I love Bill Nye

His facial expression as he realizes he's talking to a moron is hilarious. *Deep breath* Science is good for you Fox News.

Not a chameleon

I pride myself on being able to adapt to almost every situation. Being the small Asian man I can usually blend into the background and not really "stand" out. 

For the very first time in my life I came across a situation where I felt so out of place I didn't know what to do. 

Last Sunday I had dinner with my roommate from UM-Ross and his gf. After catching up with them and gorging myself on all you can eat pizza it was decided to have a drink at their go to Brazilian bar. 

Trudging across 14th street past Broadway, 6th and then finally near 9th avenue we stopped outside a indiscriminate looking bar. No real sign outside but the bouncer and doorman gave away the fact that this was indeed a bar. So far nothing out of the ordinary. Descending down the steps and to the bar my eyes cast a glance across the bar area. Something was off. 

All the girls seemed really tall. I'm not tall by any means but these girls made me feel Lilliputian. What the hell. All the girls were ridiculously beautiful. Tall, beautiful girls at a Brazilian hangout. I was starting to do the math in my head when my roommate, noticing my bug eyed look, said to me casually, "This is where all the Brazilian models hang out." Oh. My. God. 

I stood there by the bar and watched my roommate and his gf chat up the crowd. It seemed like they knew everybody in there. Surreal. Look over to the side. Hey, that guy looks familiar. Oh it's international soccer star Thierry Henry WTF.

The samba music boomed in the bar and I couldn't stop thinking that this was nuts. This is a world SO outside my normal social network that I just felt starstruck and dumbfounded or dumbstruck. I've heard that places like this exist but it was always part of some bad TMZ article so I kinda blew it off as society merely creating these fantasy worlds to support their celebrity worship. This was real. I got into a quick chat with one of my roommate's gf's friend and asked her "Are you a model too? Why of course she is. How stupid of me to even ask. 

I don't belong in bars like this. My self confidence can't take beatings like that when everyone, male and female, is perfectly proportioned and looked like they came out of a Diesel ad. I think I'm happy with my $5 Bud Lights at TGIF and slightly rotund men in their khakis and polos. But, I guess if there's ever another opportunity it would be rude for me to say no. You know, Brazilian hospitality and all. 

Did I mention it was hot in NYC

This is happening. Well, I guess even if it wasn't hot this could still happen.

I'm melting

It's hot. It's so hot that as I look outside there's nary a soul walking on the streets.

The last 3 days in NYC we've seen record temperatures. Hot enough that the government issued an extreme heat warning. This dog sums up the feelings of New Yorkers.

Car hot? Let the Japanese take care of it

Translation

1. Hot car?
2. Open passenger side window
3. Open and close drivers door 5-6 times. 
4. Instantly cool
5. Look around to see if anyone was watching you do an uncool thing. 
6. No one around? Stay cool. 

Getting punched in the face

Living in NYC is seriously like getting kicked in the face repeatedly. It's just sensory overload all the time. From the ridiculous amounts of people walking around, car horns, fire trucks, police sirens and random bums yelling all over the place it just seems like there's something going on all the time and that's just on my walk to and from work. 

Add in the bars, restaurants and social scene it really is a go-go-go place. I can see why people really enjoy the pace of life here and how they truly feel alive. I spent some time in LA two weekends ago and while I truly enjoyed my relaxing lunch on an outdoor terrace overlooking the Pacific Ocean, I couldn't help but feel like my brain was going to mush from the lack of stimuli. 

Never have I been more aware of the difference between the East Coast and West Coast. I love LA because of its casual, relaxed feel. I love NYC because I feel like I'm part of an extended washing cycle. NYC being the washer and all its inhabitants being the dirty clothes just tumbling around and around. 

I know I'm gonna get tired of NYC and look longingly at those shots of Santa Monica and downtown LA when they show Lakers games. Until then its back in the washer I go. 

This is absolutely hilarious.....

if you're from LA and particularly, the Westside.

Dun Dun Duuunnnnn

I'm getting married in September. This wedding has always seemed so far away. We got engaged 2 years ago right before I was to head off to ESADE. A bit of planning here. A bit of planning there. It never really felt like there was this huge gigantic, life-changing event in front of us.

I got my tux today and tried it on. Bowtie and everything. Seeing myself in front of the mirror it finally hit me.

OMG I'M GETTING MARRIED?!!?!?!

Posting to resume once I return from my whirlwind LA weekend. 

Corporate Social Responsibility aka Please Don't Hate our Company

To combat the laziness I've been feeling lately, I turn to my blog to get the mental juices flowing.

Like many other corporate entities, to appease main street America, my company sponsors and organizes a city-wide community outreach event. It's mostly for PR boosting and to stop people from gathering their torches and pitchforks when prices are raised or god forbid, the company makes money. I guess our situation is not as bad as banks though. I highly doubt cosmetics caused the global financial crisis. More like a certain Calabasas-based mortgage firm, which is now part of an evil banking empire. I kid, I kid.

Anyways, our day starts off bright and early at 9:30 as I head off towards the Lower East Side Ecology center, part of the 52 acre East River Park system.

Walking along the East River Park is actually quite nice as long as you don't mind a freaking highway right next to you.

Nothing like a 6 lane highway next to your park. Only in NYC.

In our company provided free t-shirts we were a noticeable group in the park. Ready to do some volunteer work. There were like 5 activities to choose from. Painting a mural. Planting trees. Weeding and planting. Mending fences. I figured the LES eco center didn't want a Picasso-esque (not in a good way) mural I chose to weed and plant a garden.

An even scarier, crappier version of that would be what a drawing of a girl would look like if painted by yours truly. Seriously, I got a C in sculpture in high school. 

All activities were grouped into small teams of 10 and thus I headed off with my team. As usual, I was the only male on the team. It is very different working in a mostly female company. Now that I think about it, over the last week I've been in about 8 big meetings, of which there were probably only about 6 males total across all meetings. I can't pinpoint exactly what is different but it's definitely not like my old job where there were no females working except for admin. Anyways, 

As the first stage of our activity was weeding, we were told what to yank out and what not to. Amongst those pictured above is the one you're not supposed to yank out. I'm glad they made it painfully obvious for us city-folk.

We got lucky and the weather was beautiful. I was a bit worried because the week prior to this we had a couple of days of 100+ degree days. With the Williamsburg bridge in the background it made the day quite enjoyeable.

I wish I had taken a before picture because it was pretty crappy. Weeds everywhere and there was no semblance of a real garden but we turned it into an area worthy of our overall city beautification project.

After 4 hours of hard, physical labor it was time for me to head home.

Along the way I passed under the Williamburg bridge. Apparently one of the few free bridges connecting Manhattan to the outlying boroughs.

In this shot you can actually see the UN building. It's the white rectangular building.

I found this neat trail but it was only like this for about 100 feet. I can't figure out why they built such a small section. I guess by Manhattan standards this is like Yellowstone though. Old Faithful replicated by the homeless gentlemen peeing all over the place while yelling obscenities at me. I love NY.

So this weekend it's back to LA to celebrate the wedding of one of my closest friends. I'm only gonna be in LA for about 40 hours so it'll be filled to the brim with stuff. Exciting.

TODAY IS OUR INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

Happy 4th everyone.

Oh the horror our kids face

The younger generations are growing up to be gigantic pu!%^es.



Glad that even that the lowest demographic of internet social network, youtube commenters emphatically dislike it as well.

Summer TV isn't all crap

It's like 99% crap but the 1% that's cool is pretty legit.

The weirdest combo

Last week I attended a seminar and networking session organized by the ESADE New York Chapter. The seminar was on the changes in communication methods brought about by the digital age. Pretty interesting stuff but what I somehow honed in on was this topic about how messages travel. 

Another alumni mentioned how certain messages are somewhat nebulous in nature and how Obama's political slogan of "Hope" was a perfect example of how such a  message is quite strong. 

We live in a day where we are constantly force-fed messages and slogans. The constant input of messages from corporations and public figures are designed so that the message is ingrained into our brains. McDonalds: I'm Loving it. George Bush. No New Taxes. But, these aren't powerful, lasting messages. They are catchy phrases that cater towards the lowest common denominator.  

What happens with these generic, mass produced messages is that it creates a lack of attachment to the message. People do not identify themselves with the message. They identify the message with the person or business, but that's it. 

What is great about messages like Obama's Hope slogan is that a simple message like that can be analyzed and individualized for a person. I will hear the message of Hope and immediately create imagery and scenario that will match what Obama's Hope is supposed to entail. You will do the same. Every person who has hope for the future, unless you're a stone-cold robot, will craft a story about how Hope fits into their lives. You now believe that Obama will bring Hope, whatever that is. A simple message has transcended into a powerful, meaningful, personal story for each and every person who hears those words. 

The SO is gonna once again think that I'm a closet Twilight fan, but Stephanie Meyer does the same thing with the Twilight series. The Oatmeal did a brilliant analysis of Twilight stating how Edward Cullen is painstakingly described while Bella is a shell of a character, which is exactly what makes Twilight so popular with girls. Because Bella is such a shell, girls can live vicariously through her and be with Edward. They live the romance, they live the angst, they live the godawful vampire-werewolf-Volturi-human crap story. 

The danger with these types of messages/stories is the lack of cohesiveness. What one message/story means to one person will not be consistent with another person's interpretation. A weak link amongst the message receivers. But, as the message grows and spreads, people identify with the other people who have heard the message or read the story. Hey, you've read the book. Hey, you're an Obama supporter. What brought you together was the original message. What strengthened the bond was that you had your own identification with that message and are now believers of the message. A collective. 

I can't believe I just connected Obama to Twilight. I'll never be a respected writer.   

Reliving my childhood one video at a time

Thanks to AC who forwarded me this youtube clip.



Hoping to provide all you oldies with fond memories.

Happy Father's Day!!

The pops and I are gonna get our seafood and steak on in a couple of hours. We keeping it manly fo' sho'.

Couple of videos to pass away a lazy Father's Day Sunday.



Sadly this actually makes me miss West LA. I guess I'll always be a SoCal kid no matter what. Westsiiiiiiide bitches



Crazy Japanese and their sandwiches. How do you say sandwich in Japanese? It's actually just sandwich just said with a Japanese accent. Sandowichi.