Essentials: Week #29

Currently, these things are awesome to me:

Bánh mì thịt- When Anthony returned from Seattle last Sunday, he was awesome. He managed to bring back some bánh mì thịt (Vietnamese sandwich) for both me and Harue. For those who don't know, a bánh mì thịt is a Vietnamese baguette stuffed with thinly sliced pickled carrots & daikons, cucumber, onions, cilantro, a little jalapeños as well as slices of a variety of different types of pork (grilled marinated meats are popular too). It's also dressed with paté, some mayonnaise, oil, and sometimes a little soy sauce. Back when I lived at home, my mom, she would always bring home two bánh mì thịt (nicely accompanied with a can of soy milk drink) for me from the Vietnamese deli when she goes out grocery shopping at the Asian markets because she knew I loved them so much. Damn, I can never stop craving them! I want a special combo please! Bánh mì đặc biệt coming right away!

Mickey's - Geared toward the university-aged drinkers, slightly left of mainstream. Mickey's is a 5.8% alcohol by volume malt liquor. According to The Hipster Handbook, it is "The only deck malt liquor". I agree. It's deck. It also did me well last Thursday night. Packs a lot punch when you've got a 40 oz. bottle to yourself. Thank you Mickey's.

Mean Creek - Feeling a little restless from the summer night heat and couldn't go to sleep and so I ended up watching this dvd the other night. It's one of those movies that draws you in little by little and leaves a lasting impression. I don't really wanna spoil it too much for you and so I won't say much. Mean Creek is about a situation in which all control is lost. The movie is pretty much what do you get when you cross Stand By Me with The River's Edge, add a touch of The Outsiders, and top it off with a light dusting of Deliverance. Just to note, Mean Creek was chosen as feature selections in the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.

Rewind: A Look Back At Week 29

I'm going to go ahead and filter out the other six days of Week 29 and place emphasis on Thursday July 17th.

Thursday night, July 17th

• Sometimes there really isn't much to do here in Pullman during the summer nights as oppose to during the regular school year.
  
• After a hot and blistering summer day, Anthony and I randomly walked from our place and down to Dissmores. We managed to place some contemplation between a case of Corona or a case of Heineken, we ended up grabbing two large bottles of 40 oz. Mickey's.
• Once home, we stuck the Mickey's into the freezer to let it chill for a bit and made ourselves some rum & coke with a bottle of Malibu Rum that we had stashed up on the refrigerator.
• We chilled and talked at the dining room table. It was like old times back at E202 where it was just guys drinking and talking and attempting to solve life's little problems. Sometimes we drink to partially drown our sorrows and sometimes we just drink to us guys because we feel there needs to be some alcohol circulating in our veins. I guess tonight we just needed to talk while downing some.
• Me and Anthony haven't really quite done this together for the longest time. I guess we've been so busy and preoccupied with other parts of our lives. But like I said, this is for the sake of old times.
  
• Time passes by and we consumed two 40 oz. bottles of Mickey's on our own.
• We talked some more, but this time it involves my face turning red and Anthony beginning to have his mind drift upon certain matters.
• We get too loud and end up waking up our female room mate. I begin to feel bad.
  
• Events began to happen...
• More stuff adds to more events...
• Anthony and I down a shot of rum each.
• A hat gets tossed onto the futon and a pair of swimming goggles finds itself in our presence.
  
• We joke, prank call our friends and leave absurd messages (if you were a victim and happen to find out by reading this, we are sooooo very sorry guys!).
• We laugh our asses off continuously.
• Somehow we became secret agents and spied...
  
• I head back to the kitchen to make a toasted salami and vegetable sandwich for both me and Anthony as well as preparing two more rum & coke. Anthony requested double shots for his.
• I consumed my sandwich.
• A bag of Munchies (snack mix) magically appears out of nowhere and falls onto our table.
• The Mickey's has got to me and I end up puking and I complain how awful the toilet smells.
  
• Anthony douses anti-bacterial soap on my hands for me to rinse.
• Anthony finishes his rum & coke as well as mine.
• I end up falling asleep while talking on the phone and Anthony's whereabouts are unknown.
• Just like old times...

• 

The End

Rewind: A Look Back at Week 28

To be honest, I'm going to go ahead and skip last Sunday through Friday and head right onto Saturday. The reason why? Well, not much actually happened throughout the week and if there were any, it's probably best not to mention since it would bore the living daylights out of anyone.

Sunday - Friday: Eat, sleep, read, summer day-dreaming, internet webcaming. 'Nuff said.

Saturday: Shopping. Yes, on Saturday we went shopping. Me, my friends Paul, Anthony and Harue decided that we were going to go ahead and make that 76 miles drive up north to the city of Spokane to make an effort in cashing in on some new threads. Also, being up in Spokane seemed like a little treat because it allowed us to get away from being stuck in Pullman and provided us with a generous change of scenery. Plus, Paul will be leaving Pullman at the end of the month and he has never actually had the opportunity to explore Spokane in his three years going to school at Washington State University.

Anyway, the first thing we did was hit up River Park Square which is in the center of downtown Spokane. The mall is where my little sister Tracey works at the Abercrombie & Fitch. Too bad she wasn't working that day or else we could have met up, but it was my fault anyway for not calling ahead of time. After Nordstrom, Macy's, Banana Republic, and Abercrombie & Fitch, we decided to grab a little lunch. Me and the guys got ourselves foot-long subs from Subway and Harue ended up with some fries from some joint. As usual, Anthony and I ordered ourselves different subs and traded half of what we got with each other. We always do this...it's how we roll.

Afterwards, we walked across the street to Riverfront Park. It was a really beautiful day. It seemed like everyone was out to enjoy the sun and warm weather. Girls were sunbathing on the grass, couples walking their dogs, old ladies feeding bread to the ducks in the large pond, little kids soaking themselves in the water fountain, teenagers getting a thrill at watching the river runs its course over the rapids and falls, and you can hear the sound of the merry-go-round just beyond the distance. It was a perfect opportunity to take some photos but both me and Paul forgot our cameras at home. Instead, I had to settle taking pictures with my cell phone, which doesn't have the same quality.

Paul, Harue and Anthony. It was so hot at the park that the shirts had to come off.

Later on, we made our final stop at Northtown Mall before heading back to Pullman during the drive at sunset.

After a long day, we finally got settled at home and chilled. What a better way to relax than to sip on some gin & tonic and a few rounds of rum shots.

Essentials: Week #28

Currently, these things are awesome to me:

Mei - Haha...I had to put her on here. Well, she's always going to be awesome and it doesn't take her to be on this list for her to prove it to me. Anyway, for those who don't know, Mei is my lovely girlfriend who I started a relationship with this past April. How we began dating is actually an interesting story altogether. Can't wait to go visit her on the 25th!

Nutella - Seriously, this thing is so damn addicting! This hazelnut-based sweet spread created by the Italian company called Ferrero in the 1940s has made me eating it multiple times a day. Goes damn well with English muffins. Although the makers of Nutella deny it, scientific studies have shown that one of the key ingredients is crack cocaine. Ok, I made that up, there's no crack in the creamy hazelnut spread, but it seemed plausible as I typed. And I thought I might get a laugh. What can I say, I just love the stuff. Can't stop eating it. Must have some now.

Kick-Ass #3 - I just got done reading Kick-Ass issue #3 a few hours ago. For those who don't know, Kick-Ass is the latest title from writer Mark Millar’s creator-owned Millarworld line of comics. It's a look at a real world superhero, in a real world. Ever wondered what it would be like to put on a costume and fight crime? It doesn’t take your parents getting shot, getting yourself bitten by a radioactive insect, being a descendant of an alien world, or cosmic rays or a power ring…just the perfect combination of loneliness and despair. Can't wait for issue #4 coming out in August!

Blackberry Pearl - Yeah, I've had my Blackberry Pearl cell phone for quite some time now and I still can't stop raving about how much I love it. Three words to describe it. Small, smart, and stylish. To me, my Blackberry Pearl is damn sexy. The device handles quite a lot of tasks for me while I'm on the run. However, at the moment, I kind of got my eyes on the new Blackberry Bold and flirted with the possibilities of moving onto it. But then, I also have an infatuation for the upcoming 3G iPhone.

The Northwest's premier food festival

The 2008 Bite of Seattle!

For those who don't know, The Bite of Seattle is an annual food festival that takes place over three days in July a at the Seattle Center, here in Seattle.

Founded by Alan Silverman, the president of Festivals, Inc., the first festival was held in 1982 at Green Lake, with 25 restaurants participating and 75,000 in attendance. In 2003, there were 60 restaurants participating with over 450,000 visitors.

Anyway, we're almost a week away from the festival and hopefully those in the Seattle area can make it out for some great food, delightful live entertainment, fun activities and warm summer weather. I don't think I will be able to make it to the festival this year but from years past, my experiences at the Bite of Seattle had always been a heap loads of fun. Seriously, how can you resist sampling all of those delightful food from some of the finest restaurants in Seattle?

July 18, 19 and 20, 2008
FREE ADMISSION
LOCATION: Seattle Center
FESTIVAL HOURS: Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.Sunday 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.

Some fresh beats!

My Top 10 Favorite Songs from the 1980's

Being born in the early 1980's, I grew up having an 80's childhood. I was old enough during the 80's to truly appreciate and remember it all but not old enough to be cynical about all the crazy stuff we did. Anyway, the 1980's also brought about some memorable songs that I find myself listening to on my iPod and rediscovering. I was perhaps really young during this decade, but they are songs I had a liking for at a young age and somehow they still linger with me in my adult age as if their beats were fresh from yesterday.

Here are my ten most favorite songs from the 1980's in numerical order:

1. The Promise by WHEN IN ROME
2. If You Leave by OMD
3. Lady In Red by CHRIS DE BURGH
   
4. I Wanna Be Adored BY THE STONE ROSES
   
5. Bizarre Love Triangle by NEW ORDER
6. Drive by THE CARS
7. With Or Without You by U2
8. West End Girl by PET SHOP BOYS
9. This Charming Man by THE SMITHS
10. Missing You by JOHN WAITE
    

The plethora of summer heat

A photo shot of me and my friend Yumi by my buddy Brian earlier in the summer when the weather wasn't quite so hot.

Today, here in Pullman, the expected temperature is suppose to be somewhere as high as the mid-90 degrees Fahrenheit. Shit, the past few days have been pretty sweltering and I'm not sure about you, but when the temperature begins to rise and I find myself shedding so much sweat, I begin to feel this sense of lag, not laziness, but lag. I guess it's a sign that my body is being dehydrated from all of that intense heat and that I need to carefully hydrate myself with more liquids so that my body can replenish itself.

Just a few moments ago, I happen to have stepped outside my apartment and this sudden and immense blanket of heat simply just forced itself upon me. I felt the impact of summer heat overwhelming the surface of my skin and the slow penetration of warmth throughout my body. Before minutes could be counted, my body already had began shedding drops of sweat and I seriously realized how engulfed we all are.

Anyway, I'm heading over to the Seattle later today with my friend Paul and my room mates Harue and Anthony. I heard there's some thunder showers on the other end of the state. Perhaps a little rain and a swift cooling in weather is something I need. It'll be refreshing and a desirable change of environment. Spending the 4th of July weekend in Seattle will be exciting just like years prior.

Right now, I'm just lounging in my bedroom, listening to Jack Johnson and waiting for Paul to get off from work so that we can grab a bite of food (leftovers from last night's barbecue) and head out.

Can't wait to see Mei...

Well, if I happen to not have time to post on here (since my schedule will be packed) tomorrow, have a wonderful 4th of July everyone!

Seattle Supersonics Officially Relocating to Oklahoma City

We are OFFICIALLY...NBA-less in Seattle.

Just minutes ago, it was announced that current Seattle Supersonics owner Clay Bennett has officially began the relocating process of moving the NBA team from Seattle and to his hometown of Oklahoma City.

The Supersonics will move to Oklahoma City for the 2008-09 season as part of a settlement with the city of Seattle, ending a contentious relationship that resulted in a trial in which the judge was due to issue her ruling Wednesday.

The settlement calls for Sonics owner Clay Bennett and the Professional Basketball Club LLC to pay up to $75 million to the city in exchange for the immediate termination of the KeyArena lease between the NBA team and the city.

The team's name, legacy and colors will be staying in Seattle.

After 41 years of some triumphs and some heartaches, Seattle is saying farewell to a team.

Thank you Seattle Supersonics and the community of supporters for those 41 years.

Seattle Supersonics intro at Key Arena at the 1996 NBA Finals.

Dylan Returns

Photography by Brian S. Chen & post-processing by me.

Lost In Translation is back!

After over a month, I've finally returned to the helm of my blog...
and I've got some stories...

If I lay here, if I just lay here

The sun is showing a little more often now, but it isn't exactly spring yet. On early mornings waiting at the bus stop, or even at the late stretches of night when I'm fumbling with friends as we walk out of the bar, the coldness of winter still lingers around like as if it isn't ready to depart on its own will. For a change, the snow has said its last goodbyes, but to only lure in the rain in its place. I'm still afraid its going to snow just one last time, but that's just me fearing things that never materialize. It'll be quite soon once more before I finally start to gather those inevitable feelings that always arrive when you begin to sense that spring is in the air. The kind that slowly and carefully brushes upon you and finally envelopes you in one leap of yearning embrace.

...the feelings of youthful naiveness, the vibrancy of wanting to live forever, letting loose like roman candles in the night's sky...

...the climactic emotions that comes with making eye contact with the coy girl in the garden through sheer accidental timing...

... and the perfect symmetry in thoughts when finding yourself standing underneath a whirlwind of cherry blossoms.

Spring isn't here yet. I know it, but I'm waiting. Its been dawning on me that this time of year is Red House Painters season. Been listening to a lot of them lately when no one's around, so I can blast it up to mid volume on my iPod with headphones and lay on the bedroom floor, staring up at the ceiling and window like a late winter dreamer ( the way it should be with that kind of music).

My mind has been drifting towards elsewhere except for here lately. A little bit of it is looking westwards past the Cascades and some more of it looking southwards towards San Francisco. I think it's because of the lack of chilly sunset walks on the beach and the smell of evergreen or even the taste of fresh seafood thats throwing me off. Its going to be almost 30 months at the end of February since I've moved here from Seattle. It's strange to think I've been living here in Pullman for 3 years now. For most of my waking life, I only knew Seattle as a home and was happy when on a whim I decided to move east to Pullman and attend Washington State University. I have no regrets, but eventually I'll need to see the seasons again and allow myself to be bitter at the weather taking too long of a time to transpire into spring and not at anyone/anything else.

Thoughts keep biting at me right at this moment...