears...

2010-01-02T13:02:00.000-08:00

Christmas Day with the Suyemoto's

From Suyemoto Christmas Gathering

Christmas Eve at Disneyland

Family Portrait Time

2009-12-30T19:53:00.000-08:00

Christmas day, we decide to celebrate by taking our family portraits. It's obvious that looking silly was of any concern. You can just imagine what the photographer was thinking...

From Huang Family Photos

My Nyokki

2009-12-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

Day 1 of my new hair growing Nyokki that I just got as a gift last night.

I will be showing the progression of hair growth in the following weeks.

As I drove through usual holiday traffic on the 60 Fwy, I saw a beautiful sunset along the palm trees through my side door mirror of the car.

Thomas' Rat Artwork

2009-12-21T16:18:00.000-08:00

Thomas' Artwork. His work surrounds his vast understanding of "rats". While I was at work today, the 6 year old based his theme on rat mazes, rat homes, rat pools, and 3 blind rats. Enjoy as I enjoy...

Rat Park in House

Rat Gets to School

Rat Pool

3 Blind Rats

My 4 Hours and 54 Minutes

2009-10-15T23:36:00.000-07:00

Hopefully this will be the last post regarding the marathon for a while, now that it's finally done and over with. 26.2 miles of running in the city of Long Beach in 4:54 time. I felt great at first when we begin at 7:15am and averaged about a 10 minute mile up to mile 18. It went down hill from there as we had to stop, walk, and jog every half mile, due to pain in my knees and thigh, and the exhausted legs of Gary. I was depressed at first when I knew the 4:30 pace runners ran past us, and even more devastated when the older 60 year olds were running past us at mile 23. I thought it was over. All that training, all that time, and we would finish at a horrible time. Luckily, things weren't as bad as I thought, and we ended up jogging the last mile or so to the finish line, and realized the time finished was not as bad as I had originally thought.

A few memorable things during the grueling run:
1) Passed by nice scenery, with the Queen Mary in view
2) A female spectator yelling "You're almost there!" at the 5 mile mark...and another lady running saying "What is she talking about?"
3) Male spectator yelling "Only 20 miles left!" at the 6 mile mark. That is just wrong!
4) Male running singing "Eye of the Tiger" out of tune to the top of his lungs, and another running basically telling him to shut up in an amusing way.
5) Volunteers passing out watermelon, gummy bears, donut holes, beer, and motrin. None of which I took.
6) Smelly porta-potties
5) PAIN, PAIN, and did I mention PAIN in the knees and thigh
6) Gas...no explanation necessary...
7) Seeing the lead runners coming around at 21 miles when we were only at 13. Those guys/gals are amazing!
8) And my favorite part....THE FINISH LINE!!!

I'm so happy that I finally did it and that this 18 month training is over. Until next time...

A New Guy in Town

2009-10-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world...Christian Chen!

Proud God Mother (although I haven't d one my duty yet)....this is an excerpt from mother Lina:

"The contraction got stronger and stronger, but they told me to wait until 1 min contraction and 4 min break in between. I did. That was 2 AM. Got to the hospital at 2:30 AM. Got a hospital room at 2:45 AM. Baby came out at 3:14 AM. He came out so fast that they couldn't give me epidural which I delivered the baby without any drugs. That was hardcore. I felt every pain. It was a good thing that he was only 6 lbs 7 oz."

6 Days Left

2009-10-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

Only 6 more days until the race, and I'm getting antsy. A week ago, while attempting a 12 mile training run, I had to stop at 8 miles. My right knee was in pain and I had a hard time continuing with it. It felt like my leg and thigh were not aligned. Luckily, I was able to walk it off a little and just suck it up by jogging the rest of the 4 miles. I admit I was worried that this might mean something like not being able to run the Long Beach marathon. After checking it out with my doctor, who thought it was just my ligament being too heated, I was able to purchase prescribed flex pads, which should numb some of the pain as I run. Those things are darn expensive, so they better work!

Onto another subject. Today, I found out that Gary had bumped into an elder Japanese man who lives down the hall from Gary. He mentioned sadly that his wife, Hideko, just passed away a week ago. She was the same older lady who seemed out of touch of reality and that we had tried helping out one day as she was worried her husband wasn't coming home. She had some type of sickness that may have made her delusions worst. Her life was an interesting one. She had been married twice and unable to see her children for several years. One thing I do know is that she was grateful to have such a kind husband who took care of her, even in that stage of life. May she rest in peace. Life can certainly be fragile. It just shows how important it is to stay healthy and happy.

20 Cruel Miles

2009-09-23T00:06:00.000-07:00

The toughest week of training is finally over. Running the cruel 20 miles on Sunday night was harsh, but I'm so glad that part is done with. We clocked 3 hrs and 12 mins, with an average pace of close to 9:36 per mile. My feet hurt, and my legs are tired, but I can eat away without feeling as guilty. Okay, maybe not a good idea to do that 3 weeks before the marathon. I just can't wait until we face the final challenge!

Two Shades Darker in Catalina

2009-09-10T23:40:00.000-07:00

It was nice to get away from Los Angeles for a bit, even for only two days. After a long dreadful 18 mile run along the coast on Saturday, who knew we would still have it in us to carry sleeping bags, a tent, clothing, and a bike to go camping, kayaking, and jet skiing all in one shot. I just got 2 shades darker from fun in the sun on Catalina Island.

Smokey Sky

2009-09-01T23:34:00.000-07:00

Air quality has not been the best around Angeles National Forest last week. The fire has killed two firefighters. It's just sad that humans cause nearly 95% of the fires in California. I saw this bundle of smoke in the air as I was driving through downtown Los Angeles after picking up some merchandise.

Batting Cage Pains

2009-08-28T23:53:00.000-07:00

After attempting to hit several rounds of 50 mph baseballs, I think I did some damage to my hands and feet. It caused me dear pain on my next 12 mile run. How unfortunate.

Oldies, I'll Share Them Anyways

2009-08-28T01:51:00.000-07:00

By accident, I came across 2 short films on You Tube that I was involved in. They are older, but thought I'd share them anyways.

Memmy's Egg - short film by Timmy Ngo

Lucky Lotus

Still No Runner's High

2009-08-18T23:12:00.000-07:00

From Manhattan Beach to Palos Verdes and back. Those 15 miles of running seemed like a dreadful 2 hr 15 mins of my of life. And yet, still no runner's high? I must be doing something wrong. Sore legs and fatigue is pretty much all I feel so far. Time to sleep.

Fun in the Sun in Arcadia

2009-08-13T02:01:00.000-07:00

Summer in Los Angeles isn't so bad afterall. Sure it gets a little warm and smoggy, but I don't really mind some fun in the sun on occasion. This past Sunday, we were able to enjoy a few juicy crab dumplings at Ding Tai Fung, a nice stroll along The Arboretum, and ended the night with beer and games at Dave & Busters. Those are probably the best locales of Arcadia, CA in case you are wondering.

Click for Arboretum Album:

From The Arboretum

Amanda's Photos:

Our Good Ideas

2009-08-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

Week 8 - Our 12 mile run last weekend seemed to have gone well. We had a very late start since I forgot my iPod and we had to stop by the office to look up an approximate running distance. We started from around Playa Del Rey, ran to Hermosa Beach, and back. After 8pm, we finally started on our way down, and it actually felt okay, even though it seemed long and never ending. By about 10:05pm we approached the area where we "thought" we parked the car, but of course could not find it. We walked back and forth several times, thinking perhaps we missed it. With no cell phone or money, we really didn't have much choice but to seek help from strangers. Luckily a very helpful beach employee was getting off work and offered not only her cell phone but a ride to the gas station. After calling and startling all the family members and friends we know, we had Gary's cousin, Pat, come pick us up and take one last look again, only to find the car 2 and a half ours later. We are idiots! We drove home laughing at ourselves because we were embarrassed and happy that the car was not stolen at the same time.

Week 9 - 13 mile run. I thought it might be a good idea to change the pace and scenery a bit, and found a 13 mile hiking trail at Malibu Creek State Park. This time we got started around 6:30pm thinking we still had a good 2 hours of day light. Little did we think about the 4-5 minute of going straight up hill, and not really sure of the trail we were suppose to be on, then having to tress pass a very eerie abandoned blocked off shelter. We ended up rushing to get back before there was no more daylight left, and got extremely lost and off trail. Finally close to 9pm, and luckily with a full moon, we were happy to see the car still in the same spot. We ended up only going 11 miles, but our workout was definitely more than expected. Another adventure completed.

We are just so full of good ideas!

That's One Small Step For one, One Giant Help for Another

2009-07-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

Happy 40th anniversary of the first moon landing for human kind - Apollo 11! Thanks to modern technology, the Apollo 11 Video has been restored. It just shows that every discover and every step made can lead to bigger and greater things.

This weekend was full of adventure. Outside of the 10K OC Mud Run that I endured, there were many suprises along the way. On they way out the door, we were stopped by an 69 year old Japanese lady wearing nothing but her long sleeping garments mumbling words we could not understand. She was calling for her husband, who was obviously not around. She seemed extremely distraught so we went to her doorway to find out what was wrong, and she asked for our help. Her husband was suppose to be off work in the early morning and should have been home already, but she was frantic because she could not locate him. On top of that she kept repeating those words and let us know she was sick some how. We entered her apartment, turned on the A/C for her as it was over 90 degrees that day, and sat down with her to find out what she really needed. During this time, we found out her age, that she re-married, that she is the youngest in her family of 5 sisters, that she had 2 children that live in New Mexico, that she is retired but worked for a dentist that fixed Arnold Palmer's teeth, that she's orginally from Okinawa, and that her husband was a honests man. We ended up locating her husband at his work, as we found out he was a chef at a golf resort. I'm not sure staying there to help this disoriented old woman until her husband showed up really did much help, but at least she felt safe at that time. There were two things I took from this situation: 1) I'm proud to know someone who would spend their time to help another, even though it wasn't necessary, 2) Being that woman's husband must not be easy, but he still deals with the situaton with patience. One day when I am old and fragile, I would hate to be alone.

So as we finally left to Palos Verdes as originally planned, we had decided to do some hiking while in the area. Along the Shipwreck trail, we discovered 3 dead stinking seals, millions of crawling bugs, a few gigantic bumble bees, and millions of flying insects. I'm still glad we went, as the view was amazing, but I'm not sure passing by these living and dead creatures made it very pleasant. I don't think I'd go back again.

Wordless Day

2009-07-17T00:20:00.000-07:00

I'm speechless, or rather, wordless today. My thoughts are preoccupied by the run that I completed tonight, the OC Mud Run this Saturday, the 100+ miles I drove throughout the entire LA county today (twice), the non-functioning parts of the Pink Princess I encountered today, and the yummy A&J Chinese food that I just had for dinner. The truth is, I haven't given myself the chance to really sit down and let me writing bug kick in. Perhaps another night...

In the mean time, here are photos from a lovely wedding at the Long Beach Aquarium.

Few Simple Updates

2009-07-09T00:08:00.000-07:00

It's getting late, and I'm feeling very groggy so I'll make this entry short and simple with a few updates.

1) Co-hosted the biggest party at my parent's home and it actually went smoothly. No crazy people, nobody had problems getting through the gate, no puking (that I know of), no one seriously hurt, not the hottest day of the year, no toy train falling into the punch, no fights, and no lamps broken. I think that will probably be the last big one I ever hold there again. I'm getting older and these things are just too much work for my lazy *ss to handle.

2) Finished a 9 mile run on Monday. I am happy about it, but still tired today. This whole marathon training thing is such a strange idea to me. I'm not really stressing nor even thinking much about it, but it does take up a good amount of time each week. So far, training is very do-able. Not fun, but definitely do-able.

3) I'm taking a 2 month break from acting class. I think that might be a very good idea since I'm a little worn out and I might want to take a few trips during this time.

4) Watched "Crossing Over", a film on illegal immigration starring Harrison Ford amongst others. I was surprised to see an old UCLA friend appear in speaking role as an Asian gangster. Makes me feel like I need to get into gear already.

Overall: Stress has taken over me because as usual, we battle against time. We certainly don't have enough of it to accomplish what we want. I'm hoping to get much more work done the next month.

In Treatment

2009-06-24T00:37:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching the first 5 episodes of the "In Treatment" Season 1. I almost wanted to stop watching it after the first episode, but then continued on the next, only to find myself getting addicted to continue. The series is profound in its writing and content. I just have such a hard to time believing there really are viewers out there today who are willing to watch a HBO series that literally has whole episodes of just sessions of psycho therapy, making it pretty much a dialogue drama. It's really exciting to see something so different. Anyhow, I didn't start this blog entry to review the show. I was in a bad mood when I first started watching it. There's been thoughts about loneliness again and I'm feeling afraid that it's the way I'm built, despite the circumstances. And again, it's not about have a ton of people who care about you and love you, etc. It's mostly the fact that I often don't have an output. No one on the receiving end. I do, but perhaps I'm not using them as the resource to do so because I don't know how to. And then it always comes back to why focus on myself. My energy should be out there and not inside all the time. I mean I have the ability to be happy, as everyone does, but why do I always trap myself for no reason at all?

Perhaps, the answer will come tomorrow, after a good night sleep.

List of Nothings, But Maybe Some Things

2009-06-23T01:40:00.000-07:00

I thought I did nothing this past weekend, but then find out there's much to feel good about. Here's a list of accomplishments.

Completed a 7 mile run in approximately 58 minutes. This is most likely the longest I've ran without stopping, especially at this pace. It was painfully boring and no, I don't think I enjoyed it all that much.

Attended a small Guatemalan wedding where I was the ONLY non Latino person there. I really need to brush up on my Spanish.

Cooked a whole pot of Chinese chicken soup, which included delicious chicken leg meat, carrots, ginger, celery, onion, Shitake mushroom, chicken broth, sesame oil, Taiwan rice wine, and chicken bone. The purpose of the soup was to help cure a sore throat, and it did not seem to work too well.

Finalized the supposedly funny scene from the play "Moose Mating" in acting class.

Had Father's Day lunch - with the dad, mom, Jenny, and Gary. It went "OK" which is more than I can ask for. The one thing that made me most happy this weekend.

No Injuries, No Complaints, No Runner's High.

2009-06-18T23:50:00.000-07:00

I've been feel pretty good about my body lately. It's week 2 of the marathon training, and so far so good. No injuries, no complaints, no runner's high. Nothing spectacular yet. The one thing I did get was being locked inside Diamond Bar High School, and having no way to get out, so I ended up having to climb the fence like a ghetto burglar. What an embarrassment! Oh well, that's what I get for staying so late on the tracks.

I did get to go hiking this past Saturday at Topanga Canyon State Park and ended up on the wrong path for a total 9 mile hike. We went so far south, that we could see the ocean side of Pacific Palisades. The next time, we're going to hike all the way down from Encino to PCH. That will be fun!

The Beginning of a Long Ways to Go

2009-06-11T00:36:00.000-07:00

This is week 1 of my marathon training. It's only a basic 3 miles for 3 days and then one 6 mile run on Saturday. I'm mostly concerned about my running form for now. I'm trying to stick with running efficiently and preventing injury by running on the ball of the feet and ending at mid-foot. I'm also keeping my back straight, slightly leaning forward and then keeping my arms going back and forth rather than to the side. It's running, but it's harder than you think when you've been running with bad form all your life. Let's hope I can keep this up!

Date of the Long Beach Marathon: October 11, 2009

Below is the schedule I'm going to be following:

Traveling, I Need You

2009-06-10T01:26:00.000-07:00

The ultimate luxury in life is to travel. I don't mean travel for work and going to conventions. I mean traveling to understand a new culture of the new city, state, or country that you visit. Even if it is only a few miles away from your home, you can learn something new and see the world through different eyes. I realize it's something I don't do enough of and find all the excuses in the world to not do so. Below are photos from a weekend road trip up the California coast to the Monterey Bay.

Am I A Dilettante?

2009-06-01T22:07:00.000-07:00

dil⋅et⋅tante
–noun
1. a person who takes up an art, activity, or subject merely for amusement, esp. in a desultory or superficial way; dabbler.
2. a lover of an art or science, esp. of a fine art.

Basically it refers to a person who likes to learn a little of everything but never becomes good at any one thing. I think I'm that person!!! OUCH! I mean from directing, to acting, to hip hop, to Pilates, to tennis, to swimming, to running, to photography, to trying racquetball, and now even considering Kendo. I think all this is leading me to a lot of no-where's. Okay so maybe I won't say as much for acting and running as I think I've been keeping up and trying to invest my time in it.

While I still want to enjoy doing most of these activities, I really need to focus my energy on getting better at a few. That's my next goal.

How She Defines Herself

2009-05-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

I read a blog today that I was trying to post http://www.pinkprincess.com links to and so the "About Me" section of this 25 year old women from Washington which said: "I met my love in february 2008, got engaged June 2008 and then married October 2008 so life has changed drastically."

That was her "About Me" section! That is how she defines her life as she sees it. Nothing wrong with that at all. She obviously found something that was good for life in a very short amount of time, and it created a rolling ball in her life. Her blog entry was about her little daughter wearing a flower girl dresses, so things definitely are working out so far.

I don't know if I could have enough courage to say any particular event in my life will shape things forever.

To Be

2009-05-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

Here's an old Japanese pop song that I've listened to before several times, but never paid much attention to. I finally heard it on Pandora Radio again, and decided to look up the translated lyrics. Here it is below. Although the English translation sounds choppy, I like the what it says. Unfortunately I do carry around the junk that's unimportant. The past does effect me and I think about it often. I just have concentrate of the present and what I can do for the future.

TO BE
Lyrics: Ayumi Hamasaki
Composer: DAI
Arranger: Naoto Suzuki, DAI

Everyone passes through. I don't keep them in mind either. It can't be helped.
You've been carrying that junk as if it's important.
People saw you from a distance and thought you were strange.
Even so you laughed and said to me "this is treasure."

While I'm gaining something big, I wonder if there's something I've lost.
I don't understand.
This place I've regained, I bet it's slightly different.

If you're there, I'm always laughing.
If you're there, I'm always laughing. I'm crying. I'm living.
If you're not there, there's nothing.

Was it myself? Was it the people? Or was it
only a clock? The thing that seemed like it would break.

How much do the arms that continue to protect the junk hurt?
What have they sacrificed?
Even though you'll never be perfect, you shine in your imperfection.

The path you found isn't wide.
The path you found isn't wide, it isn't narrow, somehow
you alone have made it better for me.

Because you were there, I'm always laughing.
Because you were there, I was always laughing. I was crying. I was living.
If you're not there, there's nothing.

I've Loved You So Long - Tell Me About It

2009-05-14T20:36:00.000-07:00

I admit that sometimes I'm not always excited to receive my Netflix movie. Especially when it's been so long since I added them to my queue that I completely don't recognize the movie when it comes to my mail. "I've Loved You So Long" was one of them, and has been collecting dust for at least 2 months now. I finally went ahead and pushed myself to watch it last night, and OMG... What a surprise.

First, a brief Netflix summary of the movie:
"After more than a decade apart, estranged sisters Juliette (Kristin Scott Thomas) and Lea (Elsa Zylberstein) try to rebuild their fractured relationship. But the task is hardly easy, considering Juliette's past. She's been in jail for 15 years -- for killing someone. As she settles into small-town life with Lea's family, the locals can't help but talk. Philippe Claudel's feature film debut garnered him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Foreign Language Film."

The directing and acting in this film was just phenomenal. From an acting stand point, the actors used very few words to say so much. Each glance, each gesture just showed so much history and relationship between them. Story was quite interesting as well, and the answers were slowly given to throughout the film so that you can discover that the characters were going through. Definitely worth your time!

Destruction to Construction

2009-05-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

So the house that I grew up in is finally on it's going through destruction, and on it's way to construction. 85% of the interior will look completely different because the floors, walls, appliances are all stripped bare. There will be one new bedroom, two new bathrooms, and one new family room. I don't think it'll be recognizable anymore.

For some reason, I'm no longer attached to this house, and have no feeling about the reconfiguration and addition, other than sadness that it is costing so much to rebuild. Much of it has to do with the fact that I've been more than ready to grow out of that part of my life. I'm ready to move forward. At the end of the day, I hope it's going to worthwhile.

Los Angeles Still Amazes Me

2009-05-11T22:45:00.000-07:00

Southern California still manages to amaze me from time to time. Although I've started getting use to seeing billboards in Chinese along the 60 freeway in Rowland Heights, I was still stunned to see a full on McDonalds ad in Chinese as if you lived in Taiwan/Hong Kong/China and not in the U.S.. By putting a sign up like this, it means you are neglecting the non-Chinese reading population that drives by the 60 freeway every morning, and instead targeting the few who do. Of course, this means the marketing staff from McDonalds must have thought the money spent on it is worthwhile. I sometimes forget that I actually live in A-m-e-r-i-c-a.

On the other hand, because I work in East Los Angeles, what do I get to eat? The BEST Mexican food. Sure Mexican food is readily available everywhere, but East LA tends to have authentic and fresh lunch trucks that carry seafood tostada and shrimp tacos. I finally convinced myself that there are some perks for working in the ghetto.

Hacienda Heights Generation Gap

2009-05-07T22:08:00.000-07:00

Growing up in an heavily Asian American populated city Hacienda Heights, it's easy to forget that a generation gap exists between the first and second generations in the U.S.. My whole life, I've played it fairly safe, and it's made it easy for my parents to generally be satisfied with most of the decisions in my life. However, as of late, I realize that although at age 30, my parents still feel a need to control many aspects of my future. One important one would be a future husband. Now though I respect their values and opinions, I've also come to realize that no matter what, I still have to stick with what I think is best for myself. I think at the end of it, as long as I know what I want and what makes me happy, they will follow and see that that's the most important factor involved. I truly believe that I have to make my own destiny and that I will be strong enough to face whatever may come.

Nothing Better Than Sunlight and Fresh Air

2009-04-29T23:26:00.000-07:00

Each day goes by with the blink of the eye. There seems to be less time available each day as I get older. I started realizing how much I appreciate my schedule. Sure I have to work the normal Monday through Friday, but come the weekend, and I do have the choice to do whatever I please. This means I don't have to be in an enclosed office space with no windows and an ugly wall to stare at. I can actually enjoy mother nature and what the lovely Southern California weather has to bring.

After watching the woman's prison scene in the film "The Reader", directed by Stephen Daldry, where it is a world without true sunlight and fresh air, I can't help but love the freedom of being wherever I'd like at anytime I want. You know what else this means? Time to start traveling!

Above photo montage is of the latest Zuma Canyon hike where we spot two poisonous Southern Pacific Rattle Snakes, and tons of wildflowers.

Love Love Love

2009-04-27T23:48:00.000-07:00

The word "love" is every where, every day. You hear in almost every song played on the radio, in every film, in book, but not so in every mouth. I just wonder why it is still confusing to me to understand what love is when it's probably the most prominent existence in our every day lives.

I think Wikipedia seems to have an interesting way of generalizing how it is being used. As it says "As an abstract concept, love usually refers to a deep, ineffable feeling of tenderly caring for another person. Even this limited conception of love, however, encompasses a wealth of different feelings, from the passionate desire and intimacy of romantic love to the nonsexual emotional closeness of familial and platonic love to the profound oneness or devotion of religious love. Love in its various forms acts as a major facilitator of interpersonal relationships and, owing to its central psychological importance, is one of the most common themes in the creative arts."

My concept of how to measure love use to be based on how much you are willing to care for and sacrifice for another without necessarily feeling like it's a sacrifice. But I may be wrong in that, this may only measure selflessness and not necessarily love.

Regardless, I think as human beings, we are always running towards love as much as we can, even if we do not know it. That is why we live, isn't it?

I'm on a Roll

2009-04-17T20:00:00.000-07:00

I'm on a roll. I'm on the kind of roll where every day is filled up to the point that I forget to think about tomorrow, or the next year, or the next 30 years of my life. It's not the most responsible position to be in life, but it's a good feeling. It means that I've been able to live day to day with a certain spontaneity and life is the most fun this way. I just hope I don't pay it all back one day.

Alright, so that sounds way more adventurous than it really is. All I am trying to say is that I'm enjoying what I have right now despite what the future may be. A few quick examples that came to my head just now are: my nice hair cut I received with some new waves at the bottom that could be my future hair style; enjoying one of the better sangria's I've ever had (and I used to despise this drink)during dinner; appreciating the company I was with.

From Griffith Observatory

Vancouver, Death and the Maiden, Blood Diamond

2009-04-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

Since I haven't been posting as much lately, I figured I would combine three new updates in this entry.

Update 1: I went to Vancouver for the first time in my life this past weekend. What a beautiful city that combined city life and nature so well. Being able to stroll around a new city made me realize how much I don't take the time do that at home back in Los Angeles.

Update 2: I recently started working on a new scene from the play "Death and the Maiden" by Chilean playwright Ariel Dorfman. The lead character, Paulina Salas, was formerly raped and tortured during a period of dictatorship in the country. Now that there is change in government, her rapist, Doctor Miranda, appears at her house after helping her husband with some car trouble and she ties him up to hold him on trial. Needless to say, this character is going to require me to see what she sees and imagine what she experienced. I'm both anxious to really get into this role, and at the same time apprehensive that I won't be able to do her justice.

Update 3: Last night I saw the movie "Blood Diamond" and I really do have to say, it was amazing. It made me want to learn more about conflict-free diamonds and how the organizations and governments are trying to push for them.

Life is Too Short

2009-04-01T22:57:00.000-07:00

Life is too short. My 45 year old cousin, Andy Huang, just passed away March 31 early in the morning from lung cancer. I've been preventing myself from thinking too much about it. He his my eldest cousin, and the one I know the least of. What I do know is that my father is (was) very close to him and they talked almost more like friends than uncle and nephew. I cannot imagine what it must be like for his parents right now. There is Chinese saying that "white haired" person letting go of a "dark haired" person is extremely painful. I believe it. May he be in peace.

Photos below are really unrelated. There were taking at Long Beach during a free shark lagoon night and just walking along downtown Long Beach:

It's Been a While

2009-03-17T23:04:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted. There has been several "positive" changes in me and my surroundings, I'd like to think. My mindset has altered a little and even my body is changing. I think it's for the better so I'm hoping to keep it up for a while.

Side note though, I've come to really appreciate Southern California weather. It is still winter, and yet we have no problems going to the beach with a t-shirt or play tennis in the evenings. There's some good in living in this city of angels.

Below is a slideshow of the Lakers vs Grizzlies game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles:

Abalone Cove Shoreline Park

2009-02-24T23:22:00.000-08:00

This past Sunday, we had planned on going hiking in Palos Verdes, and found Abalone Cove Shoreline Park. When we arrived at the parking lot, we quickly realized that this was not going to be a hike, but more of a short walk with the beach besides us. Fortunately, we ran into this cave-like area which we were able to go off trail and explore. We had a chance to do some mini bouldering which was actually surprisingly fun. After that adventure, we ran into the tide pools, where we found it to be a natural aquarium that contained all kinds of fun sea animals. Whether it was star fish, hermit crabs, sea slugs, sea urchin, clams, crabs, I just couldn't get enough. To top it off, we got to see two dolphins swimming side by side in the ocean.

The one thing I did realize is how much appreciate the weather in California. We should really take advantage of it and enjoy being part of the great outdoors!

In My Own Skin

2009-02-16T21:58:00.000-08:00

The beginning of third decade for me has been wonderful so far. I'm finally starting to get a sense of what it means to feel comfortable in your own skin. It's something we're always struggling to find. It really does not mean that I'm confident I can do anything, or that I won't be defeated. It simply means my mind is at ease that I'm okay with the current state. I'm okay with the way I am now. Of course this phase can be just a temporary illusion and I wonder how long this will last?

Below is a photo of a bobcat found at the back of my backyard. Click to view more...

Health - I Care Now?

2009-02-07T07:57:00.000-08:00

Now that I am only 2 days left to reaching the beginning of my third decade, I am starting to think like an old lady. Healthy is a huge concern to me now. After recently having infections and skin conditions that I normally wouldn't get so easily, I realize it's time to think about taking care of my body. What really pushed it was having to go with a friend to the doctor's to check on a virus that could potentially lead to cancer. Time to truly watch what I eat and exercise regularly, not to mention sleep early and wake up earlier. We're all too vulnerable to diseases and health issues, so why not make it easier on myself by trying to keep up the maintenance so it really can be the least of my worries. My body is not invincible anymore.

Almost There

2009-01-30T00:09:00.000-08:00

I didn't think I would be back in San Francisco so soon again, but here I was, enjoying the good old city. I have a new - new years resolution, which is to be a positive person. I need to give positive energy and receive it as well. Very soon, I will be turning 3 decades old, and I can't go into with negativity surrounding me. I need to live it up and appreciate that I still have my youth, even if it's only in my mind.

Reasons For Not Posting

2009-01-15T00:29:00.000-08:00

I haven't been posting recently. Not because I have been too busy or preoccupied, but simply because I feel closed up in my mind and heart. There's something blocking me from sharing and I don't think it's a good or bad thing, it just is. Perhaps I will overcome this soon, I hope...

A Great Start to 2009

2009-01-04T01:37:00.000-08:00

This is my first entry of 2009, and I want to start it off with a positive note. As I pulled my car into the 24 Hour Fitness parking lot this morning, two elderly Thai-Chinese ladies stopped me to ask if I can speak Chinese. Of course I said yes, and they pointed out that they had locked their keys in their trunk and were here visiting from San Jose, so therefore had no access to anything. One of them was here visiting daughter who just had a baby. Naturally, I called AAA and had them come help them with this issue. After knowing that it could be up to thirty minutes before they would arrive, I proceeded to start my run in the gym and would come back out once AAA called. Not long after, they did come to the rescue. The two graciously nice ladies were extremely thankful that I was there and tried to offer me money for me help. I refused. In the end they finally did a formal introduction. As I left, they wished me the best of luck and hoped for God's blessing. I smiled as I walked back to the gym, knowing that this would be a wonderful start to 2009.

The Wire

2008-12-28T23:58:00.001-08:00

Family and Friends

2008-12-28T00:23:00.000-08:00

There are good days. Then there are bad days. But what matters most in the end is that our family and friends are in good health and happy. I realize that I have family and friends who truly care about me, and I do not appreciate them enough. It really makes me want to give them all I can give them. I mean it. My resolution for 2009 will be to 1) Push for the things I really want in life
2) At the same time, do what I can for those I care about, as much to my ability as possible.

Photo is of Christmas Dinner with the Huang's.

Defeated Queen

2008-12-18T01:49:00.000-08:00

敗犬 is a recent term used in Japan to describe modern day women over the typical age for marriage who are fairly successful in their careers, yet single. In both Japan and Taiwan, there are more and more of these single women over the age of the 30. It's not such a bad thing and is just simply reality. It's a phenomenon I, myself am soon to experience.

There is a new drama coming out soon in Taiwan called 敗犬女王 (Defeated Queen) which really brings out the issues of this topic. I'm definitely interested in taking a look once it comes out.

Synopsis

What will happen when Shan Wu Shuang (單無雙), a 33 year old beautiful, hardworking yet single woman, meets Lucas (盧卡斯), a 25 year old romantic and handsome regular worker? There is an 8 year age difference – what kind of story would then be created? A story that will let us laugh and let us cry. I’m not defeated! I’m the Queen!

Graduation, Fun Fun Fun

2008-12-17T00:57:00.000-08:00

Graduations can be long and boring. The Art Center School of Design made a point to display the work for each graduating student, which made it all the more interesting. Congrats to my sister Tiffany for finishing her Masters in Broadcasting Media (Film).

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Wonder of the World

2008-12-15T23:45:00.000-08:00

New scenes filmed in class:

This is the 2nd scene of a play by David Lindsay-Abaire called Wonder of the World. Cass, played by Nicole Rosselle, and Kip, played by me, meet for the first time on a bus to Niagra Falls as they both head on a journey to escape "something in their lives". This is the beginning of their journey. Filmed on 12/7/08.

Improv scene created and filmed in class on 11/22/08. There were some technical difficulties with the audio from one of the cameras being used. The scene is about a turning point for marriage between a young couple. Played by Sachin Mehta and I.

Accidents Happen, Not So Accidently

2008-12-12T22:34:00.000-08:00

I hope I have learned my lesson! I've been trying not to do this for a while, but sometimes I peek over and see my BlackBerry Pearl flashing a small red light, and I can't help but check the email as I am in stuck on the 60 Fwy horrifying traffic. I figured I'm only moving 15 miles per hour...what else am I gonna do? Well of course it happened. I stepped on the gas peddle, looked down on my phone, and look up only to find myself braking frantically...and boom! Yes I bumped this old red caravan ahead of me. I roll my eyes to acknowledge the disappointment I have for myself, as I wave to have him pull over to side of the freeway. Luckily I check the red car's rear end and my bumper and it looks like there's minimal damage, if any. As I greet the red car owner, this African American in his late 20's from Louisiana, he comes out to smile at me. He explained that this was the accident he got in recently and the truck that hit him is already paying for the rear end damages, and that I have nothing to worry about. He wanted to assure me to not let this accident ruin my day. I could not believe my ears. I hit a guy and he's trying to comfort me. We ended the conversation with an awkward hug and handshake. That made my morning.

Two New Random Things

2008-12-10T22:21:00.000-08:00

I would just like to share 2 new things I've tried recently.

1) I finally attended my first Laker game at the Staples center. With premiere seats we could order food there, but the view is much more worthy to note.

2) Tried the Guppy House restaurant in Hacienda Heights. Perhaps it was just too early in the day (11:30am), but the staff was doing a great job cleaning every inch of the place and the waitress did constant come over to check if all was okay. The food was decent, although spicy noodles is not my cup of tea.

Taking Charge

2008-12-08T01:39:00.000-08:00

I decided at this moment that I am going to take charge of my life by picking and choosing how I use my time. My energies need to be focused on what is important to me, and not just what other people think is important for me. You see, it's easy to get confused on figuring that part out because it's hard to see things clearly on your own. You often need outsiders to lead you the way. However, and perhaps in a stubborn way, I know that I need to be the ultimate decision maker for myself.

Come to think of it, part of the reason I get confused is because I am a different person at different times:

Entrepreneur
Actor
Daughter
Sister
Loner
Friend
Pleaser
The Responsible One
Lazy Doer
Storyteller
Blogger
Risk Taker
Whimp
Day Dreamer

I'm constantly switching between these everyday. One thing I really need to be is STRONGER.

The Fourth Most Populous City of California

2008-12-07T00:03:00.000-08:00

After visiting San Francisco so many times, I still haven't figured out how I really feel about the city. For some reason, there's always been a sense of distance I felt from this popular place. In reality, there's enough diversity and interesting people to make it a fun city to experience. However, there are times when it becomes difficult to really define what San Francisco is really about. One thing that made this trip different than the past trips is that I really wanted to give it another try. I wanted not just to see through it from a tourist's eyes, but as someone who could really enjoy the appeal of this grand location. My only conclusion is that I do appreciate it much more now, but my understanding of it has not gotten any better. Hopefully next time it will.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8766636@N02/sets/72157611276934553/

Baby Come Back....to the Kitchen

2008-11-24T23:19:00.000-08:00

Baby come back
Any kind of fool could see
There was something in everything about you
Baby come back
You can blame it all on me
I was wrong and I just can't live without you

Yes...baby come back to the kitchen. Recognize this cool old groove by Ambrosia? I've been into this song for a while. But what's new is I'm trying to get myself use to cooking again. My latest dishes are the "Better Than Sex" Chocolate Cake and the Korean Soon DuBu (Hot Tofu Hot Pot). There were definitely flaws with both since it was both my first time, but I know where to improve, which is the important part.

Golf and Halibut

2008-11-20T23:09:00.000-08:00

I enjoyed two more "firsts" today.

1) I played on a real golf course for a game of 9-hole today. I'm quite horrible at it, but it was still fun.

2) I cooked my first halibut with artichoke and tomatoes. It didn't come out as tasty as I imagined so I may pass on making it again.

The Decisions For Evacuation

2008-11-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

I never thought I'd have to evacuate due to a fire coming close to our home. Figuring out what to pack and bring in the car is such a hard decision making process. I first went for my clothes. Now do I pack for the purpose of staying away from home for a few days? Or do I pack as if the house might get burned down. Which dress do I really want to keep? Should I bother with most of my underwear? As if these questions in my mind weren't dumb enough. I had to decide on what items were easy-to-carry, yet expensive and harder to replace. Of course I looked hard and long at the Wii that I do not normally play at all. I know it's still hard to purchase so of course I pack along with my mini-dvs and cd collection. Those of us that live in Diamond Bar were very fortunate to have the luxury of to evacuate with our valuable belongings. We were even more fortunate that fire fighters and the weather condition allowed all homes to be safe from the fire.

Here are some articles regarding this Triangle Complex Fire:

Diamond Bar evacuees allowed to return home

Triangle Complex Firehome

Diamond Bar Evacuations Lifted, Snoop Dogg to Return Home

The Bad Dream

2008-11-15T01:28:00.000-08:00

I hate to be negative on this blog, but I'd rather be honest than not. Today was a crummy day. Nothing bad happened, but nothing happened.... Well something did happen, but it was part of my dream last night. I dreamt that I had cancer and had only a few days if any to live. I was trying to live every moment by telling the people I loved that I do love them. Afterwards, I just anticiped for it to happen, just like that. I knew I wasn't ready to die just yet so I just kept thinking about what I needed to do, over and over again. Of course I woke up feeling extremely heavy, not really wanting the day to start. And now it's 16 hours later, and I have go back to sleep soon. Alone. Crummy.

Latest Projects Update

2008-11-13T23:50:00.000-08:00

Just an update on some latest projects. Here's Jack's edited montage that he has on the Acting With the Masters website:

Scene from Glengarry Glenn Ross - We shot part of this outdoors (on location) which was fun and cool at the same time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeUYKls5lE0

Hip Hop Dance Class: 10.27.08
Instructor: Brim
Song: Khia - What They Do
Studio: Athletic Garage in Pasadena
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc6Tenq4B6g

One of Those Strange Weekends

2008-11-12T21:26:00.000-08:00

So this was a post that I had begun two weekends ago and never posted nor completed. For one thing I couldn't find the gist of the topic I wanted to talk about, and two, I was simply too lazy. I had one those very typical yet very not-so-typical for me type of weekend.

I had eaten at Daikokuya, that very popular ramen place in Little Tokyo, many times before, but this time I was by myself. I know, I know, that is not strange at all, but it's been a while since I've had dinner on my own at a sit down place where I literally waited for 45 mins before being seated. The biggest difference in eating on your own is you tend to eat much faster because there's no time for talk, at all. You can wander your eyes everywhere, but you can only do that so many times before other people start noticing.

The other amazing thing I accomplished is much more of a stretch. I was abandoned at the Lowes in City of Industry by my mother and sister with no car. I walked aimlessly at first, trying to search for a place to have lunch, by myself again. After gulping down my pork chop rice at a local cafe joint, and many failed attempts to call and plead for anyone to pick me up and drive me home, I finally decide I really needed to find an alternative to get back home. So I took the public bus - Foothill Transit for first time in this area. Two bus rides, $2, a short walk later, I arrived home safely. Of course it only took 1 hour and 10 minutes for what would have taken only 15 minutes to get home by car. Fun stuff. I still love public transportation, but I just hate how long it takes in the suburbs.

Restless Night

2008-11-11T23:53:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's the caffeine from the UCC Cafe au Lait siphoned coffee I drank tonight, but I am feeling extremely restless for this late in the night. It's one of those days where I'm filled with an urgency to get myself involved in something that requires intensity or passion. Nothing dirty if that's what it sounds like, but rather something that can fill me with emotions or joy. Perhaps it's a good sign to start memorizing my lines for this next scene I will have to act in class.

Awkward Discovery

2008-11-07T19:29:00.000-08:00

Here's another improvisational scene done in class with Amanda. It takes place in a wine bar where two friends meet for a first time in a long time. One finds out through the conversation that she is currently dating an ex-fiance of the other friend. The rough edit cut is in. The wonderful photos were taken by Luciana Dias.

In real life, the storyline is a bit dramatic. but not impossible. We all know the awkwardness of friends dating the ex of other friends . However, it's life...deal with it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaqb2m_k8O 8

A Lover's comPromise

2008-11-04T01:57:00.000-08:00

I'm finally seeing this version for the first time. This was a short narrative film shot in November 2007, a year ago from now. It was one of the most fun times I've had working on a project. Makes me want to get started again...

http://lordbuistudios.com/Directing/ShortFilms/narrativeShortFilms.html

The San Fernando Valley

2008-10-26T22:15:00.000-07:00

This was another piece I was lucky to edit. Watching this showed me how simplicity can really go a long way in telling a story. Sachin and John did a great job in making all the transitions without the use of verbal language.

Never Too Old To Try

2008-10-22T23:48:00.001-07:00

Unfortunate for you and fortunate for me, I have been fascinated that my new Blackberry Pearl has a video recorder, so hence the craziness of my video postings. Although the piece video is of a hip hop class with a sub teacher, later that night I discovered there was a break dance class. I had to laugh at myself...an almost 30 year old girl, taking break dance for the first time. I will admit, I did love it!

Hip Hop Dance Class - A Millie

2008-10-15T23:11:00.000-07:00

Today I learned one of my favorite routines from Brim's hip hop dance class at Athletic Garage in Pasadena. "A Millie" by Lil Wayne. The video was taken with a cell phone video camera under low lighting, so forgive it's poor quality.

Makes me want to groove soon!

Raging Roomates

2008-10-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

This was another improvisation scene that was pieced together in class. We tried to go the funny route, and hopefully succeeded. I had a hard time getting into the "acting" aspect actually and wished I could have done a ton of things differently. But it is what it is. Please excuse the swearing...

The Cafe

2008-10-12T22:44:00.000-07:00

We've been working on improv scenes in class shooting them as we go, which has been turning out pretty well. Here are 3 scenes so far:

Week 3 "The Cafe"

Week 2 "The Firing"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBB6QZOQoag

Who I Am I To Be

2008-10-06T00:09:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, there are three sides to us as human beings: 1) Who we are expected to be 2) Who we want to be, and 3) Who we need to be. These three sides are constantly at battle with each other and I realize that life would be so much easier if all 3 of those were the exactly the same, but that is almost impossible. So far, I've been living life mostly as the person who I need to be and expected to be. I'm constantly in conflict every time I lean towards who I want to be and find some way to kick myself back against it.

It is so frustrating. Even though I realize what is stopping me from being who I want to be, there are simply too many expectations and responsibilities in the way that I get make me fear and stray from that path. Arghhhh!

It's Sunny, No It's Raining

2008-09-29T21:53:00.000-07:00

This morning as I drove to work to start a new week, there were subtle, light rain drops falling from the sky. And yet, the sun was out, bright and strong. This combination is definitely one of my favorite type of weather conditions, giving me a bright road ahead, yet letting me feel the liveliness of the cold water.

Let's just hope the U.S. financial crisis will start looking this way soon.

You Are My Eyes - 你是我的眼

2008-09-25T21:35:00.000-07:00

So I'm stuck on this one Chinese song for the past 2 days. I think I have teared up a few too many times already. At work, at home, in the car, you name it. I think the lyrics and melody both move me. The song is about you being my eyes and showing me the world as you see it. The song is by a Taiwanese artist, whom I really know nothing about other than that he has lost is ability to see. I thought about what it would be like to lose my sight, and I know my life would be completely different if that were to happen. Time to stop things for granted, right? To the right is what I did get to see in D.C. which I am now just showing.

Version 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bDU6jebYHd0
Version 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbcJ0QFfPIo

I found another blog with his own English translation so I won't bother translating: http://xinqing-xinjing.blogspot.com/2008/01/you-are-my-eyes.html

你是我的眼
作詞：蕭煌奇　作曲：蕭煌奇　編曲：陳飛午

如果我能看得見　就能輕易的分辨白天黑夜
就能準確的在人群中牽住你的手

如果我能看得見　就能駕車帶你到處遨遊
就能驚喜的從背後給你一個擁抱

如果我能看得見　生命也許完全不同
可能我想要的我喜歡的我愛的　都不一樣

眼前的黑不是黑　你說的白是什麼白
人們說的天空藍　是我記憶中那團白雲背後的藍天
我望向你的臉　卻只能看見一片虛無
是不是上帝在我眼前遮住了簾　忘了掀開

你是我的眼　帶我領略四季的變換
你是我的眼　帶我穿越擁擠的人潮
你是我的眼　帶我閱讀浩瀚的書海
因為你是我的眼　讓我看見這世界就在我眼前

The Decision

2008-09-23T20:36:00.001-07:00

Can't View It? Click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6j-HwNazGo

This is what happens when I prepare an exercise in class and we decide to have the class direct and shoot it. In case you can't tell, it's about a relationship gone sour. She comes home to him sleeping and leaving a mess, but decides not to stay in the same room as him, therefore making her final decision to... (watch the video). Edited by Jack H.

It's suppose to be a sad scene, but I can't help but keep giggling.

Project created by: Jack Hannibal, Sachin Mehta, Nicole Rosselle, Tofiq Sajawal, John Scillieri, and Shawna

Loss of Innocence

2008-09-22T22:59:00.000-07:00

Perhaps I'm over thinking it. It's sad, but the truth is, I'm feeling a loss of innocence lately. No I haven't done anything crazy, over my head, or simply bad...at least that I would admit so. It's just that somehow a protection shield formed around me that's preventing me from caring. No, I haven't lost hope or the sense of optimism, but I can see myself falling into the trap not allowing myself to be vulnerable, therefore not feeling.

If this is what comes with age and experience, it's sure a funny thing.

Addiction

2008-09-22T00:09:00.000-07:00

What is an addiction? What kind of personalities are more prone to addictive behavior? I often ponder on these questions and have never been sure of the answer. The two traits a person needs to have to become addicted is weakness and boldness. Normally, addiction is a negative thing, however, it often comes with passion and adventurism, both of which can be considered good.

After watching the season three episode of Grey's Anatomy - Love/Addiction, I couldn't agree more with the few ending quotes by Meredith Grey.

“The thing about addiction – it never ends well because eventually whatever it was that was getting us high stops feeling good and starts to hurt.”

“Still, they say you don’t kick the habit until you hit rock bottom. But how do you know you’re there?”

“Sometimes, letting it go hurts even worse.”

I normally don't allow myself to get to addicted to anything, fearing that will it hurt me the deeper I let myself go. But of course, there are certain things I cannot resist and have been a victim of this process. I just hope in the end, after the addiction is long over, it can only make us stronger.

痞子英雄

2008-09-16T23:49:00.000-07:00

First of all I apologize if you don't know understand Mandarin but it's not that important. After watching this clip of the process of making this new Taiwan drama from a director I simply love, I feel extremely emotional. For one, to me, this is what film making is about. It's where the passion really lies. It's also extremely inspiring to me, to find that the drive to creating this project is not just to tell a story or to make something great, but to create an environment where everyone is just as passionate about it. It's truly amazing and I can't help but wonder why I'm not on that road yet.

My Blueberry Nights

2008-09-11T01:15:00.000-07:00

I finally completed my mission to watch My Blueberry Nights, a film by Wong Kar Wai, one of my favorite directors. The performance by Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz blew me away, and of course Norah Jones' character kept me wanting to know more. I won't go into detail about style or the filmmaking process, even though there's a ton to say about that. I will say that theme of this story, or stories rather, is about letting go. We often hold on to things that are so important to us that we have a hard time letting go at the moment. Timing is everything. Up until lately, I thought I was good at it. I certainly have a lot to learn.

Summer is Coming to an End

2008-09-04T00:45:00.000-07:00

Today I spent 90 minutes to travel 25.3 miles in the morning. This must mean school has started, which then means summer is almost over. I know it's time to pack the laziness away and get going with life again, but it's not easy this time around.

Anyhow, I was reminded recently of the song "Full of Grace" by Sarah McLachlan, which has been a long time favorite of mine and thought it would be some what appropriate to the atmosphere these days.

South Beach Miami

2008-08-26T00:17:00.000-07:00

Strange things can happen in South Beach Miami.

~ USPS Box becomes a Jedi Master
~ Paparazzi photos of non-famous men
~ Girl lays on top of a bar table
~ Girls begin to arm wrestle
~ Lots of empty glasses
~ Cups come in interesting shapes
~ T-Storms in the middle of the afternoon
~ Apartments start looking like NYC studios

Strange things inevitably become GOOD things.

The Later It Is, The Harder It Gets

2008-08-14T22:55:00.000-07:00

I'm going to have to return to ambiguity again. Today I'm staying strong. However, the later it is in the night, the harder it gets...

To the right is something I found on wordle.net that actually took words from this blog prior to this entry and put it into a collage of art. If I had the choice to add a few more words in there, it would be: "no" "regrets" "pain" "missing" "difficult" "wish" "timing" "better".

Under the Tuscan Sun

2008-08-12T10:43:00.000-07:00

I finally watched the 2003 adapted movie directed by Audrey Wells : Under the Tuscan Sun. The story was amusing enough to keep me wanting to find out more, and although it wasn't a "huge" film, there were many quotes in it that I found interesting.

"Regrets are a waste of time. They're just the past crippling you in the present"

"They built tracks over the Alps to connect Venice and Vienna they built the track before there was even a train in existence that could make the trip… they built the tracks because they knew the train would come."

"Unthinkably good things can happen... even late in the game... it's such a surprise"

I have to believe that this is true, and I really do. As of late, I think I have caught a glimpse of something that is amazingly good, and it has been overwhelming me like crazy.

Feel Alive

2008-07-29T17:16:00.000-07:00

No pictures this time, just a simple post to compensate for the complex emotions I have right now. I guess what I can say is that I'm happy to be alive, to feel alive. Life would be boring without some ups and and downs and as long as there is an upside to a situation, there is always hope. Bittersweet is how I feel right now, and who can ask for more?

Being Active Again

2008-07-18T01:23:00.000-07:00

Feels good to be active again.

Can you spot me?

What is Love?

2008-07-16T01:32:00.000-07:00

On the bus ride back from Mexico, each person in the bus was suppose to answer the question: What is Love? Here are some of the answers (coming from mostly 50 year old Taiwanese folks):

- Acceptance
- Knowing their faults, and still loving them
- Happiness
- Fighting, fighting, fighting
- Compromise
- Being happy together
- I still don't know what love is
- Unconditional
- Giving them the space and freedom to accomplish their dreams
- My Answer: Unselfish and forgiveness

Sometimes it's hard to imagine the need for love and passion as you get older, but nothing changes, ever.